Winter's Hearts

Chapter 32

 You went to Loki and hugged him, pulling him tightly to you, standing in front of him while he sat on your bed. "I know, love. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. It was forbidden," you reminded him. His arms wrapped around you and he held you too tightly.

"I hate this. I hate that I could have lost you forever and I didn't even know. No one knows. Would they even have told me?" he asked with tears in his eyes.

You nodded and kissed the top of his head. "They would have told you it was a tragic accident of the trials," you told him. "I think your parents are the only ones outside of the Valkyrie who know the truth of the trials," you added.

He pushed away from you enough to look up at you. "Why? Why do you have to go through this? Why the trials?" he demanded, horrified at the thought of all of those little girls who would have to undergo the trials.

"Besides the scores determining our future, only those who survive the trials can handle being Valkyrie. You've seen how draining it is on me to go to the land of the dead. Here's a secret, princeling," you added with a hint of teasing "I earned my position at your side because of my scores during the trials. Even with our friendship, they never would have assigned me that post had I not earned it fairly. I came out of the trials with top marks and you see how hard my job is for me. The thought is that those who don't survive the grand trial could never survive being Valkyrie. I agree, though, that there should be an out for the girls who are ill-fitted to the life, but every girl born a Valkyrie has to go through the trials," you explained.

His arms tightened back around you. "Thank the Norns you made it through," he told you.

"I made it love. I passed with flying colors and earned my position at your side," you reminded him. "It's still light out, do you want to see the trial grounds and save that," you gestured at the journal "for when you can't sleep tonight?" you asked him. He nodded and set the book on your bed, jumping to his feet. You smirked at his excitement, but saw the haunted look in his eyes too. He was excited to get his curiosity sated, yes, but he also wanted to see what you'd gone through.

"Of course I want to see the trial grounds," he told you firmly. You smiled, kissed him, and took his hand to lead him downstairs. There was a hallway off the main corridor of the castle that led to the trial grounds. It was guarded by a Valkyrie keeping the Trainees from trying to sneak in to see what the trials contained. There was an entire wing of the castle along with fenced in training yards outside dedicated to the trials. You walked straight up to the Valkyrie on guard, Loki's hand firmly in yours.

She stood from her post automatically to block your entrance to the trial wing. She looked the pair of you over as you approached, holding a spear at her side, plenty enough intimidation to keep the Trainees from messing with her. She was ready to argue until she got a proper look at you as you flipped your wrist over to show her your tattoo and assignment mark, though it was unnecessary with your other hand in Loki's. "Kyrie!" she exclaimed when she recognized you. "I haven't see you since you completed your trial!"

You went to her and hugged her. "I haven't been back since," you explained. "I received my assignment the very next day. And then married the loon," you added and stuck your tongue out at Loki. "Lohk, this is Astrid, she was here as a trainee the year I took the trials,"

"Everyone looked up to Kyrie. She's a living legend. Her name is still on top of all the record boards," Astrid told Loki. "Showing husband the trial grounds?" she asked you after Loki had nodded his understanding of her words, pride in his smile at your achievements.

You nodded. "It's within my rights," you reminded her.

She nodded her agreement. "It is. I must remind you both that the secrets of the trials must remain among the Valkyrie. You may tell your Lord Consort of course, but you know what will happen if he spills our secrets, prince or no," she reminded you.