Loki's Bride

VIII

The first thing I did was get dressed. Over dressed. Frigga is furious about this. I actually think she's more mad at Loki than at me. I'm not technically her child. I don't think it's that big of a deal. The wedding is in the midst of being planned, we are already practically husband and wife.

But still, she figured both of us should know better.

Frigga tried to make things seem as normal as possible, and I went on with my daily duties. Usually I'm with Loki a lot of the day, because we'd be visiting with some visitors of the kingdom, or even civilians. But Frigga made sure I made no contact with him that day.

Needless to say, I was being extra good. I couldn't tell Frigga that I think her reasoning is unnecessary, she's the Queen!

***

That night I had nothing to do except lie awake in my own chambers. I wasn't used to sleeping here anymore. Alone. I stared up at the high ceilings, thinking of nothing but Loki.

I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a pang deep in my stomach. I lurched forward, sitting up and wincing. I couldn't let the breath out without the pain reoccurring. I placed my hand over the ache and rolled onto my knees, leaning forward until I thought the pain would pass.

I felt something moving. Inside me. I huffed, halfway screaming as it stirred, and I looked down at my belly as the horrible pain was replaced with plain discomfort as something still moved. I sat there, able to breathe now. I gasped for air as I watched the something writhe inside me. I half screamed again, covering my mouth so not to alert anyone.

What was this?! What's happening to me?!

I got up and off the bed, involuntarily falling straight to the ground. I was afraid that if I walked (or ran) the pain would start again. My jaw hung open as I breathed deeply and stood up, holding my belly.

I began walking up the hall, toward the sort of nurses room of this part of the palace. There was magic there that could let me see what was going on inside me...

As I walked on, the pain and overall discomfort suddenly stopped and I felt completely normal again, but I knew I was far from normal. I began to run for the room, my bare feet patting loudly on the stone floors and echoing back and forth against the walls.

I wondered what it could be as I ran. It was too painful, too unfamiliar to be something as strange as perhaps indigestion. That just sounded stupid now. It was something very different.

Just as I got to the room, the pain started, and it made my legs give out underneath me. I moaned as I fell to the ground, still sliding until I hit the operating table and stopped. I leaned up, my back against the table. I kept breathing. My entire dress was drenched in sweat, but I was in too much pain to really care.

I looked around for where the spell could possibly be hidden. I tried my best to drag myself onto my feet too, having to lean hard on the table as I looked around.

I couldn't breath through my nose, so my jaw still hung open, half wincing, half trying to catch my breath.

Is this what child birth feels like, I couldn't help but wonder. That was the only thing, the only pain extreme enough to be a possibly....

But it actually wasn't really a possibility...right?

I looked around again, and it turned out the spell was right there in front of me. This is a really simple magic, not dangerous and not all too valuable, so I guess they'd keep it out. Good thing they did.

I reached for the jar and fell to the ground again with a moan. The churning was happening again, and I curled into a ball, trying to suppress my cries. I waited for the pain to pass until I opened the jar and slammed a handful against my belly.

I took multiple deep breaths, the spell also acted as a painkiller. I just tried to catch my breath before I wanted to look and see what it was inside me.

As I started to cool down, I made a fist by my stomach (controlling the spell) and moved it swiftly away, unraveling my shaky hand as I did so. What I saw confused me.

Now I'd seem pictures like this before. A womb, a baby. It was nothing strange or new to me. But this was different. This was my womb...and this was my baby....

Oh my god, a baby!

I couldn't really react, I was too exhausted. But I felt like crying, and I let the tears fall down my cheeks, wiping them away with my night dress sleeves. I tried again not to make too much noise with my sobs. I was overjoyed to be with child!

I observed my baby inside me. It was in fact strange...it didn't look like a normal Asgardian baby....it looked like...........and, not only was it odd looking, but it was much larger than any baby could ever be after one mere day of pregnancy.....

"That doesn't look like a regular fetus." Someone suddenly mentioned, and in panic, I grabbed the picture and shrunk it down so the person couldn't linger on it. But it was too late, they'd already seen it anyway, I guess.

I watched helplessly as Thor came in the room. I swallowed nervously as he scowled at me. He stayed silent, so I got off the ground since my pain was gone. I stared at him, my breath steady now. I had to rub the bottom of my eyes to dry the tears.

"That monster inside you," he started, looking at my belly. "It's going to kill you, Serena." I looked down for a moment, placing my hands over the baby, and the tears came again. It's not that I was afraid of dying, I was afraid of what Loki would say. What would he think? And Thor saw what I was thinking.

"He...he'll loose it when he finds out he did this to you...when he discovers what he is...." I looked up and stepped toward him after he said that. "No! Loki is not going to find out!" I demanded. I felt like I didn't have to explain why or why not.

Thor hardened his expression. "He should know. I already confronted Odin and he told me everything. Everyone knows what he is but him. How else can we explain what's happening to you?" He pointed out, pointing at my belly. My jaw dropped and I lurched foreword, slapping his face. "You son of a bitch! I told you not to tell anyone! I told you to keep it secret!" I yelled, and the baby started complaining.

I fell to the ground, unable to will a cry this time. Thor crouched right beside me and held my head off the ground. He didn't say anything else on the fact that he told, though. "I'm just sick. Tell him I'm sick." I explained, feeling really tired. Everything was blurry, and I let the image of Thor and the medicine room go black.