Chapter 35
The next few days were peaceful—a welcome change.
I finally had time to catch up with Yara, whom I’d missed more than I realized. My belongings had been returned from Alfheim, and I helped her unpack. I had mixed feelings about the Elven dresses. They were beautiful—elegant, flowing, and made just for me. But they were designed by Muriel, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep anything that might send the wrong message.
Frigga offered the perfect solution. She had the dresses sent to the royal seamstress and personally oversaw a few changes to make them better suited to Asgardian court life. Richer colors, fuller skirts, a touch more structure—just enough to preserve what I loved while turning them into something entirely new.
While unpacking, I also found the recipe book King Merinor had promised me. Following Frigga’s suggestion, I sent it to the palace kitchens so the cooks could study it. Once they were done, I planned to donate it to the royal library. I appreciated the gift, but after what happened in the garden, I didn’t want any lingering personal ties to Merinor.
The one gift that truly made my heart swell came during a visit to Shadow.
Arturo greeted me with quiet pride and unveiled the most exquisite set of riding gear I’d ever seen—handmade for Shadow, not me. The leather was soft but strong, each piece crafted to accommodate his build and movement. There were several lightweight, flexible saddles, and something called a Righé, an Elvish term with no real translation. It wasn’t a bridle—Shadow didn’t need one—but a smooth strap that looped around the base of his neck, connecting to the saddle at the front and back. It offered a place to grip when I needed balance, like his mane usually did.
There were also potions, salves, and grooming tools, all gifted directly to Arturo. From what I gathered, he was well-liked and deeply respected in the Elven stables. Being Shadow’s caretaker held weight there.
Back in Asgard, Loki had suggested that Arturo receive a formal promotion. When Loki first entrusted him with Shadow, Arturo had been a mere stable hand. But now, with Shadow’s ancient Elven lineage revealed, Arturo’s station needed to reflect that. Loki saw to it that he was granted a high-ranking title, a solid income, and official housing.
What touched me most was hearing Arturo’s first act after the promotion. With his new position secured, he’d asked the woman he loved to marry him. Now that he could offer her a real home, he wasted no time.
This morning, I walked through the gardens with Thor. Loki had duties to attend to, and Thor had offered to keep me company. He’d been incredibly kind since the events in Alfheim. Even though he knew more than most, he never treated me any differently. He really did feel like a big brother, and I was grateful for his presence.
“Aurora, there is something you should know,” he said as we strolled through the shaded paths.
I glanced up at him with a smile. “Then you should tell me.”
He returned the smile, but something lingered behind his eyes.
“There have been troubling reports along the border with Niflheim,” he said. “Loki and Father are discussing it now. People are disappearing, and when they return… their families claim they are not the same.”
“Do they know what’s causing it?” I asked, sitting on a stone bench beneath a flowering tree.
Thor shook his head. “No. But Father intends to send a sizable force to investigate. He has assigned Sif and the Warriors Three to lead them. It will reassure the people—make it clear this is being taken seriously. However, we do not know how long they will be gone.”
I nodded. “That must be hard. Being apart from Sif, not knowing how long she’ll be gone?”
Thor hesitated. “I shall miss her, yes. But that is not what troubles me most. I am more concerned about Loki.”
I frowned. “Why? What does Niflheim have to do with him?”
He began pacing slowly. “I do not know how much you understand about his past. And I know how much you both endured recently… but Niflheim is a deeply sensitive subject for him.”
I didn’t know much about the realms beyond Asgard. I learned best when I had a personal reason to care. Alfheim had caught my interest because I was going there. Niflheim… hadn’t come up until now.
“Thor, at least give me something. Otherwise, I’ll have to ask him.”
He shook his head. “Please do not ask him. Not yet. Niflheim is also called Helheim—the land of the dead.”
He paused, watching for my reaction.
And I understood.
“Ah. I see. Helheim. Ruled by his daughter,” I said with a nod.
“He has told you about them?” Thor asked quietly as he sat beside me.
“Only once,” I said. “But yeah. I know about Angrboda. I know about his children. Hela rules Helheim, doesn’t she?”
Thor nodded. “She does. Father gave her that realm. She became the guardian of the dead—all those who did not die in battle. After her appointment, she severed all contact with Loki. I believe she saw it as exile. And perhaps she was not wrong. But it was not Loki’s doing. He argued with Father—but once the decision was made, there was nothing left to fight. She accepted the realm and left before he could explain.”
He exhaled sharply.
“Not long after that, Father confined Fenrir to the forests, making it nearly impossible for Loki to see any of his children.”
“That’s why Odin sent Sif and the others—so Loki wouldn’t go near Helheim?” I asked. “To avoid contact with Hela?”
“Yes,” Thor said. “Not because he fears her, but because he fears their bond. My father wishes for her to remain distant—from Loki, and from Asgard. He sees her, and all of Loki’s children, as monsters. He prefers to act as if they do not exist. He knows that if an Odinson steps near her borders, she will not ignore it. And Loki… he would not be able to turn away.”
Thor looked down, guilt written across his face.
“I regret not knowing them. I was young when they were still at court. My priorities then were far from honorable. I made no effort. And Loki’s magic—at that time—was barely spoken of. It was seen as a woman’s craft, or something belonging to the lesser races. And with Hela’s birth story, I was led to believe she was dangerous. I believed it. I treated her as though she were evil. And it nearly destroyed my relationship with Loki.”
He sighed.
“In time, I came to see the truth. Magic is a tool—it is the wielder who defines it. I came to understand my brother. I love him. His magic is not a flaw. It is a part of him. But most people do not see that. They fear him instead of honoring what he brings to Asgard. They call him trickster. They see him as cold, detached… and they never see how deeply he cares.”
His voice quieted.
“Sometimes I wonder—if people had not been so afraid of Seiðr… if they had accepted him from the start… perhaps his life would have been very different. He might have been celebrated. But instead, they doubted him. Isolated him. And yet I see it clearly—he has so many qualities that would make him a great king.”
I rested a hand on his arm. “Maybe one day they’ll see that too. I agree—Loki would make a brilliant king. But for what it’s worth… so would you. And as long as you stand together, it doesn’t matter who wears the crown. Together, you’d be incredible rulers.”
Thor looked over at me, eyes warm. “Thank you, Aurora. You speak truth. It is not about which of us becomes king—it is about standing together. Serving Asgard as brothers. As equals.”
I smiled. “Loki needs you, Thor. He loves you more than he lets on. You’re not just his brother—you’re one of his closest friends. He’d be lost without you.”
To my surprise, Thor pulled me into a warm hug.
“Thank you, Aurora. I know you would never say that unless it were true. You know my brother better than anyone alive. I truly do love you as a sister—and I know Loki loves you as well. I have never seen him so close to anyone. Not even to me.”
He held me tighter.
“I am glad you came into our lives. Your friendship brought him the intimacy and kindness he has lacked for far too long. You understand him. Accept him. And I know what you went through in Alfheim. I know what it cost you to stay. But you did. You never turned away. Thank you for that, my little sister.”
“Thor,” I squeaked. “Still half human,”
He immediately loosened his hug.
“Apologies, sister,” he said with a grin as he pulled back.
“No problem. Isn’t that what big brothers are for?” I grinned.
We were both laughing when Thor suddenly stilled. His body tensed, and I saw his expression darken. I turned to see what had unsettled him.
Just a few meters away stood Muriel.
He looked surprised to see me, and I could tell this wasn’t intentional. He loved the gardens as much as I did—he was probably just out for a walk.
“Brothers are meant to keep their sisters from harm,” Thor growled, rising to his feet.
I jumped up too, immediately stepping in front of him. I pressed both hands to his chest to get his attention.
“Thor, don’t do this,” I said firmly. “He wasn’t looking for me, and we knew he would be back. I’m sure he has already spoken to your mother and understands the rules for the remainder of his stay.”
Thor looked at me, then past my shoulder.
I heard Muriel approaching.
“Prince Thor,” Muriel said calmly. “I have indeed spoken with your mother. Allow me to assure you that I am not here in search of Princess Aurora.”
I could feel that his composure was forced—he was shaken.
“You have forsaken the right to address any member of my family with familiarity,” Thor snapped. “You will refer to us by title, and that includes my sister.”
I slowly lowered my hands from Thor’s chest and turned to face Muriel.
Muriel gave a formal bow. “Yes, my Prince. May I request a few words with the Princess, under your supervision?”
Thor looked at me then, clearly giving me the choice.
I could feel Muriel’s guilt. He was hoping to apologize—maybe explain himself. But none of that could undo what he’d done. Yrissa’s pain wasn’t lessened by time, and I couldn’t forget what happened between us either. Not just the dream, but what he had tried in the pool when we’d been alone. That rage… it had been the same. If I hadn’t used my magic—
No. My decision was clear.
I straightened, meeting his gaze.
“I am sorry, but there is nothing left to say between us. I do not wish to remain friends, and I hope you will take the Queen’s words to heart and leave me alone. I will not report this meeting, since it was clearly unintentional. But do not ask to speak with me again. If we encounter one another during your final weeks here, I propose a simple and formal greeting—and then you go on your way.”
I felt the sadness ripple through him at my words.
I also felt pride from Thor—but I hadn’t said any of this for either of them, only for myseld. I simply wanted to move on.
Muriel gave a stiff nod. “I am deeply sorry for the pain I have caused you. I truly wish I could undo much of what I have done—both recently and in the past. I will respect your wishes.”
He gave a deep bow to both me and Thor.
“My Princess. My Prince. I bid you good day.”
Then he turned and walked away.
A chill crept in. The clothes I wore weren’t spelled, and with the surprise of seeing Muriel, the cold had settled into my bones. I was about to ask Thor if we could go inside when his expression shifted again. His brows pulled tight.
I panicked—thinking Muriel had come back—but when I turned, I saw Loki approaching.
From the look on his face, he had seen Muriel leave. He looked furious.
We stood still as he reached us. His eyes moved between me and Thor, tense and searching. I shivered again.
“Would either of you mind walking me back to the castle?” I asked, breaking the silence. “I’m getting cold.”
That did the trick. Both of them instantly held out their arms.
I laughed and took them both—one on each side—and we started toward the castle.
I gave Loki’s arm a squeeze to get his attention.
“Nothing happened,” I told him quietly. “Muriel was just walking the grounds. He didn’t know Thor or I would be there. Thor wanted to throttle him, of course—but I stopped him. Muriel asked to speak with me, but I said no. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him. He apologized and said he would respect that.”
Loki didn’t answer right away. He glanced at Thor.
“It is true, brother,” Thor confirmed. “I revoked his right to address us as friends, he is only allowed to use our titles. As soon as Aurora made her feelings clear, he apologized and left.”
I could feel Loki’s relief ease through the bond.
“Please, both of you,” I said, looking between them. “Please accept that he’s in Asgard. It’s only temporary, and I’d really rather not spend the next few weeks trying to keep you from doing something you’ll regret. If he does anything, I’ll ask for help. We’ll go to your mother, and she’ll handle it. I’m sure her punishment will be a lot worse than anything the two of you could come up with.”
That made both of them grin.
“You know our mother well,” Thor said. “You are right. If something happens, we will go to her. She is fierce when it comes to protecting her children.”
It was good to be home. Good to be with people who genuinely cared.
Thor soon excused himself—something about unfinished duties—and Loki and I continued on toward the dining hall in companionable silence, we decided to have an early lunch together.
We walked arm in arm as we often did, and normally I wouldn’t think anything of it. But ever since everything that happened in Alfheim… the smallest touch from Loki sent butterflies into my stomach.
I’d spent the past few days carefully picking through all that had happened.
I realized I had been drawn to Muriel because of the attention he gave me—not because I really liked him. I had craved the way he desired me. And deep down, I knew now that I wanted that kind of attention from Loki—not Muriel. I was dangerously close to falling head over heels for him.
And while that wasn’t the main reason I was glad Loki had removed the emotions from that last dream… it definitely was a big plus.
Because honestly, I didn’t know if I could live with the knowledge of what it felt like to be intimate with Loki—knowing it would never happen again.
There’s a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. I knew Loki loved me—he had shown me that over and over. I felt the same warmth from him that I felt from Frigga and Thor.
They all loved me in their own way.
But I wanted more from Loki. And I also knew… I couldn’t have it.
I hated that I wanted it. I wasn’t the kind of girl who pined after something she couldn’t have. Or… at least I didn’t used to be.
Still, I was determined to get over it.
I wouldn’t hurt him or risk our friendship over something as selfish as longing.
“You are far away right now,” Loki said suddenly, shaking me from my thoughts. “Would you like to talk about it?”
I gave him a small smile. “No, not really. Still just trying to process everything from the last few days. I’m fine—just trying to give it all a place.”
He gently squeezed my hand, and I could feel his sympathy through the bond.
We took our seats at the royal table, choosing a spot for some privacy, and placed our lunch orders. That was when I remembered what Thor had told me about Hela.
“Are you alright though?” I asked. “Thor told me about the strange things happening near the border of Niflheim. It must be hard not being able to go and see for yourself.”
A servant came by to fill our glasses, and I gave Loki a moment to respond.
He shrugged. “Hela made it very clear she does not wish for me to be part of her life—nor does Jormungand. Many find it strange that I love my children at all. Most simply view them as monsters.”
His tone was calm, but there was something rehearsed in the way he said it—like it was a line he had spoken far too often.
He took a few bites while I watched him quietly. A faint tingle pulsed at the back of my neck—our bond gently stirring.
“I do love them very much,” he said after a moment. “Even if I do not see them. They are like so many things in my life… unnecessarily complicated. I truly did wish to go. That was the reason for my meeting this morning. I attempted to persuade him to send me and Thor, but he refused.”
I could feel it—Loki wasn’t just upset about being denied. There was resentment buried beneath it. The kind that only built up after years of being silenced or shut out.
It still struck me as odd how Odin held such absolute power. Not just over his children, but everyone. People followed his word as if it were divine law, never questioning it. It felt less like leadership and more like tyranny. Odin scared me. I had been doing everything I could to stay out of his way. The idea of him taking any interest in my life scared the hell out of me.
We ate in silence for a while.
“Loki, if you ever want to talk about them… you know you can with me, right?” I said gently. “I don’t know Jormungand or Hela, but I do know Fenrir—and he’s lovely. You know I don’t have any prejudice against your children just because they were born of dark magic. That’d be the pot calling the kettle black,” I added, trying to lighten the mood.
He gave a small smile. “Thank you. Perhaps I will take you up on that in the future. But not now. There are matters I must make sense of for myself before I can speak of them properly. Your kindness is appreciated though.”
We finished our meal and eventually retreated to Loki’s library.
Life in Asgard had settled into a kind of peaceful dullness—and I loved it. After everything, the quiet felt like a gift. I slipped easily back into our routine: magic training, sparring, riding Shadow.
It might have sounded boring to someone else, but to me… it was long overdue.
The only thing that interrupted that peace were the occasional reports from Sif or the Warriors Three. On those days, Thor, Loki, and I would meet in the war room. Thor and Loki would dissect each report with absolute precision—strategizing, debating, refining every possible scenario. I mostly focused on the important part: they were all alive and safe.
The rest of it—the deeper strategies, the maps and politics—I left to the princes. That was their world, not mine.