When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

32. Uncertain

     "I don't even know what I desire anymore." She admitted. "I thought I would do anything for the throne, to keep my people safe, but they don't need me now. Odin has corrupted them with gold and treasures and despite my absence, Bronen claims they are flourishing."

      "I don't believe that to be true."

      "No?" She asked. "What if what as I that kept the darkness on Dorian? The moment I left I thought my people would riot and face unspeakable dangers."

      She inhaled deeply, her hand hovering over the papers that outlined the terms she and agreed upon with Odin. She had half expected her voice to be muted, but aside from the armies and weapons he had requested, the terms would we're beyond fair and would bring sense of peace to her land that she never thought she could bring.

     "They're better off without me and Thor would be a better king without me as well."

    "Athelia, despite everything I have never seen a more fitting queen. You are strong, resilient and bold. You can make the decisions that others would fear too and you would do anything to protect those you care about. Look what you did for Freya and you have no filter when it comes to standing up for what is right. You question the king with no remorse. The realms will need that in the years thar come. It's not always peace and tea parties Athelia and Thor will need you by his side when it comes to asking the dangerous decisions."

     She nodded, jot knowing what to say. She had lost herself in the last few months she had been here and the strong, resilient queen that Frigga thought she was had nearly dissappeared. She was nothing more than a fragment of what she once was and she knew she had no one else to blame but herself.

      "Would you like to join the king and I for lunch?"

      Athelia's look made Frigga laugh and she placed her hand on Athelia's shoulder, promising her that things would be different when she became queen and though Athelia wasn't sure if this was true, she smiled.

     "Thank you Frigga," she said as she stood from her desk. She piled the papers neatly in a stack before sliding them into her desk and allowed the queen to embrace her before she left.

     She was once again alone and though she couldn't fight against the words that played in her head, she couldn't help but think a little company would do her some. But she quickly realized that she had pushed nearly everyone she had spoken to away. Freya. Thor. Loki. Bronen was there, but she couldn't help but feel odd around him, so she quickly changed and made her way towards Thor's room, fully intending to apologize for her behavior.

      Though as she raised her hand to knock, voices had sent her stepping back. Her blood boiled at the sound of Siff's voice and for a moment she debated barging in, but she knew she had no right, so she stood back and listened as the two of them discussed his nuptials.

     It was nothing she hadn't expected. Siff continued to try and talk him out of it and Thor continued to tell her it was his duty. It was boring and she almost walked away until Siff raised her voice.

     "You can't trust her Thor, she is dangerous."

      There was a momentary pause and she thought maybe Thor had nodded in aggreance, but her stomach turned as he his words carried through the tick wood.

     "She's only dangerous to those who would threaten her or her kingdom. I appreciate your concern, but you do not her."

     "Neither do you."

     "I know enough."

     "Like what?"

     Thor groaned and she heard him pull what sounded like a chair across his marbled floor.

     "I know that she can be kind and funny, granted her humor is unlike my own, but she makes people laugh just as much as she makes them cry. She is dark, yes, but what you don't understand Siff is the spends everyday fighting for her life. She is stronger, stronger then any of us and she's, she's-"

     "Beautiful?" Siff scoffed.

     "Yes, but that has nothing to do with it."

     "Are you sure?"

     "Like I said, you don't know her. Athelia is just lost and I intend to help her find her way. I am going to marry her and she will be your queen and the mother of my first born child. You must try and get passed your jadedness towards me and remember that when you speak of her."

     Athelia smirked as she heard Siff fumbled over her words and she waited there as her footsteps came closer, but when she stopped, Athelia had no idea she would actually speak of something she knew nothing about.

     "Well I can only hope that when she does produce your heir, she isn't truly bringing another God forsaken Frost Giant into our realm."

     Thor's footsteps grew louder as he walked towards Siff.

     "What?"

     "I thought you knew her so well. Yet you do not know that she spends her nights in the dungeons with your brother."

     "What did you just say?"

     Athelia covered her mouth as every bit of rage tried to escape her. All she saw was red  as Siff continued to tell him what she had heard Freya and her talking about the other day.

     "It's true Thor," Siff insisted. "I saw it with my own eyes."

      "You saw her with Loki?"

     "I saw her enter the dungeons and she didn't return for hours. I told you I do not trust her."

     "That does not give you the right to follow her Lady Siff. I'm very aware that she spends time in the dungeons, it reminds her of her home."

     "Did she tell you this?"

     "Heimdall did."

     "Maybe you should ask Heimdall what she truly does behind those walls, because I can assure you she is not - where are you going?"

      Athelia backed away from the door and ducked behind a sculpture. Every part of her wanted grab Siff by the back of the neck and slam into the ground repeatedly, but she knew doing so would only make her look guilty. So she sat back and watched as Siff followed Thor down the hall as his made his way to the dungeon where she knew she he wouldn't find her.