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A room with a view.
That was the only thing the Lady Leah of Asgard, newly appointed consort of the younger Prince, could not have.
Well, not exactly the only thing… that was just a manner of speaking. But the truth is, humans tend to feel nostalgic about the strangest matters, and they are usually driven to miss what has just been taken from them. Even if what they have at the present moment is way better than their former circumstances.
The sailor longs to step on the mainland after long months at sea; the married man is envious of the bachelor’s freedom; the avid traveler misses the foods and sights of his home country. That is the romantic nature of the human race.
But… there has to be an exception to every rule, and in this occasion the exception was that Leah didn’t have an ounce of romanticism in her body. Therefore, on that particular Fall morning in Asgard, she was currently having her morning bath, without thinking about any of the things she had left behind on Earth. Half submerged in the giant marble tub that occupied almost a third of the spacious bathroom, and framed by fluffy clouds of foam that floated around her, she was truly having the time of her life.
“The water is getting cold”, she whispered, with her eyes closed. “Well, not cold in absolute terms, what would be horrible for me but not so much for you because I know you detest the heat. It’s just at that point of perfect temperature when we can both enjoy it without being uncomfortable.”
Her comment was answered by the low sound of Loki’s staccato laugh.
“How thoughtful of my beautiful wife to warn me of the perfect moment to join her. I appreciate your concern, as always.”
Leah’s eyelids fluttered open, and she was greeted with the very welcome sight of her naked husband standing beside the bathtub. He took the cap off one of the multicolored glass bottles that lined the shelf, and poured a few drops of aromatic oil into the hot water.
Leah wrinkled her nose in response.
“Ugh. That stuff smells like those eucalyptus drops old women carry in the their purses. I hope you’ve opened it because you intend to come into the bath with me, and not to torture me with old lady smells.”
Loki’s laugh resonated again within the tiled walls of the bathing room.
“I could think of much more refined and pleasant ways of torturing you”, he said, stepping into the water. He sat behind his wife, with his legs on either side of her, cradling her body between his arms. “Only if you are up for it, of course. We have a few minutes before our breakfast arrives, but your well-being is my first concern. Yours and that of my child.”
“Our child.”
“That goes without saying, my love. Lean forward so I can wash your hair.”
“You know I’m not an invalid, right? I’m only three months along, I’m feeling fantastic and full of energy… but if you insist on mollycoddling me during the rest of the pregnancy the baby’s going to be born with a permanent headache. Mmmm, but that feels wonderful”, she couldn’t help saying when Loki started massaging her scalp.
“Speaking of your state and its consequences, I just learned that Frigga is going to set you an appointment with a midwife. Just to make sure that everything is normal… at least, as normal as it can be in our situation.”
“I’m sure everything is fine, Loki. The constant sneezing hasn’t returned, I don’t feel unnaturally cold anymore, and I even have a tiny pregnant belly that started showing last week. The little alien is growing, and I’m sure he or she is as healthy as little aliens come.”
One of Loki’s s hands slid underwater, gently covering her stomach and the at the point where it had began expanding.
“You have no way of knowing that. Or have you birthed a Jotunn before?”
“No, but I’m sure Jotunns have babies, unless you’ve been lying to me and they reproduce by spores. Nature has a way of doing her thing, most of the time.”
“Even so, you must seeing a healer at some point, Leah.”
“Fine”, was he grumpy answer. I just don’t like the idea of a complete stranger poking at my lady bits. That’s supposed to be your job", she laughed, almost coyly.
Loki’s hand slid slowly up her body. “Speaking of which, I have a question. Apart from your stomach, I have noticed a change in another part of your anatomy… one that I happen to like a lot.” He covered her breast with his hand, massaging the soapy oil on her skin and circling one of her nipples with his wet thumb. This time Leah’s laughter was louder, and accompanied by a shaky exhale.
“The answer is yes, honey… they’re bigger.”
“Splendid.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed that women’s breasts grow a few sizes bigger when they’re pregnant. Sometimes I doubt that you even knew what a woman looked like before meeting me.”
“I was perfectly acquainted with a vast array of ladies before meeting you, my loose-tongued minx”, he retorted, transferring her his attentions to the other breast… and then lower, underwater, where her warm center seemed to be eagerly waiting for his touch. “But none of them was expecting, and none of them ever became my wife.”
Leah arched her back a little, trying not to splash water around, and leaned her head on Loki’s shoulder behind her. The change of position brought with it a subtle rumbling sound, and Loki removed his hand from Leah’s body and started rinsing her hair.
“Oh, now why did you stop?”
“You are hungry, and breakfast will be here any moment. You barely ate anything last night, you need proper nourishment.” He planted a small kiss on her wet shoulder. “I will love you later.”
Leah stood up and turned around to face him, sporting an exaggerated pout. “Killjoy.”
Now it was Loki’s turn to laugh. “I would not be a killjoy, as you call me, if I did not believe it was the best for you.” He accompanied his words with a playful slap on Leah’s rear. “Now, let us get dressed. Will you try on the new gown Frigga sent you yesterday?”
“No, that one’s far too adorned for this hour of the morning. Too much silver thread and heavy embroidery. Let’s see, I also have the black silk one… or the black wool one. There’s also that other one with the beautiful long sleeves, also black. I think I’ll wear that one.”
“I dread to think of the day when you wear colors again. I know how careful you are with your choice of outfits, we will have to plan your ensembles at least a week in advance. I will start writing a chart, just in case.”
She laughed, sticking her tongue out at Loki. “And you know how much I hate to be micromanaged, even by you. Your chart will be useless.”
Loki helped his wife out of the bathtub, and held up a towel for her to wrap herself in. “I have never tried to influence you on your choice of wardrobe. It is unfortunate that you are stuck with black garments for a while, even if it was your own decision–”
“Especially because it prevents me from wearing your colors–”
“But remember that nothing is permanent. In a reasonable period of time, when your self-imposed period of mourning has ended, you will be able to wear anything you like.”
“Especially if it’s green?” she asked with a wink.
“If it is green I promise not to tear it apart when I relieve you from it.”
Loki put on a pair of trousers and a simple dark green tunic, and turned towards the door that connected the washroom with the cell. “Someone is approaching the prison block. Do not rush your toilette, I will entertain him while you get ready.”
Between the cleverly concealed bathroom entrance and the outside room there was also a sort of walk-in closet, also hidden from view, that Leah used as a changing room because she didn’t like changing her clothes in the cell (not even with Loki’s ‘screensaver’ spell blocking the view). Ten minutes later, she had finally finished drying, dressing, perfuming and pampering herself. It wasn’t an easy task, and certainly not one could perform in a hurry in Asgard; all of her dresses, except for the one she had brought from Earth, had an inordinate amount of buttons and laces. Besides, drying one’s hair over a coal brazier proved to be a very tedious thing, and Leah wondered one more about the wisdom of a culture that had built massive portals between worlds but remained oblivious to electrical installations, or to the invention of the hairdryer. She stuck a few hairpins here and there, pinning her locks into a simple hairstyle, and reached for the door handle.
Before she could return to the cell, she stopped; the sound of a distant conversation told her that Loki wasn’t alone. She remained behind the door, listening to the surprisingly friendly exchange.
“Of course I am surprised that you have decided to pay me a visit. What I would like to know is why—”
“Why am I here? Well, I have an important message to deliver, and there was not a lot of people willing to do this particular errand.”
“But of course. Any other member of the Warriors Three would have killed me on first sight. Then there is Sif, who would have done exactly the same in the cruelest way possible, just for the pleasure of watching me bleed. That only leaves you and my beloved brother as the two remaining options, and I assume Thor is quite busy pretending I do not exist.”
“I am glad to see that your wit hasn’t been dulled by your time in prison, Loki.”
“If you were expecting to see a broken man, you should have come before my wife arrived from Midgard.”
“I have to confess that one of the reasons why I volunteered for coming here today was out of pure curiosity. You and the lady Leah are the talk of the realm, and have been for the last weeks. People love a tragic love story, and you have managed to get yourself into a very extraordinary tale.”
“A tale that did not have the ending I intended… But, since you have finally conceded that the main reason for your visit is your concern about the new lady of the realm, let me humor you.”
He turned towards the back wall of the cell, where the hidden door that separated the private areas from the visible part of the room had been left ajar, and made a sign for Leah to come out.
She stepped into the light, checking one last time that her dress and her hair were in order. Apart from the constant parade of guards outside, that she had quickly learned to ignore, the idea of meeting Loki’s friend (or was it a very friendly enemy?) unnerved her a little.
The usual young Einherjar with the usual breakfast tray waited outside the energy barrier, but this time he was accompanied by someone else. Right in front of the main wall, looking extremely pleased with himself, stood a handsome blond stranger dressed in light green. He looked like an Asgardian version of Robin Hood, and Leah tried to remember if she was supposed to know who he was.
Before she could speak, Loki extended a hand towards her.
“Fandral, may I introduce my lady wife? Leah, my love, we have the privilege of being visited by one of the famous Warriors Three, Fandral the Dashing… who also happens to be the closest thing I have to a friend on this realm.” Leah could hear the tiniest hint of poison in Loki’s voice, but he also seemed quite amused with the situation.
The man on the other side of the invisible wall greeted her with an exaggerated bow and an admiring gaze.
“I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on your wedding, Loki, so I am going to do it now. And to you, my lady, allow me to extend my best wishes.” He motioned to the Einherjar to lower the force field, and the guard deposited a tray full of food on top of a small table, before stepping out again with his typical haste. Fandral, on his part, waited until Loki had made a welcoming gesture with his arm, and only then he stepped inside the cell and made a show of kissing Leah’s hand.
“Enchanted and delighted, my lady. Your beauty surpasses description and lights up the darkest of nights.”
“That’s not true, but thank you anyway. And I’m able to tell the time, even if we’re in the dungeons… it’s still early morning.”
The Asgardian didn’t lose his smile for a moment. He didn’t let go of Leah’s hand, either.
“The lighting up is hypothetical, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Fandral, I believe you said there was a message for me”, interrupted Loki, putting his arm around Leah’s waist. “If you would be so kind as to deliver it and be on your way, we will not detain you any longer.”
“Actually, I do have a message… but it is not for you. Lady Leah, the Queen has requested your company for breakfast. If you feel like accompanying me, I will escort you to her private garden.”
Leah opened her mouth, unable to make a sound. Despite her friendly conversation with Frigga on the day of her arrival to Asgard, she wasn’t really expecting the Queen to pay her any further attention.
Loki’s cast a suspicious look in Fandral’s direction. “Excuse us a moment, my friend. This is quite a surprise.” His hand around Leah’s waist tightened for a second, and he guided her towards the privacy of the walk-in closet.
“Loki, can we trust that man? How do we know it’s not some kind of trick?” she asked in a hushed whisper.
“I am glad to see you exercising caution, but in this case I think there is no danger. Fandral would never dare using Frigga’s name with a false pretense. No, I think this is exactly what it looks like: my mother wants to see you.”
“I’d be less worried if you could come with me.”
“I am afraid the Allfather will never permit that. Remember, you enjoy a certain amount of freedom that they would never grant to me.” He lowered his voice to a mere whisper. “Keep your eyes open, Leah. I do not like letting you out of my sight, but it must be done.”
“I always have my eyes wide open”, she retorted, secretly pleased to hear Loki admit he didn’t want to be away from her. “I wasn’t born yesterday… Well, maybe by Asgardian standards I was, but you know what I mean. I may play dumb every now and then, but your wife is quite a smart cookie.”
“Smart and delicious, like all cookies should be.” Loki’s impish smile almost made her forget her concern for a moment.
“I’m still worried, though. Loki, what if Odin tries to keep me from coming back? God, I think living here has made me more suspicious than I already was.”
“Nothing in this realm or in any other will keep you away from me, Leah. Odin knows that if he tries to separate us I will bring him death with my own hands”, he snarled. “That being said, I am very interesting in the development of your visit to Frigga; all you have to do is go to her… and then come back to me and tell me everything.”
“Very good”, she conceded, wrapping her arms around Loki’s neck. “Don’t hook up with some slutty parlor maid while I’m away.”
“The mere thought offends me”, Loki joked, giving a passionate goodbye kiss to his wife.
Fandral dismissed the guard before leaving the prison wing and proceeded through the golden corridors of the palace, with Leah by his side. His curiosity about the Midgardian lady had been satisfied in part, but he still had a lot of questions in mind about the apparently mysterious woman.
“My lady, are you acquainted with Jane Foster?”
Leah looked at him, surprised.
“As a matter of fact, I am. She was the one who helped me travel all the way here… but I had no idea that you knew her.”
“I had the pleasure of meeting her on my last visit to Midgard, when I went there with Volstagg, Hogun and the lady Sif. I presume Loki has not told you about that time… it turned out to be quite a bad experience for him.”
“We kind of agreed to make a blank slate of his past, if that’s what you mean. Sometimes he’s told me things… about the time after he fell from Asgard, the time when he was alone and hurt. But those recollections are painful to him, and I won’t discuss them with anyone else. Sorry.”
“I am the one who should be apologizing for upsetting you, my lady”, he replied, with a bow and a flourish.
“Call me Leah. Please. If you’re Loki’s friend, I assume you’re more or less his equal, so it’s better if you drop the treatment. And, to continue with our previous topic, I got to know Jane quite well on the weeks before I arrived here. We couldn’t be more different if a mad scientist had designed us both… but she’s a good person. Clever as hell. Also a know-it-all and a bit annoying, but I guess it comes with the job. Don’t tell her I said that.”
Fandral laughed, with that loud and careless laugh of the men who know their mirth is irresistible to women.
“Your secret is safe with me, my lady. I have to confess that I am beginning to understand why Loki chose you… and maybe also why you chose him.”
After a while, they reached the open areas of the palace complex, and that meant the appearance of more and more people. Some of them were palace staff, easy to distinguish by the colors of their livery or the style of their clothes. These were well aware of Leah’s existence, of course, and they smiled at the younger prince’s lady, happy to see for themselves that the rumors were true and that she was free to come and go through the palace. Others appeared to be visitors or public officials, and they seemed a bit more surprised at the sight of the serious looking woman clad in black from head to toe; Asgardian fashion still seemed to be all about light colors, and Leah’s outfit stood up like a Midgardian sore thumb.
A very tall man with curiously elongated ears and dressed in exotic clothes stared openly at Leah. Next to her, Fandral whispered something about him being an official envoy from Alfheim, which according to Loki’s cosmology books was one of the other eight realms, and one of Asgard’s allies. Without stopping, she flashed the dignitary a coy smile and the most elegant curtsy she could manage, and the Elf bowed so low that she could almost see the back of his blond head.
“I think you have a knack for diplomacy, my lady”, said Fandral, looking extremely amused. “Light Elves have a reputation to be extremely arrogant… it is not easy to earn their respect with just one look.”
“I think he was more curious than respectful. But, considering that it’s the first Elf I’ve seen in my life, let’s say it was just good luck.”
“I am going to ask Thor to invite you to the next official banquet. You will be a sensation.”
The green knight led Leah through an elevated walkway and a set of double doors, and they found themselves inside a walled garden.
Leah looked around her anxiously, realizing that she hadn’t seen the outside world for more than three weeks. The place was nothing short of bucolic: a carpet of green grass, crisscrossed by several narrow paths paved with white stones. A bit further, a shallow brook ran through the landscape. Of course it was flanked with rushes and reeds, and furnished with the customary bridge. It reminded her of a postcard, or a stylized version of a children’s drawing: the gold was a bit too polished, the green a bit too green… even the flowers looked as if they had been individually crafted out of silk paper. Exactly like the day she had arrived to Asgard, there was something excessive and irksome in all that perfection, something that made her feel inadequate, even vulgar.
Some kind of construction that resembled a temple stood on the other end of the garden, and Leah could see a table and some chairs had been set on the temple porch. Unexpectedly, she realized that the garden also reminded her of Stuttgart: her apartment had been very close to the Chinesischer Garten, and this place had an uncanny resemblance to it.
The unusual pang of nostalgia for her former home made her nervous, even more when one of the figures sitting on the porch stood up and Leah realized it was the Queen.
“Good morning, child”, Frigga greeted her, kissing her cheek. “I trust you are well. Good morning, Fandral, and thank you for escorting the lady Leah.”
There was another woman standing beside the table, serving tea from a delicate porcelain teapot. Her hair was almost white, and her smiling brown face was covered in fine wrinkles, which surprised Leah. Odin was the closest thing to an elderly person she had seen since her arrival; if Loki was a thousand years old and this woman looked like she could be his grandmother, she must have already been born when the Pyramids were built.
The older lady placed the teapot on the table, and Frigga took charge of the introductions.
“Leah, this is Adis. She has been a loyal member of my household for many years, and I hope she can be of assistance to you in the months to come.”
Leah nodded in silence; it was obvious that the Asgardian nobility would have attendants… personal maids and so on, but she really couldn’t imagine what tasks could a lady’s maid be performing in the tiny set of rooms that had become her home. The only palace workers she had seen from behind the glass wall of Loki’s cell were the guards, the occasional messenger boy (usually with a package from Frigga), and the couple of women who swept the floors of the corridors outside once a day. As for the cell itself, it seemed to be self-cleaning, either by its own magic or by Loki’s doing.
A discreet cough reminded her that Fandral was still there, although now that his task was complete he seemed eager to leave.
“If you will allow me, my Lady Queen, I must get to the training grounds. My friend Hogun has challenged me to a little game with swords, and it would be rude to refuse.”
Frigga granted her permission with a head inclination and motioned to Leah to sit at the table.
“Well, now that it is only us ladies, we can start discussing serious matters”, started the Queen. “First of all, how are you feeling, child? If there is anything I can do to make Loki’s cell a bit more comfortable, you must let me know.”
Leah held up her hands in a mute gesture of thanks. “You’ve done more than enough, seriously. The books, the clothes, the blankets… It’s much more comfortable than half of the apartments I’ve lived in before. And the company makes up for the lack of space.”
“Is Loki treating you well? I will have a word with him if he is not.”
“He showers me with so much affection that I’m starting to worry”, answered Leah, only half-joking.
“Splendid.” Frigga lifted her teacup, taking a small sip of the aromatic drink. “Now, you must be wondering about Adis and her presence here. When I said she was a member of my household, I was not doing her justice at all. She is an excellent healer, and also a very experienced midwife; she has helped bring many children into the world… and I have no doubt that she will do the same for my future grandchild.”
The older woman had remained silent during the brief conversation, not taking her sharp eyes off Leah; she acknowledged Frigga’s words with a head inclination, and then she finally spoke in a soft, deep voice:
“The Queen does me a great honor, one that I do not deserve. I merely aim to share the gifts Nature has given me, and there is nothing more satisfying than helping a woman become a mother. And you, my lady, can be absolutely sure that I will look after you as if you were my own family.”
Leah muttered a few words of thanks, a bit overwhelmed by Adis’ kindness. She reminded her of her late grandmother: not physically, of course, because Nonna Valentina had been a tiny woman with permed hair and piercing brown eyes, and the tall Black healer (it was a bit unnerving how everybody in Asgard was taller than Leah) looked nothing like her. But the tone and musicality of the voice made her think of the only relative who had ever cared about her… and, since she was still adamant in her idea that crying was undignified, she blinked several times to push away the tears.
Adis served another round of tea, along with several types of sandwiches, cakes, and a variety of fruits that Frigga encouraged Leah to try. Probably noticing that her daughter-in-law was a bit overwhelmed, the Queen directed the conversation towards trivial matters for the rest of the meal. After discussing incoming Asgardian festivities, the latest fashions and —of course— the weather, Frigga excused herself.
“I wish I could spend more time with you, dear, but I must tend to my other duties. Adis will see you to the Healing Chambers and then back to your rooms”, she said, dusting a few breadcrumbs that had had the audacity to fall on her lavender gown. “I hope we will see each other again very soon; there is an event next week that I think you should attend.”
Leah finished the last bit of her cake and stood up.
“Yes, Fandral mentioned something about a banquet, but I don’t know if…”
“There will be a dinner five days from now, as a farewell to the delegation of Alfheim. Let me arrange your attendance; it is about time that you get introduced to the right people, instead of being hidden away like some shameful secret.”
As always, Leah had the impression that the Queen had practically read her mind.
“I’m sure I am a shameful secret… at least, to some people.”
Frigga’s kind smile expanded. “Not for long, dear child. I will talk to the Allfather and mention that it will be good for the court to see that you are real and not a… what do you call those things in your realm? A fairy tale?”
“Exactly. Although, in my realm, Asgard is the fairytale”, Leah observed.
“Give all my love to Loki and tell him I will talk to him soon.”
Leah frowned. “But I thought you were forbidden to see him… right?”
Now it was Frigga’s turn to raise an eyebrow and look a bit surprised. “I see my son is still keeping secrets, even from you. Yes, I have means of seeing Loki without the need to visit the prison in person. Ask him to tell you all about it… and don’t forget to look appropriately offended and distant for an day or two, because he should have told you already.”
Leah repressed a snicker when she heard the Queen of Asgard suggesting that Loki should be sent to the doghouse. She cast a sideways glance at Adis, who was also trying not to smile.
The three women exited the garden. Frigga took her leave, and Leah found herself alone with the old midwife, on her way to a part of the palace complex that she had never visited.
The Healing Chambers looked the absolute opposite of an ordinary hospital. To begin with, the white color that dominated the medical field on Earth had been replaced by a series of ochres and golden tones. The entrance led to a spacious hall, like a waiting room, with tall windows and comfortable chairs; then Adis took her through a short corridor, and that’s when things started looking like nothing Leah had seen before.
The consoles that covered the walls were like a medieval version of a NASA supercomputer. To one side she could see a series of small rooms, some of them occupied, all containing comfortable looking beds and more strange equipment. A group of healers passed them by, dressed in simple teal frocks like the one Adis was wearing, and Leah realized it had to be some kind of uniform. And another surprising thing: apparently, the healing profession in Asgard was the exclusive domain of women.
“We have arrived, my lady. Please, take a seat.”
The examination room contained the customary bed and cupboards, but there were also all sorts of strange contraptions, including one that glowed with a faint golden light. Leah sat on one of the chairs and tried not to think about how much she hated going to the doctor.
“Before I examine you, I believe we should talk a little. The Queen has told me about you in advance, of course, but there are some simple questions that I need to ask.”
There was paper and quills on the nearby table, but the healer didn’t seem interested in taking notes yet. She grabbed another chair and sat opposite Leah, whose anxiety was increasing every second.
“So, you are three months along, yes?”
Leah nodded.
“And I take that you are feeling well, in general?”
Another nod, and she also started biting one of her nails, something she hadn’t done in twenty years.
The old midwife, feeling that her patient was closing up like a clam in front of her, decided to go on a different direction.
“I am afraid my knowledge of Midgardian physiology is somewhat limited. The Queen has given me access to some medical texts from your realm”, she said, pointing to a copy of Gray’s Anatomy on a nearby table, “but I will need your help to make sure that everything is going as it should. Our races may look similar on the outside, but there are some differences to take into account.”
“Of course”, said Leah, relaxing a little. “Just ask me what you need to know. I’ve never studied medicine, but I know my body quite well, and I’ll do everything I can to help.”
The older woman look pleased with the answer.
“It says in my books that Midgardian pregnancies last for forty weeks… or nine months. A typical Aesir pregnancy lasts a while more, close to a year. Usually, in case of an… interspecies pregnancy, the time span considered is that of the mother, but we may have to make some adjustments to that, depending on how fast your baby grows.”
Leah bit her lip, suddenly noticing the gigantic flaw in the plan: if the midwife thought Loki was an Aesir, she was in for a world of surprises when the (possibly blue) baby arrived. She got up and paced across the room, not knowing if Frigga had told the healer about her special circumstances.
She didn’t have a lot of time to worry, because the friendly voice of Adis got her out of her gloomy thoughts.
“You have not had any morning sickness.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No, but…”
“And you are already showing a little, even when it is too soon for that.”
“Well, Loki is quite tall, I’m sure it will be a big baby.”
The old woman finally got up from her chair and stood in front of Leah, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“My lady, with a father like Loki, your baby may be bigger than anyone expects.”
Leah felt a cold sweat run through her body under the heavy fabric of her gown. She took a step back, grabbing the back of the chair for support.
“You know. Did Frigga tell you?”
“The Queen did not have to say anything.”
“Then how exactly do you know?”
The older woman’s smile returned, this time with a reassuring tone.
“Because I am not only a midwife, my lady. I was Loki’s nursemaid when he was an infant… I know he was born in Jotunheim; and I am also aware that your child will be part Frost Giant.”