Chapter 40.
The servants came and started clearing away the remains of the bed, the books, and much if the furnature, Loki waved a hand and restored the damaged goods of the room. All of the books however were stacked neatly, Floria doing most of the work. He saw her rough, brown leather shoes, hating them for the way the rubbed her ankles raw under the straps. He remembered then that she had left all her finer gowns and clothes behind, and that the cotton dress was probably the only one she owned now. He left them briefly to check her old chambers, finding everything as she had left it and picked up a soft pair of rabbit fur lined slippers.
He returned to his chambers, finding Frigga watching her sift through his clothes and folding his tunics neatly. She picked up his armor, setting it aside and made neat piles of his clothing to be put away when he had a wardrobe again. Frigga found one of his boots and searched for the other one, he walked forward and sighed. Pain from his injured foot slowing him, making him limp slightly as he moved. His mind cursed his foolishness at how he acted, praying that Floria did not think less of him.
"This is my mess allow me to correct it." He said and both women nodded. He waved his hands, broken furnature repairing itself and items returning to where they belonged. Frigga looked relieved, and Floria clapped her hands in praise.
"Much improved Loki, and Floria told me that we shall be having a Wedding after all. I am so very happy for you both." Frigga said and frowned at Floria's swollen cheek.
"Father and Mother will not be there." She said and she turned toward the window. The tight shoes pinching her feet and making her limp worse than he was, she looked out it and wanted to weep.
"Floria, you are not an orphan in truth." Frigga said and held the girl. "We are your family, and will care for you as we have all along."
"Thank you My Queen." Floria said and she smiled at the older woman.
"I do have to go, there are things I must see to. I know I do not have to remind Loki to calm his temper, lest he find himself using magic again to repair more damages." Frigga said, glancing at him and he nodded. Floria found his brush, picking it up off the ground and turned it in her hands.
"Of course not. I would never raise a hand against her, she is delicate and far too beautiful." Loki said and she blushed. He walked to a chair offering it to her and she sat in it as Frigga left, her hands still holding the brush.
"I am glad things are better for you." She said and he smiled, kneeling at her feet and he frowned at the shoes she wore.
"These are ill fitting and have made your feet raw and blistered from rubbing." He said and went into the Bathing Chamber to fill a basin. "Let me help you. I do not like how much pain you are in."
He set the basin on the floor, gesturing for one of her feet and she raised it slowly. He unbuckled the shoe, slipping it off her foot and cringed at the blisters and sores on it. He carefully lowered her foot into the warm water, and removed the other one. He stood, throwing the offending footwear into the fireplace and let them burn as he walked to his potions cabinet and opened it. He looked at the bottles, finding what he was looking for and returned with the two vials. He frowned down at the pink tinged water, his brows knitting and he sighed at her.
"I am sorry Sir, they were all I could find." She said and he lifted her foot and removed a bit of dirt from a sore spot. He frowned, looking up at her and saw her fear.
"This will heal them. Your other shoes and clothes are in your chambers." He said and kissed her ankle. She blushed and he lowered the tender foot into the water, adding a few drops of the potion to heal the damage.
"Why are you being so kind to me?" She asked him and he gave her a gentle smile.
"Because you are letting me be so to you, and I am repaying your kindness when you showed me how much you cared by coming her to offer me solace. You are correct in saying that I am not by nature cruel, I think it easier to be as I am now actually. A man, asking a woman to look past his sins and to love him." He said and picked up a fur. He wrapped it around her shoulders and let her relax, taking the brush from her and using it to smooth her soft hair. She sighed, relaxing into each stroke and her eyes drifted closed and he chuckled softly.
"This is very kind of you. And my feet do not ache anymore." She said and he ran his fingers through the silken strands. He lay her hair over one shoulder, his fingers making a small gesture on her cheek to heal it.
"After this, I will fetch your shift and you can change in the Bathing Chamber. You need rest, and you look so very weary." He said and she nodded, he left her to sit quietly and found her white, silk shift where she left it in the wardrobe. He folded the garment, laying it in a chair near the fire and saw her watching him.
"This is not proper." She said softly, and he crouched next to her to dry her feet. Resting them in his lap as he knelt on the floor, and applying a second potion to them to ease the red spots away and relax her. He massaged them, his fingers working the delicate toes and making her sigh in pleasure. She blushed at herself and he slipped the soft slippers onto her feet, helping her to stand.
"I never was proper, and I have slept in the same bed with you as before. Nothing to risk your virtue happened then, and nothing will happen to it now. Come back, and I beg you to indulge me by allowing me to hold you." He said and she nodded, rising from the chair and collecting her shift. She vanished into the Chamber, changing quickly and returning to him.
He had just finished turning down the silken sheets, his eyes falling on her and he gestured for her to come closer. He lifted her up, kissing her softly and lay her on the mattres. She blushed, her hands covering herself and he settled the blankets over her. He turned to remove his tunic, taking the linen sleep pants in his hand and felt a small hand circle his wrist. Her eyes were wide, and filled work hope as he turned and looked back at her.
"I do love you. Honestly, and was in such sorrow at the thought of never seeing you again. Your sins are in the past, and we shall leave them there." She said and he bent over her and kissed her.
"Your sorrow is over, and I will never let it happen again. Your tears are precious, and should never be shed in sadness." He said and went to change himself. He returned, laying on his side of the bed and holding her with his chest to her back. His hand lay on her stomach, and he took a deep breath of her natural perfume.
"This is my Valhalla, to be allowed to protect you as you sleep." He said and she made a small noise of contentment. He felt her breathing, and soon joined her in her rest.
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Thor groaned, picking more straw from his hair and cursing the girl that had him do all her chores, Hogun had come home to find him and told him he had to leave in a rage. Thor did so, but not after helping Lady Velora clean the small stables where Hogun kept his two horses.
He walked to Loki's room, hoping that things were better. Wondering if he and Floria had made up again, and if they were to be married after all. This time, he knocked before entering, and did not receive a response. He shrugged, trying the handle and it unlatched the door quietly, and he heard nothing as he walked in the Sitting Room.
Finding nothing amiss, he walked through to the Bedchamber and froze in the doorway. His eyes fell upon Loki and Floria, her arm on his chest and her soft lips parted in sleep. Loki lay on his back, holding her and his mouth was slightly open. Thor thought about congratulating him, but remembered how angry Hogun was when he saw him last and knew why then.
Thor left, being as quiet as he could and closed the doors to Loki's chambers after him. He saw Frigga walking toward him and put his hands up to stop she and her Maid from entering.
"It would be best not to deliver that food Mother." Thor said and she looked at him in confusion. She realized what he meant then, smiling to herself and took the tray from the Maid behind her.
"I will leave it in the Sitting Room then, they may be hungry when they wake." She laughed, opening the door and putting the tray on the table for them. She smiled at the sleeping couple on the bed, looking at Floria and accepting her as he daughter before leaving.