(Ahhh I feel so bad for the two of them >_< btw should we time-skip a few months forward?)
Avalin held her composure as she walked through the halls, her face neutral or holding a small but fake smile whenever they passed anyone. As soon as she sat down on her bed though, her mask fell and she put her head in her hands, feeling tears pool at the corners of her eyes. She had just ruined any chance of being able to see Loki, and talk to him too, just by risking spending time with him. To say she felt guilty was an understatement and that was clear as she sobbed into her hands, keeping as quiet as she possibly could. She wanted nothing more than to let out her frustration on yelling at Thor, but instead, she found herself laying down on her bed, crying into her tiny pillow as Magnus sat slowly on one of the empty beds next to her. He seemed to understand her pain, not trying to tell her not to cry, just standing and pulling her blanket over her shoulders before retreating back to his bed.
(I know same here!!!! and sure!)
Having destroyed the bed as well, Loki slept on the floor, having salvaged the blankets and pillows. He was uncomfortable but he didn't care, he wasn't going to get anywhere near comfortable without Avalin. Not being able to sleep, he stood and paced around the dark cell, running his hands through his hair as he decided on what to do. He had found some paper and ink from when he had set everything aside before and decided to write a note to his wife, hoping that the next guard would take it to her.
My love, I hope this finds you well.
I know this is hard, believe me it's worse than any torture imaginable not being able to be with you but i hope this helps a little. I'll see you again my love, I swear to you I will. Don't strain yourself too much, please my dear, I'm begging you. Tell our child I said Hi and that I love him. Let Magnus know that I'm sorry and I'll do everything I can once out of here to get his position back.
I love you Avalin
~ Forever yours my Queen, Loki
He set the note as well as his coat he normally wore in the pod before going back to his makeshift bed, facing the wall until he fitfull fell asleep
Time Skip - Four and a half months
Avalin hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks. She was tired, sore, and missing Loki even more than she thought possible. Still, she was working, mustering up the strength to get out of bed and take the only assignment left that no one wanted. Cleaning the palace. "I miss you, my King," She murmured to herself, one hand resting on her stomach and the other holding a pail of supplies as she walked to the throne room. Being almost nine months pregnant was the worst part of the job, it made it hard to walk and really do anything but sit down, but she was pushing through, the promise she made to her husband clear in her head.
(oh my freaking god we're close and imma cry noo!!!!!!!)
Loki had somehow managed to stay more or less sane in the four months of solitude, having compiled a stash of paper and inks to write to Avalin almost everyday. He didn't know if they got sent to her or if they just got thrown away by the new guards that they switched out ever few weeks. They had refrained from talking to him, whether for their own safety or through fear of being threatened, loki didn't know or care. He spend most of his days against the walls of the cell, his raven hair having grown out past his shoulders and his features sunken in, due to mal nutrition in which he spent days without food, or through desperation to see his wife as the days dwindled down till the baby was born. He had kept his promise to his brother, having not seen Avalin or much of anyone ever since the last he had tried to escape but his patience was slowly running thin. He tried to get back into meditating, hoping the motivation of his wife and child waiting would strengthen him enough.
(Ahhhh I might too!!!..this is going to be so sad to write ;-;)
She slowly set her bucket down in one of the hallways that were supposed to be cleaned, sighing as she sat down next to the bucket. There was no one else in the hallway, something that she was thankful for. Not just because it made her job easier, it meant she could take a short break, or at least take her time as she searched for a rag. Avalin didn't feel any different than she had any other day, but as she tried to stand, she frowned. Normally standing up was hard, but this felt different, almost like a cramp. In an instant, she gasped, realizing that it was a contraction. That would definitely put a twist in her plans for the day.
Loki spend the majority of the day pacing the cell if he wasn't mediating or writing. He was slowly growing more and more worried about Avalin and the child, knowing that the time for him to be born was approaching, that or it already happened. He prayed to Valhalla that they would let everything go smoothly. Thats all he wanted for now until he could hold Avalin once again, for the child to be born in a safe matter.
Her bucket stayed abandoned as she finished standing, deciding then and there that she wasn't going to work at all. Avalin was already nervous, and it had been less than an hour since she had left the bucket in the hallway, her task at had being trying to find Magnus and then to try to talk to Thor. She didn't know how long she had to wait for her water to break, but up until the moment she had to be brought to the infirmary, she planned to beg Thor to let Loki out. At least for this.
The former guard was in the kitchen, lifting bags of flour and rice to the storage room when Avalin found him. Magnus saw the look of nervousness on her face and seemed to immediately know what was going on, stopping his task to meet her at the door of the kitchen and motion her into the hallway so they could talk.
"Do you know where Thor is?" Avalin asked as Magnus started to walk with her down towards the prisons, "I need to talk to him." While Avalin herself wasn't allowed to go to the cell that Loki was in, they both knew that theoretically, Magnus could without getting in trouble.
"No, but he might be in his office or room, I'd say check there. I'll talk to Loki, at least let him know what's happening." Magnus replied, earning a nod in reply as he headed into the prisons and Avalin slowly turned to go find the king.
Loki suddenly stopped in place when he saw movement down the hall. He pressed as close as he could to the barrier and saw that it was Magnus. His brow furrowed in confusion before his mind immediately went to Avalin. "Is everything alright? did something happen?" he searched Magnus' features for an answer by the barrier made his vision skewed slightly. "please, at least tell they're alright."
"Both her and the child are alright as far as I know, Avalin just has started having contractions and she's nervous. I was told to just let you know that she thinks she's going to give birth probably later today." Magnus said calmly, a faint smile on his face, "She's going to try to talk to Thor right now, get him to let you out so you can at least be with her. I have a feeling that if your brother doesn't let you out of here that she's going to take matters into her own hand and get you out, no matter how far along in labor that she is."
he released a breath of relief and nearly slumped to the ground. "please, help her through this," he prayed, his voice a low whisper. he then turned to Magnus "I know I've already ask so much of you but can I ask of you one more thing? Be there if I can't. Even after the birth, please be there for her and the child if I'm still in here." he pleaded, knowing that begging was below him but he was desperate to have Avalin and the child safe.
He nodded in response, "I promise to you I'll be there for her and your child until you're able to come back to them. Avalin is like a sister to me and watching out for her and the baby is something I will do even when you're with them again." Magnus smiled lightly at Loki, then gestured back out of the hall, "Knowing Avalin, she'll be able to convince Thor to let you out. So get your last long looks around this place, you'll most likely be out of it before midnight."
Avalin had already walked through most of the areas that Thor would be as Magnus and Loki talked, pausing every so often as another contraction came. None of the servants knew where he was, and the guards only remembered where he had been hours ago, leaving her making her way through the palace following where he had been. Hopefully, he was still in the palace.
He chuckled softly glaring around the place, his eyes gleaming "I think I've had enough of this place to last me a whole lifetime. I'm ready to see my wife and son." he sighed softly "thank you magnus, you have no idea how much all of your help has meant to me." he smiled gratefully at the young guard and stood up, running a hand nervously through his hair "I probably should have prepared for this earlier but things happened."
"Do you have anything you want me to tell Avalin before you're actually able to see her? I'm going to go make sure she's safe and has found your brother," Magnus asked, knowing that before anything they needed to make sure that Thor would let Loki out of the cell. Before Avalin went into labor preferably.
As Avalin checked everywhere that Thor had been that day, her hope of finding him dropped. Unless he was in the city or in one of the other realms, there weren't very many more places he could be. But until she had checked everywhere, she wasn't going to give up. That much was clear from the determination in her eyes.
He thought for a moment and shook his head "Just that I love her and that I'm proud of her. I'll be there soon enough." he smiled softly and nodded "go ahead, please let me know how things go if I am unable to leave." he said, watching as the guard hurried off.
Magnus left with a nod, almost running into Avalin as he rounded a corner close to the throne room. "Have you found him yet?" He asked, frowning when she shook her head in return, "I'll go check again then, you go back to the servant's quarters and rest for a while. Loki told me to tell you that he loves you and is extremely proud of you."
Avalin smiled gently in reply, looking thankful for Magnus's help, "Thank you for your help Magnus, I really appreciate it. If you find him please send him to talk to me." The young guard nodded and smiled back, then hurried off once again as she made her way back to the servant's quarters. Hopefully Thor would be found soon.
(Hello hello! I’m back!)
Loki paced his cell once Magnus had left, thinking over every and any possible scuba rip that could happen. He tried to be optimistic, despite his current situation. He hoped Avalin was fairing better than he was at the moment, hoped to all in Valhalla that she and the child would be safe. “Please, at least keep them safe. After everything we’ve went through, you owe them that.”
He shook out his hands, both from excitement and nervousness, causing whispered of gold and green to appear and disappear momentarily
Avalin searched for Thor for close to an hour longer after speaking with Magnus. Resting in the servants quarters had been too nerve wracking for her, making her worry even more until she was soon back on her feet looking for him. She went through most of the palace, pushing herself to go longer until she physically couldn't walk for more than two minutes without a contraction. Even then, she had to convince herself that it was what Loki would've wanted before she shuffled towards the medical bay, trying her best to hide her grimaces of pain from whatever servants she passed. She didn't want Magnus to have to search alone for Thor.
Magnus hadn't given up the search, even as he was told by one of the former guards he worked with that the King had gone to one of the nine realms. He cursed, begging for more information and only finding out more when he mentioned Avalin's situation. From what he had heard, Thor was supposed to be arriving soon, and that was enough for him. He was off to Loki's cell in a flash, only pausing to beg that Thor be sent straight to his brother's cell when he arrived back.
He glared up at the empty halls, straining for any sign of a guard, Magnus, or even his brother. With a sigh he sat down, needing to keep himself preoccupied as he waited for any news on a his wife and child. He started to write on the parchment, letters both to Avalin and the child, planning on giving them to them once he was officially released from his confines.
“Stay strong my love.”
Magnus rounded the corner into the cells with a nervous look on his face. He immedately went to Loki's cell, needing to relay what he had found as quickly as possible. "I have good and bad news, Loki," He started, picking at his sleeve and looking at the other male, "The bad new is that your brother is out in one of the nine realms right now, and I haven't seen any sign of Avalin. I'm thinking that means she's already down in the medical bay. The good new is that Thor is on his way back now, so if he's in a good mood, you should be out in a little bit."
Loki stood immediately and pressed close to the barrier as he listened to Magnus. The fact that his brother wasn’t in Asgard worried him a bit, but the thought of Avalin possibly wandering the halls while her baby was coming soon worried him more. “Forget about Thor for now, I’m sure by the time he gets back he’ll know of the situation and decide then. Find Avalin and make sure she’s alright, please.” He knew he was in no position of making orders, especially to the man who had lost his position to helping him but he wanted Avalin safe. The safest place would be with Magnus at the moment.
"I'll make sure she's alright until you're able to be with her, don't worry. Just..get ready to leave at any moment," Magnus said, nodding and meeting Loki's eyes, "I'll do my best to get you out of here in time to be with your wife." Then he was gone, heading towards the medical bay and to where he assumed Avalin was.
He sighed in relief and slid to the floor. “I owe you my life Magnus. Thank you.” He replied, ready to be with his wife and child. He promised he’d be better, swore that he’d try to make a better life for both Avalin and the child, one truly worthy of a Queen and a young prince.
Avalin had indeed made her way down to the medical bay by the time Magnus had found her, and clearly she was in pain. She didn't bring it up though, just smiled lightly at the former guard and watched as he set to work trying to find someone to help her out.
Thor meanwhile was indeed making his way back to Asguard, not hearing word of Avalin's situation until he stepped inside the palace. It had been almost another half an hour since Magnus had left Loki before he was making his way to his brother, arriving at the cell with nothing to say and only the sound of his footsteps to give him away.
Loki had began to pray to Valhalla, still on his knees in front of the barrier, his thin form slumped against the wall. He glanced up as he heard another pair of footsteps, these heavier than Magnus’. He shoved himself off the wall and glared up at his brother, biting back a comment on how late he was and waiting silently, not Daring to say a word.
