Recompense [Fólkvangr End, Book 1] [Loki Fanfiction]

Chapter Eighteen

Author's note: I stayed home from school today which gave me ample time to write and rewrite this chapter and I'm still not sure I'm satisfied, nor do I entirely know what will happen next. So for now, have patience. And let me know what you think. Thanks.

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"Father, will she be all right?"

"She is fine, Thor. She needs her rest in order to properly recover. Her body is not used to healing so quickly and she will be overwhelmed."

"Perhaps I should stay with her...?"

"She will be fine on her own, Thor. You have duties to attend to."

"Thor, I will stay with her myself if it will ease your troubles."

"I suppose I can hang about. I am not supposed to be away from her. She is my guardian, after all."

I can hear the conversation clearly, their voices ringing out distinctly in my head each time they speak. It's interesting to hear them without seeing their faces. Odin's voice is rough but regal, Thor's is warm and deep, Fandral's has a sort of distinct musical-like quality, lilting, perhaps, and Loki's is quiet, restrained and utterly sarcastic. It forms an interesting picture in my head.

My head. My head is pounding, and even with my eyes closed the light is blinding through my eyelids. I groan in pain and roll onto my side, assuming the fetal position. There is silence for a moment and then I feel a large, warm hand on my shoulder.

"Valkyrie?" Odin asks gently. I am surprised by his warmth of tone and touch, but not overly comforted by it.

"What could you possibly want from me?" I groan, letting out a long-winded sigh. Thor chuckles slightly and I peel my eyes open, the first face I see is Loki's. He is slumped in the chair at my bedside, looking positively bored, with his head resting against his open palm.

"How are you feeling, Lady Val?" Thor asks, quickly obscuring my view of Loki. His bright blue eyes are a welcome sight.

"Like complete shit, if I'm going to be honest. I feel like I was hit by a train. What happened?"

Thor exchanges a glance with Odin which arouses suspicion, but I set my lips in a firm line and do not ask. "You fell from the library balcony?"

"Or leapt," Loki mutters under his breath. I look at him, frowning, and he merely shrugs. "It does not sound that terrible an option to me presently."

"Loki," I groan. "Shut the fuck up." He looks up from examining his fingernails and a smile appears briefly on his lips before he shakes his head and looks down again. "How the hell did I fall?"

"We are not quite certain," Fandral speaks up, not looking at me directly.

"You wouldn't happen to recall, would you? It would be ever so useful!" Loki quips.

"I don't remember anything...I was at the meeting and then I ran into Loki...and then after we got out of the closest, I tried to avoid Fandral," the words come out before I realize what I'm saying. "Sorry about that, Fandral. And then I went looking for Loki...and that's it."

Odin eyes Loki warily and he in turn throws his hand up in the air. "Do not look at me, father."

"We will sort it out in time. But for now, you must rest. Fandral and Thor, we have battle plans to attend to. Loki," Odin stops and sighs, looking at Loki, twiddling his thumbs, "Loki, look after Valkyrie for now. Report back to me at supper how she is faring."