A/N: Back from the forbidding mountains of... (Well, I don't think you'll mind if I don't indulge you in that information:) Anyways, fresh ideas and a better concept of where I'm headed. I swear, some stories are like recipes, you have all these wonderful ingredients but still need the perfect order in which to mix them! As always, thank you for all those nice encouraging comments! I definitely went out and bought spearmint tea and gum this weekend Sweet inspiration
Chapter Ten: Without Fear
Anna blanched, nearly collapsing under the weight of all the stares she was currently receiving. Stiffening, she felt Loki's grip on her shoulder become a pseudo-anchor to which she clung desperately. With a resplendent ripple of that magnificent robe the regal looking man, ageless and salty as the seas, approached her with gentle, beseeching steps. To her surprise, instead of pulling her away protectively, Anna felt Loki's cool grasp upon her acromion press slightly, almost reassuringly, before his velvety voice was in her ears.
"Njord," Loki's silken whisper was refreshingly chilly on her reddening ears, "Elected King of the Vanir. Sigyn's foster-father. He… he loved her as his own."
Anna felt herself relax in that way that made her positive Loki had a hand in the smooth even rise and fall of her chest, the serene rhythm of her heart, the steady movement of her legs as she took tentative steps towards the ancient God. But, alas, as Anna watched him pause before her, his clear grey eyes, like the ocean horizon after a storm, began to water. His thick, rough white beard trembled though his voice was calm and soothing as the ebb and flow of the tides.
"Forgive me," Came his sheepish request while Anna stood under his immense height, "I… I was expecting… expecting another."
Anna watched his eyes wander to the stoic figure looming at her back.
"Loki." Njord narrowed his eyes.
"My Lord," Loki swept into a deep bow, his face like an emotionless mask of indifference, though his voice was honeyed, "I am so grateful to hear you address me, after all this time."
Anna watched in horror, expecting Njord to bellow like a gust of salty wind, but instead he inclined his wrinkling head and smiled sorrowfully.
"You promised, Prince of Asgard, to bring me back my daughter, when she fled my kingdom." Njord sighed, a long rugged expulsion of air. "And, in a fashion, so you have."
Anna felt herself open and close her mouth several times, wondering if Loki's magic was keeping her from speech. Without warning, however, she was rendered silent as two ageless, clear grey eyes bore into hers.
"My dear," Njord began, offering his massive arm, its thickness about the circumference of her narrow waist, "Will you walk with me?"
"Of course." Anna slipped her arm into his, so minute next to his stature.
She glanced back fearfully as Njord led her out the door, listening to the hall as it began to brim once more with merry laughter and boisterous chatter. Loki was standing in their wake, his lips pursed ever so slightly. His subtle green gaze followed her until she was out of sight. Clenching his fists, Loki felt his nails leave little half moon punctures in his palms as everyone nervously avoided him.
Somewhere in the Halls of Asgard:
Following Njord anywhere was like chasing after a snowball down a mountain. His feet were the length of her shins and she watched in amazement at his lengthy stride, practically skipping to keep up. Trotting along, she listened to his gentle voice as he recanted stories of young Sigyn running through the halls of Vanaheim, swimming in the koi ponds or digging in the gardens of the botanical gardens. Anna listened as fervently as permitted with her uneasy gait. It seems that both Sigyn and she had much in common. They both had an uncanny knack for delving into trouble, tendencies to act and speak far beyond their years, and matching affinities for floristry.
"There was no deterring her from her little garden," Njord snorted gaily, patting Anna's frail hand while he laughed, "Once she had her little heart set upon something, there was no such word as 'no'."
Anna found herself laughing genially in spite of her uneasiness at hearing all of this. She had assumed that Loki had chosen her because she was so much like Sigyn, but the more Njord spoke, the more the differences between the two women became veraciously apparent. Sigyn's troublesome streak had never quite ended, while Anna had forsaken all forms of childishness once her father had died. Sigyn had a wandering soul, always seeking out adventure and restlessly provoking danger at every turn. On the other hand, Anna avoided confrontation and felt most at ease when at home. Sigyn was insufferably tireless while Anna enjoyed lazy days when they came on occasion.
"She was a seer, then?" Anna asked between Njord stories while they walked past great metal columns in the sunlight.
"Yes," Njord's eyebrows raised considerably, disappearing into his unkempt shock white head of hair, "How did you know?"
"Loki told me." Anna confessed, watching Njord's face fall at the sound of his name. "He told me that she saw me… as Loki's wife."
"Well," Njord nodded, his free hand's fingers playing with a whisp of his trailing, weathered beard, "If Loki is correct, Sigyn must have seen something in you, my dear, which she was sure he would cherish."
Anna paused, gazing over the radiant splashes of sunlight over the intricate golden architecture of the city below. Tracing unseen patterns upon the white marble railing she sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I don't see it." Anna admitted, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them.
"Oh my child." Njord's sigh nearly swept her off her feet, his arms resting upon the marble as he leant over the great golden city. "You are yet young; you cannot possibly comprehend the complexity of that young man's heart. I can see it in his eyes; it is unlike anything I have seen in them until this day."
Turning her head slightly, Anna stole furtive glances at the old God. In the rich morning light his features glowed with an almost rejuvenating appearance, younger almost. But his telling eyes betrayed his ageless soul. Anna watched as they gazed out wistfully at the raging waters that fell off the end of the world, the glorious golden orb that they called the Bifrost gleaming ethereally in the light.
"You miss her," Anna began, drawing his astute attention away from the spectacular view below, "Don't you?"
Njord's gaze bore into her with such a bittersweet sorrow that she felt her heart breaking in two. "Every moment."
Overcome with grief, for her own losses, or perhaps his own, Anna felt herself surge towards the massive man with her arms splayed out. Burying her face into the silken expanse of his robes she felt his enormous arms wrap around her in a way that was reminiscent of nights when she would come thundering down the stairs and be swept up into her father's embrace as he came home from the office. Biting back tears, Anna breathed in the heady scent of salt and sunshine across gentle waters. The gentle rush of the water running down the intricate pathway of fountains around the citadel filled her ears as she pulled back.
Njord's face was streaked with tears and she wiped her own twin trails as they cascaded down her fair face.
"You should return to your breakfast." Njord began resolutely but Anna felt herself shaking her head slowly.
"No," She said, her throat thick with unshed tears, "I think I should go back to my room and… freshen up."
Njord conceded and together they made the voyage back to her chamber doors. Bending down several feet to her height, which was an average five foot nine inches, Anna gave him a soft peck on his cheekbone. Bidding her farewell, he offered her to visit him anytime at his home in Vanaheim. Anna promised to straightaway before slipping into her apartments.
"Enjoy your little stroll?"
Tensing, Anna felt her eyes flicker to where Loki sat leisurely at one of the little chairs around her very own dining table. A platter of plump looking grapes and sliced bread, cheeses and a delicate crystal goblet of what looked like red wine sat upon the table. Anna felt her mouth water, her stomach voicing its protests at her refusal to attack the food where it lay.
"Come, sit." Loki stood, suddenly attentive as she made her tentative way to his side, pulling out a chair for her. "You must be famished."
"I can't remember the last time I ate." Anna admitted, reaching for a cluster of grapes hesitantly, half expecting Loki to swat her hand away.
He merely gazed at her thoughtfully as she made quick work of those grapes, moving on to the thick slices of bread and cheese. Her face heated uncomfortably under his stare and she could practically see the cogs turning themselves in tune behind his unwavering eyes. Finishing with small sips of the bittersweet wine, Anna sat back and met his gaze shyly.
"I imagine you found Njord's distaste for me quite refreshing." Loki went on, the sharp edge of his temper revealing itself and Anna felt herself fascinated by his sudden display of jealously. "He's never quite forgiven me for letting his precious daughter run wild in Midgard."
Anna glanced down at her hands, fiddling with them nervously while recounting her bonding moment with the ancient one. "He misses her, Loki."
"And I never did?" Loki spat through ground teeth.
Anna felt herself nearly exasperated; his temper was something she could live without.
"Well," She huffed, "At least you have-"
She cut herself off, the silence hanging over with that one unspoken word lingering like a heady perfume.
At least you have me…
Loki stood abruptly, striding across the expansive room in long decisive steps. Leaping up after him, Anna called out his name and he wheeled around on her. Startling her, his steely green gaze bore into her, causing her insides to freeze while setting her skin ablaze.
"Do I?" He hissed, her back hitting the solid surface of a marble column behind her quite roughly.
"Loki…" She gasped, one his hands fingertips lifting her fair chin up to meet his gaze while his free forearm rested against the column beside her, baring her from escape.
She felt ripples of electric impulses pulsate under her skin as his pale, slender fingertips traced her jaw line. Her breathing became ragged as his forehead came millimeters away from resting against hers. Fighting to distract herself, she focused on his raven black hair as it rested against his collar, gleaming in the faint sunlight through her windows. She wondered how soft it would be between her fingers…
"Will I ever, truly have you, Anna?" He breathed, spearmint teasing her senses as she fought desperately to keep her eyes from fluttering closed, and failing.
Then, he was gone. Blinking stupidly, Anna watched his retreating form, head bent, as he slinked out of her door. It shut with a faint 'clink'. She had not noticed until then, but her hands had been clutching at the marble column behind her. Turning for inspection, she gasped. She had left several little concave scratches where her fingernails had dug into the stone.
She really did have a goddess' strength. Anna shivered to think the power that Loki possessed.
Later that Day:
When she had plucked up enough courage, Anna ventured out past the slowly familiarizing halls of the central portion of the citadel. Wandering east, she felt her heart pick up pace as the sound of clashing metal filled her sensitive ears. Practically racing to the open doorway at the end of the hall, she found the sight before her unlike anything she had ever seen.
The glint of silver and brass in the sunlight nearly blinded her as swords swung, checked, flicked, thrust, and feinted; gleaming, sharp pointed staffs pivoted, struck, and stabbed; shields rose, fell while grinning knives flew all around. It was several minutes of observance before Anna began to separate the groups as they fought: swords were in the left corner, staffs and long bows in the right, knife throwers where along the back wall, and before her were several rows of archers aiming at targets along the wall above her head. She eyed the archer's bows enviously. A few warriors, all men save for one short skirted female, began to pause in their attacks, eyeing her with unguarded curiosity.
Backing away slightly, Anna wanted desperately to shrink back away into the halls unnoticed.
"Lady Anna!" The only female in her short red skirt came padding up to her in a light set of armor, her midnight hair sweeping over her shoulder blades in a high ponytail.
"Finally lost that old stick-in-the-mud Loki?" The fair haired man from breakfast, Fandral, came loping up to greet her.
The female, Lady Sif, thwacked poor Fandral across the back of the head with the hilt of her sword and Anna bit back laughter.
"Hush, you." Sif admonished, turning to Anna with a tentative smile. "Come to join us in our training? I dare see we need some more feminine influence in our ranks."
"Speak for yourself," Came the boisterous remark of the shorter, stouter man, Volstagg, "The poor lady probably can't pry your sword off the ground, it weighs more than she!"
Sif rolled her eyes and Anna felt her face glow bright red as several of the warriors that had begun to group around them began to laugh. Taking a deep breath, Anna felt herself doing something she never imagined she would be resorting to. She imagined what Loki would do…
"True," Anna conceded, silencing most of the party with her sharp tone, "I'm no good at playing swordfight with a bunch of overgrown men-children, but hand me a bow and I'll outshoot anyone standing here."
Anna felt all eyes upon her and she bit her lips slightly to keep from faltering under their scrutiny. The silence that followed her challenge was stifling as the sun bore down upon them all, the stench of the sweating warriors unbearable.
"I'll take that challenge." A dark haired man spoke up resolutely.
His jet black hair was pulled back into a bun, though several spiky bits stood out stubbornly. He seemed Asian, at least by Anna's earthen standards. She recognized him from the breakfast hall. The answer was genial but his gaze, however, was absolutely stoic as he approached her with a standard looking bow and quiver of arrows. Feeling the smooth, sanded wood in her fingers, Anna smiled.
Following the man back to his station at the archer's posts, every warrior present was now a loud-mouthed, opinionated spectator and Anna felt her audacity begin to fade.
"Just a woman."
"Hardly a waif."
"Can barely hold that bow upright."
"Skittish looking thing."
Anna watched her opponent bow and offer her first shot with a grand sweep of his arm. Taking a deep breath, Anna felt time slow down. All eyes were upon her, transfixed and skeptical. Then, in a flash of a movement, Anna struck. Sliding into position, facing to her right, nose pointed at the target in question, elbows relaxed, right arm pulled back, the arrow strung in a heartbeat… then, between it and the next beat- her arrow flew…
… through the air it swam, straight, true, all eyes following its path…
… bull's-eye.
Sif was the first to react. Raising a fist in rejoicing, she bellowed a mighty cry of victory. Her dark eyed gaze was beyond friendly as it met Anna's calm stare. Several of the men cheered while others, having placed bets on her opponent began to grumble. The stiff man beside her, the opponent, strung his bow and aimed high. His stance was without reproach, his technique flawless…
… another bull's-eye, right beside Anna's.
Several more cheers went up.
Anna shot again, a third bull's-eye.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
This went on until both parties were dripping with sweat and were without ammunition. Her opponent bowed low once the noise died down at their legendary tie. Anna curtsied to the best of her ability and Sif clapped her kindly around the shoulders.
"Congratulations!" She cried. "No one has ever equaled Hogun's eye for archery. Tell us, Lady Anna, where did you acquire such ability?"
Anna blushed and smiled shyly. "Summer camp."
Eyebrows lifted but solemn nods were all-around the resounding reaction to such a strange phrase. Anna chalked it up to them assuming it was an earthen training facility.
The four of them, Volstagg and Hogun obviously being Sif's companions, sat and watched several duels by sword as the day dragged on. Anna asked where the two Princes were and her newfound friends were obliged to relay that tentative negotiations were being had over the manifestation of a treaty of peace between Svartalfheim and Asgard. The dark elves had been one of many foes the Aesir wished to offer a truce to. Anna found it oddly comforting that for such a warlike race, the Asgardians seemed more than willing to offer an olive branch for the sake of friendship.
"Thor wants none of it," Volstagg shook his head, his face red from the sun, "Can't blame 'im. I wouldn't mind pulverizing those heartless, vile creatures to a pulp if given a chance!"
"Peace, Volstagg," Lady Sif shook her finger at him admonishingly, "A diplomatic approach will save the spilling of Asgardian blood, as well as teach Thor that brute strength is not the only necessary trait of a king."
"Is Thor the heir to the throne, then?" Anna asked, not quite able to imagine tall, thin Loki leading a race of burly warrior successfully.
"In theory," Hogun replied, his reserved demeanor apparent in his emotionless tone, "But until the Allfather officially names Thor as crown prince, it is still in question."
So, Anna calculated, until Thor is officially 'crown prince' Loki sees himself as a peer, not a lesser prince. An equal, she thought, all he wants is to be an equal, and if Odin declared Thor heir to the throne… She shuddered to think of poor Loki's inevitable reaction.
That Night:
After a pleasant supper with her new troupe of friends, Anna left wondering where on earth Loki had slipped off to. Although Odin had not appeared at dinner, Frigga had entreated Anna to talk of the seasons in Asgard, harsh winters and balmy autumns. Even Thor had made an appearance. Anna felt the tightening grip of foreboding wind itself 'round her slender white throat.
Leaning over against the marble and gold railing, feeling the cool breeze sift through her golden hair, Anna watched the sun set over the edge of the waterfall in the distance. Its shining, brilliant orb seemed a perfect mate to the magnificent glow of the Bifrost.
"May I join you?"
Anna did not have to turn away from the resplendent view to nod her head at that strikingly familiar velvet voice. The scent of spearmint lingered in the breeze now.
"Did you enjoy your day?" Loki asked, his voice ginger as if he were gauging her reaction to him.
"I did." Anna turned towards him and gave a genuine smile.
Loki seemed to blink several times before answering, as if she had stunned him. "Talk of your impressive skills as an archer has spread like wildfire."
"Where were you?" Anna asked suddenly, catching his gaze just before she lost it to the glory of the sunset behind her. "You were gone at supper."
"I was…" Loki paused, pursing his lips. "I am preparing something for you. A… surprise."
Anna eyed him warily and Loki smirked down upon her like the glint of a throwing knife in the fading sunlight. However, his visage sobered in rapid succession.
"I apologize," Loki said out of the silence that followed, "For the manner in which I spoke to you earlier this day."
"I…" Anna fumbled for words. "Don't worry about it."
Loki seemed unsettled still and Anna wished she could smooth the wrinkles of ill-ease from his brow with her fingertips. Mentally shaking her head at her foolish notions, she tried to focus on what could be troubling him.
"Come, you must be tired." Loki offered her his arm elegantly, which she took wordlessly.
They strode in silence down the gilded halls until they reached her grand doorway. As one of her frail hands reached for the gleaming door handle, Loki's own hand suddenly shot out and snatched her free palm. Tracing the lines of her palm, his gaze upon her open hand was tender, almost sorrowful. Anna felt her breath hitch in her throat at the sight of it. He was like a guilty child come to confess a terrible deed. It was almost endearing.
"Anna I…" He swallowed, the bob of his throat sending shivers across her skin. "I would so very much like for us to live as man and wife, in all respects."
Anna felt her blood freeze in her veins, her hand turning cold in his icy grasp, his ginger fingertips swirling across her skin in a fashion that made her knees ache sweetly.
"But," He cleared his throat hoarsely, "As I have stated before, I'll not have an unwilling wife."
His gaze flickered up from her hand, resting upon her face as her skin began to burn. The feel of his skin across her palm, however minute, was rendering her defenseless. She felt weak, her skin burning with something she could not quite name. His eyes were fiery with a deep, rapacious hunger. Watching him stripped of his gravitas, his refined solemnity, Loki was standing before as a man beseeching her, a husband groping blindly for the favor of his blushing bride. She wet her lips in an effort to speak.
"I am not a cruel man, Anna." Loki said, his velvety voice half-choked with restraint. "I am many things, but I am not a cruel man. If you let me in, Anna, I shall be as gentle as a lamb. I swear it."
"Loki…" Anna felt her face burn as she turned her gaze down to their feet below, ashamed of… well, her shame.
"Answer yes, or no," He gave her hand a tender squeeze before releasing it, "Without fear."
Anna felt the sting of chagrin biting her skin as it flamed under his sorrowful gaze. Her heart was beating like a drum in her ribcage. Hands trembling, she clasped her hands together and did not dare meet his gaze, for fear of combusting upon contact with his voracious green eyes, dark with unbridled lust. It rather frightened her.
"No, Loki." She whispered, her voice cracking pitifully.
Without another sound, she watched him open her door and give a chivalrous bow as she fled into the safety of her room, away from burning green eyes that followed her every move.
A/N (cont.): So, I stole the whole "answer yes or no" thing from the original Beauty and the Beast, but I thought it was fitting here. Anyways, while on the road I discovered a song that almost perfectly encapsules the heart of this story in its lyrics and melody: Set Fire to the Rain, by Adele. Great song, so I have a challenge to any who read this and are secret artists of videos: Make a really, really good video of Loki with that song on YouTube, send me a link and I will tell you the end of this story, or answer any questions you have ;) Go!