Chapter 34.
The army returned to thunderous applause, the streets to the Castle Halls lined with cheering people. In the Hall, Floria stood silently next to Loki, her fingers picking at a stray thread on her skirt of emerald Silk. The same emerald he had given her for Yule, the crowd cheering as Thor entered and her father followed along with.
Her fears at finding out about her being barren, had given her awful nightmares the previous night. Horrible dreams of Loki casting her off, calling her useless and unworthy of his love. Her shaking, small being left alone and afraid again as her pleas fell on deaf ears, and she was replaved by a better woman. At one point they tore her from her slumber with a scream, and leaving her unable to find sleep again. She tried to hide her exhaustion, but it showed in her weary eyes and now trembling hands.
The people gathered threw rose petals into the air, the fragrant shower landing on the floor and being crushed under heavy boots. Loki raised a hand to command quiet, and a calm entered the hall and the warriors arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
"Asgard owes these skilled men, and woman a debt of gratitude! For if it was not for them, the Dark Elves would have breached our borders and attacked us. Killing the innocent and laying waster to all we care for, stealing all that is precious to us. Let us celebrate their victory!" Loki announced, the gathered masses cheering at their heroes. Loki turned and looked at her, seeing her fatigue and pressing his lips together.
"Are you unwell?" He asked her out of sudden concern and she nodded, seeing how Thor held his firey haired Marrin to him and kissed her. Loki saw her watching them, her eyes returning to him and she shook her head.
"I slept poorly last night, nothing more." She said and he saw something he had hoped to never see in her eyes, fear. He caressed her cheek, offering her a place to sit on the throne and she took it. He stepped toward his brother, laughing with him and hoping that Floria would open back up to him again and to be more free with him.
"How do you feel King Loki?" Thor asked and he sighed, glancing back at Floria.
"Worn out, but happy." Loki said and looked at Hogun. "Congratulations! You have a son, and he is strong!"
"A son! Wonderful news if you ask me!" Thor said and clapped a hand on his back. "We will raise a toast to celebrate him!"
"I am very happy by this, my wife did well and pleased me greatly. I will go to them after this and see that they are well." Hogun said, his happiness showing. No one noticed the woman dozing in the Throne behind them, falling into another nightmare as her eyes closed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Please speak to me Floria." Loki said, his eyes pleading with her and she could not resist his charms anymore. She sighed, looking at the floor and he lifted her chin gently, his eyes warm and kind as they looked into hers. He dropped to his knees before her as she sat on the throne, Thor walking in and seeing the gesture and watching his brother in quiet awe.
"I have had terrible nightmares. You cast me off in anger that I cannot give you children, and called me awful names." She said, shaking and he looked away from her. "I am so sorry, I did not want to unburden myself this way."
"Nightengale, I would never cast you aside. It would be a crime against all that is natural and good, I am honest when I talk about the ribbon wrapped around my heart. It is attached to you, and should it ever break, I would bleed to death and die." He said, her eyes filling with shining tears. "Don't weep now, for you have much to be happy about. You have a new Brother, and a King who will do anything to see you smile again."
"I am trying not to Sir, It is just so hard to believe sometimes that providence has smiled upon me so." She said and he laughed, winking at her and he handed her the staff. He stood, stepping down the stairs and knelt at the bottom.
"You are Queen now, command me as you will my beautiful Lady." He said and she blinked at him, a smiled blooming on her features as she thought. Thor held back a chuckle, seeing how he doted upon his Bride and watched their game.
"You may rise, your knees will get sore from kneeling while I think." She said and he stood, stretching his back and laughing at her.
"You are most kind Queen Floria, I do owe you so much gratitude. Have you no commands for me?" He said and she sat demurely, crossing her ankles and holding the staff in one hand.
"You said you would make me laugh, please do so." She said and he bowed. She watched, his hands stretching to his side's and he created an illusion of a kitten prancing across the floor. It chased after a butterfly, and slid about. She giggled, her smile blooming and becoming full.
"There, you have laughed My Queen. May I ask what other favors you wish of me?" He said and she giggled a bit, blushing and covering her mouth.
"This staff is far to heavy for me, please take it back." She said and he bowed again, climbing up the steps and he took the long handle from her hand. She looked up at him, standing and kissed his cheek softly.
"We should ready ourselves for the feast tonight, to celebrate the victory of the army and to toast your Mother for her good works." Loki said and she nodded. He caressed her cheek, her head leaning into his touch and he smiled at her. "Do you feel better?"
"I do Sir, thank you." She said and he smiled down at her. He tapped the end of her nose, making his point clear.
"I love you Dear Nightengale, and would do nothing to ever cause you pain so cruel as to cast you off. You are to be my Wife, and I will worship you all the days of my life. Never be afraid to tell me anything." He said and she nodded, her cheeks blushing at his gentle reprimand.
"Yes Sir, I will tell you everything. No matter how silly." She said and he laughed, taking her hand and kissing it.
"Go and rest. There is much to be happy about now, I will come and dine with you at midday." He said and she left, Thor watching her as she passed and sighed. Loki returned to his throne, covering his mouth as he thought and looked defeated. His thoughts turning to what he heard the girl say, and Thor further wondered if Odin knew all along that she was infertile. He allowed the marriage to occur, and he saw now why, Loki would never have a single heir by the poor girl. A thought crossed his mind then, making him smile and he slipped from the Hall, thinking of a plan to himself and saw Fandral standing alone.
"Fandral!" He called out and the warrior turned. "How would you like to make the greatest apology in the history of Asgard?"
"How would we do that?" He asked Thor, grinning and leaning into his friend to conspire to save a young girl from years of heartache.
"We are going to ask a certain lady for an apple." Thor replied and Fandral gasped in shock. He blinked at his friend a moment, grinning the next and laughed. Thor explaining the entire circumstance to his friend and he grinned, winking and they began walking together.
"I am very much in on this." Fandral said and they ran together to get their horses.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Three hours later, Thor and Fandral returned to the Castle just before lunch. They found Floria sitting in the garden, a book in her lap and they both were careful not to frighten her. Thor cleared his throat, and she jumped, her mouth falling open and she stood quickly. Her hands shook a bit, and Thor put his hands out gently.
"Lady, we came to apologize to you for our actions, and to give you something very special." Thor said and Fandral bowed, removing his hat.
"We are most sorry for our awful behavior Lady, please accept this apple from us. There are none sweeter in any of the realms." Fandral said and Thor offered her the golden hued fruit. She took it from his hand, marveling at the size and blushed as she smiled.
"It is so pretty, may I share it with someone?" She asked the men and they both nodded, they knowing that a single bite was all she needed to heal her body and make her able to have children.
"It is yours, to do with as you wish." Thor said and she smiled. She held it in her hands and gave both men a curtsy, Fandral grinning from ear to ear.
"Thank you both. I believe you both to be good men now." She said and took her leave. Hogun passed by, his eyes going wide at the apple in her hands and he stopped her.
"Where did you get that?" He asked her, and she looked back at Fandral and Thor.
"They gave it to me Father, to apologize for being such brutes. They said it was the sweetest apple I would ever taste." She replied and Hogun looked at his two friends and grinned. He put his hands over hers and smiled, looking at his friends in a manner that said he was glad for them.
"It is, I hope you enjoy it fully." Hogun said and stopped her before she could offer her a bite. "It is yours, and only yours, enjoy it my sweet child."
"Yes Father, I had better hurry to dine with King Loki." She said and left him standing in the garden. Thor walked over to Hogun and the warrior embraced the Prince as a friend, a peace between them returning again.