Loyalty to the Unseen

The sounds of swooshes and swishes and the occasional clank could be heard coming from the Asgard Palace courtyard. Caladhiel stared down her father, both wearing smiles but their eyes contained nothing but focus. She raised her narrow blade once more and took the offense as her father easily blocked her swift movement.

They had been dueling for half an hour now, what started off as teaching years ago, Caladhiel soon surpassed student and was on level ground with her father when it came to swordplay. It wasn’t common for a light elf woman to have knowledge in the sword, but if they asked to learn they wouldn’t be turned away. Caladhiel had seen her mother practicing back on Alfheimer and asked to learn.

Caladhiel now had the defense and ducked as her father took a swipe and that is when she noticed one of their servants hastening towards them. She slowly stood up and noticing her attention somewhere else, her father stopped and turned to watch the approaching servant as well.

“What is wrong?” he asked standing straight up and Caladhiel came to stand beside him.

“It’s the queen, your wife, she has collapsed and fallen ill. Come quick!” she said breathless and with fear in her eyes. Without a second of thought Caladhiel and her father took off, servant in tow towards their home. There were several other elves gathered around the house who parted at the approach of their king and princess. The entered the house and made their way to the master bedroom to see not only their best doctor but Asgard’s best doctor as well by the queen’s side.

Caladhiel rushed to her mother’s side and grasped her hands taking in her appearance. Her skin was pale, more pale than usual, almost a green colour, her hair was pulled into a braid with some fly aways that were never present under normal circumstances. Her palms were clammy and her eyes were glassy as the stared at her daughter and smiled at her.

“How was your duel?” she asked in a hoarse voice, gripping her daughters hand. Caladhiel looked at her father who was talking in a quiet voice with the doctors, she turned her attention back to her mother and smiled.

“I kicked his butt,” she said putting a smile on her mother’s face. That smile alone brightened her face up but what little light it brought disappeared in a coughing fit. Caladhiel poured her some water and carefully helped her drink some.

“Caladhiel, might I speak with you for a moment?” asked her father, “the doctors would like to do a few more tests as well.” Caladhiel nodded and stood to follow her father out of the room and into the hallway.

“Do they know what it is, father? How could it have been this sudden? This morning she seemed perfectly healthy didn’t she?” she asked as calmly as she could once her father had shut the door.

“The Asgardian doctor does not have any idea, but ours has a theory and wants to do a few more tests to be sure.”

“But still so sudden?”

“In all honesty, she has been feeling a bit off lately. We did not want to worry you in case it was nothing serious but it seems like it has taken a turn.”

“If she was not feeling well why did she not see a doctor? Father, this does look serious. I have never seen her like this before.”

“I know, daughter, but we have been incredibly busy as of late. It was something we were not going to mention till things were finalized.”

“So you were keeping another thing from me? Father if you are expecting me to eventually rule you have to keep me aware of what is happening and stop leaving me in the dark.”

“I know, I know. I will tell you later once all of this is figured out.” He said softly as the door opened and out came both doctors.

“She is sleeping now,” said the Asgardian doctor, “we will go off and run some tests and will report the results as soon as we know anything more.”

“I shall be nearby in case her condition gets any worse,” added the elf doctor. Both royalty nodded and the doctors left before Caladhiel sighed and looked at her father.

“Please just stop keeping things from me, especially if they are as important as this,” she said before walking into the room and taking her spot beside her sleeping mother.

_._._._._._.

“I know they have been having meetings with the Alfheimer council and they claim that they want me in attendance but they have been having them in secrecy without my knowledge. And my mother had been feeling ill for a while and it was not until she was bed ridden that he decided to tell me. I just do not understand. If they expect me to be queen one day I need to know these things but they are keeping me in the dark just like our people,” Caladhiel let out her feelings while she paced up and down the sitting area of Prince Loki’s room. He sat on the sofa watching her with raised eyes brows and an amused smile on his face. He had never seen the fair princess so frazzled before and was delighted to see her opening up to him.

“Perhaps they didn’t want to worry you. I overheard a conversation they were having with my father about how you seem so busy as it is with all your lessons,” he offered with a wave of his hand. Caladhiel stopped and turned to look at him.

“Right, well there is that. And speaking of which, we are suppose to be having a lesson right now. I am sorry,” she said before taking a deep breath. Loki patted the empty space on the sofa next to him and she sat down and faced him. “Teach away. It is why I am here after all.” He smiled and nodded before reaching over and tucking a stray hair behind her ear then letting his finger trace her jaw and pick her head up ever to slightly with his finger under her chin.

“Head up, princess, everything shall be fine. When he feels you are ready your father will tell you everything, and your mother not only has one but she has two of the best doctors in all of the nine realms to cure her. So take a deep breath and let out all your frustration.” She smiled and nodded. “Deep breath,” said Loki. Caladhiel gave him a look before taking a deep breath. “Now let it out,” he said and she did as instructed. “Better?”

“Not really, but your concern is appreciated, my prince,” she said with a weak smile.

“Now about this lesson we are suppose to be having,” he said rubbing his hands and shifting on the sofa so his body was facing hers.

“Right, what is the next step in my magic?” she asked waiting for him expectantly.

“Nothing,” he said with a stoic face, though inside he was keeping back a smile. For awhile now he knew she had mastered her invisibility and kept coming up with lessons just to have her around but he finally came to terms that there was nothing else he could think of to do with her. But he now had another thing in mind to keep her close.

“Feeling like nothing so I understand how to truly be invisible?”

“No, I would never want you to feel like nothing because you are anything but. I mean, that I have nothing else to teach you. You mastered your abilities quite successfully a few weeks prior.”

“Now you are keeping things from me?”

“Yes, but all with good cause.”

“And what might that be?” she asked. He paused in speech as he reached over and took her left hand that was resting on her knee into both of his hands.

“To keep seeing you,” he finally said as he made direct eye contact with her. She maintained the eye contact as she fully took in what he meant behind those words and how softly and lovingly he said them.

“To keep seeing me?” she repeated after a while.

“Yes. I can no longer deny my feelings towards you. We have spent endless hours with one another and when alone with someone as beautiful as you, one cannot help but fall. You are talented in so many skills and amazingly intelligent I just cannot see you not in my life anymore. But I know I want to have you as more than just a friend, for we already are friends. If you will let me, might I have the honour of courting you?”

Caladhiel was speechless. Almost everything he had said she felt the same, but would never have the courage to admit it the way he just did. He certainly had a way with words and she was still lost on her own emotions and his confession that she did not realize how much time had passed since he had last uttered a word till he began to draw away from her and placed her hand back on her knee.

“But perhaps, I have been mistaken in your feelings,” he said leaning away from her. In a panic as she broke from her inner thoughts she grabbed his hands in hers and pulled him closer as she leaned forward towards him. Bringing his hands to her chest she held them to her in desperation.

“No!” she shouted quite loudly before calming down and lowering her voice, “I mean, no, you were not mistaken. At first I found friendship in you, even in Thor, but spending more time with you showed me just how wonderful you are beyond what everyone else sees. I cannot lie, not to you,” he smiled and gave a little chuckle, “I have stronger feelings for you as well.”

“You just made me the happiest god in Asgard,” he said moving closer to her.

“But,” she said looking down at her lap and releasing his hands.

“But?” he asked scooting over so he was sitting flush with her and held both her hands in his.

“My mother and father. They did not like how close I was with and how much time I spent with you. They often told me to distance myself from you.”

“And yet you didn’t, why should this be any different?”

“Because it would mean that we are closer than ever and that is not something that can easily be hidden like magic lessons and friendship.”

For the second time that evening Loki lifted her dropped head to make eye contact with her. Her eyes held sadness and longing, his had hope. His hand continued to gently hold her chin as he spoke.

“What made you continue to be by my side before?”

“Loyalty. That was our bargain was it not, in exchange for magic lessons?”

“Indeed it was.” He paused as he searched her face before continuing on, “and what will keep you by my side now?”

Caladhiel stared into his eyes- into his soul, for the longest time. He might have been the god of mischief and lies but he was not lying now or mischievous. He was honest, the most honest he had ever been in the entire time that she had known him and it was because of how open he was to her, she couldn’t help but come to terms with not only her true feelings, but his as well.

“Love.”

_._._._._._

The largest smile was plastered in Caladhiel’s face as she closed her front door that night. Amongst so much sadness and uncertainty she was ecstatic to have one thing going right- more than all right- in her life. However upon seeing her father standing by the front window, body looking out but his head turned to look at his daughter she knew he had seen her.

Loki insisted on walking her home and said he would follow behind here whether she liked it or not. When reaching her front door she ushered him to leave, not wanting her father to see since she knew he didn’t need this on his mind as well, but Loki was back to his mischievous ways and insisted the risk was part of the fun and kissed her good night. Clearly her father had seen everything.

“What have we said about the dark prince, Caladhiel?” he said. Caladhiel took a breath before walking to her father as he turned to fully face her.

“I’m tired of this hesitancy around him, and your disproval of my friendship with him. I cannot dance around this no longer, and I’m sure you’ve already come to your own conclusions. We are together and nothing you say or do will stand in the way of that.”

“I see,” he paused, “come and sit daughter, we have much to discuss.” She nodded and walked over to him. He sat on the sofa and she sat beside him, much like she just was with Loki only the happy atmosphere was replaced with a rather sober one.

“Father, I love him,” she said, feeling she had to defend her relationship now that he appeared so wounded, yet the strength she just felt was quickly leaving her as she gazed on her father. He held himself up but it seemed like he was just barely keeping his wits about him.

“Daughter,” he said, almost as if she hadn’t just spoken, “the doctors returned this evening while you were out.” He paused and stared at Caladhiel as her expression instantly changed to one of fear. “Your mother is dying.”

“Is there nothing we can do?” asked Caladhiel once the news soaked in and she was able to process what she was hearing.

“Nothing,” he said shaking his head.

“Oh, father,” she sighed before pulling him into a hug. He held his daughter as he gather his emotions, remaining strong for the rest of the news he had to give her. If her heart wasn’t already broken, surely this will do the trick.

“There is more,” he said pulling away and resting his hands on her shoulders. Caladhiel nodded for him to continue. “Those secret meetings the council has been having, we have been negotiating about returning to Alfheimer. The dark elves have retreated back into the darkness and we have arranged to return home. In light of recent events, once your mother passes, we shall shortly thereafter return to Alfheimer.

Once there I shall retire and you will ascend to the throne. You have been taught well and have blossomed in a courteous and fair woman and will no doubt be ready to ascend to the throne when the time comes. I know this might seem sudden, but it is what I see as best both for our people and for our family. That is also why, you cannot stay by Prince Loki’s side. He is of …Asgard, and will remain as such, and you have your duty to be with your people.”

Caladhiel remained silent as she stared at her father in a state of shock. This was all so sudden and she almost wondered if she was dreaming. If she was it was not a good dream. Noting her silence her father gave her a kiss on the cheek before standing.

“I shall leave you alone now to gather your thoughts and reflect on what I have just told you,” he said softly, “good night, daughter.”

Caladhiel didn’t even notice he left the room for her mind was still wandering. Her mother was soon to die, they would be going home, and she would be queen! But now matter how many times these pieces of information ran through her head, her hearted continued to beat louder saying ‘no more Loki’.

A soft drop landed on her folded hands and it was only then she noticed the tears trickling down her face. How she wished she had the power to reverse time and go back but ten minutes to the moment she was by Loki’s side and elated. This was all just too much, but she had to come to terms with her current situation. Everything that was about to come to light was inevitable and she had grown being prepared for these changes. Now that they were upon her, it was her duty to do what was right- even if it meant giving up something precious.