Cleave | Loki x Reader

• XI •

I barely had time to process this before Loki gently tugged at my hand, his expression a mixture of understanding and resolve. 'Shall we?' he asked softly, his voice able to ground me in seconds.

'Yes,' I breathed, though my heart hammered in my chest with anxiety, anger, hurt.
Together, we pushed through the crowd, every step bringing us closer to the dais where the majesties sat underneath the red rose of sunlight in regal splendour. The court seemed to part before us.

My eyes darted around, seeking out familiar faces, but all I found were blurred figures, their features indistinct as my focus narrowed on the dais ahead.
The All-Father's stern gaze softened slightly as we approached, while Frigga's serene smile held a touch of knowing that sent a shiver down my spine.

And besides them, on a slightly lower seat, there was my mother. Her presence both a comfort and a source of anger. She looked every bit the Vanir goddess – elegant dark features and the intricate braids in her autumn hair a testament to her noble lineage.
But there was something in her eyes, a gleam that suggested she knew more than she let on.
If a person's eyes could even convey such a thing.

As we reached the foot of the dais, Loki released my hand, only to offer his arm in the traditional manner. I took it, trying to steady my breathing, and together we ascended the steps.

'Your Majesties,' Loki began, his voice smooth and confident. 'May I present to You the Lady Y/n, hero-born and prophesied saviour of the Realms, daughter to the lovely Lady Gna.'

Gods, those tedious traditions. As if they don't know who the girl is they have dinner with every night just so that she may one day love us enough to willingly save our race, Loki sent down our link, and just barely so, I managed to contain my chuckle.
The queen's eyes, warm yet piercing, settled on me.

'Lady Y/n,' she said, her voice like a melody. 'My dear,' she couldn't help but add with a much too informal kind of smile.
'It is an honour to have you here tonight. Your presence is the greatest gift.'

'Thank you, Your Majesty,' I replied, dipping into a deep curtsy while smiling inwardly at Frigga's tenderness with which she without exception spoke to me.
As I rose, I felt my mother's gaze on me, a mixture of pride and something entirely else etched into her features.

The king nodded in approval, his voice a deep rumble. 'You have chosen well, Loki. Our Lady Y/n is a fine companion for this evening indeed, as today is also the day or her name day.'

Loki inclined his head, but there was a tension in the air that could not be ignored.
Then Odin addressed me, 'I do hope you know that the Queen made sure the festivities were as grand as they are tonight to fit the weight of importance this day holds.'

'I must thank you, Your Majesty.' I bend my knees to Frigga once more before I returned my attention back to Odin. 'And you, Your Majesty All-Father.'

'Lady Gna,' Frigga addressed my mother. 'It has been many years since we've seen you last at court. It pleases us to welcome you back.'

Somehow, her words felt as though they were meant to convey something entirely different.
Surely my mother had already been greeted...

Mother rose gracefully, her voice calm and assured. 'The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty. It is an honour to witness my daughter flourish under your care.'

The queen's smile deepened, but there was a sharpness to it. 'She is indeed flourishing. Wouldn't you say so too, Loki dear?'

Loki chuckled, a sound much like velvet, before he spoke. 'The stars are mere pinpricks in the night sky compared to the Lady Y/n, Mother.'