Arc 2 Chapter 1
The feast was to be grand more opulent by far than anything I had ever heard of. There was more gold and food and silks than I think even the most well stocked royal party planner could possibly keep on hand. Despite that I could not help but smile. The speed at which it was thrown together was also impressive. Barely a week had passed between my return to Asgard and Odin's announcement of the wedding to the entire kingdom. He had given his blessing for our friends to attend the wedding and despite my heartfelt wish for something small and intimate both Thor and Loki had impressed upon me how important a large ceremony was for something like this, not just for us but for the people as well. So reluctantly I relented, it probably should have been to some worry to me the mischievous grins that plastered across their faces.
"And you're absolutely sure?" I asked, turning my head enough to look over my shoulder at Elli who stood beaming at me. "I absolutely have to wear this?"
"I am afraid my dear Lady that it is customary." The old woman came forward and patted me on the shoulder, straightening the shimmering fabric that lay across my shoulders.
"But white?" I looked down across the dress, and sighed. As pure as driven snow, Aesir magic made it glisten like diamonds beneath a high sun.
"Are you nervous my Lady?" Elli stooped down behind me and fixed the train making me turn my gaze back to the mirror.
"Not as nervous as I probably should be." I admitted and fidgeted with a lock of hair that had escaped the intricate knot she had set atop my head. "I don't feel like anything will actually change… not really anyway…" I swallowed and set my shoulders, shifting and feeling the armor that covered half my chest settle more comfortably.
"Let me see to that my Lady." Elli stood and fussed over the chest plate, tightening the straps so that I was forced to stand taller in the bright metal that lay swathed beneath the folds of the white fabric.
"Bright hells Elli, I won't be able to breathe at all if you tighten those straps much more." I said and gave the smallest laugh I could manage while still remaining upright. "Why am I wearing armor anyway, I've never seen something like this done at a wedding."
"You are marrying a warrior my Lady." Elli said and grasped my arm to check over the vanbrace and pauldron that were attached to my left side. "While it is said that the women of Asgard do not fight, save a special few, we are at all times ready to protect those we love. The armor on your shield arm represents that. Lord Loki will be wearing special armor for this on his right, as he is the sword to strike down those that threaten his family."
I could feel my face ease into a smile and I lovingly ran my fingers against the decorated metal, feeling it cool the pads of my fingers. For half a second in my mind I could see the flash of green eyes in my mind and I shivered, remembering his touch, his skin; blue or cream, the sound of his breath hitching.
"My Lady?" Elli touched my shoulder gently and I jumped. With an embarrassed smile I turned my gaze towards her.
"Sorry Elli, just distracted."
"I believe I know what a bride would be distracted with on her wedding day." Elli waggled her eyebrows at me and I laughed. Her wicked smile eased and she reached out towards the dresser. "I think you will find this necklace more suited to your outfit." She said holding up a woven mixture of silver and diamonds.
"I… I think I'll just keep what I have on, thank you." My fingers flew up and stroked the bright gold and emeralds that lay in a crescent around my neck.
"My Lady I really think you should-"
"NO." My voice was deeper than I had expected and with it resonated off the marble in the room making it seem greater by tenfold. "No." I said again, making sure I was softer this time. "Thank you but I WILL be keeping this one on."
"As my Lady wishes." Elli curtsied low and I felt myself sigh, hating how rude I had sounded.
"Elli…Elli I'm sorry." I said softly and the old woman shrugged.
"I was told to expect more outbursts of the true Lady Demeter through you."
I nodded. It was something Rhea had told me during her second visit to my dreams. "I suppose I had just hoped that Demeter wouldn't be cruel to those who weren't also gods." I said weakly.
"Come now girl." Elli patted me hard on the shoulder, shaking the blues away from me. "It was I who pushed you into saying it. I should have just accepted whatever jewelry you want to wear. It's your special day after all."
I frowned and shook my head. "You didn't push me, I just snapped. Again, I am sorry. If that's what Demeter is like I don't want to become her."
"Come now my dear." Elli tucked a bony finger under my chin and raised my head. "Remember you are a queen, it is your right."
"I am no more important than anybody else." I said quietly. She sounded just as Loki had all those times and I closed my eyes moving my head away. "And I'm not a queen yet. I'm still not Demeter and I'm still not married to a prince, so as of now I am still common born."
"Mortal draping's cannot hide a divine bearing, any more than common birth can hide nobility." Elli said her eyes gleaming with a wisdom that I had not seen in them before. I couldn't help but think about what she had said and inclined my head.
"Thank you. For your patience and your words." I said softly and laid my hand on her shoulder. "Shall we?" Elli smiled and waved me forward and I bent my head, feeling her set the ampyx just before the twist of my hair, pinning in the see through veil behind it and letting it flow across my shoulders. "There. You are a rival for any queen in any kingdom." Elli said and stepped back curtsying low.
"I hardly think that I-" My words froze in my throat as I turned my eyes back towards the mirror. It didn't seem like me. It couldn't possibly be me. Could it? Carefully I reached out and touched the mirror, pressing my fingers against the cool glass. I was wearing no makeup, having refused it when it was offered and yet somehow I looked different. My eyes seemed more defined, my lips darker. Leaning closer I took a better look at my eyes and then withdrew my hand. There was a distinct ring of blue around what had always been brown. Closing my eyes I turned away and set a pleasant smile upon my face. This was just another sign I could not ignore and coupled with the outbursts it seemed as though more of myself was slipping away, replaced each time with a stranger who shared my voice. "I am ready to join my husband."
The words were not mine, the set to my shoulders far too at ease but although it was strange it did not feel wrong to have her in my mind. At least not as wrong as it might have if she were pushing for something I didn't want. I turned my gaze to Elli and the old woman curtsied low.
"Then by all means, follow me mistress." She turned and led me through the now familiar halls and try as I might I could not help but be one step behind her. "Wait here." Elli brought me to just behind a pair of curtains before the throne room. I could hear the chatter of the crowd out beyond it and risked taking a look. The hall was packed from column to column each space was filled with Aesir and at the front of the room to either side of the throne stood those I had come to count as friends from Midgard, including, I was thrilled to see, Halden. Who stood next to Volstag and chatted with him as though they were long lost kin.
My eyes searched and quickly found him, my love. Standing on the floor before the throne, by himself and seemingly unphased. Thrown across his shoulders was a cape of the most beautiful emerald green. The metal and leather of the rest of his dress shone with care and polishing and on his right arm and shoulder he wore similar armor to myself. The one thing I hadn't expected to see was the empty sheath hanging at his left hip and for a brief moment I wondered if I should be carrying a shield. He looked calmer that I was by any rate for I could feel my heart fluttering up into my throat.
"Sister. I have heard it is bad luck in Midgard for one of a soon to be wedded couple to see the other before the ceremony."
Thor's voice made me jump nearly two feet into the air and I laughed as I turned back to look at him. "You absolute sneak, you scared me half to death. First off it's for a groom to see his bride on the wedding day and secondly what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be standing up with Odin or at least with Loki?"
The blond man laughed and went to clap me on the shoulder, stopping himself as I shot a glare at him. "Ahha. Yes, I should be. But we were not able to find your parents-" I hung my head, I didn't want them to know my parents. "That is as I thought. If mother were here I could have stood beside Loki as his brother while she walked with you down to us. Since she cannot be here with us, I am to walk you down. But do not fret my brother does not stand completely alone."
I turned and frowned at him. "He certainly looked alone when I last looked."
Thor smiled and waved me back towards the curtain, moving it ever so slightly so I could see that both Steve and Fandral had moved to stand alongside Loki. It was this simple gesture that brought tears to my eyes, reminding me that it was not just Loki and I against the world, that we had friends who would stand by our sides and help us in times of need.
"Thor..." I looked back at him and threw my arms around his neck in a tight hug. I had opened my mouth to speak again but I could not find the words and I closed it again, burying my face against his shoulder as tears of relief spilled from my eyes.
"I know." The blond wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug and squeezed me close and for the moment I ceased caring about the dress. "And it is all thanks to you."
I pulled back and Thor set me carefully on the ground again. "How do you mean?"
"My brother for all his tongue is silver has a terrible tendency to pull tricks on people that he does not always think through. He may have won their trust back eventually but it would have been more years than I'd care to admit and at that point I'm not sure that his rage wouldn't have completely consumed him. You brought them all back to a neutral point, you tempered their distrust of him by having them trust in you instead and you reigned in his tricks by giving him someone who he truly wishes to make proud of him and who shows him that he is worthy of pride." Thor beamed and I blushed waving away his compliments. "I called you my sister before but now I am doubly glad you will join our family." Thor straightened his back and offered me his arm as the room before us hushed and the curtains began to rise.
Beaming I placed my hand atop his, side by side with him as we walked the few steps to the top of the dais. "Are you ready sister?" Thor whispered to me. I could not trust my voice and so I nodded. Smiling Thor led me to the top of the stairs, letting us pause as the room swelled with triumphant music. Though I'm sure the room itself was stunning I had no true idea of what it looked like, my eyes were locked solely on Loki. Hand atop Thor's I let him lead me down across the room, the vaguest hint of the room bowing low as I passed in my peripheral. Finally though it seemed to take forever Thor brought me to stand before Odin alongside his brother.
"Flowers bloom beneath your feet my Queen." Loki whispered as I took my hand away from Thor and set it a top his. For half a second I looked down and back the way I had come. What he said was true, the floor from the top of the stairs to where we stood now was covered in moon flowers.
"Indeed my King." I whispered back. "And a species that only blooms by the light of the moon." I caught his gaze and held it for long silent moments. It was Odin's cough that brought us both back out of each other's minds. Once he had our attention Odin straightened his gaze and address the room.
"Lords and Ladies, people of Asgard, esteemed guests." Odin's voice rang throughout the hall and all heads swung towards him. "I have asked you here today to bear witness to the joining of my son Lord Loki Odinson and Lady Demeter Rheadottir."
I arched my eyebrow at Loki and gave a small smirk. It seemed that he had adopted Odin's last name again, at least for the time being. Odin continued on. "These two have come before me declaring their intentions to be tied together and I believe their love to be true. Before you all I believe that they have things they would like to say to each other." Odin's eye glittered mischievously and just as I had been told to I turned to face Loki head on.
These speeches had been prepared for days, the two of us practicing on our own so that when the time came we might be able to say them without our voices wavering; at least that was why I had been practicing.
"My Queen." Loki's eyes met mine and held them, shining as though the stars were captured behind them. "Throughout every realm there has never been one as fair as you. Your beauty could stop a wild hart from fleeing before a huntsman's arrow. But it is not your beauty that draws me to your side. It is your compassion, the deep love I can see etched into every feature of you for every creature. When you found me I was broken. Hurt and for the time being, abandoned by those I had thought to turn to and yet even when I hurt you, you could not bear to leave me in pain. You stayed and bound my wounds, you took me from a place I so detested and worked to raise my spirits until I could not help but feel the warmth that shone through you."
My eyes grew misty and Loki ran his thumb across the backs of my fingers. "Before all the gathered persons here, before the stars and both our ancestors I declare my love for you. It is my solemn promise to keep you safe and provide for you as a husband." With an easy motion of his fingers Loki brought forth a gold and emerald ring, sliding it easily on to my finger.
"My King." My eyes rose from the ring so that I could fall into his gaze. "You… can be an absolute ass." The room laughed and I smiled at Loki's indignation, my hand rising to cup his cheek. "And if you were any different you wouldn't be you and you could not be more perfect." I watched his face ease into a smile. "Your wit and charm is unmatched and the care that you have shown me is nothing short of saintly. I swear I will guard you from any danger that threatens you. I will be the rock to which you can anchor yourself when you are afeared that you might go adrift. You have opened my eyes to worlds more wondrous than I could have ever imagined and yet none of them hold a candle to you. You are the pale light of the moon, the feeling of discovery and joy and magic and freedom."
I moved my fingers in the same way he had move his and produced his ring between them, emerald and gold just as mine was. "Before all the gathered persons here, before the stars and both our ancestors I declare my love for you. It is my solemn promise to keep you safe and provide for you as a wife." Still beaming I slipped the ring on his finger.
Odin nodded and on my left Sif approached and affixed a shield to my arm as Loki was handed a sword from his right by Thor. Taking my empty right hand in his left we turned to face the All-Father.
"By the Norns and by my right as King I say you two are now married. May your union be a blessed one, filled with all the laughter and smiles in the nine realms." Odin spread his hands out, inviting the roar of approval from the crowd. I could see our friends from where we stood, their thunderous clapping and hollering almost overwhelming that of the entire court. Loki and I beamed at each other and carefully turned, fingers still interlaced as they would be for the rest of the night and together we held aloft the sword and shield, adding our voices to those that rang out in that marbled hall.