The Servant Series (Loki fanfic)

Servant, Friend, Or Love? Ch 5

Chapter 5

We were about thirty minutes away from any other civilization. I'd kept expecting her to say something, but did not rush her. She had a time and place for everything. Finally, we were at the edge of the forest, the trees holding large flowers similar to that of the Midgardian pink and white Hibiscus.

She held one of the flowers in her hand for a long time before whispering, "I'm sorry." With that, she picked the flower off the tree. At first it was slow, but you could see the edges of the beautiful flower turning brown. As the minutes passed, it more rapidly turned brown and even began to decay. Within 30 minutes, it was a black, mushy pile.

"I refuse to believe that you are implying what it is I think you are implying."

"I have only recently come to these terms myself, but it is true. My son is no longer in him." She looked at me. "But do you want to know something?"

"What is it?"

"Perhaps it is knowing what that flower once was and now I'm sentimental, but I love that blacked, muddy...substance no less. The difference is I am now saddened by its sight." Tears blurred my vision and I turned my back to her to try to recompose. "I see the love for my son shining in your eyes for hours, days after you see him." She put a hand on my shoulder. "Troubling times are coming, my girl. I can feel it. Please, do not forget your love. Stick with him no matter the circumstance. Things are bad for him, but do not allow it to get much worse."

"Define worse."

She sighed. "Loki told me that on the day he was sent to his cage."

Tears rolled down my cheeks but I made no move to wipe them away. We sat there in a silence a moment before I told her, "I feel like a child; crying over such a silly thing. It's not like he's dead."

"Inside, he is. Just like the flower. But do you know what? This flower will become dirt which will feed to the makes of a new plant, maybe being another flower like it, but with its differences. Whatever it becomes, will you love it no less?"

I shook my head. "No. No I won't."

"Good. Now please, stick with him. Do not let him be alone."

"My queen!" a guard yelled as he rode his horse up to us. "Your son Thor has brought a woman here from Midgard with a strange infection. Odin wishes to see you to give you the details of this woman."

"Yes. Of course. Thank you. You may go back. I shall walk. Astrid, should you enjoy a ride with him?"

"I-If it would not be bothersome."

"I can't see why it would be."

"Yes, your majesty." He told her with a nod. He smile and put out a hand to me. Once my hand was in his, he pulled me so I was riding side-saddle in front of him. He was quiet for the first ten minutes before he asked, "So, you're the Astrid I've heard so many rumors about?"

"Excuse me?"

He chuckled. "Did you not believe the guard was listening as you told Loki the story of how you arrived?"

I winced. "I hope that doesn't ruin your first impression of me."

He shook his head. "I heard of you before as well. I heard you were quite kind, patient towards the guards. Even when you were being pulled away after suggesting that it wasn't entirely Loki's fault you weren't fighting back. You didn't argue and yell at them to let you go as expected. Also, is it true that in your spare time you go around with a water pitcher and give the guards who've been working long shifts something to drink?"