Epilogue

Loki was not usually one to wish to display his emotions openly but as he awaited Lagertha's reply anxiously, he was, for once unable to try and hide them, fearing that his proposal had failed miserably. She merely stared at him for a considerable amount of time, saying nothing, which caused him to think that it was a bad idea to have asked her, that everything that had occurred that day was simply too much for her to take in. but when tears began to flow freely from her eyes as she nodded, because her voice had failed her, he could not contain his joy, rising from his knee and taking her in his arms in one swoop, embracing her tightly.

He was hurt by Æðelstan's glare and unenthusiastic manner when they told him. He understood that the older man disliked him greatly, and would no doubt have preferred if Loki had asked him formally for his daughter's hand, but in all honesty, Loki suspected that the other man would not have given his blessing anyway. Also it was Lagertha's answer to give, no one else's.

Thor had been the complete opposite; in fact, he was over enthusiastic in comparison; almost crushing Loki in a tight embrace when he informed him later that afternoon. In hindsight, Loki regretted telling him in person and wished that he had sent him a letter instead after they had left.

On the day itself, much to his own embarrassment, he was not able to contain his tears of joy at seeing Lagertha in her wedding dress, he hair only half tied back to keep it off her face, her hair held by pins that were decorated with her favourite flowers from his mother's gardens; none realising that she had more Jötunn ones than most others. She was the epitome of beauty in his eyes, but it was not surprising when others seemed to agree. To his immense joy, on their wedding night he was able to express his adoration for her in a new manner, learning that she too desired him as passionately.

The rumours as to his heritage had all but ceased when he and Lagertha welcomed a beautiful brown haired, green eyed daughter, Anja. She had skin as pale as her fathers, and though all would assume the emerald green of her eyes were a trait she had inherited from him, they were in fact from Lagertha's mother, but as many did not remember the fair princess's mother, they were all none the wiser. Anja was adored by her parents, her grandfather and Thor, who sent her far too extravagant gifts for a child so young, but Loki and Lagertha understood what it was the King was trying to do, overcompensating for his lousy treatment of Loki throughout the years. To his surprise and delight; his niece adored him, jumping into his arms whenever she saw him; though there was none the little girl would ever love as greatly as her father, that clear from when she was only a few days old and only his voice would soothe her crying.

Then another daughter arrived, Lea. She too was pale of skin, but her eyes were of chocolate brown and her hair as dark as ebony black. Loki was sure to inform Thor the day she arrived that his comments of Loki's hair colour traits were unwarranted, and that some of his better genes were yet to be demolished.

Thor at this point had braved telling Sif of his own feeling for her; they had a daughter of their own not long after, alike to her mother but for the blonde hair Lagertha had noted. It was then that she was informed that Sif had been born with hair as gold as harvest corn, but that Loki had saw fit to cut it with a magic blade causing it to grow back raven coloured. As Sif and Lagertha had become firm friends, he did not see the inside of his own bed chambers for a fortnight after that admission.

Finally, he and Lagertha were blessed with a son, though Loki was unsure as to whether it was a blessing at first. The boy was his father's son in every aspect, pale skin, black haired and green eyed, none could ever question him, not to mention he was swift minded and mischievous, more so than his sisters, and that was saying something. What bothered Loki was the marking on Erik's shoulder, raised skin, exactly like Jötnar markings. They were identical to Loki's own markings Lagertha had noted immediately. Loki became distraught for their son, thinking he had caused the boy to bear a terrible infliction, but Lagertha dismissed his claims, stating that they were never going to hide their children's heritage from them anyway as they deserved to know about themselves, and that Erik would only see it as a negative if his father taught him to.

It did not take their children long to figure out their heritage however. With two parents who thirsted for knowledge, they too became avid readers at a young age. Anja soon recognised certain aspects of herself and her younger siblings in the books she read that referred to the Jötnar. When she went to her parents with her questions, they were immediately honest with her, though Loki began to apologise profusely, but his daughter and wife silenced him with two identical glares; neither thinking it something for him to apologise for. Thor brought the Casket to the Winter Palace, which allowed Loki to temporarily show himself in his Jötunn form to his children. To his utter shock, none of them thought him terrifying and repulsive, instead they were fascinated, and both girls envious that only Erik had carried the Jötnar markings.

Lagertha smiled to herself as she sat in the library one afternoon, having finally made her way through all the Dark and Light Elf literature in the palace. So she continued where she had left off with her Midgardian literature from when she had first met Loki. Looking out the window she watched as Loki stood outside in the gardens teaching Lea and Erik how to start wielding seidr with the assistance of Anja, who had already been taught the basics.

She smiled as she thought of everything she had been through since that faithful stormy night that she arrived at the palace, many many moons before. She finally returned to Vanaheim, something that she had found very difficult, but she had Loki by her side the entire time, comforting and supporting her. She also visited the realms of Alfheim and Midgard as well as seeing far more of Asgard also. She had seen and experienced more than she had ever thought possible. And now she found herself happily married to the man she loved so dearly, and delighted in the children they created together. She watched him change from the monster he thought he had to be to the man he never realised he could be.

As she heard him laugh outside as their children shrieked joyfully, she found herself with her hand tracing patterns on her stomach, wondering how best to tell him that their love for one another had filled her with another child for them to adore.