Thor led the way back to Loki's chambers as we trailed a few steps behind. "That went better than expected," I ventured. "Thought for sure I'd have to punch somebody before it was all over."

Loki uttered a soft laugh, lacing his fingers through my own before saying, "That does seem to be a frequent occurrence for you, my Hawk. You are ever so eloquent with your fists."

"Just another skill of mine," I shrugged. "When I was a kid most of the fighting I had to do was of the physical variety. Words didn't seem to have as much clout as a left hook."

"Well, let us hope that you do not have to employ that particular skill here today," Loki murmured, running his thumb lightly over my inner wrist.

I gave him a lopsided grin and said, "Well, as long as that Fandral guy stays away, I think I can control myself."

"I believe he has had his fill of being threatened for the moment," the god smirked. "With you and my brother both to stand against him, he would be wise to keep to the shadows henceforth."

"Damn straight," I chuckled, remembering the look of shock on Mustache's face when Thor had grabbed his tunic. "Not that I wouldn't happily take another swing at him."

"I do not doubt that in the least," Loki replied. "And while I would love to see just that, I think perhaps you should avoid making any further enemies here."

"As do I," Thor called back over one shoulder. "Save your blood lust for a more worthy adversary."

"You guys won't let me have any fun," I pouted.

Leaning in, Loki brushed his lips against my ear, breathing out a quiet, "The sort of fun I have planned for you, my dear Hawk, is of another variety altogether."

"Oh…well, then," I murmured back, a slight shiver running down my spine. "Guess I'll keep my hands to myself. For now."

Loki gave a pleased purr in response as Thor reached his brother's rooms, throwing open the door and striding inside. With a small frown, Loki muttered, "But I suppose my plans will have to wait…"

"Yeah. I don't think Thor would be too happy if we started going at it with him in the room. He almost blushed himself to death when I kissed you earlier."

The laugh that Loki voiced was the truest one I'd ever heard from the god. "Perhaps we should take that route? It would ensure us our privacy. And quickly, I would think."

"Yeah…no," I said, shaking my head. "Not sure I want to get the on the God of Thunder's bad side."

"I can attest that it is a very bad place in which to be," Loki replied softly. He pressed a quick kiss to my mouth before following Thor into his chambers. I took a deep breath and collected myself before entering the room.

"So what do we do now," I asked.

"We wait," Thor answered simply.

x-x-x-x-x

And so we waited. As the last of the sunlight fled the skies, and the pale moon climbed in the heavens, we waited. Servants came and went, bearing trays of food and pitchers of drink. We ate and talked and as the hours passed, we began to worry.

Surprisingly, Thor was the first to lose his cool. He paced like a caged lion, stalking from one end of the room to the other. And with each pass, his mutterings increased until Loki finally snapped at him to be silent. His sharp voice seemed to startle the god into realizing exactly what he was doing, and Thor retreated to the balcony.

"Hey," I said softly, reaching out and gripping the nape of Loki's neck. "Keep it together, alright? So the council is taking a little longer than expected. Doesn't mean anything except that they like to argue."

Loki huffed out a deep sigh, and I could feel the tension leave his frame. "Of course," he replied. "I cannot help but worry, though. So much hangs in the balance…"

"I know," I ground out. "Believe me…I know. But it won't do a bit of good to worry about what's happening. It's out of our hands."

He bowed his head then, leaning into my side and giving a brief nod. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and held him close, trying to take my own advice…and failing miserably.

What if they did vote against freeing him; choosing instead to return him to his place of punishment?

What would I do if they tried to take him from me a second time?

A growl rose in my chest, but I caged it behind clenched teeth. If I wanted to keep Loki from panicking, I had to present a calm front. I couldn't let my anxiety show.

But god help the council if they voted against Loki's freedom. I'd fight every single one of them, if I had to, and something told me that Thor would back me on that. Treason or not, he'd never stand for Loki's continued imprisonment.

We sat in silence for a time, each lost deep in our own troubled thoughts. A soft knock on the door nearly made me jump out of my skin, and Loki voiced a startled little gasp as the Frigga swept into the room.

"Mother? Is it time," Loki asked, rising to his feet. "Has the council reconvened?"

"Not yet, my love," the Queen answered, opening her arms wide and pulling Loki into her embrace. She smoothed back his hair and pressed a quick kiss to his temple. "It shall be soon, though, and I wished to speak with your mortal before then."

'Oh shit,' I thought. 'Here it comes.'

"Why," Loki asked softly, his gaze darting between us.

"Is it not a mother's right to learn more of the one her child has chosen as his own? I assure you that I mean him no harm."

"I didn't mean to imply…"

"I know," Frigga soothed. "But your trust has been abused many a time, Loki. I would set you at ease as to my intentions."

Loki nodded, giving his mother a soft smile. He kissed her cheek before moving to the balcony to join Thor under the night sky, leaving us alone.

I pushed to my feet, feeling a nervous flush rise in my cheeks as the Queen looked me over. Scrubbing my hand over the nape of my neck, I huffed out a quiet breath.

"So, about yesterday…" I began, only to be cut off by Frigga.

"Thank you," she said.

My mouth snapped shut so fast I nearly caught the tip of my tongue between my teeth. "Say again," I asked hesitantly.

"Thank you," Frigga repeated.

"For what, exactly?"

"I haven't any idea what you did to convince Loki to speak in his own defense, but I am eternally grateful to you for accomplishing what we could not," the Queen murmured.

"I couldn't let him go through that again and not tell his side of things. He deserved to be heard."

"Yet little more than a day ago, you had very different ideas about what Loki deserved," Frigga stated. "You stood before me claiming that Loki deserved to be punished, did you not?"

"I did," I replied. "But that was before I saw what had been done to him."

"And that alone swayed you," she asked. "I did not think you held such compassion in your heart for my son."

"No. That wasn't all."

"Then what changed your mind, if I may ask?"

"We talked," I said thickly. "He explained things to me. Made me understand why he did what he did. It helped me to get past the…anger I had over how things ended between us and made me realize how I really felt."

Frigga cocked her head, giving me a curious look. I'd seen that same expression on Loki's face more than once, and it drove home the fact that even though Frigga hadn't birthed my god, that didn't make her any less his mother.

"It is apparent that Loki cares for you," the Queen said, abruptly switching the subject. "I assume that by offering yourself as his Midgardian protector that means you return his affections?"

"Wow. You, uh, get straight to the point, don't you," I replied, feeling a slight flush rising in my cheeks. I ran my hand over my face, looking away from the Queen's appraising stare. Funny how I could go from hardened assassin to blushing schoolgirl when hit with the right question…and by the right person.

"Yes or no, archer. A simple answer will suffice," Frigga prodded. "I will not be content until I know that you care for my son. That he is more than just a passing fancy to you."

"Ma'am," I answered, catching her gaze and holding it firmly as I spoke. "I can assure you that Loki is much more than that to me."

A soft sigh of relief escaped her then, even as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Thank the Norns," she whispered. "I had hoped that what I had read in your eyes was the truth."

"And what was that," I asked, curious.

"Yesterday, even as you spat venomous words condemning my son, I saw no anger in you. Simply a deep, abiding pain." She stepped closer to me and raised one hand, cupping my cheek as she continued softly. "That sort of pain can only be the result of a broken heart, and such a show of rage stems from a denial of that pain."

"I'm great at denial," I huffed, giving a rueful shake of my head.

"But now you have accepted that which you tried to ignore. Now you may begin to heal."

"Yeah," I answered in a tight voice. "Provided the council doesn't try to split us up again."

Frigga's smile faded and her brow knit as she considered my words. "Let us hope it does not come to that," she murmured.

A knock came at the open door, and a nervous young page entered the room, bowing low before he blurted out. "My Lady? The council has reached a decision. The All-Father calls for you and the others to return to the throne room at once."

The Queen's eyes briefly closed, and she stroked her fingertips down my cheek as she stepped away. "Thank you, young one. Run ahead and tell them we are on our way."

"Yes, my Lady," the page answered before turning and bolting out the door.

"Finally," I growled. "The waiting was driving me up a wall."

"I will collect my sons," Frigga said quietly. "And you should ready yourself for whatever awaits. The time has come for this to be laid to rest."