Loki stood off to the side watching as Thor walked around the great dining hall, Maryn at his side laughing at his jokes and easily touching his arm or talking with him. Jealousy soured the wine he was sipping as it touched his tongue and radiated from him ensuring everyone around him gave him a wide berth.
"She seems so small and fragile," a honey-sweet voice spoke from the shadows behind him, "Like a frightened deer."
Loki didn't need to turn to know who spoke, "She is a far-cry from you, Lady Sigyn, of that I have no doubt."
He glanced down as a delicate, long-fingered hand settled on his gauntleted forearm, "Is that not what the Allfather and Allmother wished for?" Lady Sigyn purred; her golden hair pulled up in an intricate mass of braids studded with gems and gold beads. She wore a dress that hugged the perfect contours of her body, the silk cut and draped so that all male attention would be drawn to her exquisite figure.
"Our wish was for a woman who would be Loki's equal, Lady Sigyn."
The dark prince smiled into his silver wine cup at his mother's voice as Sigyn pulled her hand from his arm and dropped into a deep curtsey simpering, "Allmother, I-I did not know that you would be joining us. I feel greatly honoured."
Frigga smiled, her eyes looking down sceptically at the flaxen-haired woman, "No, but you would not, Lady, for you wished to speak to my son alone." When the woman stayed in her curtsey, Frigga rolled her eyes, "I have need to speak to my son, Sigyn. Go and find your husband, I believe I saw him drinking with his friends."
Knowing when she had been dismissed, but despising the older woman for it, Sigyn drew herself up and spun on her heel, flouncing away with a bitter scowl twisting her beautiful features.
"Explain to me again what drew you to that one," Frigga spoke to her son who spluttered into his wine cup and had the decency to look mortified at the thought of speaking to his mother of such subjects.
"It is not something I will discuss, Mother," he spoke lowly, his eyes drawn to Maryn once more where she stood speaking quietly to Lady Sif and Hogun.
"She is very beautiful, do you not think, Loki?" Frigga spoke quietly for her son's ears only.
He lowered his gaze to his goblet when Maryn's eyes rose to meet his across the room, her smile dropping and her cheeks going pale, "She fears me," he spoke so quietly Frigga had to strain to hear him.
"You mustn't take it to heart, Loki," she tried to console him.
His back straightened and he turned angry eyes onto her, "How can I not take this to heart, mother? She laughs with Thor, touches his arm and then tenses whenever I come near."
Frigga felt his anger and pain and turned to face him fully, "Your brother is not a threat to her, Loki. You are," she spoke gently.
His eyes narrowed as he tried to discern the meaning behind her words, "How so?"
She pressed on his elbow and turned him so that he looked at the raven-haired beauty once more, "You will be able to see through whatever glamour or spell she casts. You will be the only one to see her for who she is. She does not trust easily, Loki; especially not men. The idea of you being able to see her for who she really is frightens her."
The thought had occurred to him when he had first asked her to drop the glamour on her face but he had ignored the idea and focused on showing his brother that she was now his to protect. "How do I talk to her if she will not even smile at me, Mother?" he asked in a rare show of vulnerability.
Frigga's heart soared as her son took his first steps in courting his bride-to-be, "You must show her your true self. Lay yourself open to her and she will do the same. And then maybe, together you can feel whole."
Loki started as his mother spoke those words. He didn't show how he sometimes felt broken inside, like a part of him was lost, but she had seen it without him even realising and was hoping a woman could fill the void in his soul. He sneered slightly at the thought and took another sip of the heady liquid in his cup, "No woman can do that, Mother," he murmured before turning on his heel and sweeping out through the balcony doors, Frigga watching him leave, her heart heavy.
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Maryn slipped away from the festivities around her and stepped out into the relative peacefulness of the palace balcony overlooking Asgard. Trembling she put her still full goblet of wine down on the railing and looked out at the beautiful lights of the golden city below.
Why had she come with her mother to this place only to be forced into a marriage to a spoilt prince, her mother's people now lost to her?
"Ah, the little mouse that has joined us so suddenly."
Maryn turned, startled, to see a man dressed in black leather with a huge grey pelt draped over his shoulders move toward her from the other end of the balcony, the chiselled features of his face causing her to blush as she looked away. He was very handsome and by the arrogant glint in his eyes he knew as much.
Dropping into a quick curtsey, Maryn kept her eyes on the gods and goddesses moving about inside the golden hall she had just left, "My Lord."
Her gaze snapped to him as he stepped closer than was appropriate, a grin making him look even more striking, "Come now, Little Mouse, I'm sure you would prefer a private tour of the palace to standing out here alone." His hand reached out and he ran the back of one finger over her collar bone and down over the deep v-neckline of her black gown, "I know all the hidden places."
Maryn snapped, hitting his hand away from her skin she slapped him across the face, "How dare you!" she hissed fear twisting her stomach at the anger that filled his eyes when he turned his head to stare down at her.
"He dares because he thinks you're alone," Loki spoke up stepping out of the darkness on the other side of the balcony driving the other man back with his very presence, "Is your wife ignoring you tonight, Lord Ulf?"
The blond god sneered, "You would know, Trickster, she spoke of finding you tonight."
Heart pounding, Maryn stepped away from him and closer to Loki wishing she had never even thought of trying to get a breath of fresh air.
Loki smiled coldly, "And yet, here I am with my betrothed and your lady is nowhere to be seen."
"I am here, my Lord," a soft, feminine voice spoke up from where the god in the grey pelt had been lurking.
Anger filled Maryn's chest at the sight, "You would stand there and watch your husband touch me in such a way?" she glared at the ethereally beautiful woman who moved to her husband's side as Maryn took another distrustful step back, only stopping when her body tensed in awareness of how close the prince now stood to her.
The goddess smiled, her crystal blue gaze sliding over Maryn before dismissing her and turning onto Loki standing just behind her left shoulder, "Your betrothed is pretty, Loki. Although she seems to believe marriage is sacred," she smiled disparagingly, "Should I tell her your true feelings on the matter?"
Disgusted with the way both this woman and her husband were looking at her and toying with her, Maryn lifted her chin and glared at them, "Excuse me, I suddenly wish not to be in your company," she smiled disdainfully, "I'd rather listen to my soon to be brother-in-law relate another tale of his exploits than be here with either of you." Turning on her heel she dipped into a pretty curtsy to Loki and then swept away with as much dignity as she could, her goblet of wine forgotten on the railing near the three she had left behind.
"She insults without a care for the repercussions," Lady Sigyn sneered watching the other woman walk away.
Loki hid a smirk behind his well cultivated bland mask, reaching out and catching up the full goblet of wine Maryn had carried out to the balcony with her, "She fears no repercussions because there will be none," he looked at his once lover and her husband who both looked insulted, and then sipped at the wine enjoying its sweet fruity taste, "She is a princess of this realm and under my protection."
"She may be a princess but without a hand-fasting she isn't under your protection, Trickster," Lord Ulf snarled triumphantly, "If she wishes to have another before the Allfather performs the binding ceremony, you will have no choice but to let her go or shun her."
Loki's dark glare made the older man grin.
Stepping forward, Sigyn lay her hand on his forearm once more, "And you are free to take a woman to your bed if you so wish, my Lord."
Shaking off her touch, Loki glanced between her and Ulf, "I would think your husband would feel differently, Lady." His gaze then lifted to the god behind her, "Touch what is mine, Ulf, and your life will be forfeit."
The smirk turning up the full lips of the other man dropped as Loki's fingers glowed emerald and his cape tightened minutely around his throat. Sigyn stepped back, she had never enjoyed seeing Loki use his magic; it had always made her skin crawl.
With his point made, the dark prince let his spell ebb away and then swept back into the feasting hall leaving the beautiful goddess and her husband behind him.
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Maryn could barely concentrate on the raucous story Thor was retelling with the Warriors Three and Lady Sif sitting around him. Her head was spinning and the trembling from earlier in the night had become a fine shaking that ran throughout her body. Swallowing hard she glanced around for the Allmother or her handmaiden, Tora, but neither one was near and she was scared that if she let go of the pillar she was leaning against for balance, she would collapse.
A large, warm hand pressed to the small of her back making her jump slightly in fright and she looked over her shoulder to come face to face with Loki who was bent over her, concern filling his shockingly green eyes.
"You look a little pale, princess. I will escort you to your chambers if you wish."
Swallowing thickly, Maryn nodded and slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, leaning on him as he led her inconspicuously from the room.
Once through the colossal carved door of the hall, she stepped away from him and leaned back against the cool gilt of the wall, "I-I don't understand what's wrong," she murmured helplessly, fear twisting through her veins. Tears in her eyes she looked up to see Loki's concerned countenance.
"You have exhausted your strength by ripping away Coros' magic and your body is still recovering," he glanced back at the closed hall doors, "My brother was unwise to tax you with a gathering such as this."
Panting a little as her body started to run too hot, Maryn brushed away a tear as it slid down her cheek, "Will you help me back to my chambers? I need to sleep."
He stepped toward her but instead of offering his arm once more; Maryn gasped as he bent down and caught her under the knees before wrapping a strong arm around her back. Straightening, he lifted her into his arms and started toward the accommodation wing of the palace.
She marvelled at how cool his body was and pressed her face to his shoulder to try and calm her mind and whatever sickness was rushing through her.
The couple made it to her rooms quickly and, using his magic, the prince made her chamber doors swing open. Sweeping into the candle-lit room he called for her maid who slipped in from her smaller sleeping chamber to help him put her now slumbering mistress to bed.
Tora curtsied to him, "Thank you, your majesty. I will make sure she rests."
Loki barely took his eyes from his sleeping intended, "I will send a servant with a remedy to help her magic restore itself faster as she sleeps. Keep her warm and comfortable."
The small red-head curtsied again, "Yes, my Lord."
Loki glanced at her before looking over Maryn again and then wordlessly turning and leaving the room.