The days steadily slipped by and soon it was the annual Spring Celebration. The whole of Asgard spent the first day of Spring feasting and making merry while traveling troubadours put on plays of the legends of Spring as well as music and dancing. The royal family organised a ball that was to be attended by all of the nobility of Asgard while the common people of the beautiful world were to be given free entertainment, and roasted boar meat and bread were to be handed out by specially appointed guards.
Maryn was happy to move through the crowd of nobility surrounding the Allfather's feasting tables in the great hall, Tora by her side.
Both women were dressed in beautiful new gowns as was the custom. Tora had on a soft blue dress with an embroidered bodice and sleeves, the skirt full, its petticoats made of frothy white material that just peaked out from under the skirt with its silver thread-work border. Maryn, on the other hand, wore a blush pink, off-the-shoulder gown with heavily embroidered sweetheart neckline bodice. The skirt had a layer of voile embroidered with silver flowers and leaves in a wide border at the hem as well as an overskirt of chiffon embroidered with the same pattern that was shorter at the front and then draped down into a floor-length train at the back. Both women wore their hair up in elaborate buns and Tora wore a string of pearls around her neck and pearl earrings while Maryn wore a silver five-chain necklace with small disks of beaten silver spaced evenly along the chains and matching earrings.
"You and the prince seem to be happy together," Tora spoke up seeing the smile her mistress shared with the tall Asgardian prince as they walked past where he was talking with his father and another noble near the high table.
Her cheeks becoming pink, Maryn slipped her arm around her friend's and lowered her gaze to the floor, "I feel…happy…around him," she confessed. "I just hope he feels the same."
"And why would he not, my lady?" Tora asked hearing something more behind the comment.
The small brunette glanced around and then tugged her redheaded friend to a relatively quiet corner of the great hall. Glancing around to make sure their conversation would stay private, "After the feast for our hand-fasting, we went to the middle of the large maze in the public gardens so that Loki could show me how to use the pendant he had given me. After it had worked I thought…I mean, I was sure he was about to kiss me." Tora gasped with a quick smile, clearly pleased with the way the story was going but Maryn shook her head, "We were interrupted by Lady Sigyn and one of her lovers," the last was whispered and made Tora frown. Maryn looked over at Loki seeing him make a comment to his father that earned him a smile from Odin and she saw the pleasure it gave the dark prince to be the one to amuse the Allfather, "He became angry, almost…jealous."
Tora gave an unladylike scoff, "That woman is starting to anger me. Who does she think she is flaunting her affairs in the face of a man that is clearly taken by another?"
Maryn's gaze snapped to hers, "Y-you think he's taken by me?" she asked hesitantly wishing secretly that her handmaiden's words were true.
The redhead sent her a look that seemed to ask if she was blind, "May I be blunt, Lady Maryn?" at the princess's nod, she continued, "He is captivated by you and I have heard talk that Lady Sigyn is infuriated by that because she was the prince's favourite. There is talk that he had broken off the affair because she hated seeing his use of magic."
"But Loki's magic is a part of him. How could she love the man but not his gift?" Maryn burst out just barely remembering to keep her voice down.
"It was not about love," Loki spoke from behind her making her start and turn to him with wide eyes.
Blushing with shame at being caught gossiping about him, Maryn dropped into a curtsy, "Loki, forgive me, I-I did not mean to-."
He shook his head with a soft smile, "It is nothing, sweet one." Reaching out he tucked a lock of her hair, which had slipped from its elegant style, behind her ear as she straightened, enjoying the happiness he could see in her grey eyes when she looked up at him.
Oblivious to Tora standing near her, Maryn leaned into his touch and then reached up and covered his hand were his touch lingered on her jaw before Loki laced his fingers with hers and pulled her gently to his side. Looking at the redhead that was smiling at them both, the Trickster grinned, "And how goes it with your guardsman, Lady Tora?"
Inclining her head, Tora looked between the couple, "That is something I wished to talk to you about, My Lady."
Maryn felt excitement well inside her at the look of pure joy on her friend's face and smiled graciously.
Taking a breath, Tora spoke, "Brant has asked for my hand in marriage."
With a barely stifled gasp of delight, Maryn let go of Loki's hand and threw her arms around Tora, "Oh, I am so happy for you!"
When she had pulled away to look at her handmaiden, Tora smiled through her tears of happiness, "Then you give your blessing for our union?"
Maryn couldn't wipe the smile from her face, "Of course, Tora, I could never stand in your way if you love each other."
More tears filled the redhead's eyes and she hugged Maryn tightly, "We love each other completely, my Lady."
Maryn pulled away after a few moments and looked up at Loki over her shoulder earning a smile from him as he watched her gush excitedly with her friend over plans for the wedding which was set for the Summer Solstice.
Later, as the feast's patrons were starting to find their beds, Loki saw Maryn leave Tora's side to stand out on the large portico that overlooked the city on the opposite side of the hall to the gardens. Leaving the discussion on social reforms he was having with a group of nobles, the tall prince strode up the steps toward his betrothed, snagging two goblets of wine on his way to the beautiful woman's side.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Maryn turned her head to see Loki smiling as he walked up the steps to her. He handed her a cup of wine when he reached her side.
"Thank you," she murmured with a small smile, his fingers lingering around the cup he passed to her so that their hands touched before he let go of the silver goblet.
Leaning his tall frame back against the golden balustrade Loki looked out over the people milling about, talking, laughing and enjoying the feast below them, "They believe that the beauty of the night is in there," he motioned with a nod of his head to the Asgardian hall, "But they miss the true beauty if they never once lift their eyes to what's outside."
Sighing and nodding in agreement, Maryn leaned her elbows on the railing, her side brushing against his as her grey gaze slid over the city sprawled beneath them and the stars beyond.
"You wish to ask me something," Loki observed.
Glancing up at him, Maryn's lips twitched into a small frown. She took a large sip of the honey-sweet liquid in her chalice before answering him, "Why…" she stopped to gather her courage, "Why were you angry when you saw Lady Sigyn and her lover in the maze on the night of our hand-fasting?"
Loki turned his body and hooked his hip on the railing looking down at her, "She interrupted us," he spoke plainly.
Maryn couldn't look him in the eyes, "It seemed as if it was more than just annoyance at being interrupted…it was as if seeing them together angered you because you were jealous."
Knowing he had to make her understand, Loki reached out and gently caught her chin, turning her gaze to his own, "Maybe, at one time, it would have been jealousy," he explained, "But now," he shook his head, "Now I have every reason not to care what she does."
Maryn searched his face, her eyes locking onto his, "And you don't?" she asked hesitantly.
The tall prince brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, her cheeks warming with a soft blush at the touch and the heated look in his eyes, "Sigyn means nothing to me anymore, Maryn." He swept his thumb over her lip again, "I would rather learn to please you than worry about anything she is up to."
With a contented smile, Maryn leaned into his touch and closed her eyes before murmuring, "Do you understand how happy I am with you, my Lord?" she asked realising she needed to tell him how she was feeling even if he didn't feel the same. "After my mother was killed and my people barred me from Mithros I thought that I'd never be happy again," she lifted her eyes to his face, "Then, you accepted me and my magic faster and more completely than anyone else. You gave me a family, a brother and another mother and father." Tears filled her eyes, "I can never thank you enough for that, Loki."
Moving carefully he took the goblet from her hands and put it down next to his own on the railing beside them. Pulling her into his arms, Loki hugged her tightly as she pressed her face to his chest, "It is I who am indebted to you, Maryn," he spoke against her hair holding her close as they both relaxed in each other's embrace.