Chapter 57
Floria stood next to Loki, her arm on his and she smiled at Sera married Thor in a lavish ceremony that seemed sadder than hers. She watched Thor shove the ring onto her hand, and the chaste kiss on her friends lips with sadness. Part of her knowing that the poor Light Elf would be alone that night but not giving up hope. Loki gave her hand a soft squeeze and she glanced up at him, her eyes smiling at her husband and she let out a long breath. Her own gold and emerald silk gown was stunning, and she noticed the guests looking at the two of them more often than the couple marrying. She smiled, Loki standing closer to her and he rested his hand on her back.
"The new Prince and Princess of Asgard are wed!" Odin announced, Floria applauding happily and her friend looking back at her near tears. She wanted to hold her then, feeling sadness for the girl that barely spent an hour with her intended over the last month. Forced now to share his bed, and her body with him.
"Congratulations Princess Sera." She said and the Elf smiled at her. The two women had bonded over the past month, becoming close and sharing secrets with one another. Loki approved, finding their chatter over books they read together amusing and he would laugh as they embroidered by the fireplace.
"Don't be sad for her Nightengale, her future is set." Loki said softly to her and she shook her head.
"He does not care for her, and is cold toward her in all ways. I am sad because she is not as happy as I am with her husband." She replied and he sighed at her kind heart and hugged her softly.
"Then pray she conceives tonight, then she will have some love here through that." He said, Floria nodding and watching her walk away to the banquet. Thor staring at Floria, his eyes studying her closer than she would have liked.
"I will hope the same, and that he warms to her so they may have something as we do." Floria agreed, to him and Loki smiled at her. "I am healed, and have been told I can perform wifely duties."
"You only duty to me is to smile and let me shower you with gifts and affections." He corrected, lifting her chin. "You are not a broodmare, nor were you put in my life for your body alone. I could drink from your kind and soft words for all time and never feel parched, and I do love to spoil you so. Never think yourself less because you are not constantly entangled with me in my bed, your conversation and trust are more powerful expressions of your devotion than what we do when we are alone."
"I did not mean to offend you, but I do feel the same for you. I enjoy the way we talk together, and the ideas we share at times." She replied and he smiled, her hands folding neatly and she laughed. "You do not have to spoil me with things always, give me happy memories to shine light on the dark ones of my past."
"Then, what do you say about laying on the balcony tonight and watching the procession of the stars together? I could have fruits brought up to us, and feed them to you as you dream of our life together." He asked her and he walked with her to the head table. Odin took notice of how he slowed his gait to allow her to be at his side and smiled, his eye shining at how Loki made her feel so wanted. His mind pitying Sera in a way, realizing he may have made the wrong decision concerning Thor.
"That sounds wonderful. Will you teach me the names of the constellations again?" She asked him and he pulled her chair out for her, allowing her to sit before he pushed her in.
"If you wish It, I shall. I will give you any knowledge you truly desire my beautiful Queen." He said, Thor gulping down his mead and demanding another loudly. Frigga frowned at her son, the girl next to him staring at her plate in depression.
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The two Princesses strolled through the garden together, admiring the blooms around them. They were unaware of the Prince who watched them both from the shadow of a fern, their conversation low but still audible to him. He grinned, his eyes on Floria as she carried their baby in her arms and kissed her soft curls of hair.
"How was it... with the both of you?" Floria asked Sera, her cheeks turning red. Sera shrugged, her silver hair shimmering and she pressed her lips together.
"I am not sure, was Prince Loki tender with you?" She asked, the tips of her pointed ears turning red at the conversation. Floria sat with her on a bench, taking her hand and blinking at her friend.
"Yes, he was so sweet to me, and gentle in his attentions. I felt a pinch, and then it was... It was like a dream. All of it beaitiful." She said and Sera's mouth fell open in shock. The Elf leaned forward, covering her face and starting to cry into her hands.
"He... Prince Thor did not come to his Chambers." The girl sobbed. Floria used a handkerchief to wipe her tears, comforting the girl and she shook her head.
"What do you mean? You were presented to am empty room?" She asked and Loki gritted his teeth at the thought of the Princess being so insulted.
"Yes... I lay in his bed, waiting but he never arrived to see me. I was alone all night with people staring at me, it was humiliating." She said and Floria blinked at the pretty girl. She sighed, holding the woman to her side and allowing her to cry onto her shoulder
"I am so very sorry, I pray that Queen Frigga talks some sense into his head this day." Floria said and the Elf nodded into her shoulder. He stepped back, frowning at what he heard and pondered what Thor was doing in not bedding his new Wife.
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She lay on the bed, Loki entering as she napped that afternoon. Alarea was teething, her cries of pain keeping her up the previous night and he smiled at the mother holding her baby close to her in his chambers while they both slept. He slipped off his boots, laying down behind her and he put his arms around her so that she leaned against him as she slept on. His arms cradling hers as she cradled their Daughter, his family, his life where he wanted them both. The child shifted, and Floria allowed her to find comfort and allowed her to sleep on.
"Please don't wake, sleep on my sweet baby." She begged the child and Loki kissed her cheek.
"If she does, I will take her for a walk while you rest." He said and she smiled at him. "You have done so very much, you have more than earned a break from your motherly duties."
"I gave her some medicines from Eir for the pain of bringing in teeth, she should be well to rest for a bit." She replied and he nodded against her shoulder. He worried that she did not sleep enough the previous night, the baby she held now sleeping with her.
"She can go to her Nurse soon, I want to spend as much time as I can as his Mother. I know I will still have her to hold, but she is going to be weaned from me all too soon." She whispered and he smiled at his wife. She leaned her head back against him, her eyes closing and she falling back to sleep.
"Not for some time yet, she will need you still. She will make us both very proud, as you have made me." He said softly and she shifted against him. Her demeanor relaxing, and he feeling at peace.
"I love you." She said softly, he drifting to sleep with her. His dreams filled then with visions of pain and suffering, faces around him as a last visage struck him and his brain was tormented with horrifying visions of suffering. The being called Thanos, standing over him and crushing his chest with a boot. He whimpering in his sleep waking Floria, and she turned in his arms and tried to calm him into peace.
In his dream, One of the Black Order cut a piece of Floria's cheek off. The tortured girl screaming and begging for them to stop, her tears of suffering and pleas falling in deaf ears. Blood falling against the ground and she cried out again as one of her fingers was cut off, more blood joining the growing pool on the floor. Loki screamed in his dream, sitting up on the empty bed and catching his breath.
He gasped, looking around the room for Floria and he rose from the bed. She was nowhere to be seen, and he feared the worst when she heard a sound in the nursery. He opened the doors on the other side of the Bathing Chamber, walking into the room that was once hers and found her laying Alerea into her cradle with a kiss. He ran to her, turning her face toward him and looking into her eyes and pressing his lips to hers.
"You are pale, what is wrong?" She asked, her fingers touching his brow to check for fever. "Loki, are you unwell?"
"No, I had a terrible dream and it frightened me. I needed to see something beautiful after it." He said and she smiled at him softly.
"Don't wake her." She said softly, taking his hand and walking with him back into their chambers. She sat on the bed next to him and held him in her arms as they both lay back, reclining and her hands soothing him by massaging his shoulders.
"It is over now, and I am here. No awful images in your mind can hurt you, my loving husband." She said and he smiled at her.
"How am I so lucky to have such a woman as you." He sighed and she giggled a bit. Her hand resting on his chest as she lay on her side, she blushed and looked up at him.
"I could argue that I am the one who is lucky to have you." She replied and he looked at her in suprise at her words. Her fingers drew a lazy circle over his tunic and he watched the tips draw down his stomach.
"Floria, no one compliments me so, yet you do so freely." He said and she blushed, her hand traveling lower.
"You have been so very kind and loving to me, and I see no reason to hold any scorn for you." She said and he stopped the progression of her hand. He brought it up to his lips, his heart pounding as he kissed it and lay it back on his chest.
"I cherish all of you Floria, you are so very perfect. The Norns have truly blessed me." He said and she smiled softly at him for his compliment. His hand covered hers, and he kissed her lips softly.
"I adore all of you, and would want no part of you to change." She said and looked sad, her eyes lowering and he looked at her.
"I heard that Sera is not so lucky, the poor girl. I cannot help but feel sad for the foolishness of Thor last night." Loki said and he watched his wife as she nodded softly.
"It is so very sad, I wish he would be kinder to her." She said and he pulled her on top of him, his eyes twinkling with promised michief.
"Love will come for them." He reassured her, positioning her and unlacing his pants. "Let me be kind to you for now."
She blushed, kissing him and she giggled as she felt him become one with her. His hands caressing her body and slipping over her thighs and hips as they lay together. He rolled, laying her on the bed and kissed her deeply as she gasped in pleasure with him. He stockinged legs circling him, and her arms pulling him to her body.