The next day, Erna decided to show Jane and Darcy around the palace. Although Jane had visited before, she accepted the offered tour with a kind smile. Erna got the distinct impression that Jane felt sorry for her having to marry Loki. Well, it likely wouldn't be the last time someone would assume she was getting the raw end of the deal. They could think what they liked.
Ahead of time, Erna had made sure one of the medical suites was unoccupied so Jane could examine the equipment at her leisure. Most of the exclamations the scientist kept spouting meant little to Erna, but she was glad to see her future sister-in-law so happy. Darcy, on the other hand, looked like a parent indulging their child's interests with a feigned smile.
"I'm sorry, Darcy. I thought this would interest you as well. Are you not Jane's research partner?"
"I was her intern, but now we're just friends." Erna's blank look must have led Darcy to elaborate. "I helped her to get school credit. But I finally graduated last year and now I'm working on my master's degree."
"You did end up minoring in physics at least," Jane interjected.
"Yeah, but that was just because you kept filling my head with your physics junk. I couldn't help but retain some of it." Despite the caustic words, the woman looked pleased at her accomplishment.
"Where do your interests lie, if not in physics junk?"
"Political science."
"Like politics?"
"Exactly! I'm trying to come up with a good thesis topic, but new ideas are hard to come by."
"Would it help if you could see an Asgardian high council meeting?"
"Are you serious?" Her excitement was almost immediately tempered with concern. "Won't that like get you in trouble with the big guy's brother?"
"Loki? No." She reassuringly patted Darcy's shoulder. "I sit in on many council meetings. Legally I can't participate until I'm queen, but I've been familiarizing myself with the players and protocols. You'd have to promise to remain quiet, but we can watch from the visitor's gallery."
"I promise to shut my gob the whole time we're there. Jane? Mind if I blow off your science field trip?"
"Huh?" The woman looked up from the soul forge panel and blinked in confusion before her thoughts caught up with her. "Oh no, I don't mind. Can I stay here and make some notes?"
Erna felt very much like a nanny at that moment, balancing the wants of two charges. "As far as I'm concerned, a princess of Asgard can do as she pleases. If anyone questions you, just act as if you have every right to be here. That always works for me."
"See, Jane? I'm already learning!"
"Have fun." Jane was already bent back over the mechanism, muttering to herself under her breath.
"If you don't show up to dinner tonight, I'll send the guard to retrieve you." All Erna received by way of acknowledgment was a curt not.
The two ladies slipped into the upper level of the council chamber, the attendant guarding the door giving Erna a silent bow of deference. The council servants were well used to her presence by now and the addition of her guest didn't faze them in the slightest.
She chose two seats with a small table between them and waved for tea to be served. Slower than a normal tea service, the servants moved with deliberate care, specially trained not to disturb the meeting below. They even took care to pad the cups, as to muffle the telltale clink of china. Erna often thought that these silent sentinels had some of the hardest jobs in the palace.
As she promised, Darcy remained quiet, barely even touching her tea. When Erna looked over to see if the discussion of tax rates was boring her guest, she was pleased to see her rapt with attention. She'd even produced a notebook from her satchel and was taking furious notes on the proceedings. Confident that Darcy wasn't looking for any avenue of escape, Erna directed her attention to Lord Onund's specious argument to lower the tax on the luxury goods his family was renowned for.
They spent several hours in happy silence, watching the lords debate the merits and pratfalls of various claims. Loki chose to speak little in these types of meetings, electing to listen to everyone while keeping his innermost thoughts to himself. The luxury of being king, he'd told her, was that he made the ultimate decision, but he wanted everyone to feel they'd had their say. As this was a preliminary meeting to discuss sweeping tax code changes, the king barely spoke. He did, however, notice Erna's presence and sent a small wink her way when everyone else's attention was directed elsewhere. They'd likely discuss the meeting's highlights that night.
Erna was only able to drag Darcy away when the council broke for the day. And as soon as they escaped to the corridor, she was beset with happy chatter.
"So that looked like a cabinet kind of. None of those guys are elected, right?"
"No, they are appointed by the king. Some served under his father and some were brought in when Loki took over."
"So was everyone in there part of the same party?"
"Party? I don't understand."
"Ummm," she thought a moment before elaborating. "It's like a political faction. We have two big ones in my country that pretty much run the show. Politicians join the party they think best represents their views."
"Just two views?" Erna was doubtful she had heard correctly. "How can everyone fit so neatly into just two boxes?"
"Yeah, it's pretty stupid. A lot of the founders of our government didn't believe in factions. So I take it every guy there was just coming at it from his own point of view?"
"Yes, we have no such parties in Asgard."
"So that handful of rich white dudes makes all the decisions? Sounds about the same as Earth, actually. Our government is still a total sausage fest."
Erna laughed loudly at Darcy's colorful description of the stodgy council. "I rather like that. But no, those aren't the only decision-makers. We also have a group of elected representatives that see to the interests of the citizens."
"And what are they called?" The notebook was out again and Darcy was poised to record her response.
"The Body."
"Simple. I kinda like it." She scribbled quickly, stopping in her tracks. Erna found her enthusiasm disarming and endearing. If only some of the ladies at court took such an interest in politics, Erna would have more friends. "And what's the council called?"
"The Head. The king and his ministers aren't elected, but The Head has trouble acting without the consent of The Body, or at least that's the way the system is designed to work."
"So what does that make the queen?"
Erna felt a hand slide around her waist and she was pulled back against his chest as Loki replied for her. "The Heart. Our queen is meant to keep both The Body and The Head in check." He wasn't normally this physically demonstrative in public, but the visitors seemed to rouse strange insecurities in him, so she accepted the embrace without comment. "Did you enjoy the meeting, Darcy Lewis?"
"Uh… yes… your grace. It was interesting."
"I'm glad to hear you thought so. I must borrow my fiancée. One of the pages can show you back to your rooms to prepare for dinner." It was a dismissal, but a polite one… at least it was polite for Loki.
"Okay. Thanks for letting me crash your meeting. It really was great." Darcy squeezed Erna's hand before being escorted away, and she was sorry to see the woman go. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable day.
"You're already quite the little hostess."
"It was nice talking politics with someone fascinated by it, such a nice change. She's a lovely woman."
"You wound me, little elf. Do we not discuss the goings on of the palace on a daily basis?"
"Yes, but so far you've been my only respite. It's nice to have another woman to converse with. She too thinks your council lacks female voices."
"And right now we have to keep the council happy if you're to ascend to the throne without incident. You know I care nothing for a counselor's traits aside from intelligence. It makes no difference to me what's between their legs if they're competent. But changes must be incremental if we're to avoid unnecessary resistance."
She sighed and leaned back to kiss the edge of his jaw. "I know, I know. The next big step is the wedding."
"Technically the next big step is to make it through the celebration feasts intact, but I suppose the marriage part is rather important."
"Now what was so urgent that you had to steal me away from our guest?"
"I wanted you to myself before we have to start the feasting."
Glad to be facing away from him, she was sure her face would show surprise and confusion. He never expressed such wants so directly, instead choosing to have at least a flimsy excuse to get them alone. She suspected he enjoyed her company more than most, but he'd never admitted as such. "Why?"
"Can't a man want some time alone with his betrothed?" The teasing, playful Loki she liked the best was in residence today, such a contrast to the man who'd visited her the night before.
"Ah, but you're no ordinary man, sire. You usually eschew such social conventions."
"Well most social conventions bore me, whereas you, little one, do not. You've offered a myriad of interesting and pleasurable distractions since we met." Such compliments never ceased to send a thrill of joy up her spine. By all accounts he was a hard man to please.
"Loki, I'm afraid we haven't the time for any pleasurable distractionsat the moment. The feast will begin soon and as the guests of honor, we're bound to attend." Despite her words, she stayed in the circle of his arms, enjoying the fact that they stood in a public corridor. She hoped this type of demonstration would be commonplace once they were married and everyone ceased caring about her purity.
"What good is being king if you can't have your own way?"
"A few more days and you'll see more of me than you'll probably like."
"Hmmm." His lips ghosted down her neck. "That remains to be seen," he murmured against her skin.
"Come to me after everyone has retired and you can distract me all night if that is your wish." Keeping her tone light, she continued. "But I also have a matter I wish to discuss with you." He must have sensed something amiss, as his light kisses stopped immediately.
"What's the matter, little elf? Has someone upset you?"
"No, it's nothing like that. I just want to talk to you tonight before we get carried away with other pursuits."
"We may not have time for a dalliance, but we have time to talk before the feast." He pulled them over to a nearby bench and motioned for her to sit, face now grave. "What is on your mind, Erna?"
"Loki, we're out in the open." She sat and he took the seat beside her, taking her hands in his. Mischievous Loki was gone, replaced by a sterner version of himself. When he got like this she could easily see the king in him.
"No one can hear us. My guards are out of earshot per my command and they'll keep everyone else away. Speak freely, little one."
"I just thought of something we hadn't discussed before, but I… I'm not sure how to…"
"Be as direct as you usually are. I always appreciate your candor."
"I know that some lords take a mistress or visit the brothels once the excitement of the marriage bed has worn off. My father does it and thinks himself discrete, but everyone knows. And I just… the thought of you doing that makes me ill. I know this isn't a love match, but such a thing feels like a betrayal of loyalty to me and I know I have no right to make demands of you-"
He stopped her with a small shake of his head. "You are the one person that has every right to make such demands. I have no desire to entertain myself in such a manner. You've earned my loyalty and as long as I can expect the same from you, this is a promise I freely make."
"I have no wish to seek pleasurable distractions elsewhere, my king." She smiled up at him, suddenly feeling quite shy. These types of subjects never bothered her in the past, but with an actual marriage in the works everything felt much weightier than she was used to. It suddenly struck her that the vows they made to each other in this manner were far more important than those they'd make publicly. Everything but these direct promises to one another was merely part of the show. Thatwas why it felt so significant to her.
"That was easily attended to. Are you quite sure we don't have time to slip away for a few minutes?"
"No, your majesty, we don't. One, we're rarely quick and two, your brother approaches."
Loki's head whipped around and he glared malevolently at Thor, who took no notice of the dark glower. Instead, he spoke directly to Erna. "My lady, do you know where I might find my wife?"
"She was in the healer's suite last time I saw her."
"Ah, that explains why she hasn't returned to prepare for dinner. I'll likely have to carry her to the feast." He grinned, obviously enamored with Jane's proclivities.
"I see you still feel the right to disobey my orders," Loki growled. She thought his ire unjustified, but again suspected insecurity was at the heart of his behavior. "The guards were meant to keep everyone away from us."
"But I am not everyone, brother. I'm still a prince." He bowed low to Erna. "Apologies to you all the same, Lady Erna. I won't bother you any further." He nodded to Loki, eyes twinkling with humor. "Brother."
Once Thor disappeared around the corner, Erna leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Don't let him leave you in a black mood, Loki."
He didn't acknowledge her words as he stood and roughly pulled her up beside him. "Come. The sooner we get this feast underway, the sooner I can get you alone." Despite the menace in his words, Erna felt a frisson of hot desire low in her belly. Black moods often led to intense pleasure where Loki was concerned. Part of her wished him to stay in an ill humor, at least until later, but that also felt a little cruel. She didn't want him brooding all night.
He grabbed her hand, ready to lead her down the corridor, but she pulled him back. Standing on her toes and wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him with an aggressive fervor that surprised him. She nipped at his bottom lip before pulling away.
"What was that?" he gasped when she released him.
"A promise. I'm yours, Loki. I think sometimes you forget that." She smoothed his hair back into place and slipped her arm in his. "Now escort your fiancée to this damnable feast so we can be done with it."
He silently obeyed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.