{SET BEFORE THE EVENTS OF 'THOR'}
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"Did you know," she said, sitting on the ground and turning to the prince, "that Midgard has an entire language dedicated to flowers? Each of them mean something else. It's a very sweet way they can express emotio...
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As a princess, Maeve suffered through hours upon hours of lessons on how to be a lady. Sit up straight. Talk softly. No elbows on the table. Never use vulgar language. Dress appropriately for each occasion.
Between guidance for controlling her magic, Lady Hilda managed to impart these manners upon her protege, who was much more interested in learning how to make vines grow than how to fold her hands correctly. Growing up with six older brothers inclined Maeve to care less about frills and fashion than most other princesses, but as with everything she studied, she quickly absorbed all of Hilda's lessons and became a proper lady in the eyes of the court and the kingdom.
Ladies, she remembered, don'teavesdrop.
But it was an accident.
They weren't being quiet! She had just as much right to be in that garden as they did and she was there first!
She only heard bits and pieces of their conversation. The wind wouldn't stop blowing through the leaves and the birds chose that day to sing at the top of their little lungs. Of course. Either way, Maeve heard enough.
After weeks of blindly searching, she had found Asmund's wife.
Maeve pet the petals of an orchid as she thought, letting more blossoms grow. That young woman - Gale? - was the one that made Asmund reckless for the first time in his entire life. To him, she must have been worth the risk. And now, he had a child he didn't even know about. Thinking about Asmund as a father warmed her heart. He'd be so excited...
Her thoughts strayed as she remembered what it was like falling in love with Loki. That freeing, undeniable euphoria. That mercurial invincibility that came with their union, that rush of strong emotion every time her eyes met his.
She had to help them.
Biting her lower lip, Maeve glanced around at her surroundings as if the flowers would provide answers. Of course, they didn't, but she needed to find someone who could.
Corey said getting Asmund out of prison would be nearly impossible with her father on the throne. However, she knew he wouldn't step down for quite some time now, considering he'd have to choose a new heir.
She didn't have that kind of time. Neither did Asmund or Gale.
Maeve placed the flower on the ground before walking back into the palace, a purpose in her mind. She turned a corner and headed in the direction of the palace library, only to bump right into someone. Her cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment as she picked herself back up off of the floor and dusted off her simple blue dress.
