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

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Celia couldn't help but sigh with relief when they reached the palace and Selig swung down from Selje's back, then reached up to help her down as well. It felt wonderful to have solid ground beneath her again. "I don't know, Sel," she said as another stable boy approached, "I don't think I'll ever be comfortable on a horse."

"You will, in time." He smiled at the stable boy as he handed off Selje's reins. "Brush him good, Alex."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Turning back to her, Selig said, "So, where would you like to go first? Should we sneak off somewhere or should I put my parents' minds at ease."

"It's probably best to see your parents first."

"To the Throne Room it is."

She glanced up at him as they made their way into the palace. "Selig?"

"What?"

"What will I be expected to do, as a princess, I mean? I don't really know what a princess does."

He shrugged. "I don't know, either. Like I said, my mother had me to keep her busy." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Guess my first order of business is going to be to get you pregnant."

Heat shot through her, but it wasn't altogether pleasant. He was a future king. Everyone would be waiting with bated breath to learn he'd done his royal duty and somehow, the thought of everyone gossiping about and speculating upon their sex life really irked her.

"It's nobody's business when we start a family," she muttered, scowling at the ground.

"Ce, I'm only teasing you."

"What?" She looked up at him. "No, I didn't... I didn't mean you, Sel. It's just... well... I hate anyone talking about me behind my back and I really hate the idea of people snickering over you and I and what goes on in our bedroom. And what if I don't get pregnant? What if I can't? What if you can't father a child? Then what?"

"Whoa... easy, sweetheart." He draped his arm about her neck and tightened his hold to halt her steps. Turning her toward him, he said, "Don't worry about any of it, all right?"

"But, this is your duty, isn't it?" She rolled her eyes. "That's a lot of pressure to lay on someone."

"Celia, hold on." His hands came down upon her shoulders as he bent to meet her gaze. "It's no one's business but ours, like you said. No one is going to hound us about it in my family. When and if we decide to have kids, it's our decision and ours alone and let anyone speculate on it. I don't give a damn. Let them think we're ripping each other's clothes off every night and going it all over the palace. I don't give a damn.

"And when the time comes, if we have trouble, we'll deal with it, whether it's me or you. But," his hands came up to curve against her face, "I don't want you worrying about it, all right? When it happens, it happens."

"So then what do I do while you're off doing your prince stuff?"

He grinned. "My prince stuff?"

"Yeah. You know, whatever it is princes do. Your prince stuff."

He threw back his head and let out a laugh so strong, it reverberated all along the promenade. "We'll find you something to do. You can teach kickboxing or something."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Not at all, sweetheart."

"It sounds like it."

"No. You're my fierce little Midgardian."

"Oh, well, now you're just patronizing me." She pulled away from him and stepped around him, calling, "You're a jerk, Selig Lokison, you know that?"