The Tower: Happily Ever After

The Valkyrior

Everything felt like such a buzz after the announcement that Lyra was pregnant. It was like everything was sparkling and shiny and nothing bad could hurt us. Of course, that meant quite a few of us were expecting the other shoe to drop. Bruce was nervous by nature, and Natasha would always expect the worst. The weird feeling of dread that had fallen over the western farmland was shrinking, but those of us that did keep thinking about trouble interrupting our bubble of excitement and love expected it from there.

Still - even accepting that we would always look over our shoulders from time to time, everyone was ecstatic. The whole family was together, our babies were sleeping through the night, we'd settled into life on Asgard, Mar was more comfortable with themselves than ever, we were planning two bonding ceremonies, and on top of that, we were all going to be welcoming a new grandchild to the mix. Even Natasha couldn't hide her delight.

Now that the babies were eating solids, they weren't quite as reliant on me, and while I did still breastfeed, it meant I could spend a little more time in the lab, or with Thor without having to rush out to feed the kids. I did still love feeding them, but with the pressure off, it meant I wasn't feeling so much like a mobile meal dispenser and more like I was their mom.

They were getting more mobile and we began taking them out on more expeditions around the kingdom. I had avoided the trip Steve, Tony, and Wanda had taken them on to the markets because I still became overwhelmed when people tried to give me things, but I was told the babies had gathered quite the crowd and they had come back with new clothes, lotions, and little matching bracelets forged in uru.

The trips I took them on were more into nature. The vulparev loved it and it was nice getting to see the Asgard that wasn't just the architecture.

"I swear they're going to go from sitting to walking without the crawling part," Sam said as Thour used his hand to pull herself up onto her feet again. She babbled happily and bounced in place for a second and then plopped back down on her butt giggling.

Bucky, Sam, and I had ventured out of the city with the twins and were picnicking at the foothills. Thor had insisted that we take guards with us, so rather than a romantic outing with the infants we had Sif and Fandral with us as well as Riley. Not that I minded of course. I didn't get to see a lot of my oldest daughter as she was very serious about her training, and I enjoyed the company of all Thor's friends.

"Someone has said that about literally every one of the kids, and yet every one of them crawled too," I said. "They just like being on two feet when you hold them up."

"I don't know, my lady," Sif said. "A son of Thor, a daughter of Steven. They will be walking any day now."

"You say that, but this is a daughter of Thor right here, and she didn't walk until she was one," I said, nudging Riley.

She shrugged. "I got there in the end," she said.

"Exactly," I said and nudged her.

"They have to be close to crawling though," Bucky said, as Nova rolled over and over to get to where Inky was chittering and crouched over ready to pounce on him. When the baby reached the vulparev, Inky pounced and licked his face making Nova break down into giggles and bunch his little fists in the black fur.

Some shadows passed overhead and I looked up. A group of winged horses with riders swooped in the air above us. "Oh my god," I said pointing up. "How is this the first time I'm seeing them?"

"You haven't seen the Valkyrie ride?" Sif asked, genuinely perplexed.

"No. Trust me, if I'd known there were actually flying horses around here, that's all I'd be doing," I said.