Temptation

Repercussions...

There was silence in the room. Eva sat , holding Erik's hand as he explained it all.

Thor and Loki stood at the end of the bed. No one spoke. There was nothing they could say.

"So you are my FATHER?" Eva said eventually, sounding as if she was still in a dream. "Then Frederik is my..." her forehead furrowed in confusion.

"Technically? You are not related in any way, but in reality? He's always been your brother. I am so so sorry, Little One." Erik rasped hoarsely, the tale having taken far more out of him than he'd anticipated.

"Oh." Now she looked up at Loki. "And that makes us..."

"Nothing that you dont want." Was his simple reply. Neither of them could work out the technicalities of being half related to half related family. If ondeed they even WERE related. Loki sighed, "Thor and I need to speak to Odin. He should be told you're back."

Eva stood and looked at the brothers. "I... I have no idea what to say, what to do. I just know that I need to be here. With..." she turned and smiled gently at the man now visibly wilting away, "my Father. We have so much to say and so little time to say it now."

The two princes nodded.

Eva reached up and hugged Thor, kissing his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She felt his warm embrace as comforting as it had been in the market. He walked away into the hall and waited.

Loki felt his heart jolt. He was, all at once, filled with compassion and yet jealousy. He disgusted himself. In her moment of despair, instead of offering comfort as Thor had, all he could think of was exactly that. Thor had been the first to comfort her.

Eva looked at him, gently taking his hand. "Loki?"

"Yes, Eva?"

"Will... will you come back when you've spoken to Odin?" She bit her lip, and he almost caved in. "Please?"

He nodded. "I will." He could deny her nothing.

"Good. I... I would like to talk to you more. I have... questions."

Her father moaned a little and held out his hand. "Eva? Are you there, child? I have more... more to tell you. Before ...."

"Shhh Father, I am coming." She turned back to Loki. "I fear it won't be long. " her eyes filled with tears as she waited for him to hug her. Loki didn't hug her. Didn't offer any words of comfort.

Looking back, he was ashamed. At that moment, all he could think of was that yet again, he had lost. To Thor. Because of Odin. Hatred began to bubble up.

If jealousy is chorossive, hatred is the veneer that hardens what's left. Loki nodded curtly. "I will return. That much, I promise." He bowed slightly and walked off, leaving a desolate Eva.

When the brothers had gone, she turned to Erik. "You wanted to say more, Father? Please, tell me everything..."

Erik explained that they'd told her the story of Frederik and her being siblings to make sure she felt bonded. To Frederik, being told he had a little sister was natural. He was too young to question things. By the time that Eva and he were old enough to understand, Asa had died of a fever. They moved to another house, away from the memories, and Erik had simply lied. About their parents being killed. About him being their uncle. Brutal but, in his eyes, necessary. To protect everyone. He'd lived with that brutal truth hidden away until Frederik had uncovered it by accident.

That was why he left. He had been disgusted by the lies. He had loved Eva like a sister all his life. He didn't want to destroy her in the way he now felt he'd been destroyed, so he left.

It was Erik's single regret. He wished he could have told the truth from the beginning. Lies, this proved, got you nowhere.

What Erik had no way of knowing was that he wasn't the only one who learned the hard way. Alaia had found that out much sooner and far more cruelly.

When Alaia had discovered she was pregnant, she knew that she was undone. There was only one option - one option she would consider - open to her.

Instead of marrying, she made it known she wished to become a priestess. In a closed order, on Vanaheim. That way, she could hide her pregnancy and never have to prove her purity to a future husband. There would never be one.

Her parents, not realising why she'd decided this, were horrified. Her grandfather, Odin, forbade it. No one could believe she would choose a path like that out of the blue. She stuck to her decision. Odin relented on one condition. She could never come back.

She would be effectively banished. If she was going to end their line there, she had no place at court.

He thought he'd called her bluff, that she would never agree to such a condition. He had no idea.

She never returned to Asgard.

Except just once. Having given birth in secret, in silence, totally alone, she brought the child to its father. She knew that no matter what, he would ensure her daughter's safety. Maybe even one day... no. That she couldn't contemplate.

As she watched from the darkness, her heart breaking, Asa opened the door to her daughter, and the future was sealed.

"So why tell me now? After all this time?" She asked softly. "Does it really matter?"

Erik coughed, and she helped him sit a little and take a draught of soothing herbs. "Yes. Yes, it does, child. I want to be able to close my eyes knowing two things. " he paused, seemingly gathering more strength. "One, I want to be sure that you have your family... your REAL family to help you when I'm gone...." he paused and seemed to drift away.

For a second, Eva paused, fearing the worst. "Papa?" She said softly. "Papa?"
Erik's breathing was so shallow she could hardly tell. Turning to one of the healers, hovering around at a discrete distance, she called her over.

"I... I think... he might..."

The healer nodded solemnly. Just as she was about to test his responses, Erik took a shuddering breath in, and his eyes opened.

"And two..." he smiled now, taking her hand in his "I wanted my last sight to be my dau....." he stopped midsentence. His expression slowly changed from gazing adoringly at his beloved child to a glassy stare. He let out a long raspy breath and his hand, clutching Eva's, relaxed.

He was gone. Eva bowed her head and kissed his forehead softly.

"Sleep well dearest Papa. I always loved you like one anyway, so I guess I was the lucky one. I got what I wished for ." Tears fell unchecked. Fir a father lost. For a lifetime, lost.

The healer came and checked the readings then closed Erik's eyes gently. "I am so sorry for your loss. Would you like me to tell the Princes?" She waited beside Eva, respectfully bowing her head.

"No, no thank you. I will. Can you tell me which way is the throne room?"

"She can, but I will show you. Come my dear, its time you met the rest of your family."

The voice, elegance and grace personified provided instant calm. A woman stood in the doorway. Dressed in fine silks and velvet, her hair braided to one side, Eva recognised her instantly as the Queen.

"Your majesty honours me." She sank into a curtsey.

"Come child, please. Let's leave these experts to take care of your father, you will be reunited soon." Frigga held out her hands and pulled Eva to stand "Let's go, you just take my hand. Everything is going to be alright. I promise. "

If only life could be that easy. Never would a promise be so hard to keep......