Chapter Text
'Listen, I'm not fond of this idea either, but I guess we just have to deal with this! Not that you have any other choice!' - I glared at Loki ready to contradict everything he says in return.
'Good, - he suddenly smiled with venom, - just wanted to make sure we are on the same page! So you won't back or, you know, run away!'
With these words he glared back, then stood up and abruptly and 'oh so unexpectedly' left.
That was literally the first conversation I have ever had with my future husband, the future ruler of MY country.
Ever since I was 12, I was dreaming that someday in the future, I will become the Queen, so I could rule Ariana and help my people. These dreams, however, did not involve a husband who would actually do it, while I just enjoy only the title. On my eighteenth birthday my parents gladly announced to me and to the people, that on my twentieth birthday I will officially become the Queen. The people, however, did not accept this as happily as I did, and the thought of a twenty-year-old Queen bothered them greatly. Even though they respected and listened to me, gladly accepting me as a wise and clever person capable to rule, they could not fathom the idea of a tiny girl having strength and battle skills to protect the realm or lead it into war if necessary. With this fear in mind the Old and the Wise Council (amongst which were surprisingly a lot of women) of the realm brought an ultimatum to the royal family that only when I marry a suitable royalty, I would be able to be crowned and called a Queen. As far as it goes, this will only be a title, while the actual ruler would be my dear husband.
As it turns out, this will be Loki of Asgard, Young Prince and the son of Odin, who has a neighbouring realm next to Ariana not overly friendly, yet not declaring any wars. So when they found out that Ariana was in need of a ruler and Princess Artemisia (i.e. me) was in ‘desperate’ need of a husband, King Odin happily offered his youngest son eager to fulfil the wants of a princeling to have power and also to get rid of him given how much death and destruction Loki caused in Midgard.
At first I was completely and positively sure that in not a single universe exists where this would happen, and my parents would agree to this horrible idea. Turns out this universe existed. And I was living in it… And today was our first official meeting, just several weeks before the marriage. And the first words I uttered were actually not very pleasant for him, I guess. But given with how much contempt he greeted me, not even dignifying me with a bow, seeing me just as a tool to get what he wanted in his entire miserable life! After the official reception welcoming our royal family, our parents decided that it would be a good idea to let the two ‘lovebirds’ chat. It wasn’t!
Immensely tired after the trip from Ariana, I decided to retire to my allocated quarters and finally get some sleep. Although I did not particularly like Asgard and its inhabitants, I had to pay tribute to their architecture. It was simply amazing! Spacious golden halls with a lot of columns and ornaments, heavenly beautiful yet practical bedrooms, dining halls and even courtyards had their own specific furnishings. But my favourite part was definitely the Rainbow Bridge (partly because I heard Loki had fallen from it into abyss).
Finally, when I found my room, which wasn’t easy given my relationship with directions, I opened the door and, not looking around, landed quickly on the bed falling asleep.
When I woke up, it was already getting dark, which was even better for this castle, given how much more solemn and rich it had become under cloud of night. After getting much desired sleep, I finally got the strength of looking around my quarters. And a silent scream of rage was elicited from my mouth by what I saw. Fuming I closed my eyes and opened it again, hoping it was still a horrible dream, but no, here was my room all in golden and emerald-green furnishings even down to small things such as my night robes, the colours of Loki! With a groan, I tried to pull my hair out, falling again on the bed, which was also made from gold-covered wood with emerald green bed linen. Seeing this, I jumped out of the bed as if scalded. And then I heard a soft yet malicious chuckle. Quickly spinning around I saw Loki sprawled on my lounge, his legs thrown over the armchair.
‘You should have seen your face! How do you like my engagement present, my dear fiancée?’
‘You creep! You watched me sleep!’
‘Don’t be so full of yourself, Armis, I was just notified when you woke up. I believe we have not finished our conversation.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘As if someone could tell you this seconds after I woke up! Wait… What did you just call me?! I’m Princess Artemisia of Ariana, daughter of Stelios to you! Do not dare to call me otherwise!’
With these words, I approached the door, opened it, gesturing him to leave. ‘I believe, you were pretty clear what’s finished and what’s not when you left last time, and I suggest you do the same now!’ It took all my strength to compose myself and not to show how furious I was and amuse him even more.
Lazily strolling towards the door, Loki smirked once again casually saying: ‘As you wish, Princess Artemisia, future wife of King Loki, ruler of Ariana.’
HOW DARE HE?! Releasing my full rage, I slapped the door with force noticing, not without satisfaction, how it hit him in the back causing him to stumble.