The Trickster's Bride

Chapter Thirty: Rani

By the time the Jul celebration rolled around, Loki and I had become more at ease with one another. Things were not perfect by any means, but they were improving. He was still prone to bouts of solitude and moments of impatience, but we spent time together regularly.

Thus, we set off for the Palace with relative comfort. I had begged him to allow us to travel by carriage. Though it was more time-consuming, I wanted to see the countryside. The flurries had began that morning, and it seemed that it had no sign of stopping. I gave the snow clouds a slight boost, so we could enjoy a white Jul. He finally consented, but only if I allowed him to bring Fenrir.

"He will make people nervous," I argued, patting the wolf's head. He examined me with his yellow eyes.

"That's the idea," grinned Loki mischievously.

I rolled my eyes at him and agreed to his terms. Fenrir pranced happily, excited to finally leave the manor. Since we were on better terms, Loki had shown me his true Trickster side. Especially after we argued, he would play a good-natured prank to make me laugh. It was his way of apologizing, I suppose. Over the past weeks, I'd found my bedroom full of huge lunar moths, my garden overrun with croaking toads, and all my undergarments hidden away. At first, my husband's tricks irritated and alarmed me, but I wrote them off. There were worse things in this world.

A few hours before the festival, Loki hitched up the sleigh. I came out into the snow, delighted as the heavy flakes fell into my hair and face. Fenrir, too, seemed happy. He tried in vain to catch the snowfall in his mouth. As I shook my head, Loki helped me into the sleigh. We settled in, and Fenrir joined us to lay at our feet. We set off, the snow falling on our hoods. We were bundled up in furs, wearing matching ensembles of gold and green. I was very content. I was looking forward to seeing our family, and I was spellbound at the beauty of the landscape.

The Forest of Asgard was thick around the road we traveled, with the numerous evergreens catching most of the snow. The wind whistled through the pine boughs, making an eerie, keening noise. The sun was slowly sinking, and the clouds made it seem as though darkness was coming faster than usual. As we neared the Plain of Idavoll the snowfall grew heavier. Twilight had fallen by the time we made it to the Palace, and we had to shake off the snow that had accumulated on our shoulders.

“I wonder where all this snow has come from,” Loki said, eying me knowingly.

I offered a rogue's grin and winked, making him chuckle.

By the time the sun had set, we arrived at the Palace. The stable hand who took our sledge stepped back in fright when Fenris loped out. Loki and I hid our smiles and thanked the poor man before taking the steps to the Palace doors.

When we went inside, I was immediately enchanted. The main foyer of the Palace had been converted to a dance hall for the festival. Servants took our cloaks, and we stood a moment, admiring the transformation. Frigga had done a wonderful job, trimming the great pillars with evergreen boughs and silver tinsel. The great chandelier had been fastened with crystals that resembled icicles. Sheaths of silver, aquamarine, and white hung from the ceiling. Everything followed this color scheme, from the tablecloths to the drapes. Indeed, the room was a sparkling wintry wonderland.

Loki presented me his arm, and we set off to find our hosts. Fenrir stayed close by, collecting many frightened stares. Loki could hardly hide his smirk. As we made our way through the crowds of other Aesir, I realized how much nicer it was not to be the center of attention. Loki seemed to enjoy it better, too.

Odin and Frigga were speaking to a small group of guests, when Frigga saw us walking towards her.

"Loki! Rani!" she beamed, rushing towards us with her arms outstretched. She stopped short, however, when she saw Fenrir lurking behind us. "Oh," she said, "and Fenrir."

Loki smiled slyly and I shook my head. We each embraced the Queen of Asgard, thanking her for having us. Odin stepped forward and shook Loki's hand proudly. "Well look who decided to escape the woods!" he chortled.

"What a wonderful party," I said to Frigga. "You've quite outdone yourself."

"It's Jul!" she exclaimed with a grin, "a time of fresh starts and new beginnings!"

I nodded, hoping that the magic of Jul might lend its powers to my marriage.

"Oh!" Frigga said, her eyes widening with excitement. "You must find Thor and Sif," she told us, turning us away. "Really, you must."

Confused, we obeyed. "I wonder what that's all about," Loki mused, seeking out his brother.

"I'm sure we shall see," I noted, once we found them.

As we approached, Thor saw us, and all but dragged Sif over.

"Brother!" Thor shouted, pulling Loki into an awkward hug. My husband released himself as quickly as he could. I beamed at Sif and pulled her close. When she stepped away, I gazed at her.

"Something is different," I said, "though I can't quite put my finger on it." Indeed, my sister-in-law seemed sunnier than usual.

Sif and Thor shared a bright grin. Sif leaned in towards Loki and I, saying, "I am with child."

Loki's eyes widened, but I squealed with delight. "Oh Sif!" I cried, "I'm so happy for you."

"Congratulations, Brother," Loki said, nodding at Thor. Thor, always the zealous of the two, hugged Loki with one arm.

"Can you believe it?" Thor laughed. "I am to be a father!"

Sif and I delved into a great discussion of how far along she was, what it was like, and what she hoped for. I was thrilled for Sif! She and Thor would make wonderful parents. And I would be an Aunt!

Yes, this was a most joyous evening.

*****

As the evening wore on, Loki and I spent a bit more time socializing, and I talked him onto the dance floor. At first he was reluctant, but he finally gave in. Fenrir watched from the sidelines, panting and glaring at anyone who got too close.

"Why did you insist on bringing him?" I laughed, as Fenrir smiled at us.

"He needed an outing," smirked Loki.

"You just didn't want anyone bothering us," I said dryly, raising my eyebrow knowingly.

Loki didn't say a thing, but he smiled down at me. We were getting along wonderfully tonight. It put great peace in my heart. I hoped this feeling would last for all time.

The music ended, and we stepped apart to clap for the bards. We were about to take a seat and rest, when Njord stepped up to us.

"May I have a dance with my daughter?" Njord asked Loki respectfully.

"Of course," Loki said, bowing and stepping away. He and Fenrir disappeared into the crowd.

My father led me into the next dance. "I'm happy to see you here," he said brightly.

"Likewise," I said, "I figured you might be too busy."

"No," he said with relief, "I finally got that issue near the islands sorted out."

I laughed. “Good! I was tired of picking up the slack.”

My father chuckled and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. We were drifting in time, when a loud, off-beat drum hit made us step out of time. We looked up at the bards, who seemed just as confused as we did.

"Well," Father said, "that was startling." We chuckled, and regained our rhythm.

The loud noise came again. This time, other dancers had noticed. We all slowed, and the bards stopped. Everyone was looking around. Something was amiss.

"I have a bad feeling about this," I muttered, looking around. Fenrir and Loki were in my sight, with Loki holding the wolf back. Fen was whining and stomping his feet impatiently. I stepped away from Father without a word, rushing towards my husband. Whatever Fenrir sensed was not good.

The loud booming noise came again, but this time, it ended with a huge fist breaking through the roof. Screams echoed throughout the hall as people ducked to avoid the debris. The fist slowly removed itself, leaving a gaping hole in its wake. I looked up into a terrifying face, the face of a monster.

The face of a giant.