Winter's Hearts

Bonus Chapter

"Kyrie, you need to stop pacing, love. You're only going to make her more nervous than she already is," Loki told you gently. You hadn't been able to sleep that night and had finally given up and started pacing until the palace awoke.

The King and Queen's suite had become yours and Loki's after the coronation. Frigga and Odin had moved into another suite in the royal wing to enjoy their retirement. It had taken a long time for the new suite to feel like home. It was spacious and sprawling, richly decorated, even more so than Loki's suite had been. It had been big enough to raise your children in until they were grown enough for their own suites. It still felt kinda empty without them. Though, as Frigga before you, your children had no fear of coming to you for comfort, or crawling into your bed when they needed love and support.

Even if they were mostly grown.

Mostly.

Frigga and Odin had been touring the realms, visiting on their retirement, enjoying the sights that they hadn't been able to for most of their marriage. They'd been too busy ruling Asgard to enjoy themselves, so they were making up for lost time in their retirement. But they'd come back last night.

Today was an important day.

You turned to Loki and sighed. "I know, Lohk, but I'm scared for her. We can't help her with this," you fretted, picking at your hands.

Loki climbed off the bed and came to you, wrapping his arms around you. The years had barely aged him, but there were more laugh lines around his eyes, more lines of time and stress of the throne, but you knew he wouldn't have changed it for anything. His hand still bore the mark of the Norns, still bore the proof that they had chosen him to be Allfather. That he was worthy. "Asta will be just fine, Kyrie-love. You've trained her her entire life for this,"

"I know, but Lohk, you know what the trials were like," you reminded him as you held onto him. Your wings shifted and your feathers ruffled in distress. You didn't want your daughter to go off to take the trials, but she had to. She was a Valkyrie trainee. All trainees had to take the trials. And all had to pass or die trying...

Loki kissed your forehead. "And you're the Queen of the Valkyrie and the very best among them. She's had the very best instruction and training. She's ready for this," he reassured you.

You held onto him for a moment longer, needing to borrow his strength before you had to be strong for Asta. You finally stepped back and folded your multi-colored wings against your back. Ever since the Valkyrie had given you your memories back, your wings had remained the color of each donated feather from one of your sister-valkyrie.

Your clothes shimmered to your formal Valkyrie armor for the day. The entire realm would be gathering to see their princess head off for the trials and you would be at her side as long as you could.

The door to your bedroom opened without a knock and you and Loki both turned to see who it was. There were only a handful of people in the realm who would date come into the King's and Queen's private bedchamber without so much as a knock. Your children and Thor were about the only ones.

Your son stepped into the room, looking a bit shy. Caldur was barely of age, looking like a Midgardian 18 year old, just as Asta did. He had his father's black hair and thin build and was a scholar, not a fighter. Unlike his twin. Asta was most definitely a fighter. It was her nature. You gave him a warm smile. "Morning, Cal,"

That was all the invitation he needed before he was flinging himself into your arms. "Mama, are you sure Asta has to go?" He mewled as he clung to you. Your children were both 3/4 Jotun and could purr and acted quite like the overgrown cats that were the Jotnar frequently. Especially when they were distressed. Like Cal was with his twin leaving the city for a year to face the trials.

You kissed his hair and held him close. "Yes, darling. She has to go face the trials. And she'll return in a year, a full Valkyrie of Asgard," you reassured him. Maybe if you told your children that hard enough, then you could squash your own fears. "She's trained her whole life for this and she's prepared. But today she needs her whole family's love and support. Especially yours," the twins were closer than anything.

Cal stepped back and nodded. "I will," he promised.

Loki ruffled his hair. "Then we'll see you at breakfast," he said fondly to his son. Cal nodded and rushed off to get ready. Loki offered you his arm. "Shall we?" He asked. You nodded and placed your hand on his arm as usual and headed to breakfast with him. Asta and Cal would be down as soon as the pair had said their private goodbyes.

Indeed, they both arrived to breakfast with puffy eyes that you politely didn't comment on. Asta was lovely in her trainee armor. She was thin and lithe, but strong and muscled from her training. She looked so young, but all trainees did when it was time to take the trials.

You stood and hugged her. "Good morning, darling," you bid her, as you did every morning.

Her return hug was too tight, her wings fluttering nervously. "Good morning, mama," she replied softly.

You kissed her hair as Loki hugged her too. "Have faith, darling," he bid her warmly. "You're ready," he reassured her.

She nodded and relented to eating a small breakfast while her grandparents chatted about their travels, trying to keep the mood light.

Eventually, you had to go with her to your waiting horses. You would escort her to Valkyria, but could go no farther. The court was there to see the pair of you off. Asta got hugs from her grandparents, from Loki, Thor, Sif, her cousin Torun, and from her twin. Then, finally, you were both in the saddle. She gave those gathered a bright grin that you swore she got from Thor and waved to those gathered. "I'll see you in a year!" She promised with hope and determination in her eyes.

A year.

Your faith would be tested over that year, but you had to believe in your darling daughter. You saw the belief in the eyes of your gathered loved ones. The realm would be devastated if they lost the princess, your family most of all. But all you could do now was have faith that she would return to you.

Faith and Trust and Hope.