It took nearly seven days for Maryn's strength to fully return. By the end of her recovery she was aching to be free of the confines of her chambers. And so, late on the sixth night she dressed in a flowing black and grey gown, a circlet of bronze with matching earrings, her engagement ring and a black veil to hide her hair and face. Slipping out of the palace was easy with the use of her magic and she soon found her way to the private gardens Frigga had taken her to before the welcoming feast. She made her way past the flower beds and into the recesses of the silent fruit-tree grove. In the centre of the copse stood a small marble fountain topped by a statue depicting the tree of life, Yggdrasil. The Ash was carved from a stone so white it seemed to glow in the moonlight that edged everything in silver.
Sitting on the lip of the fountain, Maryn looked up at the tree of life and tried to calm the turmoil in her heart. She was scared and alone in a place not her own and felt like she had no one to turn to. She had cried too many tears, however, and refused to do so again. And so, she chose to see Frigga as her ally in her new world. Her decision made, she stood and turned to leave the clearing only to freeze when she saw Prince Loki leaning against one of the trees, his arms folded over his chest and his face in shadow so she couldn't read his expression.
"What are you doing here?" she blurted out ignoring the politeness and deference that his rank called for.
He stepped out into the moonlight and she saw he was dressed in a green tunic, dark breeches and boots, more informally than she had ever seen him, "I could ask you the same thing, Lady," he spoke in his rich, velvet voice sending unwanted heat through Maryn's body. He cocked his head to the side and slid his gaze over her coolly, "Remove the veil, princess. I won't speak to you without seeing your face."
Angry at his order, Maryn lifted the veil and threw it back so that it hid her hair, leaving her face uncovered.
Loki noticed that her grey eyes stood out so much more than usual, being ringed in dark kohl, a single line of gold painted from under her eyes down onto her cheekbones looking like tear tracks in the semi-darkness.
"Do you see me now, your Highness?" she sneered unable to control her emotions around him.
He seemed to stand taller at her words, "I see you better than you think, Maryn," he answered honestly making her shrink in on herself.
Turning away she looked at the fountain again, trying to compose herself. "Why do you do this?" she whispered desperately, once more afraid of how easily he could see past her every glamour and spell. She heard him step closer and chose not to let him near her while her back was turned.
Loki studied her as she spun gracefully and looked up at him, "You should know what I do and don't see, Lady."
"And if I wish for you to not see through my magic will you stop yourself from doing so?" she asked.
The dark prince considered her question before he sighed regretfully, "No, I will not."
Anger welled up in her chest at his answer and she clenched her jaw to stop herself from cursing him in her mother's tongue, "Good night, my Lord," she gritted out instead and moved to leave the clearing.
Loki's hand shot out and he caught her wrist in a gentle grip, "I cannot protect you if you refuse to let me in," he spoke softly.
She ripped her arm from his grasp, "I am safe enough without your protection, your Majesty."
He seemed to be losing patience and glared down at her, "You are not. Supporters of Coros on your home world have sent a message to my father. It threatens your life and says that a delegation will be sent to speak with Odin about his rule on Mithros." He looked her in the eyes intently, "The only way to keep you safe now is to have us commit to a hand-fasting."
Revulsion swept through Maryn and without thinking her hand swung out and cracked across the prince's face, turning it to the side with the force of the hit. "How dare you propose such a thing," she hissed fighting back mortified tears. "I will not be subjected to such shame!"
His jaw worked for a moment, his body tense with anger, before he turned his darkening gaze onto her, "Be careful, Lady. I may not allow your hand its next strike," he warned and then relaxed, "A hand-fasting will ensure you safety."
"What safety?" Maryn sneered, "There is no safety in a hand-fasting. A man may try his betrothed for a year with no recompense for her if he chooses to leave at the end of that time, whether they have shared a bed or not. I would rather face down Coros' supporters than agree to such a thing."
Loki looked a little shocked, "It may be as you say on your world, but here a hand-fasting offers a woman the protection of her betrothed's name, title and rank; something which will keep you safe from every threat here or in any of the other realms my father oversees."
Shaking her head Maryn glared up at him, "And your expectations of me once we have been hand-fasted?"
The tall god tucked his hands behind his back and let his gaze travel over her body heatedly, "My expectations are that before the year is out you will want to come to my bed."
Speechlessly scandalized, Maryn's jaw went slack and she stared at him before snapping her mouth closed and covering her shock by scoffing, "I'd rather have Lord Ulf, your Majesty." That said she turned on her heel and stormed back through the trees toward the palace trying to fight the delicious heat that had surged through her body at his bold words.
Loki smirked and leaned back against the tree he had been standing near, replaying in his mind the split-second look of total want that had flashed through his betrothed's eyes a moment before her anger had overtaken it. He doubted she even knew he had seen her reaction. "It is rude to lurk in the shadows, Lady Tora," he spoke turning his head to see Maryn's lady's maid step out from behind a tree near the fountain.
The small redhead smiled, "So is telling a woman that she will be in your bed within a year, my Lord, and yet, here we are."
The dark prince studied her for a moment, "You don't seem overly shocked by what I have said."
With a secretive smile, Tora shook her head, "I have magic too, my Lord. Mine allows me to see the future of those who are or will be in love."
His interest piqued, Loki turned to look at fully, "And what do you see for your princess and I?"
Shaking her head Tora ignored his question, "Maryn is scared and alone, my Lord. You are the only one that can make her feel truly safe. But you must know that her magic is linked to true love. If you have any hope of loving her and winning her love in return you can never stray or betray her." Before he became incensed with her advice, Tora glanced up at the moon above them and continued, "Her heart will be hard to win and in doing so you will lose your own to her," she dropped her eyes to his face, her gaze staring right into his soul as she did, "Are you prepared to do that, my Prince?"
Loki opened his mouth to answer but Tora smiled softly and then turned and walked away, disappearing between the trees and leaving him with questions and many things to think on.