Loki stepped out of the portal with you in his arms and you appeared right inside the healing wing on Asgard. "Someone call the queen," Loki ordered, his voice a regal command, a tone you rarely heard out of him, despite that he was a prince. He usually didn't exert royal privilege, except for now, when you were injured. "Lady Y/N is in need of healing," his words and tone were calm, a practiced court voice, despite the royal orders in his tone. His orders were followed immediately and the servants and staff went running to see them done.

"We need to go to the cemetery," you murmured, practically against Loki's neck. Your brain had focused on that idea for some reason. It was vitally important that that task was accomplished. "Have to pay respects." It was rude not to do that first. You had to pay your respects to Torun. It was tradition on Asgard that the first thing you would do is go pay your respects.

"We will go once you feel better. Torun will understand," Loki told you softly. His voice had gentled to speak to you. He carried you to one of the private rooms in the healing wing and laid you gently on the bed.

"Loki? I did not know you were returning already," you heard the queen's voice from the doorway. Of course she had come at Loki's call. She was the best healer in the realm after all.

"I had not expected to return so soon either, Mother. Circumstances necessitated my early return." He stepped aside to she could see you lying on the bed in the healing room. You were too weak to sit up properly. That wasn't going to convince Frigga that you were alright.

Her formal decorum dropped at once and she rushed over to the bed. You knew it was bad once her formal decorum had dropped. She sad next to the bed on your right side and placed her glowing gold hands over you. "How did this happen?" she asked Loki calmly. You were surprised at her calm, despite the near franticness of her actions. Loki opened his mouth to reply, but before he could she interjected. "Hold her. She is going to seize," she ordered. Somehow her voice was still calm, despite the severity of the situation. Loki held your body down, his hands glowing green. You felt his presence wrap around your mind to protect it while your body spasmed. Thankfully, it was over quickly through their efforts and you barely remembered it, thankfully.

Frigga was the best healer in the realm, and it had been she who taught Loki his healing skills.

Even she could only do so much.

"Mother, would you like assistance?" Loki asked formally. It would be rude to just jump in, especially since healers could so easily interfere and disrupt the progress of the others if multiple healers were working on the same patient. It could only be done at all if the healers were used to working magic together.

"Not yet. I will let you know if your magical assistance is required," Frigga replied, just as formally. She indicated the other side of your bed with a nod of her head. "Sit, hold her hand and tell me what happened to land my daughter in this state." You looked away from her, embarrassed by your folly in ending up here, and her term of 'daughter' made you feel worse.

You kept neglecting to fully accept the consequences of the soulbond with Loki. Namely that you were a princess here, and therefore Frigga's daughter-in-law. By Asgardian custom you were Loki's wife. Loki took your left hand in his right. His mother sighed. "Your left hand, darling," she told him dryly. You couldn't help laughing at the reminder of where he got at least some of his humor from. Frigga smiled indulgently at you while Loki flushed and switched hands. You instantly felt better when power flared around your joined hands. "Do not rely on this trick," Frigga told Loki firmly. "But with the right spell, you can draw power through the soulbond. You will have the relevant texts sent to your room,"she added before you or Loki could ask her for them.

She looked at Loki expectantly. You wisely remained silent. Loki sighed before he answered. "The humans she lives with have taken advantage of her kindness and abilities for the past year," Loki explained, though the words seemed to pain him. You zoned out while he explained further. You didn't need to listen to his explanation and could instead float in the healing haze until it was done.

You were still weak and exhausted when it was finally finished and you assumed you would be for awhile. Though you were stronger than you'd been and able to function. "You will be fine with some rest, dear," Frigga told you kindly. "You may take her back to your suite to rest. You can go visit Torun tomorrow," she told Loki. "If you're up to it, I'm sure everyone would like to see you at dinner."

Loki nodded and stood so he could get you out of there.

"Thank you, Lady Mother,"you told Frigga formally. You moved to stand and wasn't at all surprised when Loki swept you into his arms before you could. You didn't complain, not this time. You were still wearing your blood soaked Earth pajamas, which would definitely be out of place on Asgard as well as draw unwanted attention. At least in his arms, you were mostly shielded from stares on that account. Also you loved him and were safe and exhausted, so being carried was perfectly fine.

This time.

"I mean it when you say to rest, Daughter. No magic until your eyes turn back to their normal color at the very least," Frigga ordered firmly.

"Yes, Lady Mother," you replied meekly. You wouldn't fight her this time. You'd really overtaxed yourself.

She just sighed. "I have heard that tone too many times..." she smiled fondly at Loki. "Before you hide in your rooms, please go visit your brother. He is in the small audience chamber,"

"Do you require an escort?" Loki asked Frigga. She shook her head. How could she make everyday gestures look so regal? You were sure you'd never get the hang of it.

"One of the guards is waiting for you outside," she gestured to the exit to the healing wing.

Loki nodded, accepting her answer. "Very well. Thank you, Mother," his words were formal, but his tone gentle and kind. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, managing to avoid dropping you as he did, which just made you even more impressed with his strength.

Loki carried you through the halls of the palace and you laid your head on his shoulder, trying to ignore the stares of the people you passed. They all greeted you, some with smiles, most with bows and curtsies. A few who got a good look at you looked horrified at your appearance. Thankfully, you arrived soon at the side entrance to the small audience chamber. This was the royal entrance in a small antechamber. Loki set you on your feet next to him, wrapping an arm around you for support. Loki cleared his throat, drawing attention to you. No one in the audience chamber but Thor, who was sitting in the throne like chair at the front of the room, would be able to see you in the antechamber.

"Excuse me," said Thor after he had spotted you. He stood and came over to the antechamber you were in. "Brother! You have returned!" He exclaimed in his usual cheerful boisterous manner. He grabbed Loki in a bear hug and squeezed him too tightly. You couldn't help laughing at them.

"Thor! Let you go!" Loki protested. He just got squished tighter for his efforts. He complained about Thor, but he didn't mean it. Thor finally dropped Loki, who immediately began rubbing his sore back. At least he hadn't stabbed Thor this time.

Thor turned to you, reaching automatically for your hand so he could kiss it. You saw the change in his expression when he took in your appearance. "Thor, I'm so sorry for your loss," you told him before he could say anything about you. You took a step towards him, opening your arms to offer him a hug. He pulled you tightly to him, but didn't squish you like he had done to Loki. "Our Lady Mother has said that I cannot visit Torun until tomorrow," your speech got formal like theirs in Asgard as you were speaking their language. You also still felt terrible that you hadn't paid your respects yet.

"He will be glad to see you tomorrow," Thor replied. You were relieved that he wasn't upset. Thor held you tightly to him which you didn't mind. He was so warm and surprisingly gentle. "What happened to you, little sister?" he asked while he was holding you.

"It's been a hard year on all of us," you finally replied. You didn't want to worry him. He had enough on his plate. You yelped in surprise when he swept you up into his arms. You shouldn't have been surprised; you were actually more surprised that it had taken him this long. You were just glad he hadn't thrown you over his shoulder.

"Lady, I have seen black eyes like yours once before," Thor said in a firmer, more formal tone than you had ever heard from him before. Loki wouldn't look at him when he said that. You saw the embarrassment in his eyes. He wouldn't meet your eyes either. "What happened to drain your powers to within seconds of death?"

"When did you see the black eyes before?" you asked instead. That earned you a smile from him.

"You first. Come, Brother. Your darling soulbond needs her bed. We will talk as we walk," you laughed at Thor being Thor and were glad that he was back to being normal. Loki spluttered and insisted he should carry you, but Thor ignored him as usual. He knew Loki would follow as long as Thor was carrying you.

You sighed. "I've been on call to the healers for a year with basically no break. The last month was hell. I only got a few hours of sleep and one decent meal the entire month... We were so busy with villains attacking constantly. Then yesterday we saved the lives of ten or so people and earlier today I had to bring my uncle's fiancee back from death's door. I was the only healer available," you explained to Thor as he walked you back to the family wing.

"They take advantage of her kindness and her strong healing abilities," Loki added grumpily. "And do not bother looking out for her wellbeing until it is too late,"

"So?" you prompted Thor. "When have you seen this before?" You'd told your story, it was time for him to tell his.

"When Loki was around 10," he started.

"Thor!" Loki shouted. "Do not tell this story," he grumbled, but you could tell he knew that Thor was going to tell it regardless.

"Why? 'Tis a good story. It is not even embarrassing, Brother, not for you anyway." Thor replied jovially. "Anyway, we were all out on a camping trip, some kind of male bonding time with Father. So of course he tells us to go on a hike and leave him alone for awhile. So we hiked and generally annoyed each other and not him for a long while. We were on one of the cliffs and it crumbled out from underneath my feet. I do not know how far the fall was, or how Loki and Balder managed to get down there,"

"Balder flew us," Loki interrupted sullenly.

"It was a long fall and I was severely banged up,"

"He means mostly dead," Loki interrupted again. "This was before Mjolnir,"

"Who is the one telling this story, darling baby brother?" Thor laughed and Loki sulked. "Anyway, Loki used every drop of healing magic Mother had taught him so far to save my life. He nearly died in the process. I had to carry him all the way back to our camp. Father ended the ill-fated camping trip immediately. Loki's eyes were black like that for a month because of it," Thor finally finished his story.

"That wasn't an embarrassing story," you told Loki over Thor's shoulder. He still scowled, but softened his expression some for you.

"No, but you still do not like it told," Loki finally said.

"You just like your persona of the all-powerful flawless magician," Thor laughed. Even Loki chuckled at that. You reached your suite quickly and Thor handed you back to Loki. "It is good to see you two, even if the circumstances are not the best. Get some rest, little sister. I am sure you will see plenty of you while you are here." Thor opened the suite's door for you and Loki kicked it shut behind him, slamming it in Thor's face. Thor laughed from the other side of the door.

He finally set you on your feet again inside the bathroom. You remembered again that you was still covered in Pepper's blood. "Are you sure you would not like for me to help?" Loki purred in your ear. You were sure you turned at least ten different shades of red at that purred comment. You knew he was teasing, though. He would never push. He was too much of a gentleman. Joking, however, was fair game.

"Loki..." you tried to sound firm, but just sounded tired and exasperated. So you placed both hands on his chest and proceeded to shove him bodily from the bathroom. "Shoo, silly Trickster," you told him, laughing at his pouts. "I want to get a nap before dinner, which means I have to get this blood off of me. And out of my hair. I still have no idea how blood always gets in my hair..." you grumbled. He laughed and held up his hands in surrender and let you push him the rest of the way out of the bathroom. You slammed the door in his face and went to get your overly hot shower and get the blood out of your hair. Again.

Loki didn't leave you anything to wear after this shower. He usually left you something. You was used to his small courtesies and wondered what he was up to. Silly Trickster. So you wrapped a towel around yourself and stomped into the bedroom. He was asleep in a chair by the bed, as if he'd sat down for a second and passed out. That was why he hadn't been as courteous as usual. You stole one of his tunics from his closet. It went down to nearly your knees, so it totally counted as pajamas. You pulled back the covers on the bed and then surveyed your problem. Boyfriend was in the chair. You needed him in the bed. You couldn't use magic and you didn't want to wake him.

You were going to have to wake him.

There was no other way.

"Love," you touched his shoulder and leaned down to kiss his forehead. He opened his eyes, looking confused. "Come on, time for a nap," you told him gently. You grabbed his hands and used all of your weight to haul him to his feet. He was barely awake, but made it to the bed where you settled in among the blankets and pillows for a much needed nap.

"That is an excellent outfit, my darling," he murmured as you were dozing off.

"Shush, you," you laughed, cuddling better against his cool body.