Winter's Nightmare

Time for Battle

Lia's POV October 29th, 2016 7 AM

Tossing and turning for the last few hours Lia struggled to get back to sleep. Unfortunately she could see that the sun was rising beginning to bath her room in soft pink light. Rolling over onto her back she sighed and gave up. She carefully slipped out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Waiting for the shower to warm up she tried to shake her dream away.

She had dreamed about Steve again last night. The closer it got to what would have been their anniversary she had begun having more and more vivid dreams about him and nightmares of time with Hydra and him.

Stepping carefully into the tub she let the water run over her sore and uncomfortable body. The water helped to relax the tense muscles in her neck, shoulders and lower back a bit. Usually she got in washed up and got out, but today she just wanted the hot water to wash away the feelings of sadness and longing she felt for Steve.

Nope. Today was going to be a rough day. She could feel it in her bones. Getting out she towled off her body and walked back to her room to get dressed.

Back home she wasn't much into wearing dresses, but as her stomach got bigger it was more about convenience and practicality then personal preference. She did have to admit to herself that all of the gowns she'd been given were absolutely beautiful and easily adjusted for her pregnant belly.

Lia stood in front of her mirror and frowned at the dark red and gold embroidered long sleeved dress she was wearing. The last few days her body had felt like it had gotten even larger despite Frigga and Solvi's reassurances that feeling was normal. Solvi had actually complained that Lia hadn't gained enough weight to her liking. Saying that while she was all belly it wasn't a very big belly since she was so small in stature.

Feeling a flutter of emotion from the baby telling her they were awake and hungry Lia patted her belly gently and communicated to the baby

'Okay, little one time for breakfast.'

She pulled out a black and silver shawl to wrap around her before teleporting down to the kitchens. Strangely more out of breath than usual she placed her hand against the wall near the doorway for a moment. In the last few weeks it had started to take more and more energy to teleport, but not like this. Loki had made her promise to only do it once or twice a day and only for short distances. She only did it in the morning and at night so she didn't have to climb up and down all of the stairs in the palace to get to and from her chambers.

"My lady are you alright?" Siggy, one of the kitchen maids, asks in concern. She was on her way back into the kitchens and had caught her.

"Oh Siggy, you startled me. I'm fine. Just needed to catch my breath is all. It's getting harder and harder to teleport every day." Lia chuckles, standing up straight trying to not show how much it had taken out of her.

Clearly she didn't do a good enough job because Siggy insisted on helping her over to the servants table to rest. Pouring Lia a glass of milk and then grabbing the small basket that the cook, Astra, prepared for her every morning. "Thank you, Siggy. I'll be fine now." She waved the girl off to do her duties.

Astra was kind, but ran a tight kitchen and wouldn't take kindly to what she considered slacking off. Finishing her milk, Lia grabbed the basket and slowly made her way out to the gardens through the back entrance of the kitchens. Heading to her usual spot in the garden.

Almost dead center in the royal family's private garden was a bench in the shade of beautiful large yew tree. Sitting down Lia unpacked some of the soft cheese and brown bread to eat as the early morning sun shown down on her.