His first impression of her as she stepped around the tangled weeds and into the dappled sunlight of the overhanging trees and remnants of the long lost roof was that she was indeed a born ruler. False bravado or not she carried herself like a queen.

His second impression was that, by Asgardian standards, she was absolutely beautiful.

Her long blond hair fell in perfect ringlets down to her waist. Her nose was small and straight, her cheekbones high and aristocratic, her eyes ice blue and steady. Her long robes hid her silhouette but as she walked the robes fell back against her to show a slim figure.

She didn't step right up to him where he lounged against the wall of the ancient abandoned building, taking a circuitous route to him. She inclined her head to him as she finally approached. "Loki, I am complimented you accepted my invitation."

He nodded in return. "It was far too tempting to pass up." He straightened and began to circle her slowly. "An unknown entity offering me my heart's desire."

She turned her head to follow his movement and when she couldn't follow him any longer she turned to face him, hands folded properly in front of her. There was no stiffening of her fingers or tightness in her shoulders that indicated he made her nervous. "Your heart's desire is so simple?"

He scoffed. "You find a throne to be simple?"

She smiled warmly. "Simple enough for me. I was born into mine."

"You are a Queen then?"

"So my subjects tell me."

He stopped circling to narrow his eyes. "What race?"

"Ah, straight to the point. I am Sheerdan."

He laughed outright then, which made her tilt her head and raise an eyebrow. "Some throne."

"You might be surprised."

"The Sheerdan would attack Odenheim occasionally. Always small forces that were easily repelled."

"I assure you, in the last seven thousand years no Asgardian has faced a full blooded Sheerdan."

"Then what were the raiding parties?"

"Distractions. Half breeds, mostly. To keep you from looking for us."

"How many are you then?"

"Ten million."

He gave her a disbelieving look which made her smile broadly.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"Moving, constantly. But I've had enough. I want a home for our people."

"And to do that you're willing to give me an army?"

"I'm willing to give you a kingdom. And this is where our interests align."

"How so?"

She didn't speak, considering him for long moments, then turned her back on him to look slowly around the open space. "Where are you really?"

"I beg your pardon?" She didn't turn to him so he moved in front of her. "I'm right here."

She rolled her eyes, then looked at him. "I understand you would be unwilling to disclose your location. You didn't know whether to expect an attack or not. I think it's clear now I'm no true threat to you."

"I know how much of a threat a simple woman can be. I've trained with Sif."

She shrugged. "I want to look you in the eye. I've not taken offence thus far but my patients are coming to an end. No illusions." The man in front of her shrugged and disappeared, materializing in his original position, still leaning back against the wall with one leg propped on the crumbling brick. She turned to face him with a smile. "That's much better."

"You can see through my illusions?"

She paused to consider. "Not exactly. I can just…sense that it's empty."

He approached her. "Impressive." He looked her up and down. "So is this an illusion or do you actually look like this?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Your appearance is…a bit too on the nose from an Asgardian perspective."

"Ah." She nodded. "Well that is our curse."

"Not how most Asgardians would see it."

"Yes, well, when you're trying to make your own quiet settlement and the rape and pillage crowd shows up it doesn't lead to good things." She wrapped her cloak more firmly around herself. "In fact it pushes you nearly to the brink of extinction and forces you to go into hiding."

"We are a bit more evolved than the 'rape and pillage' group was," he offered.

"I was hoping, although it's not usually something you want to stake your kingdom on." She shrugged. "That doesn't change that I wouldn't spare any tears seeing members of the Asgardian Royal Court in chains."

He grinned. "I like you more already. What is your name?"

She smiled back at him, looking him full in the eyes. "Deara."

"Deara." He nodded. "Lovely name. So what makes you think you have an army that would follow an Asgardian prince?"

"Well there is a hook to it. There are certain oaths you'd have to take."

"Sounds simple enough."

She laughed. "Not even nearly."

"So what oaths?"

Now it was her turn to circle him. "Well consider, I have my failings. I wasn't raised to rule exactly. My brothers were meant to take the throne. I may know how to lead but I know nothing about military strategy. I have no cunning in that area."

"Fortunately cunning is my specialty," Loki said.

"So I hear." She picked at the embroidery on one of his sleeves. "What I need is a king."

He inclined his head. "Are you suggesting…"

"In our society the Queen can rule. She can make laws, order the people. But the army can only be controlled by the King. Whom they will follow to the last man."

"And I would become King by…"

"Marrying the Queen, that is correct." She cast him a furtive glance.

He studied her, his face blank. Finally he nodded. "Very well. I suppose I could manage that."

One eyebrow rose. "That easily?"

"You doubt your powers of persuasion?"

She shrugged. "I thought you'd like to think about it at least."

"No thought necessary. You offer me everything I want. If I must marry a startlingly beautiful woman on the balance, I suppose I shall have to suffer the consequence."

She shook her head. He offered his arm and she took it. "I heard you were charming."

"I apologize. You've caught me off guard. I'll demonstrate the extent of my powers in due time."

"Well, if you are agreeable, we could go to my shuttle. I could take you to my ship. You may stay if you would like. I can give you some idea of what you're agreeing to. Let you read the oaths and such."

"I would like that," he said. "Perhaps I could see your warriors. I would like to learn some of your history."

"I doubt there's anything in a language you'd understand. We could do something about that." She smiled up at him. "I could read to you."

He watched her weave her way through the brush. Despite her long robes the brambles seemed almost to bend away from her, going out of their way to avoid her graceful steps.

"Would you like that?" he asked. "Sounds like a bit of a bother for a Queen."

She shrugged. "I used to read to my little sisters. I enjoyed those nights, before they decided they had outgrown such things."

"Do you have much by way of family?"

She shook her head. "Not much. I had two brothers but they are no longer with us. My parents grew old and died. I had four sisters. One stayed in a kingdom she liked, married a man she met. I do miss her, but she had to carve her own life."

"Why are you Queen then, and not one of them?"

She gave him a dazzling smile. "I'm the eldest. The other two are still young and silly. Not nearly responsible enough to look out for our people." She looked into the distance. "I always knew I was for this life. Whether it was our people or a marriage to a foreign Prince. But I do love my people best." She paused to look up at him. "I suppose I get both this way." She glanced up ahead and smiled. "Ah, here we are."

Men in dark leather that glared at Loki pulled back the branches and offered her a hand to help her step over the last of the tangles roots, but already in possession of her hand, Loki brushed past them and helped her make the step himself. She nodded her thanks to him, walking up the ramp into the small ship.

"Ignore them," she advised as she took a seat and the men began locking down hatches and pressing buttons. "They're still pouting that I left them behind."

Loki took a seat himself. "It wasn't a terribly clever move. You were rather exposed."

"Well, if I'm expecting you to trust me I have to prove my trust to you first don't I?" She took a goblet one of the men placed before her. Loki sniffed his before sipping. "Or perhaps I wasn't nearly as exposed as you think."

He looked at her curiously with what attention he could spare after trying to keep the contents of the drink in his cup while the craft lurched off the ground.

She sipped again as the flight smoothed. "It's called Tearan. Honeyed wine. What do you think?"

"Rather sweet for my taste, but not entirely unpleasant," he said.

She set down her glass and lay her head on her palm studying him. "Well at least you're honest."

"In some things," he said.

"Yes, that is rather better." At his confused look she shrugged. "How droll, a man who always says what he thinks." Her eyes slipped behind him. She stood and went to the glass, motioning for him to follow. "Come see."

The window wasn't large so he had to stand close to her, looking over her shoulder as the large glowing ship came into view, lurking behind the large moon of the planet they had just left.

"How many of your people are on it?"

"All of them."

"Is that wise? If you're concerned about your people continuing to put them all in one place isn't the best way to see to it you aren't all captured."

She nodded. "True, but we cling to one another. We're more powerful together."

"Ten million people. How many are trained fighters?"

"Hm, official fighting force would be around half. The men, obviously. The women know how to fight, defend themselves." She smirked. "Some of the greatest powers of our people rest in the female line."

"I have known many great women in my time," he said. "My mother chief among them."

She nodded. "I have heard great things of her. I was sorry to hear of her passing. She seems the sort I'd have liked."

"From what I've seen so far I would agree." He looked at her. "The power to lead ten million people she would have admired."

"I'd save the admiration for when I find my people a home."

"A worthy task. How many generations of men have failed?"

"Three. Four barely saved us from extinction. I will need a good king at my side. Someone clever and cunning."

"Then I am proud to say you have found him."

"We are docking, my Queen," one of the men said.

She nodded, going to the door. "I hope you're prepared."

"For what precisely?" he asked as the door slid open.

She strode forward into the light, smiling brightly, leaving him no choice but to follow.

The color alone nearly blinded him. He couldn't begin to guess how many people were crowded into the small hall wearing cloaks in every color imaginable, all screaming as they stepped into the yellow light.

Ten girls rushed them, blond hair flying and twittering giggles filling the air. "Deara, I can't believe you did it."

"Did you really convince him?"

"Has he agreed to marry you?"

"He is quiet as handsome as they say isn't he?"

"He's so tall."

"And dark."

"I've never seen anyone like him."

"Nor are you likely to again if you smother him," Deara put in, holding up her arm to shield him. "Back, chicks. You're not the only ones that wish to see him." She hauled the girls aside, waving to the crowd. "I present you your future King." The crowd cheered and she turned to him. "I offer you a new name, Loki nor Sheerdan."

He smiled at the cheering crowd. "I take it gladly."

She sighed as they finally waded through the crowd of adoring subjects and the doors pressed closed behind her. "Don't mistake me, I do love them, but their enthusiasm can be exhausting."

"I found it entirely satisfactory," he assured her.

"Everything you would wish?"

"And more. They will fight for me?"

"When you are King," she said, walking down the hall, leaving him to follow. "They call this the Grand Wing. Only the greatest of the nobles here." She paused to blink into the darkness. "Once it was only my family." Shaking her head she soldiered on, past the armored men with swords. "My door is three down," she said as she walked to the double doors, throwing them open.

He raised his eyebrows at her as he walked past. "Should I take that as an invitation?"

"You should take it as a kind gesture should you need anything." She closed the door on the scowling guard. "Our wedding night will come soon enough." She gestured around the room. "This was my eldest brother's room." She watched him explore the space, touching the fine draperies and huge desk, eyeing the large bed, peaking into the bath. "Are you tired?" she asked when he came back around. "Hungry?"

"I would like to see the documents you mentioned."

She went to the desk, opening the top drawer and began removing scrolls. "The charters and laws of our people going back two generations. It should give you a complete picture of the current system. You should know, while the King has use of the military, and he can certainly make suggestions, it's the Queen that makes the laws and rules governing the people."

"Why is that?"

"Our nature. You'll understand more when you know more about me. That will do for the basics I think. Oh, yes, this." She pulled out a few pages covered in writing. "Wedding vows. Since you become King in the same ceremony there is a set of vows that follow that as well. It's more or less the same vow I took when coming to the throne. A few more lines about military than law. Feel free to make a few notes if you like. We can discuss it later. Since you are foreign we may be able to make a few changes, although the council won't like it."

"You have a council?"

She nodded. "No one can see everything, be everywhere, someone must give you information."

"How much power do they have?"

"Only information, strictly speaking." She nodded to the scrolls. "Your task is set. The guards outside can get you whatever you need. You can join us for breakfast tomorrow morning."

"Us?"

"Oh, I am certain my sisters will be glued to my side until the wedding. Sleep well, my future husband."