Choices

Chapter 70
Cephera rubbed her neck. Though it had healed throughout the day it was still sore. She frowned while watching her reflection near the bath where Jör was enjoying himself. He hadn't spit at her lately, not since being scolded for it.
Loki was under the same impression as Cephera, that they could understand them without hinderance. Hela would be difficult to control if she continued to be as she was. The child didn't show an ounce of caring aside from amusement to others pain. Perhaps Seraphina was right, she was a devil child. Her half undead side making her as cold as the dead themselves and rendering her unable to feel as other felt.
Cephera could only be grateful that she now had Loki back and that slowly things were getting back to something akin to normal. Still, another fight like the last could be there last. It was always hard to say when it came to Loki. He was as unpredictable as the wind.
She'd stepped on toes because of her resolve to help these children. She'd jeopardized her relationship for them, insulted the king, made an enemy of Thor. Where would it end? She was lucky she hadn't been thrown out of Asgard completely. She was lucky her sister and Frigga had never turned their backs on her.
She felt guilty for all those things and yet she knew in her heart she wouldn't have made any different decision even knowing the outcome.
It was growing late. Loki had been gone most of the day, first to see Thor and then to see his father. She feared what his mood may be like when she met him for bed. He'd warned Fenrir that he was to sleep with his brother and sister, and was no longer allowed in bed with Cephera.
Fenrir howled and whined for hours after Loki left. Cephera felt like he'd attached to her like a babe to a security blanket. He hated to be away from her. Still, when she finally stood from the bath and bid them all goodnight, Fenrir sat on the floor sulking but didn't attempt to follow her. He listened to his father's commands and stayed in his own room.
Guards where stationed outside the door, ordered there by Odin, who didn't trust Hela. In truth, neither did Cephera. The girl was walking, and she was strong according to the hair fiasco earlier that day. She seemed to have a taste for deviant endeavours. Cephera hated to think what she might get up to if left alone to roam the palace at night.
So at night the door was also locked. Cephera hated to do it, but she usually got up bright and early to check on them as did Frigga. The room remained unlocked during the day.
Cephera found her way, sure-footed, to Loki's room. She entered like she had always done and found Loki already there, a goblet in hand and a smile on his face, a real smile.
What in the nine realms had made him smile like that?
"I take it your conversation with Thor and your father had not gone as badly as I imagined they would." She lifted an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Thor can throw himself off the highest tower, but yes, the chat with my father was more than pleasing." Loki replied.
"How so? I cannot think of what might make it so." Loki took her by the hand and led her to the balcony.
"Do you remember the day in the caverns when we undressed and created that floating spell together?" Cephera nearly blushed, but only because she remembered her thoughts that day and the closeness of his naked body. How she'd longed for him then, and even though she had him now, the thoughts of the past set her checks ablaze.
"It's not something I could ever forget." She replied smiling almost shyly. Loki chuckled.
"Do you know that I had only wished to test you. To gauge your reaction to being in such a state with me. I'd been worried about making my intentions known. I hadn't wanted to lose your friendship." Cephera laughed.
"And I had been afraid to tell you how I felt for the same reasons." She admitted. They hadn't really spoken of how long their feelings had been developing before they'd finally fallen into one another's arms.
"To think, we could have been together for far longer than we had been."
"Not really, it was only after my actions to stop you from gaining Sigyn as your own that you finally saw me differently. You may not have before it." She corrected and he nodded.
"True enough." Loki grinned and kissed her knuckles and then the tips of her fingers. "I'm not sure there would have been many women, if any at all, that would have put up with the trouble I seem to attract and for that I am blessed to have found you." Cephera smiled wide. Loki put down his goblet, pulled her another step closer, and her heart hammered in her chest. "For that reason and so many others I've decided to lay my life down to you as a husband if you'll have me."
Did her heart stop?
She was sure it should have from the shock that vibrated throughout her body and mind. She near gasped for air as she clutched her hands tighter in his own. She lost her voice in her momentarily shock and realized she'd been quite too long as he stared intensely at her for her answer.
"I could not imagine my husband being anyone else. Of course Loki, it's the only thing I've ever dreamt of for my future." She finally choked out.
He couldn't have thought she'd say anything but that.
Loki pulled her against him fully. Embracing her and kissing her until she couldn't breathe or couldn't think. When at last he released her she gasped for air and began to laugh with tears of joy.
"Wait," she said. "Odin agreed to this?" Loki nodded. "Why? I mean I'm grateful, but lately he seemed rather tempted to sack me back to Mechanova."
"He sees the potential of a formal alliance by marriage between our worlds."
"He doubts my father's loyalty?" The thought irritated her.
"Unlikely, he most likely just wishes to make it stronger." Loki laughed. "Who cares why he's consented. Let's rejoice that he did." Loki swept her off her feet and carried her back inside to spread her out along his bed.
She nodded her consent to drop the topic and curled her fingers into his hair. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage before swooping down to claim her lips.
(Frigga)
"I'm surprised you agreed so easily," Frigga said to her husband, eyeing him with suspicion. He rarely made decisions without further plans behind them.
"He'll need it. If things go sour he'll need Cephera for support. As his wife she'll never be far from his side. Loki has proven in the past to be volatile when he wished to be. Cephera keeps that quiet. Besides he's been through enough and I have been unable to give him the support he needs." Odin replied stroking his beard.
"I agree." Frigga rubbed her hands on her kings tight muscles. "You leave tomorrow?" She asked.
"I do. It was going to be today, but Tyr suggested tomorrow would fair better results. The demons have been pushed back, that is a good sign."
"You will not be here for the announcement of your sons future marriage?"
"No." Frigga took note of her husband's cold shoulder.
"He'll be disappointed." Frigga frowned. Odin missed quite a lot of things regarding Loki's life, but not so much for Thor. A fact not gone unnoticed by the younger brother.
"It cannot be helped." Odin shook her off and stood to dry off. She did the same.
"It can be helped, once again you are taking a risk you do not need to. You are still weak from saving Loki, and yet you insist on going to battle." Frigga loved her husband and his never wavering dedication to being king, but sometimes he needed to simply be a father.
"My men will lose faith in their king should I remain sat on my throne. They will think me lazy and I cannot have that." Odin wrapped the towel around himself. Frigga could see the marks of war scarred across his back and many other areas. He'd seen his share of wars.
Frigga knew there was no point in arguing with him. She would have to see to it that Loki's engagement party was so delightful that he will not miss his father at all. She'd waited a long time to see this day, Cephera had been the woman she'd hoped would find her way deep into Loki's heart and she wasn't disappointed.
One day Frigga would not be around to defend Loki and his antics. She could not always be his saving grace, but Cephera could be. They completed each other in ways neither of them saw but Frigga did.
Cephera had arrived a quite but whimsical young woman. As nice and refreshing as that was she was also naive. Loki gave her a different strength. Brought out a side of her she needed. One that ignited her backbone and gave the once careful girl a strong voice.
She wouldn't voice it, but when Cephera had stood up to Odin against having the children put to death, Frigga had been proud of her. It hadn't taken Cephera a second thought between her fierce words. Loki did that to her. Loki helped her become that woman.
In turn, Cephera had managed to bring out a softer side of her son. Loki had always been so stern and uptight. Always a nose in his books and mischief in his mind. But that was seldom seen now. He'd opened up to those around him. Himself and Thor had reconciled some of their early childhood differences.
Yes, they completed each other. They were not perfect, no couple were, but they stuck together and that's what mattered most.
Frigga was more than excited and proud to be the one to announce her son's engagement. She only wished that Thor would have been able to do the same.
Like Cephera and Loki, Sif and Thor had brought out sides to each other, but in their case it only clashed and created chaos. Frigga wished to see them reconcile as a husband and wife, but that time didn't seem to be coming soon. Barely even friends, Frigga noticed the tension still there even when they seemed to be getting along. Maybe one day they would accept their differences and come together again.
Frigga wished it so. Thor, as of late, had been developing a sense of mind that he is better than all others. Each fight he won gave way to stroking his ego. His attitude easily swayed to arrogance which was not uncommon for his age, but for some men they never change. Odin didn't seem to see that his model son was becoming something of a brat. Frigga hoped it was just a phase, but still as a mother she worried.
One day Thor would take the throne, and if he didn't change, Asgard was in for a rude awakening. Having talked to Sif only days ago, Frigga had come to learn that arrogant words thrown from Thor at the fire demons is what ignited the war in Muspelheim and so in turn he was the avalanching cause of the war coming to Asgard.
Frigga hadn't told Odin. Like always he would not believe that. Frigga hated to think it was true, but Sif hadn't been known to lie. True Thor hadn't known his words would take things this far, but he also had not taken responsibility. In the battlegrounds he boasted of how he would destroy the demons if they managed to make it to the kingdom and this unsettled Frigga.
Lots of things were to come for the future, and Frigga was not at all sure how any of it would pan out. She could only hope for the best for her family, and guide them as best she could.

Notes