As tired as she was, Erna spent half the night contemplating the king's offer. Other than her siblings, there was nothing left for her in Alfheim. Going back would mean her father would eventually marry her off to some odious nobleman. And although Loki expected her to give him children, it was with her consent. In many ways he was so unlike the men she'd known at home or at the Asgardian court. He'd treated her like an equal from the outset.

In the end, the decision was a simple one. She'd be foolish not to at least try. As he'd said, she could always bow out if it didn't feel like it would work. Her alternative was heading home with her father, destined for an unhappy lot in life. And it wasn't the power that was the seduction in his proposition. No, the prospect of being queen wasn't the draw. It was the freedom. Hell, she didn't even know if she would be a good queen, but she knew she'd be happier as a free woman.

Once she finally resigned herself to giving Loki's plan a go, she found it easy to drift into a contented sleep.

The next morning, however, left her impatient and restless in an entirely different way than she'd felt before Loki breezed into her chambers. The morning crawled by and even the courtier's gossip couldn't distract her from the planned meeting. It was an odd feeling to know that in a matter of hours they'd be gossiping about her.

The luncheon in Asgard was generally a relaxed gathering, so no heavy social interactions were expected of her. She picked at the food on her plate though, unable to muster much of an appetite. There was no reason to be nervous, she kept telling herself. This was just the first part of what would be a carefully orchestrated show. But she wasn't used to being the center of attention, much less the center of the entire palace's attention.

She wondered how Loki would know where to find her in the cavernous library and debated whether to frequent her preferred nook or to find somewhere more public to wait. Deciding not to deviate from her usual habit, she opted to retire to her favorite chair with an interesting volume she'd found. Attention would follow the king no matter where he ventured and she'd rather be on somewhat familiar ground. A nagging thought told her that Loki probably already knew her favorite spot anyway.

Though fascinating, the volume on alchemy she pretended to read couldn't capture her attention. Excitement and apprehension warred with each other as she pretended to read. When a deep voice greeted her, she almost cried in relief.

"Lady Erna, what a pleasant surprise to find you here."

"Your majesty," she greeted him stiffly, only able to jump to her feet and curtsy out of habit. Silently she thanked her nannies for drilling this kind of etiquette into her head. Their charade was just starting and she was nervous already.

"I'm hoping you can help me." He grinned at her, back to any curious courtiers that might be watching. He offered her a wink and she felt the tiniest bit calmer. They'd discussed this and she was in as much control of it as he was. She could do this.

"I'll do what I can, sire."

"I'm looking for a particular tome on alchemical reagents and the librarian thought you may have borrowed it." That was likely rubbish. Nobody had paid any attention to her as she searched the shelves for a new book.

"I have it here," she handed the book to him. "Of course you have first claim, as this is your library and I'm merely a guest." Already she'd glimpsed three ladies walk past the alcove, taking notice of the conversation. It was a heady feeling to know that something they'd planned in advance was working exactly as imagined.

"I wouldn't want to take it from you, Erna."

"I insist, your majesty. I'll be happy to read it when you're finished with it."

"I could offer you a compromise. I just need it to confirm a few calculations I'm making." He paused as if considering the situation. She could see how much fun he was having. "Why don't I return it to you at dinner? Sup with me and I'll make it up to you for absconding with your book."

"Really, your majesty, it's no trouble." She tried to communicate her horror to him, having no idea he'd move so quickly. "I wouldn't want to impose." Suddenly gossip had turned into dinner in front of the whole court and she wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Nonsense," he declared warmly. "I insist you join me. We can discuss your interest in alchemy. It's not often I find a fellow admirer of it to converse with."

As if she had any recourse to decline. "Thank you. I would be honored."

"Wonderful! I'll send someone to fetch you once my council meeting is done."

His smug, knowing smile left her with a new urge to commit regicide. They hadn't discussed anything of this magnitude so soon. She promised herself that she'd have a private word with him as soon as possible, but even the thought made her uneasy. How did one demand a private meeting with the king? As far as anyone else knew, she was just a light elf visiting the capital with her father.

Somehow she managed the expected, "Thank you, my lord," in reply. The surreal feeling just intensified after he took his leave. She became acutely aware of the whispers around her and nobody approached her as she walked back to her room.

In less than an hour, her father bounded into her chambers, a cunning smile on his round face. "Dinner with the king! From what I've been told, that doesn't just happen."

"I take it you approve?" She'd hoped she wouldn't have to deal with her father just yet, but then again the day hadn't exactly gone to plan. Well, nother plan anyway.

"Approve? Of course I approve!" This was more spring in his step than she'd seen in weeks, but something about his ebullient attitude made her uneasy. "Just be yourself and he'll be eating out of your hand in no time!"

"Myself? Since when do you think being myself is the right move in any situation? Barely a fortnight ago you reminded me that my usual behavior would be looked upon with a critical eye here in Asgard."

"You make it sound as if I disapprove of my own daughter." The shocked outrage in his voice only made her angry.

"You disapprove of my behavior on a daily basis! I haven't found a husband yet, I read more than is seemly for a woman, my temper is too quick to overflow, I'm too lenient with the servants, the list goes on and on."

"I've never once chastened you for not getting married!" He might actually believe the nonsense he spouted, she realized.

"No, you leave that to your wife while you sit by and say nothing in my defense!"

"Your mother just wants what is best for you."

"Don't think for one minute that I believe her cutting comments are meant to come out of maternal affection. That woman has always resented my presence. So don't pretend that your only goal is to see me happy."

By this point his face was beet red and all he could muster was a series of angry grunts. Not eager to wait for his voice to return, she stormed out of the room, intent on finding a quiet spot and gathering herself before she was summoned by the king. She wanted to hit something and longed for her staff and a training dummy. There was no time for any of it though. She couldn't just march to the palace training grounds and demand a place to practice. Even if the court sanctioned such behavior from a woman, she didn't have time to change and bathe after the kind of sparring she needed after such an exchange.

So she tucked herself away in a small, lonely garden on the north side of the palace. As she sunk down onto one of the carved wooden benches, she chastised herself for getting so angry. In the end it hadn't done her any good. Her father would still be the same man he always was and she only managed to upset herself. But there was a part of her that just couldn't believe that he would be so sure Erna's true personality would be enough to enchant the king. Her father had no idea that was exactly what Loki claimed to be true. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

When a soft cough and the greeting, "Lady Erna," intruded into her thoughts, she was startled to see it was already twilight. "The king has requested that I escort you to the dining hall."

"Of course." She stood and smoothed the front of her dress, remembering for the first time that she should have changed into something more elegant for dinner with the king. She cursed her father's intrusion. If he wouldn't have interrupted her, she could have properly prepared for the evening. Well, nothing to be done now, she thought as she followed the hulking soldier to her second public performance of the day.