After the tour of Alfheim, the group headed back to the elfin palace, Nessa joining them. They were all going to have dinner together and Ava pulled Nessa to her chambers under the guise of wanting her help picking out an outfit for the evening. Nessa walked over to the wardrobe and began sifting through the dresses.

"I think this one would look beautiful on you, Princess." Nessa said, pulling out a beautiful blue and silver gown.

"Thank you." Ava said, taking the dress.

Nessa looked at Ava. "Picking out a dress is not why you wanted me to come here with you, is it?" She asked.

"You're very astute." Ava replied. "I saw the way you were looking at Vinius earlier..."

"I would never stop your marriage. I respect the arrangement." Nessa interrupted Ava.

Ava lifted her hand. "There is no love between Vinius and I." She replied. "It is arrangement as you mentioned and only that...it is not what I want nor do I believe Vinius wants it."

Nessa wrinkled her brow in confusion. "What are you saying?"

"Love is something that I believe should be the foundation for all marriages." Ava began. "I also believe it is something we all deserve. Vinius and I could never have that with each other...I do not want to stand in the way of someone else's love and happiness."

"You want me to tell Vinius how I feel?" Nessa asked.

"I believe he feels the same way about you, from the way he looked at you." Ava replied.

Nessa shook her head. "No...he only sees me as a friend. Besides, he has a deep sense of honor and wouldn't back out of his commitment to you."

Before Ava could say anything else, Lady Eiren was entering the room. Ava got dressed and the women headed to the dining hall. The men were already waiting for them. They all enjoyed a delicious dinner and a light conversation. Ava caught Vinius looking at Nessa longingly a few times during dinner. He would notice that Ava saw this and would give her a smile as if he were apologizing for his feelings.

After dinner was finished, Nessa went back to her home, while everyone else retired to their chambers. Ava had a plan. She knew she was going to have to talk to Vinius, but she knew that her brother was playing the dutiful chaperon and would be wherever they were. She placed a sleeping spell on her brother and wrapped her robe around herself before sneaking through the halls.

Ava found her way to Vinius's chambers and knocked on the door. "Come in." Vinius called from inside.

Ava opened the door and stepped inside. "Hello." She greeted him.

Vinius looked up, surprised to see Ava there. "Princess...what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I wanted to talk to you." Ava answered.

"Where is your brother?"

"Sleeping soundly in his chambers." Ava replied. "I placed a sleeping spell on him."

"What did you wish to speak with me about?" Vinius asked.

Ava gestured to a seat by the fire. "Do you mind if we sit?"

Vinius nodded. "How rude of me to forget." He then helped Ava to sit down before taking the seat across from her. "So, what is on your mind, Princess?"

"Your friend Nessa...she seems very kind." Ava replied.

"She is." Vinius answered. "What is this about?" He asked, confused.

"I saw the way you two were looking at each other...you two are in love with each other."

"I assure you there is nothing between us. We are merely friends...best friends." Vinius replied. "She knows me better than I know myself...and...we have great times together..."

"You do love her." Ava replied. "And I can tell she feels the same way about you."

Vinius looked at Ava. "But you and I are engaged."

"But we do not love each other." Ava replied. "I believe at the foundation of every marriage there should be love. You and I deserve to have that chance, but we won't have that opportunity with each other."

"Because my heart belongs to someone else...and yours belongs to someone else as well...doesn't it? That is why you have been so adamantly protesting our marriage...isn't it?" Vinius replied.

Ava thought about protesting, but then she thought better of it. She decided to tell him the truth. "It is."

"Why have you not told your parents?" Vinius inquired.

"Because...it is complicated."

"You could explain it to me." Vinius offered.

Ava was about to tell him that she couldn't tell him, but she so desperately wanted someone to confide the entire truth in. "Alright...but you must keep it a secret for me...you must swear not to tell anyone ever. Swear it to me?"

Vinius nodded. "I swear whatever you tell me shall not leave this room, Princess."

"His name is Loki...we met many years ago when we were young children." Ava began to explain. "I was supposed to be going with Thor and his friends on a little adventure...but Fandrall wasn't too thrilled about it and he wasn't afraid to vocalize his opinion. I got upset and ran off on my own into the mountains. I started climbing up one and slipped and fell. About half way down I went through a portal and...when I landed I wasn't on Asgard anymore."

"Where were you?" Vinius inquired, enthralled by Ava's tale.

"The Jotunheim." Ava answered.

"So...this is where you met Loki?"

Ava nodded. "I was lost, scared, and freezing. I found an old crumbling temple and went inside. I wrapped up in an old tapestry, trying to keep warm. Loki found me there...he built a fire for me and comforted me. He helped me find my way home...we've been friends ever since...and over the years our feelings for each other have grown and now we're in love."

"So...he is an Jotun?" Vinius asked.

Ava nodded. "But he is nothing like the stories...he is actually small for a Frost Giant...and his grandmother on his mother's side was of Asgard...so he does have Aesir blood in his veins as well."

"You do not have to explain your love to me." Vinius replied. "Nessa's grandfather was actually a dark elf...so where a person comes from means nothing."

"So...you understand?" Ava asked.

Vinius nodded. "It seems that we have some explaining to do to our parents now...we can't get married in five years when we are both in love with other people."

"Of course they can only know about your love." Ava replied.

"The time is not yet right to reveal to your parents that you're in love with a Frost Giant."

"Not yet." Ava agreed.

"So...shall we speak with my parents in the morning?"

"I believe that is best." Ava replied.

"Then let us plan what we will say."

They then spent the next few hours, figuring out what they would say to his parents to get them to call off the marriage. Once they had things figured out, Ava returned to her chambers and crawled under the covers. She fell asleep, happy that she and Vinius were ready to end their engagement. She was also happy that she had finally been able to confide in someone the entire truth about her relationship with Loki. She fell asleep, happily dreaming of her Loki and the kiss they had shared earlier that day.

The next day, Ava woke up feeling rested and refreshed. She reached her hand over, searching for Loki, only to remember that she was in Alfheim and alone. She sighed in disappointment as she opened her eyes. Of course, she then remembered her conversation with Vinius the previous night.

She then got up and headed to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress. Ava readied herself for the conversation she and Vinius were going to be having with his parents. She felt light and happy at the prospect of ending her engagement. She let out a laugh at how strange this seemed to her. "I wonder how many girls have been this happy about ending an engagement?" She whispered to herself.

She finished getting dressed and brushing out her hair. She pulled her hair into one long braid before exiting her room and going over to remove the sleeping spell she had placed on her brother. She decided she would fill him in on their way to breakfast. She crossed her fingers and silently prayed that this would work and that she and Vinius would no longer be engaged.