The party was in full swing when I made my grand entrance. I was only slightly less nervous the second time around. At least this was less formal than the crowning ceremony. My dress was simpler now, a misty silver gown that hugged my torso and hips and flowed out around my legs. It was far easier to move in then the last one. Mary had swapped the heavy crown for what was basically a delicate band of diamonds, and she'd even managed to fix my hair perfectly afterword. I'd told her she was a genius and she blushed bright red.
Now every eye was on me, and Erik wasn't escorting me this time. He was walking several feet behind me. To my relief nobody bowed this time. Instead, they all began to crowd around me, and I ended up walking through the enthusiastic crowd, shaking hands and greeting all of them, being patted on the shoulder and kissed on the cheeks by the women. It was surprising, and it filled me with relief.
"Megan!"
I looked up on time to see a blur of green satin and blonde hair, and then Charlotte was hugging me tightly, "you did so well! You looked amazing up there!"
I laughed, trying to untangle myself gently, "thanks, Charlotte. I was really nervous."
Davin stood back a little, smiling at Charlotte's enthusiastic embrace, "Well you didn't look it. You looked very majestic."
"Thanks," I felt myself color slightly at all the praise.
"Good thing you didn't lose your lunch," Charlotte added cheerfully.
I pulled a face at her, but before I could say anything Becca, Stacey, Margaret and Marian arrived right next to her. Once Charlotte released me from her death grip the others hugged me as well, and Marian gave a big thumbs up.
"Thanks girl," I beamed around at them.
"You looked amazing!" Becca grinned at me, "how do you feel?"
"I'm okay," I smiled, "a little overwhelmed."
A deep voice rumbled behind me, "What will your first official act as Queen be?"
I jumped, turning to see Fenrir lurking behind me. I crossed my arms and stared narrowly down at the big wolf. I was Queen now, there was no way I was going to let him intimidate me, "I think you know, Fenrir. I'll be teaching the jotun all about fake fur."
Fenrir rumbled low in his throat, something that might have been the wolf equivalent of laughter, "Very good, your majesty. You and I will get along just fine."
"You helped us," I said seriously, "You fought and died with us. We couldn't have won without you. We'll help you in any way we can."
Fenrir dipped his head, then glanced up as Surtr materialized beside him, draping one muscular arm around the wolf's neck, "You botherin' the Queen, you scurvy fuzz-bucket?"
Fenrir growled back, "Do you value your throat, you hairy oaf?"
"You'd make a good carpet," Surtr shot back.
My mouth hung open, until I realized they were only joking, "Good lord, Surtr, for a moment I thought you'd gone and offended him. Then I'd have to shout off with you head."
Surtr looked surprised, then he threw back his head and bellowed with laughter, "you just try your majesty! Just you try!" He put one heavy arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a side hug, "you look wonderful by the way. My son seen you yet?" He winked.
I was starting to turn bright red, so I was grateful when Fenrir growled, "You'll get her party dress sooty, you dirty lummox."
Surtr winked at me and pulled back, saying to the wolf, "come on, fluffy. Let's go to the dessert tables. There's a platter of strawberry tarts with my name on it, and maybe they'll have a couple of buckets of raw meat or something. Or a few sheep floating around somewhere."
Fenrir trotted off through the crowd, the huge wolf moving easily through the jotun. Surtr moved to follow him, but just before he went he put one hand on my shoulder and said in a low voice, "I like you, lass. I sure hope you and my son can...well, unite the kingdoms, if you know what I'm saying."
And then he was gone, leaving me bright red with what felt like an entire flock of butterflies zipping around in my stomach. I darted a look at my friends, but they were all talking to one another, thank god. No one had heard him say that. I used the ten seconds of free time to scan the crowd, but I didn't spot the face I was looking for. There was no time for disappointment though. There was another person to greet, and another and another. Everyone was wonderful, shaking my hand, patting my back, telling me how lovely I looked. It was a steady stream of both fire and frost jotun. They told me how wonderful the coronation was, and many of them even got teary when they told me I'd be a much better Queen. I spent a lot of it thanking people and nodding and blushing.
It was overwhelming. One frost jotun, a tall, sharp boned young woman, even grabbed my hand and pressed it to her cheek, whispering in an awed voice, "You rescued us all."
It took a few seconds to get my hand back, and I patted her awkwardly on the shoulder, doing my best to give her a big smile. I turned and found myself facing Erik, who smiled and raised his eyebrows as if to ask how I was doing. I nodded wearily and shrugged my shoulders. Well, I wasn't falling over yet, but my feet ached, even in the flat shoes.
"Hello, your highness."
I turned, expecting another well-wisher, only to come face to face with Edda. The frost jotun was back in her jewelry and billowing gown. No longer a servant I see. She had her boyfriend the guard on her arm. He gave me a wide smile and appeared to nudge her. She looked startled, then resignation passed over her face. Edda bowed stiffly at the waist and said in a small voice,
"I'm sorry I was so horrible to you. I do hope you can forgive me." She glanced up at me from under her lashes, and I noticed the hand that wasn't clinging to her boyfriend was shaking just the slightest bit. She must really think I'm going to have her executed!
"You're forgiven," I said shortly, doing my best not to smile. Was it terrible of me that I was finding this just the slightest bit satisfying? I made sure my voice sounded haughty, "just see that you don't throw any more tantrums in the future."
She looked relieved, turned bright red and then caught up her skirts and curtsied at me. Her boyfriend gave me another huge grin and a wink and then swept her away towards the dessert tables. I turned around, a big grin on my face, to see another group waiting to greet me. Oh man, this is going to take all night.
Standing at the front was a slender girl with delicate features and long brown hair. Her face was so familiar, and it only took me seconds to work it out. Loki's sister.
Her voice was soft and low when she greeted me, "You did very well tonight. I would have been so nervous if I were you."
"Thank you," I smiled, thinking that she looked and sounded a lot like her brother, his mannerisms, the way he moved. Again I scanned the room and again my heart dropped. Still no sign of him.
"You'll have to come visit us, we're looking forward to a friendship of the kingdoms," she said.
"As am I," I nodded, and swept the crowd again. Still no Loki, but I spotted Erik standing a little way away from us. To my surprise his face was beat red, and he was shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. He was staring at me. No, not at me. It clicked finally, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. Loki's sister said, "Are you alright?"
I quirked one eyebrow at Erik and he shook his head frantically, so I turned to her and said, "You know, I think you have an admirer."
She looked startled, "I do?"
"Just there behind you."
She turned around, and Erik instantly looked away, face even brighter than before. He looked down at his feet.
Her grin was suddenly wicked, "He's handsome."
Suddenly I was protective. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. "He's sweet. And tragic, and broken. Be nice to him."
She looked startled, and her expression softened, then she breathed, "how intriguing. I must go talk to him."
She swept away, leaving me staring after her in amusement. I could see them on the front of a cheesy romance novel already.
More people to shake hands with, a constant blur of faces and names. Different dresses to compliment, green, blue, black, grey, pink...a flurry of noise and activity. Hands touching my cheek, shoulders, back. Lips moving constantly: Yes, thank you. You look lovely. Thank you so much. I'm sure I will. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much...
My cheeks were sore from smiling and laughing. Was it getting hot in here? It felt stuffy, like someone needed to throw all the windows open. A wave of dizziness hit me, and when an opportunity came I slipped out the door. Tasting freedom, I ran out into the hall, nearly colliding with a servant who was coming in with a large tray of wine glasses. He looked like he was about to scold me, until he recognized who it was and then his face turned white and the glasses rattled on the tray. How horrible had Eira been that the servants were this afraid?
"Sorry," I said, making my voice low and soft. I reached down to take my shoes off, enjoying the cool ice on my bare feet, "I was in a hurry and didn't watch where I was going. My fault."
He stared after me with huge eyes as I ran past him. I kept running, head down, hoping nobody would recognize me. I passed a few servants on the way, but they were discreet and pretended not to notice their new Queen running flat out down the halls, hair totally disheveled and in her bare feet. Finally I shoved my way past the front doors and found myself in the courtyard breathing the cool evening air in deeply, relieved to be out in the open. It was weirdly silent out here for once, and I tilted my head back to look up at the open sky. It was grey, and a rain drop splattered right on my nose.
"Ah!" I wiped my nose with the back of my hand, wondering if I should return to the party inside. I probably shouldn't stay here and let myself get drenched, considering how long it had taken to do my hair and makeup. I told myself that, but my feet stayed rooted to the spot. I just couldn't make myself turn around and go back in there. I took in another deep breath. The rain started to fall more persistently around me now, pattering into the snow, turning it slushy. I shut my eyes and let it calm my frantic heartbeat. The thump of horse hooves in the distance, growing louder. I opened my eyes to see a huge black creature riding through the rain. Its rider was crouched low over the horses' neck. As it drew nearer I could make out its owner better. Wet curls hung around his face and stuck to his neck. He had obviously discarded his suite jacket earlier, and his white dress shirt was soaked through. I swallowed hard, able to make out every inch of him, every muscle. The slope of his broad shoulders. Not only that, but every rain drop that hit him sizzled at the heat of his body, and steam rose up in a fine mist around him as he rode.
Seriously? The butterflies were hyperactive now. Loki reigned the horse in just in front of me.
"Hello, princess."
"I'm not a princess anymore," I retorted, "you have to address me as Queen now."
He grinned down at me, brown eyes filled with mischief, "You looked a little overwhelmed back there, your highness. I thought you might want to go for a ride."
I held up my hands at the sky, blinking against rain drops that were pelting my face. My dress was slowly getting more and more waterlogged, and I could feel it beginning to cling to me like a second skin, "It's pouring!"
He leaned down, offering his hand and a cocky grin, "we'll ride between the raindrops."
I took his hand, "Scientifically impossible."
"We'll see."
I tucked one foot in the stirrup and he hauled me up behind him. I clung to him, feeling the heat from his chest seep into the palms of my hands. When I pressed my upper torso into his back he warmed my entire body.
I had to raise my voice so he could hear me over the crunch of the horses' hooves on the packed snow and the soft patter of rain, "Where are we going?"
"You'll see," was his only answer.
We rode for a couple of minutes in silence, and I leaned into him, resting my face against his back, inhaling his scent and the fresh smell of rainwater. Feeling the heat radiating from him. Water ran down my face and drenched my hair, but I didn't even notice. I was soaked to the bone, jostling up and down on a horse, and I'd never been so happy in my life. My arms tightened around Loki involuntarily. I didn't want this moment to end. I could freeze everything else, why not time?
Finally the horse slowed to a stop, and I lifted my head. In front of us was a huge old tree, bent and gnarled, but somehow still green and beautiful. Loki jumped off and then helped me down. He didn't bother tying his horse up, and it didn't look inclined to run away.
He took my hand and led me to the tree. To my astonishment there was already a soft wool blanket laid out underneath. When we ducked under the branches it was surprising sheltered and the ground was completely dry.
"How did you find this place?" I said, "You came here earlier and left a blanket?"
"I explored earlier," Loki grinned, "in case I had to whisk you away somewhere."
"You planned this?"
"Down to the last detail," he flopped down on the blanket and grabbed my hand, pulling me down beside him. Suddenly his hands were in my hair, he was pulling me closer, my arms were wrapped around his neck and his lips were on mine, hot and demanding. He grasped my waist and pulled me on top of him. Our bodies were so close, we fit together perfectly. Hot and cold melting into one. The kiss became deeper, and a little growl ripped from his throat, sending shivers coursing over my skin. I took his bottom lip between my teeth and bit down gently, and he pulled me more fiercely against him. I tangled my fingers in his wet curls.
Loki stopped, pulling back, "wait one second," his voice was breathless.
"Sorry," I could feel my face heating up, "did I hurt you? Was it..."
"No," he said hastily, "no, it was good. Amazing. I just...I want to talk about something."
Oh no, talks were never good. Talks usually ended up with "it's not you, it's me" didn't they?
"What is it?" I said nervously.
He took a deep breath, "You're Queen now. You have to stay here and rule your people. I'm a fire jotun and I have to go back home once this visit is over," he hesitated, then he took my hand, "Megan, this just isn't going to work."
My stomach dropped and my heart felt like led. I refused to let tears threaten, because that made me feel weak. Luckily my voice didn't even shake when I said, "So, all this...this is to say goodbye?"
Loki released my hand and stood up, and I just sat there, shock and sadness coursing through me. How could he do this? How could he just say that this couldn't work and leave it at that?
"I don't..." my voice trailed off as Loki crouched in front of me, finger to his lips, one hand digging in his pocket, "What I mean is, it isn't going to work the way it is right now." He pulled something out of his pocket and balanced it in the palm of his hand. A little wooden box, beautifully carved designs in scrolling gold on the front.
I couldn't seem to form any words properly. My heart was hammering against my ribs and the butterflies were back, "Loki, what...."
"Open it."
I reached out with one shaking hand and grasped the little golden latch on the front, lifting the top off the box. There in the center of a blue velvet cushion sat the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. The silver band held a single large diamond in the center, nestled in a circle of tiny red gems. Loki's hand moved slightly, and despite the shadows the ring sparkled.
"Do you like it?" His voice was low and anxious.
I could barely speak, tears were prickling the back of my eyes. Why was I going to cry? Now was not the time! "I love it," I breathed.
"Well?" He said.
I only stared at him, too struck dumb to process thoughts properly, "Well what?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes! Oh my gosh, yes!" The words burst out embarrassingly loud, but Loki just laughed, a delighted look on his face. I seized him in a hug, feeling the wet fabric of his shirt on my face.
"Here," he took my hand gently, sliding the glistening ring onto my finger. When it was on he didn't let go, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand, "I'm so relieved you said yes, I had nightmares about proposing and you laughing at me."
"Are you kidding?" I shut my eyes and leaned my head against his shoulder, "I'm so happy you asked me. Of course I said yes." I lifted my head to look at the ring again, "it's so beautiful."
Loki took my hand in both of his, tracing one finger over the stones in the ring, trailing over the red gems, "fire" then over the diamond, "and ice. The perfect combination."
He placed one hand on the side of my neck, trailing tingles after his touch. I was suddenly very aware of the heat of his body so close to mine. I gave him a wicked grin and slid my hand down his chest, "Soon we'll be married."
Loki's eyes went wide, and again he sounded a little breathless, "something tells me we should make this a short engagement."
Then his lips were on mine again, and we lay back on the blanket, tangled in one another. And I let myself get lost in his kiss. It was just us, surrounded by green leaves and the patter of the steady rain and the occasional bird call. Later we would have to go back, and there would be engagement parties, and more dressing up and dancing and merriment. But for now, it was just me and him.
The End
FROST IS BEING PUBLISHED!
Details: Basically this book will be split in half (it's over 150k words, woah!) and new scenes, characters and plot lines you've never read before, have been added! It will be turned into a trilogy, with the first book being released by Patchwork Press on August 25th, 2015.
For more info, read the next couple chapters, or check out my website: elatimer.com