Forever. I Promise (Sequel to As one. Always)

Chapter 6

After a really long time, I finally finished chapter 6! Thank you for the patience, and for not harassing me into updating! Cheers! :) <3

I woke up early, and actually felt refreshed from the sleep I had. Each morning had been like this: I would wake up bright and early, ready for the day. I would actually enjoy getting out of bed and hopping to it. It had been a while since I had felt like this consecutively. It made me wonder if the feeling would last.

My rooms were bathed in sunlight, and it made me smile. Today seemed like a beautiful day, and it made me feel more excited. I pulled back the covers and rolled out of bed to get ready for the day. I needed to see Loki early in the morning, or he would be antsy all afternoon. I had been seeing him once every day, sometimes twice, depending on his mood. If it was a good day, one long visit was usually enough. If it was a bad day, well, short visits were all that I could handle, and I always came back to see if he had gotten any better.

It was like we were falling into some sort of bizarre routine with Jekyll and Hyde, and it seemed like Jekyll was starting to win more often. More often than not, Loki behaved, though I didn’t doubt the wheels in his mind were spinning, trying to find a way out. But who could blame him? Loki was almost like a child with ADHD. You couldn’t make him sit still in that cell for thousands of years and expect compliance.

I finished dressing and opened the door silently. Guards were patrolling up and down the halls, looking tired and a little grumpy. In the main part of the palace people were silently mingling, going to breakfast, or whatever else people do early in the morning.

Nobody knew I was seeing Loki, and I was keeping it that way. My friends all slept in, so they assumed I did too. If they knew I was seeing a criminal, they would disapprove. If they knew I was seeing Loki, well, they would crucify me.

I ate breakfast quickly, grabbing a loaf of bread and a little bit of honey for Loki. He got prison food, which was usually plain oatmeal in the mornings. I’m sure Odin had to draw the line somewhere when it came to Loki’s comfort.

Disappearing back into my rooms, I quickly cast the incantation. The spell was drilled into my memory now, after having used it so much. I felt the familiar feeling of magic all around me, exhilarating me. I always felt a little jittery like this before I saw Loki. I guess it was the hope that he was getting better mixed with the fact that he really was back, and he might be innocent of his crimes.

The scenery warped around me, and I closed my eyes to keep from getting motion sick. When I opened them, I was met with the intense green eyes I loved. They watched me from across the room, and I felt my skin tingle from it.

I put my hands on my hips. “Okay Loki. What kind of day are we having today?” I asked him. It was how I greeted him now. It was safer for my feelings if I let him decide the mood. If I greeted him with a big smile and a kiss, he might snap at me if he’s feeling particularly Hyde.

“I haven’t decided yet.” He mumbled, approaching me. “The battle is ongoing.” He gave me a smirk, and I felt a bit of relief. Smiling was good.

It was hard to describe what Loki was going through. I could only really understand it when he was calm and himself, since that was the only time I could reach his mind. When he wasn’t himself, he was gone from me. I had no idea what went through his mind, who or what he was fighting. I only half understood the situation, at best.

“Well let me know if it’s safe.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“It’s safe, love.” Loki gave me a sad smile. Every day, no matter who he was, no matter what extreme he became, he regretted hurting me. I tried to shrug it off, to joke about it. But it never worked. He didn’t forgive himself yet. I hoped he would, just so he could stop beating himself up over this.