Cow Jumped Over the Moon

[innitmarvelous_og]

Loki and Eva Stark had been married for a few years now, and they had settled into a comfortable routine. Eva was the daughter of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, while in the past Loki had been a trickster who loved causing chaos and mischief wherever he had gone. But he had reformed his ways many year*s ago — first to win his freedom from prison, then so that he would be worthy of marrying Eva. Her father had been very reluctant to bless their union together because of Loki's past record. But her father finally had consented to their marriage, and after so many years of them being happy together even he had to admit that Loki was a good, loving husband to his daughter Eva.

One quiet day, Eva decided to take a walk by the lake near their home. Loki had joined her, and they strolled along the shore hand in hand. The sun was shining, the sky was clear and the water sparkled.

As they walked, they came across a small calf. Eva carefully approached the baby, and placed her hand on its side. The calf mooed at her. "Oh you poor dear! Where's your mother? Hmm?" She looked at her husband, "This little poor thing! He looks so weak Oh Loki, we've got to help him!"

Loki nodded, "Yes, we must try to help it."

"Let's see if we can find some milk for it," Eva said.

"All right."

"We can't leave him here though while we look. I mean what if he gets lost so not even we can find him? He'll die!"

"I think he is too weak to walk on his own. I will have to carry him."

"Can you?"

"Certainly," Loki replied.

As Eva watched, he picked up the calf and placed the calf over his shoulders, with the front legs on one side, and his back legs on the other.

"This calf is indeed in sad shape as he barely feels like he's there," Loki proclaimed.

The calf mooed again.

"Hang in there, buddy!" Eva said, petting the calf's head, "Come on, we need to hurry and get him some help!"

When they decided to live on Asgard, they decided that they didn't want to live in the city. Loki had been and was still considered to be a prince of Asgard, but neither one of them wanted to subject Loki to the temptations of power that came along with such a position. So with Odin's approval, a modest but roomy stone cottage was built for him in one of the forests outside of the city. They were isolated, and yet they were not because while they did have neighbors, their neighbors were not too close.

A fact Loki was very well aware of now as he carried the sickly calf upon his shoulders. They'd walked at least a mile before they saw the smoke of a hearth fire. They hailed the home's inhabitants, and were quite relieved that a farmer and his wife lived there.

The farmer took the calf from Loki and said, "We'll have him fed in no time! I've got plenty of cows who are in the mothering way! I am certain I can get one of them to share her milk with this one here."

"Oh thank you, sir!" Eva said, as she sipped on the cold water the farmer's wife had offered them.

"Yes thank you, sir, for going to all the trouble," Loki added.

"Oh, it's no trouble. None at all. It will soon be twilight, then dark. Where do you live?"

"On the other side of the lake, I think."

"Oh dear, then you'll never get home before dark even if you start walking home now! Why don't you sup with us and spend the night here?" the wife said.

Eva looked at her husband then, "If you're sure it's no trouble?"

The farmer laughed, "Oh no, dear Lady, having you here with us for the night would be no more trouble than us taking care of this sick calf! But I'm afraid we'll have to put you up to sleep for the night in the barn!"

"Sounds charming!" Loki said, dryly.

Eva elbowed him, and told the farmer, "Why we'll be glad to stay the night in your barn."

"Well now that's settled, why don't we all go in for dinner?" the wife said, leading the way into their house.