Winter's Hearts

Chapter 30

You woke the next morning just after dawn due to long habit. You were still tangled with Loki, both of your bodies Jotun blue. Your head was resting on his chest where you could listen to his heart beat. You opened your eyes and saw him sleeping peacefully. You smiled at your sleeping Loki and kissed him lightly. He really was yours now for the rest of your days. He opened his eyes and kissed you back. "Morning, my prince," you told him warmly.

"Princess," he replied warmly and kissed you again.

"That's going to take awhile to get used to," you commented.

He raised an eyebrow. "Surely it can't be that strange? You had to have expected it since we were children," he reminded you.

"I did... it's just a big difference between being a Valkyrie and being a princess," you reminded him. "Just because I grew up with you two loons and was basically treated like a princess, there was still a social difference between Valkyrie and royalty,"

He shrugged. "It's not that big of a gap. Besides, you, my darling, are very resilient. You will adapt to being both a Valkyrie and royalty," he reminded you and kissed you again. "Since we're up, we do have things to do," he added with a mischievous smirk.

You groaned. "We just got married yesterday. Odin's beard, what things could we possibly have to do?" you grumbled and fwumped your head back on his chest.

He laughed. "Nothing unpleasant, I assure you," he told you warmly and kissed your forehead. "The team will be returning to Midgard after breakfast, so we must eat with them before they go. They grumbled something about 'Christmas' until I agreed, and then we shall be embarking on our honeymoon,"

"Honeymoon?" you asked, propping yourself up on one elbow to look at him properly.

He smirked. "Honeymoon," he confirmed. "I have it all planned out. Don't fret, little Valkyrie," he teased, knowing damn well you were asking for info on where you were going or how you were celebrating. At least, besides the obvious.

"Mischievous Trickster," you teased him and kissed him again. "My mischievous trickster," you amended quickly.

"For all of our days, my Valkyrie," he replied warmly.

Reluctantly, you got out of bed and dressed for the day. At least you didn't have to dress in anything extravagant, a tunic and pants that you could travel in. Loki insisted your bags were packed for the trip and the hostlers were handling them. You huffed at your surprise-loving Trickster, but walked with him to breakfast, your arm on his, as per usual, in your proper place at his side. You kept stealing kisses as you walked and the people awwed over the adorable newlyweds.

Your friends had somehow woken before you and were already at breakfast when you arrived. They cheered when you entered and you flushed at your silly friends. Nat jumped up to greet you. "Congratulations," she told you again. You and Loki joined them at their table and they told you all about their adventures on Asgard. They had all loved visiting the golden city, seeing where you, Loki, and Thor had spent your lives until you went to Midgard. "Merry Christmas," you bid everyone, knowing more of the tradition than everyone else.

"Christmas on Asgard," Tony mused dryly, amazed at the situation he found himself in. "By the way, J and I took tons of pics and videos of the wedding. I'll have them for you when you get back,"

"Thanks, Stark," you told him brightly. It would be great to have actual wedding pictures and you were already making plans to bring home pictures with you the next time you came.

Frigga and Thor joined your table when they arrived at breakfast, so did Sif and the Warriors Three. The group stiffened when the queen arrived, but were reassured quickly that breakfast was an informal affair and they relaxed into telling her stories of Midgard while the Asgardians shared stories as well. It was a wonderful breakfast among all of your friends.

After breakfast, you said goodbye to the group. Thor would be heading back with them to Midgard and you and Loki were heading out for your honeymoon. You headed down to the stables as they were heading for the Bifrost. Loki walked with you to the stables where your horses were already saddled and waiting. Loki had his jet black stallion of course, one in a long line of nearly identical horses. You hadn't gotten to properly pick out a new mount since your return from exile, but whoever had chosen the mare for you had done an excellent job.

"Does she meet with you satisfaction?" Loki asked as you eyed the mare.

"She's perfect," you replied, petting the nose of the sweet creature.

"I'm glad. I hoped you would," he told you warmly. You smirked. Of course he'd picked out the mount. You swung into the saddle easily and Loki did the same.

"So, where are we heading?" you asked him as you made sure your weapons were within easy reach out of habit.

He smirked and gestured. "This way," he said warmly and clicked at his horse. You sighed, exasperated and clicked to your mare, kicking her lightly into action. He grinned at you. "Race ya to the bridge!" he called, just like he had so many times before.

You grinned, settled your seat and urged the horse into a gallop, laughing at the wind in your hair and the joy of the old game. He won as he usually did. His horses were bred for speed, yours were chosen for their nature. You slowed at the bridge and continued at a much more sedate pace. You rode for hours, talking and playing silly games on horseback. You stopped in a little village at an inn for lunch. The poor innkeepers kept protesting that their fare wasn't fit for royalty, but you and Loki both insisted that it was perfect and the simple meal was at that. You wandered the village, stretching your legs and letting the horses rest for a little while before you continued on your journey.

It was a long ride later before you turned off the King's Road on a side road and you knew the second you did exactly where you were going. Of course Loki couldn't resist visiting the city of the Valkyrie, now that he was allowed there. He had been welcomed into the ranks, and while not an actual Valkyrie, the spouse of a Valkyrie was given privileges that not even Odin was given, including access to their city.

Loki smirked when he saw that you knew where you were going. "It's just the first stop on our tour of the kingdom," he told you, promising that he wasn't going to monopolize the honeymoon with learning everything about the Valkyrie he had been forbidden to know before yesterday.

It wasn't terribly much longer before you reached the city. The second you did, two of the servants came forward to take your horses. "Lady Valkyrie, your highness," they greeted you as you dismounted. Here, you actually outranked Loki. He had no power here besides the few privileges that being married to you had given him. You stretched after you dismounted, sore from not being used to riding all day anymore, but after some stretches and a few steps, you were ok again.

You took Loki's hand to lead him through the gates. "Welcome to Valkyria," you bid him brightly as you stepped through the gates into a place where few men had ever been allowed, and fewer still had dared to come. Your heart warmed at his awe filled expression at this forbidden place, at his joy at finally being able to see where you'd spent a year of your life.

You would tell him about the trials.

Later.

For now you let him being in awe of the ancient castle in front of him, of the joy of a dream coming true. He'd wanted to know everything about the Valkyrie since he had been a small child and finally had the opportunity.

You kissed him lightly, and his hand firmly held in yours, led him further inside to give him a proper tour.