...2029..

...Tuesday...

Loki regains consciousness on a table feeling a unique pain in his arm. The pain that he had since gotten rid of. No, Loki thought, turning his head towards the right. To his horror he saw his arm had been reattached against his permission. He cannot use the kind of magic to redo the same power as it is not embedded into his shoulder. Oh no, Loki thought, the future Bob told me about with Knight will never happen.

Because I'll be a machine, Loki thought, a puppet.

Loki cannot feel the strength to push himself up.

He never felt so drained of energy before.

Loki saw  the figure of a woman come in.

"I am sorry," Came Loki's apology.

"About damn time," Knight said. "Why did you want your arm not to be attached?"

A small smile came on Loki's face.

"You will see," Loki said, weakly. "I used pretty powerful spell to do it."

"Which one?" Knight asks, folding her arms.

"The one no one uses to rid themselves of something so awful,"  Loki said.

"It must be that serious," Knight said. "What is it?"

"You can slap me later," Loki said. "But I won't let you see me like this. Not with little magic I have left."

Knight can see the fear in Loki's eyes and his voice is not that confident.

"Loki," Knight said. "I have not just came back from the home front to see you leave."

Loki sighs.

"Just remember me by the good times we had," Loki requests.

"Loki, you are talking like a dying man," Knight said. "That is not you."

"In more ways in one I am," Loki said.  "I probably won't be myself after this. You've been warned."

Loki vanished before Knight's eyes leaving her alone, again.

Why was he doing this?

To protect her?

From what!

"Damn it," Knight said. "I should have put a spell bind on this room!" She turns away muttering something below her breath feeling a certain tint of rage that still wagered from all those years ago that Loki had done.

Knight never seen Loki that...Sad, weak, and apologetic.

The only time he was apologetic when he first met her once they bumped into each other as children.

She remembered that day quite well.

"Oh, sorry," Young Loki apologized.

"No, it is my fault," Young Knight said, picking up a couple logs.

"Is your father a mountain Asgardian?" Young Loki asked.

"No, he is a wood chipper," Young Knight said. "And who are you?"

"Prince Loki of Asgard," Young Loki introduced himself. "Son of Odin."

"Oh my, I am so sorry," Young Knight apologized.

"And you are?" Young Loki asked.

"Knight Tackdottir," Young Knight said.

Young Loki held his hand out.

"Nice to meet you, Knight," Young Loki said.

Young Loki and Young Knight shook hands.

"So what brings a pretty girl like you out carrying wood?" Young Loki asked.

"My father likes to carve," Young Knight said, as their hand shake ended.

"Can I help?" Young Loki asked.

"You should be learning your duties," Young Knight said. "I should not be the distraction of a young and impressionable prince!"

Young Loki laughed.

"Ah, they are boring," Young Loki said, expressing his dislike for the duties of a king. "I like to  have fun!" He walked around a skinny tree like it were a pole.  "My brother is paying keen attention to these 'important' lessons."

"Thor?" Young Knight asked.

"Yes, the idiot of all idiots," Young Loki said. "Who does have a brain unlike how he acts."

"The blonde one?" Young Knight asked.

"Yes," Young Loki said, with a simple nod.

"I haven't seen you in the royal family," Young Knight said.

"I feel like I don't belong there," Young Loki admitted.

"Since you asked so politely, you may help," Knight said. "And maybe...play Hide 'n Seek?"

Young Loki looked so happy.

"I'll love to!" Young Loki said, taking a couple logs.