Chapter 67 Scarred Beauty

Taking a breath, I rub away my tears as I finish cleaning myself and get out of the bath. However, I catch a glance of myself in the mirror and I cringe as I put a towel around myself. I had forgotten about them and I guess I wanted to. Kai wasn't exactly nice to me when I first arrived at that hell hole, back before he found out that I was pregnant. He tortured me to get answers which obviously I didn't have and it left a few marks. Some along my chest, my arms, my legs, and a few along my lower back. So many and it makes me cringe. At least some have faded but Loki is going to notice especially tonight when we are finally alone together. He is going to be so mad when he finds out that man hurt me and will blame himself since I got hurt. Maybe that's why I don't want to tell him or show him. Loki has suffered enough and it's just something else Kai did to me. He took away my beauty.

Once I am dry and done with my hair, I change into a nightgown with long sleeves and it shows off my curves. I look beautiful and even with the holes in the back for my wings, you can't see the scars. I am glad they are hidden and yet I suspect not for long. Loki and I are going to be alone for the first time in 7 years. We are going to be all over each other so there is no way I can hide them and I am certain we won't be able to resist each other. I just don't want him to see them. I am too ashamed of them and what that man did to me. Nor do I want him blaming himself any more than he probably already is. And yet it's inevitable for him to see them.

I try not to think about it as I pull myself together and go through the middle door, back into our daughter's room.

She's now in bed, under the duvet in a gold nightdress with a big smile on her face. Loki is sitting on the bed beside her, a book in his hand but he is no longer telling that story. Instead, he is telling her a story about us which makes me smile so brightly. They are adorable together and he is such a good father. But I knew he would be as Hela is amazing and so is he. And now we can raise our daughter, together, a family.

"So you saved mum from the tower? A prince saving his princess?" She asks him.

He laughs, "I did. I scrambled across the ice and fought my way up to the tower where your mother was waiting for me. I saved her, my beautiful princess, and helped defeat the order who took her."

She smiles, remembering the tale, "I think mum told me about that… didn't she save you after?"

"She did." He says with a smile, "I got trapped in the palace, locked up by an evil man who was angry I saved your mother. But despite the risks, she came back to look for me and saved my life. Much like I saved hers. It's what we do, we save each other." He moves her hair to one side, "I will always save and protect my princess."

"Am I a princess dad? Like really?"

He nods, "You are our little princess and tomorrow, you officially will be." He notices her frown, "What is wrong sweetie? Hope?"

She sits up, "What if someone else comes after me? Or mum? What if Kai escapes? He hurt mum so much and I don't want her getting hurt again." She looks at him, "What if he comes back?"

"He won't." He reassures her, "He is locked in the dungeons and will be executed for what he did. He hurt your mother, took her, and kept you both prisoner so you don't need to worry about him." He takes her hands, "Nothing is going to happen to you or your mother. I will protect you like I protect your mother. You are safe and home. And both of our rooms are protected by blood magic, so you are safe and protected."

She smiles and she relaxes back in bed, "You will protect us?"

He nods, "And I always will." He uses magic to put the book back, "Now it's time you go to sleep. You have had an awfully long day."

She yawns, "Where is mum?"

I smile as I look at her, "I'm here sweetie."

They turn their heads and smile at me, finally noticing I am here. Loki is gawking at me, memorized by how beautiful I am in this gown. But I just focus on Hope as I go over to join them, her smiling brightly.

"Your father is right, time for bed." I kiss her on the forehead, "Night Hope, I love you."

She smiles, "I love you Mum."

I move back as Loki moves closer, kissing her forehead too, "Sweet dreams my little princess."

"Night Dad." She whispers, snuggling back into bed, "I love you."

He smiles, "I love you too."

Then he stands up and we watch her drift off to sleep in seconds, so tired but happy. Once she is fast asleep, we quietly leave her room and go back to ours. He gently shuts the door behind us as I sit on the sofa at the end of the bed, relaxing back in the seat. I can't stop staring at him, a smile on my face as he is looking at me, lost in awe. Maybe I shouldn't have worn such a well-fitting gown if I were going to hide the scars from him but saying that he would find out anyway. I just wish he wouldn't find out at all.

I smile, "You were telling her about the time you saved me from that tower, weren't you?"

He smiles as he removes his attire, "She finished her book and she wanted to know more stories about us. I figured a dashing prince saving a beautiful princess would be a lovely story." He pulls off his shirt, "I just didn't know she knew it."

"It was all I could do, tell her stories." I say, forcing a smile, "But she likes to hear them again and again. Especially when they are told by her father. It was brilliant watching you both, you're amazing with her and you're an amazing father."

He looks at me, stripped down to his underwear, "And you are an amazing mother. You have raised our beautiful daughter all on your own and she's incredible." He sits beside me, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

I shake my head, "It wasn't your fault Loki. Kai took me and it wasn't like you weren't looking for me or weren't there when I needed you the most." I rest my head on his shoulder, "You are here now, for both of us. You have me back and our daughter."

He smiles, putting his arm around me, "I just wished I had found you both sooner. You were stuck with that psycho for years and if he had found out about your wings… you could have died for real."

"Luckily, he was an idiot." I say, making us chuckle, "He never even suspected for a second that they grew back. It was just a pain hiding them all the time." I look at him, "We are here now Loki and that's all that matters. I am here and I'm not going anywhere."

This makes him smile, moving my hair behind my ears, "God I have missed you."

I smile, "I missed you, I don't want to be separated from you again."

"Well, I have no intention of letting you go." He whispers, putting his arms around me before pulling me onto his lap, "I love you, I love you so much."

"I love you Loki." I wrap my arms around his neck, "I love you with all my heart."

His lips then crash onto mine, kissing me deeply and taking my breath away. I kiss him back, the passion between us is immense and explosive. It feels like fireworks are going off as we kiss each other deeply, desperate to touch each other and not let each other go. It's so explosive and fiery and I feel the feelings stir inside. The feeling I haven't felt in so long, the desire to want him, and it's increasing more and more by the second. God, I have missed this feeling. He must be thinking the same, kissing me deeply as I feel him getting hard underneath. And not to mention he is so hot.

We are so lost in it that I forgot about my scars until he begins unzipping my nightgown, desperate to touch me. I'm about to stop him but it's too late, he has already exposed my skin. His eyes widen and he pulls away, seeing the multiple scars on my skin. He looks horrified and in seconds I scramble off his lap, too ashamed to look at him.

I move away from him, not looking at him as I cover myself up. God, I didn't want him to see my scars. He looked so horrified and I feel the shame eating me. That man left so many marks on me, so many scars and I hate how he did this to me. And that I couldn't protect myself. He just tortured me and the shame of what he did, it's killing me. But it's worse now as Loki has seen them and he knows. He knows and he is going to start blaming himself for what happened to me. It's not his fault that Kai tortured me and ruined my beauty. It's not his fault that I am now scarred on most parts of my body. It's mine.

I hear him moving behind me but I don't look at him, wiping a tear away. I don't have the courage to turn around, too ashamed and maybe I should have told him. But… I really didn't want him to know how much I suffered. How weak I was and I don't want him to feel guilty for what happened. And yet I know him and I bet he does.

Taking a breath, I hold back my tears as I feel his presence behind me and his breath on my neck. I don't look at him and reach to zip my nightgown up. But his hand stops me before I can, instead zipping it further down.

"Let me see." He whispers, "Please."

Reluctantly I remove my hand and he slides the nightgown off my shoulders, sliding it down my body so it drops on the floor. I am completely exposed to him, apart from my bra and panties and he can see every scar. The whip marks on my lower back, the jagged marks up and down my arms along with the large gash scar on my stomach. I can feel his hands, tracing over the scars as he looks at them but I still refuse to meet his gaze. Even as he moves to the side of me so he can see the ones on the front of my body.

"What did that monster do to you?" He whispers, horrified, "Does it… still hurt?"

I shake my head, "No, they are old, years old."

He signs in frustration, moving to stand behind me, "That bastard how dare he hurt you. But I thought… why? Why did he? I thought you said… I thought he just kept you locked up with our daughter?"

I take a breath, still not looking at him as I explain, "It happened when he first took me. He was angry he had lost my wings and he took that rage out on me. He thought I knew why he failed and obviously I didn't but he didn't believe me. So he…" I cringe, "So he tortured me to try and get it out of me. He didn't stop, kept torturing me until I would pass out from the pain."

"Oh Katrina." He whispers, still horrified

"He kept going until one day he lost it, cut me deeply across my stomach, and had to get doctors in to save me. It's how I found I was pregnant, I nearly miscarried. I nearly lost our daughter." I feel tears in my eyes, "The only good thing was after that he never touched me again but still, he left his marks."

He puts his arms around me, "Katrina why didn't you tell me?"

I let the tears fall, "Because I was ashamed of what that man did to me. He tortured me in every way possible and has scarred my body for life. Tarnished me, took away my beauty and I knew you would start blaming yourself for what he did to me. Start beating yourself up when it's not your fault and I didn't want you to suffer anymore." The tears are silent, "It's why I didn't want to tell you."

He is silent for a moment, processing what I just said but he keeps his arms around me. My back against his chest and I'm enveloped in his embrace. He's impossible to resist and I rest against him as I calm down. His presence soothing and it makes me relax.

"I wished you had told me but I see why you didn't as you're right, I am beating myself. I hate that he hurt you and that I didn't save you. I didn't protect you." He kisses me on the head, "But right now I am angry at him for what he did to you. How dare he hurt my wife, torturing you, and scarring you. I'm now incredibly pleased he is being executed in the morning. He is paying for hurting you and he won't do it again. I promise you."

I nod, wiping my tears away, "But still, it's too late. He has already scared my body and took away my beauty. I look horrible."

He growls, "Don't you dare think that for a second. You don't look horrible and nor has he ruined your beauty. You are beautiful, just the way you are, scars or no scars. You are still the gorgeous angel that I fell in love with. The woman I love." He then adds, a hint of mischief in his voice, "But still, that man should not leave a permanent mark on your body. I will just have to do something about them."

This surprises me and I'm about to turn around in his arms to ask him what he means when I see his hands are glowing green. He puts them on my stomach, right above the mark and I feel his magic on my skin. I immediately feel his magic going through my whole body, up and down my arms and down my back as well as my stomach. My whole body is glowing green and I am in total shock. Is he doing what I think he is doing? Is he making my scars fade? Healing me?

I get my answer when he stops using his magic and my body stops glowing as I look at myself. I find myself pulling out of his embrace, moving forward as I look at my arms and stomach. All the scars have vanished and I can see in the mirror that the whip marks on my lower back are gone as well. He just healed me, removed every single scar from my body and it was like they were never there. They are not even faded, just healed, gone. I'm in pure shock and yet I couldn't be more relieved. I hated them on my body and I am so pleased they are gone. Loki just got rid of them and I had no idea he could do that. Wait… how did he do that? He could never heal scars like that before.

Slowly I turn to face him, feeling my arms and relieved not to feel or see the scars. I look at Loki and he is smiling at me, with a mischievous smile dancing on his lips. While I am just in pure shock, speechless, and not sure what to think.

"How… how did you?" I look at him, "You… you healed me."

He smiles, "Well there was no way I was letting that man leave a mark on you, not even one on your body. And it just so happens I have improved with my healing spells over the years, even learned how to get rid of scars, of all shapes and forms." He moves forward, taking my hands, "But still, you will always look beautiful to me, always."

I stare at him, still amazed, "You are incredible."

"So are you." He moves his hand to my cheek, wiping away any tears, "You are amazing and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing. And yes he hurt you but you protected yourself and survived. You did everything to fight against that monster, to protect yourself, to protect our daughter." He puts his arms around me, "Please don't hate yourself for what he did. You are amazing and strong and brave. It's thanks to you we have the family we dreamt of. So please, you don't need to hide anything from me nor do you need to be brave. You're not alone anymore, you have me and you're perfect. My brave angel."

This makes me smile and I feel a sense of relief wash over me, the pain of everything going away with the scars. I feel myself relax and I give into his embrace, moving in his arms so I'm up against him, my head resting on his bare chest. He holds me tightly and I feel his arms wrap around me, not letting me go.

"Is there anything else on your mind?" He asks me, "Anything at all?"

Instantly I think of Tony, "Yeah there is one thing but it's nothing to do with Kai. I was hoping before the coronation tomorrow, that I can go to Tony's grave? I need to say goodbye."

"Of course, we will all go. You deserve to say goodbye properly." He kisses me on the forehead, "But are you sure you are ok? You have been through so much and now Tony…"

"I am, I really am." I reassure him, "I'm finally with my loving husband who still continues after all this time to surprise me. I still can't believe you healed all my scars. I thought I would be stuck with them forever or at least until they faded."

He pulls away slightly so he can rest his head against mine, "It was the least I could, to remove the pain he inflicted and I would do anything for my wife. To make her happy."

This makes me smile and I lean in and kiss him. He kisses me back as I wrap an arm around his neck and rest my hand on his bare chest. The kiss is gentle but loving, with so much passion behind it that it's intoxicating. Slowly heating up as he deepens the kiss, putting his hand on my waist as the other begins cupping my breast. His touch is electrifying and I find myself moaning against his lips, running my hands over his bare chest and fiddling with his hair. The feelings inside of me are stirring and I want him this time. No interruptions.