Chapter 8

Finger's braided Imogen's dark locks tenderly, while the Queen watched in the boudoire mirror with a beaming smile on her face. Her hand roamed delicately over her stomach - her round, five month pregnant stomach.

She glanced down to her belly happily.

Just weeks after their coronation, she'd noticed. It hadn't taken long. She'd been braced to wait for months, taking the powder with water diligently as she'd been instructed. And then just two weeks after she was crowned Queen, she'd missed her monthly bleed - and she knew she'd finally been blessed with the child she'd longer for.

Her fingers danced caressingly over her belly, the thin white material of her dress, gathered in a halter neck, flowing over her body beautifully. She just prayed there was a tiny prince in there.

Things were different being Queen. Their lives had changed beyond their titles. The new chambers were one thing; the day of the coronation she and Thor had been moved to a bigger, grander room, with two guards posted permenantly outside. It was nice, Imogen thought. She liked it. And she'd been thankful when whoever had made the move for them had simply brought their old stuff into their new room, not changing or going through anything. If they had decided otherwise, Imogen's secret remedy might have been uncovered.

"How fares the baby, my Lady?" one of the girls gently styling her asked. That was another thing Imogen had to get used to; she had a permenant entourage of maids follow her.

Imogen glanced to the girl. She liked this one. Quiet but attentive, diligent to meet her every request flawlessly. She was a good servant. Imogen didn't yet remember her name, but...

Her smile grew as she scoured over the girl's sweet, sincere face. She was so young, no older than fifteen, surely. Imogen smoothed her hands over her belly as she answered, smiling down at her skin covered five month old child. "My prince is dancing." she said.

Gentle hands smoothed round the back of Imogen's intricate thin braids and she turned her head slightly to the more mature maid, just behind her shoulder. "Soon he will be kicking."

Imogen smiled as the woman gently cupped her Queen's shoulders before getting back to positioning the thin braids of hair.

The thoughts were still merrily in her head as she turned back to the mirror, admiring the braids that laced and snaked over the raven dark locks of her hair. She hoped Thor liked it. She wanted to look nice for her husband as of late, knowing how hard he was working with his new duties as king, how excited he was as the prospect of being a father again.

He loved her when she was with child. Her breasts were round, and her stomach rounder, and the glorious smooth curves just flat out did it for her husband.

If only she could see him more. That was what had changed the most about their new station; Thor was called away on business frequently to address his court and advisors, day or night. There would be days when she wouldn't see her husband. A week sometimes, when she'd be left in bed alone.

Well, not alone. Those were the nights she took Shelby out of her crib and to her and Thor's mattress, sleeping with her precious child by her side.

She hadn't been a good mother to her daughter. Not recently. Not since the pressure for a son had dawned. But now that pressure had lifted and Imogen could love her daughter for who she was, merely thankful the child wasn't old enough to hold onto the memories of her disappointment. Her brother had come just in time.

Imogen glanced over her shoulder, the maids' hands melting away from her smoothly at her movement. The smile fixed on her face as she drank in the picture of her sweet girl, soundly asleep on her and Thor's bed.

Nowadays, Imogen could barely part from her. She took Shelby everywhere she went, cradled in her arms or over her shoulder. Her daughter saw the world now. Imogen liked taking her out into the gardens, to play in the orchard and enchant her with leaves and flowers. She was able to nibble a piece of apple last time.

And now Imogen saw what Thor had been so happy about - she did smile. It made Imogen's heart soar when her baby girl smiled at her - or laughed! She'd been doing that of late. Her energy was growing everyday, and the more she grew, the more Imogen could see how she was like her father. It was like she could carry around a pocket sized version of her husband with her where she went.

"Would you like me to bring her to you?" the young maid asked beside Imogen.

Imogen shook her head softly; Shelby lay on her back, head rolled so her face was in Imogen's direction, her eyes fluttered closed in a deep sleep. Her little body rose and fell with gentle breaths. She was in such peace.

And for once, Imogen felt the same. She felt relaxed. Her son was on his way, she and Thor were on the throne, the court were even leaving her alone for the time being - what was there for her to worry about? The smile curved on her lips just at the thought. Life was perfect.

And nothing more of Elga had been heard. That had been the greatest relief. Imogen had felt such accute dread she just knew something had to go wrong. She'd been so sure, feeling the heart stopping hatred that Elga felt for her bear into her soul from the broken woman's eyes... but nothing had happened. She was with child, and things were fine.

She hadn't told Thor about Elga, nor about her feelings. She didn't want him to worry. She just wanted to forget. And she hadn't been sure. How could she explain a 'feeling'? It was ludicrous!

And pointless, it turned out. Everything was fine, and the woman hadn't crossed the Queen's mind for months. That part of her life was over, new glorious days replacing it.

A tad lonely, but...

She didn't care for her ladies-in-waiting's company much. She prefered to spend time with her mother and father, or Shelby, or Thor...but Thor was always busy. She saw him all day on the seventh day of the week, where they sat in the Hall for the citizens to come to their rulers and ask for specific help, or to resolve a matter.

Beyond that day though, she dressed with Thor in the mornings, he kissed her good day, and then he was gone. He ate with the court in the morning. He ate with his family in the evening - if duty allowed him - but aside from that, Imogen didn't see him all day.

Well, she could. Sometimes she went to watch her husband train, just to see him. And he didn't disappoint. He always came over, as sweaty and hard working as he was, to give her a kiss. He always took time out for her. But her ladies- in- waiting always followed and got flustered around the god, stripped to the waist, every inch of his perfect torso on display. She didn't like the way they oggled him.

Similarly, she was allowed to sit in on the court proceedings and be present to bless marriages alongside her husband if she wanted. But she was not to get involved with politics or battle in anyway; the council rooms she was actively banned from. Even in the justice courts, she was expected to stay silent.

Imogen didn't think she'd be able to do it. She'd blab her mouth eventually so she thought it best to simply stay away. She didn't want to ruin Thor's favours, nor her future son's.

"When is the baby due, my Lady?"

Imogen dipped her attention out of her thoughts and focussed mildly on her ladies. There were three of them; one to her left, one to her right, and one watching over her baby girl diligently. Again, it was the younger woman who had spoken.

Imogen didn't mind actually. Once upon a time the questions from a maid might have annoyed her, but now... she was happy to talk about her bouncing baby boy growing in her belly. She even turned to smile at the young girl. "He still has another four moons before he'll be ready for us." she smiled, hands twisting in her lap in excitement.

"And how do you know it's a boy?" the slightly older woman asked. "Has the Lady Frigga confirmed it?"

No, Imogen thought in her head, spirits rapidly falling as she thought of how she knew it was a boy. Not that she could tell these women of her powder. That would be disasterous.

"But the Queen is carrying low." the woman at Shelby's side called over. "Everyone knows that is a sign of carrying a boy."

Imogen breathed out a sigh of relief.

"My mother told me that if a woman didn't have morning sickness, she was with a son." the young girl chipped in, fingers moving to Imogen's hair again. "And I have not seen the Queen ill, have you?"

It was true. Imogen hadn't had morning sickness like she had with Shelby. Her first pregnancy hadn't been bad, but she'd still thrown up routinely every morning. Yet, with her son, she merely felt queasy, but nothing was ever hauled up from her stomach.

She felt smug now as she turned to the first woman, who had questioned her judgement. Her cheeks were now flushed with embarrassment, head bowed. "I was told the only way to know for sure was the ring test." she finally mumbled, almost inaudibly. "Forgive me, my Queen. I meant no disrespect."

Imogen didn't mind. Actually, she was rather excited now. Thus far, she'd just known her child was a boy, the magic sealing it so. It gave her no credibility with the other women though. She needed some other proof.

"Well, if it will quell your doubts..." Imogen slipped the gold wedding band off her finger and watched the maid's eyes widen.

One thing this woman had to learn about her Queen, was that she never backed down from a challenge. The two women rose with her as she stood up, eyes scouring the boudoire for some string.

The younger woman found some first. "Here, my Lady."

Imogen took the burgandy coloured thread from her with a smile, catching sight of the needle work the girl must have snipped it from on a stool across the room. She tied the end around her wedding ring as she walked to the bed.

She shook her head as the maid at Shelby's side went to move the infant, but Imogen didn't want to disturb her. She could fit on the bed, anyway.

She forced the string into the questioning woman's hands without asking before sitting on the bed, moving until she was lying down, her hands resting either side of her bump. She shifted comfortably, feeling the soft pillows beneath her head, tucking her legs to the side to not hit her daughter.

Timidly, the maid with the string moved forward, her eyes downcast as she approached the bedside. The younger maid watched from the foot of the bed avidly.

The woman sighed before she finally lifted the string bound ring and let it dangle freely over Imogen's round stomach.

Imogen was excited. She hadn't done the test before, not even when she'd been pregnant with Shelby. With Shelby, it just hadn't mattered. She'd been preoccupied with her wedding too then, and her honeymoon after that. She was excited to get this normal pregnancy experience at last.

Her heart was in her mouth though as the ring's movement's started to settle into repetition - what if it wasn't a boy?

All eyes were on the ring, as it started to swing in a solid line, back and forth across Imogen's pregnant stomach. What did that mean? the Queen breathed in her head. What did side to side mean?

She knew that Thor loved their daugther, but she also knew how badly he wanted a son. Not for political reasons; just to have a proud baby boy boucing on his knee, to teach to fight, to build up strong, to have a smaller version of him to be proud of. And Imogen wanted to give that to him.

Her eyes met the maid's as her's lifted at last, her expression unreadable. Imogen waited on tenter hooks.

Finally - "You were right, your Majesty." the woman said at last, stiffly. "It's a boy."

XXX

Imogen wasn't disappointed.

She tipped her head back to rest on Thor's shoulder as he moved beneath her, rolling his hips up into hers. His arms wrapped securely around his wife, one hand cupping her pregnant stomach and the other fondling her shapely breast.

The Queen sat in her husband's lap, her knees either side of his thighs as he held her back against his chest, his lips fused to the place where her neck met her shoulder.

She felt in Heaven.

He was so deep inside her like this and she sighed in bliss, Thor moving slow and sweet with her. There was no rushing tonight.

It had been a good day for Thor it seemed; there had been no grumbling or aggressive thrusting between her thighs when he'd come back.

Tonight, the god had come to his wife, enticingly laid out on the bed in a lacy nightgown that fell down to her high thighs, her hand resting on her proud bump and her eyes alight like molten violet.

He'd been naked within seconds.

He groaned, the noise muffled by Imogen's skin as he gently sank his teeth into the side of her neck, tasting her sweetness. She was perfect.

She pushed her chest into his hand as he gave her breast a tentative squeeze, knowing they were sensitive. He didn't want to cause her discomfort. Her fingers clung loosely to his arms wrapped around her and Thor knew it was just a need for something to hold onto rather than a desire to pull him away.

The cries she made when he rolled his pelvis up to meet hers, Imogen grinding down onto his rock hard erection...gods, it was addictive. Hearing the feminine purrs and whines that bled from her lips was simply mesmerising.

"Hmmm..." Thor hummed against his wife's skin, letting his senses surround him with thoughts of her; feeling her tight and wet inside, her hands gripping his, hearing the heated sighs that she released into the night, the sweet, alluring scent that was hers, the softness of her skin, the firm roundness to her stomach and the very squeezable flesh of her breast. "I love you."

Imogen just moaned in response, pushing her hips down harder on her husband, feeling him stretch her so fully inside her. She let out a high pitched whine as his tip found the sensative spot inside her and pressed against it.

This was always strange for Imogen; love making. Her personality was usually so headstrong, she was built for Thor's aggressive fucking. But since the day she confessed she was pregnant with Shelby, the day Thor confessed his undying love for her, taking it slow had been thrown in the mix. It brought a deeper connection to their embrace, made her heart beat with more than just lust and exertion.

She tried to push her knees further apart, to take him in deeper into her core, but he was as close to her as he could be. He rolled up gently into her, making her eyes roll back in her skull in pleasure.

Her husband never failed to disappoint her in the bedroom. He could fuck her into the next century or he could make love as gently as it she were made of glass. And she loved every second of it. Thor, as a lover, was simply mindblowing. She was so glad she didn't have to share him, that Thor stayed faithful so this pleasure was reserved for her, and her alone.

Imogen felt her insides quicken, her instinct to move faster and harder twitching her. Thor's hands held her steady though. "How was your day?" he sighed into her ear.

What?, Imogen gasped in her head. He was making love to her and thought it was fine to make general conversation at the same time? No, Imogen wanted to focus on him, on the sensation building in her trembling lower muscles. Thor was going to drive her mad with want with the slow pace he insisted on, refusing to speed, even to bring her to completion.

Still, she obliged with a groan, resting her head even heavily back on Thor's shoulder. "Fine." she gasped, Thor's tip making that blissful contact inside her again. Her mouth dropped open breathlessly. It took a moment to compose herself, from the luke warm pleasure that wrapped around her body. "I discovered that the child I am carrying is most definitely a son."

Thor stilled, hips and hands freezing. Imogen moaned again, wishing he would continue. "You are sure?" he breathed.

Imogen's hands squeezed enticingly on his arms, urging him to go on again. She needed this now, this release, so close.. "Yes, I'm sure."

No sooner had the words left her lips than Thor's arms crushed around her and she went numb in his embrace as his hips thrust firmly up into her. Right into that place inside her. Imogen's mouth fell open in a silent gasp, lingering on with her racing heartbeat as Thor thrust gently, but firmly up into that same spot, again and again...

And then she was unwinding in his arms, a throaty moan leaving her as she came undone around him. His teeth bit into her neck, as a hard thrust or two later, the god spilled himself inside her with a groan that rattled her bones.

Imogen just breathed, embracing the ache of below from Thor's love making, feeling the heated breath of his on her shoulder as he planted a soft kiss over where he'd bitten a moment ago.

The Queen was mindless; that had been one of the best orgasms she could ever remember. She was putty in Thor's hands as he held her to him still as he eased them down to the bed, resting on their sides. He stayed connected inside her, holding her hips back against his. He knew Imogen liked that, falling asleep with him still inside her.

And Thor didn't complain. His favourite thing to do was to be inside of his wife, and he was happy to extend this moment. His arms held her body to his chest as her head lolled against the pillows, thoroughly exhausted.

He'd chosen the position poorly though. It had been blissful when he was making love to her, but afterwards he liked to look into her drowsy, ecstasy filled violet orbs before she slipped into her slumber, longed to see her face so relaxed, for once nothing to think about but her own pleasure. He always said she thought too much. This was the only way he'd discovered to relax her.

His mouth rested on her little shoulder, lips parted as he let his eyes flutter shut. "Then I love you more than ever."

NOTE

I added a tiny detail to the end of the last chapter that I'd idiotically forgotten, so you might want to go and check that out. Just saying.

Please review!