The Blood Of A God || Loki Laufeyson

XXIII - Arranged

So southern Ontario weather is completely and utterly bipolar.

My friends were clinging to me on Thursday because they were cold af (I DON'T GET COLD SO HAHAHAHAHA) and now today I felt like I had a fever

In Huron County we seriously have NO transition

Like we go from Winter straight into Summer

I  HATE YOU, MOTHER NATURE

k bye

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Chapter Twenty-Three

Winter came quicker than expected. Within only a few weeks, the snow had begun to fall and before long the trees and forest floor were covered in white. Everything glistened in the light, seeming to shine even more every day. Seline enjoyed it far more than the summertime.

As the seasons changed, so did the hunters, including Loki. They seemed to become happier as time went on. She was especially glad to see Loki becoming more cheerful and not falling back into the more depressed and angered version of himself. No matter how much she waned to, she could not deny that she cared for Loki. She didn't quite know how strongly she cared for him, but she wasn't willing to question it.

That night, for some unexplained reason, was particularly harsh to Seline. She just couldn't sleep, and it was because she could not get rid of the feeling that something very, very bad was about to happen. She didn't know what, and she didn't care to find out. But something was coming, and soon. How soon, she simply wasn't sure

The next morning was equally as harsh, but only becuase it was rushed and stressful. They were taking a large cart of food to the palace along with two horses to take it and two horses for Loki and Seline to ride. Augustus would man the cart while the two of them rode ahead. They were pretty much Augustus' bodyguards. She and Loki were determined to not let what happened to Seline's friends happen to them as well. It would never happen again, and she would make sure of that.

Seline didn't know why Loki cared about what had happened that much. She didn't know why their deaths mattered to him so much. Perhaps she would ask him some day.

It would be night by the time they reached the palace, but they had all agreed that they didn't want to make camp. The closer that they got to the palace, the more anxious and nervous Seline appeared to get. And Loki noticed.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his horse galloping up beside hers.

"Of course," she stated, not looking at him and only keeping her eyes on the pathway ahead.

"Have you forgotten what they call me?" he chuckled. "I am the God of Mischief and Lies, Seline. You think I don't know when you are not telling the truth?"

She stayed quiet. She didn't want to speak because she didn't want to argue with him.

"You feel it as well, don't you?" he asked, his tone suddenly turning grim. "You feel as if something terrible is about to happen."

Her lips parted, and her eyes widened. "You feel it too?"

He nodded, looking back to the path. "I've felt it for days now."

"What do you think will happen?" she asked him. "What would be so terrible?"

"I'm not entirely sure," he stated. "I can only hope that the Norns will take pity on us."

She nodded, then swallowed dryly. She had experienced this dread before, but never to such an extent. Whatever this event would be, Seline had a feeling that it would change their lives forever.

After they finally reached the palace walls, Seline and Loki both decided to dismount their horses after the long ride. They led their horses along the city roads, which were now covered in a thin layer of snow.

However, that seemed to be a bad idea, seeing how many of the people immediately turned to look at them with disgust and hatred. Well, at least, they looked at Loki that way.

The Asgardians began to whisper to each other and stare at him, which didn't seem to inspire a good reaction out of him. He was staring down at the ground, and she could see the sadness lingering in his eyes. But she could also see that he was angry, too. So much that he was barely controlling himself. He had his jaw clenched and his his hand was gripping the reins of his horse with an alarmingly large amount of strength.

"They're watching us," she muttered, loud enough for him to hear her but quiet enough so that the people did not.

"No," he stated, and he thought that she wouldn't notice the way his voice cracked ever so slightly. But she did. "They're watching me."

"Why would they look at you in such a way?" she asked, her brow furrowed as they finally reached the palace.

"Because they now know who I truly am," he stated, handing the reins of the horse to one of the lingering servants before he went up the steps and into the palace, leaving Seline to think about just how truly saddened those words sounded.

*

It was late. Only a few people were awake in the castle as far as Seline could tell.

Her footsteps echoed in the hallways as she wandered around the empty castle, and it was a long time before she saw anyone else.

She heard them before she saw them. The brothers and the fellow servant she had missed so much.

They both walked ahead of her, and she couldn't help but grin when she came around the corner and saw them.

"I don't think I've ever seen you two out of the kitchen before," she called out, grinning when they both froze in their steps.

They turned to look at her, their mouths ajar before their lips pulled up into wide smiles when they realized who it was.

"Seline!" Ace shouted, before they both ran right at her.

Her eyes widened a little when Newt got to her first, wrapping his arms around her and hugging as tightly as he could. She didn't expect him to be so forward and actually willing to even touch people, but she welcomed his enthusiasm with open arms. Ace bounded over to them soon afterwards, pulling them both in a bear hug. Seline was pretty sure that if she were a human, the two of them would have snapped her in half with their combined strength.

She laughed, hugging them both back.

"I've missed you both as well," she said, still chuckling a little.

"Where in Odin's name have you been?!" Newt asked as the two of them pulled away from her.

"You were suddenly just gone day. We were informed that you returned one night a month or so ago and left with the Prince the next morning!" Ace exclaimed, his eyes wide with both happiness and surprise. "Perhaps you should fill us in?"

"Well..." she sighed. "It's a long story."

"We have time," Ace chuckled. "Too much of it, honestly."

And so, they went to the kitchen, where Ace and Newt gave Seline some ale and she explained just what had happened to her. She told them everything. How she had left because she was frightened (she didn't tell them why), how she had been with Amond and Kayla the night that they died, and how she had finally felt happy, even with Loki lingering around.

"Seline, do you..." Ace rose an eyebrow, continuing his question. "Do you care for Prince Loki?"

"Of course I do," she said, nodding.

"I mean... Do you care for him strongly?" he asked her.

Seline bit the inside of her cheek. "I don't know."

"Well, perhaps you should find out soon," he said. "I hear that the Allfather may be planning an arranged marriage for him."

Seline's heart skipped a beat.