The realm mourned Odin, but none so more than Frigga, who relied heavily on Kari for the following few days as Thor and Loki dealt with matters regarding the realm. There were dignitaries present from all the realms, including the royal families of five of them attending his funeral. Queen Anya smiled when she saw Kari barely able to stand with her large stomach.

"It has been a trying time for you Allmother." The elfin Queen commented. "How have you been fairing."

"Not well, I am at risk of bed rest at present. But Frigga…"

"That is understandable, she has been almost like a mother to you since you came here." The other queen consoled.

"Thor is not taking it well either I fear, though they argued a lot since he took the throne."

"They were close so."

"Sometimes too close." Kari commented under her breath. If Anya heard, she said nothing.

"Forgive my interrupting." Loki bowed to the two queens. "Kari, mother wishes for you for a moment."

"Excuse me please Anya." Slowly, with some assistance from Loki, Kari was able to rise to her feet. "So, what is it?"

"Mother is just feeling a bit lost today." Loki explained. "She misses him. I am sure you feel the same."

"Indeed, it's so sad; I'll really miss the old bastard." Loki snorted in laughter before straightening his face again as they approached his mother. He left as Kari sat carefully next to the Dowager, who smiled sadly at her. "What is it Frigga?" she asked kindly.

"I know this is odd, and I apologise, but I feel like I need to be near my grandchild at this time." She stated apologetically.

"It is quite alright, so long as you know you're stuck with me also." Kari gave a small smile.

"Thank you Kari, I would have been lost without you." Frigga took her hand in her own. "You forced me to get air and look after myself somewhat." She began. "And this baby, it is a gift from the Norn's at this time."

"My bladder and back beg to differ."

Frigga found herself laughing. "I never missed that part. But in all seriousness Kari, you have done so much for this family."

"Really, I think I am the reason it is no longer as it was. Loki hated Odin for what he did, I would be lying if I stated that I too did not loath him. I am the reason Thor is not in the marriage he deserves, and I fear I am the reason Loki's marriage failed."

"None of that was your doing though." Frigga stated factually. "I loved Odin, more than words, and I will always will, but with regards you and Loki, I will not forgive him for what he did, and he knew it too." Kari shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Are you alright dear?" Kari nodded as she pressed her hand to her side, where the baby had just kicked. "The child's seidr..." Kari gasped as she felt another painful kick. "Kari?"

"I need Eir." Kari groaned in pain. Immediately, Frigga rose to her feet and rushed away, leaving Kari to try and breath through the pain. She had been told of how to know when she was going into labour, and the pain she was experiencing was nothing like she had been warned of.

"Kari?" Loki came over and bent on his knees. "Kari, what is wrong?"

"The baby."

"What about it?"

"I don't know, it hurts. Frigga…Eir…"

"Okay, we'll get you to the healing rooms." He lifted her into his arms with little difficulty. He walked directly across the hall, the occupants of which, on seeing the Allmother in obvious pain, quickly cleared a path. Loki took long strides and reached the healing rooms just as Eir and Frigga were leaving them.

"Thank the Norn's, put her on the table." Eir instructed as she opened the door. Loki did as he was told. "Dowager."

"I will remain and use my seidr to calm the child."

"Very well. Prince Loki, considering the Allfather is not here, he must not know. Go inform him that as soon as the Allmother is stable, I will move her to her rooms." Eir instructed. Reluctantly, Loki nodded at the healer and left, his eyes lingering on Kari for as long as possible before his leaving.

Kari tried to steady her breathing as Eir examined her. "I fear I will have to put you on bed rest your Majesty."

"What is wrong? Is the baby alright?"

"The baby is fine, but as I stated before, you are not. It is taking it's toll on you. If you ever even wish to consider more children in the future, you need to rest. If it is born soon, it will survive, but you may not."

Kari closed her eyes to will the tears to remain at bay as Frigga squeezed her hand. "Do whatever you need to do." Kari instructed.

"Bed rest, as of immediate effect. I will check on you throughout the day and night, the furthest you are to go is the bathroom, am I clear?" Kari nodded. "Good."

Loki ran to the hall, frantic at Kari's condition. He had sensed the child's seidr, it was so attuned to his own, something had caused the child to stress, and Kari was clearly in pain. Would they be alright? He did not think he would be able to live if he lost one or either of them. He searched for Thor, angered by having not come across his brother, where was he? The whole hall had seen him leave with Kari in agony in his arms; surely the idiot was not so self obsessed to not see them. He arrived back to the hall, and was met by a concerned Queen Anya and Clara. "Have either of your Majesties seen my brother?"

"No, not since the Allmother took bad." Clara answered. "Gaufrid and some servants have gone in search of him."

"I have a suspicion as to where he could be." Loki stated, though to himself and not the two queens. He turned on his heals and left the hall again, heading to the reception room of his brother's chambers.

He nodded to the Eirherjar guarding his brother's doors, they opened them without question before he even reached the doors, he assumed they too had heard of the queen's condition.

Inside, he saw Thor drinking with his friends. "What are you doing barging in here Loki." Thor barked.

"Well I'm sorry for disturbing you considering you are oh so busy at present, but as you have not been in the hall with the rest of the realm, you are seemingly the last person in Asgard to find out that I had to carry Kari to Eir's rooms as she gasped in agony as the baby became distressed."

Thor eyed Loki for a moment, as though he could not process what he said. "Of all the days to jest, this is not one of them Loki." Thor growled.

"Jest…you idiotic pile of pus, Kari could very well lose the child." Loki roared. "And you think me jesting?"

"Thor, I do not think him joking." Fandral stated getting to his feet.

"Nor I." Hogun agreed as he and Volstagg also rose from their chairs.

Thor looked around. "No, she has been resting, mother said so."

"How much rest do you think she has had really, be reasonable Thor, think of all she has had to deal with of late." Loki was beginning to shake with anger. "Go and be something of a husband to her." He ordered, using his seidr to lift Thor from the chair he sat in. "And pray to the Norn's she does not smell the alcohol on your breath. That you thought more of drowning your sorrows than of her and the child."

Finally Thor began to run from the room, followed closely by the warrior's and Loki, then by Sif. They made their way passed the hall, where Gaufrid was returning with some other men.

"You found him, thank goodness." The Vanir king sighed in relief.

Thor filled with guilt. He had not thought of Kari, he seldom did of late, only the child. He immediately made his way to the healing rooms, the warrior's not far behind him, though they held back as Thor went through the doors, Loki reluctantly remaining with them.

"What actually happened Loki?" Volstagg asked in concern.

"I am not sure how it began, she was with mother, but then I saw mother rushing from the hall, and when I looked toward Kari, she was doubled over in pain, and the child was in distress."

"How could you know such a thing?" Hogun asked curiously.

"It already possesses seidr, so mother and I can sense it."

"That's handy." Fandral commented.

Thor rushed to the table, looking between Eir and his mother. "What happened?"

"I am not sure, the baby seemed to become distressed, and Kari was in pain, so I came to get Eir and we went to get back to the hall, just as Loki had carried her here."

"Her Majesty may well lose her life if she is not careful." Eir stated plainly. Thor stared at her, sobering up immediately. "She has not been caring for herself properly; whatever is causing her to stress so greatly is taking its toll on her."

"Well father's illness, she took on so much." Thor mumbled.

"Well she will need to eat, sleep and rest for the remainder of the pregnancy, however long that may be. I do not think she will make it to full term, but she needs to get some strength up, for if she were to go into labour now, she would certainly perish."

"And the child." Thor asked.

"The child is fine, it is strong, but your wife is not."

Thor looked to Kari, who was asleep on the table. "I will take her to her rooms so." He walked over and lifted her gently, allowing his mother to adjust the blanket around her before he walked slowly from the room.

Loki and the warriors watched as Thor walked passed them, none saying anything, but getting to their feet as they watched their king carry his wife away.

"Mother?" Loki asked as Frigga exited the healing rooms.

"She is weak, very weak." Frigga explained. "She has been fooling us into thinking she was stronger, but apparently, she has been suffering great stress and not telling anyone."

Loki swallowed hard. "Well with Odin being so ill, I am sure she felt she would have been inconveniencing us all. So what is happening?"

"Yes, I suspect you are right. She is to get rest, a lot of rest, and will require constant care."

"Just when your family has suffered one tragedy." Volstagg commented.

"Kari can recover, that is the difference here." Frigga stated; her tone adamant. "We will ensure it. We will not lose her."

"Lose? There is chance we could lose her?" Loki cared not for appearances; the idea of losing Kari was too much for him.

"Her body is weak Loki, childbirth is no easy feat, there is a reason it is seen as noble a death as battle." Frigga explained. "You and I will have to keep the child placated within her as long as we can. I will remain with her when you and Thor are dealing with the realm, but you and Thor will both have to take turns with her too, keep her relaxed, you know what poetry she likes and whatnot. Our goal now is to have her get as close to her due date as possible before the child is born."

"Of course, whatever is needed." Loki agreed, when Frigga walked away Loki looked concernedly after her. "Norn's are we cursed?" He wondered aloud.

"It could happen any family." Volstagg consoled.

"I am sure any family could have two misfortunes, but considering my mother's state after caring for Odin, now this, how long before this all takes it toll on her and she ends up in bad health also?" Loki replied.

The warrior's looked down the hall where the dowager had left. "I see your concern." Volstagg acknowledged.

"Do you require anything of us?" Sif asked.

"No, thank you, though Thor may require your council." Loki did not even look at her. "I think what we need now is to just come to terms with what has happened. You may take your leave if you wish." He added as he walked off.

Throughout the night, Eir checked on Kari, who slept soundly in her bed. Frigga insisting she would remain with her as Thor and Loki dealt with those who had travelled for Odin's funeral, which only really became an exercise in repeating time and again that the Allmother had merely exhausted herself and was just in need of a good rest. It was Loki's idea to say such and not reveal to any the state that Kari truly was in.

"We cannot be seen as weak at this time Thor." He insisted.

"You're right." Thor agreed. "I should have been here."

"Yes, you should."

"Thank you for the words of comfort Loki."

"I am not trying to comfort you, I think you selfish for what you did this evening." Loki commented as he walked off to speak with one of the Light Elf dignitaries.

Kari did not wake through the night, and it was late morning before she began to stir. On waking, she looked around her, surprised to see herself in her rooms, as Eir was checking her over. "Ouch." She yelped as the healer removed her hand from her.

"Sorry, but the good news is, you have not began to dilate, and the plug is still strong." Eir smiled.

"There has to be a better way to do that." Kari grumbled as Eir cleaned her hands.

"Sadly not, sometimes the crudest method is the most effective." Kari tried to pull herself up in the bed. "Don't you dare." The healer warned. "Prince Loki excused himself while I was checking you over, when he comes back in; he will assist you to sit up."

"Loki, why is he here?" Kari tried to sound simply curious.

"The Allfather is dealing with some talks to do with weapons or some other issue, the Dowager was here with you all night, so she is resting, meaning Prince Loki is the only one available to be with you at present."

"I do not require round the clock care." Kari frowned indignantly.

"Until I say otherwise, you do." The healer insisted. "I will have your usual breakfast brought to you, from what King Thor states; it is a good one, though I will add some bread to it."

Kari rolled her eyes as the healer left. Only a moment later, Loki rushed in. "Darling." He was to her side in an instant. "I have been so worried."

"I am fine."

"Kari, you are on the verge of dying." Tears began to fill his eyes.

"I am no such thing. According to Eir, there is little sign of me giving birth soon, so all I need do is wait out a few weeks of being waited on hand and foot by you." She grinned, using her thumb to wipe away a tear falling down his cheek.

"Please do not leave me my beautiful dove, I need you, our child needs you." He placed his hand on her stomach, the green of his seidr glowing as he connected with the baby within. "You scared it."

"I scared myself." Kari admitted, placing her hand over his. "And I plan on going nowhere."

"Promise?"

"I swear."