At first, Loki thought it was the children. He turned, ready to scold Thor and Sif, not wanting the children to see their mother in her dying state.
"I can help." Came a small meek voice in the shadows. It was Sivilia.
"YOU!" Loki snarled, "How did you escape the guards?! Why did you come here? Come to see your handiwork?! Well look!" he gestured at Jane, barely breathing as she lay on the table. "She's DYING!" he turned to his wife, taking in her graying skin, with her blood veins standing out as networks of black lines in her skin, her chest rattling as she fought for each breath. He collapsed into the chair beside her, holding onto her hand, listening to the Jane's breath as it rattled, coming wet and weak, like she was choking for each breath.
Sevilia took another step forward, "I can help." She repeated.
"How? Will you kill her quickly, so she doesn't suffer anymore?!" he roared. "She took you in, she fed you, gave you a room, gave you money so you could live independently. And you betrayed her trust. You betrayed your King, your Queen, and your country! There is NOTHING I would want from you! There is NOTHING you can do to help!" he looked like an animal, just moments away from striking, like he was trying so hard to control himself.
"I can save her life. I can reverse the damage done." Sevilia replied, seeming to cave in on herself in guilt.
"How?" Loki demanded, his face beginning to redden.
Sevilia gulped, "It's similar to a transfer of energy...except I would be giving my life force to her. I would give her the lifetime of an Asgardian. And I would die in her place."
Loki's face returned to normal colour, as he turned to the healer, "Can it be done?" he asked.
The healer replied, "If it is a procedure similar to a transfer of energy, then it can be done." Nodding her head in affirmation, "And it could be Jane's only chance of survival."
"Then do it." Loki said, gesturing to the table.
Sevilia moved toward Jane, keeping a wary eye on Loki. She got up onto the table, laid herself beside Jane and took the queen's hand in hers. Taking one more breath, she closed her eyes as her aura pulsed steadily around her, glowing blue.
Loki watched Jane's faint aura weakly pulse at a tarnished dull bronze. Slowly, Sevilia's aura drained, channeling its way toward her hand linked with Jane's. The light from the mixing auras grew brighter, slowly but surely. The healer stood up, monitoring what was going on with the soul forge. The poison was being drawn out of Jane, and taken into Sevilia's body.
She was giving her Asgardian Immortality to Jane, and dying in her place.
Jane's aura began to brighten, the tarnished grayed tone leaving her body and seeping into Sevilia's. Her skin returned to its colour, as did her veins (which Loki watched as the black poison left them). Jane's chest began to rise and fall more evenly.
Sevilia on the other hand, deteriorated quickly. Her hand turned grey, and black poison ran swiftly through her veins, and soon her breath rattled in her chest, wet and weak like Jane's was.
Loki watched this all, just as the healer did. An expression was on her face, crossed between joy and sorrow. Joy for her Queen's recovery, and sorrow at the betrayal and sacrifice on Sevilia's part.
Jane's aura grew ever brighter, as Sevilia's grew dimmer. And then Sevilia's eyes closed as Jane's opened."Loki?" Jane breathed.
"Oh thank the gods. Jane!" Loki said, taking Jane's hand in his and kissing it. He wrapped his arm around her, kissing her forehead, "Oh Jane." He murmured.
"What happened?" She asked, trying to sit up. Loki put his arm behind her, helping her sit up.
"You were dying. You were poisoned, by Thanos." he replied, cradling his wife in his arms and kissing her forehead, "I thought I lost you."
"I love you." Jane sighed, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I love you too." Loki said gently, brushing her hair out of her face, wrapping his arms around her.
He felt her breath against his coat, and looked at Sevilia's body. Jane slowly turned her head to look too. "She saved me."
"She let Thanos in. He almost killed you." Loki said. "I will never forgive her for what she had done." Loki said, looking at the spot where Sevilia had just been, "But I will always be grateful that she gave you Asgardian Immortality."
Jane sat up a little straighter, confused, "Asgardian Immortality?"
Loki looked down at her, "You now have the lifetime of an Asgardian. You will live as long as I."
"Really?" Jane asked.
"I am in earnest." Loki said, kissing her softly. Jane wrapped her arms around him, "Now we will always be together." She could hear the change in his breathing as he struggled to contain his tears, but he could not. She felt warm, wet tears soak into her hair as Loki cried, holding her close to his chest. "I love you so much." He murmured.
"I love you too." Jane replied softly as she squeezed him for a moment, "Always and forever."
The healer wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, smiling. Quietly she summoned the other healers who fetched a stretcher, gently placing Sevilia's body upon it and carrying her away to a funeral boat where her body would be burned later that day. "Would you like to go back to our room now love?" Loki asked.
"Yes." Jane murmured. He picked her up, setting her feet down on the floor, supporting her as she gained her bearings. He wrapped her shawl about her shoulders, guiding her first to Thor's room, where he and Sif were babysitting the twins.
Slowly, they made their way to his room. "You're no match for the mighty Thor!" They heard, amid giggles.
Entering the room, they saw Sif bottle feeding Isabelle, and Thor on his knees, playing with William's hands and feet. "Hello brother." Loki said. Thor looked up startled.
"Oh! I was just, playing with William." Thor mumbled.
"We could see that." Jane laughed.
"How are you, Queen Jane?" Sif asked, bringing Isabelle to her.
"I am well, Lady Sif. And you can call me Jane." She smiled, taking Isabelle into her arms, leaning against Loki for support.
"Jane are you alright?" Thor asked, seeing her pale face and tired expression.
Loki answered for her, "We had a traitor in our midst. The woman that Jane took in betrayed us. Thanos got in, and poisoned Jane."
"WHAT?!" Thor roared, scooping up William in his arms and calling Mjolnir to his hand.
Loki held his hands up, "Peace. Thanos is gone."
"Lady Jane are you alright?" Sif asked, touching her arm.
Jane smiled, "I am well. The girl who betrayed us atoned for her sins by giving up her life for me. And now I will live as long as you."
Sif kissed her cheeks, "Oh this is wonderful."
"And we have some more wonderful news." Thor said. Loki and Jane looked at him curiously, "Sif and I are...well I asked her to marry me."
"And I said yes." Sif said, putting her arm through his.
"Oh congratulations!" Jane said, giving Sif a small hug.
"Don't get her pregnant too quickly, God of Fertility." Loki mumbled.
Thor squinted at him, "Oh I'm sorry, mother of Sleipnir."
"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO SPEAK OF THAT!" Loki shouted, red in the face.
Isabelle began to cry, and William whimpered. "Oh now look what you've done." Jane said, "Loki hold William." Loki abashedly took Will into his arms and soothed him gently."Now, what's this
'Mother of Sleipnir'?"
Thor smirked, "Loki-"
"I got into some trouble with Frigga and Odin..." Loki interrupted, "Something about Mum being a bargaining chip in a deal my father made that I had some influence in..."
"Concerning a certain stallion." Thor put in.
"Anyway suffice to say, I was getting into quite a bit of trouble in my youth and accidentally had a fling with the stallion..." Loki's voice dropped in volume at the end.
Jane gawked at Loki for a moment, then closed her eyes. She accepted that she would never really have a normal life, being married to the God of Mischief, even if he was the mother of his mount.
The Queen sighed and kissed her husband's cheek before turning to Thor and Sif, "Congratulations to you both."
All was well, and in the short months that followed, the kingdom prepared for yet another wedding.