Choices

Chapter 26
Seraphina parried a punch from Fandral and swept his legs out from under him. He hit the ground with a puff of sand rising up around him. She took a moment to admire his smooth chiseled chest and thought about how it would feel beneath her palms while she rode him. He grinned at her from the ground and then righted himself.
"As always you excel in getting me on my back." He told her with a wink. There was a groan from off to the side, Volstagg rolled his eyes at the blatant true meaning behind the comment.
"You mean excel at kicking your ass." She corrected with a smug grin in return.
"What's the fun if I always let you win?" He teased. Seraphina raised a thin brow and clocked her temporary on and off lover in the face with her fist. He grunted in surprise and stumbled back a step. "Not the face!" He exclaimed holding his nose.
"I don't appreciate your attempt to tease me. You can't win a fight against me and you know it." She growled. It wasn't that Seraphina was arrogant enough to think she was the best fighter, but when it came to Fandral and Volstagg she had them beat. Hogun was a different story. That sneaky scrawny bastard always got the jump on her. Thor was improving and so far they were well matched. Ignoring Fandral's protests, she glanced up at the spectators stands. Cephera and Sif were sat side by side watching.
This made Seraphina frown. Sif in her long flowing garments and graceful posture pissed the elder twin off more and more each day. For a whole month they had been back in Asgard since Cephera came of age and Sif hadn't attempted to pick up a weapon much less even talk about battle. Seraphina could see the passion still light up on her face when she watch the fights, but she wouldn't tell Seraphina why she wouldn't participate anymore. It irked Seraphina to see Sif acting so strangely and without explanation.
"Time out for me." Seraphina declared allowing Volstagg and Hogun to take center field. Instead of joining Fandral and Thor off to the side she raced up the pathway to the stands and plopped her ass beside her friend. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Seraphina asked.
"Oh that's my sign to go." Cephera declared feeling the pissed off vibe. 'Be a little nicer.' Cephera chided her sister through their rings. They still came in handy though they didn't often find need for them anymore. Seraphina glared at Cephera as she left.
"What do you mean?" Sif questioned playing dumb.
"What happened to warrior Sif? What happened to the girl with a passion, a dream." Seraphina narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"She grew up." Sif shrugged as if it were no big deal, but Seraphina wasn't buying it.
"Bullshit. What the hell changed your mind?" Sif fiddled with her skirt.
"You wouldn't understand." Sif accused.
"I thought we were friends. The point of friendship is to open up and ask the others honest opinion." Seraphina felt enraged. After all she had done for Sif, why was she being like this?
"Thor doesn't like it when I fight. He worries about me. If I want a future with Thor I have to put aside my own childishness and be a proper, suitable maiden for him." Sif declared faking confidence.
"Pft." Seraphina scoffed. "If some one can't love you for who you are then you shouldn't be together to begin with. It's a route to unhappiness." Seraphina told her friend.
"I knew you wouldn't understand." Sif stood sharply, turning to leave. Seraphina grabbed her arm hard forcing her to stay.
"I understand wanting to belong, I get being afraid to be different, but this woman you're trying to pretend you are is a lie. You know it, I know it. What happens when he sees through the lie? What if he loves this fake persona more than the original? Will you live a lie all your life to be with someone who doesn't accept the real you?" Sif stood quiet. Her eyes filling to a clear shine but not crying.
"It's for my future. Thor is what I want more than even battle and glory." Seraphina tilted her head.
"Do you hear that? That uncertainty in your own voice. You're confused and young Sif, you can't possibly know what it is you want." Seraphina growled shaking her. Sif pushed Seraphina back hard making her stumble against the benches.
"No. You're the one confused. I want Thor above all else, you're the one who doesn't know what she wants. Never committing to anyone or anything beyond your sister." Sif hissed. She left and this time Seraphina didn't stop her. A heart wrenching feeling welled up to smother her chest. Sif's words tearing into her. She'd never told Sif why she was the way she was and even so it shouldn't matter. If this was what it felt like to lose someone you care for, Seraphina didn't want to attach herself to anyone else, ever.
***
Seraphina didn't stay to watch anymore of the battles. She relocated to her own bedroom. Upon their new arrival the queen had given the sisters separate, permanent rooms. More often then not they still shared the same bed, but at times like this Seraphina enjoyed a room to herself. However, she wasn't alone. Lying back against her beds headboard was Loki.
"I feel as though you've been avoiding me." He told her arching an eyebrow.
"I was." She replied not in the mood to argue. He tutted wiggling a finger at her in disapproval.
"You promised me information and I've been patient, but now I feel entitled." Loki glared at her and Seraphina returned it.
"What does it matter to you?" Seraphina asked placing her hands to her hips.
"Cephera is my student and my friend. If there is a reason I should be worried about this Krystoff I want to know it." Seraphina sighed. Krystoff and his family were not her favorite topic of conversation. "You said she's a target, what do you mean?"
"Look this story dates back far beyond Krystoff, if you want answers you better have time to listen because I have no pause button nor a repeat button." Loki gestured for her to sit and she did. Sitting at the edge of her bed she turned to look at him. "The Fevour family has always wanted the throne. They thought they could rule our people better, that their ideals were better suited to the needs of the core. The core is the power that keeps our people alive, only the royal family has the power to control it. However, my father and his before him didn't agree with the Fevours ideals and so uniting the families have always hung precariously in the air. Neither family willing to suggest marriage as there is a very small chance a child would become of it... Just take my word for that, I'm not getting into our physiology."
"Alright, I follow so far. How does Cephera play into it?"
"Krystoff and Katarina are rumored to be mothered by a Thachet, a race known for their fertility. By now the Fevours know my father don't trust them and a marriage proposal will only lead to constant indecision and stalling. So they've been working on Cephera, she's meek, gentle, kind and more moldable than myself. Given the chance Krystoff will make her his bride, at which point I'm sure my death will come as an 'accident' leaving only Cephera's children able to rule. I. Sure our father would be the next to meet with unfortunate circumstances in death once such a child was raised." Seraphina sighed again. "Even so they are taking a large leap of faith on my sister. She wasn't born with the ability to use the cores power and therefore can never ascend to the throne."
"Her disability?" Loki questioned sitting up.
"Yes." Seraphina was about to question how he knew that, but decided to let it go. It didn't matter. "There is a chance she can mother a child with the power, but truthfully Cephera is the first of our family to not have the power and so we have no real way to know if her descendants will carry the connection. We had hoped her coming of age would change that about her, but it didn't. Krystoff preys on my sister's innocence and naivety. He hopes that she will fall in love with him, or at the very least begin to believe he is the only man who will love her despite who she was born as. There have been times she's found herself confused over the situation." Seraphina growled at the thought.
"He's a vile, repulsive monster." Loki commented. "Do you know he fucks his sister?" Seraphina's head shot further around to stare at the younger prince.
"Nothing anyone could prove... How do you know that?"
"After your warnings and after watching him follow Cephera around half the night, I followed him when he left the celebration. Cloaked in invisibility so no one would know I was there, and I saw it for myself."
"I've told Cephera many times to never get caught alone with Krystoff, that he might try things. He's powerful in both battle and magic. She'd never be able to fight him off should he become... impatient." Loki nodded catching her unspoken drift. "The more time she spends here rather than home the better."
"Agreed." Loki licked his lips. "He sends her letters," he said a guilty look on his face. "She keeps them, why?"
"Because she's naive. Cephera knows he's dangerous, knows to stay away, but Cephera also tries to see the good in everyone. She believes that no one is all bad. A part of her wants to help Krystoff, she refuses to believe everything she hears about him. She doesn't want him in any romantic way, then again she's never wanted anyone in a romantic way, but I'm sure that she has pure intention towards him, though I'm afraid that will get her into trouble. She pities him. Besides, I told her to keep the letters in case he should ask about them. Better to not piss him off by admitting to burning them."
"She's a fool to think he'll change or that he isn't the man everyone rumors him to be."
"I know that, and I'm sure one day she'll know that. The only reason my father hasn't done anything to the Fevour is the lack of proof. Not to mention Demos, Katarina and Kyrstoff's father has a large allegiance to match that of my fathers. Our realm's loyalty is split in half. Some agree with Demos's ideals and some with my father. Until a day comes that the Fevours make a move then leave the subject of Krystoff between you and me. Keep Cephera's mind on her studies as much as possible. Pretend you know nothing about him." Loki frowned.
"I'm not sure I can pretend he's not a scumbag that I don't want to tear apart." Seraphina grinned. She felt the same way and oddly knowing Loki wanted to protect her sister was comforting.
"You'll have to." She replied. She could see his reluctance but he accepted the terms all the same. Seraphina looked the prince over. His long legs still spread out along her bed. His thin, chiseled face and piecing green eyes. He was handsome, but he didn't hook her in any intimate way, which sort of relieved her. "Now get out. I have sexual tension that needs releasing."
"Alone?" He questioned as he got to his feet.
"Yes, Fandral managed to piss me off and Sif is currently a one partner kind of girl." Seraphina replied and for a second she thought Loki was about to offer himself up for the taking.
"Sucks to be you." He laughed and left. A part of her was slightly miffed he hadn't at least pretended to have some sort of attraction to her. What man walked away that easily from a horny woman? Now a little more frustrated than before Seraphina made right for her bathroom to clean up before finding a satisfying release by her own hands, something she hadn't had to do for a very long time.

Notes