She blushed looking down, his compliment making her feel all warm and fuzzy. But she had to ruin the moment... get this off her chest.
"Loki... I want to apologize for my behavior earlier today. I know you have a lot on your plate right now and with recently backing up with my ex... I never meant to make you the rebound guy." She put her hands up, " You don't have to say anything on the matter. I just want you to know that I'm here for you... Supporting you anyway I can. Just let me know when I'm stepping over the line, ok?" She cracked a light smile. Although the rejection still hurt, she knew love could not be forced and if Loki did not feel the same way then it wasn't meant to be. But she still wanted to support him and help him anyway she could.
Loki stepped forward with a soft smile, he tilted her chin up to look at him before touching his lips to hers in a brief, gentle kiss. His blue-green eyes stared into hers for a moment after, "Do not mistake my apathy for lack of desire Ceres. I am a King, and there are reasons to why Kings can not marry for love. You and I, this, can not work. It is best to let it lie." he turned his eyes away, finding it more difficult than he expected to hold her gaze so he turned to leave, "The trees are beautiful though" he added, "Thank you."
"Loki..." A tear rolled down her cheek as he spoke and when he turned she wrapped her arms around him. "Loki, what I said this morning... I do not care what title you give our relationship if any at all. I just... I want to be here for you." She rested her head against his back, "Let me be your Persephone" She whispered lightly.
"Ceres..." he paused as a guard approached and Loki quickly removed Ceres' arms from around him.
"Mikara Loki" the guard spoke in their own tongue-which was a bit odd because usually used a more common speak, "integsh nekt Amra."
Loki looked a bit surprised and ever so slightly alarmed, "Nekt Amra te gedesh?" he demanded in return, then sighed and shook his head, "Se ke toul, ma girtu bel" he turned to Ceres, "You must be cold, you should head back to the fire. We can talk later."
The guard glanced at Ceres, there seemed to be something of a disapproving glint in his eye before he turned to do whatever Loki had told him to.
Loki watched her leave and then frowned. This was going to get a little ugly he was sure, but if he could keep Ceres away for long enough than perhaps everything would be alright? So he turned and headed off in the other direction.
"You know she's been ripping up her pretty kimonos for those sashes right?" Juno said appearing beside him. "I give her a bag of holding and she packs it filled with the most random things..."
Loki stepped out to meet a fair number of Frost Giants that had just arrived. One after another parting ways as one female with black and white streaked hair stepped out of her sleigh and approach Loki. She was slightly small, for a Frost Giant, which was to say that she was taller than Loki but not by a terrible amount like most of the men were. Like all Frost Giants, she barely wore any clothing, leaving most of her blue... assets, open to the icy cold.
"Loki" she smiled upon seeing him.
Loki stepped forward to greet her, "Amra, I was not expec-" he foudn himself cut off as the large woman wrapped her arms around him and kissed the half Azgardian passionately.
Juno sat in a window a little ways off, "Well... This is gonna get awkward..." She said wondering if she should just throw Ceres over her shoulder and head home. "Politics..."
Loki spent the rest of the day trying his best to keep the frost giant Amra away from the half of the castle that Ceres and Juno were in. It was exhausting trying to keep the two apart, he hadn't exactly figured out the best way for them to meet yet. Especially after the new developments with Ceres, he wasn't sure there even was a good way to breach the subject.
Juno, without Loki realizing it was trying to keep Ceres from finding out. She hadn't been this happy in such a long time. Sure she put on the smile while others were around but as soon as no one was in sight that warm gentle smile would vanish.
No wonder Loki didn't want to go forward with Ceres even though it was clear he had feelings... Was this a political marriage? Or was this something he had decided even before they arrived.
Juno started going through her things, folding her clothes up nicely when she noticed Ceres heading out. She teleported in front of her, "Where are you going?" She asked arms crossed.
" Taking a break and going to the ballroom down the hall. The acoustics are lovely in here." Juno asked following Ceres.
"Mind if I tag along?" Juno asked looked out the door before casually holding the door for Ceres.
"Since when do you like listening to me sing?"
Juno shrugged. "Can a sister be supportive of her little sister's gifts?"
"Fine. But I'm not taking requests." Ceres said sticking out her tongue
"Awwww... But there's no music here otherwise. Come on, don't be like that. I wanna hear Lucy by Skillet" Juno teased.
"You know it's harder for me to sing in English.."
Once they got to the room Juno sat down on the floor while Ceres stood in front of her. She did a quick warm up and then broke out into song. Her voice echoing against the icy walls and echoing throughout the palace. By the second verse, a couple of Springlings had appeared behind the large columns in the ballroom.
Ceres stopped singing after opening her eyes, hearing a female voice. "Oh, hello. I don't believe we've met." She said taken back by the frost giant's exposed assets, not looking directly at her.
"Loki, you didn't tell us you had company." Juno said looking around the Giant at him.
Loki gave a bit of a strained smile, "Yes, well, I was getting to it."
Amra turned to the king, "Who are these?" she questioned.
"Amra, I would like you to meet Juno and Ceres, goddesses of Midgard" Loki introduced them before turning to the sisters, "And ladies, this is Amra, daughter of Gadesh" though clearly he was leaving something else unsaid, something that Amra was more than happy to fill in.
Amra smiled in greeting, "I am, what is common word for it? To be wed to our new King" she reached out to take Loki's arm and while he didn't seem entirely comfortable, he didn't stop her.
Juno bit her lip while she felt the tenison in the room beginning to build.
Ceres felt her heart stop for a moment and her face turned pale, she shook there not moving.
"Ceres?" Juno asked going and taking hold of her sister's hand.
"Hm? Oh yes. I'm ok, It's just acting up again." She mumbled softly,rubbing her chest, "Loki seems to have failed to mention such joyous news." Ceres said putting on a smile though the hurt was visible in her eyes if you looked closely. " It is a pleasure to meet you Amra. Tell me when did his highness ask for your hand?" She asked trying very hard to keep smiling sweetly.
Amra laughed lightly, "He and my father arrange it... two weeks ago?" she replied, looking at Loki, "I come to see my new man as soon as I can."
"Without so much as a message sent ahead" Loki added.
"I want to surprise you!" she explained happily, clearly not picking up anything from his tone.
"Well, we should be going. There was something in the tower I wanted to show you" Loki tried to guide her to the door.
Amra wouldn't budge, "Loki! If they are to be guests then why do we leave them?" she questioned, "we shall be good hosts. Come, we will dine together!"
Ceres gripped her chest. Two weeks... TWO WEEK AGO?! She had always though that perhaps due to his kingly dues he couldn't marry her but...it was just...
"Forgive me, I don't believe I'm up to dinner at this time. I think it best if I... go lay down." Ceres explained. Her chest was throbbing and she felt like a large brick was dragging her stomach downward.
Juno looked at Loki and gave him a clear, "NO COOL" face which would usually follow a punch to his upper arm.
As soon as she was out of sight, Ceres dashed back to their room and slammed the door shut throwing herself under the futon blankets and crawled into a ball under the table. So.... this was what he meant by a king can't marry for love... he'd already given himself away WHILE she was here.
She couldn't even bring herself to cry, she just felt... empty, her mind blank. She felt like a dying flower, let out in the cold for too long.
Loki was a perfect gentleman, to anyone who didn't know him-and know him well, he seemed absolutely fine with the entire arrangement. Amra seemed pleased to have his attention at least and she wasn't completely unbearable, just perhaps oblivious to the sensitivity of the situation and that was reasonable enough.
