#intrigues

‘I hate him, I want him castrated.’ Maebh groaned as she felt the next contraction start.

‘You said that last time.’ Sif dismissed as she pressed a cloth to Maebh’s forehead.

‘I mean it this time.’

‘You said that too,’ She laughed. ‘So what was the cause of this then?’

‘Thodin’s marriage, too much mead.’ She groaned.

‘Well, it is renowned for assisting in fertility.’ Sif shrugged as she helped Maebh through the contraction. ‘I thought you said you could not lay with him any longer.’

‘It just happened.’

‘And no pain?’

‘Not that I can remember. This baby better not be like Einar.’

‘You are big.’

‘Do not say such things.’ Maebh pleaded.

‘It will be here soon. I am thinking a girl.’

‘Danu would love that.’

‘She has been praying to Freya for it.’

‘She is fourteen, they are so far apart.’

‘Maebh, there is Nafi, Vali, Kushtrim and Einar, there was also Liulf, that is five boys in total and her only sister taken from her, she just does not want to be the lone girl.’

‘Danu was the Mother Goddess, she commanded mostly men.’

‘Well mostly is not all, Danu does not want to be the only girl.’

‘I cannot control these things.’

‘Well act like you do and hope for a girl.’ Sif suggested.

‘I am too old for this. No more.’

‘Yeah, I heard that before.’

‘How did you stay at three?’

‘I have no idea, it just happened.’ Sif did not know, she and Thor continued their marriage as before, but she had not conceived again after Modi. ‘Thank the Norns.’ Sif walked to the door. ‘Danu?’ The girl came to the door. ‘You need to get everything ready.’

‘Already do.’ She smiled, bringing everything into view.

‘I hate you right now.’ Maebh growled at Sif.

‘Mother, if you ever plan on having me be interested in being a wife, you are not helping the idea of me wanting children.’ Danu pointed out.

‘Do not do it, it is a trick, keep away from men.’ Maebh warned her.

‘Listen to your mother.’ Loki called from the other room.

‘Shut up you, this is your fault.’ Maebh snarled.

‘You were not exactly declining my advances.’

‘I am going to kill him.’ Maebh tried to rise from the bed, but Danu and Sif pushed her back down. ‘Let me at him.’

‘After you get this baby out.’ Sif promised.

‘No, because I will be too content to do it then.’

‘No, you are not far from needing to push, you cannot be running around after a fleeing husband.’ Sif informed her.

‘Fine, but only because I can feel the baby beginning to press down.’ Maebh conceded as she felt her body ready for what was needed of it. For all her jesting, Maebh was concerned at the damage her body was about to endure. She had been somewhat shocked when, after their night of unplanned passion, she felt no pain, but she refused to believe that she would get away without terrible injury after a birth. She could only wait and hope that it would not be so bad. ‘I take it the healer is less than pleased.’

‘She seems to think you are the worst sort of patient, you did not heed her warnings.’

‘It was not planned.’ Maebh inhaled deeply. ‘I think we are there.’

Sif checked. ‘Yes, next one, you will be able to start.’

‘This is better than a cold room in a foreign land.’ Danu jested as she looked at her mother.

‘Yes. you do not have to be here.’

‘I want to help. I did okay with Einar.’

‘You did.’ Maebh grimace as she felt her body ready to begin another contraction.

‘Mother, perhaps you need to consider not having any more children.’

‘Danu, your mother has been saying that since after you and Kushtrim, trust me, if she could prevent it happening, she would have done so way before now.’ Sif laughed.

‘But….you can stop it, by not doing things.’ Danu stated plainly having long been told by her mother how children came to be.

‘Yes, if you can stop doing those things, that is the issue.’ Sif laughed. ‘You cannot stop love.’

‘Arranged marriage?’ Maebh suggested playfully, laughing at the horrified look on Danu’s face. ‘Never. Do what right for you, my beautiful….Ah!’ Maebh’s teeth clenched together as the baby began to make its way down the birth canal.

‘Push, Mother.’ Danu pleaded, taking her mother’s hand. ‘I have another brother to welcome.’ She smiled.

*

Nafi sighed with relief as the coast of Asgard came into view. ‘Anna.’ He nudged his wife gently to get her to wake. ‘We are here.’

‘Thank goodness.’ She rubbed her eyes. ‘I cannot remember this journey being this long.’

‘It does seem longer this time, I agree.’ Nafi conceded, making sure that they were still warmly wrapped in their pelts. ‘We will be there very soon though.’ He rubbed her arm.

As they got closer, Nafi glanced at the shoreline and grinned as he focused more on it. He watched as two figures on horseback cantering along the water’s edge. He smiled as they came to the dock at the same time as the boat docked. ‘How is that boat taking you, you never seem to cease growing, Anna, you poor thing.’

‘You finally grew a bit, I was getting worried you were taking Mother’s height.’ Nafi chuckled as he stepped off the boat, embracing his brother tightly, clapping his back. ‘I have not seen you in too long, how are you, Brother?’

‘All the better for seeing you. What brings you here?’

‘Just came to see my family. I hear my idiot younger brother convinced some poor creature to marry him.’

‘Yes, that rumour is indeed going around the realm. I heard my older brother had some news also.’ Vali joked.

‘I do not know what you are talking about.’ Nafi grinned.

‘Not what we hear, is it Kush?’ Vali looked around grinning.

‘Nah, we heard different.’ He grinned, stepping forward and hugging his brother. ‘You are built like an ox.’ Kushtrim commented. ‘Anna, how can you even fit in a bed with him?’

‘I have to sleep sideways.’ She laughed as Vali aided her out of the boat. ‘Einar will be broader, I think.’

‘Without a doubt, he has grown since your last visit, you will not believe it. He will be broader than Grandfather.’

‘Is that possible? Were it not for Danu being the one to assist Mother with the birth in a small room on Midgard, I would think it the wrong baby.’ Nafi stated.

‘I think the only reason people do not think he is not Father’s is his eyes and hair being identical.’ Kushtrim added.

‘That; and could you imagine the idiot to imply Mother would stray from Father?’ Vali commented.

‘I think Mother would flay them.’ Nafi nodded.

‘At the very least.’ Anna agreed.

They walked through the village before making their way to Thor’s. ‘Father, guess who is here.’ Kushtrim called out. A moment later, a small, burly built boy came out of the dwelling and looked at them. ‘Einar, do you know who this is?’

‘Anna!’ Einar rushed over to her, hugging her tightly. ‘Hi, Nafi.’ He stated dismissively as he cuddled Anna.

‘I am only your brother.’ Nafi grumbled.

‘But he loves Anna.’ Vali laughed. ‘Cannot say I blame him, she has doted on him since Mother brought him back from Midgard.’

‘Yeah, that is true.’ Nafi conceded. When he turned slightly, he smiled. ‘Hello, Father.’

‘My son.’ Loki embraced him tightly. ‘How are you? You did not tell us you were coming, it is so good to see you.’

‘We thought we would come and say hello, I hope you do not mind.’

‘Never, you are always welcome home, you know this.’ Loki smiled. ‘Hello, Anna. I see you are commandeered once more.’

‘By my second favourite Lokison.’ She smiled as she looked back at Einar.

‘Where is Mother?’

‘At home, looking after your grandmother, she and Danu are no doubt rushing around dealing with things.’

‘Why so?’

Well, you recall Leah?’ Nafi nodded. ‘She wed Heimdall.’

‘About time.’

Loki smiled and nodded back at his son. Leah and Heimdall spent the best part of the previous few years tiptoeing around things, but with Maebh losing her patience one day, she quite literally came right out and dealt with it, leading to a conversation on it, much to everyone’s surprise. Leah had been made terrified of childbirth and carrying as a result of her past trauma, something Heimdall completely understood and sympathised with, and with the loss of his wife and children to the disease, and with one healthy daughter, he was okay with not having any more children, so with that in the open, the pair were content and a match made. Heimdall once more had a stable home for his daughter as well as a very loving stepmother for her and the affections of a woman who clearly was happy by his side, something he praised the Norns for.

‘So who is helping mother?’

‘A young enough woman, Nia, she is good but still learning. Danu and your mother are helping her get settled.’ Loki explained. ‘We will take the cart back, it will be quicker.’

‘Is Uncle Thor not around?’

‘No, he is gone hunting with Thodin and Modi, they will be back in a few days. I had to deal with an issue in his absence there.’ Loki rolled his eyes. ‘You know how it is. How is Ásvaldr?’

They got back to the house soon enough, and with the horses being cooled by the farmhands, they entered the dwelling. ‘I think you brought home some stragglers.’ Danu laughed at seeing her oldest brother. ‘Hello.’ She hugged him tightly.

‘You literally are Father’s image, you know that, right?’

‘I would have been a wonderful looking woman.’ Loki jested as he looked at his daughter.

‘You could not exude the same air as I do Father, so you would not be as incredible.’ She laughed.

‘No, you get that from your mother.’

‘Where is she, and Grandmother?’ Nafi asked.

‘I am right here.’ Nafi turned to see Frigga sitting by the fire. ‘Hello.’

‘Grandmother, how are you?’ Nafi was shocked to see how old his grandmother was becoming.

‘All the better for seeing you, my handsome boy.’ She gently kissed his cheek. ‘How are you?’

‘So happy to see you all.’ He smiled.

‘Good.’

‘And Mother?’

‘She is sleeping, she had a long night.’ Loki explained. Nafi looked to his father worriedly. ‘You were not told?’

‘Told what?’

‘What do you think?’ Kushtrim laughed.

‘I….’ Nafi looked amongst them. ‘But Mother cannot….’

‘Should not, would have been the correct term.’ Frigga scoffed eyeing her son in a scolding manner.

Nafi looked to his father, who shrugged unapologetically. ‘So I have another brother?’

‘Why did everyone assume another boy?’ Loki asked.

‘He is not wrong though, is he?’ Vali laughed.

‘Another….really?’

Loki smiled and walked to the bedroom, coming back a moment later with a small baby, no more than a few months old. ‘Nafi, this is Vidar.’

‘Vidar.’ Nafi studied his new youngest brother. ‘He looks more like Mother.’

‘He does.’ Loki conceded. ‘I think he will be like Liulf.’

‘Father, I fear I am at risk of not remembering how many brothers I have.’ Nafi laughed.

‘How do you think I feel?’ Loki retorted.

‘Loki?’

‘In the living area, Dear.’

‘Did I hear…?’ Maebh looked out of the room.

‘Hello, Mother.’

‘How big you are getting.’ Maebh smiled at him. ‘You are a formidable man.’

‘Size has nothing to do with such things, you are so small and yet feared by so many.’

‘Well, I am apparently the Goddess of War and Death.’ She scoffed.

‘And procreation it would seem.’ He pointed to his new brother.

‘Yes. I blame your father.’

‘She tried to get up and kill him when she was in labour, it was hilarious.’ Danu laughed.

‘Danu, stop reminding her.’ Her father pleaded.

Maebh for her part rolled her eyes. ‘You must be hungry, come, let us get you all fed.’

‘We are really going to need a bigger table.’ Vali stated.

‘Well you are moving out soon, so that is a help.’ Kushtrim commented.

‘I not moving anywhere, we are staying here, I asked Mother and Father.’

‘Wait, where are you going to fit?’

‘You and Einar in one room, me and Sigrunn in our room, Mother and Father in theirs with whatever number of more children they decide to bestow on Asgard and Grandmother and Danu in their room.’ Vali shrugged.

‘What about when Brienne and I get married?’

‘You can leave, no one is stopping you.’ Danu snarked, Vali and Einar laughing with her.

‘Behave.’ Their father reprimanded. ‘Our old home, the one from when there was only Nafi, will be repaired and readied to include a small workplace for you.’ Loki informed Kushtrim.

‘My own….?’ Kushtrim stared at his father in disbelief, Loki nodded. ‘I…’

Kushtrim’s skills as a fighter were fairly good. He was well able to defend and attack, but he did not have the heart. Something he feared his parents disowning him for, but they, to his shock, seemed to love him more for it, showing him that his own traits, though not similar to theirs, were as admirable in their eyes.

‘Yes, Heimdall insisted on it also and has aided in its construction. After all, a good workshop for you is a good income for you and Brienne.’ Maebh smiled.

‘I….Thank you.’ Kushtrim had tears in his eyes as he took in what his parents were doing for him, to ensure him a good life.

‘It is our duty as your parents to help however we can so that you can look after your own families in years to come. Just as Mother aided me.’ Loki looked fondly to Frigga, who sat at the head of the table.

‘Your father should have done more.’

‘He came through when it mattered.’ Loki acknowledged. ‘Look at this home, look how many children it has raised and is still raising.’ He smiled, taking Vidar so Maebh could eat. ‘We are blessed.’

‘Or cursed.’ Vali joked.

‘Well, it is odd.’ Maebh laughed. ‘Vidar is younger than his niece.’

Loki looked at the little girl sitting on his oldest son’s lap. At just coming to a year old she was indeed older than her uncle. ‘It is unusual, becoming a father again after becoming a grandfather.’ He grinned. Vidar began to yawn. ‘I better put this boy to bed.’ He walked away from the table. ‘Will I…?’

‘Please.’ Maebh smiled. ‘Has she settled more now?’

‘Well, the journey over with her was harder this time, last time she just slept, this time she is far more interested.’ Nafi looked down at his daughter, who was chewing at her fist. ‘How do you do it with so many. Vali, Danu and Kustrim were all in one year.’

‘You adapt.’ Maebh smiled. ‘She is growing well.’

‘Yes.’ Loki came back and gently sat down again, cradling the baby in his arms. ‘She is looking more like you now, Anna.’

‘She is, though she has Nafi’s hair, it sticks out everywhere.’

‘At least she has hair.’ Loki laughed, indicating to the baby in his arms.

‘But…’ Nafi pointed to the baby. ‘Vidar….’

‘Vidar has hair, Freya has none.’ Danu smiled.

‘Who in the realms is Freya?’ Nafi asked, utterly confused.

‘Our sister.’ Vali informed him.

‘Wait, what?’

‘Mother can only have girls if she has a boy at the same time.’ Einar stated sagely as he stole some of Vali’s food while his older brother looked at Nafi, awaiting his reaction.

‘I have….oh Norns.’ Nafi shook his head. ‘There are two? What...How….?’ Loki simply shrugged. ‘How do you not know, you did it?’

‘You cannot control certain aspects of these things.’

‘I give up. I just...now Vali is getting married and wait and see, he will have a child and you two will assume that is your cue to have more.’

‘How do you think we feel, we thought there would be no more, then not only is there one, but I am forced to birth two, again!’

He looked at his little sister, who frowned at the large built man giving out across from her. ‘She even has Mother’s frown. At least she is well named.’ She gave him a bemused look. ‘I am going to come home to more children next time, I know it.’