Author's Notes: Last chapter. :') An epilogue will follow.

Disclaimer: Song is "For a Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. :)

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer

Chapter 36- Ceremony

"I think it still needs to be tightened."

"What? No—!"

Loki breathed out sharply as her words were cut off. Frigga had pulled the lacing of her corset tighter to her frame. Was her mother trying to kill her!?

"See? Better already."

Loki didn't enjoy the side comments and suggestions that Jane kept giving. The mortal knew Loki despised dressing up! She was going to kill the Midgardian before this day was through!

"It may need some more," Sif added, with a haughty smirk on her face.

Loki felt the sharp tug of the lacing again. "Mother," she hissed.

"I want to make sure it is tied properly Loki," Frigga responded.

"Is 'tied properly' meaning I can't breathe?" Loki spat back. Oh how she absolutely hated feminine clothing!

"She can still complain. I don't think it's tight enough," Jane stated. Loki glared at the woman as she bit into a strawberry. Murder was not far from Loki's mind at this time….

"There!" Frigga exclaimed as she stepped back. Loki glanced over her shoulder and kept her eyes on her mother as the woman swept around Loki. Frigga stood back from her and admired her work. "Something is missing…"

"My happiness?" Loki muttered.

"Oh Loki, do not look so sour," Sif jabbed at her, "This should be the happiest day of your life."

"It may be when I get my hands on you."

"Loki hush," Frigga tried to silence her.

"And that disgusting outfit you made me put on before is—"

"It's called lingerie Loki," Jane cut her off, "On Earth, guys go for that kind of thing. Besides you don't look bad in it."

Loki scoffed. She didn't need frilly see-through garments to draw Thor's attention. She was perfectly capable of doing that on her own, with or without clothing. But the lawn-sir-rye? Maybe she could come up with something a little better…

"I know," Frigga smiled as she turned Loki's chin to the side with a slow twist of her wrist. Her mother left Loki standing there in the full gown that the women had thrown at her. Frigga picked a white lily flower off the table nearby. Loki cringed as the delicate blossom was woven into her hair.

"We can't forget the garter," Jane jumped in suddenly.

Was this another silly Midgardian tradition!? Loki had had enough of them for one day! Jane fished out a small box from one of her bags and handed it over.

She smirked, knowing full well that Loki couldn't fight back while Frigga and Sif were in the room, "Slip this on your leg and later on, Thor has to take it off. With his teeth."

"What kind of strange ritual is that?" even Sif looked confused by the idea.

"It's supposed to bring good luck… among other things," Jane shrugged, "I'm not really sure where it got started."

"No," Loki refused to participate in any other bizarre Midgardian tradition. She pushed the box away.

"I think it sounds interesting…" Frigga commented while working on Loki's hair.

"Mother!" Loki felt scandalized. She was surrounded by insane women with even more insane ideas!

"How ya holdin' up?"

A hand hit Thor's back as Tony slapped his shoulder. Thor looked up from his seat with a confused expression, "Why would I not be good, my friend? Today is most excellent."

"Excellent indeed," Tony mumbled, "Wish I had me some mead… or stuff."

"Pepper told you no drinking," the Captain responded.

Thor couldn't help a smile as Tony mockingly copied the other man, "Pepper told you no—do you do everything your woman tells you to do?"
"Tony," Steve's voice was a little harsh.

"All right all right," Tony backed off somewhat, "It's Bigshot's day here, not mine. Fair enough."

"The ceremony will begin soon. You can have a fair share of drink at the feast," Thor offered him as the man of iron slumped into a chair. Why not? His Pepper didn't need to know.

"Thank you!" Tony threw his hands up into the air.

A cry pierced the air. Tony started out of his seat before floundering around to a different position. Thor chuckled and got up. He crossed the room as the man of iron groaned, "Someone get that kid a drink!"

Thor caught the Captain's palm of the face from the corner of his eye. Okay, Tony was being a little over dramatic. Thor picked his son up from the cradle he was lying in. Lokhor had been entrusted to the group so long as they took exceptional care of him. Thor still wasn't sure why Loki was paranoid about their son being around the Avengers team. It must have been a lingering lack of trust toward her old enemies? Then again, the goddess rarely let Thor handle Lokhor alone…

He rocked Lokhor gently in one arm, "Hush now small one. You are fine."

"Tony you woke him up," Steve commented.

"I did not... You know what, you did. With your comments about Pepper's rules. He didn't like that and neither did I," Tony made a gesture over at Thor, "We're connected. We got this thing going on… a bond or something. We know things."

Thor shook his head as the two quarreled lightly between themselves. They were like Fandral and Volstagg… only Midgardian, not Aesir. Speaking of the warriors… Thor glanced over to the main door of the warrior's tower. The Three should have been back by now. Had they been "snared" in one of the kitchen duties?

Lokhor whined. Thor looked down at his son. The boy stared up at him with bright blue eyes. Thor smiled back. He was behaving rather well today without Loki close by. Thor just hoped it would remain that way during the ceremony. Sif was supposed to watch him after she insisted on not being present in the High Chamber for the event.

"Shouldn't you be heading over to the hall?" Frigga suddenly interrupted Thor's thoughts.

Thor looked up to find his mother standing in the small hall that led to Loki's room. Her arms were crossed. "Well?" she asked after a long moment.

"We shall go soon," Thor told her.

"Loki is ready now. I suggest you all clear out," Frigga replied.

Thor wasn't sure why everyone was so adamant about him and Loki not seeing each other this day. It had all started the evening before when Sif and Tony had dragged him away from the commons area. Jane had even accompanied them saying that it was best that they not see each other prior to the ceremony.

He knew it was traditional, but there really wasn't anything traditional about this whole arrangement already. They were already married and were only going through this fiasco of events to soothe their mother's demands. It also gave the realm something for show and celebration. Why worry about such a tiny custom then? They just wanted to annoy him and Loki didn't they?

"You heard the lady," Tony commented and bounced up from his chair. Steve followed suit just as Sif stepped out of Loki's room.

Thor waited until Sif had taken Lokhor from his arms before following the men. "Be careful," Thor warned the shield maiden as he reached the door.

Sif scoffed at him, "Do you really think I will have problems with him? He has always been well behaved for me."

"All right," Thor let it go at that. He would have preferred to see Sif at the ceremony but if the shield maiden did not want to be there, Thor wasn't going to force her. It did help in keeping someone around to watch Lokhor. Certainly having his son in the hall would be cause for whispers or some sort of potential chaos. This was still part politics after all.

"We gotta make sure we do the bride-snatching thing," he heard Tony mutter to Steve.

"What are you talking about Tony?" the Captain seemed confused by the thought. Thor didn't like the potential in the idea either. What was he talking about?

"Well, it's like: guy gets married, groomsmen joke around and snatch the bride at some point during the party. It's supposed to be a metaphor or a lesson that the groom should keep his eyes on his bride at all times kinda thing."

"I see…" Steve didn't sound terribly thrilled by the idea.

"Who said Loki would approve of such a thing?" Thor questioned. He wasn't sure if he was even supposed to know of this little ploy against him.

"Who said she had to?" Tony shot back. Thor could have made a palm of the face right there. Why had he invited such insanity back into Asgard? At least he received tarts of pop out of the deal… it was the one reason that kept Tony from winding up on the floor with a black eye.

A soft knock at the door brought Sif's eyes up from the book she had opened. It was strange that someone would not be at the ceremony currently in progress. "Come in," she stated and waited as a young girl slipped into the room. She couldn't have been more than thirteen years. What was a servant girl doing here at a time like this? Sif had assumed all the servants would be busy with the wedding tasks or attending.

The girl kept her eyes hidden behind long bangs, "I-I was sent to provide assistance."

"Assistance?" Sif seemed confused by the statement, "What for?" She certainly did not need anything at the moment. Lokhor was sleeping soundly in the cradle near her chair. Sif hadn't had any problems like she had told Thor earlier.

"The child," the girl responded sheepishly, "I was sent to check up on the both of you."

Sif let out an exasperated huff and rose from her seat. She set the book on her table and crossed the room, "I can assure you that he is in good hands. If Loki is that paranoid about me taking care of him then—"

"I wasn't sent by Loki," the girl breathed out easily.

"What? Then who? Frigga? Thor?" Sif wanted to know why she was being bothered. She could do this herself! It wasn't like she was going to murder the child where he slept! She wasn't that unreasonable and she thought she had proven herself to be trusted at least more than once!

"None of them," the girl was smiling now. How dare she!

"The All-Father then?" Sif tried to keep the aggravation out of her voice.

"No."

"Then who?"

"Lord Sanguine."

Sif's blood ran cold. This girl… who in the nine realms was she?!

"I'm afraid you are past your worth now as well," the girl giggled lightly.

Sif made an automatic reach for her sword but a blast of cold air struck her in the split second it took for her to react. The shield maiden flew backward and tumbled to the floor, ice froze her chest and lungs making it hard to breathe.

She struggled upright and suddenly the girl was behind her. A foot stamped down on Sif's back and forced her to the ground once more. How was such a small girl so strong!?

Sif struggled to get up. She would not be beaten by someone appearing as a child!

"Do not bother," the girl stated. A wicked smile crossed her lips as she raised a chair over her head. "It will all be over soon."

Pain streaked through Sif's skull as the wood cracked down against her head. She felt the foot leave her back as the girl stepped over her body. Her vision was swimming. She couldn't let anything happen to Lokhor! That was who the girl was after, not her! She could never forgive herself if anything happened to the child—even if she did not approve of the union that bore him into existence. Only madness would drive someone to harm a child as small as him. And Thor…. Sif couldn't live with the idea of the hurt it would cause the thunderer if anything happened to his son.

Sif pushed herself up by an elbow and started to get up. The girl was already leaning over the cradle, whispering quietly. A silver dagger slipped from her sleeve.

"Lord Sanguine please look upon me with favor," she stated as the blade was raised above her head.

"No!" Sif swept her sword up and swung it toward the assassin.

A bright light blinded the shield maiden's vision. Sif fell backward as another pulse of energy struck her. The sword slipped from her hand as she fell backward and struck the stone floor hard. Pain lanced through her skull as it struck the same spot where the assassin had hit her. Sif thought her head was going to tear in two as the pain intensified and then numbed. Her vision turned black and for a split second, she panicked. Sif passed out after one thought made it through the jumble in her mind.

What had just happened?

"Will you be faithful through the good times and bad, in sickness and in—"

The sudden hesitation of Odin's words made Loki look up at him. The All-Father had stopped midsentence. Thor seemed perplexed as well. They were nearly through the ceremony. Why stop now?

Loki met Thor's gaze and then glanced back at Odin. The All-Father threw Heimdall a long stare. Her heart sped up. Something didn't feel right. "Father?" Thor questioned him quietly. People were starting to glance amongst themselves.

When the gatekeeper dismissed himself silently, Loki's worry rose. Had something happened? Her senses jumped back to where she remembered her son being last. Thor took her hand and Loki followed his actions automatically. Her mind brushed across the floors and swept into the air trying to locate Sif's thoughts. Where was the shield maiden? Had she taken Lokhor for a stroll? It wasn't an uncommon thing to do.

Odin's focus returned to them. Loki blinked but did not notice when he started again. She didn't even notice Thor's concerned look. She was just trying to find Sif's presence. She was worrying over nothing. She was…

Loki's grip tightened on Thor's hand as her mind brushed darkness. It felt familiar but a fog shrouded the identity.

"Loki?" Odin brought her attention back to the present.

"I will," she responded immediately. The sooner they exchanged rings the better. Loki didn't feel comfortable with whatever was going on now, but she would trust that Heimdall's departure would be the end of it.

The exchange didn't take long. Before Loki knew it, Thor had kissed her shamelessly in front of everyone and then led her down the aisle toward the place where the feast had been set. The thoughts from earlier drifted from her mind as congratulations were offered and rice was thrown at them—courtesy of Tony and a reluctant Steve.

"Loki," a hand landed along her arm. Loki looked at her mother who had appeared in the grand hall beside her.

"Yes?" Loki's smile dropped a fraction when she caught Frigga's expression, "What is it mother?"

"You and Thor need to come with me. It will only take a moment."

"All right…" Loki replied but Frigga was already walking away. Loki caught Thor's arm as he laughed with the Warriors Three. Thor glanced at her momentarily. "Thor, mother requests our presence."

"Right now?" he laughed, "Wasn't throwing this feast enough for her? I... Loki why do you look so worried?"

"Something does not feel right," she breathed. Loki turned away and followed after her mother. She quickly excused herself from any more small chatter. Frigga would not draw them away from the festivities if it was not important.

Heimdall was waiting in the hall. "Heimdall?" Loki questioned. Shouldn't the gatekeeper be at his post?

"Loki," he nodded solemnly. Thor joined them a few seconds later, "Thor… come with me. Your mother awaits."

Loki shared a look with Thor. This was not something she wanted to know now, but the fear that surfaced made her feet move forward. They were heading toward the warrior's tower. What had happened? Was this connected with Sif's lack of mental presence from earlier? Was Lokhor safe?!

"Heimdall what is this about?" Thor asked out loud. Loki held her breath as they turned a corner. He needed to answer!

"You will see shortly," the gatekeeper replied. And indeed, it wasn't long before they knew.

Walking into the warrior's tower sent a chill immediately down Loki's spine. Frigga was sitting on one of the couches with Sif slumped next to her. The shield maiden was holding a poultice to her head and was barely responding to Frigga's words. Eir was pacing slowly behind them, back and forth, deep in thought.

"What has happened here?" Loki demanded instantly.

"Your father has Lokhor in Sif's chamber," Frigga told her. Finally some relief! Loki hurried past the women and threw the door open. Her feet stuttered backward at the sight beyond.

The floor was delicately laced with blood. The intricate patterns were too well done to be mere splatters across the stone. Loki looked around the room—her gaze first passing the guards standing around a disfigured being—then to Odin. Lokhor was tightly held against the All-Father's chest protectively, defensively.

"Will you now speak with us? Loki is here," Odin stated.

Loki gathered her skirts up and stepped delicately over the lines of blood. What was going on here!? Had this been another attack by Sanguine's scattered cult!?

As soon as Loki reached the All-Father's side, Lokhor was passed to her. Loki held her son close and kissed his head as he curled into her chest. She looked at Odin, "What has happened here?"

"An attack. And I am trying to understand the reasoning behind this madness but the assailant will not talk without you here."

Loki's eyebrows furrowed. She turned her head slowly toward the guards again just as Thor entered the room. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight more clearly. There was a small body impaled upon Sif's sword. The other bladed edge had buried itself into the stone floor. The person's skin had been lacerated and torn away to the bone in some places. Was the person still alive?

A tiny sigh swept through the room. "It was I Lauffeysdóttir, and I alone." A rasp rose from the figure's throat as it breathed. Loki wasn't sure if she was hearing the words in her mind or if it was out loud.

"Go on," Loki muttered. The glance she received from Odin told Loki she was the only one hearing the voice around them. Wonderful. She would look crazy once more.

"Lord Sanguine… sent me to motivate you and set his traps… for you…" the voice was slowly breaking up.

Loki stared at the gruesome sight before her despite the nauseous feeling that welled in her stomach. This thing had set traps by Sanguine's orders? Did that mean the ring that Frigga had worn? Or was it something entirely different?

"Yes Lauffeysdóttir, I hid the ring among the queen's adornments… let the Jotuns in… poison your child…"

Loki's breath came in a short hiss as she held Lokhor tightly. Thor crossed over to her side, "Loki?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Not you," Loki waved Thor's confusion off.

"I loved him… and you took him away…I'm alone… revenge…"

"As you should be," Loki stated, "It was a poor choice of affection."

"He raised me… —tected me… all gone…"

Loki strained to hear the voice as it faded on the wind. The words jumbled together and finally went silent.

"How cruel…" Loki breathed. Thor glanced around the room, but instead of saying something, he remained quiet. It was a rare moment indeed.

"I believe the danger has passed…" Loki started slowly. She thought on her words for a moment, "It seems our culprit for the attack mother suffered—among other transgressions—has been found..."

"As I thought," Odin stated, "It is of no matter now. She is dead."

"One more relief…" Thor mumbled. Loki looked at the thunderer. Had he really been worried about who was behind the attacks still being here? She had given it some thought but hadn't thought the assailant would still be lurking among them. It seemed too dangerous after everything that had happened.

"How fairs Lady Sif?" the All-Father asked as he turned Loki toward the door with one hand on her shoulder.

"She will live," Thor responded as he followed automatically, "Eir will see to it that she receives rest and fully recovers."

"We can't just—" Loki started as Odin ushered them out of the room.

"Go," he told them soundly. "I will deal with this mess. Enjoy your day; you have earned it. I will be there in good time."

"All right…" Loki still felt she was missing something. But what? Thor wrapped an arm around her as they walked away. Lokhor was safe. As far as Loki could see and sense, he was merely a little spooked. It was nothing a little time with parents couldn't overcome.

"You are quiet," Thor stated as they journeyed down the hall.

"I am thinking," she responded softly as she stroked Lokhor's hair.

"No," Thor's response stopped Loki's steps.

She looked at him curiously, "No?" What did he mean by that?

"No more thinking this eve," Thor pulled her into a loose embrace. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "No worrying over things this night. Tonight we celebrate."

Loki snorted at the bluntness. "Fine," she would amuse him with this idea, "but…" Thor looked at her oddly.

"I am allowed some mischievous antics."

"Loki…"

"Too late. It is done."

"Loki!"

The trickster wasn't going to argue as she walked down the hall. She was going to have some fun; after all it was her revelry as well as Thor's. Why not play some good old fashioned pranks?

Thor had been looking for Loki all day. It wasn't uncommon for him to miss the sneaky goddess by a few moments. She had a tendency to get busy just as he was finishing his current work. Things were looking up though.

They had made progress with their son's official instatement as a future ruler of Asgard. Thor hadn't realized how tedious of a process it was. Loki had covered most of the process, being better versed in the political aspects than Thor himself. Sometimes it was hard to believe who was really the ruler on the throne. Loki knew more about the court and politics inside of Asgard than he did, but Thor was the guiding hand and strength that managed to move things along. It was a strange, yet harmonious combination.

"Loki?" Thor called softly as he approached her door down the side hall. He had been here once already to see if she was in, but he had found it empty. Maybe she had returned in the time he had used to find her elsewhere.

"Yes?" a reply came.

Thor paused for a moment. It was Loki's voice, but it sounded different. Thor couldn't put a finger on what exactly though.

He pushed the door open with a light tap and walked in, "I have been looking for you."

"I go where I always do," she responded quietly.

Thor frowned. Her back was to him as she sat in one of the cushioned chairs near the window. Her hair was pulled back tightly at the nape of her neck and she appeared to be reading. "I see…" he stated, "What have you been up to then?"

The thunderer's alarm shot through the ceiling as Loki turned to face him. Emerald eyes stared at him with an amused flicker of light. The curve of her cheeks were sharper, her lips thinner… her shoulders were wider… by the gods…

Loki had turned back into a man!

"You looked unsettled, Thor," she—he commented casually.

Thor didn't know how to respond, "You—Loki… what—you're a—"

"Man?" Loki finished the jumbled sentence. She—he gracefully stood and crossed the room with slow, pronounced steps. "Yes, I suppose you could say that…"

"How? Did the dragon's magic wear off?" Thor was stunned. What would their parents say? Why was this happening now? Did that change Loki's title of queen to king? That wouldn't work—it just didn't seem…

"My you look ravishing," Loki commented. She—he was closing in on Thor.

Thor blinked and looked down. His chest curved graciously under heavy armor. "Loki!" he shouted and covered himself. Herself? Thor was a woman now! Loki only watched him with amusement. This was not funny in the least!

"I really did not think you would be that uncomfortable seeing yourself as a woman," Loki purred. Thor's eyes narrowed as Loki turned away and snapped her—his fingers. Thor glanced down again and found his body normal. An illusion? That meant…

"I am close Thor," Loki said as she—he sorted through the books on the table, "I nearly have my full power back. It will not be long until I can shapeshift once more."

Thor frowned at those words. The illusion Loki had cast faded around her. Her body returned to its normal state—well, as normal as a man going to a woman permanently from a dragon attack could be.

"And what will you do when you are able to do so?" he asked cautiously.

"I am unsure…"

"About being a man?"

"No… I think that is in my past," Loki looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Unless you find that more appealing to your tastes."

"I must admit, I would prefer you as a woman," Thor felt awkward admitting it. Shouldn't he love and want Loki in whatever form she chose to take?

Laughter muddled his thoughts further. "I am teasing Thor," Loki managed between breaths, "Do you honestly think I would return to being a man after everything that has happened?"

"I would not blame you…" he mumbled.

"Hm?" Loki looked at him.

"I have not given it much thought Loki… I did not expect… I did not think…"

"That I was capable of reviving my abilities?"

"Aye… I did not think you would have interest in it?"

"Silly man," Loki scoffed lightly, "You have seen nothing yet. I have had hundreds at my feet."

Thor closed the distance between them and loomed over Loki as she looked up, "Why need you hundreds when you have one?"

"I never said I needed hundreds," she scolded. Her expression lightened as Thor wrapped his arms around her. "Besides, the one I have has yet to kneel at my feet."

Thor raised his eyebrows, "And he never will." They were equals, not one being subordinate to the other. He had thought Loki understood that by now.

"Oh I will make him kneel," a smirk crossed Loki's lips, "One day."

"Good luck," Thor responded. He would certainly like to see Loki try to make him kneel in such a fashion. Hopefully it wouldn't be so violent or malicious as the times before.

"I think I will start now," Loki told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Thor snorted and was about to respond when Loki kissed him. Thor held her closer. This was his world now, his life. He would rule Asgard with Loki at his side for the centuries to come, and they would be together every step of the way.

It truly was a happy ending…