Heaven Sent (Loki/Asgard Fanfiction - Aislinn's Story)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Her stomach lurched as she neared the Throne Room, but then she heard the sounds of mingled laughter and her nerves calmed. Her father wasn't threatening Steve, from the sounds of it. Relief.

A page tugged open the left hand door. "Afternoon, Your Highness."

"Thank you." She bobbed her head as she crossed over the threshold and smiled. Loki and Steve were sitting at the base of the massive staircase leading to Loki's throne, laughing over something.

She couldn't help her smile. Steve's laugh was sexy, dark and velvety, and she loved how it sounded, even if she didn't know what was so funny. "And here I thought I'd have to rescue you, Steve."

He looked up, shaking his head. "Nah. We're fine. Apparently I am perfectly acceptable as the future husband of Princess Aislinn of Asgard."

"I could've told you that." She sank onto the step beside him and leaned against his arm. "What's so funny?"

"I was just telling Steve about your ninth birthday. When your mother made you the panda cake and you had a fit because she cut into it."

Aislinn's cheeks grew warm. "I was only nine, Daddy. And she was hacking up that poor bear."

"It was just a cake, Ash," Steve told her, draping his arm about her shoulders. "And you had a meltdown over it?"

"In my defense, I was also getting sick, if memory serves." She scowled at her father. She never stopped to think that he'd be telling embarrassing stories about her and that birthday was not one of her better moments. "Remember, Dad? I almost died."

Loki's smile faded and his eyes grew serious. "Was that the same year?"

"Yeah."

Steve looked over at her. "What happened?"

She remembered it as clearly as if it happened only a week ago. "I'd gotten a strep infection and when Eir brought up the soul forge to diagnose and treat it, I had a reaction. The same thing happened to Selig when his appendix ruptured."

"And you almost died." Steve's voice was flat.

"Technically, she did," Loki said softly. "But Eir is nothing if not a miracle worker. She's brought me, the Queen, Selig, and Al back."

Steve looked at her, his eyes dark and serious. "You died?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It seems to be something of a family trait."

"You died."

"I died. But only for a few minutes. Not long enough to really be dead."

"But long enough to upset her mother."

"And her father," Aislinn said, grinning at Loki. "Mom told me you threatened to turn Eir into a moose if she didn't bring me back."

Steve glanced over at Loki. "A moose?"

Loki's cheeks took on a reddish hue. "I was under a lot of stress and that was the first word that came to mind. I'll admit, not one of my better moments."

"But it's all water under the bridge," Aislinn leaned her head against Steve's arm. "And now, if you two are finished laughing over my stupidity about a bear made out of cake, I'll show Steve to his room." She gave her father a pointed look. "Since we are not allowed to share a room."

Loki shrugged as he got to his feet. "Until your marital status changes, separate rooms."

"Just like Selig and Celia and Nicky and Elyse, right?" she countered.

Loki's flush deepened. "I can tell them where to sleep, I can't make them stay there, though."

She rolled her eyes as she reached for Steve's hand. "Come with me, Steve, before I'm forced to throw something at my dad."