Thor and Loki ride in comfortable silence as they explore the countryside. It is a ride he and Balder have taken many times before but this time it actually feels romantic. Thor has had a big stupid grin on his face all morning and Loki can tell the man is about to burst with some sort of secret or surprise. There is a giant bundle strapped to the back of the horse and Loki can only guess at the contents. They find a nice spot filled with wildflowers near a creek and dismount.
Thor unties the bundle from off his horse and sets it on the ground. He grabs a folded up blanket and lays it out and then beckons Loki to sit upon it. Thor kneels in front of Loki.
"I have something for you." He says in a warm buttery voice. Loki smiles expectantly at him. He grabs the bundle and opens it up. The outer covering is peeled away to reveal the soft pure white pelt of a Jotunn Dire Wolf. Loki's stomach flips as it is one of three items given as a gift in an old Jotunn love story. Inside the pelt is the other two items and Loki recognizes them immediately. The first is a hand mirror crafted out of one large dragon scale. Ice Dragons are purported to be covered in scales that shine like mirrors, looking as though their entire bodies have been dipped in silver. Their scales are highly prized. The second item is a very large yellow fragile flower. It is the Jotunnheim flower named so because it is the only flower to grow on Jotunnheim. Its stem alone is an inch thick and its leaves are like big green sheets of wax paper. The yellow petals are large, thick, and ridged to withstand large amounts of heavy snow. The edges of each petal have a slight tinge of pink making it look surprisingly tropical. These flowers are rare. One either has to be incredibly lucky to find one in the right place at the right time or pay a fortune to buy one from a professional gatherer.
"Loki my beloved I present you with the pelt of purity in compensation for your virtue, the mirror of adoration that you may always see yourself as I see you, and the flower of fragility to remind us that love must always be nurtured. To you these things I give because our marriage is an arrangement but our love is cultivated. I will never take you for granted." Thor finishes his oath.
It is an old oath from an old legend often looked upon as sentimental fluff by the Jotunn people these days, but Loki loves it. In Loki's opinion the oath of legend beats the hell out of the dry stuffy oaths Loki and Thor must make during the ceremony.
"Where did you get all this? And on such short notice?" Loki asks with a soft voice.
"I paid a king's ransom to a merchant." Thor says with a cheesy smile. It was worth every penny.
"You really were paying attention weren't you?" Loki says.
"Yes I was. May I ask you something?" Thor asks.
"Of course."
"In that fairytale you love some much do you imagine yourself as the knight or the damsel?" Thor asks.
"Both I think. It depends on my mood. I like being taken care of, but I don't like people thinking I'm feeble. I can save myself at any time I wish, but a romantic gesture is always appreciated." Loki says. Thor likes his answer. It was just as he suspected.
"I like that you like to spar and get dirty. I like that you are both strong and delicate. I love that you love to read and think and pay attention to things that I don't always have the patience for. I think you will compliment me well. I will need you when I am king. You are wise beyond your years Loki. Despite your penchant for mischief making you are very practical and you respect the requirements of duty. I need a queen like you at my side. I need a love like you in my bed."
"I need a love like yours in my life. I need to be needed. I need to be wanted." Loki says.
"I wanted you the moment I saw you and I have not been able to convince myself otherwise, even during the darkest of moments I knew I would never want for any other than you." Thor says.
"No one has ever looked at me the way you do." Loki says. "I am scared Thor. The bedding ceremony. People will be watching….judging." Loki says sounding very self-conscious. The years of being called a worthless lazy burden runt are showing. Thor puts his finger under Loki's chin to bring his gaze back up.
"Loki Laufeyson you are a fearsome creature to behold. You are proud, beautiful, and desirable. But most important of all you are worthy. I am going to make love to you on our wedding night and show them all just how much you mean to me. Don't you dare let them see you cower with shame."
"You won't let them laugh at me?" Loki says with his eyes full of tears.
"I'll rip their throats out if they do." Thor says.
XxXxXxXxXx
Thor is called to stand before the crowd. It is yet another fertility feast and everyone watches Thor expectantly. The boisterous crowd becomes so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Lady Eir places the blue orb in his palms and repeats the phrase from just a few nights ago.
"Show us the strength of your seed." She cries. The tree appears again, but unlike Balder this tree branches and blooms. The leaves fill in and the roots grow deep. It is a great golden tree and it makes Odin proud. The people cheer for their prince and new heir. It is just what the people of Asgard needed to see, King Laufey too. Thor grins broadly as he thrusts his fist into the air like he just trounced an enemy in battle. After a moment of adoration from his people he returns to his seat beside Loki. Tomorrow is the wedding (and bedding) ceremony.
