Chapter 32.
Loki sat, his head bent over the sheet of paper on the desk detailing the incursion by the Dark Elves on the borders of Asgard. He looked at the empty throne, missing already Floria who left for her chambers for the night. He needed the good advice she had given him earlier that day, and sighed as he lay the paper down. He felt so weary, not wanting this mantle but still accepting it for the sake of appearances alone. He looked up as the doors opened then closed again, watching Thor walk toward him and he stepped his fingers under his chin to look as if he were busy with matters of state.
"Hello Thor, what brings you this evening?" He asked, preparing himself mentally for a fight. He would be cautious, not sure how the oaf was going to strike, but still ready for it.
"I did not come here for you to gloat, if that is what you were expecting to do Loki." Thor said and crossed his arms. "I came to have a serious conversation with you, and I believe you know what this is about."
"Nine hels, why are you so stuborn in my attachment to Floria? She is clearly wanting to marry me, and an I am ready the give my life to her feely. She is my Bride, and I will treat her with the dignity and adoration she deserves." Loki said, pacing suddenly. His heels clicked on the floor and he heard Thor chuckle then. He turned, facing his brother and wanted to strike him for his insolence.
"How long will your infatuation last though? How long will you love her before you get weary of her and cast her off?" Thor said and Loki felt annoyance at his words.
"He careful what you say Thor, I am not in the mood to be made a fool of." Loki said and shoved the piece of vellum at him. "The Dark Elves threaten our borders, and I have other matters to attend to. Unless you have something useful to aid in a solution, I am tired of this conversation and of you."
"Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Thor said and chuckled. "Think about what I said, and how she will feel when you grow tired of this affair."
"I will not grow tired of it at all." Loki said and looked at his brother. "I love her, and she is my life as I am hers."
Thor blinked at Loki's statement, his eyes downcast and nodded. He crossed his massive arms, thinking for a moment and he took the piece of paper from Loki, he read it and concentrated for a long moment.
"Eastern Border, that is a days ride from here. With your permission, I would take a thousand men and station them there. It would not be a true challenge to break the ranks, and we would be home in two days." Thor said and Loki nodded, the strategy was sound and Thor was a fighter at heart.
"Then you have my permission to take them then, perhaps the show of force alone will make them think twice." Loki replied, giving him the Kings blessing for a campaign.
"You always were a thinker and not a fighter." Thor laughed and bowed. "The people are impressed by how you took Floria's advice today. How you showed mercy for that man and his children, they call you the level headed one."
"Mercy in this realm has been rare for too long. I am benevolent, if nothing else." Loki said and he streched his back while rubbing his tired eyes.
"You should rest for a bit, you cannot make decisions while exhausted." Thor said and Loki laughed at him. "I like this, having the Loki I remembered back. I almost think I have my brother again, and I pray he remains here."
"I would like for him to stay as well." Loki said and embraced his brother. "If you lay a hand on Floria..."
"She is yours Loki, I have met a young woman and have found something I truly missed. If only I can now get out of an arranged match."
"Talk to Odin about that, I cannot undo the last order of a sleeping King. What did happen to Jane?" Loki asked him and saw pain in his eyes suddenly. Thor swallowed hard, and did his best not to let the tears he held for so long fall.
"She was mortal, and as she aged, yet she became more and more beautiful. One day, she forgot my name and she continued to forget things. The Mortals called this disease Alzheimers, and it progressed until she forgot who she was. In the end, I held her and comforted her as she took her last breath and passed into the gates of Valhalla." Thor said and Loki swallowed. He signed the paper he had written out and handed it to him.
"I am truly sorry for your loss." Loki said and Thor took the page and let out a long breath.
"Her life was but a blink of an eye, Marrin is Asgardian, and will share a longer time with me. If Father allows it to happen." Thor said and Loki laughed at him.
"Marrin, Lady Marrin?" Loki laughed and Thor crossed his arms. "My, she is a bit of a spitfire."
"And what do you mean by that?" Thor said and glared at Loki. He put his hands up, calming the Prince down and laughed.
"She was caught the other day beating a Guard who spoke too freely. She put him in the Infirmary with a broken arm, and had to be stopped by four other men." Loki howled with laughter. "I will pray you do not make her mad."
"She is not that bad Loki, she is a sweet natured woman and I adore her readily." Thor groaned and fought the urge to shove his brother. "Just do not make unwanted advances toward her person."
"I will still pray for you, she is rather free spirited. And as firey tempered as the color of her hair." Loki laughed and Thor took his leave with a bow. He opened the doors, Loki returning to his seat and leaning his head back.
"Rest Loki! We cannot have you sleeping through your Wedding." Thor teased and Loki threw a crumpled ball of paper at the oaf.
"Go fight your war, and don't die. Father will throw me back in the Dungeon if you are killed in battle." Loki groaned, hearing the door close and the only sound became the crackle of the burning fire next to him. In the next room, Odin lay in stasis on hos bed and a smile spread across the resting King's features.
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The next morning, the warriors and soldiers rode out. Loki and Floria present with Frigga and Velora to watch them leave, Thor raised a salute to his King and Floria fought the urge to cry as Hogun rode past. He took the rose from his daughter, kissing her cheek tenderly and promised his desire to return. Thor stopped near them, and Hogun tucked the flower into his armor.
"Fear not Lady Floria, I promise you that I will bring you back your father as unscathed as he is now." Thor said and Floria smiled at him. She gave him a rose as well, he accepting it and he held her hand in his.
"Thank you My Prince, I do hope you return safely as well." She said and Thor laughed at her.
"Don't fret for me, and ensure King Loki smiles often." Thor replied and they rode on. She stood next to Loki, and her hand slipped into his for comfort. He gave it a small squeeze and she looked up at him with a gentle smile.
"Thor is a man of his word, he will do everything he can to keep your father well." Loki said and she blinked at him. They entered the Throne Room, and he looked around in irritation at the Guards that seemed to stand listlessly. He took the stairs, sitting back on the Throne and heard Floria giggle.
"What is so funny?" He asked, looking up and seeing her stifle her amusement.
"I am sorry My King, I have never seen anyone so tall made to look so small by a thing before." She laughed, he blinked at her and sat up gestured her forward. She looked afraid, folding her hands and taking tentative steps forward. She stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"You are very lucky you hold my affections. Because if you did not, I would not give them to you again." He said and saw her chin tremble. Floria looked down, her hands shaking and she nodded.
"I am sorry." She whispered and she curtsied. She did not know what to do, and he made a sound in his throat to get her attention. She looked up, and blinked at him as he burst into laughter. Her fear melted away, and she nearly fell to her knees as she herself laughed. He had used his magic to shape shift into a being a foot tall, and he joined her in laughing.
"Am I truly dwarfed now?" He asked Floria and she nodded. He shifted back, waving to her to join him and he gave her room to sit next to him, he lifted her chin and she smiled.
"You truly frightened me for a moment." She said and he draped his cape over her shoulders. He looked down and laughed a bit, his heart breaking a bit at those words.
"It is my turn to be sorry now." He said and leaned close to her. "I still have one thing I want to do here, while I am King."
"What is that?" She asked him and he kissed her. The siddeness of the gesture caised her heart to pound and she gasped at the loss of contact, her lips claiming his again. They broke the kiss, and she swayed a bit and he held her close to him.
"I have been wanting to kiss you on the throne." He said and she pressed her cheek to his armor covered shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair, realizing that she was dozing a bit as she leaned against him and he smiled at her.
"Just don't frighten me like that ever again." She said, her hand finding an edge to a plate and clinging to it.
"I promise, I will never frighten you so ever again. But I cannot promise that I will never give you a reason to cry." He said softly. "On rare occasions of course, but I would never willingly do it out of malace."
"I will hope that it never happens." She said and felt him nod. The doors burst open at the end of the hall, and they both looked at the Paige as he caught his breath.
"My Lady, My King... Forgive me." The boy gasped and Loki stood. Floria let go of his cape, and it whispered away from her hand and she looked scared.
"What is it boy? Why are you here?" He asked and the child caught his breath.
"Lady Velora is in the infirmary, her child is coming." The boy said and Loki looked back at Floria who was standing up and gasped in shock.
"Go to her, I will pray that both she and the baby are well." Loki said and she ran, her feet carrying her to her mother and he put his hand on the boy's shoulder in worry.