Chapter 26

Loki had kept his word. He made no move to seduce Cephera the night she came to his room. In fact, he had been so caught up in her stories about their children he hadn't thought of it much at all. It seemed most of the hardships happened within her first 100 years. Loki was almost glad to hear he was not the only one Diana had been so angry and stubborn with.

Diana's struggles with her mother had stemmed from the fact that Cephera was trying to be cautious toward her children using magic while Diana just wanted to be free do to as she pleased. Diana often causing trouble that came back to their family that Cephera was left to clean up. It took years before the two had managed to find a balance between them and Cephera finally found a solid relationship with her daughter once more. Loki was glad that Diana was now very loving and protective of her mother. To have her hate both parents would be a hardship he wasn't sure how they could handle.

Devian, though he loved his sister, was a mama's boy. Causing mischief with his sister, but never truly stepping too far out of bounds. Always at his mothers side when he could be during his younger years. Constantly trying to help mend the broken relationship that his mother and sister had so they could find happiness. Loki couldn't help but wonder how being there as their father would have affected all those things. He mused that when Diana was fighting with her mother she would have come running to him for the approval she wasn't getting from Cephera. Loki had no idea what would have occurred, but it was fun to think of the different things that could have happened.

The next few days he spent mostly with Diana as Devian was often busy. Diana had patience at least for learning and absorbed everything Loki told her regarding spells and enchantments. "Tell me," Loki said. "How powerful is your ability to teleport?" He asked her one day.

"Very. I can look at a picture of a place and picture it in my mind, then poof I'm gone." She smiled clearly very proud of this.

"That's rare talent indeed." Loki told her stroking her ego a little.

"I got better at it as I got older. I never told mother how much I used it. She didn't want me to get caught. I've been all over the world." She smiled at the memories. "When me and mother stopped fighting I took care with where I went or where I would appear. I once took her to see the Aurora borealis. She was very happy when I did." Loki knew this story. It had been Diana's way of saying she was sorry for all the grief she had caused her mother. Cephera had told him this one in his room.

"I'm glad you have honed it so well. Have you ever used it in fighting?" He inquired. Diana thought about it and shook her head no. "To be able to quickly teleport to short distances, such as behind your enemy, would make fighting them more effective and your victory almost assured. We should try it." Loki was smiling. Diana was giving him a hard look. As of she was trying to figure out if he had other motives, but after a second her features softened, so much so Loki could see a bit of Cephera in her.

"I'd like that. To mix my magic with fighting is something I've always wanted to do. Until now I wasn't very good at it. I find I have to concentrate too hard on the spell I want to perform." She admitted her fingers tracing the symbols of spells inside the book they had been looking at.

"With practice you can get to a point that you will no longer have to concentrate so hard. Some spells will always need it or they can go horribly wrong, but others are safe to do on the fly." Loki informed her and she smiled down at the book.

"I like the sound of that." She agreed.

"Excellent. It will give us something to do tomorrow." Loki observed his daughter flip through the pages they had not yet looked at. Analyzing the words contained within. "We have an hour before we are to see Odin in the archive of records. Let's get some more study in." He suggested and Diana nodded her consent.

XxX

The meeting in the archive had been boring. Just him, Cephera, their children, Odin and the Archivist were present. Loki and Cephera signed and blood marked the scrolls containing the information to legitimize their children and on a separate page Diana and Devian signed and blood marked their own. This part was only used for children born outside of wedlock. Children born within had no reason to sign anything as no one usually questioned their true parentage. It was more tradition than anything else. No one cared much about children born out of wedlock nowadays. At least not among the more common folk. Because Loki was a royal it was still important to have these documents available.

Like so many things about her Loki noticed Cephera's handwriting was impeccably neat. Her letters rounded in an elegant way. It also seemed she self taught their children as they both had a similar style. When they left the archives Loki took Devian to his tower while Diana went about her combat training.

Loki didn't get much time with Devian, but today he had more time than usual. Loki showed Devian what to do with the herbs and liquids Devian and his mother had picked up from town. Together they prepped and bottled them safely and arranged them neatly on the shelves. "You do not enjoy physical combat as your sister does." Loki noted.

"I don't like combat at all. I believe all fighting can be resolved first with words if people are willing to try." Devian replied.

"You're a fool." Loki told him. "Sometimes an opponent will not give you the chance to speak before slitting your throat. Knowing how to at least defend yourself does not hurt. You are to one day become an ambassador and go to other realms for talks of peace. What if they do not care about peace? What if they wish to send Odin a message by sending back your head? What will you do? Attempt to tell them the reasons they shouldn't cut off your head." Loki clicked his tongue at his son. "I'm afraid you may not even get that far. You are observant and I can help you pick out the signs of an enemy. Not everyone is reasonable." Devian looked slightly worried about this.

"I can't fight. A two-year old could beat me up." He admitted his face turning red.

"You just haven't been properly taught." Devian was shaking his head as Loki was talking.

"No you don't understand I'm awkward. I have no hand to eye coordination, not to mention my feet. Mother attempted to teach me a simple waltz and even that I managed to almost kill her. I don't do well with hands-on." Loki could tell this was something Devian was embarrassed over.

"It is something we can work on. Perhaps for now we can stick to honing your more observant skills and worry about the combat later." His suggestion had Devian nodding quickly. Loki was now wondering how his son performed in the bedroom. To some degree it did involve coordination and fluidity. It seemed he had quite a bit to learn about his son.

(Cephera)

Cephera tracked Thor down to one of the courtyards and took him aside to talk alone. "I know Loki had changed, but I need your advice." She told him as soon as they were alone.

"I can try. Is there a problem?" Thor asked immediately concerned.

"Not quite. You are aware that myself and Loki have a past. A short past, but one nonetheless." Thor nodded. "Since my arrival on Asgard Loki has made it clear that he would like to continue a relationship with me though he is looking for something none emotional and all sexual." She explained.

"This makes you uncomfortable?" Thor inquired.

"Yes and no. I'm flattered that he enjoyed me so much and that he believes I have something worth bringing to the bedroom, but I'm not the kind of person who can completely remove my feelings." Thor gave an understanding nod.

"You are afraid you will fall in love with him." Cephera began chewing her lip.

"I'm afraid that's already happened." She admitted. "I avoided his advances and made it clear I didn't want that sort of relationship in hopes to deter his interest. It hadn't. I finally suggested he seek other women once he was free to find solace, but he has tried and has admitted that they have not made him want me any less. It wasn't until that moment, the relief I felt at that very moment that I realized it was too late. Now I find myself stuck. He wishes for me as a sexual lover and want him for much more." She could feel herself shaking as she spoke. She had admitted this to no one else.

"Tell him how you feel. Perhaps it will stir in him something he didn't know he felt." Thor suggested, but she was immediately shaking her head.

"I can't. I'm afraid that revealing my emotions will cause an awkwardness between us should he not feel the same. I don't want that. If anything should come of myself and Loki the most I could hope for is friendship. The advice I seek is how do you think I should approach this situation? I want Loki, but I don't want to give in to his desires every time he tries for me. I want his attention, but I want all of it not just the ones he seeks for the bedroom." Thor clasped her shaking hands.

"I cannot tell you to ignore my brother in hopes that would make him realize what he is missing. I doubt that would bare fruit on this matter. If you refuse to ever let him touch you he may come to bore of your cold shoulder, but ..." Thor paused thinking about how to word what he had to say. "If Loki has a long-term interest in you there is a chance that if you just give him what he wants he would not get to know you properly, but should you keep his interest in both chasing you for sex and phases of denying him he may just hang on long enough to open himself to you further than he is willing right now." Cephera pressed her eyebrows together in her own thoughts.

"So like fishing. I cast my line and tease him with the bait, reeling him in and then stopping to allow him a nibble before starting again until finally he's hooked." Cephera wasn't sure how to feel about that. She wasn't really good at luring men to her. She hadn't tried.

"Yes. Exactly like that. In the process do not be afraid to talk to others. I am not saying to force him to become jealous by lying with someone else, but if he feels you are not just seeking his attentions he might just begin to wonder about how that makes him feel. Give him something to chew on without making him feel threatened. Loki can be possessive whether you are a lover only or he is courting you. Though I have never actually known Loki to want the same woman for long. You've been in Asgard now over six months he truly must see something special in you to still want you." Thor's last words made her smile.

"Thank you. I'd appreciate it if we kept this between us." She told him.

"Of course. I hope things work out." Thor squeezed her hands before letting them go and parting ways.

Thank you's

- Akera Writer of the Night: look on the bright side, at least I post everyday. :P

- Spazz 123: don't we all?! Lol

- Twifan 1987: I thought it would be a nice touch to through some memories into the mix.

- Poodle Warriors: they are indeed. Lol

- Benfan1: maybe. Haha. ;) I love reading about your theories.

- Loki's Dreamer: yeah it kind of makes you feel bad for the guy.

- Katarina Lillis: it is a nice change for Loki to be nice. :)

- 88 Dragon 06: don't know if you'll get to see this, but I'm glad you are annoying the development.