Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 17

Loki couldn't help chuckling at the look on Morgan's face, at the horror of being caught by Frigga kissing her son like that. But Frigga's tone was amused, not upset. Loki kissed Morgan's cheek. Morgan was still a million shades of red. Loki thought it was absolutely adorable.

Frigga didn't comment on the activity she had interrupted. Instead, she checked on Morgan. "Much better, dear," she said approvingly, as she placed a hand to Morgan's forehead, checking for fever. "Sleep until lunch and after you eat something you should be able to rest in your own rooms until dinner," she told Morgan, though the words were an update for Loki too.

Loki nodded. "You should listen to, Mother. You still have a lot of healing to do, darling," he told Morgan. Morgan nodded and let Frigga take the empty glass from her hands and laid back down to go back to sleep. Loki kept her curled in his embrace. He didn't mind, especially since she was fighting through the fever still. She needed his cold and he smiled warmly at her soft sight of relief as she settled back to sleep in his arms.

Frigga gave him a warm, knowing, smile. "She will be fine, darling. She is through the worst of it now," she reassured him gently.

"I know. That does not mean I'm not still concerned for her,"

Frigga nodded. "I know, darling. Your lady will be fine," she told him firmly "And after lunch you can leave the healing wing,"

Loki chuckled. "Which is a relief. I love spending time with you, Mother, but being in the healing wing can get boring after a while,"

Frigga laughed. "So I have heard from everyone I tend here. Your brother is the worst about it and seems to get injured the most often," she said fondly, amused at her children's antics. "I would have let her leave now, but I'd rather wait until that fever is better,"

"I know. I completely understand," Loki didn't like Morgan's fever any better than Frigga did. At least Loki was the best suited to keep her fever down.

Morgan's fever broke right before lunch as Frigga had predicted. It was clear the fever had broken when she started shivering in Loki's arms. He immediately brought back the spell that minimized the effects of his cold skin. He climbed out of the bed, adding a warming spell to the blanket she was bundled in. She woke when he left the bed, sitting up and looking confused. Loki kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. I'm still here, Ana," he soothed. He knew she'd be disoriented blind in a strange environment. Morgan nodded and bundled the blankets around her.

Frigga ducked back into the room. "Fever finally broke? Excellent news indeed," she told the pair. Morgan stopped shivering after a minute as her body adjusted. Frigga checked her over as the servants brought lunch for Morgan and Loki. The pair devoured their meals, starved from the experience of the transition.

Morgan was surprised at how much she devoured, but devour she did. She sat back against the pillows with a contented purr when her plate was empty. Until a slice of chocolate cake appeared in front of her. Loki lit up in absolute delight when a slice appeared in front of him as well. Frigga laughed at her predictable son and watched them both enjoy their cake.

After they had eaten, Frigga bundled Morgan up in a robe so she could leave the healing wing. Her nightgown had been drenched in sweat and Loki could see it cling to her as Frigga was bundling her. And his attention is drawn to the fact that Morgan had an extremely attractive body. He tried to clear those thoughts away quickly before they got him into trouble.

"There's a hot bath waiting for you in Loki's chambers and the maids will help you bathe. I know you feel better, but you need to rest," Frigga told them both. Morgan nodded obediently, though Loki knew she had absolutely intentions of letting maids help her bathe, no matter how wonderful a hot bath sounded. Morgan was raised American and independent. She wouldn't accept the help of maids unless she had to.