Captured in the Midst

Chapter 10

"Babe, you seem rather happy. What did you do today?"

Thor was laying in bed while I was grabbing pajamas from our dresser. He had come home minutes after Loki and I did and I was still feeling butterflies inside from our kiss.

"Not much." I replied, trying to play it off. "Stayed in our room reading, practiced my training for a bit."

I walked to the bathroom, leaving the door open just enough so I could still hear him.

"Astrid, we've been together for how long now? And you still won't change in front of me?"

I walked back into the bedroom fully clothed and chucked a pillow at Thor.

"I'll change in front of you as soon as you see me naked."

"Which will be soon, I hope." He smirked.

"You only get to see me naked if we have sex. And we only get to have sex if we're married, so all in all, it's not happening anytime soon."

"Would you like to?" His smirk faded and was replaced with an honest curiosity.

"What?"

"Get married and to have sex."

"Um yeah sure." I nodded. Someday it would happen, so I didn't worry for now.

"Thank the gods." He sighed. "I needed a sign."

"For what?"

"To do this."

Thor got out of bed, gently taking my hand, and kneeling before me.

"Astrid, I love you with all my heart, and it would make me the happiest man on Asgard if you became my wife. Will you marry me?"

I froze.

Oh gods. It's happening. It's all going too fast!

What do I say? I can't say yes. I have feelings for Loki. But I can't say no either. Thor has no idea about his brothers and my whereabouts and I plan to keep it that way. I simply nodded and tried not to cry out that I wanted to go back on my decision. I needed to do this.

Odin and Frigga planned the wedding to be a week after Thor's coronation. His big day being crowned king was in two days and I couldn't believe I was to be queen of Asgard soon.

As for Loki... well he was more than infuriated at me for choosing to marry Thor. The talking stopped all together and he never as so much as turned his head in my direction whenever I was near. I felt horrible, but as nobles, my family expected me to go through with this. Denying Thor could cost my parents their high rankings as well as their jobs and I couldn't put my family through that.

The only one I felt that I could count on anymore was Frigga. However, I had never told her about going out with Loki a few days ago.

"Astrid, dear, is everything okay?" She asked, helping me pick out my dress for Thor's coronation.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Astrid." Frigga paused. "What's going on."

I sighed. "I'm just so nervous, my queen. I don't know if I'm ready for marriage yet."

"I totally understand." She tucked a stray piece of blonde hair behind my ear. "Although, I feel like this isn't about marriage."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really love Thor?"

"Of course!" I answered too quickly. "I mean, I think I do, but I'm not so sure."

"Oh, sweetheart." Frigga pulled me in for a tight hug. "You will find out soon enough where your heart belongs."

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The day of Thor's coronation came like rapid fire and I wasn't too sure I was ready. I stood in my chambers hating life when Loki passed by my room.

"Loki!" I had to speak with him.

He paused a split second to flash a half glance in my direction before continuing on.

"Loki, please talk to me!" I called, opening the half closed doors all the way open. "I need to hear your voice, please."

Loki stopped, not turning around. "What do you want?"

"Please come in and talk to me for a moment?"

"Fine." He heaved a sigh and softly shut the doors behind him. "Say what you have to and be done."

"Please let me apologize-"

"For what? Wanting to marry Thor? Oh no, it's quite alright, I'll get over it in a hundred years or so. You on the other hand, will have a much harder time."

"Please, Loki, I didn't know what to say! He caught me on the spot and I couldn't say no!"

"Is this about your parents, Astrid?"

Gods he knew me too well. I nodded.

"Your parents position in this kingdom are the least of your worries." Loki's voice was raised louder than I had heard it in a long time. "You're about to marry a man you don't love in one week and you seriously are going to put yourself through this? I can't believe you."

"Unlike you, I can actually go through with a promise!" I screamed in his face. "You told me you had feelings for me and didn't do anything to pull me away from Thor!"

"Oh so now this is my fault! Did you expect me to get in a fight with my brother over you? Well let me tell you something, angel, that's not going to happen. My father praises Thor and in his mind, Thor should get everything he wants. He's about had it with me."

My eyes started to water, but I held the tears back for as long as I could.

"I would've gone with you." I sniffled. "I would've given up everything just to be yours. But you never told me that you loved me."

"Loved you? You wanted me to tell you I love you?" He scoffed. "Astrid, right now, you are the last person I would ever say that to."

My heart shattered into a million pieces. It felt like I was being ripped in half. Loki didn't love me and I was being led on to something that wasn't real. I couldn't believe that I thought his feelings were sincere. It was all just some plan to screw with my life for the fun of it. Loki wasn't different. He wasn't kind, and honest, and true. He was evil, heartless, and my enemy. I was foolish to think that he could ever love me.

"I hate you."