Chapter Eighteen

Loki walked through the great golden hallways of the palace, not stopping to look at the perfectly repaired columns, and the newly commissioned and completed paintings and tapestries that depicted Asgard's great battle. He saluted those who bowed or curtseyed him, but he did not slow his pace as he continued toward the throne room.

The great room was empty, Loki thought for a moment before deciding that his best bet at finding the new king was in his personal rooms. It did not take long for him to reach the large ornate doors of Thor's rooms, which donned his beloved Mjolnir as well as several lightening bolts. He pushed them open only to hear large roars of laughter from those occupying the room. Upon entering he was met with the smell of mead and roasted meats. "Brother, you have returned." Thor cheered. But when Loki closed the door behind him, Thor's face fell. "Where's…?" Thor looked to the Warrior's Three who all seemed concerned by their friend's sudden change in humour. "My friend's I must ask that you leave my brother and I to speak in private for a moment." Thor placed his chalice on the small table next to him and rose to his feet, the others quickly followed suit before looking between the brothers once more and heading to the door, each saluting Loki as they passed him. When the door clicked shut, Thor spoke again. "Loki, I thought by your remaining away overnight that you had found what you had been hoping for. What happened? Why are you returning so late in the evening by yourself?"

"She laughed at me." Loki replied in all honesty. "I asked her father permission for her hand, he said that was not his to give, that she was her own woman, so I summoned the courage to ask her and she laughed right into my face."

"Surely not, I was so certain that she shared your sentiments. The night of my coronation celebrations, when she saw you in your less than honourable moment near another, she was heartbroken to the verge of tears. I saw so myself."

"Oh she made it very clear that that moment had a lasting effect on her I can assure you. Apparently my lack of defending her is not something she will ever forget, or so she spat at me."

"Loki, I am so sorry. I…I genuinely thought that if you went to her and were honest with your feelings, she would admit to hers too. As did mother, she will be distraught on your behalf. According to her, Eleonora often wrote of you in her letters. She was so certain she shared your feelings." Thor's stated sombrely.

"I know. If it is alright with you, I just wish to return to my quarters now and have some time to myself. I am sure you understand." Loki continued solemnly.

"Of course. Come out only when you feel yourself willing. I will not impose on you. I do not know what else to say Loki. I wish I could say that there are more like her, but to say such would be an outright lie and even if there were, I know you would not find them interesting." Thor's usually boisterous voice all but whispered.

"Everything that occurred did so for the best." Loki shrugged, and he turned to leave.

"Have you spoken to Mother yet?" Loki shook his head. "She will want to know what occurred, not that she won't know already." Thor stated.

"I know, I shall inform her as soon as I leave here. Sorry for intruding on your evening with your friends."

"It was I that asked them to leave, not you." Thor pointed out. "Loki, where is my chalice gone?"

Loki turned to see Thor, looking around him baffled. "I fear you ay have consumed too much mead if you cannot even find where you placed it." Loki scolded.

"It was next to my seat, as was my plate, and that seems to be gone too." Thor continued to look around him.

"Is that not them over there on that table?" Loki pointed to a table on the far side of the room.

"I have not been near that part of the room since I came back this evening."

"Well they have to have gotten there somehow." Loki stated.

"You put them there with you magic." Thor accused.

Loki placed his hand on his heart. "I, Loki, the second son of the great Odin and Frigga, do solemnly swear that I did not touch, or in any other way move your food on drink. I swear so on our mother's health."

Thor eyed his brother suspiciously for a moment before he spoke again. "They how did they get there?" he turned to retrieve them. He grunted as his cape held fast and pulled him back. "What in the Nine?" He looked over to see Loki several feet away, looking at the end of the cape, which when he himself looked at it, seemed to be stuck to the floor. "I'm afraid I do not understand what is happening." He confessed sheepishly.

Then came a momentary snort of laughter from right next to him, far closer than from where Loki was located. Thor looked to his brother who seemed to be biting his lips together in an attempted not to erupt into laughter. "I think it time to finish the story of what happened in full." Loki confessed. "I left thinking that El did not share my sentiments, when instead she thought me simply playing off her own emotions, and when she processed it, she rode after me and…" Loki flicked his wrist and you appeared next to Thor, with one foot firmly on the end of his cape and a large smile on your face. "I told you he approved." Loki grinned. "You need to work on controlling your laughter."

"You have had a millennia of getting used to that face of utter confusion. That was my first time seeing it, give me some credit." You argued, walking over to him.

"It is amusing to be fair." Loki admitted, placing his arm around your waist, your leant into his side.

"So wait, you came with him?"

You nodded as Loki answered. "Evidentially brother as she is standing here in front of you."

"And you convinced her to play this little trick with you?"

"Actually, this was entirely of El's own concoction. Though on hearing her little plan, how could I possibly decline the opportunity for some mischief?"

Thor looked to you wide eyed. "This was your idea?" you nodded with a proud smile. "Oh Norns have mercy on us, there are two of them," he pleaded to the sky in exasperation.

XXXXXXXXX

"Loki, where are you taking me?" You refused to move.

"Please, trust me my darling." Loki pleaded, trying to coax you forward.

"No, you are going to walk me into a pillar or let me trip up."

"I am actually hurt you would suggest that." Loki replied indignantly.

"I am not talking to you, I am talking to Thor, he is over by the door and if I know him any little bit he is grinning like a maniac." You pointed in the general direction of the door.

"If you can sense my presence with your eyes blindfolded, then you are in little risk of being tricked into walking into something." Thor chuckled walking into the room. "Everything you asked for is ready brother."

"I am terrified to find out what all your sneaking around and secretive behaviour has been for my dear." You smiled nervously.

"You knew I was planning something?" Loki was surprised. "Why did you not say anything?"

"I figured either you would let me know sooner or later or I was not to know at all."

"You are too trusting Eleonora, when my brother is secretive, it is reason to worry."

"Shut up you fool." Loki snapped back.

"So am I to be like this for the day or is there an actual reason for my sense of sight being taken from me?" you asked, not wanting to have to deal with a brotherly bickering again, something you had come to realise was common place between Thor and Loki. It made you grateful you did not have a sibling to argue with incessantly.

"Of course there is a reason, but as you refuse to move and I cannot bring it to you, we are at a bit of an impasse." Loki explained.

You sighed deeply. "Very well, but I mean it, if either of you dare so much as consider not telling me about a step, that little trick when I arrived will seem tame in comparison to my revenge." You warned.

"Somehow I do not doubt it." Thor commented fearfully.

Loki began to walk you slowly through the palace; you knew others were staring at you in utter confusion as you did so. After a few minutes it became clear he was going to do nothing untoward and you trusted him to increase your pace. "We have been walking for over ten minutes, surely you could have blindfolded me later into our journey?"

"No, then you would have known where we were going." Loki explained. You sighed when he finally stopped walking and held both your shoulders as he stood behind you. "Are you ready?"

"As I will ever be I suppose." You conceded.

"It is nothing bad, I swear my darling El." His lips gently pressed against your temple as he began to untie the knot at the back of the piece of cloth over your eyes. It came off but you kept your eyes closed. "You can look." Loki smiled, placing his arms around your waist. Nervously, you opened one eye, and then gasped as you looked on. "Well?" He probed.

You bit your lips together as tears came to your eyes. "Loki, it's…I…I am speechless."

"Well that's a first." A deep voice behind you commented. Turning around you saw your father, mother and the Dowager making their way to you smiling. Loki released his arms from around you and smiled as you ran to embrace him. "Hello Cubby. How have you been? You look as though you are finally sleeping again." He queried as he looked you up and down.

"Yes, contrary to my worries, being in the palace has actually banished my restless nights, though with all I have had to digest in the way of rules and protocols, they have exhausted me daily so I am so tired by nighttimes, I do not think I have enough energy to dream." You explained. "Mother, are you alright?"

"You look so feminine and beautiful." She declared in tears as everyone stared at her in concern.

"Get a hold of yourself Helena." Your father chuckled. "She is as beautiful as she ever has."

"I think it is something to do with me wearing colours without grimacing." You informed him, he nodded in agreement.

"May I ask as to what you wore before you came here?" Frigga requested with interest. "You seem so at ease as you are."

"I fear that before my arrival I was more plainly dressed than the kitchen maids, much to my shame and my mother's chagrin." You admitted.

"I must admit, I have found it odd on more than one occasion seeing you so feminine." Thor confessed. "Not at all fitting with how I came to know you."

"Well that will not be permitted now that we have seen you like this." Loki stated coming to stand beside you.

"You mean now that I am to wear your colours."

"But they look so well on you." He smiled wolfishly.

"Yes, that's the reason for your approval." You laughed, rolling your eyes.

Loki walked up beside you and smiled widely. "How about we take a look around?"

"I had not realised some of the stables needed to be rebuilt." You stated as you walked into the freshly painted barn, looking around you noted the beautifully ornate stall doors, the fine leather tack and magnificent horses.

"The stabled were relatively undamaged." Loki stated matter-of-factly.

"But these are brand new."

"This whole stables is for your personal use." Loki explained. You stopped and stared at him. "Because of my position, I cannot give you the life in the country you love so greatly, but I can bring some of what you love here."

"What, so this is…?" You pointed around.

"All yours." Loki answered smiling widely. "Do you not recall what I said the day we came to the city to get to the Bifrost to go to Jötunheim? Of how if I found one worth loving, I would endeavour to make her life here as fulfilled as possible?" You nodded, large tears in your eyes. "Is it not to your liking?" He asked worriedly.

"No, you foolish man, there is nothing wrong, it is so perfectly perfect." You stated as the tears fell.

"'Perfectly perfect?'" he quoted with a raised brow.

"Shut up." You laughed back, hiding your face.

"So I did not misjudge?"

"Indeed you did not. I do not know what to say, how can I ever repay such an act?"

"It is not something to be repaid my darling, I want you to be happy here, I cannot guarantee it in every way, but this is one I can guarantee. Your father has sent for your horses to all be brought and added to the ones that he chose from our stables to aid in your breeding. There is also a barn for hounds…" Loki did not get to complete his sentence as you crashed your lips against his hungrily. "Although if you wish to show your gratitude, I think that a fitting manner." He continued when you finally pulled back.

"Loki, I cannot express for one moment…"

"So, does she like it?" Thor yelled from the doorway.

Loki pursed his lips, you simply laughed. "And to think he is our king."

"There are brief moments I think he will flourish as our leader, and then he reverts back to my idiot brother."

"He will always be your idiot brother."

"And next Frigga's Day, he will be as good as your too." Loki reminded you, earning him a groan as he kissed you once more.