Proposition

The Proposition

"Come again?"

"You heard me."

"I did, but I don't believe I heard you correctly," I set my tankard down on the murky table of the tavern and leaned forward, "you want me to-"

"Sleep with my husband, correct."

The dowdy, yet not unattractive, woman across from me nodded and gave me a hard look to show that she was serious.

She had introduced herself as Avena, a name that somehow seemed familiar but I couldn't quite place from where.

She stood out amongst the rest of the patrons of this lovely establishment, her blue wrap dress befitting that of a maid yet still somehow seeming elegant and a curl of blonde hair hung out around her face from beneath a white headdress.

"He is ready for children and I am most definitely not the one to give them to him."

"Wait, you want me to sleep with your husband and sire an heir with him?"

"That would be right."

"That raises so many questions and goes beyond what I was expecting."

"I have my reasons for seeking outer help."

"That doesn't deter from the fact that you asked me to meet you here, in this dingy old place, to essentially hire out my womb."

Despite repeating the fact, I still couldn't quite believe what I was hearing and had to pick up my drink to take another swig in order to distract my mind with something.

This woman had sought me personally, invited me out to my local slum just to ask me to sleep with her husband with the intention of having his child, alarm bells were ringing and set me on high alert.

But now I understood why she had wanted to meet in such a public place, especially somewhere like this.

Drawing a crowd would be the last thing we wanted to do, which also made this a smart move on her end, to put me in a position where I was comfortable but also couldn't act out without pulling the wrong kind of attention towards us and putting us both in harm's way.

"Why me?" I finally asked after a moment of silence.

"I hear that you are excellent at pulling through with your services and after much research you seem the most viable candidate."

"Well I haven't had complaints, but this is a little," I paused and frowned a little to find the right word without being offensive, "desperate," and I failed at it.

"Funny you'd mention desperate, I thought I'd heard that you would do anything for money."

"Anything meaning fighting, looting or scavenging, not motherhood" I looked at her incredulously, "I'm an adventurer, not a brood mare."

"It would set you up for life, you wouldn't need to visit the child nor worry about their care once they have arrived, you get your money and we get a child."

My eyebrow quirked as I stared at her, slowly looking her over as my mind clicked bits and pieces into place to fit this together into the most positive spin I could make.

"And you sought me out specifically?"

"I did," Avena nodded with a smile, "let's just say that your hips certainly stood out to me."

My cheeks involuntarily flared up at the off-mark compliment and I found myself shifting in my seat, needing to move my hips as if to confirm that they were still there after their brief moment in the spotlight.

I couldn't deny that I had been gifted with large hips, my parents had always joked that they were childbearing hips, but I never expected anyone to seek me out because of them.

"Nice to know it's not just the men who like them," I joked feebly, trying to push the embarrassment away.

"And have you lain with another?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Have you lain with anyone? Is your virginity intact?"

The burning in my face worsens and I looked away, licking my front teeth.

"Wonderful," she smiled, "less of a concern for me."

"Um, okay?" I chanced a look around the tavern, looking for anyone who seemed extra shady compared to the usual clientele so that I could keep my focus on them.

But the only one that stood out was the woman across from me.

"So you're going to set me up for life and all I have to do is lie with your husband and have his child?"

"In essence, yes."

"And you're fine with it?"

"More than, it was my idea in the first place and I can turn a blind eye to the act if it's for such a cause, we all may as well have fun with this."

I looked her over again and couldn't help but wonder what kind of fun she would be getting out of this, but the thought of having enough money for food and shelter for both me and my best friend for years to come won over any other logical thought.

"But that chance of it working the first time are very slim, surely multiple tries wouldn't be in your 'fun' plan."

"That isn't a concern of mine either, for my husband is a user of magic and we could find a suitable fertility spell."

I nodded slowly and took another drawn out sip from my tankard, thinking everything over.

It was insane and I wasn't entirely sure how I would reveal all of this to Ezabella, but the thought of finally living a comfortable life wasn't something that I'd be foolish enough to pass up.

The woman across from me waited in silence, her brown eyes never leaving me as she tentatively sipped from her own goblet.

"Alright," I grinned, lifting my glass as a salute, "I'm in."

"Wonderful," she smiled widely, clapping her hands in a way I'd only seen older women do when excited about something, "Loki will be so pleased."

The cold liquid caught in my throat as my breath hitched and I sputtered on my drink, making me slam my glass down on the table whilst trying to control my coughing fit.

Prince Loki had a bad reputation around Asgard and the outer skirts that I lived in.

He was known for more than just his tricks and mischief.

His temper and short fuse were always talked about, the evil glint in his eye and the devilish smirk that he'd send towards people, the one that everyone who saw it took to be a sign of some ill to come, was forever ingrained into people's tales.

Everyone had stories about interactions with the dark Prince and none were ever pleasant.

Loki was known to be cold, unsocial, arrogant and, to be blunt, an asshole.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at her, clearing my throat continuously as the lingering feeling of left-over liquid remained inside and tickled my oesophagus.

"Oh yeah," I croaked, "just fine."

"Great," she smiled, "I shall send a letter to your home in regard to the next step."

"I look forward to it," I nodded slowly, certain that my uncertainty was shining through in my tone.

"I'm sure you do," she chuckled whilst rising from her seat and fastening a thick cloak around her neck. "Oh and one more than before I go, as you have now agreed to this our terms shall be set."

"Understandable, you want to make sure your future child is getting best."

"I'm glad you agree, first thing is first though, you will have to stop drinking before the night you bed him."

I stared at her as my expression went blank, her own remaining warm but somehow seeming the faintest bit malicious.

Avena bid me a goodnight and sauntered out of the tavern, leaving me alone with what seemingly was going to be my last drink for a while to come.