United Chapter 49

He watched the little towns pass by in one continuous blur as he reclined in the back of the black Escalade. Even after two weeks, whenever he thought about shaking Loki's hand, passing his muster, he felt empowered like he'd faced the biggest challenge of his life and won the prize.
There was no doubt he'd been scared. Before Loki had arrived, the only image Chase had retained of him had been the crazed father ready to drag his daughter bodily out of the school. When he was finally before him, he was simply a man, a father, charismatic, serious but still nothing more. Brenna had warned that he was powerful, yet he'd displayed no feats of strength, he'd cast no spells and Chase found he actually liked him.
After the visit, Brenna seemed to become more positive, cheerful even, as if a great weight had been lifted from her soul. That Christmas had been the best one of his life hands down. They had spent Christmas eve and the whole next day together with the small group of kids who had stayed at the school for the holiday. They'd watched Christmas specials, played games with the other students, and eaten themselves into a stupor. Then they'd spent the rest of the week enjoying the break and hanging out with friends. He had almost called his father to tell him he wouldn't be coming home for New Year's eve but Brenna had convinced him to go regardless and he had reluctantly agreed. He had hated that he would miss the New Year's eve bonfire at the school.
As Harry held the door for him that morning when he climbed into the Escalade, he could see them building the wood pile down by the lake.
When they turned down the private drive leading to the contemporary mansion nestled against the foot of a mountain, he began to get uptight. He knew his father would play twenty questions about what was going on at school and he would have to jump through hoops but that would likely be tomorrow. Today, as they neared the mansion, he could see half a dozen white catering vans parked out front and he knew his father was planning a big blow-out. Missing the bonfire was bad, attending his father's annual New Year's eve party was worse. His father would circulate amongst his guests, three quarters of whom Chase didn't know, leaving him to wander around, eating, drinking and staying out of the way.
The Escalade rolled to a stop and he hopped out, turning to Harry who had been reaching for the handle to let him out. “My father here?”
“He had business to attend to at the hospital this morning.”
“He's at the hospital on New Year's eve?”  The phone in Chase's hand went off. He looked at the screen. Another text from Brenna.
“When you're the man in charge,  you don't get a break.” Harry slid back into the driver's seat and Chase bounded up the front stairs where the door was already opening. A tall thin man with white blond hair and eyes the color of blue ice stood just inside, nodding to him. “Hey Adam.”
Adam had been his father's butler for at least the last fifteen years. With a wave, Chase ran up the curved main staircase to the second floor balcony, stopping to look down into the foyer through the two tiered chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. He reached his room, shutting the door behind him, turning on his computer, texting Brenna “I'm going to be online, mssg me there.” He took his mp3 player out of his jeans pocket and stuck the earbuds in. Maybe this visit wouldn't be so bad were his father to let him alone in his room for the remainder of the time. He knew it wasn't about to happen but he could hope. He sat down in his computer chair and began to type to Brenna.

She traced circles on his chest with her finger as she lay on her side, her head in her hand.
“If I thought you could be trusted, I'd bring you to the party tonight.” He rolled over to face her, cupping her chin in his hand.
She burrowed her hand beneath the covers and took him in her hand again, “Or you could stay here with me.” and he groaned aloud.
“Jesse, you know I have to be at that party. After all it's at my house.”
She giggled, he'd probably have a ton of food there, important people. She could find a rich old bastard, promise him the ride of his life in exchange for a ride of her own.
She hunched down, took him in her mouth, felt his hand atop her head and was struck with another case of the giggles. Men were so fucking easy to control, even the ones that thought they had it all together. She popped up, draping her leg over his hip, “I would behave, you know I would.”
David hugged her tight to him, “I know you wouldn't.” then sat up looking at the watch at his wrist and swinging his legs over the floor. “I have to go. My son is coming home from school. He's probably there now.”
He slid his legs into his pants and stood up, silently cursing himself for his weakness. “I'll visit you tomorrow.”
She kicked the covers off, reaching for her sweat pants to pull them on, “Thanks for the fucking favor. Enjoy your party.”
Davd picked up the clipboard he'd dropped to the floor in the heat of passion and tucked it under his arm then knocked on the door which swung open. Leroy stepped back to allow David out of the room.
Jesse sat on the edge of her bed, feeling his spend seeping out to dampen the crotch of her pants. A line had been crossed, one she had worked hard at. Freedom was closer than it had been before, she just had to work a little harder at it. She smiled at her own pun as the door clicked shut behind him.


Chase had retreated to his bed. Brenna had been expected to help with the New Year's festivities prep and so had fallen silent for the time being. He had tried to doze off but the sounds of metal clanging, doors slamming, people talking, barking orders had kept him awake. Finally, with a sigh, he jumped up and started pawing through his closet for something decent to wear to the party.

David was so deep in thought, he was well past the driveway, three miles in fact, before he realized where he was. He turned around in the parking lot of a little convenience store and headed back the way he'd come.
For the second time in as many weeks on his daily rounds, he'd found Jesse waiting for him, this time in her bed. He was aware of the fact she was manipulating him, exploiting his obvious desire for her, but he was only human. His infatuation had long ago grown into obsession. The demarcation line was easily crossed when he had visited her on Christmas eve. He had been feeling lonely, wondering whether he had chosen the right path in life. She had set him on the bed, announced she had a present for him to open and had proceeded to perform a slow striptease act. His resolve had suffered a sudden violent death as he'd tossed her onto the mattress. He hadn't even bothered to remove pants, unzipping his fly and taking her, sprawled across the bed covers.
He pulled around the circular driveway, putting the Lincoln in park. As he got out of the car, harry was already waiting. He dodged around David and sat down in the drivers seat. David watched the car head for the garage and chuckled to himself. He was actually considering preparing a room at the mansion for Jesse. He knew how close he was coming to ruining his career for her but if she were here in the mansion, he would have more time to study her. At least it was what he was telling himself. He would be able to try different medications and record her reactions. He'd talked with one of the other doctors on the ward, bypassing Egan altogether, about a round of electroshock therapy. The resurgence of the technique was meeting with good reviews. The patient would be put under for the procedure rendering it painless. The patient would then wake up refreshed. Of course there were side effects, in particular, a condition referred to in medical circles as swiss cheese brain. The therapy tended to create holes in a patient's memory. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing in Jesse's case.
He trotted up the stairs, drawn by loud music to Chase's room. He cracked open the door and peeked in. Chase was standing in front of the long mirror in his room, turning one way then the other, surveying his image, hard rock blaring out of the speakers on his computer. David quietly closed the door again. He would catch up with Chase later on. Right now he needed to see to preparations for the party. He headed back down the stairs to find Adam.

He suspected Thor had an ulterior motive for showing up in their dooryard that morning before dawn. Of course, he had asked Loki to join him on the hunt and so Loki had taken a haunch of cold roast rabbit, leftovers from the previous evening meal, from the cold cellar, a hunk of bread, and an apple, wrapped them in cloth and put them in his satchel. He'd then stolen into the bedchamber, kissed Eidra and promised he'd be home for evening meal.
As they rode past his lands, north on the road out of Rialo, through into the countryside and beyond, the day grew brighter until Loki ventured to ask at one point if he intended to chase the game through the streets of Asgard proper. Thor had laughed, said no they would not be traveling so far as that but they had kept riding until the sun was at its zenith in the sky and Thor turned his horse down a overgrown rutted track. The trees on either side hung low with undisturbed snowfall, showering them with glittering sunlit crystal as they passed beneath.
“Thor, what are you about? You brought me out here to hunt did you not?” He brushed his shoulders free of the snow.
“My reasons for this trip are twofold. Have patience, brother.”
“Indeed?” Loki took in the surrounding woodland, “Am I to be privy to a new hunting ground filled with game?”
Thor looked at him, “To be sure there is game on this land.”
The track started to widen out, the branches to rise higher over their heads and Loki could see up ahead, glimpses through the brush, of a large building.
“What are you up to? Come now, I have played along, wasted half a day.”
Thor drove his horse to trot ahead into the clearing that opened up to reveal before them, a large manor house. Built of gray and brown fieldstone with wings extending from either side. High arching mullioned windows decorated the facade punctuated in the center by a door which looked to have been painted forest green but now had weathered to gray white.
A path in the snow looked to have been cleared to the door. In places around the outer walls, weeds and twiggy briar bushes poked through the snow covering. In the spring it would likely be overgrown with brush and weeds.
“Well? What say you, brother?”
Loki was quiet for a moment, listening to the birdsong, Lightning's heavy breathing, watching the melting snow drip from the eaves. “I would ask whether this was to be your summer home.”
Thor urged his horse over to Loki and clapped him on the back, “No brother, 'tis yours.”
Loki stared at him, “I have no need for a summer home.”
Thor laughed as he dismounted from his horse. “Gods, no. I mean it is to be your new home.”
Loki remained in the saddle, “I did not ask for a new home.” felt Thor's hand on his calf.
“Nevertheless, here it stands.” Thor tugged at his boot, “Come see it, brother.”
Loki hesitated, bit his lip then slid to the ground. They trudged through the snow to the path and stopped at the door. “This is inane.”
Thor ignored him, opened the door and guided him inside. At each step, dust motes danced in the sunbeams shining through the windows. It was cold enough inside toe see their breaths and Thor pulled his cloak tighter about him. Loki surveyed the room and was vaguely reminded of Fin's house with its grand furnishings. There was little here to compare though the house itself seemed of fine workmanship. There was an intricately carved staircase of dark wood leading to a second floor balcony which crossed over to lead down the other side of the room back to the first floor. Beneath the staircase  was a hallway leading to another door. He walked into the room on his right which was aglow with soft sunlight. A wide fireplace graced the far wall. It was nearly tall enough to stand in. He reached out a hand to the mantle, finding it white marble.
“Come upstairs.” Thor's voice echoed in the empty rooms.
“I see no use.”
“Then to humor your brother.”
Loki looked at him across the empty room.
“What say you to a direct command from your king then?”
Loki moved not a muscle save for the frown upon his face.
“Please?”
His frown deepened but he followed Thor up to the balcony. “Now turn.”
Loki turned, looking down to the first floor.
“A grand view is it not?”
Loki gripped the railing before him, “A bit dusty.”
“You must use your imagination, come.”
He followed Thor into one of the large rooms off the landing. “The master bedroom. I could have your bed brought here. It would be quite at home here.”
Loki stood in the doorway watching Thor walk about the empty bedroom then rush up to him, “The kitchen is huge, you must see it to believe it.”
Thor pushed by him to head across the balcony.
“Thor.”
Thor trooped down the opposite staircase towards the first floor, “Thor!”
As his boots hit the last step, “Brother!”
He looked up to the balcony where Loki still stood, “Come down...the kitchen..”
“Why are you showing me this house?”
Thor started back up the stairs, “Why did you not hear me before? The house is yours.”
Loki shook his head, “My house is in Rialo.”
Thor reached the landing again, “But it does not have to be. This manor house is ideal. It was deeded to the kingdom upon the death of the widow of Ulrich Ericson. I had no need of it and so it has fallen into slight disrepair. You had said you were considering moving closer to Asgard, were you not serious?”
Loki sighed. He had indeed said such a thing only to goad Sif but now he had been called on it.
“It is a short ride to the city, you could be in Asgard in no time at all.” Thor pointed out one of the windows beside the front door and he was surprised that he could indeed see the distant spires of the palace just above the treetops.
“And of what importance is my distance from the city?”
Thor grabbed him suddenly by the shoulders, “You could resume the duties of your title, take your place at my side once again.”
Loki was already shaking his head, “No, no, no, Eidra would disapprove, I am sure of it.”
“I need an adviser, one whom I can count on, whom I can trust to be loyal.” Thor squeezed his shoulders.
“How do you know you may trust me?” Loki backed from his grasp and started back down the staircase, Thor following right behind him.
“You are a changed man. Your family is your most precious treasure. You maintain your life through the sweat of your own brow. You have endeavored to raise your children well. I see no reason to doubt your loyalty if your integrity is to be believed.”
Loki stopped, looking up the staircase at him, “And the citizens of Asgard, the Aesir, they would feel the same? They would not upbraid you for reinstating a criminal to the High Council?”
“A criminal I created.” Thor was even with him now, and Loki could detect the glimmer of tears in his brother's eyes,“I wish to make amends, I yearn to right the wrongs, restore your title. I am king, they would take me at my word were I to vouch for you.”
Loki stood at the bottom of the stairs gazing about the empty house, “My family consists of myself, my children, my wife, a housekeeper who is getting on in years and a middling woman. How would we maintain such a house...were we to agree upon the move?”
Thor was at once excited, pacing, waving his hands as he spoke, “I would provide servants for you, a stipend befitting a prince of the realm to run the manor. Sif has many ladies in waiting, I could spare Ingrid for Eidra. Her family lives not far from here. There are hectares of land with the manor, you could still farm it!”
Thor turned him around, pointing to the second floor, “Did you not tell me that Eidra is with child again as well? You could have a brood of ten children with a house as big as this.” He saw a ghost of a smile play about Loki's lips. “Ah, see brother, I know your desires. Grant your king, your brother, this one wish.”
Loki had his hand at his mouth, staring about the room, “I do not see how I would be able to convince Eidra...”
“If need be, I shall ask upon bended knee. I shall beg her!” he caught Loki in a great embrace, “Come, comfort me with the true warmth of family. Together we shall maintain the kingdom, hunt, feast, sport as we did in our youth.”
Loki shoved him away, “Brother, control yourself.” He crossed his arms, “I do not know whether she shall agree to such a move, I tell you.”
“But you will try? Tell her she may attend court as a lady.”
Loki opened the door, returning to the sunshine. “Let me ponder this on our return home. Not only shall I have to think of an excuse as to why I was out hunting all day yet did not bring any game home, but I shall have to ask her to move from our home.”
Thor nodded vigorously as they mounted their horses again.
“Brother, you ask more of me than you know.”

Thor had ridden with him to the halfway point between Asgard and Rialo, leaving him to return to the palace only after Loki had sworn to convince Eidra of the virtues such a move would contain. The sun had been cut in half by the horizon when he led Lightning into his stall for fresh water and hay.
As he neared the barn, he heard the hiss of milk streaming into a pail, soft murmurs, and the glow of a lantern light thrown onto the new snow through the barn door. He peered inside to see Eidra sitting upon the stool, her forehead pressed to the side of their newest edition to the herd, Marta. She had tied her chestnut hair back but a few strands had escaped, circling her head like a halo, her dark blue cloak fanned out behind her. His heart leapt as he thought of the new life growing within her again. His greatest joy carrying his proudest achievement.
He leaned against the door frame. Why should she not be treated like a lady? Attend Council functions? Receive curtsies instead of giving them? A half smile came to his lips, of course Sif would be enraged to see him return to his role as prince regent. She would seethe every time he appeared at Thor's side, every time she was made to acknowledge Eidra as an equal. It was a sight he fervently wished to see.
Eidra stood with a groan, bent backwards to stretch the stiffness from her body. She then lifted the pails, turned, then screeched, the milk sloshing to the rims.
“Loki, you imp! Would it have put you out to make your presence known?”
He laughed, strode forward and took her face, ruddy with the cold, in his hands, “How fortunate am I that you are a forgiving woman.”  At her gentle smile, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to her lips, igniting that eternally present spark that burst within her, almost loosing her grip on the pail handles as their tongues met and she backed away, “My heart, the milk.”
He reached down, taking both pails from her, “Fetch the lantern.”
She walked a couple of steps ahead of him, holding the lantern to light their path, “Did you find any game?”
He grimaced, “None I fear.”
She looked over her shoulder at him, “From dawn to dusk you hunted and you found nothing?”
“I have done so before. I cannot expect to come back with game every time I hunt.”
“Mmmm. What was your brother up to then?”
Loki was glad of the darkness, he knew he had flushed with color at the question.
“Nothing, save the hunt.” He winced at the lie but it was temporary, he reassured himself, “You should have had Fen help you.”
She shook her head, “I left him alone. For the first time since Chris's passing, he brought out his toy ark to play with. I was loathe to break the spell.”
She opened the door to the cottage and Loki could see Fen by the fire with his animals lined up upon the hearth. Eidra hung the lantern on the hook beside the fireplace as Loki set the pails on the table and surveyed the home he had lived in for the past eight seasons. He could see the evidence of the happy memories they'd made, the sad ones as well, .
Helgi and Sally took the pails from the table. He knew one would go to making cheese and butter. Cait was playing quietly in her pen but Loki couldn't help himself. He picked her up and kissed her cheek, then blowing raspberries against her neck. Her resulting squeal and wide smile buoyed him, urging him to boldness.
“Eidra, do you recall when I talked to Thor of moving closer to the city?”
Eidra was hanging her cloak on the peg, “Yes, what of it?”
She walked towards him, holding her hands out. Cait leaned towards her, mouth wide.
“My little hungry nestling, am I nothing but a breast to you?” She rubbed noses with Cait.
“There is an opportunity that has been afforded us.”
Her eyes grew wide and she clutched Cait to her, “No.”
“Eidra will you please listen?”
She sat in the rocking chair, unlacing her bodice, her lips pursed tight.
“Hear me out.”
She lay Cait in the crook of her arm, brushing the nipple to her lips, watching as she started to nurse. “This is our home.”
He knelt beside the rocking chair, “Thor has shown me a manor house not far distant from the halls of Asgard.”
She kept her gaze upon Cait, saw his hand steal to the swell of her breast, stroke it gently, feeling the warm tingle of her milk letting down and she shifted her eyes to his.
“The manor was deeded to the kingdom and now stands vacant. He wishes us to have it.” He stroked Cait's hair. She had developed short waves of black hair, darker than her siblings, soft as silk.
“And then be beholden to him?”
Loki gripped her arm, “We shall not. Thor said he would deed the manor and lands to us.”
She stared at him, “I cannot believe I am looking at the same man who such a short time ago swore he would never leave his land, this village?”
Loki stood up, aware of three pairs of eyes upon them, “Our home this may be but we have never been a part of this village.”
“Why say you such a thing?” She watched him begin to pace.
“Eidra, you have listened to me tell of the times I visit the alehouse? Not one man in the village, save Vedic, will drink a pint with me, nay, they barely speak to me. Pray tell me, how many hearths have you been a guest at in Rialo? Ren's, Sally's? The others do not extend their hospitality because of me.”
Eidra pulled Cait closer, her hand atop her little fist, “And think you we would be as welcome in a new village? I have no need of the friendship of a handful of gossipy women. I have my family here.”
Fen had stopped playing now, sitting with a toy in his hand, frozen as he listened to his mother and father. Helgi motioned to him, catching his attention finally as he jumped up and ran to her, “Let them talk, play over here upon the table.”
Cait had stopped suckling and had now taken to playing so Eidra sat her upright on her knee, patting her back. “And if it is a manor, as you say, however would we maintain it? I am with child, there will come a time when I cannot be of much help. Will the burden of the work fall to Helgi?”
Loki squatted before her, “We would be provided a household, servants.”
“I can scarce believe you are even pondering...what has your brother put into your head?”
He stood again, “He wishes me to return to palace life. To resume my role as prince regent, be his adviser....”
“No!” She cried, startling Cait who began to wail. She at once turned her around and held her to her shoulder, Sally appearing at her side, opening her arms. “Here let me take her into the bedchamber.”
Helgi ushered Fen behind Sally as Eidra stood up from the chair to face Loki, “You who denied Brenna the chance to live at the palace and learn the ways of the court?”
“As did you.”
“You would return willingly now?”
He tried to take her hand but she pulled back from him, “What if such a move were to lure Brenna to return? If I were to offer her a place at the palace?”
Eidra put her hands to her mouth, “Oh Loki. Listen to yourself. We struggled, we fought so hard to be free of Asgard. Do you not remember how it tore us apart?”
“You would be a lady, you do not see. Thor wishes to make amends with us, not simply myself, but you as well.”
“And he thinks drawing you back into palace life, trying to buy my favor, would make up for the horrible wrongs he has done to you?”
Loki wanted to shout of the wrongs he himself had committed in return, wanted to tell her what  Thor's offer meant to him, Thor's acceptance, their mutual forgiveness but he fell mute. The look upon his face seemed to move Eidra, however, and she took his hands in hers, “I fear losing you to Asgard, I fear that you will come to prefer the palace, that one day you will no longer return to my arms...”
He stopped her protests with his mouth, hand slipping behind her head, cradling her precious form to him,  “I would rather die a thousand deaths than spend a night away from your side. You must know this.” He groaned, held her closer, his head upon her shoulder, “If it be so repugnant to you, I will say no more of it.”
She could feel the thunder of his heart to hers, slid her arms about his neck, burying her face to his tunic as they held each other for a long time, comforting, speaking soft words of love.

Thus it came that evening when they lay entwined together, Eidra put her hand to his face, “Helgi will watch the children on the morrow so you might show me this grand house you speak of.”
Loki nodded, melting into her embrace, the last thought before he drifted to sleep, wondering at  how he could love someone so completely, so deeply. He would proudly see her at his side before all of Asgard one day, there would be no need to hide her away ever again, she would finally be afforded the respect she deserved, she would be a lady.