Erna stayed in her room the next day, refusing to admit even her father. He claimed to be concerned after she didn't attend breakfast, but she knew he wanted details from her dinner with the king. She had to resort to blaming her monthly cycle for the absence to get him to go away. Nothing chased men away quicker than mention of menstrual cycles. It would be funny if it wasn't so depressing.

She just didn't have the fortitude to smile and put on a show for the court. The pack of courtiers had almost a full day to digest the reality of her meetings with the king, and it wasn't likely their stunned silence would continue. She'd probably be overcome with people suddenly interested in her every word and gesture.

One day in and she was ready for a break from the wolf pack that was the Asgardian court. Had she agreed to Loki's proposition too easily? She thought through not only their previous night's discussion about children, but how ready she was to cope with the court in the elevated position as queen. True she'd have more power than the vicious courtiers, but she'd have to constantly battle their machinations.

But she wouldn't be alone in that battle, if Loki's promises were to be believed. So far, he seemed to be upholding his side of the bargain, but she had no idea if that would last. It was the same misgiving she'd have with any suitor though. Nobody, man or woman, knew with any certainty what marriage would hold. If she wanted predictability then she'd best join a monastic order that could promise boring stability for the rest of her life.

Her mind kept drifting back to the fundamental issue: Loki was a wild card. Was she willing to accept that and start trusting him at his word?

It was something she wrestled with all morning, but she kept going back to her gut feeling that Loki was her best chance for an enjoyable life. And she already had a tenuous trust in him.

When her train of thought was interrupted by one of her handmaidens, she snapped at her in frustration. "What?"

"I'm sorry, my lady, but there's a page here that insists on speaking to you directly. We tried sending him away, but he says the king himself set this task for him."

"Fine. Send him in." Loki had promised her space, yet here he was indirectly invading it.

When the boy was brought to her, she dismissed the maids, unsure if she wanted them to hear what might be said. Time in the palace had taught her a healthy amount of wariness.

"You have a message for me?"

"Y-yes, my lady." The lad was shaking as he bowed to her. Presumably he found the task before him a daunting one. That or the thought of incurring the king's wrath terrified him. It took several failed attempts before he was able to pull a sealed envelope from his tunic and present it to her.

She tore open the gold wax seal and read the scrawling handwriting.

Erna,

Young Olave has been tasked with ensuring your comfort today. Hot stones to ease your pain will be supplied every hour until you no longer require them. If necessary, I can provide a potion to help with pain as well. Whatever you desire, you need just ask the boy and he will procure it.

I hope you don't find this too meddlesome of me, but your comfort is of the utmost importance to me.

L

It seemed she was right to see spies everywhere. Word of her excuse had reached the king in a matter of hours. It was a bizarre feeling. Not only did he seek out the cause of her absence, he'd chosen to exhibit kindness. She probably should have felt bad for lying in the first place, but she'd done what she thought best.

"I… uh… have the hot stones for you as well, my lady. Where would you like them?"

"You can put them on the bed, Olave. Thank you."

Stronger than he looked, the boy was able to carry two sizable river rocks wrapped in a heavy blanket. People heated them in fires and used them as bed warmers in the cold months, but they had other soothing uses as well.

"Olave, I don't think I'll require any more stones today, but I'll send a servant to fetch you if I do."

"But the king said that I was to bring them every hour on the hour without fail." The boy looked almost frantic at being dismissed so early.

"Until I no longer need them. Don't worry, I'll tell the king you followed his instructions to the letter. In fact, if you give me a moment, I'll send him back a reply."

"Yes, my lady." He bowed and watched silently as she found paper and ink.

Your Majesty,

I'll have to remember how quickly word travels around the palace. But it isn't my monthly time yet. I didn't want to deal with my father this morning and that was the quickest way to get rid of him. This was all very kind of you though. I have no doubt Olave would have continued bringing me fresh stones until he collapsed from weariness. Please give him a cordial word- he's terrified of you.

I'd be agreeable to hearing this plan of yours. I'll be in my chambers all day. Talk soon?

Erna

She folded the paper and poured a bit of candle wax onto the seam. Having nothing in the way of a proper seal, she pressed her thumb into the cooling wax. Olave took it with another bow and scurried away. Idly, she wondered how long it would take the busybodies of the court to start talking of the special interest the king had shown in her health. It didn't matter, she realized. They'd gossip about any and all details of their relationship, so she might as well not let that dictate her behavior. Loki certainly seemed unconcerned about it.

It was late afternoon before he joined her, slipping into the room with barely a rustle of fabric. "You'll be happy to know," he announced, "that I rewarded young Olave with flagon of wine from my personal stock."

"Ah, so now he'll be drunk and afraid of you?"

He grinned and gave her a little bow. "Something like that."

She put her book aside and motioned for him to sit in a nearby chair. "I'd call for tea, but secret visits don't come with all the social courtesies, I'm afraid."

"I'm just glad you're ready to talk again so soon."

"With you, yes. Not so with my father."

"You can't avoid him indefinitely. If we're to continue with our plan, you will have to speak to him about my courtship." His eyes twinkled with amusement, evidently enjoying her discomfort.

"As will you, eventually." She shot him an equally impish grin.

"I am pleased to find you in good humor today, little elf."

"Rather than the raving lunatic most women are during their cycle?"

"If more men realized what occurs during that time-frame, they wouldn't be so quick to make such arbitrary pronouncements."

"Oh and you're more enlightened than most?"

"Decidedly. When I was a boy learning how to use my magic, I transformed into a maid, all to amuse my brother. My mother found us in our rooms cackling as I paraded around doing my impression of the fair sex." Fondness and chagrin mixed on his face. "The problem was that my skill didn't quite match up to my nerve and I wasn't able to turn myself back without Mother's help. But she demanded I remedy my misconceptions first. I remained in that body for well over a month and experienced menstruation first hand. I learned some valuable lessons from that experience. Only one of which involved a woman's cycle."

"Your mother was amazing. That is honestly the best punishment for someone like you."

"Like me?"

"Curious and stubborn, but not wholly immovable. You react given the data you have at hand and I think you've long since realized that the more data you have, the better you can shape the outcome to your wishes. Your mother simply gave you more information to consider."

When he didn't immediately reply, she worried that she'd overstepped a boundary. But when he smiled and nodded slowly, she saw he was just considering his words. "That is an astute observation, little one. Not one that I think many would make about me."

"Very few people actually know you, Loki."

"True. And I'm happy to count you as one of them." And he did seem happy. The man who many found so difficult to please, never hid it when she impressed him or pleasantly surprised him. Earning such a man's respect was gratifying, particularly when it was for things many of his sex would chastise her for.

"As am I." She stretched and looked through the curtains to the fading afternoon light. "But it grows late and you'll be expected at dinner soon. Tell me of this plan, Loki."

"In a fortnight I want to make a short visit to Holmsa and I'd like you to accompany me."

"Alone?"

"If wishing made it so, little elf. But no, I can't seem to go anywhere without half the court following. This is a good excuse to let people outside of the palace see you with me."

"Why Holmsa? It's not terribly far away. Couldn't you just summon the lord here?"

"I could, but Lord Starolf is an old compatriot of Odin's and I'm showing him deference by coming to him. He wants to discuss how many troops are garrisoned in his town."

"Will it weaken you politically to give him what he asks for?" Leaning forward, the thought of participating in a political errand, even a small one, intrigued her her enough to pay close attention.

"It might. I could be seen as cow-towing to Odin's cronies, but in some circles it will do me more good than ill."

"So you'll listen to him and agree?"

"Seems the most expedient thing to do. And he really isn't asking for anything I can't give. An extra fifty soldiers is all he wants."

"Sounds like it will be a productive visit then."

"And he'll start spreading the word of my infatuation with you. It will lay the foundation for the old guard to accept your ascension." He seemed pleased at the thought.

"It's odd to think of myself as queen."

"You just aren't accustomed to it. I'm quite looking forward to watching you rise to the challenge of the position."

She snorted derisively. "I'm sure I'll offer you endless amusement."

"I'll have none of that," he snapped. "You are a consummately resourceful person and I don't want you being defeatist before I'm ever able to slip the crown onto your head. I happen to think you'll be an incredibly capable ruler and likely able to win over people in ways I'll never manage."

The confidence he felt in her abilities was heartening in a way she didn't expect. His opinion meant a great deal to her. She tried to let the sting of his rebuke roll off her back, because ultimately he meant well. "I... thank you, Loki. Actually, your certainty helps me tremendously."

"Husbands should be good for something other than conception, don't you think?"

"I agree." She watched the setting sun and tried to imagine what it would be like once they'd gotten away with their scheme. In the grand timeline of their lives, this portion would be just a tiny blip. It was an odd sensation to think that everything consuming her waking thoughts would eventually just fall away as they started their normal life together.

He pulled her from her contemplation with a question. "Are you worried about your father's reaction?"

"About the trip? Not really. He'll likely find something to bluster about, but I'm sure I can get him to allow it. I just hope he doesn't insist on attending to chaperone me."

"I'd find some kind of creative way to keep him here if he tried."

"It can't involve murder, Loki," she laughed at the thought of how he might repay her father's impudence.

"This whole scheme of ours would be infinitely easier if he were to meet an untimely death." A large part of her knew he was joking, but something in his eyes hinted that the offer was on the table if she deemed it necessary.

"I don't want anyone saying you took advantage of a poor woman who'd just lost her father. You'd end up looking even more wicked than ever."

"You think me wicked, little elf?"

"No. I think you've done terrible things, but I also see remorse in you. And I see the good you're trying to do as king and for me that outweighs the mistakes you've made."

"You're very generous in your estimation of me."

"If you're to prevent me from devaluing myself, then it's only right I do the same."

Although his jaw clenched, he gave her a small inclination of his head. Something told her he hadn't had a supportive voice in his life in quite a while. They'd both have to get used to having someone to rely on, someone to bolster them when doubt started to creep in.

"Can I ask you something personal, Erna?"

"Gods, it must be an awful question if you want to ask permission for it first. But go ahead."

"Why is it you haven't snagged an empty-headed bachelor lord of your own and married by now?" He felt the need to amend the question and rushed on before she could reply. "Not that I'm not grateful you haven't, but it just seems your life would be easier if you'd have done that already."

"Is it stubborn of me that I didn't want to settle for that?" She knew what her step-mother would say if the same question was posed to her. "It's not that I was stupidly waiting for some grand romance, but in the long run being saddled with an idiot husband wouldn't be a boon."

"So it was a matter of intelligence?"

"Not completely. Temperament is a huge factor. I've met plenty of eligible noblemen with a brain, but they were incompatible in other ways." He considered her words, but she wanted information as well. "I could ask the same of you."

"It's much the same answer. I've found precious few people I'd be willing to share a meal with, let alone progeny. I didn't want a brood mare."

He looked away, fingering a piece of needlework she had laying on the side table. They lapsed into a charged silence, each aware that they'd shared additional pieces of themselves with one another. It struck her that the experience wasn't unpleasant exactly, as much as it was taxing. These talks tended to leave her mentally weary in a way that normal conversation didn't. Inwardly, she wondered if he felt the same.

"Would you mind if I supped with you tonight?"

"I…" The question had startled her. "No, but I'm not sure how that would work. We can't let the servants know you're here."

"I can conceal myself while anyone else is in the room. You were planning to take dinner in your room, were you not?"

"I was. I'd honestly be glad of your company, Loki. But would I be keeping you from anything more important?"

"Nothing of any consequence. I'd much rather continue our talk."

"Right." She stood and walked over to the door adjoining the servants' room. By the time she turned back to signal her intentions, he'd disappeared completely. Fruitlessly, her eyes scanned the room, unable to see even a shimmer of movement that may signal his position. "Well that's unnerving," she declared to the seemingly empty room.

"Call for the food, little elf. I'm starved." Despite herself, she jumped when his reply came from directly behind her.

"Behave," she admonished him as she knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Never," he crooned, lips very close to her ear.

He'd evidently gotten into a playful mood. This promised to be an interesting meal, she mused, trying to keep a straight face as one of her handmaidens entered the room.