Hey guys! Thankyou kathrynrose42, Guest, Loki's best friend, ZabuzasGirl and Stencil Angel for favouriting/reviewing.

Chapter 29

Loki froze. It was too early for Esta… unless something was wrong. He stepped forward and took Tari's arm, worried that she was going to fall.

"Come on. You need to get to the healing wing." He said. The anger that had run rampant through him had now given way to fear. Fear for Tari and Esta. His wife and daughter. Loki helped Tari out of the room. He didn't understand what was going on. Was this birth, or was there something wrong? If either Tari or Esta were hurt or even dying…

The healing wing wasn't too far away, thankfully. Tari was biting her lip, her face screwed up.

"Oh Hel." She muttered, her teeth gritted.

"It's alright." Loki said, trying to convince himself more than her.

They reached the healing wing and were met by Eir.

"Your Highness?" Then she looked at Tari. "Come with me." She ordered with surprising authority. She led Tari to a room on the far side of the healing wing. Loki walked behind, his stomach twisting in knots from worry. Tari was taken into the room. She threw him a frightened look before being ushered from view.

"If you'd wait here." Eir said to Loki and the door shut in his face. Loki clenched his fists. He hated that he could do nothing to help. This was completely out of his hands and he hated it. If something bad happened to Tari or Esta, he wouldn't be able to stop it. He had to resort to pacing in front of the door; he couldn't sit still and he couldn't leave. He knew his presence affected nothing, but it would feel wrong to leave Tari. It would feel like he was abandoning her. Loki heard a scream erupt from inside the room. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It felt as if he was waiting there for an eternity, listening to Tari's screams and being unable to do anything. Then the screaming stopped. Loki listened for the sound of a baby's wails but none came. An overwhelming sense of dread filled him and he opened the door. Tari was hunched up on a bed, her face tear stained and almost grey. Her dark eyes were staring blankly ahead. Fear struck in Loki's heart when he looked over at Eir. She was holding a small, fabric covered bundle.

"What's wrong?" Loki asked, his heart racing with fear. Was the baby still-born? No, that wasn't possible. Tari had felt her moving and kicking. "What's wrong?" Loki repeated, his voice rising.

"I'm sorry." Eir murmured. "The child didn't make it." Loki felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. The grief and anger hit him in a wave, drowning out everything but that harsh ache of loss. Esta was dead. He'd lost almost everything in one day. Odin had chosen Thor, Esta was dead. He and Tari could never have that future they'd dreamed of. It was gone, dead with Esta. Loki turned towards Tari. Tears were streaming freely down her face now. He moved over to her and sat on the bed beside her. He put his arms around her, knowing that she would be feeling even worse than he did.


Tari closed her eyes, trying to block out everything but her and Loki. Trying to block out her daughter's dead body just across the room. Her Esta. Her baby. She didn't understand how it had happened. She had felt Esta kicking her. She had been alive just a few hours ago. More tears poured from her eyes. It was all gone, all lost. Esta, the throne. Tari felt like a knife had been pushed right into her heart. She was dimly aware of being taken back to the chambers she shared with Loki and placed on the bed. When Eir was gone, she looked up at Loki.

"Why did she have to die?" she rasped, her voice weak. Loki shook his head.

"It doesn't make any sense." He muttered, his eyes clouded. Tari felt white hot anger rising in her throat.

"What did we do to deserve all this? What did Esta do to deserve death?" she shouted, her fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms. It wasn't fair, none of it was. Esta was just a baby. She had been alive. Why wasn't she now, why did she have to die? Tari began to sob. Just a few hours ago, she'd believed in that perfect future with Loki and Esta, being queen, having a family. Now it was gone, smashed to pieces.

"You- you said you felt her moving." Loki murmured.

"I did. I did, and I don't understand why she stopped." Loki sat on the bed beside her and took her hand. Tari clung onto him. They needed each other right now. They had no one else.


Frigga stormed into the throne room. Odin stood just in front of her.

"Was this your plan? Killing our granddaughter?" she demanded angrily.

"Frigga, no! I would never go that far!" Odin reassured her, infuriatingly calm. "Is it really that surprising that the child did not survive, given her mixed heritage?"

"Tari has said she felt the baby moving. She was alive until the last minute! Explain that. "Frigga shouted. She didn't want to believe that he had done this, she needed him to convince her that he hadn't.

"Frigga, I don't know why it happened any more than you do. I do admit that it does make things easier for me, but I in no way orchestrated it. Do you believe me?" Frigga bit her lip.

"I'll try."


I feel so mean… I may be unable to update next week, but I will do my best and update as soon as I can. Please review!

Kathrynrose42- Yeah, it did!

Guest- Yeah I know, it was mean, but it felt necessary. I'm so glad you like the story!

Loki's best friend- Yeah, poor Loki. I feel so mean doing this to him.

ZabuzasGirl- Glad you like it!

Stencil Angel- I agree, Odin is horrible.