This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

For the next week, McKenna divided her time between the infirmary and a small classroom, where she spent hours learning about Asgardian traditions and history. Some of it read exactly like Norse mythology, but some of it made her eyes glaze over and her mind wander.

Selig and Aislinn were both feeling better, although Eir never could figure out exactly what caused their fevers. However, as they both bounced back, McKenna was grateful to have one less thing to worry about.

"Mommy?" Selig came out onto the terrace, where McKenna was sitting, staring out over the water, fighting to stay awake.

She closed the heavy text in her lap and put the book aside as she turned to Selig. "What's up, little man?"

"Are we going back home soon?"

She patted the ledge next to her. "Come on up."

Selig settled in next to her and she gazed down at him. The color had finally come back into his cheeks and his eyes no longer looked quite so sunken. Ruffling his bushy hair, she said, "Yes and no. We'll go back, but only for a little bit. Asgard is going to be home now."

"So Daddy really will be king someday?"

She nodded. "Someday."

"So, that's why I have to sit with Miss Elke every morning?"

"You don't like her?"

Selig shrugged. "It's kinda boring."

"Well, maybe it will get interesting when you move up to learning about Bestefar and all the things he did before Daddy came along."

"Like what?"

McKenna smiled. "I have no idea, love. My lessons are kind of boring as well."

Selig giggled. "You have lessons?"

"Absolutely, And my tutor is nowhere near as nice as Miss Elke."

"What are you learning?"

"Selig, I couldn't tell you if I tried."

"Couldn't tell him what if you tried?"

McKenna turned to see Loki coming out onto the terrace with Aislinn in his arms. "Lessons, Loki. It's worse than any history class I ever had to sit through."

Loki set Aislinn in her play yard on the terrace. "I should have warned you."

"Why do I have to know this stuff? Is anyone really going to expect me to be able to answer about what great-uncle Olaf did when the peasant woman shot a chicken?"

Selig burst into giggles while Loki grinned. "I don't even have a great-uncle Olaf."

"You know what I mean."

"I do and I doubt it. No one's ever asked me about it." He sat across from her and Selig, folding his arms over his chest. "I've been thinking. It's a beautiful day. Why don't we put the books away and go out and enjoy the weather?"

McKenna gave him a look. "Who are you and what have you done with Loki?"

He grinned. "Funny, love. You both look about done in, as you would say."

She smiled. "Why does everyone say that? Am I rubbing off on all of you so much?"

"You make an impression everywhere you go, darling girl, don't you know that by now?"

"You all think I'm like some kind of bumpkin, don't you?"

"I don't even know what that is, love."