Loki's POV
I woke up to the sound of a door softly closing. Sitting up, I glanced at the bed; empty. Then it hit me. The girl was gone.
Rushing out into the hallway, I hoped to see her walking towards Frigga's room, or towards the kitchens. But she was no where in sight. Odin had told me she was an orphan now; her mother was dead, and her father had just died. She had no where to go.
Panicking, I raced down the halls, searching every nook and cranny for the girl, trying to summon enough magic to feel her presence. But I wasn't calm enough to focus, and I guessed my heart wouldn't stop racing until I found her. I had to do this the old fashioned way.
Rowan's POV
My legs ached from running, and my lungs burnt from the cold air. I found myself in a dead end. Slamming my hands against the wall, I slid my back down the cold stone and sunk towards the floor, sobbing uncontrollably for the second time that day.
My stomach growled. I ignored it. I shivered from the cold. I ignored it. Running down another hallway would only get me farther away from where I wanted to go. Home. And there was no way I could go home if I was lost.
I covered my face and cried.
I heard rushed footsteps coming closer to where I sat, crying. Then the light of a candle burned my eyes as it came into view. My eyes still scrunched shut to avoid the bright light, I heard a muffed cheer, and I felt a pair of cold hands on my cheeks.
Squinting, I looked up at Prince Loki. His face was full of emotions, making it unreadable on the waxy light. He looked relieved, angry, almost happy.
"What in the name of the nine realms were you doing?" The prince shook my shoulders roughly, making my head flop back and forth on my neck. I let out a sharp cry, but the prince ignored it.
"What were you doing, running away like that? You had me worried sick when I couldn't find you!" My eyes slid down to the floor, filling slowly with tears. The prince cupped my cheek with one hand, forcing my gaze towards. I started into his green eyes, as he looked calmly into mine.
"Huh?" The prince spoke again. "Why?"
I could feel the tears forcing themselves down my cheeks again, making my noise runny. The prince sighed softly, and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears.
"I...." I started to speak, my voice weak and crackling. But the prince shushed me, and slowly lifted me up, laying my head on his shoulder, letting me cry into his armor.
Loki's POV
I picked up the young girl, and laid her head on my shoulder, letting her cry onto the sleeve of my armor. She sighed, contentedly, and lifted one of her hands from around my neck to rub her red-rimmed eyes.
Laying her back on my bed, I tucked her in neatly beneath the sheets and sat next to her, atop the covers, running my fingers through her long, tangled red hair. She snuggled next to where my leg was, and smiled, her eyes closed.
"Darling," I asked softly, not sure of what to address her as. "Darling, what's your name?"
She peeked up at me, her eyelids parting just enough for me to see her jaden eyes peeking through.
"My name," she started slowly, "is Rowan."
