Winter's Hearts

Chapter 41

You woke early the next morning, like before the sun early, and yet it seemed right. Hel, you actually felt like you'd overslept. You shifted in your giant marshmallow bed, your wings were spread and supported by the high walls. Loki was right that this bed was designed for your kind. You felt so relaxed in the giant marshmallow bed that you were tempted to go back to sleep. But it went against... training? Habit? You weren't quite sure except that your body was telling you that you needed to get up. Now.

So you groaned and got out of bed.

Loki hadn't been upset when you chose your giant marshmallow bed. When you chose the bed he said he hated and made absolutely clear he wouldn't join you in. He'd been supportive and simply made sure you had enough blankets and were comfortable before he'd pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. It was nothing more than could be considered a friendly gesture.

You were thankful that he wasn't pressing you or pressuring you to resume your relationship. You knew it hurt him, but his priority seemed to be making sure you were safe and comfortable. He would rebuild his relationship with you brick by brick if that's what it took.

You couldn't help... loving?... him for it.

You shook those thoughts from your head, feeling like you needed to do something physical to feel like yourself again. Your clothes shimmered and you let your magic work automatically and found yourself in soft black pants and a green tunic. You didn't question the clothing choice. You did notice that your shirt and the practice gear arm guards allowed view of your Valkyrie tattoo and the sigil of Loki's name on your arm.

You left the bedroom and found Loki sitting on the couch in your sitting room reading a book and sipping on a cup of tea. He gave you a warm smile. "Good morning, Kyrie," he greeted you and tossed you a pastry. You caught it with a smile and bit into it, moaning in pleasure at the taste. "Some things never change," Loki said appreciatively. Apparently, you'd loved these things before. You didn't care right now. Right now, you cared about eating your weight in the delicious pastries. You sat on the couch with Loki and the two of you ate pastries and sipped on tea and it felt... normal.

He vanished the dishes after you'd finished eating. "I have an idea of how to maybe spark your memories. Are you up for trying?" Loki asked, sounding hesitant. He was being so careful not to push you.

You nodded enthusiastically, relieved. You hadn't come up with any ideas on what to do to get your memories back. Though the library here was full of magic texts, that was likely your next stop. "I'm up to trying almost anything to get them back," there were some limits on what you'd be willing to try. Murder was pretty high up on the list of things you weren't willing to try.

Yet.

No, you wouldn't really murder someone to get your memories back. Unless it was someone who'd taken them from you in the first place.

Loki stood and offered you his hand. "Come, darling," he bid you warmly. You placed your hand in his and let him help you to your feet. He kept your hand in his and left your apartment with you. You didn't mind your hand being in his. It was comforting. You took the elevator down to one of the lower levels of the building and walked down the hall to a large workout room.

"A workout? That's your plan?" You asked him unsure how that was going to help anything.

Loki led you to the middle of the training room and turned to face you. "Trust me, Kyrie-love," he bid you and you saw the begging in his eyes to let him make this attempt.

You nodded, trusting the man you couldn't remember, but claimed to be your husband. He had no reason to lie about that, and surely the rest of the team would have protested if he were lying. Especially with his name on your arm as part of your Valkyrie tattoo.

Loki turned to face you, a carefully measure distance between you. He gave you a warm smile. "Punch me, right hand to the face," he told you.

You just stared at him confused. "Punch you? But you're my husband!" You protested, distressed by the very idea of hurting him. And you had no doubt in your mind that if you wanted to, you could kick his ass.

Easily.

You didn't know where that knowledge came from. But you had an image in your mind of pining him on his back a dagger to his throat until he yelled 'yield'.

"Trust me, darling," he bid you and got into position.

You sighed heavily, but your body automatically fell into a fighting stance, balanced on the balls of your feet, your knees bent, fists up and ready. You didn't know where the stance came from or why. You also didn't know why you listened to him and made the punch he had requested. He blocked automatically and without thinking you were moving to a block, then the next punch, a block, and kick, a spin. It was all choreographed and you ran through the drills with ease.

It was the ease of years, centuries, of practicing these drills every day.

Your body remembered, even if your mind didn't actively remember them. It was muscle memory as its finest.

You sank into the drills, letting your body move as your mind tried to remember, tried to put the pieces together of why it knew how to move like this.

You caught glimpses as you worked. Training against Loki in various ages, running through these drills with him over the centuries. You practiced them day in and day out at least once a day every day for your very long life.

Of course your body remembered.

You suddenly had daggers in your hands. So did Loki and there was no break in the drills. You switched weapons again. And again. Ending with the sword.

You remembered learning these drills. You remembered training and strengthening your body. You remembered pushing yourself to work harder and faster so you would be worthy to be assigned as your best friend's valkyrie.

You remembered sparring Loki.

You remembered and you saw the spark in Loki's eye when he realized that you were starting to remember.

His plan was working, though you didn't know how.