Loki stood in front of the door trying very hard not to fidget and just open the bloody thing. Dinner was approaching and he would have to see his wife there. Much better to settle things privately before than endure an uncomfortable public diner only to wind up in the same place after.
The normally analytical Loki knew this.
The husband who wanted desperately to please his wife was scared to death.
Finally he pushed open the door and strode in, taking his time to close it before he turned to face her.
She was sitting at her dressing table, brushing her golden hair. To his immense relief she smiled over her shoulder at him. "Hello husband."
"Wife," he greeted, coming over to kiss her forehead, then looked in her eyes in the mirror. "I'm sorry. Something about the thought of you in here with him…"
She shook her head, stood to put her hands on his cheeks and bring his eyes to hers. "You still fear I'll decide he's superior to you?"
"Everyone else has."
She pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes, and he felt the tickle in the back of his mind grow. It was like a flower, a warmth flowing through him. He felt such a connection, such overwhelming…love, he finally named it. His brows knit. "Are you doing that?"
"It's what I feel for you." She pulled back to look into his eyes. "Every time I lay eyes on you I feel like my heart could burst." She pressed his hand to her heart. "I have faith in you. I trust you." She leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you husband."
"I…" He fumbled for the foreign word.
"It's all right," she assured him. "I know how you feel." She stepped away from him suddenly, glancing at the long piece of fabric looped over his arm. "And what is this?"
He smiled, leading her over to the full length mirror. "My mother had a jacket, just like this." He held it up, and guided her arms into it. "I remember her sweeping down the halls in it with such grace." He smoothed the collar down. Instead of a hood it swept down over her shoulders. The arms were long and full, coming down nearly to her fingers. "I thought no one ever looked more like a Queen." She spun and it fell to brush just over the floor, almost like a train.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, hands running over the design. It had patterns cut out of it to let the fabric beneath show through.
"I couldn't decide whether to do my green or your blue, so I thought the black would fit either way, and the other could show through."
"It's amazing. I'm honored."
"Good." He pulled her back into his arms. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"
She paused. "Well, if you want my forgiveness, there's something I would like very much."
"What is that exactly?"
She looked up into his eyes. "Sif."
"Deara, I had hoped that would be a passing fancy."
"Nothing has changed. I'm still surrounded by Asgardian men who see me as a conqueror. They could choose to take their frustrations out on me. I would feel better with a woman at my back."
"Deara," he said, tilting her head to look into her eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to you. No one is going to touch you. Ever."
"You can't be with me every moment."
"They know I would kill anyone that dared. And you're surrounded by men loyal to you. You don't think a Sheerdan would do such a thing, do you?"
"No." She laughed. "No man would. Sheerdan law is any man touches a woman without permission has the body part he used removed."
"Then no one would dare."
"History would suggest otherwise."
"Well I swear to you, on my life, on our child's, no one will touch you." She looked up at him with large eyes and he sighed. "Very well. If it makes you feel better you may have her as a guard."
A grin lit her face. "Thank you husband." He leaned down, expecting a quick peck on the lips. Instead she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a deeper kiss, stepping back toward the bed.
He stumbled after her, pulling back to raise an eyebrow. "Deara, what are you doing?"
"We have time before dinner. I want to thank you properly."
"Is this that thing, where you reward me for good behavior? Because I'm not a pet."
"Seems like it depends on the reward." She shrugged delicately and turned away from him. "But if you don't wish to-"
She squealed with laughter as strong arms caught her up from behind and carried her to the bed. "Little minx," he whispered into her ear before kissing her into oblivion.
"Your new guard is glaring at me," Loki said as he chewed his lunch.
Deara turned to see Sif lounging against the wall and glaring pointedly at him, not batting an eyelash at the attention.
Deara shrugged. "She may glare to her heart's content, as long as her sword is in service of your wife and child. Speaking of which, we HAVE to announce the coming baby. Sheerdan babies arrive quickly. The maids have already let out my laces as much as they can. They're becoming suspicious. I've said it's the wonderful Asgardian food but that excuse will only last so long."
"So tell them. It doesn't mean we have to make a general announcement."
"As soon as the maids know the whole palace will be buzzing."
"And I should be concerned because?"
"Because then the royals will be insulted they weren't properly told. Let's just do it tonight at dinner. We don't have to throw a party. We can just announce it."
He sighed heavily. "Very well, you win." He glanced up at her. "You seem to do a lot of that."
She grinned at him. "It's your job to spoil your wife, is it not?"
"As you say. At least we can finally find out if it's a boy or a girl."
"No you can't," she said, pointing with the fruit she was devouring. "And don't you dare go behind my back to find out. It's bad luck."
He shook his head. "So superstitious. Unfortunately I have to go so I can't debate with you at the moment." He rose and kissed her cheek, pausing to look her in the eye. "You drive me crazy, woman."
"That's my job," she answered cheerfully.
"Has the council been giving you any more trouble?"
"Not a bit. They tried at first but I think they've realized it's easier just to give in."
"That's my girl." He shook his head and bent again to peck her lips before running a hand down her face and finally making for the door."Have a good day. Guard her well, Sif," he added on his way out.
Deara smiled at Sif, then motioned toward the chair he'd vacated. "Come sit. Would you like any?"
"I already ate."
"That doesn't mean it isn't good. Surely you could manage a bit more." Sif grudgingly settled into the chair Loki had just vacated as Deara munched thoughtfully. "How much do you know about Asgardian law?"
"I lived by it. I was never all that interested in the making of it, if that's what you mean."
"You weren't interested?" Sif nodded her agreement. "Do you know what Asgardian law said about a woman who was molested?"
"I never needed that particular law," she groused.
"It wasn't strictly speaking a crime. Her husband was to be reimbursed for his loss, or her father her dowry. No punishment. No pain for him. He can go on exactly as he was before. That is your law. That is the law you and your sisters and mothers live under. Did that not trouble you?" She looked at her. "I couldn't live in such a place that would allow that sort of treatment for my sisters."
"But you can live with HIM?"
She chuckled. "Did that look unpleasant? He's very sweet."
"I've never seen him like that," she admitted. "What is this hold you have over him? Some odd Sheerdan thing? Does it come from you marrying him?"
"I'm sure that's part of it," she admitted. "But I'd like to think he's under there. I…center him. Keep him grounded. At the very least he's happy."
"He seems to be." Sif picked up a nut and popped it in her mouth. "He is a master of lies. You don't believe he's fooling you?"
"I can't think of any reason he would. He could tell me he's furious and send me away. He's King. The army is his. He doesn't need me. He didn't need to join me for lunch, or agree to let you out. So why is he doing it?"
"His motives are never that obvious."
Deara knocked once on the table. "Let me know when you figure it out. I need to go visit my sisters. Brace yourself."
He returned hours later, sweaty and bruised from another session with his warriors. Some of the outer worlds were whispering treason with the Allfather still asleep, and he knew sooner or later he would have to quash the rebellion. At least he found the practices far more pleasing when he was the unquestioned leader.
He nodded to the guards as he opened the door and let himself in. The sisters were poised on chairs in front of the balcony doors, on the edge of their seats clapping and calling to the other end of the room. He stepped in and turned with a fond smile on his face, and froze.
Deara was hunched away from Sif who had her in a strong grip.
Loki didn't think, he just moved, pulling Sif off and pinning her against the wall. "What are you doing?" he snarled into Sif's face.
Eyes wide she struggled against him, eyes shifting behind him. "Deara, stop laughing and call him off!"
Loki glanced over his shoulder to see Deara nearly collapsing in giggles. Loki's confused glance returned to Sif. "Deara?"
"It's okay," she gasped. "You can let her go." When he didn't move she stepped forward to tug at his arm. "She wasn't attacking me. Not really."
Reluctantly Loki let her go, turning to his wife. "What is this?"
"She's teaching me to defend myself."
"Why would you need to learn such rudimentary tactics? You can pin anyone to the wall in a moment."
She shrugged, leaning into the arms that firmly wrapped around her. "My power comes from my people. If we're separated I'm weak as any other woman. It seemed prudent to learn to defend myself." She nodded to the girls who had turned bright red and were purposely not looking at the couple. "Those two are next."
"That is nigh impossible," Sif asserted, moving across the room to take a drink. "They are no warriors."
"I have faith in you," she said. "All right, everyone out," she asserted, motioning the girls toward the door. "Go get ready for dinner. And thank you, Sif. You can go for the night. You've more than earned it after being assaulted by my husband."
Sif didn't see a thing on her walk down to the cell, escorted by guards. All she could see was Loki, arms wrapped around the woman, eyes closed as if the feeling was overwhelming.
Was it possible? she wondered as she stepped up into the cell.
"Sif?" Thor finally said, pulling her out of her reverie. She blinked, looking into the faces around her. "Is everything all right?" her prince asked.
"Yes, I think so." She chewed on a thumb nail as she sat down.
"What was he like?"
She didn't have to ask who he meant. "Different. Very very different."
"How?" Thor asked.
"I think…I think he might actually LOVE her."
"You think he's capable of that?" his friend asked, earning a glare from Thor.
"If you'd seen what I've seen…I think so."
"What do you think of her?"
"She seems nice." Sif shrugged. "She may be nothing more than better at this game than him."
"What do your instincts say?" Thor asked.
She scratched her head. "We better do this soon. I don't know how much longer I'll be willing to betray her."
"There is one other rub, What the hell are we going to do with the baby?"
Thor shrugged. "We'll figure something out."
"Thor, what are you thinking?" Sif asked. When he opened his mouth she added, "And don't try to tell me you haven't been considering it."
"I could…well it will be a prince. Maybe, I mean until I have children of my own, no reason I couldn't be there for them. Even put them in the line of succession. Until, you know, my own come along."
Sif groaned. "Loki would love that. You offer them the throne until someone you deem fit comes along? No irony there."
"And there's another point. What are you going to do with Loki?"
"Put him here. Father can deal with him when he wakes."
"If he wakes."
"One problem at a time," Sif sighed. "You should see them. It's absolutely sickening."