Betrothed - Thor Odinson x Reader

Chapter 8: Ties of blood.

The journey from the Bifrost to the camp took longer than Thor expected. He had even tried asking Loki to use his seiðr to transport them faster, but he had vowed to their mother to save his energy for the battlefield. By the time they reached the king's tent the sunlight was scarce. Your father's guards immediately recognised the three men and let them pass. Your father was looking at a map, murmuring something to a younger man Thor suspected to be your older brother, Bjorn, who looked much more like your father than you did. "Good evening." Odin greeted, startling them. "Your majesty, we were not expecting you this early." your father said. "It is sundown, my lord." Thor interjected. Your father and brother looked at the entrance of the tent, clearly surprised so much time had gone by. "Apologies, we were distracted and time slipped away." he responded, turning to sort out the many papers covering the table in the centre of the room. "It is quite alright, my lord." Thor answered quickly. He was not sure what his father would have said if given the chance and didn't want to risk finding out. He needed to impress your father and gain his favour. "You are too king, your highness." your father said. "No need for such formalities, we are to be family." Thor smiled, and the older man nodded.

"That is true," your brother interrupted, "how does my sister fare?". Your father gave him a scolding look. The boy was far to brash for his own sake. "I believe this is not the time for conversation." Odin boomed, annoyed, "Are we here for battle or what?".

It had been only been a few days since the army's departure and you were tired of only feeling despair and boredom. Your frequent meetings with the queen frequently caused the anguish you felt in to your chest to grow, as you could suppose she felt the same way as you did, and the few times your encounters seemed to lighten your burden they was cut short by her royal duties. You began to wonder when Loki would dignify your request of a sign that everything was well.

Thankfully, your prayers were answered. Three mornings after their departure, you noticed a vase of yellow flowers on your windowsill that you couldn't recall placing there. After Hilde confirmed that none of the maids were involved, you seemed to understand. You ran towards the library and picked up a book about the language of flowers that you had seen Loki read. You recognized the flower as a gerbera daisy and read about how the yellow ones meant glory, while the red ones signified victory. You supposed you would see the petals turn the latter once the battle would be over. You immediately informed Frigga, finally able to share some positive news and relief.

As the days passed, though, you were ready to tear each hair of your scalp one by one. The flowers hadn't turned yet and you were going insane as the hallways seemed deserted. That is why, on an early afternoon, you found yourself in the servants quarters looking for Hilde. You had looked in all the kitchens and the cupboards you encountered and almost gave up until you heard a laugh coming from one of the corners of the hallway. You peeked your head just in time to see Ulf, red in the face, helping your maid carry a tray of baked goods. Hilde looked younger as she smiled, though she wasn't that much older than you. Her hooded eyes had a glimmer in them you hadn't seen in a long time. Ulf, who was anxiously bouncing on his feet, had a shy smile spreading on his full lips. You slowly retreated, not wanting to interrupt the moment.

That did not mean you were going to ignore it. You needed entertainment, after all. In the evening, while Hilde was unfastening your corset, you decided to meddle. "Doesn't the spring cause to long for romance, dear?" you grinned, observing her through the mirror in front of you. Her gaze was still focused on her agile fingers' work when she responded. "Missing the prince, are we?" she giggled. "Certainly, though I would say you are much more fortunate than me." you smirked, noticing how she halted her motions for a moment. "I have not an idea what you are talking about." she continued, her voice so levelled and calm that it could have fooled most people. You, though, were not most people. You let silence linger for a minute as if the matter had been dropped. "Oh, I have heard a guard talking about you earlier." you said, keeping a somber tone. Her head immediately shot up, her expression worried. "What guard?" she said quickly. You immediately laughed, watching her face morph from confusion, to understanding and finally to annoyance. "Oh, how funny you are." she muttered, causing you to laugh even harder. After you calmed down, you continued. "I wouldn't have imagined Ulf to be your type" you said, smiling as her face softened at the mention of his name. "I could still suffocate you with this corset and make it look like an accident." she grumbled. "I'm sure you would be thrilled to have him arrest you." you giggled, and she sighed. "He is my type." she murmured after a bit, her cheeks turning red, "So tall and kind." You smiled, thinking about how Thor would fit that description too.

A week had passed before the Dark Elves finally made their move. During those days, Thor, Loki and Odin had worked closely alongside your father, who was a brilliant strategist. Your brother was capable on the matter but clearly preferred the action, it would seem. While everyone was noticeably tired, he simply looked as if his head was somewhere else. One evening, Thor took advantage of a brief break from planning to look for him. He found him outside of his tent, looking at the moon and nursing a flask of wine. "Talking to the moon?" Thor asked, sitting beside him. Bjorn didn't seem to immediately register his presence. Instead, it was as if he was awakening from a deep sleep, slowly looking up at the man beside him. "Something of the sorts, yes." he mumbles. They both sat in silence for a while, then he broke the silence. "My wife is carrying my heir and I've left her alone at court." he said, shaking his head in shame, "She has no one, not even a trusted maid to keep her company. I like to think she's looking at the moon and thinking of me." Thor's lips curved into a sad smile. He would never have to worry about you feeling lonely. Everyone seemed to gravitate towards you, even himself. Then, a thought crossed his mind.

Some hours later, a knock on your door interrupted you as you braided your hair. "Come in!" you said, turning your head towards the sound. Of all the things you expected on a fine morning, Lady Sif awkwardly standing at your door was the last one. "Good morning, Sif. What brings you here?" you asked calmly. After her behaviour towards you, you had been upset, but you were not one to hold grudges, and as uncomfortable as her presence made you feel, you would be civil. She, however, seemed surprised by your response. "Good morning, your highness. Thor told me you wished to play with swords with me." she said, her eyebrows raised in challenge. "I don't wish to play, no." you sighed, turning back to the mirror, "I wish to learn how to wield a sword." Her face seemed to drop at your lack of a reaction. "Are you here to offer to teach me or would you rather I taught you how to braid your hair?" you said, after a long pause, finally turning your head back to face her. She simply nodded and gestured for you to follow her.

Sif was, surprisingly, a better teacher than Thor. While she wasn't half as kind and didn't offer your romantic self much of a chance to fantasise about your impending marriage, and thank the gods for that, she was not one to hold back. Being hit by a wooden sword was painful and your body would probably soon be covered in bruises, but you felt like you could finally call yourself a dilettante at the very least. The two of you had been fighting for hours, but you would not be the first one to back down, no matter how exhausted you were. Just as you were starting to feel about to faint and to worry that Sif would leave you there without bothering to ask for help for your unconscious self, you were interrupted by a guard. "Your highness, your sister in law is here to see you." he announced. Before you had the time to process what he had just said, a loud voice said: "Y/n!". In an instant, your eyes saw a flash of dirty blond hair and a wide smile, before the girl had her arms wrapped around you, holding you as close as she could with her swollen belly in the way. "Tove!" you exhaled, surprised.