Chapter 8
Loki and Darcy were walking arm in arm around the royal gardens discussing their upcoming wedding.
"Loki, can I tell you something?"
He stopped and turned towards her. "You can tell me anything, you know that."
She sighed then said, "As you know when I found out I was betrothed to you it came as a shock and I immediately told my mother that I wasn't going through with it. I couldn't believe that I was going to have to marry you and told her in no uncertain terms that I wouldn't. I was told, however, that I had no choice in the matter and that I was going to have to marry you whether I liked it or not."
Loki listened knowing how she would have felt that way considering everything that he had put her through if unintentionally. But he sensed that she was not finished speaking and listened as she continued.
"Of course when we arrived here and Odin told me I had only a month to get to know you before we were to be married, I dreaded the idea. I had already made up my mind that I hated you and no amount of time spent in your company was going to change my mind. However, I found myself liking you more each day. I found you charming, yet true to your nature. I found myself falling for you a little more each day. Then you told me your history. I admit it was a lot to take in and I didn't want to believe you but somehow I did. After that day I had to reexamine everything I thought I knew about you. It was no easy feat I tell you."
"The day I was kidnapped, in this very garden, no less, I had come to the realization that …" she stopped and took a deep breath before saying, "I came to the realization that I loved you and I wanted to be your wife."
He was shocked by her confession and wondered if she knew that he loved her too. Before he could say anything though she continued.
"I was shocked by how my feelings had changed in so short a time, how I could go from hating you with a passion to loving you with equal passion was beyond my comprehension. Anyway, when I awoke in that dark room I knew that you would come for me. My injuries, I guess you could say, were really my own fault. I taunted the creature telling them that you were too much a coward to come for me although I knew you would but they didn't need to know that. I guess in my own way I was trying to protect you from them. But then you and my brother and Thor came and rescued me and I was so relieved. When my brother held me after releasing me from my bonds I kept thinking to myself that his were not the arms I wanted to be holding me. I wanted it to be you that was holding me then and that's why I pulled away from him and went to you."
"Loki, I know that you can detect when someone is lying and I know that you know that every word I have just spoken is the truth. I know that you care for me. I find though that I am a selfish creature and want my future husband to love me in return even though I know that it might never hap..."
At that he stopped her by pulling her into his arms and kissing her with every ounce of passion and need he could muster. How could she think that he didn't love her? What more was he going to have to do to prove it to her? Did she really need to hear him say it?
They pulled apart breathing heavily and Loki couldn't hold back anymore. If she wanted the words then she would have them. "Darling, why is it you don't think that I love you? Have I not shown in in every way possible that I do? Do you really need to hear me say it? If so, then I love you Darcy Sigyn Berensdottir."
Darcy stood looking up at him in shock. He had said it! He had finally told her he loved her! She broke out into a huge grin before throwing her arms around him and kissed him.
She broke away and asked him one more thing. "Loki is there a way to bring Jane here for our wedding? She is like a sister to me and I want her to see how happy I am since she doubted that you could make me happy and I want to prove to her that you do and besides I want to make her and Thor happy too."
He chuckled at that, "Darling, i will look into it, however I will not promise that Father will aloow her here." She was satisfied with that and they continued to talk about their upcoming wedding.
"One other thing," she began.
"And what would that be my dear?"
"Could we push the wedding date up? I know that you had your father and mine push it back because of what happened to me but I have recovered completely now and I can't wait to get married Loki."
He wanted the same thing. He couldn't wait to be have her as his wife.
They were interrupted by Ronin moments later asking if he could have a private moment with his sister. Loki nodded then kissed her gently before walking away.
Darcy stared after him a small smile gracing her features.
"Have you told him yet, Sister?" he asked as soon as the prince was out of sight.
"Told him what?" she asked confused as she turned to look at her brother.
"Have you told him that you love him?" he said almost stressing the word love.
"Yes, Ronin. I have told him that I love him and he in return has told me. Oh Brother I don't think I have ever been this happy before!" she exclaimed happily.
"Come walk with me, Sister, I would have words with you."
She took his proffered arm and they began their walk.
"What is it you would say to me?" she asked after a few moments.
"I guess I just wanted to get to know my sister before she is to be wed and royal responsibilities take over her time."
"Oh," was all she got out as she realized that he was right.
"Well, what would you like to know?" she asked.
"Anything, Everything," he said.
She laughed softly then answered, "Alright. Well as you know mother changed my name when we went to Midgard though Sigyn has always been used in my name. She simply made it my middle name and gave me the name Darcy after ready a book on Midgard called Pride and Prejudice. I was named after the main male character which when I learned that's how I got my name made me wonder if mother had hit her head on something before naming me. I could never figure out why she named me after Mr. Darcy and when I did finally ask her recently she said it was because she liked the character and that he reminded her of my father."
"I guess my childhood was alright even if I did not have a father figure in it. I did ask mother about him but she always got this look on her face when I did and somehow managed to change the subject. It wasn't until recently that I learned everything. At first I didn't want to come back if it meant I would have to marry the man that had tried to take over my world a year after he had tried to kill his own brother and destroyed my home town. But after finding out I had no choice in the matter I guess I relented and resigned myself to my fate. I still wanted to find a way out and was willing to ask you to help me but after seeing the joy written on all of your faces at the announcement, I knew then that no help would be forthcoming."
"I even went as far as to tell Loki that he may one day be my husband but that it would be in name only for he would never share my bed. To which he basically put me in my place telling me that I wasn't on Midgard where such vows were broken easily but that I was on Asgard and here he had every right to expect me to do my duty to him. I was affronted of course as I had not grown up here and my way of thinking clashed with his. A week later he told me his story."
She stopped to look at her brother who was listening and waiting to hear her finish.
"Ronin, I had no idea that he felt the way he did. I learned more about him then than I think I ever would have on my own by just observing him. Did you know that he sees himself as a monster? I know Loki is many things but a monster? He refused to show me why and I am still curious what he means."
Here he stopped her. "Sister, I would not ask that of him if I were you. There is a part of the prince that he wishes no one to see and even though it is now common knowledge what his real ancestry is he prefers to not show it. As it is he still gets looks of fear from the people that once revered him. I think you marrying him will help them see that he isn't as bad as everyone thinks he is."
"What do you mean?"
"Darcy did he not tell you who his true father was?"
'Yes, I know that he was born a Frost Giant even if he was basically the runt. But what does that have to do with anything? Ronin he might have been born a Frost Giant but he was raised a Aseir."
"I know this Sister but the prince once he found out what he was furious that he had been lied to all his life about who he was."
"I know Loki told me this. I, myself, was mad at Odin for keeping Loki's heritage to himself, so much so that I confronted him about his treatment of him."
"Darcy please tell me you didn't yell at the King!"
"Yes, I did," she quipped with pride.
Ronin shook his head at his sister not quite believing she told off the king for what he had done to the prince.
"I hope for your sake that he wasn't too upset with you for it, Sister."
"Oh, I don't think so. In fact, I think I made him rethink everything he did to his son. A son he was supposed to love. I mean Ronin, for a man who steals another's child, then raises that child as his own, making that child believe he has an equal chance at one day ruling Asgard and then pulls the rug out from underneath him it was wrong of him and I told him so."
Just as she finished they saw their father walking towards them.
"Ronin, Sigyn," Beren greeted the siblings.
"Father," they both greeted with a slight bow.
"Ronin, I would like to speak with Sigyn alone," Beren said and Ronin kissed his sisters cheek and left her in their father's care.
"What did you wish to speak to me about Father?"
"Only a few things about the wedding," he began and then continued. "Sigyn, I know from your mother that when she first told you about the betrothal you flat out refused to marry Prince Loki is this true?"
"Yes, Father it is true. But you have to understand, he tried to take over my realm, he tried to kill his brother, destroyed my town. In my eyes he was the villain and I did not want to have to be tied to him for the rest of my life."
"And now?" he prodded.
"Now. Now I can't wait to marry him."
"What changed your mind?"
"It was a combination of things actually. But the biggest reason is because I found myself falling for him. I realized the day I had been kidnapped that I loved him and I wanted to marry him. It surprised me since I was determined not to fall for him and finding that I actually wanted to marry him shocked me."
"Why are you asking me this, Father?"
"Because as your father, I want to see you happy in your marriage."
"I will be happy, Father. I love him so very much and I hope that he can trust me enough to show me his true self."
"I see he told you about his heritage then."
"Yes, but he refuses to show me his true self!" she exclaimed irritated.
"Sigyn, he might not show you, mainly because he fears you will turn from him. Especially now that you have told him that you love him. Loki is volatile at best and now that he has found the only woman that has ever accepted him, he is not going to risk losing her for any reason. You should have seen his reaction when he found out that you had been kidnapped. He wanted to march right in and rescue you alone. It was his reaction that told everyone that you had changed him and that he actually cared about someone other than himself."
Darcy smiled at that but it was soon marred by a frown. She wanted him to trust her enough to show her his true self.
"Father, I have asked Loki if our wedding could be pushed up since I can't wait to marry him and he has said that he will talk to you and Odin about it. I know he asked that it be pushed back because of my recent ordeal but I don't want to wait anymore. I love him and he loves me and we just want to be together."
"We shall see what can be done to change the wedding date, my dear."
"Thank you," she said smiling.
"Sigyn, I also wanted to say that I am sorry that I was not a part of your life growing up. I did ask the king on several occasions to bring both you and your mother home but he refused to do so. Now I do not want you running to the Allfather and telling him off again," he said the last with a chuckle remembering the last time she had told off the king. "He had his reasons for not bringing you both home and I respect him for his wise decision. I may not have liked it but the king never does anything without looking at it from every angle. Well… That is except in his son's case. I was there the day he took Loki from the temple on Jotunheim. He truly did think that the boy had been placed there to die. It was the only time I have known him to not think of the consequences of his actions."
"So exactly what is Loki gaining by marrying me?" she asked suddenly.
Her question took him back for a minute. It was not something he had expected her to ask him.
"A wife," was all he could tell her for it was true in a way.
"I know that, Father. But what else he to gain from this marriage?"
"A partner who loves him," he hedged.
She shook her head knowing that he wasn't going to tell her and the she was going to have to find out by other means.
"Yes, that is true, Father."
He smiled and they continued their walk.