The King and the Enemy

38

It wasn't long before Xena woke up, she was shivering and her body was cold. Careful not to wake her lover she pulled the blankets up high and tighter around her then she just gazed at Loki.

His skin glowed white from the moonlight shinning in from the window, his face was relaxed and and peaceful, and his hair contrasted greatly with the stark white pillow that it was spread out on.

She wanted to touch him, to feel the peacefulness he seemed to have. She kept her hand to herself though. Xena was trying to distance herself from Loki. She was starting small, first just looking at him and forcing herself to keep her hands off him. She just wanted to sear his image into her mind. When she felt that she would alway remember every detail of his face she would leave his bed, put on her clothes, and walk away from the only man she ever loved.

Tears sung to her eyes as she remember Lady Sif tell her the plan Thor had come up with.

"We're going to send you and your brother back to Alfheim." Lady Sif said as she sat forward in her chair.

"How is this supposed to help?" Xena asked. "Besides I'm pretty sure my brother wants nothing to do with me."

Sif roller her eyes and looked at Xena like she was an idiot. "I just told you, he only said that because he was mad. While you were in the infirmary healing, Thor, the Warriors Three, and myself accompanied Jarl back to your home planet. There we meet with you Aunt who- after some convincing- would agree to a cease fire if you and your brother were returned. Her plan is to condition Jarl into a king."

"Everyone back home hates me," Xena spoke as soon as Sif stopped. "As soon as a step foot back home, I will surely be dead."

Sif shook her head in disagreement, "Your aunt said no harm would come to you."

"You trust her words?" Xena said, getting angry. There was no way that was true. Even if no harm did come to her she would probably spend the rest of her days locked up. "I rather rot in under Asguard then go back there."

"Xena," Sif said slowly, "going back to your planet with stop this war, it will end all the killing, there will be peace."

"I don't want to die in a cell!" She cried. She knew she was being selfish but she didn't care about any of these people, well maybe a few, but she sure as hell didn't care about her people. She couldn't look at Sif, she felt like Sif wanted nothing more than to get her to leave, so she looked at her feet.

"Think about me, think Thor and the Warriors," Sif paused for emphasis, " think about Loki," Xena's eyes flickered up to Sif's, "if we keep fighting, one of us is eventually going to end up dying. I think you have come to care for all of us, and if you do, then I know you wouldn't want that happening."

"I promise you," Jarl's voice came from the door behind them and both of the girls turned to look at him. Jarl walk over to his sister and bent down in front of her so that they were eye level, "I won't let anyone hurt you, and you will not even up in a cell." He paused gathering himself before he continued, "All those things I said, I didn't mean. I was mad and jealous. I felt that I had lost you to Loki, to the Asguardians, and felt that we would never be the way we were, so I said things I shouldn't have."

Xena stared at her brother, tears in her eye, but there were tears in his too. He clasped her hand in his and said, "It's time for us to got home and fix the problems we have caused."

It's been so long since Xena knew her brother. She didn't know if he was telling the truth or putting on a good act, but somewhere deep inside her, from the pit residing in her stomach, told her that Jarl was telling the truth.

"Before we leave, can I say goodbye to Loki?" She asked softly, wanting to cry. She knew that Loki had no idea the plans his brother and his friends had put together, but she knew just as everyone else did that he had to be keep in the dark, because, otherwise, he would not let her leave.

"Of course. Meet us at the Bifrost at sunrise." Sif said.

A tear slipped from her eye and slid down her check as she stared at her lover. She didn't know if she had the will to leave his bed, to leave him to wake up to find her gone.

"I love you," she whispered very softly as she wept.

Eventually she could see the sky starting to turn purple and she knew sunrise would be upon her soon.

Her eyes ranked over his face and his bare chest, desperate to keep his image in her mind. Finally she slowly pushed the blankets off her and turned to get out of bed.

"Xena, where are you going," Loki mumbled sleepily.

Xena heart stopped and her throat was swollen. Her mind race with what to say but it seem like an eternity before she finally got out, "Just going to the bathroom. Go back to sleep, love." Her voice was even and nonchalant.

Loki mumbled something she couldn't make out but rolled over on his side and fell back asleep.

As quickly and as quietly as she could, Xena dressed herself and hurried to the bedroom door. As her hand grasp the door handle she hesitated. Looking back to the bed she admired Loki's sleeping form for a moment before she turned and pulled the door open. The door was silent and didn't make a sound as it closed behind her.

Xena walked away from Loki's chambers, heading for the Bifrost. Once she got outside the palace a guard was waiting with a horse at his side for her. She thanked him as she mounted the steed.

Her hair flew behind her as the horse sped down through the city surrounding the palace and then onto the rainbow bridge.

As the Bifrost loomed closer and closer her heart grew heavier and tighter in her chest.

Reaching the Bifrost, Thor, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three along with her brother were waiting.

They all stared as she dismounted her horse and walked to them. She knew that her hair was a mess, and her face was probably red and blotchy from crying.

"Let's go," she said as she came up to them, he voice was hard and cold.

They walked into the dome of the Birfrost behind her. Heimdall stood on the raised platform in the middle of the dome, his sword ready.

"Sad to see you go," his deep voice echoed.

She nodded her head at him respectfully as he turned and ready himself to power up the Bifrost.

"Xena," She turned at the sound of her voice, "It was an honor fighting with you," Hogun said as he step up to her and reached his hand toward her.

She grasped his hand in her and said, "I'm glad I had the chance to know you," she looked to all the Asguardians, "all of you."

The Bifrost started to spin and twist and position itself in the direction of Alfheim and then a powerful beam of light shot out into the space.

"Time to go," Jarl said and griped her shoulder.

She let go of Hogun's hand and followed her brother to the beam. She looked back once more, her eyes lock with Thor's, "Tell Loki I'm sorry," she shouted to him over the hum of the Bifrost before she and and her brother were hurtled away from Asguard and back to Alfheim.