Elisabete pushed past the crowd and hurried towards the doors of the throne room. Iona ran towards her and gripped her wrist tightly. She turned Elisabete to face her and furrowed her brow upon seeing the tears welling in her eyes.
"Where are you going? You have to stay and clean up." Iona inquired.
"I'm sorry but I must leave right now. Please, do not let my king know of my absence." Elisabete replied.
Elisabete took a deep breath before pulling her arm from Iona's grasp and rushing out of the room. Iona watched through the crack in the door as Elisabete ran down the hall to the maid's quarters. The doors slammed shut and this time, Elisabete did not jump. She had not heard the noise, nor did she hear the crowd of guests clapping after hearing the news. She held her dress up and ran down the hallway, tears falling from her eyes.
When she entered the maid's quarters, she practically ripped off the dress she was wearing and changed into her regular clothes. She could not understand why she was crying over such delightful news. Once she had finished changing, she packed up her belongings and went on her way home, never once looking back towards the palace. She took her time walking back home in the night. The moonlight illuminated her path and she told herself to stop crying before she returned home. Elisabete knew that if Edric or Tadeus saw her crying, they would assault her with questions, wanting to know every little detail of what took place at the feast. However, Elisabete could not help but think about the news she had just heard. Sanit had become pregnant with Loki's heir. She was well aware of the fact that Loki would have to marry her to protect his child's legitimacy. Soon enough, Sanit would become his wife and he'd have the perfect life, living with his one true love and their child all together. Elisabete wanted what he had. She wanted the perfect life. She wanted a happy family, a loving spouse, and to birth their children. She wanted the love he had in his life, yet she would never find it.
Elisabete dragged her feet along the dirt path, not caring if she'd mess up her shoes in the process. When she reached her village, she took a deep breath as she surveyed the area. Much to her liking, Edric was not in her view and she continued on her way to her home. She entered the house and furrowed her brow when she saw that all the candles had been blown out and everything was already cleaned up. She checked on her parents and saw that they were fast asleep. Elisabete smiled to herself as she softly closed the door and walked into her bedroom. There, Lianna and Capriana were asleep as well and she slowly changed into her night dress. When she had stripped herself of all the clothes she had on, she quickly glanced at herself in the mirror and did a double take. She turned slightly so that she was facing the mirror. She made out her silhouette in the moonlight from her window and placed her hands on her hips and touched her breasts, feeling the shape of her body. She then quickly put the night dress on and pulled back the covers to her bed.
Before she could get in the bed, the door to her bedroom opened, and Tadeus quickly entered. He rushed towards Elisabete and she furrowed her brow at him, wondering what it was he wanted. He held a candlestick in his hand tightly and held it close to his face so that Elisabete could make out the worry and urgency in his face.
"What's wrong? Has something happened while I was away?" Elisabete asked.
"I have been advised not to tell you anything, but this news cannot be hidden." Tadeus replied.
"Well, what is it?" Elisabete scoffed.
"This morning, after you left, Edric arrived to speak to mom and dad," Tadeus spoke, seeing Elisabete's frightened. "He had asked for their blessing, Elisabete."
"Why would he do that?" Elisabete asked, the tears forming in her eyes yet again.
"Because he loves you, Elisabete, that's why, and you know he does. I told him to come by for dinner tomorrow so ask you to be his wife. I wanted to let you know so you wouldn't be taken by surprise. Good night." Tadeus explained.
He laid a soft kiss to her cheek and exited her bedroom. Elisabete plopped down onto the side of her bed and took in what Tadeus had told her. She couldn't possibly marry Edric. She didn't love him. And to make matters worse, he despised her king. She'd be throwing her life away if she said yes to him. She'd be stuck in a miserable life if she were to marry Edric. Nothing would change if she married a man in her same class. Elisabete desperately wanted to give her a family a better life, but that hope sailed farther and farther away as the years went by. Loki was now living the life she had always wanted. He was happy in her eyes. His life was coming together and hers was falling apart at the seams and there was nothing she could do about it. Loki loved Sanit and Elisabete knew that. As her thoughts shifted towards Sanit, she remembered what she had told her. Elisabete wiped her eyes and slowly laid down under the covers of her bed and fell asleep, only to wake up to go back to the same dreaded place she didn't want to see anymore.
Loki paced around his chambers as Sanit was seated by the fireplace. She smiled up at him and watched him with her eyes, going to and fro. There were so many thoughts and questions going through his mind at that moment, he couldn't think straight, or think of how to develop a sentence to say to Sanit. He wanted to be happy, he truly did, but he was too in shock to feel anything.
"Loki, do say something." Sanit sighed.
"What am I to say?" Loki scoffed.
"That you're happy." Sanit replied.
"But I'm not." Loki told her.
"Loki. I am pregnant with your child. How can you not be happy?" Sanit inquired.
"Because...you and I are fully aware that I cannot conceive a child. You know of my heritage and how it hinders certain things. I've read several books on this. My blood cannot create a child with your blood. It's impossible." Loki explained.
"Well, it isn't fully impossible." Sanit giggled.
"Are you sure? Are you certain you're pregnant?" Loki asked.
"I checked with the healers yesterday. I had felt lightheaded and sick. They examined me and told me the good news. You and I are going to have a son. The prince of Asgard...and the king." Sanit told him.
Loki shook his head, not willing to accept her news. He knew in his mind that he could not have a child. It was a fact that he had learned once he started reading up on his kind.
"Loki, it isn't anyone else's. I've only slept with you during this time. And, we never had safe sex, Loki. It was bound to happen this time or another." Sanit told him.
"But how? It's physically impossible." Loki sighed.
"We got lucky. Somehow, my body has accepted this pregnancy. It's the gods willing you to carry out your bloodline to give heirs to the throne. Soon, I promise, I shall birth you a son, and all will be well." Sanit explained.
Loki slowly walked over to her seat and knelt down in front of her. She smirked down at him as she took his hand in hers. He looked down at the ground, holding back his tears as he shook his head. Moments later, he picked his head up and stared at her belly. Warily, he raised his hand up towards her and laid it on her belly. He smiled weakly as he took a few deep breaths as he came to terms with the child growing in her womb. He was going to have a family, and with a woman he felt nothing for. Now, Loki felt that Sanit was bound to him. However, he knew he would not marry her. She would make a horrible queen in his eyes. To him, she'd always be nothing more than his mistress.
"Sanit, I promise I will do everything I can to ensure that everything goes right in this pregnancy." Loki told her.
"Thank you. But you have nothing to worry about. Everything will work out since my body has already accepted your seed. A boy will be birthed in the summer." Sanit smiled brightly.
"My son." Loki whispered as he looked back down at her belly.
As they lay in bed, Sanit was asleep as Loki stared up at the ceiling of his canopy bed. He was still in disbelief that she had gotten pregnant. He was living a life he didn't want. He didn't want to end with Sanit. And now, she was going to have his child. She was going to be in his life for a long time and he hated knowing that he wouldn't be able to toss her aside now. She was carrying his child and that meant more to him than anything. He would do anything for her, but the one thing he would not do under any circumstances, was give her his heart. Deep down, Loki knew Sanit did not deserve it.
That night, he could not sleep. He wrapped his robe around his body and made his way to his observatory. As he walked there, he began to panic. He had forgotten to check up on Elisabete to make sure she had returned safely. Upon entering the room, he rushed to the cauldron and summoned the fire to watch Elisabete. There, he saw her in her bed laying on her side. What struck him as unusual was that she was suppressing her cries. She was crying in the bed, clutching her blanket tightly in her hands. He furrowed his brow as he watched her for several minutes crying herself to sleep. His heart began to race believing that something had happened on her way home and he hadn't been around to see it. He used his magic to cloak himself and teleported himself inside Elisabete's bedroom. He was undetectable to her. He warily stepped around the foot of the bed, watching her. His heart sank as he heard her sobbing into her pillow. It pained him to see her suffer in this way. What made matters worse to Loki was that he had no idea what it was she was crying over. Loki then sat on the edge of her bed, with her back facing him. He leaned forward and laid his hand on her shoulder, before leaning over her body and laying a sweet kiss to her cheek.
There were so many thoughts running through Elisabete's mid as she wept. All of her emotions were coming out at once and she couldn't help but cry. After a few moments, she felt an odd sensation wash over her and she felt her heart race in her chest. Suddenly, much to her fright, she felt something, much like the touch of a finger, come across her cheek and she sat up in her bed, inhaling sharply. She looked around the room, snapping her head to each side. She furrowed her brow when all she could see were her sisters sleeping soundly in their bed and the moon shining into the room. After taking a deep breath, she laid back down in the bed, on her back, and stared up at the ceiling, clutching her blanket to her chest. Elisabete closed her eyes and wiped her eyes quickly before feeling a heaviness in her eyes that made her fall asleep.
Loki had jumped from the bed as Elisabete sat up with a start. He watched her as she looked around the room. His eyes widened as his breath hitched in his throat when she appeared to be looking right at him. Her chest heaved with each breath she took and her eyes were wide with fear. In the light of the room, Loki could make out her face and all its features. When she laid back down in the bed, he walked over to the edge of the bed and smiled as he looked over her face. She appeared angelic as the moonlight hit her face just right. He leaned over her body and muttered a spell as he laid a soft kiss to her forehead. As he pulled back, he grinned seeing how her eyes stopped moving under her eyelids and that she had finally fallen asleep. Satisfied with himself and knowing that she would be getting a good night's sleep, he teleported himself back to his observatory and made his way back to his chambers and fell asleep soundly knowing that Elisabete would be alright for the rest of the night.
The following morning, Elisabete woke feeling more relaxed than usual, yet, she still remembered what had taken place last night. She got dressed for work and quickly cooked breakfast before packing her food away. Before she could leave her home, Tadeus walked into the kitchen and she looked him up and down before smiling weakly.
"What are you going to say to him?" Tadeus asked.
"I don't know." Elisabete replied.
"Surely, you'll say no. Elisabete, you don't love him, and you never will." Tadeus told her.
"Some things have come to light in my life that are making me think otherwise." Elisabete spoke.
"What do you mean by that?" Tadeus scoffed.
"My king's mistress is going to have his child." Elisabete replied, holding back her tears.
"And why does that upset you?" Tadeus chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Elisabete shrugged her shoulders as she looked down at the floor. Tadeus furrowed his brow at her as he tried to read her expression. As she glanced up at him, the look in her eyes gave her way and Tadeus's eyes widened in shock as he stuttered to reply to her.
"Elisabete...no." Tadeus said softly.
"I'm not even sure of it myself, Tadeus. For all I know, it could be nothing. I will be back tonight for dinner. Have a good day." Elisabete told him.
"Elisabete. Will you tell him no?" Tadeus repeated.
Elisabete looked over her shoulder at Tadeus before slowly turning her body around to face him. She smiled weakly as she chuckled and shook her head.
"I'll have to think about it. I shall see you tonight." Elisabete replied.
Tadeus watched as she exited the house and sighed dejectedly as he shook his head. He knew himself the dangers she could face if she were to let her true feelings be known.
Elisabete walked down the dirt road and exhaled sharply as Edric walked out in front of her. She smiled up at him and bowed her head slightly.
"Good morrow, Edric." Elisabete greeted him.
"Good morrow, Elisabete," Edric said as he tipped his hat. "How was the feast last night?"
"It was...eye opening." Elisabete replied as she sighed.
"What do you mean by that?" Edric inquired.
"It made me realize certain things about myself that I never knew existed." Elisabete told him.
"Like what?" Edric asked.
"Nothing of grave importance, Edric. Anyway, how have you been? It's been some time since I've seen you." Elisabete grinned.
"Oh, I've been working on the farm a lot lately. Father's back pain has come back and I've been taking over his duties, so I've had double the work these past few days." Edric explained.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope your father feels well soon." Elisabete spoke.
"Thank you, Elisabete. I hope you have been told I will be attending dinner with you and your family tonight." Edric told her.
"Tadeus told me before I left. I cannot wait to have you over. Now, I must be on my way, otherwise I will be late. Good morrow, Edric." Elisabete spoke softly.
"Good morrow, Elisabete. It was lovely to see you again." Edric smiled brightly.
Elisabete nodded her head before continuing on her way down the dirt road. As she made her way to the maids's chambers, she was praised by the other maids who attended the feast. Elisabete thanked them and made her way to the throne room for role call. There, she saw Loki sitting upon his throne, with an apathetic look on his face. Elisabete immediately took note that he was out of sorts. His eyes were expressionless and he sat slumped forward with his head leaning against his hand. Loki had dismissed the other maids and once they had gone, he did not speak his orders to Elisabete. He simply sighed and stood from the throne, walking down the steps. He walked towards Elisabete and she furrowed her brow at him as he stared at into her eyes, but seemed to be focusing on something else. Elisabete felt that he was looking right through her instead of at her. The unseeing gaze in his eyes frightened Elisabete to her very core that felt the king might be sick. Elisabete thought it strange for him to be acting this way. His mistress has announced that he is to be given an heir, so why would he not be ecstatic. As she opened her mouth to speak, he continued on his way to the throne room doors. Elisabete despised how he had treated her as if she weren't there. She had had enough of being treated like she was invisible to everyone around her. Elisabete took a deep breath as she turned to face Loki and glared at him.
"What is my assignment for today, my king? It seems you have not given me anything to do." Elisabete told him.
She swallowed hard as Loki stopped in his steps and clearly clenched his fists at his side. Loki scoffed as he bit the inside of his cheek and sharply turned to face Elisabete. His eyes were glowing with rage and Elisabete cowered as he stalked towards her. She froze in place as he got closer to her and she feared what he was going to do to her. Once he was within inches of her, she flinched and put her hands close to her face. When she did this, Loki's gaze softened and he exhaled sharply, closing his eyes tightly, and shaking his head lightly. He then looked up at Elisabete, took her hands in his, and laid them down at her sides. She could not deny that her hands wrapped in his felt right to her. Elisabete shuddered softly as his hands ran up her arms and up the sides of her neck, where his hands then cupped her face. He pulled her towards him slightly and Elisabete stumbled forward, her body so close to being pressed up against his like last night. Loki narrowed his eyes as he took in her expression and caressed the sides of her face, trying to calm her.
"Do not speak to me in that manner again...do you understand?" Loki asked gently.
"Yes, my king. I am sorry." Elisabete apologized.
"Do not be sorry. You were right. I had not given you an assignment and I had intentions to leave you here. I should be apologizing to you. But you will not speak to your king in that manner. You should know better, girl." Loki explained.
"Yes, my king." Elisabete whispered.
"Good." Loki replied.
He pulled away from her, much to his dislike, and took a step back as he looked down at the floor.
"So, what is it that you require of me?" Elisabete inquired.
"Frankly, I do not know. I couldn't think of anything for you to do for me today." Loki replied.
"You always have something prepared for me to do, my king." Elisabete chuckled softly.
Loki chuckled along with her and nodded his head.
"I am aware of that, yes. Unfortunately, I am clueless as to what I can make you do. Why don't you have the day off." Loki told her.
"My king, I have never had a day off of work in three years. I always come here and work." Elisabete interjected.
"Elisabete," Loki began, causing Elisabete to furrow her brow hearing her full name be used. "You are a wonderful worker here. You are loyal, determined, hard working, and overall, a good woman. You work so hard to please me and I have never rewarded you for that. After last night's events, we all need a day to clear our heads. I am sorry for Sanit putting you on the spot like that, but, I do hope you can thank me for dancing with you when no one else would. Please, take the day off, come back tomorrow, and I will surely have work for you. Right now, I cannot think straight about anything."
Elisabete blushed madly at his words and bowed her head when he had finished speaking.
"If that is your will with me, I accept it," Elisabete told him. "And, my king...I am very thankful you stepped in last night. I would have looked like a fool dancing by myself...if it weren't for you."
Loki smiled brightly as Elisabete thanked him and he bowed his head back to her.
"Now, go home, and relax. I know your parents are ill. Take this day to be with them. Good morrow, girl." Loki told her.
"Thank you, my king, and good morrow to you too." Elisabete replied.
She smiled weakly and bowed her head before exiting the throne room. As she passed by the maid's quarters, she heard some of the women conversing and when she heard Loki's name being used, she decided to listen in on what they had to say. She leaned against the stone wall and did her best to make out the words the women spoke.
"I did not think his relationship with the whore was this serious." A maid commented.
"I thought he was going to toss her aside like the others before her. It seems as though she is soon becoming his Matte-i-titel." Another added.
Elisabete's eyes widened upon hearing the second maid. That title was not to be taken lightly and meant a great deal to whoever held it.
"Soon, we'll have to be organizing her own private rooms where the king will go to at night to have his fun." A third told them.
"I don't believe the child to be the king's." The first spoke up.
"And what makes you say that?" The third questioned her.
"I have been here longer than you two. Sanit was a promiscuous little harlot who'd take anyone into her bed. I know for a fact that when the king was said to have been killed, she took Thor into her bed to console her. And console her he did. I watched as she kissed him on the lips and pulled him into her bed chambers. Sanit is a whore and everyone knows it, except for the king. He actually believes she's been faithful to him when she was absent from court these three years. I am certain she has taken more men into her bed in that time." The first explained.
"Even if the king found out about her behavior in the past, he would not believe it, no matter who delivered him the news. He'd punish whoever told him the news and then imprison them for slandering her 'good name'. The king loves her too much to see her real self. Such a shame it is. The king can do so much better than to sleep with a wench like her." The second told them.
"But, soon, she'll be wearing the crown atop her head and whoever speaks badly of her will be executed. I won't even be surprised if he announces her coronation tomorrow." The third laughed.
Elisabete furrowed her brow as she backed away from the wall, hearing them all laugh. She could not believe what she had heard them say about Sanit. However, Elisabete knew that Sanit was his mistress for a reason and that Sanit had told her she knew of the rumors spoken about her. What Elisabete found odd was that although she could not believe what they had said, she did not find herself denying them completely. A part of her hoped that they were true and that Sanit would be rid of the court. She despised the way Sanit treated her, yet, her lowly status made it harder for her to speak up for herself. She knew that if she spoke back to Sanit, or anyone in court, she'd be punished for it, and Elisabete had more to worry about than a punishment. Elisabete hated feeling this way. She hated that she hoped for the rumors to be true because in her mind, that meant that Sanit held no feelings for Loki whatsoever. And Elisabete was aware of how Loki felt towards his brother. She knew how enraged he became whenever Thor's name was mentioned. She saw Loki, firsthand, throw a man across the room, by the collar of his jacket, when they spoke of Thor to him. Elisabete knew that in Loki's eyes, Thor was dead to him. He loathed his brother. Elisabete felt indifferent towards Thor. Loki had told everyone in Asgard that Thor had abandoned them to reside in Midgard with lowly mortals. He had left the realm to die, and Loki was left to be in charge since the late king had passed on due Thor's betrayal to the realm. Elisabete remembered Thor when she was younger, living in the village. She had heard stories of his valiant victories in battles, and of his kind nature. That is what made his betrayal hurt his people even more than it already did.
She made her way down the dirt road back to her home and when Tadeus spotted her from the backyard of their home, he furrowed his brow, wondering why she was returning. He laid down his axe as he examined her solemn looking face. She entered the house and Tadeus ran inside through the back door and straight into the kitchen. She inhaled sharply as he appeared in the hallway and Elisabete let out a sigh of relief.
"You scared me." Elisabete huffed.
"What are you doing home?" Tadeus inquired.
"My king had no work planned for me, so he gave me the day off." Elisabete replied.
"That does not sound like him. Is he ill?" Tadeus asked her.
"My king is perfectly fine. He just had no work that's all. Although I must admit, I do enjoy not having to work all day." Elisabete chuckled.
"Well, Liana and Capriana have already gone to the school. You can pick them up today then. It will be a nice surprise for them." Tadeus told her.
"And mother and father?" Elisabete asked.
"Same as yesterday. Same as all the other days. Hopefully, they stay this way and do not get worse so they can be around for longer." Tadeus explained.
"Let's pray for that then. Is there anything you need help with?" Elisabete spoke.
"No, I am quite fine by myself. You just take the day to relax...and think things over." Tadeus told her.
She looked down at the floor as Tadeus exited the house. She knew exactly what he meant and entered her bedroom. She took a seat on her bed and thought about everything that had taken place in the past few days. Whenever she thought about Edric's proposal, all Elisabete could think about were the words that Sanit had told her. Her mind then wandered over to thoughts of Loki. She remembered how he held her close to him as she tried on the dress, they way his body molded to hers during their dance, and the way his hands fit perfectly on the side of her face. Elisabete then remembered how happy he appeared when he was dancing with her. She remembered how he'd stare at her with his intense gaze. But, there was one image she tried desperately to forget, yet it always lingered in the back of her mind whenever she thought about him. Elisabete could not, for the life of her, forget his bare body as he laid on top of Sanit. She remembered every single curve, vein, muscle, and movement of his bare flesh. She hated remembering this impure memory of hers. It was wrong of her to think that way about a man she was not made to marry, and it was wrong of her to think that way about her king. He was someone to be looked up to, not like he was an object. Elisabete prayed and asked the gods for forgiveness.
As she kneeled by the edge of her bed, she clasped her hands together and laid them on top of the bed, laying her head down so her forehead touched them. She knew that this decision she had to make needed the guidance of the gods for it was too difficult of a decision to make on her own.
"Oh, blessed gods, I seek your guidance in these troubling times. I am at a crossroads and am unaware as to which path I should take. Please, when the time comes, tell me what to do. I have only done good deeds in my life and only ask this small favor of you. Guide me down the path I should take." Elisabete whispered.
She bowed her head as she slowly stood to her feet and let out a deep breath as she cleaned around the house, getting everything ready for tonight. As the sun began to set, Elisabete had just finished setting up the dinner table. Tadeus helped her since they arranged the table in their parents' bedroom. They wished to see Edric propose to Elisabete, not wanting to miss it. Liana and Capriana had already eaten and gone to bed. Just as Elisabete finished cooking the food, there were a few knocks on the front door. Tadeus answered the door and smiled weakly upon seeing Edric. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn when he asked their parents for their blessing. Tadeus welcomed him inside and led him into the bedroom. Edric greeted her parents and was welcomed in by them with large smiles. After a few moments, Elisabete appeared in the doorway and Tadeus and Edric turned to face her. Edric's eyes widened as he looked her up and down. She wore her best dress, although plain as it was, and blushed upon seeing his reaction.
"Why, you look stunning, Elisabete." Edric told her.
"Thank you. Shall we eat then?" Elisabete replied.
"Of course." Edric chuckled nervously.
The dinner was quiet and there was anxious atmosphere as Edric tapped his foot repeatedly, waiting for the right moment to speak up and propose. Elisabete was dreading it since she was still unsure of what she was going to say. Once everyone had finished eating, Elisabete stood from her seat and went to collect the dishes, but Edric abruptly stood from his chair and grabbed her wrist gently.
"Elisabete, do stay for a little bit. I, um, wish to ask you something." He told her.
Elisabete nodded her head and smiled weakly as Edric walked towards her and took her hands in his.
"Elisabete, you know I love you more than anyone in this world. You make me happier than any other person I know. You always brighten my day whenever you pass by me. You treat me like a person and you are the best friend that I have. And that is why I wish to ask for your hand in marriage. Elisabete, would you be my wife?" Edric told her.
He knelt down on the floor and still held her hands in his. He looked up at her with pleading eyes and Elisabete stared deeply into them. As she gazed into his eyes, all she could hear were Sanit's harsh words being repeated into her memory: love you burn you. Elisabete took that as her sign and smiled weakly as she took a deep breath.
"I will." Elisabete replied.
Edric, her mother, and father all clapped and laughed merrily. Edric embraced Elisabete tightly and she looked over his shoulder at Tadeus who was staring at her in disbelief. He angrily stormed out of the room and Elisabete watched him as he left. Once he was out of her view, she looked forward and stared at the wall in front of her, praying that the gods had made the right decision for her.