w days, people saw little or nothing of Clodagh, she would be spotted from time to time in the gardens, but she seemed to actively seek places away from others. Her father and Lydia waited, as did her siblings and the Aesir royal family. The only ones that really saw her were Huginn and Muninn, and they seemed to understand her need to be away from other people and did not show their master the elf that seemed to love spoiling them with attention and the occasional bit of food.

Loki watched longingly from afar, he wanted nothing more than to be around her, to help her through processing her whole situation, but he forced himself to remain a step back, to give her the space she needed, as hard as it was for him.

'Brother, care to spar?' Thor asked in good humour one afternoon.

'No, not today.'

'You've done nothing since Clodagh has rejected you.'

'She didn't reject me, she is taking time to deal with issues that have arisen in her life in that aspect and others.'

'Meaning?'

'There has finally been a breakthrough in the wall between herself and Sika, it is causing her to have to question a lot in herself so she is taking a few days to deal with it all, adding to that, she is worried as to what would be expected of her were she to be my wife.'

'Well, we can start small, like not hitting me.' Thor stated lowly.

'Don't grab small animals from her then.' Loki warned.

'They really like her, don't they? Father said his ravens spend more time with her than him, they figured out how to unlock the window to get out to her, Mother has to use her seidr to lock them in.'

'She has that effect.'

'So, how long before she accepts or declines?'

'Only she can answer that.'

Thor clapped his shoulder. 'I hope you get your answer soon, Brother.'

Thor wandered the side garden for no reason in particular, he needed air but the training grounds were being used for drills for the Einherjar, forcing him to seek other areas to fit his requirements. He meandered through it aimlessly, just killing time when he paused and stared open-mouthed at what he was seeing in front of him.

'Just look at Muninn, see how he stretches his wings, Muninn, don't be a sourpuss, show her properly, it's not like she is going to use flight to steal your perch, you silly boy.'

Thor watched as Clodagh help up a tiny bird next to his father's raven, the raven stretching its wings as she requested.

'See, that's not hard, you do it.' The bird did as she asked also. 'Well done. Rabble, you're a duck, you can fly but you are too lazy to do it, I have seen you, so do not play coy.' There were a few quacks at that. 'Mortimer, what will we do with him?' She laughed before Thor caught her eye. 'Hi.'

'You are like something from a storybook.' Thor commented.

'What do you mean?'

'The way you talk to them, they understand you, it's odd to see. It is like stories from childhood, more like you are a faerie than an elf.'

Clodagh found herself laughing at the thought. 'I am not a faerie, though that would be fun, I would think.'

'It would be dangerous,' She cocked her head slightly as she looked at Thor. 'Loki is known for his mischief, so too are faeries, a creature born of both….' He chuckled, but Clodagh bit her lips together. 'Are you going to decline my brother?'

'I...I don't want to.'

'But?'

'I fear I am not suited to him.'

'Do you know, before I met you, I resigned my brother to never meet anyone to his liking?' She looked at him sceptically. 'No, honestly. I knew he could never have a conventional wife, it would not be in his nature, he needed someone as unique and unconventional as him, seeing you like this, as your true self, it makes me relieved that he will have what he so rightfully deserves, a woman after his own heart.' She said nothing in return, Thor looked at the small bird that was imitating the ravens. 'What's wrong with it?'

'A hawk killed its mother, I have not seen a male one here, so it doesn't know how to fly, it needs instruction, so of course, the ravens are the best assistants for that.'

'Huginn is not being a good aid?'

'Huginn is off on a message for the Allfather, Muninn here is not obliging as much as he should.'

'You can tell them apart?'

'You can't?'

'No,' Thor looked at the raven, who seemed indignant at his response.

'They are completely different, different colourings, different personalities.'

'They are both black ravens.'

'Huginn has a tint of green and purple to his wings, Muninn here, has blue and pink.' She explained as though it was as clear as day.

'Uh-huh.' Thor looked at her confused. She just gave a small shrug back. 'How likely are you to accept Loki?'

'Why do you ask?'

'I am worried for my brother, I know you declining will crush him, he clearly loves you.' she frowned. 'I am not trying to guilt you, you can only make a choice in this life that is right for you, but I would like to know for my brother's sake.'

'You'd want to help him through.'

'Yes, I would.'

'I want to say yes, I love him more than words…'

'But?'

'I am so scared I will ruin everything.'

'We can stay as we are and risk nothing in life, but then we risk experiencing nothing, if we risk, we risk failure, but we also can risk being happier than we ever thought possible.'

'Those are some very wise words.'

'Loki said them to me, when he told me he was going to ask for your hand.' Clodagh looked at him shocked. 'He is willing to risk his heart for you. All I ask is you put him out of his misery, one way or another. I know you are dealing with things you are not willing to discuss, but think of this, Loki is a sensitive being, seidr is only able to manifest in a being that is such. For the last five days, he has been wondering if the elf he has given his heart to is going to make him the happiest Aesir alive or crush his heart, think how that is affecting him.'

'You're a good brother, even if you can be a bit self-obsessed from time to time.'

'We all have our faults.' Thor shrugged. 'Is that the same hedgehog?'

'Yes, that's Morti.'

'I thought Loki said you released him.'

'I did, but he's not doing too well.'

'What will happen with him?'

'I may have to look after him permanently. His eye is getting worse and the other eye isn't looking good.'

Thor looked at the prickled creature. 'Poor guy, he's actually sort of cute.'

'Yes, they are, aren't they?' She smiled affectionately, looking down at the hedgehog. 'He loves Loki too.'

'Loki always liked animals, not like you though, I didn't think anyone could like animals as you do.'

'I am a special case.'

'Indeed.' Thor gave a smile to show his jesting. 'I will see you again soon, hopefully I will be preparing to call you Sister, and will enjoy your company as such, your brothers sing your praises so well, I think they are saddened to see you and Amelia depart, but considering the joy you bring both my brother and one of my closest friends, I am glad you are both here, and that you will have one another's company often with your matches.'

Clodagh paused. 'We would, wouldn't we?'

'You had not thought of that?' She shook her head. 'Were Loki and I to have had to seek our spouses on a basis as you both did, I would think it would be something I would realise and aim for.'

'I hadn't thought of it.' She admitted, but a small smile came to her face as she did. 'Thank you, you have made a decision a slight bit easier.'

'You are going to say yes?' Thor smiled.

'I was scared of being here, facing this alone, but the knowledge that at least, on occasion, I will have my sister as well as Loki, it makes it all the easier.'

'There are no better words you could say, I am elated.' Thor beamed.

'You're going to gloat you helped this, aren't you?'

'It's not a lie.' Thor pointed out.

'I can see why you and Loki clash horns, you are two troublemakers.' she scoffed.

Clodagh went in search of Loki, but to her surprise, she could not find him. She was about to see if the Allfather or Allmother knew where their son was when she bumped into Liam, the youngest of her brothers.

'Clods, just who I was looking for.'

'What's the alibi, and what am I covering for?' She asked, her arms folded.

'As much as I love knowing you always have my back, not today.' He grinned. 'Father wants you.'

'Good or bad?' She asked worriedly.

'Dunno, he said just find you and get you to come to the throne room.' Liam explained.

'The throne room, the Allfather's one?'

'Well, he hardly means the one in Alfheim.' Liam scoffed.

They went to the room, Clodagh becoming uneasy as she noticed not only her father, Lydia and her siblings there but also Loki and his parents. 'Have I…?'

'Norns Clodagh, will you ever cease thinking you have done something to warrant worry.' Lydia scolded. 'The only time you have been corrected in your life is for this sort of self-correction.'

'Then….?'

'We need to discuss a matter with you.' Sika stated plainly.

'Is it to do with my decision, because I wanted to talk to Loki about that in private first.'

'Really?' Loki looked at her, scared to hope she had decided.

'Yes, I was looking for you when Liam found me.' She explained.

'No, it is not to do with that, though I think everyone is glad to hear that much will be dealt with soon.' Lydia gave an encouraging smile. 'It is...well, Sika.'

Sika cleared his throat, looking uncertainly at Clodagh. 'The Allfather and I were speaking. As you are my daughter not by marriage, like your brothers and sister.' Clodagh swallowed at that, even though it was no secret, it still hurt to hear it said. 'I want to have you in equal standing, officially. I explained to you already that...well, you know.'

'But it cannot...bastards can't be made legitimate.' Clodagh pointed out. Everyone's faces altered slightly at her use of that word, ranging from sad to angry.

'I told you, do not use that word.' Sika barked.

'Indeed, I have told you also.' Frigga added sternly, 'Loki?'

'It goes without saying.'

'Not saying it does not make it any less of a fact.' She argued.

'I will not have that word used in my throne room.' Odin growled, ending all discussion on that particular discussion. 'You are King Sika's daughter by blood, not Queen Lydia's.' Clodagh looked sadly to Lydia, showing how she wished it was a false claim. 'But your father wants it that you can be.'

Clodagh stared at the Allfather then to her father, confused. 'How?'

'Legally, Lydia can claim you as her daughter, you are orphaned, technically, because of Genevieve's passing as she did. When you came to the palace, though we had you tended to, you did not formally get recognised.' Sika explained.

'I gathered as much.'

'And as such your parents were never declared.' Sika explained further.

Clodagh frowned, her brow knitted together as she processed what he was saying. 'So, if you have the Recognition take place and call Lydia my mother….how does that affect everything, Lydia was pregnant with Amelia?'

'We do not claim me as your biological mother, Genevieve is your mother, no one should ever take that from her, even posthumously. We can, however, state that as you were an infant, so vulnerable and in need of a mother, that I took the role.' Lydia explained. 'It means a small fib on our behalf, but it does legitimise you. Apparently a few generations ago, the Queen turned out to be barren so she and her King had a mistress of sorts to carry their young but to legitimise them, there had to be a rule change. Since the queen raised the child and it was of official bloodlines, it could be allowed.'

'But where is the fib?' Clodagh frowned, trying to understand what angle everyone else was on.

'About Lydia raising you.' Sika explained.

'But she did raise me. Well, her and my maids, but all of us had them.' Clodagh pointed out. 'She had my clothes chosen, my lessons, she was there for all of the firsts I can remember, she taught me about puberty, she taught me to deal with all of that, I felt as embarrassed as my siblings when she tried to sing, is that not what a mother is, someone to guide and often times embarrass you?'

There was a stunned silence from the monarchs and grins and nods of concurrence from the younger royals. 'She has you all there, see, it's been a formality all along.' Eoin laughed.

'Indeed.' Odin chuckled. 'Well, it seems we have that sorted.' He turned to Clodagh. 'So long as you are satisfied with it?'

'I...guess?' Clodagh felt herself becoming somewhat concerned with it all again.

'You are not going hiding for another week,' Diarmaid commented, 'Seriously, it's been long enough. Forget finding yourself, you could have found ice on Nidavellir in that time.'

'Diarmaid.' Lydia scolded.

Clodagh smiled at her brother, the most sarcastic of them, he always made her laugh. She noted too that Loki was looking at her, when she looked at him, she could see the silent prayer in his features, he wanted nothing more than for her to say yes, but he seemed ready for no. Part of her thought to ask that they go somewhere quiet and talk, but she thought too of Thor's words, and how she was forcing Loki to wait on, uncertain as to where he stood and how it was unfair on him. So instead of wasting any further time, and putting Loki out of misery, she walked over to him and stood beside him, putting her hand in his and looking at him sheepishly. For a moment, Loki stared at her before closing his grip slightly and holding her hand, a genuine smile on his face, pulling her against him, gently.