Chapter 67.
Loki held her hand, her cries filling the room as she took deep breaths and she pushed again. He turned pale, wiping her brow with the cool cloth and she shook her head. It had only been a few short hours, and this child was wanting to be born.
"Push again when you are ready Princess. It is almost born." The Midwife said. Sari, Sera, and Thor prepared blankets to wrap the new baby in, and she screamed again. Thor turned pale as Floria pushed, Loki helping her to sit up and they heard a crash. The blonde woman had fainted dead away, knocking over a table and Sera had to attend to her Spouse.
"You are doing wonderfully Nightengale, you made Thor faint with your strength." Loki said and she nodded, her brows knotted together and the Midwife sighed. She did not like the idea of either one of them being present, but tolerated them.
"Is it almost out?" She gasped and the Midwife nodded. She smiled, and Loki held her hand, his other rubbing circles on her back and he kissed her knuckles softly.
"Another good push, and we will have the shoulders. This one is much easier on you." Friggha said and Floria nodded, she cried out with another contraction and used it to bear down and pushed with all she had. Loki held his breath as he saw the child being lifted into a cloth and the Midwife returned her attentions to Floria to make sure all the afterbirth was delivered. The helpless child wailed, the cries filling the room and she looked around.
"What is it?" She asked, and Sari giggled at her Mistress. The blanket under her legs was folded and taken away, the last of the afterbirth would be disposed of and Loki watched as the two women brought over the brown haired baby.
"You have a boy Princess, a sweet little boy. He is so precious." Sera said and the child whimpered as he was snuggled into Floria's arms. She touched the cheeks of the baby and held him close to her. Loki having to blink back tears as he watched his Son receive his first affections from his Mother, he lay a hand on hers and he looked down on the child with pride.
"He is as beautiful as our Daughter." Loki said and Floria smiled at him, leaning close to him and kissing his lips. She handed him the bundle and he looked down at the child she had given him, his arms being careful to not harm the child.
"I love my Falfar so very much." She said and Loki smiled at the name. Frigga beamed in joy, but did not dare ask to hold her grandson. She had caused so much trouble with her meddling that she felt honored to be allowed to see him born. She looked at Thor, Sera patting her cheeks and wondered if the poor girl would have the support Floria received when she birthed a child herself. Thor came around, her pale cheeks coloring and she blinked at Sera in embarassment.
"I... It was so... the pain... the blood." She said and Sera laughed, helping her to sit and gave Thor some water. "Norns, women are so very strong to endure that."
"It amazes me as well, I have a son now." Loki said and Thor popped to her feet to see the baby. She peered at the calm child, grinning and she blinked down at the infant and giggled.
"Congratulations Brother! Look at his tiny hands." She gushed and looked a Sera. "Do you think that our child will be as small as this?"
"It may, but will grow and become something even more beautiful than this." She replied and shooed the men toward the doors, taking the baby from Loki and grinning. "We are going to let Mother and Child have some time together while we help Floria clean herself after her trials. Go tell his Sister that she has a Brother now."
"Ordered about by women." Thor said, tossing her hair. "What has the Realm come to?"
"I glorious new age... Sister." Loki said and Thor laughed behind him, making their way to the nursery to see his Daughter and to deliver the news of Falfar. He saw Hogun in the halls, the Warrior pacing and he smiled at his friend. "A boy, I was there for the entirety of it, and she is well. I need new gowns of silk made, and new jewels. She needs to be spoiled handsomely while she recovers, and I intend to give her everything she desires!"
"I am so glad that she is happy, she deserves so very much." Hogun said and laughed, he walked with the duo and made his ignoring Thor no secret. Loki could not blame Hogun, after all the chaos that he had caused and he heard a commotion coming from the Nursery. A child was screaming, her fear evident and Loki ran, bursting through the door and saw his Daughter crying on the floor.
Her skin, had changed and she was Jotun blue.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He rocked his daughter in his arms, her body relaxing and she shifting back to her normal coloring and he kissed her forehead.
"Papa. Me scawy mownster." She whimpered and he looked at the little girl, his eyes filled with sorrow and he shook his head. He shifted then, showing her that they were the same and he cradled her cheeks.
"No. You are my beautiful Child Alarea, nothing more. There are no monsters here, only Princesses and Kings." He said and she hugged him, her arms around his neck and she kissed his cheeks.
"Wike Papa. We same." She said and he smiled at her, nodding and she shifted as she sat in his lap.
"Yes, just like me. Perfect and glorious." He said and tapped her nose. "And now you have a Brother."
"Bwother? I wike Bwother." She said and he kissed her, both of them shifting back and he laughed as he held her. She was everything he wanted, two halves of each parent given breath and a soul. He lifted her off his lap, taking her on his shoulders and walked back to his Chambers.
"Then let us meet him. I sure he will adore you in return."