A Gods Favor

And Now?

After a very awkward supper, from which Loki had excused himself early after exchanging only a few words with Thor, Yrsa followed Elora back to the elven woman's rooms.

"MY BROTHER!" Yrsa roared as the door closed behind them before making over exaggerated gagging sounds. "For a millennia you have had a crush on MY BROTHER? Of all people, and you never said anything."

Elora shook her head as she walked toward the bathroom, stripping off her clothes, eager to soak in the scalding water of the giant stone tub, the one feature she had enjoyed the most being back at the palace. "It's not as if I hid it, Yrsa, but I never directly mentioned it to you because I knew this is how you would react. It's not my fault your brain chose to ignore all the signs that were very obviously there."

"But MY brother!" Yrsa followed Elora, gagging noises persisting. "We were for all intents and purposes raised as siblings, he's basically your brother!"

Elora shook her hair out from its binding as she stepped into the filling tub. "I promise you I have NEVER seen Loki as a brother. My feelings for him have existed since the day I arrived in Asgard."

"You were seven!"

"And he was kind," Elora sat on a bench built into the wall of the giant bath. "Now do you want to carry on about this or hear about the vision I had in the great hall?"

"Tell me one thing," Yrsa's eyes narrowed. "Have you ever bedded him?"

"Do you REALLY want to know that?"

"No," Yrsa threw her hands up in disgust before her head bobbed side to side in indecision. "Yes."

Elora scooted to the edge, crossing her arms on the side as she rested her chin on them. "Yes, dozens of times and he's amazing. The most generous-"

She was cut off by Yrsa's resumed gags. "STOP! I don't want to know that!"

Elora threw her head back in laughter. "I'm joking," she said, grabbing a soap and beginning to work it through the tangles of her hair. "Do you really think I'd have ever left this castle if I'd thought I had any chance with him?"

Yrsa finally sat on the bench near the large window that looked out over the gardens as her face contorted. "Wait, was Loki a part of why you did leave? I mean I know you wanted to be a healer but it always struck me as odd that you decided so suddenly to take Vanaheim's offer," her eyes widened at a sudden realization. "And then you never came home after that. You always had some excuse but," she stood and began pacing. "It was Loki! Odin's beard, what happened?"

"You asked me to tell you one thing and I did. Now sit back down so I can tell you about the vision that actually involved you."

"El," Yrsa began to protest but Elora put up a hand.

"It's not important. It was a long time ago and it doesn't matter anymore." Her words were mostly true. What happened, in the grand scheme, didn't actually matter. Loki had apologized and she had forgiven him. Thor had mostly been able to explain Loki's sudden cold shoulder but deep down she would always wonder why he had chosen to take Fandral, her escort for the night, to bed. It was a piece of the puzzle she could never understand.

"Fine. Tell me about the vision."

So Elora spent the next hour or so trying to reason out with Yrsa why she had seen the princess and crown prince on what she believed was Midgard, fighting a man in a strange metal suit. Elora herself had never been to Midgard, too poor with illusions in the past to hide her elven heritage, and Yrsa and the others hadn't been in over eight hundred years.

"He seemed to like you despite you and Thor fighting him." Elora said as Yrsa sat behind her braiding her hair.

"Of course he does, everyone likes me. I'm incredibly charming, it runs in the family."

They were silent for a minute as Yrsa continued her plaits, both pondering different futures.

"Now that I've had some time to calm down and the thought isn't making me want to gag again, may I ask another question about you and Loki?"

"You may ask," Elora said cautiously. "But I don't promise to answer."

"What happens now, between you two?"

"Nothing I suppose." Elora said on a soft sigh and Yrsa leaned around to look at her questioningly. "Today was the first time I've really spoken to him since we first left. While I still have feelings for him I gave up on the thought there would ever be anything between us a long time ago and have built my life with that in mind. There's only a week before the coronation and then if you stay on as part of Thor's council I understand but I have to return to my work, people need me. I'm glad we've made amends but..."

"What if he wanted to go with you?"

Elora's smile was sad as she took her friend's hand and squeezed. "You and I both know that's not him. Loki is a prince to his core and he belongs at the palace."