I know I said Tuesday. I don't know what I was thinking. Apologies.
Probably about 3-5 years old here.
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Giving a weary sigh, Odin rose from the table.
Neither of the children appeared to notice.
Loki had – only just recently, it seemed – grown to be old enough that he made a suitable playmate to his brother.
Thor shouted something, rocking the chair he straddled and Loki giggled.
Odin could have sworn that they had been fighting, moments ago.
The duties of a king were never done.
Frigga had no end of attention for the boys. She throve having two young sons. But Odin had other demands on his time. And on them rode the fate of Realms.
He left the boys to their nurse.
Frigga could not return home soon enough.
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Gefjon was carrying a daughter, again, and had asked that Frigga be there for the birthing. As the boys were old enough to be left without her care, she had gone. "Only for a few days," she'd promised.
Neither boy seemed to Odin's eye to have realized that she was gone. They rattled around and broke things and clamored and shouted and laughed and hurt each other and finally, finally, they slept.
Odin had never enjoyed children, particularly. He loved his boys, but they were loud and scattered things, and he had much weighing on his mind.
Frigga claimed that he ought to spend more time with them, then he would better understand their rioting. Odin told her that they had a mother for that. One day, when they were grown, he would teach them all they need know and they would understand one another well-enough then.
Loki had been abed for the better part of an hour already. Thor, on the other hand… Thor would have to be dealt with.
"BOY!" Odin shouted.
For one moment, everything was quiet. Then, Thor poked his blonde head out from under the desk. His eyes were wide and fearful.
He was a small boy, yet.
Odin softened, if marginally.
Thor saw it and, gaining confidence, he crept out and came to stand at Odin's knee.
Odin put out a hand and tousled the boy's hair. "To bed," he said.
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Odin became gradually aware of a presence in the doorway behind him and, frowning, he raised his head from his work and turned his back on the desk to face his intruder.
As he'd thought, it was one of his sons.
He had rather expected it to be Thor.
Loki was looking at him with his curls rumpled and tiny bare feet showing under the hem of his over-sized night shirt. His green eyes were very round in his little face. He hung on the doorknob and starred at Odin like he was afraid.
"Loki," Odin set aside his pen. Why it was children could not just operate as expected, he could not understand. "What are you doing up at this hour?" He'd thought Thor the worst of his problems. And not only that, but properly dealt with.
Then the situation became incalculably worse.
Loki began to cry.
For a moment, Odin did not do anything, only watched the little dark wisp of a child as it wept in the doorway to his study and wondered what it was that he had done to prompt such a display.
Then he sighed.
"Come here."
The child had grown roots. He only stood in the doorway and sobbed.
Odin beckoned but the child still did not come, so, Odin got up and went to the doorway himself. He knelt down and he gathered the shuddering little creature against him. Tiny fingers found the fabric of his collar and hooked into it.
"I," Loki sobbed, "I wa-want mama!"
"She's not here,"
That didn't seem to help.
He hadn't any idea how to do this.
"I am here," Odin offered. "What has happened?"
After a couple of confused moments, Loki gave a little whimper. He moved his head on Odin's shoulder. "I'm s-scared," he whispered.
"What have you to fear?" Odin asked.
Dark brows furrowed in a question on the child's face.
"I am here," Odin promised. "Heimdal guards the realm, and all is well. Besides," he tried to shift Loki on his lap but the child did not want to turn from his shoulder. "You are already quite fearsome yourself."
The boy's eyes flickered and his dark head tipped shyly. His breath jerked from his crying.
"It would be a foolish creature indeed who though to attack you, Loki."
The beginnings of a smile tugged his mouth.
"That's better," Odin said. "Come, let us return you to your bed."
Loki's hands tightened on the collar of Odin's shirt. "I don' wanna go by myse'f," he said. The little breaths began to rush in his chest again, "I want –"
"Shh. I will accompany you."
Odin stood and set Loki solidly onto the floor. He was very small, Odin thought, standing beside him. Very young, yet. Barely more than a baby.
Uncertainly, the child licked his lips and he snuffled back the start of his tears. Then he put out one hand and took Odin's in it.
Odin's heart did something peculiar in his chest.