Flawless¹|| L. Laufeyson

VII. Trivial Matters

"My Petal." Eldrid heard her mother's voice. She knew something was very wrong with her body, her health if she had fainted like she did. And now she was hallucinating her mother's voice? But, if she truly was ill, why would she hallucinate her mother and not Loki? "My Petal you must wake up." She hears her mother call to her again.

"Mo-" Eldrid stammered but her mother's voice shushed her. She then blinked her blue eyes open slowly. Her eyes took in the vines and greenery around her and she knew she was not in Asgard. She was still on Alfheim.

"Rest, my Petal. Your body and spirit have been through much." Frigga said softly to her daughter. Her hand laid upon Eldrid's weak and pale hand where she laid on the bed in the infirmary. Eldrid took in her mother's form and once her vision cleared, she was in shock.

"Mother.." Eldrid whispers, her voice was hoarse. "How-"

"You have been asleep for a long time, my daughter. Nearly two hundred years." Frigga says suddenly and Eldrid's eyes widen as her mouth goes agape. "I know, it must be a shock to you."

"Wh- What?" Eldrid asks as tears fill her eyes. Her heart sank with dread as her mind began to wander about everyone she loved. Her family. Her beloved. What did he think? Did he even know? What had father done in Eldrid's absence regarding the peace on Alfheim? "That's not-" Eldrid stammered. She was in complete and utter shock as she laid there in her bed in the infirmary of Alfheim.

"I made it so." Frigga interrupts her daughter so Eldrid doesn't strain herself. "The poison was overtaking you constantly. It regenerated even sometimes." Frigga explains to the best of her ability without causing Eldrid to be more distraught than she already was. Frigga knew Eldrid would panic, demand answers and be worried about the fate of everything else other than herself. That was just how her daughter was. El was more concerned about Alfheim's peace than her own health. It was probably a factor as to why the poison overtook her as much as it did. She was overworked. "I had to put you under one of my sleeping spells so your body could heal properly and with the help of Eir and the Alfheim healers." The queen explained as best she could but Frigga could tell from the look on her daughter's face, Eldrid was mortified.

"What about-"

"Loki and Thor do not know." Frigga says and Eldrid's cheeks cascade with tears. So much information was being thrown at Eldrid all at once. And she could only sit there and absorb it to the best of her ability. It was absolutely crippling for the young princess. "Your father forbade them to know you were ill and near death." She tells her daughter and brushes some hair from Eldrid's face, wiping her tears with her thumb. "I tried to do what i could."

"My letters... Loki..."

"Your brother... he has grown cold and sealed off his emotions to everyone but myself. I fear your absence of letters caused his mind to wander and hurt him." Frigga says softly with a sad tone of voice. Frigga had watched her son's happiness decline the moment she heard word about Eldrid falling ill to poison and nearly dying. Only Odin and Frigga knew about Eldrid's condition. They kept it secret from everyone on Asgard, especially Loki and Thor. Frigga knew her sons would trample everything in their wake had they learned of their sister being on the verge of death. But it cost them both greatly.