One With Gods [Loki]

Dark Wave

ANNA

"You can stop watching them so fiercely, dear."

Loki came up behind me as I stared at our children in their cribs. "I don't want to miss anything, Loki."

He massaged my shoulders. "The realms are at peace, there is no reason for them to grow more rapidly than usual."

"I know-"

"You should take them outside to get some fresh air. I'm sure Thor and Frigga would love to see them." He backed away from me to sit on the bed. "Take them to the riverside, or the bridge, or-"

I turned to him quickly. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" I sneered.

He shook his head. "You haven't been away from the palace in a month. I'm the one locked in a cage, not you. Not our children. Be free."

I looked at him for a long moment, tears welling in my eyes. Before he had time to react I fell to my knees, weeping. "I don't want- I don't... I can't protect them out there, they are safe in here I don't want them to get hurt. " I was forgetting how to breathe.

"Slow down Izbel." He came over to kneel in front of me. "What are you trying to say? There is no threat outside in Asgard, all of the gods in the realm adore our children despite their paternal heritage. Any one of them wouldn't have to think twice about helping them if they were in danger. Tell me what's really on your mind, dear."

I looked into his emerald eyes and frowned, tears still fell from my face. How could he read me so well? "I want us to be together as a family, Loki. I don't want you to miss out on their life. If they had a growth spurt and you weren't here I'd feel guilty."

He stroked my hair. "Darling, you knew what you signed up for. I am stuck here, but you and our children should be free. Do it for me, take our children to the river for me?"

I looked into his eyes and wiped my wet cheeks. "I'd do anything for you, Loki."

He stood us up and started to gather our babies into their buggy. "Take them to the waterfront, sit with them as the sun sets and tell them stories of Midgard." He was pushing me to the exit.

"Are you sure-"

He grabbed my shoulders. "Izbel I do not want to hold you back from anything. Go. And take my sisters, or my brother, I hear he's been back for some time."

I took a deep breath and kissed him on the cheek.

One moment I was in the halls of the castle, the next I was on the river bank watching the suns drop. Thor was beside me holding Sofi in his arms, telling her about Valkyries. I rocked Lee gently in my arms, we all listened.

"Valkyries were strong women soldiers who fought for the nine realms. They were valiant and resilient. And the best warriors of my youth. In fact, when I was younger I wanted to be one. Then I learned the gender requirements of course. Sjofna I see in your eyes now that you will be a strong independent woman, just like your mother." He sent a cheesy smile my way. "The Valkyries might be long gone by now but you will be as strong as one, I am sure of it. And Lee, though she may never need it, protect your sister."

I looked at the blond beefcake and smiled. "That's so nice, Thor. You're a great storyteller."

He chuckled and placed Sofi back in the buggy. "I learned from the best. Odin would always tell us stories of old. His stories are some of the best memories of my childhood." 

I cringed at the way he spoke of his father. I could never forgive Odin; but Thor hasn't seen him in the same light as I have. Nevertheless, it wasn't my job to change his views of his dad, he had to witness for himself. I mustered a smile for his sake. "That's nice." I said softly.

He sighed and stretched his arms above his head. "I have enjoyed this time together, Isabellianna, I hope I can get more chances to see my niece and nephew in the future."

"Of course! Any time you want to see them just let me know. Loki wants them to have strong bonds with all of their family. He wants as many people to love them as possible." This time my smile was genuine. The more people there were to love them, the more there to protect them and care for them.

"All the nine realms will love them." He assured me. "Forgive me, but I must go attend to some... business." 

Everyone knew he would go and visit his Midgardian lady, or have Heimdall stalk her for him. I couldn't think of a reason he was still being so secretive about it. "Have fun." I told him as he started to swing Mjolnir. 

He nodded to me and flew off toward the rainbow bridge. I placed Lee in the buggy next to his sister. "Isn't your uncle Thor great?" I asked them, and they looked up at me with big gold eyes. "Speaking of family... I've told you two about your Uncle Njorden and your cousins on Vanaheim, but I haven't told you about your family on Midgard." In the distance the Bifrost powered up and went off. "Maybe you'll get to see them, one day when you both are older. There's your aunt Natasha who you're named after, Sjofna. There's Nick Fury who I named you after." I tickled my son's foot and watched him squirm. "There's a special academy for people to train to be agents and protect Earth. That's where I met them, and oh how can I forget your Uncle Clint. I think you'd like him, he's pretty funny. There's so many more people there that I love, and I know they'll love you two. People all over the universe, like my good friend Carol."

The Bifrost went off again and I raised my eyebrows. "That was quick..." I looked to the bridge and immediately felt a dark wave wash over me. My babies started crying and my gaze quickly went to them. My worst fear was being realized. Lee and Sofi were growing bigger like the slow but steady rise of yeast in an oven. "No... No. No!" I pulled both of them out of the buggy and found myself stumbling backwards, I fell onto the shore. My children and I cried together. Maybe if I held them, they wouldn't grow. In my arms they were safe, they should have no need to grow. But the dark wave never dissipated, and I felt them; millimeter by millimeter as they grew. 

Finally the dark energy was suppressed and I surveyed the damage, I pulled my children away from me slowly. My little three-month-old infants were now bigger. They looked up at me with curious eyes, they didn't cry anymore, that was left to me. I took a deep breath and stood, gently placing them in their buggy. Instead of laying down they sat up and looked around. Sofi was babbling and Lee was tugging at his  bodysuit; the buttons snapped at the bottom and it now fit him like a shirt, the same went for Sofi. I put on a brave face for them. "Let's go see Daddy, okay? And then we'll figure out what it was that made you grow." 

"Daddada" Sofi spoke with a smile and it broke my heart.

I raced to the dungeons praying that whatever that wave was wouldn't come back. A lot of emotions coursed through me. Guilt was one. Loki missed this, even though he said he wouldn't mind; I still felt guilty.