The kingdom of Odin Allfather was in ruins.

Winter has shrouded everything the eye could see in blankets of ice and snow. Frost painted over the gold, the sky had been swallowed by a sickly gray clouds, icicles dripped from every edge, and there were heaps of snow built up along the exterior walls. With one glimpse at the realm, one would assume they have abandoned it for ages, for there wasn't a person in sight, all likely huddled up inside by a warm fire. Skadi Ullrdottir had never felt more ashamed of herself.

They moved in silence through the vacant streets, trekking through the heavy snow with their cloaks wrapped around them. Loki kept glancing over his shoulder at Skadi, who trailed behind him and Thor with Sif at her side. She refused to go anywhere near him after what happened in the woods. He understood that she feared the power she possessed, but Loki knew that had been an accident and she would never harm him. Skadi would harm no one. Her soul was too pure.

When they arrived at the throne room, Skadi froze. She panicked, a million scenarios coursing through her mind. She could hear voices on the other side of the door. Voices she recognized and knew belonged to people she cared for and had scared. Her breathing was uneven. She wanted nothing more than to be back in the cavern deep in the woods, far from the people she had disappointed and harmed. But a hand clasped her own, putting her mind at ease as and she felt a comfortable warmth spread to her heart.

Loki offered her a smile, seeming to have read her thoughts. "You can do this."

"We'll be right here with you," said Sif, placing a soothing hand on Skadi's back.

Thor pushed open the doors and at once, everybody inside the throne room turned to look at them. Their eyes found Skadi Ullrdottir, who walked between Loki and Sif, blue eyes full of shame and sorrow. They paused at the bottom of the stairs, peering up at Odin who sat perched upon his throne in silence.

Skadi met his gaze and her fear seem to spread like wildfire through her veils when she saw the emotionless expression on the king's face. She wasn't sure if that was a bad thing or a good thing as she got down on her knees before him and bowed her head in shame. "Forgive me, my King. I know that I─"

"Rise," Odin interjected.

Skadi lifted her head, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she stared up at him. "Your Majesty?"

"Rise," Odin repeated.

With reluctance, puzzled and scared of what he had to say, Skadi rose to her feet. She fastened her hands out in front of her to keep them from trembling at her sides.

"As a king, I should be capable of recognizing my mistakes. And it has come to my recent attention that I should not have rushed your coronation," Odin began after a moment, shocking many, most of all Skadi herself. "You should not have taken on such important duties while grief consumed you still. That is of my fault, though, Skadi, it falls upon your shoulders as well. If you are to rule among the Horae and maintain winter at perfect balance, you must learn to separate your emotions from duty and power, as all rulers must. Therefore, I have decided that I will not charge you with any crime against Asgard, and I will not strip you of your position and power."

Skadi's eyes widened. Walking back into Asgard, the woman had thought he was going to strip her of everything that made her a Horae goddess. But her king had taken mercy on her. She was grateful, albeit surprised.

"What you have done was an accident, and accidents can teach us a lesson," Odin continued. "Have you learned your lesson, Skadi?"

Skadi nodded. "Yes, I believe I have learned it well. What I did to our home will never happen again, of that I vow to you, my King. I will learn to control who I now am, no matter how long it may take."

"I shall hold you to the vow," Odin replied, and what he said caused her stomach churn. Skadi hoped she wouldn't disappoint him again. She knew he wouldn't take mercy on her twice. "Now the matter of Asgard. What you did has affected our realm. Fixing the damage must be done with extreme caution to keep our realm intact. It is something the Horae cannot will away, but something that you alone must do, Skadi."

"Your Majesty, forgive me, but have we not already discussed that I am not well trained with my powers yet? I have no control over them. How am I supposed to correct what I have done? What if, somehow, I make everything worse?"

"With guidance from the Horae, you will control your power, Skadi." Before she could say anything else, Odin rose from his throne and descended the few steps. He paused near Skadi and rested a palm upon her shoulder. "I have faith in you, just as I had faith in your mother." He then gestured for the room to follow him, "Come, let's all take a walk."

Silence settled over them as everybody turned to accompany their king out of the throne room. Skadi's strides were slow, as she wondered where Odin was guiding them. A hand touched the small of her back and when she glanced up from the floor, she found her father had matched her pace at her side. His eyes bled with love and it made her heart swell knowing that he wasn't ashamed or disappointed after what she did.

"I know you think I am disappointed in you and ashamed for tarnishing your mother's rule, but you are mistaken." Ullr's voice was loud enough for only his daughter to hear. "You can never disappoint me, Skadi. Please, Gods, never run away again. I cannot bear to lose you as I already have your mother."

Skadi slowed until coming to a full stop, not caring that Odin was still leading everyone down the corridor. That didn't matter to her anymore, only her father did. Her eyes filled with tears upon his tender words and she launched herself into his arms, sinking her face into his tunic. "I love you."

Ullr's heart soared. "I love you, more than you will ever know. And I'm sorry for everything."

Someone cleared their throat, forcing them to separate. They turned to face their queen and found Frigga wearing a gentle smile. "Forgive me for interrupting a tender moment, but my husband is awaiting you both on the balcony. It's best to not keep him waiting."

"No, no we mustn't," Ullr agreed. "Come along now."

Skadi followed Frigga down a few corridors, passing a few guards and maidens on the way, until they arrived on a balcony that overlooked all of Asgard. Odin and the Horae were waiting for her, while the rest of them ─ Thor, Loki, Sif and a few kings guards ─ stood idly by. Ullr joined them, and Skadi met Loki's gaze as she passed by him. He offered her a small smile to which she nervously returned with one of her own, before coming to a stop near Odin and the Horae.

Ostara was the one to step forward. Skadi noted how different the woman looked now that she could get a good look at her. Without the sunlight reflecting off her fair skin and golden hair, everything just seemed wrong. She looked sick. Like someone had drained her of her powers. The woman no longer resembled the Goddess of Summer that she knew, and Skadi knew it was her fault. What she did hadn't only affected Asgard, but the Horae, too, it seemed.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Ostara asked.

Skadi knew she didn't have a choice. She nodded her head, saying, "Yes."

"Come."

The winter goddess stared at her outstretched hand with hesitance. She didn't want to harm Ostara like she Loki, but after a moment, she took the risk anyhow. And Ostara smiled at her, something to show Skadi that she was okay and that she wouldn't harm her. That she was the one in control and not her powers.

Ostara lead her to the edge of the balcony and placed Skadi's hand in the snow piled up on the bannister. "Can you feel that?" she asked.

Skadi felt the snow but noticed nothing other than its temperature. "I don't feel anything."

"Feel deeper," Ostara advised.

"How?"

"Close your eyes," Ostara ordered, voice soft, like velvet. Skadi did as instructed and let her eyes flutter shut, but she still didn't feel anything. "Take some deep breaths and reach out. Feel the snow, the ice, the frost ─ feel it all with your heart and not your touch."

Her facial expression relaxed as Skadi took a few deep breaths. She stood alone for several moments, everybody watching, waiting, as the young goddess willed her heart and soul to reach out and connect with everything around her like Ostara had advised her. But it was tough. She's never had to do this before and her struggled showed when nothing happened.

Skadi knew concentrating too hard wouldn't work, at least not for her. So she began focusing on other things. She looked back on fond memories with her friends, with Loki, with her mother, and thus she felt it. An icy breeze. Gentle, like a cool pair of lips had brushed against her cheek. It blew strands of her platinum hair into her face and made her smile. It didn't feel so overwhelming or strong. This time, her soul, her powers, felt delicate. Like a flower in her palm. And if she was careful enough, she wouldn't crush that flower in her palms again.

"Do you feel it?" asked Ostara, regarding her powers.

"Yes."

She could almost hear the woman's smile. "That's wonderful, Skadi. That means it working. Now will it into your heart. Order all that snow, all that ice, all that frost, to come home. Return it to your soul."

Skadi lifted her hands from the banister and extended her palms out in front of her. She drew in a slow, deep breath before reaching out further, to every little crack of the realm, and pulling it towards her. She kept her eyes shut as she concentrated, feeling a gentle wind whip through her platinum hair and a cool sensation to tingle in her bones.

And gradually, Asgard was whole once more.

Everyone stood awestruck and silent, witnessing as the snow and ice and frost that had devoured their home evaporated into white flurries, consumed by the Goddess of Winter, melting away into her flesh and bone and finding a home within her soul. They had seen nothing like it before. And it was beautiful.

"Skadi," Ostara spoke after a moment. "Open your eyes, dear."

She opened her eyes and blinked, a slow flutter of eyelashes, like the wings of a bird soaring across the sky, and a soft gasped fell from her lips at what she saw. The dark winter clouds had disappeared, and the sky had cracked open, blue and bright. The grass was light and green, and the flowers were more alive than ever before. She restored Asgard to its former glory. Skadi couldn't believe her eyes.

"I did that?" Skadi asked.

"You did." Ostara approached the young goddess with a gentle, proud smile on her face.

Skadi turned to face her and a smile spread on her face at the sight of the Goddess of Summer. Ostara didn't look sick anymore. As the sunlight shined down upon her once more, it restored her aura. She was as radiant as always. Without earning, Skadi was throwing her arms around Ostara and hugging the woman. "Thank you," she said.

"Of course," Ostara replied, hugging back. She smoothed a hand down her platinum hair before drawing back and cupping the younger girl's face. "You had it in you all along, Skadi. You just had to have faith in yourself, that is all."

The Goddess of Winter opened her mouth to say something in response, to thank the woman for helping her concentrate, but stopped when a strangled cry met her ears. Skadi jerked her head in the direction the cry came from and her eyes widened, fear and worry swimming in the oceans of them, as she stood frozen in her spot.

Loki Odinson had collapsed.

"Loki!" His name slipped from Frigga's lips like a shrill cry. The mother fell down on her knees beside her son, eyes bleeding with worry. She reached out to touch him but reeled back with a gasp. Her wide eyes shot up, and she turned around to look at all the faces staring down at them, before resting her gaze on the frightened winter goddess. And the words she said next would haunt Skadi forever.

"His skin is like ice."

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a/n: I apologize for how long it took to finish this chapter, but I hope everyone enjoyed it and are as excited as me for what comes next. Also, does anyone care to take a guess about what is happening to Loki?