NO REGRETS [l.laufeyson]

TEN

     "Loki?" Thor knocked on the door but there was no answer. He went to grab to doorknob to barge in but Evelyn grabbed his arm to stop him.

"He wouldn't like you barging in. Let me try." Thor nodded and stepped away as Evelyn stepped to the door.

"Loki? It's me. Please could you let me in?" Evelyn couldn't even finish her sentence as the door flung open revealing her Prince. She smiled at him but without another word he pulled her in and slammed the door in Thor's face. Thor stood there for a minute unsure whether or not to say anything to Loki, but he shrugged it off and returned to the feast.

"What are you doing here?" Loki said with an angry tone.

"I came to see you." Evelyn replied with slight hesitation due to Loki's anger. His face however softened and he placed both hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. But your father-"

"I know my father doesn't want me coming here, but he can't control me forever. If I want to see you then that's what I'm going to do."

"He's only trying to protect you..."

"Protect me from what? Would you ever hurt me?"

"No, but-"

"Exactly! What happened wasn't your fault. It happened but it's not going to happen again and I've moved on." Loki sighed as he pulled her into his embrace and stroked her head. He still felt responsible for her kidnapping.

"I miss being here." She turned her head to look out of the window that was open to the balcony. The view was so beautiful. They could hear people partying down below and the music coming from the hall.

"I know."

"I miss being with you." Being in his arms made her feel safe. She loved the smell of him and listening to his heartbeat. Loki smiled to himself and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"We need to get you home."

"Dance with me first." Evelyn lifted her head to meet his eyes, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. He smiled at her command as he twirled her around before bringing her back into his arms and swaying with her.

~

"You didn't have to bring me home."

"It's getting late, I didn't want you getting lost and I needed to make sure you got home safely." Evelyn smiled, she never had anyone treat her the way Loki treated her.

"Thank you, Loki." They reached the door to the cottage and she turned to him one more time. Loki placed his hands on her waist bringing her closer to him as she placed her hands behind his neck. They both leant closer to each other when once again, their moment was ruined.

Erik yanked the door open and the two quickly pulled away. Evelyn started panicking as she had just done the two things her father would forbid her to do. One, leave the house and two, see Loki. The Prince backed away slightly to give some more space between him and Evelyn as he could feel Erik staring daggers at him again.

"Evelyn, get inside."

"Father, don't-"

"Get inside, now!" He raised his voice a little more making Evelyn silent. She looked past him to see her mother on the other side of the room gesturing her to come in. Erik's eyes never left Loki as he left the cottage and closed the door behind him. "Would you mind walking with me?"

Erik was intimidating but Loki never backed down from his gaze. Loki slowly nodded his head still standing tall as he followed Erik more into the woods.

~

The walk was silent but Loki recognised the trail they were walking down and after some time they came across the tree. The tree only he and Evelyn only seemed to know about.

"What are we doing here?"

"Quite magnificent isn't it?" Loki nodded as he watched Erik sit down in front of it. "It resembles Midgards cherry blossom tree."

"I know, I read my mother's books of Midgard."

"Yes, Frigga really loved learning about the different cultures." Loki was confused by how Erik was talking about his mother. "Worry not boy, your mother and I were friends. It was actually your mother who got Evelyn the help she needed when she was young. I remember you and your brother as young Princes running round the palace halls. You even took a liking to my daughter when you were only young."

"I don't remember-" Loki thought back hard on remembering those times they seemed to spend together.

"No, you wouldn't, not at the moment." Erik patted for Loki to sit beside him, and while intrigued in the story, Loki obeyed. "When Evelyn first got sick, both Thyra and I were working. My wife used to work in a local bakery before working from home. It was her dream to open up her own, and as for me, I've always been a blacksmith. It got quite cold one day here on Asgard and Thyra's mother Lyra had recently passed. When we both had to work, it was always Lyra who looked after Evelyn. She loved her grandmother more than anything."

Erik smiled at he memory of Evelyn and her grandmother before continuing. "Thyra and I were both stuck on what to do best, we couldn't find anyone else to look after Evelyn but financially we were struggling. That was the only time we ever left her home alone. At the time we didn't think much of her illness and just thought she had a fever and when we left her she was stable. That same night I was walking home and I found my daughter, collapsed on the ground. She had gone outside to wait for us to return home. When I found her she was at deaths door. I didn't know where to go or what to do. I ran as fast as I could until eventually I came across this tree. There was something about this place, I don't know what. But I begged and prayed that someone could save my daughter. I can't explain but something magical happened that night. This place was filled with some sort of golden orbs."

Loki thought for a moment, it sounded familiar. He wiggled his fingers recreating the orbs he saw the night of the ball. "Like this?"

"Y-yes that's it. How did you know?" Erik asked in disbelief. Loki put his hand down and the orbs disappeared.

"We came across them not long ago. Even with my research I'm still unsure myself of what they are."

"Well, whatever they are, I'm convinced they are what saved my daughter that night. They raised to the sky and disappeared. When they did, my daughter began to heal. That's when your mother found us."

"My mother knew of this place?" Loki always wished he could of shown his mother this tree. He felt at ease to know she did not miss out.

"That she did. She examined Evelyn and brought us to the palace where she had Eir run some tests. All of them came back negative and to this day we are unsure of what this disease is. Anyway since we arrived there, you instantly took a liking to Evelyn. She was there about a week before coming home and you would watch her day and night and keep her company. Ever since, the two of you were inseparable. You two grew up together and you were her best friend. But I feared it was getting more dangerous for my daughter so I requested and audience with the Allfather, Odin...

I had asked for him to wipe your memories." Loki was hurt by this and couldn't believe. There's no wonder he instantly felt something for her that day he found her by this tree.

"Y-you did what?" Loki's voice broke as he stood up.

"Please forgive me, but you must understand I did it for the benefit of my daughter. You were like her soulmate, and when I asked for her to keep away she refused. She was just making herself more sick as the days went by and I only did what was best."

"How would you know what's best?!" Loki scoffed as he tried to walk away.

"Loki, wait!" However, Loki kept going. "I am giving you permission to be with my daughter!"

Loki stopped in his tracks and taking a few shaky breaths before turning back to Erik.

"And I can get you and Evelyn your memories back."

"How?" Loki asked hopefully. He wanted to remember every second he spent with Evelyn.

"Odin can grant them back."