Oh LAWD, it's been a while. I'm so sorry, y'all! Anxiety has been acting up and it affects my ability to concentrate on writing, so this chapter has taken quite a while to type up. It's a long one though, so hopefully that makes up for the time it took!
This is where a little plot sinks into the chapter ;)
Hydrangeas Say Our Family Will Flourish
Chapter Thirty-Five: Don't Smile At Strangers
The plan for Friday morning was to visit the Asgard marketplace as a little treat for the children before they were to begin their formal education with the help of a tutor who presided in the palace. For a few hours during four of the five weekdays, Kari and Aster were to attend the library, which acted as a sort of crèche for the two young royals, so that they could have a safe and secure place to learn from a teacher.
Amelia knew they were never going to have a normal human upbringing in a public kindergarten school simply because Loki would never have allowed the children to be away from them in a place that didn't hold the entirety of his trust, placed in the care of people he did not know. It was understandable given everything they had been through, and Amelia had long since accepted it. They wanted to do absolutely everything to keep them safe from any danger.
According to Loki, the tutor was a trustworthy person to leave the care of their children in for a couple hours, and Amelia trusted her husband's word, so everything had been decided and arranged, and the kids were set to begin their schooling on the Monday. The children were a little unsure when Loki had told them what would become the new norm, but Amelia assured them that all would be well and they would have a fun time learning how to write and how to count up to very big numbers.
The kids weren't the only ones who were nervous. Amelia didn't understand entirely why she felt anxious that her children were to begin lessons, but Loki suggested that she was feeling that way because it was the first time they would ever be apart for longer than a little while. Amelia agreed that that was partially the reason, but half of her couldn't help but think she was somehow afraid that they were growing up too quickly. It seemed like only yesterday they were newborns in her arms, but now they were coming up to three and a half years old. It was strange how time seemed to flow so quickly.
The marketplace trip was a little excursion that was meant to calm Kari and Aster's nerves a little before the inevitable began, as visiting the market was one of the kids' favourite things to do as of late. They both enjoyed the colourful banners around the shops and stalls, the friendly people, and of course, the copious amounts of goodies spread throughout. At this point, they knew the phrase "let's go to the market" was synonymous with "let's get a new toy to play with."
Which was why it was the biggest shame when Amelia and Loki got dressed on Friday morning and went to wake the children only to find that Kari had come down with a cold overnight. He lay in the centre of his bed which, after sleeping in a cot for so long, seemed comically large in relation to his size, and his poorly state made him seem all the more little.
His sinuses were blocked up and his eyes were watery, and when Amelia placed the back of her hand to his forehead, it was apparent he had a slight fever; Kari's face was stuck in a persistent frown and he wiped his eyes repeatedly to try and rid them of the building moisture.
"Don't do that, bug. You'll get sore eyes," Amelia told him gently, pulling his hands away.
"They already sore," Kari whined tearfully, upset at his current predicament, and his croaky voice suggested that his throat was also sore.
Loki sighed. "He'll have to stay in bed and rest. I'll send a servant to the infirmary to see if they can bring back anything that may help the pain, but he cannot come to the marketplace in this condition," he said, aware that his words would likely fuel a little tantrum. He was right, because Kari immediately let out a long and loud wail that culminated in a sob and a hiccup, it must've been painful for him but the frustration of not being able to go and have fun at the market clearly outweighed it.
"Shh, shh," Amelia hushed the boy, stroking his head, "Listen, bug. I'll stay here with you and we can read a book or something. I'll sing some Disney songs for you if you want. Daddy and Aster will bring you back something really nice from the market, okay?" She reached for her son's favourite toy, Kangaroo, which had fallen off the bed at some point in the night, and tucked it under his arm snugly.
It was going to take a little convincing to get Kari to stop crying, because he continued to weep despite his mother's suggestion. Loki affirmed his wife's proposal, "We'll bring you back a toy and some sweets or a little cake, I promise. Won't we, Aster?" He turned to the girl holding onto his hand and she nodded in agreement.
Aster appeared downtrodden that her brother would not be joining them on their market visit, but within her eyes there was a determination to bring back something that would help Kari feel better.
"We can always visit the market altogether next weekend, when you're feeling better," Amelia comforted her son as she reached for a handkerchief to clean up his runny nose with. The boy devolved into a series of sniffling whimpers, reluctantly accepting that he wasn't able to take the trip he had been excited for. To Amelia, having to wait an extra week to visit the colourful Asgardian market wasn't a huge deal, but for a young child, one week felt like years, and Amelia empathised with her tearful son. "It'll go by before you know it," she assured him.
Loki tapped Aster lightly on the head to get her attention, "Go pick out the dress you want to wear, I'll help you change in a minute." The girl nodded and rushed to the wardrobe where all her colourful garments were hung on a low railing while Loki left the room and caught the nearest palace servant.
"Could you bring my wife and son a selection of breakfast foods? And a cup of warm tea with honey for Kari, please," Loki requested, and the servant obliged, bowing their head before heading in the direction of the kitchens. When Loki returned to the room, Aster had selected a light green dress and clutched a long thread of ribbon for him to tie up her hair; Loki helped to dress her and took extra care with her silky black hair, brushing it out gently in front of the mirror, finding it remarkable that it had grown down to her mid-back already, and then tied the ribbon into a bow that sat atop her head. Overall, she looked positively adorable.
Her big smile in the mirror suggested she was happy with her appearance, and she beamed furthermore when Loki signed the words, "Very beautiful."
By the time Aster was all dressed, Kari's whimpers had ceased into a strong pout; he looked upset and a little jealous that his sister was able to go and he wasn't, but Amelia appeared to have soothed his little tantrum over it, probably on the promise that she would sing Frozen songs to him all day long.
"We're off now," Loki informed his wife, leaning down to kiss her goodbye, and he shuffled round and gave his grumpy son a kiss on the head as well, "Sit tight, little one. We'll be back soon, and you can trust that we'll have something special for you." Kari sniffed through his blocked nose in response, his lip quivering slightly.
"Don't forget to bring me back something too," Amelia interjected playfully.
Loki hummed and smiled, "I'll see what I can do, darling."
After Loki and Aster ate breakfast in the main hall, they headed to the stable and Loki checked out his horse, securing Aster in front of him on the mount so that they could ride comfortably; ordinarily when leaving the palace with his family, Loki would request an escort of guards to follow at a distance, but seeing as it was just Aster with him, he saw no need. He could easily keep her in his sights without a problem.
They set off at a pleasant pace. Aster's hands laid over his on the reins as she gazed bright-eyed at everything they passed by; the fountains in the courtyard, the large stone statues that paid homage to Odin and Frigga, the servant and maid quarters, the palace gates, the blacksmith, the tavern, the log homes of Asgard's residents, the residents themselves - there wasn't a single thing that didn't become the subject of Aster's transfixed gaze. She liked to look and observe the world around her, always wanting to stop and inspect something new whenever they went on walks.
If it wasn't for the fact they were riding on a horse, they probably wouldn't arrive in the market for hours given Aster's penchant for examining things so closely. She was a very curious little girl, it was a trait that reminded Loki of himself.
Every so often, Aster leaned forward to pet the horse's mane, probably enjoying how silky it was.
"Does Sune have a soft mane?" Loki asked, and the girl nodded enthusiastically, giving the horse a few happy pats. Loki chuckled, "Would you like to learn how to ride a horse when you're old enough? I'd like to teach you one day."
The notion must have sparked excitement for Aster because she tilted her head back till it bonked against his chest and gave him her biggest grin. That appeared to be a 'yes'. Loki tickled her tummy and the girl squealed and giggled, a sound that was perfectly melodic. Aster tapped his arm and signed the word 'today' with big, hopeful eyes.
"I can't teach you to ride a horse today. You're too small, your legs can't reach the stirrups."
'Please,' Aster signed.
Loki smirked at her persistence, "I can teach you how to use the reins. Look closely," he indicated where he gripped the leather strap in each hand loosely, and once he was sure Aster was listening intently, he showed her, "if you want to steer the horse to the right, you bring your hand out like this, and if you want to steer left, you do the same with your left hand. See how Sune changes her direction?" Aster nodded her head again, Loki couldn't tell if she had fully understood the instruction or if she was just happy that he was teaching her something new in general.
"Do you want to try it out?" Loki asked, loosening his hold on the rein so that Aster could take it.
From the tentative way she took hold of reins, Loki assumed she was going to be gentle with it, but he very nearly snatched the reins back when Aster promptly tugged the right rein to the side and almost sent Sune careening into a man walking innocently down the path from the other direction.
Loki righted the confused horse at once, and called to the disgruntled man who had been close to being trampled "I'm so sorry!" Sune snorted, probably thinking Loki was crazy for almost directing her straight into that poor man, so he gave her a reassuring and apologetic pat on the neck. Loki probably should've known better than to hand the reins of a horse to a three and a half year old.
Aster looked bashful, evident by the way she was chewing on her fingernails, and it was clear from her face that she knew she hadn't done it right.
"It's alright," said Loki, "you have plenty of time to learn to do this properly. And I bet you'll grow up to be the best horse-rider in Asgard."
Aster liked the sound of that, her smile returned yet again and it brightened up the world.
When they reached the market, Loki tied up the horse and looked around, it was filled with people of all sorts; there were those who were rushing around with intent to get their shopping done as quickly as possible, those who meandered around at a slow pace, eyes rolling over things as they tried to decide if it was something they really needed or not, those who were there only for necessities and those who were there to treat themselves. And then there was Loki and his daughter, who managed to slip about unseen with nothing more than the use of a hood.
Whenever visiting the market for a quiet day out with his family, Loki would always cover his head with a hood. It didn't always work, but those who did recognise him knew that his attempt to shield his identity was more of a simple request not to approach and engage in conversation, and they knew well enough to respect that.
Loki hung his empty shoulder bag across his body and carried Aster on one hip, "So, where to first?"
Aster turned her head, examining the bustling square as she looked over all the stalls and stores, searching for the one that most picked her fancy, and then she found it. She pointed through the crowds at the shop which housed a bunch of different toys and games, and Loki chuckled knowingly.
"Why am I not surprised?" He made his way through the swarm of people and approached the toy store, stepping into the small building. Once situated inside, it was up to Aster which way they went; he placed her down on her own two feet and then followed her as she hopped to the toys that caught her eye first.
If there was one thing that Aster liked most of all, it was cuddly toys and dollies; she gravitated to the shelf of dolls with varying dress colours and hairstyles, and tested their likeability by picking each one up, stroking their hair and hugging them to her chest.
Loki knelt down beside her, "Which one do you like the most?"
Aster looked unsure, her gaze going between a blonde doll with a blue dress and a brown-haired doll with a purple dress. She pouted hard, struggling to make up her mind, and Loki would have loved to tell her she could have both, but Amelia had made it clear many times that she didn't want her children being spoilt, and Loki had reluctantly agreed to her wishes. He hadn't really understood her reasoning at first, but once she explained that overindulging the kids would likely teach them to be rude and bratty, he began to see that her logic was sound, even if it pained him to have to tell his children no.
The kids had heard 'no' many times, and Aster knew off by heart that she was only allowed one toy from the toy shop, which is why she looked between the two dolls so meticulously as she tried to decide which one to take home. Eventually she looked up at her father, face still swathed in uncertainty, her expression silently asking for advice.
"You want to know what I think?" Loki asked.
Aster nodded.
"I think this one is better," he pointed at the doll with the purple dress, "because it looks like your mother." His observation had the desired effect of causing Aster to make up her mind immediately, she was happy to have the doll that looked like mama; Aster hugged the doll to her chest, looking satisfied with her selection.
"Now, what toy shall we get for your ailing brother, hmm?"
Aster turned her attention to the lovingly crafted soft animal toys on the opposite shelf, knowing that they were the kind of toys that Kari liked most.
"Hmm, there's a lot to choose from," Loki murmured, "there's a cow, sheep, deer, rabbit, a duckling, a pig... what do you think, little flower?"
Aster tilted her head and picked up a fluffy owl, holding it out with a big smile; she appeared confident that her brother would enjoy this toy and Loki wondered if maybe she had heard Kari praising the owl toy the last time they'd come to this shop. It was a snowy white owl, and it reminded Loki of Hedwig from the Harry Potter books.
He had yet to read the book series to his children; he wanted them to be at the right age that they would be really interested in it, because it was a series he had been waiting a long time to read to them and he wanted them to share the same joy in the boy wizard's adventures as he did when Amelia had introduced him to them. It was probably going to be a couple more years before he could read them to the kids.
"I think he'll love this," Loki smiled, "good choice, little one."
After paying the vendor out of his coin purse for the toys, Loki followed his daughter out of the store, watching her skip and jump about happily as she clutched her new doll. As wonderful as it was to see her so overjoyed, Loki felt obliged to carry the doll safely in his shoulder bag to avoid it accidentally being dropped on the journey back to the palace.
"Shall we put it away for the moment, Aster? Until we return home. We wouldn't want it to get dirty between here and there, would we?" Loki asked gently, holding the bag open for her to slot the doll in next to the snowy owl. She looked a little reluctant to let go of it, but gave in a moment later, giving the toy a parting kiss before popping it into the bag. "Good girl," Loki said, giving her hair a little caress. "Where to next?"
Aster held onto his hand when he offered it and the two stepped back into the busy street, looking up and down for a hint of their next location.
Their next stop ended up being the bakery stall as the delicious waft of sweet cakes and freshly baked bread flowed their way; it was so good that even Loki found it difficult to resist, he didn't indulge in sweets as often as Amelia and the kids, but if there was one place he came to when his sweet-tooth demanded it, it was the Asgard market bakery. Their cakes were practically magical, far better than what was found in the palace kitchens, in Loki's opinion.
Loki practically had to hold Aster back as they stopped before the stall, because her immediate reaction was to try and reach up onto the counter and grab one of the glazed cakes; he clasped her hand with a gentle but firm grip and gave her a stern look.
"You know we need to pay for these first. We aren't at the palace, remember? Not everything you see belongs to you," he scolded her and Aster sunk back slightly, her gaze dropping shamefully. She didn't like being told off, least of all by her father, but she should have known better; she was well aware what the rules in the marketplace were. "Besides," Loki continued, "we aren't eating our sweets until we get back to Kari and your mother."
Aster made a half-whining noise of disappointment but solemnly nodded her head indicating that she understood; she then lifted her arms in request to be held so that she could get a better view of the many treats being sold by the vendor. Loki picked her up, balancing her on his hip, and watched Aster's mouth practically water at the sights and smells the bakery stand had to offer.
"Ah, if it isn't his royal highness and the little princess," the vendor quietly observed so as not to draw attention; he knew Loki well enough as he, Amelia and the kids visited the bakery all too often. He was an older gentleman named Guthrum who had been a skilled fighter in his younger days, but began working with his wife at the bakery when his body became slower with age.
"Guthrum, good to see you," Loki greeted.
"Quite a pleasure to have you at my stall, as always. How are the little tots today?" He peered over the edge of the stall, expecting to see Kari nearby, and his eyes wandered in search when he did not find him, "Oh! Where's the other one?"
Loki chuckled, "Unwell, today. He's staying firmly in bed until he feels better, and Amelia is looking over him. I promised to bring him back something sweet that might ease his ailment."
"Ah-ha! A brilliant idea on your part, I have something that'll be sure to put a smile on his face," Guthrum indicated the iced vanilla cupcakes that he knew Kari was partial to, "these ones have cherries in the middle. My fantastic wife made them, so you know they're good!"
Loki smiled, peering at Aster, "What do you think? Do you want one as well?"
She gave an enthusiastic nod while licking her lips, pointing at the cherry cupcakes like they were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
"I'll take that as a yes." Loki turned back to Guthrum, "We'll take two cupcakes, the chocolate twist for me and the raspberry muffin for my wife."
"Right away!" The vendor announced, and proceeded to total up the price; Loki paid the sum and Guthrum individually packed the muffin and the pastry in paper bags while the cupcakes went into little boxes to avoid squashing them. Loki placed them all into his shoulder bag alongside the toys and thanked the vendor.
"Anytime, your highness. See you again next week," the man bid them farewell and Loki left the stall amused that Guthrum saw them often enough that he knew their schedule - and he would see them next week.
"Right," Loki began, readjusting Aster momentarily, "we've got toys for you and your brother, sweets for us all… what next?"
'Home?' Aster signed, and Loki hummed, spotting the florist a little further down the street.
"I think we should get some flowers for your mother. She loves flowers." It had been a while since Loki had surprised Amelia with a pretty bouquet, and he knew the action always garnered a beautiful grin from his wife.
'Home.' Aster signed again, a little impatiently.
Loki quirked an eyebrow at his daughter, "Are you so desperate to get back to the palace because you want to eat your cupcake?"
Aster pouted.
"Have some patience, little one. Your mother deserves some flowers, are you going to help me pick out the right ones?" His daughter could get a bit restless but he felt that including her in the flower-choosing process would make the wait for sweets a little more tolerable for her.
She gave a hum of affirmation but then had the audacity to sign 'quick', which made Loki laugh aloud.
"The cheek of you. Do you get that from me?" He remarked dryly, but assured her either way, "I promise it won't take long." Despite Aster's sassiness, she grew joyful in the presence of many bouquets of pretty, colourful blooms, she pointed keenly at several different arrangements, changing her mind every few seconds about which one to pick, but eventually she settled and made grabby hands at a dazzling bouquet of light pink and baby blue hydrangeas.
"I think your mother would love these. Do you know that all flowers have meaning behind them? Now, blue and pink hydrangeas each have their own meaning," Loki explained idly as he very gently caressed the petals of the bloom with his fingers, "blue ones mean… gratitude and understanding. Pink ones mean sincerity, candour and romance. Together, they create the perfect little cocktail of feelings for a flourishing relationship." He glanced at Aster, who was looking blankly at him like he'd been going on and on about something she didn't really understand, and he smiled. "I sound like your mother. I think she'd be impressed that I remembered that, honestly."
The vendor was busy serving another customer, but Loki waited patiently for his turn, though Aster was a little agitated that things were taking longer than she expected, because she began to shift and swing her legs with the need to move about.
Loki tried to capture her interest again, "Did you know, your mother named you after a flower? Aster is a flower. She told me they are talismans of love and patience the day you were born." Loki quirked a sarcastic eyebrow, "Patience. Tch. If only she'd known you would be rather the opposite, hm?"
Aster wasn't even paying attention to him anymore, because her eyes were glued past his face, affixed to something on the stall; Loki followed her gaze and noticed a fluttering blue butterfly hovering around the various blooms in the stall. The girl really liked her butterflies.
The butterfly flew lower, dancing around the flower arrangements at ground level, and Aster shimmied in her father's arms, making grumpy noises that indicated her desire to be put down. Loki sighed, obliging so that his daughter could inspect the butterfly more closely, if it could keep her from whining impatiently then it was useful and harmless. Upon being placed down, Aster immediately squatted down beside the flowers and watched the butterfly happily go about its day.
"Ah, my prince, my apologies for keeping you waiting, I didn't see you there," said the vendor, a young lady named Randvi, "looking for flowers for Princess Amelia?"
"Found them, in fact," Loki spoke with a smirk, motioning a hand to the bouquet of hydrangeas at the edge of the stall.
"That's a good choice! Right away," Randvi carefully picked up the bouquet and began the process of tying them together and wrapping the stems securely. She took the offered payment from Loki and handed over the bouquet.
"Thank you," said Loki as he positioned the bouquet in his shoulder bag in a way that didn't squash the flowers; he was pleased with the purchases he had made and was now ready to return to the palace, something he was sure Aster would be overjoyed about.
"Alright, Aster, let's go." He turned to where he had last seen there, but all that remained was an empty space; he spun around, expecting to see her hovering behind or around his legs, but she was not there.
A wicked stab of worry shot through him and he lifted his fervent gaze to the streets full of people, his eyes dotting frantically over the crowd in search of a little green dress, but the densely packed marketplace did not yield the sight he was hoping for. It was as though she had vanished without a sound.
Loki's heart was hammering in his chest.
"Aster?" He choked out, and then repeated louder, "Aster?"
He prayed his daughter would come running round the side of the stall at the call of his voice, but as he stepped away from the florist, he realised she must have been out of hearing range, which further terrified him. He attempted to remain calm, pondering where he would have gone if he was in his daughter's shoes, but it only served to confuse him. Aster was a shy little thing, she would never just wander off when they were out in public like this, or so he thought.
She'd been wanting to return home, but there was no way she was that impatient and bold; she wouldn't - he knew she wouldn't. She was three and a half years old, Loki wasn't sure she could even find her way back, toddlers had no sense of direction.
"Aster!?" Loki oscillated between directions, knowing he had to pick a path and take it, but was reluctant in case the girl did come back only to find him gone; he didn't know what to do or where to look and the ever-growing pangs of fear in his chest were becoming more and more prominent.
Before he could launch into a frantic pace, grabbing everyone in sight and demanding to know if they'd seen his daughter, the sound of ravens cawing loudly briefly caught his attention; his gaze tore down a narrow side path between two homes which led into a wider, dark alley, and it was there he saw two ravens flitting across the roofs. From the mouth of the alley, he saw the fluttering butterfly Aster had been enamoured by - she must have followed it.
At once, he launched into a run, his footsteps echoing loudly off the stone ground; his heart dropped to his stomach when he heard her little voice scream in what sounded like fear.
"ASTER!" He roared, ready to charge whoever had caused her such distress.
He broke out into the alley. Aster stood a few metres ahead with her back to him, tense and small and crouched in on herself. Loki only just caught a flutter of dark purple fabric disappearing beyond the lip of another narrow path leading further away form the market, accompanied by harsh footsteps - whoever had tormented Aster into such a state.
Loki set in motion again, scooping Aster up and carrying her as he rushed forward after the mystery person, determined to catch and confront them - they would pay dearly if they had harmed Aster in any way, and even if they had not touched a hair on her head, they would be sorry.
Whoever it was, they were fast, but Loki was sure he was faster.
He didn't let up, despite Aster's fearful weeping in his ear and persistent tapping on his shoulder, he followed the person through twisting alleys and empty backstreets, never once catching a clear glimpse of anything more than the colour of their cloak disappearing around another corner.
He growled as he pursued them, his anger practically overflowing, his harsh footfalls fuelled by the thought that somebody felt they had any right to harm or scare Asgard's youngest princess, which led him to another thought - were they Asgardian or were they an outsider? It was hard to believe any Midgardian could outrun him, but it was even harder to believe an outsider had passed unseen through the boundaries of the kingdom.
He ignored Aster's wild tapping on his shoulder as he zipped around another corner, once again simmering in frustration that he couldn't see the target more clearly. When he reached the next corner, he felt a jolt flow through his body at the sight of the figure stumbling slightly over some discarded rope across the cobbled ground; they caught their balance rapidly enough but Loki was sure their little misstep would be enough for him to catch up as they had lost all momentum.
"Daddy!"
Loki very nearly almost fell to the rough stone, and would've ended up in a heap alongside his daughter if he hadn't managed to right himself by thrusting his hand out against the closest wall. He breathed heavily, staring at his daughter whose head was buried in his shoulder, his eyes wide with disbelief. She had spoken?
He inwardly cursed as he remembered his pursuit, and jogged to the end of the passage to peer around the corner. No one in sight. The figure had escaped. He had let his guard down and it had allowed the mysterious person to get away. He would've hissed an expletive if his daughter wasn't sitting in the crook of his elbow.
Again, she shocked him. "I want to go home." Aster's words were so quiet, even his ears strained to hear her, but hear her he did. Her voice was soft and meek, her accent was Asgardian and her diction was rather advanced for that of a three and a half year old who had never spoken before.
"Aster?" Loki responded, automatically whispering as she had. He rubbed a hand soothingly over her back, immediately worried that she was hurt; a fleeting glance over her body revealed no visible injuries, though the skin on her forearm was a little pinker, as if she had been tightly grabbed.
His gaze darkened. He would find whoever did this.
Despite Aster's desperate plea, Loki followed the alley down slowly, entering a small square clearing with a cobbled flooring job that looked like it had been distinctly rushed or done carelessly, a boarded up well in the centre of the area, a few drab doorways into the surrounding residential homes and another passage opposite that led back to the main streets.
There were no clues as to whether the assailant had entered into one of the homes or had just continued through and disappeared off into the busy walkways, unseen by those simply going about their day. Either way, Loki was determined to figure out who had tried to potentially kidnap his daughter one way or another.
He breathed slowly and deeply to try and diffuse his anger. The only thing that immediately mattered was making sure Aster was okay; she was currently crying into his shoulder and it pulled painfully at his heartstrings.
"It's alright, little one. They're gone. I have you. You're okay. Did they hurt you?" He spoke clearly with the intent to calm the girl, hoping he could get more words out of her if she managed to stop crying, but she didn't answer his question, just kept her face buried in the shoulder of his cloak, sniffling and hiccupping in her upset state.
"We're going back now," he assured her gently, rubbing circles over her back with his large palm, "you don't have to be scared, I have you." He repeated those three words like they were a pacifying beacon and hoped the girl would be settled by the reassurance. Loki understood why she was afraid, but he wanted her to know he would not let anything more hurt her.
He shouldn't have let anyone hurt her to begin with.
Loki wanted to hold her firmly and sternly ask why she felt it apt to wander off noiselessly amidst a bustling, busy street, but he knew such a reaction would only further frighten her; she didn't need his anger, she needed his comfort.
As Loki walked back towards the main street, he couldn't help but feel floored that his daughter had finally spoken her first words aloud. It seemed surreal, like a dream, or a nightmare in Aster's case; perhaps he should have expected her to speak with his distinct Asgardian accent and the clarity that generally came with it, but he simply hadn't expected anything like it. Her soft little voice was beautiful to hear, the fact that 'daddy' had been her very first word should have made him feel warm and delighted, but the circumstances under which she had spoken left him feeling cold and dismayed.
She had spoken in fear, the little waver in her voice showing just how afraid she was. He hadn't been paying enough attention to read her signs, so she'd had to resort to talking aloud, and now she had her face pressed against his shoulder and wasn't pulling back. Like she was hiding.
Loki carried Aster back to the street where he had tied up their horse, he hoped that the sight of Sune would ease some of her rigid discomfort, but she barely even glanced at the horse as Loki mounted the mare and buckled his daughter into place directly in front of him so that she wouldn't slip off the saddle. Once in place, she kept her head mostly down, refusing to let her gaze wander too much, and it made Loki furious. Not at her, obviously, but at whoever it was that had frightened her in that alley, and potentially laid their hands on her. Aster's curious spirit had been temporarily broken.
He placed his large hand on Aster's shoulder and told her, "We'll go faster than usual, to get back home quicker," so that she had the forewarning to expect a slightly bumpier journey than usual, and he waited for her subtle answering nod before kicking Sune into a canter. His real desire to reach the palace sooner was so that he could order a group of guards to patrol the town in the marketplace area and hopefully shed some light on who had scared his daughter.
If they were unable to find the person, then maybe at least they could question some townspeople to find out if anybody had seen anything.
After a few minutes on the horse, Loki watched Aster wipe her face and dry her tears; she seemed to have pulled together a little composure and the only evidence left of her upset state was the occasional sniffles.
When they reached the palace, Loki left Sune with the stablehand and immediately speed-walked to the barracks with Aster once again held safely in one arm. He made it there in record time and called out for the captain of the guard by name, "Sigeric!" The guards present stood at attention and Sigeric came around the corner, vaguely surprised to see Loki; he bowed out of respect and greeted him.
"Prince Loki, what can I do for you?"
"I need you to patrol the marketplace and search for somebody dressed in a purple cloak. I didn't get a good look at them but they attacked my daughter. Start in the alley near the florist, ask around and see if anybody may have seen anything, I know it's not much to go on, but…" Loki sighed, glancing back at Aster who had gone back to hiding her face from everybody present. If Aster had seen the person who had troubled her, maybe she could give them a description, but Loki could tell from the look in her eyes that she wasn't going to talk again, not in front of the guardsmen.
He knelt down, standing Aster in front of him so that he could talk to her face to face and allow her attention to be on him alone, "Aster. The person you saw in that alleyway, was it a man or a woman?" He signed the two answers respectively, hoping it would prompt her to answer through signing.
Aster looked like she just wanted to head back to her room and not have to deal with this, but Loki needed some sort of description to offer the guards. After a few tentative moments, she signed her response. Man.
So, a man had grabbed his daughter in that dark alley. Loki tried not to let the rage show on his face, he didn't want to scare Aster.
"What did he look like, Aster? Was he young? Middle-aged or old?"
Aster gave him a hopeless look, she didn't know how to answer. Loki nibbled the inside of his cheek as he tried to think of simpler questions, "Was his face wrinkled?"
She shook her head 'no' and Loki nodded. He continued to ask very basic questions, asking about the length of his hair or the colour of it, what colour his eyes were, whether he had a big or small nose, were his teeth white or yellowed, and eventually built up a small profile of the man that could serve as a starting point for the search.
"Alright, so we're looking for a potentially young or middle-aged man with short, straight brown hair and dark eyes…" Sigeric trailed off and then gave a strange hum.
"What is it?" Loki asked.
"This description matches that of Sten Ulfson-"
"Who is that?" Loki wanted answers and he wanted them quickly.
"An assistant at the library, my lord, he was reported missing a few days ago and we've been looking into the disappearance under the King's orders," he paused, "it could just be a coincidence that this missing person and your mysterious perpetrator share similar features, but it's worth investigating a link. I'll lead a patrol down in the marketplace to see what we can find." Sigeric's information about a missing person was news to Loki, and he felt a fresh wave of irritation roll over him. Why hadn't Thor told him that a resident in the town had been reported missing?
"Thank you, Sigeric. Please report any findings as soon as you discover anything that may be significant."
"Yes, my prince." With a nod, he turned back to the guards present and began giving them orders of where to look and what to investigate.
Loki lifted his daughter again and spoke quietly to her, "Let's go back and see Kari and your mother, mm?" His gentle suggestion brought relief to her face and she nodded her head, silently pleading for them to hurry back. He didn't waste anymore time, dutifully carrying the girl back to her and Kari's bedroom, during which time, Loki's contemplation once again went to the topic of Aster finally speaking.
He hoped she would speak again, because he was beginning to think Amelia may not even believe him when he told her that a few words had finally dropped from Aster's lips. He also wanted to hear her voice again, and wanted Amelia and Kari to hear it too, because it was so magnificently sweet, beautiful and melodic. He was oddly pleased that Aster spoke with an Asgardian accent rather than the American accent that Kari had adapted from his mother.
Loki paused halfway through the journey back to the children's bedroom and glanced down at Aster, who looked up at him with her wide eyes. He reached his hand down into his shoulder bag, minding the delicate flowers, and fished out the dolly that Aster had personally picked as her toy. He held it out for her, a small comfort that he knew would make her feel a little bit better, and it did, because her frown lifted into a subtle smile as she grabbed the doll with both hands and hugged it tight to her chest. The sight eased Loki's tense demeanour ever so slightly and he ran his fingers through her hair before continuing on.
Amelia knew something was up the moment Loki and Aster came back into the children's bedroom; she turned to the door with a big smile, expecting Aster to skip back in with an equally large grin ready to show off her new toy, but instead she looked lacklustre in the arms of her dad.
There was a nervous expression on her face, a knit in her eyebrows that shouldn't have been found on the face of a toddler. What had upset her?
"Dada!" Kari waved at them, a little more cheerful than he had been earlier that morning, though his voice suggested his sinuses were still congested.
"Hey," Amelia greeted after her smile fell, "What's going on?"
Loki sighed. His mouth opened but he did not speak, tentative and unsure, then he looked at Aster and stroked her cheek with his fingers, "Do you want to show your brother the toy you picked out for him?"
It lit her face up just a little and she nodded; Loki placed her down on her feet and picked Kari's snowy white owl out of his bag, handing it to the girl. Aster hugged both the owl and her doll to her chest with one arm and scurried to her bed to grab her soft green blanket so she could drag it to Kari's bed. She climbed up onto the mattress with a little extra effort and sat beside him, presenting him with the owl.
Kari let out a sweet little gasp as he examined the owl, petting its fur with his hand, and then hugged it tightly, his face showing nothing but joy. "Thank you Asdah!" He readily cuddled his sister in gratitude and she hugged him back, but she didn't let go after a few seconds like she usually would. She seemed unwilling to let go of her brother; it was something that would usually bring a huge smile to Amelia's face, but given Loki's somewhat grave demeanour, Amelia couldn't help but feel that something bad had happened and it had caused Aster some pretty hefty anxiety.
She once again looked to Loki, her face holding a questioning expression, and Loki beckoned her over with a tilt of his head, which wasn't reassuring at all. What on Earth was going on?
Amelia gave the children a forced smile, noting that Aster had cuddled up to her brother and pulled her blanket firmly around them both, "I'll be right back, lovelies," she told them softly, stroking both of their heads affectionately before standing and crossing the room to talk with Loki furtively in the corner.
"Loki, what's going on?" She whispered urgently, "Is Aster okay?"
Amelia thought she might've spotted a hint of shame on her husband's face, and was clueless to what it could possibly mean until he spoke.
"I lost sight of Aster in the marketplace for a few minutes," Loki admitted, "and in that time, she had a… confrontation with somebody… who I can only assume had harmful intentions."
It took Amelia a few moments to process what her husband had said, but as soon as she understood, she frowned deeply and there was an almost accusatory hint to her narrow gaze, "What do you mean harmful?" She repeated with rising anxiousness, "Loki, what do you mean harmful?"
Loki touched her arm to reassure her, "I'm not entirely certain what happened, Aster didn't want to talk about it. I was… preoccupied at a market stall and she got distracted by a butterfly and just wandered off, when I found her, she was crying and whoever upset her had fled. I tried to chase them but they slipped away," he explained quietly. "I'm sorry I didn't keep a closer eye on her, I won't let it happen again."
He seemed very remorseful that he had allowed himself to lose track of their daughter, and it was very clear that he definitely wouldn't be so careless in the future; Amelia's expression softened ever so slightly and she looked back to her daughter, concern and nerves bubbling in her stomach uncomfortably. "But is she okay?" Amelia whispered.
Loki nodded, "She will be fine, she's just a little shaken."
His answer pacified Amelia to an extent but there were still many questions floating through her head, "So she's not hurt? What did they do? Loki, why would somebody make our daughter cry?"
He was just as stumped as she was given by the apologetic shake of his head, "I think they might have tried to grab her. To take her," he closed his eyes momentarily at the dastardly thought, "If I hadn't found her when I did…" Loki trailed off and then sighed, "I do not know of their intentions, I can only speculate, but as soon as I came around that corner, they were running, and that screams guilty to me. I have guards scouring the market and surrounding area for anything out of the ordinary and they will be questioning villagers in search for information."
Amelia nodded, her mouth parted in shock and anger that somebody had likely tried to kidnap Aster; she touched her hand to her chest, trying to find words. "Loki… they're safe, right?"
Loki's taut expression softened, "Here, they are as safe as they can ever be. Next time we leave the palace, I will take extra measures to ensure nothing like that will happen again, I promise you."
Amelia's throat tightened uncomfortably as her mind started kicking itself into overdrive, trying to figure out what exactly must have happened. She couldn't believe that anybody in Asgard would try to harm her daughter, she had never had any reason to believe that anybody held any ill will towards the little ones, and the more she thought about it, the sicker she felt.
"Loki, why would somebody- why would this happen? Why would somebody do that?" Her breaths came fast as she struggled with the thought that something could have happened to her child. The mere thought of her being hurt instilled her with rage and terror, which manifested with her shaky hands. She wrung them together tightly as she blinked back tears and quietly hissed, "Why the fuck would anybody try to hurt our baby girl?"
Loki held Amelia firmly by her arms, shushing her gently out of her frenetic state, "I don't know, Amelia," he told her with a hardened expression, "but I will find out, and there will be severe consequences for whoever would dare lay a finger on her. Until I can find whoever accosted her, we must be careful," one hand rose to cup her face in an effort to soothe her fears. "Please do not worry, Amelia. Nothing will happen to our children."
Amelia visibly calmed down under his resolute gaze and determined tone, her fingers gently grazed his and she nodded her head, "O-okay." She focused on controlling her breathing and waited until she had blinked away the tears and regained her composure before tentatively turning around, ready to make her way back to Kari's bedside, but Loki stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"There's something else."
Loki didn't sound as grave this time, and Amelia looked at him questioningly.
"Aster spoke today." He stated it bluntly and sounded hesitant, like he didn't know whether to be excited about it or not, and for a moment Amelia wasn't sure she believed her husband, but after everything he had just told her, she knew there was no reason he would make such a thing up.
"What?" She whispered, mouth falling open again, this time in disbelief. Amelia glanced back at Aster, then back to her husband, and proceeded to switch her gaze between them at least four times in the span of a few seconds. "She actually talked? What did she say?" She continued to speak in hushed tones, forcing herself not to make a big deal out of it, but in her chest her heart was hammering with anticipation and excitement. Her daughter had spoken aloud? With her voice?
"Yes…" Loki's furrowed eyebrows twitched, "It was because she was scared, and I… I wasn't paying attention to her signing," a wave of shame rolled over him, "I had hoped Aster speaking her first words would have been under… better circumstances."
Amelia understood then why Loki seemed so reserved about what should have been a momentous occasion, "What did she say?"
Loki sighed, "It was just after I found her and I was chasing down the culprit. She said 'daddy, I want to go home', and that was all."
Amelia worried her lower lip between her teeth and then gave Loki a weak smile, "So… you were her first word?"
Loki found himself slowly giving her a subtle smile as he remembered the days before either of his children could speak where he and Amelia had had a friendly little competition to get Kari to say 'dada' or 'mama' first respectively. 'Mama' had been Kari's first word, and now 'daddy' was Aster's first word; as much as Loki wished he could celebrate and rejoice in the fact, the conditions under which Aster had said the word left him unable to fully enjoy it. Still, it had been beyond sweet to hear his daughter say the word.
"Maybe she'll speak more often?" Amelia murmured quietly, glancing back at the girl, "I… really wanna hear her talk," she admitted.
"I hope so too," Loki agreed, "I'm sure when she's ready… she will talk again."
Amelia nodded lightly. She returned to Kari's bedside, leaning over to cuddle her children securely, "Give me a hug, darlings." The twins welcomed the affection and snuggled into their mother contentedly; Aster seemed more at ease now that she was safe within the palace beside her mother and brother, Loki was glad for it.
When Amelia pulled back, Aster looked to her father and signed 'flower' with her hands, prompting Loki to remember the bouquet he had bought for Amelia. He peered down into the bag, checking the gift was still fully intact and hadn't gotten damaged in all the excitement earlier in the marketplace; the hydrangea blooms were fine, so Loki walked around the bed and sat down next to Aster, smiling warmly at his wife.
"Aster and I got you something."
Amelia blinked, curious as she looked between her daughter and her husband, "Oh?"
Loki revealed the bouquet from his shoulder bag, feeling a rush of delight when Amelia's eyes lit up. She loved receiving flowers. Even after feeling the rising anxiety over Aster's safety, a pretty bouquet of blooms could still put a smile on Amelia's face; it was particularly cute the way her hand covered her mouth, fingers brushing her lips, making her appear reticent and bashful.
"You got me hydrangeas?" Amelia murmured happily, identifying the blooms immediately. She took the bouquet tentatively, her fingers lightly brushing against the pink and blue petals, "They're beautiful… thank you." She sounded genuinely surprised that Loki had thought to get them for her.
"Aster picked them out," Loki stated, fondly running his hand through the girl's hair, "didn't you, little flower?" His daughter nodded timidly.
"Oh honey, I love them, thank you so much lovely," Amelia leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead, and Aster appeared happy at the praise. Examining the flowers with clear captivation, Amelia continued, "You know, these flowers have a special meaning, namely gratitude and sincerity. It's a very sweet thing to give somebody flowers… a meaningful gesture," she spoke adoringly. It was clear she was thinking of all the times Loki had gifted her a pretty bouquet, something that never failed to put a smile on her face.
Loki leaned down and whispered into Aster's ear, "Told you so," prompting the girl to giggle. The sound of her little laughter alleviated a lot of his concern for Aster's mental wellbeing; she was definitely shaken by her experience today but she seemed in a rush to sweep it under the rug and get back to her regular self. Loki would continue to do everything he could to make sure she felt safe and secure within the palace.
"Did you gedda treat?" Kari interjected, recalling his dad's promise to bring him something sweet and healing for him to eat.
"Oh no, we forgot!" Loki gave a fake gasp, which brought perhaps the biggest sad pout he's ever seen on the boy's face, so he quickly threw the lie out the window, "I'm just kidding, of course we got you a treat." Just as quickly, Kari's big grin returned and he waited in anticipation as Loki pulled the little box out of his shoulder bag and opened it up to reveal the cupcakes. "Your favourite, a vanilla iced cupcake, but this one has sweet cherries inside it. Now remember, you have to eat all of it, not just the icing."
Kari was more into the icing than the sponge, and on several occasions he had wasted a perfectly good sponge cake by only eating the decor on top. The boy smiled sheepishly and held his hand out, murmuring a quiet "Peas."
"Since you asked so nicely," said Loki as he handed the cupcake to his son. He wasn't overly fussed about sticky hands or crumbs in the bed when he could just snap his fingers and have a maid come and change the sheets. The happy noises Kari made as he bit into the treat were adorable and a pleasure to hear given the boy's state of unwellness.
"Fank you," Kari thanked through the mouthful of cake, and Loki smiled warmly at the show of manners.
"You're welcome, little one." Loki proceeded to give Aster her cupcake and then pulled Amelia's treat out of his bag.
"Love," Loki caught Amelia's attention while she positioned the hydrangeas in the vase atop the dresser across the room and fawned over them, she turned and caught sight of the raspberry muffin her husband had brought her and gasped, happily scurrying back to the bed to accept it graciously.
"Thank you darling!" Amelia looked overjoyed and rewarded her husband with a kiss that was sweeter than all the treats combined. Loki sighed into the kiss and tilted his head back, deepening it ever so slightly. Amelia nuzzled her nose against his when she pulled away, giving him a knowing look that basically said 'thank you for the muffin, you'll get your full reward later tonight when the kids have gone to bed.'
Loki chuckled quietly to himself as he watched his family indulge, but held off on doing so himself with the pastry he'd bought. Instead, he took his shoulder bag off and laid it on the bed - he'd be back for it later, but for now he needed to find his brother and have a stern talk with him.
He stood, smoothing out his attire free of creases and announced his temporary departure, "I'm going to see Thor, I won't be long." He had already begun walking around the bed and towards the door when a little voice loudly exclaimed.
"No!"
All eyes turned to Aster, she had spoken yet again. Loki could see the shock on Amelia's face at the sound of her daughter's voice, and even Kari looked mildly surprised. Aster once again fell shy and reticent as everybody stared at her, and as such she tried to hide behind her cupcake.
Loki understood why she had spoken. She didn't have to say a lot for him to know exactly what she was thinking.
"It's okay, Aster," Loki returned to the bed to reassuringly pet her head, "you, your brother and your mother are all completely safe here. Nobody can get in. Svend is guarding the door like he always does and he won't let anybody but me into this room, alright?"
Aster hesitantly nodded her head, looking up at him with her big round eyes that were slightly tearful from worry.
"You'll be alright," he told her, "I won't be long. I'll be straight back here after I talk to Uncle Thor."
She gave another stronger nod.
"Good girl." He pinched her cheek lightly and then shared a look with Amelia, who felt highly empathetic to her daughter's worries. Loki could tell she was just as shocked at hearing the sound of Aster's voice for the first time as he had been.
"Alright, hang tight. Don't eat my pastry while I'm gone." He winked, leaving on a humorous note, despite the fact that he was completely serious and knew that the kids would easily sniff the chocolate twist out if he was gone too long.
"Brother."
Loki's snapping voice echoed throughout the inner courtyard as he marched down the steps and across the cobbled stone path, towards the bench nestled amongst colourful, flowery bushes beside a pond and water fountain.
Thor lifted his gaze calmly away from Inga - they looked as though they had been in the middle of a romantic, affectionate little break given how closely they were sitting beside each other, she was practically sitting in his lap - and looked to his irritable sibling. He was unfazed by Loki's vexed tone, which made sense given how often he had heard it over the years.
"Is something wrong, Loki?" Thor enquired curiously.
"Why was I not informed of the villager reported missing?" The sneer on Loki's face was evident of his disdain and exasperation for being left in the dark over something that was clearly significant.
Thor tilted his head, "Oh. It was going to be brought up in the next advisory meeting tomorrow afternoon, I did not think it was urgent that you be informed. The captain of the guard has already been briefed on the issue."
Loki grit his teeth together. "I know, you oaf. I just spoke with him a short while ago. What made you think it wasn't significant for me to know that an Asgardian had gone missing."
Inga raised her eyebrows over the prince's haughty, overwrought demeanour, and quickly decided she wasn't going to stay and stand awkwardly in the middle of the brothers' shouting match should it occur, so she placed her hand on Thor's arm and gave him a soft and apologetic smile.
"I'm heading back to the infirmary, I need to check on a concoction I'm brewing. I'll see you later this afternoon," there was a hint of suggestiveness in her voice.
Thor leaned down and kissed her, "Of course. See you later." After his lover walked off, Thor turned back to Loki, visibly displeased that Loki had interrupted his alone time with partner, and frowned deeply as he asked, "What's this about, Loki?"
"I expect you to keep me up to date on notable events. A missing person is a notable event," Loki huffed.
Thor narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out exactly why his brother was so bothered by the development, "You only just got back to Asgard a couple days ago… I thought you might've wanted time to acclimate and settle in before getting back to business." It was true that Loki and his family had just returned from living in Stark Tower for several months, but that didn't mean Loki wasn't ready to return immediately to his position as Thor's Chief Advisor.
"Aster was almost kidnapped earlier." Loki spat it out bluntly, and if it wasn't for the gravity of his remark, he probably would've found Thor's double-take to be amusing.
"What?" Thor's voice boomed across the courtyard, full of anger and incredulity. "Kidnapped? By whom? Who would dare try and seize the young princess?" It was clear the thought enraged Thor, and in a way it was relieving for Loki to see such a reaction - it merely showed that Thor comprehended the weight of what he had told him, and that he was ready to punish whoever had committed the atrocity.
Of course, Thor was fiercely protective of his niece and nephew, and if he could help it, nothing terrible would ever happen to the twins.
"That's the problem, I don't know. If I had been informed of this missing person, I wouldn't have taken my daughter down to the market without any added supervision. I would have requested a guard escort," Loki sighed, "I lost sight of her for less than two minutes, and she was almost taken. I didn't see who it was, but Aster gave a very basic description of the man that accosted her and Sigeric thinks there may be a connection between this and the missing person."
Thor stared wide eyed for a few moments, "I'm sorry for not informing you sooner, brother. Is… is Aster alright?"
Loki shook his head slightly, "She's very shaken. She was so scared that she actually spoke earlier. Out loud, I mean, said she wanted to go home." Thor's eyebrows shot up in surprise, he almost seemed more shocked over Aster's demonstration of speech than the attempted kidnapping.
Thor appeared to flounder for a few moments, "I… will be looking into this incident. We will have our best guards put on this case and they will report straight to us if they find anything even slightly suspicious. Again, I am sorry brother. I will keep you completely up to date with any and all information from now on. In the coming days, it may be worth questioning Aster to see if she can tell us anything more about what occurred. This will not happen again."
Loki eyed Thor silently for a moment and then nodded, satisfied by Thor's serious response, "Good."
HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED! I'm excited to see what you all think of THAT little show.
Please leave a comment, it took a lot to get this chapter out and I appreciate each and every little bit of recognition I get in the comments. Simply hearing that you guys have enjoyed a chapter gives me a little shot of happiness :)
I TOTALLY WANNA DISCUSS A FEW THINGS!
Firstly, WHO'S BEEN WATCHING WANDAVISION!? Oh my god, I'm hooked on it. I am seriously loving it, also, that theme song at the end of the most recent episode? You know the one. No spoilers if you haven't seen it but DAMN that song is a banger! xD
Secondly, although this fic still has quite a few chapters left, I have been thinking about what I would be writing after this instalment of the series is completed and I had a few ideas:
1) AU mini-fics for the Loki/Amelia romance, anyone? I'm talking like mermaid au, teacher/student college AU *suggestive eyebrow wiggling*, hell even a coffee shop AU? Literally anything like that, just their meeting/romance reimagined in a different scenario in short stories.
2) I intend for Hydrangeas to finish with the twins being around 7 or 8 years old? So quite a few years left to go through, BUT I could totally write about this little family in later years? Teenage years?
3) I've been toying with the idea of somehow incorporating the Loki show into this fic. Obviously it probably wouldn't happen until after the Loki show has aired so I can get a little idea about what alternate reality Loki is going through, but I just thought to myself one day 'what would happen if alternate reality Loki (the one from the show) popped up in the Language of Flowers timeline?' Angry bitter post-Avengers Loki meets OUR Loki and his family - his wife and children. I'm sure there would be a little chaos. The idea seemed interesting so that's a MAYBE if anyone would be interested in that.
4) I've literally already gotten people asking about if I would write the oneshot where Amelia inevitably dies from old age around 300 years old, which would be angsty as FUCK, but I'm sure I can find away to tie it into a happy ending - but I'd still definitely try and make y'all cry if I'm gonna be writing on that subject matter xD
Anyway, please share your thoughts on what you would be interested in, I may keep a sort of tally and then end up writing what people want the most :)