The Prince and the Raven

The Raven

Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.

Swept in routine, (Y/n) sung a tune while making her way from a small cottage to the serene meadow. With a wicker basket in hand, she began foraging a variety of fruit for sustenance. The young woman carefully plucked bunches of ruby red berries from the thorny bushes. She pulled off fig-like fruit from the trees towering over her, then searched for edible fungi she could cook for dinner that night. Content with what she's gathered, she searched for medicinal herbs and plants, preparing herself, as a healer, for any unexpected accidents. She then entered into the thicket of the meadow to find flora. She plucked daisies, marigolds, violets, and may flowers before finding herself at her favorite stream. Pulling out a silver flask adorn with dark wooden runes, accented in gold, she filled it up with the running water across from her.

Setting down her basket, (Y/n) slid off a worn pair of slippers. A black cloak was secured around her neck, to which she nimbly unfastened and set aside to her basket. While leaving on her white linen gown, she removed her corset-like belt which held together the light green tunic over the gown which she also took off.

Left only in her linen gown, (Y/n) slowly let herself into the river, before letting the refreshing water engulf her. With her head in the water, she popped back out up meeting her eyes to a man's, who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed and just... watching her.

She quickly analyzed the man, he had slicked-back ebony hair, reaching his shoulders. He was donned with dark leather armor. With an air of confidence, his face held a slightly mischievous smirk, which was quite unnerving considering her predicament.

Startled from the peculiar, yet attractive, man, (Y/n) let out a shriek, before rushing out of the water, and quickly covering herself with the cloak.

The peculiar man rolled his eyes and before (Y/n) was able to scold his head off, he spoke. "You sing like a crow darling."

"Excuse you?" The young woman spluttered from his bluntness, "I only sing for my enjoyment." She huffed and crossed her arms, "And for your information, I am actually a raven."

He gave her an incredulous stare. Though he was a god of lies, he could not place whether the girl before him was lying or telling the full truth, "You're telling me you are the daughter of Huginn or Muninn, my father's messengers?" He chuckled, "You're just a little girl. Surely you are kidding"

(Y/n) rolled her eyes, knowing that they couldn't have been more than a century or two apart and placed the cloak on a nearby boulder. In a blink of an eye, a glimmer of gold surrounded the woman and the once Asgardian shifted into a raven.

Once she fully shifted, she circled the god before landing on his shoulder and nipping his ear. The god winced before swatting the bird away. She gracefully landed on the rock across from him, and the golden glimmer turned the perching bird into a now, dry young woman sitting on the boulder.

"My father was Huginn, yes. The raven of thought. My mother was a goddess, but both of my parents passed shortly after my birth." She picked up her tunic and began to reclothe herself. "No one knows who my mother was but since she was a goddess, I inherited her ability to shapeshift, but only into a raven like my father." She sighed and fastened the belt onto her waist before proceeding, "I live here, alone though. Odin did not want the castle to be sullied by my presence, as he still does not believe my origin, so I have taken refuge in the meadow." (Y/n) gave a soft smile before giving a curious look a the god, "Who are you though, son of Odin?"

"I am Loki Odinson, god of mischief and god of lies." He paused, "I am truly sorry for my father's hostility towards you." He bowed before (Y/n), with an expression full of somber.

"Relax... Loki," she paused, feeling how his name felt on her tongue. "Right now you are in no need to act as your father's diplomat."

"Right," the god gave a sheepish smile and chuckled, "Well my apologies none the less, I did give you a fright."

She huffed, remembering what just occurred, before beginning to fasten the cloak onto her neck, "Yes you should be Loki. But you still never answered my question, who are you?"

The god stared at the woman puzzlingly, "I beg your pardon (Y/n)? Did i not give a proper introduction of myself?"

She rolled her eyes, "You gave me your title, but I still know nothing about you or your past."

His lips pursed in thought, "Ah yes... my past."

"Nevermind I didn't intend to upset you, we can move on if you'd like..." The girl scrambled for a thought to take his mind off of whatever was bothering him. "Oh! Do you like fruit? I foraged some on my way here," (Y/n)  pulled her basket filled with flowers and foraged fruit onto her lap, "Here! Um we can split this." Grabbing a cluster of bright ruby-like berries, she gently tore them apart before offering some to the royal highness.

Still lost in his thoughts regarding his cold, dark past, Loki took the red berries. He silently nodded as a gesture of gratitude, before popping one in his mouth.

The girl does the same, "I am so glad it the weather is still like this, it's always so difficult to obtain sustenance for winter around here."

"Ah yes," Loki grimaced, "the winter."

Noticing his discontentment with her reply, she tried to make amends. "I mean it isn't terrible, if you see this meadow while it is snowing it is absolutely beautiful!" She sighed before squinting in thought, "Speaking of which, I have never seen you around here before, do you come around here often?"

"I do not actually, this was my first time." He took a look around the meadow and sky, before glancing up and down at the woman before him. "The view though is absolutely divine." Loki popped another berry into his mouth, before giving a smirk and... Was that a wink?

(Y/n) felt her face warm up in response to his flirtatious remark. Feeling as red as the berries in her hand, she placed the berries back in the basket and took a quick swig of some water in her flask to cool herself down. "Well, um it's getting quite late my prince. Have you anywhere to go after this? I'm planning on heading back to my cottage, you're welcome to join!"

He weighed his options. He could either go home, to the cold, unwelcoming castle. Or, he could visit this pleasant young woman's cottage. "I shall accompany you little wren."

The young woman rolled her eyes as she walked into the forest with the dark prince and his horse in tow, "I'm a raven."

"I know darling."