Two Weeks Later
Alex and I stand before Odin and a couple thousand of our nearest and dearest other Einjarhar, as well as at least a dozen deities. Alex forgot all about wanting to wait for a public wedding until she was back in fighting trim. After having lost the woman I love, neither of us have much time for silliness or vanity anymore. Although she did insist the gown was made by Christian Siriano in two weeks. She IS a girl after all. I guess Odin can pull strings.
I hold up a ring.
"With this ring, I thee wed."
Alex takes it out of my hand and reads the inscription aloud, "With my whole heart, for my whole life."
There are sniffles in the audience, and loud sobbing from Sam. I slip the ring on her finger.
She holds up a ring too. I read aloud, "With my whole heart, for my whole life."
She slips the ring on my finger, "With this ring, I thee wed."
Odin pipes up: "With the power invested in me...um, by the fact that I'm god, I now pronounce you, husband and...um, are you his wife?"
"Hell yes, you better believe I'm his wife!", Alex barks and the everyone laughs.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Einharjar, ladies and gentlemen, gods and goddesses, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Chase!"
The roaring and shouts start as we run down the aisle, holding hands.
Sam has one baby and Mallory the other.
"Party time!", Halfborn shouts.
A pretty young einharji is looking me over when Alex gets in her face. "The blonde surfing god is mine, mine, ya got it? 'Til death, real like Ragnarok-type death, do us part'." She flips her ring finger at her, showing off the diamond.
The girl runs off. "Alex, take it easy", I advise.
"I want to make sure no pretty little cis girls catch your eye, you're mine now, Beantown...", she barks.
"I was yours from the first moment I saw you."
"Okay, wow." Alex falls into my arms and I kiss her until her lipstick is all over both of us.
"It's called Magnolia Sunrise", she offers, as I wipe it on a napkin.
"It's called messy", I amend.
"Don't argue with me, Maggie", she says.
"Don't call me Maggie..."
"I love you. Magnus Chase", she amends.
"I love you too, Alex Chase."
I sweep her into my arms and twirl her around.
A Month Later
Odin has referenced our "constant ceremonies" three time already today in aggravation over the fact that we asked him to officiate our wedding, and then the twins' naming ceremony a month later. He tries hard to hide how flattered he is.
The babies occasionally change back to the shade of blueberries as a prank on mommy and daddy, but for the most part, they have the coloring they will stick with now, and the coolest part is that they chose it themselves.
My daughter picked a fair ivory skintone that is lighter than either of her parents, a shade that seems a copy of her deceased grandparent. Both of them seemed to like their mother's heterochromia, and each have a hazel eye and an eye that is another color. It makes an arresting combination with her mother's black hair, a hazel left eye and a bright emerald green right one that also looks exactly like Loki's. She looks a lot like a baby Loki must have, which can be a little...alarming when she stares at you.
My son chose his mother's medium skin tone, awash with warm gold, honey, and olive tones. He's paired it with my blonde hair though, and I know when he grows up he'll look like he spends all his time at the beach sitting in the sun. My son's left eye is hazel and his right eye is the exact cornflower blue shade of my own. I take it as a compliment.
Odin holds out his arms and Sam places my son in the crook of his elbow, where the baby smiles. Their personality attributes are already coming out. Our boy is so much easier to please and calmer, and loves his momma and falling asleep in her arms above all things. Our daughter is harder to please and more independent.
We decided to name them after people we love, and to honor the grandparent who made the ultimate sacrifice for us—along with his long-suffering wife.
"My people, I give you the two newest members of our community", Odin booms, making some kind of sign above the baby's head, "May I present Samuel Magnus Loki Chase." Everyone claps and Samirah takes her namesake from him, beaming.
Mallory hands our daughter to Odin and he makes the same odd signs over her head. "May I present Natalie Alexandra Sigyn Chase." More clapping. Natalie swats at Odin with her little fist as if he's personally responsible for the noise hurting her ears. Mallory takes her back.
"I still think Halfborn was the better choice", Gunderson says standing next to me, and I mock punch him.
There's another Natalie Chase now, but I'm still thinking about the woman she was named after.
Frey strolls over to me and I try not to beam when he puts an arm around my shoulders. "Grandpa, huh?", he asks.
"Seems like it", I answer. "I was thinking about my mother..."
"You clearly were when you named my new granddaughter", Frey says, and wipes his cheek when he thinks I'm not looking.
"Thank you. I realize I never said thank you, with everything that's been going on, for thinking of sitting on Odin's throne."
"I'm going to owe him for the next few millennia, so don't worry about it, kid", he says with a wink. "But it's worth it just to see those two. I hear my new grandkids are pretty darn powerful...destined to kill Surt, is that right?"
"Yeah, that's what I heard", I respond, "The most powerful Norse demigods ever born...I got the light side from you and Alex got the dark side from Loki, so they can kind of...do anything."
"Watch that", he advises.
"Yeah, I thought so too, listen, Lord Frey..."
"Dad", he corrects.
"Dad...I had some time on that throne before Alex went into labor...I asked how to save her and my kids, but I asked about other things too...like...Mom", I say.
"I wondered if you had", he responds, still not looking at me. It's as if he's afraid to become excited.
"I think we can get her back."
He turns and stares at me, smiling wide. "How? Tell me exactly what you heard", he says.
"When asking something of Hel, it's best to have a value to sell", I repeat. "I think it means 'a favor for a favor.' I never had anything Hel would want, but she may want to meet her niece and nephew, the thing is..."
"You don't want to take your newborns into hell.", he says.
"Um, actually no, we don't. Alex and I discussed it. According to Odin, they're 100% alive despite being born to us, it's a mystery, but...they're living demigods, and the risk is too great. What if she decided to keep them? But, that doesn't mean Auntie Hel can't come visit us here. My mother is a plain old human, Hel can't be benefitting much from having her around, I can't imagine she cares that much...but, the most powerful demigods ever born?", I ask hypothetically.
"Oh yeah, she's interested", Frey adds.
"I'm hoping visiting them and some small favor will free Mom. She needs to see her grandchildren", I say, and Frey hugs me.
"Yes, she needs her grandchildren...and I need her", he confirms.
"Besides, I'm sure Hel is getting a little tired of dear old dad by now anyway", I add.
Frey just takes a deep breath.
"No?", I ask.
"I think you need to speak to Odin about this whole Loki situation", he says.
"What do you mean 'Loki situation'?", I ask warily, "He's dead."
"He's a god, Magnus", Frey corrects and I'm starting to get nervous.
"Gods die", I say, "I saw him do it."
"Gods die, but do they really? Listen, just speak to Odin, okay?" he asks, "I'm going to try to think of a way to lure Hel here to see twins. I'm sure she's furious she wasn't invited today."
Hours later, Alex and I each have one of the twins when Odin walks over to look at them. "Beautiful", he says, tickling Natalie's cheek and Sam's foot.
"Listen, Frey told me I should ask you about the 'Loki situation'", I start, and Alex stares at me like I've lost my mind, "He says there's more to this or something."
"I was surprised you named your son after him", Odin comments, distracted by the babies, "Seems like asking for trouble to me to name your kids after he and his wife."
"Well, we wanted to commemorate what he did...to celebrate his memory, actually we were thinking of some kind of ceremony", I say, and Alex nods her head, turning to Odin.
Odin laughs. "Hmmm. Magnus...Alex...Ragnarok is written history though it hasn't happened yet", he says.
"And...", I prod as Natalie reaches up and yanks a fistful of my hair.
"There's no changing it. There's no changing anything that will happen there. You will both die a final death there..." Alex and I both flinch, and I instinctively put an arm around her, pulling her closer.
"And Loki will fight and win until Heimdall puts a sword through him. There's no changing it", Odin repeats.
"But he's...dead", I say. I feel like I'm repeating myself.
"He's a god, Magnus", Odin says, just like Frey did. "What died was just another projected version of him. He'll turn up again...probably when it's time for the next feast. He's tied up you know...you were there, Magnus...I don't understand why you're confused", he laughs, like I'm the dumbest creature on earth and I'm starting to agree.
"So Loki is not dead?", I prod.
"Ummm, not really", Odin says, distracted again, "He didn't ask you to do anything before he died, right?"
"No, no, of course not", I answer. Alex's mouth is hanging open.
"He didn't ask you do anything for him?", Odin asks.
"No, of course not, we know better than to do anything for Loki", I say, with certainty.
"He didn't make you promise anything?"
"No, no, of course n...well...we did promise to let him be a part of the twins' lives as much as he could, but he's dead...or he was...he's tied up...he's...oh shit", I comment.
"Loki wants your children and you promised he could have them?", Odin asks, and this time the veil is off his hint that I'm a walking moron.
"No! Not that he could have them, of course not!", I insist.
"Never!", Alex says, "We never would have said he could have them. That he could be as much a part of their lives as he still could...but he was dying..."
Odin stares open-mouthed at her too.
"My mom, that lying son of b...", Alex starts.
"Hey now, little pictures have big ears", Heimdall says, walking over to look at the kids. "Watch the language!"
"Well you did find something out, Alex Fierro", Heimdall offers, "Loki loves you. He's certainly never done anything like that for anyone before."
"They need to be guarded! Twenty-four hours a day!", Alex yells. "Dammit! I thought he died for me! He's going to try to get at them, I know it!"
"Oops, helicopter parent...okay I'm off", Heimdall adds, "I'll arrange for some security."
"He fooled us, but it's okay...we have our kids and he doesn't", I say. "Hey, it's a happy day."
Alex sighs. "It sure is, Beantown", she jokes and leans in for a kiss.
8 Months Later
"Morning bro...wait a sec..." I gasp.
"You're right! I'm...MALE!", Alex screams. "Male! I haven't been male in two years!"
"How long ago did you stop breastfeeding?", I ask.
"Few days ago, dude", he says, and I laugh at the quick change.
"That did it. But don't worry, you're too smart to be male for long..."
"Yeah, you're right", he says, and rolls over without a care in the world.
In the nursery...
"Ba ba", Nat says, pointing to a bottle on the dresser. "Ba ba!"
"Momma", Sam suggests, always the patient one, in favor of waiting for parental help.
With no patience, Natalie reaches out for the bottle again, "Ba ba!" It floats across the room and into her waiting hand. She smiles and start to drink.
"Very good, little one." They both look around the room for the source of the voice, and see a tall, thin man with dark hair.
"Can you say 'grandpa'?", he asks, "Grand...pa...Loki."
The End for Now