Morning arrived long before Eirlys was ready for it. The palace had been awake for hours before the first proper light of sunrise reached the windows. What had once seemed like a simple ceremony to Eirlys had somehow grown into something far larger. More people had arrived than she had expected, servants hurried through the corridors carrying flowers, fabrics, jewelry and trays of food, while guards stood at every entrance as if the kingdom itself were preparing for a battle rather than a wedding. Eirlys had wanted something simple. Apparently, Asgard had other plans.
Before the sun had even risen completely, the doors to her chambers opened and Sif entered with several maids following behind her. They carried boxes, dresses, hair ornaments and enough accessories to make Eirlys wonder whether she was preparing for a marriage or being presented to the Nine Realms.
Eirlys was still sitting near her window, barely awake, when Sif looked at her and smiled. "You have no idea what is coming."
Eirlys slowly turned her head towards the growing crowd inside her room. "I think I do now."
The maids immediately surrounded her. One began arranging her hair while another prepared the jewelry that had been chosen for the ceremony. Someone else brought out layers of fabric for her ceremonial dress, carefully checking every detail as though one misplaced fold might bring shame upon two kingdoms. Eirlys tried to remain patient, she really did. But every few minutes another person entered with something else. A necklace, a veil, another pair of earrings, or a second set of flowers. At one point, Eirlys simply stared at the growing collection around her and wondered how she had managed to turn one wedding into an entire military operation.
Sif, meanwhile, seemed entirely entertained. "You wanted a quiet wedding," she reminded her.
"I wanted it to be just done," Eirlys corrected, watching another maid carry in a decorated box. "but everyone else wanted a festival."
From the other side of the room came a small, awkward cough, Jane had been standing there for several minutes. She looked completely out of place among the maids and Asgardian traditions, uncertain whether she was supposed to help, stay silent or simply avoid touching anything. She had been invited to assist Eirlys, yet Eirlys had made it painfully clear that she did not particularly need her assistance. Jane glanced towards the bride, then at Sif, before finally looking down at her hands. She wanted to say something. Anything at this point.
But after that day, she had no idea what would be appropriate. Eirlys had been polite to her, but Jane was beginning to understand that Eirlys's politeness was not necessarily friendliness. There was something guarded behind that perfect smile, something that made Jane feel as though she were constantly standing one wrong sentence away from being dismissed from the room. And Jane could hardly blame her. She had arrived in Asgard, slapped Eirlys's future husband, and then somehow ended up standing inside the bride's chamber on the morning of her wedding. It was hardly an ideal beginning to a friendship.
Jane finally looked towards Eirlys. "Is there anything I can do?"
Eirlys met her eyes through the mirror, neither of them spoke for a while, then Eirlys offered her the smallest smile. "Try not to break anything."
Jane blinked before realizing it was a joke, Sif laughed, and even Eirlys's lips curved slightly more. The tension in the room eased, though only for a moment. Outside, the palace continued to roar with preparations. And somewhere beyond those walls, Loki was being prepared for the same ceremony. Neither of them knew exactly what the evening would bring. But by sunset, they would stand before the entire kingdom and become husband and wife.
Loki's morning was hardly any quieter either. His chambers had been invaded by attendants carrying ceremonial robes, jewelry and various ornaments that he had neither requested nor remembered agreeing to wear. Thor's friends had also appeared, making the room considerably louder than Loki would have preferred. He stood before the mirror while an attendant adjusted the dark green fabric around his shoulders. Loki watched his reflection with an expression of restrained irritation, though beneath it was a strange nervousness he refused to acknowledge. Marriage had always sounded like something that happened to other people. Yet here he was, dressed as a prince, preparing to marry Eirlys Freyadottir before half of Asgard.
His gaze fell briefly to the new ring on his finger. He remembered the way Eirlys had given it to him, the sincerity in her expression and the warmth that had settled strangely in his chest. Then, inevitably, his mind returned to the kiss. His expression tightened, he still had no idea what she had thought of it. And worse, Thor had not only seen it but somehow ruined it by making her run after him. Loki glanced towards the doorway as though expecting his brother to appear and start another argument. He did not and for the first time, he found himself wishing Thor would. Because the silence was somehow more unsettling.
He looked back at his reflection and sighed. "Today should be interesting."
It was an understatement. While elsewhere in the palace, Odin and Frigga watched the preparations from their chamber in quiet. The sounds of celebration could already be heard beyond the walls, growing louder with every passing hour. Frigga looked towards the windows, her expression thoughtful.
"Do you think our plan will succeed?" she asked.
Odin remained silent for a moment. Their plan had always seemed simple when they first conceived it. Give Loki something worth protecting. Give him a family, a kingdom willing to accept him and a woman capable of seeing beyond his anger and pride. Perhaps, with time, he would stop believing that everything around him was a threat.
"I believe Eirlys can reach him," Odin finally said. "Whether Loki allows her to is another matter."
Frigga smiled faintly. "She already understands him more than either of them realize."
Odin nodded, though his thoughts had already moved beyond the wedding. Once the celebrations ended, there would be another ceremony to prepare for. Thor's coronation. The crown had already been inspected, the ceremonial robes chosen and the council informed. The kingdom would celebrate its new king immediately after celebrating Loki's marriage.
Frigga noticed his distant expression. "You are already thinking about Thor."
"I am his father," Odin replied. "There is always something to prepare for."
He looked towards the palace courtyard. Two sons. Two very different futures. Odin could only hope that both would lead somewhere peaceful.
For once that morning, Eirlys finally managed to escape everyone. She excused herself for a bath and, much to her relief, made it clear that she wanted to be left alone. No maids followed her along with Sif and Jane. No attendants carrying another box of jewelry or another piece of clothing she apparently needed. Just silence.
The warm water should have been relaxing, but Eirlys barely noticed it. Her mind had already returned to the same place it had been returning to for three days. Thor.
Three days had passed since that night, since he had seen her kiss Loki, and stormed away without giving her a chance to explain. And he had not spoken to her since. Eirlys had tried to tell herself that perhaps he simply needed time. She understood his anger, even if she did not understand everything behind it. What she could not understand was how much his silence affected her. Then there was Loki, she had not spoken to him properly either. After what had happened on the balcony, she had been unable to bring herself to approach him. She had left him standing there with no explanation, no reassurance and no answer to the question that must have been troubling him. She felt guilty about that.
Loki had misinterpreted the moment, but she knew he had not meant to hurt her. There had been no scheme behind his actions, only a rare moment of genuine affection that had gone terribly wrong. And yet she had avoided him. In the end, Eirlys had found the easiest solution, to ignore both brothers. She knew it was childish and cowardly even. And with her wedding only hours away, it was becoming impossible. She closed her eyes and sank slightly deeper into the water. Soon, she would have to face them both. There would be nowhere left to hide.