"Loki, may I ask you something?"

The Frost Giant had just finished showing Madisyn his water skiing tricks and was drying off.

"Anything, my dear," he said over his shoulder.

She looked down at the blanket she was sitting on. "Well...I've been here for three weeks and..."

He made his towel disappear and teleported to her side. "Yes?"

"Well...there's something that's been on my mind and..."

He scooted closer to her. "Go on?"

"I...I just want to know..."

A ray of hope appeared on Loki's face. Was she finally going to say it? But she said it was a question. Still, was this it?!

She looked up at him. "Where did you come from?"

His expression fell. "Oh...I see. Well my dear, when a male Frost Giant and female Frost Giant fall in love..."

"That's not what I meant."

He sighed. "I know. I warn you though. It's not a cheery tale."

Madisyn lay onto her belly. "I'm listening."

Loki smiled and took a breath. "I wasn't always the only one of my kind. I had a mother and father like every creature had. There was a realm filled with Frost Giants, but there were very few of us even then. I was only a few years old when it happened..."

"What happened?"

He paused. "It's all a blur. All I remember is lots of fighting and yelling. It must have been such a huge battle if not even the Frost Giants could win it. At some point I got separated from my parents and I woke up one morning to find myself in a cave. I survived on chocolate milk and cotton candy. Our magic starts at an early age, you see. After a while, the battle ended and I started off on my own."

He made another pause before continuing. "I'll spare you the details. Let's just say that it didn't take long for me to realize that I was different from most creatures. I searched everywhere for other Frost Giants but found none. When I figured that I was the only one left, I tried to fit in with the other animals, but they were either frightened of me or found me ridiculous.

"Then I found Ohio and you humans, and...well, let's just say they didn't take kindly to my appearance either. I eventually gave up trying to fit in and focused on my magic, making myself at home in a cave in the mountains."

"Was it that cave you took me from?" Madisyn interjected.

"Yes, in fact. You know Auer has stopped by there several times to see if I was hiding there? I made myself invisible whenever he came."

"How did he know you were there?"

"Because he found me there. You know, before his dye job. He saw me practicing my magic and might I add, he was quite impressed with it. He said I should use my talents for good. Well..." he twiddled his fingers, "he wasn't very specific on his definition of 'good.'"

He gave a small laugh. "I guess I may have disrupted a few banquets and rained out a couple of parades... It was after I had accidentally turned the roads into soap and lots of humans called me a freak that things got out of hand. You know, I don't like being called a 'freak.' Even Auer was angry with me. I just got angry back. So I took over Ohio and...well, you know the rest."

Madisyn was silent for a while. "What was it like being in ice?"

He hesitated. "Cold, dark, but you're still aware of your surroundings. I heard those comments from the tourists! My head is not like a Asgardian's!"

"Did it hurt? The ice, I mean."

"Um...not physically, though I've had my share of defacers, graffitists and pigeons. At least Auer had the decency to have me washed once a week! If only I had someone to scratch my nose..."

He trailed off and stared into space.

"You really are alone, aren't you?"

Loki looked down at her. "Yes. Yes, I was. Not anymore, now that you're here."

He used his arms to bring her closer, making Madisyn blush.

"You know I don't even remember what they looked like?" he said suddenly. "My parents. I don't remember a thing about them."

Madisyn hung her head. "Well...I don't have parents either..."

He looked at her with wide eyes. In all his years of spying, how could he have missed that significant detail?

"What happened?"

Her lip quivered. "I never knew my father, and my mother passed away a few years ago." She looked up at him. "I suppose we're more alike than we thought."

Loki gasped. "We are?"

"You see..." She glanced down at her hands. "I was very shy as a child and could barely walk. All the other humans laughed at me."

He choked. "They laughed at you?! Tell me their names! I'll make them suffer!"

She giggled. "Don't do that. It was a long time ago. Anyway, I know what it's like to be...different. And I know how lonely that can be." She paused. "Also, I was almost turned to ice once by a wizard."

"You what?! How did you escape?"

"Well...my Stare..."

He blinked. "Seriously? You stared down a wizard?!"

"Um...yes."

Madisyn squeaked as he threw his arms around her. "Beauty, grace, talent and a stare that defies the laws of nature?! You're just the whole package, aren't you?"

She gently tried to push him away. "Loki, please..."

"Did you not hear me, darling? I'm saying you're perfect!"

Her cheeks turned red. "Loki..."

"Is there something in your ear?" He stuck his hand in her ear. "Let's see..."

"Loki, what are you...?"

She gasped as he pulled out a red thornless rose.

"Well, would you look at that? No wonder you couldn't hear! Hmm, almost as beautiful as the girl it came from."

Madisyn stared at the flower as he placed it in her hands.

"It is lovely," she said, inhaling the scent.

"It's nothing compared to you. After all, what could rival your beauty?" She stiffened as he laid his hands on her shoulders and whispered in her ear. "Nothing, that's what."

She laughed nervously. "That's really flattering and all, but..."

"Come now, my dear. Why do you think I'm so intent on making you mine?"

"But I already agreed to..."

"You know what I mean, which is why I will ask again. Do you love me, Madisyn?"

There it was. She should have known it was coming. He had been more persistent lately. Last night, he had prepared a candlelit dinner before asking. She turned to face him and was unsure of what to say. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Usually she would say no immediately, but it had become harder and harder for her to say it. The hopeful look on his face made it even more difficult. She glanced back at the rose. It had been a sweet gesture, and the poor dear had been alone all his life. How could she reject him after hearing all of that?

Was that why he had told it to her? Was he taking advantage of her pity? Was any of it even true? He would not lie to her, would he?

True or not, Madisyn knew he was lonely and that he seemed to care for her, but she could not do it. She might as well be saying 'I do' at the altar. She was not ready.

Madisyn shut her eyes and turned away. "No, Loki."

The Frost Giant moved away from her. Madisyn saw the twitch in his eye.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh, don't worry about me! I'm fine!" He gritted his teeth. "Just perfect!"

"I was this close!" Loki shouted to his mirror. "This close! I try to be nice, I tell her my secrets, I say she is the most beautiful creature on the planet repeatedly and she still rejects me!" He pounded on the glass. "What am I doing wrong?!" He gazed at his reflection, waiting for it to talk back, but it continued to copy his movements. He let out a sigh.

"Be patient, Loki. You've at least gotten somewhere with that girl. She'll say yes eventually. You just need to up your approach."

The next day, when Madisyn was feeding the birds, she looked up at the sky to see writing in it: Do you love me? Loki appeared two seconds later with a bouquet of tulips in his hands. For a while, she did nothing but glance between him, the tulips and the message. Then she solemnly shook her head.

The following evening, Loki laid two deck chairs out on the balcony and created a fireworks display. Madisyn was in awe until the same question exploded into the sky. Looking at his expectant face, she was almost compelled to say yes, while her conscience said no, but she could not find the courage to say either. When she turned away from him, Loki did not need to hear the answer and sank sadly into his chair.

The next morning she found another bouquet of tulips and a heart shaped box in front of her door. In the bouquet was a note reading: Only the most beautiful of flowers for the most beautiful of women. She sat on her bed and opened the box to reveal some chocolates and another note: Do you love me?

She sighed and allowed the note to fall to the ground. Loki materialized beside her, his arms crossed and his face filled with frustration.

"How long do I have to wait?"

She looked up at him in alarm. "Loki..."

"How long?!"

Madisyn choked on her words. "I...I..."

"Have you lost all knowledge of speech that you can't even say a polite 'no' anymore?!"

"Loki, I'm sorry, but..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he said, mimicking her voice. "How many times are you going to say that? Until my two-thousandth birthday?!"

Tears were developing in her eyes. "I didn't...I just..."

"Do you not like it here?"

"No, I..."

"Is the castle too drafty?"

"Uh..."

"Is it my breath?"

"Loki..."

"Oh, I get it! It's my looks, isn't it?! Or maybe it's my age! You'd prefer some young, handsome male, right?! I'm just too different for you, huh?"

"Loki!" Madisyn shouted. "Your looks have nothing to do with this!"

"Then why?!" he demanded. "I've given you everything you could want, swallowed my pride for you, and told you things I've never told anybody!" He picked up the bouquet. "Why? Why do you still reject my affections?!"

"Because you treat me like a prisoner!"

His face fell as she snapped at him. Madisyn then took a breath and moved towards the window.

"I understand you don't want me to leave and that we had a deal, but...if you were really my friend, you wouldn't keep me like a caged bird. You've tried so hard to make me happy, but you still deny me the one thing I want." She glanced out as some of her birds tried to fly into the forest but were stopped by the force field. "Now I'm treating my friends the same way."

She hung her head in shame. Loki continued to hold onto his anger.

"Well, you've denied me the one thing I want, and what I want is..."

His frustration melted away when he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. He cautiously stepped toward her.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to..."

He lightly touched her hair, only to have her pull away.

"Madisyn..."

She faced him. "I want to let them go."

He blinked. "What?"

Madisyn glanced back at the animals outside. "It would be selfish of me to keep them here. They're not here because they need me. I thought they did, but...I just wanted them here for myself."

Loki put his hand on her shoulder. "That's why I brought them here. For you."

"And now I want you to send them back."

"But...don't they make you happy?"

"Look at them." She pointed at the birds pecking at the invisible wall. "They don't want to stay here. That's why you have to send them back."

He stared at her for a while, wiping away her tears. "You sure this is what you want?"

She looked up at him and nodded.