“No! If you die, I die! You asked me to spend forever with you, and I'm going to!”

“I’m alright,” Loki assured me with a grin and stepped out into the hall, so we could have some privacy from onlookers. “What can I do for you, Princess?”“Can I cut off your head?” I asked.“Are you asking for my permission?” Loki tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Because I’m going to have to say no to this one request, Princess.”“No, I mean, can I?” I asked. “As in, am I capable of it? Would you die if I did?”“Of course I would die.” Loki put one hand against the wall and leaned on it. “I’m not a bloody cockroach. What’s all this about? What are you trying to find out?”

“Can I ask you something, honestly?""Of course," he said, but he sounded hesitant."Do you think it would be better for me to go with the Vittra?" I asked. His eyes widened,and I hurried on before he could answer. "I'm not asking if it's best for me,and I want you to put your feelings aside,whatever those may be. Would it be in the best interest of the Trylle,of all the people living here in Forening,if I went with the Vittra?""The fact that you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the people is exactly why they need you here." His eyes stared deeply into mine. "You need to be here. We all need you.”

“Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?""The same thing you do when you don't have forever." He smiled wanly. "Live.”

“I'm not all you need, and I don't even want to be. I just want to love you, for the rest of my life, and as long as you let me do that, we'll be okay.”

“How did you even know I wasn't in my room?""I checked on you." Finn gave me a look like I was an idiot. "I check on you every morning.""You check on me when I'm sleeping?" I gaped at him. "Every morning?"He nodded."I didn't know that.""Why would you know that? You're sleeping," Finn pointed out.”

“You need to be Queen. Everyone who knows anything knows htat, but most people don't know anything, and that is a problem." He scratched at the back of his head and shifted his weight. "I would never take that away from you. No matter what happens, I'd never take the crown from you, and I'd defend you against anybody who tried."I didn't say anything to that. I'd never heard Tove talk so much before, and I didn't know what he was getting at. "I know that you're in love with...well, not me," he said carefully. "And I'm not in love with you either. But I do respect you and I like you.""I respect and like you too," I said, and he gave me a small smile."But it's a number of things, and it's none of them." He let out a deep breath. "That didn't make sense. I mean,it's because you need somebody to help you keep the throne, and somebody on your side, and I can do that. But...it's just because I think...I want to.""What?" I asked, and he actually looked at me, letting his mossy eyes stare into mine."Will you...I mean,do you want to get married?" Tove asked. "To me?""I,um..." I didn't know what to say."If you don't want to,nothing has to change between us," Tove said hurriedly. "I asked because it sounds like a good idea to me.""Yeah," I said,and I didn't know what I would say until it was comign out of my mouth. "I mean,yes,I do.I will. I would...I'll marry you.""Yeah?" Tove smiled."Yes." I swallowed hard and tried to smile back."Good." He exhaled and looked back down the hall. "This is good,right?""Yeah,I think so," I said, and I meant it."Yeah." He nodded. "I sorta feel like throwing up now,though.""I think that's normal.""Good." He nodded again and looked at me. "Well,I'll let you go...do whatever you need to do.And I'll go do what I do.""okay," I nodded."All right." He randomly patted me on the shoulder, then nodded again, and walked away.”