Among the Asgardians: The Goddess of Love

Octopii

Kathryn's POV

I awoke to the sound of cries. It was a baby. Without opening my eyes, I listened to the voices around me.

"Shhh, child. It'll be okay," said the voice of Sif. "What do we do, Frigga? They're hungry and we have no food for them."

Instantly, my eyes were open. "Frigga," I whispered. "Where are my children?"

She looked at me, her eyes full of concern. "Right here, Kathryn. Right here. how are you feeling?"

"Where are my babies?"  I asked.

"Shh, Kathryn. It's okay. They're right here. Sif and Tahimik have them. You need to rest. If it weren't for that locket Loki gave you, you would have died. Almost did." She took my hand. Instantly, I heard voices in my head. Voices. And they were all Frigga's. I jerked my hand back with a gasp, causing the voices to recede.

"I could hear... you," I whispered. "Your voice was in my head."

"I think it's best to let somone else explain that part to you," Frigga said.

"Loki?" I asked. "Is he okay?"

"He had to take care of Thor. Your little incident would have killed the resistance. I already wiped Odin's mind of Loki's betrayal. Loki is off wiping Thor's. I expect he'll be along in a few moments. In the meantime, your children will need feeding and I know you want to hold them," Frigga said.

I nodded. I did want to hold them so badly. "The boy," I whispered. "Him first." Sif nodded and brought the little bundle of baby over to me, where she laid him in my arms gently, as though he were made of glass. He had Loki's eyes. That was the first thing I noticed. And he had a look about him that suggested wisdom behind those soft, green eyes. A tear dripped off the end of my nose and hit him on the forehead. How much longer before my baby Brutus would have to leave Asgard? "What's his middle name?" I asked.

"Harley," Sif replied. "It's Midgardian. I don't know why Loki chose that name for him, but Heimdall decreed that was what it would be."

I nodded. You don't mess with Heimdall. "I guess he is to be sent to Midgard, then," I guessed.

"No. It all depends on Loki. If he ever falls from Asgard for any reason, or if he is killed, or if he is imprisoned, they must be sent away," she replied. "And they'll grow quickly. The Asgardian blood mixed with your Vanan blood will cause a reaction that stimulates growth. But only for infant hood. Once they reach a certain maturity level, that of a ten year old for example, their growth will slow to a normal pace until they reach adulthood, where they will become immortal."

"Good," I whispered. "Oh, my little Brutus." At my words, the child began to cry. In response, I lowered him to my breast where he began to feed noisily. Sif put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed tightly, beaming brightly into my face. It was hard to believe now that she'd hated me at first. But after a while, we had become friends and now we would die for each other. I was glad to have a friend like Sif.

When Brutus finished feeding, I nursed Antigone. She was going to look just like her father. I could see it in her face. However, there was but one trace of me. My eyes, copied exactly onto her face. One bit of me she would never, ever lose. Now full, the children quieted. I held them both in my arms, cradled to my chest. I didn't know how I could bear to lose them.

There was a bright flash of light.

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