Chapter 17
Loki looked all over the palace for Kat and his son, but he just couldn't find them anywhere. Loki ran up to a guard at the doors, "Javrot." The guard stood to attention, "Yes your Highness?" "Have you seen the Lady Katarina and the young prince? Loki asked. "Yes, Prince Loki. Lady Katarina took little prince Haiden to the royal stables." Javrot said. Loki gave a nod, "Thank you as you were." He said. Then Loki took off running. Meanwhile Kat held the baby as he petted her personal horse's muzzle. Haiden started laughing as the light brown mare nuzzled his small hand. Loki came running into the stables to see the two of them laughing. Kat grinned down at her self-proclaimed nephew, "Hey sweet thing. Wanna feed her a carrot?" She asked. Haiden nodded Kat handed him a big carrot and placed her hand using his to support it, "Now keep your hand flat and hold it out." She said. The mare started nibbling at the carrot. This causes Haiden to flinch and he began crying. Loki walked over and he placed his hand on his son's shoulder. Kat turned to see Loki standing next to her and Haiden, "Hello your highness." She said with a soft curtsy. "Kat, please don't call me that you are my son's appointed aunt and my soon to be sister in law. How are you my sweet baby. Guess what Haiden." He looks at his daddy confused, "Daddy is free so you me and your mommy can do fun things together." Loki said. Haiden let's go of the carrot and he reaches for his daddy, "Da-da, Da-da." He said still reaching for his daddy. Kat handed the baby over to his daddy. Haiden gave his daddy a hug, "I'll leave you be." She said patting his shoulder and kissed her nephew's cheek. She began to walk away, "Kat wait." Loki called. She turned and smiled, "Yes…Loki?" Kat asked. "I just wanted to thank you for talking Thor into setting me free." Loki said. She smiled, "Of course Loki." She softly. "How can I ever repay you for your kindness. No one besides my mother, Kelda and Thor has ever shown me such kindness." Loki said. Kat smiled, "People love you Loki…the real Loki." Loki shook his head, "No you are wrong Kat. No one has ever liked me not really." Loki said. "Kelda, Thor, Frigga, Me..." Kat said. Haiden touched his daddy's sad face and he started babbling at Loki.
Kat smiled, And of course you sweet thing. You love daddy." She said. "Da-da, Da-da." Haiden said. "Yep. Dada." She laughed. Then Haiden started yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Just a hint dad. Nap time might be in line for the cute little prince here." She said running her hand over his downy hair. "I think you are right Kat. But I can't go back to that room. I just can't." Loki said. "Why Loki?" Kat asked for she had an idea why, but she wanted to hear it from Loki. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Why can't you go back to that room?" Kat asked. "I will never go into that room again." Loki snapped. "Loki, all your stuff is in your room along with Kelda's and Haiden's as well." Kat said. "I will have it moved." He said. "Loki, what does Kelda think about this idea?" Kat asked. "I don't know. But I would not be able to sleep in that room ever again." Loki said becoming emotional. "Hey it's alright Loki. I am sure Kelda will understand why my friend." Kat said. "I hope so." He said shaking his head. "I am sure she will. Why don't you go talk to her?" Kat asked. "Kelda is…. resting right now and my son needs me right now for I promised Kelda that I will take care of him while she is resting." Loki said. Kat nodded understanding, "Take care of the little pumpkin." She said, "He loves you very much Loki." She said. "I love him and his mother so much they are my whole world." Loki said.
Kat nodded, "I know they do I can see it in your face." She said happily. "Really Kat how can you tell?" Loki asked. "I have the feeling hun. Now go lull that sweet pea to sleep." Kat said. "But where do I go? I don't have anywhere to take my son so he can take a nap?" Loki asked he was about to start panicking. Kat thought it over, "I have a spare room like a living room you could borrow for you and him for now…then I'll talk to Thor and get you new rooms." Kat said. "Kat you are such a good friend." Loki said giving her a hug. "Yes, yes, yes, yes now go put that little sweet baby to bed." Kat said shooing him away towards her house. Loki when in the direction of Kat's house holding his son close for he had fallen asleep in his daddy's arms. Loki stopped turned around, "Kat, if Kelda wakes up or if Thor is looking for me tell him where I am please?" He asked. "Of course Loki and if you and Haiden get hungry help yourself to what I have." Kat said. She smiled and left to find Thor.
Back in the healing room Kelda started to have a nightmare. Eir was placing cool cloth on her face. "NO. Please don't take my son away from me." Kelda said as she began crying in her sleep. Thor walks over and he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Kelda, wake up little sister, I need you to wake up." He said. Kelda whimpered, "No. please don't hurt me or my son." She begged. "Kelda, you are safe and so is Haiden. No one would dare hurt you or my nephew." Thor said. Kelda slowly opened her eyes, "Loki…where is my Loki?" She asked. "I want to see my son. I want my baby." Kelda said trying to get up. Eir shook her head, "Rest dear. Rest." "No. No. I want my boys." Kelda said fighting to get up. "They will come soon you need rest." Thor said trying to calm her down. "Thor, I just got Loki back. I don't want to lose him again." Kelda said. "You won't. He is taking care of your son." Thor said. "Please find them Thor I need them with me. I don't feel safe without Loki and my son." Kelda said. Kat walked in, "Thor, I need to sp…. Kelda you are awake!" She said. "Kat, where are my boys?" Kelda asked. "Little bit is down for a nap and Loki is with him." Kat said.
"Loki, is in his room? Oh my poor Loki. That must so hard for my love to be in his room after what happened in there." Kelda said. "No. I let him borrow the spare room in my quarters." She said. "Oh thank the Norns. I was so worried about him." Kelda said. "Little man fed his first horse today." Kat said smiling. "Really? Which horse did he feed today?" Kelda asked. "Mine. And I was going to take him to see the new foal Epona but he needed his daddy and nap." Kat said. "How did he do feeding your horse Kara, Kat?" Kelda asked. "Well he liked it at first, but I think it surprised him and then he started to cry the poor thing." She said shaking her head and sitting on the side of the bed smoothing her skirts out. "Kat, where was Loki when his son was crying?" Kelda asked. "He had just come up dear and I explained what happened. That poor man. He loves the two of you, but finds it so hard to say it." Kat said. "He use to never find it hard to say it." Kelda said. "I think the would thing with queen and the threat made on you and little bit has him scared. He wants to shut off from you to keep you both safe." Kat said. "No. No. No. No." Kelda said and she started to panic. "Hey hey hey it's okay Thor and I have talked him out of it. He is going to stick close." Kat said and Thor nodded. "Thank you Thor and thank you Kat." Kelda said.
"Oh honey we aren't going to leave you like that." Kat smiled taking her friend's hand and giving it a little squeeze. "If Loki and Haiden are awake could tell Loki that I want to see him and our son please?" Kelda asked. "Of course I'll go check!" She said standing, "All-Father Thor walk with me sug. See you soon Kelda dear." She said waving and blowing a kiss before grabbing Thor's massive arm and steering him towards the door.
