Days turn to weeks and weeks became months. For a while you were convinced that all this was just a dream, you expected to wake up at any moment, but it just kept on going. You knew a lot about Asgard from the stories Frigga had told you in your childhood, but it didn't make it any easier. The city you had wandered with Loki seemed so different in the daylight, you got lost just by looking at the twisting roads that made their way over rivers and other roads, the golden architecture was stunning to look at, small houses on multiple levels with roads and bridges connecting them to each other, there were floating monuments that hovered above the ground in a way you could only call magic.

The people of Asgard soon learned the truth about you and they all adored you for it. The people made you feel uneasy at first as they looked just like humans, but acted and lived so differently than you were used to. Looking at their clothing and listening to them talking, you felt like you had gone back in time, but looking around you, it felt like the future with winged boats that glided across the sky.

"Soon this will become your reality, your home and Earth will look just that much stranger," said Frigga when you were on one of your walks again. You went out a lot, partially because that way you had hope that maybe one day you might start to find your way around, but partially because that way you knew what to do, other ways you would just sit on your bed, looking out the window and wonder how you got there.

Frigga was almost always with you, giving you council and support. Often you were also accompanied by Loki. Very rarely Thor honored you with his company and once there was even Odin.

Once you had accepted that this wasn't just a dream, you started to miss your little home outside Harrisburg, you started to miss the familiar faces, you missed your house where you knew where everything was. Now you roam a big palace and have trouble with finding your chambers. You wonder all the time what is happening on Earth, what about the war? Is it over? Who won? At what cost?

Loki was always very charming and gallant around you. He was quiet and tender, his words always chosen carefully, but you saw through the courtesies and soon started to see the sorrow and everything he left unsaid. The magic of the first evening together soon faded and you weren't fooled anymore.

Odin had announced a small celebration in your honor where the high officials of Asgard and close friends of the royal family had been invited to to be introduced to you. Needless to say, you are nervous as two maidens help you to get dressed for the evening and make you look prettier than ever before. After they have left, you stand in front of the tall golden mirror and look at the embroidery on your dress, you touch your braided hair and golden necklace.

A silent knock on the door rips you out of your daze.

"Come in," you answer and see Loki push open the door.

"You look absolutely stunning, my lady," he smiles, "Shall we go to the banquet?"

"Actually," you pause for a moment, "Could we talk?"

"Of course," the man says and closes the heavy door behind him, "Does something bother you?"

"In a way..." you step closer to him, "I know you try your best... and so do I, but this has to stop. We are supposed to be wed sooner or later and neither of us have a say in that in reality. We are in the same position and it is, by nature just politics. Nobody expects true love to come from this union, it doesn't happen this way. But we cannot keep pretending to be people that we aren't, because it won't lead anywhere, it won't change anything. I want to know you. I want to know Loki, I want to know for what you've earned the title of God of Mischief. I want to know you, the real you, not the Prince of Asgard. And I want you to accept me for who I am, the flawed, stupid human who has no idea what she's doing here or how she even got here."

You carefully take his hand.

"We are to be wed, there is no changing that and maybe that's all it ever will be, a political union, but I hope that at the very least, we could be friends," you say as you look at him.

He squeezes your hand gently and looks you in the eyes.

"You're right and I'm glad that you see it that way, I truly am," he smiles, "So would you do me the honor of accompanying me this evening not as my soon to be queen, but as my friend?"

He bows and places a kiss on the back of your hand. You smile at him.

"It would be my pleasure."

***

The guests are fascinated, many of them haven't met a human for a very long time and all of them are delighted to meet you. Some are intrigued by the idea of having a Midgardian in the royal family. Everyone is nice to you and soon enough the ale starts to do its magic. The Asgardians become very noisy. They sing and tell war stories around the table, the hall is filled with loud laughter and occasional shouts. They dance and eat and sing into the late hours of the night.

You truly enjoy yourself, the people are nice and in a good mood, they ask you questions about Midgard and you answer them gladly. You listen to their stories and watch them fool around. Loki is quiet, but sits by you, he smiles, but you can feel his discomfort.

As it is already late you tell the crowd that you are tired and will head off now, you wish everyone a good time and with a couple of displeased moans they smile at you and wish you good night. You are terribly tired, but you could sit there till dawn with those people.

Loki stands with you and he too wishes everyone a good night before putting an arm around you and giving you a smirk that makes his eyes shine. You don't understand what that means, but that makes it all that much more exciting.

Together you leave the great hall and the laughing and celebrating Asgardians are left behind.