Chosen // loki laufeyson

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Lienna

The next hour passed quickly and I found myself relaxed in Loki's arms as Odin and Frigga spoke quietly to someone. Thor had disappeared, perhaps to drink with his friends. Frankly, he deserved it. Thor had been through so much.

"Lienna, how would you feel with a guest in the palace?" Frigga asked, snapping me out of my daze.

I blinked. "Don't you think there's enough?" I asked, gesturing at the multitudes of people.

Frigga laughed quietly. "I mean, how would you feel if someone lived with us in the palace? A guest with political intentions."

"I don't quite think it's my place to decide," I responded, suddenly feeling awkward. "I'm not even a member of the royal family."

Loki shifted, resting his head on mine. "We're working on that."

I put my hands over his, rubbing them with my thumbs. "I believe it's fine, as long as they don't disrespect anyone."

"It'll be a man, your age," Frigga replied. "Are you sure you're completely comfortable?"

"Goodness," I responded. "I'm engaged to a god, how unsafe could I be?"

"That's not what I-"

"This is Ben." Odin interrupted, gesturing toward a man with short blond hair.

Ben dipped his head in respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he greeted Loki. "And it's simply divine to meet you." He smiled at me, revealing a perfect set of teeth. His eyes lingered on me for a moment too long, long enough for me to see that his eyes had no obvious color. They were a mix of colors and shades.

"Why don't you two dance? Just to get acquainted," Odin suggested. However his eyes showed it was a command.

I hesitantly stepped from Loki, who glared at Odin, but nodded his consent. He didn't really have a choice, I thought.

Ben took my hand and immediately swept me into a twirl. Then, he began to sway me gently to the rhythm of the music, resting his hands on my hips.

"So your name is?" Ben asked, an easy smile gracing his face.

My heart sped up. I silently cursed myself for being so utterly awkward. "Lienna."

"Beautiful," Ben complimented. "Just like you." He dipped me smoothly. If anything, he was a well-practiced dancer.

"Thanks," I mumbled. I was never one for compliments from strangers, and I could barely take them from Loki.

Ben's expressions led me to assume that he could sense my unease. His hands tightened on my hips ever so slightly. "I heard you and Prince Loki were engaged to be married. How did that arrangement come around?"

Of course. "Ah, well, I was arranged to marry another, but Odin apparently had other plans and I was Chosen. It so happened that Loki and I connected quickly and it went up from there. It was no love at first sight, but it's love and it's quite wonderful." I glanced downward, a grin spreading across my face. "He's quite eloquent with his words."

"Now, I wouldn't know that because he was a bit on the cold side when we met," Ben quipped.

"He can be that way, I suppose," I replied. In more ways than one. "Have you ever been in love?"

He was quiet for a moment, considering the question. "I've had a few flings here and there, but nothing really sticks. I'm hoping my stay at Asgard will lead to something of worth," Ben informed me. "But for now, I'm happy with just myself. It's less stressful at times. However, the loneliness does creep into my bones as it does everyone." His eyes clouded over, but he quickly blinked it away.

We danced in a stifling awkward silence, Ben's face more frowns than smiles. I wanted nothing more than to escape the endless, uncomfortable waltz we were stuck in.

Then, the tune changed to a lively piece. Ben grinned. "Are you up for this dance?"

I bit my lip. "I'm afraid I'm not as skilled as you are, but I'm up to the challenge."

Ben had no hesitation in lifting and spinning me once again, then spinning and dipping and bouncing to the beat. Laughter ensued as I tripped at nearly every new move, but soon I learned the tempo and Ben's style and the passion of the dance caught up to me. I found myself anticipating every twist and turn, when our arms might get tangled so we could avoid it. It was almost competitive, though there was no competition.

Unfortunately, I wasn't as fit as Ben was, and I could feel my breaths getting shorter.

"Do you need to stop?" Ben asked, still as passionate about the dance as I was. "Trust me, I won't be disappointed."

I shook my head, but my violent wheezing said otherwise.

"Oh, Lienna, I wouldn't want you to faint. Let's get you a drink and then see how you're faring." He slowed to a stop, holding me so I didn't fall. Now that we had stopped, I could feel the room spinning and my head pounding.

"Maybe I-" A sharp pain from my temples stopped me. "Maybe I should stop."

Ben faked disappointment. "Aw, Lienna. Let's get you a drink and then we'll see."

"Oh, alright," I agreed. A drink didn't seem so bad.

××××××

Sorry I didn't update for so long! My show came up quicker than I thought, but here's an update and a promise that the updates will come on schedule!

I love you all and appreciate you so much. 20 votes for an update! ♡

-katiethenovelist