Out of reach • A Loki fanfiction

Chapter 6 - A great king

Loki was a prince.

"Perfect." She whispered to herself once she broke the tiniest bit of eye contact she managed to make with him. But it was everything but perfect. Because this changed everything, even about their little conversation yesterday.

It was one thing to be seen with an Aesir. It was another to be seen conversing with a prince.

But Era had no time to process any of it. Because her light was blocked by someone else's shadow, along with the thoughts that ran trough her mind.

Looking up, her eyes widened in horror.

There, hand extended, a slightly tilted head, and a smile on his lips, stood Fjölnir. Vanaheim's first and only prince, the man who was representing his realm so his father could keep position on his throne.

"May I have this dance, Lady Vera?"

It didn't occur to Era to look at her father. In the pure need of wanting comfort, she turned to her brother instead. But he just looked as struck as she was. Apparently, their father didn't include Harald in this plan. Because it was her father who had set it up. The little flashback from yesterday, where he came by her room to tell her she ought to be present was quick to pop up. And then, him whispering in her ear only proved that fact even more.

"It's just a dance, Vera."

And with literally all eyes on her, Era couldn't decline. Even if it had been a simple nobleman asking her to dance. With everyone looking, she had to comply. Especially when it was a prince asking her to. And especially when he was opening the dance floor.

There was no running this time.

So of course, she took his hand. And just in time it seemed, because the moment she did, the music started to play.

Fjölnir was in no rush. He stuck to bowing first, took respectfully ahold of her waist, and awaited for Era to rest her hand in his palm. Not until then, did he start to sway.

"You're shaking." The prince of Vanaheim stated as he guided Era over the dance floor in beautiful and ever so smooth movements.

It was true, she was shaking like a leaf. There were so many things going trough her head, her body felt the need to react somehow. But now that she felt herself actually shake too, Era did her utmost best to keep her body calm.

"Forgive me, my prince."

"What for?" A genuine question, Era could tell.

She gave him a smile in response, right before she was spun once around, and guided back into Fjölnir's arms. "The lack of composure."

"For being uncomfortable, you mean to say."

That actually had her swallow. Because he was right, she was uncomfortable. She had been put on the spot, was being watched by her father, and was expected to be liked by the actual Prince of Vanaheim. Liked enough for a future, her father wished.

"I see." Fjölnir interrupted her thoughts, after she had stayed quiet for way too long. And before Era could tell him otherwise, tell him she was 'perfectly content'—a lie of course—Fjölnir beat her to it. "Vera, I know very little of you-"

"It's Era." Her eyes widened the moment she realised she had become so comfortable, she had actually cut him off. For Hel's sake, now she had done it. And the sentence wasn't even worth it. Because truly, her name was Vera. Or 'Að Vera Frodedottir' to be one hundred percent a know-it-all. So what did it matter, really?

But Fjölnir simply smiled.

"Era." He guided her further down, causing for Era to catch the sight of Prince Thor, and eventually Loki, dancing with another woman. But it was too much of a flash to really develop thoughts because of it. "I was told you'd be the perfect dance partner for me. And in all fairness, your dancing is faultless. But I believe we both know that there are certain people who wish for this dance to mean something more."