Chapter twenty-seven: Elaborate lives


"See your grandchild?" Loki mocked. "You are not their grandfather!"

Odin frowns slightly. "They?"

"We have two sons and a daughter." Rose explains softly, her eyes nervously dancing between Odin and Loki. "Three."

Odin's brow arched and he stepped closer. "Three?"

Loki held a hand up. "Close enough!"

"Loki," Rose said gently. "sit with me, please. No fighting while you're holding the baby."

Loki backtracked towards her, keeping an eye on Odin. It was clear he didn't trust him, nor did she blame him, not after what they'd been put through.

"See," her father stated. "I told you that she was fertile. Those children should have been-

"Mine." Loki stated firmly, leaving everyone with no cause to doubt him. "Always should have been mine."

Her parents stiffened and stood there, glowering slightly at them. Thor set down his hammer and moved to look at the children. He laughed as their daughter opened her eyes and stared at him, as if frozen in terror. "Congratulations brother. They're beautiful children."

"Thank you." Loki says tightly.

"And three?" he chuckled. "I cannot recall there being a case of three children born in Asgardian royalty."

"Well," she offers him a wary smile. "as you asked Thor, he loves me well."

"Indeed and you both made three beautiful children. Can I hold one?"

"No." Loki says without blinking.

She snorts. "Of course you may, Thor. Just be careful."

When Thor reached for their daughter, Loki pulls her out of Thor's reach. "Here." She says. "You may hold the eldest."

"Thank you Rose."

"Apologies for Loki, but…it's his baby girl." Rose smirks.

Loki stands next to Thor as he settles the baby into his arms. "Be careful." Loki says apprehensively.

"I am being careful, Loki." Thor said pointedly, causing her to smile. Oh, how she'd missed their playful banter. "Have you named her yet?"

"Rika." She says. "I've named her Rika."

"Good name."

"Gently! He is not your hammer." He stated as he rearranged their daughter's blanket. "Careful."

"I know how to hold an infant!" Thor chuckled as her daughter continued to stare up at him, her green eyes growing wider with each second. "She looks like Rose, but has your eyes."

"I noticed." Rose laughs. "I hope she has her father's mischief. No man in the realms will have a moments piece."

Loki looks to her. "I'll expect you to keep her under control when that time comes."

She chuckles. "Yes, I'm sure she'll listen to you just as you listened to Frigga." Frigga shakes her head. "I'm told our natures return to torment us when we have children."

"Well," he stated. "let us pray that they all take after you."

"And what have you named your sons?" He asked.

"The eldest, is Floki and the younger is Finn." Loki stated.

"Father," Thor says. "do you wish to hold one?"

"Of course." Loki straightened, instantly going into a fighting stance. Odin shot him a look of annoyance. "I am not going to harm the child."

"Pardon me," Loki says sarcastically. "for wondering if you wish to take another jotun offspring from it's parents."

"Loki," Rose said gently. "stay calm, please."

"I will not!" Loki hissed firmly as he held Odin's gaze. "You are not welcome here. Nor are her parents. I'm only going to ask you to leave once, so leave."

"Loki," Frigga stated. "they only-

"I do not care!" he states firmly. "My wife has given birth. I will not have them in here at this moment." at that moment the doors opened and Vlander and Amy entered. "So, you will take your leave. We will discuss this tomorrow."

Odin glowered at him. "You seem to have grown disrespectful in your time from Asgard."

"Now, allfather," Vlander says soothingly. "all new father's are like this. I heard of your arrival and you did not wait and give me the opportunity to great you. Come, I will show you and our guests to your quarters."

"We've come to see the children!" Rose's mother stated.

"Too bad!" Amy stated with a smirk on her face. "You are not on Asgard as of this moment. You are guests of our kingdom, so you will allow us to show you to your quarters."

After a moment, Rose's parents and Odin followed Vlander and Amy out of the room. Rose exhaled and leaned back into her pillows. Frigga shot Loki a disapproving look. "Loki, what was that?"

"I will hear no more on the subject." He stated. "My wife has given me three children, I want to relish that moment." he kneels beside the bed and takes ahold of her hand and kisses her fingers. "I will not have it spoiled by unpleasantness."

Rose kissed him and smiled. "Thank you."

Thor cleared his throat. "You cannot avoid him forever."

"I know," Loki ran his hand through Rose's hair. "just for today. We will deal with them tomorrow."


The following morning,


Loki carefully teleported Rose to the private room that Amy and Vlander had set up for Rose and Loki to speak with Odin, her parents, Thor and Frigga. Amy and Vlander would stay and act as mediators and witnesses to this discussion.

Everyone was already there and their appearance surprised her parents. Amy smiled warmly and gestured to the couch she'd arranged to be brought in for Rose. "You're both on time. How are you feeling today Rose?"

"Still weary," she admits as Loki settles her on the couch. He then conjures up and blanket and tucks it around her. "but I am content." After tucking her in, Loki kisses her forehead, causing her to smile. "Thank you." he then moves to stand behind her, reaching for her hand.

Amy smiles. "You will need some time to recover, especially after bearing three."

Rose merely smiles and Loki clears his throat. "Not to appear rude, but might we get this out of the way?"

"Loki." Frigga gently admonishes him.

"Now," Thor states. "Rose and Loki are parents. It is…natural I believe, for them to want to be with their children."

Loki nods. "Thank you Thor."

"Indeed." Vlander states as he sits and folds his hand. "Now, I'm stating here that this meeting is out of courtesy. Rose and Loki are members of my kingdom and they are under my protection."

Odin nodded. "Understood, we only came to see the babies."

"And what makes you think," Loki stated. "that you had the right to them after what you did to us?"

Odin glowers at Loki. Her mother speaks up and asks. "Are they frost giants?"

Rose glowers at her. "They are our children. Their race is irrelevant to us since we both created them.

Her father snorts. "When they start exhibiting powers and appearances-

"It will not matter to us!" She stated calmly as Loki gripped her hand tightly, almost enough to break her fingers. "We're not ashamed of our children and won't be keeping secrets from them."

Odin frowned. "I was never ashamed of Loki. I always-

"Weren't you?" Loki released her hand as the words burst out of him with a fury. "That day in the vaults it became clear to my why you never loved me and why you never would!" Rose sat up and pushed back the blankets. "Not that anyone in their right mind would expect Odin to love the offspring of his greatest enemy! But you should have told me years ago!"

"I was trying to protect you!"

"You didn't!" Loki roared, causing the lights to dance around the room. He took a step forward as he shouted. "Nothing you do has ever been to protect me! It has only been to try and make my life miserable!"

Odin rolls his eyes. "That is preposterous!"

"Do not disregard my feelings for how you've treated me!" Loki snarled. "You knew that I loved Rose and she loved me! You knew and still announced her betrothal to Thor! You did it deliberately to punish me!"

"She was never yours!"

"She was never Thor's!" Loki shouted. "She has always belonged to me! Even Thor knows that Rose is mine! There is nothing that you could say that would convince me that me that you weren't pushing Rose to marry him just to hurt me!" Rose reached for Loki and gripped his forearm. He jumped and spun around. "What the hell are you doing standing up?"

"Getting you to calm down." Loki picked her up and instantly put her back on the couch. "Please, calm down, my love." She caressed his face as he began tucking the covers around her legs. "I know you're upset and you've a right to, but please, try to remain calm. I do not possess my full strength to help you."

"I'm sorry." He kissed her as he sat down on the edge. "You've been trough a lot and I've no right to make it worse."

"My pain will fade with time. Yours does still need tending to. Breathe," she whispers. "find your calm. I know you're hurt and angry."

He inhaled and exhaled. "As always, you are right."

"Allfather," Amy inquired. "I believe an explanation as to why you insist that Rose have married Thor would be of benefit. Especially after I personally, informed you that Loki and Rose were in love."

Odin was silent for a moment before stating. "The contracts were signed and there was nothing beneficial in letting the two of them marry."

"Except our happiness." Rose stated. "Did you believe that if I did marry Thor, that my feelings for Loki would cease to exist?"

"Yes, for you would be the queen of Asgard." Odin stated. "Your position and the people would be your primary concern."

"And you truly believe that if at any point Loki were to ask me to go with him, that I wouldn't abandon everything and go with him?" Odin stiffened slightly. "I would. He has but to hold out his hand and I would follow him."

Her parents are stunned. "You'd truly do that?"

Rose laughs lightly. "I believe I already did." she holds Loki's hand tighter and smiles. "He promised me the world and I have it."

"This isn't how it was meant to be." Her father stated. "You were to marry a king and your son would be the greatest ruler that all the nine realms had ever seen."

Odin nods. "You could not accomplish that feat were you married to Loki. Therefore, you had to be married to Thor. But now, you have thrown the future of Asgard into utter chaos."

Frigga cleared her throat and spoke. "The future is always changing, there is no guarantee that everything the soothsayer claims would have come to pass.

"Agreed." Thor spoke. "I believe that….the soothsayer purposefully withheld who was to be king." All eyes went to him as Thor inhaled deeply before saying. "Especially since she was concerned that Rose's life was in danger."

Odin frowns. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing!" her parents snapped.

"We all know the truth of how you were willing to sacrifice Rose. But I spent time on Asgard consulting with others about this soothsayer. She often speaks half truths."

Frigga frowned slightly. "What are you saying, Thor?"

"I'm saying that when I spoke with her, she confessed to me that Rose was to always marry Loki." everyone gasped. "She also saw him as king on the throne of Asgard. She left it vague because she knew that were she to say Loki, she could place Loki and Rose in danger."

Frigga frowned. "Why would she believe Loki to be in danger?"

"Come now mother," Loki stated. "you cannot believe that if for one moment that I would be safe if it were revealed that I sat on the throne and not Thor."

Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Vlander cleared his throat. "I believe, we would all like to believe that no harm would befall either of you. As your mother stated earlier, the future is ever changing and I believe that the soothsayer acted wisely by not divulging that information."

"Regardless," Odin stated. "she still said that Rose would birth the greatest king of Asgard. How is that to come to pass?"

Loki shrugged. "Have the soothsayer look inside her crystal ball again." Rose laughed lightly, causing him to smirk slightly. "Perhaps she misspoke again."

"Again," Thor stated. "it's because she saw what I and others refused to admit." Thor looked Odin dead in the eye and stated. "That I was never meant to be king of Asgard."

Everyone gasped and turned towards Thor in shock, especially Odin. "What are you saying, Thor?"

"I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair."

"What?" Odin demands. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Loki understands rule in a way that I know that I never will." Thor states calmly. "The brutality, the sacrifices, it changes you. That is why he and Rose are suited for, she keeps him balanced, provides strength to him as is needed. I'd rather be a good man than a great king."

"Is this my son I hear, or is it the mortal woman he loves?"

"When you speak, do you think we never hear mother's voice? Or when Loki speaks, are we to believe we do not hear Rose's voice?" Rose smiles at his compliment. "All of us men, the women we love, do influence us in little ways. But this is not for Jane, father, she does not know that I planned on saying this. Now, you can forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side, but it changes nothing."

"Is this to be my legacy? My son won't take his place as rightful king."

"Your legacy," Thor stated calmly. "is still here. Loki will be king," Loki started shaking his head as Rose stared at Thor in shock. "Rose will be his queen and their son will be the greatest Asgardian warrior and the prophecy will be fulfilled." Thor inhaled. "I did not make this decision lightly. I spent my time visiting the other realms and talking to the people of Asgard. People loved them; even the Jotun spoke well of them. They brought peace and were loved by all. Rose was to wed the king of Asgard and she did. Loki should be king."

"I never asked for the throne, Thor." Loki states. "I only wanted to be treated as an equal."

He nods. "I know, brother. But as I said before…the throne looks good on you, Rose as well. You'd be a good ruler."

All is silent and Frigga states. "And you Thor? You would not leave Asgard?"

"Not forever, mother." Thor states. "I must admit that, I have a fondness for Midgard and it's people. They have no one to help protect them from perils. I should like to remain there and be of service."

"You have clearly thought this over." Odin stated. "You would truly give up the throne to Loki?"

Thor nods. "Yes. You yourself father, said one must make sacrifices for the future of Asgard. While I myself do not deem it to be a sacrifice, I believe that my leaving would fulfill the prophecy." Rose looked up at Loki to see he was looking down at her. He knelt by her side and took ahold of her hand. "I do not make this decision lightly. This is truly for the good of Asgard."

"Very well." Odin stated. "Then Loki will be king of Asgard."

"No." Loki stated firmly. "I will discuss this with my wife and then, I shall send word if I have decided to accept."

"Again, you're letting your emotions-

"No," Loki stood up and turned towards Odin. "this is not complacent to my emotions. We spoke the marriage vows of equals. She is my equal." Rose shifted slightly in her seat. He cleared his throat. "My wife grows weary." Loki carefully pulled her into his arms. "We will retire for now. When do you return to Asgard?"

Odin cleared his throat. "We've been asked to dine this evening, so, we shall depart afterwards."

Loki glanced at Rose before stating. "We will have a discussion. If we do decide to return to Asgard, we will join you for dinner. But I will have stipulations and terms that I expect to be upheld, particularly my marriage." Rose closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest. She placed an arm around his neck and Loki's tone softened. "I won't uproot her from here without ensuring her safety."

"She is capable of taking care of herself." Her father pointed out. "She always has been."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that." Loki stated. "That doesn't mean that I will stand by silently and watch her be hurt."

Frigga cleared her throat. "Loki, Rose is almost asleep. Please, take her to rest and write a list of your requests and send them to our chambers. We will review it."

"Thank you." Loki was silent before stating. "I will expect there to be an apology."

Odin and her parents looked flummoxed. "Why?" her father asked. "What apology is there to be made?"

Amy snorted unbecomingly. "If you don't know, then you do not deserve to have them in your life."

Vlander placed a hand on hers. "We shall all now retire, this has been a lot for all to absorb." Rose let out a yawn and her arm started to slide from Loki's neck. "Especially for Rose."

Loki nodded. "Excuse us." With a whoosh, Rose found herself back in their chambers. She was almost asleep as Loki placed her in the bed, pulling the covers around her. As her eyes closed, the last words she heard were, "I love you, pet."

"Love you, too." Rose murmured before drifting off to sleep. Tonight, a new world was waiting for them if they chose to accept it.