Gardenias (L. Laufeyson)

Chapter 30

*

"Darling, you really should just stay here and get some rest tonight," Loki said worriedly, his eyes flicking up to his wife from his book every few minutes or so.

Perched on an upholstered stool in front of the vanity, Maeve stifled a yawn behind her hand and shook her head, reaching for a steaming cup of peppermint tea in the hopes that it would energize her. She looked much paler than usual, and she had nearly thrown up twice. It wasn't often that she drained almost all of her magic and it had taken a physical toll on her. Even Loki could feel a slight ache in his soul mark.

"No. I really need to be there with you all. We're only here for a few more days, and then who knows the next time we'll meet."

"Your family will understand. You performed a great deal of magic today, and it was entirely for their benefit. I think you can miss a night of entertainment for this."

"No, I'm going. I don't want to seem weak to anyone," she protested, a sleepy tone in her usually excitable voice. "The realms don't respect me as it is."

"It is not weak to be weary," Loki said drily. Snapping his novel shut, he walked across the room and began to rub her shoulders comfortingly, his touch cool and soothing against her tired muscles. "You rejuvenated over half of the fields today all by yourself. That is no small feat and it commands immense respect. If anyone in the nine realms doesn't accept that, then their opinion should make no difference to you."

"You're being paranoid. It's just an opera," Maeve mumbled, her blue eyes half-closed. "We just have to get dressed up and listen to beautiful music for a few hours. I can handle that, I promise."

"But you're exhausted!"

"No, I'm-" She yawned halfway through the word, "-not."

"Lying to the god of lies yet again. It's like you believe that if you try every once in a while, it might actually work." The raven-haired prince pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed annoyingly. "Maeve, my love, are you aware of precisely how difficult you are?"

"Yes."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, if you must come, then you should probably get ready. We need to leave soon. Rest for a few minutes, I'll do your hair."

Maeve nodded and rested her head in her arms, closing her eyes gratefully. She wondered how Loki even knew how to do hair, but she was just glad that she didn't have to do it herself. His fingers wove through her hair and lulled her into a peaceful state.

Loki carefully braided her white-blonde locks down her back in a fishtail plait before eyeing his work critically. Good enough. With a wave of his hand, her casual tunic shimmered into a soft pink dress, the color of her mother's rose necklace she hadn't taken off since their wedding. He chose this outfit knowing that if she made it to the opera, she'd want to be wearing something free and nonrestrictive. Nothing revealing, nothing uncomfortable. However, he didn't actually believe that his wife was going anywhere anytime soon.

"Maeve," he whispered. She didn't respond, so he nudged her gently, repeating her name and still receiving no reaction. Smiling to himself, he changed his own outfit into something more formal and tiptoed towards the door, ready to leave her for some well-deserved sleep.

"I knew you'd do that!" Her exclamation nearly gave the prince a heart attack. He tripped on a table and knocked it over, falling to the floor himself as the stack of books cascaded on top of him. "Oh, sorry! But I knew you'd try to leave without me!"

"Ugh," Loki grumbled as he stood back up. "You weren't asleep at all, were you?"

She shook her head slyly. "Just comfortable."

"You'll be the end of me. Come on, then."

Loki offered her a hand and pulled her up, summoning a pair of leather sandals which she slipped her feet into.

"You tried to leave without me," she repeated accusingly, not letting him get away so easily.

Loki crosses his arms and leaned against a bedpost. "You were exhausted. You still are. You really shouldn't be coming with me in the first place. It's not good for you."

The princess winked. "You worry too much."

As they walked, Loki noticed that she was a bit slower than usual, but he had grown used to taking his time simply because of how much shorter she was in comparison to his tall form, so he didn't mind in the slightest. They met with her family in the main entryway of the palace.

"Looking a bit worse for the wear, aren't you, Maeve?" Corey joked, giving his younger sister a kiss on the forehead. "I'm surprised you're here."

"I want to spend time with you all," Maeve answered with a fatigued smile. "We leave soon."

Corey grinned and clapped Loki on the shoulder. The god of mischief flinched at his contact but covered it up with a quick smile of his own, ever the master of illusions and falsehoods.

"Well, we've enjoyed having you," Corey replied brightly.

"Corey, where's Asmund?" Roscoe asked, messing up his blond curls out of habit. "We're all supposed to go together but no one's seen him for hours."

Corey frowned and looked out the window, staring at the sunset like it could give him answers. "He probably fell asleep at his desk again."

"He's not in his study," Hemming chimed in. "Or the library. I checked."

Maeve glanced at the faces of the men surrounding her, puzzled. Even though her mind felt cloudy and even though he had become an expert in the art of indifferent expressions, she knew that look in his emerald eyes: concern, but not for himself.

"Most likely, he just went out for a ride in the country and lost track of time," Loki said smoothly. He held out his hand to Maeve and their fingers locked. "He's been under a great deal of stress lately, hasn't he? If he so wishes to join us at the opera house, he is more than welcome, but I say we leave without him. He might appreciate a night to do with what he pleases."

The others agreed to this proposition and walked out to the stables, chatting loudly. Maeve loved how despite being calmer and quieter than her brothers, Loki seemed to fit right in with her family. At first, it didn't matter, but once she actually fell in love with him, she wanted them to accept him so badly, and they had. Yes, they made romantic jokes at his expense, but she was their baby sister. That was practically in their job description.

Maeve loved the chaos of the House of Frey. She loved being completely consumed by the sheer love and noise, by the embraces and the laughter. Ever since she was little, she grew up understanding the value of a close family and knowing that she would always have her brothers in her corner was a very comforting thought for when life became difficult.

When they arrived at the stables, Loki insisted on Maeve riding on his horse instead of her own. Normally, he wouldn't force her to do anything, but she looked incredibly dizzy and he didn't want to take any risks. She would always be under his protection.

Asmund never did end up joining them, which did not surprise Loki in the slightest. His lies back in the palace were meant to buy him some time, which they did. He just sat back in his upholstered seat and enjoyed the opera music as his princess slept peacefully on his shoulder.

hello! new chapter! i hope you all enjoyed it!

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