Chapter Thirteen
The Last Night
Sitting in his cell, Loki lost all sense of time. There was no natural light within his cell, so he could not tell whether it was day or night, or how days he had been in his cell. As always, his thoughts were on Lilah. Ever since that last visit, he had not seen her since then. Even with his powers bound, he still had a sense for Lilah. At least that gave him a small hope that they had not killed her or sent her back to her realm. Though at least the guards had removed his muzzle, but the chains remained.
Loki looked up from his spot on the cell bed to see that the doors were being opened. A frown graced his brow when he saw that it was Thor. Maybe now they would finally settle something, and be done with this waiting for his sentence.
"Hello Brother," Loki sneered. Thor ignored the jibe.
"I have not come here to argue, Loki," Thor sighed. Loki scoffed and turned his attention away from him. "I spoke with Lilah."
Loki snapped his head back to Thor, "How is she? Is she well?" Loki almost sounded desperate. Hell, he was desperate. He had to know that she was ok, safe.
"She is … recovering, but she will be fine," Thor frowned, staring at Loki. Loki breathed out in relief. Thank the Gods. "Is what she has told me true?"
"What has she told you?" Loki asked, interested in what Lilah had told his Brother to try and free him.
"She is very spirited, and clearly cares for you a great deal," Thor replied, thinking on his moment with Lilah. Loki could not help but feel a great deal of happiness at hearing that Lilah cared for him. He had heard it from her many times, but to hear it said from someone else was even more rewarding. "Is it true that the Tesseract had been controlling you?"
Loki thought on his answer, thinking of how to word it so that he would not get himself into more trouble. "In a sense, yes." Loki hadn't even spoken of this with Lilah, but then he never had to explain himself to her. "When I had been given the Tesseract, the first contact changed me. It twisted my desires." Loki sighed, "Yes, I wanted to have my revenge, but not like that. I was aware of what I was doing on Midgard, but also helpless to stop it. It was like my mind had been replaced with something else, and all I could do was watch."
Thor was silent for a long while. His arms crossing his chest, a hand to his mouth in thought. Loki was beyond caring if Thor believed him or not. All he wanted was for Lilah to be left alone, and for her to be kept safe. "This is a lot to take in, Loki."
"I don't doubt it," Loki scoffed. There was more silence between them. Loki did not know what else there was to say to his brother. It was out of his hands now. "Thor, I have already accepted that I will be given the death sentence. My only wish is that Lilah is kept out of harm's way." Thor regarded his Brother in a new light. Thor had only ever thought as Loki to only care for himself.
"I believe you," Thor confided honestly.
Loki's head shot up to look at his brother. "You do?"
"I will talk to Father and see if I can get him to release you," Thor continued heading towards the cell doors. Before exiting he turned back to Loki, "It is obvious that you care for her. I hope that this mess will be over soon. Have patience Brother." And then Thor left Loki to think on his final words.
Late in the night, Loki received another visitor. Loki was having trouble sleeping on the cold slab for a bed, when he heard the cell doors opening. Sitting up, Loki looked to see who had come to see him so late. A flicker of hope thought it might be Lilah, but was slightly disappointed that it was his Mother, Frigga. Before he could say anything about her late arrival, Frigga silenced him with a hand. The guards walked in and undid his chains and then left. Loki was dumbfounded as he watched events unfold before him. His Mother ushered him out of the prison cell, and out of the dungeon entirely.
Frigga did not say anything to him as he followed her. It was only when they started getting closer to their destination that he knew where they were going. His chambers. Was he now free? Why was his Mother taking him to his chambers? Before they reached the doors, Frigga stopped and turned to Loki.
"My son," she began, "You are no longer required to stay in that cell. Thor and I have persuaded Odin to let you stay in your chambers."
"He has renounced my sentence?" Loki asked.
"No, my son," she answered, the light leaving her eyes, "Tomorrow you will have an audience with the AllFather." All hope left Loki. So this was to be his last night. "I do not know what will happen tomorrow, Loki. Spend this night with Lilah." Lilah was in his chambers?
"Thank you," Loki whispered, "Mother."
A small sad smile came onto Frigga's lips, and she took her sons hand, "Loki, you are my son. I will always love you." She then left him.
Loki continued to his chambers and the guards let him inside. The doors shut behind him and Loki was left to see his chambers. They hadn't changed since he'd left them, long ago. Well, one thing was certainly different. A lovely nature nymph slept soundly within his bed. Silently, Loki took off his shoes, and only left his light tunic and pants on. He climbed on to the bed, admiring Lilah's sleeping form. Leaning over he softly kissed her neck.
"Mmmm," Lilah moaned, her eyes fluttering open. As they landed on Loki, surprise flitted across her beautiful features. "Am I dreaming?"
Loki smiled tenderly and brought his lips down onto hers. "No, my love, I am real." Her hand came to cup his cheek, her thumb stroking his skin lovingly as she gazed up at him. There were so many questions in those golden eyes and Loki wanted to answer all of them. "I don't know how long we'll have together. Tomorrow I am to meet with the AllFather." A sudden depression overcame Loki. Tonight might be the last night he would get to spend with Lilah. "Lilah, if tomorrow should end badly-."
Lilah put a finger to his lips, silencing him, "It will not."
Loki to her hand in his, a grim smile on his lips, "Lilah, listen to me." Lilah wanted to protest, he could see it in her eyes, but she stayed quiet to let him finish. "I truly regret my past decisions, the pain I have caused many people, the deaths that were by my hand." Lilah wanted to speak, but Loki's hand hushed her. "If I am set free, we will live a complicated life. We will be scorned, hated, by many. I will never ascend to the throne, and I cannot give you the life you deserve."
"Loki," Lilah spoke up, interrupting him, "I do not care. You are a King in my eyes." Loki smiled as Lilah moved in closer to him, holding him close. "You are not that person anymore. You are a wonderful person, if a little … mischievous." Loki chuckled softly, kissing her forehead. "You are the love of my life, the king of my heart, the father of my child."
Loki stilled. He caught her face between his hands and made Lilah look at him. "What did you say?"
Lilah beamed up at him. "Loki, I'm pregnant."
He'd never heard more wonderful words. Tears stung his eyes as he crushed Lilah to him. He could not let go of her, would not let go of her. Tears trailed down his cheeks and into Lilah's auburn hair. Loki had never felt so much joy, and yet so much agony. Joy at discovering he was going to be a Father, but agony because he may never live to see their birth. He brought her face to his once more, sealing his lips across hers in a desperate kiss. Lilah responded just as desperately, sensing his despair. Her hands threaded through his hair, pulling him closer. Her tongue forced its ways past his lips and into his mouth, massaging his own.
She broke the kiss, but her lips didn't leave his. "Loki," she panted, "Make love to me." Loki growled at her request, grabbing her roughly, pressing her small body against his larger one. His arousal pressed insistently against her belly, letting her know the effect she had on him. Clothes were ripped from their bodies, eager and desperate for each other. Hands roamed everywhere, tongues danced and lips sought skin, their love-making frantic and clumsy.
Loki indeed made love to his woman. Not once, not twice, but all night; his hunger for her never fading. It was almost dawn when they succumbed to sleep, exhausted and satisfied. Loki slept peacefully, a hand upon Lilah's belly.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been sick, so my head couldn't write anything that made sense. So here it is... finally! I don't know if I'm entirely happy with how this chapter turned out, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Happy reading, and please review.