Chapter 17
The Asgard Universe - The Twins of Fate Saga - Summary/Content Note
Gwen thinks over her proposal to Einarr as she walks back to the palace. She is sure Loki will be on board and the two of them will figure out what to offer as payment and perks.
Loki is in his private office, sorting through some papers. He looks up when he sees Gwen walk in, immediately setting his work aside to greet her with a warm smile.
"There you are," he murmurs, moving to wrap her in a hug and press a light kiss to the side of her head. "I hope you didn't wander too far off, my love. I was expecting you back much sooner."
She wraps her arms around him.
"After the sparring round with Einarr, he kind of carried me off to a tavern. But don't worry about it. I promise everything was fine."
Loki doesn't look remotely convinced of her assurances. His hand tightens on her arm slightly, holding her closer—almost protectively.
"You're sure he didn't say or do anything inappropriate?" he questions, his expression becoming almost stern. "I know what kind of man Einarr is. If he even so much as put a hand on you the wrong way..."
"No, no, it's good. We talked. And I had an idea."
She takes a deep breath before continuing.
"I want him to be the bodyguard for the twins."
Loki goes still for a second—his fingers twitching where they rest against her.
"You what?" His voice is dangerously quiet, his green eyes narrowing slightly. "Gwen. You cannot seriously be considering that man anywhere near our children."
"And why not? He's strong, capable, and I trust him. He wouldn't let any harm come to them."
Loki lets out a huff between clenched teeth.
"He's reckless, impulsive, arrogant, and has a tendency to think with everything except his brain. I shudder to think of him trying to wrangle toddlers, let alone having the responsibility of protecting them." His jaw clenches as he adds: "Besides, you hardly know the man."
Gwen pauses at that. He's right. She doesn't know him well. She thinks that maybe Einarr's feelings for her would give him motivation for protecting the twins.
"They aren't toddlers. They are 5 now. On Midgard, they'd be going to kindergarten. Tomorrow, he is coming to meet them. You can talk to Einarr, and we can figure out if it'll work or not. If it does, I want to have an offer for him."
Loki still looks less than happy about the idea, but he reluctantly nods after a second.
"I suppose I can tolerate the man for long enough to assess him," he murmurs grudgingly. "But do not get your hopes up, sweetheart. Einarr as a guardian is still an absolutely terrible idea."
"The children wouldn't be alone with him often. They would go about their usual routine with tutors, your mom, us; he would simply be there as security. He doesn't have to be there when you are. You are obviously capable of protecting them without his help."
Loki doesn't look any more convinced than before, but he seems to sense that he's not going to change her mind no matter how much he disagrees. He lets out a sigh, rubbing his temples a little.
"Fine. I'll speak with him tomorrow. But I am not promising anything." His expression and voice then soften a bit, and he steps closer to her—pulling her arms around his waist.
"Just… be careful around him, love. I know what Einarr's like with women."
"I'll be careful. If after the meeting, you still disagree, then fine. I will rescind the offer and he will go back to whatever it is he does."
Loki runs his hand idly through her hair—a quiet, soothing gesture. He's still clearly not a fan of this idea, but he nods.
"Alright. Don't be too disappointed if things go as I expect them to," he mumbles. "I know that your idea is… noble, but you've always been too trusting, my love."
Gwen closes her eyes at the comforting feeling of his hand in her hair.
"You and the twins come first. I won't do anything that would make you uncomfortable or harm the children."
She looks at Loki as if he is the only person in the universe. Getting pregnant the first night they met was a ridiculous accident she never would have imagined, but now, she is so head over heels in love with him that her heart actually aches.
Loki holds her closer—his chest now pressed against hers. He lets out a quiet breath as he buries his face in her hair. Even after five years, the intensity of his love for her still surprises him.
"I know you won't, sweetheart. Just… be careful. Men like Einarr are a certain type, and you're exactly his type of woman."
"I can handle men like Einarr. Besides, you forget, if anything happens to me, he'll have to face you, Thor, and Odin. He'd be dead before his body even hits the ground."
Loki gives her a weak chuckle at that and presses a kiss to her forehead.
"I suppose you have me there. But I still expect you to watch yourself around him, all right? I'm not going to be happy if he so much as touches you the wrong way."
He pulls back to look at her, his eyes serious.
"I know. Thank you, love."
She thinks over everything Loki said. Yes, Einarr is arrogant, impulsive, and a relentless flirt, and he is right; Gwen does not know him well. She feels that this is still a good idea and that Einarr will be trustworthy enough to do the job properly and honorably.
Loki is still conflicted. He wants her to trust others, but the thought of the roguish warrior near the children—and near Gwen herself—still leaves a bad taste in his mouth. But still… she is right about one thing: he is capable of protecting their children if need be. He just… doesn't trust Einarr. And even more than that, he hates the thought of his arrogant flirting around Gwen.
"Just promise me you'll be careful," he repeats softly.
The following day, Gwen prepares for Einarr's visit. She is sure he and the twins will get along, and she hopes Einarr will be exactly what she thinks.
The twins are mischievous, clever, and full of charm. They are inquisitive, resourceful, and ahead of their peers in intellect and maturity. They are also extremely energetic, eager, and enthusiastic about everything they encounter.
Varian is stubborn and will dig his heels in when challenged, but still respectful. He loves testing limits, sometimes just to see if he can.
Liv is smart, sharp-eyed, and thinks three steps ahead, often masterminding schemes.
The twins are Gwen's heart and soul, and if Einarr has any feelings or honor, he will be the right person to trust.
The moment Einarr steps into the palace gardens where the twins are playing, Varian immediately spots him, dropping his wooden sword mid-practice to stare up at the warrior with wide-eyed curiosity. Liv is more cautious, slipping closer to Gwen’s side while studying him from under her lashes.
Einarr looks surprised for exactly two seconds before grinning and kneeling in front of them, completely ignoring protocol or decorum.
"So these are the little troublemakers I’ve heard so much about?" he asks, his voice warm but teasing as he looks between them. "I expected them to be taller."
Varian immediately bristles, puffing up like an offended kitten.
"I am tall!"
Liv, ever the observant one, steps forward slightly but keeps a firm grip on Gwen's hand.
"Mother says being small makes us harder to hit in battle," she declares matter-of-factly. "And we're very fast."
She eyes Einarr with an unsettlingly shrewd gaze, the kind that seems far too knowing for a child her age.
Einarr just laughs at their reactions, clearly already charmed by their energy. He glances up at Gwen with an approving grin.
"They’ve got fire. I like them already."
"Einarr, this is Varian and Liv. Children, this is my friend Einarr. I wanted him to meet you. We are going to talk and spend some time together in the garden. Your father will be joining us soon as well."
Liv narrows her eyes slightly, studying Einarr like she's already calculating his weaknesses.
"Are you a warrior?" she asks bluntly.
Varian, meanwhile, immediately perks up, sword forgotten as he bounces on his toes.
"Do you know how to fight with two axes? Or just one? I want to learn both!"
Einarr chuckles and ruffles Varian’s hair, earning an indignant squawk from the boy, before turning back to Liv.
"Yes, little one. And I hear you’re the one who outsmarted three tutors last week."
Her cheeks flush pink at that—surprised by him knowing about her antics.
Einarr shakes an accusing finger toward Liv, looking both impressed and amused. "They say you made the last one cry."
Liv gives a proud, cheeky grin, her eyes almost sparkling as her cheeks still burn. "He said I was ‘too smart for my age.' He meant it as an insult."
Varian immediately pipes up to add his own comments, too. "He called her 'arrogant' too, and 'insufferable.'"
Einarr lets out a loud bark of laughter at that.
Gwen shrugs slightly. It's true. The twins are almost too smart and observant. They are good at finding loopholes. "And that is why that tutor no longer works here. He learned something himself that day: don't insult my children."
Einarr’s eyebrows go up, a glint in his eye. He turns back to Liv with a smirk. "Remind me not to cross you, little one. I can see I'm going to enjoy teasing you."
Varian immediately scowls, protective as usual.
"No teasing Liv!" he states firmly, shaking his wooden sword at Einarr. "You're a warrior, aren’t you? You’re supposed to respect the ladies."
Gwen laughs out loud. These kids fear no one.
"You are right, Varian."
Einarr lets out a deep, amused chuckle, holding up his hands in surrender.
"Ah, you've got me there." He kneels to meet Varian’s level, expression now more serious, though still warm. "I do respect ladies. Especially clever ones like your sister. But I also think teasing is how warriors show affection sometimes."
"Mother says not all teasing is bad … but that real warriors know the difference between fun and mean-spirited." She gives Einarr a pointed look before adding, "and Father says if anyone ever crosses that line with us, they won't like what happens next."
"That's correct too, Liv.” Gwen represses another laugh. “How about you two find some flowers for our room? I expect you to be able to name everything you pick. Einarr and I are going to have a conversation."
Both twins exchange a conspiratorial look before running off into the garden. They know they can’t eavesdrop on a private conversation, but they are clearly going to do their best to still listen in.
Once they disappear into the thick of the flowers, Einarr chuckles and turns back to Gwen.
"You, my lady, are raising a couple of little hellions, you know that?"
"I'm aware. They don't put up with any nonsense that they don't control themselves. They might be mischievous and clever, but they know right from wrong."
Einarr’s smirk softens, genuine admiration in his eyes as he watches the twins disappear between the foliage.
"Aye, they do. And they don’t take kindly to anyone disrespecting what matters to them." He exhales sharply through his nose, shaking his head in amusement before turning back to Gwen with a more serious look.
"I see why you want someone like me watching them. They won't tolerate just anyone. But tell me, why not one of Thor's men? Or Odin's guard?"
Gwen takes a deep breath and decides to be completely honest with him.
"Odin's guards and Thor's men are trustworthy enough. They wouldn't dare cross those two men. While we are their family now, I still don't feel like that protects us completely. You have never treated me as if I were beneath you for being mortal or from Midgard. I know how you feel about me, and to be honest, I am hoping those feelings will motivate you to take good care of my children. I feel as though I can trust you on this. Am I wrong?"
Einarr’s eyebrows go up in surprise. He seems a little taken aback. It seems he wasn't expecting her to be so open and vulnerable with him. He hesitates for just a moment before his expression softens again.
"You aren’t wrong. I know my reputation, sweetheart. I know what people think of me, and I can’t blame them. I am a flirt and a rogue and a pain in the ass most of the time." He gives a self-deprecating chuckle before going on in a slightly more serious tone.
"But those two little firebrands?" He glances toward where the twins disappeared, his smirk fading into something almost ... protective. "You don’t have to worry. I wouldn’t let anything happen to them. Not just because of how I feel about you, but because they’re them."
He leans back against a nearby pillar, arms crossed but his voice quieter now. "They remind me of someone I used to know, someone who never got the protection they should have. So yeah, Gwen, if you trust me with this? You won’t regret it."
Then, because he can't resist, he adds with a wink: "...Unless Loki murders me first for existing near you lot."
Before Gwen can reply, a familiar shadow falls over them both.
"That’s certainly a possibility." Loki stands at the edge of the garden path, arms crossed, expression unreadable as he looks between Einarr and Gwen. But his tone is drier than Midgard’s deserts.
Gwen looks over at Loki with a small smile, happy to see him.
"Loki, there you are. Einarr has agreed to guard the twins, but the final approval falls to you."
She looks at him pleadingly to give Einarr a chance.
Loki gives his wife a small smile of his own as he reaches her and brushes a hand gently across her back to lean in and press a kiss to her forehead. His eyes remain narrowed as he turns to Einarr, looking him up and down before speaking.
"You’ve agreed to this? I’m... impressed," he says, though there’s an edge to his words that suggests he doesn't fully believe it.
Einarr meets Loki's gaze evenly, neither backing down nor escalating the tension. He keeps his tone respectful, a rarity for him.
"I have. Your lady wife makes a compelling case." A pause, then a slight smirk tugs at his mouth. "And frankly? Those little terrors of yours already scare me more than you do."
He means it both as a joke and an honest compliment, letting Loki know that he genuinely sees the twins' worth and their bite.
Loki's lips twitch almost against his will at that response. He exhales sharply through his nose, though it sounds suspiciously like a stifled laugh. After a beat, he levels Einarr with a long look.
"...I suppose there’s no harm in testing this arrangement for a short while." His voice is still cool, but the sharpness has eased slightly. "But if I hear so much as one complaint about your behavior..." He lets the unspoken threat linger.
Gwen holds back a smile.
"I'm sure everything will be fine."
"We will try this out and see how it works. If you find that you don't want the job after all, there will be no hard feelings. Is two weeks a good trial period?" She looks between Einarr and Loki for confirmation.
Einarr shrugs, not at all worried about the trial period. In fact, he looks almost eager to prove himself. "Two weeks is fine. If I can’t handle it by then, you’d be right to boot me."
"Agreed." Loki exhales slowly but nods as well, his expression still guarded but no longer outright hostile.
"I'll show you around today if you have time, and you can begin tomorrow." She waits for him to agree before standing. "We'll bring the kids along unless you want to stay here with them, Loki?"
Loki glances at the twins currently chasing each other through the garden with the chaotic energy only small children possess, and shakes his head with a smirk. "Oh, no. I want to see this."
Einarr just laughs and pushes back from the table, stretching before offering Gwen a mock-bow. "Lead the way."
Gwen calls the children. "Varian, Liv, we are going to show Einarr around, but first, show me what flowers you chose."
Liv skids to a stop first, clutching a handful of vibrant purple blossoms, her small face glowing with excitement. Varian arrives moments later, his arms full of golden petals and one particularly stubborn vine still tangled around his ankle.
"We found Asphodel!" Liv announces proudly, holding up her bouquet as if it's some kind of rare prize. "And these ones are called..." She frowns for a moment before glancing at her brother.
"...Right! They're Honeysilk Petals." Varian finishes with a grin, shaking loose the vine with an impatient kick. "And this thing wouldn't let go, so I had to bring it too."
Gwen laughs and bends down to free Varian from the vine. She gathers the flowers from the children and wraps the vine around them, creating a neat bouquet. She hands it back to Liv.
"Don't forget your sword," she points out to Varian. "Alright then, come along."
Varian snaps to attention, as if just remembering he dropped his wooden sword somewhere in the scuffle. He sprints back into the garden, retrieves it with a triumphant "Aha!", and darts back to join them, barely out of breath.
"Alright, we’re ready!" Liv declares solemnly, holding her flower bundle like a scepter as she eyes Einarr with open curiosity. "Where are we going first?"
Einarr looks down at them both, amused but also vaguely terrified. Loki watches from behind Gwen, barely hiding his smirk.
The five of them set off through the garden and into the palace. Gwen and Loki point out all the important areas to Einarr, while the kids chime in with their own comments. He's only been to a few areas of the palace during feasts, but now he gets to see the more domestic and intimate rooms and corridors not usually seen by guests.
Eventually, they come to the room set aside for Einarr. It is directly across the hall from Gwen and Loki's chambers. It's not Loki's favorite idea, but he understands the importance of Einarr being close to the kids.
Einarr steps into the room, running a hand along the edge of the carved wooden bed frame, then glancing at the window overlooking the gardens. The accommodations are far more luxurious than he's used to, clearly designed for someone of high standing, not just a hired guard.
"This is generous," he admits after a moment, voice uncharacteristically quiet. Then he smirks and adds: "Though I might miss sleeping in muddy ditches."
Liv immediately scrunches her nose at that idea while Varian tilts his head in fascination.
Gwen smirks and teases for the first time since they began talking. "I'd be more than happy to move your accommodations to the garden if you'd be more comfortable there."
Einarr lets out a loud laugh, genuine and unguarded, and grins at her. "Careful, Gwen. I might just take you up on that. The fresh air does do wonders for my complexion."
Loki exhales sharply through his nose, clearly torn between amusement and irritation at the easy banter. Meanwhile, Liv tugs on Einarr's sleeve with sudden determination.
"You can’t sleep outside! There are dragonflies out there!" She says this as if it's the most terrifying threat imaginable.
Gwen laughs again and whispers, "She thinks that dragonflies are actually baby dragons."
Einarr's grin widens, thoroughly charmed by this revelation. He crouches down to Liv’s eye level with exaggerated seriousness.
"Ah, of course. Wise of you to avoid them. Baby dragons are notoriously sneaky." He leans in closer and stage-whispers, "I once saw one steal a man’s entire sandwich mid-bite."
Liv gasps, horrified yet enthralled, while Varian just crosses his arms skeptically behind her.
"Don't believe me, huh?" Einarr teases, glancing up at Varian. He rises back to his feet, hands on his hips, clearly enjoying the opportunity to spin tales for his young audience.
"Alright, I'll tell you about the time I fought a dragon."
Both Liv and Varian's eyes go wide as they lean forward eagerly. Even Gwen raises an eyebrow with obvious interest. Only Loki looks somewhat skeptical at this new subject but stays back and watches quietly.
They sit in Einarr's room and listen to his story while Gwen and Loki stand patiently nearby.
Einarr weaves an extravagant tale, complete with dramatic gestures and sound effects, about how he once fought a dragon by tricking it into swallowing a barrel of mead. "It got so dizzy, it hiccuped fire for a week!". The twins are utterly captivated, eyes wide as they hang on his every word.
Loki leans toward Gwen with the faintest smirk. "...I may have underestimated him."
Gwen smiles at Loki, pleased and relieved to have at least some of his approval over her choice.
Einarr's story ends with a triumphant finale, and the twins burst into applause, laughing in delight as they look toward Loki and Gwen for approval. Even Loki can't help but chuckle softly as he shakes his head at their excitement.
"Well done," he finally admits to Einarr. "You've got a future in storytelling, it seems."
Einarr grins, clearly pleased by the compliment.
"What can I say? It's all about presentation. And an excellent audience." He winks at the twins, who beam up at him.
Gwen gathers the children and ushers them towards the door. "Well, that was the end of the tour, Einarr. One last thing - your room is your own. After this moment, none of us will enter it, only servants. The children are not to step foot in your room at all, and our rooms across the hall are similarly off limits to you as well."
She takes a breath and adds less sternly, "If you have questions or concerns during your time here, please don't hesitate to speak to me."
Einarr nods as Gwen speaks. The casual, sarcastic tone he had been using before is still there, but there's a new note of seriousness in his expression now. "Understood. I may be a joker, but I take my work seriously, Gwen. Those two are too important to be treated lightly."
Liv frowns and opens her mouth to argue being called "too important," but Varian grabs her hand before she can protest and shakes his head slightly, clearly aware of Einarr's meaning.
"They may have a penchant for mischief, but ultimately they are well-behaved and will not go anywhere they aren't supposed to. If you feel like a place is dangerous, you simply have to tell them, and they will understand and listen," Gwen explains.
Einarr nods soberly. He already has a strong sense that Gwen and Loki are strict but fair parents. They let their kids have a considerable amount of freedom as long as the boundaries they set are obeyed.
Meanwhile, Liv and Varian listen quietly, both clearly aware that this is their chance to prove that they can behave themselves. "Right. No danger zones, no mischief. I think I can handle that."
Gwen's expression softens. "Thank you for considering this job, Einarr. I know you won't let me down."
"I won’t." Einarr bows his head, a rare, genuine smile crossing his face.
As Gwen and Loki usher the twins out of the room, Einarr exhales slowly, still staring at the door where they disappeared. He's spent years avoiding attachments, keeping things casual, but something about this already feels different.