Loving Loki

Returning the Favor

I stared at Loki. He had just saved my life. Once, I had believed he loved me. But it turned out I was wrong. Now, I was yet again doubting herself. He had just saved my life. Why not let me die? He could have ruled Asgard as well as my kingdom. And yet he had saved me. I closed my eyes a moment and tried to breath slowly. Maybe, he still loved me.

I opened my eyes. The battle was almost over. All of the men were either dead or on the run from them. A few survivors dwindled, but my men managed to defeat them. I turned around to say something to Loki. That's when I saw it. The arrow flew through the air. I quickly saw that if it hit, it would pierce an unprotected part of his chest. I ran forward and shoved Loki as hard as I could.

My side exploded with fiery pain. I fell hard on top of Loki. Loki, not realizing who it was, threw me off of him and quickly pointed his sword at me. The stern look of anger melted off his face. I  was kneeling on the ground, out of breath.

I met his eyes. Despite the fact that an arrow was sticking out of the left side of my stomach, I managed a smile.

"Now, we are even." I said.

Loki knelt beside me and held me gently.

"You are going to be ok, do you hear? You have to be ok." He whispered.

I was struggling to breath and the pain was drowning me. One hand clutched the arrow and the other hand gently snaked up and rested against Loki's cheek. I was trying to say something but it was hard for me to speak.

"L-loki. Listen. I-I am not going to make it. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry. Please remember all the things we did and how much I loved you. Promise me you will continue to live your life. Oh how I love you." I finished sadly.

Loki had tears streaming down his face.

"Lola. I love you. Understand this. I love you so very much. I never stopped. You- you were the only person who trusted me. Please don't leave me!" Loki begged. He buried his face in my hair.

I rasped, trying to say one last thing.

"I love you. Don't forget. Please. Promise. Promise you will try again. Try with someone else. Please. Promise me." I whispered.

Loki looked down into the face of the woman he loved. And his heart broke. The man with a broken heart. This man loved. Tears streaming down his face, he nodded his head. He gently planted a kiss on my lips.

"I promise." He whispered.

And she smiled. Her soul, her laughter, her voice seemed to float through the air around Loki. He hugged the now lifeless body close to him and then gently arranged it on the ground.

Loki returned to Asgard and gave her the burial of a queen.

Years past. Loki was a broken man. Yet he ruled as a good king. He was kind and just. He was deemed Asgard's greatest king.

Loki tried to fulfill his promise, but he failed. He never loved anyone as he had Lola. He never married. When he retired, the throne went to his nephew.

Few remember Loki as the hard, cold frost giant. Most remember him as having a heart of gold. But, many tell a tale of a man as cold as ice that no one loved or even tried to love. Until he met a young girl. Some say she saved his life and others say she melted his heart with her warmth. They loved and were married. It was the typical happy ever after. Most agree that she was an angel, sent to save his soul.

But Loki knows the real story. And every night, before he goes to sleep, he can still hear Lola's  voice. And she is telling him their story.