Here are a bit more clues as to the stuff going down next chapter. Please, don't be afraid to ask questions if you need clarification. I wold be delighted to answer anything from the slightest detail to minor plot points ;)
Enough jibber-jabber, ON WITH THE STORY!
Hope you enjoy, as always.
Previously
Now that time for her to claim her birthright had come, his remaining brothers and sisters would all be eager for his help in conquering each other and Midgard. The deadline was set only a few months before the arrival of war on all their worlds. He does not have much time left. His fathering clock has expired and this child, Arnbjörg, is his last and she will assume his throne. She will be swift as an eagle and save them all.
If only she would come home soon.
Chapter 23
Midgard, A Pinch of Happy
"I can't believe this is happening." Isabella says, signing the papers that officially sign her beloved bakery over to her best friend Samantha, her hand shaking as the thought of saying goodbye to all her hard work, her friends that became her family after she lost everything and the only life she has ever know. Yet, this needs to happen. She needs to go and be what her father needs her to be. To be what Loki wants, even if he doesn't admit it.
Shadow yowls in sympathy, rubbing her head against her mistress's leg, flicking her tail and hitting Loki, giving him a look to make her mistress feel better. When he doesn't get it immediately, she hits him harder, rolling her eyes when he figures it out. At least he isn't always completely clueless Mistress.
"You don't have to go Isabella," Loki says reassuringly, grabbing her hand with one of his own and using the other to gently make her look him in the eye. "You can forget this ever happened, be as selfish as you want and let everyone else figure out their own problems. You can rip up this document, change your mind and we can be married here, live here with all our family. Just say the word and it will happen."
"I...I can't." Isabella says after a long thought, thoroughly tempted by the offer. "I-I want to so badly, but I need to do this. We need to go back to reality and where we belong instead of staying in this fool's paradise. You need all your magic back, and-and to meet your birth family. I can be selfish after I've done my job, whether it was helping you or Kerwyn and my father, entiendes?"
"Sí, yo entiendo." Loki says with pursed lips, hating that she's right and hating how Fate has shoved her into so many situations where she has to find happiness instead of it coming to her. Though, it is simply remarkable how she finds that little sapling of hope and makes it grow into a an all-encompassing tree. "I just don't like how hard you have to go searching for happiness when you deserve every right to just sit back and let it come to you, that's all."
Isa smiles sadly as she wraps her other hand around the the one holding hers and brings it up to her mouth, kissing it softly, leaning closer to him and resting her forehead in his. "I got you, didn't I? I didn't have to go looking for you."
Loki scoffs playfully, hanging his head and nodding ruefully, chuckling with her before resuming his place in order to kiss the tip of her nose. "Yes, and I found you. Though to be fair, I had to work very hard. Thanks for that, by the way."
"Your welcome." Isabella laughs, her previous sadness wiped from her countenance, "If I hadn't made you work, who would?"
Loki just laughs with her and kisses her silent, holding her hand while she signs the rest of the papers, hugging her when she says goodbye to her bakery.
Shadow stands and looks back at her her mistress and soon-to-be-master, shaking her head as she slips into the shadows and goes to her temporary home. Once there, she prepares for the journey, Who knows, I might even find a mate for myself.
d a woman's. The crowd gets more excited, the chattering getting louder "The princess is home, The princess is home". As the figures solidify, King Gylfi asks for his people's silence, the crowd doing so with nary a murmur.
The couple arrives soon after to a sleeping Shadow, sitting and quietly relaying their plan a few times before calling it quits, going to spend their last night in the privacy of their home. Both are preparing themselves for yet another change, but this time, they know that they'll be entwined together for the rest of their lives.
Alfheim, The Grand Courtyard
King Gylfi stands in his ceremonial robes, impatiently awaiting the arrival of his daughter, his Arnbjörg. His high chamberlain, Lord Joth Kerwyn, stands beside him blank faced but with an aura of pride and contentedness.
The king anxiously goes over the plans for his single daughter: possible alliance marriage with one of the neighboring worlds, anyone but Jotunheim or Asgard, especially considering they are in a war and a war is not what is needed for a new ruler. Besides, though he tries his hardest not to speak ill of any of his brother's children, that son of his, Odin he believes it is, is up to no good.
Sighing deeply, Glyfi looks over the wonderful people of his Alfheim, smiling in his grandfatherly way, knowing that as long as things go according to plan, everything will be fine and peace will once again be achieved.
Glancing at his king, Kerwyn tunes into his king's thoughts through their link and shakes his head slightly as he laughs without making a sound or face, his multiple children having provided him with that skill. You don't know my girl at all. She'll take this whole war business and turn it upside down, twist it around until the situation suits her own wants. She probably already has exactly what she wants to do completely planned out, down to the last minute detail.
The whole of Alfheim have come to see the princess come back to where she belongs. Everyone is wondering, asking each other about what she looks like, what she's wearing, if he's hurt, who is bringing her and when she's going to get married and produce a whole generation of Light Elves. The last question proves to be the most interesting, sparking conversation that ranges from the princess finding a husband in their own communities to marrying Sleipnir, that traitor Loki's son.
Suddenly there is a slight ripping noise, meaning that the portal is being put into use, revealing two forms: a man's an
The figures step out of the portal and the crowd gasps. How could this be?
King Gylfi thinks to himself, No, this isn't possible; how did this happen?
Kerwyn, in his state of outward indifference, smiles to himself, You haven't changed one bit since you were a little girl. You just couldn't ease everybody into the force that is your personality, could you?
The figures that stepped out from the are holding hands. And the women is wearing an engagement ring. An engagement ring, albeit a beautiful one. The man who presumably gave her this ring is Loki, known traitor to Asgard. He is holding hands with the revered and beautiful Arnbjörg.
It's a political disaster waiting the happen.
"You do remember that I am a traitor and escaped criminal of Asgard, right?" Loki whispers out of the corner of his mouth to his fiancée as he sees, hears the comments, sneers, and insults being thrown his way from the Elves.
"Yes, and do you remember that you and I are to be married? That means that I will be your knight in shining armor in social situations, and you will be mine if I cannot defend my honor sufficiently." Isabella says calmly, smiling cheerfully at the worst of the town gossips, even waving her ringed hand. Loki snorts slightly and inclines his head in agreement, smirking at the gossips himself.
Shadow follows a while behind them, hearing everything that the crowd is saying about her masters, and knows precisely what to do to silence them. Slyly fluffing her wings and showing off her physical prowess, she jumps into the air and uses her powerful wings to soar and glide above the crowd, but stay within sight of her masters.
"See, Shadow hears them too, and she does not approve." Isabella says with smirk hidden behind her hand, disguising it as a sneeze. Loki feels the ball of stress and anxiety loosen slightly, but he is still worried. Most especially when he sees the head of the guard, the downright furious head of the guard, speak in heated tones to the King.
"Just be careful, I'm not going to be around for much longer if everything goes to plan. Try to ease them into thinking like you instead of bombarding them with it. They would not take too kindly to their lives being turned so far upside down, so quickly." Loki warns, squeezing her hand tightly to communicate his anxiety. Isabella squeezes back in silent promise, not daring to seal it with a kiss.
The crowd takes this winged panther as another sign of the blessedness and good luck that follows their returned princess. The murmuring stops soon after Shadow trots up to Loki and Isabella, sliding in-between them and butting their joined hands. Both stroke a side of the panther's head, the crowd grudgingly accepting the relationship of the so-called "traitor" and Arnbjörg.
Watching the couple walk down the walkway, Æfhare, the head of the elven guard, whispers to his father, "Father, I cannot believe that she has disgraced you like this. Coming home with a traitor on her arm, flashing her disobedience like she is? She cannot be allowed to do this. Stop her!"
Kerwyn, sensing his majesty's increasing distress, pulls on Æfhare's sleeve, hissing in disapproval, "Sir, if you do not wish to create a scene, I would suggest that you step back and allow your father to greet his final child. You will have plenty of time to argue until you are as blue as the Winter Elves, do you understand me?"
Æfhare, though furious, acknowledges the threat and backs off with a quick wipe of the anger from his face. He waits patiently for his half-sister to come and greet his father, his anger rising to the surface yet not going over, simmering dangerously. This girl should tread carefully if she wants to have a successful reign. If her rule is as arrogant as she is, then I can't wait to give her the rude awakening she deserves.
Gylfi looks at Kerwyn and silently thanks him, Kerwyn nodding with a gentle smile, looking back to where his practically adopted daughter is almost within arm reach.
Oh, it is so good you are home. I can't wait for you to be the best ruler we've ever had.
Ooh, what's gonna happen now?
I'll give you a hint: There is going to be an influx of new characters, a Coming-of-Age Ball, a Wedding, in-laws, and PLOT.
Mwhaaaa!
I can't wait! Can you? Let me know in your reviews :)
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and there should be another chapter posted by Sunday.
