The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 101

TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic birth scene 

I've put guidelines about where to skip if you want to avoid it

After the winter months were over, it seemed my body had gotten over getting sick. During that time, Loki also seemed to almost regret getting rid of Odin, because he had finally taken over full throne duty and found that the full burden of the crown was a heavy weight. Pretending to be someone he wasn't didn't help, especially someone he hated so much.

I'd finally taken him up on his offer to write Jane, and in her response I could hear her frustration in my vagueness and refusal to come and visit, but seemed to begrudgingly accept it.

Although I was no longer sick, I was still spending a large amount of time in the chairs. I could just do so much more there, it was easier to sit up, it was closer to the fire, and we didn't have to go through the hassle of changing sheets, just washing blankets. I still slept in the bed with Loki, just as he spent his free hours in the chairs or on the balcony with me. With only what I estimated to be a couple of weeks left in my pregnancy, all of our time was spent planning for the birth and afterward. As much as Loki desired to craft the baby's furniture himself, he simply didn't have the time to, so we had to settle for something simple I summoned.

If there was anything that was scaring me, it was the birth itself. Loki's previous experience with it was helpful, because it was the voice of experience, but I still couldn't shake my nerves away completely. As the birth got closer and closer, my awareness of Loki's location, as well as the pain associated with it became more acute. By the degree of discomfort, I could tell when he was in the throne room, in a meeting, and what kind of meeting it was. Also, given that whenever he was on duty, I was in some degree of discomfort, we'd agreed to close the Bond enough so that he wouldn't feel it and get distracted

Today, he was spending a very long time in the scheduled security council meeting. In fact, he seemed to be slowly going even farther away! Well, going away and then coming closer, like he was pacing in the garden.

"Love, whatever you're doing, please stop."

"What?"

"You're...pacing, or something, and I can feel it."

"How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know. I noticed it an hour or so ago."

"Is it getting more an more uncomfortable?"

"I guess, a bit." Loki swore.

"You're in labor. I'm coming there."

"Just stop pacing and I'll be fine!"

"Arista, I've been sitting in the throne room for two hours now!" I felt my chest tighten for a moment, but then remembered something.

"It's not painful, just uncomfortable. It's probably just Braxton Hicks."

"What?"

"False labor. I still have a couple weeks here. It's perfectly normal. I don't think horses get it."

"Alright, but if it gets any worse, you MUST call me."

"I will, I will." I ended the communication and returned to my book.

Two hours later and the cramps still hadn't let up, in fact they'd gotten much, much worse. I don't know when I accepted the fact that I was in labor, but I wasn't about to call Loki. Labor was long, and it could easily go into tomorrow, and Loki couldn't miss more than one day in a row without raising suspicion. So I would bear the pain now. Pulling myself out of the chairs between contractions, I waddled into Loki's large bathroom, with a large, in-ground tub. I filled it with warm water to try and soothe my muscles. Through the window, I could see the noonday sun. In about six hours, Loki would go to dinner, and about two hours after that, he would return to me. I just had to make it another eight hours. My contractions were about half an hour apart right now, so I still have a long way to go. So I shut my eyes and leaned against the gentle slope of the tub. I would likely be up all night, so the more sleep I could get now, the better.