The sound of the door to Loki's suite opening woke you. You disregarded the sound at first. The maids did come in to clean after all. They were usually quieter, but maybe the maid was new... You pressed your lips against Loki's forehead, he was still curled safely in your arms, his head on your chest, and settled to go back to sleep.

You had decided to disregard the sound until you heard the person stumble into the end table in Loki's sitting room. You had positioned that end table just ever so slightly in the way ages and ages ago. It was designed so that someone unfamiliar with the room would stumble into it, giving you warning if there was an intruder. The maids all knew, any maid ever assigned to work for the princes wasn't new, and would have been warned to watch out for that particular end table. They were used to the eccentricities of the Valkyries and the lengths you went to protect your charges.

You were on your feet in an instant, wings ripping through the back of the tunic you'd stolen from Loki, and dagger in hand. You saw the intruder the second you entered the sitting room. She was cursing softly and trying to set the end table back on its feet. You recognized her and she looked up at you as the lights came on, activating at your presence. "Loki! You should have told me-" she started, standing again to face you, thinking you were Loki. Of course she did. Most people didn't remember you yet. She stopped speaking when she saw you, an angry Valkyrie, wearing nothing but Loki's tunic, but looking ferocious with your jet black wings spread to shield Loki's bedroom, and therefore the just-stirring Loki, from her view, and a dagger in hand. She dipped a curtsy. "Lady Valkyrie," she greeted you politely, scared now. Good.

"What business have you with my charge at this early hour, Lady Delia?" you asked her coldly. It was within your rights to challenge her, especially for entering Loki's private chambers without permission, and the hour was early. It wasn't quite dawn yet.

"With all due respect, Lady Valkyrie, my business here is none of yours," she replied more bravely than she obviously felt. You could see that she had remembered you, though, but still, she was choosing to face off against you. Idiot. "I am looking for Loki, I have an urgent matter to discuss with him,"

You glared at her. "Loki is unavailable. I can assure you, Lady Delia, whatever urgent matter you have with my fiance, you may take it up with me instead," you told her just as coldly. You had a feeling what this was about. She wanted a relationship with your Loki.

"Fiance? But-" she protested, her charade of bravery dropping. "Before he and Thor went to Jotunheim..."

You softened your expression then for the poor idiot girl. Loki was right, the court ladies were feathered-headed morons. It had been years since they had dated if what she was saying was true. Granted, that had been true for you as well, but your case was different. "I'm sorry if you thought you could rekindle your relationship," you told her gently. You heard her thoughts, though you hadn't tried to. She was projecting her anger at you, her anger that her plot was destroyed. She hadn't cared for Loki, just wanted power of dating a prince. Stupid court girl. Loki never would have fallen for that for a relationship. You caught the memory of him breaking things off. It was a harsh breakup, and he had flat out told her that he wasn't interested in power hungry bitches, though he had been kinder than that even in his anger. "Leave now, Lady Delia. You're not welcome here," you warned her firmly. Sometimes you were too nice for your own good and gave people a chance to behave properly.

She glared at you. "You're a bitch, Kyrie, always have been, keeping proper court ladies from wooing the princes. Thinking you're above the rest of us... The Valkyrie are nothing more than slaves to the throne," she snarled. You rolled your eyes, vanished your dagger and strode over to her. She cringed back from you.

"Insult me all you like, Delia," you told her as you grabbed her arm and hauled her from the room. "You've always been power hungry and scheming. It won't work this time," you told her firmly while she spluttered and protested and told you quite firmly to 'get the fuck off of her'. You dragged her over to the nearest guard outside of Loki's suite. "Before you get any ideas to try messing with Thor either," you growled at her softly.

You turned your attention to the guard, who bowed to you. It didn't matter that you were barefoot and wearing nothing but a stolen tunic with holes in the back from where your wings had burst through. You were still a Valkyrie of Asgard and your attire did not determine the honor your station drew. In fact, most times an angry Valkyrie in pajamas was more terrifying, since since was likely in personal service and her charge had been actively attacked.

"Sir, it has come to Lady Delia's attention that court life does not suit her. Will you see that she is removed from the palace and court at once?" Delia protested the treatment, cried that you were being unfair, that she was just trying- You glared at her and she stopped her complaining. "Either remove yourself from court life and never return, or I shall have you sent to the dungeons for your crimes against the prince of Asgard." You were within your powers to do that. She had snuck into his rooms with ill intentions, no matter what she claimed, she was planning on using him. You were being nice by just exiling her from the palace and court. It was apt punishment for her. She'd have no power outside of the court.

"It will be done, Lady Valkyrie," the guard told you with a formal bow, right hand over his heart. He took Lady Delia's arm.

"Thank you," you told the guard and swept back to Loki's suite.

He was still in his bed, moaning softly and curled into a very miserable ball, trying to hide from the light. Poor hungover thing. You smiled and went to him, climbing back on the bed. "Morning, darling," you told him gently. He whimpered and looked flushed and pathetic. "What have we learned about playing with Thor's idiot friends?" you asked as you placed your glowing green fingertips against his temples. You'd had to learn this spell a long time ago. Thor's idiot friends like to get themselves and everyone around them viciously drunk, which led to equally vicious hangovers.

"Not to," he grumbled. You laughed and leaned down to kiss his forehead, letting your lips momentarily turn Jotun blue to send ice through him and cool the flush from too much of Volstagg's good alcohol.

"Correct, love," you told him gently. You finished your spell and he finally sat up, though was still a little shaky looking. You handed him a glass of water. He smiled at you gratefully. "I also owe you a new tunic," you told him, gesturing to your wings and the holes in the back of his tunic.

"Don't worry about it, I have plenty," he replied dryly. "Would you care to tell me what that was all about?" he asked. He hadn't been in a state to really understand what the interruption had been this morning.

"Lady Delia thought her advances would be welcome," you explained dryly, rolling your eyes.

He flushed. "Ah. Yes, well she was mistaken. I-" he started, flushing even more deeply. He didn't want to admit he'd had other relationships.

You huffed. "Lohk, I'm not stupid enough to think you hadn't had any relationships while I was exiled. I am surprised you entertained the thought of having one with that power hungry bitch," you added with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes. "It wasn't exactly an... intellectual relationship," he admitted. You laughed. He had used her just as much as she was trying to use him. Probably just a pretty face for balls. "And short lived at that. Having an escort for court functions was not worth spending time with that power hungry..." he stopped and sighed.

"Well, she won't be troubling you again," you told him with a grin.

He raised an eyebrow. "What did you do?" he asked suspiciously.

You laughed. "Just had her exiled from court. Don't worry, I didn't splash the walls in her blood," you added.

He shrugged. "That would have been within your rights, but the blood is so very tedious to get off of the walls and the maids get so upset seeing it," he lamented, making you laugh again. You kissed him gently.

"I'm going to get a bath before breakfast. Feeling better?" you asked. He still looked a little flush. You reached up a hand to touch his cheek.

He took your hand and kissed it. "I'm fine, darling, better than I deserve after playing with Thor's idiot friends last night. Thank you, as always, for everything." He was thanking you for saving him from the unwanted advances of Lady Delia, from Thor's idiot friends, and for your hangover cure. He kissed you lightly. "I'll brush out your wings for you after your bath," he told you warmly.

"Thank you." You flushed a little, knowing that he wanted to do something nice for you after you'd helped him so much this morning, and dragged his drunk ass to bed last night. It always seemed strange when he took care of you, but it warmed your heart when he did. Your maids could, and did brush out your wings as part of their duties, but Loki preferred to do the task himself. He insisted that it needed to be done correctly. He just wanted to take care of you. You kissed him again and stood from the bed. You strode through his sittingroom, straightened the end table back to its position just in the way, and opened the door to slip across the hall to your own rooms.

The rooms had been aired out and cleaned. Fresh flowers had been placed in the vases around your suite and the rooms smells like them, just as they should. You couldn't help smiling. It was home again. You found the maids had drawn you a bath. You weren't surprised that they had known. The maids were always fantastic and somehow knew exactly what was needed. You soaked for a long time, relaxing at the feeling of home.

"Kyrie-love?" Loki's voice as he stepped into your suite. He knew better than to come in without announcing himself, though you knew him so well that his presence wouldn't startle you.

"Just a minute!" you called and rose from the bath. You dried off quickly, used magic to dry your hair and dress in a simple blue backless tunic and leggings. You flapped your wings a couple of times to get the water off of them.

Loki was waiting for you in your sitting room, looking over the text you had been translating the day you were exiled. "I wondered where this text went," he grumbled when you stepped up behind him and kissed his cheek, wrapping your arms around his waist. "I searched the palace everywhere for it,"

"You're adorable as ever absorbed in your ancient texts, love, but we do have breakfast to get to. Your mother will want to see you," you reminded him. He set the text aside.

"You're right as usual," he replied warmly as he stood. He steered you toward the ottoman in your sitting room. "And distracting as ever from allowing me to take care of you," he teased. You stuck your tongue out at him, but let him push you down onto the ottoman. He sat on the couch behind you. You spread your wings and melted in pleasure as he began to carefully and gently brush them out for you.

"You could let the maids do this," you reminded him softly while he worked. He was a prince and above such menial tasks.

"I enjoy it, darling," he replied warmly, just as he always had. "And those lovely moans of pleasure are adding to my delight. I shall have to come up with other ways to get you to make them too," he chuckled, amused. You flushed and looked over your shoulder at him, your wings fluttering unconsciously in embarrassment.

"Sorry..." you murmured, embarrassed. He laughed and kissed you lightly.

"Cool that charming blush, little Valkyrie. I enjoy seeing you happy," he reminded you warmly and offered you a hand to help you to your feet. "Shall we? You are correct that Mother wishes to see us for breakfast. I'm sure Odin and my idiot brother will be there as well," he added with an eyeroll. You took his hand with a laugh and stood, folding your wings against your back as you did. He enjoyed seeing the wings, so you didn't vanish them right away, besides, the Valkyrie wearing their wings was a common sight here. You summoned your dragonfang blade in its sheath and strapped it to your side. "Kyrie-" Loki started, but knew that you wouldn't go around the palace with him unarmed, even if you weren't in uniform. The uniform of your armor wasn't necessary except at truly official functions. Breakfast wasn't an official function.

You gestured Loki from the room and followed him, automatically assuming your place beside him on his left, a single step behind. He smirked at the automatic return to normalcy and offered you his arm. You smiled and took it carefully. You could maintain your proper position and he could claim you in front of the entire court. You had walked exactly like this together through the halls of the palace for fifty years before you'd been banished.

People looked at you as you walked to breakfast down in the great hall. You and Loki were chatting about light topics as you walked, but you caught the glances, stares, and whispers of people who were suddenly remembering you. You tried to ignore them, but your grip tightened on Loki's arm as the people questioned why you had been banished and why Odin would dare let you return now. Loki gave you a smile, trying to reassure you. "Fear not, dearest, the story will blow over. Mother will inform the court of the true story,"

"Your Mother is quite formidable," you agreed. You finally made it to the great hall and took your seats at the head table after making your greetings to Odin, Frigga, and Thor. Odin was looking worse for the wear. You couldn't see any physical damage, but Frigga had been awfully upset with him yesterday and you were quite sure that she had beaten some sense into him. Or ripped him a new asshole for making her son sad. He was looking like sitting was uncomfortable.

Frigga stood after glaring at her inept husband. He should have been making this announcement to the court. "Yes, the princes have returned for a short visit," she announced to the members of court who had joined you all for the early breakfast. "With them has returned Y/N of the Valkyries. She was sent to Midgard a great many years ago and has returned to her position as personal Valkyrie to Prince Loki with full honors and commendations." Frigga's words were careful, sticking to facts that wouldn't look bad for anyone involved. She made it sound like you had been gone on a mission for the crown. You didn't fault her for it, she had to protect the crown's reputation. "I would also like to take this opportunity to formally announce the engagement of Prince Loki and his Valkyrie Lady Y/N," she announced and grinned brightly at you and Loki. You stood to the cheers of the crowd, nodding to accept their applause. Loki wrapped an arm around your shoulders and turned you to kiss you, claiming you in front of the entire court as his. Even though not all of the court had breakfast in the great hall, word of Loki's engagement would spread like wildfire. You bet it would be less than an hour before the entire palace knew you were engaged.

"So, darlings, how long are you staying?" Frigga asked you, Loki, and Thor when the cheers had died down and you were seated again. Odin had stormed off claiming he had work to do.

"We cannot stay long, Mother," Thor reminded her. "We did arrive here unexpectedly..." he reminded her with a smile. That was her fault, she had summoned you by the Bifrost without warning. "Our teammates will be wondering where we are and worrying over us,"

"But you're doing alright on Midgard?" she was concerned. "I hate that you're all so far from home..."

"We're fine, Mother. We will come home for a proper visit soon," Loki reassured her. "Besides, had I not gone to Midgard with Thor, I would still be unjustly imprisoned in the dungeons and would never have found Kyrie again," he added and kissed your cheek.

"You were grounded?" you asked with a teasing smile. You'd been grounded to the dungeons on numerous occasions over the years. Enough that Frigga and Odin had specifically set aside cells for you and Loki, though sometimes you just got chucked in his cell with him to make sure you were out of trouble in the same place. You'd had a problem with tricks and mischief...

"For New York. Odin thought it proper punishment," he rolled his eyes.

"Ah, yes, punishment for mind control, how proper," you replied with as much sarcasm in your tone as you could. Loki laughed and relaxed. He hated having New York brought up.

"Oh, darling, would you mind?" he changed the subject and lifted his left hand, displaying the tracking glyph you had left on his skin yesterday. You had neglected to remove it when you found him, since he had been in an awful state and you'd had to get him to bed. You'd forgotten to remove it since. The morning had started with excitement after all.

"Sorry," you replied with a smile and brushed your thumb over the glyph, removing it from his skin with magic. Frigga was smirking at the display. Loki probably could have removed it himself, but he left it to you to do, since you'd placed it in the first place, and had placed it for his safety. He still hated having it on him, though. He always had, no matter how pragmatic it was when Thor's idiot friends were around.

"Surely you can stay for the day at least? Midgard can surely survive without you that long," Frigga asked. "I have missed you my children." She looked over the three of you and it warmed your heart that you were, as always, included among her children.