Thank you all for your amazing feedback. You really all did make my day this morning when I read all your amazing comments. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a bit longer, but that means there is more for you Please comment, I love to hear from you all, it doesn't matter if you say the same things every time, each comment makes all the difference in encouraging me to do more and more, hence the longer chapter.
Marvel owns Loki and all remnants of Asgard. Loofney, Leera and … are mine.
One week later. . .
The night had been cold. All the members of the palace had withdrawn to an early slumber as it seemed that the only place that was warm was in the comfort of the duvets. Leera and Loki had sent their son to bed and too fell to sleep entwined in each other's arms. Loki fell into a deep sleep and was not aware of the sun rising and his wife dashing from the bed to the washroom. Leera had spent most of the early morning awake, dashing back and forth the washroom feeling highly sick and queasy. Arching her back on her hands and knees, the lady Loki retched over a bowl, sweat dancing along her forehead and her temperature rising. Groaning, Leera hugged her stomach with one hand and slowly rocked back and forth to ease the feeling of sickness. It was not until a violent dose of sickness hit her making her retch loudly did Loki wake. Feeling the emptiness in his arms and in the bed the emerald prince sat up and rubbed his eyes, wondering where his wife could be at this hour. Then, on hearing pain filled groans from the washroom, Loki rose from the bed and ran to the room. Opening the door, the pale god looked down at his wife on her knees, hovering over a metal bowl. Walking to her side and dropping down to her level, Loki brushed a stray strand of hair behind his wife's ear and noticed her red cheeks and wet forehead. "My love, what ails you?" Loki said, rubbing his wires back. Before Leera could answer, she shook her head and vomited, her arms shaking. After a few more moments of emptying her bowl, Leera reached for a cloth by the wash basin and wiped her mouth, falling back onto her knees in a sitting position.
"I need water" Leera said, her breath catching as she dabbed her wet head. Loki conjured a glass of refreshing cold water and passed it to Leera whom eagerly gulped it down.
"Did you eat something bad?" Loki inquired, shuffling forward so he knelt in front of the dark haired woman, placing his hands on her arms, searching her face. Leera shook her head in disagreement and placed the glass on the floor.
"No, it's not that..." Leera began, he throat sore. "... Loki, it's been a week since we..." Leera stopped speaking, feeling embarrassed. Loki's eyes widened and gasped "... And I'm late. I should have started more or less the day we, you know..."
"You think you could be?" Loki said, a smile gracing his lips. Leera moaned and held her stomach, falling from her knees to sit down properly on the floor.
"I did not think it would be this quick. I did not know I was pregnant with Loofney until I was nearly six weeks gone, I didn't even have morning sickness with Loofney." Leera said gobsmacked and looked at her husband. His face was a picture.
"You're... Are we? Really?" Loki managed to say. Leera loved this Loki. The one only Leera and Loofney were allowed to witness. Leera chuckled, and looked to her stomach.
"I think so, Loki. I think so" Leera replied. Loki's eyes flash with pure love for this woman sitting in front of him. Grabbing Leera's arms softly, Loki pulled Leera onto his lap. He began chuckling and kissed her neck slowly and passionately, holding her in her arms.
"I love you so much" Loki gasped, pulling away to look at his wife square in the face. Leera's eyes watered and sat straight in Loki's lap, smiling.
"I love you too, Loki"
"I'm so happy..." Loki said quietly, resting his head against Leera's. Staying in each other's embrace for a few more moments, Loki whispered sweet Nothings into his wife's ear. Leera shivered under his embrace and was about to kiss him when a knock came on the door and both sighed, they knew whom it was. Loofney. It was not right that such a young child could be such a morning person. Opening the chamber door, Loofney walked in. Both parents looked into the chamber and saw their son run towards the king size bed and jump on to it. Laughing, Loki pushed Leera up to her feet gently then stood up after her, both walking into the room. "Are you going to tell him now?" Loki whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her stomach.
"Not yet. I want to confirm it first, so I know it's one hundred percent certain" Leera replied and felt Loki nod. Loofney wrapped himself up in the emerald green sheets on the bed and looked over at his parents. "Good morning my son"
"Morning!" Loofney answered and bounced up and down on the bed.
"Did you sleep well, my love?" Loki asked, still holding his wife's back against his chest.
"Yes!" came the Childs reply. Loofney now stood on the bed and began jumping, clearly too excited and worked up for anyone in the morning.
"Loofney, what have you eaten this morning?" Loki asked, letting go of his wife and walked towards the bed, a frown dancing across his brow.
"Uncle Thor made me a mortal treat! He said I could have it after breakfast, but I couldn't wait father. It looked yummy!" Loofney replied, bouncing higher on the bed. Loki climbed onto the bed and grabbed his son's legs, bringing him down to sit on his lap.
"What was this treat called?" Leera asked, walking forward, knowing that she would know more about this than Loki.
"It was called a... Um... Toffee apple!" Loofney giggled and wriggled about. Loki looked up to his wife, not knowing about that treat. Leera sighed and placed a hand on the bed post, shaking her head.
"It's full of sugar Loki. Packed with it more or less" Leera said, looking at the trickster.
"Oh, well I imagine this is what you mortals mean by sugar overload?" Loki said, raising an eyebrow and Leera nodded. "Loofney, did you eat the whole apple?"
"Yes! Can I have another?" Loofney's eyes widened, full of hope that his father would say yes.
"No, you cannot. It isn't healthy" Leera replied, sitting on the bed.
"But it's an apple" Loofney replied, confused.
"An apple with sugar and toffee on it Loofney. You can have a plain apple by all means, but not another one of them. I shall be speaking with your uncle about this" Leera replied to her son. Loofney whined and slid from his father's lap, lifting up his arms to indicate for his mother to remove his shirt to dress him. Leera shook her head and turned away from him, walking to her chest of draws and pulled out a small tunic and leggings, then walked back over to Loofney and handed them to him. "My love, you are growing up into a big boy now. You can dress yourself" Loofney nodded and left his parents room to change in his own chambers, feeling like a big boy, all grown up. Loki slid from the bed and scooped his wife up in his arms. "I will be late for breakfast, my love" Leera said.
"Why? Are you still feeling sick?" the emerald prince questioned.
"I wish to go to the healers, so that I may find out for definite, and tell you all over breakfast…" Loki grinned and placed a kiss on Leera's forehead.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Loki asked, pulling away and began to disrobe his bed clothes.
"No, no. Loofney is hungry; I think it best you take his to quench his hunger, don't you?" Leera chuckled, turning her back to her husband for privacy and also began to disrobe her night clothes.
"He may be my son, by looks, and knowledge, but he is like Thor in his appetite" Loki said, pulling on a fresh black tunic over his head.
"And a good job too! You have terrible eating habits, Loki. You are not really a role model for our son in that instance" Leera replied, stepping into her dress and pulled it up to her chest.
"I agree with you fully my love. I have never been one with an appetite" Loki agreed and stepped into his leggings, pulling them up his legs, and began fastening the laces around his hips to secure them.
"Well, you need to get an appetite from somewhere!" Leera chided, struggling to do her corset up at the back. Loki finished pulling on his boots and brushed his raven black hair slickly backwards then walked to his wife, taking a lace in each hand and began to lace her up at the back.
"You know, you are allowed to have a maid to help you dress, and do this for you" Loki said, almost bored.
"Why would I need a maid when I have you to do it?" Leera said playfully. Loki tied the laces into a bow at the top and walked to his wife's chair and picked up the outer garment of her golden robe.
"I can put that on Loki" Leera said, holding out a hand to take the outer dress from him.
"Why, When I am here, I can to it" Loki said, playing on Leera's words mischievously, and indicated for Leera to life her arms into the air. Lifting them, Loki gently brought down the outer garment onto her arms, then pulled it all the way down, covering the corset completely, and adjusted the front so that it sat gracefully on her chest and sat snuggly around her petite waist. She was dressed. And she was perfect Loki thought. And it made him burst with happiness at the thought of his wife pregnant again. He did find her beautiful now, of course. But, when she was pregnant, her stomach round and large, carrying his child, Loki thought that she was the most breath taking sight he had ever seen and he could never stop himself form staring at her. "Beautiful, my love, you are beautiful" Leera blushed and turned to face her tall, handsome husband and placed a hand on his cheek.
"And you are handsome too my love. You are my life and my soul. And I don't know where I'd be or who I would be without you. I just thank Odin for the punishment he served you, for if that did not happen, then this life we have lived together would never have happened, and I would never be this happy than I am right now" Leera said, her voice filled with love, and she leaned in and placed a kiss on her husband's cool lips.
"Yes, well, I am rather irresistible…" Loki joked, pulling away breathlessly.
"Of course, Loki, of course" Leera rolled her eyes and tapped Loki's shoulder, walking past him towards the door. "You better check your son to see if he is ready, then take him to the hall. I'll meet you both there"
"As you wish my love, I shall look forward to hearing the news you will deliver us all as breakfast" Loki replied, and watched his wife leave the room.
Leera practically skipped down the corridors, feeling the most content than she had in a long time. Her eyes sparkled with sheer happiness and she eyed every window and plant and shiny gold object with awe as if it were the first time she had seen it. The thought of carrying another child of Loki's inside her made her squeak silently. As she walked faster and faster, approaching the healing chambers, she thought of all the possibilities of names of the gender then quickly dismissed those thoughts and told herself not to get her hopes up as it might be a false alarm. She felt excited yet sick with nerves at the same time. Reaching the door, Leera pulled it open and quietly walked in, observing a few sleeping patients and headed straight down the centre of the room to the elders work area. Spotting the elderly lady, Leera cleared her throat and whispered. "Elder? May I speak with you?" The elder turned in her chair and smiled at the lady Loki, waving a hand to bring her closer.
"Good morn, My Lady, how may I help you? I trust you are well?" She asked, indicating to an empty chair beside her, for Leera to sit.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I came here to see if you could check, well confirm something for me" Leera said quietly.
"And what might that be, My Lady?" The elder turned to face Leera fully and crossed her arms.
"I am late for my menstrual cycle, elder, and I found myself vomiting this morning…" Leera began, scratching at her hand nervously. Anything about the delicacy of such matters always made her nervous, even embarrassed.
"I see. Tell me my Lady, when was the last time you lay with Prince Loki?" The elder said, reclining slightly in her chair, and observed Leera blush.
"Urm, well, about one week ago…"
"And before that?"
"What? Why do you need to know that?" Leera's face reddened, shifting in her seat.
"I will not carry on with this if it makes you uncomfortable. Let me examine you then. Please, lay on this empty bed" The elder replied and edged Leera towards the bed and helped her onto it, laying her down.
"How many days late are you?" The elder said, pressing Leera's stomach. It amazed Leera as to how these healers could tell whether someone was pregnant at this state just by merely poking and prodding a stomach and feeling the aura of a person, but then again, she supposed, they were god's after all, and did not need technology of any such sort to confirm ailments or pregnancies.
"One week exactly" Leera replied, her face flushing. "And I am always regular. Never late"
"Ok, and how long did your sickness last?" The elder said, pressing the lower abdomen, then hovered a hand over the lower part of Leera's stomach, closing her eyes.
"A few hours, early this morning" Leera remembered and sighed.
"I see…" The elder said, now hovering both hands over the stomach and a light bloomed form her hands, searching Leera's aura, and for possibly another inside her. They stayed like this for a few moments, with Leera all the while, watching the woman's expressions. Finally she broke her hands away and looked up at the lady Loki.
"You remember the stress and pain you went through with your child, my lady?" The elder said, reaching out a hand and pulled her up into a sitting position.
"Yes, of course…"
"Are you willing to go through all that again?" The elder replied, almost confused and Leera nodded.
"Yes, yes. So, am I? Does that mean I am?" Leera said excitedly.
"Unfortunately you are my lady" The elder replied and turned away. Leera frowned and hopped down form the bed and reached out holding the elders arm, turning her to face her.
"Unfortunately? Why unfortunately? Isn't it supposed to be a joyous occasion, not unfortunate? Explain yourself" Leera snapped.
"I only mean, it is unfortunate that you will have to go through all that again. It is unfortunate that the child is not… of normal size"
"What would be unfortunate, dear elder, would be to lose your position as head healer due to your snide and hurtful remarks you have towards my children and my husband. Unless you wish to remain, as you are, elder, then I would suggest holding your tongue the next time you wish to say something against my husband and child. Do I make myself clear?" Leera said darkly and let go of the woman's arm. The elder bowed her head apologetically and nodded.
"Forgive me my lady. Congratulations on conceiving once again" Leera huffed and walked away from the older woman.
"Where is Leera my love?" Frigga asked Loki, breaking the awkward silence between him and Odin, the memory of Loki bursting into their chambers full of anger and hatred still fresh in their minds. Thor looked up with a mouthful on succulent meat in his mouth, and his friends drank silently from their goblets. Loofney was too consumed in the marvellous meal to even notice the silence, and Loki looked up from his finally full plate of food.
"She is on her way" Loki replied, taking a gulp of wine from his goblet. And with that short answer, true to his word, Leera entered the hall, looking flustered, as she hurried towards the table. Nodding at Odin and Frigga, Leera took her seat next to Loki and quickly grabbed his hand. Loki looked at his hand then up to his wife's face and spotted the grin spread across her cheeks. Loki did not care for that split moment that his family and friends were in the room and allowed a heart chuckle burst from his chest. All the people around the table looked up, including Loofney, and Odin raised an eyebrow. Forgetting that there were people staring, Leera looked behind Loki's back towards her son and bid him to come to her. Jumping down from his seat, Loofney scurried over to his mother and Leera picked him up and placed him on her lap.
"Loofney, do you remember when you asked father why you do not have a brother and you said that you wanted one?" Leera said, now aware that everyone was listening, and she blushed. Loofney nodded, looking up at his mother.
"Well…"Loki began, kissing Loofney's head "…Your mother is going to give you one soon" All the members around the table gasped and Loki looked across to his mother, whom smiled and her eyes sparkled.
"Can I have one now?" Loofney asked, raising an eyebrow and Thor and his friends laughed. Leera shook her head chuckling.
"No my love, you can have one, but you have to wait a little while" Loki replied, stroking his son's back.
"This evening?" Loofney asked hopefully, looking back at his father.
"No Loofney" Loki replied.
"Tomorrow?"
"No, my son"
"Next week?"
"No Loofney" Loki said, smiling and watched as his son crossed his arms, pouting.
"If I'm right my son, you shall have one not long after your sixth birthday" Leera said, calculating nine months in her mind.
"Oh!" Loofney whined and dropped down from his mother's lap and returned to his plate of food. "That's forever mother!" Leera smiled and rested her head on Loki's shoulder, facing the people in the room.
"Congratulations, my dear daughter-in-law" Frigga said, reaching over a hand to Leera and taking it in her's, rubbing it gently before pulling it away.
"Well brother, another child and such a small distance in-between..." Thor grinned "Did you finish reading every book in the library and fins another sport with your wife?" Leera blushed and buried her face in her husband's neck and Odin shot a warning glace to his eldest son. Loki turned to face his brother and spoke coolly.
"Well, unlike you dear brother, I want a family and am doing something about it…" Thor blushed and lowered his gaze back to his plate. "And yes, if you must know, I have read every book in the library…" Loki said, grinning and turned his head, placing a gentle kiss on his wife's head.