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Chapter Thirteen: Scars

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I saw their faces in a blur. Thor, Odin, Frigga, Bodil, Bersi, Sigrid. And Loki. All I remember from the days following the accident was pain, cold, and their faces, each looming over me with varying degrees of concern.

There were some unfamiliar faces as well. Healers, I assumed.

As I began to come to, slowly, the pain became a dull throb. In my head, my ribs, and my arm. Slowly, my vision grew less blurry, and my mind less clouded. But I could still only manage to stay awake in waves, before again falling unconscious for a number of hours.

Finally, when some number of days had passed, I awoke with most of my brain in working order. My eyes felt swollen and puffy, and my throat impossibly dry, but I felt the closest to normal that I had been in days.

I groaned, lifting a hand to my throbbing head. I noticed my other arm was wrapped in a sling. Bandages covered my aching forehead.

"A grade three concussion, a broken radius, a fractured collarbone, and two cracked ribs," a voice came from my right, "Not to mention serious lacerations across your arms and back."

I turned my head slowly, the motion causing pain to assault my apparently fractured collarbone. I was reminded of my first day in Asgard, waking up in pain, and meeting Loki's eyes across from me. I couldn't help but wish that he was across from me now, but instead, I met the stern gaze of Thor.

"Was anyone else hurt?" I asked.

He looked down at his hands, then back up at me. "A few. Nothing as severe as you, though. As far as the people know, it was an accidental fire that spread from the hearth of a nearby study."

"Is my hair okay?" I asked gruffly.

"Yes, Alivia, your hair is just fine." Thor looked down at me, his mouth a thin line, "Our healers did what they could but... I'm afraid they couldn't mend all of the scarring on your arms."

I didn't want to see them, so I didn't look, instead focusing on Thor, across from me.

"Has Loki... Has he come to see me?"

"No, not that I'm aware. But Bersi, Bodil, and Sigrid have. So have my mother and father. Even some of you friends from in town, Toke, Tolve, and Bjorn."

"Really? They came?" I tried to mask the heavy disappointment that filled my chest at learning that Loki had not been to see me once. I must have imagined him.

"They did, several times. Now, I'm afraid I have to go. My father asked that I alert him as soon as you—"

"Alivia!" A piercing wail pulled both of our eyes to the door, where Sigrid and Bodil stormed in.

"We were so worried, we thought you'd died!" Sigrid said, lowering herself beside me and clasping my hand.

"We should have been with you when you read that note. It must have been so hard doing it alone," Bodil added, kneeling on my opposite side.

"All that would have done was gotten you two in the medical wing as well," I responded, smiling, "But I appreciate the sentiment."

"Watch her for me," Thor said, standing and making for the door, "I must summon for my father."

Bodil nodded as he left.

"Was Loki not with you when you read it? I thought I'd left the two of you with the letter?" Bodil asked.

"No, we fought. Because what else is new?" I sighed, closing my eyes, "I really keep thinking things might turn out with us. If I just ignore one thing. And overlook another thing. And try not to care about another thing. But as much as I try to ignore, it always comes back to the same thing. He got angry at me for wanting to eventually return home. And it isn't as if I was planning on leaving Asgard forever. Of course I'd come back. I'd visit all the time. But Asgard isn't my home."