Love me Forever

By Nilanjana Saha

'(Name), Loki...where are you?' , you heard someone call.

Loki was one of your best friends, and also an Asgardian prince, but he was not like his brother. Loki was more of your type. He liked reading and practicing magic and spending time alone which made him very similar to you, thus there was really no surprise when both you practically became inseparable.

You preferred spending time in Asgard than in Alagesia as people over there always treated like you were royalty, it really was not easy being an elven princess as well as Eragon Kingkiller's daughter. You had nothing against your parents it was just that if was difficult living underneath there shadows. You always felt like that you would only ever be recognised as Eragon and Arya's daughter and never by your own achievements. Also you preferred spending time away from Du Weldenvarden as you simply got sick and tired of maintaining that air of formality all the time, so Asgard became a good place to hide from your true life. The Allfather and Arya Drotting had a peace treaty a long tim e ago between the two lands and as a display of trust one child from Ellesmera would visit Asgard and vice versa to learn each other's culture. Valdr (which means king in the ancient language) hadn't hatched for you yet so naturally you were the first choice. You acted as the representative for your kind here. So at the beginning you expected your life here to be very similar to that back home, but the Allmother would take none of it. While you stayed in Asgard you could behave like some one of your and not be bound in the intricacies of life.

You met Loki the day you first came here. Frigga introduced you to both of her sons,Loki and Thor .Thor reminded you a lot of Thrivik, uncle Orik's son . He liked battles, wanted to be one of the finest warriors in Asgard when he grew up and wanted to fight battles which would bring him "glory". The only thing that was different about him was that he did not believe in honing his intelligence, it was obvious that when he grew up in battles he would rely on brute force rather that cunning moves. You immediately felt a bit of distaste towards his way of thinking. Loki on the other hand was nothing like his brother. He relied more on his mind, he had already earned the title of "The Trickster" from how he managed to make a fool out of every body yet never getting caught.

You and Loki were best of friend always discussing magic , playing tricks on each other sometimes on other people as well (although neither of you would ever admit it). You missed him a lot when you went back.

You visited every year, spending six months here and six months there, learning about their culture and lifestyle, incorporating as much as you could during your stay there, but it would all very soon end.

On your Thirtieth birthday (since you were an elf, well mostly, you basically were roughly in your teens), as per tradition, you were taken to the hall of dragons where all the dragon eggs that were meant to bond with riders were kept. You did not think that a dragon would ever choose you, but still you could not help but feel excited. Your nerves tingled as you walked past rows of dragon eggs of different colours and sizes, but nothing happened. When you had almost reached the end of the rood, you heard a sort of shuffling sound coming from behind you. You turned around to look at your father, he only pointed at a certain egg in the row. The egg was moving from side to side and a faint crack had appeared on the side. The egg was blood red in colour and was a little larger than the ones around it. By the time you came closer to the egg quite a few cracks had appeared which formed roughly a square piece of shell which wobbled. Then the piece moved upward and underneath appeared a small angular head. Then the small creature ,managed its way out of the shell completely. It was red in colour and larger than most dragon hatchlings that you had seen. The Thorns on its spines already looked sharp and so did the ivory teeth in its jaws. You looked at your and he told you to go ahead and touch it. You could feel Saphira's presence on the edge of your mind…she was curious. You went ahead and extended your right palm towards it, a bit afraid. All the dragons you ever met were all bonded thus were predictable, but you had never met an unbounded hatchling so you were not sure what would happen. The tiny dragon smelt your palm curiously and then touched its snout to the corner of your palm. You immediately felt something rushing up your arm, like ice cold water that tingled, and entering your mind. It did not attack or try to take control….it sort of melded with your consciousness, becoming a part of it. You immediately felt what could only be described as a ravenous hunger emanating from an alien consciousness intertwined with yours. Someone who was bound to your very soul. The thought of it scared you…being a dragon rider…it was a very important responsibility that had , with no doubt what so ever, changed your life forever .

"He is hungry", you heard your father say.

"He?"

"Yes, Saphira asked him".

"I see. Do you have anything I can feed him?"

"Follow me."

You and Father went outside towards Saphira who was just sitting outside. You held your little dragon in your arms. It was, no he was pretty heavy. Saphira's scales glinted in the sunlight.

"Put him down on the ground (name)", you heard Saphirain your mind and you obliged.

He walked towards Saphira, who put her snout on the ground so that she could see him with her own eyes. He looked tiny in front of her. Saphira blew a jet of hot air on him. But he was brave, he did not shy away.

"AtraesternionoThelduin, Bjartskular".

~time skip to the end of your last visit to Asgard with Valdr~

You and Loki walked through the gardens in Asgard, Valdr walking (on four legs of course) behind the two of you.

"So you cannot visit Asgard anymore", Loki asked

"No, being a dragon rider means shouldering a great responsibility. I still have to start my training, Valdr still has a lot to learn, and I am yet to earn my position in the ranks of the Dragon Riders. That is why mother allowed me spend a bit more time than usual. Do not worry, since I will not be able to visit a suitable replacement has been found. I am sure you will enjoy her company, she is a good friend of mine, her name is Alana."

"I do not want to be in any other company except yours", Loki replied bluntly.

Exasperted you say, "Loki...you have to understand, I have no choice in this matter, and it has already been decided. Now in Ellesmera I am no longer considered (Name) Drottingu, Princess of Du Weldenvarden, but as (Name) the future Dragon Rider."

"I do not want you to go (Name)", Loki almost whispered.

"Loki..."

"I am in love with you (Name), I have been for a long time. I just never could muster up the courage to tell you that. I always thought I would have a lot of time to spend with you, least did I know he would happen", Loki said that last bit with a sneer in his voice.

"Loki...I have also loved you for a very very long time, but you must understand, it is not his fault Loki. He did not know of the circumstances surrounding my life, he just knew that I was the one. Oh Loki, if only I could tell you how it feels, it is an amazing feeling being bonded to a dragon."

"So I cannot do anything to prevent you from leaving?"

"No" came your blunt answer.

"Very well. Just promise me one thing, promise me that when you are done with your training you will come back to me. Please?"

"I Promise, you Loki Odinson I shall see you again." You repeated the same thing in your mind in the ancient language, thus making yourself bound by oath to come back to him.

Loki turned to Valdr and said "I do not know whether you understand me yet, but please for both of our sakes, take care of her." Valdr blinked slowly and meaningfully showing Loki that he understood. Loki then turned to you, stepped closer then swiftly brought his lips down upon yours. It was chaste, soft and pure. When he stepped back he just said one thing "Be safe my queen" and then he walked away.

You did not see Loki after that until the day that you were supposed to leave. All of your friends had come to say goodbye and Allfather and Allmother were also there. Heimdall opened the bifrost to Ellesmera. You around at all the people standing in that dome with because you knew it would ages before you ever saw them again. You caught sight of Loki standing at one corner away from everybody else. He came closer to you ,wrapped his arms around your waist and enveloped you in a warm embrace. "Remember what you promise (Name)"

"Always" you replied. And with that you stepped into the rainbow portal that led you and Valdr back to Alagesia, to the life of a Dragon Rider, to a life without your beloved, a life without Loki.