Hostage to Love

Echoes

"Take her to the healing room NOW!" Thor commanded as he strode into the room.  "Brother, please, let her go. They need to move her." He laid a hand on Loki's shoulder, and his brother looked up at him.

"This is YOUR fault!" He snarled. "If YOU hadn't started this, if that mewling QUIM hadn't been here!" He stood, letting the guards take Ari.  He rounded on Thor, who backed away, hands up.

"Brother, calm yourself." He tried to give Loki the benefit of the doubt.  He was distraught, Ari getting injured had warped his mind. "Ari wouldn't want this. You know that ." He spoke calmly, trying to reason.

"Don't you SPEAK her name. You're to blame.  You and HER!" he spun round and pointed at Jane, who was now being let back into the room from the balcony. 

"Loki... I'm so sorry.  I didn't want any of this... I tried to tell her..." Jane wept as Thor took her hand.

"I know, it will be alright. " Thor looked down at her.  Loki snorted,  derisory grimace on his pale and tense face.

"Will it? WILL IT!"

He turned on his heel and stalked away after the guards carrying his still unconscious wife.  As he passed the prone form of Aesir, he snapped his fingers, and the animal stood, shaking herself as if coming out of a dream.

Her wound healed; She trotted after Loki, growling at Jane as she passed.

"Oh Thor. This is all my fault.  I should never have come.  Now your father AND your brother hate me." She buried her face in his chest and cried piteously.

Thor stood silently, arms around her. Part of him wanted to punch Loki for what he'd just said, but a part, admittedly tiny, had to agree.  What was his love for this Midgardian costing them... again.

He wasn't the only one thinking about the last time Jane Foster had been to Asgard.

That time he'd lost his mother. No chance to save her, forever cursed to live without love as a result. 

Until now. Until Ari.  And he'd never actually told her. Never had a chance to show her.  The pain in his chest was almost unbearable.

Loki stood, Aesir at his knee, and watched as the healers examined Ari on the Soul Forge. Her body, represented by the pulsing orange image that floated above her, was badly damaged.

"She has lost a lot of blood, Your Highness. She is not Asgardian, so we do not have any replacement." The healer looked down, waiting for the explosion.

"It was only a flesh wound?" Loki did not shout, did not lash out, just stood. "How can it be so serious?"

"There was... infected material on the blade. It went into her bloodstream. She can not clot her blood as efficiently now. If we dont replace it, the amount she lost, even if we can fight the infection..."

"She WILL survive...?" He turned, and for the first time in her long career, the healer wanted to lie.  But didn't.

"We do not know." She bowed and returned to the table where Ari lay, eyes closed.

Loki took a deep breath, Aesir whimpered.  There was a bond between her and Ari that noone could deny.  She walked across and snuffled at Ari's hand where it lay limply by her side.

Getting no response, Aesir padded back to Loki and sat looking at him.  He bent down and ruffled her head.

"I don't know girl, I really don't know." A single tear plopped onto her head and she nudged him, as if trying to comfort him.  Then, she stood and wandered slowly out into the corridor.

For a moment, there was silence, other than the quiet murmurs of the healers. Then, splitting the air with heart rending pain, the howl of a wolf. 

All through the palace, people stopped and listened. Some shook their heads and returned to their duties, clearing up after the battle.  Others pulled out runestone necklaces, kissed them and said a prayer. It was round the palace already. Princess Ariadne had been wounded defending the Midgardian and she may not survive.

One person in particular stopped, their heart pounding.  He had been on the way to the Bifrost chamber, thinking the battle over and he was no longer needed.

King Oran heard Aesir and knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. He turned the horse he was riding and together with his escort they galloped back to the palace.

Loki stood, silently raging. She had better not show her face, he would kill her himself.  That little... he couldn't find the words. If it had been ANYONE else they would be dead by now. Only Thor's protection saved her.

Thor appeared, together with Odin.  They walked into the healing room and the healers withdrew to the door of the ante-room.  This was not going to go well.

Odin looked down at Ari and shook his head.  "Foolish child." He said softly.  He looked at Loki,

"She will live?"

"Not without blood.  Vanaheim blood."

"Brother... I'm so sorry..."

Loki rounded on him. "Sorry? You're sorry?  Will I tell her that if she wakes long enough? Will it help? Will it save her?" His voice was tight with emotion. "You never wanted me to be happy did you? You were always the handsome blue eyed Prince with the happy ever after." He spat. "Look where THAT has got us?"

He turned back and gently took Ari's hand. "Look where that got her." He added softly.  "Get out. Both of you.  Unless you can help her, get out and leave us in peace." Now he cried. Married but hours, he was doomed to thousands of years without her until it was his turn for Valhalla.

"They cannot, but perhaps I can." The voice at the doorway made them all turn.  Standing, ashen faced and breathless from running, was Oran.
"I have let her down so many times, this must not be another."

He stepped forward. "I can give her what she needs.  However much she needs."

The healer nodded slowly, "Yes, but it's risky. You are... aged Sire.  She may need more than it is safe for you to give."

Oran looked Loki in the eye. "She is my daughter, there is nothing I would not give.  Even my life."  Loki nodded, understanding the depth of his love for Ari.

"Thank you." He said quietly. Then, turning to the healers, "Get started!" He commanded.  He turned to Thor.  "You better pray this works brother.  You better pray."