Chapter 6

Four Years Later

Raven's POV

"You look exquisite, Raven. Loki will stagger under your beauty." Frigga whispered to me as she gave me a hug from behind. I heard giggles and saw nods of agreement from the hand maidens that had worked their magic on me for this special day. I couldn't even believe the girl on the mirror was me. She was beautiful. I lifted a hand to my cheek and the girl on the reflection did the same; she had the same purple hair and eyes that I had and she had a smiling Frigga standing behind her smiling proudly down at her. I'm her. I had never realized I could be what people deemed as pretty, while I was with the Titans all the attention was directed at Starfire and I was always the one in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to attack.

As I sat staring in wonder at my reflection, I remembered what led me to acquiesce to wearing this white dress and veil.

RxL Flashback RxL

I was standing on one of the multiple floor-to-ceiling stairs that surrounded the library, looking for a book that would entertain me for a couple of hours. We had just finished studying with Lady Frigga and Loki and I had decided that we both wanted to stay in the library for a couple more hours. While I read for fun and to gain new information of the realm I had been living for the last couples of years, Loki kept his promise and every time we had spare time he would be in the library, with his nose stuck in a book trying to find a way for me to go back home. It was actually me who had to get him to do other things, if I wouldn't intervene I bet he would still be in the library but even I didn't want to leave anymore if that meant leaving Loki behind. While I moved my hand across the spines of some of the books I was considering, Loki called me down to the ground. Turning around from the stair at the end, I was met with the most surprising sight I thought possible. Loki was on one knee with a blooming smile on his face.

"Raven," He said as he took hold of my hands. "I know I promised to find a way to send you back home and I acknowledge that it seems that I have failed you but I will find a way. I also know something I would not fail at and that is being by your side every second of every day of my existence. Please give me that honor by becoming my wife?" He rushed out. I knew he feared rejection and failure and putting both of them in his speech made me smile. I could see the fear in his eyes and it made mine water. I got down to his level, grabbed his head with my hands and gave him the most passionate kiss we have had. I tried to convey all my feelings into the kiss and I knew he received my message the moment I felt him smile into it. When both of us had the necessity to breathe, he asked "I will interpret that as a yes." My only reply to him was another kiss.

RxL Present Time RxL

As I was standing outside the ceremonial hall waiting for my cue that a guard would kindly signal to me, I kept thinking that the only thing I wanted was for the Titans to be present right now but I knew that wouldn't happen so I just thought of the man at the other extremity of the long aisle that awaited me in a moment and all maladapted thoughts left my head.

"Lady Raven, are you ready?" A guard to my left asked politely, making my head snap from staring at my bouquet of extraordinary delicate lilac roses.

"Yes," I said while nodding which I seemed to be doing in a nervous manner as the guard only smiled encouragingly down at me. He just nodded with amusement in his eyes and opened the double doors with the aid of another guard. "Thank you."

The moment the doors opened, music started playing at the tempo I was walking down the aisle. I looked across at all the unfamiliar faces of the Asgardian citizens and thought that the moment I'd become princess of Asgard I would change the fact that I didn't know anybody. As I kept discretely scanning the crowd, my eyes fell upon the man – the god, who would become my husband in a matter of time. I could see his smile even though I was still pretty far away from getting closer to him.

As I kept getting closer to Loki, I heard a shift of robes and a cry. I looked down at the being that had emitted the noise; it was a little blonde girl no more than six years old sprawled on the carpet that covered the aisle in front of me. I turned to my left to inspect the cause of her fall and I noticed a pre-teen boy that looked just like the girl being reprimanded by an older lady. I turned my attention to the girl silently crying on the floor and kneeled next to her. I could probably hear a pin drop from everybody holding their breath in anticipation of what I would do.

"Hey," Her watery eyes looked up at me in bewilderment. I tried smiling in encouragement down at her like the guard had done to me a couple of minutes ago. "Why are you crying?"

"I fell." She said as more tears rolled down her young face. I could hear Loki's concern through our bond and I told him to calm down, no matter what happened we would be married by the end of the day. As I had sent that thought to Loki, I noticed the little girl looking like a new batch of tears would plummet from her eyes. I asked her why and she replied with, "I wanted to get closer so I could see you but my brother just pushed me out of the way," while looking down to the ground ashamed. I asked her name and she responded by telling me it was Helga.

"Helga, do you want to know a secret?" She nodded and I smiled and motioned for her to get closer. "I fall all the time." I whispered in her ear.

"Really?" I nodded and her tears stopped. I looked down at my bouquet and took a rose and gave it to her. I instructed her to go back to her mother and she answered with, "Yes, thank you Lady Raven," and a hug.

As I restarted the trek to Loki, the music came up again and everything came back as planned. The moment I reached him, he only gave me a heartwarming smile and lifted up my veil. A gasp moved around the room when my face was revealed and I felt myself blushing and I could see Loki's smile growing. As he did that, I could hear him utilizing our bond to communicate with me as Odin started the ceremony.

For a moment there I thought you would get taken away from me by a six year old girl.

Ha…ha, very funny. I replied to his thought.

The ceremony continued and we both vowed to stay by each other's side for the rest of our lives, during both good and bad times. Our eternal promise was sealed with a kiss.

RxL RxL RxL RxL

Third Person POV

Through all the pranks and tricks Prince Loki has committed against the citizens of Asgard, not even one of the most apprehensive citizens could deny the love they saw spark in between the newlywed couple of Prince Loki of Asgard and Princess Raven.

A/N: I am so grateful for all the reviews that people have posted the last couple of days; you guys truly make my day better when I receive each review. So for everyone that had review, favored or alerted this story, I hand you a virtual chocolate chip cookie/brownie (They do exist and they're AMAZING!) I seriously want to know what you guys think of the story so please, leave a comment telling me what you think of it.

Acrobats they tumble: Thank you for your review and I know, right? Lokaven is addicting.

2redmouse2: Thank you and hopefully you like what I did with the plot.

Discb: Slade will be the least of their problems compared to the things they'll have to go through in the next couple of chapters but I'll be sure to add him, so thank you for your review and the idea.

Nickie: Aww thank you, Nickie. Dang, that sounds so hard, my sister is a pre-med student and her days are always hectic. I know, longer days would be a blessing because I would be able to write and read more fanfics hehe.

Psychic Soul: Thank you and c'mon, whose heart wouldn't warm up when thinking of the glorious Tom Hiddleston? *sigh* I hope today is soon enough for you.

Yoshi-Strange: Thank you and must you people get ahead of yourselves? I'm joking but your question will be answered in the next chapter so stay tuned for the next episode of The Demon and the Beast, dun duun duuuuunn, hehe.