Chapter 69.
Floria did everything she could to avoid the Courtiers over the next two days, keeping company with Thor and Sera in order to keep her sanity. She was presented with her gown for her coronation, and she felt sick as she touched the fine emerald and gold fabric. It was a beautiful gown, but it felt so wrong now to her. It represented a new hell for she and her children, and a new enslavement to her. She saw Loki infrequently as well, dining silently with him and he noticed her change in behaviours. The small glances, the quiet way she walked, and how she ducked away from his affections.
"I came to a decision about the Vanir Prince and Alarea." He said and she stepped forward silently, her eyes fixed on the floor and her heart pounded at the thought of this discussion.
"I am sure you have." She said and he looked at her and lifted her chin. She trembled under his touch, and he closed his eyes.
"I wish you would speak to me as you used to, it is a lonely place I find myself in." He said and she stepped away from him. His hand hovered in the air, and she but her lip and sank to a curtsy. He had no idea how lonely she felt as well, but was afraid to put words to her lonliness.
"I don't know how to speak to you anymore, for all we do is quarrel and make hurtful comments to each other." She whispered and Loki folded his hands behind his back. He walked to his desk and picked up a letter, handing it to her and she read it. Her fingers trembling, and she saw his signature at the bottom with his seal.
"I rejected the Bethroval, Aleria is free to choose her own future." He said and Floria nearly stumbled in relief that he would give their child such freedom.
"What of me?" She asked and his eyes widened in shock, his hand shook and she became emboldened. "Will I be so free to choose my path?"
"You would leave?" He asked and she nodded, her eyes afraid for her safety then.
"I do not see myself to be a Queen of any merit, nor do I like this station. This is not my place, and I wish to live a humble life far from this Castle, and those who would suffocate me in it." She said and he took a step toward her. His eyes filled with worry, and she held her hands out to stop his advance.
"You cannot abandon me, I am your Husband and soon King. You will stay, and learn to be happy." He said and she shook her head, unable to meet his face.
"You are the man I fear." Shs whispered, and pressed against a wall behind her. She saw his anger rising and she trembled, her heart pounding.
"You are a fool, and a silly girl. I should have known you would fear me when you saw my face as a Jotun, now you see me as a monster and a beast to be hunted!" He shouted and she cried out, covering her face with her hands and trembled.
"I don't fear that!" She shouted back, she cowered and slipped to the floor. "I do not fear your heritage, for it is partly what my children are."
"Then what? What do you fear!"
"I fear your anger, for it is like a fire and you cannot control it!" She cried out, trembling and he took a step back as if she had struck him. "I fear that it will consume you, and cause my death and the death of my children."
Loki turned, seeing Sera and Thor standing in silence. His breath calming and he walked past them, pausing to look at his Wife and he pointed a finger toward a window.
"Then go! And do what all others I ever cared for have done in the past, leave me to my shadow of an existance." He said, and walked into the hall and left the three women in his Chambers.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"During the Feast, we will make sure Loki drinks to excess and sneak you out then. Sera will take the children to a carriage, and we will change you out of your gown to a plain dress." Thor said, Floria pacing Sera's chambers as Sari and Velora listened.
"Where will we go? We would have no shelter, and would be looked for." Floria said, wringing her hands and Sera shook her head.
"There is a small farm on the edge of the North Woods, we can let you and the children live there. It is drawing close to Winter, so we will bring you supplies. Only the four of us will know where you are, and we all swear to never breathe a word of it." Sera said, and held Floria's hands. "He will be enraged but if the four of us have to run, we shall."
"I only want all of you safe, this is more than I should ask you to do." She said and Velora embraced her Daughter. She blinked back tears, her eyes darting about and Thor took her hand.
"Take nothing that he gave you, he may have spells on them so that he can find you." The blonde woman warned and Floria nodded, looking down at the ring she wore for the nearly three years she was married to Loki. She slipped it from her finger, giving it to Thor and the women held tightly to one another.
"We can do this, don't be afraid. Soon, your destiny will be yours to choose." Velora said, embracing her daughter and Floria returned it. Something about their conspiracy felt so wrong to her, and she was afraid that she and her children would suffer for leaving her Husband and their Father. She worried that what she was doing would be the final straw for him, and that he would show no mercy toward her as well. She nodded, feeling numb and an ache in her chest but pushed it away in remembrance of the fear she felt at being a Queen in a Golden Cage.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
She walked silently back into their Chambers, looking to see if Loki had returned and let out a shaking breath at seeing the vacant rooms around her. She saw a chest however, sitting on the bed and a note on top of it. She took silent steps toward it, picking up the note and she read the message on it.
Because you always looked so beautiful in rose.
She set the letter aside, recognizing Loki's handwriting and lifting the lid to reveal a gown of rose and cream. The regal style showing the skill it took to make the garment, and she lifted it up and lay it over her arm as her other hand caressed the embroidery on the bodice. She heard a cough, turning to see Loki sitting in a chair in the corner and she lay the gown back in the box and closed the lid.
"I thought you could wear it tomorrow, do you like it?" He asked and she nodded.
"Yes." She said and he stood, walking toward her and she stepped back. His height, once a comfort, now make him look terrifying. "It is lovely."
"I wish you would not fear me, tomorrow I will ensure that you and our children are safe." He said and she swallowed hard, her eyes locked on him and she looked at his relaxed hands. She had to not tempt his mercurial temperament, she had to be careful as she always had.
"I am only weary, it has been a rather long day." She said and tried to smile at him. He backed away from her, his hand catching her's as she walked to change into a shift. He brought it to his lips, and kissed it, lingering and he stood silently.
"I miss my happy Floria." He said softly, and she blinked at him. "I only wanted you to always be happy."
"I know." She said, her hand slipping from his and the look in his eyes was one of heartbreak, she turned walking toward the Bathing Chamber and ghosting through the door to change. He stood, leaning against the doorframe and fighting his anguish at losing her, praying she would change her opinion of him one day.
"I need you Floria, I cannot live as King without you." He whispered, his hands shaking and he pushed off the wall to leave the chambers. He had to seek the council of a woman wiser than himself, and he knew where she would be.