The Betrothal

7 - The Garden

He's going to ask me to dance, isn't he?

  Loki was trying to get through all of the couples dancing the night away, and I can't help but get nervous. Just something about him makes my heart go crazy, and we haven't even said a word to each other.

  He's almost made his way to me when a woman grabs his hands and pulls him into the crowd. She places her one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand and they take off dancing to the fast music playing. What a bikkja!(Old Norse for bitch, I did some research) Wait, why am I so upset? Did I really want him to ask me to dance?

  Then I remember that I told my soulmate to meet me at the garden and I wonder if he's still there, even after I told him I couldn't come. 

  "Darling, are you still at the garden?" I ask. I was a little embarrassed to be talking to my soulmate when my betrothed's brother was sitting right next to me, but he was talking to someone else at the bar.

  'I'm afraid not, love, I got a little preoccupied myself. Would you still like to meet there? I can tell this hag to get off of me..' I laugh a little at his comment.

  "If you can, I'll make my way over as well."

  I thank Thor and get up. Of course the only way over there is through the dancers, I can only hope I don't get interrupted.

  And of course, I never get what I want. A noble man grabs my hand and waist and starts dancing with me. So we'll play this game, huh? I dance with the man until we reach a couple closer to where I need to go when I see Loki. He's dancing with a new woman now and I can see he has the same idea.

  Switching from man to man, I end up in the arms of Frigga as we dance. She seems nice. Kind eyes, gentle hands and a wicked talent for dancing. She looks at me with a look I get from my own mother a lot, looking over me, trying to see if anything's wrong.

  "Darling, is everything alright?" she asks me in a kind tone. It just makes me feel worse for trying to find my soulmate before marrying her son.

  "Yes, your majesty, I believe I'm quite alright. Just trying to enjoy myself," I blush a bit, obviously embarrassed.

  She smiles and looks in another direction and winks. I look where she's looking and see my mother, talking with Loki. What are they planning? I see my mother wink and once we're close to the other couple, Frigga hands me to Loki and her and my mother start dancing again like best friends.

  Loki looks down at me, one hand in mine and the other on my waist, my other hand on his shoulder. It's not like I haven't done this tonight, just something about doing it with him makes my stomach flutter with butterflies. I blush and he chuckles. I shouldn't be feeling this way! I was literally on my way to meet my soulmate. He's about to say something when I let go and walk towards the garden. Which was way easier when people see an upset princess.

  Finally at the garden, I find a bench in a small area in the rose bushes that not many people know about. I don't even think father knows.

  "I'm here, where are you?" I ask, guilty for feeling.. feelings.. for another man.

  'Still on my way, is everything alright?'  he asks, and I can tell he's genuinely worried.

  "Nothing you need to worry about, my love."

  I can hear him sigh and practically hear him shake his head in a playful annoyance to which I giggle at.

  'Then I will see you soon,' this makes my heart flutter again and all of the guilty feelings turn into excitement. Let's just hope nothing goes wrong again.