Ariella looked around the tavern area, it was fairly busy, the commemoration having sent everyone to inns for food, drink and talk after it. Again she heard people speculating over the sculptor but she said nothing. In truth, she was terrified to within an inch of her life, she did not want to deal with her aunt or uncle, but Loki was right, she did need to do this, she needed closure on this, since she had mentioned it to Loki a few weeks previous that she was still angry at what happened her, it festered under the surface, scratching its way into her thoughts too often he had insisted she needed to deal with the matter, this, apparently, was perfect for doing so.

She heard someone coming to the counter and turned to look, seeing a young woman she had not seen before. She was petite and had short hair, but her face did not seem to show signs of hunger as Ariella's had done. 'Hello, can I get you something?'

'Yes, I need two tables please, for food.'

'Sure.' The girl looked at her in concern. 'Are there…?'

'Yes, they are outside getting the carriage dealt with, I came in to see if there was anywhere free.'

'Of course, I do not have two tables together, is that alright?'

'As long as both bills come to me, that is fine.' Ariella smiled, loving that she had earnings of her own now.

'Yes, Miss, one moment.' The girl went and put a sign reserving one table on one near the kitchen and bringing her to the other one, closer the fire. 'Do you need any drinks?'

'Two meads here please and two of your finest ales for the two on the other table.' She smiled. 'I cannot speak for those two, but I can already tell you,' She looked at the menu for a moment, 'That my dining partner and I will have two of the house broths to begin, then a duck for myself and a steak, medium rare for him, all the trimmings please.' She smiled.

'Of course.' The girl nodded, knowing the costs of those meals were beyond what many could afford.

'Forgive me, but can I ask are Marcella and Gregor around?'

The girl frowned for a moment. 'They tend to be, do you wish for someone to get them?'

'No, I was just asking, thank you.' A moment later, Loki, in his disguise, as well as the coachmen came in. The girl looked to Ariella, who nodded to signify they were the men she was waiting on and went to get the drinks, indicating to the men to sit at the other seats as Loki made his way to her. 'They are not here.'

'No, I noticed. It looks slightly different, feels different.' Loki looked at the stairs, the ones he had snarled his words at her aunt those many moons before as Ariella lay in his arms, mere skin and bone.

'I thought that too. I like it.'

'How does the girl seem?'

'Alright, not starving, so that is always an improvement, is it not?'

'Very much so,' The girl came over with the mead. 'Thank you, the Menus?' She looked at him worriedly.

'I got you the broth and some steak.' Ariella informed him.

'I am stealing some of your duck.'Loki noticed the specials board, knowing Ariella was incredibly fond of the foul when the palace had it in stock.

'I will stab you with the fork.' Ariella warned back before looking at the worried looking girl. 'Thank you.' The girl nodded and left. 'You are scaring her.'

'I am not the one that threatening stabbing people with cutlery.' Loki laughed. 'How are you feeling?'

'Unnerved, where are they, Gregor always was the one to stay at the bar.'

Loki took her hand, 'All you concern yourself with is having your dinner, alright?' She nodded. 'And yes, steak, our broth and a mead is a perfect meal.'

"Our broth?"

'Do you not think of our times together, meeting in the market, talking as we did when you think of it, I cannot help but do so.'

'Yes, I do,' Ariella conceded with a small smile. 'We really did nothing but be silly, dodging being us for a while.'

'Yes, I spent more time being happy with you there than I did for all my years in the palace.'

'And now?'

'Well, you are now in the palace.' Loki grinned. 'I miss our outings though.'

'We should go out sometime, dressed as we did and go about the market.' Ariella smiled.

'There is one in two weeks.' Loki stated, wide-eyed at the idea.

Ariella looked at him for a moment. 'Will we?'

'We are.' Loki grinned, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing them to it. 'I will look like this, but we will act as we are doing now, as ourselves, agreed?'

'You know, it feels wrong?'

'What?'

'Letting "you" at me like this.'

'In what manner?' Loki frowned, not understanding her meaning.

'You are still who you are, but you do not look as though you are him. My mind is not fully happy with allowing you act so personal when you look like this, even with all the time we were together when you had this appearance.'

Loki chuckled. 'I can only imagine.'

'Could you imagine if I did not look like me and wanted to kiss you?'

'Could you imagine me not knowing in advance for some reason?' Loki laughed.

Ariella shook her head with a bemused smile, thanking the waitress for bringing over their broths just as they finished speaking. She frowned slightly. 'Is everything alright?' The girl asked worriedly.

'It seems different.' She noted. Ariella took a spoon and tasted it. 'This is the exact one from the market.'

'What?' Loki asked in confusion.

'The broth, the one here before was different, this is the exact one we used to get at the market.'

Loki's brow rose slightly as he tried to understand what she was rambling about, he turned to the concerned looking waitress. 'Thank you kindly, it would appear this is a good thing, whatever she is rambling about.' He smiled, the girl nodded, looking again at Ariella who had nearly eaten half of her food already and walked away. 'You do realise you seem mad?'

'Tell me that is not the same broth.' She challenged.

Shaking his head, Loki took up some of the food, smelling it before taking a spoonful. It had been years since he had the broth in the market, and though the one he had when staying at the inn for the night was almost identical, this one was superior by far, there was no denying it. His face clearly gave away his thoughts, because she smiled smugly at him.

They ate in silence and spoke again when they had both finished. As they did everything in their power to eat together as often as possible, they had a routine the tended to stick with when dining, including only speaking between courses.

When they finished their mains, Loki was sporting a fork stabbed hand, but had been triumphant in stealing some of her duck, they smiled at one another, talking about their takes on the day.

The door of the inn opened and the happy atmosphere seemed to dampen immediately at the bar, where the local men were chatting loudly and laughing with the barkeeper that had been serving since Ariella and Loki had sat down. The pair turned to see a dirty looking man stumble to the bar.

'Go home, you have had too much today.' The man ordered.

'Shut up and fill my tankard, I did not ask your opinion.' The man growled.

'Why should I serve you?' The barkeeper challenged.

'Because this was my tavern.'

'Yes, was. Then you went and pissed off the Allfather by leaving your niece's corpse in the room next to one of the Warriors. You got off lightly. I think the only reason the Allfather did not throw you in prison was because he wanted you to suffer in the only way you would feel it.'

'You do not know what occurred with that whore.'

'I was here you fool when Prince Loki and Fandral the Dashing brought her down the stairs and your foul wife tried to stop them. I saw her body, she was nothing but bones in a flesh bag, to this day I get nightmares, knowing that as we drank and ate here, that poor girl lay up there dying.' He pointed to the stairs. 'Get out, that child was no whore, besmirching someone that can not defend themselves against your words…' The man spat in the dirty man's direction.

Loki looked to Ariella, whose gaze was fully focused on the man standing near the bar. 'I have money to pay so give me the damn ale.'

'I will not serve you here.' The barkeeper stated coldly. 'Leave.'

The man growled and turned, crashing into a table as he did so. 'Stupid…' He rambled, no one aiding him, all looking at him in disgust.

Loki watched wide-eyed as Ariella got to her feet and walked over to him. 'Miss, do not worry yourself, he is not worth it.' The barkeeper suggested.

'Gregor?' The barkeeper and others stared at her for referencing the other man by his name.

The man himself grumbled before turning to look at her, his eyes squinted as he tried to make out her features. 'What do you want?'

Ariella realised he had no inkling as to who she was. With a cold scoff, she kicked him, square between his legs, causing him to grunt in pain and every man in the inn to wince. 'I was never a whore.' She snarled. 'This look suits you, uncle.' She shook with anger before turning and walking back to Loki, who instinctively had gotten to his feet when she had gone to the drunk man, he immediately pulled her to him and kissed her head.

'You…Ella'

'Despite your best efforts, she is not dead.' Loki stated proudly.

'That is…' The barkeeper stared, 'No, it is not possible, the girl the Prince brought down, none could survive that…she was already dead.'

'It took months of extensive care, herbs from Alfheim that had to be procured with diplomatic agreements, spells from Vanaheim and Asgard's finest Healers, for so long it seemed as though she would not make it but she is alive and very well.' He grinned, looking to her.

'So even the Prince cast you out after you got better, and you shack up with this fool.' Her uncle spat, his speech slurred. 'Once he got what he wanted from you.'

It was Loki's turn to get angered. Walking forward, there was a flash of green before he turned back to himself and grabbed Gregor by the front of his clothing. 'You dare insinuate Ariella some common hussy, or that I would cast her aside, you foolish bitter man, you are only angered because my father was able to thwart your little payday to that old fart of a Magistrate for her and now to see how she has grown, how healthy and beautiful she is. She is strong and she is educated and I know that kills you because she is everything you hate, everything you never had the ability to be.'

'She is also the owner of this establishment.' They turned and all in the premises stared in shock as Odin Allfather stood in the doorway of the tavern, Gungnir in hand.

'What?' Ariella looked to the Allfather.

'As punishment for their actions against you, I had them stripped of the titles of this place, a good staff put in and the titles given to you, their victim.' Odin explained. 'It is only the first year, the money needed to improve it and pay staff has meant you have no profit of yet, but there is great promise.' Odin nodded as he looked around. 'Reminds me of a lodge we used to stay in, Baldr, Tyr and I when I was prince and we went hunting. Always loved those smaller places, the food was always incredible. Do you do a pie?' He looked to the startled Barkeeper.

'Yes, All….Allfather, Steak and Ale.'

'Oh Norns, that is it, he will never leave.' Frigga rolled her eyes as she walked past her husband and into the inn, as soon as she came to Loki, holding Gregor up, she gave her son a look that showed her less than pleased thoughts on him not remaining in disguise before looking at the man. 'Get out of my sight before I turn you into a bottomfeeding worm, you filthy creature. How dare you hurt that wonderful girl as you did.' She snarled viciously, even Loki was somewhat taken back at her demeanour, having never seen his mother so angered before.

'Why…?' Loki looked at his mother.

'Well we had intended coming here like you were supposed to do if you left the carriage, in disguise, but with you declaring to all of Asgard you were here, that proverbial cat was well and truly out of the bag, so why bother?' She shrugged before walking over to where they were sitting. 'You will sit with us a while.'

'We had not even had dessert yet.' Loki grinned, letting go of the man, who scarpered for the door and helping his mother to sit down before sitting beside her.

Odin gently placed his hand on Ariella's lower back. 'I am afraid you are to be stuck next to me, dear.'

'Why did you not tell me…?' Ariella looked at him slightly hurt.

Odin had bore witness to his sons acting hurt or saddened by different actions in the past, but he had never seen such a heartbroken betrayed face in his life. 'Well, I did, you were recovering at the time, but you are only able to listen to so much before even someone as patient as you can zone out or fall asleep.'

Ariella gave a look of uncertainty before she realised Frigga was nodding. 'Thank you.' She smiled, 'I...thank you.'

Their food came over and the girl looked between the monarchs in terror. 'Thank you, this looks wonderful.' Frigga smiled, looking to her husband and hoping it was him she kicked under the table, Odin too busy eyeing the large pie in front of him.

'Oh, yes, thank you.' He barely moved his glance from the food as he did, earning a bemused look from his wife and barely contained chuckles from Loki and Ariella.

'Can I get you anything else?' The young lady looked at Loki and Ariella.

'Yes, I will have some apple pie please, he will have pudding.' Ariella smiled.

'Are you ordering everything for me today?' Loki asked in shock.

'You get used to it, women dictate your life to you, if they get a chance, they will dictate your death too, your mother has told me I am not allowed die yet, she is too young to be a widow apparently.'

'Only old women are widows.' Frigga explained.

'See what I mean.' Odin shook his head, 'Norns, this pie is fantastic, we need the recipe for the kitchens.'

'It is hardly very regal, what would the Lords say?' Frigga scoffed.

'Why would I bother feeding those fools something as good as this, let them eat their ridiculous small globs of pretentious tripe, I do not care, I want good hearty food, like this.'

'Think of their reaction.' Her husband had a dangerous twinkle in his eye. 'Oh, Norns.'