The Serpent and the Dove: a Loki Fan Fiction

Chapter 23

"Help!" cried a guard, running into the palace. "Someone get a healer, we have injured!"

Odin darted into the room with Frigga short on his heels. "What happened?!" he asked, running past the guard to his son beyond him.

Thor fell to his knees, Galaxy hanging limp in his arms. "Please... She's hurt... I'm fine, just get her... Get her to..." He looked at his Father for only a moment before his eyes rolled and he collapsed. 

"Get Anith, quickly!" Frigga commanded another guard. "Oh, my sweet children," she whimpered, tears coming to her eyes. "What have you done?"

Odin knelt on the floor beside Thor and put a hand on his torn chest, breathing a forceful sigh of relief. "There's a heartbeat," he told Frigga, and pulled her closer to him. 

Thor's eyes opened the next day and he looked at his outstretched arms. Thank God... They were still attached, and they were looking healed. He looked down his chest and to his legs. Everything was looking so much better, and they didn't hurt when he flexed his toes and fingers.

"Careful, now," said a soft-spoken, older female voice. "You're not fully healed yet, and I don't want you interfering with the regeneration process." 

He groaned quietly. "Anith, I feel fine now."

The healer raised her brows seriously and looked down her nose at him. "Don't sass me, young man, I want you completely healed without a scratch before you leave here. You'll lay still for one more hour before I let you go. You hear?"

Thor chuckled mildly. "Alright, alright. I'll lay still." He heard murmuring from across the chamber and glanced over to see two more healers standing around Jalwa. "How is she?" he asked.

Anith pursed her lips. "She isn't looking well," she said quietly. "We've tried to heal the wounds but she was already so far gone when she got here. Her body is too weak to withstand the healing process anymore."

"What does that mean?" he asked, worried. 

"It... means we are making her comfortable until she passes away."

Thor scoffed, turning his head away. "She won't die, she's too tenacious for that. Just give her more time and keep trying, she'll pull through."

Anith curved her brows. "My Prince, I know it isn't easy news to take, but Lady Jalwa is dying. We've done all we can to keep her alive, but she isn't recovering. We may soon be saying goodbye."

He stared in disbelief. No, the healers were gifted in healing anyone with any disease or injury, it should be so easy to fix her up, right? A heavy thought came to mind as he recalled the last attack on the Valkyries, and how many had been taken into the healer's chambers only to be seen again on a pyre. Thor looked at Jalwa and swallowed hard. "Are you telling the family, Anith?"

"If you would like me to."

"Just... Don't tell Loki yet, please? I feel it's my responsibility to tell him."

The healer looked puzzled but nodded her head nonetheless. "Yes, my Prince.

Thor walked out of the chambers and was immediately stopped by Sif. "What happened to you two?" she asked. "You were bleeding all over the damn place!"

"Bilgesnipe. Gal thought she could take it."

"You of all people should have known better than to encourage her to hunt one of those. They're hard to kill if they don't manage to kill you first."

Thor turned away. "I know, but we weren't there looking for a bilgesnipe, it just happened and she didn't want to back down."

"You could have been killed!" she roared, rising onto her toes so she was eye-level with him. 

"I know!"

"If you know, then why did you do it?!" Sif choked and he pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. "Stop worrying me. I don't want you to die, you thunderous idiot," she said, trying her best not to cry on his shoulder. 

Thor sighed. "Believe me, I don't really fancy the idea of dying either." She smiled and held her out in front of him. "I'm alright, Sif. I promise."

She furrowed her brows. "What about Jalwa?"

He broke eye contact with a remorseful expression. "I wish I could say the same about her..."

Loki stood quickly when Thor entered the room. "Thank God," he said. "What foolery did you pull this time?"

Thor stopped in his place without looking at his brother. "You'd be surprised that it wasn't my idea this time."

"Wasn't it?" he replied, folding his arms. "Are you expecting me to believe that Jalwa was behind this?"

"Actually, yes, she was."

"Oh, for f..." Loki muttered under his breath, turning around in a circle as if to compose himself. "What did you get into a fight with, a bilgesnipe?"

"You're very good at this brother," said Thor forcing a smile.

Loki rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "I can't believe what imbeciles you both are. A-actually, I don't know why I'm telling this to you, I think you already know what a fool you are; where's Jalwa so I can tell her how stupid she is for fighting a bilgesipe?" Thor was silent and suddenly, a cold panic washed over him. "... Thor, where's Jalwa?"

Thor folded his arms, still avoiding eye contact. "She's still in the healer's chambers..."

"Is she alright?" he asked, blue eyes flicking up and down, looking for any sign that Thor was just pulling his leg. God, please just be pulling his leg.

"... Brother, I don't want to be the bearer of and tidings-"

"Is she alive?!" he demanded ferociously. 

With a deep, heavy sigh, Thor sank against the wall, covering his face. "Loki, they're saying she isn't going to make it..."

Loki's breath caught in his throat and he could feel his head spin. "N-no..." he whimpered. "No, the healers can fix anything, can't they?"

"Not everything, brother; they said she was already too far gone by the time we got here."

"How is she dying but you're not?!" growled Loki. "Did you let her be your shield?!"

Thor flinched at the accusation. "No! I would never!"

Loki shook his head, starting toward the door and stumbling feet. "I have to go see her..." Before Thor could say anything more, he dashed out of the room.

As he skidded to a halt at the door, he called inside. "Anith? Sibbe?" he called. 

Sibbe, Anith's apprentice, hurried to the door. "Loki? What's happened?"

"I'm here to see Jalwa. Where is she?" he asked, out of breath.

She looked over her shoulder anxiously for Anith. "My Prince, I don't think-"

"Tell me if she's alright, at least. Please."

Sibbe swallowed hard and looked up at him with teary brown eyes. "Loki-"

"She's dead, my Prince," said Anith, standing tall and still behind the door with a stoic expression.