Living life sequestered in a bedroom all to herself started off as frightening. Being forced to stay in bed all day made Natalia feel like she was being sentenced to die. But Sif was there for her, along with several other female servants. Natalia was treated like the royalty she was, but she wasn't fond of it one bit. She wanted to go outside. Hell, leaving her room would have counted as an adventure! Night time was always her favourite part of the day. Loki always appeared in her bedroom after the sun had set and Natalia was left alone to sleep. The couple had to keep quiet, but that wasn't hard for either of them since Natalia always fell fast asleep in her husband's arms in a matter of minutes.

Another Blood Moon came and went, bringing with it weather so cold that the first snow of winter fell. Over the course of a few days, a foot of snow had accumulated, making it harder for the guards to move about.

"I feel sorry for your Brother and the others, but what about Prancer?" Natalia asked her husband as she sat idly by the window.

"I'm sorry, who?" Loki asked.

"My horse!" she snapped at him, forcing Loki to tense up. "He's out there in the cold…"

"The horses are all fine," Loki promised her. "The barn has plenty of fresh hay to help keep them warm."

"I haven't had the chance to visit him in over a month…" Tears clouded her eyes for no reason at all.

Loki hurried to his wife's side, kneeling down as he took her hands in his. He noticed that as of late, Natalia had become extra sensitive. One afternoon when he visited her for lunch, hell broke out after a servant brought her the wrong flavour of tea. He took note that small things angered her, which always led to tears. "I check on the stables once a week, and all is well. There's no need to cry, Natalia," he said gently.

"I'm not crying," she muttered as tears rolled down her cheeks.

He chuckled to himself and noticed a subtle shuffling beneath the fabric of her dress. "Not much longer, little one," Loki whispered to her swollen middle.

Natalia rolled her eyes. "I swear being cooped up like this is going to drive me mad."

"This will all be worth it in the end," Loki reminded her.

"It better be," she sighed. "The kicking's become unbearable as of this morning, and my back's killing me."

"Let me give you a massage, then," he suggested. "Before I have to return to business..."

Natalia squeezed his hands as he helped her get up. "I'll see you at our usual time then, tonight." She winced once she was standing on her feet. "I should just stay in bed from now on," she laughed.

"Does it hurt that much?" Loki wondered.

"I think I got up too fast. I'm fine," she quickly told him.

'I'm fine' escalated into Natalia screaming out for help within an hour. After Loki left, she took a brief nap which had been interrupted by an intense jolt of pain. It felt much different from the baby's kicking, further worrying the mother-to-be. Natalia got up to walk around her room for a bit. She began to feel better until she felt water trickling down her legs. Stepping back to find a puddle on the floor forced Natalia to cry out for help.

A female servant hurried into the room, assuring Natalia that everything was going to be fine. The princess was forced back into bed, where her pain started to become excruciating.

"I want Loki!" Natalia managed in between a contraction.

Frigga sat at her daughter's bedside, stroking her cheek. "He may visit after your baby comes," she promised.

"I need him!" she hissed, fingers gripping the sheets.

"No men are allowed, dear. Focus on your baby right now."

Natalia clenched her teeth as her head fell against her pillow. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to concentrate on anything besides the pain. "How much longer?"

A blonde-haired servant knelt in between Natalia's spread legs, her hand reaching up a blanket to check the princess' progress. "The child still needs more room to pass through."

Another contraction ripped through Natalia's middle, leaving her unable to speak.

"Natalia, breathe!" Frigga warned her.

Loki had been busy sealing envelopes in Odin's study when a knock interrupted his work.

"Come in!" the King called out, setting a letter down on his desk.

Sif stepped in, bowing her head before speaking. "My King and my Prince, Lady Natalia has gone into labour."

Loki nearly dripped hot wax onto his hand upon hearing the unexpected news. His chair scooted across the floor as he stood up.

"Loki, sit down," Odin ordered. He then turned to Sif. "Thank you. You may go now."

"I need to see Natalia!" the Prince demanded.

"There is nothing you can do for her, Loki. Childbirth is only of relevance to women. You may see your child after the birth."

"I will be quick. Just let me wish her luck."

"Loki, no," Odin growled.

Night fell and Natalia's discomfort worsened. The servants and Frigga did their best to try and comfort her, but to no avail. "If I survive this, I'm never letting Loki near me," she swore as Sif wiped her brow with a wet cloth.

"You say that now, but I'm sure that will change once you've recovered, my Lady," Sif smirked.

"Can I please see Loki?" Natalia whimpered.

Sif sighed, shaking her head. "I'll relay a message to him," she offered.

Natalia lurched forward, gasping as a contraction wracked her body. She reached for Sif's hand, grasping it tightly and pretending it was Loki's.

"Deep breaths," Sif reminded her.

"I-It's getting worse!" Natalia cried out. "Just pull her out!"

"That isn't possible, my Lady," a blonde servant commented. "Don't worry, you've progressed quite a lot."

"That's not good enough!" Natalia groaned. She felt like her body was being torn in half. "Just…let me see my husband."

Sif began to feel awful. She had become so close to Natalia and she wanted to do her a favour. Anything to relieve the hell she had been suffering for hours. The Queen had stepped out, leaving only several attendants to check up on the princess. "Let me see what I can do," she whispered to the red-head.

"Th-thank-" Natalia's pain became too intense for her to finish, but Sif understood.

Natalia's handmaiden headed towards the door, followed by the blonde woman who had just checked Natalia's progress. "Stay here," Sif ordered.

"I need to step out for a second," the woman answered, re-tying her short hair into a ponytail.

"You can't step out on her-you're the midwife!"

"I'm a lot of things, dear," she sneered, a flicker of red in her eyes. "Besides, the other women know what to do."

Sif's muscles tensed as she saw the brief glimmer of red. Something wasn't right…

Odin had been keeping Loki in his office just to make sure his son didn't go wandering off to find his wife. Even if he did let Loki wait outside of Natalia's chambers, there was the chance that the prince would only get in the way. Odin noticed his son sulking in a corner of his office, staring blankly at an open book in his hands. Not once had Odin heard or saw him turn a single page for nearly an hour. "Loki," he began. "These things take time," he reassured his son. "I was just as nervous as you were before Thor came into this world."

Loki's eyes slowly met with the King's. "I hate being unable to do anything for her. She's been in there for hours…Suffering…"

"She is giving life to your heir," Odin softly smiled. "There is no greater reward than children, Loki."

Loki pretended to read his book again. All he wanted was to stand at Natalia's side, holding her hand while their child emerged to take her first breath. Clearly, that was too much. God forbid a man oversaw the miracle of childbirth. He scowled, angrily flipping the page.

"Something wrong, Loki?" a woman's voice asked.

He threw the book to the ground as he jumped out of his seat. Standing behind the King's desk was Amora, driving a silver letter opener into Odin's neck.

"The throne is all yours, my King," she smirked, letting Odin fall to the ground.

Loki's eyes widened in fear as Odin began coughing up blood, fingers desperately clawing into the wooden flood. The prince knew he had to help him, but Odin wasn't his first concern. "Natalia!" he choked out.

"Don't worry," Amora smirked as she sauntered over to Loki. "I haven't killed her yet."

"How the hell did you get past the guards!?" Loki seethed.

"Oh, Loki," she mused. "You'd be amazed at how long Yelena and I have been hiding under your nose, waiting for this very day…" She wrapped her arms around Loki's neck, an evil grin across her lips.

"Yelena… Where is she?" Loki shouted, shoving the woman away from him.

Amora shrugged. "Perhaps Natalia would know…"

"Bitch!" Loki backed away, ready to teleport, when Amora lunged at him, sending him to the floor.

"Use any tricks, and your poor wife and child will die before your very eyes…"

Loki had never felt so terrified in his life. Natalia was in danger, so was the baby, the King… how many others? "We have a truce!" Loki snarled.

Amora pressed her arm into Loki's neck. "That was a lie, Loki. Just like your plan to kill Odin!" she bit back. "Admit it was!" Loki's jaw tightened. "I'll take that as a yes…Now let's turn my husband-to-be's eyes a pretty shade of red."

"What?" Loki sputtered.

"Don't forget our pact, Loki. I am to be your wife," she smirked.

"My eyes…"

"It's simple." She presented her arm to Loki. "Bite until you taste blood, darling," she giggled.

"Blood…" he said in disbelief.

"What?" she blinked. "You didn't know?"

"Blood turns your eyes red?"

"Human blood… You'll get to see for yourself."

"N-No!" Odin choked out, forcing himself upright.

Amora chuckled at the foolish old man. "You know, if the rumours are true…" She strayed from Loki to approach Odin, still clinging onto his life.

"No!" the King jerked his head away from Amora, but it only aggravated his wound, making more blood gush out from his neck.

Amora's fingers reached past blood-stained clumps of snowy hair to yank off the man's eye patch. "So it is true! Take a look at your heir, Odin…"

"No…" He lowered his head in defeat. Amora grabbed him by the neck, making him cry out until he finally opened his eyes.

"Please…Don't tell me…" Loki felt his entire world begin to shatter as his eyes met with Odin's. One was a royal blue, the other, entirely red. "What is this? What is-"

Odin tightly closed his eyes. Dizzy from the blood loss, he collapsed onto the cold, hard floor.

Amora clicked her tongue. "My, my, who would've known? I think he's dead now. That makes the throne all yours. Me, as well," she winked.

Loki lunged at her, forcing all of his weight forward to send the woman stumbling to the ground. "You're dead, you nasty little wench!" he spat.

"What good will killing me do? You'll be all alone in your bed at night with no one to fuck." Her grin widened as he showed her his teeth. "Natalia will die, Loki. You don't need her," she continued.

Loki's fingers curled around his Father's metal eye patch.

"With any luck, Yelena would've already kil-"

"Shut up!" Loki shouted. He forced the thin piece of metal down the woman's throat and jerked a pointed end around her mouth. Thick blood pooled up in the witch's mouth, forcing her to gag. Loki sat up on his haunches as the woman rolled onto her side to cough up blood and what looked to be a tongue. While her back was turned, Loki grabbed a thick tome from atop his Father's desk and bashed it against Amora's skull. "Killing my family…" A corner of the heavy book lodged itself into the base of her neck, where Loki heard something crack. "You can go to hell, damned bitch!" He grabbed a fistful of her blonde locks and began smashing her face into the floor. Loki knew she wasn't breathing-she hadn't been since he carved her tongue out. But to hear her spine snap and her skull crack satisfied the prince's need for vengeance.

Loki stood up on trembling legs before summoning a flame to engulf the witch's body. He watched, mesmerized as the flames licked away her flesh and turned her bones to dust. Within seconds, she was nothing but ash. The fire began to disappear into thin air, leaving a lone pile of dirt on the floor. Loki pressed the toe of his shoe into it before making the sound of the warning bells echo throughout the palace. He had no time to let Heimdall know to sound the alarm. Everyone needed to know. Now. Loki then took himself to the one place he needed to be. Natalia's chambers.

Sif carefully watched the blonde as she slumped against the wall. The warrior was positive that something wasn't right. She was suddenly getting the exact same vibe she got when a witch was close. Sif carefully shut the door, muffling a scream from Natalia. "Can I ask you something?" Sif asked. Before the woman can answer, Sif had reached up her dress for a dagger which was soon held up to her neck. "Name!" Sif ordered.

"This isn't very lady-like behaviour," Yelena drawled. She felt the edge of the blade press against her neck. "I can have you killed in a second."

The sound of bells echoes in the halls. There was only one reason for it to happen. The castle was under attack. Sif gave the woman a clean slice across her neck as she heard Natalia cry out in the bedroom. Of all times for an attack, it had to be now.

"You're gonna have to do better than that," Yelena taunted as she slipped out of Sif's hold. Her eyes changed from blue to red before her opponent could blink.

"I like a challenge!" Sif growled. In the corner of her eye, she noticed the Queen emerge in the hallway, a blade in hand. "Get in the bedroom!" Sif yelled. "I can handle this one!"

"Can you, now?" Yelena taunted.

Sif threw herself at the witch, allowing for Frigga to safely enter the room. "How many of you are here?"

"It could be just me, it could be a hundred," she smirked.

The warrior drove her blade into the witch's middle. "Answer my questions!" She withdrew her dagger and stabbed Yelena a second time.

"You aren't hurting me!" The blonde stepped backwards, blood staining her white dress and dripping onto the floor. She threw a punch at Sif's face and let her long nails scratch across her flawless skin until there was blood.

Sif cursed under her breath. She couldn't allow herself to become tired out if she was to take on the witch alone. She was going to need help… The sound of bells continued ringing and Sif knew that the first place help would arrive was on this floor. All she had to do now was stall. "Well, you aren't hurting me, either!" A witty comeback to display confidence. Possibly a foolish move, but it was worth it if it meant protecting Natalia.

"How would you like to die?" Yelena summoned a red ball of fire into her and threw it towards Sif.

She ducked and rolled onto the floor before quickly jumping to her feet. "I don't have any plans to die just yet."

"Well, plans always change…" Yelena lifted Sif up by her neck and slammed their foreheads together.

Sif scowled as her vision went black for a second.

Yelena evaded another knife attack to her neck, but Sif managed to catch her off guard by spinning around and stabbing her through the back. "Not the best move," Yelena remarked as she backed up into a wall, squishing Sif in the process.

"Oh, yeah?" Sif managed to pull her dagger out from in between their bodies. She noticed Thor in her peripheral vision. Finally, she had back up. "You're surrounded," she whispered into Yelena's ear before reaching around her body to stab her straight through the heart.

"No!" Thor's voice boomed from down the hall.

Sif turned to him, wondering what had him so flustered. "But I caught her…" The words were strangled in her throat. "Witch…"

"Sif…?" Thor uttered in shock as he grabbed her shoulders.

It wasn't until she felt his warm hands grasping her shoulders that she realized the witch was gone. Disappeared… Sif stared down at her chest, her hand trembling as the blade she held had lodged its way through her own heart.

"Don't look!" Thor breathed. "Sif, look at me…"

Her teary eyes stared into Thor's crystal blue ones. She had never gotten so close to him before.

"It is strange seeing you in a dress," he softly chuckled, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "Very pretty."

"H-how?" she choked out, her breathing unsteady. "You… knew?"

"A small hunch," Thor quietly admitted. "Since we visited Lord Stark."

"Th…that was months ago." She began to laugh, but pain gripped her and made her cough up blood.

"Be still," Thor urged her.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "It… It doesn't hurt," she promised, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"That's good!" Thor beamed, pressing a hand against her scraped cheek. "Don't worry, just hold on while I get you help."

"No!" she croaked. "S-stay…" Thor shook his head, his eyes pleading with hers. "Please, Thor. S-stay." Every breath began to feel like her last. She finally had Thor all to herself. No more hiding… All she could do was force a smile. She couldn't bear to tell him how much she was hurting. And that this was it.

"Sif, you need-"

"Don't," she warned him. "It's in deep." She nuzzled against the warmth of his palm. "It really… doesn't hurt."

Thor's smile fell. He already knew that there was no saving her. The blade had been lodged straight into her heart. Thor only wanted to try giving her hope...because he wasn't ready to see her go. "I'm so sorry…"

Sif closed her eyes, a smile still across her lips. "I've always loved you," she admitted. What harm was there in saying it if she was dying? Besides, it would have made Natalia happy to know that she finally told him.

"Sif…" He wiped her tears away with his thumb. "No pain?" he quietly asked.

She shook her head as she stared into his eyes. Thor finally smiled and Sif mouthed a brief 'thank you.'

Thor was at a complete loss for words. All he could do was hold her in his arms and listen as her breathing began to slow until she wasn't breathing at all…

Loki had appeared right outside of Natalia's bedroom door. The first thing he saw was Thor holding Natalia's handmaiden in his arms. He didn't bother to question him. The blood on the floor around them and Thor's tears told him that the woman was gone. But Natalia… "Thor?"

He heard his wife's screams and Loki felt his heart stop. His hand reached for the doorknob, but Thor's voice stopped him.

"She's fine," the blond managed. "The witch never harmed anyone in the room…"

"Did you see it?"

"Yes…" Thor carefully lifted Sif's unmoving body into his arms. "She must have been posing as a servant. She was dressed just like them…Blonde of hair…" He helplessly stared down at Sif's face. "But she vanished."

"Then find her!" Loki snarled. He was certain that it was Yelena.

"You know I will," Thor boldly declared. "Loki… Do not tell your wife of this. Not yet," he added as he adjusted Sif's body in his arms.

Loki nodded. He knew that Natalia was friendly with the servant. Their child's day of birth needed to be happy, even if only for a moment.

Natalia's cries forced him to throw open the door. "Natalia!"

"Loki!" Frigga gasped. "Out!"

Loki carefully inspected each of the female attendees. Between the four women tending to the princess, Yelena wasn't amongst them.

"Loki?" Natalia panted.

Frigga stepped aside to allow Natalia one look at her husband.

"Thank God," she breathed. The alarms had left her terrified. Knowing that Loki was okay made the agony a bit more bearable.

"Loki, wait outside!" Frigga snapped at him. "Don't you dare move in case one of those hags is still running about!"

He wondered how long he should wait until he told his Mother that her husband was dead. Loki opened his mouth to speak. "Mother?" he whispered.

"I-I feel the head now!" Natalia cried. "Oh, God!"

Loki quickly stepped out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. "Forgive me, Natalia," he breathed, his stomach feeling uneasy from the thought. Perhaps a child's birth wasn't the place for a man to be, after all…

"Push down, my Lady," a servant told Natalia.

"Loki!" Natalia called out.

"Natalia, push!" Frigga urged her. "Loki will see you after the baby is born."

"I-it hurts!" Natalia cried, bearing down with all her might. She took a deep breath before pushing through a contraction. Natalia fought through the pain, feeling lightheaded from all of the pushing she was doing. She felt the head pass through her body and screamed as the shoulders stretched her, making it feel like she was being ripped apart.

"Just a few more," the servant said.

Natalia took a deep breath and pushed until she felt the child slide out, followed by a high-pitched cry. She gasped, fighting to catch her breath as a pink-skinned infant with small tufts of red curls was held up for her to see.

"It's a girl."

Loki heard the announcement from outside the bedroom door. He sank to the floor, tears rolling down his cheeks as he thanked God for his newborn daughter.

Natalia's head fell against the pillow as she watched the attendants clean the baby and bundle her up. The newborn was quickly reunited with her mother and Natalia proudly grinned as the bundle was placed into her arms. "Hello," the new mother whispered, reaching for her daughter's tiny hand. The baby continued to wail, but began to settle down as her mother cradled her close.

"Congratulations, dear," Frigga smiled. "She's beautiful." She left the princess' side to open the door for her son. "You may come in now," she announced. "She's perfect, Loki!"

"Mother…" Loki had a hard time standing to his feet. "I… Father's office," he managed. "Don't look…"

"What?" The Queen breathed, curious.

"A witch," he said softly. "I killed her… But…Father…" he shook his head.

"You should meet your daughter now." Frigga's voice was hollow as she fled past her son to find her husband.

Loki carefully approached Natalia's bedside. He felt horrible for what had happened on this night. First Odin, then Natalia's friend… It was all his fault.

Natalia noticed Loki in the corner of her eye. "Look who it is!" she excitedly whispered. "Your Father's been waiting for you..."

He took one look at the infant and all of his troubles melted away. His daughter looked just like Natalia. She was everything he could ever hope for and more. A genuine smile formed across his lips as he sat on the bed's edge. "Hello there." The baby was fast asleep. Loki reached out to stroke her cheek, his fingers barely touching her skin.

"Don't be afraid to touch her," Natalia laughed. "She's very soft."

"I'm afraid of breaking her." Loki admired how smooth and warm their daughter's skin felt.

"You won't," Natalia murmured, kissing the baby's head. "Look at how perfect she is…"

Loki nodded. "Thank you for her, Natalia. She is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me," he smiled.

"And she's all ours," she added. "Do you mind naming her Merida? Your Mother mentioned it to me and it stuck…"

"Merida Lokidottir," he chuckled. "Yes," he nodded.

The women soon cleared the room, leaving the family alone.

"I was so scared," Natalia admitted, eyes focused on her daughter. "I heard the bells and I thought you were dead…"

Loki saw that she was crying and he quickly brushed a tear away with his thumb. "I am perfectly safe…" If only that could be said for her handmaiden. He knew Natalia wouldn't handle that news very well. "Let's focus on our little Merida," he grinned. "We finally have her in our lives."

Natalia nodded, exhausted from her day. "Lie down with us."

Loki allowed himself to relax on the bed, wiping Natalia's sweaty brow with his fingers. "I love you so much, Natalia."

"And I love you." She hummed as their lips met in a soft kiss. "Do you want to hold her?" she offered. "I feel like I'll fall asleep any second now."

Loki heard her laugh and he cautiously lifted his daughter into his arms. "So tiny," he smiled, leaning back against a pillow pressed up against the headboard. "I don't know who is more beautiful. You, or your Mother," he told Merida, laughing quietly.

"Her. Definitely her." Natalia loved seeing Loki so happy. Nothing could possibly ruin her perfect little family. She began to nod off until the baby began to cry, instantly awaking her.

Loki had also accidentally fallen asleep, but he awoke with a start the second his daughter started up. "I'm so sorry. Did you feel neglected, my Princess?" he teased.

"She could be hungry. Give her to me." Natalia untied the front of her nightgown to give the baby easy access to her food. She took Merida into her arms and helped the baby's lips find her breast. "All better now," she hummed.

Loki watched in silence, chuckling at the hushed noises their daughter made as she suckled. "Has the pain gone away?" Loki asked his wife.

Natalia tried shifting her body without disrupting her daughter. "I imagine I'll be sore for a bit. Thank God the worst part is over."

Loki rose from the bed so he could stretch his legs. "Yes, well, you have plenty of time to recover," he noted. "Just relax and enjoy yourself."

"Until I'm expected to do it again," Natalia finished, rolling her eyes. Merida was done feeding so Natalia readjusted the newborn in her embrace, fixing her blanket to keep her warmer. "I only hope I'm doing this right. I doubt it," she muttered to herself.

"You will make a fine mother," Loki reassured her.

Natalia noticed Merida begin to squirm before opening her eyes for the first time. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Lo-" His name caught in Natalia's throat as her daughter stared up at her with painfully familiar blue-green eyes. Where had she seen those eyes before? They weren't hers. And they weren't Loki's…

"Natalia? What is it?"

She began to scream, upsetting the baby, as her skull felt like it was being drilled into. Flashbacks and memories all flooded into her brain at once. She nearly dropped her daughter as the searing pain persisted.

In her mind, she recalled her first encounter with Clint Barton. She thought he was her prince. Then there was archery practice, a first kiss…

Why was she thinking of him? Natalia wished it would all stop.

She recalled how upset Loki had made her, forcing her to go to Clint… And they made love.

Natalia's heart began to ache at her memories.

She then learned she was pregnant. And it was Clint's baby.

Natalia screamed even louder at the realization.

Then came her wedding to Loki, where she told Clint she never wanted to see him again… Her wedding. Her horrible, unhappy wedding. Loki knew all about the child. And then they made love all night long as if everything in their lives were perfect.

Just when Natalia thought it was all over, she could hear Jane's voice whispering into her ear.

"You will no longer recall any harbored feelings towards Clinton Barton. You will forget all about him. Everything."

Hot tears streamed down Natalia's face.

"Loki has been the perfect gentleman. He loves you dearly, Natalia. And when you look back on your wedding day, think of how happy you were. Remember the poem your husband read to you…"

Natalia remembered the poem. Loki had the nerve to rip it apart right before her eyes!

Why? Why was she remembering all of these things? Why was Jane forcing her to forget?

"Natalia?!" Loki was shaking her shoulder, hoping to snap his wife out of the daze she was in.

Breathing heavily, Natalia held her daughter close, crying as her headache began to fade.

"Natalia…" He reached for their bawling daughter, but she pulled her away.

"Loki…" Natalia's voice shook as she spoke. "Something's wrong…"

"What happened? Where does it hurt?" he desperately asked.

"Jane," she choked out. "She…did something to me."

"What are you talking about?" Loki wondered.

Natalia shook her head as she rocked Merida until she quieted down. "I took one look into her eyes, and suddenly, I remember things that I thought never happened. Look at her, Loki," she whispered as her daughter started to open her eyes.

Loki pulled the blanket aside so he could have a better look at Merida's face. One look into her eyes, and Loki went through the same pain Natalia had to endure.

"I thought Jane was a friend…"

Once Loki calmed down from the rush of memories, he decided to tell his wife the truth. "Don't blame Jane. I made her do this to us… I only wanted for us to be happy…"