Aldean's POV
My mother was combing my hair away from my face, pulling into a simple braid. She smiled at me and I smiled back at her. "He seems to be very fond of you already," She sounded happy for once.
"I guess I just did my job right," I answered her. I was not smiling.
"You did a great job, at getting him to like you. All you need to do now, is to make it stay that way," She tied my braid together and placed it over my shoulder. I then took a look at myself in the mirror.
The girl I saw was tired. Worn out. Not happy. Would she ever become happy?
"Mother?" I asked.
"Yes dear?"
I hesitated.
"A-are you proud of me?" I asked her, as I turned to her. She saw the fear in my eyes, and hurried to my side. She grabbed both of my hands, and sat down before me. Then she looked into my eyes.
"Of course I am, Aldean." She smiled carefully. But what I saw in her eyes were not pride. It was fear and sadness.
"Promise me, it will be fine?" I could feel the tears build up in my eyes and a lump gathered together in my throat.
"Aldean, dear! No crying!" My mother hurried to wipe my eyes, before the tears went streaming down my face.
"But mother, I'm scared." I begged her.
"Aldean, you must be strong. All this will be over soon, and you will no longer fear anything. You will be a queen! All of this," she stretched out her arm, as she was showing me the entire castle of Asgard, "will be yours! And a husband, who will love you so dearly,"
I sighed, and wiped away the last of my tears.
"Will he love me?" I then asked, with a slight smile on my face. The thought of Thor ever loving me, gave me a feeling of relief. That was all I had to do; make him love me.
"He might already do," My mother smiled at me, and kissed my forehead.
"Alright, I will go back to me chamber. Have a good nights sleep, my Dear Daughter," She stood up and walked over to the grand doors of my chamber, and knocked on the door. The guards let her out, and before they closed the door, she smiled at me once last time, before she disappeared.
I then sighed again.
I crawled into the bed and pulled the covers over me. The feeling of laying alone in the big bed was making me anxious. Everything here made a anxious. The guards, the castle... The prince.
Not much was asked of me; make the Prince love me, and let him make me Queen.
I sighed and closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep. The Prince; what was making this so difficult for me? As my mother said, he practically already loved me. He was handsome, strong, powerfull, what more could I ask for?
But would I love him? A silly question I kept asking myself. All I needed was to be married to a good man and have a good life. And of course I would get that here.
But would I love him?
I opsende my eyes again and looked up into the ceiling.
I could try to love him. Love is a thing that grows. My love for him would grow.
I hope.
