NO REGRETS [l.laufeyson]

TWENTY ONE

     Loki arrived at Thyra's cottage and knocked on the door. After a while and a few more knocks, there was still no answer. He peaked through the window but couldn't see anyone. However there was light, meaning someone had to be home.

He invited himself in and called out but still no answer. He trudged through the house to check for the two but still no sign.

Loki hated being there. It reminded him too much of Evelyn and only brought back those harsh memories. As he searched through the house a little more before leaving, he found a note on the dining table.

Dear Loki,

Our deepest apologies but something sudden has come up. I'm afraid Erik and I had to leave, please take care of things while we're gone.

Love, Thyra.

"You've got to be kidding me." Loki huffed before scrunching up the note and throwing it.

While thinking how angry he was with Thyra, he heard light footsteps running behind him. When he turned around, there was nothing there. He thought he knew what it would be, he only hoped it wasn't true. He decided to explore a little further. He investigated down the hallway until he came to a familiar door, Evelyn's room.

He stood there staring at it, memories he had been trying to forget flashed into his mind. No matter how hard he tried not to, he couldn't help but picture her beautiful smile. God he missed her.

Those light running footsteps brought him out of his trance. He quickly shook the thought out of his head and carried on chasing the creature. He had walked back to the front of the house and he seemed to have been surrounded but the footsteps. First they were to his left, then appeared to his right, he couldn't keep up. Eventually he managed to catch the culprit in the act, he saw her figure run past clear as day.

"Lyra!" Loki called out to stop her from playing more tricks. The small figure nervously walked out from behind the wall. That screaming baby from that night was now five years old, she was a spitting image of her mother but inherited Loki's eyes. Loki showed no emotion as he stared at the girl in front of him. After some time, Lyra felt intimidated under his watch and went to hide behind the wall again.

"Stop hiding! You don't have to be so nervous, come on out!" Loki demanded as she peered out more. "So, Thyra and the old man had to leave. What are we going to do about that?"

"I want Thyra." Lyra nervously said.

"Didn't you listen to anything I just said? I told you Thyra isn't here."

"I want Erk." Lyra said as his nickname.

"That old man isn't here either." Loki was getting more agitated by the minute. "You've got to be kidding me! Are you telling me they left and didn't tell you anything at all?"

Lyra slowly nodded her head, she was just as confused and Loki was. Loki stood there uncomfortably for a while. He hasn't been alone with Lyra since Evelyn's body was removed.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I want to go on a trip."

"You better think of something else because that is not happening." Loki crossed his arms and leant against the wall. "Thyra and the old man are gone, you want to go on a trip alone, is that it?"

"No, I want to go with Thyra and Erk."

"What did I just tell you?!"

~

Some time had passed and Thyra had yet to return. Loki was currently sat on a chaise lounge drinking some sort of beverage. He was looking longingly out the window down the path that would lead to the tree. He was unsure with what to do. He couldn't leave Lyra alone, he was pissed that Thyra and Erik would even leave her. What if he decided not to go? That saying, he was still thankful for them taking care of her. He wouldn't of known what to do if they weren't around. Occasionally, Thyra would take her to the palace but Loki barely even looked at her. They were more strangers than family.

"Lyra." Loki had felt his daughters presence from behind him. She had been peaking round the corner to watch him. When he called her name she flinched and quickly hid away completely. "Are you trying to hide from me? I can still see you."

Lyra peered her head round again to look at Loki.

"Don't just stand there." Loki demanded that Lyra came to sit with him. She hesitantly walked toward him and stood near Loki.

"You can sit down." Lyra, however just stood there. "Have it your way. I'm sure Thyra and Erik will be back shortly, so in the meantime be a good girl and wait-"

"But the trip." Lyra whined.

"I'm sure you can go another time." Loki wasn't even trying to make her feel better. All he wanted to do was get out of there. "Why don't you go play in your room or something?"

"Okay." Lyra nodded enthusiastically before running off. Loki drew his attention back to the window before hearing a small crash. He sighed as he got up and headed towards where the noise came from. As he turned the corner he saw Lyra had fallen over. She led on the floor whimpering. Loki rolled his eyes as he picked his daughter back up.

"Are you okay?" He quickly checked her over. "You'll survive, that's what you get for running around."

As Loki picked Lyra back onto her feet, he noticed an object lying on the floor in front of her. Lyra picked the object up and Loki noticed it was broken toy. Lyra wasn't crying because she fell but because her toy was broken.

"What have you got there?" Loki asked as he held his hand out. Lyra looked at him and hesitated to hand it over which she eventually did. Loki saw it was a wooden frog with wheels underneath for it to move.

"Maybe I can fix him..." Loki said and Lyra's eyes lit up. Loki hadn't used any of his magic in quite a while so was a little rusty. He concentrated hard until the pieces had been put back together. Doing that tired him out but it looked as good as new.

"There you go. Be more careful, I won't fix it again if you break it." Loki warned her. Lyra quickly grabbed her toy and ran off to go play. Loki sat there wondering if she listened to him or even understood what he said. He sat back on the chaise lounge and laid on his back to rest his eyes.