A Gods Favor

Shame

Elora slipped from her bed gently trying not to wake Hagan. Or was his name Harold? She couldn't remember and hopefully he'd be gone before she returned this afternoon so it wouldn't matter. She slipped on a dressing gown and headed into the main room of her cottage to try and find where her clothes had gone when an image flickered before her.

"My queen?" Elora spoke, loudly, from surprise before flinching at her mistake and praying it hadn't woken the stranger in her bed.

"Did you forget about our monthly catch up?" Frigga asked with eyebrows raised as Elora looked over her shoulder and pulled her dressing gown tighter.

"No," Elora said again too loudly. "No, just a late start this morning." She had forgotten of course. It probably had something to do with the copious amount of wine she'd had last night but she couldn't tell Frigga that so she moved on silent feet toward the far side of the cabin and lowered her voice hoping to not wake Hagan-Harold, if she hadn't already, while she spoke with the queen.

"Are you feeling alright, dear? You look exhausted. I hope Freyja isn't working you too hard."

"Of course not-" Elora began to come up with some excuse to brush off the queens comments because it was in fact not her work with Freyja that had her looking the way she did but rather the man, who had only a blanket wrapped around his waist, who was walking out of her bedroom.

"Ellie, is someone-" Hagan-Harold froze when he saw who stood in the room with Elora. Frigga could not see the man but she could hear him and the look of disappointment on her face nearly broke Elora's heart. "Oh, uh. I'll just see myself out." He stuttered before picking his discarded clothes from the floor and hastily putting them on as he made for the door.

Frigga met Elora's eyes with a sigh. "I suppose it makes sense now why you haven't asked after Loki all these months."

"There are many reasons why I don't ask after him, my queen, and that," Elora nodded to the door even though Frigga could not see it. "Is hardly one of them."

"He misses you."

Elora bit her lip and moved to sit in the one chair at her small table but she did not say a word. She doubted very much that Loki missed her after the months of nightmares she had sent his way.

"He is a wreck."

"He is imprisoned."

"Yes, but despite the comforts I have been able to afford him he looks like he does not sleep." Frigga's words were not accusatory but Elora could not help the guilt that crept up. "I worry for him."

"I am sorry his situation pains you." It was true. Elora had not thought how seeing her son so broken would hurt Frigga. She was not, however, sorry for his situation. He had done it to himself.

"Odin has permitted Thor and Yrsa to see him." Frigga was silent for a long time. "If you wanted to-"

"No."

"Very well." Frigga took a few steps back. "There was one more thing. Thor and Yrsa are to leave for Vanaheim in the morning. They hoped you might join them."

Vanaheim. The first place she had made a name for herself, that she had made a home from when she first set out on her own. The place that was part of her blood. She could not heal anymore. But that didn't mean she could not help. "Let them know to expect me at the gatehouse at first light."

-

When they landed Sif and the warriors three had been fighting the marauders for some time. Thor and Yrsa immediately entered into combat, fists and weapons flying while Elora sent shields ramming into some enemies and pulling others into trashing tornados that sent them to their knees gasping for air. It was not long before a hulking kronan came onto the field and everyone stopped.

"All yours." Sif muttered to Thor and he looked around.

"I could if you want but you are the crown prince." Elora said with a smirk.

Thor sighed and stepped up toward the kronan.

"Hello," he said and the kronan roared at him. "I accept your surrender." Then he spun Mjolnir around and slammed it into the beast from the bottom. Shattering it to pieces. "Anyone else?"

The marauders laid down the weapons.

-

They returned to Asgard and Thor headed straight to Odin while Yrsa and Elora made their way to the princess's room.

"I am glad you came with us." Yrsa tossed an arm around Elora's shoulders.

Elora put a hand on Yrsa's. "I am too. It felt nice to be useful again. To use my power."

"From what I heard you use your powers quite often."

Elora looked at Yrsa in confusion before she glanced to the floor and back to her and she understood. "Yrsa-"

"I'm not mad. I know how much what he did hurt you but I am worried. Your heart is gentle, not cruel."

"I am not the same as I was two years ago."

They approached the princess's room and entered. "Which is why I didn't say anything before." She walked over to a small chest on her mantle and opened it, pulling out a stack of parchment. "Though I did tell him I would give you these. Don't read them if you don't want to but just so you know I did."

Elora took the stack cautiously and flipped through them. "Would it be worth it, to read them?"

Yrsa smiled before heading to her bathing chamber. "You are the only one who can decide that."