“Me? Says the one who practically ran around Asgard and Florida, the France.” He laughed and awkwardly scooping the child up when Avalin passed him on. He cradled the baby in his arms, continuing to play with him, waving his hand around to create animals prancing around the baby.
“I can’t guarantee we’ll be here all the time but we’ll try as much as we can.” She said softly with a reassuring smile, glancing over to Loki and Lief.
“So tell me, how in the 9 realms did you manage to tame the Prince of Mischief hm? I never knew him to do anything for anyone.”
Loki glared at his mother playfully before rolling his eyes and continuing to play with Leif
Avalon stuck her tongue out at him but smiled, “I’ve never been to Midguard before that, I had to explore everywhere I possibly could.” She settled into the seat, focusing her full attention on Frigga and laughing lightly. “I’m not sure what I did, I suppose I just annoyed him to the point where he fell in love,” She said, looking over at Loki with an adoring smile, “I remember watching him train, the first time we talked, and he was polite to me, unlike most of the royals. He didn’t even report me for breaking protocol and watching him destroy training dummies.”
Loki walked over and leaned against the seat. “My point exactly, you wanted to explore, just as this little one will.” He smiled and pulled his hand back gently from Leif, warning him a whine and then a small cry, to which Loki immediately gave his hand back.
“Ah yes, the days we spent together, me standing innocently in the middle of the armory while you blatantly shot at me with sharpened arrows.” He teased, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her head.
Frigga raised an eyebrow before laughing and shaking her head “First off, I doubt you were innocent of anything, even ignored you were just training, secondly, good for you Avalin, my boys need a bit of danger in their lives, even if that includes target practice.” She winked
"You gave me sharpened arrows, I tried to insist that they were dulled," She replied with a playful scowl, laughing lightly, "And I think you forget that you had me be target for your magic one day. That was fun, if life threatening." Avalin laughed again, turning back to talk to Frigga, "I'm not sure how you managed to raise them both to adulthood, I'm not sure if they have a cautious bone in their bodies."
He rolled his eyes playfully and gently leaned against her. “I would have never put you in any danger.” He said sincerely, glancing down at the child as he slowly fell asleep.
Frigga shook her head with a smile. “I’m not entirely sure either, one of the many mysteries of my sons that I will never understand. And no, I’m afraid they don’t, even now.”
"I know you wouldn't," She replied easily, letting him lean on her as much as he wanted to. Avalin glanced at Leif, a soft smile washing over her face before she turned back to Frigga, "Is it possible to come back and visit you two again? Or is this the only time we're able to?"
Frigga nodded “of course. I can’t guarantee we’ll be here all the time but we’ll try as much as possible.” She reassured, looking up as the room they were in started to fade. “I’m afraid our time is waning.” She said with a sad smile, standing and hugging Loki. “Please try to resolve things with your brother. You both know only good can come out of it.”
“Only if he starts first.” Loki replied with a soft smile.
Frigga shook her head and ruffled his hair a bit. “You get that stubbornness from me.”
He laughed softly and nodded “I do. I’ll talk with him.l he promised, handing off Leif to Avalin to give his mother a proper hug. “I miss you.” He whispered softly, tears threatening to escape.
“I know, I miss you too.” She replied, “we’ll see each other soon.”
Avalin easily took Leif from Loki, smiling at the sleeping child and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I love you my little prince, and I miss you. But knowing that you're well cared for helps." She could feel her tears from before start to form, but they didn't spill, even as she handed the baby back to Frigga and smiled at the two of them saddly. "Thank you for this. I promise we'll be back whenever we can be."
Frigga gently took the baby back, rocking it in her arms. “I only feel like I’m doing you an injustice by having him here.” She replied softly, hugging Avalin with her free arm. “I’m the one who should be thanking you for making my son so happy.”
"Making him happy is something I will happily do for however long I can," She replied, hugging Frigga tightly and smiling gently, "Thank you for raising such a loving gentleman." Avalin slowly stepped back as the room continued to disappear and she looked up at Loki, curious as to if time had flown by so fast or if they were being pulled into one of her nightmares.
Loki wrapped his arms around Avalin’s pressed a gentleman kiss to her head, smiling softly at his mother as she and Leif disappeared, along with the rest of the room. “Time to go back, love.” He whispered softly, his voice fading as they too started to blur, a sure sign they were waking up.
She nodded, leaning into him and letting her eyes close as she let the dream fade. Avalin sighed, not quite ready to go about and face another day but knowing it was inevitable, even as she buried herself further in the blanket that she was now aware of. Being semi awake meant that Loki had to leave soon, and that was the only thing that helped her wake up.
Loki slowly blinked awake, not wanting to let the dream go. He sighed softly and glanced down at his waking wife, smiling softly as he watched her bury herself in the sheets. “My love, time to wake up,” he whispered softly, gently brushing her cheek with his hand
"Do you have to do?" She mumured, pulling herself closer to him and barely opening her eyes. Avalin didn't want to wake up, but she knew she had to if she wanted to spend any more time with Loki. Gently she poked her head out from under the blanket, looking up at him with sleepy and sad eyes.
“Yes, I regrettably do my love.” He replied softly. “I’ll see if I can talk with Thor, at least to get one more day with you but I doubt I’ll be able to push it farther than that.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her head and slowly sat up, still holding her against him. “At least we’ll have the nights.” He said with a small smile, lifting their still intertwined hands to show the bracelets
She nodded, not once leaving his side as he sat up, wrapping him in a soft hug. "If I have another nightmare though…I don't want to force you through that," She whispered, closing her eyes and squeezing his hand tightly, "If I have a nightmare, please go about a normal dream if you can." Avalin opened her eyes, looking up at him and mustering up a hesitant smile, "I can handle them I promise. And I'll tell Westly if you're really worried."
He gently cupped her cheek and shook his head “Love, no. I’m not letting you face that alone. We’ve been apart for far too long. Anytime I get with you I’ll take, even if it’s a nightmare. The true nightmare would be a dream without you.” He pressed a kiss to her lips and smiled softly “I know you can darling, but you’ve been through enough suffering.”
Avalin paused, then nodded slowly again, meeting his eyes, "Please tell me if you don't want to face any of my nightmares at any time, alright? I don't want to make you go through those if you decide that they're too much." She rested against him and closed her eyes, sighing and snuggling up as much as she could. After all, they didn't have a lot of time left together.
“I won’t, but for your sake I’ll say I will.” He teased, hugging her close and kissing her head. He glanced up as a guard came into the room, one Loki didn’t recognize.
“I’m here to escort you back to your our holding cell as requested by his Majesty. If you do not comply, orders are to use harsher methods.” The guard stated. “Oh, and I’m sorry for your losses, your highness.” He added, almost as if it were an after thought.
Avalin's eyes flicked up at the sound of footsteps and she hugged Loki close, not hiding the sadness on her face. "Will his Majesty allow me to walk with my husband?" She asked the guard, forcing herself to look regal and put together instead of hurt from the loss of her child and now of her husband again.
The guard hesitated, having not told specifically if that was allowed. “He did not say.” He said blatantly before nodding. “If either of you try anything-“
“We won’t.” Loki cut him off, slowly standing and helping Avalin up, supporting her by the waist in case she was still shakey. He nodded to guard to start walking.
"I give you my word, we won't try anything," She replied to the guard, standing up with Loki's help and gratefully accepting the aid. It hurt to walk, but she did so anyway, trying to hide the fact that her knees did buckle when she first stood. Still she started walking though, trying to spend as much time with him as she could, even if it meant walking him back to his cell.
He held her close as they’ve walked, keeping a secure arm around her at all times. The guard remained silent, not even looking behind him to make sure him and Avalin were still following. Loki narrowed his eyes, wondering why he hadn’t even bothered with chains. He thought about disappearing with Avalin, just a wave Igbo his hand and they’d be realms away from Asgard. But he had promised Avalin a better life. Had promise dinner that they wouldn’t run anymore. Thor knew this, as did the guard. He wasn’t willing to risk their chance at a happy life, not after losing Avalin Forbes five years and certainly not after losing their first born son
"I promise I'll try my best to get you out of there as soon as I can," Avalin said softly as they walked, keeping an arm of her own wrapped tightly around him like he was going to disappear if she didn't, "I'm going to rest today, but then I'll start to work again. If I only take today then it'll only be a few more months of work before you should be out." She looked up at him, looking tired and still mourning the loss of their son, but determined.
He sighed softly and shook his head “My love, rest when you need. Please don’t work yourself to collapse just to get me out, especially after today. I’ll be alright in there, but not if you’re tiring yourself out.” He said, pressing a kiss to her head and giving her a pleading look. “Please don’t make me have Thor request you take absences because I hear if you fainting from exhaustion.”
