The Sound of Silence

Chapter 35

 Loki's suite was plush and soft and comfortable. There were plush chairs and a couch by the fireplace, bookshelves lined every wall and a desk with carefully stacked scrolls and papers on it in his sitting room. He set you back on your feet and kissed you deeply. You returned the kiss. You had to break it when you started coughing your lungs out. Loki frowned. "This is going to be difficult," he warned as he led you to his bedroom. "Ancient magic is not to be trifled with." You could tell he was underestimating so he didn't scare you.

*

The following days were hell. The memories of them came in bits and pieces. Loki fretted nearly constantly over the dangerously high fever, trying to get you to eat something, drink something. He used his Jotun form and ice powers to try to bring the fever down.

He didn't lie that it was a hard transition. Your entire body was rebuilding itself as Asgardian. You had read of some vampire transformations that were more difficult, but not many. Plus they were fictional and you were not.

You woke once to find Thor sitting next to the bed, polishing Mjolnir humming an old lullaby. "Thor?" you croaked, your voice trapped at a hoarse whisper because of the coughing, confused as to why he was here.

He smiled over at you. "Yes, Lady Siren," he reassured you kindly. He helped you sit up and pressed a glass of some kind of fruit juice into your hands.

"Where's Loki?" you asked before you obediently drank the juice. Loki had warned that the fever was drying you out and you had to stay hydrated. So you tried to listen to him and drink something during the times you were actually awake.

"He went to the healers to review some of their texts. He will return soon. He asked me to keep you company while he was away."

*

"Mother, are you sure she will make it through?" Loki's voice. "She was tortured so recently." Cool, but not Loki-cold, hands on your temples.

"She will make it, dear. Do not fear. The transition is hard on mortals. You know how the ancient magics work,"

"I know, but..."

"You love her?" Frigga supplied. "It is obvious, darling, with the lengths you have gone for her. The worst is almost over,"

"Darling, if you are awake enough to eavesdrop, you are awake enough to drink something," Loki chided you softly. You managed to stick your tongue out in his general direction without opening your eyes. He chuckled and helped you sit up, holding the glass to your lips when you couldn't manage it yourself. He laid you back down gently. "Sleep, love. It'll be over soon," his cold lips pressed against your forehead and you sank back in to fevered dreams.

*

Fevered dreams came in black and white. It was hard to remember them, though you knew they were important. You also realized that you had seen these images before. You had seen this future already, when you were asking how to save Loki. You were still on the path the original visions had put you on.

Stupid visions causing you this pain and getting arrested and tried for crimes against Asgard. That wasn't nice of them.

*

You woke for real with your head on Loki's bare chest. He had fallen asleep reading, the book had fallen to his lap. His fingers were still wound in your hair, where he'd obviously been petting it. You leaned up and kissed him. His eyes snapped open, startled awake. "Sorry," you whispered. He smiled brightly.

"You're awake!" he told you too enthusiastically and hugged you too tightly. You squeaked when he did.

"I am. I wasn't asleep the entire time," you reminded him.

"Yes, but this is the most lucid I've seen you in two days, darling. I was worried," he kissed your forehead. "Mother said you'd wake in time for dinner. Are you up to going?" Loki asked after you'd kissed him a couple more times to reassure him that you were awake and not actively dying.

You nodded. "But I need a shower first." You reminded him. He chuckled.

"No showers here, love. One of the maids drew you a bath," he gestured to the doorway that obviously led to a bathroom. You kissed him again and went to get said bath. Your body felt uncoordinated and strange as you walked, also weak from two days in bed with a fever. One stupidly hot bath later and you were feeling nearly back to normal, you also noted that your arms still bore all of their scars. Transforming into an Asgardian hadn't changed that.

The aforementioned maids helped you dress and did your hair. They finally let you leave the bathing room when you were dressed in a floor length gown with your hair carefully braided in some elaborate style you would never be able to repeat. Loki was waiting in his sitting room, dressed formally as well, and looking amazing in Asgardian formalwear. He smiled brightly when he saw you and bowed over your hand to kiss your knuckles. "You look lovely, darling," he told you softly, earning coos from the maids who were watching the romance enraptured. You stood up on your toes to kiss his cheek. You, Loki, and Thor all had seemed to silently agree to hide the fact that you could talk to Asgardians.

Loki offered you his arm. You placed your hand on it comfortably and let him walk you to dinner. Thor met you on the way, also dressed more formally than usual. The three of you sat at the table just below Frigga and Odin's. At least you got to sit with your friends. There was a short announcement from Odin about how he had bestowed the honor of immortality upon you and how you were marrying Loki in the morning.

Shit.

You were getting married in the morning.

You weren't ready for that.

Neither was Loki if you could read the ever so slight change in his expression properly.