Out of reach • A Loki fanfiction

Chapter 58 - Stakes and states

"How are you here? What- the pendant?"

"Frigga put a spell on it. I figured she had at least a plan after being brought back. She would've never let me go at this alone."

"When did you-"

"Not too long ago. I arrived here last week."

"Are you insane? On horse? Where did you sleep, what did you eat, how is-"

"Stop fussing."

Head buried against his chest, and arms wrapped around his entire torso, she squeezed him if possible even closer. Just to close her eyes and listen to the beating of his living heart. To feel his strong arms holding her back, his hand slightly massaging her scalp as he cupped her head, and his breath escaping down her neck every time he let go of air. 

"It doesn't matter anymore." She now whispered against him, as if ready to fall asleep right here in his arms, on the cobblestoned ground. "Let's just... stay here."

"Absolutely not." The loss of the warmth surrounding her thanks to his arms made her heart race in panic. It made her open her eyes, and search for what she longed, to let out a relieved gush of air when both his palms settled on cupping both her cheeks. "We're getting you out of this cold, your belly filled with food, and your mind recharged by at least some hours of sleep. So, please tell me where you left your horse. Then let's ride for the beach."

Ah, the cave they never should've left. The cave closest to their hearts due to what had been said. Connected with such a powerful memory, that it had been the one Loki was almost forced to see when looking into her mind. It was the place Vera had tried to sneak into on the day she arrived, about a week ago. But she got to remember the protection spell Loki had casted over that place, right there and then. It had been impossible to spot, let alone make use of his mattress she had longed for. Only Loki's seidr had access. So Asgard's wooden benches had to do. And Norns, was she craving that bed.

The journey from Vanaheim to Asgard had been uneventful, next to crossing the boarder and figuring out she had no use of her Vanir coins. The horse she had chosen to arrive on was a young mare, full of endurance, energy, and speed. She had brought Vera here in just a couple of days, and had been dropped off in a stable Vera knew she would've been rightfully taken care of. The papers Vera had to sign with her drop-off told her that her mare would've been sold after two weeks without payment, and that fact had already been accepted. But now, luckily, the mare might return home some day.

A home is what she had left from underneath the mask she used to tell her brother an aching lie. A note is all she had left him. A note, saying she'd be visiting their family lake house for a time she was unsure of. To recharge, 'come to her senses' as Harald was so willingly convinced that his sister had indeed stepped over the line from confused to insane, and that she had taken one of their horses to go on that journey alone. Half of that letter was a lie. And if only she could've hugged him goodbye, knowing what a dangerous path she was about to walk. But Harald was still stuck in a world that wasn't his own. So now, all Vera could do was pray that he was busy enough, and wouldn't come looking. It were those thoughts most, keeping her mind busy as she, Loki, and the mare rode disguised trough the midday's air.

Loki, on the other hand, didn't want to talk yet, next to expressing his pride and love for her. He didn't want to talk about the last few months and relive the seconds of what he now saw to be sins. He didn't want to bring it closer to the surface than it already was, and just wanted to press it down deeper and deeper into the back cupboards of his brain instead.

But Vera deserved the truth. She deserved treatment consisting out of some good rest first, but he'd have to tell her eventually. And he would. Just not now. Not now she was finally savouring a paid meal again, against Loki's chest, on top of her horse. Now now she was finally warming up again, with one of Loki's thick fury coats securely wrapped around her entire body. For now, he happily kept it down.