Maid or Princess [English]

Chapter 6

This was definitely not her bed, Leila realized as she slowly awoke from her sleep. The second thing she noticed was the cool body pressing against her back and the arm wrapped around her waist. It was Loki, she remembered, as she recalled last night. She turned in his arm and looked at Loki; she lifted her chin and kissed him under his jaw. He opened his eyes and smiled at her before kissing her gently. "Good morning," he said and she returned his smile as he stroked her arm with a finger.

"Morning." Loki kissed her again passionately and rolled her onto her back; he propped his hand on the pillows as he began kissing her neck. Suddenly, the library doors opened with a loud thump.

"Loki!" someone shouted, pacing the aisles with loud footsteps; stunned, he rolled off her and Leila pulled the blanket up her body as far as she could. Thor caught sight of her and seemed surprised at her presence. "Brother, what are you doing here?" Loki looked startled at her, knowing she now knew the truth, and looked uncomfortable. He took a deep breath and let fresh clothes appear on his body as he got up from the ground; Loki pulled him away from her so Thor couldn't see her anymore. "What were you thinking? You're engaged to be married in less than a month, you can't sleep with just any woman!"

"Her name is Leila and I can do whatever I want, Thor," he said angrily. "What do you want from me anyway?"

"Father demands your presence and that of the princess in the throne room," he said before leaving without a word. Her eyes widened at the information and she quickly got up from the pillows as she put the dress back on and tried to quickly tie the strings.

"Leila, what are you doing?" he asked as she scurried past him and he caught her arm; she looked at the floor.
"I have to prepare your fiancée, your majesty," she said callously, knowing she was hurting him with her words, but now she couldn't play this game of not knowing who he was.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you-" he began to apologize, raising his hand to her cheek.

"It hadn't meant anything between us." She looked at him sadly, but quickly hid the emotion and he stumbled back as if she had hit him. She took her chance and walked past him, but glanced back at him one last time before leaving the library and hurrying to her chambers. Only a few seconds after she entered them, there was a knock at the door. She quickly put on her amulet before opening the door.

"Your Majesty, the Allfather awaits you in the throne room," said an Einherjer. "I have been instructed to lead you there.

"I will be right there," Leila said, forcing a smile before closing the door again. With a green shimmer, she changed her dress to a light blue dress of Faye's before stepping out of the room a few minutes later and being led by the Einherjer to the throne room. The guards at the doors opened the door and she walked to the throne, the man who had accompanied her bowed to Odin before stepping away. Leila looked to Loki who was standing next to her and she could see that he was dejected. It was her fault that he was feeling this way, she noted painfully.

"Can we get this over with?" asked Loki, annoyed.

Odin leaned back on his throne and ignored him. "I have decided that tonight we will celebrate your engagement." -Loki and Leila looked at him in confusion, since the engagement ball wasn't scheduled for another three weeks- "Likewise, we will move up your wedding to next week."

"But Father-" he began to protest.

"Enough! My mind is made up; the alliance between Alfheim and Asgard is too significant to delay. You may go," he dismissed them both, and Loki nodded as he looked at them before leaving. After a few moments, she also left the throne room and hurried back to her chambers. What was she supposed to do now? She wasn't the princess and couldn't possibly marry Loki....