He honestly couldn't pinpoint the moment he had fallen in love with his beloved consort…his wife. It had been like waking from a deep sleep for Loki. It happened without him noticing, and then, all at once, he realized he was smitten with her. This broken, young thing had somehow latched onto Loki's unhealed wounds and fused herself to him. She had her own wounds he helped to mend. It only brought them closer.
However, now that she had fused herself to him, he could hardly imagine losing her. That was the position he felt he was in at the moment. He was pacing outside his bedchamber thinking these things as pain-filled screams pierced the quiet of the Asgardian morning. They were his dearest's screams of agony that he was and had been hearing.
Loki moved to lunge for the door for the fourth time in the dark morning, but Thor was there again to pull him back onto the bench in the golden hall. Ever since word broke out nearly two hours earlier that Sàga had gone into labor, Thor and Jane had come running. Jane of course was allowed to stay with Sàga, but Loki was stuck worrying outside the room with his oaf of a brother. He was about to destroy something from not knowing whether or not Sàga was okay. He vowed to protect her! He couldn't protect her or his child if he was in a bloody hallway.
"Be at peace, brother. Tis the natural way of things."
"Such unearthly screams should not be the natural way. Thor, that's Sàga in there...my Sàga screaming."
"All will be well."
"Of course thou can say such things. Tis not thy woman screaming," Loki snapped as he paced, and Thor sat.
Another blood chilling scream and sob interrupted their conversation. It chilled Loki, and it made his body go numb.
"I must go to her."
"Nay, Loki. Thou art already unpopular in the eyes of the public as is. Besides, Eir will have thine head if thou dost."
Before Loki could respond cattily, he noticed something. There was no more screaming; there was just silence. Both Loki and Thor turned to the door anticipating news. Loki just needed to know both of them were okay. At that moment, a servant peeked her head out meekly. "Sires-"
"How is she?" Loki inquired before she could even finish. "How doth the babe fare?"
"Lady Sàga requests thine presence."
Loki nearly shoved the servant out of his way to get into the room. It reeked of sterilizing herbs and pain relieving teas, and there was loud infantile screaming in the bathroom. He immediately dashed to his beloved and climbed into the bed behind her. He used his body to prop her up and allow her to relax. She looked paler than seemed possible, and she looked so weak and frail. Her fingers dug into his left hand and right wrist as he pulled her up into his chest to make them more comfortable.
Eir carried in a bundle with a soft smile on her lips from the bath chamber. Loki was certain he had never felt more proud when he heard his little one's screams in the room. She was so strong. "Thine wife hast given us a princess."
Loki's face lit with a smile.
He hugged Sàga tightly to his chest, pressing his lips to her damp forehead and running his fingers through her damp hair. The child was passed to Sàga, and Loki carefully aided her as he looked at his daughter over her mother's pale, clammy shoulder. She was pink and squealing with a tuft of black hair, and he loved her immediately. She looked like a wrinkled angry thing, but it was clear enough that she was fierce. Even so, he was compelled to protect her from all the ills of the world. It was an entirely new feeling.
"She is beautiful," he whispered.
"Look," Sàga said softly. "Has thy hair."
"Indeed. She has thy skin."
"Oki…have red eyes."
Loki tensed. "Dost...dost thee like them?"
"Pretty."
Loki relaxed. Everything would be okay; he would make it so.