Rise of the Phoenix (L. Laufey/Odinson)

17.

Nina feels...lonely and afraid. More so than ever before. And she blames Loki. She doesn't like being here alone. The giants all watch her, no Loki to watch over her. Edaywen does what she can, but she can only do so much. Nina misses Loki. She misses Bucky. She misses Steve. Turns out she is not very good at being alone any more. She rubs her hands between one of the stones Loki gave her before curling her fingers around it. She's colder here without him too. Býleistr's mother approaches where Nina stands at the edge of camp.

"You shouldn't be stood this far from the fire" She scolds slightly.

"We've not officially met" she tells her, Nina shakes her head in agreement. "Gonseyt" she offers. "I am Býleistr's mother"

"I've seen you around" Nina offers. "Nina" she adds. "My name is Nina"

"And Loki is your husband?" Gonseyt asks her.

"Yes" Nina answers, Gonseyt searches Nina's eyes before nodding and turning away.

"It's such a shame this business between the two of them" Gonseyt offers. "Brothers should not fight over petty things" she eyes Nina slightly with a smirk. "Or pretty things" she adds, Nina looks to her and frowns.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nina asks her.

"Just an observation" Gonseyt answers and then walks away, Nina watches her go.

"Did she give you anything?" Edaywen asks behind Nina who turns to frown at her.

"No" Nina answers. "Why?"

"You need to be wary around her" Edaywen answers. "She's one of the most powerful elders. With magic few of us understands, her favorite tricks involve enchanted objects and items....do not ever accept anything from her" Nina nods a little. "Now come, the children wish to entertain you with stories" she motions for Nina to follow her to the fire where the children are gathered together laughing. "They like having someone new to tell them too" Nina smiles softly, she can't fault the children, they are children, innocent, untarnished. Nina actually likes children, despite her history with Hydra they don't see that in her. They don't see all the bad she's done to her world.

............

Loki leans back against a tree, a small fire in front of him providing some warmth and light. All he has to do is kill one wight and bring it's carcass back to the camp as proof. The only problem is that wights travel in packs and chances are he'll have to kill more than one. Plus they're basically jotun still, which means they have height on him, weight too probably. On paper he has no chance. But he has a few tricks up his sleeve, he has to to win this, and he has to win. He needs to get off this barren wasteland, and he needs to get Nina out of this place. He has to do this for her. Because he has come to care for her. A great deal. Perhaps more than any other woman. She's burnt her way into his heart. He lets out a sigh and pulls his knees to his chest. He's more than attached to her. He's pretty sure he's in love with her. That's the only reasonable explanation for the way he feels about her. He loves her. And he has to save her....from this place, from the jotun....from him.

.............

Nina can't sleep. The camp is too quiet, the tent too cold without Loki. Without him next to her. Without the soothing sound of him breathing. His warmth comforting her through the night. So she stares up at the top of the tent listening to the crackling of the fire outside, a few talking jotuns wander around the camp. But it's not enough to sooth her into sleep. She's worried too. Loki could be dead out there and she wouldn't know. She'd be trapped here. Failing her mission. She turns in her bedroll to face Loki's. Empty. Cold. She lets out a breath and closes her eyes. Hoping to sleep. Just an hour or two so she's got some energy if this all turns sour.

..........

Loki falls to his knees as the last wight dies. His hand curls against his side, blood seeping though his fingers. One of them has gotten lucky with a knife. And a few got some punches and kicks in to him. He's is going to ache in the morning, that much he knows. He needs to get back to his horse now and get one of these corpses back. He needs to get to his feet and move. Move. Move. He needs to move. Maybe later. He can take a nap first. He lays back against the snow and lets out a breath through his nose.

............

Nina pulls her cloak around her shoulders as she leaves the tent, the cold seemingly sharper this morning. She shivers and hugs her arms closer to her as she looks around the camp,

"You look tired" Edaywen comments approaching her. Nina yawns. "Missing your husband?" she teases, Nina shrugs a little.

"Didn't sleep very well" she admits.

"Worried?" Nina nods and looks away. "He'll be fine" Edaywen comments warmly. "He has my granddaughter's lucky stone with him" Nina smiles a little and nods. "If he is meant for this he will win"

"And if he's not?" Nina asks her.

"Then he will fail" Edaywen admits. "But we know, the elders and I....we know who our true king is and it is no that child; Býleistr" Nina looks around as a horn sounds through the camp.

"What is that?" she asks.

"One has returned" Edwayen answers trying to look over the gathering crowd of jotun. "Stay with me, mortal" she warns slightly pulling on the back of Nina's cloak to keep her close to her.

"Who is it?" Nina asks, Edwayen searches the crowd, listens to the whispers among the others gathered there and then smile looking down at Nina.

"Loki" she answers softly and then releases Nina's cloak, the tiny little redhead starts forward, weaving through the huge towering giants. Loki's eyes find hers as she stops in front of his horse. He smiles, but she can see it's pained and worried. She moves towards him as he climbs off of his horse, landing heavily on his feet, he turns his head to the horse to stop them from seeing the flicker of pain across his face.

"Are you alright?" she whispers, he nods a little and lowers his eyes to hers.

"Are you?" he asks her, worriedly looking over he.

"I am now" she assures him, he meets her eyes again and she smiles softly at him. He uses his free hand to cup her cheek, brushing his thumb over her skin.