Your Hand To Hold

Chapter Two: Coronation Catastrophe

           Frigga held her hand out towards me as time was running short. I looked to Heimdall for that last push of support as he smiled telling me that he would be there in spirit. He left then, returning to Himinbjörg, the observatory from which he not only guided the Bifröst, but watched for coming threats. I took a deep breath, second-guessing myself for only a moment before I took Frigga's hand and together, we headed towards the staging area.

   The processional was just about to begin. Stewards were directing us this way and that; a few gave me surprised looks but otherwise said nothing. Frigga and I were parted to the left and right once she had explained that Loki would escort us both. I was told that once escorted down, I was to follow Frigga up the stairs and remain three beneath Loki with Sif being on the final step behind me.

   "Apologies, I do not believe I heard you correctly; I am to be above Lady Sif?" The steward ignored me, rolling their eyes and toddling off to attend to Fandral who was struggling with his peace tie.

   "It is because you are a daughter of Frigga, even illegitimately."

   I turned to find him eyeing me up and down casually, yet that familiar smirk played at his face. "I see. I had thought that was not a title I was welcome to."

   "You are here now, in a gown; are you not?" Loki circled me, nodding as he did. "Green suits you almost as well as it does me. Though I believe I know this dress... Mother lent it to you?" I nodded. "You look ravishing. I dare say it looks better on you than it did on Mother and it was made for her figure." He paused once more, his eyes once more looking me over. "I am glad to see that you have accepted my offer."

   "It was not your offer I accepted, Your Highness; Que-Mother," I corrected myself again much to his liking given how wide his smile grew then as his eyes gave away the laugh that did not escape him; "Mother asked me. I could not deny her."

   "Yet you would have tried to deny me? Odd. I had not thought such was possible, Little Dove."

   "I believe you over-estimate your abilities for intrigue, Your Highness."

   "Loki, please. If we are to share a mother, the least that I can allow is for you to refer to me without a title." I nodded hesitantly at him as he reached out, his hand grazing mine as a small spark of electricity seemed to creep up my fingers. He leaned in, closer than he had any right to, to simply whisper that he thought I put Sif to shame.

   I tilted my head up and to the side to look at him, not having thought about how close our faces would be to one another then. I was taken aback for a moment by how much like sea-glass his eyes were; that perfect pale green with a darker leaf shade around the edges. Sif had worn her ceremonial armor just as the others had, for while she was a Lady in title, she was a warrior first. "I think you would feel differently if Lady Sif were also in a gown."

   "I have seen her in such before; she cannot hold a candle to you." There was that odd sincerity in his voice again, that strange look as he lifted his face so his lips were right against my ear as he said it. There was an uncomfortable intimacy about his closeness, his demeanor; yet somehow, I felt energized. As if I was running through the dark, chasing the thunder as the rain fell around me. He had caught me once a year ago doing just that. I had felt eyes on me as I stood atop a stone bench in the garden, arms extended, face upturned; my nightdress soaked and clinging to me. I had spun around searching for them only to find him gazing down from his open window. That had ended my outing, as I had feared not only what rumors would emerge from my unabashed behavior, but from the feeling that had come over me as he had stared down at me, almost memorizing the way I had looked. None had though and Loki had never mentioned it; as I stood there, feeling the same wash of invigoration as he almost nuzzled against the top of my head, I wondered if he had seen me after all and what exactly he was playing at.