Gardenias (L. Laufeyson)

Chapter 8

"We've begun the necessary preparations for your birthday, my dear. It's only a few weeks away," Frigga said brightly. Maeve glanced up from a pot of flowers she had been tending. Pink coated her cheeks, enhanced by the simple dress she wore.

"Oh, there's no need, Allmother. I don't need anything big."

The Queen shook her head at the girl. "Nonsense! It's not every day a young woman turns one thousand, is it?"

"No, I suppose it isn't. Please, though, nothing overboard. I assume the ceremony will be more than enough."

"Ah." Frigga sat down on the window bench and drew Maeve's attention away from the now-blooming daffodils. "Are you excited, my dear?"

"I'm excited to see my brothers again, more than anything else," she admitted. "But I will certainly be honored to become a Vanir goddess officially." She wondered what her title would be.

"I'm not surprised. Each encounter you had with them brought a smile to my face. You are all close, are you not?"

Maeve nodded. "Very. My father was always busy, and my mother was always with the army. We were all we had most of the time. I just got a letter from Corey yesterday, actually."

Frigga contemplated this. While she knew Odin had no opinion, she liked Loki's fiancé very much. When she broke out of her formal mannerisms, she was sweet yet witty, a perfect match for her son's silver tongue. She also possessed a calming presence, a quality the queen believed would serve the girl well next to Loki's temper. "May I ask you a question? You don't have to answer it if you don't like, but I'd like you to be honest." Hesitantly, the princess nodded again, and Frigga asked, "do you like it here?"

Maeve took a moment to reflect on the last two months she had spent in Asgard. There were certainly lonely moments, nights where she cried herself to sleep and days she spent completely by herself. But there were other moments where she smiled.

"Yes. I do. It's beautiful here, and I've met some wonderful people."

"Is it wrong of me to ask what you think of my son?"

Maeve giggled, trying to fight the red creeping up her neck. "No, I don't think it is. We enjoy each other's company. I like him. He's funny, and he's smart, but he's not loud like... well, he's not loud like Thor."

The Allmother joined in the girl's laughter. "If you could find a man in all of the nine realms as loud as Thor, you could just knock me over with a feather."

"I think my brothers could give him a run for his money."

Loki hesitated outside of her door, fist held inches away from knocking. Odin had granted him a day to do with whatever he pleased, and he immediately swept out of the room, halfway there before he realized that he was on his way to Maeve's room, not the library. It was purely instinctual, not thought out at all.

What was it about her? He puzzled this as he leaned on the door. He originally had less than no interest in even knowing her, and now she was the person he wanted to spend his time with?

Deep down, Loki knew that there was something different about Maeve. The Vanir princess didn't treat him like he was inferior to anyone. She saw him as his own person, not Odin's son, not Thor's brother. As Loki. And she wasn't perturbed by his pranks. In fact, she enjoyed them.

The prince's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden opening of the door he was leaning on. He tumbled to the floor, landing on a very surprised Maeve's feet.

"Hi there."

"Hello," he said, blushing as he rose to his feet. His embarrassment grew further when his mother approached from behind Maeve, a knowing smile on her lips. "Hello, Mother."