Frigga was being especially gentle with Loki, but did not seem any less motherly. One could tell through the way she bathed him; it was very evident this was how she treated her other children as well when she used to bath them.
Very demanding when she needed something, but still washed Loki's shoulders and arms in gentle circles. Frigga's tone when she asked Loki to lift his arms so she could wash under them, was stern but soft-spoken and smooth.
It was just a motherly instinct to treat all her children with a stern and sturdy voice, whether they were adopted, step, or full-blood. And no matter how old they were or how old they got, she would continue treating them as such - her children.
Loki was no different come the end of the ceremony.
Frigga made sure to get behind Loki's ears (including his neck), his finger tips & finger nails, his underarms, back and sides. She let Loki handle his front, though did not miss the far-away look in his eyes.
Frigga had a feeling she knew exactly what he was thinking and smirked to her self, and just continued on, now washing Loki's feet.
"Your foot my dear," Frigga warned of her next wash spot and scooped Loki's right foot from under the water. She was concentrating on gently scrubbing the prince's feet clean, that she hardly noticed if Loki was still entranced with the thought of Thor and what was to come, or not.
She didn't take any mind and started to quietly hum a tune again, much like she did before while brushing Loki's hair out. She got in between Loki's toes and again under his nails. Scrubbed under his foot while massaging the soul of it (hoping to help Loki relax further), and making sure the top was clear of dirt and grime.
She stopped humming and placed his foot back into the water, before standing and ushering with her hands for Loki to stand as well.
"Come come, under here dear," Frigga's words were slightly rushed, and so were her out stretched hands - waving Loki to follow her as she walked to the far side of the bath. She gently took Loki's arm and guided him so the water was falling over his body, "We need to rinse your body and wet your hair again."
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When Thor arrived, he went straight for the mountain he knew lead to the Dwarves underground cities. It was quite the trudge, but Thor got to his destination within a time he was pleased with. They knew him well there, for the Dwarves had crafted many a things for the Aesir before, and he was granted entry.
Thor immediately went in search of the 4 Dwarves that crafted his mother's ring, in hopes that they would craft his wife's jewelry as well.
As Thor's luck would have it, after a bit of asking around, Thor found the 4 Dwarves sitting in one of the many underground taverns sharing a drink. They talked merrily, laughing at things that had happened in the past and just recently.
Thor approached them slowly and cleared his throat before addressing them, "I do not mean to impose, but I would like you to make me something." Thor was very forward and perhaps a little rude, but he was in a rush.
Thor caught the Dwarves attention and all eyes drew to him. All of them seemed unfazed at seeing Thor, the prince of Aesir and Odin-son, standing there.
Alfrigg looked around the group, giving a very unfazed, but irritated look. "Rude! Butting into the middle of merry conversations and demanding something from us," Alfrigg made his voice heard first, without turning away from his cup.
"We don't take commands from Aesir," He sneered the name and downed his tankard further.
Not only were they not one ounce of graceful on the outside, they were also ugly in attitude.
Thor was quiet for a moment and so were the rest of the Dwarves. They agreed with their brethren, and sipped at their tankards, seemingly about to go back to chatting like Thor was not even present.
But Thor would not have that, even if he had to bully them into his request he would. "You will be reimbursed for your work and time," Thor did not repeat himself, because he knew they had heard him before.
"No!" Alfrigg sneered, drinking down more of his ale or mead, making a point that the conversation was over. The others gave a low cheer and held up their mugs before drinking them down again, supporting Alfriggs refusal.
When the 4 Dwarves lowered their mugs and slammed them on the table, they wiped their mouths with their beards and got up, pushing past Thor, quite rudely mind you, and left the tavern.
However, they did not leave Thor unsatisfied. Berling made it clear that Thor do not leave the premises and that they would find him when all was finished.
Loki was thinking of Thor. Of the gift he was to give. For a moment, he wondered if it was an improper, possibly disgusting gift to give on one's wedding night. So far, the Jotuns seemed to do things that the Asgardians wouldn't dare, and he had a slight fear that this is one of those things.
But, it was all he could give. His family had made it clear; unless he somehow created a war or killed his beloved, he would be unable to return to his harsh land. If you were to ask them what had happened to Loki, they'd spit on the ground and claim not a Jotun exists with such a name.
Loki, even in his deep thoughts of almost anguish, did as Frigga wished, lifting his arms, standing to rinse, and lifting his feet for them to be washed. He was good at thinking and still doing mindless things, he had mastered the skill as a child, when he had been forced to do a menial task he disliked. He'd retreat to his mind and allow his body to control itself.
He could almost see the look in Thor's eyes when he'd offer himself. Thor would have already given him some beautiful gift, and here Loki was, offering Thor something he could have for the rest of his life. It seemed disrespectful by Loki now, but he had not another thing to offer.
This was it. He had himself; a body he was ashamed off. He was much to pale, and in his natural form, much to cold. He preferred Thor's large, warm goldness, to tell all the truths.
Frigga was very grateful that Loki did as she asked, though Frigga would be surprised if ever there was a moment Loki did not. He was much to sweet for that, despite where he came from.
Frigga was aware of Loki's distant mind, but did not mind it at all. She allowed him to wander in his own world, and continued to direct him.
She gently pulled him out from under the cascading water, and brought him back to sit at the edge of the tub. Frigga left him for a moment only to grab the shampoo and conditioner.
When Frigga returned, she placed the conditioner down and popped open the cork of the shampoo bottle. She took a deep breath of the fragrance first, before she squeezed a generous amount into Loki's hair.
The bottle returned to its place beside the other and Frigga began to scrub the soap into the black locks. She gently massaged Loki's scalp as she made suds in between his already silken hair, which were so relax it could make anyone fall asleep.
When Loki's hair was soapy and washed, Frigga had Loki reach his head over and place it under the waterfall once more. Frigga helped stabilize him so he would not collapse and helped scrub the shampoo out.
After, she applied the conditioner (generously so) and wrapped it up on the very top of Loki's head. Frigga grabbed two towels from the cart, putting one on the floor and holding one out to Loki.
"Come, we still have much to do. Wrap yourself my dear and follow me back into my chambers."
Frigga helped Loki out and gently guided him back into her sleeping quarters. There was still so much they had left to do, so she left the conditioner so it really soaked into Loki's hair. Frigga's care-products were all very special in one way or another, and her conditioner was no different.
Frigga's conditioner caused hair to become softer the longer you left it in and softened hair at a drastically faster rate. She wanted Loki's hair to be soft and perfect for the ceremony, and found this was the only solution.
Once they were back in her room, Frigga once again lead Loki to her vanity and sat him down. She faced him toward the mirror and smiled at him through it.
"Just a couple further things to do before you are ready," Frigga sounded over joyed and she was. She turned away from Loki for a moment and motioned to a servant that was next to her chamber doors.
He understood immediately and went off to gather the others. With the help from her servants, whom helped her every day get ready, Frigga would have Loki finished in no time. Frigga just hoped Thor was ready, because she knew her son ran later for a lot of important events (save for the ones that involved battle).
Loki was broken from his sad thoughts just from the soap being massaged into his hair. It felt perfect, and he actually purred softly.
He closed his eyes and relaxed, dispelling the thoughts from his mind with a simple, it's all I have, he'll have to be ok with it.
He got up and followed after the woman, smiling at the ground as he followed her. He was slowly getting more and more excited, his heart thumping in his chest.
He was getting married, getting promised forever to a man that was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He was to live in a wonderful place, not to be beaten anymore, to finally be happy, and that was something to be excited about.
He was a smiling fool, lost once more in his own little world as the next step was initiated. He wondered what he would be wearing for a moment, but he was distracted by a thought of Thor. It was a normal thing, now, to be distracted by him.
Frigga chuckled to herself, noticing that Loki, yet again, had become distracted by his own thoughts. Which Frigga understood, it was a very big evening for the little prince; getting married to a man he had just met and hardly knew.
Frigga didn't need much from him, just his cooperation and utter stillness.
When the maids and servants come pilling in (a good 5 or 6 of them at once), Frigga got to work dressing Loki as finely as she was able.
Getting the princes hair and make up done would be tricky, but dressing him would be a breeze with the help of her servants.
But even now Frigga already knew exactly what she was going to do with Loki; It was already perfectly planned in her mind.
So Frigga began by instructing her servants to take care of Loki's finger and toe nails. They would give them a quick check for dirt under the nails, before filing them into shape, buffering them and finally getting them painted.
Frigga concentrated on rubbing lotion on Loki's body, another scented oil to make Loki's skin soft and smell of sweet fragrances.
She tried not to be inconvenient and disturb Loki's thoughts, but she had to ask every now and again for Loki to help her, there was just only so much skin she could get by working around him & the servants.
Loki was thinking about his new life, too. He was wondering if and when Thor would want children. It was silly to wonder if the soon to be king would want kids, so Loki thought of a possible year of time that would be appropriate.
In Jotunheim, you can't just get pregnant after marriage. You have all the sex you want, but getting pregnant early was a sign of disrespect and dishonor.
But, Loki did want a family with Thor. He was also kind of scared on how the children might look. He was worried they might have his blue hued flesh, or his changing abilities; He hoped they looked like Thor.
He really did hope that. And, even when he was hoping and thinking, he did as Frigga asked, though, not wanting to irritate her by not doing as she wished.
"I'm sorry I'm so distracted." He apologized absently, giving Frigga an sheepish smile when his mind allowed him freedom from the nearly all consuming topics at hand.
Frigga allowed her lips to stretch into a large smile, that of course was warm and gentle.
She gave a low chuckle and shook her head, "Don't be sorry dear, there is much to think about now. But if there are any concerns that you have, you may voice them and I will ease your mind."
Just as she had done previously when Loki was worried about his place next to Thor, as Queen.
Frigga finished lathering Loki's last arm, while three of the servants had seen to the rest of Loki's body (save for those parts of him that were his alone), and moved to step into another room.
She came back after a moment, holding a long elegant dress. She held it up a smiled at it for a second, then gently laid it out on her bed.
Frigga turned back toward Loki just as the rest of the servants were finished his nails. They had painted his nails (Toes and hands) in a golden colour, so to match with whatever jewelry Loki would wear.
Just like black, Gold went with everything here.
Frigga held a large smile when she looked at Loki and approached him again. "Come child, we must rinse your hair and slip you into the dress," Frigga gently helped Loki up and scooted him back into the bathroom.
This time however, Frigga took Loki to a large washing basin that was already filled with warm water. "Please lean your head forward," Frigga motioned toward the basin and assisted Loki by gently guided his head.
Frigga made sure that Loki's hair was fully over the basin and was just close enough to get all of Loki's hair under the water. She immediately proceeded to rinse his hair, in a way that was almost like she was washing clothing.
Loki smiled at her kind words, happy that she was so willing to ease his mind. But, he didn't voice himself or his fears. He simply let the servants finish.
When Frigga brought in the dress, Loki's eyes widened and he fell in love with he beautiful garment the moment he saw it. He couldn't wait to wear the thing. He wondered how it would feel on, his body, and smiled, knowing that it would feel perfect.
He walked over to the sink, leaning his head over as Frigga asked, and allowed her to wash the soap from his hair. Even if it seemed that she was washing clothes, this was much nicer then he was washed at home. The Jotunheim people, as you can tell, do not believe in being kind and gentle, and he was scrubbed mercilessly every week by the servants.
He preferred being washed here.
Frigga rinsed Loki's hair well, making sure to get every sud out of every strand, getting rid of the oils and leaving a silky and smooth feeling. She gently helped Loki lift his head and had a towel waiting.
She wrapped it around his hair and rubbed it quickly a few times over, then stopped and brushed the hair out of Loki's face. Frigga greeted the sight of Loki's face again with a longer smile and rubbed the towel against the hair at the back of Loki's head, "Almost finished."
When they returned to the bed chamber, Frigga guided Loki to the bed where the dress lay still. The servants from before were standing quietly over to one side of the room, all hands folded in front of them, waiting for further commands from their goddess.
Frigga tilted her head and smiled down at her old fancy; thinking back. She ran her fingers over the silk and soft white fabric, then over the diamonds encrusted around the waist. It had been so many years since the time she wore it, yet it hadn't collected a single particle of dust.
Frigga stepped aside and held a hand out toward the dress, presenting it to Loki, giving a nod to him. There was a mist in her eyes and a lump in her throat, she couldn't have been more happy for this day.
"This was mine when I married. For us Aesir, it is a tradition that we pass down the clothing we wore at our wedding to our children, and they to their children, and so on," And though Frigga was affected with sentiment, she held a smooth and even voice.
Frigga peered at the dress over Loki's shoulder, as it lay on the bed, being silent for Loki's opinion.
The silhouette was A-line; hugging the hips and gradually widening at the hem. It was a one-shoulder neckline, with a belt of jewels around the waist.
Frigga had added a monarch train and a finger-tip vail when it had been her wedding, but she had always though it was a little too much.
Frigga tapped her chin with a finger in thought, then picked up the dress and curved her lips a little more into a smile. "We are going to do something a little different this time," she said, turning to look at Loki, still with the dress held up.
"Something beautifully different, for a beautifully different change in life," Frigga walked out of the room for a moment after, but handed the dress to Loki before she left.
Frigga returned a second later with Three different dresses. She held them up for Loki to see and asked, "What do you think of these dresses? Be honest child, if they do not suit your taste, then we will find other ones."
Frigga momentarily paused ...
Frigga felt that sometimes traditions were made to be broken, so she had in mind that a new beginning, deserves a new tradition. Unlike the usual Aesir tradition, where the mothers pass down their wedding dresses to their daughters, Frigga would give Loki a choice.
And with that choice of dress (though still passed from future mother-in-law to future-son-in-law), a symbol of a new start, Aesir and the Giants form an ultimate agreement.
No one can say for sure if the Aesir and Frost Giants will get hostile with each other in the future, but for now while there was peace and their treaty was being nailed into place, they had to honor it.
"Or should I have a dress made specially for you?" Frigga asked after the brief silence. The dresses that were currently laid out on the bed, were all white, just as the one in Loki's hand.
But they were all beautiful and all uniquely different. The first - an empire silhouette and no back. Golden straps crisscrossing over the chest and across the shoulders in a halter neckline.
The second and third also had a halter neckline and an empire silhouette, but the second was a nice, subtle and gentle pink. It had a very admirable design across the bust in golden.
Loki closed his eyes and relaxed as his hair was rinsed. This pampering would make him purr pretty soon, just from how nice it felt. And then he would blush and that would just be a mess.
Loki was basically limp as the woman dried his hair, still in love with the gentleness he was greeted with. It was delectably different then what he was used to, and I think he liked that the best. He smiled back at her. "Ok" was the simple worded reply.
Loki walked behind Frigga, looking at the dress once they stopped in front of it. He did love it, so. It was perfect to him; he couldn't see himself wearing anything else on the day of his marriage. It looked amazing, it looked not even a day old, honestly, and he felt as though it had been made for him to wear.
He looked at his queen, seeing the mist in her eyes made his knees go weak. He felt as though asking if she was ok would be inappropriate. Even a Jotun knows when tears are happy. And personal.
Loki was caught in surprise by the fact that this was Frigga's dress. He couldn't believe that she was allowing him to wear her dress, and honor swelled in his chest.
Finally, Loki spoke, his words soft, "It is absolutely beautiful. I can't believe- I would be honored to wear this to marry your son. Really, it is perfect."
He reached down, to gently touch the fabric. It was so soft and, just, beautiful.
Loki didn't know why she thought he might not want to wear it, but I assure you he did. Although, he wouldn't stop her from looking for more.
Loki looked over the dresses she showed him and smiled, "They are absolutely beautiful, please do not thing I don't like them, it's just, the dress on the bed is absolutely marvelous. I love it. Already."
Loki liked Traditions, and he liked that dress. Although now he felt posh for denying the new options so quickly.
"Oh, no, no, no, no need to make a special dress for me. I like the one on the bed. I would love to wear that one, if you'll permit me to." He spoke very politely, and you could tell he was being genuine.
Frigga almost froze in the midst of what she was doing and looked at Loki blankly. Quickly though she shook it off and that warm smile graced her lips again. Frigga understood and felt a sensation that almost caused her heart to melt.
Frigga was flattered that Loki wish to wear the same dress that was once hers. But once Frigga accepted Loki's request to wear the dress, it would be his until he had children. It was going to be hard saying goodbye, but Frigga could think of no other she would rather pass it down to.
"Honey -" Frigga said, gently placing a hand on Loki's cheek. "I must permit it to you," She then leaned forward and kissed Loki's forehead, her lips leaving behind a special feeling.
"Sooner then you think my dear, there will be many made just for you," Frigga's words sounded truth when she pulled away. Minutes from now Loki will be the wife of Thor, and then Queen soon after that.
Frigga gathered the dresses, but left the first with Loki, and returned them to her closet. When she returned, she gently took the dress from the bed and gave a light sigh. "It is time to dress you, come dear," Frigga once again lead Loki around and had him stand in front of one of her very large mirrors.
Frigga had to take a moments pause to let her eyes roam over Loki's body through his reflection. She was not trying to be a degenerate, she was just admiring his skin.
"You are going to look so beautiful," Frigga whispered the words to herself, but believed it in her heart. Quickly coming too, Frigga unzipped the dress and walked around to face Loki. She held it out so Loki could easily slip his legs in.