"This…this is all your fault!" Ava shouted at her father. "You took what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life and turned it into another battle! You don't really care about me! You ruined my wedding and you put my life and the life of my child at risk! You're as much a monster as you accuse Laufey and the other Jotuns of being!" She then ran out of the room, the tears streaming down her face. Loki took off after his love, wanting to make sure she was alright and bring some comfort to her.
Odin sighed and bit back his words of anger. He knew that Ava was angry with him and raising his own ire would do no good. He opened his mouth, ready to speak to those who remained when Thor spoke up.
"I hope you're happy, Father. Ruining Ava's wedding day. You just had to bait Laufey. You couldn't just let Loki and Ava get married without incident."
"I had to test Laufey to find out if he was truly wanting peace." Odin replied.
"You couldn't have picked a different day?" Thor asked. "You had to pick Ava's wedding day of all days. Not to mention the fact that you risked your own daughter's life." He then stormed off to go and help comfort his little sister.
Frigga and Farbauti looked at their respective husbands. Laufey looked at his queen. "Everyone in my family has betrayed me. Even my queen."
"You betrayed your family first." Farbauti replied. "You never truly accepted our son, just because of his small size. You drove him away."
Frigga walked over to Odin. "I hope you are proud of yourself. The throne room is a mess, the guests are scattered, and you have made your entire family angry with you. As Thor said, you couldn't have picked a different day? You couldn't have just given her this one day? You had to risk her life? The life of our grandchild?" She and Farbauti then turned away and walked out to find their children.
Ava…
Ava had run through the halls and to the garden. Her legs gave out and she started to fall. Two strong arms caught her from behind, keeping her from falling once again. She felt Loki pull her to his chest and then they sank gently to the ground, her love still holding her. Loki kissed the top of her head. Ava buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry, Loki." She said, through her tears.
"What are you apologizing for?" He asked.
"Today…it was supposed to be our wedding day. It was supposed to be about us and our love." Ava said. "And because of my father…"
"Both of our fathers." Loki said. "Don't apologize. I should be the one apologizing. If I weren't a Frost Giant…today would have been the way that it was supposed to."
"Loki, you have nothing to be sorry about. I love you just the way you are." Ava replied. "I just guess there will never be peace between our worlds. It was too much to hope for."
Loki stroked Ava's hair. "I love you, Ava." He rested his cheek on top of her head and just held her for a while as she cried.
"I'm sorry, that I couldn't keep your day from being ruined." Thor said, entering the garden. "I wanted so much for you two to have a perfect day."
Loki and Ava both looked up at Thor. Ava slowly rose to her feet, Loki helping her once again. She then walked over to her brother and threw her arms around him. "Thank you for trying." She said.
Thor hugged his little sister back. "I just wish I could have stopped all of this."
"It's not your fault…it was too much to hope for." Ava replied.
"No, it wasn't." The familiar voice of Frigga said.
"You both deserve to have the perfect wedding." Farbauti added.
Everyone looked at the two queens and mothers. Frigga opened her arms for her daughter and Ava walked over and allowed her mother to comfort her. "Dry your tears sweetheart." Frigga told her. "I have a solution."
Ava pulled back and looked at her mother. "What is it?"
"Well, I know this isn't the grand affair we had planned, but since everyone who matters is here and dressed…" Frigga said, trailing off.
"What are you saying?" Ava asked.
"Your father isn't the only one with the power to unite you two in marriage…I can, if you two still wish to be married." Frigga answered, looking between her daughter and Loki.
Ava pulled away from her mother and walked over to her love. "Do you still want to marry me?"
Loki smiled as he lifted a hand to wipe away her tears. "Of course. You are the love of my life…but you don't want to re-plan the wedding and have the large party?"
"All that matters to me is that I marry you." Ava replied. "Besides, I think here in the garden with just these few people here is better."
"Alright…but I think we are missing two people." Loki said.
"No you're not. We're right here." Vinius said as he and Nessa stepped out into the garden.
"Alright, let's have a wedding." Frigga announced.
Loki and Ava came to stand under a beautiful tree, a weeping willow, standing in front of Frigga. Vinius and Nessa stood beside them and Thor and Farbauti stood behind them. "We are gathered here to celebrate the love that has blossomed between these two wonderful souls and to unite them as one." Frigga began the ceremony. She then spoke specifically to Loki and Ava. "Turn and face each other and join hands."
Loki and Ava faced each other and held hands. They looked into each other's eyes. "Loki." Frigga prompted him to begin his vows.
Loki took in a breath. "Ava, you have been so wonderful to me. You have accepted me when no one else could. You have been my best friend and brought so much light and happiness into my life. And now you're giving me a child. You just give and give so much to me and at times I feel all I do is take. Today, I want to give to you in return. I know it's not much, but I give you my heart, my love, my faith, my fidelity, and my protection. I will be anything and everything you need me to be. I will be your shoulder to cry on when you need it, I will be your friend, your confidant. I will always be here for you. And above all, I will be yours for the rest of my life."
Ava had to take one of her hands back so that she could wipe at the tears of happiness that were spilling over her cheeks. Frigga, even, had to wipe at tears of her own. "Ava." Frigga prompted.
Ava finished wiping at her tears and then returned her hand to Loki's. She smiled up at the man she loved. "Loki, you have been my best friend ever since we met. You saved me that day that I had gotten lost and stumbled through the Jotunheim. You could have tried to gain the acceptance from your people by turning me in, but you didn't. You conjured up a fire and helped me find my way home. You have always gone out of your way to keep me safe and make me happy. You give to me just as much as I have given to you. I give you everything that I am and everything that I will be. I am yours for the rest of my life, just as I have been since we met. I love you, Loki and I will continue to love you, always."
Frigga had to take a breath and wipe at her own tears once again. "Now I understand why it is usually the king that does this." She muttered and everyone enjoyed a bit of a laugh. She smiled. "With those beautifully written vows, and how you have pledged yourselves and your love to each other, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Loki smiled at Ava and bent to gently press his lips to hers. He broke the kiss after a brief moment. Ava grinned at him and shook her head. "That's not a kiss." She said and pulled her hands from his so she could throw her arms around his neck. She crushed her lips to his and pressed her body close to his.
Loki smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ava broke the kiss after several intense moments and grinned at her now, husband. "Now that was a kiss." She said.
Loki chuckled. "Yes, it was." He agreed, still holding her.
"Okay, enough of this." Thor said, his tone one of jesting. "You two may be married now, but Ava you're still my little sister. I don't want to see any of this stuff."
Ava grinned at her brother. "You're just going to have to get used to it." She then kissed Loki again, as if to prove her point.
Thor rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway. He was happy that his sister was happy and married to the man she loved.