Ahhhh I love how everyone loves Loofney that makes me love writing this little heap of tricks even more. Thank you all so much. I hope you enjoy this next instalment! Please comment/review and tell me what you think. Much loves!

Marvel owns Loki and all remnants of Asgard. Leera and the lovable Loofney are mine.

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"Can we leave now father?" Loofney said, jumping down from Thor's back and running over to Loki, cuddling his father's legs. Loki smiled and stroked his sons head.

"Yes, come, bid you farewells to your grandparents and uncle" Loofney released Loki's legs and ran to the table where the All-Father and queen sat. Saying farewell and blowing them a kiss Loofney turned to Thor whom embraced him and kisses his forehead. Running back to his father and taking his hand, Loki looked to the company and gave a nod before leading his son from the golden hall.

"Where is mother? Will she be coming to the library with us?" Loofney said tugging Loki's arm, looking up at his father. Loki glanced down at his son and grinned

"I know not my son. She will turn up if she so wishes. Now, what do you wish to study this afternoon?" Loki replied, loving the fact that Loofney too preferred books than sparring, knowledge than idle play.

"I want to learn about..." Loofney placed a finger on his lip, thinking deeply about what he wished to do this day. "Teach me magic!"

"You already know enough of magic for your age Loofney. How about knowledge. I can teach you about the nine realms?" Loki offered but noticed the grimace of his sons face

"I want to learn magic" Loofney whined, stopping still. Loki chuckled and patted his sons head.

"As you wish my son" walking to the library in silence, Loki thought of his wife. What was she doing right now? Would she change her mind? Why did she not trust his magic to make it an easy birth? The trickster plagued his mind with question and questions and many scenarios as to what was wrong and what would happen. For the remainder of the afternoon, Loofney had mastered the art of creating a fluttering golden bird, as did Loki when he was a young child. He laughed and bounced with joy in the presence of his father, proud of himself at his accomplishment. It was when Loki was about to introduce another book of the arts to his son when Leera walked in the library and stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and face melancholy as she gazed at her husband. "Stay here my son and read this boom, I'm going to speak to your mother" Loki spoke softly, not moving his gaze from his wife. Standing to his feet, the youngest son of Odin approached the lady Loki. Once by her side, Loki looked back at his son and grinned then returned his gaze to his love beside him. "I did not think you would grace us with your presence here this afternoon. I presumed you made plans to walk the gardens or other such activities with lady Sif and mother" Loki said, watching as Leera looked straight into the eye of her husband, her eyes visibly red from crying and Loki sighed.

"I did. The gardens were cold and lady Sif left for hunting with you brother and friends. Besides, I wanted to speak with you" Leera said, laying a hand softly on Loki's arm.

"You need not say anything, my love. I already told you that if that is what you wish then I will fully respect you. I need not another child to make the family complete, as complete is what we already are. I just thought it would make a nice addition, not only for us but for Loofney. I love you no matter what" Loki replied, cupping Leera's face in the palm of his hand and rested his forehead on her's.

"I did not mean to say such things to you. And I should never have said for you to take a maid, I'm sorry" Leera breathed slowly, closing her eyes

"Forget it, I have. Come, let's me show you Loofney's latest achievement" Loki smiled, pulled back and took his wife's hand in his, leading her down the library to their son whom had his face stuck in his book. "Loofney, show mother what you can do" Loofney grinned and put down his book. Rubbing his tiny hands together eliciting sparks of gold and silver, Loofney muttered some incoherent words and formed his hand into a cage like shape and there in between his fingers, a small bird formed of marvellous colours. Opening the 'cage' and stretching his fingers, Loofney let the bird fly with a high pitched squeak of joy. Leera laughed and reached down to her son, picking him up in her arms and embracing him. Loofney wrapped his arms around Leera's neck and his legs around her waist, holding tightly onto her. Rubbing a comforting hand up and down Loofney's back, Leera gently kissed his head.

"Well done my clever little boy. You make your mother so proud" Leera hooked her arms underneath Loofney's bottom and held him there as she walked away, holding her son to her. Loki, with a wave of his hand, placed the books back on the shelf and followed, grinning as his son watched him, resting his chin on Leera's shoulder, waving at him.

"Mother, what's wrong with father?" Loofney asked as he carried on watching his father walk toward him. Leera's brow furrowed and turned around to face Loki, Loofney now facing in the other direction.

"Loki are you ok?" Leera asked, rubbing Loofney's back. Loki nodded and almost broke out into jog to catch up with his wife.

"Yes, why?" his voice came, uncertain.

"Loofney asked what was wrong with his father" Leera stated and gripped Loofney's side, lowering him to the floor. Landing on his feet, Loofney turned and looked to his father, his eyes watering, and his bottom lip quivering.

"What's wrong Loofney?" Loki asked, dropping to his knees so he was at his son's level, and placed his hands on Loofney's shoulders. "You can say, what's wrong my love?" Leera kneeled next to Loki and her dress pooled around her as she searched her sons sad face. Loofney rubbed his eyes and sniffled.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Leera asked, stroking her sons head. Loofney shook his head not wanting to say and the emerald prince pulled little Lokison's hands from his face, looking into his eyes.

"Why did you ask mother if there was something wrong with me little one? What's did you see that has upset you?" Loki asked, shuffling forward slightly, stroking Loofney's cheek with his pale fingers. Loofney shook his head and dropped to sit on the floor, his shoulder shaking as he began to cry. "I do not understand. He was fine when I was teaching and when he showed you his bird. What did he see in me?" Loki whispered, looking straight to his wife. Leera shrugged her shoulders as much confused as Loki was. Loki scooped up Loofney in his arms and hugged him just as Leera had done moments ago, rising to his feet. "Loofney? Little one? What's wrong?" Loofney cried harder and Loki kissed his head, not understanding why his son had suddenly started to cry

"Is he tired perhaps?" Leera offered, placing a hand on the lower part of Loki's back, looking over his shoulder at her son.

"Maybe. Though he would have been irritable during the lesson. He saw something Leera. In me, or around me, for him to ask what was wrong and to make him tremble so" Loki whispered , using a free hand to brush his sons stray hair behind his ear, noticing that his breath had slowed down and was asleep against his chest.

"I think we should let him sleep, instead of waking him in a few hours for the evening meal. Perhaps once he has slept, he will tell you" Leera spoke. Loki agreed and held on to his son tightly, leaving the library.

"I shall stay with him tonight, of you are in agreement" Loki said to his wife as they walked down the corridor towards Loofney's room next to their own

"Of course. I shall let your mother know the reasons for both your absences."

. . . .

True to her word, Leera had informed the queen and the All-Father as to the reasons of Loki and her child's absences, and dined with them and the people of Asgard alone. Loki had not left Loofney's side all evening and watched in the darkness of his child's room, every toss and turn her made. It unnerved him to think that possibly his child had seen something horrid in him to make him question his appearance, to make him cry. It sent a pang of unhappiness through his heart. Loofney slept quietly as every young child at that age does, and his face was peaceful and calm, and Loki wondered whether or not it was just because the little one was tired that he broke down and cried. Moving from his chair, Loki climbed onto Loofney's bed and led beside him, pulling him into a warm embrace, holding him against his chest as he slept. Loki soon found that the slow and steady sound of breathing from his son sent him also into a quick slumber.

The ceremonial feast had ended quite late and Leera made sure that she left the grand hall without hesitation. She bid her farewells and rushed as fast as her legs could carry her to her chambers. ON entering and finding no husband, Leera left towards her son's room, a next to hers. Silently opening the door and shutting herself in, Leera smiled and felt a tear begin to tingle in her eyes as she saw her husband asleep on the bed with Loofney wrapped up in his arms. It was like seeing two Loki's, obviously one was far older, but gosh, they looked alike. Tip toeing towards the bed, Leera bent down and placed a kiss on Loki's ear to wake him. Loosening his grip on Loofney, Loki opened his eyes in the darkness of the room and found his wife standing over him, smiling. Smiling back, Loki untangled himself from Loofney and tucked him comfortably into the sheets, before taking his wife's hand and both tip toeing from the room. "That was very cute" Leera whispered as they walked past the guards to their chambers. Loki groaned in disgust and opened the door and ushered his wife in.

"Please do not use the word cute in reference to me." Loki moaned, closing the door. Leera poked her tongue out and began to remove her jewellery, placing it on her dresser table.

"Well it was. I shall say no lies" Leera said playfully, now removing the golden flowers from her raven black hair. Loki huffed and began to undo his waist coat, staring at Leera with loving eyes.

"Take a picture Loki, it will last longer" Leera said, turning her back to his and marched to her washroom. Shaking his head happily Loki fully undressed and covered his body with his night clothes, climbing into bed. Emerging form the washroom in her nightclothes, carrying her dress, Leera dropped it onto the floor and joined her husband in bed. "I am really tired tonight" Leera said, snuggling down into the covers.

"As am I. It has been a long day."

"Goodnight Loki"

"Goodnight my love"

And they slept, practically straight away. Loki dreamt happily of his wife and his son, then of his son his age, then of Thor and his father; all in all a pleasant night. Leera on the other hand, dreamt of children, of being pregnant again, of going through the same pains and even more. She dreamt that she had son upon son and daughter upon daughter, and each time, each birth, ripped her soul. By the time she had her last child, she looked skeletal, and dark, and in her dream, Loki neglected her because of her appearance and gave his total attention to his beloved children. Not being able to see much more, Leera woke with a start and felt something crawling up the bed. Feeling frightened, Leera's eyes widened as the lump under the covers came closer and closer until eventually moved out from underneath the covers. A sighed of relief washed over the lady Loki, as Loofney appeared on his hands and knees form climbing into the bed, underneath the covers, his eyes heavy with tiredness and his once perfect hair all over the place. Crawling further up the bed, Loofney opened his mother's arm and snuggled against her side, his head resting on her chest. "I had a nightmare Mother" Loofney whispered, and Leera turned on her side to face her son, wrapping an arm around his back to comfort him. "There were monsters! Lots of them! And father turned into one and they all tried to get me. They hid under my bed and in my closet mother!" Loofney said, terrified and moved in closer to his mother embrace. Leera looked over to Loki to make sure he was asleep and looked down to her son.

"There are no monsters here my love. You are safe. Do you want to tell me what they looked like so your father can fight them away in the morning so they will never scare you again?" Leera cooed, kissing her sons head and feeling him nod in agreement.

"They were blue, mother! They had really big, scary red eyes! And father turned into one! I was so scared and I felt so cold. It's nice and warm here mother. Can I stay the night?" Loofney asked, bringing his knees up to his chest. Leera's eyes widened for a split second at the mention of the 'monsters' Loofney dreamt of then realised that it would scare Loofney to see such a reaction and her face softened, looking down at him.

"It's ok, shhh, your safe here my love. Of course you can my son, but be quiet so you don't wake your father"

"Ok Mother, I promise"

"I love you Loofney, my star"

"Love you too mother"

"Goodnight little one. Sleep well and dream good dreams. I'm here, so there is nothing to fear"