Winter's Victim Chapter 54

A month after she had come to save him, she found herself walking down the hall to the personal healer of the royal family in the main palace. It was cold and empty, and her footsteps echoed eerily as she neared the door. She reached out and opened the door, before she entered the healer’s chamber and saw that the healer was waiting for her, along with Frigga. Vara stopped and thought of going back to her room in her palace, where Loki was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the fact that she had snuck out to go get her pregnancy test.

“Frigga.” She said coolly, walking into the room towards her and the healer.

“Vara.” She greeted her back as she sat down on the chair at the desk.

“You don’t have to be here, you know.” Vara said to her.
Her attitude on her and Loki’s wedding day had convinced Vara that everything before that had been an act to pacify Loki and that she felt very little for Vara.

“I’ll be there every time a decision will be made concerning my son.” She said, sitting down next to Vara.
Vara rolled her eyes and looked at the healer.

“What do you need?” she asked him plainly, wanting to get this over to get back to her warm bed and Loki.
He walked around the table with a small silver knife in his hand and stopped next to her.

“Just a little blood.” He said, grasping her hand and lifting it to where he could get at the vein.
He lifted the knife to her skin and she looked away as he slit her vein and the blood came pouring out into a small golden bowl he had nearby. He then put down the knife and reached for some white power in yet another golden bowl on his desk corner. He then sprinkled it over the wound and it closed up in a matter of seconds. He took the bowl of blood into an adjacent room and began to work his magic on it.

Vara crossed her legs and turned away from Frigga as an awkward silence filled the room. Vara had nothing to say to Frigga. After a few minutes and several little sounds that sounded distinctly like explosions inside the back room, the healer came out.

“You're indeed in the early stages of pregnancy.” He smiled at her.
She smiled back at the old man, grateful for this news.

“Thank you, do you know if it’s an egg or something else?” she asked him, ignoring Frigga as she reached out her hand to touch her stomach.
Vara jumped when she felt her hand touch her and she looked at her. Vara felt a strange warmth fall over her and she calmed slightly.

“No, it’s a baby. Not an egg.” Frigga said, removing her hand from Vara.
“It will be as normal as any child.” She said and finally smiled at Vara.
Vara didn’t let this distract her from the fact that she was probably playing her. She had another grandchild on the way and no doubt she would lather on the honey to get to spend time with Vara’s child. She nodded and stood up.

“I’m assuming Thor is in the throne room.” Vara said, looking down at her.
She nodded and looked up at her.

“Yes, he is.” She said, looking back at Vara.
She nodded and looked to the healer.

“Thank you for everything.” She smiled at him and turned to walk out.
She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. She stopped and thought about what had just happened. She smiled stupidly to herself and reached down to touch her belly, but then a tear rolled down her cheek. Today was the last day she would get to spend with Loki. Or at the very most tomorrow.

She could hear the chimes beginning to ring out in her head, signalling the end. She pushed herself away from the door and began to walk down the hall looking for Thor.

After going down the flights of stairs down to the ground floor, she made her way to the throne room, where she would find Odin and Thor discussing something very heatedly.

“YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT!” Odin shouted at Thor as she entered the room.

“Oh…” Vara said, stepping into the room without realising what was going on.
“I’ll come back later.” She said, turning but then she was called back.

“No, we’re done here.” Odin said, marching off and walking past her out of the room. She looked at Thor and frowned.

“You’re not too old to be scolded I guess.” She said, stepping up to Thor.

“You know the feeling?” he asked her, sitting down on the steps at the foot of the throne.
She nodded and stood in front of him.

“Everyday of my life until I met Loki.” she said, seeing how torn he looked. And tired. Clearly the throne didn’t suit him well.
She wondered what he and Odin were fighting about. But it wasn’t her place to ask. Not that they would tell her anyway.

“I will be leaving tomorrow. Everything I asked for has been done, safe for one.” she said looking at him.
He looked up at her and smiled.

“Congratulations.” He said, knowing that she was with child now.
She nodded once to him and then waited to be told what the plans were.

“Meet me at Heimdallr’s observatory at sundown tomorrow. Heimdallr will open the Bifrost and it will take you home.” He explained to her and she nodded once, agreeing.
“Allow me to host a feast for you and the baby.” He said, standing up.
She stepped back from him and looked up at his blue eyes. He hesitated. He wanted to walk up to her and hug her, to congratulate her, but clearly, she didn’t trust him. Not that he blamed her. Odin was just shouting at him for forcing the conditions he did on Vara. The tensions between Muspelheim and Asgard would always be tense now, because of him and his stubbornness.

“Do whatever you want, I’m spending as much with Loki as I can before he’s taken from me.” she said, turning and walking out of the room.

Thor watched her leave and then he sighed. Maybe this course wasn’t the best course to have taken. But it was too late now. They were at the end of the course already. It was too late to change the plan. He went back to thinking about what Odin had said, that forcing her to choose between her love for Loki and her want to protect him from harm, was wrong, punishable. She would always save Loki’s heart and Thor knew it, even if it meant skewering and burning her own. He sighed and let his mind drift. It was too late now.

Vara got back into a carriage and they took her back to Loki’s palace in silence. It was a happy time, but it also made her heart ache. She reached up and grasped at her chest, feeling the physical pain her heart being broken was causing her. She breathed in deeply, trying to ease the pain, but it lingered till she reached the palace and the footman opened her door for her. She got out and the empty carriage drove off around the corner, waiting for their next orders.

She didn’t pay them any regard as she stepped into the palace and made her way up to their room, where Loki was sure to be sleeping. She walked up the steps and walked into their room, where he was not sleeping, but he was awake and dishing up breakfast for himself. He was shirtless and wearing his white pants, fastened with a black belt. He was breathtaking in this light, the sunlight dancing off his skin. He stopped and looked over at her, setting down the plate on the table and grabbing a clean one for her breakfast he was about to dish up.

“Morning.” he smiled at her, beginning to dish in some food for her.
She smiled and shimmied out of her coat, setting it up on the coat hanger.

“Morning.” she said, walking up to him.

She stepped up behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder and watched him dish up for her. He did this at every meal for her. She supposed it was part of the Asgardian tradition to show women respect, by dishing up them their meals. He glanced at her over his shoulder and smiled seeing her smile.

“Went to the healer I see.” He said, seeing her forearm covered in white powder.
She nodded and smiled.

“I did, sorry, did I wake you when I left?” she asked him, watching him put down her plate and pick up the tea pot and pour her a cup of fresh hot tea.

“No, I caught up on some sleep.” He said, dropping a sugar cube into their cups and then pouring in milk.
She smiled and lifted her chin off his shoulder as he turned and handed her cup of tea and her plate.

“Thank you my love.” She said, taking it from him and walking towards the dining table. He joined her shortly after pouring himself some tea. He sat down beside her and watched her as she began to eat her breakfast.

“It’s nice having you here again. It’s just like old times. I really missed it.” he said, beginning to eat his own breakfast.

“I missed it too. I seem to have grown accustomed to Asgardian climate, I suffered in Muspelheim when I first went back.” she said, taking a sip of her tea.
“You guys really did take the best realm for yourself.” She said, looking out of the balcony and out over the ocean.
He nodded and looked out over the ocean himself. Odin really did take the best realm. She looked to Loki and thought that this was the perfect time to tell him. It’s not like they had weeks.

“Loki.” she said softly and he looked at her.
She smiled and reached over to gently take hold of his hand.
“I’m with child.” She smiled at him, looking up at his face.
She saw his face light up with excitement and then she saw the wheels in his head begin to work.

“That’s… that’s wonderful, Vara.” He said, reaching out and hugging her from his seat.
She hugged him back, forgetting for a few moments that time was up.

“Thor is holding a feast tonight for us, but I said to him we probably won’t go.” She whispered to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Oh no, we’re going. This is the one thing I will celebrate.” He said, breaking the hug and holding her at arms length.
“I have another child while Thor has none.” He smiled widely at her and she sighed.

“You versus Thor again. Really?” she asked him, rolling her eyes at him.
He then realised that if sounded slightly insensitive to use his child like trophy to rub in Thor’s face.

“You’re right. We should celebrate the joy of being parents again.” he smiled at her.
She smiled at him and before she could say anything else, he jumped up and began to pace, his usual thinking stance.

“What are you doing?” she asked him, turning in her seat, leaning against the back and watching him.

“Planning.” He said, continuing to pace.
“I’ll have my servants clear out the room nearest to us. So we can be close to him.” he said, and then he thought further before turning and looking at her, pointing a finger at her. At least he had stopped pacing.

“Or her.” he smiled at her and she frowned at him.
“I hope it’s a girl. I’ve always wanted another daughter.” He smiled, beginning to pace again.
She sighed and turned away, continuing to eat. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that she wouldn’t be coming back. And that he wouldn’t even know about this child by sunset tomorrow.

“There is a slight problem though.” She said, not looking at him as he continued to ramble.
He stopped and looked at her. It had to be an egg. It just had to be. The fates were still being cruel to him, even when he had nothing left to give. He then came to sit by her again.

“Is it another egg?” he asked her softly, worried suddenly about her health.
She shook her head and looked at him.

“No, Frigga says it’s a baby. A normal baby. Well, as normal as it can be, being the child of a Fire and Frost Giant.” She said to him.
He smiled at her and then waited for her to tell him what the slight problem was.

“Thor’s deal. I need to leave for at least six months.” She lied. She had told him that she would come to Asgard for six months out of the 12, and spend the other six in Muspelheim.
He sat back in his seat and sighed.

“Six months, but that would put you,” he said but was cut off by her.

“Right in the middle of the pregnancy, yeah.” She confirmed to him.
“I need to go back to Muspelheim for a while, but I’ll be back in time for the birth.” She said, smiling at him, knowing her child would probably know the same fate as her, living nowhere else other than Muspelheim.

He looked down at the floor and then out of over the ocean. He was saddened that she had to leave. He would miss the first kick and the cravings, the sickness and everything that went with pregnancy. He didn’t want her to go through it alone. He loved her enough to want to work through those problems with her, unlike his other wives.

“At least you’ll be coming back before the birth.” he said to her, reaching out and taking hold of her hand. She smiled and squeezed it softly.

“Of course.” She smiled.
He smiled and looked at her like he never had before. It was quite strange actually. It seemed that he was, if his actions by now had not told her, that he was excited to have another child.

“I love you.” He said softly to her, lifting her hand to his lips to give it a light kiss. She blushed and smiled.

“I love you too.” She whispered back to him.

“Thank you for this gift.” He said, looking briefly to her belly, as if she was already showing and he was hoping to see something. She nodded and hid her tears from him. He smiled stupidly to himself. He then turned in his seat and began to eat again and everything went back to normal.

After breakfast, they went out into the garden and spent the day talking and resting. Loki had insisted that she sit as often as they stopped to do something. She sighed and obliged, not wanting to ruin their last day together.
The sun was out and the air was fresh, with a cool breeze blowing off the ocean and into their faces as he walked around the rose garden, looking for something. She smiled, watching him hunt. She would miss this. The blue sky, the clouds, plants, and sun, the darkness of night, and him going off on his own little adventures, most of the time to bring her something special and rare. She had grown to love Asgard. She watched as Loki picked a white rose and made his way back to her.

“And this, all that hunting?” she asked, taking the rose from him as he sat down beside her under their replica wedding pergola.

“I wanted to find the perfect rose for you.” He said, looking at it and so did she.

She smiled looking at the rose, it was perfect, not a speck of black or brown, and it was in perfect bloom; tight petals in the centre with five or six petals on the outside open, it was in the prime of its life. He then flicked his three last fingers on his right hand and it slowly turned ice blue, like his eyes, and the ones she had on her wedding day. He had learned to tap a little magical power out of her ring, only enough to do low powered spells. She looked at it and smiled, but his tricks weren’t over yet. He then flicked his fingers again and a thin film fell over the rose, wrapping around it and leaving it sparkling like a diamond in the sunlight.

“And this?” she asked, looking up at him.

“I cast a never-ending spell on it. Now it will never wither or die, but remain this essence of perfection forever.” He said, looking up at her.

He reached up and stroked her face and she leaned into him, delighting in his touch. He didn’t want to tell her but this was the spell he was planning on using on her and Eldur to safeguard them, and make them immortal, so they could live an immortal life with him. Before Thor put a stop to all that.

“Like our love.” He said to her, confirming yet again that he loved her and that he always would. She smiled and looked back at the rose, she would have to take it with her, or it might jog his memories.

“Thank you.” She said, leaning towards him and hugging him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, wrapping her in a comfortable embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder, her nose pressed to his neck. He smelled so nice. Cool and refreshing. She would miss this. She would miss him.