章 2: It’s a Tough One
Michael left the council room on Odin’s heels - no one wanted to remain with Loki once Odin had left, least of all Michael. Once outside the great hall, he leaned against the smooth crystalline wall and breathed a sigh.
“It’s a tough one, isn’t it?”
He opened his eyes to see that Mahria had joined him, and now leaned against the wall beside him, looking at him. He considered her, but found no words. He nodded.
Over her shoulder, he saw Desi walking toward them and he straightened, nerves singing along his skin at the mere sight of her. Mahria grinned, glanced over her shoulder, then grinned some more.
“I’ll just be moving along, then.”
Michael grinned back at her, grateful she understood and allowed him his privacy.
“Oh, Mahria, you don’t have to leave,” Desi said as she joined them. She caught the other woman’s arm and pulled her back to them. Michael felt a swift pang of regret - both that Desi had invited Mahria to stay, and that she held Mahria’s hand instead of his own.
Blessedly, Mahria extricated herself. “I’m sorry, dear one.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on Desi’s cheek. “I must go.” Her lie was made obvious when she grinned at the both of them in a way that conveyed exactly why she was leaving, but Desi didn’t stop her.
Desi’s dark brown eyes brimmed with mischief when she finally met Michael’s gaze, which hadn’t left her face since she had joined him. “Hello.”
A smile split Michael’s face. He always thought he’d play it cool, pretend at disinterest, just to see how she would respond - but he never could. He’d loved her since the day they met and he’d never been able to hide it.
A faint blush tinged Desi’s cheeks and Michael wasted no time in leaning forward and kissing her. It surprised her as much as it did him - when it came to love, Michael tended to lack the same confidence he owned in his work. When it came to love, he was ever at Desi’s mercy.
Oh that she would just accept him, marry him, be with him always.
Except Desi had a different plan for herself. She wanted to be tested. To be tried. She wanted to walk among the people knowing that she had not put herself above any of them. As Loki’s daughter, she could have Ascension when she desired it. Or she could, perhaps one day, even rule Asgard itself. Michael had no doubt that Odin would one day impart some of his duties to her. Once, he’d been sure Loki would soon take charge of Asgard’s armies, but that was before the trouble started. Before Loki began pushing his grandfather and demanding his right to rule.
It wasn’t long after that that Odin announced his plan to use Midgard as a proving ground of sorts. Michael suspected it had all been designed for Loki - to prove him worthy of Asgard - but Odin would never say and the people were in favor of the plan.
As was Desi.
The thought tugged at Michael’s heart, a hint of the sorrow and loss he would feel when she embarked on her journey. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and resting his cheek on her head.
She returned the embrace just as fiercely, but after a moment asked, “What’s this about?”
It took Michael a moment to frame his thoughts. He didn’t want to hold her back and truly, he admired her for wanting to prove to herself more than anyone else, that she was worthy of ruling, but oh how the fear of losing her gutted him.
“Nothing,” he finally said. “Just a difficult day in council.” It wasn’t a lie. In this case, it was better than the truth.
She pulled back to look at him, resting her hand on his chest. He knew she’d feel the rapid beat of his heart beneath her hand, but there was nothing he could do about that. “Loki and Odin?”
He nodded and she sighed.
“Still no resolution?”
Michael shook his head. “Not if you count Odin setting down the law and walking out.”
Desi groaned. “When will he learn that that approach never works with Loki? It only makes Loki think that he’s winning - or at least has a chance of winning.”
Michael shrugged, then slipped an arm around Desi’s waist and led her out onto the wide stone street. “I honestly think they can’t help but antagonize one another. It’s why I think Odin would prefer to just skip Loki altogether and hand the kingdom over to you.”
Desi shuddered and Michael knew she felt unequal to the task - they’d talked of this many times before and it was one of the reasons she desired so much to be tested along with their people.
“I didn’t say he would, only that Loki’s desire to be contrary at every turn has set Odin at odds even with himself. Loki pushes and Odin can’t help but push back.”
“I know,” said Desi. “Sometimes I wonder if Odin was like my father when he was young. Maybe they’re more alike than Odin would like us to believe.”
Michael chuckled at that. “I cannot picture Odin as a willful, disobedient young man, demanding to be given free reign over his father’s holdings. Oh wait -” he gave Desi’s waist a squeeze, “I can.”
They jostled each other as they rocked with laughter. Michael knew better than most that being head-strong and passionate were character traits shared between Odin, his grandson and great-granddaughter. Except where Loki was concerned, he seemed unable to accept when he’d lost a battle, whereas Desi, and even Odin, would accept when a better option presented itself. Loki simply could not. He was never wrong - not even when his mistakes stared him in the face.
Desi’s thoughts must have taken their own dark turn, because soon they walked in silence, each lost to their own memories - and maybe, fears.
They passed through the copse of trees that lined the parkway at the edge of the village and stepped into a cool, shadowed meadow heavily laced with the scent of Lily of the Valley. It was a place of their own making - a place the two of them had always called their own.
Silently, Michael lay down and watched as his love joined him, curling onto her side and tucking into the crook of his arm. She rested her cheek on his chest as he began to draw his fingers through her long, chestnut hair.
As he stared into the canopy of trees above them, watching the sunlight flicker and dance, he tried to focus on the feel of Desi in his arms, to be present in that moment with her - but fear had crept in and tainted the edges of his awareness. Odin would begin the Trial soon, he knew. He just didn’t know how long it would be before Desi would choose to leave, and as Odin’s general, he would have to remain.
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