Loki stood when she joined him at the raised high table. Much to her relief, no other diners sat within earshot of them. They both stayed silent as the servants bustled around them, laying out more food and drink than any two people would ever need.

When they were finally as alone as communal dining would allow, Loki raised an eyebrow at her. "I summoned you ages ago, Erna. Did you keep me waiting in recompense for asking you to dinner?" Gratefully, she saw he seemed more amused than anything.

"No, actually I hadn't planned that, but it does serve you right. I was probably difficult to find, now that I think about it. I didn't stay in my chambers this afternoon."

"And why is that?"

She got the distinct impression he already knew the answer to his question, but played along anyway. "Because I had a row with my father."

"Oh? About what?"

"About you."

"Ah, he doesn't approve of my attentions?"

"Quite the contrary. He was too exuberant. He seems to think I can charm you and made me feel like a pawn in a game I didn't even know he was playing." She surprised herself by admitting this to him so readily.

"Little does he know, we're playing our own game. And I assure you, Erna, you're nobody's pawn."

"Not even yours?"

"No, not even mine."

"You certainly acted like it today. We didn't discuss anything like this," she gestured at the hall and the dozens of eyes observing them.

"How many casual library meetings did you think we'd get away with before people got suspicious?" He didn't let her answer before continuing. "I wanted to gauge the palace's reaction to my invitation and it might as well have been tonight."

"I expect more notice next time you decide to accelerate our timeline. And actually, I expect to discuss such changes with you before you unilaterally decide to act. You keep telling me we're partners in this and I'd like to be treated as such."

He considered her for a moment, head cocked slightly to one side. She stared right into his pale eyes as they looked upon her, intent on asserting her position as his equal. Even a day ago the thought of being equal to the king would have struck her as mad, but now it seemed imperative that they both accept it.

"Point well made, Erna. I apologize for not consulting you properly. Now, you should eat something. You barely touched your lunch and I need you in peak form tomorrow."

"What are you planning for tomorrow?" She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"I'll explain it to you later tonight. Might I visit you after your servants have retired?"

"Another clandestine visit from the king. Is this going to become a habit, Loki?"

He laughed at the semi-scandalized look on her face, knowing full well how she truly felt about the social conventions of his court. "It just might, little elf. It just might."

Before they parted, Loki made a grand show of bowing to her and kissing her hand. It felt like something out of a young girl's fantasy, the gallant king courting the young maiden. It made her smile to think it was so much more devious than that, but nobody would ever know but them.

Without knowing how Loki would be sure when her servants retired, she went about her normal routine. She bathed and dressed for bed before sending her handmaidens away. Owing his timing to some uncanny sense, he entered the room only minutes after they'd left her.

"How did you know I'd be alone," she asked, shaking her head in amazement.

"Simple. I placed wards around your servant's chambers, so I knew as soon as they entered. I assumed you'd sent them off for the night."

"They're probably not asleep yet, you know."

"Erna, I have wards set on your room as well. We could hold battle in here and nobody outside would hear a thing."

"That's not exactly comforting, Loki."

"It should be. We can be completely candid without fear of being overheard."

"I should have known a man wouldn't consider it from a woman's perspective."

"Then by all means enlighten me."

"I'd be unable to raise an alarm if you took it upon yourself to attack me. That's why the idea isn't entirely reassuring."

"Do you think you need to be protected from me?" He stepped closer, looming over her.

The wicked gleam in his eye told her that protection was probably the smart choice, but some other sense told her that she was safe with him. "I don't think so," she finally admitted.

"But what if I decided it would be a good idea to kiss you right now?"

"Right now, I'd say that it was too soon into our arrangement for that. And I'd have to make my preferences known if you tried such a rash gesture without my consent."

"Ah, but I'm much larger than you, little elf." He took another step forward.

"But, your majesty," she gave him a sickly sweet smile. "I can just as easily ram my foot into your groin from this height as any other." She took a step towards him, nonplussed by his assumed dominance. "I can't promise your cock would be the same after such attentions."

He broke out into a broad grin and sprawled out on a nearby sofa. "Well done, Erna. I didn't take you for a wilting flower, but it's nice to have that confirmation. I would expect nothing less from my future queen."

"That was a test?"

"Of course." He seemed inordinately pleased with himself, watching as she sunk into a seat of her own. "But I will take your words to heart. I will see about amending the spell. I'm sure I can work it in such a way that the ward will allow a call of true distress to supersede the sound dampening effect."

"I would appreciate that, thank you." She sighed heavily, the long day catching up with her. A very large part of her just wanted to crawl in bed and forget about everything. But a talk was in order before she'd be able to indulge that desire. "You have something you wished to discuss with me?"

"I'd like to know more about you."

"I thought you knew everything there was to know after you mercilessly spied on me."

"Erna, are you still upset about that?"

She thought for a moment and answered honestly. "No, surprisingly I'm not. I don't know whether to be concerned about that or not."

"I appreciate your honesty," he said with a chuckle. Gone was the menacing brute that loomed over her mere moments ago. He was all smiles and affability. She wondered if she'd ever get used to his mercurial nature. "But I'd actually like to hear about you from, well, you."

"Fair enough. What would you like to know?"

"Tell me of your family."

"Well, you've met my father…"

"Actually, I haven't. I was serious when I said I'd rather deal with you directly."

"You know you're probably going to have to speak to him at some point to at least give the illusion that he has a say in this." The idea of her father having to approve the match sent a tremor of rage through her, but she reminded herself that she was in control, not him. The idea of governing her own future was so liberating. She supposed she had Loki to thank for that.

"We'll give him a grand show when the time comes, I promise you that." He winked at her and she couldn't help but smile at his almost arrogant certainty. "What about everyone at home?"

"I have a stepmother, Rania, who doesn't really care for me. But I love my half brother and sister. Eryk is twelve and Sigun is ten. They're bright and sweet and if my father will allow it, I'd love to foster them at the palace once we're wed." She rushed through the last statement, suddenly wishing to look anywhere but into his eyes. For some reason, just asking made their arrangement feel real.

"I don't see how he'd have room to complain. They'd have the best tutors and opportunities, the same as our children will have as a matter of fact."

"Our children," she mused almost to herself.

"Yes." He studied her, trying to catch her eye and failing. She seemed almost in another world. "It just hit you, didn't it?"

"What?" Not understanding the question, she finally looked up at him in confusion.

"Our agreement. The implications of it sunk in."

"I… I understood what I was agreeing to," she began lamely.

"But the full weight of the courtship and engagement and marriage and children just registered."

"Yes."

"It's understandable, Erna. We're planning the rest of our lives essentially." He reached over and took her hand. "I hope I haven't upset you."

"No, it's just…" She struggled for the right words, knowing she'd probably fail and give him the wrong impression. "It hasn't even been two days. All of that wasn't… I hadn't planned for any of it." Without preamble, a hot tear slid down her face. Instantly, she worried about how the display would be received. The last thing she'd planned on doing that night was crying in front of the damned king.

He stood and gently pulled her up into his arms. The sheer astonishment she felt at the gesture made her cry even harder and she wasn't even sure why. "Shhhhhhh, Erna. I'm so sorry I've distressed you."

"No… you… haven't," she managed between sobs. She preferred not to cry in front of anyone, usually holding everything in until she was alone, and the fact he was seeing it now made everything so much worse.

He waited as she cried, rubbing gentle circles over her back and holding her. When she finally felt in control of herself she blurted out the real fear she'd been harboring, one that had been brewing in the back of her mind since Loki mentioned an heir the night before. "What if I'm a horrible mother?"

"Why would you think that, Erna? It's obvious that you care for your siblings, why would you think it would be any different with your own children?"

"I don't… I didn't have a real mother growing up." She was grateful he still held her against his chest, because she had every reason not to look into his inquisitive eyes as she admitted one of her worst fears. "My mother had me and ran away from us as soon as she was able. What if I… what if I'm like her and I just can't?"

"I'm not worried about that, Erna."

She spun out of his hold and shouted, "You don't even know me! You have no idea what will happen. It would be cruel to do that to a baby, but my mother did it to me! How do you know I won't be the same kind of person?" The old anger and resentment bubbled up in her gut and she wanted nothing more than to strike something. Fists balled at her sides, it was a struggle not to physically lash out at Loki. She desperately wanted to inflict a physical hurt that would overwhelm the pain she felt at that moment.

Part of her expected, even wanted to provoke a reaction, but he only smiled sadly at her. "Erna, you think I don't know what fear looks like on a person? That's what's talking now, your fear. Trust me, I'm an expert at railing at anyone who tries to quell that fear. But I'm not worried, because I've observed you. I can't believe you'd do anything but love your child."

Erna sunk down to her knees, anger ebbing away as quickly as it had come. This time he didn't immediately make a move to comfort her, instead continuing his case calmly. "I can't predict what will happen with any certainty, but Erna I do believe I have the full measure of you. You are capable of this and so much more."

"But how are you so sure?" She looked to be in agony.

"You may think me arrogant for saying so, but I'm an excellent judge of character. I've watched people for centuries and I've become a student of behavior. I'll admit my aims haven't always been pure, wanting to find those that would easily bend to my will, but the knowledge is there whether I came by it honestly or not." He held a hand out to her. "Erna, can you try to trust me in this matter?"

"I'm so scared," she finally admitted in a whisper.

"I know you are, little elf, but I'm here to help." He continued to offer his hand and after a few moments of hesitation she took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet. "I regret that you've been disquieted by all of this, but it was something that I'm glad we discussed sooner rather than later."

"I'm sorry I-"

He stopped her with a raised hand. The gesture wasn't harsh, but still full of authority. "Don't apologize for being honest with me. That's all I really want from you, Erna."

"And babies," she added with snort of mirthless laughter.

"And those as well. Honesty and babies." He smiled at her and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Neither of us are perfect, but I'm confident I understand what kind of person you are. For now, trust that."

He leaned forward, careful to clearly display his intentions in case she chose to object, but she made no protest as he brushed his lips over hers. The kiss was brief, meant as a comfort rather than anything overtly amorous. Afterward, she was only able to nod gratefully, afraid of crying again if she spoke.

"I know you must be tired now. I'll shelve my plans until I hear from you. Take as long as you need to work through everything." She nodded again and managed a small smile. "If you need anything, send a servant to find Halfrida and I'll come to you as soon as I'm able. Rest now." This time he kissed her forehead before leaving her alone with the thoughts swirling around in her head.