Chapter 3: Sorrowful Wedding

Loki woke to several servants entering his room and Thor with them. Loki knew what that meant, it was time to get up and get dressed for what was meant to be the happiest day of his life but was nothing of the sort. Thor had a servant bring Loki a breakfast tray and Loki sat up in bed and ate a small portion. He really didn't feel hungry. Once he was married that was it. The laws of Asgard were clear and not even Odin could divorce them then. Loki would be stuck with her as his wife until her dying day.

The only good part about that was her dying days were shorter then his and within another 70+ years he'd be free of this arrangement. Loki pushed the remainder of his food aside and gestured for a servant to take it away. He then stood from his bed and smirked as several of the female servants blushed and looked away. Loki always slept nude and of course he had no reason to feel ashamed of his body.

"I trust you won't be trying any tricks to get out of this." Thor said to Loki as his clothes were brought out and laid close by along with his armour now freshly shined.

"To what purpose would that serve me but more prison time or worse, though I can't see how anything could get worse at this point." Loki growled.

"You act as though your life ends here when this marriage is an opportunity for happiness and joy with a loving wife and future children." Thor said shaking his head.

"I've no use for a mortal woman as you do and I will produce no halfbreeds. She'll have to find her satisfaction elsewhere as she'll find none in my bed." Loki hissed grabbing his pants and tunic and throwing them on.

"A wife's duty is to her husband to lay with another man under such an oath would be dishonourable." Thor said incredulously.

"Only if the husband makes a scene of it. I care not who she spreads her legs for and any bastards she might produce will be sent away." Loki waved off Thor's concern. Loki could care less for what his future wife would do with her free time. It could be worse. He could force her to stay pure and not allow her any sort of pleasure outside his, in which case would mean she'd get none for the remainder of her life. Loki usually hated sharing things he deemed his but this girl was not his and would not be his. She could have whomever she liked.

"That is not the kind of impression I get from the princess. I doubt, even with your...generosity," Thor said that with sarcasm. "That she would bed another whilst married. You'll leave her completely alone!" Thor insisted.

"A choice she will have made not me."

"You give her a choice between solitude and loneliness or dishonour and distasteful titles from her peers." Loki knew woman who delved into adultery were frowned upon and lost face in society no matter her reasons for doing it.

"No, Odin left her those choices by thinking I would find worth in her." Loki spat and lifted his arms to allow his armour to be placed over him.

"I think you are making a grave mistake." Thor warned him but Loki ignored the warning as he straightened pieces of his armour. His mother would not be pleased if he looked untidy and if there was one person in life he still cared for it was Frigga.

(Cephera)

She was awake when the servants entered to help her dress. She tried her best to feel happy and excited but after meeting Loki she didn't feel either of those things. Her wedding day would not be as she always pictured it but she kept reminding herself she just needed to give him time to come to terms with it all. It can't be easy for him to know he was marrying a human girl when he tried to subjugate her kind and even killed them without remorse. It was still difficult.

She was attended to until she was in her gold and white dress fitted the night before to fit just right. Her hair placed in curls and waves half up and the rest cascading down over her shoulder and over her small breasts. The dress pushed those up a little giving her more plump to them than she'd like. Maybe they would attract him enough to at least take her to bed. She hated the thought of being bedded by a man who held the intent of bedding another woman while married but perhaps if she could prove herself useful in bed he wouldn't have need of anyone else.

She doubted that her new found cleavage would be enough to sway the prince from his wandering ways or even lure him to her bed. She was already sure she would either be sleeping with a gap between her and him or alone. "Perk up my lady. Things will get better." One of the servants dared to say. Cephera looked at the pretty young woman and gave her a thankful smile. It was then that the queen entered and looked her over.

"You look beautiful." She said. "If your mother were alive she would have thought the same." Cephera only smiled. Her mother wasn't someone who would have ever won mother of the year and probably wouldn't have noticed Cephera even existed. Having lost her mind when her husband left her made Seraphina take the adult role early in life taking care of them both plus their mother; when she wasn't screaming at them. Cephera loved her mother but today she didn't miss her.

(Loki)

Loki stood next to Thor of all people while waiting for his bride to be to emerge from across the room. It almost seemed all of Asgard had turned up for this sham wedding. Loki hoped the girl had gotten cold feet and had run for it but when the trumpets sounded he sighed in disappointment. Cephera was marched by her father down the long red runner set out toward the throne where Odin would marry them for eternity, or until the end of her life which was sooner. Loki hated to admit she looked stunning. The girl carried charm and grace well. She was beautiful and had he been any other man he would be proud to be the one to marry her but he was not another man and so he stood there looking impassive as she was given over to him his hand atop hers and turning to Odin.

Odin preformed the same ritual of marriage he did with everyone. Loki had one day thought he would be standing there saying his vows to a woman he loved or at least wanted. But there was nothing special about this day for him. Not in the way he felt it should be. He hated repeating the vows set out for him almost as much as he dreaded having to seal it with a symbolic kiss. He'd been pondering how to go about that kiss since the day started. Should he kiss her fully and tease her to be mean as it was something she'd never get again or should he keep it short and prude like. Now that he was standing there with her and her looking as beautiful as she did he opted for the quick one. He didn't need any mixed sexual tension between them.

The ceremony seemed to go on forever even though it was the usual 20 min or so. He did not once look her in the eyes as he tried to keep his mind on better thoughts. When finally Loki was told to kiss his bride he had no other choice but to look at her. She looked so hopeful he almost felt sorry for her.

(Cephera)

Cephera felt her heart beat a fraction faster when Loki was told to seal their marriage with a kiss. He bent down to her and swiftly place a very chaste kiss to her lips and as the last words were spoken to finish their union Loki left the altar leaving everyone confused and muttering behind his back. Cephera watched him disappear down a hallway blinking unsure what to do. Her sister had let out a curse before her father grabbed her to calm her down. Thor stepped up to the plate and took her arm. "The nerves must have gotten to him." He said to her smiling. She gave him a small grateful smile in return knowing full well that wasn't why he had left.

XxX

Cephera sat at the head table with the seat next to her empty. After he walked away after their marriage Loki did not return and she heard the whispers and rumours of him already with another woman. She didn't feel hurt by the whispers as she still had no emotional connection to him yet. She knew next to nothing about him. She more felt awkward eating by herself. She did however feel the loneliness of it all. She had dreamt of a happier wedding than this.

She hadn't expected him to simply walk off let alone skip dinner. She expected he might disappear during the after party but she had been all too wrong. No, Loki was off with his Mistress already. Barely able to contain himself long enough to the end of the ceremony. Cephera felt a moment of irritation toward his tactless actions. People were whispering all around and she knew it was either about her or him. She didn't want his actions to reflect badly on her but if it continued long enough it would. She would eventually be seen as a wife who couldn't please her husband even on their wedding day. She would be dishonoured simply by being an unworthy wife.

Cephera shifted uncomfortably in her seat wishing he would have at least thought about how this would look on her. To have even given her a little hope that she wouldn't be completely defaced and honorless in all this. He could have acted like it was fine and then ignored her otherwise but he was Loki and he was a drama queen, this she was learning quickly.

When the feast ended she was glad she didn't have to be forced to sit at a head table alone any longer. At least she could converse with others now and maybe enjoy herself a little. She spoke soft words of assurance to her sister that she would be find. Seraphina had been tempted to find Loki and cut his cock off but Cephera defused her temporarily by offering her a very strong alcoholic drink. After her sister was calmer she enjoyed herself. She spoke to everyone who came to wish her well, and deep in there voices she could hear how much they meant it. At least they understood her predicament at this point in her marriage. She wasn't sure how long that understanding would go on for but hopefully her worries over his actions reflecting badly on her were unfounded.

She was asked to dance by many and did so with grace. Thor dance with her more than once as did Odin. Odin gave her words of encouragement regarding her up coming days and told her to stay vigilant. Her father told her to suck it up which was his normal reaction to just about everything. Not to mention his advice to just pin Loki down in the middle of the night and ride him until he was screaming her name. This she would not do and he knew it but he still said it making her turn several shades of red and quickly ending her dance with him to move on.

However the kindest words came from him before he left that night. He approached her on the balcony as she stared out over her new home. "I know this won't be easy but never stop being you." He told her. "You are incredible just the way you are and one day he'll realize what a fool he'd been." His words touched her in ways she never thought they would and she threw her arms around him in a tight hug before saying goodbye.

Yay reviews! You guys are awesome! Please take a moment to drop me a line or a word! Keep my brain motivated! Help to see how many reviews I can wrack up before this tale ends!

Thanks:

- Loki's Dreamer: something will happen. Give it time. ;)

- Miss Padawan: yes it seems no matter how much if an ass he is we all still love him. And I agree there will he chapters you hate him. Lol. Thanks for the encouraging words. :)

- Hello (Guest): I'm glad you love and continue I will!

- Twifan1987: there are lots of shocking moments to come I assure you. Tee hee. And it is stated in chapter one that she does have immortality and magic but she has been told to allow Loki to be the one to get to know her and for her to not just tell him about it freely. In case you missed that part I thought I'd let you know. :)

- Doctor Loki Love: I do have a lot of reviews so far. It's so awesomely uplifting! So much hate for Shay so far. Poor girl caught in the middle. :P

- HeavenlyF97: I feel the love. ^.^ I sometimes feel my writing style is to simple so I'm glad you like it! I'm sure there will be moment I screw up Loki's personality but I'm glad so far I'm doing fine. :) in a way they are all trying to adapt to this situation though Loki's ways are not making it any easier.

- Kurai Tenshi 015: Haha slapping manner into Loki is just not Cephera's style. She's a lover not a fighter. I missed you too!

- Poodle Warriors: lots of fun to come! Odin has certainly opened up a can of awkward.

- 88Dragon06: Loki is determined to not do anything Odin wants are thinks is a good idea leaving poor Cephera to fend for herself. :( Selfish but sometimes that happens in life.

- Reneemm: I enjoyed writing the Frigga part. She understand Loki more than most. As for Cephera she's doing her best to stay strong. She certainly does have her work cut out for her.

- Akera Writer of the Night: I should create a queen for King Yorin someday called Akera...you seem to love him so much. Lol As for your PM I'll answer here. I once thought about giving Cephera and Seraphina a sibling but I've never had a story where it was needed or would fit. Perhaps one day I might play with it. :) Thanks for the suggestion!