Loki and Clodagh could hardly recall most of their wedding day, it was a blur. So much had to be done and so many faces were there that they could not remember between them who they did and did not speak with. She stood with her husband for the majority of the day, needing his support, feeling as though she was somewhat out of place, but Loki reminded her, again and again, she was as deserving of her place and that he loved her dearly.
Her brothers were jesting with Loki any chance they could get, while also threatening to bury him if he hurt their little sister. Loki knew that Hogun got the same threats, so he accepted them, feeling as though he was being accepted into the family through them.
Clodagh and Amelia were more often talking about the baby than the wedding. 'I get to see her first, hopefully.'
'It will take you longer to get back here than mother and father from Alfheim, she won't get to see her aunt as much as I thought she would.'
'I know,' Clodagh hugged her as close as her belly would allow. 'We'll see each other though, and you can bring her to visit me when she is a little older.'
'I can't believe you and Loki are literally just going hiding in the wild.'
Clodagh laughed, 'That's not what we are doing and you know it. You know yourself from Hogun, both Loki and myself are not suited to here, he is not happy either.'
'I know, he found you and you validated his own feelings that being royal means having to be a certain way.' Amelia stated sadly. 'I'll miss you.'
'Yeah, I'll miss you too.' She pulled her sister close. 'Thank you, Meils. None of this would have happened if you did not shove me, kicking and screaming here.'
'You came so far, it's weird to watch in some ways, you're still my sister, just so much happier, more at ease with you.'
'Girls?' The pair turned to see Lydia behind them. 'Are you alright?'
'Just talking about how you are officially free of us all now Mother, now Clods is married.' Amelia smiled.
'A mother's job is never done, even if my last baby has grown up and left me.'
'Amelia's younger, she's your baby.' Clodagh smiled.
'Eoin is as much my baby as you two are.'
'Haha, Eoin's a baby.' Amelia joked.
'You are as much of a child as the one in you.' Lydia scolded, causing both girls to laugh. 'And speaking of childbearing and related acts, you need to go with your husband now.' Lydia looked to Clodagh, who smiled back at her. 'You are so deserving of this happiness.'
Clodagh pulled Lydia to her. 'Thank you for everything. I know Genevieve birthed me, but you, you will always be Mother to me.'
Lydia pulled her closer and tried to stop herself from weeping. Since Sika had declared Clodagh of his line, Lydia had openly done in public what she did all Clodagh's life in private, acted as though she was her daughter. The irony of it all was everyone realised that there was no change in the woman's treatment of Sika's lovechild, she was treated as she was before. Clodagh, however, began to give her the title of Mother, something that filled the Elven queen with pride. Sika, on the other hand, slowly, and on more than one occasion, awkwardly, started to be inserted into her life. He spent time with her, learning her as to just about her, as well as spending time with Loki, getting to know his soon to be son-in-law. He realised quickly that even Loki's words on his daughter did not do her justice. He adored all his children, but he realised Clodagh's purity was something indescribable, she truly was as precious as the river she was named after.
When she walked back to Loki, Clodagh knew that the room was filled with people, all looking at them, all making lewd comments and whistles, but all she could see was Loki, who was looking at her with the same look. After sticking to their morals, which were tested, they had remained without tearing the clothes off one another until their wedding, now all bets were off, the young newlyweds were anxiously awaiting for their lives together to begin. When she reached him, he smiled. 'Ready?'
'As you are.'
'Come on so.' He smiled, taking her hand in his.
The smaller palace in the country suited the pair perfectly. Loki's seidr thrived and Clodagh felt as though she belonged. Mortimer's blindness impeded him so greatly he became a permanent figure in the household, the royal couple even having a little bed in their rooms for him, though in the front part, Loki insisted a squeaking hedgehog was not conducive to a healthy marriage in the bedroom, an area of their marriage that they were learning more about often. Rua seemed to treat the palace as a place to go on occasion for an easy meal or cosy, the land surrounding it was filled with vixens, and come Spring, Loki and Clodagh were convinced there would be little Rua's infesting the realm en mass.
Not long into their time in the forests, they received word from the city, Mya Hogundoddir had graced the realm with her presence. They went back to the city for her naming, and as promised, Clodagh was the first of Amelia's family to meet the infant, but they left soon after again but returning as soon as Thor's wedding came around, the pair blatantly happy to be back amongst friends for a time, but their smiles showed their own contentment with their lives.
After a century, Odin decided that he was stepping down from the role of Allfather, he wanted to see out his old age without the stresses of ruling. His Odinsleeps were occurring more often, the Healers believing it was largely due to the stresses of ruling the realm. That required Loki returning to court to assist Thor. he was scared to tell Clodagh, who was content and happy with her life in the country, surrounded by animals.
He walked out to the gardens of the palace and looked at his wife, watching as she bottle fed a deer fawn. He felt guilty, he was about to ask her to leave a place that she was clearly happy in and go back to the prying world of court. With everything considered, he wondered if he could go for a time and return to her when it all settled, but the idea of being away from her for that length of time seemed torturous.
'Is it doing better?' He asked as he approached.
'This is her last bottle. She is old enough to get on without it now.' Clodagh smiled on seeing her husband. She watched as he remained slightly back. 'What is worrying you?'
'Thor is taking the throne.' Loki informed her. 'We are being asked to return.'
Clodagh looked down at her hands. 'Oh.'
'If you rather stay here, I understand.' He did not want to give her that option in some respects, he did not want her to be on another part of the realm.
'I can hardly stay here, so far from you, with all of this, can I?' She sighed. 'We knew this would not be forever, that we would have to return to the city sooner or later.'
'But you don't want to?'
Clodagh inhaled deeply. 'The day I took your hand in your father's throne room, I accepted our future, the day I swore my vows to you that I would be by your side, that I knew what that entailed. I accepted a marriage proposal from the Prince of Asgard, that means accepting the life that comes with it.'
'Do you hate me?'
'I never could.' Clodagh smiled lovingly. 'Help me up, we may as well pack.' Loki assisted her to her feet. 'This is going to be fun.'
'Why do I suspect that this is going to be half the reason you are unwilling to return?' Loki chuckled.
'Half? My dear husband, you have no idea.'
'It will not be that bad.'
'You will pack yourself and think that you are don, I will have to pack for me and deal with everything else in the palace that is required to come with us.'
Loki said nothing more, not wanting to concede she was more than likely right. 'Huginn and Muninn won't remember you.'
'Yes, they will, don't say such things.' Clodagh scoffed, recalling the way the two ravens reacted when she returned to the palace on their last visit, they seemed to think she was at risk of disappearing from their sight and were almost ignoring Odin for her.
'I hardly got any time alone with you because of them, and what they see, my father sees.'
'I hope not because there was one night that Huginn did see us when you and I…'
'Oh Norns, why are you telling me this?'
'I meant to say it to you at the time, but I got sidetracked.'
Loki grinned. 'Of course you did.'
'Let us prepare for this.'
Loki looked at Clodagh as she dozed against him in the carriage, she was lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking as it moved. He worried about her as she readied everything for their journey. When they said goodbye to the palace that had been their home, she shed a sad tear, but she held his hand and smiled as they turned and walked into the carriage.
The realm was all a din with the upcoming coronation, royals, dignitaries and ambassadors from all the realms were there. They carriage was delayed in the streets as they made their way to the palace. Clodagh woke as they came into the city, so she was looking out the window as they did. They saw the people were looking at them as they passed, but one girl caught their eye, she waved with more enthusiasm than any other.
'Stop the carriage.' Clodagh demanded. As soon as she said it, the coachman obeyed. Loki watched in shock as she opened the door before the coachman could descend the steps to do it and walked over to the girl, who beamed happily. 'Hello Mia, you are getting big.'
'Hello princess.' The girl curtseyed and smiled back.
'No toy?'
'I am too big for that now.'
'I bet you are.' She could not stop smiling. 'Is my name still different?'
'Yes, you're named after a river.'
Clodagh laughed. 'I am, I am named after a river, it's true.'
'That's weird.'
'I know.' Clodagh acknowledged. 'Do you know, my sister has a daughter and she named her Mya, I know you are Mia, but she actually thought of you when she named her.'
'Really?'
'Yes, she is Hogun's the Grim's wife, so if you ever know that girl, you can think that.'
Mia paused for a moment before beaming proudly. 'I am glad you're our princess, but if you are a princess, and Mya's mum is a princess, is Mya one too?'
'In her own right, yes.'
Mia turned to a boy close to her, similar in appearance and age. 'I have a princess named after me, you have a puppy, I win.' She stuck out her tongue and walked off, causing Clodagh to laugh and make her way back to the carriage before she felt eyes on her. She turned slightly and smiled a different smile as she realised there was a carriage stuck behind theirs, the occupier of which glaring at her. She said nothing as she entered her carriage and looked to her husband.
'Do you know that girl?'
'We're old friends.'
'I see. Why the sneer?'
'Another friend is behind us.'
'Dare I ask?' Clodagh gave him a smirk. 'Really?'
'She has to be here, she is the princess of Vanaheim.'
'It helps to get pregnant with your brother's child.'
'It sounds like it is a family trait.'
That was the last they said as the carriage made its way to the palace. When it arrived, they smiled and watched as they were brought passed the main entrance and around the side to a smaller one. When it came to a halt, they were elated to see Loki's family there waiting for them. The carriage door opened and before Loki and Clodagh could move, two others rushed out. 'Grandma.'
'Look at the size of my babies, hello.' She knelt down and embraced her two grandchildren. 'I have missed you so much.'
'We missed you too grandma, but Mommy and Daddy said we are staying here now, is that true?' The boy asked.
'Yes, you are living here with us now for a time, won't that be exciting?'
'You'll be sick of us.' Loki grinned as he exited the carriage before extending his hand to his wife.
'I could never….you kept that quiet.' Frigga watched as Clodagh exited the carriage, one hand in Loki's, the other cradling a quite obvious baby bump. 'Three children, in a hundred years, really? Are you planning on having an army?'
'It's a good thing it is a big palace.' Loki grinned as he looked to Clodagh, who was giving him her "Don't be too bold" smile.
'Your brother is talking about a second, by the time he comes to a decision, how many more will you two have?' Odin commented, looking at his grandson as he came over to him to tell him about his attempts at horse riding.
'At least one more by then, not including this one, Kaitlyn does not like childbearing too much.'
'The same cannot be said with you it would seem.' They turned to see Thor coming for them, his own son rushing out alongside him to his cousin, who was only a year older than him. 'Brother, it is good of you to want to keep the line going, I am not sure what you heard, but Asgard and indeed Alfheim are not having a population crisis, your attempts to assist is not required.'
'You are jealous,' Loki grinned.
Thor gave him a small glare before they all walked into the palace happily, and readied for the coronation.
