Astrid felt very dizzy as she opened her eyes. "Welcome to Asgard, Lady Astrid," a deep, rich voice greeted her.
They weren't in her yard anymore. This was a round, domed room gilded in gold with intricate etchings and carvings that stretched from floor to apex. At the top front portion of the dome was a large window, displaying the night sky. In the middle of the room stood an imposing figure in golden armor wearing a large helmet and holding a sword pointed at the ground. His eyes matched the color of his armor and the vibe he gave off was none like Astrid had ever felt. She couldn't describe his energy in any way other than strange. It was as though the weight of the world was upon his shoulders and he didn't seem to mind. She realized that she was staring at him and apologized, "I'm sorry. I've never felt anyone like you before."
He graced her with a small, knowing smile. "I am Heimdall, the Guardian, Watcher of the Nine Realms."
Heimdall. The guy that sees and hears everything. Of course, now his energy made sense to her. She inclined her head slightly, "Nice to meet you." He returned the nod with one of his own before turning his gaze straight ahead.
Thor led Loki and Astrid to the doorway where several yellow-caped Einherjar were waiting chains in hand. Astrid was shocked. Thor never mentioned that they were to be chained up like animals. "Wait a second. You didn't tell me there were chains and shit involved."
Thor, who appeared a bit deflated, explained, "They are not for you, my lady."
The guards shackled Loki and led him across the rainbow bridge and through an enormous set of gates, which opened to reveal a city covered in gold. Astrid was amazed by the shimmering lights of the bridge and the amber glow of the city but her attention was focused on Loki, chained and being led by a group of guards towards a colossal golden palace that resembled the pipes on an organ. She shot a glare at Thor and quickly caught up with Loki. She cut around the side through the formation of guards that surrounded him and walked side-by-side in a show of solidarity with the chained god. His head held high despite his incarceration.
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at her incredulously.
"I'm walking with you. We're in this together, right? If you go down, I go down." She smiled nervously as she kept pace with him. They were in the same boat that had just as much chance of floating as it did sinking. Might as well paddle together.
They were led into a vast and cavernous room dimly lit by various fires and torches. At the far end of the room sat a massive, imposing throne. A male figure was sitting there and a female form stood a few steps below him. Guards stood at regular intervals down either side of the vaulted hall. A retinue of particularly heavily armored guards flanked the throne. Astrid's heart pounded and her stomach churned. She glanced at Loki whose face was blank and unreadable; however, his energy gave away his apprehension and distrust.
As they approached the throne, its occupant rose to his feet. He was ancient with white hair and a gunmetal ovoid eye patch over his right eye. He held an intricately carved staff of gold several feet tall. Astrid was certain that this was Odin, which made the kind-faced woman standing on the steps Frigga. Astrid had never felt so nervous in all her life. Her entire body began to twitch. Stomach acid rose in her throat. Contempt and resentment surged between Loki and Odin. Frigga, on the other hand, was radiating maternal love and cautious optimism. Thor emerged from behind Loki and Astrid bypassing the guards tethered to the end of Loki's chains. He and Frigga placed themselves beside Loki as promised and genuflected to the king. Odin rapped the end of the staff once on the marble floor. The sound reverberated through the room making Astrid jump a little in her shoes.
Odin's piercing eye scrutinized Loki and then settled on Astrid. As he spoke, his voice echoed around the open throne room.
"Lady Astrid of Midgard," he bellowed. Astrid's knees grew weak in fear but she was determined not to show it. She hadn't allowed Loki to intimidate her and she wasn't about to let Odin do so either. She defiantly raised her chin and drew in a deep breath.
"You stand accused of aiding the prisoner in his escape. Will you confess this or face extinction?" Odin asked. His expression was hard and emotionless.
She didn't realize that her jaw was tightly clenched until she tried to speak. She swallowed hard and carefully chose her words. "I didn't aid Loki. I came to him for help."
"For help?"
"Yes. I had an accident and I was dying. I soul-traveled to him for help. If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead." She turned her head to acknowledge Loki who was staring defiantly at the Allfather.
"This was not your first meeting with the prisoner, was it? Were you aware that visitors are not permitted?"
Astrid didn't say another word. If she were on Earth, she would plead the fifth amendment but she seriously doubted that the Constitution would protect her here. This guy was trying to railroad her. He was looking for a good excuse to take Loki down and her right along with him. Was he the one who sentenced Loki to solitary confinement? He was going to get an earful regardless.
Anger and disgust built up inside her manifesting in courage she never knew she had. She crossed her arms over her chest and spoke slowly but firmly. "No, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be there. Even had I known that, I still would have visited him. You threw him into that cell without a second thought, depriving him of the very people who love him the most and could have helped him. You're just a damn bully. And I can't stand bullies."
The entire room fell silent, shocked expressions on every face, all eyes on her. Now she'd done it. She had just signed her and Loki's death warrants with her tirade. Her mouth and her knee-jerk reactions always got her into trouble just like they had years ago when she caught her then-fiance in bed with another woman. She had gone to his house to break off the engagement but found him in flagrante with some chick. The scene that followed wasn't pretty. It involved screaming, a tire iron, and smashed car windows. Still even that was not nearly as fatal as the brazen speech she just gave.
Astrid braced herself for Odin's wrath. She held her breath and awaited the death sentence that was sure to be ordered in quick succession. Much to her surprise, a stone-faced Odin paused, turned to Frigga, and motioned for her to speak. She stood in front of Loki and placed her hands lovingly on his cheeks. "Loki, my son. My light and my joy. I have loved you from the instant your father placed you in my arms. And it is my love for you that gave me the strength to do what needed to be done. When Thor brought you and the Tesseract back to Asgard, I had a vision that a gifted being from another realm would be vitally important to you. When I prepared your cell, I deliberately placed wards to contain all forms of magic, but I made an exception to allow soul-travel. I then searched all the Nine Realms and found Lady Astrid."
Loki listened intently as his mother continued, "The reason I stopped visiting you was so that Astrid would have her opportunity to meet you. It broke my heart to see you seething, alone, wasting away. But I knew that by meeting her, your life would change for the better." Loki whipped his head around and glared at Astrid accusingly.
Frigga clarified. "She knew nothing of my plan. Do not look at her with such scorn. No one knew of my actions except Heimdall. He and I made an agreement that he would say nothing of Astrid's visits unless they became a threat to Asgard, which is what happened when you escaped your cell. You could have left her to die once you set on foot on Midgard but you did not. You saved her life at the expense of your freedom. You have proven that behind the rage, you are still yourself. I am so proud of you, Loki, for all that you have endured and for what you did for Lady Astrid."
Loki was taken aback. Mother had committed treason for me? All this time he thought she had given up on him but it was all part of her grand plan: to help him because she loved him.
Frigga stepped over to Astrid. The Allmother looked to her son once more before settling her attention on the mortal. A warm smile spread across her face. "Lady Astrid, I am Frigga, mother of Loki and Thor, queen of Asgard. I want to thank you for helping my son. You have my gratitude."
She then spun to face her husband as he issued his judgment. "Queen Frigga and Prince Loki of Asgard. Lady Astrid of Midgard. The three of you are guilty of treason. However…" He paused, understanding the gravity of his wife's machinations. They were the actions of a mother desperate to save her child from himself. Frigga very rarely went against his wishes but when she did, it was for good reason and always ended favorably. Her gifts had proven to be invaluable in the past and had never failed him. Over the millennia, he had come to trust his wife's visions and judgment. "I defer sentencing to Thor. What say you, my heir?"
Thor considered his mother's confession. It was apparent that she wanted his brother and Astrid to continue their visits. He trusted his mother's judgment and quickly devised a fair and relatively failsafe way for her plan to continue. "Loki is not to be returned to the dungeon but will be confined to Asgard. Astrid shall remain here as Loki's keeper. If one or both leaves or attempts to leave the Realm, Queen Frigga shall be executed." His voice was calm and confident. He knew that Loki would never endanger Mother. It was the one and only thing that Thor could predict about his brother and likely the only way to ensure Loki's adherence to the terms of the sentence.
The Allfather considered the future king's issuance. As much as Odin did not want Loki out of prison and roaming free, the sentence had been decreed, and Odin must honor it. Thor had offered Frigga's life as collateral, which made Odin very uneasy. He did not trust Loki and was only fairly certain his trickster son wouldn't dare put his beloved mother in grave danger. "I accept the sentence handed down by the heir apparent but will issue one amendment. Loki is to remain solely in the palace. If he proceeds any further than the formal grounds he will be considered out of bounds and both he and the queen shall be immediately executed." He rapped Gungnir on the floor to make the decree official before returning to his seat upon the throne.
Frigga whirled around and immediately embraced her youngest son. "Do not make me regret this decision," she whispered into his ear.
Astrid swallowed hard and tried to wrap her head around what exactly the role of Loki's keeper entailed. They had avoided execution but she was not to return home. Maybe never return. Was she to spend the rest of her life here on Asgard? Thoughts of her family and Cait desperately missing her, searching for her, weighed heavily on her mind and in her heart. They would most likely never know what became of her.
Astrid was led down to the end of a long corridor to her chambers by a young maid who seemed a bit put out. The servant opened the door for her and stepped aside. "Your chambers, my lady. Prince Loki's chambers are right across the hall," she said with a snide tone before disappearing back down the hall. 'What crawled up her ass?' Astrid thought as she stepped inside. The room was amazing, almost the size of her entire house! There was a semi-circular sofa behind a round fire pit in the center of the sitting room, rich furnishings and tapestries, huge bookshelves along the wall, and open arches that led out to a balcony. Beyond the sofa was the bedroom and an enormous bed piled high with pillows. As she walked further in she noticed a small arched doorway leading to a very opulent bathroom.
She made her way out onto the balcony and took in the view. It was absolutely breathtaking. Snow-capped mountains, forests, and a river lay beyond the city. To her left, there was the shimmering rainbow bridge that led out to the golden sphere where she had first arrived. The night sky was full of stars and nebulae. She didn't recognize any of the constellations and she wondered which direction led back to Earth. The reflection of lights from the city played on the surface of an ocean that abruptly ended at a drop-off into who knows where. Asgard wasn't a spherical planet but rather a massive disc. She contemplated for a moment if Asgard was also held in place by elephants standing on the back of A'Tuin.
She noticed Loki on a separate balcony to her immediate right. He stood with his arms behind his back, gazing up at the sky. If she didn't know of the torment that was tearing him apart, she would say he almost looked peaceful. At least he wasn't in that damn dungeon anymore. It took her nearly dying but she got him out and gave him a chance to heal. Her mother always said that everything happens for a reason. And here she was, on Asgard as Loki's keeper; or, as the queen had described her new vocation, his babysitter and therapist. Between Frigga, Thor, and herself, at least Loki didn't have to go through this alone anymore. She tented her fingers over eyes and drew them together at the bridge of her nose. It had been a long and stressful day, night, whatever. She was absolutely exhausted.
She walked back into the sitting room, glancing over her shoulder once more at this god she was supposed to 'keep' when she walked straight into someone. Her cheek met with leather and metal: black, green, and gold. Startled, she jumped back. "Jesus, Loki!"
"Enjoying the view?" he asked.
She looked to the balcony he was just standing on- no Loki. "How... did you do that?" she stammered.
"Do what? This?" He gave a mischievous grin.
Astrid heard a pssst and turned around to face- Loki. Her gaze darted back and forth between both Lokis as they laughed. There were two of him. Astrid slowly smiled when she realized that he was toying with her. Teasing her.
She playfully swatted the Loki in front of her on the shoulder and he dissipated in a green haze. A smooth voice purred in her ear, "That wasn't the real one."
"Oh, and you are?" she asked as she spun around, smiling wickedly. She picked up a round, velvet pillow from the sofa, aimed for his shoulder, and swung. The pillow passed through the projection of Loki, again dissipating in a green mist.
The door to her chambers opened and another Loki breezed in with his hands held behind his back. Astrid whirled around and hurled the small cushion at him like a frisbee. It thumped him in the chest and fell to the ground. He glanced down at the pillow and cut his eyes up to Astrid. "Now, is that any way to treat your new charge?"
"You started it."
"I brought you a gift and you're tossing decorative cushions at me? Such boorish behavior," he playfully chided. He held out a folded bundle.
"Sorry." She took the bundle and opened it. It was a simple yet elegant nightgown, made of ivory satin with delicate gold flowers embroidered along the neckline. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
"You are most welcome." He pointed to a pitcher and glass on the dining table in the corner of the sitting area. "There is some water if you are thirsty. Should you require assistance during the night, the cord hanging beside your bed will ring a servant. Is there anything else you need?"
She stifled a yawn. "No, don't think so." Not that she was capable of thinking right now. She was so tired she thought she might fall asleep standing up.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight, Lady Astrid. Sleep well."
"Goodnight."
He turned to leave, but hesitated. "You put yourself at risk by defending me. Thank you."
She shrugged and said, "You're welcome. I'm just surprised that my tirade didn't get us both killed. That trial was… weird. I thought the American legal system was bad but that was… I don't even know."
With a chuckle, he replied, "Asgard may seem technologically advanced to you but socially, it is very archaic when compared to Midgard. It will be quite an adjustment for you." He watched her stifle yet another yawn. "Get some rest and we can talk more tomorrow."
She nodded, "See you in the morning."
Astrid slipped into the plush, luxurious four-poster bed. It was by far the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in, like being on a cloud. She heaved a sigh as she curled up under the silk sheets and settled her head into the pillow. She was so exhausted that she quickly fell asleep. Thoughts of her family and Cait would have to wait until tomorrow.
She awoke to a blood-curdling scream. She shot up in the bed. Momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings, she scrambled to remember where the hell she was. Oh yeah. Asgard. Then she remembered the scream. She ran across the hall and burst into Loki's chambers. She found him sitting up in bed, his chest heaving. His eyes were wild and darting about the room. She cautiously approached him and sat on the edge of the bed. "Loki?"
His eyes shot to her but it wasn't her that he saw. It was someone or something else.
"Loki? Are you alright?"
He lunged at her, wrapping his hands around her throat. His lips were drawn into a snarl as he tightened his grip, crushing her windpipe.
Her hands gripped tightly onto his forearms. She couldn't breathe or speak and he was too strong to fight off. She felt the anxiety rise as tears rolled from her eyes onto the bedsheets. She knew she had to work fast to focus on sending as much calming energy as she could into him. She prayed that her meager ability was strong enough to bring him out of his episode before she asphyxiated.
Slowly, recognition flashed in his eyes and he snatched his hands away from her throat. "Astrid?" A horrified expression replaced the snarl as he jumped off of her. "No, no, no! What have I done?" He plastered his back to the headboard, recoiling from her.
"Loki…" She managed a raspy squeak as she sat up. "Are you okay?" She rubbed at the red marks blossoming around her throat.
His eyes were drawn to her neck and he surveyed the damage he had caused. He winced at the sight of what he had done and drew his hands into his lap. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I am so sorry."
"It's okay," she said softly.
"No, it isn't. I could have killed you." He stared at his hands in utter disbelief and terror.
"But you didn't." She delicately reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. "I still have nightmares, too. Sometimes."
His gaze met hers as his eyebrows rose. He recalled that her trauma was nearly two decades ago and yet she still had the occasional nightmare. His experience was still fresh, the mental wounds still open. Perhaps she was correct about opening up to him back in the cell. If he told her about what happened, maybe it would help the night terrors subside.
He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath as he began to speak. "Your suspicion that I have been tortured was correct."
Astrid's heart fell. She didn't want to be right, even though the signs were all there. She reached out and cautiously took his hands as he continued to speak in a flat and detached voice.
"I fell from the Bifrost into the void between the branches of Yggdrasil. I don't know how long I floated in the dark, in the absolute silence. Eventually, I was found by…" His breathing became erratic and his voice began to waver. "I was found by something purely evil. When he discovered who I was, he… implemented means of torture that no one could ever imagine, not even in the worst of nightmares. He twisted my memories and my thoughts until I, Loki Silvertongue, could no longer discern truth from lies. All because he desired a blue cube that had been found on Midgard. He used me as a pawn to fetch the cube while promising that should I succeed, I would rule Earth. I would have my throne."
Astrid leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, his rigid body melting into hers. She knew it. Invading New York wasn't his idea. She couldn't imagine what he had gone through and she was scared to even entertain the thought. Her heart broke for him.
His body quivered in her embrace. He latched onto her, holding her tightly as he continued, "He used me. He used my past and my heritage to break me. I held out as long as I could but it was just too much." His arms tightened around her. She could scarcely breathe but she didn't want to say a word about it. He was finally letting it out, opening up to her and she was going to let him take as long as he needed.
Eventually, he relaxed his hold on her. The cloud of fear that surrounded him dissipated. Astrid sat back in silence to process everything he had said. There was no way she was going back to her room after a confession like that. She stood up from the bed and pointed to the middle of the mattress. "Slide over and lie down."
His brows knitted together in confusion. What was she doing? His eyes remained on her as he moved closer to the center of the bed and reclined. She slid into the bed beside him. She pulled the sheets up over them and moved his arm so she could snuggle up to his side. She laid her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest.
"What are you doing?" he asked warily.
"I'm staying with you tonight. I don't care if it's inappropriate. Do you?"
He hesitantly cradled her in his arms. Although he was confused by her gesture, he enjoyed the comfort nonetheless. Certainly nothing inappropriate about that in his mind, anyway. As a prince, he was to uphold a certain level of decorum which dictated that he should only take his wife into his bed. 'If she only knew..' he thought. He gazed at her and noticed that she still had blood crusted in her hair and bright red handprints on her neck. He waited for her to drift off to sleep before he placed his hand over the red marks and cast a spell to heal them.
Astrid woke and found herself still beside Loki in his bed. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow and rhythmic His chambers were easily three times the size of her own and even more lavishly decorated. Instead of only a few bookshelves as she had in her room, it appeared that he had nearly an entire library contained in a side room. There were three books on his bedside table, their covers printed with runes that Astrid was unable to read. She didn't have a clue what time it was but daylight was pouring into the room through the windows and the balcony. Spending the night with him in his bed probably wasn't the most classy course of action but she didn't care. Let people think whatever they wanted.
Loki cracked his eyes open and blinked a few times. He wasn't in the dungeon. These were his chambers and he was in his bed. Astrid was here. She stayed. She smiled sleepily at him.
Just then, the chamber doors flew open. "Brother! Oh… I beg your pardon." Loki sat up and Astrid propped herself up on her elbows. There stood Thor and Frigga and behind them servants carrying platters of food and pitchers of drink. 'We are so busted,' thought Astrid.
They entered and the servants began to set up a meal for four on the balcony. Trays had been piled with breads and pastries, fruits and cheeses, and meats of all sorts of cut and color. There were foods that Astrid didn't recognize but she was absolutely starving and frankly couldn't care less. It looked and smelled good enough and her stomach was definitely up for the challenge.
"Come eat with us." Frigga said with an inviting smile having already taken her place at the laden table. Astrid found it strange that Thor seemed embarrassed to find her in Loki's bed but Frigga did not. In fact, she didn't seem affected by it all. It was almost as if she expected it.
Loki and Astrid joined them at the table. There was enough food to feed a small army. Astrid hadn't seen such a spread since Cait and Mike's wedding reception. She eyed the pitchers and hoped that one of them contained coffee. A servant poured burgundy-colored liquid into a goblet for her. Damn, not coffee.
Thor was the first to dive into the food, piling his plate with hefty helpings of everything within his reach. Frigga and Loki filled their plates while Astrid looked over the pastries and fruits.
"Lady Astrid, are you not hungry?" Thor asked as he chewed.
"Yes, I'm starving. I'm just trying to decide what to eat."
"Try some of these. They are delicious," said Thor as he reached over and loaded her plate with decadent pastries and fruits. It was more than she could eat in an entire day. "Whoa, that's plenty. Thank you," said Astrid, holding her hands over her plate to prevent any more food from being piled on it.
Thor gave her an incredulous look. "Are you certain?"
Astrid nodded.
The four enjoyed their meal absorbed in small talk about Astrid's life back on Midgard until an Einherjar entered and approached Thor. The guard leaned over, whispered something into Thor's ear, and retreated. Thor quickly rose from his chair grabbing another handful of pastries as he left the table. "Mother, Lady Astrid, Brother… I must take my leave. There is trouble on Vanaheim." He nodded to each of them before briskly leaving the room, stuffing the tarts into his mouth as he walked.
Astrid finished her meal well before the others. Humans didn't appear to have the same voracious appetites as the Asgardians. She sipped her wine as she took in the spectacular view of the mountains. Not accustomed to drinking so early in the day, she only had one glass. Especially since there was no coffee to counter the effects of alcohol.
Since Thor had gone, now was probably a good time for Astrid to leave as well. She needed to clean up and get dressed and besides, it would give Loki some time with his mother. She pushed her chair back and stood. Loki mirrored her action. "Thank you very much for breakfast. I'm going to leave you two to catch up."
Frigga smiled, "You are most welcome. You will find that an assortment of gowns have been placed in your chambers."
"Thanks."
Loki and his mother sat on the massive sofa in his sitting room. "Have you told her yet?" Frigga asked.
"About?" There were many things that he had not divulged to Astrid although he was fairly certain which bit of information she was referring to.
"The bonding." She had witnessed the exchange by means of the magical fire pit in her chambers, using the holographic illusion to observe the two of them as they gave consent and bonded their souls together.
"No, not yet." There hadn't been time to explain anything as it happened and he had been avoiding the subject ever since.
"Soon then. She will need to make a decision. And so will you," Frigga said.
"I know, Mother."
Frigga lovingly touched her son's arm "You know how it feels to have vital information withheld from your knowledge even if it is done with the best of intentions. Tell her. Be fair to her and to yourself."
Astrid entered her chambers and saw the collection of gowns hanging in the wardrobe. There were dresses of all colors, styles, and fabrics none of which rose above her ankle. She rarely wore dresses and now that was all she had. This was going to be interesting. Her eyes gravitated to a sea-blue gown made of silk and organza. She pulled it out and ran her fingers over it. It reminded her of something from a Ren faire with its long flowing skirt, high bodice, and long, fluttery sleeves. It was gorgeous but it looked uncomfortable and impractical. Why can't they just wear yoga pants on Asgard?
She took the gown into the bathroom and hung it on a hook. The marble bathtub was sunken in the center of the room surrounded by columns with an elaborate crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling above it. She had never seen anything so indulgent. She stepped closer and realized that someone had already run a bath. She dipped her toe into the rose-scented water and found it to be the perfect temperature. She shed her nightgown and carefully stepped down into the tub. Easy, don't crack your head again.
She immersed herself in the water which seemed to be holding its warmth. Her eyes took in every detail of this lavish room. It was so over-the-top, like a picture in a luxury travel magazine. It was beautiful but it was just too much. In fact, from what she'd seen of Asgard so far, the whole place was too much. Too grand, too gilded, too extravagant, just too much of everything. It screamed superiority and it was all a bit overwhelming. She found some soap and what she thought was shampoo. Scrubbing what remained of the dried blood out of her hair, she noticed that the shampoo and soap both smelled of roses just like the bath oils in the water.
She tried to relax but her brain would not allow it. She thought about her parents, Caitlyn, and the real possibility that she may never see them or her home ever again. What happened when Loki was deemed to be healed? That could take years, decades even. Was she just going to be dumped back on Earth with a 'so long and thanks for your help' only to find that life had moved on without her? Or maybe they expected her to live out her natural life here on Asgard. There were so many unanswered questions. Then she thought about the bonding weirdness that brought Loki into her house. She wondered why she had to consent to it and if there was anything else she had unwittingly agreed to as well. She also wanted to know if they were in fact still bonded together or if the bond had severed when they appeared in her bathroom. She really wanted her brain to shut the hell up so she could just enjoy her bath.
She had been soaking for long enough her fingers had gone all pruny. Oddly enough, the water had stayed warm the whole time. She drained the water and yanked a towel from the rack beside the inset tub to dry her hair and body. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the tub when a figure in the doorway caught her eye. "Loki! What the hell?" How long had he been standing there?
He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, wearing a smirk on his lips. "You were gone for so long that I feared you had perhaps taken another fall."
This was twice he had sneaked up on her and the third time he had seen her naked. Hopefully this wouldn't become a habit of his. "Am I going to have to put a bell around your neck? Sneaking up on me, creeping around like a cat…"
"Meow," he said in a velvety voice.
Astrid rolled her eyes. "Ha ha. I'd like to get dressed now, so if you don't mind…"
"I don't mind at all." He made no attempt at leaving the bathroom.
With a groan, she grabbed his upper arms, turned him around, and gave him a nudge. "Out." She really wished there was door she could close but there was only an archway. It would appear that Asgardians had no concept of privacy.
She dropped her towel and stepped into the dress. The buttons were along the back and extremely hard to reach, let alone button. She would need Loki's help fastening all of them. She peeked over her shoulder sure to see him spying on her again. He wasn't. She found herself slightly disappointed. She shook her head to rid her brain of the idea. She ran a comb through her damp hair and walked into the sitting room.
She found Loki lounging on the chaise, his arm behind his head, legs crossed at his ankles. His brow was furrowed; something was bothering him.
She approached him and turned her back towards him, displaying the open buttons of the gown. She held her hair up and asked, "Would you please?"
He quickly sat up and fastened the buttons on her dress, starting at the curve of her lower back. The sensation of his fingers slowly moving along her skin sent a tingle along her spine, which made her cheeks flush. He took longer than she thought was necessary but she couldn't complain about it if she'd wanted to. "There," he said as he finished. "Are you ready?"
"For?"
He remained silent for a moment, deciding if he should bring up the topic of the bonding or not. "Let's work on your magic." He rubbed his hands together and sat back down on the chaise. She took a seat beside him.
Her eyes narrowed; magic wasn't really what was on his mind. He had taken too long to answer her. "Something bothering you?"
He gazed off into the distance. He could try to slide out of this discussion but he knew Mother was right. The longer he put it off, the more difficult it would be later. For both of them. "I have not been honest with you. There is something you should know and I have kept it from you."
Astrid raised her eyebrows as Loki continued, "Do you remember that when I bonded to you we both had to give verbal consent?"
"Yeah…" she answered nervously.
"You never asked why consent was needed, you just agreed."
"I was kind of dying. I didn't have time to question anything. I just had to trust you and hope for the best." Her words took them both by surprise. She hadn't realized it at the time, but it was true.
"You trust me?" he asked warily.
Astrid quickly corrected, "Trusted at that particular moment, yes. But we can talk about that later." She wasn't going to let him change the subject that easily.
"Fair enough." He paused before continuing. This conversation could easily go in a bad direction. Astrid, however, seemed to be an understanding and forgiving person so perhaps it might not. "The bonding is part of a marriage ritual. We both had to verbally consent in order for the spell to work."
It took a moment for his words to sink into her brain. So the bonding is used in weddings. That didn't mean anything, did it? Unless… "Consent to what, exactly?"
His silence answered her question.
Astrid wet her lips and took a deep breath before she quietly asked, "Are you telling me that… we're married?"
"Well, it depends on how you-"
"No, no, no. Don't give me that. Either we are or we aren't. It's a 'yes or no' question. Are we married?" she asked firmly.
"Yes," he answered hesitantly.
Astrid nodded slowly. Married. Married and bonded to Loki. That would certainly explain the feelings she had been having seeing as the bond was most likely altering her emotional state. "Does that change… does the spell change anything about who we are, as individuals?"
"No. Every thought, deed, and emotion is your own. The bond ties two souls together but leaves free will intact," he explained. "However, when the spell first took hold, you may have felt a brief moment of… a shared emotional connection. But intimacy is the nature of the bond. Hence its use in marriage rituals."
Her thoughts and emotions are her own. Her own. She defended him, protected him, and comforted him because it was what she wanted to do. That was a bit of relief. At least her feelings, whatever they may be, weren't a side-effect of magic. When it came to people she believed in, she had a tendency to go all-in. Sometimes it paid off, like with Cait. Other times, not so much. Like with her ex. Astrid had no idea what she was getting into with Loki, but to her he was worth the gamble.
"There is a way to break the bond...if that is what you wish," he said.
That was all well and good but she was neither entirely sure that she actually did want it broken nor was she quite sure why. Perhaps he did, though. Why else would he have offered? She could find out with just one touch but that would be invading his privacy. She didn't want to abuse her ability by using it for selfish reasons. She'd have to go about it the way everyone else does. "Is that what you want?" she asked quietly.
He remained silent, pondering why she didn't immediately agree to sever their tie. If he were to be fair to her, he would encourage negating the bond. But he would benefit more from keeping it in place. Either way, he seemed to be earning her loyalty. She defended him in front of Odin and had comforted him last night. It was possible that she was forming an attachment to him and he couldn't deny that he was growing somewhat fond of the mortal. "Perhaps we should take a little time to consider?" he suggested.
She nodded. That would buy her some time to figure out what was going on inside her head. She thought about Frigga's lack of reaction upon seeing her in bed with Loki. His mother knew about the bond. She had to. Did Thor know? Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," she said.
Thor cracked the door open and seemed relieved to find his brother and Astrid on the chaise instead of in the bed. He learned his lesson this morning, it would appear. He stepped in and announced, "Brother, Lady Astrid. Peace has been restored in Vanaheim."
"That was fast," said Astrid. He only left this morning after breakfast. There must not have been that much trouble.
"Indeed it was. Nothing we couldn't quickly put to rest. There will be festivities this evening to celebrate our victory. I hope you both will attend," Thor replied. He knew that Loki would decline but he wanted his brother to feel included.
Loki, seemingly irritated by the intrusion, answered, "I believe a better time would be had by all if I decline the invitation."
Thor nodded, understanding his brother's reluctance to surround himself with people who resented him and disapproved of his release from the dungeon. Unfortunately for Loki, that included most of the population of Asgard. "Lady Astrid, perhaps you would care to join us? I would like to introduce you to Lady Sif and the Warriors."
She was about to answer when Loki answered for her. "No, Thor." She felt Loki's energy bristle. He was quite perturbed.
Thor could not sense the change in Loki that Astrid did. "Why not? I would be very happy to-"
"No! She is mine and I will not lose her to the likes of you and your glorious Warriors!" he spat.
"Uh, excuse me?" Astrid felt Loki's anger bleeding into her. She took offense at being claimed as property. She found the insinuation that she would be easily swayed very insulting.
"Lady Astrid belongs to no one, brother," Thor firmly corrected.
"She belongs to me! She is my wife!"
"Your wife?" Thor quietly asked with eyes as wide as saucers.
'Oh boy, here we go,' thought Astrid. She turned to Loki and took his hand. She allowed calmness and understanding to flow through her while she spoke softly to him. "Listen to me. I'm not property. I don't belong to anyone but myself. I'm here for one reason and that reason is you. No one is going to steal me or turn me against you, okay? Your brother is only trying to be a gracious host. Isn't that right, Thor?"
Thor nodded, "Yes."
Astrid continued in her soft, caring tone, "There, see?" She reached up and smoothed a lock of hair behind his ear, just as she had done last night after his nightmare. The spike in his anger began to recede, leaving him embarrassed at his lack of control.
This was Thor's first time witnessing how far his brother had become unravelled. Loki had been different in New York but the dungeon had worsened his condition. Mother warned him that the Loki he remembered was no more having been replaced by a volatile, unhinged version. He sadly smiled as he watched Astrid tenderly comfort his troubled brother. This was the treatment he needed, not the dungeon. Mother was a wise woman, indeed.