Choices

Chapter 68
"I wonder what he is? Is it even a he?" Seraphina asked watching the serpent child gleefully zoom around the bath water. He'd been ill content in his crib housing and after trial and error it come to pass that water was his preference.
His green scales glistened as water rolled off him like a well oiled wheel. His eyes wide and he made squeaks when he'd turn and start gliding the other way. She could see the muscles in his slime body contract to move himself along.
"According to some vague research his color patterns and length of tail suggest a male and he could be a leviathan. If you look closely you can see his frills near his cheeks." Cephera answered, the sound of tearing followed her words.
Seraphina turned to look at her twin and frowned. Cephera was sadly watching the wolf cub tear apart a dress he'd already had his claws into easily the week. No matter what she tried, the puppy seemed unable to help himself. The dress had been the one Cephera had been wearing before seeing Loki the day he woke.
He probably hadn't noticed but the back train had been ruined because when Cephera tried to leave without the pup he howled and used his teeth to latch onto the fabric and refused to let go. Since then he was content to shred the garment as if it had offended him. The wolf had grown two sizes since returning to Asgard and they wondered how big he would actually get.
"Don't let him spit of you." Cephera warned. She held up her bandaged arm. "The healers say I'm lucky he's only small, the venom could have killed me otherwise." Cephera shurgged. "He thinks it's funny." She added.
"He does, does he?" Seraphina looked at her sister as though she'd gone insane. Perhaps she had. Her break up from Loki left Cephera empty. She stayed in Asgard for the babies that weren't hers but she cared for them all the same. Seraphina had a suspicion Cephera was hoping her spat with Loki would blow over and somehow Seraphina felt it just might given time.
"You can see it in his eyes. The glee in them when he's managed to frighten someone." Seraphina looked back at the serpent who had stopped and was staring at her, head titled.
"Don't even think about or I'll wring your neck." She warned him with a glare. Oddly, he seemed to understand and inched closer like he was daring her. She cocked up her eyebrow and swiftly reached out to grab him. Realizing his mistake he took off under the surface and all the way to the far end of the massive marble structure.
"I don't know what to do with her." Cephera aimlessly pouted. "She doesn't cry, doesn't eat." Cephera had the baby girl propped up on her knee, or rather the toddler. The half baby human had also grown fast like her siblings. "Oh and not to mention she doesn't poop or pee."
"Perhaps she's more like her undead side." Seraphina suggested.
"Still, I'm worried for her." Cephera sighed.
"Hey no dirty diapers." Seraphina smiled. "If you want that experience I'll gladly pass over my little bundle for that when the time comes." Seraphina smirked. She wasn't even showing yet, well nothing her clothes would show anyhow. Fandral insists her belly had grown and was no longer flat and Seraphina hit him for it, not because he was wrong but because she could.
Frigga entered the room and smiled at the girls. Seraphina gave a little wave and walked away from the serpent before he could double-cross her and spit on her back. "He's enjoying it." Frigga noted happily.
"Seems like it." Seraphina nodded.
Frigga plucked the girl from Cephera's arms and sat down beside her, also ignoring the pup and his fit. Cephera had the same look plastered on her face now as she had since the day she'd no longer cried over her fight with Loki. A plain look of nothingness. Cephera showed barely any emotion in the last week and Seraphina was worried.
"How is he?" Cephera asked Frigga her tone small and sad.
"He's buried himself away in his magic studies. I haven't seen him since he left the healing rooms." Frigga replied. As far as Seraphina knew, Cephera hadn't seen Loki around since his release and truthfully it was probably better that way until they resolved their differences.
Cephera hadn't been doing any magic since the kids. Loki had buried himself in magic and she in taking care of his wayward children. Seraphina was sure that without the queens help, Cephera would never be seen outside the nursery at all. The queen forced Cephera to take breaks and go for walks, though not without the pup. He didn't allow her to leave the room without a rather large fuss and he was becoming too strong to keep behind.
His attachment to Cephera was cute and bothersome all at the same time. "At least he's found something to do." Cephera replied not sounding at all happy.
"No more questions. Go now." Frigga insisted nudging Cephera to her feet. Cephera knew better than to argue with her. Seraphina waited for Cephera to stand and as she walked away the pup noticed her departure, lifted his leg, pissed on the torn rags which made Cephera turn and let out a shout.
It was too late though, the rug below was now wet with urine and the pup was wagging his long bushy tail, his tongue hanging out as he trotted to stand next to Cephera's legs. His head reached her knees now. Cephera squat down to stare him in the eyes. "That was bad. We don't pee on anything but your special mat." She scolded.
Seraphina took notice to how the pup hung his head, his ears curved down in shame. "I'll tell a servant on the way out." Seraphina offered. Even though they didn't have so called servants at home, they respected the way things worked in Asgard and followed them.
Seraphina did as she promised. Cephera didn't speak as they walked and the pup continued to walk with a long look on his face. He'd stay that way until Cephera forgave him. Before long he'd start to sulk and howl and Cephera would have no choice but to talk to him or pick him up. His howls could easily echo throughout the palace.
They walked and walked for a long time in silence. Usually her sister had something to talk about. Seraphina would get to the point of telling her to calm down because she never shuts up. Seraphina didn't like sad Cephera, no one did.
"We were thinking of names for the baby." Seraphina lied just to start a conversation.
"Oh yeah? Choose anything?" Cephera answered finally bending to pick up the pup as he finally began to whimper.
"No, Fandral comes up with these really odd names." She continued.
"He's excited, I can tell. I'm happy for you, for our people." Cephera spoke but she didn't really sound there. The pup was now sucking on her index finger for comfort.
"Cephera, this will all blow over. Loki just needs time to recover from it all. It was a shock, everything that happened. He overreacted, soon enough he'll talk to you again." Seraphina brought up the topic, no longer caring for the mood it quickly set her sister in. It had to be said.
"What if it never does! What if he finds someone else? What if he's already with someone else locked away in that tower?" Cephera burst into tears and Seraphina growled.
"No, you're being dramatic. There is no one else and probably wouldn't be for a long time." Seraphina shook her head. "You should visit him soon." She suggested.
"I can't. I don't think Loki would appreciate my bringing the pup and the pup won't leave my side." Cephera reminded her between gulps of sobs she was trying to control.
"Well you need to do something. You're like a zombie." Seraphina snapped in irritation. Cephera didn't reply.
(Loki)
The knock on his tower door irritated him. He didn't answer, maybe they would go away, but he was wrong. The door swung open softly and in stepped his mother. He let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't Cephera. He'd expected her to come see him, but she hadn't and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
"This place looks like a whirlwind hit it." His mother noted carefully walking past the paper and scrolls strewn across the floor. Loki was writing furiously in his note book. He'd done nothing but research on larger, complicated spells. Including the body snatching one. The room was a mess. His shelves out of order, the books scattered everywhere.
He didn't care. A true sign of his unhappiness, a fact that didn't get past his mother. "It's unhealthy to do this much work." She warned.
"I've nothing else to do."
"You have plenty, you're just too stubborn to know what's good for you." She scolded.
"And what's good for me?" He growled.
"Reconciliation, you know it's the only option Loki." She was very upfront today.
"She made her choice." He hissed.
"A choice she should have never been given and you are both suffering for it." She saw fit to remind him which only soured his mood more. "Cephera is a good woman. She's trying to make right the wrongs set out by others. She's trying to find a balance to create a positive life for all those this affected. Loki, it doesn't mean she doesn't love you. She just wants to make the best difference she can. She turned her back on you because you have the emotional support you need." Loki was silent. He knew all this already, but that didn't make him any less angry.
She was a good woman. He loved that about her, but she was too good sometimes. They could have been happy together had she just let the monstrous children go. Loki ached to see her, to touch her. He'd contemplated seeing her several times, but forced himself to stay away.
"How is she?" He asked his mother, relenting his anger.
"She's surviving." Frigga replied.
"That bad?" Loki replied. To describe Cephera as simply surviving wasn't a good sign.
"She struggles to take care of those kids. They are not your normal children," Frigga said and Loki cringed at the word kids but he didn't correct her. "Go to her Loki, you are both suffering far more than you need to. Those children, whether you want them or not, are not going anywhere and it is only your pride that is keeping you between yourself and Cephera, not them."
***
He tossed and turned. Loki couldn't sleep. He hasn't had a decent sleep since Cephera left him..., no since he forced her to go. In truth he knew what she would choose, but he'd been so angry and irrational he'd wanted to prove himself wrong and maybe it might have made him feel better.
He growled out loud and rolled over again. It did no good. His conversation with his mother played on his mind and when he closed his eyes he saw Cephera. At last he sat up, there was only one way to end his endless nights of torment.
He stood and left his room wearing only his sleeping pants. He nearly turned around halfway to Cephera's room, but it took a moment of consideration before he convinced himself that his mother was right. He could speak to her at the very least.
He reached her room and opened the door without so much as knocking. He'd half hoped she'd be just as sleepless as him but she was sound asleep sprawled on her chest and a lump stirred from her back. Loki froze, was that someone's hand? Her sister?
For a painstaking moment Loki thought Cephera was in bed with another man until he heard a low growl. The lump stood and in the moons light Loki could see the gaps between the front paws. He didn't fear this whelps noises, Loki walked across the room toward them and when he'd reached close enough the wolf looked at him and whimpered before laying his ears flat and backing up.
Did it recognize him? The thought disturbed Loki. He had no time to deal with the pup, Loki hadn't the heart to wake her. He felt tired already just watching her. He walked round to the other side, the wolf watching him at all times. Loki climbed under the sheets aware he was being watched carefully.
He touched his fingers to her arm softly and let out a sigh of relief to just be this close to her again. She turned from her stomach and opened her eyes. They were wet looking and red, did she fall asleep crying every night? Loki felt a stab of guilt and without words he pulled her closer.
The wolf moved, making room, and Cephera pushed her face against Loki's chest. The conversation he'd initially planned on fell from his mind and in that instant everything felt right again.

Notes