"Loki, you need to calm down," Natalia warned her husband. All he had been doing for the past half hour was pace about their bedroom, frequently stopping to stare up at the Blood Moon in the sky. He ignored her and continued muttering something to himself as he stared out towards the forest. "Loki!" she huffed. "I swear, I'm closing that damned window!" The red light filtering through made her uneasy to begin with. Natalia forced herself out of bed, holding her large stomach as she made her way to the window.
Loki noticed her in the corner of his eye and panic shot through his body. "Natalia, go back to bed this instant!" he warned her.
"I've been in bed all day," she sourly remarked. "My back's killing me because of it."
Loki managed to get one last look at Thor posing with his hammer before his wife drew the curtains closed.
"Is something supposed to happen tonight?" she wondered. "You told me there's a truce with the witches. Don't tell me there's going to be an actual attack!" That explained all of the extra guards surrounding the castle and the city gates on this particular night.
"I told you, I'm not sure!" Loki reminded her. "This could play out either way…"
Natalia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Given that the worst were to happen, they had hunters guarding and protecting them. Still, Natalia didn't like having the worry of an attack on her mind. For her husband's sake, she needed to remain calm. "Come to bed with me," she suggested, grabbing his cold hand. "Rub my back?" she asked softly. Loki refused to even look at her with his doubtful stare. "We'll be safe," she promised. "Loki, you need to trust me…" She let her arms surround her husband's torso. "It's gonna be alright." His arms soon wrapped around her as he buried his face in her curls.
Loki jolted awake at the sounds of shouting coming from outside the castle walls. Worried that an attack was happening, he threw open the curtains, only to be temporarily blinded by the intense rays of sunlight.
"Let us see the King!" a warrior demanded.
"He's your Father, Thor-you should be the one to convince him!" Fandral said to his companion.
Loki's looked down as his eyes adjusted to the light. All of the hunters had grouped together as if to start a riot.
"When was the last attack here?" one man demanded. "It's been months!"
"No witch sightings anywhere. Do you suppose they all dropped dead?"
"I will speak with my Father!" Thor bellowed. "I'm sure he will drop all of this security soon enough."
Loki swore he could hear Amora snickering in the back of his mind. His home needed protection. If Odin listened to Thor's argument, Asgard's defenses would fall, and with it, the kingdom. Loki's knuckles turned white as his nails dug into his fists.
"Loki?" All of the outside commotion managed to wake Natalia, as well. "What's going on out there? Did something happen?"
"Stay right there," Loki ordered. Perhaps the unhappy hunters needed a sign… Proof that danger was still out there. "I will return to you shortly, Natalia." The prince vanished before she even had a chance to further question him.
Loki knew that his actions could potentially trigger a feud with the witches, but he clearly said 'no bloodshed.' With all of the hunters gathered in one convenient place, all defenses were down, allowing for Loki to teach them the importance of never letting one's guard down…
Thor was just making his way to the castle's main entrance when Sif's hand grabbed his. "Let me go, Sif. I need a word with our King."
"Do you not smell that?" the warrior asked. She watched as the blond lifted his head to inhale traces of smoke.
"There!" Thor looked straight ahead, slapping Sif's hand away as he spotted a cloud of grey smoke rising up from the trees.
Clinton was the first to enter the forest, soon followed by the rest of the hunters.
"We turn our backs and this is what happens," Sif dryly remarked. "Do you still wish to disband our group?" she asked, running alongside Thor.
"Nay," he breathed. "It's like they know," he muttered, running towards the stables to grab a bucket of water.
From up in the castle, Natalia began cursing Loki's name. She knew this was his doing. Smoke, a fire… She had to force herself away from the window and back into bed so she could try calming down while she waited on her husband's return. What if his action brought forth more witches? Or worse, what if they killed him because he broke a truce? Natalia began to panic until Loki appeared before her wearing a worried expression.
"Are you alright?" Loki wondered, carefully kneeling before his wife.
Looking at him only made Natalia angry. "Smoke!" she shouted at him. "Tell me it was you who did that!"
"A distraction-" Natalia's hand struck Loki across the cheek before he could explain himself. "Natalia…" He forced a crooked smile. "Forgive me for upsetting you. Know that if I hadn't acted quickly, all of our guardsmen would have stopped performing their duties."
Natalia folded her arms across her chest. "And the witches? They'll consider this an attack, Loki!"
"I told them no blood," he coolly informed her. "I simply started a fire-a small one, just to bait the hunters. And I may have left something else to prove that it was a witch's doing…"
Natalia eyed her husband in interest.
"A warning," he stated. "A simple piece of parchment warning for Odin's men to stay alert."
"Your Amora friend isn't going to turn against you for doing this?" Natalia prodded.
Loki shook his head. "I've killed no one. If anything, my action is what will keep everyone alive…"
A week passed and despite Loki's attempts to summon Amora and Yelena, the two refused to come. Asgard was safe, though, as were the other kingdoms. As for the hunters, the stayed on guard, fully alert after receiving a mysterious message. Odin knew that the note was all Loki's doing, but he refused to say anything to him. The King was content knowing that his heir cared about the people's safety.
"Does it ever get tiring to have two jobs?" Natalia asked Sif as the handmaiden braided her hair.
"I've sworn myself to the King and Queen," Sif told the princess. "This is no trouble at all. It could be worse," she mused. "I could be dealing with a spoiled and pampered brat every day."
"You're welcome," Natalia smiled.
"Besides, with no attacks, my life hasn't been in any danger."
"That's good," Natalia commented.
"And that's why I'm bored."
Sif's comeback made Natalia laugh and roll her eyes.
There was a knock at the door and Sif hurried to answer it. "Your Grace," she said, curtsying for the Queen.
"Is Natalia all ready?" Frigga asked.
"Yes, my Queen."
Natalia sighed, absently playing with the end of her braid. She rose from her chair and took one final look around her and Loki's bedroom.
"Loki will have lunch with you in the afternoon," Frigga announced. "He will arrive at your new chamber at noon."
Natalia nodded and allowed for Sif to escort her out of the bedroom. "Is this really necessary?" she asked aloud.
Frigga walked ahead of them down a long corridor. "This follows a tradition," she reminded her daughter-in-law. "I spent my final months with only the servants to accompany me before I gave birth to Thor."
The idea of confinement made Natalia uneasy. She had grown so used to sleeping with Loki at her side. Nights alone were going to take some getting used to. When Frigga mentioned that she was to 'cleanse herself' before the baby's arrival, she didn't think it would happen this soon.
Natalia's record showed that she was nearing the end of her seventh month. She couldn't bear the thought of waiting another two months for the child to come. She had grown impatient and wanted nothing more than to hold her baby in her arms with Loki right beside her.
"We never know what might happen with the witches. Keeping you safely guarded is key," Frigga added. "And if the child arrives early, then we are prepared."
Natalia was shown into the bedroom she stayed in prior to her marriage. The familiar setting was a welcome sight.
"If you need anything at all, Natalia, simply ask," Frigga smiled. "Sif, keep an eye on her," she added before leaving the room.
Sif nodded at the Queen before helping Natalia into a bed with snowy white sheets.
"I'd like to rest now. Wake me when my husband arrives," Natalia ordered.
"Yes, my Lady." Sif bowed her head and left the room to stand guard by the door. Footsteps drew close and she lowered her head as Thor and Clint paced down the hall. She glanced up in time to meet Thor's gaze, a small smile across his lips as he acknowledged her. Once they were at the far end of the hall, Sif scowled as her cheeks heat up.
"You've been awfully quiet, Natalia," Loki noticed as they finished up their lunch. He offered her a blackberry tart, but she shook her head. "Natalia."
"I'm going to miss you," she said quietly, her eyes staring down at her stomach. "I'll be alone… I don't like it."
"I believe that you are forgetting what I am," Loki whispered, lifting her chin so he could admire her face. Natalia remained silent, unsure of what he was hinting at. "You will never have to spend a night alone, my Natalia." He softly pressed his lips to hers. "I swear to you that I will share this bed with you every night…Thank goodness for transportation spells," he chuckled.
"The servants," she interrupted. "They are to guard my room."
"Outside," he corrected her. "They won't come in unless you ask," he winked.
"You promise to come every night?" she asked, feeling a wave of tears coming on any second.
"I swear." Loki grinned widely as her arms seized hold of his neck.