The hour was late when you finally decided to leave the gardens. /Sera, we're heading inside. I'll leave the balcony doors open if you want to stay outside and play longer/ you mind-called to the dragon as you and Loki slipped out of your alcove and back onto the path. The dragon was flying in loops high above the palace and way to high to hear your physical voice, but she could hear you telepathically.

She swooped down and landed gracefully in front of you. "Come fly with me? Just for a minute!" she nearly begged. You hesitated. Your broom was and home and the spare you had started keeping within easy summons after the explosion incident had been your moms and was tempermental.

"I don't have wings, Sera," you finally told her.

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "I'll carry you silly. Please come. It'll be such fun,"

"Fine, fine," you told her goodnaturedly. You looked over to Loki, it was rude to just abandon him, even for a minute. "You don't mind-?" He shook his head and gestured to the dragon, looking amused.

"Go right ahead. I shall wait for you with my feet firmly on the ground," he told you with a smile. He didn't think this was going to end well. He wasn't worried over your safety, though, which was good. You glanced around to make sure no one besides Loki was watching, but you and Loki were alone in the gardens. You hiked up your skirts to your thighs, which was the reason you had looked for watchers, and swung onto Sera's back. There was a perfect spot for you just in front of her wing joints. You settled in, got your balance, and even managed to find a handhold. You felt her muscles bunch under you as she leapt into the air. You laughed and shrieked in joy and delight at the rush of wind through your hair, the exhilaration of flying that fast. She dove and swooped and sped through the air faster than any broom you'd ever ridden. She did a couple of circuits of the gardens before she landed next to Loki gracefully and gently.

"That was amazing, Sera," you told her and she trilled happily. You swung your leg over to dismount. Loki was there in an instant, reaching up to help you down. You placed your hands on his shoulders when his hands touched your waist and he lifted you down easily from Sera's back. "That is way better than a broom," you informed him as he set you gently on your feet. He did not look at all liked he agreed with you. He liked keeping his feet firmly on the ground. You carefully straightened out your skirts so they were presentable again. Hitching them up to ride a dragon wasn't exactly ladylike, but you didn't want to spend magic changing clothes right now. He looked away while you did and you had a feeling based on his flush that he had seen more skin than he had been anticipating. Oops.

Sera shifted back to her cat-dragon form and fluttered sleepily into your arms. You held her cradled safely to your chest. She was much too tired after playing so much to perch on your shoulder. Loki's arm draped around your shoulders while you hid a yawn behind your familiar. "I shouldn't be this tired. I slept all day," you whined at him as he led you back inside. You rested your head on his shoulder as you walked.

"Darling, you know perfectly well that you spent all day healing and recovering your magic. It's no wonder that you're tired. I shouldn't have kept you out this late. I just wished for you to see my home," he admitted softly, warmly, proudly.

"It was fun, Lokitty," you replied warmly.

He smiled and kissed your forehead. "That may be, dearest, but you're dead on your feet. I best get you to bed while you can still walk there," he added with a smirk. You looked up and stuck your tongue out at him. He chuckled in reply.

It didn't take long to reach Loki's suite. He left you at the doorway to check the rooms for intruders before he'd let you come inside, he checked all of the rooms in your connected suite as well. You were used to the behavior after Halloween and didn't question or argue with him over it. It was adorably overprotective and didn't hurt anything, so you didn't begrudge him the peace of mind. He walked you as far as your sittingroom. "I'm sure you can find your bed from here, little sorceress," he teased.

"I'm not that tired," you protested, but had to hide another yawn behind your cat.

"Sure you aren't, darling," he replied warmly. He bent to kiss you and you stood up on your toes to meet him half way. He gave you a mischievous smirk when he broke the kiss and you saw that his cat-ears were back in place, temporarily. You knew he wouldn't risk others on Asgard seeing them. You grinned and reached up to scratch behind one. It was still stupid that you had missed them. They weren't part of his natural form. They were just so fucking adorable. "Get some sleep, my love," he bid you warmly.

"Goodnight, Lokitty," you replied. He stepped back into his own suite and made a show of firmly closing the connecting door behind him. He wanted to make sure you felt comfortable and safe. Thoughtful fluffy god. You made sure the door to the hallway was locked and made your way to your bedroom. You saw that your bed was turned down and a nightgown laid out for you. You suspected the maids. You set Sera on the bed, where she curled up sleepily on the pillow you laid out for her. You were in bed a minute later and asleep nearly as soon as your head hit the pillow.

*

Sunday was the day for dinner at mom's. It was a weekly appointment. You were running late that week since you had made the terrible decision of breaking up with your latest suitor that day. The relationship had needed to end. There hadn't been anything truly wrong with the man, but he just seemed more interested in your power than you. So you ended it before it got too far. It still broke your heart to do, and was causing you to be late for dinner. You should have picked another day, but you wanted to hug your mommy after the deed had been done and get comfort from her and commiserate about how stupid males were.

On later contemplation, the fact that you were late that day had saved your life.

Or maybe you would have been able to save her.

You'd never know for sure.

You flew in on your broom, the pie you had made to contribute to dinner balanced in your lap and your familiar perched on your shoulder. You smelled the fire as soon as you landed. Kaci leapt off your shoulder and ran toward your mom's cottage. But that wasn't where the fire was coming from. Kaci ran back from the cottage, meowing for help. You dropped the pie and it splattered on the ground as you ran around behind the cottage, following the smell of the fire, the sound of the screams.

The screams.

You couldn't describe the heartbreak and terror of hearing the wails of agony that came from a voice you never wanted to hear in pain. Your mom was the one making that awful heartbreaking sound.

You ran faster.

You had to get to her.

Had to save her.

Had to help.

You skidded to a halt when you saw the scene in your mom's little garden. As her screams stopped. The scene was so horrific you couldn't comprehend it at first. There was a pile of wood on fire, a long pole sticking up from the middle of it. Your mom always chopped wood for the winter, but didn't leave it in the middle of her garden...

Then your brain noticed the men in the black robes, chanting around the flames as they drew it higher, hotter. "Consume it all. There can be no evidence left of this black witch," one of the men said.

Witch Hunters.

They were only supposed to hunt corrupted witches and wizards, those who were a menace to society. They were supposed to bring them before the witches' council to stand trial for their misdeeds.

They weren't supposed to burn innocent little hearth witches at the stake.

Your mom's ghost appeared in front of you, stopping you before you could charge forward to save her. She was already gone. She kissed your forehead, obviously relieved that you were safe. "I will hold them off as long as I can. Run, Daughter. Run, now! Straight to the headmistress. RUN!" she ordered, urgently, firmly, in that tone all mothers acquired. The one that insisted on immediate obedience.

The men turned, finally seeing you. "Catch her! She's the spawn of the black witch!"

"Kaci!" you yelled for your little cat, but your familiar howled for you to run. She would stand with your mother's ghost to hold the men off while you made your escape. The witch hunters had power and they were strong. You couldn't fight them off. It shamed you to this day that you obeyed your mom and Kaci, that you turned and ran, that you escaped instead of fighting.

That you let your familiar die instead of staying to fight with her.

That you let her sacrifice herself for you.

"Wake up, love. Please, wake up!" Loki's voice broke through the nightmare. His tone was urgent, desperate. "Wake up, Y/N. It's a nightmare. You're safe," he promised you helplessly. You bolted awake, panting, panicking. Loki was holding you in his arms. You clutched onto him and sobbed into his chest. He stroked your hair, running his fingers through the tangle your hair had become, thrashing around lost to nightmares. You should have expected this nightmare after facing the witch hunters."Shh, love, shh, it's alright. You're safe. It was just a nightmare. It can't hurt you anymore," his words were soft and gentle, calming in his honeyed accented voice. His cool touch was such a contrast to the fire that you could finally relax, could finally slow your tears.

"I saw- I - I saw-" you nearly started weeping again.

Loki kissed your forehead softly. "I know, dearest. You don't have to try to tell me. I saw," you looked up at him confused, tears still in your eyes. He didn't pry with his telepathy and you had good shielding around your mind. He shouldn't have been able to pry, at least not without you knowing about it. He kissed your forehead again. "You were projecting. That's what woke me. Don't fear. I shielded the rest of the palace." At least no one else would have seen your nightmare.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" you shouldn't have lost control. Shouldn't have projected your nightmares on others.

"Shh, it's alright," he reassured you, pulling you back more firmly into the safety of his arms. Sera was curled in your lap, squashed like a very well loved plushie. "I'm sorry you lost your mom and your familiar like that, but they were right, love. The first rule of combat is to survive. Sometimes the only way to do that is to run, to live to fight another day. Those men would have killed you too had you not run. You were severely outnumbered. You did the right thing, my darling," he reassured you again. He held you for awhile longer, stroking your hair, kissing your forehead, reassuring you with his cool presence that you were safe from the fire, from those men. "You should go back to sleep, dearest," he told you softly when you were finally calm again.

"I can't-" you told him softly, shuddering. You couldn't face that nightmare again tonight.

He smiled warmly and kissed you lightly. "It was a nightmare, love. A dream, nothing more. It cannot harm you anymore. No nightmares can harm you so long as I am here. I swear it, my darling. I love you dearest; I will keep you safe," he promised. He tucked you safely back in his arms and pulled the blanket up around you. He held you, safely, stroking your hair, while your exhausted mind and body succumbed to his cool presence; his promise of safety, even from nightmares.

"Loki," you murmured softly, your voice a loving whisper before you fell asleep, safe in his arms, listening to his chest rumble as he purred for you.