Chapter 8
Once she was back in the privacy of her personal bedchamber, pushing her latest encounter with Loki far from her mind, Erica shrugged out of her robe before she climbed into bed and spent the rest of the night reading her book till sleep at last came and took her away into a deep nothingness.
The grand room was completely empty; its polished black marble floor perfectly bare. And Erica found herself standing directly in its center.
Clothed in a breathtaking gown of ivory silk, trimmed with white lace and embroidered with gold roses on the skirt, the young woman stood as still as stone; the room was dimly lit by candles hanging on the rounded walls.
But the silence was easily broken by the sound of purposeful footsteps moving across the marble floor; someone was coming towards her from behind.
At once, the steps stopped directly behind her- and Erica felt large hands place themselves on her shoulders before they turned her around and deliberately swept her up into a set of powerful arms.
Bringing her eyes up to the face of the man holding her, Erica felt her blood run cold when two familiar, emerald orbs burned into her face. With her hands upon his chest, Erica tried pushing the God of Mischief away, only to find that his arms were locked unbreakably around her.
With his narrow face, defined cheekbones and structured jaw line, Loki looked just as devilishly handsome as he had when she had first laid eyes upon him. His smug, grinning mouth opened with the formation of words...but as he started speaking, Erica found his message nebulous.
"Little Erica..." That was the easiest phrase she could make out. "You will be..."
"Good morning, M'lady Erica!" Iris' voice suddenly sounded.
Erica's eyes snapped open, and the dream's images vanished.
There was some swift, fumbling movement on the far side of her room before her bedroom curtains were thrown open, letting in the bright morning sun.
The young red head cringed, bringing a hand up to cover her eyes as they adjusted to the sudden assault of light.
"Morning to you to, Iris..." she mumbled as she slowly dropped her hand away from her face and opened her eyes.
Already, her maid was over at her wardrobe, throwing its cheery-wood doors wide open while she practically jumped in and began pulling all sorts of clothing out.
Erica sighed before she leisurely sat up in bed, raising her arms up over her head to stretch. "Iris..." she called calmly, "...Did I miss something? Or are you always this frantic in the morning?"
Her lady in waiting turned away from the closet with her arms piled high with all sorts of materials before she hustled on over to the bed. Dropping the stuff down on the feathered mattress, Iris hurried around and pulled the sheets off her mistress's body.
"Begging your pardon, M'lady..." the older woman replied as she reached out and firmly grasped Erica by the hand, tugging her out of bed. "We must make haste."
The young woman gasped in surprise at being jerked free from the warm, security of her bed but before she could protest, Iris was already on her. Hustling her mistress across the room, Iris led Erica into the bathing room before she quickly took hold of her night chemise, pulled the silky material off only to toss it aside.
"Iris!" Erica exclaimed, "Ooh!" she cried in alarm as she was firmly directed into the heated pool-but it was more like being pushed. She had just enough time to catch her breath before a flurry of fresh lilacs floating atop of the water engulfed her body as everything from her feet to her head went under the its richly scented surface.
A moment later, after finding her legs and balance once again, the young woman fiercely breeched the water's exterior, sloshing water and flower petals over the pools rim as she rose to a rigid, standing position. "What..." she asked drawing her words out slowly as she brought her hands up to wipe excess water from her eyes and face, , "..was the meaning of that?" Aggravation was lightly laced into her tone.
"My apologies, M'lady..." Iris spoke bowing her aging head sincerely. The maid was now holding out a bath sheet for Erica to take, "...but as I said, time is of the essence."
Moving towards the pool's edge, Erica brace her palms upon the cool metal surface before she hoisted herself out of the water. "Indeed...but you've yet to tell me why that is so."
Her only answer was the soft bath sheet that Iris quickly wrapped around her water-slick figure. Erica clutched the material tight around her body. "Have you been sworn to secrecy or something?"
Iris' thin lips turned upward into a slight smile, "Come along, M'lady. I still have much work to do on you before your ready." The maid proceeded by leading the way out of the bathing room and back into the bedchamber.
Erica followed behind-but she wasn't too happy about it. Her maid's behavior was making her incredibly skeptical.
Walking over to where Iris had her day's attire patiently waiting, Erica took one glance at the outfit and stopped at the foot of the bed. She sighed softly and shook her head,
"This doesn't surprise me." She stated as she bitterly eyed the neatly laid out undergarments beside a rich gown of teal. With a quick roll her eyes, Erica dropped the sheet that was concealing her nakedness before she reached out and snatched up the short sleeved white shift that had been neatly folded underneath a new corset that rested next to the gown.
As she finished adjusting the floor length, flimsy undergarment on her person, she heard Iris take her place alongside Erica just long enough for her to pick up the corset before moving to stand behind Erica.
"Arms up, M'lady." the old maid calmly stated.
Erica stubbornly crossed her arms and shook her head. They can tell her who she'll marry, or throw her in as many flower baths as they want but this was where Erica was drawing the line.
"I'm not wearing that." she tenaciously informed.
Iris frowned softly, "M'lady you would not be properly dressed without it."
"Then I guess I'm going against propriety."
"Certainly not." Iris insisted, surprise coated her voice as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing, "...M'lady, I am here to see to that you are suitably ready and by the Heavens above, I plan to do just that. Now, we can argue about this later but right now, I must finish getting you presentable to go meet with my King and Queen."
At the information, Erica's red head turned slightly over her shoulder to meet her maid's serious expression, "The All-Father is wanting to see me?"
"Indeed he does. His wife too."
Erica fell silent for a long moment. She shouldn't give in to this...if she budges now, who can say what other things these Asgardians would try and make her conform to. Then again, Odin and Frigga were expecting her. Having a showdown with her chambermaid isn't exactly a good cause for keeping a King and Queen waiting.
Though Erica hated to admit it...her back was in a corner.
Frowning she lowered her arms and stiffly raised them from her side, "This isn't over..." she warned, her voice heavy with irritation, "...we will discuss this later."
Iris beamed with satisfaction before she swiftly reached around Erica's trim waist to position the corset accurately before she took up its ties and began lacing the thing up. "Hold onto the bed post, M'lady." Iris politely requested.
Biting her tongue to keep her from grumbling, Erica scooted over to the one of the four bed posts and held onto it with both hands. Taking that as her cue, Iris gave a firm tug on the laces and the corset began to tighten.
Erica's eyes widened as the constricting device immensely squeezed her waist in. And with Iris's capable hands moving so skillfully fast in the process, she had forgotten that timeless little trick a smart woman would do well to remember when dealing with corsets- breathe properly before the darn contraption got laced together too tightly.
"Iris..." the red head gasped as her hands dropped to come up to her rest upon her hips, "Not so ti-ah!" she gasped again as another hard yank was performed. Perhaps it was just her for thinking so, but damn, the corset felt tighter than how she remembered from when her mother tried introducing her to them years ago...
After a few more pulls, the blasted thing was in its infamous position of causing minor discomfort from its masterful constricting purposes. Once Iris had finished securing the laces, she stepped away with a quick sigh of approval.
Erica brought a hand up to rest it across her fullness of her bosom which was now painfully straining against the stays. "Is it really suppose to be this tight?" she exclaimed, breathlessly; her chest rose and fell heavily with the sudden lack of air, "...or am I now being expected to not breathe anymore?" she carried, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Iris quietly laughed, "Sorry, M'lady." she apologized with a slight bow of her head as she moved around the young woman and breezily walked over to Erica's vanity dresser and mirror where she collected a hairbrush and a handful of bobby pins before coming back over to the bed. "Come, come, sit." She directed with a smile., " Let's see what we can do with your hair."
Erica could plainly see as daylight that when she took a seat on the bed, Iris was obviously enjoying herself. After gently unweaving Erica's still damp hair from the braid she had put it in the night before, Iris went to work on the mass of red-gold curls that hung messily all the way down her mistress' lower back.
Surprisingly, it took less than ten minutes for the chambermaid to have brushed and styled Erica's hair up into an elegant hairdo that consisted of her hair being snugly pulled off her neck before it was intricately twisted and curled about into a messy bun with some longer curl strands left to hang down in the front to delicately frame her face.
"Perfect." Iris' thin mouth smiled brightly with pride at her work before she pulled Erica to her feet and fetched the gown she had picked out off the bed. The old woman swiftly had the back of the gown undone within a couple seconds for it to be readily slipped over Erica's head.
Erica unenthusiastically helped the gown over her form so that it wouldn't mess up her hair and stuck her arms into the short bell-cap sleeves while Iris guided the skirts of the gown to the ground in a soft whisper of silk. A pair of matching slippers followed on her feet seconds later.
Then while Erica adjusted the sleeves of the gown so that they were hanging correctly off her shoulders, Iris stepped up behind her and did the hooks that ran down the back of the gown. Erica cringed from the tautness of the square-cut bodice as it was fitted securely on her person before she awkwardly turned about to face Iris.
"Oh now look at you, M'lady..." Iris proclaimed with a vivid smile of approval, "...absolutely charming."
Erica looked down on herself and eyed the fine gown that she had been adorned in. Was it appealing? Yes. Nonetheless, Erica found no self-satisfaction. If anything, she felt overdressed for just a regular day.
Heavens above, if this was normal, she couldn't even begin to imagine what a formal event would entitle.
"Don't you feel grand?" the old chambermaid pushed.
The red head coolly looked up and pondered the question, "To be honest..." she confessed with a shrug, "... it's of no import to me, how I look." After all, nothing, not all the fineries in the universe could change the blatant fact that she was a simple girl, from a simple family who craved a simple life.
A life of choice...of freedom.
Not of endless pampering and spoils.
Iris clicked her tongue disapprovingly and frowned, "Now M'lady, don't talk like that. Of course it matters. You want to be looking as pretty as you can for the Royal Family, don't you? You're a fortunate guest in the house of Odin."
A fortunate guest?
Erica went rigid. "Guest?" The red head abruptly looked away with an icy laugh, "Hardly. I am as much of a guest here in this hall as a prisoner who's been locked away in his cell."
Iris fell silent as she eyed her mistress with her watchful grey eyes. The young woman's words had carried with them an unmistakable sting, "What do you mean?"
Erica stared blankly at the old woman, "You mean you don't know?" she returned. The perplexing expression that was now etched into the maid's features verified her ignorance. Seeing no point in beating around the bush, Erica offered some clarification.
"Iris...I didn't come to Asgard to be a temporary guest..." she explained while trying her best to mask the sourness that was threatening to spill into her voice, "...I came here to be a bride."
Iris was silent for a long moment as the new information slowly processed in, "...what?"
"It was an arrangement made between my father and Odin that promised me to one of his sons." Erica simplified as both her hands came up and hid her face, "...and yes, I say one because even I do not know which Prince I'll be given to." A detail that was becoming more tedious by the day.
When the red head finally lowered her hands a moment later, a single tear, that Erica didn't even know she had shed, slipped freely down her cheek.
"Oh, M'lady..." Iris' voice had softened with compassion, "Forgive me...I...I didn't know you had been placed in such a delicate situation."
Erica brushed the silver droplet away with a quick hand as her composure remained completely collected, "Do not worry about it. It's a burden I have to learn to bear, that's all." the young woman lightly cleared her throat and efficiently changed the topic, " Now...I do believe I have kept the All-Father waiting long enough...where can I find him?"
"He and Queen Frigga are out in the lower gardens, near the training grounds."
Erica nodded her head once, "Thank you."
Without another word, the young woman crossed the chamber's floor and breezed out of the room a moment later.
"Perhaps..." Erica thought to herself ten minutes after leaving her chambers, as she found herself staring at another fork in the corridor, "I should've asked for better directions..."
The palace was the perfect definition of a labyrinth. And Erica was certain she had gotten herself lost within it.
Drawing her lower lip into her mouth, she worried it with her teeth lightly before she started forward once again. "I suppose I can go left this time..."
"Lady Erica!" a cheerful, booming voice shouted.
In mid-step, the young woman promptly turned around in the direction of her caller.
Having spot her, Thor was now exuberantly approaching.
"Prince Thor..." Erica with quiet astonishment. Where had he come from?
Though she hadn't been expecting to cross paths with the golden son of Odin at the moment, the young woman offered a small smile of greeting. "What a pleasant surprise."
Tall and broad-shouldered, a trait he and Loki both shared, Thor powerfully moved towards her-his stride was one of a lithe, confident Asgardian Warrior.
Stopping his advance when he was only feet away, a curious half-smile started playing across his handsome bearded face, "Please..." reaching down, Thor tenderly collected Erica's hand and raised it to his mouth, "There's no need for such formalities...just call me Thor, my Lady."
The golden prince masterfully placed a kiss upon the back of Erica's hand and the young woman found herself swallowing lightly as his languid warmth began flowing right into her.
"Fair enough...but I must request then that you do the same for me." she spoke with a gentle laugh.
Thor's face broke out into a wide grin, "For you, Erica, anything."
The red head rolled her eyes playfully as she took back her hand. "Charming as always, Thor."
The muscular blonde winked down at her smaller form, "Then may I say, you look as lovely as a dream." Thor returned as he ran his blue eyes down the length of Erica's body, "...that gown's particular shade does special things to your eyes."
At his bold perusal, Erica smiled and shook copper head as her eyes flashed with a dubious gleam , "You know...sometimes I don't know who's the smoother one with his words...you...or your brother." At his mentioning, Loki's pale face with his smart grin, slicked back raven hair and commanding green eyes flashed across her mind.
A chuckle rumbled deep within Thor's chest as he shrugged and chased all thoughts of his brother away, "Well...they don't call him Silver Tongue for no reason, I'll give you that."
Erica nodded once, "So I've heard..."
"Mmhmm...Oh...were you heading someplace?" Thor quickly asked, "...before I stopped you?"
The young woman smiled at his thoughtfulness, "Well actually...now that you've asked...I'm looking for the lower gardens. I'm supposed to be meeting your parents there."
"The lower gardens?" Thor repeated as a wide smile bloomed across his face, "Forgive me, Erica...but if it's the gardens that you seek...you're going the wrong way."
Erica's nose crinkled softly as she closed her eyes and groaned, "I was afraid you were going to say that..." Sighing, she reopened her eyes, "Alright...what's the fastest way to get there?" she curiously asked before confessing, "...I also happen to be running on the late side."
Thor's blue eyes flickered over to the large open window that was a few paces away, "You... want the fastest way?" he inquired slyly.
"Yes please."
"Are you sure?"
"Thor..."
The golden Prince chuckled "Very well..." In one swift movement, Thor swept Erica right up into his arms as if she weighed no more than a feather, earning him a brief yelp of alarm as the young woman frantically threw her arms around his neck.
"Thor!" she cried.
Smiling, the blonde prince strolled over to the open window, "Believe me, Erica...this will the fastest way."
Erica squealed as the man easily hopped up onto the window sill as if it was the most natural thing, giving her the opportunity to eye the plummeting height from their position, to the ground below, "If you mean to drop me..."
Thor's head dropped back with thunderous laughter, "I'm not going to drop you..." he promised as he glanced down at the woman he held in his arms, "Trust me."
Erica looked up into his face and met his warm, blue-eyed stare, "Oh, Thor..." she frowned and shook head nervously, "As we stand perched upon a window's ledge, hundreds of feet from ground...that is not your most convincing argument."
Thor smiled and looked up, "Then let me convince you another way." With Erica safely in his arms, the golden prince hurled himself out of the window and into the air. Just before the feeling of freefall caught them in its grasp, Thor shifted Erica into the crook of one arm and extended his other out right as the hilt of his magnificent hammer, Mjollnir, flew into reach.
With the hammer in his hold, Thor defied gravity itself, and soared through the sky with Erica hanging on tight.
Even as she tried burying her face in the curve of Thor's thick neck, the young woman could feel the wind against her as the whizzed through the air, and she found herself intrigued. Turning her head slightly, Erica looked out. And as her eyes began drinking in the vision before her, Erica saw the city of Asgard in a new light. They circled around the golden palace and passed under multiple intricately carved archways. No structure was ever identical. Everything was unique in its creation-a fact that Erica could admit as being something truly beautiful.
And the view was nothing short of spectacular. In facts, parts of it stole the breath right out of Erica's body-well, the breath that remained from having to wear that damnable corset.
But like a shooting star, the splendor of flying was gone as quickly as it had begun. Before she knew it, Thor landed them safely in the midst of an ever-green wonderland of groomed hedges and bushes.
Flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors were flourishing all around-even the trees produced blossoms while crystal clear streams and tiny glistening ponds stocked with exotic fish were weaved in between the greenery, keeping everything healthy and alive.
"This is the gardens?" Erica asked, wide eyed as her eyes took in the new surroundings.
Thor confirmed her question with a chuckle as he too looked around proudly, " Well...the lower one, at least." His droll response earned him a light elbow jab into his center, "Do you like it?" he finished with a laugh as he looked down on Erica and noted the smile that was becoming her face. It was then that Thor decided that he really like seeing her face light up the way it was at this exact moment.
"It's brilliant..." the woman answered with an endearing sigh.
"Well, I'm glad." Thor returned in a much softer tone before a brief silence fell upon them.
"Erica?"
Startled, the two quickly turned their heads and saw Odin and Frigga, arm in arm, coming their way.
"Father..." Thor nodded to the old kind then nodded with a smile at his wife, "..Mother."
"Thor." Frigga acknowledged affectionately before she turned her motherly gaze upon the red head woman sharing her son's company. "Lady Erica...we are glad you finally made it."
"Your majesty..." At first thought, curtseying crossed Erica's mind...
...and then she remembered she was still being carried in Thor's arms.
Gasping in alarm as heat came to her cheeks, Erica frantically turned her head up to see Thor, unbothered by their current position, stare off into the distance as if he hadn't a care in the whole world.
"Er...Thor..." Erica spoke in a hushed voice as she nudged the prince lightly with her elbow once again, "...you can put me down, now..." she hinted subtly.
"Hmm?" he returned, looking back down into her face. The jab that followed this time was much stronger. "Oh...oh right." the man grinned sheepishly as he carefully set Erica back onto her feet.
Erica took a second to brush out any creases in her gown before she took a step forward, "I apologize for my tardiness, your majesties..." the young woman would've continued on, but her words were cut short once Odin raised a silencing hand into the air.
"It's alright, dear one..." he answered for her, "I'm sure, without a doubt, you had your..." Odin paused as his blue eye flickered from Erica over to Thor and then back, "...reasons." the old man smiled approvingly.
Breaking away from her husband, Frigga strolled forward with a small woven basket on her arm, "How are you today, Erica?" she asked.
The young red head charmingly clasped her hands in front of her, "Very well, your majesty."
Frigga smiled, "I am glad.." The queen slid the basket off her arm and held it out to the younger woman, "...I thought you might enjoy some flowering picking since it's such a lovely day out."
Erica gave a small smile in return and accepted the basket, "That is very thoughtful, my Queen." she answered. Glancing down into the basket, Erica's red brows furrowed lightly, "Wh...what is this?" she asked as she spotted a long, narrow book of cherry red laying at the bottom. Reaching down, she picked it up with her hand and flipped through its pages only to find them all blank.
"Just a little welcoming gift from us to you." Frigga answered kindly. Odin stepped up to his wife and draped an arm around her shoulders, "Yes...you're father told me you had a passion for drawing, is that right?"
Erica looked up with mild surprise, "I..." for a moment, she struggled with finding words. Her father told them about her favorite past times? "...well I sometimes sketch on my free time."
Odin chuckled, "You're modesty is becoming, my dear...but by the way you're father use to praise your skills with a quill, I'd say your work far exceeds the title of just sketches."
"Yes, you'll have to show us a drawing or two sometime." Frigga added as she reached into the folds of her skirt and pulled out an elegant quill pen, "...this quill is charmed to be able to write without ink. And it shall never dry too. I thought if anyone could put it to good use, it'd be you." she finished her comment with a delicate wink as she carefully placed it in the basket.
"I...I really don't know what to say, your majesties..." Erica humbly confessed as she gazed upon the Asgardian King and Queen before her with heartfelt eyes, "Tis a wonderful gift...I shall treasure it always."
"Well...Lady Erica..."
At once the young woman turned about and remembered Thor was standing feet away, "Forgive me for leaving, but I must be off to the training grounds to meet some dear friends and practice new battle strategies." The golden Prince averted his gaze away from the young Vanir female and eyed his parents affectionately, "... I however leave you in capable hands." he added. "Just try not to get too badly lost, from here on out." Thor finished with a laugh that left Erica faintly rolling her eyes.
"Thank you for your concern, dear Prince. And for your assistance." The young woman smiled gratefully.
Stepping forward, Thor claimed her free hand and bestowed a quick kiss, "It was my pleasure, my lady." he replied as he released her and stepped away, "Father, mother...Lady Erica...until later." With those last words spoken, taking Mjollnir in his hand, Thor leapt off the ground and flew out sight.
Next thing Erica knew, Frigga was beside her, taking her new sketch book from her hand, and placing it back into the basket before joining their arms together as though they were the best of friends, "Come my dear, walk with us for a little while." Frigga guided Erica over to Odin till the King and Queen had Erica sandwiched in between them.
The trio strolled down a winding stone pathway that led deeper into the garden where towering hedges lined the way towards a flowered archway just at the path's end.
Passing under the arch, they entered a clearing where all different kinds of flowers grew.
"Have you guessed as to why we wanted to see you, Erica?" Odin suddenly but sincerely asked.
At once, Erica's stomach knotted as she slowed herself to a stop, bringing Frigga and her husband to a halt as well. Going back and forth between the two royals, trying to deduce an answer from the calm expressions on their faces, Erica inhaled a steady breath of air, "I suppose I may have a hunch..." Is this it? Is she finding out the details of her upcoming marriage?
Sensing her distress from her own woman's intuition, Frigga smiled knowingly, "Be at ease, my dear..." she answered, "We have not asked you here today to bring you anguish."
"Certainly not." Odin agreed, "In fact, it's just the opposite." the old king assured, "We want to make sure you're settling in well.." Odin fixed Erica with an age-old stare that reminded Erica, of her beloved father "...my wife tells me you're still adjusting to the idea of marrying one of my sons."
"Oh..." the young woman swallowed as she gently bowed her head, "Forgive me, sire." she answered, "...I know this arrangement has been in place ever since I was a young girl...but I only found out about it recently and had no way to...really prepare for it."
"My child..." Odin gently raised Erica's chin with the pads of his fingers till she was staring him right in the eye where only compassion stared back, "You need not apologize. I know this is asking a lot of you." he said as he slowly started to smile, "But I know with all of my heart that you'll make a most suitable bride."
Erica could only faintly nod- not to show her agreement, but just to show that she was listening. "Well...I'll do my best, sire." she answered softly, "...for the sake of our Realms."
Odin looked pleased at her confession, "It warms my heart to hear you say so, dear one." The old King paused for a moment, "If anything ever troubles you, you know you can always come to us..."
At that, Erica smiled with appreciation, "I shall remember that, thank you."
The King of Asgard nodded, "Well then... my Queen and dear Erica, " Odin turned to his wife and offered his arm which she took immediately, "Shall we all head inside and break our fast?"
"Actually, my king..." Erica answered as she politely stepped away, "If it's no trouble..I think I'll spend a little while longer here in the garden. I'd love to better explore this place before the day gets too warm."
Odin and Frigga shared a smiling look of understanding before turning back towards the young woman, "Of course...please.." Odin gestured out to the flowers with an aging hand, "...go and enjoy yourself."
Erica dipped into a graceful curtsey, "Thank you, sire." Straightening up, Erica turned away from the royal couple and moved away.
After passing through a grove of blossoming trees, Erica came upon one of the short ponds found near the garden's center. She eyed the floating stones with an instant smile of admiration before she gathered her skirts tightly within her hands and giddily skipped along the smooth rocks. Gliding across to the other side on the tips of her slipper-covered toes, the red head leapt back onto solid land with a quiet laugh as she continued on her trek through the vast garden.
Finding herself back on another stone path, Erica followed the neat and narrow road down into another clearing where a large antiquated fountain sat in its center. Drawn in by its rugged beauty, Erica found herself circling around the fountain's perimeter, noting its stillness from the water which was not running presently while also observing delicate lily pads floated on top of the water's surface.
Her eyes then landed on something else-and Erica's stroll came to an abrupt halt.
" Loki..." The dark prince, who had taken a seat upon the fountain's edge, was hunched over an open book he was holding over his lap.
At his name, he immediately looked up and turned his raven head. As he took notice of the red head standing less than five feet away, a slight smirk appeared on his lips, "My, my..." he spoke, "Lady Erica..." he greeted as his emerald eyes grazed across her round face.
Swallowing, Erica raised her chin composedly, "I apologize if I had startled you..." the young woman shifted defensively on her feet, "I did not expect to find anyone here."
Loki's smile deepened, "Oh, it's no trouble..." he assured as he shut his book and had it set aside, "...it's not every day I am privileged to find myself in the company of someone as lovely as you." The Prince then stood, his lofty figure, that was clad in a black and green tunic with dark leather breeches and boots, casted a shadow that stretched out and shaded Erica from the warm light of the sun.
Goosebumps arose on her skin from feeling the burning intensity of Loki's emerald gaze sweep across her form. Her chills only intensified as she watched the man take a step towards her. Why was she so sensitive to his presence?
"So what brings you here on this fine day?" he asked as he took another daring step forward.
Erica took a cautious step back and turned away before she began moving around the fountain in the opposite direction, "Stretching my legs." she answered curtly.
Reading her movements, Loki chuckled as he swiftly backtracked and followed around till he was able to cut the young woman off once again, "Doing a little sightseeing, are you?"
Erica froze from finding the dark Prince right in front of her once again. "Well..." she answered as a tiny frown started pulling on her mouth, "I was..."
Loki arched a quizzical brow as a slow, knowing smile stretched across his face, almost deviously. "Permit me..." he spoke as his eyes observed the unbending way Erica was holding herself, "...does my presence bother you, my lady?"
Erica remained still and silent as her eyes narrowed lightly with admonition, "You give yourself too much credit, dear prince." she returned. In an attempt to show her disinterest, Erica's eyes landed on a bush of red honeysuckle less than ten feet away in the grass before the young woman moved herself out of the prince's path to go appreciate the flowers' sweetness and vibrancy.
Though she could feel his eyes follow her movements, Erica pretended not to notice. Instead, she carefully plucked a small, bundle of flowering honeysuckle off the bush and held it under her nose-filling herself with its delightful scent.
"Oh, really?" The heavy fall of his boot steps as he passed into the plush green grass behind her reached Erica's ears, forcing the young woman into a heightened awareness when she found his shadow once again looming over her. "Are you sure?" his voice lowered tantalizingly.
"Absolutely." Her response came out quicker and more firmly than what she would've liked. Loki must've heard it too because the God of Mischief laughed in response.
"You're a terrible liar, little Erica..." Loki's breath felt unbelievably hot against her ear, "...you want to know how I know?"
Erica swallowed hard, biting back her growing petulance as her copper head turned slightly to see the dark prince out of the corners of her eyes, "Humor me, Loki...share your knowledge."
Without saying a single word, Loki raised a hand and trailed the backs of his knuckles across the exposed skin of Erica's shoulders from behind.
The chilling touch his hand brought forced a small, barely detectable gasp to slip from Erica's lips. The young woman shifted away from his hand, but the damage was already done. Erica soon found herself grateful for the long skirts she was wearing-otherwise the faint, involuntary trembling in her knees would not have gone unnoticed.
"I can sense you..." he informed, "Just like you can sense me. I can feel your tension-your uncertainty. It's so strong, I can just about taste it."
At once, Erica fiercely spun around. She gasped quietly again when she found herself standing toe to toe with Loki, but she pushed her alarm aside and allowed her aggravation to take over.
Raising both hands up Erica gave a hard push on Loki's broad shoulders. The Prince, who wasn't expecting such a move, was forced back a small step. The distance wasn't anything to be exceptionally proud of but it did what Erica wanted-provide a little more space between them.
"I don't know how you got that assumption..." Her voice was sharp with her spite, "... but do not make the mistake of thinking me to be a book you are able to read whenever you please..."
"And yet you do not deny it." Loki corroborated smoothly with a half-smile.
Erica's face flushed with heat but whether it was from anger or embarrassment, it could not be determined.
It was simply terrifying though. Loki was actually right. She could sense him-but she would never admit such a thing out loud. And especially not to him.
"I don't have to do anything." she insisted, "I am my own person...you don't own me. Hell, you don't even know me. So don't pretend that you do!"
Loki's emerald eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he carefully assessed Erica's face, "Hmm...allow me to change the topic then?"
"Please do!" Though to be honest, she was just about ready to leave the garden for today.
"Your countenance looks exquisite flushed like that...and in that gown, you are simply ravishing, little Erica. "
The red head fell silent for a long moment as his words sunk in, "I don't want to hear your pretty words, Loki...keep them to yourself!" she seethed. Erica took the small branch of red honeysuckle that she was now brutally gripping, and hurled into Loki's face before she gathered her teal skirts into her hands and ducked around his form.
Loki quickly caught the falling twig like branch in midair with a rumbling laugh, "Flowers for me? Well, aren't we making progress...I'll press these in a book, shall I?" he called after her.
Erica heard the comment with a shake of her head as she raised her skirts high and dashed away.