My greatest hero

chapter 103

The next night was even worse than the last few days, it was Eira's funeral. Loki really didn't want to stand in a crowd, he didn't want to see people, and he didn't want to see Eira be sent Valhalla. Of course he was thinking of her, he kept seeing her smiling face on top of the mountain, her smile that lit up his world, and when she asked if they could stay. That's when he felt tears slip out of his eyes, he could hear her voice in his head, asking if they could stay there together. "I should've stayed with her" he said to himself.
'Why did I ever even make her come here? Why did I smash the cure instead of living in the village with her? Why couldn't I hear her when she called for help?' He thought. He heard someone come in, and knew it was Thor, he was spending a lot if time around loki, trying to help him get through this.
"Hey, you coming?" Thor asked as he came in.
"I'll be right there" loki replied. Thor came over and put his hand on Loki's shoulder.
"If you don't want to come, and just want to be alone-" Thor started, but loki cut him off.
"Thor I cant just stay here and hide, she was my wife, I have to be there" loki said back. "I'm just saying you don't have to be out there in the crowd" Thor told him.
"Yes I do!" Loki snapped back. "I missed mothers funeral and found out about her death from inside a cage, I can't miss Eira's too! I have to be there even if it kills me!" He barked, but more out of grief than anger.
"I'm sorry, i didn't mean to make you upset" Thor said back, loki nodded.
"I'll be right there" he said, Thor took the hint, and he left. loki took a few deep breaths before he decided he should go,He knew people were gathering outside, and knew he'd have to face them eventually. He left his chambers and already felt his heart sink, he walked outside to where there were people gathering on the edge of the water. Eira was laying in the small boat, her body surrounded by crystals that looked like ice, and she had her bow and arrows at her side. loki saw her and felt his throat close up, he wanted to get away from her, but at the same time couldn't take his eyes off her.
The time came for them to send her away, loki stood in front of the crowd, bow and arrow in hand, ready to fire, the end of the arrow was lit, he held it up and pulled back on the bowstring, but his hands were shaking and he couldn't bring himself to let go.
'I can't. I can't burn her body, that's what Embrey would do; burn her' he thought, as tears clouded his vision. "Loki" he heard Thor whisper from next to him, he could see by the look Thor was giving that he was offering to do it instead. Loki shook his head, he was trying to be the cold person he used to be, someone who always had their emotions in check, but he couldn't, he took a deep breath, pulled back on the string again, and released it. In a second, they saw the boat go up in flames. as it came to the edge of the waterfall, Odin touched the ground with gungnir, and her remains ascended to the sky, and her soul to Valhalla. She was gone. Loki wanted to get away from people, he wanted to be alone so he could cry without feeling weak, but it was his wife who died, people would notice if he just left. He took a few steps into the crowd, just so he wasn't right up front, he felt someone gently touch his arm, and turned around to be faced with sif.
" loki, I'm so sorry for your loss" she said kindly, he nodded a little, him and sif never really got along, they only worked together once, and that was years ago, so her act of kindness made him feel a bit better. "I miss her" he said plainly.
"As do we all, she was very loved" she said back. She stepped a little closer and put her arms around him, he hugged her back, he felt strange hugging sif, but also felt comforted. She pulled away after a short moment.
"If there's anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask" she said to him.
"Thank you for your kindness" he said back. After a little while, he went back inside, and to his room, he laid down in bed and just felt exhausted from the day even though he hadn't really done anything, but he wanted to rest, and in a few minutes he was asleep