We traveled quickly to the ruined village, letting the warm evening air wrap around us as I held onto Loki's body. We stopped in the usual place, and Loki slid off his horse with ease, to help me onto my feet.
We walked around quietly, and I wrapped my hand around his. I felt a little tension between us, but I didn't want to break it. The thought of an argument with him caused my throat to tighten and make my head hurt.
"Dahlia," Loki started as he gently pulled us down onto a crumbling wall. I looked at him, noting a strength in his gaze that wavered a little the longer I kept contact. "I think we need to talk."
I swallowed and nodded, but kept quiet.
"I... I feel like you're upset with me and I've been wracking my mind but I don't know what I've done to cause you sadness. I promise you that I didn't intend to make you feel like that -"
"Loki stop." I held a hand up, watching his face fall as he stopped speaking. "I'm not upset with you, I'm just... confused."
His brows furrowed, but his gaze softened as he turned to face me better. "About what?"
"Us?" His brows deepened, but I continued before he could ask further. "I don't know what this is, Loki. I don't want to have the cliché conversation about what we have together, but I think I need some form of confirmation. I like you a lot, and there's things that we do and say that I didn't do even when I was on Earth."
Loki stayed quiet, his head cocked slightly to the side as he studied me. I wasn't sure where his mind was wandering to, and so I stayed silent, following his eyes as his gaze wandered. "What we are?"
"Well, technically we aren't courting. To court someone here we have to go to Odin, or so I've gathered. And I have a feeling Odin would rather have me arrested and beaten that be courting you." I squeezed his hand gently, watching him wrap his fingers around around mine as I waited for his reply.
"I think we are courting. Just without the consent of the Allfather." Loki murmured.
In my head I imagined courting to have the same definition as dating. But the feelings I held for Loki were growing and I knew in my heart that I needed him to want something more serious. This was a man I couldn't casually sleep with. No, I knew I wanted something more than that.
I plucked up the courage to ask. "What are the steps after courting here?"
Loki hummed softly. "You go to the parent, usually father but it depends on the situation, of whoever you are courting and ask for them to bless your marriage. With their agreement you go to the Allfather and ask for his blessing. Once Odin agrees, you propose to your loved one and then become betrothed."
My heart was thudding. "That's all? They are the only options?"
"What other option would there be?" Loki asked with a puzzled expression.
"What if, I don't know, there's somebody who you've been courting and you really like them, and you want to be with them but you aren't ready for marriage."
"You court them."
"But isn't there another step?" I asked, exasperated.
"Is there another step on Mid- Earth?" I smiled a little as Loki altered his Asgardian terminology.
"Earth works differently. And every culture and religion does it differently." I looked at him, and he held my gaze, expectant.
"Would you explain the Earth steps to me?" He asked.
I pulled my head back, "You really want to know?"
He nodded readily, "This is important to you and our... relationship. I would like to know how it happens where you're from."
"Oh."
I paused for a moment, thinking of a way to articulate my thoughts. "There's dating, which is a casual way of getting to know someone. Some people date multiple people at a time, as they aren't always seen as serious relationships."
Loki nodded his head, "What's the next step?"
"One person would ask the other person to be their girlfriend or boyfriend. Sometimes they don't ask, they just end up at that point without formally requesting it. But it means that they become exclusive to one another, they don't date anybody else."
Loki nodded, his mind obviously racing behind his calm expression.
"Marriage isn't always what's right for some couples on Earth. Some people believe they should be married before they start a family, other couples believe that marriage is just a title and they don't need to be married to express their love. Some couples never marry and some couples who do get a divorce."
Loki's brows furrowed. "Divorce?"
I tried to change my words to a way that would make it easier for Loki to understand. "The marriage contract ceases to be legal. The couple can return to their normal lives, can go back to dating others. Marriage is not always seen as sacred and... as permanent as it is here."
"And this," Loki paused, "is why you're confused? The difference between Asgardian courting and Midgardian dating means we don't have an agreed label for our relationship."
I stared at him, then nodded. He'd got it exactly right.
"Well, courting is very serious here, but I suppose your... boyfriend step of the relationship is serious too."
"That's one of the first steps in a serious relationship." I confirmed.
"Oh. Well then, are there any traditions surrounding this practice?"
"Like what?" I could feel a small bemused smile growing on my lips as Loki leapt to his feet.
"To court here the couple need the blessing of the Allfather and later their parents. Does a boyfriend-" Loki's face wrinkled slightly as he said the word, "need the blessing to be with a woman he loves?"
"No." I shook my head. Loki's smile grew into a fully-fledged grin, his white teeth bright as his lips parted. He knelt on the ground in front of me, leaning forward to hold my hands. "In that case Dahlia, would you do me the honour of allowing me to be your boyfriend?"
I sat still. "You want to be my boyfriend?"
"Yes please."
"But, that means that we're serious. In a serious relationship."
"Yes." He nodded.
"Loki, I would love for you to be my boyfriend but I don't know if you're sure what it means-"
"The boyfriend step seems similar to the courting step on Asgard." Loki said. "Couples who court see each other, learn about each other and eventually stay with each other forever. That's the same, yes?"
My face tugged down at his words. I'd been dying to hear him talk about us this way but now he was I became worried. "But Loki," I removed my hands from his grip, instead settling to hold onto his arm instead. "We can't be together."
He stood up, but instead of walking away from me like I thought he was going to, he held onto my hand and tugged me to my feet so I was stood in front of him. "And why can't we be together? Enlighten me."
He held one hand on my waist, securing me to the ground as his right hand trailed up my cheek, cupping my face. I gazed at him, feeling the pad of his thumb brush a stray hair away from my eye-line. "Odin-"
"It doesn't matter about Odin." Loki hushed, but I shook my head.
"But it does! It has everything to do with Odin! Most couples when they reach the boyfriend/girlfriend stage are at a point when they are comfortable enough in confirming their feelings not only to one another but their friends and families. We can't ever admit we're together in the case Odin hears of it."
"But-"
"Loki." I could feel the pain in my head increase at the thought of my words. My throat tightened and I could feel the tell tale signs of tears as my eyes grew a little itchy. "Loki, if he finds out about us then I'm sure to be banished home and you'll have your title stripped. You'll be thrown in the dungeons like a criminal."
Loki's eyes glistened as he looked down at me. "I'll come with you."
"You can't leave Asgard. I overheard you and Thor arguing one day. There's no way you could come with me."
He glanced up, sucking in a breath before his arms extended around me. I fell into his chest, feeling his arms tightening against my back. His heart thudded by my ear, his head bowing to nuzzle into my neck. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and clung to him, silently begging him to never let me go.
"I love you." His voice was a delicate whisper, spoken directly into my ear. He held his head in that way for a second longer, until his lips met the shell of my ear. "Dahlia, I love you."
I pulled him to me, pushing myself onto tip toes so I could hug more of him. "Loki-"
"We don't have to go to Odin but I need you Dahlia."
"I can't lose you." I whispered into his shoulder.
He pulled back, holding me by my shoulders so he could see me clearly. I suddenly felt cold with the distance between us, and the raw vulnerability of the situation began to make me feel on edge.
"Dahlia, I am in love with you."
"I love you too."
We were smiling through the tears that slowly rolled down our cheeks. I knew what I felt for him was love. It was stronger than any other emotion I'd ever felt, and the overwhelming emotions that grew whenever I was near Loki made me know what I said was the truth.
"I'm scared." I confessed.
He nodded. "Me too. But I promise you, we'll be okay."
"I don't know how you can promise such a thing Loki."
"Because I know I would do anything for you." His hands moved to cup my cheeks. "Dahlia, would you please let me have the honour of being your boyfriend. I now know what that title means, and there is nothing more important to me than us taking our relationship to the next level."
"Even though it's a Midgardian term that has no meaning on Asgard?" I smiled at him, my eyes feeling sore with tiredness.
Loki nodded, "it holds a meaning to you and it holds a meaning to me. That's all that matters."
"But nobody will know..." I trailed off.
Loki paused for a moment, then smiled softly at me. "Maria, your friend from the servants quarters. Tell her."
I tilted my head. "You aren't worried she will go to to Odin?"
Loki shook his head. "She stood by you when you were made a servant, my maid, and then as my Carer. She does not appear like the type of woman who would shrug that friendship just to get on Odins good side."
"Okay." I smiled, "I'll tell Maria."
"So you are saying yes?" Loki's hands tilted my face up, his eyes holding an expecting excitement that didn't seem to fade.
"Yes Loki, I'm saying yes. I'd like you to be my boyfriend very much."
His lips were on mine in an instant, and I instinctively pushed myself higher on my toes to make myself taller. His arms trailed down to my legs, easily swinging them up to wrap around his hips. With one hand on a leg and the other cupping the back of my neck, Loki lowered his head and kissed me deeper.
I wrapped my arms around him, my fingers threading his hair into knots, matching the gnawing feeling in my stomach. I ached for him, more so now than I had ever before, and scraped a hand down the back of his armour, clinging onto him, trying to get impossibly closer.
He took several steps forward, then began lowering me down. A shimmering veil of green enveloped us, and instead of a crumbling wall, my back came into contact with the soft covers of Loki's bed.
The echoing of locks sliding shut reverberated around the room, and I felt Loki crawl between my legs as I kept my fingers twisting through his hair.
I may not be allowed to be with Loki in public, but that wasn't going to stop me from loving this man.
And that night as we made love with the moonlight casting shadows through the windows, I knew my heart would forever be entwined with his.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I just want to say thank you to everyone who reads this book! I really struggled with how the plot will reach the ending, but I've finally decided on the path.
This book will be finishing in a few chapters (unless I get too attached and keep it going), but please check out my other book His Soulmate, on my page.
Thank you, and keep reading, voting and commenting! Love you all xxx ❤️❤️❤️