Broken Remedy |L. Odinson|

Chapter Sixteen

The days following the ball, Eir was in disbelief of how things had progressed. Prior to going to the ball she hadn't thought much of the way she felt about Loki but that night, after that dance and with that wonderful view of Asgard at her feet and Loki beside her attempting to speak, there was nothing else she could think of. The memory of his lips against hers brought her to smile at random points during the day, sometimes bringing her brothers, mainly Brandt, to look at her in a curious manner before she wiped her expression off of her smile. She was thinking of Loki all day long and she didn't know if that was a good sign or not.

When she and her brothers were to go to the palace after their training about a week after the ball, she was the first to get ready to go. Since that fateful night she and Loki had met twice, both of these times being when she had gone horse riding. Things hadn't changed all that much, if she were to exclude the few kisses stolen here and there. They hadn't discussed what they had was and she didn't know if she wanted to discuss it or leave it be a wonderful mystery.

Dressed in one of her simple but elegant dresses, she waited for her brothers in the hall, staring at the floor as thoughts of him filled her mind yet again until there was the sound of someone clearing their throat and she looked up only to see Brandt and Cuyler behind him watching her expectantly.

"Should we leave?"

"Yes," she nodded to Brandt. Cuyler walked in the front, not waiting for them to catch up as he left the house. Brandt and Eir walked side by side in a leisurely pace after him, with her greeting a few passing people on her way. After she had greeted about five people, Brandt spoke up.

"You know, we all were here when most of the men got to war but you're the only one that got to know so many people during that time. How come?"

"It's called being compassionate in a time of need," she said with a slight smirk as she turned to face him. "I was out of the house for most of the day. They saw me. I talked with them whenever they wanted to talk. I was there for them when they needed someone to talk to and hear their problems. It was easy to get popular among them after a while."

"I suppose your story seemed touching to them too," Brandt mused as he turned to face her. "The daughter of a King's advisor who rides her horse every day to the Bifrost to learn news of the army in hopes her father, friends and people are well. They must have liked that too."

"Perhaps," she smiled quizzically, "I never shared any of that with them, though."

"And how did I hear of it?"

Eir turned to him with a shrug. "News travel fast."

"Only you two don't travel fast," Cuyler called over his shoulder at them. "Come on, move. At the pace you're going you'll reach the castle tomorrow morning."

"We shouldn't keep you back then, brother," Brandt called back. "Walk ahead then, reach the palace first."

Cuyler didn't need to be told twice as he walked quicker and soon enough, he disappeared from their sight. For a while, they said nothing before she diverted the conversation back to their previous topic. "You actually did hear of it?"

"Yes, just last day when I left to get my sword sharpened," he nodded as he turned to face her. "There were some women nearby talking about how they noticed you in the ball dancing with various men and then dancing with Prince Loki. They didn't fail to mention your daily adventures too. One of them seemed to think you would be a good wife for Loki."

Eir burst out laughing at that, but as Brandt didn't join, her laughter died out. Turning to face him, she raised an eyebrow. "They really did say that?"