#teaher

“My darling Queen, you’ve no need to stare from the sidelines, when the prize is yours to claim.” Loki rose majestically from the throne and you moved to stand before the steps leading up to it. “Or, rather, it is I who shall claim a prize - your lips.” You smiled back at him, your heart beating a little faster from his praise. Silver tongue indeed.

Loki reached the bottom of the steps and took you in his arms, tilting down to give you a gentle, lingering kiss. His hand cradled your face and he stroked your cheek with his thumb, an appreciative moan grumbling in his chest. He pulled back to gaze into your eyes and for a moment you felt as though you were alone in the world with him.

“I have missed you today,” Loki said quietly. “It’s been dreadfully dull, handling business without you there to sweeten the deal. You absolutely must come to the next trade meeting. Vanaheim would trade all their resources for a glimpse of your beauty.”

“Alright,” you promised. “I have some news for you, so you have to be at supper tonight instead of training.”

Loki cocked his head and gave you a smouldering pout. “Oh, why not tell me now? We’re all alone, we could do anything we wanted.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

You shook your head, smiling. “Thor will be returning soon with Astrid,” you reminded him, lacing your fingers together with his. “You know how energetic she is when she gets home from school.”

Loki laughed. “Especially when her uncle flies her home on his back.”

As if on cue, footsteps and laughter funnelled into the throne room from the exit corridor, and your daughter, giggling so hard she could hardly hold herself upright, ran as fast as she could toward you and Loki. Her face was red and her skirts were flying. A few steps behind her was Thor, deliberately letting her win. You laughed at this spectacle and decided to let it go, just this one time. Astrid looked too much like her father, and acted like him too often, for you to be strict with her for long.

Loki held out his long arms and bent down, grinning broadly at his Princess. “Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!” she screamed gleefully as she jumped into his arms, giving him a bear hug. He rose to his feet, cradling Astrid on his hip. Her eyes were wide and she was breathless with excitement.

“I fought a brave battle, dear niece, but you won this time!” Thor gave Astrid a high five and hugged you in greeting. He was sweaty but it didn’t bother you. “How are my brother and sister on this fine afternoon?”

“Quite well. Thank you for taking her home from school. We would love for you join us for supper tonight, if you’re up to taking a night away from the pub,” you teased. “I have some news to share.”

“Oh? Good news, I hope?”

“The best,” you said, smiling.

“Guess what I found out today!” Astrid directed the attention back to herself.

Loki feigned amazement, imitating her expression. “What did you find out?”

“Everyone has a first name! Even Ms Helsudöttir!”

You and Thor laughed at Astrid’s revelation. Loki pretended to be shocked. “Wow,” he gasped. “What is her first name?”

“Freya!” Astrid broke down into shrieking giggles again, burying her face into Loki’s armour-clad shoulder. Her black curls shook from her laughter. Once she could compose herself again, she raised her head up, smiling broadly, and poked her father in the chest. “What’s your first name, daddy?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Loki joked, grinning broadly. “My name is Daddy. Or Your Majesty.”

“Daddy!”

“Oh, alright, I can’t resist that face. My first name is Loki.”

Astrid looked thoughtful, her little eyebrows furrowed. “Is that why my last name is Lokidöttir?” Loki nodded. “What about you, Mommy?”

You were going to answer but Astrid wanted to prove how smart she was. “I know! Your name is Darling! That’s what Daddy calls you all the time, so that has to be it.”

You adults laughed, and Loki squeezed Astrid tight. “That has to be the purest thing I have ever heard from a child’s mouth,” said Thor, placing his hand on his chest. Loki turned his head to look at you, and his icy blue eyes gleamed with pride.

“I call Mommy that because I love her,” Loki explained. “It’s the name I save especially for her, when I feel so much love that I forget her name.”

“My name is (Y/N),” you told your daughter.

Astrid looked amazed. “Wow, then you must love her a LOT.”

Loki pressed his forehead to your daughter’s. “That I do, Princess. And I always will.”

You sent Astrid to her room to change her clothes, and Loki went with his brother to get some early training out of the way so he could shower before supper. Once you were all gathered at the table to eat, you decided it was time.

“Okay, everyone, I have an announcement to make.” You had everyone’s attention, especially Loki’s. “In light of recent events, this news is especially for Princess Astrid.”

Your daughter started bouncing in her seat. “A surprise, for me? What is it, Mommy?”

“Well, we were talking about names earlier, do you remember?” Astrid nodded, her curls bouncing. “People call you Princess and Astrid. Well, soon you will have another name.”

Loki and Thor figured it out at the same time, their eyes and smiles growing wide, but Astrid still didn’t know. “What name?”

You smiled at your daughter, your hand over your stomach.