The next day a delegation from Mithros was expected. Maryn dressed carefully knowing that they would be judging her on every aspect of her decorum. She wore a black gown with a flowing skirt and lace over the bodice and as sleeves which covered her wrists and the tops of her hands. She wore black silk slippers on her feet. A large moonstone brooch sat in the middle of the high waist with the v-neckline dipping down modestly to stop just above the item of jewellery. Her hair was dressed in a low elegant bun with a headdress of strings of pearls and jet beads woven through it and over her head to drop down over her forehead. She then placed a heavy black veil over her hair and across the lower half of her face before having Tora pin a sheer veil over the top to hide her eyes as much as was necessary. She then slipped on her engagement ring and took a deep breath before leaving her rooms. Odin was the one to escort her to the throne room where they would meet the delegation, Loki and Frigga already there when they entered the large room.
Maryn allowed Odin to hand her off to Loki before he took his place sitting on his throne, Frigga to his right, while Maryn stood stiffly at her fiancé's side, Tora standing near the wall in case she was needed. They watched as the delegation was escorted up to stand before the throne by the captain of the Allfather's guard.
The group of five men bowed deeply to Odin and Frigga and then one stepped forward. Maryn recognised him as Coros' right-hand man and knew he was now the leader of her people.
"Allfather," the man spoke up his eyes never once falling on Maryn, "Thank you for seeing us."
Odin bowed his head graciously wordlessly telling the delegate to continue.
"We have been sent by the chancellors of Mithros to speak to the daughter of the late Queen Nia."
Maryn stepped forward and clasped her hands in front of her, her breath hot and fast under the layers of her veils.
The delegate, a Lord Tarman, pulled a scroll out from the folds of his robes and opened it before reading in a loud clear voice, "We, the now liberated people of Mithros, hereby forbid entry of the fugitive, Maryn Niadotter onto our world. She and her heirs are stripped of their citizenship and branded traitors and king-killers. If she or her offspring come back to our world we will be forced to imprison and execute them under the law." He glanced up at Maryn as she shook, "Any and all who wish to follow her or stay in this realm with her will be branded under the same laws."
Swaying Maryn closed her eyes and swallowed thickly knowing what would come next.
Lord Tarman turned to Tora, "What do you choose, Lady Tora?"
Stepping forward, the small redhead raised her chin, "I will stay with my queen." She omitted his title in a show of defiance and then stepped to Maryn's side seeing her mistress's hands shaking in fists at her sides.
"Very well," the lord nodded and then turned expectantly to Maryn.
Breathing harshly, the small raven-haired woman stepped down to the floor and then knelt in front of the tall man as she swept her veils from her head and dropped them to the flagstones beside her.
Laying a heavy hand on her head, the lord spoke an incantation under his breath. White hot pain lanced through her body and she bit back a scream before collapsing to her hands as the man pulled away a step.
"No!" Frigga's voice rose and she hurried down the dais steps to keel beside the woman who was fast becoming a daughter to her, "You cannot bind her magic."
Loki was a step behind his mother and stepped threateningly between the delegation and Maryn.
Lord Tarman shook his head, disgust rolling off of him, his hateful stare on the brunette shaking on the golden marble tiles before him, "Her magic is too powerful to bind but that spell cuts her off from the power of our people and prevents her from ever being able to use her magic if she returns to Mithros."
"Get out," the snarled words Loki spoke were dripping with hate as he seethed with anger, glaring at the man and his delegation before him. "You ever come near her again and not even the Allfather will stop me from destroying you," he added softly, his fingers sparking with barely restrained magic as the group of ambassadors tensed and then bowed low to Odin who waved them away with a hard glare.
As they turned to leave the Allfather got up from his throne and made his way down to see Maryn being helped shakily to her feet by Loki.
"I am truly sorry, daughter," he spoke, laying a hand to her wet cheek and wincing inwardly at the broken look in her tear-filled grey eyes.
Maryn was silent, her ears ringing and her breath rattling in her chest as the words of the envoy echoed through her head. Startled by a hand on her upper arm she glanced up at Loki and then at Frigga, Odin and Tora. She stumbled back a step and gasped when Loki's hands settled on her hips to steady her before she pushed them away.
"Forgive me," she blurted out before whirling and running out of the throne room.
She made it back to her rooms and frantically ripped the headdress from her hair before tugging the pins from it and letting the dark locks settle over her shoulders and down her back in shining waves. She then plaited a band of it around the back of her head to keep it out of her face before unlacing her gown and dropping it to pool at her feet. Stepping out of it she dressed again in a simple, sleeveless flowing black gown before taking up a black and grey veil and leaving her rooms again.
Panic rushed through her veins and she could barely breathe, her only thought was to get as far away from the palace as possible.
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"They forbid her to come back?" Thor asked his brother as the two walked across the Rainbow Bridge toward the Bifrost.
Shaking his head, the darker of the two sighed, "They have done more than that, brother; they have cut her off from the magic of her people. If she ever goes back to her world she will be executed." He ran a hand restlessly through his hair.
Thor shook his head, "They should pay for that. Their queen is murdered by her advisor and then her daughter who should rightfully rule is banished," he couldn't understand how a whole world could turn against its ruler, especially one as benevolent and caring as Queen Nia had been.
"Coros poisoned them against Queen Nia and Maryn." Loki explained thankful that he had his brother to speak to about his thoughts on such things, even if Thor was usually only interested in his next hunt or war.
Thor shook his head sadly having come to enjoy the company of the small woman his brother was betrothed to, especially her quick smile and soft words. The brothers were nearing the Bifrost, both lost in their own thoughts when Thor happened to look up and see a lone figure standing at the edge of the bridge between them and the Bifrost. He reached out and settled a heavy hand on Loki's shoulder.
"What-?" he cut Loki off and nodded to the figure that he could easily recognise as Maryn.
The dark prince tensed and then took off at a run toward her.
"Maryn!" she flinched and turned her tear-stained face toward Loki as he skidded to a halt a few paces away, Thor at his side, his gaze flickering from her to the edge of the bridge where she was standing and then back again. Her chest was heaving as if she couldn't catch her breath and she was trembling so hard her teeth were starting to chatter.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Thor take a step toward her and she tensed to step away, closer to the edge. Throwing his arm out across his brother's chest, he stopped the blond and pushed him back a little, "Go back to the palace and tell her maid to prepare a soothing tea. I'll bring her back when I've talked to her."
Thor looked opposed to the idea but a dark look from his brother made him turn and grudgingly leave to do as he was told.
Loki turned back to Maryn and raised his hands in placation, "Come away from the edge, my lady," he murmured soothingly.
Shaking her head, Maryn wrapped her arms around her torso, "You know what they did to me; you felt it. I-I can't go home…I want to go home," she sobbed, her face growing pale.
Loki gentled his voice even more and stepped toward her, "You do this and they win, love." The endearment slipped out and he winced inwardly hoping she wouldn't pick up on the word and back away anymore. As it was she was only about half a step from the edge of the bridge and he had to force back thoughts of her falling from the edge and into the rough sea below.
Shaking her head, the wind whipping her hair around her face and her gown around her legs, Maryn felt empty, "I'm sorry," she whispered and then turned and stepped to the very edge of the bridge. The wind took her breath away as it slammed into her, ripping her veil from her head and whisking it out over the water. She closed her eyes and readied herself to jump only to have strong arms band around her and pull her away to the middle of the bridge. She fought all the way, lashing out and struggling silently to get free. She was put down on her feet and turned roughly around before Loki's blazing eyes glared down at her and he shook her forcefully.
"Enough!" he bit out making her freeze at the fear and anger in his voice. Seeing the terror on her face, he softened his tone, "Enough."
Panting, Maryn collapsed against him and sobbed into his chest. His arms wrapped around her and held her close as she gave vent to the betrayal and grief she was feeling.
When she had gotten a hold of her emotions once more, she couldn't seem to pull away from his arms. For once, since she had lost her mother, her magic was calm and so were her emotions and mind.
Someone clearing their voice had her tensing in Loki's arms and pulling away to see Thor upon a white stallion, the reigns of a black stallion gripped tightly in his hands, "I brought you a horse, brother," he said gruffly glancing from Loki to her as if to figure out if she was alright.
Nodding his thanks, Loki held out his hand to her and after a moment she chose to take his hand. He led her to the black stallion and then mounted up himself before lifting her into the saddle in front of him.
The ride back to the palace was silent and once there Loki handed the reins of his horse to a stable boy and, with her hand once more in his, led her to her chambers.
There, Tora sat her down on the edge of her bed, wrapped a thick blanket around her shoulders and handed her a mug of steaming tea. Even though she drank the tea and then lay down under the thick furs and blankets on the bed she couldn't seem to get warm.
Tora and Loki were whispering in the opposite corner of the room but heard her teeth chattering and moved to make her more comfortable.
After a meaningful look from the small handmaiden, Loki hesitantly shed his boots and heavy leather tunic.
Feeling the mattress dip under her, Maryn tensed when his large frame curved around her where he lay on top of the bedcovers. And then his arm wrapped around her and she felt his face press into her dark locks that were strewn over the pillow under her head. Swallowing hard she closed her eyes and surprisingly relaxed and drifted into a deep dreamless sleep.
Tora left the couple and slipped out of the room to see the Allmother walk toward her, "How is she?" the older woman asked worry seeping into her usually calm voice.
Tora bowed her head respectfully before answering, "She's grieving the loss of the last tie she had to her mother, my Lady."
"And my son?" Frigga asked.
Tora smiled softly, "He is helping her feel safe and protected."
Nodding the queen of Asgard smiled, "Make sure no one disturbs them and send word when Maryn has awoken."
"Of course, your Majesty," Tora nodded before curtsying and then slipping back into her mistresses chambers to watch over the now sleeping couple.
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Maryn awoke the next morning as the sun started to rise feeling better than the night before. She turned slightly only to feel a heavy arm wrap more securely around her waist and the warm breath of the man sleeping beside her brush across the back of her shoulders. Biting her lip she felt his hand move over the covers and wrap around her own where it lay near her face, his body curling around hers more securely. And that's when she realised he had slipped under the covers sometime the night before. Her heart stuttered in her chest as she realised how much larger he really was than her. But it wasn't fear that slid through her at his touch and the feel of his body around hers; it was a longing that she had never felt before. Tensing she pulled away from him slightly and felt him move and roll away from her. Not knowing if he was waking up she closed her eyes and feigned sleep. Hearing him get up off the bed and pull on his boots and tunic she fought the sudden sadness that filled her when she heard the door to her bedroom shut near silently. Closing her eyes she forced herself to fall back to sleep.