Gardenias (L. Laufeyson)

Chapter 21

The minute Maeve saw the stone, she ran as fast as she could, Asmund and Loki at her heels. The three breathed a sigh of relief as they felt the magic flow back into them like a warm drink on a cold day. Dying flowers perked up at Maeve's feet as she smiled.

After this, escape was fairly simple. Thor flew them back to the Ocean Viper one by one with Mjilonir in his hand. Loki used magic to set them back on course home as soon as he was able to, more than ready to leave the dark island and its mysteries. He still believed that their entire journey was too simple, but at that point, he just wanted to leave.

"All right, Maeve, I can heal your shoulder," Asmund volunteered. The princess was glad that having his magic back seemed to energize her brother, but she still protested.

"No. Roscoe first."

Asmund shook his head and glanced over at his younger brother, who had just been tossed a blanket by Corey. He leaned against a ship wall, still out of it. "Yours will be a simpler fix than him. Then I can use as much of my magic as I can."

"All right, just... don't overexert yourself, okay?"

"Now when have I ever done a thing like that?" He asked innocently.

"I can think of a few times," Maeve muttered under her breath. "Fine. Take it slow."

Asmund removed her bandage and quickly healed the bite marks. Once Maeve breathed a sigh of relief as her pain susbsided, Asmund rose and went to heal his brother. Maeve chose to walk up to the top deck and stare at the sea. A storm brewed on the horizon. She hoped it would rain. She loved rain and she loved thunderstorms. Her brothers always made fun of her for it, but she used to run outside while it poured just to feel the rain on her skin. There was something so cleansing about it all.

"Are you all right, Princess?" Thor walked up beside her.

She smiled up at the prince who dwarfed her small frame. "I am now, thanks to all of you. Especially you and Loki. You didn't have to help me get my brother back."

Thor put a surprisingly comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "You say that as if us helping you was a question," he chuckled, shaking his head as a few blonde locks blew in the breeze. "One thing you'll learn the longer you're in Asgard is the emphasis our tradition places on family. It doesn't matter how we're related, or if we're even related at all. We are a loyal people."

"That sounds amazing," she replied. For the first time, she truly understood how deep the connection between Vanaheim and Asgard would run with her bond to Loki. No wonder Odin wanted to end the war with a marriage, not just a treaty.

Thor nodded, his blue eyes sweeping the horizon with a faraway look in them. "It is a moral instilled in me by my father. One day, when I ascend to the throne, I hope to preserve Asgard's values."

"Thor!" Loki called from the lower deck. "A word, please!"

"Of course."

Maeve's brow furrowed for a moment after he left. She learned the customs of all of the realms at a young age and knew that Asgard's throne did not necessarily pass to the first-born. The heir would be chosen at a time decided by the current ruler. There were several of these events, but she couldn't really remember them. It wasn't like Vanaheim, where the eldest male in the royal family had no choice in the matter. The fact that Asmund wanted to change the monarchy to a coregency was revolutionary in itself and she had no idea whether the people would embrace it or not.

At least the people loved Asmund. She knew that. There had not been an Empath ruling Vanaheim for thousands of years. Many eagerly anticipated the day the crown would pass from Frey's head to his. Her father was known throughout the realms as a charismatic and powerful ruler, but some of their subjects believed he lost his touch after the death of Saga, his wife and queen. Of course, they didn't know what really happened in Frey's family behind closed doors, but speculation was more than enough to do a reputation damage.