Hostage to Love

Duty

"I am NOT doing it! You can't make me!" Ariadne shouted at her father, tears of fear and frustration streaming down her face. "Father, you can't please...." she fell to her knees as he stared at her impassively. "Please... Daddy?" She knew her father, he wouldn't refuse his little girl. Since her mother had died almost ten summers before, he'd been her father, mother, guardian angel as well as her King. She'd never defied him. She'd never needed to, till now.

The Adgardians were notorious. They'd fought them for centuries. Oran Mere came from a long line of Vanaheim Kings who had refused to be subjugated. They'd stood impassively and watched as Svaltalfheim was crushed, they had turned their backs as Jotunheim succumbed, and Laufey made a peace treaty.  Now, destitute and with few soldiers left with which to fight, they'd had no choice but to capitulate.

"You WILL go and you WILL be a credit to your family, your heritage, to me and your mother."  His face was stern, his inner turmoil hidden beneath a gaze that was every bit as freezing as any Frost Giant.  It was a low blow, dragging her mother into this but he was left no choice.  She had to be made to see reason.

"Mother would NEVER have allowed this.  Father, I refuse.  I will... I will join our forces in the forests,  I will fight.  I will NOT be used as a peace offering!" she stood, arms crossed over her chest, eyes aflame.  Her father, in truth could not have been more proud of her at that moment than in her entire life.  Proud and annoyed.  In all things, he had tried to instil in her the sense of duty that came with her position.  That, at the end of the day, had ensured the continuation of their blood line over the millenia.  Now, the time for battle was gone, this was the time for politics and for making what her mother had called "the best of a bad situation".  

Oran sighed, with each passing year he missed his wife more and more.  She would have known how to deal with this firebrand daughter he loved and despaired of in equal measure. Aria had been a true Queen.  Wise, calm, gentle but made of iron.  She'd left her home in Alfheim and come to him as a political alliance, betrothed when they were only children and married when they both reached adulthood. Aria and Oran had fallen in love over the years, coming to realise that they had more in common than what made them different.  They had only one child, Ariadne. She was the apple of their eyes.  She was their legacy.

Now, quite frankly she was a pain in the rear.  Her father growled at her.  "I have heard ENOUGH whining.  You are a Princess of Vanaheim whether you like it or not and you WILL act like it even if I have to chain you to me in the meantime . Go to your room.  Get your ladies to prepare you to meet the Asgardians, we leave for the Realm Eternal today." he barked at her and stood raising his hand.  "As I have spoken, so shall it be."  That was it.  No discussion.  

Ariadne stuck her tongue out at her father and stomped off, closely followed by her pet wolf Aesir.  "Come on girl," she grumbled "At least YOU love me and don't want to sell me off to those Asgardian arsewipes."  

"Ariadne... I heard that." Oran's voice carried over the chamber.  "Moderate your language."

"Sorry Father" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  The guards opened the door for her and she and her wolf walked into the hallway.  As soon as the door closed, she took to her heels and ran out into the palace gardens. Hair and gown flying, no more an elegant maiden than the animal by her side. One magnificent, the gardens were as ravaged as the rest of their realm.  Flowers gone to seed, trees overgrown.  There had been just too many other pressing matters.  The gardeners were needed to fight not to prune.  Walking more slowly, the two of them made to a small arbor hidden at the back of the main walled garden.  Beside it, a small standing stone, inscribed with runes, long since covered with moss.  Ariadne ran her fingers over it, feeling their familiar cuts in the stone.  She didn't need to see them to know what they said.

"Those gone but not forgotten.  Those dead but not gone.  I am with you always.  Mother Freya watch over us, send us your light." 

This had been her mother's corner of the garden.  She had come here to think, to remember her Alfheim home.  Sitting in this very arbor, she had taught Ariadne everything she knew about being a Queen, she had taught her everything there was to know about being a woman.  Now, when she needed her mother more than ever, she prayed.

As always, her prayers went unanswered.  She was doomed.  To a life as a trophy in a gilded cage.  Bride to a man she had grown up despising.  Large, brash, everything she wouldn't have chosen in a month of full moons.  Being married Thor was her idea of Helheim.  

She sank onto the overgrown seat and wept.  Her long dark hair falling like a curtain.  Aesir laid her head on her knee, blue eyes full of love for her lifelong companion.  She'd been Ariadne's since her eyes opened and she would - and had - killed for her.  With Aesir she was safe.  Her mother had known that.  She only prayed Aesir would be able to go with her, surely her father could not deny her that?

After a few minutes, she heard her name.  "Ari? Ari, my little one are you there?" soft, gentle, reassuring.

"I'm here Peggi." she called out and an older woman appeared from through the trees.  Dressed plainly, she was Ariadne's personal companion and confidante.  Employed by her mother when she knew she would never see her daughter grow into womanhood, Peggi Alfsdottir was large, matronly and very, very loving.  She treated Ari as she called her, with probably more care and attention than her own children had ever had.  Ari loved her and she loved Ari.

"Oh Peggi. He's selling me to... to THEM!" she howled into her arms as the older woman sat down and wrapped her arms around her shushing her gently.

"Now Ari, don't exaggerate.  He's not selling you, it's an alliance.  You knew you'd have to leave one day. It was always your destiny, even your beloved mother told you that." She stroked the girls hair, feeling the emotion overwhelming them both. "Come on little one, time to get ready.  If Thor wants you, he's going to have to deserve you and we BOTH know that's never really going to happen is it?"  She smiled and Ari sat up, wiping her eyes on her velvet sleeve.

"You're right Peggi.  You're always right.  Come on Aesir, let's show them what a real princess looks like eh?"

"That's my girl!" Peggi smiled and then stopped, pulling on her arm. "Who knows, you might make a friend of Thor's brother.  I believe he feels as much of an outsider as you think you will."

"Thor has a brother?" Ariadne was curious, she'd thought she'd only imagined that conversation.  "What's he like?"

"Like?  Don't know, never seen him, but I hear he's handsome.  Devilishly so." she smirked and winked.  Ariadne giggled.

"What's his name?" she began to wonder if he would be an ally in a prison made of gold.

"Loki.  Loki Laufeyson - yes he's adopted - he's the heir to Jotunheim."

A Frost Giant.  Ariadne stopped in her tracks.  Oh great.  This just got better and better.