Captured in the Midst

Chapter 25

I was a ghost, wandering down the halls of the palace. Frigga was gone, the one I trusted the most, and I felt lost. She always knew what to do, and now that she was no longer by my side, I felt stuck. When I left Thor, promising I'd go to the healers, I had no intention of doing that in the first place. I was going to visit Loki, but thought against it, knowing he'd get overprotective about my wound. He had told me to stay safe, and I had put myself in harms way. I just wasn't the same girl anymore. Since Thor and I got engaged, everything seemed to tumble apart. I was always so sure of who I wanted to be when I was younger, taking after my father as commander of the king's military, however, I seem to have completely abandon that goal. I didn't even know who I was anymore.

"Oh, Frigga." I sighed, wiping a tear that started to form in the corner of my eye. "What am I going to do without you?"

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I had cried for hours, cried more than I have in my whole life, cried more than when I though I lost Loki. Eventually falling asleep, collapsing in my bed from exhaustion, was I freed of my sadness. A small knock on my door startled me as I jerked awake.

"Who's there?" I asked in a groggy voice.

It was about five am, a bit early for anyone in Asgard to be awake.

"It's me." Thor's head poked in the door. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." I sighed, burying my face in the pillows. "I just want some time alone, please."

"I understand."

I heard the door close behind him, and I rolled over to face Loki. A small scream left my lips as he chuckled, pulling me into his arms.

"Surprised?"

"Oh, Loki." I moaned, sorrowfully. "She's gone. Frigga's gone."

His eyes fell. "I know. The guards told me."

"I'm so sorry. I tried to save her, but they were too much. I'm sorry, I tried."

"What do you mean? Her death wasn't your fault."

He pulled me closer, kissing my forehead. I pulled my leg over his thigh, the blanket around us falling past my waist. I realized a bit too late, when Loki's eyes found the bloodstained spot on my dress.

"Astrid, what's that?"

"Nothing! It's nothing!" I quickly pulled the sheets up over my stomach.

"Astrid is that blood?!"

"I'm fine, Loki."

"Astrid Grace Tyrdottir! Let me see your wound!"

I froze, terrified of what he might do if I didn't listen. I slowly sat up, giving him the free range to inspect my cut. Loki sat on his knees, gently running a finger along my bloodied dress before pulling it up.

"Please don't take it off." I begged.

"Astrid, I have to, in order to get a better view."

I gulped, letting him proceed in pulling my dress up over my head. I was completely vulnerable to him, in just my undergarments. However, he didn't seem to care. His fore finger gently skimmed along the edges of my reddened flesh, eyes widening at how much it was still bleeding. Slowly but surely, it began to close up, Loki's power sewing my skin back together.

"What happened?"

"Malekith's guard had Frigga in a head lock-" I started, the horrendous tale making me shiver. "I was just scared, and didn't really think about the consequences about going to help her, but I did. Malekith and I fought, I held him off well, before I saw Jane coming out of the curtains to see what was going on. He got me when I was caught off guard and stabbed me in the stomach when I wasn't looking."