The Introduction

Loki and Eisa were sitting at a small table on the sidewalk outside a quaint eatery in the merchant district of the capital. They had spent part of the afternoon shopping for new clothes and lingerie to accommodate her changing body before deciding to stop and eat a quick meal at the cafe. They waved and nodded to the citizens who passed by as they ate, the Einherjar keeping everyone at a safe distance.

"Are you warm enough?"

"I am just fine. Thank you."

It was a sunny spring day, the air was warm, but the breeze still had a slight chill to it.

"Are you getting tired? We can head home anytime you like."

"I know. Not just yet. If that's all right?"

"Fine by me." Loki pushed his uneaten roll to her side of the table.

"I can't eat another bite, my love, but thank you."

"Well, it's yours if you change your mind." He toyed with the handle of his teacup, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

She beamed at him, "I can hardly wait for tomorrow! Are you nervous?"

The King was scheduled to announce the pregnancy the following day.

"No," he anxiously continued to fiddle with his teacup, "I'm not nervous about the announcement. Just your safety."

Eisa rolled her eyes, "You worry too much."

He shrugged his shoulders, unsure why he was in such a dour mood. "You don't worry enough."

"I don't see the point in it. I have faith that the Norns will listen to my prayers. All my dreams are coming true. I am married to the smartest, most handsome man in the Nine realms," She slid her hand across the small table to still Loki's fiddling with his teacup, "Our love was so abundant, it created our baby. I am blessed beyond measure."

He twined his fingers in hers and gave her a small smile, "My inability to resist your powerful feminine charms caused this," he motioned toward her belly, "Your intoxicating scent was like a siren song to me that night."

"Just that night?" she bit her bottom lip and quirked an eyebrow up at him.

"Behave yourself," he flipped her hand over on the table and started stroking the tender skin of her wrist with his long index finger.

He examined her face carefully; the amber of her irises was barely visible as her eyes darkened with lust. She had been nearly insatiable the past few weeks. This stage of her pregnancy causing her to become more amorous than when they first started sleeping together. He took his time making love to her every night before they went to sleep, yet Eisa would still wake him in the middle of the night, whining and whimpering with need. She would slip into his showers in the mornings and pounce on him when he returned home from work, smothering him in kisses as if it had been days since she tasted him, not hours.

Odin had a good laugh at Loki's weak excuses for nodding off during council meetings. Eisa was wearing him out, and that was no small feat.

"Auntie Eisa!" A school-age boy came running up to their table and hugged Eisa around her shoulders, breaking Loki's reverie.

"Erik?"

A guard moved to push the boy away, but Eisa stopped him.

"This is my nephew, Erik." She hugged the boy tightly and then pulled back to look at him. "Let me see you. Norns! You are getting so big. Where is your mama?"

"She walks too slow."

"Still, you shouldn't run off."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Walking slow is boring."

Loki couldn't stop his laugh, "I always thought so."

"Don't encourage him," she scolded.

"Who are you?" The boy asked Loki with suspicion.

"I am Prince Loki, God of Mischief, and heir to the throne of Asgard. I am also your uncle by marriage."

"Cool," the boy gave him a wide grin, his two front teeth oversized for his little face.

"And you are?"

"My name is Lord Erik Frodeson..." his brow crinkled in thought, "toad catcher and builder of forts," he beamed, extremely proud of himself for coming up with his title so quickly.

"Very nice to meet you, little lordling."

"Yeah, you too. Do you guys wanna come see my tree fort? It's in our garden."

Loki chuckled, "I can't recall the last time I was in a tree fort."

"Then you gotta come. Sorry, Auntie Eisa, no girls allowed."

Eisa scoffed, "That's not fair."

Loki laughed out loud, "Sorry Dove, but rules are rules."

"You should make a tree fort in your garden. It's lots of fun."

"Indeed," A smile played on his lips as Loki's mind was instantly filled with visions of children playing in the palace garden: boys climbing trees and building forts, little girls pushing doll prams, and hosting tea parties.

"Erik!" Anina came waddling quickly down the walk; her husband, Frode, at her side. "Oh..." She stood staring for a moment before she remembered herself and curtsied. "Apologies, My Prince. Princess." She gave Eisa a nod.

"Anina," Eisa cleared her throat, "We, uh, we missed you at the feast."

"Yes, well..." she put her hand on her baby bump and looked about, clearly uncomfortable. "Erik needs supplies for a school project. We should probably finish our errands so we can get him home."

"Wait, please?" Loki stood and helped Eisa to her feet. "Anina, I would like a word."

Anina swallowed thickly as she noticed her baby sister holding her stomach as she stood up.

"Come, Erik, let's let Mama talk while we go pick out some sweets to take home to your brother and sisters." Frode bowed before taking the boy to the sweets shop next door.

Anina gave him a pleading look, but he replied quietly but firmly, "Talk to your friend. Make amends with your sister."

She watched her husband and son until they were out of sight. She turned back to the couple and flexed her fists at her sides, "So much for not laying a finger on her, I see."

"Anina-"

She held up her hand to stop him, "It is really none of my business." Her voice was tight, and tears were rimming her eyes.

"Sister," Eisa whispered, "the King is announcing our pregnancy tomorrow."

"How could you?" Anina quickly wiped a tear from her cheek before looking up at Loki, the hurt evident on her face.

He put his arm around his wife and hugged her close to his side, "Because I love her, Anina."

She scoffed, "You expect me to believe that?"

Loki's temper flared, but he was able to keep his voice level as he said, "It doesn't matter what you believe. I would hope that you would be happy for us, but your blessing is not needed."

"You have only loved the game, the chase. You loved adding another notch to your headboard. You love war. You love fighting. Hel, you even preferred the company of your horse over most people!"

Offended, "She was a champion! I had to treat her as such."

Anina placed a hand on her forehead, irritated, "I don't understand this. You expressed repeatedly that you never wanted to be married, that you never wanted to have children."

"That was true at one point in my life, but I am not a hot-headed young man anymore. The years have tamed that wild side of myself."

"I see. How convenient," she smiled sardonically.

Eisa bristled. Anina hit a nerve. It was her worst fear that Loki was only with her because of their forced proximity.

"No," Loki corrected her. "It was rather inconvenient in the beginning. Very fucking inconvenient to be honest. Sorry, Dove." He patted her arm and continued as he returned his attention back to Anina, "It's the truth. No one will ever understand what it took to keep her at a distance; the long nights on the short sofa or the meals eaten in utter silence," he shook his head as he recalled the painful memories of their early days together.

"I never wanted to fall in love with your sister. But I don't need to tell you what an extraordinary woman she is. How kind and loving she is. How smart and talented she is. How brave she is for loving me..." he looked to Eisa with soft eyes, "My little dove. My fiery siren. It took too much effort to fight it."

Anina looked between the two, and a pang of jealousy struck her straight in the gut. He had never looked at her like that. She swallowed a lump in her throat, "This all seems rather sudden."

"It happened slowly at first, then all at once. When she was almost taken from me... when I almost lost her..."

"Loki, don't." Eisa comforted him, "Don't rehash those memories."

"It was then I knew I couldn't live without her. I swore an oath to protect her, and that is what I am going to do. With my own life if it comes to it."

Anina rubbed both of her hands over her belly and shifted her weight from foot to foot, "May I sit?"

"Please," Loki moved around the table to pull a chair out for her.

"Thank you," she sat as gracefully as her enlarged middle would allow.

"Sister, If I may?" Eisa took a seat next to her sister and took her hand in hers. "First of all, I love you."

"I love you, too. That's why I am so upset about this."

"Secondly," she took a deep breath, "How do I put this?" she paused for a moment, "You need to get over it."

"I what?!"

"Listen to me. Loki and I were married before the King and the Norns in the shade of Yggdrasill. We took vows and we consummated our union."

Anina's face scrunched up and she squeezed her eyes closed, "Eisa..."

"Anina, I am not a child."

"I know," she looked up to the sky and exhaled slowly, "It's just... I used to change your nappies."

"That was centuries ago."

Anina squeezed her hand, "Feels like yesterday." She dried her cheeks again and looked to Loki, "And you..." she shook her head.

"Totally different scenario," a mischievous grin decorated his face.

"Still pantsless." Eisa crossed her arms in a huff.

A bark of laughter escaped Anina and she clapped both of her hands over her mouth.

Loki bit the inside of his cheek, straining to hold in his laughter.

"Oh, let it out. The sooner we all move past this the better."

By the time Frode and Erik returned with a large box of sweets, the trio had moved on to more pleasant conversations. Eisa learned that Anina and Frode decided not to learn the sex of this baby since it would be the tiebreaker; they wanted to be surprised when it was born. They already had two boys and two girls, and they decided this child would be their last one.

Loki expressed that he looked forward to being a more involved member of her family, telling her he had always loved her friendship and hoped it could continue, without all the heavy petting, of course.

Eisa and Anina held tight to each other as they said their goodbyes, not wanting to be the first to let go while Loki, Frode, and Erik debated which of the sweets was the tastiest.

"Thank you for today." Eisa beamed up at him as they strolled back to the palace hand in hand, four guards escorting them home.

"I may have given myself a toothache," Loki teased, "The Lord of Toads insisted I try every variety."

"You are so good with children."

He chuckled, "I never thought about it before, but they do appeal to my nature. Unbridled bundles of chaos. The reckless abandon. Pranks and games and mischief; all the things we lose sight of when we grow up and we take on the serious business of being taken seriously."

"To be sure."

"Being around your nieces and nephews reminds me that everything doesn't have to be so, well, serious all the time."

"It is very sexy," she hugged his arm closer to her body and squeezed his bicep.

Loki laughed, "Is it?"

"Mm-hmm."

He laughed again, "You have about twenty minutes to have your way with me before I pass out from a sugar crash."

"Then we had better hurry," she dropped his hand and lifted her skirts as she scampered up the palace steps.

He couldn't stop smiling as he followed her closely, ready to catch her if she stumbled.

oOXOo

The announcement of the royal pregnancy was made in front of the Palace gates with as much fanfare and over-the-top grandeur as one would expect from a Kingdom that had not had a royal birth in more than a millennium. The news coincided with the Beltane celebrations and the expectant couple stood on the palace steps and were showered with spring blossoms and flower petals. Green banners flapped noisily in the strong breeze as they waved to the citizens of Asgard, cheering and celebrating the big news.

Eisa wore a crown of delicate green hydrangeas and a soft pastel green dress that accentuated her growing belly. She cradled her bump as she scooted to stand closer to Loki. She blushed and tucked her chin to her shoulder, "I feel as if I am wearing a sign, 'We had drunken sex!'"

He gave her a mischievous grin, "The public doesn't know this was unplanned."

"I know," she smiled coyly. "Still," she blushed deeper, "it feels like an invasion of privacy; now they all know what we get up to behind closed doors."

"And in the open air of the balcony at times," he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it slowly.

"Don't forget the gardens."

"I will never forget the gardens," he recalled her face as they made love in the grass bathed in the light of the setting sun of the first warm day after the long winter.

"I am relieved to be out of those tight binders and corsets," she rubbed her bump and smiled at him sheepishly, "but looking like this is taking some getting used to."

"You are stunning." He returned her smile and placed his hand on her stomach, "It's not as if you have a cask of ale in there. You are growing the next King."

"Our son," she corrected him. "He is our son first, Prince second, then eventually, many long centuries from now, he can take the throne. You will be our next King."

Loki's thumb rubbed her belly as he got lost in his thoughts.

King...

What a strange turn of events.

His life had changed so drastically in the brief time since his release from prison. This wasn't how things were supposed to play out. This isn't what he pictured his life would look like when Odin came to him in the dungeon with a plan. This girl, and now a baby, were the furthest things from his mind on that fateful day.

His release was so sudden, jarringly so. He hadn't had long to think about it, but during the trek up and out of the dungeon he had resigned himself to a loveless marriage, whiling away the hours confined to his luxurious chambers, eating the best cuisine, with the occasional visit from some of Asgard's finest whores.

No, this isn't what he was expecting at all. A loving wife, a meaningful job, and a chance to make a difference in the lives of all the people waving and cheering his name.

A large extended family.

The throne.

Witnessing the citizens overjoyed for him as he prepares to welcome a baby.

A son.

A strong, healthy son according to all the tests. A son who, just from analyzing Eisa's scans, would be born into this world just like any other baby here. Odin assured Loki that the good people of the realm would never suspect the baby to be anything other than Asgardian. And when he conveyed this information to Eisa, she balked. She made it clear she had no desire to raise their son to be ashamed of who he was. She insisted he would not grow up shrouded in a lie. He would know the truth, even if the citizens were left in the dark for a time. She felt that once Odin was out of the picture, and the people witnessed Loki's leadership firsthand, peace could be brokered between the two realms.

They had several heated debates about returning the Casket of Ancient Winters back to Jötenheim. Loki knew how dangerous it could be in the wrong hands, but Eisa kept insisting that Asgard had no right to keep it since the Frost Giants were slowly dying off without it.

'Darling,' he would say, 'you just don't understand.'

'So, explain it to me,' she would retort, 'Explain to me why we should be the ones to determine the fate of an entire race.'

And he would keep repeating the same argument until he was, for lack of a better term, blue in the face. Until he would throw his hands up and leave the topic for another time.

Eisa had begun to feel the baby moving around inside her and would move Loki's hand on her belly, excited for him to feel it too. But alas, the little fellow was still too small to be felt from the outside. The disappointment he felt surprised him. He felt pangs of jealousy as he watched her face light up as the little bugger kicked and tumbled about in her womb.

Reminding himself that he didn't want the baby had become exhausting.

You don't want this, remember? He would chastise himself when he caught himself distracted, remembering the images from the scan with fondness. Or when he would put a protective hand over her belly as he curled up behind her in bed. Or simply staring in awe at her changing silhouette as she walked around the apartment.

He had laughed darkly as he talked with his mind healer, "Why must I always be in turmoil? Why must I always be torn?"

It took months, but Loki finally accepted that he was fighting an internal battle between what he thought he should want and what he really desired deep down inside.

He had spent years cultivating a hardened exterior shell. He was cynical, combative, manipulative, power-hungry, and deceitful. An outsider. Unwanted.

But internally he had always only desired one thing: family. To belong. To be loved and love in return. He had buried those feelings so deeply that he forgot they existed. Once they started to surface, he fought hard to push them back down again.

The entirety of his young adult life he spent trying to please Odin, to earn his approval and admiration. Wanting to be Thor's friend and equal like when they were children but being passed over in favor of his warrior friends.

Now, the smartest, kindest, most beautiful young woman he had ever met loved him unequivocally and carried his son. The people of Asgard were clamoring for his attention, showering him with spring blossoms, and cheering for him.

He looked up from her swollen belly to her face; she was watching him reverently. She put her hand over his, "We love you."

He kissed her temple, unable to speak for the lump forming in his throat.

That evening they sat curled up together on the balcony and watched the bonfires burn throughout the capital as the citizens continued their celebrations long into the night.

oOXOo

Once the announcement was made, gifts for the future King started arriving from all over the Nine. Parcels and sacks upon sacks of letters packed the foyer of their chambers.

Loki had a rare day off work, so he and Eisa spent an amorous morning in bed before a leisurely soak in the bath. After brunch they started going through the mail together. Eisa had tears in her eyes as she read over the letter in her hands.

"The outpouring of love for this child is overwhelming."

Loki nodded in agreement as he stared at a small hand-knitted cap. It was tiny in his large hands; he was having a hard time imagining a head little enough to fit it.

"The people are overjoyed." Eisa placed a finger on the parchment and read aloud, "' I am filled with a renewed feeling of hope for our realm.'" She picked up another letter, "' There is hope for the future. Gods bless the new prince.'" She let out a sigh, "Over and over again, it is the same thing. The people are ready for a change. This is astonishing, really. I cannot wrap my mind around this."

"I know what you mean." He set the cap aside and picked up the matching booties from the box. He slid one over his finger and looked at it in awe, "So little... Someone's whole foot is supposed to fit in this?"

"Honestly," Eisa shook her head as she looked over the letters spread out on the dining room table, "Some of these people are calling him an answered prayer."

"You cannot convince me these are not doll's clothes." He held up a sleepsuit by the shoulders. "How are we supposed to keep track of something so small."

"Loki? Are you listening to me?"

"What? Yes."

"What are you on about? You have seen a baby before."

Loki grunted in disapproval, "Never so little. Not fresh out of the womb."

"They don't stay that little very long."

"I suppose not."

Eisa sat back in her chair and rubbed her belly with a sigh.

Loki looked at her, concerned, "What is the matter?"

"I don't know. I am having conflicting emotions."

"Tell me."

"It's silly."

"So?"

"Very well," she relented, "Part of me can't wait to meet him and I'm sad that I must wait so many more months to hold him in my arms. But another part of me wants to keep him all to myself, hoping that I can stay pregnant with him forever."

"You can't be pregnant forever, Dove," Loki laughed.

Eisa's bottom lip quivered, and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Oh no, please don't cry." He abandoned the box of baby clothes and went to her side.

"He's so safe and warm and happy in there," she sobbed, "What if I'm a terrible mum? What if he doesn't like me?"

"He will love you. How could he not? You are going to be the most wonderful mother." His heart was breaking for her as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, Loki," she sniffed, "I am so sorry. I am such a mess. I don't know what has gotten into me."

"We read about this, remember? Mood swings are normal. It is just a wash of chemicals causing these thoughts."

"You're right. I remember." She started to calm down.

"There you go."

She ran her hands over her growing bump, "He needs a name. We can't keep calling him Bug. I would like to start calling him by his name soon so that he might recognize it when he is born." The baby had earned the nickname Bug as soon as Eisa started feeling him move inside of her. She tried explaining the sensation to Loki, saying it felt like she had swallowed a live grasshopper. He was Bug from that day forward.

Loki took a deep breath and looked around the apartment at the abundance of baby paraphernalia that had accumulated in the weeks since the announcement. Prams, cradles, bassinets, gift boxes with layettes, bonnets, sleepers, and blankets were piled around the main living space. With more arriving every day. He was starting to feel overwhelm creeping up on him.

"Perhaps we can discuss names another time? I can't think properly with all this clutter in our home. Let me help you decide what you would like to keep and what can be donated. "

Eisa sat up quickly, "Oh, no!"

"What is it? Pain?"

"No," she stood and started pacing around the apartment, "I just realized he has nowhere to sleep."

Loki followed her, confused. "He will sleep with his nurse in the nursery, obviously."

"No child of mine is going to be raised by a stranger!" She made her way to their bedroom, "We can convert part of this room. Put a bed in that corner..."

"Let's not be hasty." He was just starting to warm up to the idea of being a father, but the thought of sharing his room with a baby was off-putting.

"Don't be silly. This room is enormous. A crib will take up no space. I will need a nappy station," she tapped her finger to her chin, deep in thought.

"Nappies? Dove, slow down. This is where we sleep and-"

"We only have a few months! I can't believe I waited so long to think about this. This credenza will have to go."

"That belonged to my mother! Eisa, stop!"

She looked up at him, startled by his tone of voice.

"Please, slow down." He led her over to an armchair by the fireplace and helped her sit. He knelt between her knees and took her hands in his. "I apologize for raising my voice. Can we please slow down? All this frenzy is making me anxious."

"Yes, of course." She took a deep breath, "Hormones."

He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles and smiled, "That credenza stays where it is."

"For now," she teased.

"I... All this change... all this happening so quickly... I need time to adjust. You know I love you and you know that I will support you and this little bug," he placed both of his hands on either side of her belly, "I'm just asking for a little time. A slower pace. A little time and a little consideration."

"You are right. I'm sorry." She ran her fingers through his hair, "Over the next few weeks, I would like to discuss Bug's permanent name, where he is going to sleep, and where we are going to keep his things."

"I will put it on my agenda." He smiled at her before leaning over and placing a kiss between his hands on her protruding belly, surprising himself.

"Oh," Eisa gasped.

"What was that?" He studied her stomach carefully.

"Did you feel that? That was Bug saying hello."

"Will he do it again?"

"Probably."

Loki waited patiently with his hands in place, ready and eager to feel the nudge from his baby again. When nothing happened, he looked up at Eisa with a silent question in his eyes.

"I don't know, Love. Try talking to him," she shrugged her shoulders.

He leaned over again so that his mouth was close to her belly, "Hello in there, little Bug." He was taken aback when he felt a motion under his hands.

Eisa was beaming, "It worked! Do it again," she encouraged him.

He cleared his throat nervously, "Hello again, Bug. This is... this is your... your father... speaking." The little guy acknowledged Loki with a swift kick to his palm. He smiled widely, "You seem to like this, so I am going to keep talking. If there is one thing you should know about me, I do love having a captive audience. I hope you don't come to grow sick of the sound of my voice because I have a lot to say."

Eisa laughed as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. She felt him roll, tumble, stretch, and kick as Loki continued to introduce himself to his son.

"... your Mum looked otherworldly standing behind that waterfall, the light from the sun streaming in through the wall of water, dancing over her skin and illuminating her hair. How could I have resisted kissing her?"

Eisa covered her grin with her fingers, Loki had moved on to telling Bug their love story.

"... So that is how you came to be, little Bug." He rubbed her bump lovingly, "I think I have put him to sleep."

She placed her hand over his, "A momentary occurrence, I assure you."

He chuckled and placed another kiss on her belly.

Her other hand was running her fingers through his hair, "My heart is full to bursting. I am so happy."

Loki stood and pulled her up with him, wrapping her in his arms. "Me too, Dove. Me too."

"Oh, Loki."

"I know, sweetling."

She cried and cried as he held her patiently. "I'm sorry," she sniffed, "these emotions are just so intense."

"It's all right. I'm feeling all kinds of emotional myself at the moment." He stroked her hair, "Could you be feeling peckish? I could send for some snacks."

She shook her head and reached for his hand, "I'm not hungry for food."

He raised his eyebrow at her, trying to suppress the grin forming on his face, "No?"

She shook her head again and looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes as she moved her hand to the top of his trousers.

"Again?"

"Please?"

He couldn't stop his grin this time, "I live to serve you, Dove."

oOXOo

A FEW WEEKS EARLIER

Viggo pulled the hood of his cloak closer around his face as he stood among the masses gathered just outside the palace gates. He looked around in disdain at all the people who cheered when the King held his hands wide and gave them the news of the little abomination on the way. If they only knew what he knew. If only he could tell them.

Fury blurred the edges of his vision as he watched Odin introduce his daughter and her husband. His lip curled up in a sneer as the Jötun foundling put his hand on her stomach. He couldn't stand there watching them mooning over each other any longer, he had to move before an angry outburst blew his cover.

Viggo had been working on his plan diligently for months. Soon it will be time to implement it. All the pieces had to come together in perfect synchronicity to pull it off. He was so prepared; his backup plans had backup plans. He was confident there was no way he would fail.

He gave the signal to his men loyal to him to fall back then made his way through back alleys to a brothel in the poorest part of the city.

"The usual tonight, big man?" the madam asked from behind her counter.

Viggo grunted in response and slapped a silver coin down in front of her before he made his way up the rickety stairs to the second floor. He double-checked he had not been followed and unlocked the door to his room.

The room was dark and dirty. Rodent droppings decorated the floor along the baseboards. The glass panes in the single window carried a yellow tint from years of tobacco smoke. The bedding smelled of piss and sweat and sex.

Viggo scowled as he set his satchel on the small table he used for eating and planning. One would assume that years of working undercover for the King would have made him accustomed to living like this when he needed to, but they would be wrong. He hated this place. He hated that raggedy madam. He hated the dirty whores she sent to his room.

Soon, he reminded himself, soon this mission will be complete. Soon this will all be over.

He was eager to be done with it. Eager to return to the luxury he was used to. The anticipation fueled him as he pulled out a stack of parchment and started going over the details of his plan again.

A soft tap on his door pulled him away from the map of the palace he was studying.

"Who's there?"

"The collector," a small voice confirmed.

Viggo opened the door and pulled the boy inside swiftly. He appeared to be just a little older than his oldest grandson.

"I have today's messages, sir."

"Very good," he accepted a stack of parchment envelopes from the boy and passed him a copper coin in return. He flipped through them quickly before stashing them away and giving the boy the outgoing messages, the color of the wax seals the only difference between them. "Do you remember the pattern?"

"Yes, sir."

"These go straight to the distributors, no side trips to spend that coin. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go on then. Remember to keep your head down until you are outside. I don't want to hear about you peeping behind curtains again."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

He gestured for the boy to leave, then locked the door behind him. Now that the baby news had broken, it was time to set the wheels of his plan in motion. He pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and dipped his quill into his inkpot.

My Dearest Finna...