His Dove (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 76 (Vanaheim)

I glanced around at the scenery and couldn't help but be slightly awestruck.

Asgard was gorgeous, impossibly divine, but Vanaheim was... Comforting, in an enchanting way. The way everything was stone and moss, vines and nature. The way trees cascaded against the edges of the small village all the way to the palace, misty mountains could be seen in the far distance, the smell of fresh rainwater, wildflowers, and pine trees, it was relaxing in the most beautiful ways possible.

Fjolnir's chuckle drew me away from my thoughts, his arm cascading down onto my shoulders.

"I told you, shiny and perfect is nothing in comparison to the natural beauties of a realm." He said softly, overlooking the terrain alongside me. "And you are half Vanir, princess. You were born here, meant to be raised here. This realm is at least half your home; I'm incredibly pleased to properly introduce you to it."

I smiled softly at him, but Loki's words kept repeating in my mind. He had felt Fjolnir was up to something, and I had never had a reason to doubt him, not in the slightest.

Walking to the palace, I immediately saw Sigyn and naturally gravitated towards her.

"Dani!" She sang happily, rushing towards me. "I'm so happy the Allfather chose you to come help." She grinned, gripping my arm and spinning me to walk alongside her, arm and arm. "I'll show you to your quarters; they're in the family wing!"

She did as much to open my door for me and walk me inside, letting Fjolnir carry my bag behind us. 2 guards already took post outside my door, standing 1 on each side of the doorway in their proper statuesque poses.

The room was gorgeously decorated in grays and blues, the stones of the wall perfectly accenting the light, crystal blues of the drapes and bedding. A small waterfall down the stone wall led to a large bathtub, making me raise my eyebrows at the extravagance of it all.

"This is beautiful."

"It's all yours, princess. Except of course when Loki comes to visit." Fjolnir rolled his eyes, setting my bag down on the floor beside the bed. "Then, I imagine, you'll be forced to share."

"I'm okay with that." I chuckled, before turning back to Sigyn.

"Dinner will be at sundown. I must help mother oversee everything; she desires it to be perfect for our wondrous guest." She teased, crinkling her nose.

"Please, don't do anything special on my account." I groaned.

"We can't help ourselves. We may be vastly different in comparison to Asgard, but like them we never pass up the opportunity for a good feast." She smirked, before kissing my cheek and promptly exiting the room.

Fjolnir sighed. "Well, we have some time." He smirked a bit at my quirked eyebrow. "Allow me to show you some of the forest? The nature is our best feature, and I fear you may have a long day of work ahead of you tomorrow."

I nodded, though hesitantly, and followed Fjolnir out of the room. I looked at the guards as I walked out of the room, and one instantly began following Fjolnir and I. I praised the gods as he did, not wanting to be entirely alone with the Vanir.

"Oh, you're Dani's personal guards?" Fjolnir asked the man as he noticed him following us.

"The Prince gave us strict orders." The English-sounding accent spoke back firmly. I already knew Frode from the palace, being one of Loki's favorite guards. Odin must have let him choose the guardsmen himself.

Fjolnir raised his eyebrows at me. "You... Don't think this is a bit much? I mean, where is your line between protective and controlling?"

"I'm on a foreign realm that I've never been on before. I'd say having a guard is rather intelligent." I hummed back as I followed his route to the forest edge.

"Hmm." Fjolnir pondered for a moment with a mischievous smile, before he grabbed my hand.

In a dizzying turn of events, we were far within the trees, my guard nowhere to be seen. I could no longer see the clearing we had been walking in, only trees and a large lake. Fjolnir released my hand, clasping both of his behind his back.

"No offense, princess, and I hope I haven't scared you, but Asgardians simply don't have the same reactions to nature as Vanir. He would've done nothing but slow us down and ruin our gazing."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing around over the pond.

"This was your brother, Dyre's, favorite place." He mused as he sat down against a tree. My shoulders eased as he fell into the rather vulnerable, nonthreatening position, and I relaxed as I found a seat on a rock. "He would sit out here and draw for hours."

"He was an artist?" I questioned.

Fjolnir nodded. "One of the greatest I've ever seen, in truth. Some of his works sit in the palace, I'll happily show you later on."

"You know a lot about my family."

Fjolnir grinned, "Your brothers and I were fast friends once I reached a good age. They matured out of adolescence faster than us, just as you have, but they were patient in waiting for me to catch up."

"Who killed them?" I asked abruptly, turning to face him.

"No one knows." He huffed, a soft form of sadness and apologetic sorrow filling his features. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more, princess. I can't imagine how unsettling it feels, how... robbed, you must feel." He said quietly.

I only nodded once more as I stared at that lake, smelling the scent of fresh rain and salt water, hearing the birds chirping alongside the wood lines. The crystal blue water rushed around and I leaned back, allowing the sound of the water to lull me to a calm place. I had to admit, there was nothing quite like this on Asgard.