Loki woke to a bed void of your being and his heart sank. He was not foolish, your actions the night before were undeniable, they were a goodbye, a goodbye of everything you had felt for him, so to escape the invisible bonds that your heart had put on you when you had loved him. But even with knowing that, he had hoped you would change your mind. He returned to his quarters soon after with the aid of his seidr, not wishing you pass your lodgings, knowing that if he were to, he would not be able to stop himself from going inside.

You, however, woke to a sense of joy and freedom you did not anticipate, enthusiastic to what you would do. Rising from your bed, the handmaids that were long gone to sleep the night before were running around getting what you required for the day prepared. The dress you had returned in was in tatters, and it was thought best if it was simply discarded, and a new one was waiting for you. As silent as usual, you prepared for the day, not surprised to learn it was closer to lunch than it was breakfast. Making your way down the halls, it all seemed somewhat brighter once more. On your way to nowhere in particular, you came across Frigga, who immediately noted your change in demeanour.

"Sweetheart, you seem…"

"Yes."

There was more than a mere hint of relief in her features at that. "Good."

"Would you like to go on that walk you were talking about before?" Taken back by your willingness, she simply nodded and turned so to head outside, into the sun.

For a while, you simply walked in silence, though it was a calm one, considering how comfortable you were in each others presence, which on some level concerned Frigga, but she was never one to force conversation. When you came to a place that overlooked some of the more beautiful parts of the palace grounds, you inhaled deeply. "You've let go." Frigga finally spoke, realising the cause of the difference in your demeanour.

"I have, on some level, I have not on others," You explained cryptically. "I met him again last night; actually, I met both of them." Frigga tensed. "I did not harm her, she seemed too miserable for that." You proceeded to explain where you met Lorelei; Frigga felt some satisfaction in her situation also. "When I saw him, I realised that so long as that mark was on him, I would be in some way tied to him, so I removed it, as I had planned to originally really, I just recalled it that time. But I will not forget what he has done, or my son."

"No mother ever forgets her child, or stops loving them, even against the worst of actions."

"It was not your doing what he did, he chose a path, I just wish I was not harmed in the process."

"As do I, my dear." Frigga gave a small sympathetic smile. "So, what do you plan for next?"

"As soon as Thor is free, my divorce, after that, who knows." You smiled despite yourself, eyeing something not too far away.

Curious as to what warranted such a reaction, Frigga stepped forward, to see the Warrior's Three riding by, Fandral returning your smile. Looking between you for a moment, she began to smile knowingly. "I see." You turned and looked at her. "You deserve such happiness, and I sense after everything, your heart will not be treated so again."

"Is it wrong for me to fear such so greatly, I wish to move on, but what if all of this has broken me?"

Frigga cupped your face in her hands. "Sweetheart, every heart has cracks, and in some places are shattered, for no one gets through this life unscathed, but you can either hide away and fear love, and in turn, never being happy, or you can try again, and risk both hurt and happiness again, no one can tell before you begin if the result will be more favourable this time. Only the bravest try more than once, and you are one of the bravest beings I have ever had the good fortune to call family."

"I will not be such for much longer."

"Sweetheart, you will always have me, and Thor and Sif, we will always be there for you." She smiled, returning the gesture, you looked again to see Fandral speaking with his friends, who both looked up to you and Frigga, bowing slightly before Volstagg clapped his shoulder hard and he turned his horse and trotted over to under the terrace you were standing on. "I think it best I take my leave now." Frigga smiled knowingly before she turned and walked away.

"Your Highness." Fandral smiled.

"You will have to cease calling me such."

On seeing you smile back at him, he dismounted and walked onto the terrace. "I will have to come up with my own name for you."

"So long as it is not Darling, I do not care."

"Duly noted. So I take it, you are…" He shifted slightly with nerves.

"A warrior nervous, and indeed you of all people Fandral, this is startling." You jested.

"I am not one to lay myself bare to any, much less the woman I have adored for more years than is thought sane from afar."

You smiled for a moment, a blush coming to your cheeks before the smile fell again. "I am broken."

"I know, I witnessed it." He gave a sympathetic look.

"And really scared of this."

"I cannot blame you, considering."

"I'm not perfect."

"No one is."

Biting your lip, you continued to look at him. "I do not want to remain near this palace."

"Then you have a choice, Vanaheim again, as Hogun does with his family, or towards the forests, in the village I grew up in, where the trees hide the city and the palace from its homes."

"The latter sounds good." You smiled.

"Then the only thing I should warn you about, is my brother, who has the most horrid lies of what I used to do to him as a youngster, pay no heed to anything he says." You laughed at that, the first happy laugh you could recall since that fateful night. When you finally stopped, Fandral was still smiling down at you, nervously contemplating kissing you, but instead, you took the situation into your own hands and leant up and gave him a small chaste kiss.

"I am scared I will not be good enough for you."

"I fear that the issues of last time have made you think that you are in any way to blame for what happened and that you do not seem to realise, that it was not you that was not good enough, but him." He pressed his lips gently to your forehead. "I will endeavour to ensure you see that once again."

As soon as Thor had court in session again, you walked through the room, head high and a genuine smile on your face, startling many, and requested your divorce. It was granted immediately. Thor had realised as soon as he lay eyes on you again, that though the pain was still not entirely gone, the wounds had healed somewhat, and you were moving on with life, and on hearing it was Fandral attempting to secure himself in your future, Thor simply wished him luck.

After time, Loki too began to force himself back into the world, and though on occasion he took pleasure in the company of a woman, he was not able to bring himself to love again; he feared the action too greatly.

As he walked through the grounds one afternoon, he came across Fandral, whom he had learned had wed you not long after your divorce, and with him, two young, blonde haired children, two boys. He watched enviously as the warrior played with his sons, teaching them to gently rub the hound he had taken leave of his senses and agreed to get them. When he looked up to see Loki standing nearby, he tensed slightly, and stood straight, the younger one in his arms. "Loki."

"They look like you."

"Yes, well." He shifted around anxiously. "A terrible infliction." He attempted to joke.

"How is she?"

At that, he tensed further. "Happy."

"She deserves such." Though he was attempting to smile, it was an agony filled one.

"She does." Fandral reaffirmed.

"I am relieved that…"

"Yes."

A tense silence filled the air for a moment.

"Father, is that King Thor's brother?" The older boy asked, looking up at the tall dark haired man in front of him.

Loki knelt on one knee to try and be at eye level with the boy. "I am yes, and what might your name be?"

"I am Ezra, and my brother is Diarmaid."

"Well it is good to meet you both; my brother has spoken of you."

"Did he say we are to have a sister soon?" The boy asked innocently.

"No, he did not mention such" He stood up again, looking at Fandral. "I had best leave now, and congratulations." Fandral simply nodded, and with that, Loki turned and left.

That night, you learnt of your family meeting Loki, dropping the shawl you had shown him that Sif and Frigga had brought with them on a visit to you earlier that day while Fandral and the boys were at the palace, but Fandral tried to calm you. "They need to see their friends, what good is it having children the one age with your friends' children if they do not get to interact?" He smiled.

"But Ezra?"

"He spoke with him, but nothing more, he did not know."

Rubbing your hands over your face, you prayed Fandral was right. Deciding it best to check on your sleeping children, you made your way to their room. They were asleep in their beds, blissfully unaware of the turmoil going on in your mind.

"I told you, you have nothing to concern yourself with." Fandral smiled, his hands caressing your belly, where your daughter was still growing. "Even as he sleeps, it is not possible to see."

You were not so sure, with a small flick of your hand, the glamour you had placed on him was removed, and his blonde hair turned onyx in colour, a moment later, you returned it to blonde. "How do you not feel repulsed by me?" You asked quietly.

"Because you were not mine when it happened, and it released you from the bond you had, meaning I could make you mine. I love Ezra, he is our son, an act may create a child, but it does not dictate who the father it needs is." He explained as he guided you to your room. "I do not care, even if there were no glamour, I would not."

"I do not deserve you."

Fandral sighed. "What have I told you before, you deserve the best. Now get some rest, our daughter needs you to be strong to carry her." He brought you to the bed, and lifted the covers for you to get in, when you had, he got in behind you, pulling you against him and placing his hand on your stomach as you fell asleep, not telling you of the fact that Loki had realised there was a glamour on the child, and of the acknowledgement in his eyes of the child he had sired.

In the palace, Loki thought of the night you had laid with him after so many years apart, he thought of what you had done together, and then he thought of the boy he had seen that day. He sensed the glamour immediately, and using his own seidr, saw through what you had done to alter the child's appearance. Knowing his features to be copies of his own, he knew the significance of such, but he knew too of your happiness, and of the life you had created with Fandral, so he remained silent, happy in the knowledge his son would grow up loved and happy, under Fandral's care, much the same as you; that was some solace.