Things had gotten out of hand, to say the least. If there was one thing Loki liked, it was control, and right now, he had lost it. Seeing Natalia break down into tears amongst the chanting around them forced him to take a good hard look at his life. He had a wife who loved him. Even though she had been disloyal, her heart still belonged to him.

Loki wasn't Natalia. He didn't know how her mind worked, but he was certain that she was in love with him. Why else had she not gone sneaking off to find Clinton? Loki wouldn't hold it against her to flee the castle with a baby in her arms if it meant being reunited with the archer. He was so cold to her, going so far as to refer to her precious newborn as a bastard.

Frigga's words about family hit Loki hard in the chest. He was an illegitimate son, yet he was given love, riches, power… Everything he could have ever wanted. Late into the hours of the night, Loki had stayed awake, wondering if he was even worthy of it all. Right now, he wasn't. The power he held had gotten the best of him, and it wasn't worth it any longer.

He reached out to take Natalia's hand in his. Her body stiffened, but she soon relaxed and tried to stifle her sobs before the hymn was over. Loki glanced towards Odin's coffin, covered up with a sheet of black fabric. This isn't what Odin would have wanted. "Natalia," he whispered, "I love you. Please know that…" His words were drowned out by the hundreds of echoing voices within the church, but the way she squeezed his hand let him know that she was listening.

The song came to an end and Loki boldly made his way to the altar. He heard his mother call out his name, but he ignored her. "Family and unity," Loki announced as he stood before the gathering of mourners. "Those are what your King held high above everything else," he continued. "And as next in line, I wish to uphold these values…" He stared out towards the crowd, all equally confused as to what was happening. There was no place for a sermon, but who could deny the upcoming ruler of his speech? "My Father was a good man-you all know that." He paused to stare at his mother. "He found it in his heart to make me, Loki Laufeyson, an heir to the throne." Aside from Frigga's gasp, the room was silent. "I am not King Odin's son. I am, however, the son of the fallen King Laufey." He raised a hand in the air to summon a ball of flame. There were more gasps, and many whispers of 'witch' throughout the church. "Have I changed your opinions of me?" he calmly wondered. "Have I ruined my reputation by telling the truth? My good people, know that I seek to bring peace between us and the witches!" he declared. Insecure murmurs filled the air as Loki looked towards his wife for strength.

'I love you,' Natalia mouthed, her hand firmly grasping Frigga's.

"That is why…" Loki paused, his eyes focused on Natalia, "my first order as King will be to grant the witches free roam over the land of Jotunheim."

Natalia's lips parted in surprise. She didn't know if Loki had been planning this or if it was a spur of the moment decision. Jotunheim had been abandoned for years. If anything, it was a wasteland in the coldest parts of the country.

"Loki!" Thor bellowed from his place beside his mother. "What is all of this? Surely, you are jesting!"

"No, Thor." The prince shook his head. "This is who I really am… Everyone, know that I have the witches' trust! It is because of a truce I made that there has only been but one tragic attack over the past few months… My choice to break the truce is what caused the King's passing. My actions were done to protect my family. My wife… my daughter…"

Clint shoved past Hogun so he could approach Loki himself. You mean my daughter. He began glaring daggers at the witch-prince.

"Clinton!" Natalia shouted. If he spoke up about Merida, Natalia' reputation would be ruined.

"If you are a witch," he began, "then leave!"

Natalia wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but the tension between the archer and her husband was too great.

"You say you grant the witches Jotunheim, so that should include you, as well!"

The entire room felt uncomfortably silent as they waited for Loki's answer.

"Which is why I am fully prepared to leave after requesting that Thor take his Father's throne," Loki replied.

"Loki…" Thor stared at his brother, unsure of what to do. He didn't want the throne to begin with and he didn't want it now.

"Will you do me this one favour?" Loki asked the blond.

"But Jane…" Thor breathed.

"What of her?" Loki asked. "Do you wish to marry her and take her as your queen?" He wasn't going to rat out Jane's identity. One member of Odin's family being a witch was more than enough excitement. "Feel free to do so. You will make Father very happy."

Thor still couldn't give his brother an answer. It was all too soon.

"You say that Jotunheim will be just for witches," Clint continued. "What are you to do with Lady Natalia?"

Loki narrowed his eyes. Clint still wasn't giving up on her… The archer smirked, further angering the prince.

"I will join him!" Natalia stated, her voice confident as she proceeded towards her husband. "This is the man I married and I wouldn't have him any other way," she promised, reaching for Loki's hand. Natalia gave Clint a cold stare. This was their goodbye. Moving to a foreign land was the perfect way for she and Loki to move on and start their life anew.

"Our marriage was arranged as a unity between witches and humans, was it not, Mother?" Loki asked.

Frigga nodded. "Yes…" No one dared to go against their beloved Queen's word. The gentle and loving Queen was always one to speak the truth. "My husband and I desperately want peace," she began, striding towards the altar to join her son. "A world where there are no wars, a world where children can grow without living in fear of attacks… This was my late husband's wish, and mine, as well. I pray you all don't look upon my son Loki with disdain for his true parentage. He was raised in the house of Odin and he has grown to be a peaceful, loving man. Witches are not born impure. They are corrupt upon engaging in unnecessary evils. Loki is proof that there is good to those born with the gift of magic."

"I am not asking for acceptance," Loki began as his mother finished. "All I ask is that you trust me to bring everyone peace."

"We will believe you when the witches move to Jotunheim!" Clint challenged.

Loki smirked, pleased with the bargain at hand. "Very well, then…" He let go of Natalia's hand and vanished before everyone's eyes.

As Loki approached a towering castle hidden amongst layers of fog, he began to wonder if this was what life for Laufey and his wife was like. Did they enjoy the freezing cold? Loki wasn't quite bothered by it, but he feared Natalia would hate it. The entire city seemed to be a shadow of its former self. Homes were demolished, the stone paths were full of cracks… Everything about the place was gloomy. It was certainly going to take quite a bit of magic to add appeal. He raised his hand high above his head to cast a summoning spell. The more witches he could gather, the better. Loki needed to prove Clint Barton wrong and bring peace all around.

"Look who finally decided to return home…"

Loki turned his head at the sound of Yelena's voice. "Are you upset that I killed your friend?" he coolly asked.

"Of course I am," she grinned. "And I have no plans of joining her in death."

"I was afraid you would say that…" Loki summoned a golden scepter tipped with daggers into his hands. "However, for the safety I promised to many, you are to die on this very day."

"That's awfully high talk," Yelena snorted.

"My words are true," Loki retorted as he swung his weapon at her. He missed, but refused to give up. The blonde witch vanished to perch herself at the highest point of Laufey's castle. Loki followed suit, pausing to gaze at the view. It was hard to see anything past the thick fog and forests of trees.

"Boring, isn't it?" Yelena drawled. "But a perfect place for one to live alone."

"This is where all the witches are to live. Natalia and myself included."

"And Jane Foster?" she prodded, evading the swing of Loki's scepter.

"No."

"The baby?"

"Of course," Loki answered, easily avoiding a blast of fiery energy.

The mourners began to leave the church after Loki's disappearing act. No one knew what to make of the shocking revelation.

"Natalia, you can't be serious about going with him!" Clint hissed once they were out of earshot.

"Stop worrying about me!" Natalia glowered. She moved to go towards Frigga, but Clint blocked her path. "I mean it! What happened between us is long over!"

Clint looked at her with saddened eyes. "Can I see her?... Just one time?" he quietly asked.

Natalia shoved him aside. "No," she answered.

"Nat…" he breathed, grabbing her arm.

"She has your eyes," she said. Clint loosened his grip, allowing her to leave the archer for good.

"What makes you think they will listen to you, anyways? You're separating us from them!" Yelena growled.

"For a good cause!" Loki shouted. "What good will more violence bring?"

"We're beasts! It's in our nature to kill our prey!" She hit Loki right through the shoulder with an icy blast.

The prince dropped to his knees, clenching his teeth from the stinging pain. "It's not…nature," he managed, forcing himself to stand. Loki thought back to what his mother had told him. "The evil is brought upon us. Whether we choose to give into it is up to us."

"That is why you and Jane are the weaklings. The other witches may listen to Laufey's son, but not me. And not Amora…"

Loki grabbed his bleeding shoulder as he glared up at Yelena. "Then for defying me, you will suffer the same fate she did…"

"Is that so?" She let the heel of her boot press against Loki's chest. "Fighting words for a man on his knees…"

He shot her a confident smirk and watched as the light within her ruby eyes faded.

Yelena's eyes fell upon her chest where Loki's scepter was poking through. "Wha…" She saw that the kneeling Loki disappeared. Turning her head, she saw the real one standing behind her, grinning.

Loki yanked the scepter from her chest and proceeded to lop the witch's head from her neck. "I pray that your death will be the last," he said before letting a fire consume her body. Loki set off another summoning spell, using up a good portion of his strength in the process.

"Do you see that?" Frigga asked. She had been visiting Natalia and the baby when a distant green light lit up a portion of the sky.

Natalia got up, the baby in her arms, as she approached the window. "Loki…" she murmured. "That's him."

"You don't suppose he is in trouble, do you?" The Queen began to worry as the light suddenly disappeared.

"He's fine," Natalia smiled. "I'm certain." She felt a hand on her shoulder and felt her heart jump in her chest.

"I am," Loki reassured her.

"Loki!" Frigga gasped.

"You will both be pleased to know that Yelena is no more…"

Natalia furrowed her brows. "She's really dead?"

"I went to Jotunheim and there she was…" Loki reached out to stroke his wife's cheek. "She was the last of our threats."

"What kind of a stunt were you attempting to pull at your Father's funeral, of all places?" Frigga interrupted, angry with the way her son had earlier vanished into thin air.

"They know who I am," Loki told her. "And now I hope that I can gain their trust."

"You intend to leave Asgard?" she sadly asked.

Loki nodded. "If it will help in uniting our people, then I will do it… To be honest, I did not expect for you to agree so suddenly, Natalia," he gently smiled.

"I'm not going to leave you," she promised. "I know you won't make it on your own," she playfully added.

"And your brother?" Frigga inquired.

"He has a long while until you cease to reign, Mother."

"I certainly hope so…" Frigga said with a sigh.

"We can always return to Asgard to rule, given that peace has been restored," Loki added, pulling Natalia close.

Frigga shook her head. "I expect the three of you to return as often as possible! You with your disappearing act! I don't see why you can't simply go back and forth…"

Loki paused to think. "That could be arranged… Natalia can stay here while I travel back and forth."

"You'll be exhausted by evening, won't you?" Natalia frowned. She had been looking forward to moving-it was going to be a fresh start. But Asgard had become home to her. It didn't feel right to completely abandon it…

"My family shall always come first," he vowed. "I feel that I have strayed from the right path as of late," he admitted. "All I wish is that things will be made right again."

Natalia smiled and nodded. "I think we're off to a good start… only…" Her eyes fell to her daughter. She wasn't sure if she could handle Loki's grudge against her child.

"I swear that our daughter will be protected." Loki reached for the bundle in his wife's arms.

Natalia shook her head, fearful of Loki 'accidentally' dropping her.

"Please, Natalia… Can I hold her? My daughter?"

Natalia caved when she saw Loki's innocent eyes pleading with her and begging for forgiveness.

Loki grinned widely when he held the tiny baby. From now on, she was his, and Clint Barton couldn't change that.

"Loki?" Natalia softly asked. "When the snow melts, let's sit together under the blossom tree. The three of us."

"Spring is a ways away. Do you suppose there could be four of us by then?" he slyly hinted. Frigga giggled to herself and left the new parents alone.

"Maybe," Natalia shrugged. "It depends. Do you trust me? Completely?"

"Natalia, my darling, I trust you with my entire being…

'Until my dying breath.

Even then, I pray that death will fail to part us,

For I do not wish to spend even a second apart from you.

You, with your hair as beautiful as the sunset.

May our days be filled with a lifetime of joy

And may sorrow never come between us.

Happiness will be all we know of,

My darling Natalia.'"

"You still remember the poem?" She felt herself begin to blush.

"It is one that I will never forget…"

Months passed and witches began flocking to Jotunheim to meet King Laufey's son. Many chose to stay rather than live out life as wanderers. Finally, there was a peaceful place for witches to live. There were still attacks, but they were reported and King Laufeyson dealt with the matter himself, with help from the witches who gave him their trust. Complete peace was still a ways away, but things were turning around.

When spring finally came, Loki and Natalia spent the sunniest afternoons with Merida. The family was perfectly happy. The past was all behind them. As promised, Loki let go of his grudge towards Clint (neither had even seen him around).

Frigga upheld Asgard while Loki reigned over Jotunheim. As for Thor, he was still protecting his home, as well as becoming closer with Jane Foster.

After an entire year of little witch attacks, Loki grew confident that the world was finding peace. His happiness doubled that same year after he and Natalia welcomed a son into their life. The family of four eventually made a second home in Jotunheim. Loki had made the castle into a home worthy of a king and queen. What mattered most to Loki was that he had Natalia and they were both madly in love. More importantly, they were together, happy as can be.

The End

A/N: Thank you all for reading and thank you to all my reviewers! I'm working on a brand new Blackfrost fic, so you haven't seen the last of me. I love you guys!