Perhaps [thor/loki]

Chapter 5

Nora let herself out of the castle early that next morning. She left Loki, lying naked in the bed they had shared, with a short note that she had left. She worried about being caught in bed with him. Her head ached greatly from the night of drinking, and she wished to escape to the woods and the pond for a few hours to mend it.

Unfortunately, she found herself walking in circles as she tried to leave the castle. It felt like a trick was being played on her.

"My dear," a voice broke her from her stumbling. It was Frigga, who had likely watched her for some time over a hot cup of tea. Nora spun around in her direction at the sound. "Are you lost?"

"Perhaps," she said as she looked around.

"I too find this place to be a maze," she said. She looked right through Nora, knowing something of great importance was dancing on her mind. "I can show you out. Unless you'd like to stay for a cup of tea, and a lesson in magic."

Nora didn't feel right to deny the offer, but she also felt the need to run and be alone. Frigga could sense her tense nature. "Come."

Nora followed her down three sets of stairs and out into her garden. Nora was calmed by the surrounding nature and felt herself breathe deeply for the first time that day.

"I sense something is troubling you," Frigga said.

"You're correct," Nora found herself admitting. Frigga placed a hand on Nora's shoulder and invaded the privacy of her mind. Nora threw up a wall as best she could, but Frigga had stepped around it enough to see her quarrel. Both of her sons lingered in her mind.

"I see," Frigga nodded. She stepped away from Nora and out into the garden, "Love is not an easy thing. But it is special all the same."

"I suppose," Nora sighed. She hoped Frigga had not seen too much. Her face burned pink.

"Sometimes, when things overwhelm me and I need my space, I disguise myself into my surroundings," Frigga said. She took another step into the garden and simply disappeared, only to reappear shortly after. Frigga told Nora how to cloak herself, and helped her practice. Nora found it easy, with the proper technique, to hide in plain sight. "Should you ever need it, here you go. But, some can see through this disguise."

"Thank you, Frigga," Nora nodded her head in respect.

"Do protect yourself, Nora," Frigga said as she pressed her hand to her cheek. "The world tends to make decisions for us."

Then Frigga walked off into her garden. Nora couldn't help but think it was a warning.

Nora entered her home feeling utter relief. She wished to run to her room, take a bath, and reside in the woods until the end of time. But as soon as the door closed, Gyda ran into the room.

"Arnora!" She smiled and hugged her sister. Nora squirmed out of her hug, worried that she smelt of sex. "How are you? How was your night? How was Thor?"

"Hmm?" Nora asked, her mind muddling through her questions. "Ah. Fun. Slept like a dream. Nothing exciting to note."

"Nothing?" she asked, feeling that her sister was hiding something. "You drank to the morning hours with Odin and his sons and nothing of note was mentioned? You and Thor snuck away for a while."

"It wasn't like that," she said, talking about Thor. But it had been. She had almost completely forgotten about it.

"Of course it was," Gyda chirped. "You came back looking all flushed, and your lipstick was smudged. We all knew you and Thor were up to something."