The next few days were spent enjoying each other's company and learning the body and needs of the other. Maryn was content to be alone with Loki always but their wedding week came to an end too soon and Loki was called away by his father on matters of state the morning after. She woke when the prince pressed a kiss to her lips in the early morning, his lips ghosting over her cheek to brush against the shell of her ear.
"I will return as quickly as I can, sweet one. Wait here for me."
Maryn looked up at him sleepily; the sheet of their bed and his clothes the only thing between them. She had learnt after the night they had bound their magic together that Loki preferred she not wear anything to their bed after he had torn her nightgown to shreds in his haste to reveal her body. "I cannot, Loki. Tora and my other handmaidens will be here to draw me a bath in an hour and yesterday I received a note from your mother requesting I meet her for an early lunch."
His eyes darkened with annoyance and two creases appeared between his black brows. "It seems I am already to compete for my new wife's affections not a day after our wedding week."
He turned and stood to leave but Maryn caught his hand and sat up ignoring that the sheet slipped to her waist exposing her to him. Wordlessly she drew him down so that he was leaning over her as she lay back, "Do I look like a wife who would easily forget her duty and love for her husband?" she asked softly.
Loki reached out and drew his fingertips over her soft skin, "No, my love, you look like a truly satisfied woman who has her husband on his knees at her feet, blinded by love."
She shuddered at his touch but the tone of his words made her worry, "I would never treat you as such, Loki. Do you not trust my love for you?"
He smiled suddenly, the tension and darkness leaving his body so abruptly Maryn could almost believe she imagined them, "Forgive me, sweet one. I am only in a foul mood because of this summons. I had hoped to spend many more hours in bed with you today."
Maryn nodded, his hand moving over her body distracting her enough that she couldn't see through the congenial mask he had pulled into place, "I promise to lay in bed with you as long as you wish after your audience with your father, my love," she whispered, propping herself up on her elbow and pressing her lips to his in a kiss that quickly became heated.
Loki broke the kiss and pressed his lips to her forehead, "I will hold you to that, my love," he murmured and before she could stop him he had left their room.
Frowning, Maryn collapsed onto the mattress and pulled the bedclothes back over her body.
She was woken an hour later by a soft knock on the bedroom door and smiled at Tora when the other woman stepped in through the portal, Gaia, Bjorna and Kersin at her heels. The three other maids disappeared into the bathroom to fill the bathing pool and organise everything Maryn would need.
The princess conjured a white shift that was sleeveless and had a neckline of gold cord. It was loose and was held closed at the front by a ribbon that was easy to untie. Her hair she pinned quickly in a messy bun as she stood from the bed. When she and Tora walked into the bathing room, Gaia, Bjorna and Kersin were laughing and gossiping and Maryn smiled softly letting their quiet words wash over her as she knelt beside the pool and ran her fingers through the flower petals that had been put into the pool to scent the water and her skin. She preferred this method to the perfume other ladies of the court seemed to enjoy drenching themselves in. So lost in her thoughts, it took her a few moments to realise that the chattering around her had disappeared. Lifting her gaze to her maids she saw that they were all standing off to the side, their heads bowed as they curtsied to Loki who was standing in the doorway, his darkening green irises locked on her.
"Leave us," he commanded not even sparing them a glance. With knowing grins and tittering laughs, the four women left the room, Tora turning to close the door with a smirk that made Maryn's cheeks pink.
Her attention was soon drawn to her husband who strode toward her the moment the door closed, his hand flicking out toward the portal where an audible click of the lock sent a thrill fizzing through her blood and made heat settle low in her stomach. The look in his eyes, however, wasn't one she had seen before. Taking a step back from him when he advanced on her, Maryn's breathing quickened when his hand shot out and tangled in her hair, pulling her against his body. Her hands flat against his chest, Maryn tried to catch her breath, his rough treatment sending lust spiralling though her but also making her worry about what had happened in the meeting with his father to rile him up so.
Before she could ask, however, he slammed his mouth down over hers and backed her into the pool to the deepest part where the water rose to her waist. Dragging his mouth from hers he smirked down at her clearly enjoying her passion hazed eyes and the heaving of her chest as she tried to catch her breath. "You will not speak unless I permit it. Do you understand?" he growled his look wild.
Maryn nodded wordlessly and allowed him to drag her back to himself before he took her roughly in a way that made her crave more of him that ever before.
When they were both sated, they relaxed at the edge of the pool, Maryn held tight to Loki's chest, their now soaked clothes in a pile at the edge of the pool.
"Will you tell me now why you were so wound up?" she murmured, her eyes closed and her left hand laced into his damp black hair as he kissed her shoulder and neck.
Loki was quiet for a long while before he murmured against her skin, "Father had asked me to join him in a council meeting. My brother was there as well." Maryn had a sense of where his explanation would end and felt her heart tighten in sympathy. "They pander to Thor's immature ideas of what a ruler's choices should be and then the very minute I open my mouth to utter even a semblance of an idea to give a solution to whatever trouble they are trying to solve I am laughed at and ridiculed for being too harsh in my thoughts."
Maryn closed her eyes, her mind working furiously to try and think of words that would ease the betrayal he felt. "There is more, isn't there?" she spoke softly turning to face him.
He spoke, "Mithros-." He froze his gaze on her shoulder.
"Loki?" she asked worried when his skin paled and his eyes slid closed. His hands left her body and she felt a cold shiver slip over her skin at his sudden change in demeanour. "What is it?" she reached out to cup his face but he caught her wrists.
"You should have stopped me when I first hurt you," he snarled pushing her hands away and getting up out of the water, pulling a large towel around his waist as he did.
Maryn saw that his shoulders were tense and his hands shaking. Not understanding what he meant by hurting her, she got out of the water and made her way to a mirror hanging on the wall opposite the pool, wrapping a towel around her body as she went. She understood as soon as she saw her reflection. Across her shoulders and collarbones there were small bruises, evidence of love bites. She let the towel drop and saw long bruises along her hips and thighs as well as more love bites on her stomach and, when she turned, on her shoulder blades as well. She jumped when Loki's reflection appeared behind hers, his hands reaching out and curling around her hips, his fingers laying the length of the bruises there. She saw a dark anger in him then, one that was directed at himself and his actions. Afraid she turned to look at him opening her mouth to sooth him but he spoke before her.
"Forgive me, my love," he said his voice gentle but his tone distant, "I should never have come to you when I was so wrought with anger."
Feeling him pull away from her, Maryn panicked. Grabbing his hands to keep them on her hips, she spoke quickly, "Do not apologise for I enjoyed our lovemaking." Her cheeks burned at the words but she realised they were true the moment she spoke them.
Loki's gaze snapped to hers, "How could you enjoy something that has hurt you?"
She felt the warmth of his magic soaking into her skin. Knowing he was healing the bruises in her flesh the princess looked away ashamed by her admission. "I-I love every part of you no matter what it is."
He grabbed her wrist suddenly, dragging her roughly against his chest, "You would love me even if I had lost control and hurt you worse than this, wouldn't you?!" he snarled shaking her slightly his emerald gaze sharp with anger.
Maryn's own ire rose and she lifted her chin, "Yes, my lord husband, I would." The silence between them was charged and heavy and Maryn thought he would kiss her before he suddenly dropped to his knees before her, leaning forward so that his forehead was pressed to her stomach. She felt the tension and anger drain for him and then he was trembling, his long arms winding around her waist.
"Don't leave me," he murmured so softly she barely heard him
Realising he perhaps did not want her to hear his words; Maryn carded her fingers through his hair, tears filling her eyes at the tremor in his voice, "I will never leave you, Loki. Until you bid me to leave your side and even after that I will be yours in every way. My heart, body and spirit are yours now and until we meet in the heavens after death." He took a breath and released it slowly but Maryn couldn't help but think that there was something else behind his anger and distress. "What happened to make you doubt that, my love?" he looked up at her but she interrupted his answer, "And do not tell me that it was only the council pandering to your brother. You said something about Mithros."
Taking a breath, Loki steeled himself and then stood, waving his hand and dressing them in their magically dry clothes before he took her hand and led her out of the bathing room and into their bedroom. They sat on the sofa in the ante room that had become his study and faced each other there.
Loki took her hands in his, "Mithros has sent an envoy to speak to mother and father." He was studying her closely as he spoke, "His claim is that you were promised to him by Coros before he died and as such you must come before a council on your home world so that they can dissolve the betrothal."
Fear, raw and hot, slithered into a tight knot in the pit of Maryn's stomach at his words.
The Dark Prince continued his voice flat and angry, "He proposed an alternative. He would take you as his wife ignoring that you are no longer a maiden and if a child resulted from our union it would be sent back to Asgard to be among its people."
"I think I am going to be sick," Maryn whispered, trembling and yearning for the comfort of Loki's arms around her. She slowly raised her eyes to her husband, "They…he cannot take me, can he?" she asked.
Loki's jaw worked and then he looked up his eyes blazing, "He will not come near you while I still have breath left in my body, I swear it," he spoke passionately before pulling her into his lap and wrapping his arms around her.
The trembling that had started as soon as he told her what had happened had turned into a violent shaking causing her teeth to chatter as she curled into his chest. There were no tears yet and her magic was still under control but they were both worried what would happen next.
Pressing as close to him as she could, Maryn buried her face against his neck, "I hate him," she snarled her fear morphing into anger.
Loki pulled back to see tears on her cheeks but a dark fury flickering behind her pewter irises. It was a look he knew well but had only expected to see reflected in his mirror at times, to see it shadowing Maryn's gaze made him even more resolved to end the involvement her people and home world had in her life. "Then let us destroy them, wife," he growled.
Maryn blinked and the wrath cooled in her, "What do you mean?"
"We go to court, show him that there is no possibility that he can have you and then we ask for an audience and make sure he understands absolutely that you are not leaving, now or ever."
Still unsure and with her feelings warring confusingly, Maryn nodded and let Loki pull her into his arms once more.