Asgard celebrated Thor's coronation with a week of feasting. Brynja and Loki held off their announcement, but began to talk in secret about their own relationship and the possibility of marriage. It seemed as though something had been resolved in their life- one chapter of Loki's ambitions ended- and he felt more free to act independently, no longer always under someone's eye as a successor to the throne, the temptation finally out of reach.
Brynja kept out of the public eye as often as possible in order to keep her pregnancy secret. She saw Freyja to make sure everything was progressing normally, Loki eagerly sitting by her for every examination, asking Freyja to tell him what every touch meant and how the baby was growing. The day that he first noticed the swell of her abdomen as she lay beside him at night, he was absolutely enthralled, his fingers tracing the gentle bump, remembering the feel of Sleipnir moving inside him and marvelling that he had created that feeling in his own beloved.
As the child grew, Loki continued to be in awe of Brynja's body and the emotional strength she displayed as her body changed. His touch was light, gentle, and worshipful. Freyja watched the interactions that happened in her presence and was amazed at how involved Loki wanted to be in every aspect of the pregnancy and caring for Brynja.
Brynja was barely showing when she and Loki called Frigga, Odin, Thor, Katja, and Sunny to the library and told them the news. Frigga's hands flew to her face as she cried out in excitement. She threw her arms around both Loki and Brynja, kissing their cheeks and congratulating them while peppering them with questions about how Brynja was feeling and if they had thought of names for the child. Odin shook Loki's hand, congratulating him heartily, and hugged his daughter when he finally could get Frigga to release her. Thor clapped Loki on the back and asked if he wanted the news released to the realm yet. Loki shook his head, asking that they not let the word go beyond the family until it was obvious that Brynja was pregnant. Katja and Sunny both hugged their mother and tried not to squeak from their excitement. Frigga was so thrilled that she invited Brynja to immediately come with her to the royal tailor for maternity garments. Brynja declined, needing her rest, and Loki escorted her back to their chambers tucking her into bed and calling to a servant to bring them dinner.
While Brynja rested in the evenings, Loki and she dreamed about a wedding. Neither of them wanted the elaborate ceremony that they knew their family would want to give them. Brynja had a dress she hoped would fit, given to her by an old woman she had buried in Midgard in their 1970s. Loki wanted something simple as well, and both of them wanted Sunny and Katja involved in the ceremony. Neither of them, however, had set a date, and no formal proposal was made. They both understood that it would happen, they would have their wedding, but they liked not having to commit to a date or answer questions from family yet.
When Brynja went into labour, Loki sat by her side, brought her water, food, cool damp cloths to wipe her forehead and arms to hold when she wanted to hang on him. Though he had cut Sleipnir from himself without help, he knew that those contractions, once they began, were not something to trifle with. He called for servants to fetch Freyja and to bring more fruit and water to sustain Brynja. He cradled her when she needed to be cradled, he kissed her and brushed her hair from her face, gently comforting her and reassuring her when things were so intense she pleaded him to just rip the child from her. Freyja sat back and watched, making sure everything about the labour looked normal and let the couple work through the birth of their child together.
Freyja brought a labour stool for Brynja and helped her get on it, coaching Loki on how to catch the child as it emerged into the world. He wrapped the baby in a soft blanket while Freyja tended to Brynja. He was grinning ear to ear, tears in his eyes, as he met his child. Once Brynja was moved to the bed, he brought the baby to her.
Freyja sat with them as he handed the little bundle to Brynja and curled up next to her, "So, Loki, who is this little one?" Freyja asked.
"A little boy," he said, speaking through happy tears, "We have a son."
The tiny baby latched onto Brynja's breast and snuggled against her as he nursed for the first time. Exhausted, Brynja smiled as she looked down at the little one. Freyja patted Brynja's hand and quietly left the room, allowing the little family time to get to know one another. She took the news to Frigga, Odin, Thor, Sunny, and Katja, who were waiting in the library. She encouraged them to let Brynja rest and wait for the morning to visit and to make sure that they did not all arrive at once.
That night, Brynja and Loki looked on their little son with awe. Loki kept one arm around Brynja and let his other hand rest gently on the tiny bundle cuddled up to her. He kissed Brynja and his son on the forehead and poured his heart into every little motion of care for them. Brynja was asleep for much of the night, as was the little one, but Loki could not sleep, continually in awe of what had happened and how grateful he was to have been able to be a part of it. When he finally did feel weary, the sunlight was just coming over the horizon and he snuggled down close to his family, his heart full.
When both Loki and Brynja woke, he called for breakfast and they began to talk about what to name the little person in their care. Brynja liked Midgardian names, but Loki wanted something more traditional for his son. He kept calling the child a little gift.
Brynja asked him a question, "This is the first time you have held a child so new?"
"A child that looks like us, yes. I did hold a very little Sleipnir, but he was not a child I deeply wanted and I did not savour the moment as I should have. This is the first little one that I have fallen in love with in this way. A little blessing, the child I have been waiting for."
She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms, "Amundr."
He tilted his head, "His name?"
She nodded, "It means bridal gift- something precious to be given to someone beloved. I think it fits." Brynja kissed Loki's cheek as he stroked the child's hair.
Loki tried out the name, "Is that who you are? Amundr?"
Brynja shifted as Loki curled up beside her, "I wonder whose eyes he'll have?" she asked.
"Well he certainly has my dark hair, but it curls, like yours," Loki replied, "I think he looks like you."
She laughed quietly, "And here I thought he looked like you."
There was a soft knock on the door and Loki got up to answer. Odin and Frigga had come to meet their first grandchild. Odin beamed at the little boy as Brynja gently shifted the child into Frigga's arms.
"What did you name him?" Odin asked.
"Amundr," Loki replied.
Odin gently took the child in his arms, "Amundr Lokison...may you be blessed with long life and great wisdom."
Loki was deep in thought as Frigga asked her daughter how she was feeling, "Like I've been hit by a truck, Mother. Loki's done a wonderful job making sure I stay resting."
"And you? How are you doing?"
"Still in shock that any force in the universe would let a child bear my name."
Odin carefully laid Amundr in Loki's arms and then placed a hand on his shoulder, "You have proven yourself a fine father for my granddaughters. You will do well with this little one as well."
Loki was quiet when he replied, "Thank you, Allfather."
As another knock came at the door and Odin went to answer it, Frigga said, "We won't keep you long. You all need your rest. Please ask if you need anything."
They left as Sunny and Katja came to meet their little brother.
Sunny sat down on the bed across from Loki, "Can I hold him?" she asked. Loki placed the child in her arms and she gazed lovingly at the sleeping child, "You, little one, are the most adorable child I think I've ever laid eyes on."
Katja plopped down beside her, "Yep. Cutest kid ever. Sorry, Sunny, you're place as most darling of us has been usurped by this little bundle." She looked to her mother, "Does he have a name yet?"
Brynja nodded, "Amundr."
Sunny offered the child to Katja, "Do you want to hold him?"
Katja shook her head, "No thanks, I think I'd drop him. I'll just look at him from over here for a while."
The girls talked to their little brother and largely ignored their parents for the better part of the hour. Brynja fell asleep as they spent time with the baby and Loki tucked the blankets up around her and rested next to her.
When the sisters were ready to leave, Sunny handed the baby back to Loki, "He's beautiful," she smiled at him, "And you'll be a great father to him. Don't worry, you can do this." She went to catch up to Katja before he could respond.
Loki held Amundr close to his heart as he settled against Brynja, "I hope I do right by you, little one."
After lunch, Brynja nursed Amundr and then went back to sleep, leaving Loki again cuddled with his son; there was a knock on the door and he answered to find Thor on the other side. He invited him in and they sat together at the foot of the bed while Brynja slept. Thor said little, asking only what the child was called. When Loki offered to let him hold Amundr, Thor accepted and cradled the tiny baby against his broad frame. Amundr yawned and briefly woke, quickly falling back asleep.
Thor smiled, "He looks so much like both of you did when you were babies. Brynja with her wispy curls, you with your head of dark hair. I held you more than her, as she is closer to my age, but still. I remember you both as children."
Loki nodded, "He will be much loved. His grandparents were quite taken by him this morning. His sisters, too, though Katja is afraid she'll break him if she holds him."
"And you? What do you think of this little person?" Thor asked.
"I love him deeply, am in awe of him, and do not know how I will ever raise him, though both Odin and Sunny seem to think I will be a fine father," Loki replied.
Thor examined his brother, watching his body language, his eyes, and listening for the tone of his voice, "Loki, you are the hardest person on yourself. You have always been convinced you couldn't be great, that you would never become anything because you were the thinker of the two of us, not the fighter. You never valued your own skills and instead compared yourself to others to whom you would never be like and called yourself a failure. Know this, Little Brother, you can raise this child. You can raise him well. And if he is a warrior and not a thinker, you can begin him on his journey to being a great one and support him as he seeks out other teachers. If he is a thinker and not a warrior, you can engage him in deep conversations and seek out others for him to converse with to broaden his horizons. You can make him feel valued no matter where his skills lay, whether in thought, in magic, or in shows of strength. And if this child is like you and shows Jotun traits, you will love him none the less and he will still feel a part of this family. We have all learned from what you have gone through. Father included."
Loki smiled, "Thank you, Thor."
Thor handed Amundr back to Loki, "Get some rest, Little Brother. You look very tired. There will always be time for visiting later."
After he left, Loki placed Amundr on the bed and went to the desk to write the child a letter. There were some things a father ought to tell his son, Loki thought, even if not until many years down the road.