𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 ★彡 ˡ.ˡᵃᵘᶠᵉʸˢᵒⁿ

XIV

ASTRID SAT IN HER BED, WITHERING AWAY. She had not left it in a while. Not since Loki's death. Astrid still could not understand why the prince did not take her hand. Racked with guilt, she felt like it was her fault. Why didn't he take her hand? How did he really feel for her? Was it all just a ploy to him? Why did he give her up to Laufey if all he wanted was to destroy them? Her mind continued to spin with questions and their possible answers but they could never be answered.

Slumping against the headboard, she looked to her abandoned embroidery projects. Astrid had not had the heart to continue her passion, only able to find joy in the activity when she had joy in her heart already. And she could not find any at this moment. Her eyes landed on a white square piece of fabric that she had completed. Astrid grabbed it, her eyes scanning the entwined lavenders and yellow rattles lined with gold and green threads. Stupid. That's how she felt. She crumbled the handkerchief in her hand in anger. How could he does this to her? How could he make her fall in love just to discard her so easily?

Just as she was about to burn the cloth with her magic, the door opened distracting her. In came Edvin with a crate in his hands. Astrid tilted her head at her brother, dropping her hand and forgetting the cloth.

"Edvin? What are you doing here?" Astrid asked.

Her youngest brother smiled brightly, holding up the crate in his hand slightly. "I've brought you something that I think will lift your spirits," he spoke. "I know you've been upset and one of my cats has just given birth." Astrid gasped slightly, picking up on what Edvin was suggesting as he placed the crate on the bed. "And I think these two will have a more and adequate home with you." Astrid gasped again when Edvin opened the gate and she set her eyes on two kittens, one fully ginger and one white, black and ginger. "They're brother and sister. Their parents are a Maine Coon and a Calico, if you were interested."

The ginger cat, the girl, bounded out the crate, rushing around the bed and up to Astrid. She started messing with Astrid's projects and loose threads as her new owner smiled down at her. The male calico was more slow, more observing. But with Edvin's guidance, the cat began to explore his surroundings and rubbed himself against Astrid's covered leg.

Astrid awed at the two kittens. "Really?" She whispered. Edvin nodded. "What are their names?" She asked as she stroked both kittens as the ginger settled in her lap and the calico rested pushed against her side.

Edvin chuckled. "That's up to you."

Astrid hummed in contemplation. "I've always liked the name Tofa for a girl," she said as she lifted the ginger cat up with a loving smile. "So that's you. And I like the name Karl for a boy," she added as she lowered the ginger cat back to her lap to do the same with the calico. "So that's you!" She cooed.

Edvin smiled. "They're good names for them, you're a natural cat owner."

Astrid smiled, feeling her heart lift the tiniest bit as she looked down at the resting kittens. "Thanks, Edvin."

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A YEAR HAD PASSED SINCE LOKI'S ABSENCE. Astrid had grown. She was no longer naive. She had built a wall around her heart. No one was getting in or out ever again. She sat upon her throne, a smile on her face as Tofa purred sleepily on her lap and Karl balanced carefully on the back of her chair.

"Jinx, Janus... I'm...bored," she complained yet she still smiled.

The twins sighed. Ever since Asgard had been cut off from the rest of the realms, the residents there had not been able to contact anyone, leaving Astrid is a state of boredom. Before she left Asgard after Loki's death, she stayed in Asgard to recover under Frigga's watch. During that time, she and Thor had grown closer, being able to call the other a friend. And now she wasn't able to visit him nor was he able to visit her.

After the events there, her abilities had been run dry and it took her a long time to gather them back. When she had the time, she would muster up a portal to Asgard for him to visit her but never enough to take him to Midgard to see Jane. And she could not spare the time to go with him and recover for a few days there. She regretted it but could not do it.

However, she was aware that Odin had started contemplation on whether to fix the Bifrost Bridge or not, and from what she could gather from Thor's descriptions, he was leaning towards the idea.

"We know, Your Majesty," the twins stated in unison. Astrid stood up from her throne, placing Tofa on the seat and walked over to her balcony that looked over her kingdom. She watched her people go about their day — shopping, walking, celebrating. It made her heart swell with joy thst her people could thrive. "What is it, My Lady?" Janus asked from his station.

Astrid smiled down at her kingdom adoringly before looking back to her guards. "I might be bored, but I think I'm happy." She watched as her guards faces dropped as they witnessed something going on behind her. Astrid's heart dropped as she spun around, seeing a large black cloud look over her kingdom. "Oh, fuck off."

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GUARDS SWARMED AROUND THE TOWN, FORMING IN A CIRCLE TO WHERE THEY SUSPECTED WHOEVER THE INTRUDER WAS WOULD LAND. Astrid and the twins rushed down, telling any bystanders to get to their homes safely. Astrid drew her sword and raised it, prepared for the worst as the black cloud opened further and a bolt of energy flew out.

"Astrid!!" A familiar booming voice called out. Through the smoke, she spotted long blonde hair and Asgardian armour stretching over broad muscles. "Wow! What's all this?"

Astrid sighed, lowering her sword and making it disappear. She altered her guards to do the same and disperse. "Thor," she greeted, clutching the god in her arms for a hug. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She questioned as she looked to the still dark sky above.

His face hardened as he released her. "We need to go to Midgard through that, it's Odin's dark matter," he explained.

"Why?" She questioned further.

He grabbed her shoulders as he added; "It's Loki."