Chapter 24.
Floria and Loki entered the Hall, she running to see her father and mother and the both of them smiling and holding her. Loki smiled at the scene with a bit of envy, his never having such a relationship with Odin and it pained him a bit. They laughed and smiled at their daughter, Floria showing them both her new dress and Velora asking about her necklace. Hogun gave him a silent look of approval, and Velora looked shocked at the heavy jewels around her neck. She laughed, her mother taking her aside and giving her two small gifts from she and her father. It was then that Velora made the announcement that raised cheers from Floria and she ran back to Loki.
"Mother is to have a baby! She is with child My Prince!" She cried out and Loki smiled at her happiness. He took her hand, walking back to Hogun and his wife and he bowed to them.
"I congratulate you both, and truly hope that Floria is blessed with a healthy sibling." Loki said and Hogun grinned.
"I hope it is a son, but Hogun wants another girl to spoil as he does Floria." Velora said and blushed. "Thank you for being so good to Floria My Prince. She is... unused to gentle affections, and is often shy."
"She deserves it all, and her continued virtue is a kind reminder of how good of a mother she has. I only hope that she knows only kindness in the future." Loki replied and Hogun nodded. Velora gasped as Loki produced another velvet pouch, holding it toward her and smiled.
"Is this for me?" She asked and Floria smiled brightly. Velora opened it, finding a cuff of gold and diamonds. The stones set in the center of small filigree flowers.
"Trying to steal my wife?" Hogun laughed and Loki grinned. Velora picked up the bracelet, handing to to Hogun and he fixed it around her wrist.
"Hardly, she is a beautiful woman however, and deserves to smile all she can." Loki said and Velora hid a smile. She could see how he had won her daughter's heart, and took one of his hands in both of hers.
"Thank you. Genuinely, this is so beautiful, and I am so happy that Floria is loved by a gentle and kind Prince." Velora said and Loki nodded, his heart sinking at her words with the memory of those whose deaths he caused on Midgard. He shook his head, trying to put his past back in a box and regarded Floria.
"I only wish to see her happy." He said and looked around the room. Thor stood near Odin, both of them talking when a dark haired Maid caught his eye. Floria gave his arm a gentle tug, and he let her pull him aside as Hogun and Velora spoke to one another. He regarded her with a gentle smile, her hands shaking as her finger tips picked at the fabric on his sleeve.
"I made you a gift Sir. It is not as grand as the necklace, but it is something I wanted you to have." She said, her heart pounding as a Paige entered and presented him with a fur lined cloak. Loki held up the garment, looking at it and his mouth fell open as he studied the craftsmanship.
"This was from your hands?" He asked her and wrapped the cloak around him, seating it on his shoulders. He turned with his arms out, beaming at Floria and the audience around him applauded.
"Queen Frigga helped me, Do you like it Sir." She said and he stepped toward her. He took both of her hands, turning the palms up and kissed each one. His eyes shining, and he stood.
"I had to thank the hands that gave me this, that toiled to create something pieced and stitched out of love." He said and one girl giggled at the affection. "This is a wonderful gift Floria, and I will use it well."
"You are welcome My Prince." She said, and he saw Thor walking toward them with a small box. Hogun stopped him, warning him away with a look and Thor sighed in defeat. She smiled at him, Loki waving forth another Paige and he walked over to the casket they carried.
"These are for you Floria, I do hope you find them pleasing." He said, she walking over to it and opening the lid to see fine silk fabrics of a multitude of colors. She gasped, lifting a bolt of lavender and the Ladies gathered looked on in envy at the fine fabrics. Her eyes shone, and she bit her lip softly and looked at Loki.
"Thank you My Prince, but may I share some of these with my mother? She has so little, and she needs dresses made." She asked and the audience murmmered their approval of her generosity. He smiled, adoring her so much more for it, his heart desiring to always have her with him.
"Of course, they are all yours, and I would hope to see you wear a dress made of some of them." He said and she blushed. She kissed his cheek, turning to lay the bolt of fabric back down. He hugged her from behind, and moved the bolts aside, showing her an emerald that was woven with small beads of gold.
"I beg you to keep this one, it would look stunning with your hair." He said and she blushed.
"Yes Sir, I think it would as well." She said, her cheeks coloring and she giggled as he kissed her cheek from behind. Frigga made he way through the crowd, admiring a gold colored silk and smiling at Loki. She walked to Floria, lifting the necklace and her eyes flitting back to Loki.
"Don't spoil her dear, she is still delicate." Frigga said, Loki knowing that she worried that certain people would talk. He shrugged, grinning and watched his mother walk by. He stopped her, looking in her eyes and smiled.
"You may be right, but she is worth spoiling." Loki laughed and she nodded at him. "So beautiful, suffering all too long. She needs some joy in her life."
"I am glad you bring it to her then." Frigga said, watching Floria share the fabrics with her mother and the two women smiling and laughing over them. She saw Loki's smile and remembered their play in the snow yesterday, her heart happy that the son she knew was coming back to her.
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The evening feast was wonderful, and everyone was more than happy. Glasses were raised in toast, and new friends from another realm were celebrated. Loki sat with Floria at his right hand, a place of great honor and the symbolism was not lost on Hogun or anyone else. Velora leaned close to him, her eyes happy.
"I think we have found a good match for our daughter." She said and Hogun nodded.
"He does show her great respect and honor." Hogun returned, raising a glass to Thor and Fandral who were drunk on mead and wine. The two slurred their speech, leaning heavily in their seats and Hogun regarded Loki. He sat with Floria, unintoxicated and composed. They laughed, sharing a joke between them and his mind was made up then. He would protect his daughter from cruelty, even if it was in affection by telling Loki he had his blessing for her hand.
"I beg the pardon of everyone gathered, but I have another gift for a gentle Lady. If is pleases the gathered guests, I wish to present it now." Loki said and Floria's mouth dropped open. She stood, her eyes wide and she blushed.
"My Prince. You are so generous, I have no other gifts for you." She replied and he turned to her, his hand gentle on her cheek.
"Your happiness is the true gift My Lady. And your smile my warmth." He replied and the door opened. Two men led in a snow white mare, her back draped in a blanket is lavender and rose and a fine leather saddle on top of it. Floria covered her mouth in shock, the fine horse obviously valuable and she bounced on her toes.
"I don't know what to say! She is so pretty!" She gasped and Loki laughed She walked to the horse and petted it, her hands cradling the muzzle. Hogun and Velora stared in shock, and laughed.
"Her name is Snowdrop, and I do hope you like her. I will teach you to ride when the weather improves." Loki said and she laughed, the horse nuzzling her fingers.
"I love her. She is so beautiful, and so sweet." She said and hugged Loki to the shock of the guests. "Thank you so much, I am so very happy."
"I am glad You are happy, that is my only wish my dear Lady." He said and waved the two men to return the horse to the stables. He slipped them both two coins, winking at them to irge them to pay close attention to Floria's horse and they nodded. They returned to their seats and Hogun applauded the gift, the rest of the hall joining in.
"Norns Loki. You would think you both were already lovers." Thor slurred, Fandral laughing in response to the statement and hiccupung.
"Only by emotion, our intimacy has gone no further." Loki said, and Velora smiled at the statement. Hogun appreciated it, and Frigga looked proudly at Loki.
She was always so pleased at how Loki treated his relationships, remaining less cavalier than Thor with the Ladies he took into his chambers. His respect for them evident, and his discretion very clear. She did not doubt his statement however, believing him when he said that their relationship had gone no further than sweet words and stolen kisses.
"She is still untouched?" Thor laughed, gesturing toward Floria who had turned pale and sloshing his cup of wine. "Nine Hels Loki, throw her on your bed and open her. The sooner you do it, and get her over the pain, the better!"
"That is my Daughter!" Hogun said, glaring at Thor. "If you were not drunk, and my friend..."
"Hogun, she may be your daughter, but she is also a broodmare. She will one day give children to some man, and suffer the same pain that all maidenly girls do." Thor laughed, Fandral sitting up.
"I hear it is awful. And from the complaints I have heard from beneath me some nights, I am quite happy to be a man." Fandral said and Velora stood, Floria felt sick and looked at her lap. Shaking in fear and trying not to look as afraid as she felt. She did not want pain, and she felt her mother's hands on her shoulders.
"I do not approve of this talk in front of my Daughter, and beg permission to take her to her chambers to rest." Velora said, her eyes angry. Hogun stood, his hand on Floria's back and helped her out of the Hall.
"I will speak to you in private when you are sober Thor." Odin growled, his eye pinning his son with a venomous glare. Loki pressed his lips together, missing her company and hating Thor for having her leave. He stood, taking his leave and wishing Frigga a pleasant night. She thanked him for her new hair comb, and he felt the pouch still in his pocket. Deliberating to himself as he walked, if now were the correct time to give her the gold and pearl comb.
He did not make much progress before Sif caught him in the hall, running after him and he turned. She smiled, her face drawn and she put a hand on her arm.
"He misses the mortal." She said and Loki blinked at her.
"Jane Foster?" He asked, his eyes wide. "What did happen to her?"
"Time." Sif said, telling Loki that she had aged and died during his incarceration. He pressed his lips together, realizing how much Floria looked like the mortal woman Thor had pursued all those years ago.
"I am sorry for his loss, but Floria is not her. She is her own person, and should not be seen as a replacement for a lost lover." Loki said, turning to leave.
"I agree with you. But Thor is set on having her, talk to Hogun and Odin. I like her, and don't want her hurt by any of this." Sif said and he nodded, regarding her with a raised eyebrow.
"I shall. Thank you for the information, and Happy Yule." He said, leaving her in the hall and walking toward Floria's chambers. He pondered what had happened and knocked at the door, Velora answering it.
"She is not dressed, My Prince." She said and he nodded.
"I understand. Please give her this last gift and tell her that I wish her a Happy Yuletide." He said and she smiled at him, peeking in the pouch.
"It is beautiful, you have been so kind d to her." She said and he laughed.
"The pearls are a symbol of innocence, and I wished to celebrate hers." He said and Velora smiled at him. Hogun walked toward the door, and he saw Floria laying under the blankets behind them.
"He came to give her a final gift Love, and to see if she had recovered." Velora said, he nodding. He offered Loki his hand in friendship, and Loki accepted it willingly.
"Thank you for your high regard of her. It is not missed on her mother and I." Hogun said and Loki let out a breath.
"She deserves it fully." Loki said and bowed. "Goodnight."
He walked toward his chambers, stepping through the doors and growling in anger at what had happened. He cursed Thor, wanting him stripped of rank and thinking about how he would have been treated if he acted in that way. Loki knew that the Golden Son would never be punished, his youth being evidence enough to prove this theory. He paced, flexing his hands and sat heavily in front of the fire in a chair. He glared at it a long time, hating his birth and remembering how scared she looked at the thought of loosing her Maidenhood. Her eyes going wide, and her face turning pale.
He leaned back, resting his head and groaning to himself. Knowing that the only way to protect her, was to marry her himself. He only hoped that Odin would honor the dispensation he had given, a knock from his door pulling him from his thoughts. He stood, walking to the door and opened it, shocked to see Odin standing on the other side.
I am sorry, and I know it is late, may I have a word with you Loki?" Odin asked, his eye looking at him and all He could do was nod mutely as he stepped aside and let the old man in.
"Of course. But what about?" Loki asked him as he walked past. Odin sighed, regarding Loki and sat in one of the chairs.
"Close the door, and make it so no person can hear. I need to speak to you concerning Thor." Odin said, Loki obeying and taking the seat across from him. He was shocked, praying the solution was to not remove Floria from court and listened closely.