The door opened and the guard called out my name "Lady Cayna and…." When he saw I was alone I shook my head "He will be along shortly. In his own time."
I walked down the walkway, my hands clasped in front of me and I smiled, though it was more out of embarrassment 'God Thor, why."
I kept my eyes on Odin, who was sitting comfortably in his throne; he saw that I was alone and his shoulders dropped in disappointment that Thor wasn't with me. Frigga sighed and rolled her eyes, thinking the same thing that I was. I suddenly watched as Loki, who had just finished walking Frigga, leave the line to run up to me and take my arm, I looked at him in surprise and took his arm, there was a cool air to him as we walked down the stairs and into the throne room. "What are you doing?" I asked under my breath.
"Saving you embarrassment." He whispered with a small smile "Smile my dearest, you're not alone."
He escorted me to the throne and took his place where he was standing. I bowed my head in respect. "Lady Cayna, you look beautiful this evening."
"Thank you All father." I replied and he motioned for me to stand next to Frigga. When I did, Frigga looked down at me "Somedays I wish I had girls." And whispered
I snickered slightly "That doesn't mean they would be any better."
"Gods." She said causing me to smile "Well, you raised one of them right. At least Loki came to get me."
"He has grown up since the first time we had to do these silly appearances."
The memory popped up in my head from when I first came to stay in the house of Odin. I knew that Loki had been one to use magic for trickery. During one appearance Loki, who was (In his mind) forced to walk me everywhere I went (I wasn't happy about it either. While Loki and I do like each other there is such thing as too much), and to get me away from him for at least a few moments, he slithered three snakes across my feet. I screamed so loud that I broke Odin's goblet.
Frigga and I smiled at each other until the doors at the end finally flew open and Thor made his appearance.
"My son. How wonderful of you to grace us with your presence."
"I apologize father."
"You should be apologizing to your sister, whom you left to be escorted by herself."
Thor gave a sarcastic smile "She is an adult, father, almost four hundred years old, and she has been independent until now. I knew she wouldn't get lost."
I rolled my eyes "Its alright father, his ego is bigger than this room."
Thor glared at me for a moment. And Odin saw it happening "None the less, apologize to your sister."
Thor sighed, we acted like a children on many occasions, this was nothing new. He turned to me and kneeled down in front of me "My dearest sibling, I do apologize for leaving you unattended for ceremony."
While it was a back handed, I took it "Thank you brother, all is forgiven in this realm."
"Excellent. Now. Cayna…I wish for you to step forward my dear. I have an announcement for you."
Thor, this time, walked over and took my arm and walked me infront of the throne. I kneeled down and bowed my head. Loki was standing right next to me and I made a quick eye contact with him before saying "What is it that you wish to tell me, allfather?"
"I have decided, after a long thought, that you will marry. I have arranged for you to follow in the footsteps of your mother, and you will marry one of my best generals." He held out a hand and a wide man with broad shoulders and chest stepped forward, he had dark eyes and blonde hair. a scar running across his face and nose "Theoric. Is one of the best. Not as good as your father I am afraid, but I believe that this is a good match."
I stiffened and looked to Frigga, who was just as stiff as I. Loki glared at him, I had always secretly hoped, and assumed, that I would marry Loki. He was, after all, the only man that understood and cared. "Well, child, what do you think of the match?"
Theoric looked down at me and kissed my hand "Milady."
I looked at him slightly but saw something in his eyes. A flash of something that I had seen before, when I was a child…before my father was killed. The thought of something evil…something…wrong. I was, however, powerless to fight the match. "Whatever your highness wants, then I shall not fight. I will be the faithful."
Odin smiled at my fidelity "Then you shall be married within a fortnight.
Loki was about to step forward but I held my hand to stop him. I couldn't stop what Odin wanted, I knew that. In the back of my head I heard the deepened voice of my other identity "You're weak, this man is about as cocky as Apollo and you are going to marry him. I would have slit his throat."
The thought crossed my mind to take Loki's dagger and actually do it….I clenched my hand to restrain myself. "Looks like you're thinking about it…If you don't want to do it…then I will happily take over."
I blinked and saw red outlines across everyone's body, seeing their body heat. I blinked back the thought and pushed her back into the back of my head. 'I will handle this….' I thought to her
If you say so, darling, just remember, I have more of a streak than you do."
Everyone was escorted into the ball room of the palace. Theoric took it upon himself to escort me, but I noticed that his intentions were not to join the party, but to get me alone. Before I could react, I was pulled away from everyone and roughly pressed up against the wall. I winced as my back hit the wall. "Let's be clear about one thing, Darling." His words hissed against me "I am only doing this because Odin gave me a healthy reward to take you. A strong title, wealth, and the closeness of the allfather. He told me all about you. What you are." He hissed against my ear as he gripped my hips tightly causing me to cry out in pain. I gritted my teeth "Well that's good, maybe you can tell me what I am." I said
He ignored the comment and his large hands gripped my ribcage and I felt them bruise "If you or that other part of you…decides to slit my throat…just remember who I am…are we understood?"
I was still confused at what Odin told him I was. He ground a hip hard against me "Understood?" He growled
"Yes."
The pain of my hips, and waist were starting to swell I told you that he needs his throat slit. "Cayna…come along honey." Frigga commanded. I gave a slight sigh of relief when I heard her call. Theoric, wanting to make a good impression, quickly let me go. Frigga saw a glimpse of what I had taken place but not enough to see that I was clearly shaken and she gave me a look of worry. I ran up to her and she walked with me "Are you alright?"
I shook my head "Did you know about this?" I asked her
This time, she shook her head "I knew nothing about it, or I would have tried to stop it. I don't trust a man like him."
The whole dinner, I was deep in thought. So focused that I didn't eat much, I drank more than anything. I looked at Odin once and a whole who was at the center of the table at the head of the room. Frigga was next to him on the Right, eating just as much as I was, then Thor next to her. On the left of Odin, Loki sat next to his father, than me. I looked down at my plate "You barely touched it. If you drink any more you're not going to be able to stand."
I took a deep breath and looked up at Loki who was staring at me with question. "You're distracted." It was a statement, not a question. "Just deep in thought." I said. "I had a hard hit this evening."
"Yes, so it would seem" He looked down at my shoulder where a bruise was starting to form, a hand print. He leaned over and grazed it. I flinched slightly "I am alright, I…wasn't paying attention and I hit the doorway."
He knew I was lying. Before he could question it "Milady." The deep voice of Theoric interpreted us and Loki sighed at sat back away from me. "Yes, milord?"
"I was wondering if I could have a dance."
"Surely you will be dancing plenty with her when you are married." Loki said gruffly. I looked at him with warning "I can grant your request milord." I said standing. Theoric took my hand roughly and pulled me out to the middle of the room, wrapping a strong arm around my waist and holding me tightly enough that I couldn't breathe "For a minute there I thought you were going to deny me. But you are one of Fidelity aren't you!" He growled
"Yes..." I said. I looked at the table where Loki was staring at me. Theoric gripped my hip harder than before and I jumped slightly. If looks could kill, Theoric would have fallen down into ash. I watched as Loki stood up and whispered at Thor. Thor quickly made eye contact with me and I gave him a look to ask for help, he didn't see it at first. "Your brothers won't save you darling!" Theoric said "Odin has already let me know that you are mine."
He moved his hand to the side of my neck forcing me to look at him and gripped my neck hard. I winced Thor, this time, seemed to see it, he came up to us "Do you mind if I cut in?" He said with a smile "It seems to me that I owe her a couple of dances for forgetting her earlier this evening."
This was the time that I secretly thanked him. Theoric wasn't about to let go. Thor, on the other hand, took me by the arms and held onto me "Are you alright?"
I was about to start crying but held back "Thor, I can't do this…I can't marry him."
He noticed the bruises that were beginning to form on my neck and arms we have to talk to Father."
"You know better than that!" I hissed, "His words are final."
Maybe you better ask Odin exactly what you are before you slit his throat.
'Stop talking about slitting his throat.' I growled in my head. I blinked and the red began to show in outlines as I looked at Thor.
Thor looked at me with pity "The most you can do and tell him what he was doing to you."
The music stopped and Theoric was heading toward me. Loki suddenly ran up and took hold of me and spun me. He leaned into me "It's alright."
"I need to talk to Odin..where is he?"
"He headed toward the throne room." He looked me deep in the eyes "Cayna, your eyes…"
I blinked again and the outline of red left his form. I shuttered with a powerful rage.
"Walk me to the throne room. Make sure that he doesn't follow."
He did as I said and walked with me. Theoric gritted his teeth as we walked out. I looked at Loki and stopped him "I need to talk to him alone."
"What?" Loki demanded "You are in danger of being hurt by that…"
"I know. And I am going to talk to him, but there is something else that I need to ask him. Thank you."
I leaned in and kissed Loki on the mouth gently his breath was warm against my face as I pulled away. He was speechless "The first time that I left the God of Lies and Mischief speechless…I must be gaining a touch."
I slowly disappeared into the throne room. Odin was facing away from me his cape draped across the throne. "I was wondering when you and I would have time to talk my dear."
I held my head high "I think it's time that you and I have a talk, just you and I."
He turned and looked at me, His eye gleamed with curiosity "Oh?"
I nodded, summoning a chair from across the room for me to sit in. I took a seat in front of him and looked at him. When I was a child I thought of him a hero, a grand sun for me to sit in his light. Now I looked upon him with anger, and my body grew cold toward him. "Are you questioning my decision to marry you to another man other than Loki?"
I shook my head "No, I am questioning the words that he spoke to me in the harshest tones I have ever heard." I leaned forward slightly "You told him what I was. Since you seem to be so loose lipped about it…Why don't you go ahead and tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"What am I!" I snapped
He looked at me calmly "You are the adopted daughter of the allfather and the princess Sigyn Arcayna Cainson, an Asgardian the Goddess of Faith and fidelity."
"But something else lies inside of me. Something dark…something evil what is it?"
He didn't speak, instead he looked down at me with some disappointment. I didn't give up. I pressed farther "What am I?!"
He looked me deep in the eyes and jutted his chin out "You are half frost giantess."
