Broken Remedy |L. Odinson|

Chapter Seven

"There! I can see something!"

Thor and Fandral galloped after Volstagg, while Brandt, Sif and Hogun headed to the opposite side the others had taken in an effort to circle the boar they had been hunting. Loki, Eir and Cuyler remained at the place they had been, in case the animal came over to them.

"I am going to leave the horse to you," Loki told her at some point as he unmounted.

"What? Why?" she asked, her eyes wide as she looked down at him. Neither of them paid attention to Cuyler who was eavesdropping.

"If the boar does come here, we will never be able to catch it. We are heavier together, she can't handle so much weight," he explained as he looked at his horse. A small smirk formed on his lips as he looked up at her. "I'll try another approach."

In front of their eyes, Loki shifted into a huge, black dog. Then, he turned to the woods. And they waited.

Cuyler did not dare speak, but Eir could feel his eyes on her. Still, she did not look at him once. Seconds later, they heard laughing and cheering. Loki formed back into a human and walked back to his horse.

"They must have caught it," he explained at her questioning glance.

Soon enough, the six horse riders appeared, the boar behind Volstagg. "We caught the boar!"

"Well done," Cuyler praised as he made his way beside Fandral. "That calls for a celebration."

"A feast!" Thor did not hesitate to suggest, and as one, Volstagg, Cuyler and Fandral cheered. In the meantime, the dark-haired Prince had mounted his horse once again and he led it to the back of the party, some ways away from them all.

"I know the hunt wasn't the most interesting activity," he spoke softly so that the rest wouldn't hear him, "but at least you are away from your home."

"If you hadn't come up, father would have perhaps attempted to get inside," she admitted, "it's better that you came. I managed to avoid him for quite some time."

"If that feast actually happens, you'll have yet another excuse to stay away. And I could always speak to mother so you could sleep in the palace."

"My Prince, I could never ask that from you," she muttered as she looked up at him. "Thank you for all you've done, but I would not wish to burden you further."

"You are not a burden," he mumbled, "You are a friend. There is a difference."

A smile formed on her lips and wordlessly, she tightened her hold around him slightly. If Loki did notice, he said nothing about it.

"Look at you, riding on the same horse," Fandral said as he slowed down slightly. There was a grin on his lips as he looked between Eir and Loki. "It must be the very first time I see you sharing your horse, Loki."

"And I suppose that is a very important time in my life?"

"Exactly," he nodded, "look at that, you are starting to understand what life is all about!"

Eir raised an eyebrow. "And what life is actually about?"

"Having fun, a lot of women around, fighting to save those you love. That's it."

"You forgot eating food," Volstagg added, only for the blond to wave him off.

"Should I make sure I have lots of women around me too, then?" she asked softly.

"That would be quite a pity for us," he smiled, "You would get all the women for yourself!"

"You are lucky then, Fandral, because Eir prefers men to women," Thor informed him as Brandt rolled his eyes.