The ladies jolted in surprise at Loki's announcement, but Sol quickly lead them into the maze. It was clear from the beginning that they were to each take a separate path through the hedges. Once one of them took a single step inside a corridor, the branches grew quickly to cover it. One glance to Loki informed them that he was the one moving the branches.

The corridor Sirith chose was dark. Shapes seemed to leer out of the walls and the fingers of branches felt like they clawed at her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself and hurried to the split off she spotted farther down the hall.

One path lead to the right, while the other continued straight ahead. Sirith paused for a moment before going to the right. A few more choices of direction arouse a few moments later and she went the way she felt correct. She could hear no sounds from the world around her. There were no signs there was anyone else in the maze, or in the world at all. Though she liked to be on her own and found it preferable to being in a large crowd, the thought of being alone forever was terrifying.

"How are you enjoying yourself so far?" Loki's voice tickled her ear and Sirith jumped. She turned with one hand to her heart to see Loki smiling next to her. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Lady Sirith."

She took a shaking breath. Her heart had begun to race, not only from shock but at how close Loki stood to her. She could still feel his breath on her face even though they had separated slightly. "To be honest, my prince, I am terrified."

Instead of responding, Loki simply flicked his wrists. Small lights appeared floating in the air around her, and the path she was on widened so that she was not pressed so tightly against the walls. Even those simple things made the experience slightly more comfortable. "Thank you, my prince."

"It is the least I could do. I can't have a lady being scared in my maze." He gestured for her to continue walking.

"Your maze? I did not know it was possible to own a maze."

Loki seemed amused by her comment. "I have created it myself, using similar magic to the kind I used earlier to heal you." He cast her a glance. "Has my healing held strong?"

She nodded. "Yes, my prince. Thank you."

He pointed to the crossroads that sat up ahead. "Which direction will you go from this one, my lady?"

Sirith considered it for a moment. "The one on the right, my prince. I have read that continuing turning in one direction in a maze will eventually lead one to the center."

He seemed surprised, for his eyes widened. "Interesting. I will be interested to see if your plan succeeds." Without another word, he vanished into the darkness at the edges of what the floating lights provided. Sirith was immediately saddened at the thought of being left alone once again.

The lights Loki had created for her assisted greatly. It cast away the shapes that leered at her and replaced them with the simple leaves that filled the branches. She was able to let her arms drop from her arms and clutched her hands in front of her.

Loki never returned to walk with her, leaving her to remain in silence the rest of the time she spent in the maze. The corridor opened up even larger and the sound of birds chirping filtered in from somewhere. She began to hurry. No matter what Loki had done to assist her and make it better, she wanted to be out of the maze.

It was a sudden change as she stepped into the center of the maze. A bird immediately flew into her face and she had to fall back in order to swat it away. Sunlight filtered through the flowered trees that towered above her. The air was filled with the scent of flowers. There were five benches in the center of an empty circle. Already, Attia and Lika were sitting on separate ones. Lika sat with no emotion on her face, her back straight and staring straight ahead. Attia held a singular red rose in her lap and was fingering it. Without a second thought, Sirith sat on the bench closest to Attia.

"Congratulations on finishing." Attia turned to face Sirith with a slight smile. "You're the third one."

"Who was the first?" Sirith had rarely spoken to Attia. But she was glad to have any sort of conversation with someone after spending so long alone.

Attia nodded to Lika. "Her. She hasn't moved since she arrived here."

"Did Loki come to walk with you?"

She smiled. "Yes. We had a delightful conversation about the different types of vines I had spotted in the hedges."

Sirith felt herself blushing. Attia and Loki had a conversation that meant something and could impress him. Sirith and Loki only discussed about how the maze had frightened her and he had fixed it for her with barely any other words. It suddenly seemed obvious that she would be sent away back to her home. How could Loki choose her over someone like Attia?

Claudia was the next lady who arrived. Immediately, birds flocked to her and settled on her outstretched hand. She whispered a few words to them before adjusting a few on her shoulder and coming to sit on the other side of Attia. "This is a wonderful garden." Claudia looked as though she belonged in the garden with birds chirping around her.

"What did yours and Loki's conversation entail?" Attia asked her, eyeing her carefully. Lika appeared as though she was listening, however she didn't move.

Claudia had to focus to remember. "He told me of a myth of Midgard he had learned of recently. It was very interesting."

Clearly, Loki had spoken to each of them about separate things. Sirith wondered what Lika's conversation had been like, but she didn't want to ask. Something about the lady's eyes stopped her. Lika was so pale, so much paler than any of the others that her eyes stood out even more. They burned a deep red in the sunlight. And Sirith swore the lady was surrounded by a faint dark haze, though it was likely simply her imagination.

Sol arrived with Loki walking a few steps behind. He clearly had led her out, for he had one arm still pointing her in the right direction. Sol didn't appear fazed, however. She simply turned and thanked Loki for helping her before sitting on the bench next to Lika. Sirith felt terribly sorry that she had to sit there.

Another bench appeared out of thin air at the other end of the circle, across from Claudia, and Loki sat. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his outspread knees and surveyed the ladies. "I'm glad you all managed to make it here one way or another." Sol flashed Sirith an amused smile. "We shall hold a conversation in one large group now." Sirith immediately knew who would lead the conversation; Sol. Even though Sol had chosen the eldest prince, she would be the only one who was willing to hold a conversation with a prince. After being trained their entire lives they weren't allowed to speak in the presence of a prince, the new situation was likely difficult for them all. Added to that, all the other ladies appeared to be naturally quiet. "How are you enjoying this garden?"

"It is very beautiful, my prince." Claudia was the one to speak, something that surprised everyone present, even Loki. He turned to look at her in surprise. "I particularly love the birds." She gave a faint laugh as a bird on her shoulder gave an agreeing chirp.

Loki nodded. "I can tell that." He gestured to the birds. "You seem quite calm here, Lady Claudia."

"The garden is my favorite place to be at my home. My mother would scold me when I would spend the entire day there."

"Is that where your lovely complexion comes from?" He was clearly referring to the healthy glow of her skin. Claudia was the tannest of them all, though even then it wasn't much. The lady nodded instead of responding outright. Loki turned next to Attia. "How did you enjoy the maze, Lady Attia? I had the impression it was something you greatly enjoyed."

Attia smiled. "I very much enjoyed it, my prince. If you don't mind me saying this, I enjoy your days more than I enjoy your brother's."

Though her words were those many would get upset about and scold her for, Loki only raised his eyebrow. "Don't let him hear you say that," he laughed. Though Thor may find it more amusing them upsetting." He turned to Sirith. "I see your plan worked. It's very impressive; none of the others had such a plan." The other ladies looked impressed to hear something of the sort. "Was the rest of the maze enjoyable after my assistance with the lights?"

"Yes, my prince. I thank you for that." She forced a smile. "I was also impressed my plan worked; I truly did not believe it would."

"Well, then we both were pleasantly surprised." The smile he flashed her startled her into nearly falling off the back of the bench. She was forced to grip the edge of the stone in order to remain sitting straight. It seemed to be truly kind, meant with sincere happiness rather then amusement. "And you, Lady Sol. You do not seem upset with the fact you required my assistance to reach the end."

Sol held her head high. "I am not ashamed of it, my prince. I knew when I began I was terrible at solving mazes, for I got lost every time I entered the one at my own home. I am just thankful you were there to assist me. Otherwise, I fear I would have remained wandering for the remainder of my life."

"And who assists you at your home when you get lost?"

"My elder brothers, my prince. They are adept at solving puzzles of any sort. I believe you would get on quite well with them."

Loki nodded and turned to Lika, the only lady who hadn't said a word since he sat down. It was only then that she changed her attention so that she could look at him. "You were finished so quickly that I did not have the time to hold a conversation with as you solved the maze. How did you accomplish it?"

"I am simply good at solving puzzles, my prince. It is a skill I have possessed my entire life." Lika's voice, as it always had, sent a shiver down Sirith's spine. She didn't like Lika in any way though she knew Loki had taken interest in the lady. It may be a while until Sirith was rid of the lady. However, she knew it was more likely the lady would be rid of her rather then the other way around.

"Perhaps more of my days can be filled with challenges for you to accomplish." Loki turned away from Lika. Sirith couldn't help but notice that as his gaze flitted around the group once more, it lingered on her longer than it did on any of the others. She lowered her eyes as to avoid his gaze.

Loki did not speak for the rest of the time they spent in the garden. Instead, he divided his devotion of attention between the five ladies. Though it was clear his gaze was meant to be equally spread among them all, Sirith couldn't help but feel her and Lika had more time given to them than the others. Lika deserved the gaze, while Sirith couldn't help but feel hers was undeserved. She was the least of all the ladies there; how could Loki give her any amount of attention? She was surprised he spoke to her at all.

The sun was high in the sky when Loki stood and waved his hand through the air. The hedges surrounding the garden separated in the same way that they had closed when the ladies chose their corridor, and a clear hallway was shown leading back to the beginning of the maze.

"Come now." He turned back to them. "You have the rest of the day to spend on your own." The ladies hurried to stand and follow him out of the maze.

The mid-day sun stretched through the high windows that Thor sat under in one of the many halls, staring out at the world beyond. Loki walked carefully in behind him, working hard to not make a sound. "We must choose a lady who shall be returning home." His voice caused Thor to turn. "It is time."

"Remember what you promised. Sol remains," Thor spoke harshly.

Loki nodded respectively. "I remember. And I shall ask that Sirith remains as well."

"She is a good lady. I agree." Thor gave his brother an amused smile. Loki seemed to switch between admitting he found Sirith interesting and attempting to deny it at every turn. There was no way Thor could deprive his brother of a lady who made his silver tongue dance so. Besides, he had begun to care for the lavender draped lady. He wouldn't have turned her away even if Loki hadn't requested she remained. "Now, the choice lies with the other three."

"Is there any you largely don't like?"

Thor considered the question. "That Lika is unnerving; I would prefer she stay as far away as possible."

Loki sat beside his brother, taking the same pose he had taken on the stone bench in the garden. "Father has informed me that she possesses considerable amounts of magic. It would be unwise to send her away; we don't know what her wrath may cause for Asgard."

Thor sighed. "Very well. Attia is a nice girl; I would feel terrible sending her away as well. Can she remain?"

"Of course. I enjoy the conversations I have with her. She is very intelligent. But that leaves Claudia." He paused to think of something to say for the lady in question. "She has a way with birds, something I discovered in a garden today. However," he sighed, "one has to leave."

"I feel terrible about this. What if we decide we have made a mistake and we prefer one of the ladies we sent away?"

Loki clasped Thor on his shoulder. "We will discuss that with Father if it comes to that. But we must make a decision."

Thor considered it for a moment. He stared across the hall, not even looking at his brother. "Claudia; she must go. Neither of us have any particular wish for her to remain. Do we go tell Father?"

"Come, we shall do it together." Loki led the way out of the hall.

Four ladies remained to try for the hand of a prince. One shone as bright as the sun, with light and joy radiating off of her. One saw the world in an earthly light, solving puzzles and tricks as though she had been born to do so. One reminded all who saw her of bloodied rose, silent with dark magic cascading off her. And the final was a delicate silver swan, a mystery to all who laid eyes upon her.

A/N: It's been so long since I have posted a chapter, and for that I am sorry. For some reason this story escaped my focus until recently, when I've begun to hear much more talk about Thor 2. It seemed to have sparked my thoughts and I remembered how long it had been. So sorry again.