Lower Your Eyes (A Loki Romance Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-One: No longer a slave

"That ring on your finger means nothing," my sister said, glaring at me from across the table.

A mere two days had passed since Loki's surprise proposal. And on the morning of the second day—a great number of celebratory gatherings later—Lilette and I sat on one of the highest towers of Asgard's palace, where it was nice and cool. Despite the niceties we'd managed to exchange, the passing breeze did nothing to alleviate the heated tension that had settled between us.

"I disagree," I said through gritted teeth, wishing Loki were here.

"Unfortunately, yours isn't the opinion that matters—nor is your betrothed. The man in question is my father—" Lilette pursed her lips, catching herself. "I'm sorry—our father."

"I think you had it right the first time," I said, rising from my chair.

This whole thing was pointless. I wasn't sure what I expected when I agreed to meet with her like this, but Lilette had offered me nothing but idle threats. Albeit they were terrifying, but there couldn't have been truth to them—the King couldn't possibly spirit me away from Asgard.

My sister sighed. "Our father—"

"That man is no father to me," I interrupted. "Nor was he a husband to my mother. And if you've come here just to tell me that he's going to make some claim on me, you can take this message back to him—I lived my entire life on the behest of someone else. I will never adhere to that again. I'll end my own life before someone thrusts me back into that pit."

Lilette shot me a pointed look. "He's not going to bring you back to make you a slave, Aila," she said. "You have a blood tie to the King of Niflheim, and to his heir." A pause of silence. "He's going to kill you, Aila. Not kidnap you. You will die, and then there will be no contentions over who should have the crown. There will be nothing that anyone can do to stop him."

"There's no contention now," I said. "Why on earth would any of the people in your realm accept me as queen, even if I did challenge it?"

"You have blood ties to those Chosen by the Alfather himself," she said. "You're as good as blood-tied to the throne itself. As it would be for any one of the other realms." She shrugged. "Save for Midgard, I suppose. They have no monarchy."

"What would you have me do?" I balled my hands into fists. "I doubt you're telling me all this out of a newfound sense of sisterly love, so what do you want?"

"You're right, my intentions are strictly selfish." She rose from her chair and approached me, a dark look passing over her features. "I would have you take the crown."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed. "Excuse me?"

Lilette leaned in. "I would help you get the crown. You would have your freedom, and no one would contest it."

Every fiber in my body screamed in distrust as I stared at her. "Why?" Through all the thoughts swirling around in my head, that was the only response that I could muster.

"Why what?"

Wasn't it obvious? "Why would you give up your own throne?"

Her eyes softened as mine did when I investigated the mirror, plagued by a sad thought rooted deeply in her heart.

"For the same reason you would take it for yourself—I, too, desire my freedom." Her look darkened even further. "I come of age in three months' time—when that happens, I will take the throne, or I will not. Our bloodline was appointed by Odin himself; our people will want to see a proper ruler inheriting the crown. One of the Chosen of the nine realms."