A Bang and a Whimper

30

Jenna asks about her uncle ever few hours after they return to the palace. Thor brings her updates until she knows Loki is comfortable in his own rooms. She wants to run to him, but her father tells her that he must rest, she can see him in the morning. She waits, but not patiently.

After breakfast, she dashes to his chambers and knocks on the door. He calls for her to enter, and she finds him sitting up in bed, his breakfast tray set to one side. She does not wait for an invitation, but climbs up beside him, tucking her legs under his blankets and snuggling against him.

"I have never been so scared." She wraps her arms around his waist.

"I am sorry to have been the cause of it." He embraces her, resting his lips against her hair.

"Are you going to be OK?"

"I will be, little one. I will. How are you?"

"Still freaked out. Somebody tried to kill you."

"Not just any somebody, my dear."

"Father's advisors. He told me. I am horrified. And terrified."

"They cannot hurt you. They will spend the short remainder of their days in the dungeons."

"I know. But they had you shot...."

"And I will recover."

"But will you really? Or will this just make it harder for you in the long run? And I am so sorry. I asked you to reveal your nature to them...." She starts crying.

He gently rocks her, "No, Jenna. Do not blame yourself for this for an instant. They made their own choices."

"But-"

"No. No buts. This is not yours to take blame for."

She sniffles and then steals a piece of sausage from his breakfast try, "Thank you. I love you."

"And, apparently, my breakfast."

"I will call for more, if you wish. I can smuggle pastries from the kitchen, too. I know where they keep them."

"No, but thank you, I am finished. Help yourself. Did your father teach you where to find the pastries?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"He used to sneak them in the evenings when we were children so we could have picnics in the nursery. You are so much like your father."

"Father says I am so much like my mother and grandmother."

"You learned well from your parents, and your father learned well from your grandmother."

"Did you?"

"Yes. And I am trying my hardest to be better than my worst nature."

"Father says you are more like your mother than you realise. You feel everything deeply and that means you hurt big and you react big."

"He is probably right."

"I don't want anyone to kill you. I like you. And you are kind. They cannot kill someone who is kind, can they?"

"My little love, hatred for Jotunheim runs deep."

"I hope Father can change things."

He strokes her hair and tries to smile for her, "I hope so, too, my darling niece. But change cannot happen overnight. You may not see as much of me in the near future. I will need to rest and recover, but also to stay quiet so this passes by."

She is quiet and unhappy with his answer, but there is little she can do about it. She nestles a little more comfortably against him and falls asleep. Loki adjusts his pillows and settles down beside her, dozing off shortly after. When Thor gets no answer from his knocks at the door, he lets himself in and finds the pair sleeping cuddled together. He sits down on Loki's couch to wait and picks up the book left on the end table. "A Hat Full of Sky". The cover is interesting and he recognizes it as one of Jane's books. While they sleep, he reads. When Jenna wakes, they leave Loki a note and leave him to his rest.