Birthright

Forgiveness

He raced along the corridor. What had he done? What did he say? Oh Norns, what if she hated.... he couldn't bring himself to finish the thought....

Asa sat on the floor and cried. In one fell swoop, it had all gone so very wrong. All the trust was gone, all the love. How could this have happened. Whoever was behind the attack, they had no idea of the devastation they had caused. For Loki. For her.

Slowly, she calmed, then stopped and sniffed. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, anger replaced sorrow. How could he think so little of her? How DARE he assume her to be so shallow and manipulative as to use herself as bait. To profess a love that didn't exist, just to get him to do what she wanted.

Anger built until it spilt over into fury. Now, she walked out onto the balcony and screamed, stamping her foot in frustration. A temper tantrum of the highest order, but boy! Did it feel good. Who the HELHEIM did Loki think he was? He OBVIOUSLY didn't have ANY feelings for her, or he would have trusted her. Believed her.

She walked back into the room and picked up her belongings, strapping the Dragon Fang to her side and... oh SHIT! She'd lost her dagger. It had been given to her on becoming a fully fledged Valkyrie. It NEVER left her side. As she looked down, however, she noticed the leather thong that held its sheath had snapped, and the whole thing had come away.

With a final scream of fury, she kicked a small table over and burst into tears again. This was just the final straw. "You're a Bilgesnipe's ARSEHOLE Loki Laufeyson," she shouted to nobody in particular.

"That amongst a great many other things I have no doubt." The voice from the doorway made her turn and stare.

She strode across the room and drew her hand across his face in the hardest slap she could manage. His head snapped to the side. "THAT'S for not trusting me." She stomped off to the other side of the room and out onto the balcony. She stood, arms folded resolutely across her chest, scowling out over the city.

Loki paused and gathered his thoughts. He didn't need to read her mind. He could plainly see - and feel - how angry she was. With good reason.

Closing his eyes, he offered a prayer up to his mother for strength and forgiveness.

He walked out onto the balcony, standing with his back at the door. "Asa?"

"What!" She snapped without turning.

"Asa love..."

"DONT YOU DARE...." Now she spun round, remaining at the balustrade. Her voice was strident, the emotion overwhelming her. "Dont. Just dont pretend you care. That you love me. I can see now that I was fooling myself." Now her voice was low and sad. "If you'd loved me, you'd have trusted me."

Loki felt the words wound him as effectively as any sword. What made it worse was that, on the surface, it appeared that she was right. Even he could no longer justify his reaction.

"Asa, I came to apologise. I came to make amends. Please darling, I am beyond sorry. I can't bear to be the cause of your distress. I DO love you, darling, I really do."

He walked over to her and tried to put his arms around her. She pushed him away. "The only reason I haven't stabbed you, you lowlife..." she began, " is because I've lost my Kjaer."

Loki was confused. "Your 'beloved'?"

"My dagger. My Valkyrie dagger. It is the one thing I have always treasured - even more than my Dragon Fang. That belongs to Asgard; it will go to a Valkyrie who follows me. But my Kjaer? It is - it was - my personal weapon. Made for me. Given to me. And now...." she burst into tears. A focal point for all her hurt and sorrow, the stress of the day rushed out.

This time, Loki didn't take no for an answer. He wrapped his arms around her. She beat her fists on his chest, but he didn't let go. She wailed that she hated him - an obvious lie - but he didn't let go. He let her rant all she wanted. He just kept on apologising. Promising to do better. Telling her he loved her and he would never EVER hurt her again.

She calmed,little by little. Eventually, she just stood in his arms. He waited, just breathing and holding her. Feeling her in his arms, his heart began to hope. "Asa?" He said softly.

"What?" This time, there was no snap. It was just a question.

"Im truly sorry. I really am. I've never had someone to trust up till now. Up till you. Even Thor doesn't REALLY trust me. I just couldn't comprehend anyone loving me that much. Enough never to betray me. I lashed out as I've always done, and I realise now how wrong that was."

He spoke into her hair as he buried his face in its softness. "Darling, please. Just dont leave me? I know I hurt you. I know I was so very wrong. Just please..." his voice hitched, and she realised he was crying. "Don't abandon me?"

She looked up at him, and his eyes were raw, his cheeks wet and his face a picture of desperate sorrow.

"You hurt me, Loki. You took my love and shredded it with your distrust and anger. I won't pretend we are where we were, but..." she paused and he stopped breathing. "But we can try again. Just promise me to thinj before you speak next time?"

Loki smiled, his heart soaring. "Yes. Yes. Anything . Yes." He hugged her tightly. "I promise. I will try to be the lover you deserve, the partner you need." He smiled at her and she raised an eyebrow.

"My lover? A bit ahead of yourself Laufeyson, arent you?" She smirked a little. "We're not even back on kissing terms yet." She teased. Loki smiled, his eyes glittering in the way she'd always love

"Are we not? Well, perhaps, woth your permission, I may remedy that right now?" He tipped her chin up and she looked into his eyes.

"Permission granted." She said softly.

Loki bent down and grazed her lips with his own. She let out an involuntary moan, the feeling it awoke in her almost frighteningly intense. He grinned against her lips.

"I love to hear you moan like that." He whispered. "I want you to do it again."

"Make me." She said in a husky tone, her eyes alight, her heart racing. It almost felt like the first time, all over again. "If you think its possible?"

"Oh darling! You have NO idea what's possible." He lifted her into his arms and carried her back inside.

A little while later, Thor came to find them, to say theyd be heading back to New York in the morning. As he approached the room, he could see the door handles glowing green. He smiled to himself, he knew what that meant.

He shook his head and walked away.
" Oh Loki. They don't call you Silvertongue for nothing !" Was his only comment.