Leah was force to stay with the healers, while Thor and Odin were away trying to sort out treaties with other worlds that were causing wars. Days had passed, Loki came to visit when he could mean while Leah spent a lot of her time with the still unnamed baby, staring at her completely smitten. She never expected it to be so hard to name a child but she and Loki had yet to find something they had been happy with. Loki had been brilliant, doing as much as he could for her though with him only being temporarily released from his cell to visit her and his daughter, it was hard on them. She had never thought this would be their situation once the child was born, Loki had proven before recent events that he was not the man he use to be. However with her imprisonment on earth and then this to happen while he was in his cell was a little push to far for him. Leah knew it was only natural for him to lash out with his anger at the closest person available. Leah knew how hard Loki found situations out of his own control. She therefore could understand his actions, it actually made her love him more that he was will to risk everything for her. She looked down at their daughter smiling knowing how much Loki would now do for her too, he would be a loving protective father, she knew it now.
"Am I interrupting?" She heard the Queens voice ask bringing Leah out of her thoughts.
Leah looked up to see the Queen standing in the door way looking at her with a smile upon her face obviously looking at the pair of them bond. Leah just shook her head looking back down to her sleeping daughter who lay on her lap her small hand gripping hold of her little finger. Leah shook her head grinning, she heard the queen come over to the bedside looking down at the little girl on Leah's lap.
"My isn't she is beautiful." The Queen looked at the little sleeping girl. "You and my Son must be very pleased with her. How are you feeling today?"
"I am growing stronger and beginning to feel back to myself each day." Leah replied looking over at the Queen "Have you heard from Thor or Odin?"
"No." The Queen shook her head "They should not be too long, these matters are normally cleared up quickly. I must apologise about what has happened, it was all a little of a shock really. Odin is being to harsh on Loki, I have explained this to him but he wouldn't listen. Loki's only crime was trying to protect his family, nothing that Thor or Odin wouldn't do or have done."
"And have you seen Loki today?" Leah glanced at her.
"I have seen him this morning, he grows ever impatient to stand at your side with this one." The Queen sighed sympathetically. "I am so sorry that this has happened to both of you. I think with him trying to rescue you and then the fight which he and Thor has was a little too much within a short space of time. Odin has had a lot on his mind with a threat of war from the other realms."
"I'm worried that it may have set Loki back to his old ways. He seems more bitter towards Odin and Thor which he wasn't before all of this." Leah muttered being honest with the Queen knowing that she would understand. "I don't want to lose him, not because of this."
"You have no need to worry about that, he is completely devoted to you and her, to finally have a family of his own. He told me about you accepting his offer in marriage." The Queen looked at Leah a smile on her face before she placed a hand on top of Leah's to reassure her. "But trust me I have said the same thing to Odin. Thor and Loki have always fought in ways which made me worry but they love each other dearly which is all that matters. They will get over this disagreement like all the others, trust me there has been worse."
Leah just looked at her little girl knowing that Loki would do absolutely anything for this new special person in his life. He had completely fallen head over heals for the his daughter, it was absolutely beautiful to watch. As much as Loki pretended to be full of mischief and lies, there was no way that he could lie himself out of being smitten to her at least. She only hoped the Queen was right, that this was a temporary thing. She did not want to raise their child alone, not with him stuck in a cell. There was a small little gurgle which made her look down to see that the child was awake, she smiled looking down at her. She had a full head of her fathers dark hair and her eyes which were already going to her silver colour.
"Hey beautiful." Leah whispered to her picking her up and holding her close to her giving her a kiss before suggesting. "How about a cuddle with your grandmother."
Leah slowly handed her little girl over to the Queen, Leah watched as the Queens smile got even broader. It was the first cuddle she had with the new member of the family. Leah just watch them bond, the queen created little butterfly like creatures with magic which fluttered over head speaking to the little girl so quietly Leah was unable to really hear what was said. It just made Leah smile knowing that this child was going to be loved within a large family, this was all that mattered to her. It was everything that her and Clint never had but always dreamed of which made it mean so much more to her.
"Have you to named her yet?" The Queen asked
"No." Leah shook her head slowly getting out of bed steadying herself using the bed side. She moved around the room to look out of the window for a second before going back and sitting upright on the bed. "We cannot seem to find one name which would suit her. There is nothing which we feel is right. Plus with my roots and his its harder as we both have names neither of us have heard of before."
"I remember it took us a while to name Loki." The Queen smiled fondly at the thought. "I remember when Odin brought him home, I had been unwell for some time so the story fitted that I had been pregnant and given birth. So in he came with the small beautiful dark-haired and green-eyed child and that was it. I fell in love with him immediately, he actually helped me recover from the illness. But it took a while for us to find a name which would fit with Thor."
"I guess we will find one eventually." Leah shrugged knowing that they would both finally find one that they were both happy with.
"You will and it will be perfect for her." The Queen looked back at the child in her arms "The little Princess of Asgard."
Leah just smiled at the Queen as exhaustion slowly swept over her. Leah slowly just lay down looking at the Queen and her daughter continuing to build a relationship. Leah watched as the butterfly's turned to swirls it was amazing to see such magic. Apart from Loki and his apparitions she had not really seen much magic but this was more what she thought magic was. She let out a sigh feeling a little happier before falling into a doze, listening to the Queen singing softly to the bundle of cloths in her arms. Which only sent Leah off into a deeper sleep.
Leah heard the baby cries which made her stir from her sleep, Leah slowly sat up as she saw Helena try to soothe the little girl. Leah just stretched before sitting up properly saying.
"Pass her over." Leah yawned "I am pretty sure its feeding time."
"She has only been grumbling." Helena commented smiling as she still rocked the baby.
Helena just brought the little girl over handing her to Leah who was slowly getting the hand of breast-feeding, which was not what she expected at all. Helena just smiled as check the room before leaving them together. Leah just watched as the child fed.
"Beautiful." She heard a smooth voice say seeing Loki enter the room coming over to them before kissing Leah softly on the lips.
"Hi." Leah looked up at him smiling as their daughter continued to feed.
"You look pale." He touched her cheek looking at her concerned. "Do you feel well?"
"I have just woken up." Leah defended herself rolling her eyes at him. "I feel fine."
Leah slid across the bed slightly and slowly so not to interrupt the little one in her arms. Loki sat down beside her brushing the top of his daughters head, her face just scrunched up from the disturbance making him smirk and chuckle at her. Leah just looked across to see Loki smiling softly at his daughter studying her before resting her head on his shoulder.
"How are you doing?" Leah frowned continuing to stare at him up at him.
"You have no need to worry about me, I am treated well and this will only be temporary." He reassured her glancing down at her "You do not need to worry about anything."
"Your not planning anything are you?" Leah stared at him suspiciously as the little girl finished her meal, she handed her over to Loki who started to help remove any wind she may have. Leah just pulled the corner of her night dress up and looked back to Loki, she loved watching them bond together. "Loki."
"Nothing for you to worry about." Loki glanced at her. "Everything will work I promise you."
"Don't do anything reckless." Leah sighed feeling a little nervous by the way he looked at her smiled slightly. She knew that she couldn't really stop him even if he was to try. She just hoped she could perswade him to stop any schemes that he may have.
"Just trust me." Loki kissed her softly on her lips before looking at her intensely "I promise you it will be fine." Loki slipped off the bed with their daughter. He gently walked back and forth trying to soothe and settle her down for another nap. Leah finally got out of bed wrapping a jacket around her before moving over to them. "So we were discussing names last time." Loki continued.
"Yeah." Leah frowned looking at their daughter in his arms. "Still don't have any that you would like at least?"
"We can't name her some Midgardian name." Loki shook his head still smiling. "It needs to be strong, noble and powerful."
"Really." Leah rose an eyebrow looking at him, knowing that he had dug himself a hole. "You don't think my name is any of those?"
Loki's eyes narrowed staring at her before a grin slowly appeared on his face. She just continued to stare back at him, keeping herself from smiling. Loki leant closer to her there noises almost touching. He then slowly said his emerald eyes never breaking contact with hers.
"Your name is strong and beautiful but we cannot use it again for her can we."
"Well played." Leah laughed playfully before kissing him quickly.
"I meant it." He said before kissing her again for a moment longer. The baby just seemed to giggle in response to both her parents kissing which made them pull apart and look down at her smiling. "Hush little one." Loki soothed the baby. "That is something you do not need to see or understand about for a long while." Loki said to his baby girl making Leah giggle as Loki glared at her.
"Your going to be far too protective aren't you." Leah continued to laugh. "She is not going to have any boyfriends or male friends at all."
"No." Loki said seriously.
Leah just continued to laugh at him as she sat down at the window. Leah just continued to watch them grinning, feeling suddenly slightly sorry for her daughter. Then again with both their genes she was more than going to rebel against them at some point.
"After I teach you about the magic that you should surely have, I will then teach you all about the stars, each one of the realms and the cosmos that surrounds it." Loki sighed as he rocked the little child in his arms. Leah just shook her head as she looked out the window watching the sun begin to set. "Astrid." He paused frowning for a second.
"Astrid?" Leah frowned looking back at him, she liked how it sounded. "Where did that come from?"
"I want to give her the stars." Loki glanced at Leah smirking slightly. "It also i believe it means beautiful. A fitting name for a princess of Asgard."
"I like it." Leah nodded staring at him getting up and looking down at the now sleeping baby. It suited her perfectly, she could see it.
"Then we are agreed." He looked back to their child before whispering to her. "Astrid."
Leah just wrapped her arms around him resting her head on his chest. They looked out of the window over looking Asgard and the waters edge. Astrid had fallen into a deep sleep in Loki's arm, she stood with him just looking out of the window before Leah asked.
"What am I to expect now?" Leah asked Loki looking up at him. "I mean with her, how will she grow, will she be a child for centuries?"
"She will grow quickly to begin with, our growth tends to slow down around puberty but whether she will age faster because of the human in her I don't know." Loki answered thinking for a moment. "She will be great what ever her fate may be."
Leah felt reassured by his words, she was pretty opened minded ever since finding out about his background, she always knew that their child was going to be different. Loki gently laid the now sleeping Astrid into her cot before turning to Leah. He gently raised his arms, placing within his chained arms. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. Her body already better able to mold to his without Astrid sitting within her belly. She had already gotten slimmer, carrying a little extra weight but her body was already changing back to its original petite shape. She ran her hands up his arms, to his neck holding onto him tightly as she stood up on tip toe kissing him passionately. It was the first moment like this they had together just the two of them since Astrid was born.
"My mother brought me something this morning." Loki began his one hand disappearing off her body to return in front of her holding a gold ring lavished in emeralds and diamonds. Leah's mouth opened, she has never seen a ring with so many gem stones and be stunning at the same time. "A human custom she believes, where I give you a ring to show that we intend to wed."
"Oh." Leah gasped looking at him before he took her hand and place the ring on her finger. "Loki." Leah just looked down at the ring on her finger. Her heart hammered in her chest as she realized how much this meant to her. Never thought she would have these feelings or this experience ever in her life.
"Are you happy?" He asked placing a hand under her chin raising her face to look at him.
"Yes." Leah nodded smiling "More than I ever thought I could be." She sighed being honest with him. "Thank you."
"I better leave before they drag me out." Loki sighed looking a little solemn about it. "I will be back tomorrow Little one."
Loki lent down and kissed her again passionately, he then checked on Astrid before leaving the pair of them. Leah climbed back into bed staring at the shining ring on her finger. This made it so much more real to her now, they were going to get married and actually be a family for little Astrid.