Later that night, Loki sat in his chambers, reading one of his favorite books. "Brother, why did you not join us for dinner?" Thor asked entering the room.
"And once again, why didn't you knock?" Loki asked.
"We are brothers. Who has need of knocking?" Thor inquired.
Loki shook his head. "It is a common courtesy. What do you want?"
"I already said, I came to find out why you did not join Mother, Father, and me for dinner."
"I just needed to think for a moment." Loki told his brother.
Thor walked over and sat down next to Loki. "What troubles you, Loki? Your journey to Midgard was successful. You found Ava and you brought her back. You reunited her with her family. You did a wonderful thing, Brother."
"Yes, but you see I may have reunited her with her parents, but I intend to take her away again." Loki replied.
"What do you mean, Loki?" Thor inquired.
"I love her, Thor." Loki answered. "I intend to make her my bride."
A huge smile spread across Thor's face. "That's wonderful, Brother!" He said, clapping Loki on the shoulder. He then looked at Loki and saw that he looked rather solemn. "Why the sullen look with such happy news?"
"I have to talk to Father...and then her father before I ask her." Loki answered. "As we have already covered in this conversation, she was just reunited with her family. I am sure they won't be so keen on giving her up just as soon as they got her back."
"Ah, but you are a son of Odin and the one who did the reuniting. It's a match no parent would refuse." Thor countered. "And I am sure Father will be pleased with the news. I'm sure Mother will be excited at the prospect of planning your wedding."
Loki smiled. "You do make it sound like nothing will go wrong."
"Because nothing will, Brother."
There was a knock on the door. "Enter." Loki said.
Odin entered the room. "Both of my sons together. This is something a father loves to see." He said.
Loki looked over at Thor. "You see, he is our father and the king and yet he still knocks."
Thor laughed. "I shall leave so that you two can speak." He said, standing and leaving the room.
"What do we need to speak about?" Odin asked, walking over to sit down by Loki.
"It's nothing." Loki answered.
"Loki, my son, this was your first night home in weeks and you did not join your family for dinner. Why is that?"
"I just needed to think." Loki answered.
"About?"
"Father...I...I have fallen deeply in love with Ava and I intend to make her my bride." Loki confessed.
Odin smiled. "That is wonderful, my son. Every great man needs a woman to stand beside him."
"But will her parents readily agree to the match?" Loki inquired. "She was just reunited with them after centuries apart."
"I know, but you are my son, Loki." Odin said. "They will agree to it. Your mother will be happy to plan your wedding."
"That's what Thor said."
The next night...
Ava slipped into a pale blue and silver gown. Her hair was pulled part of the way back and curled. Flowers were placed in her hair. Light make-up adorned her face. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. "You look so beautiful." Gail told her daughter as she finished placing the last flower in her hair. "You will be the bell of the ball. All of the young men will be falling over themselves to have a dance with you."
Ava laughed. "There is only one I care about."
Gail smiled knowingly. "You love him don't you?"
Ava's cheeks flushed. "Am I that obvious?"
"Only to a woman who knows the look of love." Gail replied. She then kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Now, you're all finished. I believe your father is waiting for us."
Ava and her mother left the room and found Hagar sitting by the fire. "Let's go to this party." He said, standing up.
The family left the house and headed for the palace. They arrived at the palace. The party was in full swing. People were eating, drinking, and dancing. Hagar and Gail walked ahead. Hagar heading to join a few of his fellow warriors and Gail to join some of the other ladies. Ava hung back. It had been a while since she had attended one of these parties and she felt nervous. She was also hoping to see Loki.
"Looking for me?" The familiar velvety voice asked, from behind her.
Ava turned with a surprised yet happy smile to see Loki. "You give yourself too much credit. I was just adjusting. It's been a few centuries since I've been around a crowd like this."
Loki lifted his hands and held them about his heart as if he had been hurt. A playful look came across his face. "Ouch, that one hurt."
Ava giggled. "Okay, maybe I was looking for you." She confessed. "But just a little bit."
Loki smiled at her. He then took her hand in his and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. "May I have this dance, my lady?"
Ava giggled and blushed. "Yes."
Loki led her to the dance floor. Once they found a place, Loki held one of Ava's hands in his and placed his other at her waist. She placed her free arm on his shoulder. "You look absolutely stunning in that dress."
Ava blushed. "Thank you." She said, looking away from him.
Loki grinned. "I love that shade of red on you." He said, causing her to blush deeper. "And that shade as well."
Ava looked up at him. "You have to stop that."
"But it's such fun." Loki countered.
Ava nodded her head slightly. "I almost forgot for a second, I'm dealing with the god of mischief and magic."
"I do seem to remember you loving my mischief before." Loki replied.
"Yes...when it's directed at Thor or...anyone but me."
Loki laughed. "You mean like this?" He asked, lifting a hand towards Thor and turning the wine in his cup into snakes. This caused Thor to drop his cup.
Thor looked over at Loki. "That was a waste of good wine."
Loki and Ava just laughed. Loki waved his hand again and the snakes disappeared. He turned his attention back to Ava. "You're the only one who seems to appreciate my tricks."
"Perhaps that's because I appreciate you." She replied.
"Do you have any idea how badly I want to kiss you right now?" He asked her.
"That might not be a good idea." Ava replied. "I don't think everyone would like it if their food started flying around the room."
"Probably not, but it would be fun."
Frigga approached Gail. "It would appear that our children are just as close as they ever were." She observed, speaking to Gail.
"It would seem so." Gail replied. "Perhaps even closer than before."
"Perhaps we'll be planning a wedding together soon." Frigga said, having no idea of the conversation Loki had had with Thor and Odin.
"Perhaps." Gail agreed. "Remember being that young and falling in love like that?"
"Yes." Frigga answered. "I remember when I first saw Odin...how handsome he looked."
"It was at the same party where I met Hagar. I remember our families had gone together." Gail said. "You and I had gotten ready together, doing each other's hair and coordinating our dresses."
Frigga laughed. "And now here we are, at a party just as that vary one, and we are watching our children dance together. My son and your daughter."
"How soon do you think it will be before we are planning this wedding?" Gail asked, Frigga.
"I imagine as soon as Loki works up the nerve to speak with you and Hagar." Frigga answered.
"Do you ever feel like you're being watched?" Ava asked Loki.
Loki glanced over to see his mother and Ava's mother standing off to the side looking at them and talking. "I know a way to fix that. It would also solve our problem with me wanting to kiss you."
"And what is this solution?" Ava asked.
Loki stopped their dancing and let go of Ava, except her hand. "Follow me." He led her through the sea of people on the dance floor and took her down a hall. They took several turns down other halls until they were standing on a terrace in the cool night air.
"I should have known this would be your solution." Ava said.
"We can always go back to the party." Loki said.
Ava put herself directly in front of Loki, leaving just the tiniest gap between their bodies. "I didn't mean that. Besides, I think I remember you saying something about a kiss."
Loki lifted a hand and stroked her cheek. "I vaguely remember something about that." He said, slowly dipping his head closer to hers, his lips mere centimeters from hers.
Ava's lips parted slightly and her heart picked up. She wanted him to go ahead and close that short distance between their lips. Her entire being ached for him to just kiss her. "Are you going to kiss me or are you going to keep dragging this out?"
Loki chuckled. "Well, with an attitude like that, I might just drag it out a little longer."
Ava grinned. "You may be all for dragging it out, but I'm not." She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
Loki smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. Naturally, the few items that adorned the terrace began to fly around them, matching the swirl of emotions that were passing between the couple.
Just then a bolt of lightning passed right by them, causing them to break apart. Thor's laughter boomed through the air around them. Loki and Ava looked at Thor. Loki had a look of disdain on his face and Ava had a mixture of surprise, embarrassment, and annoyance on her face.
"What? I thought you two enjoyed tricks." Thor said, laughing and taking a sip of his wine.
Ava narrowed her eyes and with her mind, caused Thor to spill the drink on himself. "Good work, Ava." Loki told her, smiling in approval.
"What is it with you two and wasting good wine?" Thor asked.
Loki and Ava just laughed. "You just don't know real fun, Brother." Loki told him. "Allow me to get that off of you." Loki waved his hand and the wine that had covered Thor, turned into snakes, crawling over him.
Thor quickly shook them off of him. Ava and Loki laughed at him. "Now that is a trick." Loki said to his brother.