Consequences

22

Brynja wore black for many years after Loki was taken. The years went by more slowly than she believed they could, but life continued without him.

As the first century passed, Brynja watched Katja fall in love with her friend from Vanaheim, Hiram, nephew to Hogun, their courtship quick and passionate. They were married in a small ceremony with only their family present, both Freyja and Thor presiding over the wedding combining the traditions of Vanaheim and Asgard. The feast after was also much smaller than Brynja and Loki's had been, the couples' friends joining them in celebration. Katja moved to Vanaheim and rose through the ranks of their military quickly, becoming one of their only woman warriors, teaching the soldiers under her command some of the things that Sif had taught her.

Nari and Vali spent more and more time with Brynja's family and she treated them as her own sons, so much older than her daughters but, once no longer afraid of their mother's anger, as playful as their father. While neither of them looked particularly like him, they moved with an inherited grace and there were moments when Brynja would see him in a flash of a mischievous grin or in a mannerism that seemed uncannily familiar.

Through the second and third centuries of Loki's captivity, Sunny began to wander as her mother had done, living in multiple realms, taking lovers where she found them and bearing two children, a son she named Idris, whose father was from Jotunheim, and a daughter she named Miranda, whose father was of Svartalfheim. She always returned to Asgard, though, or to the hills of New York where she had felt so at home with her mother so many years before. Her children grew up graceful, even if they were a little different than the other children in Asgard, both of them excelling in the magical arts of their mother.

During the third century, Thor finally began to take an interest in marriage, entering into courtship with Sif. As the fourth century of Loki's torment began, Sif and Thor announced their wedding date and the entire realm prepared for the elaborate celebration that would take place with the marriage of the king.

Brynja had not worn anything not black since she lost Loki. She stood in her chambers with Sunny on the morning of Thor's wedding ceremony staring at the dress she had chosen to wear. He had insisted that she request a gown that had some colour to it and she had obliged.

Sunny was wearing her dress that was the the colours of fire. She held up her mother's gown, the velvet shining in the morning light.

"It's been how many years I've worn only the colour of mourning?"

"Far too many. I understand your reason, but he would want you to express yourself as you always have."

As the dress draped down her body, Brynja smoothed the fabric and sighed while Sunny swiftly fastened the tiny buttons that ran down the back, "I know. It just hasn't felt right yet."

Sunny only occasionally told Brynja that Loki was still alive. She never described what she saw when she looked through his eyes. She did not want Brynja to have to know what it was her beloved endured.

"He would love this gown," Sunny said as she sat her mother down to do her hair. The dress draped to the floor, trailing behind her, the green velvet of the sides and back broken up only by a long black panel down the front. The wide sleeves, square neckline, and hem were all trimmed in gold knot work embroidered on black ribbon. Sunny twisted her mother's hair and pinned it up the same way that Loki had done for their wedding and then she went to the jewel box on Brynja's desk. She opened it and held it out, "Thor requested that I make sure you looked like the crown princess of Asgard today. I suggest you wear these."

Brynja stared at the glittering gems, "The last time I wore these...."

"Was at your own wedding. Now your brother is to be wed and he would like to see you so shining. I think it would also be a suitable tribute to your husband," Sunny finished.