Dark Fire

Chapter 16: Red

Alena's P.O.V
"So you grew up here?" Charlotte asked as a servant did my hair. I looked at Charlotte through the mirror with a small smile. We were in my bedroom getting ready for our little mother daughter day in Asgard. Well I'd be just introducing her to people and showing her my favorite places growing up.
"Yes. I slept in the very bed you are sitting on" I said as I stood up and walked over to the closet going through some dresses that use to be mine when I was little. I picked out a royal blue dress that I once wore to a ball. I laid it out on the bed and told Charlotte to get dressed. She quickly put on the dress as a servant brought in mine. Charlotte's mouth dropped at the sight of the red dress.
"That's like a princess dress!" She said excitedly running over to me.
"Your dress is more like a princess" I said smiling at my baby girl. Alex began to cry in his crib which made me walk over. I picked up Alex from his crib and rocked him a little bit trying to get him to calm down. I could tell he was hungry. I was still wearing my night gown. Steve was probably with Tony and Clint or Thor. Loki agreed to teach Charlotte a little more about her healing ability today. And I was going to train with Sif and the others. Charlotte hopped onto the chair ready for the servant to work on her hair.
"You take a break, Rowan" I said to the servant, "you deserve a little break." Rowan thanked me before exiting the room. I laid Alex near the toys that I once played with and walked over to do Charlotte's hair. I braided her blonde hair and wrapped the braid around her bun.
"It looks pretty" Charlotte said smiling at her reflection.
"You look so much like me when I was your age" I said tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She sat on the floor with her brother as I changed out of my nightgown into the red. I looked at myself in the mirror and pictured my 13 year old self ready to go to the ball for my return to Asgard. Tonight was the celebration for my return and for Alex and Charlotte.
"Spin" Charlotte said smiling and I gladly spun around and the dress spun with it. Her face lit up with excitement, "you look like a princess mommy."
"So do you" I said picking up Alex with a smile, "come on. We have a lot to do today."
We left the bedroom and Charlotte ran down the hallway with excitement. I began to speed walk after her so she didn't get in any trouble. We didn't need to have a replay of the issue from yesterday. Charlotte hopped down the steps one by one with a large smile on her young face. It made a smile come to my features as Charlotte saw Steve talking to Thor. Thor had tried to give Steve Asgardian clothes but Steve decided to wear clothes from Midgard.
"Daddy!" Charlotte said with a big smile.
"Hey princess!" Steve said picking up his daughter with a large smile. Steve had to take a double take when looking at me, "wow! Y-you look beautiful."
"Thank you Stevie" I said with a smile as he set down Charlotte and took Alex.
"Could I possibly tag along in our mother daughter day? We could have a family day" he suggested making me smile.
"I guess so" I said.
"Thank you" Steve said as Thor said goodbye and left to go train with the Warriors Three. Thor should really take the duty as King of Asgard. I think he should bring Jane to Asgard and marry her. I was the only one out of my siblings that were married. I believe Loki had children but he only told me of their existence. I only know of Hela. I have only met Hela once or twice when she was little. She must be 13 or 14 now.
The four of us headed out of the palace and down into the village. Charlotte ran down the street with excitement written all over her face. Villagers smiled and waved at us. I would smile and wave back. No one in Asgard besides my family knew about my husband and my children.
"Princess Alena!" A small girl said running up to me. She had long brown hair and green eyes. I smiled at her and kneeled down to her height.
"Hello" I said.
"Who is this?" She asked staring at Steve.
"That's my husband, Steven" I answered.
"And the baby?" She asked.
"My son, Alexander" I said as Steve sent the little girl a small smile. She smiled back before running off to her friends. Charlotte came running up to us with the biggest smile on her face.
"Mommy! Can you show me the gardens you were talking about?" Charlotte asked.
"Of course!" I said with a large smile as we began to head towards the gardens inside the palace. The different colors of flowers and the sweet smells coming from the beautiful flowers. The sound of a waterfall slowly flowing would be able to sooth someone to sleep. It actually made Alex finally go to sleep. I spotted Loki sitting on his usual stone bench reading a book. Typical Loki. I used the magic he once taught me to turn the page in his book. He looked up from the story and smiled kindly.
"Good evening, Loki" I said with a kind smile towards my older brother.
"Same to you, Alena" Loki said as Charlotte ran towards me with a red rose. She handed me the rose and I put it in Charlotte's hair. She smiled and giggled softly before rushing off to find some more pretty flowers. I looked at Steve who was holding the sleeping Alex in his arms.
"Do you want me to take him so you can follow the trouble maker?" I asked smiling.
"That would be smart" Steve said handing me Alex before rushing off to find our little girl who was probably picking too many flowers.
"He looks like The Soldier" Loki said referring to Steve.
"I guess you could say he does" I said rubbing my thumb across Alex's chubby cheeks. I even noticed a small smile on Loki's face.
"I remember when Hela was that small" he said.
"Do you want to hold him?" I asked.
"S-sure" Loki said smiling as I handed Alex to him. His smile grew bigger as he stared at his little nephew.
"How is Hela?" I asked.
"She's safely hidden" he said.
"I think she should come out of hiding. You can't keep her cooped up forever, Loki. She deserves to know more of her family. I already made the mistake of keeping everything from Charlotte" I said as he slowly handed Alex back to me nervously, "maybe it's time to make a change, Loki."
"I suppose you are right" he said with a small smile that was barley noticeable.
"Of course I'm right!" I said, "let Hela get to know the rest of her family. She only knows me and I haven't seen the kid in a long time."
"I'll see if she would like to go to the ball tonight instead of being cooped up in her bedroom reading" he said.
"She sounds like you in many ways" I said remembering when me and Loki stayed up late reading books when we were kids.

Flashback
"The end" Loki finished with a small smile. I sat on my older brother's lap listening to him read stories to me trying to get me to fall asleep. I was restless at age 4.
"Another?" I asked making the teenager groan before picking up another book from the pile that was not read yet.
"Alena, you need to go to bed" Loki said as I buried my face in his warm chest.
"I can't sleep. I keep dreaming of monsters" I stated hugging his arm for safety. I felt safe when I was with my brothers. I felt protected when around my parents as well. I was the youngest so it was usual for my brothers to be over protective.
"Those monsters won't get you" he said pulling me close.
"Are you sure?" I asked looking up at him with a scared expression.
"I promise. I won't let them touch you" he said kissing my head softly.
"What is this?" A voice asked making us crawl out of the blanket fort we made. Our mother stood there with a smile on her face.
"Alena couldn't sleep. I decided to try and help her" Loki said as mother sat down on my bed and tapped her lap signaling for me to go over to her. I crawled off of Loki's lap and over to my mother.
"Mommy can you sing the lullaby?" I asked making her smile. She nodded and I quickly crawled off her lap and under the warm covers. Loki decided to lay next to me being the protective brother that he is. Mother began to hum a soft, sweet song that made mine and Loki's eyes grow heavy before the both of us fell asleep.

Flashback Over
"She takes after her mother the most" Loki said. Siygn was a beautiful women but sadly she died during child birth and Loki ended up taking care of Hela himself. I would help while she was still a baby.
"I miss her too, Loki" I said remembering me and Siygn's silly conversations about Loki and other people. She made me laugh a lot.
"She's in a better place" Loki said.
"She still loves you" I said as Charlotte and Steve came running. Charlotte was holding a bunch of flowers. I couldn't help but laugh at the large smile on her face. I couldn't wait until the ball tonight.