Krystal

31

I'm made aware that Thor and his family, including Loki, are in a private meeting and I'm told to make myself scarce and not interrupt as it's of a private matter.

My nerves are already shot as it is since my talk with Thor this morning, so not knowing what the meeting was about only made me more anxious.

"Krystal?" I hear Frigga's voice after a gentle knock on my door.

"Come in".

"My dear, I was hoping I might have a word with you regarding a private matter?" she asks me once she's inside the room.

"Of course" I reply nervously because I'm worried I'm in deep shit now.

"I will not dance around the subject, Krystal, we are both grown women here. My son has expressed his feelings to me regarding you".

"Thor is a sweet man".

"I believe you know that I am referring to my other son".

"Oh, I see".

I'm almost relieved that I don't have to pretend with her. She seems far too intelligent for that.

"You do not truly wish to marry Thor, do you?"

"No, but I don't exactly have much of a choice in the matter. At least not without ruining all hopes of getting what I've spent the past fifty years of my life chasing after".

"Loki has just informed us that the witch you seek is your mother".

"For lack of a better word, yes she was once. My curse will remain and your people will continue to be in danger unless I stop her. That's why this marriage needs to happen".

"You share Loki's affections, do you not?"

"I didn't realise that until recently because I hated him so much, but yes. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be honest".

"There is often a fine line between those two emotions".

"Is that what the meeting was about?"

"No dear, it was mainly to discuss Loki's potential freedom".

"And?" I quiz her eagerly.

"It has been decided that with certain rules and conditions in place, he no longer has to continue his stay down in the dungeons. He has you to thank for that" she smiles.

"Me? What did I do?"

"It would appear that whatever you discussed with my husband earlier today has clearly given him hope that our son is capable of redeeming himself".

"I'm glad to hear that".

I certainly was now that I know I wouldn't have to keep visiting him down in the dungeons.

"However Loki is not coping well with the idea of you potentially spending your life with Thor as his future wife".

"I don't know what else to do at this point. It seems like no matter what choice I make now, somebody loses".

"Life is sometimes unfair and it is often us women who must suffer the greatest".

"I thought that once this was all over I could move on, eventually find love with a good man and have children. I thought it would all be so much simpler than this".

"It is not entirely unheard of for the women of Asgard to take a lover into their bed. That is until such a time of the month when she wishes to conceive her husband's child".

"Loki wouldn't just be a lover and he'd also be my husband's brother. Being a mother means everything to me, but the idea of having a baby with a man I barely know is terrifying".

"Yet if you agree to wed Thor, that will be what is expected of you from the moment you marry".

"I don't even want to think about that, or the wedding night for that matter".

"Thor has yet to discuss the engagement with his father, but once he has you will be sent to Hel the following day with anything you may need".

A loud noise comes from the distance, along with raised male voices.

It becomes pretty obvious once Frigga opens the door to check on what's happening that it's Thor and Loki having a heated argument.

"This is neither the time nor the place for this, Loki!" Thor's voice bellows.

"Why not? I believe this is the perfect time now you are no longer able to walk away and leave me in my cell as you have done so many times before".

"Do not jeopardise your new found freedom over this, brother".

"Oh brother, do not pretend you would not enjoy that. Me back in a cell while you have free reign to take the woman I love from me!"

That was the first time I'd actually heard him say that out loud and he was so passionate about it.

"This was her idea, so that she may be free to love you in return".

"And what am I to do? Am I to accept scraps of affection behind closed doors while you get the beautiful wife and children that should be mine?"

I hadn't really thought of it that way until just now. I would never even be able to even hold his hand or kiss him in public. He shouldn't have to share me and I was an idiot to think he'd ever settle for less than all of me.

"My sons, that is enough of this foolishness!" Frigga intervenes as she puts herself between them.

"I have spent my entire life in his shadow and now this? How am I supposed to feel?"

"She does not want me, Loki. She is in love with you so why can that not be enough?"

"She deserves better than this!"

"No, it's you that deserves better than me" I have to interrupt them.

"Thor, let us leave these two to speak privately".

Frigga leads Thor away, leaving me and Loki alone to finally talk for the first time in days.