Down the rabbit hole

The days flew by. When I wasn’t  with Loki studying magic, I was in the stables learning how to ride and take care of Shadow. To be honest I was having a blast. It was fun riding with Loki, Thor and even Muriel. We were trying to get me used to long rides but even with the makeshift Elven saddle I still had muscle aches after a long day of riding. But thank heavens Asgard has been blessed with warm baths and a wonderful lotion that soothed my aching muscles. The magic studies also went great. I could now dress and change clothing with a flick of the hand. I could take magical shower like Loki and could do my hair in a simple braid that I used when to go riding. Loki even helped me learn a spell that eliminated the need to go to the toilet. Although that was weird to practice. Let’s just say I practiced that one alone. Sometimes learning these things from a man provided some practical issues. Like learning to change my clothes. Thank god Loki had put up a room divider because the first two times I ended with more clothes on the ground then on my body. But the coolest thing I learned from him was that I could store items in an alternate dimension. Loki called this void storage and it meant I could always reach items I had put into the storage. Making it that where ever I was I could access essentials like extra sets of clothing and stuff.

Today was a quiet day though. I had been riding in the morning and now Loki was off doing tasks for Odin. So, I had an afternoon to kill. I decided to go to the library. I had a discussion with Thor earlier before riding about the visit to Alfheim and he told me he was looking forward to it. But how he dreaded the Elven dances. According to him they were far more elaborate and graceful then Asgardian dances and he always had trouble remembering the steps. I choked as I didn’t even know the Asgardian dances that I’ve seen at the festivities. They already looked elaborate to dance so if the Elven ones where more difficult I thought I better study them. So, here I was looking for books on Elven dances in the library. So, I could take a look at them to learn the basics and maybe then practice with Loki without making a total fool out of myself.

Once in the library I asked one of the staff members if there were such books and to my relief there were. She handed me two not to thick volumes and I walked up the stairs to go to Loki’s library. At the top of the stairs I reconsidered. Next to the entrance of Loki’s library there was a bay window with a lookout over the beautiful Asgardian country. So, I decided to sit there and read. As I opened the books I saw it had a detailed description of the dances. The main text was used to educate on the tempo and rhythm of the dance and the basic footwork. While there were animated illustrations to show what to do with the hands and rest of the body.

I now got an idea why Thor had difficulty with the dances. Where in Asgardian dances the footwork was important usually the hands would remain

The days flew by. When I wasn’t with Loki studying magic, I was in the stables learning how to ride and care for Shadow. To be honest, I was having a blast. Riding with Loki, Thor, and even Muriel was exhilarating. We were training for long rides, but even with the makeshift Elven saddle, I still ended up with sore muscles at the end of the day. Thank the heavens Asgard was blessed with warm baths and a wonderful lotion that soothed my aching limbs.

My magic studies were also progressing well. I could now dress and change clothing with a flick of my hand, take magical showers like Loki, and even magically braid my hair effortlessly before riding. Loki also taught me a spell that eliminated the need to use the toilet—though that was an awkward one to practice. Let’s just say I opted to test that particular spell alone. Learning magic from a man did present some practical challenges—like changing clothes. Thankfully, Loki had put up a room divider, because the first two attempts resulted in more clothes on the ground than on my body.

The most fascinating thing I learned, however, was void storage. Loki explained that it was an alternate dimension where I could store items and retrieve them whenever I needed. It meant I could always have access to essentials, like extra sets of clothing and supplies, no matter where I was.

Today was a quiet day. I had ridden in the morning, but now Loki was off completing tasks for Odin, leaving me with an afternoon to fill. Earlier, I had a conversation with Thor about our upcoming visit to Alfheim. He was looking forward to it—except for one thing: the Elven dances. According to him, they were far more intricate and graceful than Asgardian dances, and he always struggled to remember the steps. That made me choke on my drink because I hadn’t even learned the Asgardian dances yet! They already looked elaborate, and if the Elven ones were even harder, I figured I should at least try to study them.

So, I made my way to the library in search of books on Elven dances. To my relief, one of the staff members was able to provide two moderately sized volumes. Instead of heading straight to Loki’s library, I stopped at a bay window near its entrance. The view overlooked Asgard’s breathtaking countryside, and it seemed like the perfect spot to read.

As I flipped through the books, I found detailed descriptions of the dances, explaining the tempo, rhythm, and basic footwork. Animated illustrations demonstrated the hand movements, which were far more intricate than Asgardian dances. In Asgard, the footwork was the primary focus, while the hands remained mostly static—one hand on the partner’s shoulder, the other in their grasp. Elven dances, however, required constant movement of the hands, forming elegant shapes before returning to the partner’s hands, only to change again moments later.

As I studied the illustrations, I also caught a glimpse of traditional Elven fashion. The male figures resembled Muriel, while the females were breathtakingly beautiful—just as slim and graceful as their counterparts. Their flowing dresses framed their figures, emphasizing the waist rather than the bust, which was a stark contrast to Asgardian styles. All the depictions showcased lean, elegant women with almost impossibly sculpted slender  figures.

I was three dances into the book when a familiar voice interrupted my concentration. A light chuckle made me look up to see Muriel standing before me, amusement glinting in his eyes.

“That must be a very interesting book,” he said with a smile.

Realizing how ungracefully I had been sitting, I quickly repositioned myself. At some point, I had leaned against the window with my knees pulled up, balancing the book on my lap. While comfortable, it was hardly a position befitting a princess. Thank god for the length of the dresses so it at least covered everything.

Muriel raised an eyebrow as he read the book’s title. “Elven dances?” he asked, clearly amused.

“Well, yes,” I admitted, feeling a slight blush creep up my cheeks. “Thor mentioned earlier that they were quite difficult, so I thought I’d try to learn the basics before practicing with someone. That way, I wouldn’t waste their time.”

Muriel shook his head, still smiling. “Aurora, I believe you might be the only person in the world who would try to learn dancing by reading a book. Even Loki would have found himself an instructor first.”

His words bristled me. I thought this was a far more efficient approach. Learn the basics first, then have someone refine my form. “Well, I think you’re wrong,” I countered, slightly indignant. “It’s better to understand the fundamentals before bothering someone else.”

Muriel’s grin widened. “Then perhaps we should test your theory.”

I blinked at him in surprise. “What?”

“Show me which dance you just learned, and I will dance it with you. That way, we can see how much you’ve actually picked up from reading. If you can complete the dance without fumbling too much, I will gladly take back my words.” His tone held an unmistakable challenge.

“And if I fail miserably?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Muriel laughed. “Then you must promise to let me teach you properly before you leave. But be warned—I am known to be a relentless instructor.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Either way, I would benefit. “Deal.”

I showed him the first three dances in the book. He nodded in recognition. “Ah, I know these well. Shall we?” He extended his hand toward me.

I hesitated. “Here? Don’t we need music?”

“Ah, how could I forget?” With a flick of his wrist, a small ornate music box appeared in his hand, followed by a second box filled with delicate metal discs. He selected one, placed it inside, and wound the key before pressing a pause button.

“We’ll start with the first dance,” he said as he moved a few chairs aside to make space.

I quickly reviewed the steps in my mind, recalling the book’s illustrations as if I were looking at the pages. Muriel led me to the cleared space, took my hand, and with another flick of his wrist, the music filled the air. The moment the melody began, he moved with effortless grace, executing the steps precisely as I had seen in the book. I lacked most his fluidity, but to my delight, I managed to follow his lead, making only minor mistakes.

As my initial nervousness faded, I let myself be carried by the rhythm, and suddenly, the movements felt more natural. The Elven dances had been beautiful in the book, but dancing them felt like floating on air. Whenever I hesitated, Muriel skillfully guided me back into the steps, making it seem as though I had never faltered at all. A wide smile spread across my face, and Muriel returned it.

As the last notes of the music faded, I executed an Elven curtsy, as the book instructed, while Muriel bowed elegantly. A sudden sound made us both turn in surprise—clapping.

I spun around to find Loki leaning against the wall, a smug smile on his face. He pushed off and strode toward us, still applauding.

“I did not know you have been taking Elven dance lessons from Muriel,” Loki commented as he walked toward us.

Before I could reply, Muriel was already answering him. “It seems that she does not need them,” he laughed, raising Loki’s eyebrows.

“I just found her reading a book on Elven dances. I claimed that she could not learn them from reading a book, and she said I was wrong. So, to prove a point, I challenged her to a dance.”

Loki looked at me. “And that was the first time you ever danced that dance?”

I looked at them both as they stared at me. “Yes. I just got the book a half-hour ago and had only studied the first three dances when Muriel found me,” I admitted.

Both Loki and Muriel shook their heads and laughed. “Loki, I do not know how she does it, but maybe her reading is magic too,” Muriel chuckled.

I felt a bit annoyed. “Well, not everything I do is because of my seiðr ,” I huffed. “It is just easy when you don’t forget the things you read,” I added as I sat down.

This made Loki give me a peculiar look. “You do not forget the things you read?”

I nodded. “Whenever I read a book, I just have to read it once. After that, it is in my head, and I can access it whenever I want.”

It had always felt normal to me. Until now, it had never registered as something unusual. But it clearly was, seeing as Loki and Muriel looked like they did not quite believe me. I sighed.

“Loki, can you summon one of the texts we used last week? You made me read several books—any of them will do,” I said, and he nodded.

With a wave of his hand, Loki produced a book. It was the one explaining how to create and alter items. While I hadn’t been ready to actively try the spell, I had studied the text thoroughly. Loki had used it to illustrate the difference between creating an item from scratch and summoning an already made item. Though I had only been required to read a few sections for the lesson, I had a tendency to read entire books because I was curious to see what else they contained.

“Open the book and pick a page. Tell me the page number, but do not let me see the page itself,” I instructed. I could sense their growing disbelief.

Loki did as I asked. “Page 23.”

I pictured the page in my mind.

“The caster of the spell must be able to requisition and magically transport the desired materials needed to create the item at will. The basic form should be thoroughly contemplated before casting the spell. The more detail put into the design before casting, the better. If an item comes out wrong, it is often better to recreate such an item anew since fine-tuning an already created item tends to cost considerably more seiðr .”

I looked up at Loki and Muriel as they read along with what I had just recited.

“Do I need to continue?” I asked, and they looked at me in shock. Something about the look on their faces set something off inside of me. “Of all the things about me that could freak you out, this is the one that gets that look?” I snapped.

I already lived with a constant feeling that I was an anomaly, a dangerous, strange thing. I just wanted to be normal—not an exception to every rule. My frustration grew as they continued to stare. I also noticed that my raised voice had drawn the attention of others in the library, making me even more uncomfortable.

“Now, as I seem to recall, there was talk of you and Muriel speaking in private,” I said in a low, annoyed voice, not wanting to draw more attention. “So why do won’t we go into your private library and have that chat over with? Since we are all here now, we might as well discuss all of my weirdness,” I added bitterly.

I gathered my books and, before they could say anything, opened the passageway to Loki’s library and stepped inside. I didn’t wait for them to follow and instead marched myself to the sofa, opening the book on Elven dancing. Not that I could focus on the words, but at least it gave me something to do. I heard the boys walk in behind me, their conversation shifting to my magic and what Loki had learned while teaching me.

They were deep in discussion when Muriel asked about the scale of my power. That piqued my interest, and I closed my book, placing it on my lap. Loki noticed but continued.

“With just her level of seiðr , I would say she is ten times more powerful than myself,” he confessed, making Muriel whistle softly in response. “But this is her seiðr  levels in combination with regular spells. The downside of her heritage is that she is half-human. This makes her lack stamina and strength. She tires a lot faster than we do. We have not tried anything like teleporting or creating actual items or clones instead of illusions. Those spells consume considerably more power. I suspect that, due to her human background, she might be limited in this aspect because of the physical drain on her body. Where I could sustain a single double or more for hours, I suspect she can only create one for a short time before needing to stop. Teleportation might not even be an option. So, in that aspect, I am far more powerful than she is.”

Muriel nodded before glancing at me with a small smile. Loki continued.

“But her ability to will magic to happen without a spell, even when it does drain her, is beyond calculation. To be honest, the only beings with that kind of power are the Norns.”

Once again, they both looked at me like I was some kind of alien they wished to dissect.

I knew they accepted my powers and would not use that knowledge against me, but I could not help the wave of sadness that washed over me. I would never be normal, and their expressions said it all. I was strange, abnormal, and though they liked me, they weren’t entirely comfortable with my powers. A cold chill ran down my spine. I pulled my legs up onto the sofa, ensuring they were covered by my dress, and wrapped my arms around them, trying to make myself as small as possible. Maybe I could just disappear.

Loki’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Aurora, what is wrong? I know you. You are upset and trying to calm yourself.”

Muriel looked between us. I considered denying it, but Loki was right. There was no way I could hide how I was feeling from him. I wanted to avoid the entire conversation, but I knew he wouldn’t  let me.

I buried my face in my lap. “I just feel like a freak,” I mumbled. “I don’t know why I got these powers, and I don’t know why they are so different. Every time you look at me like you just did, I feel like a dangerous, abnormal thing that should be locked up. I know the saying 'with great power comes great responsibility.' But I don’t want this power, and I definitely don’t want the responsibility. I would give it up in a heartbeat if it meant living without fear of hurting people when I get upset or angry. I have nightmares that I hurt people I care about without meaning to. And when I told you about my ability to remember what I read, the way you both looked at me…”

I felt tears burn in my eyes but blinked them away. “You looked at me like I am an alien or a dangerous creature that needs to be handled with caution.”

I felt someone sit beside me. Gentle hands lifted me, and before I knew it, I was on Loki’s lap. He wrapped his arms around me, offering silent comfort. I buried my face in his neck, not caring what Muriel thought. I just wanted to feel safe.

“I am so sorry for making you feel like that,” Loki whispered softly into my hair. “It was never my intention. I know all too well how horrible it feels—I have been on the receiving end of that look for most of my life. Please believe me when I say I never wanted to be the source of such pain for you.”

Muriel took a seat beside me and gently grasped my hand. “I am sorry too, Aurora. My questions are not meant to make you feel like an anomaly. I ask them because I am fascinated by your abilities, not afraid of them. Honestly, I am even a bit envious at times. I wish I could remember books the way you do.”

I opened my eyes and turned to face him, sensing the sincerity in both of them. Their words settled some of my anxiety, though a part of me still felt raw.

“Thank you—both of you. And I am sorry for falling apart like this. It is just… a lot to take in. My powers, being so far from home…” I trailed off, glancing at Muriel. “I guess you both understand what that feels like.” Muriel was away from his home, too, and Loki had spent his life feeling like an outsider. “I really am lucky to have you both as friends.”

I shifted, intending to sit up properly, but Loki made no effort to move me from his lap. So, I let myself relax into his embrace, finding comfort in his warmth. Muriel showed no objection, his expression open and unbothered by our closeness.

“To be honest,” I admitted, “I am also a bit nervous about going to Alfheim.” I tilted my head up to look at Loki. “I know you and Thor will be with me most of the time, but you will both need to meet with Muriel’s father. Sif and the Warriors Three will be busy too, which means I will be alone at times. Here in Asgard, I know the customs, and I have friends I can rely on. But in Alfheim… I don’t want to do something wrong and offend someone.”

Muriel gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “If you would like, I could make arrangements to be there as well,” he offered. “I have a few matters to discuss with my father, and I could use the Bifrost to travel there when you arrive. That way, when Loki is not available, I could be there to accompany you.” He hesitated for a second before adding, “That is, if you would feel comfortable with that.” He offered me a small, almost shy smile. “I have been longing to see the forests of my homeland again. This would be a good excuse.”

I felt Loki’s surprise at Muriel’s offer. Clearly, this was a significant gesture on Muriel’s part.

I couldn’t help but smile. “That would make me feel a lot better, Muriel. If it’s not too much trouble, I would be grateful for the company. But please, don’t do this just for my sake. If it is uncomfortable for you, I will manage on my own. I can always just lock myself in my room,” I added playfully.

Muriel chuckled. “Aurora, it is no trouble at all. While my father and I do not exactly get along, I suppose a visit is long overdue. With all of you there, maybe—just maybe—I will not kill him.” His grin was teasing, but I could sense an underlying truth to his words.

I stole a glance at Loki, half-expecting him to look alarmed, but he remained silent. Though things had improved between them, I wasn’t sure if Loki and Muriel would ever fully repair their friendship. I still didn’t know what had caused their falling out, and I had never dared to ask. Loki had made it clear that he didn’t want me to know, and I respected that. But whatever had happened, I could still feel the lingering tension beneath their interactions. Loki’s emotions were tinged with sadness when he looked at Muriel, while Muriel’s feelings occasionally turned sharp and resentful. He hid it well, but there were moments—fleeting and rare—when it surfaced, and he would excuse himself from the room without a word.

We talked for a while longer, but eventually, Loki had to leave to tend to some business before dinner. That left me alone with Muriel, and I convinced him to take a walk with me through the gardens rather than staying cooped up in the library. We wandered in comfortable silence, admiring the beauty around us. The golden hues of the setting sun cast long shadows over the flowers, and the soft rustling of leaves filled the air.

When we reached the farthest part of the gardens, Muriel suddenly broke the silence. “Aurora… can I ask you something? Something personal?”

His voice was hesitant, his emotions laced with nerves. I glanced at him, trying to get a read on his feelings, but beyond his apprehension, I could not sense much.

“Yes, of course,” I replied cautiously. “But keep in mind, I may choose not to answer.”

He nodded, letting a small silence settle between us before he spoke again. “It is just… do you love Loki?”

I stopped mid-step, my eyes widening in surprise. Muriel halted as well, watching my reaction closely.

“Do I love Loki?” I repeated, needing to be sure I had heard him correctly. He nodded.

I swallowed, my heart suddenly hammering. “Do you mean… as a friend? Or romantically?”

“Romantically,” he clarified. “Are you in love with him? Are the two of you… involved?” His gaze searched my face, as if hoping to find the answer before I spoke it aloud.

A part of me hesitated. Muriel had tried to drive a wedge between Loki and me before—was this another attempt? But as I reached for his hand, seeking a deeper sense of his emotions, I found only sincerity. No malice. No hidden agenda.

As if reading my thoughts, he added, “I am not trying to warn you away from him. I have my own reasons for asking.”

I eyed him carefully before finally letting go of his hand. Taking a step back, I leaned against a tree, its rough bark grounding me as I collected my thoughts. I exhaled a slow breath, then shook my head.

“No, Muriel. I am not romantically involved with Loki, and no, we are not in love.” My voice was steady, but my heart still felt uncertain. “I do have deep feelings for him. He is my best friend, and he means a great deal to me… but no, there is nothing romantic between us.”

Muriel studied me for a moment, absorbing my words. Then he took a step closer. “Do you wish there was?”

I didn’t know why he was going down this line of questioning, and it made me quite curious. We were already having this conversation, and I wanted to see where it went.

"That’s a hard question," I countered. "Maybe if there was a mutual feeling between us? But you know that I can feel his emotions, and he doesn’t think of me in that way. I’m not the kind of girl to fall for a man who has no interest in me. So no, I have no wish to be romantically involved with anyone who doesn’t love me in return. I think there are many ways love grows between two people. It can be out of friendship, love at first sight, or many other ways. But there needs to be a certain spark between two people. It might start out as a tiny flicker and grow into a roaring fire. But if there’s no spark, there can never be a fire."

I knew I was rambling at that point, so I decided to stop talking.

Muriel took another step closer, now standing very near. "But just now, when you were in distress," he said, his doubt still evident. "He sensed it immediately and rushed over to you. He held you in his lap, in his arms, and comforted you. Forgive me for saying this, but it looked like it was normal for him to do so—it looked very intimate."

I shook my head. "He’s my best friend, Muriel. In this short time, we’ve been through some very emotional things together. We do hug, and it comforts and calms me. I feel safe when he holds me in his arms. Considering I have a lot of power in me, knowing that he can help calm me is reassuring. That’s why he does it—not because we’re in love with each other. We’re just very close friends, and he’s helping me control my powers."

Muriel’s gaze was intense, and I found it difficult to hold. He was so close that I lowered my eyes to his chest instead. He practically had me pinned between him and the tree.

"Thank you for your answer," he said softly. "I just needed to ask before I did this."

I looked up in confusion to see what "this" was. As I did, he placed his hands on either side of my face and kissed me. His lips were soft and warm as they touched mine. He gently explored my lips, pressing his body against mine and holding me against the tree.

I closed my eyes, and my mind went blank. I felt myself start to kiss him back. As I did, Muriel deepened the kiss, releasing his hold on my face and wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me closer against him. I could feel his heartbeat quicken, and I became overwhelmed by feelings of pleasure and desire. I wasn’t sure whether they were mine or his—it was hard to distinguish while kissing.

I pulled back, gasping for air, and felt his lips trail down the side of my face, kissing their way slowly down to my neck, making me shiver in a good way. Regaining some coherent thought, I placed my hands against Muriel’s chest and gently pushed. He moved back so we could look at each other and slowly released my waist. I leaned back against the tree, still dizzy from the kiss. I was grateful for the tree’s support, keeping me upright. His labored breathing matched my own, and there was an intense smile on his lips that made me blush.

"I hope now you see why I had to make sure where things stood between you and Loki," he said with a grin. "I vowed never to intentionally come between you both, so I needed to be certain before I kissed you."

I nodded, speechless and still blushing profusely. He leaned against the tree next to me and took my hands in his.

"I hope I was not out of line kissing you," he said in a softer voice. "I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now. I keep thinking of you, wanting to touch you." His fingers gently stroked my hand.

I finally regained some composure. I knew I had to say something. "I don’t want to be mean or rude. But I also don’t want to lead you on. At the moment, I have no romantic feelings for anyone. While I like you a lot and find you very handsome, I’m not in love with you."

I expected disappointment, but instead, a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"So you think me very handsome?" he teased, looking ridiculously pleased with himself.

My face heated again like a child caught in an embarrassing confession. I lost my words, and he filled the silence.

"Aurora, I feel drawn to you. You’re beautiful, funny, and kind. I cannot help wanting to kiss and touch you. I will not claim to be madly in love with you at this time, but to use your words, I feel that flicker—that spark. A small flame inside me, and I know that if nurtured, it would not be hard to turn into a roaring fire. You know that here in Asgard, it would not be forbidden to act on one’s attraction. If you feel the same and would be willing, I’d very much like to explore this spark between us. But only if you feel the same way."

He kissed my hand softly. "If not, then no hard feelings, and we’ll continue to be friends."

I was intrigued. During the kiss, I’d felt his attraction, but also his desire. And it had sparked something inside of me. Whether it meant I could fall in love with Muriel, I didn’t know. But I had to admit—he was right. There was definitely a spark between us.

The thing stopping me was that if this continued, I didn’t want it to be just about sex. I knew it was acceptable here, from what Sif had told me, but I didn’t think of myself as the kind of person to engage in something like that without the hope of love.

Muriel was still watching me with that same grin. I realized I hadn’t given him a reply yet. My blush deepened again, making him grin even harder.

"Yes, I do feel the spark too," I admitted, blushing profusely now. "I don’t think I’m opposed to exploring it to see where it might lead. But I’m not someone who’d have a purely physical relationship with a friend just for the sake of it. If we’re to explore this, I want to do so with the hope of love. I don’t want this to be just about desire. What I mean to say is that I want some time to develop our feelings before I actually be ready to have sex. I hope that would be okay?"

Muriel smiled as he closed the gap between us. "I will not push you to do anything you do not want to do. I understand your feelings and views I also desire something more then just a mere physical relationship. I will warn you, though—I can be a bit pushy when I want something. I have quite a dominant personality, and I do like to take action, tease and test limits. I must stress that I will never force myself on you, or force you to do something against your will. But I do like to test limits. Just know that I will never ever be angry if you tell me to slow down or stop. If I ever reach a boundary you do not want to cross at that time, or at all. If I am moving to fast for you, just let me know like you just did. Gently push me back or tell me to stop, and I will respect your wishes at all times."

"I think I can live with that," I said with a shy smile.

He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. To my surprise, he lifted me with ease, bringing my face level with his. He pressed against me, pinning me between him and the tree once more. His hands slid down to hold my hips, keeping my back flush against the rough bark.

He scanned my face as he placed soft kisses on my eyelids, my nose, my cheek—only to capture my lips again. This time, he was less reserved, deepening the kiss almost immediately. I felt myself melt against him, kissing him back as I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers gently entwining in his hair. He groaned into the kiss, the sound igniting something deep inside me. One of his hands slid from my hip to cup my ass, pulling me harder against him. His kisses were demanding, and I liked that intensity.

We kissed until we had to come up for air. It was Muriel who reluctantly lowered me back to the ground.

“We will be late for dinner if we do not return now.” He grinned.

My sense of time had completely abandoned me, so I just took his word for it. I adjusted my dress, hoping the walk back would help cool me down. Muriel took my arm and tucked it into his so we could walk arm in arm toward the palace.

After a moment of silence, I asked, “Muriel, how will we do this? I don’t know how you want to move forward. Do we tell our friends? Do we kiss in public? I’m at a bit of a loss.”

He stroked my hand gently. “For now, I believe it would be best to continue as we have—spending time together as friends, as we have done before. However, I do hope that you will make time for us to meet in private. We could dine together, walk the gardens, or go for a ride. I wish to know you better without an audience—so that I shall not have to lurk in the shadows merely to steal kisses from you.” He grinned, and I could tell he rather enjoyed the idea of sneaking kisses. “I do not wish to keep this a secret from our friends, but I believe it would be wise to exercise caution. In public, we should conduct ourselves as friends, not as lovers. This will prevent gossip. I do not wish for rumors about me to reach Alfheim, and, more importantly, I do not want you to become entangled in scandal. If our feelings deepen, I vow that I shall seek your father’s permission to court you. Then, we may declare our intentions before the courts of Asgard and Alfheim. Would this be acceptable to you?”

I stopped walking as the weight of his words hit me. He was a prince—thinking I was a princess. He believed my father was an Earthen king he could petition for my hand.

Muriel looked at me, concern flickering in his eyes.

“Aurora, what is wrong?” His grip on my hands tightened slightly.

I gently pulled away. We were still in a relatively private part of the garden, but I couldn’t just tell him the truth. I had sworn an oath to Odin and Frigga, and breaking it would cause more problems than I could bear. Worse still, I had no idea how Muriel would react if he discovered I wasn’t royalty.

“Aurora?” he asked again, worry clear in his voice.

“I’m sorry, Muriel, but I don’t think I can do this.” I stepped back, putting more distance between us. “You know most of my secrets, but not all. And while I want to explain, I can’t. I’m bound to secrecy, and breaking my word would create problems far beyond just myself.”

Muriel studied me, trying to piece together what I meant.

“And this secret would prevent you from spending time with me?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, but this secret might stop you from wanting to be involved with me—or court me publicly. If it were my secret, I’d tell you. But it’s not mine to share, and revealing it could harm the people I care about most.”

Muriel’s expression grew more guarded. “Does Loki possess knowledge of this secret?”

I nodded. “Yes, but he is not the one to whom I made my vow.”

Muriel relaxed slightly. “I have but one question. I understand that you cannot tell me the secret, but I must know this: The people you are protecting—are they the king and queen? You need not tell me the nature of the secret, only whether it is their trust you wish to uphold.”

“Yes,” I admitted. “Odin and Frigga know. It’s their trust I’m protecting. Thor and Loki know as well, but they were also sworn to secrecy.”

Muriel nodded, then took my hand once more.

“Then I shall not concern myself with this matter,” he said. “If they possess knowledge of the truth and still welcome you into their midst, then I see no reason to fear what you cannot share. Though I do not know what would prevent me from openly courting you, I wish to explore this… spark between us. If it will ease your mind, I give you my word that should our relationship deepen, I shall first seek your permission to speak to the king and queen in private. I shall express my feelings for you and request to be granted knowledge of that which you guard so carefully. Would this be agreeable to you?”

I hesitated. What if it was too late by then?

“Can we promise to be honest with each other about our feelings?” I asked. “If you feel your feelings change, please tell me. If you can’t live with my secret, it would ruin not just our relationship but our friendship too. I would rather remain just friends and keep the secret than risk losing you completely. Please, be careful.”

Muriel bowed and kissed my hand. “You have my word, Aurora. We shall see if this flame between us grows. If it does, I shall seek the truth before it is too late to turn back.”

His words soothed me slightly, but a gloom still lingered as we made our way back to the dining hall. Muriel did his best to lift my spirits, and by the time we arrived, I felt a little better. He took his seat at his table, and I sat at mine.

The moment we were apart, doubts crept back into my mind. Part of me hated lying about my heritage. The other part was reeling from the realization of what I had agreed to explore with Muriel.

Yes, I enjoyed his kisses. But before tonight, I hadn’t even considered him in a romantic way. And now that we were apart, I wasn’t sure if this was just lust or the beginning of something real. I was a grown woman, yet sex had never been something I actively thought about. But his touch, his kiss—it had awakened something inside me. And I wanted more. I just hoped this wouldn’t backfire.

A brush of fingers against mine jolted me back to reality. Loki.

A small tingle crept up the back of my neck as I hastily got my emotions under control.

“Are you alright? You have been quiet.” Loki’s voice echoed in my mind through the bond.

I took a moment to steady myself before answering.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just had an interesting evening.” I kept my response brief. While I never lied to Loki, I wasn’t ready to tell him about what had happened with Muriel. Not yet.

“Is there anything you wish to share?” His curiosity laced his words.

“Ehm… to be honest, I think it’s something I’d rather talk to Sif about.” I glanced at him, feeling a little guilty. “Please don’t be upset. I promise, if it’s something you need to know, I’ll tell you. But for now, I think this falls more into the category of girl talk.”

Loki arched a brow, and I could see mischief flash behind his eyes.

“I do not know if you are aware, Aurora, but I have been known to take female form if you are in need of girl talk,” he quipped, his tone sharp-witted and teasing.

I nearly choked on my wine. The sudden reaction drew the attention of the entire table. I coughed, waving a hand dismissively.

“Sorry—don’t mind me. I just took too big a sip, and it went down the wrong way.”

Thankfully, they seemed to believe me and returned to their conversations. I could hear Loki’s soft chuckle, and I kicked him lightly under the table. He grinned but did not press further, much to my relief.

I focused on my meal and the lively discussion around me. Dinner was nearly over when something Fandral said piqued my interest. He was speaking with Thor about our upcoming trip to Alfheim, remarking that the time was drawing near. Then, with a smirk, he suggested that it might be a good idea for the men to take a nightly excursion into town before our departure.

On the surface, it sounded innocent enough. If I had not known what Sif had told me, I would have thought nothing of it. But now, I immediately shot her a look. She caught my glance, and we both listened as the Warriors Three and Thor agreed that tomorrow night would be the perfect time for their outing.

It was Sif who joined their conversation.

"Would you all mind if Aurora and I accompanied you?" she asked. "She has been cooped up in the palace for quite some time, and I promised her I would show her some of the city's nightlife when I had the time. This would seem as good a time as any." She lied smoothly.

I caught the twinkle in Fandral’s eyes as he glanced at me before turning back to Sif. I really didn’t want to think about what was running through that mind of his.

They all agreed they would be glad to have us join them. It was Thor who turned to Loki and asked if he would come as well.

Loki shook his head. "I have no interest in such outings."

Thor didn’t even attempt to change his mind, as if he had already expected the answer.

I signaled Sif, and she immediately understood I wanted to speak with her in private. We excused ourselves and found a quiet place to talk.

She assured me she would make sure I had something appropriate to wear for tomorrow, but she also warned that if she dressed revealingly, I would have to as well.

"If you can keep Fandral away from me, I am fine with that," I laughed.

She smirked. "That will not be a problem."

"Sif, can I talk to you about something else?" I asked, unable to stop a grin from spreading across my face. "But I would like to keep it between us girls for now."

"Your secrets are safe with me, Aurora. What is it?" she asked, though she looked a bit concerned.

I glanced around, knowing the palace walls had ears. I kept my words somewhat cryptic, just in case.

"Do you remember our last conversation about the qualities and features we like in men?"

She nodded, interest sparking in her eyes.

"Well, I gave you an example, right?"

She nodded again, this time a broad smile forming.

"It seems my example might be interested in me," I said.

Sif let out a small squeak before nearly dragging me into a nearby alcove. I could not help but giggle like a schoolgirl at her excitement.

Once we were settled and out of sight, she leaned in and whispered, "Do you mean to say that Prince Muriel is interested in you?"

She spoke so softly it was barely a sound, but her excitement was unmistakable.

I giggled. "Well, if 'interested' means spending a good ten minutes in the gardens being kissed by him until I nearly fainted from lack of oxygen—then yes."

Sif’s eyes grew huge, and her mouth opened and closed as she stared at me in shock.

"How was it?" she finally whispered, her voice filled with curiosity.

"To be honest? Very hot," I admitted, whispering back. "He is an exceptional kisser and quite dominant. He had me pinned against a tree."

I felt my face heat as I realized just how much I had enjoyed it.

Sif let out a small squeal. "I never would have guessed the elf had it in him," she admitted. "All I know about elves is that they are notoriously prudish when it comes to such things, but clearly, he is not. What did he say? Is he in love with you? Are you in love with him?"

I held up a hand to stop her before she could ask even more questions.

"Shhh, calm down," I grinned. "No, he is not in love with me, and I am not in love with him. But he told me he is attracted to me and interested. He wants more time to see if there is something deeper than just chemistry between us."

Sif grinned like an idiot, and I was certain I was doing the same.

Before she could get the wrong idea, I added, "But I told him I want time to get to know him better before I even think about sleeping with him. I do not want this to be just about sex. I need to know if there is more before I go down that road."

Sif nodded approvingly. "Did he agree?"

I nodded in return.

"That is good," she said with a satisfied smile. "It means he is not only interested in bedding you. Which is good, because we already have Fandral if you were looking for just that."

She smirked, and I gave her a playful punch on the arm.

"But I must say, I am very surprised. It is not like an elf to show such passion," she continued. "To pin you against a tree and kiss you like that? I must say, I am impressed. Have fun exploring with him—but do not tell Fandral anytime soon. If he finds out, it might trigger his elf obsession again."

"Elf obsession?" I asked, raising a brow.

Sif nodded. "It is something Æsir men—and Fandral in particular—secretly long to do. They wish to bed an elven female. I believe it is because they are doomed to fail, Elven females are not really fond of Æsir men making it somewhat of a sport. But when Loki returned to Asgard after his scandal, Fandral became obsessed with the idea."

I turned to her, my curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, Loki’s scandal?"

Sif gave me a knowing look. "Oh, of course, you would not know," she said as realization dawned on her. She huddled closer before lowering her voice.

"When Loki was ambassador in Alfheim, he was sent back after the incident with the Cup of Ever-Flowing Ale. But that was merely the general cover-up Odin told the public—or at least, according to Thor, who, after a night of strong ale, shared a different story.

"It seems Loki was caught doing some rather scandalous things with the elven ladies at court. The specifics were never made clear to Thor, but he said the elven king was furious upon discovering that Loki had been bedding elven women. Around the same time, Muriel was disgraced for a similar incident. As I said, the elves are incredibly prudish, so to have not one but two such incidents at once caused quite the uproar. Muriel became a disgrace to his father, and Loki was sent back to Asgard.”

"Fandral practically worshiped Loki for months afterward, begging him to share his stories. But to Loki’s credit, he never did, which only made Fandral more jealous. For a long time, he pursued every elven woman he could find—but one by one, they all seemed immune to his charms." She laughed.

As we walked back toward our rooms, I whispered to Sif, "Well, Muriel and I agreed to keep our relationship neutral in public. But we also decided we would not explicitly hide it from our friends—so Fandral is bound to find out."

Sif nodded. "I do not believe he would harass you about it. Your chosen is an excellent fighter, and Fandral would not be foolish enough to provoke him." She grinned.

We reached the corridor where I had to part ways with her to return to my wing.

Sif and I agreed that tomorrow night at nine, she would come to my room so we could get ready for our night on the town. With a final smile, we wished each other a good night and went our separate ways.

As I walked to my room, I could not stop thinking about Loki—and Elven females.

The dance book had shown me pictures of them, and they were breathtaking. Graceful, elegant, almost otherworldly in their beauty. A tiny pang stirred in my stomach.

I wasn’t unhappy with how I looked, but compared to them, I was… different. Smaller. Curvier. And now, I knew Loki’s type—long, lean, beautiful, willowy women.

I was far from that.

Shaking my head, I tried to push the thought away. Why was I even thinking about Loki’s preferences? Comparing myself to them? I had Muriel to think about, and he certainly didn’t seem to mind my figure.

That night, I fell asleep still thinking about Muriel’s kisses, his arms around me, and the warmth they left behind.

I liked that feeling.

So, I decided—I would give him a real chance.

The fact that I wasn’t a real princess still lingered in the back of my mind, but I had warned him. If something serious did develop between us, I was sure Frigga would help Odin see reason. They would find a way to explain things.

For now, I would just go along for the ride.

mostly the same. The woman would put the one hand on the shoulder of her partner and the other in his hand. With the Elven dances the hands were constantly moving making graceful shapes and then return to the partner’s hands, interlocking while dancing. Only to change a few moments later.

As I looked at the pictures I also got an idea of the Elven females. I saw the males in the illustrations resembled Muriel and the females where absolutely beautiful. Just as slim and slender as the males. With Very long dresses framing their body’s making them look very graceful. It seemed that contrasting to the Asgardians, the Elven people didn’t focus on the bust part of the female but more on the waist. All the pictures showed beautiful lean woman with almost impossible hourglass figures.

I was nearly three dances into the book when I heard someone laugh and I looked up to see Muriel looking at me.

“That must be a very interesting book.” He said while smiling.

I quickly repositioned myself. Because at some point while reading it seemed that I tried to sit more comfortable I had rested my back against of the window. Pulling up my legs so I could place the book on my lap. While a very comfortable position I would assume it wasn’t  very princess like. I closed the book and I could see Muriel trying to read the title. His eyebrow raised he looked back at me.

“Elven dances?” he asked amused.

“Well yes.” And I couldn’t help blush a bit. “Thor commented earlier that they were quite difficult. So, I thought I would see if I could learn more about them and then maybe later practice with someone. But I thought it better to learn the basics first so to not waste their time.”

I could see Muriel shake his head a bit while smiling. “Why Aurora I think you’re the only person in the world who would try to learn dancing by reading a book. Even Loki wouldn’t attempt that and find himself a dance instructor.”

This bristled me a bit, I thought this was way more efficient. You learn the basics and then you wouldn’t waist someone’s time learning al the steps. They could just help you focus on your form.

“Well I think you are wrong.” I replied a bit crabby. “It’s far better to learn the basics and not bother someone until you are ready to try.”

“Then maybe we should test your theory.” Muriel replied with grin.

I couldn’t help but gawk as he said that. But he continued. “You show me which dance you just learned and I will dance it with you. It will demonstrate how much you have learned by reading. If you can finish the dance without fumbling too much, I will gladly take back my words.” He said and I could feel the challenge behind his words.

“And what if I can’t do the dance correctly and fail miserably?” I asked.

Muriel laughed out loud now. “Then you must promise me that I can teach you the dances correctly before you leave. But I warn you, I’m known to be a very relentless teacher.”

I laughed as it was clear that ether way it would be in my interest.

“Deal.” I said and I showed him the first three dances in the book.

“Ah, I’m familiar with these dances. Shall we?” he asked as he put out his hand.

I was very surprised. “Here? Don’t we need music?”

“Yes how could I forget.” He said and with a small flick of his hand he made a small box appear. As he opened it I could see it was a very beautiful and intricate looking music box. Then he flicked his hand again and there was a second box with what appeared to be delicate little metal discs. He placed one of the discs in the music box and turned the key. There was a sort of a pause button and he pressed it so the music wouldn’t start right away.

“We will start with the first dance.” Muriel said as he shoved a few chairs to the side to make some room.

I quickly focused on the steps and the images of the dance. To my relief I could almost see the pages in my head, like I had the book in front of me. Muriel walked over and took my hand to lead me to the middle of the space he had cleared. With a small flick of his hand the beautiful melody from the music box filled the space and I instantly recognize the rhythm of the first dance. Muriel started to move and I followed. I was surprised to see him perfectly execute the steps I had seen in the images of the book. While I definitely lacked his grace, I was happy to see I could follow his movements and mostly keep up with him. Only making tiny errors here and there. As the initial stress of the whole challenge rolled away I focused on the melody and instantly the movements felt more natural.

The eleven dances had been beautiful when I saw them on the pages of the book but dancing them was like floating on air. Whenever I lost my rhythm or footing Muriel would take the lead and elegantly help me through the steps. Making it feel like I hadn’t disrupted the dance much. As I was starting to enjoy myself I could feel a big smile form on my face and I saw Muriel returning it. As the last few notes of the music box died out so ended our dance. I did and Elven curtsy as the book had said was accustomed after a dance. Muriel lowered in elegant bow. We both startled and turned in surprise as we heard clapping behind me. I twirled around to see Loki leaning against the wall clapping with a big smile on his face. He pushed off and came walking towards us.

“I did not know you have been taking Elven dance lessons from Muriel.” Loki commented as he walked towards us.

Before I could reply Muriel was already answering him. “It seems that she does not need them.” He laughed. This raising Loki’s eye brows.

“I just found her reading a book on Elven dances. I claimed that she could not learn them from reading a book and she said I was wrong. So, to prove a point I challenged her to a dance.”

Loki looked at me. “And that was the first time you ever danced that dance?”

I looked at them both as they stared at me. “Yes, I just got the book a half hour before and I had just studied the first three dances when Muriel found me.” I admitted.

Both Loki and Muriel shook their head and laughed. “Loki I don’t know how she does it but maybe her reading is magic too.” Muriel laughed.

I got a bit annoyed. “Well not everything I do is because of my seidr.” I huffed. “It’s just easy when you don’t forget the things you read.” I said as I sat down.

This made Loki to look at me with a weird look on his face. “You don’t forget the things you read?”

I nodded. “Whenever I read a book I just have to read it once. After that it’s in my head and I can access it when I want.” I admitted.

It had felt so normal that until now that it hadn’t registered as abnormal. Which it clearly was seeing as Loki and Muriel looked like they didn’t quite believe me. This making me sigh.

“Loki can you summon one of the texts we used last week. You made me read several books any of them is fine.” I said an I saw him nod.

Loki waved his hand and showed me the book. It was one that explained how to create and alter items. While I hadn’t been ready to actively try the spell I did study the text. As Loki used it to show the difference between creating an item from scratch and summoning an already made item. While I only had to read a few sections for the lesson I had a tendency to read the whole book because I was curious to see what else it contained.

“Open the book and pick a page. Tell me the page number but don’t let me see the page itself.” I said and I could feel their disbelief rise even more.

Loki did as I asked. “Page 23.”

I thought and pictured the page.

“The caster of the spell must be able to requisition and magically transport the desired materials needed to create the item at will. The basic form should be thoroughly contemplated before casting the spell. The more detail put into the design before casting the better. If an item comes out wrong, it is often better to recreate such item anew since finetuning an already created item tends  to cost considerably more seidr.” I looked at Loki and Muriel as they read along with what I just said.

“Do I need to continue?” I asked and they looked at me in shock. I don’t know why, but the look on their faces set something off inside of me. “Of all of the things about me that could freak you out, this is the one that gets that look?” I spat.

I already lived with a constant feeling that I was an anomaly, a  dangerous weird thing. I just wanted to be normal and not an exception to every freaking rule. I could feel my feelings rise even more as they just kept looking at me. I also noticed that my raised voice had made other people in the library stare at us. Making me even more uncomfortable.

“Now as I seem to recall a while ago there was talk of you and Muriel talking in private.” I said in a angry low voice not to draw anymore attention to us. “So why don’t we go into your private library and have that chat over with. Seeing as were all here now, we might as well discuss all of my weirdness.” I added a bit more bitterly.

I collected my books and before they could say anything I opened the passage way to Loki’s library and I went in. I didn’t wait for them to follow and just marched myself to the sofa. I opened the book on Elven dancing and continued reading. Not that I could focus on the pages, but at least it gave me something to do. I could hear the boys walk in behind me but I just ignored them as tried my best to read and calm down. I could hear them discuss my magic and what Loki had found out while teaching me. They were in a deep discussion when I heard Muriel ask the question about the scale of my power. This piqued my interest so I closed my book and placed it on my lap. I could see Loki notice but he still answered Muriel.

“With just her level of Seidr I would say she is like ten times more powerful than myself.” He confessed making Muriel whistle slowly in response. “But this is her Seidr levels in combination with regular spells. The downside of her heritage is that she’s half human. This makes here lack stamina and strength. She tires a lot faster than we would. We have not tried anything like teleporting or creating actual items or clones instead of illusions. You know those spells use considerably more power. I think because of her human background she might be limited in this because of the physical drain on her body. I have been reluctant to try just yet. Where I could sustain a singe double or more for hours my suspicion is that she can only create on for a short amount of time before she needs to stop because of the drain. Teleportation might be out of the question to even try. So, in that aspect I’m way more powerful then she is.”

Muriel nodded as he looked over to me and gave me a small smile as Loki continued.

“But her ability to will magic to happen without a spell. Even when it does drain her is beyond calculation. To be honest the only beings with that kind of powers are the Norn’s.” He said and  again they both looked at me like I was an alien they would like to dissect.

While I knew they accepted my powers and wouldn’t use the knowledge of it against me. I couldn’t help but feel sadness wash over me. I would never be normal and their looks said it all. I was weird, abnormal and while they liked me. They weren’t totally comfortable with my powers. I pulled my legs up on the sofa, making sure they were covered by my dress and wrapped my arms around my legs as I felt a cold chill go down my spine. I just wanted to be as small and possible and hopefully disappear. It was Loki’s voice that makes me focus on him again.

“Aurora what’s wrong? I know you, you are upset and try to calm yourself.”

Muriel looked at Loki and then me. I thought about denying it but Loki was right and there was no way I could hide how I was feeling from him. I just wanted to avoid the whole thing, but I knew he wouldn’t let me. I buried my face into my lap. I could feel a headache coming.

“I just feel like a freak.” I mumbled into my lap. “I don’t know why I got my powers and I don’t know why they are so different. Every time you look at me like you just did I feel like a dangerous, abnormal thing that should be locked up. I know the saying with great power comes great responsibility. But I don’t want this power and definitely don’t want the responsibility. I would give it up in a heartbeat if it meant living without fear that I might hurt people whenever I get upset or angry. I sometimes have nightmares that I hurt people I care about without meaning to do so. Also when I told you about my ability to remember what I read. The way you both looked at me.” I could feel tears burn in my eyes but I blinked they away. “You both looked at me like I’m an alien or dangerous creature that needs to be handled with caution.” 

My face was still buried in my lap but I felt someone sit down on the sofa next to me. I felt hands lifting me and I was placed on someone’s lap. I knew it was Loki and he was trying to calm me. He placed his arms around me I buried my face in his neck not caring what Muriel might think. I just wanted the calm and safe feeling that being in Loki’s arms could give me.

“I’m so sorry for making you feel like that.” He softly whispered into my hair. “It was never my intention, I know all to well how horrible it feels. I have gotten that look and have felt like that almost my whole life. So please believe me when I say I never wanted to be the source of such a feeling.” 

Muriel also took a seat on the sofa and he took my hand. “I’m sorry too Aurora. The questions I ask are not because I fear you or your power. It’s because I’m interested in them and to be honest even a bit envious at times. I wish I could remember books like you can.”

I opened my eyes and turned my head so I could face him. I could feel they both meant what they said.

“Thank you, both of you. I’m sorry for falling apart like this. It’s all just a bit much, my powers being what they are and being far from home.” I realized that they probably both knew how I felt. Seeing as Muriel was far from his home too and Loki had faced his share of people who feared him for his power. “I really do know I’m blessed with both of you as friends.” I said as tried to straighten my posture. But Loki made no effort to remove me from his lap. So I just stayed there in his arms. It seemed that Muriel had no objections or weird feelings about me being in his lap so I relaxed back into Loki’s chest.

“To be honest I’m also a bit stressed about going to Alfheim.” I admitted. “I know you and Thor will be with me most of the time.” I said looking up at Loki. “But you both will need to go over things with Muriel’s father. I know from Sif that she and the warriors three will also be busy, meaning I will be alone at times. Here in Asgard I have friends I can count on and the rules are not as strict as in Alfheim. I don’t want to screw things up by doing something wrong or in appropriate.”

Muriel squeezed my hand a bit. “If you want I could arrange it that I will also be there.” He offered. “I could use the bifrost to travel to Alfheim as I do have a few things I personally need to discuss with my father. Once there I could arrange it so that when Loki is not available I would be there to escort. If you, if you wish off course.” He added quickly. “You know I long to see the forests of my homeland. So, I really don’t mind the opportunity of showing them to you.”

I could feel Loki’s surprise at Muriel’s offer and I deducted that this must be quite something for Muriel to do for someone.

I couldn’t help but smile. “That would make me feel a lot better Muriel. If it it’s not too much trouble I would gladly accept your kind offer. But please don’t do this if it makes you uncomfortable. I will manage on my own if need be. I could always just lock myself in my room.” I tried to joke.

“Aurora it’s no a trouble.” He said with a smile. “While it’s no secret that my father and I don’t get along, a visit has been overdue for a long time. With you all there it’s even possible I won’t kill my father and have fun while being there.”

I thought Loki’s eyes would pop out of his head as he heard Muriel joke about his dad. But he never said a thing. While they were getting on better terms with each, I wondered if they ever would be real friends again. I still was very curious to know what had been the source of their big fight. But I never dared to ask as Loki had clearly told me he didn’t want me to know and I wouldn’t force him to tell me. But whatever it was and with the feelings I sometimes felt between them I knew it was still a sore thing. Loki mostly felt sad about the lost friendship. But from Muriel I sometimes got an almost hostile or resentful feeling. He could hide it remarkably well but I could still sense it occasionally and he would always leave the room when it happened.

We sat and talked for a while but it was Loki who needed to leave. He had some errands to run before dinner. Leaving me and Muriel to spend some more time together. I knew Loki wouldn’t like us to stay in his library so I convinced Muriel to walk the gardens a bit before dinner. We were watching nature around us as we walked together in comfortable silence. When we reached the furthest  part of the garden it was Muriel who started talking first.

“Aurora can I ask you a private question?” He suddenly asked out of nowhere. He looked at me and I could feel he was nervous.

I tried to focus on his feeling trying to get any clues about the nature of his question was. But besides his nerves I didn’t feel much.

“Yes, Muriel you may. But keep in mind that I may choose not to answer.”  I said trying to make light of this sudden tense situation.

He nodded but let a small silence fall between us for a moment. “It’s just …… do you love Loki?”

I abruptly stopped in my tracks and I looked at him with my mouth open. He also had stopped to observe my reaction.

“Do I love Loki?” I repeated wanting to know if I heard him right. And he nodded.

“And with love you mean like a friend or romantically?” I asked to fully understand what he was asking.

“I mean romantically. Do you love him and are you two romantically involved?” He asked. His eyes scanning my face probably hoping to read the answer from it.

I didn’t know if I should answer his question. I knew how he felt about Loki and he had tried to come between us once before. I hoped this wasn’t another attempt to sabotage my relationship with Loki. Especially now when things were going better between the three of us. 

It was as if he read my mind as he explained further. “I do not want to warn you away from him. I just have my reasons for asking.”

I eyed him curiously and I grabbed his hand. I knew he knew why. I wanted to feel his emotions more clearly. But even when I was touching him I could feel he was sincere and there was no malicious intend behind his question. I let go of his hand and took a few steps back so I could lean against a tree. Shielding me from the rest of the garden in case people would come upon us. As I looked up I saw Muriel had closed the distance between us and he was still looking at me waiting for my reply.

I took a deep breath and shook my head. “No Muriel, I’m not romantically involved with Loki and we are not in love. I do have deep feelings for him. He’s my best friend and much more. But no, we are not romantically involved.” I admitted as I looked to see what he made of this information.

“Do you wish to be romantically involved with him?” Muriel asked as he took a step closer.

I so didn’t know why he was going down this line of questioning and It was making me quite curious. We were already having this conversation and I wanted to see where it went.

“That’s a hard question.” I countered. “Maybe if there was a mutual feeling between us? But you know that I can feel his emotions and he doesn’t think of me in that way. I’m not the kind of girl to fall for a man who has no interest in me. So no, I have no wish to be romantically involved with anyone who doesn’t love me in return. I think there can be many ways love grows between to people. It can be out of friendship, love at first site or many other ways. But there needs to be a certain spark between two people. It might start out with a tiny flicker and grow to a roaring fire. But if there is no spark there can never be a fire.” I knew I was rambling at that point so I decided to stop talking.

Muriel took another step and was really close now. “But just now when you were in distress.” He said and I knew he was still doubting my answer. “He just seemed to sense your distress and he rushed over to you. He held you in his lap and in his arms and comforted you. Forgive me when I say but it looked like it was normal for him to do so, it looked very intimate.”

I shook my head. “He’s my best friend Muriel. In this short time, we’ve been through some very emotional things together. We do hug and it comforts and calms me. I feel safe when he holds me in his arms. Seeing that I do have a lot of power in me, knowing that he can help calm me. It’s reassuring, that’s why he does it. Not because we are in love with each other. It’s just because we are very close friends and he’s helping me control my powers.”

Muriel’s eyes were very intense to look into and I couldn’t hold his gaze. He was so close that I could only lower my eyes to his chest. He practically had me pinned between him and the tree.

“Thank you for you answer.” He said in a soft voice. “I just needed to ask before I did this.” Came his reply from above my head.

I looked up in confusion to see what “this” was. As I looked up he placed his hands on each side of my face and kissed me. His lips soft and warm as they touched mine. He gently explored my lips and I could feel him press his body against mine. Gently pressing me against the tree.

I closed my eyes and my mind went blank. I could feel myself starting to kiss him back. As I did I could feel Muriel deepen the kiss releasing his hold on my head. Wrapping an arm around my waist. Using his strength to pull my body closer against his. I could feel his heart beat faster and I got a bit overwhelmed with feelings of pleasure and lust. I wasn’t  sure whether they were mine or his, they were hard to distinguish while kissing.

I pulled back to gasp for air and I could feel his lips trail down the side of my face,  kissing their way slowly down to my neck making me shiver in a good way. Regaining some coherent thought, I  placed my hands against Muriel’s chest and gently pushed. He moved back so we could look at each other and he slowly released my waist. I took a step back, away from him and against the tree. Still dizzy from the amazing kiss made me glad to have the trees help keeping me upright. I saw his labored breathing and I it matched my own. There was a very intent smile on his lips and I couldn’t help but blush.

“I hope now you see why I had to make sure how things stood between you and Loki.” He said with a grin. “I vowed never to intentionally come between you both. So I needed to make sure before I kissed you.”

I nodded, I was speechless and still blushing profusely. He leaned against the three next to me and took my hands in his.

“I hope I was not out of line kissing you.” He asked in a softer voice. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while now. I keep thinking of you, wanting to touch you.” His fingers now gently stroking my hand.

I finally got some of my composure back and I knew I had to say something. “I don’t want to be mean or rude. But I also don’t want to lead you on. At the moment, I have no romantic feelings for anyone. While I like you a lot and find you very handsome I’m not in love with you ether.” I admitted.

I thought he would be disappointed or sad. But a very mischievous grin appeared on his face.

“So you think me very handsome?” He asked with a mischievous grin, looking ridiculously handsome.

This making me again blush like a little girl. I lost my words and didn’t know what to say but he filled the silence.

“Aurora I feel drawn to you. You are very beautiful, funny and kind. I feel drawn to you and cannot help myself wanting to kiss and touch you. I will not claim to be deeply in love with you at this time. But to use your words I feel that flicker, that spark. That small flame inside me and I know that if that flame is nurtured it would not be hard to turn into a roaring fire. As you know here in Asgard it wouldn’t be forbidden to act on once’s attraction. If you feel the same and would be willing I would  very much like to explore this spark between us. But only if you feel the same way.” He reassured as he softly kissed my hand. “If not, then no hard feelings and we would continue to be friends.”

I was intrigued. During the kiss I had felt his attraction but also his lust. And I felt like it sparked something inside of me. Weather it meant I could fall in love with Muriel I don’t know. But I had to admit, he was right. There definitely was a spark between us. The thing that was stopping me was that if this would continue I didn’t want it to be just about sex. I knew it was acceptable from what Sif had told me, but I didn’t think of myself as the kind of person to just have sex with a person without the hope of falling in love with them.

I could see that Murial was still looking at me with a grin on his face. I realized that I hadn’t given him any reply yet. I could feel a blush creep back on my face again which only seemed to make him grin harder.

“Yes, I do feel the spark too.” I admitted, blushing profusely now. “I don’t think I’m opposed to exploring this spark to see where it might lead. But I’m not really a person who would have a sexual relationship with a friend just for the sake of sex. So while I don’t mind exploring this spark between us, it’s not like I just jump in bed with you and see where we will end. I think I would prefer to get to know you, spend more time with you and see what happens between us. I don’t want this to be just about sex. If we are to explore this I want to explore it to see if we will fall in love. But I don’t know how you feel about that.”

Muriel smiled as he closed the gap between us. “I will not push you to do anything you do not want to do. I understand your feelings and views. I will do my best to respect your wishes. I will warn you though that I can be a bit pushy when I want something. I’m quite a dominant personality as you already know. While I will never force myself on you know that I do like to tease and test limits. Just know I will never get mad if you tell me to slow down or stop. If you feel that I reached a boundary you don’t want to cross at that time just let me know like you just did. Gently push me back or tell me to stop and I will respect you wishes at all time.”

“I think I can live with that.”  I said with a shy smile.

He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around my waist. To my surprise he lifted me with such ease.  My face now at the same level as his. He pushed against me, pinning me between him and the tree again. His arms moving down to hold my hips so my back was against the tree. He scanned my face as he placed small kisses on my eyelids, my nose, my cheek only to capture my lips again. This time he was less reserved, deepening the kiss almost immediately. l could feel my body melt against his. Kissing him back as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Gently entwining my fingers in his hair making him groan into the kiss. I could feel one hand move from my hip and cup my ass pulling me harder against him. His kisses were demanding but I liked this demanding feeling. We kissed till we had to come up for air. It was Muriel who reluctantly lowered me back to the ground.

“We will be late for dinner if we don’t go back now.”  He grinned.

My idea of time had left me so I just took his word for it. I rearranged my dress and I hoped the walk back would do something to cool me down. Muriel took my arm and place it in his so we could walk arm in arm back towards the palace.

“Muriel, how will we do this?” I asked after a short silence. “I don’t know how you want to go from here. Do you want to tell our friends? Do we kiss in public? I’m kind of a loss."

He softly stroked my hand. “For now I think we should just continue like we have. Spending time together as friends and with our friends like we have been doing. But I hope you also will want to make some time for each other so we can meet in private. Just the two of us. We can do whatever you like. We can dine, walk the gardens or go for a ride. But I think it be nice for us to get to know each other better in private. So I won’t have to stalk the shadows to and steal kisses from you.” He grinned and I could feel he liked the idea of stealing kisses from me. “But I just want us to have some alone time to get to know each other. I don’t want to keep this a secret from our friends, but I do think we should be careful and act friends while in public and not as lovers. This too prevent any gossip. I don’t want gossip about me to reach Alfheim and more importantly I don’t want to drag you into any gossip. If we do find our feelings to become deeper I promise you I will ask your father if I can court you so we can declare our intentions in front of the court of Asgard and Alfheim.  Is this something you are okay with?”

Instantly I stopped walking as realization dawned on me. He was a prince thinking I was a princess. He thought my father was an earthen king he could petition for my hand if needed. Muriel looked at me worried as the realization that I was living a lie must have been clear on my face.

“Aurora wat’s wrong?” He asked as he looked at me with a puzzled look in his face.

He was still holding my hands and I gently pulled them out of his grip. We still were in a relatively private part of the garden but I couldn’t just tell him what was wrong. I had promised Odin and Frigga not to reveal that part of my story. But even worse I had no idea how Muriel would react if he knew I wasn’t royalty.

“Aurora?” he asked again worry clearly written on his face.

“I’m so sorry Muriel but I don’t think I can do this.” I said and I backed away from him to get more room between us. “You know most of my secrets but not all. While I want to explain them to you I can’t. I’m bound to secrecy  and I can’t break my word as they would cause problems for more than just myself.”

Muriel looked at me and I could see him trying to figure what I meant.

“And this secret would stop you from spending time with me?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, but this secret might stop you from wanting to involve yourself with me or publicly court me. I swear if it was my secret I would tell you but it’s not mine and would cause problems for people who are most important to me.”

Muriel now looked a bit more reserved. “Does Loki know this secret?”

I nodded. “Yes he does, but it’s not him I gave my word to.”

I could see Muriel relax a bit. “I have one question I would like to ask. I understand that you cannot tell me the secret, but this I need to know.  The person you are protecting and gave your word. Is it the king or queen? You don’t have to tell me the secret. I only want to know if they are aware of the secret and if it’s their trust you don’t want to break.”

“Yes, Odin and Frigga know the secret and it’s their trust I don’t want to break. Thor and Loki know too but they also have been sworn to secrecy by their parents.” I admitted.

Muriel nodded and took my hand again.

“Then I’m not worried, if they know this secret and still want you in their midst then I don’t fear your secrets. While I don’t know what would stop me from openly wanting to court you. I hope we can at least explore our spark to see if we will even reach the step of openly courting. If it makes you feel better, I will promise you that if our relationship becomes deeper I will ask your permission to address the king and queen in private. There I will explain to them my feelings for you and ask them to be let into the secret. Is this acceptable?” He asked.

I was worried about it being too late by then. “Can we promise to be honest with each other about our feelings? If you feel your feelings change please let me know. I feel this is something best known before you might fall in love. If you can’t live with my secret it would ruin not just our relationship but also our friendship. I rather us be just friends and keep the secret. Then for it to destroy any chance for us to be friends. So please be careful.”

Muriel bowed and kissed my hand. “You have my word Aurora. We will see if this flame between us grows. If it does I will ask you permission to be let in on the secret before it’s to late for us to go back to just being friends.”

His words had calmed me a bit but I couldn’t help but feel gloomy as we made our way back to the dining hall. But Muriel did his best to lift my spirits and by the time we reached the hall I was feeling better already. He took his seat at his table and I sat at mine. Now that we were apart from each other I felt the nagging inside my brain return. Part of it was the fact that I hated lying about my heritage. The other part was the realization of what I had agreed to explore with him. Yes, I realy enjoyed his kisses. But before any of this I hadn’t even thought of Muriel in a romantic way. Being apart from him now I wasn’t so sure if this was just lust or the start of a real relationship. I’m a grown woman but sex had been something that was far from my mind. But his kisses and his body pressed to mine had awoken something in me. And I kind of wanted more. I just hoped that this whole thing wouldn’t backfire in the end. I was jarred back to reality as Loki’s hand brushed against mine underneath the table. There was a small tingle in the back of my neck and I hastily tried to get my emotions under control.

“Are you alright? You have been very quiet.” Loki asked through the bond.

Before answering him I took a few more seconds to tap down all my feelings.  

“Yeah I’m fine. Just had an interesting evening.” I gave as short reply. While I wouldn’t lie to Loki, I thought it best not to tell him right away about what had happened between me and Muriel. I wanted a bit more time to see where this would go before I would take that hurdle. For all I knew Muriel and I wouldn’t last a week.

“Anything you want to share?” he asked and I could feel his curiosity behind his words.

“Ehm, to be honest I think it’s rather something I would talk to Sif about? Please don’t be upset. I promise if you need to know I will tell you. But for now, I think it falls more under the category girl talk.” I admitted as I glanced over to him.

 I could see mischief flash behind his eyes. “I don’t know if you know Aurora. But I’ve been known to take female form if you need some girl talk.” Was his sharp-witted reply.

I nearly choked on my wine as he said this causing the whole table to focus on me. I waved as I coughed. “Sorry, don’t mind me. I just took a big sip and it went the wrong way.”

Luckily they seemed to believe me and focused back on their own company. I could hear Loki laugh softly and I kicked him with my foot. But I was glad that he didn’t press any further. I enjoyed my meal and focused on the rest of the group. Dinner was almost over when Fandral said something that piqued my interest. He was talking with Thor about our trip to Alfheim and that it was nearing soon. He seemed to think it might be a good thing if the men would take a nightly trip into town before they went. It sounded innocent enough and if I didn’t know what Sif had told me I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. But now I quickly shot Sif a look which she caught. We listened as the warriors three and Thor agreed and deliberated that tomorrow night would be an excellent time for them to go into town.

It was Sif who joined their conversation. “Would you all mind if I and Aurora go with you?” She asked. “She’s been cooped up in the palace for a while now and I promised her that I would show her some of the city’s nightlife when I had the time. This would seem as good a time as any.” She smoothly lied.

I could see a twinkle in Fandral’s eyes as he looked towards me and then back to Sif. And I really didn’t want to think about what that mind of him was thinking of. They all agreed that they would be glad to have us accompany them. It was Thor who turned to Loki to ask if he would come as well. But Loki declined telling his brother that he wasn’t  interested. It was an answer Thor seemed to be expecting as he didn’t even try to change Loki’s mind. I signaled Sif and she understood instantly I wanted to talk to her in private. We excused ourselves and found a private spot to talk. She assured me that she would make sure I had something appropriate to wear for tomorrow. But also told me that if she would dress revealing I had to do as well.

“If you can keep Fandral away from me, I’m fine.” I laughed and she assured me that would not be a problem.

“Sif, can I talk to you about something else?” I asked and I couldn’t help but feel a grin spread over my face. “But I would like to keep it between us girls for now.”

“Your secrets are safe with me Aurora what is it?” She asked and she looked a bit worried.

I knew that the walls had ears in the palace so I tried to be somewhat cryptic in case someone would hear our conversation. “Can you remember our last conversation we had about the qualities and features we like in men?”

She nodded and looked at me interested.

“Well I gave you an example, right?” I asked.

She nodded now a big smile forming on her face.

“Well it seems that that my example might be interested in me.” I said.

Sif nearly dragged me into a small alcove with a squeak and I couldn’t help but giggle like a schoolgirl. As we sat in the alcove and out of sight Sif whispered. “Do you mean to say that Muriel is interested in you?” she asked nearly soundlessly but very exited.

I giggled. “Well if interested means did I just spend a good 10 minutes in the gardens being kissed by him until I nearly fainted from a lack of oxygen? Then yes.”

Sif’s eyes grew huge and her mouth opened and closed while I grinned. “How was it?” she whispered excitedly.

“To be honest, very hot!” I whispered. “He’s a very good kisser and actually quite dominant. He had me crushed between him and a tree.” I said and I couldn’t help but blush as I realized it was something I really liked.

Sif let out a small squeal. “I never knew the elf had it in him.” She admitted. “All I know about the elves is that they are prudish as it comes to such things, but clearly he is not. But what did he say? Is he in love with you? Are you in love with him?”

I had to stop Sif before she could ask even more questions. “Shhhh, calm down.” I grinned. “No, he’s not in love with me and I not with him. But he told me he is attracted and interested in me. He wants some more time to see if there is anything more than just chemistry between us.”

Sif grinned like an idiot and I swear I was doing the same.

Before she could get the wrong idea, I added. “But I did tell him that I wanted some time to get to know him better before I even want to think about having sex with him. I don’t just want it to be about sex only. I want to see if there is more before I go there.”

Sif nodded. “Did he agree?”

Now it was my turn to nod again.

“That’s good.” She added with a big grin. “It means he is not only interested in bedding you. Which is good because we already have Fandral if you were just interested in sex.” She joked and I gave her a punch on her arm.

“But I must say I’m very surprised, it’s not like an Elf to show such passion.” She grinned. “To pin you against a tree and make out like that. The only thing I can say is have fun exploring with him and don’t tell Fandral anytime soon. If he finds out about you and Muriel it might trigger his elf obsession again.”

“Elf obsession?” I asked.

Sif nodded. “It’s something Æsir men and Fandral in particular secretly want to do. They want to bed an Elven female. I think it’s because they are doomed to fail making it a sort of sport. But when Loki returned to Asgard after his scandal, Fandral became obsessed with it.”

I turned to look at her. “What do you mean Loki’s scandal?”

Sif looked at me. “Oh of course you would not know.” She said as realization washed over her face and she huddled closer.

“When Loki was ambassador in Alfheim he was send back after the incident with the Cup of ever flowing ale. But that was the general cover-up Odin told the public. At least according to Thor who after a night of strong ale told us a different story. It seemed that Loki had been caught doing some very naughty things with the Elven ladies at court. The specifics where never made clear to him but according to Thor the King was furious when finding out that Loki was bedding Elven females. It was around the same time Muriel was also disgraced in a similar situation. Like I said the elves are very prudish. To have not one but two of such incidents at the same time. It was quite the uproar. Muriel apparently was a disgrace to his father and Loki got send back to Asgard. Fandral practically worshipped Loki for months. Begging him to share his story’s. But to Loki’s credit he never did and it made Fandral quite jealous. For a long time, he would pursue any Elven lady he could get his hands on. But one after one they seemed immune to his charms.” She laughed.

We slowly started making our way back to our rooms. “Well, we decided to keep our relationship neutral in public.”  I whispered to Sif. “But it was clear we would not explicitly hide it from friends. So, he’s bound to find out.”

Sif nodded. “I don’t think he would harass you about it. Your chosen is an excellent fighter and not someone Fandral would be dumb enough to antagonize.” Sif grinned. 

We neared the corridor where I had to go a separate direction to get to my wing. Sif and I agreed that tomorrow night at 9 Sif would come to my room so we could get ready for our night on the town. We wished each other a good night and went our separate ways.

As I walked to my room I couldn’t help but think about Loki and Elven females. I had seen pictures in the dance book and they were beautiful and graceful and I felt a tiny pang in my stomach. I was content with how I looked but I was nothing like the beautiful elves. I was a lot smaller and compared to  elves, quite curvy. Now it seemed I knew Loki’s preferred type. He liked long, lean, graceful willowy type of women and I was far from that. I shook my head to get these thoughts out of my mind. Why the hell was I thinking about Loki’s type and comparing myself to it. I had Muriel I could think about and he didn’t seem to mind my figure.

That night I went to sleep still thinking about Muriel’s kisses and his arms around me and I couldn’t help but like the warm feeling it gave me. So, I decided I would give him a real chance. I was still unsure about me not being a real princess. But I had warned him, and if we did get feelings for each other I was sure Frigga would help Odin see reason. They would manage to find a way to explain all this to him. So for now we would just see where this whole ridiculous ride would take us.