Your Majesty - Loki x OC

40: May the Royal Challenge Begin

FREYJA

I sat there and tried to fight down my desire to rip Loki's head off as he and Leif negotiated the terms of the challenge.

Stupid, arrogant, reckless, son of a bitch. I thought as I glared daggers into Loki's back. The muzzle was too cold against my skin, but with the burning rage inside of me, the temperature didn't even register.

It completely baffled me that he would agree to this. He may as well have signed his death warrant. He just agreed to fight a ten foot tall blue popsicle to the death, and all because of me.

We never should've come here.

"And no one will so much as come near Freyja until after the challenge is over?" Loki asked for what felt like the ninth time.

King Leif grinned, giving everyone a flash of those awful teeth. "You have my word."

For a moment, Loki studied the king's face, undoubtedly searching for a lie in his expression. But, after a moment, he seemed to find none. "Excellent. I will see you this evening."

"This evening it is." Leif chuckled. "Get these two out of here."

Steiner grabbed my wrists, still bound behind my back, and dragged me roughly out the door. I let him lead me out. The last thing I wanted to do was stay in that throne room any longer.

We came to a halt just outside the doors. Geir was leading Loki out with a bit more dignity, allowing the prince to walk by himself instead of being towed.

The moment the door slid shut, Loki turned to Steiner and Keld, leveling them with his commanding gaze. "Give me her sword and my daggers."

"No." Steiner replied flatly.

"Why not? We aren't prisoners and currently neither of us have a good reason to run any of you through, but keep treating us like slaves and we may damn well get one."

The three giants went quiet, exchanging nervous glances before Geir finally nodded. Reluctantly, Steiner released the bonds on Loki's wrists and offered him the hilt of my precious weapon, as well as his own knives.

He immediately walked toward me, pulled the muzzle off my face and cut the ropes away from my hands.

"Your sword, my lady." He said jokingly as he handed me my blade.

Just feeling the curve of the handle in my hands, I felt a little bit safer. With a weapon, I could protect myself. I wasn't utterly defenseless in a place surrounded by enemies.

I shoved it into its sheath, the familiar weight settling on my hip. "Why would you accept the challenge?" I asked him as I rubbed my wrists where the ropes had been.

"We can discuss this later." He said in a hushed voice. I understood his meaning. We can argue about this somewhere private.

"Alright." I nodded. "Now what?"

"Eh, excuse me?" A voice said from down the hall. I turned to see the giant named Farbaudi coming down the hallway towards us. He stopped in front of Loki and smiled.

Loki went so rigid that I thought he had turned to stone. He stared up at the large giant with wariness.

His father... or, one of his fathers... turned to Geir and the others. "I can take them from here."