Princess Andromeda hummed to herself as she made her way to the stables. Carrying a basket full of fruit with her curls loose and flowing behind her, the princess looked like a pretty portrait. Her footsteps echoed through the hallway of the palace, though they were a far cry from the sound of hooves they were compared to by a certain prince.
Andromeda opened up the door leading out into one of the castle's many fields. Her fingers brushed against the high grass as she made her way to the stable, smiling at the field hands.
"Good morning Princess Andromeda." They both greeted the beauty, bowing their heads in respect.
The princess nodded in response and walked to the horse she had rode in on. "Hello pretty thing." She cooed, holding up a fruit for the animal to eat. The horse neighed in response and nuzzled into her hand, making the princess smile. She offered the horse another piece of fruit, pausing when she heard a harsh neigh to the side of her.
Andromeda looked to her right to see Sleipnir's green eyes glaring at the horse. The princess chuckled, "Now Sleipnir, there is no need to be jealous. I have come to feed you also, noble steed of noir." She sauntered over to the jealous animal and stroked its head, cooing. She held up a fruit for the steed to eat but he moved his head away from her stubbornly.
The beauty clicked her teeth, placing a hand on her hip. "You stubborn little boy. You would rather starve than have me feed someone before you?" Andromeda tsked, "Just like your father."
Sleipnir huffed and faced the princess, his green eyes glaring into hers. "Stop this nonsense and eat." Andromeda demanded, her eyes narrowed. She offered fruit to the steed once more though he still refused to eat. "I will not beg you to eat, Sleipnir. You will starve in your arrogance; is that what you want?" The steed looked away from the beauty, huffing once more.
"Sleipnir." A stern voice rang out from the opening of the stables. The steed froze and looked toward the direction of the voice. Light footsteps approached them and paternal green eyes looked into their son's. Loki turned to the princess, "What is the matter?"
Andromeda pursed her lips at his presence but replied frustratedly, "Your son," She snapped, her eyes going for the son to his father, "Will not eat."
The prince looked from Andromeda to his son, his eyes narrowing. "Sleipnir, what is the meaning of this?" The horse huffed, it's long legs stomping on the ground. The steed then shook his head, not looking at the two.
"Oh?" Andromeda chimed, raising a slender brow. "You are not going to answer your father?" The young woman waited for a reply, when she didn't get one she turned to the horse's parent. "Your son is angry because I fed another horse before him. So now in his arrogance he is willing to starve. Though I am not surprised," The princess paused, looking away and muttering, "With what lineage he belongs to."
"Andromeda…" Loki sighed out, rubbing his temples. The prince decided to to tackle one problem at a time. He took the basket from the princess and held up a fruit to his son, the steed taking a bite of it eagerly. "If Andromeda gives you an order," He looked his son in the eye, "You obey it." The steed seemed to nod, neighing in Andromeda's direction.
"I forgive you, child." The beauty smiled, patting the horse on the head. She then cooed, "I can not stay mad at you, my pretty steed." Sleipnir nuzzled into her hand and she smiled prettily, cooing at the beautiful horse.
Loki said nothing as he fed his son, though his eyes watched the princess interact with his child fondly. She had yet to forgive him for lying and until the moment before, she had not spoken to him since. Every time he would come into a room, she would either leave or hang on to his brother to spite him. Yet even in her anger, she would come and feed Sleipnir; the princess was a jewel.
When the basket was empty, Andromeda bid her surrogate child farewell, placing a kiss on the top of his head. The princess then hurried out of the stables, trying to avoid her child's father.
The dark prince swore under his breath, receiving a chastising look from his son. "I know, I know." He muttered, going after the princess. "Andromeda." He called, trying to catch up with the angered princess.
"No." Andromeda replied with a frown. She made her way through the castle's field, going in between trees to get away from Loki.
"Please, listen to me." The trickster pleaded, reaching for Andromeda's dress and pulling her towards him. He put his hands on her bare upper arms and she glared at him. "Please?" He begged, his eyes soft.
"What could you possibly have to say that I have not heard before?" Andromeda inquired, frowning. "It seems like every week your apologizing to me. If you were truly sorry you would stop lying."
"I..I.." Loki rambled and Andromeda scoffed.
"What? Not so silver-tongued now?" The princess pushed away from the trickster, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are supposed to be so articulate, my prince. All of the other maidens will not stop speaking of your smooth words. But what do I get? A babbling liar!"
"Andromeda," The prince warned with a glare but the princess just laughed in reply.
"What?" She breathed, chuckling humorlessly. "Are you going to call me a mortal? Threaten my life? Tell me I am not good enough to speak to a prince of Asgard in such a way? I have heard it all before." Loki's eyes softened but Andromeda did not stop her speech. "If you feel so strongly about your disdain towards me; inform me now and I will not speak to you again. I will not seek you out; I won't even speak your-"
Andromeda's tirade was interrupted by Loki's voice. "I would never wish for that, Andromeda. The idea of never seeing you again would be a night terror I could never awake from." He walked over to an apprehensive Andromeda and slowly took her bronzed hands in his. He looked into her eyes and continued, "I am a fool, I will admit that to you and only you, but I do care for you. More than you will ever know." He raised her hands to mouth and pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Andromeda's eyes started to water and she shook her head, "That does not make everything alright, Loki." The princess dropped the formalities of his name for the first time, making the prince swallow nervously. "You may care for me, but how have you shown it since I have been in Asgard? I do not know if I believe you; you have taken advantage of the feelings you know I have towards you. I fear I can not trust you." The princess sighed, and slowly removed her hands from his. "I am not a child anymore, Loki. You can not just make a dove appear above my head and make me forget all that you have done."
"I am sorry." The prince rasped, his voice shaking. "I do not know what else I can say, I do not want to lose you, I just...please Andromeda." He begged and Andromeda bit her lip.
The princess looked down at her feet and fiddled with her fingers nervously, she licked her lips and looked up at Loki with sapling eyes. "Do you love me?"
Loki paused and turned away from her, setting his jaw. He took a breath and looked away from her, giving Andromeda the answer she needed. She gathered her dress in her hands and made her way back to the palace, leaving the prince in the forest.
When the princess returned to her room, she shut the door behind her and sunk to the floor, tucking her head in her knees. What had she expected? The prince to get on his knees and proclaim his love? He couldn't possibly love her; he obviously felt as if she was beneath him. Andromeda closed her eyes, the image of him smiling at her when she was a child coming to her mind.
A knock at the door brought the princess out of her thoughts. The beauty wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, before standing up and opening the door.
"Princess Andromeda," A guard greeted, bowing respectfully. "The King and Queen request your presence in the Grand Hall."
Andromeda nodded and followed after the guard, walking through the palace hallway. The princess had no idea what this meeting was to be about, she just hoped it that she was not in any trouble. She arrived to the double doors of the Grand Hall and collected herself, before nodding to the guard. The warrior opened the doors and announced her, "Princess Andromeda of Aethiopia."
The bronze beauty took a breath and walked into the hall, bowing before the king and queen.
"You may rise." The King's voice bellowed through the hall. Andromeda obeyed but kept her eyes down. "You have been in Asgard for a month now, a Midgardian year. How are you enjoying your stay?"
Andromeda smiled, though she looked at the queen instead of the king. "It is amazing...better than I could have ever imagined."
Frigga smiled smally at her as Odin continued to speak, "The Asgardian peasants have taken quite a liking to you, Princess. Some have even spoke of you marrying one of my sons."
The princess paused and she furrowed her brows, "I have not heard such chatter, your highness." She fibbed, biting her lip.
The olden king chuckled and stroked his beard, "What do you think of such an idea, Princess Andromeda?"
The princess' eyes widened and she started to stutter, her face warming up.
"Do not tease her, beloved." Frigga laughed, placing a loving hand on her husband's arm.
"I was simply asking a question." King Odin smirked at his queen. He turned back to Andromeda, the humor gone from his face. "Princess Andromeda of Aethiopia, I have summoned you here to inform you of the status of your kingdom." Andromeda furrowed her brows, glancing up at the king. She held her breath, waiting to see if the news was negative. "Your kingdom is safe, girl. You may return home."
"Home?" The princess whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Yes, child." Frigga smiled thinly, "Your mother and father are alive and well, and would like for you to return home to them."
"I…" Andromeda shook her head incredulously, not believing her ears. She put a hand over her stomach, feeling sick. "Return…?"
"Only if you want to, dear." Frigga added before Odin shook his head with a frown.
"Your parents want you home, Princess Andromeda." He turned to his wife and lowered his voice, "Who are we to deny a parent's wish?"
"He cares for her." Frigga muttered back to her husband, though she kept a smile on her face for Andromeda.
"This is not for him to decide." Odin whispered harshly before raising his voice. "Princess Andromeda, you must understand. If you choose to return to Midgard; You may never return."
Andromeda bit her lip and looked away, "And if I stay?"
"You may never see your parent's again." Odin informed her with a stern face. "I will give you the rest of the day to make your decision; you shall return to this hall the minute the sun sets over the horizon and inform me of your decision." The princess nodded in reply and bowed her head. "You may go." The king dismissed, and the bronze woman left the room.
Andromeda walked back to her room in a daze, her face stuck in a confused expression. She got to her suite and shut the door behind her, sinking to the floor once again.
Home.
She could go home. Did she want to go home? Was it different from what she remembered? How could she live on Earth when she had seen the beauty of Asgard? How could she return to her marble palace walls when she had slept in gold? The draping of her gowns back home couldn't compare to the soft tight fabric of Asgard. Was she even an Aethiopian anymore; or was she an Asgardian citizen?
And what would become of her? Would she have to marry Phineus? What about Thor and Loki; surely the princes would move on without her. They would continue to live while she would get old and wither away. A blink of a God's eye and she would be dead. Would they weep for her when she was gone?
Andromeda raised a shaky hand and wiped her eyes. She seemed to be crying a lot lately, maybe all of her problems would be solved if she went home. The beauty could not decide whether to stay or go; but she did decide that she was being selfish.
She was the princess of Aethiopeia, daughter of Queen Cassiopeia and King Cepheus. She was to inherit the rule of a kingdom that she was hesitant to return to. In that moment, Andromeda knew what she had to do.
She was going home.