I'll just jump straight into this one! Enjoy kiddies!

- A x

---

I woke up in bed. I can't remember how I got here. I shifted, feeling a shooting pain through the bottom of my legs. I winced.

"Now, now. Don't move." I heard a soft, calming voice talk. I turned over and looked in the corner of my room. It was Eir.

"Eir... forgive me. What happened to my legs?" I said as I move the silk blanket away, the bottom of my legs and feet covered in bruises and cuts.

"There was a... situation. You went into shock and dropped a wide bowl, and it smashed and cut up the bottom of your legs." She explained. I was confused only for a second, before everything came flooding back.

Loki.

Frantically, I sat up and placed my feet on the cold stone floor. Eir jumped forward.

"(y/n) that's not a good idea for several reasons-"

"Please Eir, I must go and see him."

"(y/n) please just listen to me." She placed her hands on my shoulders, trying to prevent me from standing up. I kept attempting to wiggle out of her grip. "(y/n). (Y/N)." Eir let go of me just as a new voice entered the conversation. At this point, my eyes were squeezed shut. I could only see Loki.

"Eir, let me speak to her." I opened my eyes and looked up. It was Frigga.

"Your majesty please," I got on my knees, wincing again. "I only ask to know what happened. To see him once. I need an explanation because the past year has been nothing but torment."

"You will, dear. In good time." She reached out a hand and ran it through my hair, still wavy from the braids. "I need you to heal first. Rest until the sun rises tomorrow."

Reluctantly, I agreed. I sat back onto the bed, nodding sadly.

"Yes, your majesty."

Eir reached into her pouch and brought out a small glass jar, decorated with indents and patterns. Inside, there was a lilac tinted cream with a thick consistency. She reached into the jar with two fingers, massaging them into the cuts. It smelled foul and stung like hell. I cried out and gasped, my eyes watering. Eir took her clean hand and gently pushed me back down onto the bed.

"You must rest now. The paste will help heal all of your wounds overnight, however they will scar over permanently. Take care." She stood up and left with Frigga and a volley of guards. They all had a peak in at me as they passed the doorway, seeing me lying panting and sweating on the bed. Arseholes.

---

I was awoken by someone sitting on the edge of my bed. This time, I remembered everything that happened straight away. A little slither of hope in me believed it to be Loki. I opened my eyes and looked towards the end of my bed. It was Hugo. He smiled at me.

"Long time no see sis. How are you feeling?" I smiled back at him.

"Pretty shit."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I heard. I have come to tell you that Frigga wants you in the throne room. You are to get changed and the guards will take you up. She asked me to tell you personally."

"Yeah okay. I'll get changed now. Thanks for telling me."

"No problem, I'll see you soon."

"Oh and uh..." I started. Hugo stopped in his tracks and looked around. "I missed you."

He smiled and we shared a brief hug, and he left. I put on my normal attire and left the room, nodding at the guard patiently waiting outside. As we walked up to the throne room, a million questions ran through my head. How is he still alive? If he survived the fall, why didn't he come back? Why did he look so beat up?

The guard stopped at the door, gesturing for the two guards on duty to open the doors for me. As they did so, Frigga sat alone in the room. I felt a wash of relief come over me, as I really hate being in the Allfather's presence. Frigga stood up and walked towards me. I knelt before her, my dress puddling around me. Frigga stopped and stretched out her arm.

"Come with me, child." I stood up and coiled my arm around hers gingerly. Although Frigga was my queen and my superior, I saw her as my mother. She had no shame in walking arm-in-arm with a maid.

"Where are we going?"

"To the dungeons."

---

"How did he survive?" I asked on the walk down to the dungeon. My body was violently trembling. I was terrified.

"He was captured by a force. A force in which is more powerful than Asgard itself." I was confused.

"A force?"

"Yes. An army you could say. The leader... a powerful being. One who has no problem in killing anyone or anything that stands in his way."

"Is that why he didn't return? He couldn't?"

"Yes. He was influenced by him. This force offered him what we could never give him - power. That power consumed him and... he did bad things, (y/n)."

Frigga stopped me in my tracks, looking deep into my eyes.

"(y/n). I need you to know. He has done bad things."

"Bad things? How bad?" My stomach felt like it was sinking. Frigga was beginning to tear up.

"He killed a lot of people. He isn't the Loki you lost. You must be prepared for that." She urged. I took a deep breath and nodded. Frigga took my hand and led me down the final flight of stairs. "I will stay out here." She sighed, waving at the guards to open the door.

---

I walked down the steps through the huge steel doors. My heart was pounding. The guards led me to a cell on the left just at the bottom of the steps. I looked in. He was sitting with his back against the wall, the cell was completely empty. It was just a white box. His head was in his hands. He was stripped of all his armour. Around his arms and ankles were red, blistered rashes from the chains he was imprisoned in. He was at his lowest.

"Loki." I said quietly. I was already debating turning back and forgetting everything I saw. Although I spoke quietly it was loud enough for him to hear me. He looked up slowly, his dark eyes piercing through me. He chuckled.

"Huh. You are alive. I thought you had died before my very eyes." He spat. I was a little taken aback.

"I went into shock when I saw you. For the past year, I have been under the impression that you were dead."

Loki didn't answer me. He looked forward, grinding his jaw.

"Loki." I said, speaking louder, finding my confidence. "Are you alright?" He looked back at me.

"Do I look like I am alright to you?" He growled, standing up slowly and walking over to the barrier. I could feel myself gravitating toward him.

"It hurts to see you like this." I replied calmly. I wasn't going to lose my cool in front of him. Loki scoffed.

"You don't even know what pain is."

"I can make you feel better. I still want to be here for you."

Loki paused, looking me up and down and smirking slightly.

"Sorry but, who are you again?"

That hit me like a ton of bricks. I took a step back and walked back up the steps, not looking back. I met with Frigga and she looked at me looking for answers.

"He needs some furniture. It's just an empty box."