Passionate Misfortune

Chapter Nineteen

"No, Loki. Please. I don't want this. Please. Let me just push." Delysia begged.

"You could die, Delysia. It'll be over quickly. You won't feel a thing." Loki told her.

"Do you promise?" Delysia asked as she sniffled.

"I promise." Loki told her.

Delysia nodded her head and Loki smiled weakly as he wiped away her tears.

"I'm going to be by your side the entire time. I'll never let your hand go." Loki explained as he squeezed her hand.

"Okay." Delysia sighed.

"It'll be a few moments before I get everything ready. Just let her relax." Eir instructed.

"Soon, our child will be here. Think about that and nothing else." Loki told Delysia as he turned her on her side.

"We'll be parents." Delysia sighed.

Loki looked up to see Eir getting the needle ready. A healer pushed back Delysia's dress and Loki smiled brightly as he looked back down at Delysia.

"We'll have a little baby in the crib. We'll watch it sleep." Loki chuckled.

Delysia smiled brightly and winced in pain as Eir pierced the needle through her skin.

"And we'll be a family. Just keep thinking about that. In the next few minutes, we'll finally be a family." Loki told her, trying to get her mind off the pain.

Delysia nodded her head and exhaled sharply as Eir removed the needle.

"You're doing so well, love." Frigga commented.

Delysia moaned softly as Loki caressed her face and kissed her forehead.

"We have to move her into one of the closed rooms." Eir announced.

The healers began to wheel the bed off and Delysia quickly gripped Loki's wrist and the maids stopped.

"Will he be there?" Delysia asked Eir.

"Of course." Eir replied.

"I'll be out here, Loki." Frigga told him.

Delysia and Loki were moved into a closed off room and Delysia was carefully turned onto her back.

"Now, Delysia, do you feel this?" Eir asked as she pushed on her belly gently.

"No." Delysia replied.

"This?" Eir inquired.

She poked her with a sharp object, being careful not to cut her.

"Nothing." Delysia told her.

"Good. I think we're ready to begin. Put the cover up." Eir told them.

Delysia began to panic and Loki hushed her as he saw the other healers clip a sheet in front of them to cover her lower body. He pushed her hair back behind her ears and laid kisses to her forehead and cheeks as he tried to calm her.

"You have to stay still, Delysia, alright." Loki told her.

"Okay." Delysia sighed.

She quickly took his hand in hers and she turned her head to face him.

"I'm going to start to procedure now, Delysia. Just breathe normally and do not move." Eir told her.

"Eyes on me, Delysia. Eyes on me." Loki smiled.

Delysia nodded her head and although Loki hadn't looked over the cover, he knew Eir had begun cutting into her.

"You're doing great, love." Loki told her.

"I don't feel a thing." Delysia said breathlessly.

"Good. Remember, just keeping thinking about what I told you." Loki explained.

Delysia nodded her head and smiled weakly.

"That soon we'll be a family." Delysia beamed.

"That's right." Loki chuckled.

"Delysia, you're going to feel some pressure for a few moments but that's normal." Eir told her.

Delysia winced in pain and Loki hushed as he kissed her temple. She furrowed her brow and panted softly as Loki caressed her head.

"Shh, it's alright. It'll be over soon." Loki said.

As soon as the pain ended, Delysia let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes as she turned her head to face the ceiling.

"The child is almost here." Eir announced.

Loki smiled brightly and looked down at Delysia as he chuckled.

"Did you hear that?" Loki asked.

"I know. I'm so excited." Delysia beamed.

In a few short minutes, Loki and Delysia both looked at one another as they heard the sound of a baby crying. The two started to laugh and Eir appeared from behind the curtain, holding a small bundle. Loki and Delysia looked up at her and their laughter ceased as they saw the infant in her arms.

"It's a baby girl." Eir told the two.

Loki gasped as he smiled brightly and was handed the girl. He carefully cradled her in his arms and stared at her as he laughed.

"A girl." Loki said breathlessly.

"Egnari." Delysia stated.

Loki carefully placed the infant by Delysia's face and she smiled brightly as she kissed the girl's cheek. The girl squirmed in her blanket and Loki chuckled as he held her closely to his chest with his hand cradling her head.

"We're going to close you up and give some well deserved rest. You did very well, Delysia." Eir told her.

Delysia looked up at Loki and he felt tears in his eyes as he leaned down and laid a sweet kiss to her lips.

"We're finally a family." Delysia giggled.

Loki and Delysia looked down at Egnari as she moved in his arms. He kissed her head and smiled as she opened her eyes to reveal their color. They were Delysia's eyes and he sighed breathlessly as he saw a few small curls of black hair poke their way out from the blanket. After some time, the curtain was removed and the healers wheeled Delysia's bed back into the healing rooms where she was to recover. Loki sat by the edge of her bed as he placed Egnari in a small cradle that Eir provided him. It was placed by Delysia's bedside and he slowly rocked the cradle as the girl slept.

"She is to stay bedridden for a few days time before she can begin to move." Eir told Loki.

"Alright. Can mother come back in?" Loki asked.

"Of course." Eir replied.

She opened the doors to the healing rooms and Frigga rushed in along with Odin and Thor.

"Oh, how is she?" Frigga asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"She's resting." Loki replied.

"And the baby?" Thor inquired.

"A beautiful little girl." Loki told them.

There was a collective awe from the family and Delysia smiled as she looked down at Egnari.

"Name?" Odin asked.

"After my sister-in-law, Egnari." Delysia told him.

The gathered around the bed and looked down at the girl as she slept. As the sun went down and the moon was shining brightly in the night sky, everyone had gone and all that remained was Loki, Delysia and Egnari. Out of curiosity, as Egnari slept, Loki pulled the blanket away from her face and saw the pointed ears. He sighed slowly and looked over at Delysia who was asleep as well. Moments later, Knorr and Varin entered the healing rooms and Loki quickly stood from his seat and placed himself in front of the cradle.

"What are you two doing here?" Loki inquired.

"We came to congratulate you on the birth of your daughter." Varin replied.

"It's very late. She is sleeping along with my wife. You can come tomorrow when it's the morning and they are awake." Loki told them.

"We mean no harm, Loki." Knorr chuckled.

"Yes you do. I have a hunch that you two were behind the plot to sell Delysia to the brothel." Loki told them.

"Please, we are not barbarians." Varin told him.

"You are just like all the other council members who wished to lock her away." Loki explained.

"Well, congratulations on the birth of your daughter and we wish that Delysia heals quickly." Knorr told Loki.

"Thank you." Loki said softly.

He watched as the two left the healing rooms and then sat himself back down in the chair by the bed. The following morning, Loki awoke to find Delysia wake cradling Egnari to her chest. Eir was by her side showing her the proper way to breastfeed.

"Good morning, Loki." Delysia smiled.

"Good morning. How is she?" Loki asked.

"She's doing just fine. She's feeding very easily. At least, that's what Eir told me." Delysia chuckled.

Eir left the room and Loki sat on the edge of the bed as he wrapped an arm around Delysia's shoulders and looked down at Egnari as she fed from her breast. Loki took the small hand in his and ran his thumb over the skin. He sighed in content and kissed Delysia's cheek.

"How are you feeling?" Loki asked.

"My lower abdomen hurts whenever I move back or forward but Eir told me that's normal. She says the pain should go away in a few days time." Delysia told her.

"Everyone is anxious to meet her." Loki said.

"Why don't they come visit then?" Delysia asked.

"Mother insisted they wait to see her when you are healed. She doesn't want the room to get too crowded or for you to be in too much pain when people arrive to see her." Loki explained.

"I see," Delysia told him. "I even saw that she has my ears."

"She does. And your eyes." Loki chuckled.

"And your hair." Delysia giggled.

"She's perfect. Thank you." Loki told her.

"For what?" Delysia asked.

"For giving me everything I've ever wanted." Loki replied.

Delysia blushed as Loki leaned forward and laid a sweet kiss to her lips.

"We're finally a family." Delysia beamed.

"She's amazing. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you two." Loki sighed.

"You'll never lose us. Do you know why?" Delysia inquired.

"Why?" Loki retorted.

"Because we have you to protect us and keep us safe." Delysia replied.

Loki kissed her temple and shortly after, Egnari pulled back from her breast and huffed as Delysia began to rock her slowly. Egnari looked up at the two and Delysia and Loki laughed softly.

"Do you think she recognizes us?" Delysia asked.

"She probably recognizes our voices." Loki replied.

Whenever either spoke, Egnari would sometimes move her eyes to look at which was speaking. Delysia was able to get Egnari to fall asleep and Loki warily laid her down in the cradle next to the bed.

"I can't wait for the people to see her. They're going to love her." Loki told Delysia.

"But she's like me." Delysia said.

"And?" Loki asked.

"She's an elf." Delysia replied.

"She's also Asgardian." Loki chuckled.

"But the people will care more about her being an elf. She's a half-breed. A half-breed that belongs to an almost extinct species. They'll want to take her from us." Delysia told him.

"No they won't. No one will ever take her from us." Loki told Delysia.

"I hope so." Delysia sighed.

"If anyone tries, I'll kill them." Loki stated.

"Hurt them. Don't kill them." Delysia told him.

"I'll try. I can't promise anything." Loki huffed.

Delysia laughed as Loki took her hand in his.

"Ow." Delysia winced as she laughed.

"Oh, are you not supposed to laugh?" Loki asked.

"It's the muscles of the abdomen that contract when I laugh. It's alright. I think I'd go mad laying here if I didn't laugh at least once." Delysia told him.

Loki smiled brightly and kissed her hand.

"Well, to heal properly, please, do not laugh anymore. I don't want to see you in pain." Loki explained.

"I'll try my best." Delysia beamed.