Raina: The Dark Princess (LokiFanFic)

Raina: The Dark Princess

“Raina stop fidgeting.  You are making me nervous,” an older noble woman slapped the young woman’s hands sitting across from her in the fleet carriage. 

“Sorry, mother, I just can’t shake the feeling that something bad will happen in Asgard while we are here,” Raina replied.  She started fidgeting with her raven black hair that had been braided down her back earlier by her maid.

The older woman laughed, “You are being ridiculous!  You will be married to the Asgardian prince.  Stop being foolish.”  Again she slapped Raina’s hands away, forcing Raina to hold her hands in her lap.

Raina sighed, “What if I don’t love him?”

Her mother frowned, “We don’t marry for love.  We marry for power.  Don’t forget that.”  With that the conversation was over.  When the queen of Vanaheim was finished with a conversation, there was no changing her mind.

Raina just looked out the window and daydreamed of a different life.  The Vanaheim princess was known by many of her people for being kind and soft-hearted, yet many traitors had seen her wrath before.  Many people were afraid of her mother…but Raina’s power was much stronger than her mothers. 

Raina’s mother, Allise, had been born into a lesser noble family, but won the heart of the new King of Vanaheim.  Raina remembered how her father would tell her the story of how he met Allise.  He would describe her raven black hair and glistening amethyst eyes and always make a remark of how Raina reminded him of a younger Allise.  Raina looked so much like her mother, except her eyes were the color of emeralds.  

The days of dreaming were over when the king died and Raina’s mother took the throne fully.  Raina knew her mother’s ruling was harsh, where as her father’s rule was peace.  As soon as other realms heard of the new queen to rule Vanaheim, they attacked.  Allise used Vanaheim’s most powerful weapon against its enemies.

Now Raina’s mother decided that in order to make an ally, she must marry Raina off to the Asgardian prince, Thor.  Raina had heard many stories of Thor, but she had heard many more of his brother, Loki.  She admired Loki for his mischievous doings as she was named the troublesome princess among the servants in the Vanaheim castle always causing a ruckus most days for her own amusement. 

The carriage came to a halt suddenly, jolting Raina from her daydreams.  She had not realized they entered Asgard on the Bifrost.  The door to the carriage opened and a hand helped Queen Allise out and Raina followed, taking the hand of her maid, Mae.  They were in a room that only possessed a sword and an Asgardian Sentry.  He smiled as he seemed to be looking straight into Raina’s eyes, into Raina’s future in Asgard.

“Welcome, Queen Allise and Princess Raina, I am Heimdall.  Odin has arranged for you to take a scenic route through Asgard, so Princess Raina can see her future home fully,” he bowed to them both.

Raina saw that another vehicle of some sort had arrived for them and off they were to see the splendors of a world that started from nothing.  Raina admired the scenery, her mother looked more annoyed that they were wasting time when Raina would have all the time in the worlds to look at Asgard when she became queen.  Raina saw it as an opportunity to see the people of Asgard.  They seemed to fair better than the people of Vanaheim under Allise’s rule.  Raina knew it was treason to think that way especially of her mother, but her people were suffering.  Allise was using her daughter for her own good, a Vanaheim princess and an Asgardian prince would bring more to Vanaheim, but also spread the Vanaheim royal bloodline. 

At last they arrived at the Asgardian palace, many servants came to help the queen and princess.  Allise refused their help, she felt that servants were beneath her which is why most of the servants of the Vanaheim castle were frighten of her.  Raina gladly accepted their help and even smiled at all of them.  Even though Raina was a troublemaker to most of the servants, they still loved her because she treated them with kindness and respect.  She had never shout or hit her servants; however, she had witnessed her mother hit Mae once for letting Raina be late for an important dinner.  Later that night, Raina held ice to Mae’s face and cried with remorse.  Ever since, Mae and Raina were great friends.  In front of Raina’s mother, they were princess and servant.  In private chambers, they were friends, equals.

Raina looked behind her to make sure Mae was still with her.  Mae looked up for half a second and smiled to assure Raina she wasn’t leaving her for anything.  Their entrance to the palace was a blur mixture of reds and gold as they were escorted to their rooms to change out of their traveling clothes and into more suitable attire to see the Asgardian king as soon as possible.

Mae, a petite woman with ice blonde hair pulled back from her face and brown eyes, smiled at Raina, “Did you see the town?  It is amazing!”

Raina smiled, “I can’t believe how happy the people look.  I certainly wish Vanaheim’s people looked as joyous as the Asgards.”  Raina looked away for a second and shook her head. 

Mae laid out a dress of light fabric and the color of scarlet with matching shoes and helped Raina out of her traveling clothes.  She noticed Raina’s odd behavior and asked, “What’s the matter Raina?”

Raina let out a frustrated sigh, “I don’t want to marry for power, Mae.  My mother did and I don’t think I can be her.  She will force me to marry a man that I don’t know all for the sake of power for Vanaheim.  She doesn’t believe that marrying for love will save Vanaheim.”

Mae gave Raina her half-smile and replied, “I am sure that you will love this prince.  You have a way of loving everyone, even if they are a hard shell like your mother…no disrespect.”

Raina laughed, “You know that I agree with the people that my mother is an awful queen to them.”

Mae’s eyes got wide, “You need to be quiet about that.  You know it could be treason if someone heard you.”

“That’s why I only say it around you and you are my most trusted friend.  Now how do I look?” Raina spun around.

Mae laughed, “Like you are about to win the heart of a prince.  Now let’s do something about this unruly hair.”