Emprise [Fólkvangr End, Book 2][Loki Fanfiction]

Chapter Thirteen - Sár

"Oh?"

"It was..." his brow pulls together as he searches for the right words, "an act of desperation."

I snort at this reflexively, oddly amused by the very notion of it. Thankfully Odin ignores me and goes on with his line of interrogation. I lean back in my chair, placing my hand over my stomach again, realizing how instinctively I keep repeating the action. Of course, it brings me no true calm. My own hand is not the hand I want pressed against my stomach, pressed against my skin. I want nothing more than to have Loki here beside me, to reassure me through my panic, to help me sort through thousands of Asgardian baby names, to argue with me over the sex of the baby. I want him here to raise his child, and most importantly, I want him to to hold my hair while I vomit. Frey and Jane will only get you so far. Sif is great, but she's not really the hair-holding type. Jane has been very gentle about it all, though I'm starting to get the sense that she's living vicariously through me, as children are not exactly on the table for herself and Thor right now. And Frey...well, he seems to have an overwhelming protective instinct, which I have been chalking up to his own lost family. Everyone means well, and I would be lost without them, but the whole of them do not make up for not having Loki around. 

"Valkyrie, what say you on the matter?" I hear Thor's voice and I look up to find everyone staring at me. I  sit a bit more upright in my chair. I look at Thor with wide eyes.

"I..."

"The matter of Frey and his men's punishment...you believe it was satisfactorily carried out?"

"Yes, yes I do. Otherwise I would not have freed them, I suppose," I say without really thinking about it. I bite my tongue, taking cue from Odin's wary glance in my direction.

"On the charges of kidnapping and negligence, you are cleared," Odin declares as he limps back towards his throne and sits down. I smile gratefully, nodding my affirmation. For once, Odin is being reasonable. I give Frey the thumbs-up, which undoubtedly confuses him. 

"However, on the charges of insurrection, you are still not cleared. This is a matter to be dealt with at another time," Odin says. I turn to glare at him but I know it is of no use. "You are confined to the House of Odin for the time being. You will have limited freedoms, and know they are only granted to you for your honesty and your fair treatment of Valkyrie. She will serve as your guardian as long as you remain serving out your sentence, but your liberties are at my discretion. As I recall, Valkyrie has a certain...soft spot for criminals."

I do not take lightly to what Odin is implying and so I rise from my seat and gather my dress in my hands, not waiting for Odin to dismiss hearings for the day. I descend the gratuitous amount of stairs in a hurry and I grab Frey by the wrist on the way, taking him as my charge.

"Come on," I pull on him hastily, "I'm fucking hungry."

"Valkyrie!" Frey sputters in surprise. Once we're clear out of the hall, I turn and smile at him, clasping his hand over my heart.

"You called me Valkyrie!"

"I..." he laughs and I return his hand to his possession and he straightens his shirt. "I suppose I did."

"Well this is great news, I think. I mean, obviously other than the fact that I have supreme control over you now," I tease.

He looks at me and smiles a peculiar smile, "As if you did not already."

I arch and eyebrow and purse my lips but say nothing about that particular comment. Instead I yawn and stretch my arms. "Seriously. I'm tired and I need food more than I need air right now."

I turn on my heel, fully expecting Frey to follow, and without a moment's hesitation he is in stride at my side.

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