A Child of Mischief (Loki/Avengers story)

32. Bargain

"Cora, what's going on?" Loki shouts as he throws the doors open and enters the barn. As he makes his way toward the riding arena, the smell of thrown dust is present in the air. Making it to the arena, Loki briefly see's Ragnar halt in place as he stops kicking up dirt. Cora is knelt down over Gisli and holding the amulet over her. Just as Loki hops the gate and enters the riding arena, Gisli's head shoots up and she whines.

"Easy, Gisli, your alright. Easy, girl." Cora soothingly says as she runs her free hand through Gisli's mane.

"I shouldn't have left." Cora says as she places the amulet back around her neck and looks at Loki. Loki slowly approaches Cora and Gisli.

"What happened?" Loki urgently asks, Ragnar trots over to him as he asks.

"Gisli was laid in the middle of the arena, not breathing." Cora says and her voice cracks on the last few words. Loki looks at Gisli as she slowly gets up and nudges Cora.

"Hey, shhh. You healed her, what ever was wrong, you fixed it." Loki says as he pulls Cora into a comforting hug. Just as Loki hugs Cora, the baby piebald foal begins to whine from in the stall the three horses had been housed in.

"It's alright, Eira." Cora says as she pulls away from Loki and waves her hand to open the stall door, baby Eira comes trotting out of the stall and stands next to Gisli.

"Well, you managed to save Gisli twice in one day." Loki says as the three horses walk away from him and Cora.

"After the morning I've had, saving Gisli was nothing compared to everything else." Cora shakily says and crosses her arms.

"If it will make you feel better, everyone can pretend that nothing was said or found out." Loki suggestively says, Cora shakes her head.

"That will just make everyone that knows the truth uncomfortable every time I come around." Cora says as she looks at Loki.

"It's your call as to what happens. But, just know that those that already know, will do their best to help you understand anything you need answered." Loki says, Cora only nods and looks to the horses and watches as they trot around the arena.

"The only ones that would be able to help with anything are; you, Thor, and Odin. Everyone else doesn't know the full story and the details." Cora says, Loki nods knowing she is right. The three horses slowly trot over to the stall they stay in and all walk into it. Cora waves her hand and closes the door.

Loki watches Cora keep quiet as she walks over to the grain trough and fills a bucket up and dumps it in the trough in the stall where Ragnar, Gisli, and Eira wait. Cora then uses her powers to levitate a bail of hay and drops it in the stall next to the grain trough. Finally, Cora takes two buckets and starts to fill them. Loki comes over and takes one of the water buckets from her.

"Isn't this supposed to be my responsibility?" Cora asks as she continues to fill her bucket with water.

"What makes you think tending to the horses is solely your responsibility?" Loki asks as Cora walks her bucket to the stall.

"I figured that's what Thor would have made my punishment, since I did break the rules by leaving after curfew." Before Cora is done speaking, Loki shakes his head.

"Unless you do something that warrants a punishment, then you'll receive one. But, you saved not one but two lives this morning." Loki says as he and Cora both dump their buckets of water into the water trough. Cora simply nods her head, and turns to put the water bucket back in its place.

"You want to ask something. What is it?" Loki asks as he see's Cora has a contemplative look on her face. Loki frowns as Cora shakes her head and begins to walk out of the riding arena. Using his teleporting power, Loki puts himself in front of Cora, just as she is about to leave the arena.