Chapter 23Loki sat in his library two days later, looking over paperwork for his newest project. Right now the remaining Asgardians were living in Norway, but the conditions were less than ideal. The people were used to a certain standard of living, and Midgard had no means of offering it to them. Loki decided that he would set about creating a new homeland for his people. A New Asgard. It would be an island in the Atlantic Ocean, in a location that could replicate the climate of Asgard. While it would be their homeland and base on Midgard, he and Thor also decided to encourage any Asgardian who wanted to live among the Midgardians, that they could. New Asgard would always welcome them with open arms, but it wasn't mandatory to live there.
Many of the older generations decided they would move to the new landmass once it was raised from the ocean floor. They missed their ancestral home, and longed to bring back their ways of life. The younger generations decided that they would live in the world for a time, and then decide if they wanted to join their kinsmen. Loki thought that is was the best for them all, since the younger generations would be the ones that would need to grow and adapt in more ways. Even Jane agreed. The people needed to know that Midgard was a place of beauty and magic, but different kinds than what they were used to.
As he worked, Loki could sense that there was a third presence in the house. It wasn't a menacing presence, but it did raise his hackles. Why would there be another magical aura in his home? Thor's signature usually faded shortly after his departure, and Strange hasn't been back since before the Endgame battle. Stealthily he sent our feelers, trying to pinpoint the source of the disturbance he was feeling. It was light, like the tiniest little snowflake kissing your cheek during the first snowfall of the season.
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. What he felt was the magical aura of his child. Jane was pregnant! Loki pushed back his chair so fast that he stumbled, his feet tangling in the legs. With a chuckle at himself Loki righted the chair and went in search for his other half. He sensed she was in their bedroom, and wondered if she was taking a Midgardian pregnancy test. Even after several years of being no longer just human, Jane still thought and acted as a human. With that thought, Loki took a detour to a magically sealed cabinet in his library.
Inside were the more rare and magical specimens that had gathered throughout his lifetime, and as his fingers closed around a spherical object, Loki knew that there would be many things to do once New Asgard was established. Several varieties of plants that Asgardians used in medicine and daily life could only have been found in the Realm Eternal. Loki had spirited seeds and saplings away, holding them in storage, but even he wasn't sure how well they would fare in the hard Midgardian soil.
After resealing the cabinet Loki made his way to where Jane was, stomach tightened into knots of excitement and anticipation. The words Jane had spoken were true; they were going to birth a new generation of Asgardians. They would be mixed race, but then, there were very few purebred Asgardians left alive. Softly Loki slipped into the large ensuite bathroom that they shared, watching as Jane stood in front of the skink, rocking side to side. Her hands were cradling her still flat belly as she waited for the pregnancy test to give its result. Unable to keep from smiling Loki joined his little family, arms sliding around Jane and their baby protectively.
"Why do you wait for a mortal test to tell you what we both already know?" He murmured into her ear, noticing that even Jane's scent had changed. It was deeper and softer than before.
"Habit." Jane shrugged her shoulders. "Even though I'm not fully mortal anymore, old habits are hard to break."
The timer on her phone pinged, and on cue the word PREGNANT appeared in the window, blue against a gray background. Loki felt Jane sag into him, hearing her choke back an excited sob. Even to Loki, seeing the confirmation on the stick impacted him more than he cared to admit. He was going to be a father. He only prayed that he would be a better father than Odin had been to him. Then again, anyone could be a better father than Odin.
"We're pregnant." Jane whispered in awe.
"Yes we are my love." Loki kissed her neck before holding his hand out in front of her. Between them and the mirror, a pure golden apple shimmered into his palm. He saw and felt Jane gasp and go very still. If his hunch was right, she knew what was in his hand.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Indeed."
"I thought it was destroyed when Surtur enacted Ragnarok." Jane reached out and stoked a finger down the apple, watching her magic respond to the purely magical fruit. Warm amber caressed the apple, making the sparkling fruit glitter even more.
"I was able to traverse to Asgard before it was destroyed and collected many things. Plants, books, technology, medicine. I have more than enough to recreate Asgard here on Midgard." Loki smiled at her as she reached out to take the apple into her own hands.
"So this is a life giving Idunn Apple?" Jane brought the apple up to her nose and inhaled the honeysuckle like scent. "If I eat it, our baby and I will be granted long life?"
"Yes, your lifespan will stretch to match mine even more than it already has been due to our Bond." He watched Jane turn the apple over and over in her hands, examining it from every angle. So analytical.
"Do I just eat it?"
"Yes." Loki replied with a smile at her in the mirror. "As you eat it, the magic will change you into an Aesir, and Immortal."
Jane cocked an eyebrow, but ate the apple anyways as Loki continued,
"Immortal and Eternal often get used interchangeably, and usually wrongly. Immortals can die, whether by old age or violence. Eternals can't die, and it is extremely difficult to become one. You and I, as well as this child and any others that we will have, will be Immortal. Extremely good health and very long life, but we will eventually fade back into the stardust we are made of."
"You would think that the apple would be very sweet, but it has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Almost like copper." Jane replied.
"It is a symbol that while long life can be a great adventure full of good times, that there will also be difficult times that we must endure. Idunn was very specific in how her gift was to be given. Of complete free will and with open honesty."
"You speak of her as if she were a living being." Jane studied the now fleshless apple core. Inside you could see several deep gold seeds resting, ready to be planted and nurtured into a new Tree.
"Idunn, the First Idunn was." Loki took the core from Jane and spirited it away back into his cabinet before leading Jane to their bed, waving his hand and pulling the covers back. Together they dissolved their clothing and snuggled down into the bed.
"She was the Goddess that gave birth to Asgard and it's people. She was the one who planted the Golden Apple tree that was in the center of Asgard, giving it the ability to grant health and long life. The tree was named after her."
Jane settled down next to him, her skin warm and glowing after eating the apple. The magic was working, changing her into Aesir. It was also changing their child, who even now was being knit together by the magic of life itself. Sleepily Jane kissed his chest and laid her head over his heart.
"I love listening to you tell me about Asgard and your past. Your voice is so soothing and warm." Jane murmured, already drifting off to sleep. Loki kissed her head and settled down as well. The world could wait, this was their time.
"I love you Jane Friggason."
"I love you Loki Friggason."
In the end, it only took Loki and Jane, with the help of Thor and the rest of the Asgardians, just over two years to grow and enrich New Asgard into an island haven for all. The hardest part had been gathering the magical reserves needed to slowly grow the landmass from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The process was slow and time consuming, otherwise the aftershocks of a new land mass would flood the coasts of the world and upend the tectonic balance of the planet.
As the world watched the alien refugees create a home of their own, governments sought to ensure that Loki was not planning to take over again. Peace treaties and trade deals were being ironed out by Thor and Valkyrie on behalf of Loki, the Prince and Warrior having decided that their common interests were enough to build a relationship on. There was also the backing of several Avengers as well as other well known heroes of the Battle of Thanos. It seemed that every person that had been present at the defeat of Thanos were heroes.
Jane, after arriving on New Asgard, went into labor. Apparently Aesir and Frost Giants had longer gestation periods than humans. That meant that Jane was pregnant for 26 months! Luckily, their little princess was a well behaved child, and didn't make Jane sick very often after she passed the first 4 months. Erika Lyra Friggason was the first child born on New Asgard, but she was far from the last. Within weeks of Erika having been born, dozens of couples were becoming pregnant or were deciding to marry and begin their own.
It brought a smile to Jane's face when Thor held his niece for the first time. It was like watching a big burly teddy bear cuddle a fragile glass flower.
"Hello there little princess." The big man cooed, his consort standing at his elbow, rolling her eyes goofily. "Uncle Thor and Aunt Valkyrie are so glad you are finally here."
"What did you name her?" The dark skinned woman asked.
"Erika Lyra Friggason." Jane smiled as Thor's head popped up, recognizing the name.
"You named her after Erik?"
"We thought it was fitting." Loki shrugged, but Jane knew that he was still sad about his part in driving the brilliant scientist mad.
"She'll be just as brilliant as him." Thor smiled. "Mother would have been honored to have her Granddaughter share her middle name."
Time passed and the world changed. Together Loki and Jane explored the stars, raising daughter to love knowledge and adventure just as much as they did. Nothing was impossible for them. After all, what could stand up against the strongest Bond in existence?