Dear Princess

16. Surprised

Baal returns to Loki's room where she finds him pacing up and down out of worry. "Baal!"
He runs to hug her tightly. "Please listen to me. You can't execute your father!"
"I won't."

Loki stops with his movements and tilts his head in confusion. "What?"
"I've decided to spare him but I have to go to Salona." His eyes widen. "You can't!"
Baal walks past Loki to pack her things.
Loki stands there in disbelief knowing what Baal is risking, everyone knows.
"You know what will happen!"
"I do."

Loki is frustrated. "Then why are you going", He suddenly yells causing Baal to turn around to face him. "I have to do this otherwise Asgard will never be safe from Salona."
"I refuse to accept that, Baal."

Both sigh.

"Look, my brother is even worse than my father. I'm the only one who can talk some sense into him."
"No you can't. You'll hang if you go!"

Silence.

Baal knows what she's getting into but she didn't want to admit it.
Is she really ready to die because of her father's actions?

"Have you ever thought about how I feel? About all of this", Loki yells. Baal remains silent because she knows he's right.
She never considered his feelings on this.
A sigh escapes her lips. "I never thought about it, I was in my own bubble, blinded by revenge", She says. "I'm sorry, Loki. This visit is inevitable, sooner or later I have to face him."
Loki scoffs at Baal's words.

"I know but... could you at least stay a bit longer?"

Baal smiles with tears in her eyes.
"Alright, I will."
Loki proceeds to pull Baal into his arms, he hugs her planning on never letting her go.

He knows that he can't stop her but he can at least try.

"There's something else", She suddenly says and pulls away from Loki's hug.
"I was at the medical wing yesterday." Loki's eyes widen. "Are you alright?" She nods signaling Loki to not be worried.
"They had some news for me", She says shyly.
"Well what is it?"

Baal takes a deep breath. "They said I might be pregnant."
Loki's jaw drops, he can barely react because of the shock. "Loki", Baal asks worried. "That's", He stutters.
"That's fantastic!" He grabs Baals torso to lift her off the ground.
"Marvelous!" He twirls her around as she laughs out of relief. "I can't believe this", Loki says as he places Baal onto the ground.
"They're not sure so we shouldn't be hasty!"

Loki smiles brightly. "This is big news, Baal, how can I not be excited! There's so much to plan!"
While Loki babbles on Baal drifts off into her thoughts.

She doesn't want this child but leaving it behind would be the worst thing she can do, for the child and Loki. That's why she wanted to go today, to get rid of herself and it. Is it bad that she thinks this way? Probably, she never met someone who thought like this about being pregnant.
Maybe she's lucky and she isn't.

"Baal?" She falls out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
"Are you okay", Loki asks.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just need some air."

Baal leaves the room and takes a look around before jogging down the hall.
She runs down the many halls until she reaches the medical wing.
"Princess Baal", One of the nurses says shocked.

"I need to know if it's true."

~

Baal paces up and down while she waits for the nurses and the result.
"Please no, please no", She mumbles over and over again.
Then footsteps enter the room. Baal looks up and sees one of the nurses. "We have the results", She says. "You might want to sit down."
Baal sits down onto the nearest stool and readies herself for the news.
"You are pregnant." Was that the bad news?
"But there is something else." Apparently that was the good news.

"The fetus most likely won't survive past 5 months." Baal's eyes widen.

She didn't care for the baby but after hearing this news she is shocked to the core.
"Why", She stutters. "We cannot say, our technology has a limit, it couldn't find the cause."
"Couldn't I just get rid of it now?" The nurse shakes her head. "If we do so you might die along with the fetus."
Baal tilts her head. "If that's what it takes let me do it."
"Your majesty, we couldn't shoulder that responsibility!"

The princess stays quiet. "Then I guess there's no other way."
"I'm sorry, your majesty, there's nothing we can do."
Without another word Baal gets up from her stool and exits the medical room.

She looks down at her stomach and lets out a deep sigh. "Why do I care for you. You will die anyway", She questions herself.

Will she tell Loki? No, she cannot hurt him after everything that has and will happen.

"Secret it is then."