Chapter 7.
Her arms wrapped around his waist and clutched to him in fear and excitement as he made the horse run faster under them. Neverwhere shot down the road as her rose colored cloak flapped behind them, her matching skirts fluttering around her legs. She clutched tighter to him, and his heart pounded as her fingers splayed across his chest and he slowed the horse. He brought Neverwhere to a slow walk and he put his hand over one of hers, expecting to find her shaking but suprised to hear her giggle.
"That was so fast Sir!" She giggled and he smiled back at her, her hood keeping the chill away as they rode. He enjoyed a good ride through the country, and his friend seemed to like it as much as he did. They had left early, leaving the castle just after breakfast and riding West to see how far they could get into the countryside before lunch. She enjoyed the ride, smiling and liking the crisp fall leaves around her as the trees began to turn. Autumn was definately on them, and he could smell the fires from the last harvest burning from the fields as they passed.
"I will slow for a bit." He said and grinned. "You don't have to hold on so tight anymore."
"I am sorry My Prince." She said and blushed, her graceful hands loostening and he stopped the horse for a moment.
"Would you feel safer in front of me?" He asked and she blushed, shaking her head nervously. It took some coaxing to get her on the back of the horse, and he was not suprised that she was shy about riding in front of him.
"No Sir, I am safe back here." He said and she scooted up the back of the horse toward him.
"Floria, I don't want you falling off the back, should I decide to make him race again." He chided and he could feel her sigh behind him. He laughed, the cold wind blowing, and she shivered against his back.
"Very well Sir." She said and he slipped from the horse, she moved forward in the saddle and wrapped her cloak around her, the cold starting to bother her. He cursed himself for forgetting how little cold bothered him, and cursed his foolishness further by running the horse and making her colder. He took his gloves off, giving them to her and saw a town in the distance.
"Put these on, you are chilled Nightengale. There is a town several miles ahead, we can find you another cloak or blanket to warm yourself in." He said and mounted the horse behind her, she put his gloves on and he wrapped his riding cloak around the both of them.
"Thank you Sir." She said and he saw the rose blush of cold on her cheeks and he let the horse walk on.
"It is my pleasure, and I beg you to call me Loki." He said, and she colored at the request. She moved toward his chest, warming herself from him and his heart pounded at how close she was and how she trusted him.
"I am chilled." She said and he put an arm around her. He felt something hit his hand as it rested on her shoulder, and frowned down at the drop of rain that sat on his skin. Another followed and Floria looked forlorn at the sight, she sighed and he kicked the horse into a run toward the Town.
"We may have to take shelter ahead of us, from the scent in the air, this storm may be bad." He said, hearing the distant rumble of thunder roll toward him. Floria shivered, and he found himself very worried about her. He could sense she was becoming scared, and her heart was pounding from it.
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"Ulterd! Norns! We have guests and they are soaked, bring a washed tunic for the lady to wear." Felrena said as she looked up from the stew she was making when the door opened. "Will you need a room for yourself and the Lady sir? I have to warn you, we only have one bed left."
"We do, and please a bath for Floria. She is soaked and shivering with cold." Loki replied and the woman looked at her. A crack of thunder caused her to jump, and she trembled with the uncertainty storms like this brought.
"Oh, the poor pretty dear. We need to get you warmed and dry, I will take you up and bring you some stew and bread after your bath. I am Felrena." She said, her hair graying and pulled into a bun. Her dress was brown, and her heavy frame matronly as she wiped her hands on her apron. She took Floria gently and sat her near the fire, unfastening her cloak and taking it to hang and dry. A man appeared, his rotund frame filling the door and he held a tan tunic in his hands. His beard was neatly trimmed, and he also had gray shooting through it. He put the clothing on the counter and crossed his arms at his wife, knowing she was a mother to everyone who walked through the door.
"Ultred, please the poor girl is frozen with cold. boil her some water and fill the bath." She said and Loki laughed as he groaned to himself.
"Yes dear, shall I turn down the bed for her as well?" He sighed and she silenced him with a look. The man leaned close to Loki, pointing at his wife before leaving. "Take my advice friend, marry a quiet one. you never hear the end of it if you don't."
"Thank you Lady." Floria said as she took off the gloves Loki loaned her and she rubbed them both to get her blood to warm in them.
"Oh! You flatter me dear, I am just Felrena. Alred! Take the Lord's horse and put it in the stable! be quick!" She shouted and threw a rag from her shoulder at the boy. He woke from a doze next to the fire, and cringed at the dirty thing as he stretched and walked past Loki. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open.
"Mama, it is Prince Loki!" He said and she gasped. She straightened her hair and threw a look at him, daring him to make a mistake.
"Hurry then! We can't have his horse drowning, and give it the freshest hay." Felrena said and waved him out. She gave him a curtsey, and blushed. "I did not know, please forgive me My Prince."
"Forgiven, but I beg you to look after my friend though. She is suffering terribly."
"By Thor's sweaty sac!" Ultred shouted, cursing and his wife looked pale. "I spilled the water!"
Loki laughed to himself, Sitting in the seat once occupied by Alred and warmed his hands by the fire. Felrena leading Floria up the stairs to help her, carrying the dripping cloak and the tunic.
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Floria lay on the bed, watching the fire crackle away happily. The Matron had helped her warm herself in a hot bath and given her some warm tea at the same time. Behind her the storm raged at the window, rattling the shutters and in another room she could hear a roudy group of hunters laugh. Another lodger shouted for quiet, but went ignored. She drowned them out, and shivered under the blankets as she watched the flames dance over the log. She sat up, looking at the door the blankets falling from her shoulders and the tunic too large on her. She saw Loki enter, in his hands two cups and he paused at the sight of her.
"I thought you would want some mulled wine to warm you." He said and tried not to linger on her for too long, she nodded her hair falling over one shoulder and the dim candlelight and firelight bathing her skin in a warm glow.
"Thank you Sir. Will we be leaving in the morning?" She asked him and he gave her the cup, she holding it in both hands.
"We will, I believe the storm will be passed by then." He said and he unfastened his armor, laying it aside and he removed the coat he wore. She sipped the wine, and found it sweet with a bit of spice after it.
A loud bout of laughter startled her and she looked at the wall, Loki finishing hos own tasks and hanging his coat to dry. He looked back at the wall, laughing to himself as another shout echoed an order for quiet. He sat in the chair and streched his legs in front of him, quiet for a long time and he sipped his wine.
"Sweet brew, the Lady of the house insisted I bring it up." He said and she laughed. "Her husband advised me to marry a quiet woman."
"Would you Marry Sir?" She asked him, and he looked at the fire for a while. He wondered if a woman would ever want him, and could look past him being a monster and sighed.
"I may, one day. You have to fancy a girl first, and I believe she should fancy you in return." He said and she smiled thinly.
"We were always too busy to have weddings, and Master always said that of any of his bitches bred that he would sell the pups as soon as they were weaned. I suppose I was lucky that o was not sold as soon as I left Mother's breast." She said and cringed at what she said. She looked at him with wide eyes, and he frowned at her statement.
"You don't have to fear that now. You are free to choose a man, and marry as you wish if you get the leave of Queen Frigga." He said and she nodded, she sipped the wine again and sat against the shelf behind her, biting her lip. He looked at her as she shivered, and her eyes filled with tears.
"I don't fancy anyone that way Sir. At least no one who would have me." She said softly and he sighed, he looked down at the floorboards and someone began singing a sad tune in the next room.
"You may find someone someday. And you will never see yourself away from them." He said and he finished his wine. He put the cup on the table, and sat on the mattress next to her. He held his hand out for hers, and she gave it to him and she lay back down on the bed. The wind howled, and the shutters at the window rattled with it. She shivered and wrapped herself in the blankets, her face calming and he looked at her in question.
"Is something bothering you?" He asked her and she nodded. He cheeks flushing and she rubbed her nose with a hand from under the blankets.
"I am so cold. Like I cannot shake it and it is inside me." She said and he sat back in the chair.
"I have an unconventional remedy, but it requires me to be very disciplined and not to be a beast." He said and she blinked at him. "I sleep on my side and you lay close to me and warm yourself that way."
"That is not very proper Sir." She said and looked for the word. "What about the cruel gossip people?"
"You could tell them I slept on the floor, and I will tell them the same." He said and she nodded as the cold permeated her bones and made her shiver again.
"I can. And I will only be against your back." She said and he stood up, thunder shaking the inn and she shivered. He pulled his boots off and pulled off his overshirt, leaving the tunic under it on and rolled his sleeves up his arms.
She squeaked and covered her legs as he lifted the blankets and lay down next to her, turning on his side and facing the fire. He felt her pull the blankets up over her shoulders and snuggle close to him, he watched the flames dance as she did and he could feel her hand fidget a bit behind him.
"Better?" He asked her and she hummed that it was. He closed his eyes and started to drift, not hearing a soft voice behind him wish him a good night.