Why Even Try (Book 1 of 4)

Chapter 20 - I Will See You Tomorrow

"Lady F/n, nice to see you out..." Gorm says and sits next to me.

"Thank you, it's nice to be out. " I respond, "I must thank you for your heroic actions pulling me from the pile of rubble."

"You are too kind Lady F/n, it really was the Prince with his ability to lift the rubble using magic" he says and then presses me for more information, "I was not aware that he was able to do such spells or that he had such power, were you?"

"Oh Gorm, I think there are many things about the Prince we do not know," I say and see that Loki has left the ball room and is heading right to me. "and that's part of the fun in being his friend"

Smiling at him I wave and then continue my response to Gorm.

"He is very smart, and is well on his way to being a Master of Magic..." I say, "but as his guard these are all things of which you know."

"I hear the same of you, milady..." he says just as Loki approaches.

"Good evening your Highness, Happy Birthday" Gorm says and excuses himself to go back to duty.

Loki helps me stand, offers me his arm and walks me back to my rooms where we chat for a bit.

"Do you need assistance?" he asks.

"No, but..." I say, " I don't want to be alone right now. Can you stay with me a little bit?"

He seems shocked at my request, but quickly agrees to sit with me. He changes his clothes and starts a fire as I put my pajamas on and crawl into my bed. Loki is sitting by the fireplace in my room with some tea, and gotten his green blanket that he has left with me since the injury.

"Loki, it's ok, you can sit on the bed with me..." I say, and he grins.

"As long as you are ok with that..."

"Yes I am." I say.

He climbs in next to me and pulls the covers up. I move and curl up on his chest as he sits. He reaches over and grabs his book.

"So, you read my poems?" he says.

Not sure of the best way to respond because I do not know if he is upset or just making an observation.

"I did" I respond "the morning that you woke next to me and left so quickly, the book was still on the nightstand. I needed something to keep busy, so I started reading them and was immediately caught up in them. I didn't know you wrote poetry. I still don't know why you left me so quickly that morning."

"Well I didn't know you sang, so I suppose we are even on the keeping of those secrets." He says, "what about you and Cedrin?"

"What about it?"

"Was he your date for the evening?"

"Why did you leave so early that morning?"

"You first..." Loki says and smiles.

"No, he asked me and I said no but I would see him there." I continue, "It would have been too difficult to explain my gift to you, as well as having to dance with you..."

"Yes you did have me worried for a moment. I think Odin was surprised that I didn't have anyone else to dance with."

"Well?" I say, and he sighs. He knows that I will not let this drop, I want his answer.

"I was embarrassed," he says, "the things I did to you as I was waking were things that I... I should not have done. And I was afraid you thought that I always wake with someone in my arms...and then I was afraid that you would take things the wrong way, or ..."