Son of Mischief (Loki/Asgard Fanfiction - Selig's Story)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Celia's stomach spun as badly as her head and she squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face against Selig's chest. His arm tightened about her, but anything he might have said was lost in the roar of air and space whipping by them. She couldn't breathe, but at the same time, her breathlessness wasn't from lack of oxygen, but from the force of their motion.

Selig knew how to travel by Bifrost, having done it his entire life, and he knew how to land easily. Unfortunately for Celia, she didn't know how to land at all and as her feet slammed into solid ground, pain shot through her legs. She yelped, then stumbled forward. Only Selig's quick arm about her waist kept her from face-planting into Asgard.

"Easy, sweetheart," he said, laughter woven through his voice as he tightened his hold on her to keep her on her feet.

"Damn, that's a rough landing." She winced as she lifted her right foot to rub that ankle. "You need pillows or something here."

He grinned, crouching to cradle her ankle in both hands. "It's not swollen, Ce. I don't think you broke anything."

"Maybe not, but it hurts."

"Welcome home, Prince Selig," Heimdall said from his dais. "And welcome back to Asgard, Miss Baker."

Celia looked up, her ankle forgotten as she said, "Hi there, Heimdall. Sorry about my lack of grace."

Heimdall smiled. "Worry not about it, Miss Baker. It will come to you in time."

"I sure hope so."

Selig straightened up. "He's right. In time, you'll step right out of it as if you've been doing it your entire life."

"Am I ever going to get used to how it feels to travel by Bifrost?" she asked, exhaling sharply to blow her curls away from her face. "That was wild, Selig. It's like the Tower of Terror in Walt Disney World.

"My mother says the same thing," Selig told her, grinning as he caught her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

She returned his grin. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I flash someone or something?"

"What?"

"You're staring at me like you've never seen me before." She instinctively brushed her hands over her stomach, her back, and both thighs. Maybe she picked up some cosmic dirt or something on her clothes. Or her face. She eased her hand from his to brush her cheeks and run her hands through her hair. "What is it?"

"Nothing, Ce." He caught her by the wrists to hold her hands still. "Although, I have to admit, I wouldn't mind if you did flash me."

"So, why are you staring at me, then?"

"Bifrost travel agrees with you, sweetheart. You look like you do when we've spent some quality time rolling around in your bed."

Heat zinged through her, growing worse as Heimdall chuckled. "Selig!"

"What? He knows, Ce. Trust me, everyone seems to know."

"Well, how is that possible?"

He shrugged. "I'm too cute to resist?"

She rolled her eyes, leaning around him to call, "Heimdall, maybe you could zap me home again?"

Selig let out a playful growl, snagging her about the waist. "I don't think so, beautiful girl. Heimdall, you are to ignore any and all requests for this Midgardian to go home. Understand?"

Heimdall bobbed his head. "Of course, Your Highness."

"Wait a minute," Celia looked from Heimdall to Selig and back, "you mean, you don't have to listen to me, Heimdall?"