Midnight in the garden of mischief & mayhem

Chapter 2

We continued in this way, seeing each other daily, and a friendship grew rapidly. As the years went on however, it became harder and harder for both of us to get away. Our visits became more and more infrequent, going from every day to every other day, and continuing to decrease until we only met once a month. 

I missed strolling through Loki's magic gardens and talking to him. I missed his tricks and jokes. He was the best friend I had ever had, and I felt like I was losing him. My chores and schooling demanded what time I had, and there came a day when it had been more than a month since my last trip to the palace gardens. Then, another month passed, and another, until I feared Loki may have thought I had forgotten about him. During this time, I was in agony. Every chore seemed twice as difficult, every lesson twice as challenging. I thought I would surely break under such stress, but salvation was soon to come.

On the evening of my 18th birthday, just over 3 years since I had met Loki, my mother gave me a night off. She said it was her gift to me: an evening without any responsibilities; I was free to go and do as I pleased. I could scarcely believe my ears when she told me; I could not have dreamt of a better gift. I ran to my room and changed out of my school clothes into something more fitting to the late summer evening. In the end, I chose a crimson dress made from a light, breathable material. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that I was going to see Loki again after so long. It felt like an eternity had passed since we last sat by the pond and watched the fireflies. 

I hurried out the front door and headed toward the gleaming golden palace. When I got to the garden door, the strange sensation of being in a dream overtook me. Shaking my head to dismiss the thought, I took a few steadying breaths and said a silent prayer that Loki would happen to be there before stepping inside.