Chapter 18.
Odin watched as both women held their candles in their hands, Loki sitting in the chair with the closed book in his lap and he waited for the persons watching to settle. He closed his good eye, wanting to punish Loki for this and pitying the pale girl as the Paige lit the long tapers. Lorien held her wick out, letting the wax drip into the crystal cup before holding it upright again and she stood quietly.
"Loki requires a quiet Wife, and a patient one who does not constantly need his attentions so that he may continue his studies." Odin said, both women standing over his chair as the curtains were drawn and Lorien scanned the audience for the person who may have sent her the portrait. "Both Ladies will hold their candles and be his light, the first to disturb him with be the loser and make the other the victor in this match. We shall begin when Loki opens his book and begins to read."
"I do hope you enjoy losing Girl, the next thing taken from you will be your head." Princess Varka sneered in a whisper at Lorien and she ignored it to judge who had flattered her so. She remained quiet as the creak and crack of the text being opened began the challenge, and she held her candle steady as she scanned the faces in the audience. Her eyes darted from one person to another, and she could not discern any person's intentions toward her. Her eyes fell on one young man, but he was gazing at the Princess as she shifted on her feet and let out a long huff of annoyance at the test. Lorien knew that she would have a difficult time with this particular one, and she secretly wanted to let the woman win by bowing out of the race to free herself from all this. The temptation to give up and let her fate be decided too great, if she could not have a man who loved her then what use was living? The other woman, shifted again, but Lorien focused back on the audience.
Time passed slowly, dragging by as both women fought a battle against their own bodies. Her feet began to hurt, and she shifted her ankles to relieve the dull pain in her knees. Lorien saw Fandral gazing at her, and she stared back, not noticing the drip of hot wax strike the back of her hand as he winked at her silently. Lorien was sure then that it was he who sent the drawing, and she blushed and hid a smile. Someone admired her, and she knew who it was then. One of the Warriors was seeking her heart, and she wanted to give it to him but she was trapped in a web she could not escape. She also was hindered by her secret, and she silently looked down at the flame of her candle. She saw lost in her thoughts, and she barely perceived Loki reaching the quarter point of his book. Her fate was decided by her own foolishness, and she wanted to cry then and there.
The audience looked bored as well, none of them amused by any of this, and some shifted in their seats as they let out huffs and checked the time. A few persons left, returning later after a short period and they seated themselves again. One woman yawned behind her hand, and Lorien wiggled her fingers to free the hardened wax from the back of her hand. She blinked, glancing at the other woman and she saw the Princess shift again. Her own suffering causing her to want to move, and her eyelids started to droop along with her candle. The girl jerked awake and moved too fast and some of the liquid wax in the cup of her holder spilled on the back of Loki's neck, he shot up and dropped the book and both women gasped in horror. Lorien saw the Princess blink and he tried to shake the hardening pieces out of his hair, and a Maid ran forward with a wet cloth for the back of his neck.
"I am burned! Which girl dripped?" Loki groaned, taking the cloth and Lorien blinked at the Princess. The audience remained mute as they was her finger pointing at the black haired girl and Lorien looked away in shame.
"She did! She moved and her holder tipped and spilled on your hair and back. She has a red spot on her hand where she burned herself as proof." Varka said, her red curls framing her face and Loki looked at Lorien. The pale girl blew her candle out, giving it to the Maid and she gave him a polite curtsy.
"I am sorry, My Prince. I did not mean to cause you harm Sir." She said softly, letting go of her skirts and she folded her hands neatly.
"Do not lie for her, she dripped and she will take the loss." Loki said, gesturing toward Varaka and the Princess looked down at her candle and she blew out her flame with a smirk.
"She admitted it was her, why deny it?" She said, handing her candle to the Maid and Lorien lowered her eyes again. The gold and pearl headband shone against the black velvet of her hair and she curtsied to the Princess.
"Congratulations, Princess. I will take my leave now." Lorien said softly and began to leave the room, she wanting to speak to Fandral before he could leave and thank him for the portrait. Odin shook his head and let out a sigh, and he stepped forward.
"I have one eye, but I see quite well. The wax came from the candle of Princess Varka. Lorien won this round, and she lied to allow her better to take the victory." Odin said and Lorien felt her heart sink at the thought of her winning. She stood quietly, and Varaka glared at the girl. Loki knitted his brows, wondering if the pale girl wanted to lose and he blinked silently. He bowed to both Ladies, leaving them and she did not look up as he left the room.
She did not see how he loved her, for all he did for her, she was hiding herself from him.
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Fandral stood in the garden, talking to a beautifu woman with blonde hair and she giggled at him. Lorien waited, her hands folded and she stared at the rose in front of her, a shadow falling over her and she saw Loki walking toward her. She looked away, her heart pounding and she smelled the fragrant bloom in her fingers. She could not face him now, not after all he had done and made her do.
"Why did you lie? Your life is forefeit if you lose this, is that what you want?" He asked her and she looked at him in shock, her green eyes wide and he stared back at her.
"You married me, stole my innocence, all because you did not want to marry the woman you were bethroved to. I fear that you do not love me as you claimed, and only wish to let the woman who had you first win. I will not let myself face a loveless life, nor do I have any desire to be trapped in such a horrible cage of another's making." She said softly, walking on and he followed her. He grabbed her arm, turning her around and her skirts flared about her. She tried to pull away, but he held fast and she tried to cower.
"If you think that I would hold no affections for you, then you are a fool. Did you not get my portrait?" He asked and she gasped at the revelation. He handed her another paper and she saw pastel under his index fingernail. Her shaking hands opened it, and she looked at the sketch of her sleeping and she felt her eyes fill with tears.
"I... I am a true fool then, will you accept my apology?" She whispered, her eyes looking up at his then and she folded the drawing back up again. He let go of her, and she looked carefully down the halls to see if they were alone.
"I must feign no favor toward you, in order to protect you from the Princess. She is ruthless, and I could not live if anything happened to you. Your apology was accepted as soon as I saw it on your face." He said, taking her hand and pulling her along the halls until they stood in an alcove together alone. They sat on a stone bench in it, the ivy hiding them from view and he caressed her cheek gently. She turned her face away from him, guilt for her actions causing her shame and he turned her back toward him.
"I am so very sorry. I... I was scared... and how you spoke to me..." She said, his lips finding her and he pulled her close to him. She reciprocated the contact, her hand on his shoulder and he pulled her closer to him. She gasped, her heart singing his name and she felt his forehead against hers.
"We are both fools, love makes us this way. But together, we will remain steady." He whispered and kissed her again. "I miss you next to me Lorien, my bed is empty without you. I long to caress your sweet face, and kiss your pretty breasts."
"My heart is empty without you, I want to be with you so much but I fear she will find a way to be rid of me." She replied with a blush, and he pushed her skirts over her legs and kissed her again. His fingers fumbled with the laces on his trousers, and he freed himself for her alone and she welcomed him fully. They were alone behind the ivy and their hearts were so close together, the plants their only witness to their love and undisturbed. She wound her fingers into his hair, her legs welcoming him and he held her waist so that she did not fall. She gasped, her thighs trembling, and he held her closer to him as he kissed over her neck and she bit her lip at the tenderness that was happening. His lips found the tops of her breasts, and she gasped as he breathed against them. She had never known a world such as this, and she was afraid to let it go.
"Lorien, my beautiful raven." He whispered, her lips pressing shut to prevent sound to come from them. He thrust against her, her eyes closing and she drowned in his scent and she clung to him and sighed. "My heart is linked to yours, and soon we will not part."
"Never." She gasped, his body moving against hers and she bit back a whimper of pleasure. Their bodies stilled, both of them trembling in passion and their lips met and parted again and they gazed into each other's eyes.
"I fear this was a moment to show favoritism, but I cannot resist you." He said and she blushed, her fingers over his lips and he kissed them one at a time. She traced his brow, her fingers memorizing the contours of his face and she smiled at him and giggled.
"I do not care, I love you and hope to never make you doubt me again." She said and he kissed her softly, lacing his pants back up. They heard voices coming close, the Princess and her Maids chatting and Lorien clamped a hand over her mouth and she felt Loki lift her feet up and cover her legs with her skirts again. He remained silent, the women pausing and Lorien looked nervous for being caught.
"He is mine! I will have him, even if it means killing the Slave Bitch. She has no graces, no wit, she is not even learned as I am! It should be me in his bed, not her!" Varka said, stomping her foot and the Maids tried to calm her.
"We planted a suprise for her in her bed tonight, it will ensure that she is no longer a trouble to you My Princess. The Danaver Adder is the most venomous snake in all of Vanenheim, one bite to her foot and she will be dead by morning. The Prince will be all yours, and you will warm his bed before her body cools." The Maid said, calming the red haired woman and Lorien looked at Loki with wide eyes. She saw his anger, and he pressed his lips together in rage. She held his hand, shaking her head and kissed him softly to calm him.
"I know that, and I pray it works, I want him and he will learn to worship me." Varka said, the sound of them walking on relieving Lorien and the lovers clung to eachother in their hiding place. He caressed her cheek, the soft ivy keeping them in cool shade and she looked at him.
"I will see that the snake is removed, I will do it myself and kill the beast if I must. I will also report this plot to Odin, she broke the rules and forfeited her claim." He said softly and she shook her head.
"Let us continue to compete, I will humiliate her and show that I am the better woman. Please do this for me." She asked him and he grinned at her, kissing her lips softly and nodding as she held his cheek.
"Yes. I do have a question however, do you spin threads?" He asked and she nodded with a confused blink. He laughed and kissed her again, his lips so warm on his and she giggled.
"I was a farm girl before you chose me, I could spin a fine thread from cotton."
"Good, because in a day, you spin cotton into gold." He said, and she saw him wave his fingers at her and small lights danced before her. She closed her eyes, blushing and she knew he would use his magic to help her win this tournament.
"We should not cheat."
"She is, how is me aiding you any different? I am only giving you an edge after all." He said, holding her close to him again and she giggled a bit. She kissed his nose, making him frown and he laughed at her playfulness. He ran his hand over her bodice, slowly walking his fingers up to her chin and tapped it. "She is plotting to murder you, why not ensure that arrogance and desire are not one in the same."
"I understand, but I would rather win on my merits alone." She whispered, both of them falling silent as someone walked past them. The remained quiet, his fingers tracing the lace at her neckline and she bit back a gasp as he caressed her neck. His lips falling to her breasts again and kissing each of them.
"You already won on your merits alone, I married you for your beauty and sweetness." He said, kissing her cheek and holding her to him. "I now want you as my wife forever, to worship and adore. I chose you for your fire, don't let it fade."
"I promise, never..." She gasped as he kissed her neck and she blushed. "Never to let it burn down."
"I adore you Lorien, and cherish your heart." He whispered, their voices soft and he moved the tendrils of ivy aside to help her stand and smooth her dress. He kissed her one last time, holding her and he walked one way down the hall, she slowly walking the other so that no one would know of their tyrist behind the curtain of ivy in the garden. Her heart filled with joy, and a drawing hidden inside her corset so that she could smile forever.