When Madisyn awoke, she could not help but think she had forgotten something. She could not put her hand on it, but something about today felt different, like something important was supposed to happen.

At that moment, Loki appeared at her bedside with a tray of food.

"Happy Birthday, my dear!"

She slapped herself in the forehead. "Of course."

He set the tray onto her lap. "Breakfast in bed! Hope you're in the mood for pancakes."

"Oh, you didn't have to do anything for me, Loki," she said with a smile.

"Come now, your birth is definitely worth celebrating! Now eat up! I have lots more planned for your special day!"

He vanished and returned once she had finished eating. The next thing she knew she was dressed in a robe and sitting in a sauna. Loki, wearing a pink fluffy robe, stretched out beside her.

"Ah, nothing like a good steam bath to help you forget your troubles."

"You really didn't have to..."

He raised his hand. "Relax, my dear! Unwind yourself!"

Now that she thought about it, she had not been in a sauna since her last get-together with Tatum. Her chance to relax was long overdue. So Madisyn closed her eyes and leaned her back against the wall, letting the steam sink into her skin. After a while, she opened her eyes to see Loki staring down at her with a wide grin on his face.

"What?" she said.

Loki straightened up. "Nothing! I just..."

"Maybe we've been in here for too long. You're sweating."

He wiped the incriminating droplets off his brow. "Yes! On to the next part of the treatment!"

A snap of his fingers transformed the sauna into a bath of a gooey green substance. Madisyn recognized it as the dark mud from Morrowind. She had not had a chance to try it while she was there, and sitting in it now confirmed that it was as refreshing as Anna had said. She laughed as she remembered that day when they were welcoming the inspector for the Ohio Games, only to find out that they had gotten the wrong person. She and her friends had always wound up in the craziest of situations.

Loki was confused as her sudden laughter turned into a frown.

"What's wrong, my dear? Is the mud too warm? Are you not comfortable with me in here?"

"No," Madisyn sighed.

"Then what?"

"It's nothing, really."

He snapped his fingers. "I know what you need! A massage!"

The mud bath disappeared, and Madisyn found herself lying on a massage table.

"Really Loki, none of this is necessary, I just want..."

She trailed off as she felt the Frost Giant's hands gently rub her shoulders. In a second, her eyelids slid shut as she relaxed on the table.

"Why so tense, my dear? There something on your mind?"

Madisyn was about to answer, but was lulled by his tender touch that all that came out was a sigh. After massaging her for half an hour, Loki teleported them both to the gazebo.

"Now for your gift."

Madisyn raised an eyebrow. "The spa treatment wasn't it?"

"No, that was a bonus. I have something more special in mind."

He seated her on a bench and lifted the ring on her finger.

"I'll bet this thing has given you some distress."

"A little," she muttered.

She had nearly forgotten she was still wearing that.

"Well, I just want you to know that...I don't want you to feel like you're being forced into this, and...for what it's worth...I...I can't imagine being with any other girl, so..."

He curled around her and pointed a gleaming finger to the ring, engraving words into it. Once the writing had stopped glowing, Madisyn squinted to read it.

"To my one and only Madisyn" She blinked. "I...I don't know what to say."

"Say you love me," Loki muttered.

"What?"

Instead of responding, he teleported in front of her with a birthday cake in his hands.

"Make a wish!" he exclaimed, holding it out to Madisyn. "And as it is your birthday, it will be my duty to make it come true!"

That caught her attention. "You promise?"

"Cross my heart," he said, making the gesture.

Madisyn closed her eyes and blew out the candles.

"So what will it be, my sweet?"

She was about to comment on him calling her 'his sweet,' but she had something more important to say, even though it would upset him.

"I wish to visit my friends."

As she had predicted, Loki's face fell. "Sweetheart, I thought we talked about this..."

She crossed her arms. "No, we haven't. And I think it's time we did."

He laughed nervously. "Isn't there something else you'd like? How about a necklace? That ring doesn't quite match your eyes."

Madisyn shook her head. "I want to visit my friends, nothing more, nothing less."

He set the cake down and laid his hands on her shoulders. "Darling..." She turned her head from him. "It's been a month now! They've probably forgotten all about you!"

She gasped. "How can you say such a thing?"

"Oh, it's not that you're easy to forget, sweetie! It's just that humans have terrible memories...oh, not you!"

She hovered over him. "You promised you would grant whatever wish I made!"

"You didn't get it in writing!"

"It shouldn't matter! Friends honor promises! If you can't honor yours, then you're no friend of mine!"

"I am your friend, Madisyn!"

"Then why?!" She spun around, revealing her water filled eyes. "Why won't you let me see my friends?"

"Oh, please don't cry! You know I don't like it when you cry!"

"You want me to stop crying? Let me see my friends!" Her commanding then turned into begging. "Please? Just for the day? I promise I'll come right back, and if I don't, you can bring me back with your magic. In fact, you wouldn't have to. You can trust me."

"I do trust you, Madisyn." He clenched his teeth. "Your friends, however..."

Now she was beginning to understand. "You think they're going to take me away."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "That, and..."

"How about this? Instead of letting me go to them, you'll let them come here."

"What?! No, no, no, no, no! I'm not bringing those meddlesome humans to my lair!"

"Not even for one day? It is my birthday, after all."

"No! Never!"

He crossed his arms and turned away from her. Madisyn had to think of some way to convince him. She knew that Cwryen would especially be upset today, since she usually threw her birthday party. Then it occurred to her. It was dangerous, but if that's what it took to see her friends, then she was willing to risk it.

"If you never allow my friends to visit, who are my bridesmaids going to be?"

Loki's ears perked up. "Brides...?"

"And I promised Regina Mills, Snow White and Lydia they would be my flower girls, and Boise, the ring bearer, and...well, you need somebody to perform the service and Vahl has the authority now..."

"Wait, back up!" he interrupted, facing her. "Are you saying...?"

She took a deep breath. "If you will allow my friends to visit me whenever I request, I will...I will let you decide the wedding date." She looked up at him boldly. "And I won't argue."

Loki was speechless, not believing what he was hearing. This had to be a dream, or at least a trick, but he was awake and Madisyn was not one to kid. Oh, she wanted to see her friends so badly, just as badly as he wanted her. What else could he do? He did not want to disappoint her and this was his chance to have her at last.

He tapped his chin, pretending to think about it. "How does..." he grinned slyly at her, "tomorrow sound?"

Madisyn gasped. "T-t-to..."

"Uh-uh-uh!" he exclaimed, waving his finger. "You said you wouldn't argue! Unless you've changed your mind about seeing your friends..."

"No! I..." She sighed. "Tomorrow it is."

She squeaked as he suddenly took her in his arms. "Oh, thank you! You've made me the happiest God in the world, my dear! Now, do you think I should wear a tux or...?"

Madisyn tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. "Loki, my friends?"

He groaned as he released her. "Oh, right."

The five humans, along with Boise and the former Cutie Mark Crusaders, were at Sugar Cube Corner. Cwryen Caster was in a state of depression, her hair flat and her skin a shade darker. She was sitting on her bed, sobbing her eyes out.

"Come on, Cwryen, this is getting ridiculous!" Nichole exclaimed. "You've been crying for hours! You're gonna flood the place!"

"It's Madisyn's birthday!" Cwryen cried. "I had a big party planned for her! It was going to be out in her garden! I was going to surprise her!" She pulled out a wrapped gift from under her bed. "I was going to give this to her! Now I'll never know if she'll like it!"

Alyssa laid a hand on her shoulder. "We miss her too, Cwryen, but we just have to accept..."

"How can we accept that our best friend is gone for good? We're never gonna see her again! Worst of all, she's never gonna see her birthday present!"

Suddenly, Boise burped up a letter. When he opened it, he gasped.

"It's Loki again!"

"What?!" everybody shrieked, huddling around him.

"What does it say, Boise?" Vahl inquired.

The dog cleared his throat. "You are cordially invited to Madisyn's birthday party at Loki's castle. Starting now."

The next thing they knew, all nine of them were standing in front of a dark castle.

"What in tarnation?" Alyssa and Regina Mills said at the same time.

Snow White squealed as she backed off the edge. Lydia caught her before she could fall.

"Where are we?" Vahl wondered.

Tatum cringed as she looked up at the castle. "Whoever lives here should seriously get a new decorator."

"This is Loki's place," Alyssa explained.

"Oh, well that makes sense."

"I'm not supposed to make sense!"

Everyone turned around in shock to see the Frost Giant standing over them. Nichole Price growled, getting ready to pounce.

"Where's Madisyn, you jerk?!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Well, I was going to let you see her, but if that's the way you're going to behave..."

The marcher blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Didn't you get the invitation?"

He tugged the parchment out of Boise's paw using his magic. Cwryen leaned forward to read it again.

"You mean...?" she glanced down at the present, which she was still holding. Her eyes grew big and then her hair inflated into its natural poofy style. "BIRTHDAY PARTY!"

As she screamed, she launched into the air and fireworks exploded behind her. Loki scratched his head. How does she do that? Cwryen then rushed to the front door, bursting it open.

"Hey!" Loki cried. "You can't just...!"

"Loki?" Madisyn called as she entered the main hall. "Are they...?"

"MADISYN!"

Cwryen tackled her into a hug, giving Madisyn no chance to escape. The others walked inside and gasped at the sight of their friend.

"Madisyn!" Tatum exclaimed. "You're alright!"

They then all moved into a group hug.

"Girls! Boise!" Madisyn said, tears coming into her eyes. "I missed you so much! I..." She choked as Cwryen squeezed tighter. "Can't...breathe..."

"Oops!" the red haired human blushed, backing away with the others. "Sorry, I just can't believe it's you! I thought I'd never see you again and that you'd never get to see what I got you for your birthday..." She gasped dramatically. "Your birthday! Quick, close your eyes!"

"Why do I have to...?"

She was cut off as Cwryen tied a blindfold around her head. "One second!"

Madisyn heard a few blasts before the cloth was removed. The room was now walled with balloons, streamers and other party decorations.

"How did you...?" she started to ask, but she already knew the answer.

"I never go anywhere without my party cannon!" Cwryen chimed, bringing the object into view.

She strapped a birthday hat onto Madisyn's head and then started up the gramophone.

"Let's party!"

But instead of dancing, the humans fed Madisyn a million questions.

"Has he hurt you?" Tatum asked.

"How are the animals?" inquired Alyssa.

"Did the Stare work on him this time?" asked Lydia. "He seems different."

"How do you not get dizzy in here?" Nichole questioned, glancing around the distorted room.

"Are you married yet?" Snow White asked, looking at the engagement ring.

"Does he make it rain chocolate rain every day?!" Cwryen inquired eagerly.

"Whoa, girls!" Vahl exclaimed, silencing them. "Give her some space!"

Madisyn summed it up. "No, he has not hurt me and we're not married yet. Actually, Loki's treated me quite well. He's really...sweet."

Nichole Price raised an eyebrow. "You've got to be kidding me."

"He let you come visit me, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but...he...I..."

Vahl giggled, trying to lighten the mood. "What does it matter? It's Madisyn's birthday. We should be celebrating!"

The dark elf began her awkward dancing, which everyone stared at for a while. Then they shrugged and danced themselves. In between songs, Madisyn received updates on everybody's lives.

Nichole Price had gone on three more dates with Chris, and she admitted that he was cooler than she had thought.

"I mean I've always thought he was cool because he's in the Pride of Newark, but we've never hung out socially, alone, that is; so I've never gotten to know the real him. Seriously, we talk about things I've never talked about with a boy, like Harry Potter and our favorite marching moves! He also doesn't mind when I beat him at air hockey!"

"So I've heard," Madisyn chuckled.

"Huh?"

"So is he your very special somebody now?"

The tan marcher rubbed her arm in a manner completely unlike herself. "Uh...it's kind of early for that, isn't it?"

"Well," Tatum interjected, "I've been spending some time with Logun Sims. I think he might be taking an interest in me, if you know what I mean."

"What about Boise?" Alyssa suddenly asked.

"What about him?"

The earth girl glanced at the dog on the other side of the room grooving with Snow White, Regina Mills and Lydia. "Well...you know he kind of likes you, ya know?"

Tatum gulped. "I...I..."

"Who wants to play Pin the Tail on the Human?" Pinkie called, throwing a blindfold around Madisyn's eyes again. "Birthday girl goes first!"

As the afternoon went on, Madisyn enjoyed her friends' company as they played more games and caught up with one another. It was after the third round of Twister that she noticed Loki sitting in the corner with his head down. She suddenly felt guilty that she had ignored him all this time and had not even thanked him.

She excused herself from her friends and walked up to him.

"Thank you, Loki," she said with a smile, "for bringing my friends here."

His expression changed at the sight of her. "You're welcome."

"You don't have to sit here all day. Why don't you join us?"

"I think your friends," he pointed at the humans glaring at them, "would not appreciate that."

She was about to say something when he slid his arm around her. "Have you told them yet?"

Madisyn blinked. "Told them what?"

He chuckled, playfully twirling the ring on her finger. "Have you really forgotten already?"

She looked down at the ring and blushed. "Oh."

She had been so excited about seeing her friends, she had forgotten the reason they were here in the first place.

"N-no, I..."

"Well, you should, my dear. You wanted them to be here, right?"

"I...it's just..."

They were interrupted by Cwryen, who had bravely approached the Frost Giant. "Hey, Loki! You wanna play Twister with us?"

He stared at the red haired human, shocked at the invitation and then stood up. "Alright, but I warn you, I'm the world champ!"

Cwryen snorted. "As if!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Only if you're up for it!"

"Oh, it's on!"

Before following the human, he turned back to his fiancé. "You have to tell them at some point, my dear."

Only Cwryen and the three children were bold enough to go against Loki in Twister. Thanks to his long body he was able to defeat them with ease. While Cwryen called for best two out of three, Madisyn pulled Alyssa aside. Since she was the one she had confided in before, she felt more confident telling her first.

"I'm glad to see you're gettin' along fine, Sugar Cube," the southern human said. "I don't know what you've been doin' the past month, but Loki seems a might different. I'm surprised he let us come here."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Alyssa," Madisyn whispered. "You see, the reason he brought you here is...um..."

"Because it's your birthday?"

"No...well, sort of, but...it...it took more to convince him to...I really wanted to see you and it was the only way and..."

Alyssa laid a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy, Sugar. Whatever you have to say, say it."

She took a deep breath. "I...I want you to be my bridesmaids."

"Oh, um...great?"

"And the wedding's tomorrow!"

Silence fell over the room and Madisyn realized that she had shouted that last part. Cwryen fell from her position and Loki pumped his fist.

"Yes! Victory!" He then noticed the glares he was receiving. "Oh, come on, don't be sore losers!"

"You're marrying him tomorrow?" Tatum uttered.

"Oh, so you've told them!" He teleported to his fiancé's side and threw his arm around her. "Yes, our big day is tomorrow and you're all invited! The four of you can be bridesmaids, the brats, err, kids can be the flower girls, the dog can be the ring bear or whatever it is and Princess Prissy here can perform the service!"

Vahl's jaw dropped in horror. "You want me to...to...marry you two?!"

"Why the glum faces? I thought you loved weddings!"

"Um, Loki?" Madisyn said softly. "Could you let me talk to them?"

"Oh, sure, go ahead! Who's stopping you?"

"Alone?"

His smile disappeared as he looked at the heated and shocked expressions on the human's faces. He threw up his hands.

"Fine! I can take a hint! Though really, I don't see what you're so upset about, you all knew this was coming!" Madisyn cleared her throat. "Yes, yes, I'm going!"

Once he had vanished, Madisyn walked over to her friends.

"That was awfully rude of you."

"Rude?!" everybody exclaimed.

"You're marrying that monster tomorrow!" Tatum cried. "How do you expect us to react?"

"But you know I'm engaged to him," Madisyn pointed out.

"We didn't..." Nichole stammered. "We didn't expect it to happen now! And...now you want us to be a part of it?!"

"I thought you'd want to come to my wedding."

"Not when it means watching you get married to a monster!"

Madisyn stomped her foot defensively. "He's not a monster!"

"He took you away from us!"

"No, I chose to go with him! Girls, you have to believe me, it's not as bad as you think..."

"How can marrying the God of Mischief be good?" Tatum insisted.

"And Madisyn," Vahl shuddered, "I can't be the one to tie you to that..."

"Don't say it!" Madisyn shouted. "He's not a monster! In fact, he's been nothing but a gentleman since I got here and you should be grateful that he even let you come to my birthday!"

"What's gotten into you, Madisyn?" Nichole demanded. "Why do you keep defending him?"

"Because he's my friend! He may have done terrible things in the past, but that doesn't make him evil! He's just a lonely God who wants nothing more than somebody to love him. After all, he's been asking me every single day if I..."

She trailed off and realized that she had already said too much. Alyssa raised an eyebrow at her flushed cheeks, more flushed than usual. She knew that look.

"Are you...in love with him?"

Tatum huffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Alyssa, how could Madisyn love a hideous monster like Loki?"

"Yeah," Nichole laughed. "Especially one who keeps her locked up!"

"He's fun and all," Cwryen chimed, "but you can't really..."

"I think it would be romantic," Snow White sighed. "A beauty falling in love with a beast."

"You need to get your head examined, Snow White," Lydia taunted.

Madisyn had been silent as she listened to her friends in horror. "How...how can you say such things?"

"We're just kidding around, Maddie," Nichole snickered. "I mean we all know you're not in love with him!" When her friend said nothing, Nichole narrowed her eyes at her. "Right?"

She could barely utter a word. "I...I..."

"Madisyn, you can't be serious! He tried to take over Ohio! Three times!"

"He practically keeps you prisoner!" Tatum insisted.

"He threatened the prince and princesses and my unborn niece!" Vahl yelled.

"He beat me at Twister!" Cwryen shouted.

Everybody stared at her for a moment, and then back at Madisyn.

"How can you love such a monster?" Nichole demanded.

"He's not a monster!" Madisyn insisted. "He only wants me to love him!"

"Well, do you?"

She was on the verge of crying, her teeth grinding together. She had never felt so frustrated in all her life. She wanted to scream, to deny everything. But no, she could not.

"Well, Madisyn? Do you love him?"

"What does it matter?!" she snapped. "You're right! He does keep me prisoner, he did all those things you said! I don't want to marry him tomorrow, but do you think I have a choice?! It was the only way I could convince him to bring you here! And you know what? Who cares?! Who cares if the wedding is tomorrow or next year? I made a deal with him, and it's going to happen whether I like it or not!"

"So you don't...?"

"No! I don't love him!"

As her words echoed throughout the room, Madisyn's heart sank. Her friends lost their anger as tears streamed down her face. Vahl held out her hand.

"Madisyn, we..."

She ran past them to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Madisyn, we didn't mean..." Nichole called, but Alyssa pulled on her hair before she could run after her.

"Haven't y'all done enough?"

"Us?" Tatum questioned. "I don't understand what..."

"Of course ya don't understand!" Alyssa snapped. "You of all people wouldn't understand! You talk about romance all the time, but you wouldn't know love if it was starin' you right in the face!" She turned to the others. "That goes for all of ya!"

"AJ," Boise started to say. "What are you talking...?"

"Especially you!"

Without another word, the farm girl rushed outside, her younger sister following her. The others were left in a haze, unsure of what had just happened.

"But..." Cwryen stuttered, looking down at the box in her hands, "she didn't open her present yet."

Madisyn sobbed into her pillow, angry at herself for all of the horrible things she had just said. She had not meant any of it, not even the last part. She did love Loki, in a way, but even she was not sure of her exact feelings. Still, how could she say that after he had tried so hard to be her friend when he clearly wanted more? She just could not stand to admit it to the others that there was a slight possibility that she could return his feelings. Maybe not now, but in the future, she would be ready to say that she loved him, even if their wedding was tomorrow.

But part of what she had said was true, and this upset her more. She had no choice in the matter. She was bound to him, and there was nothing she could do about it. There was no use stalling anymore. Loki wanted her, and that's what he was going to get.

She heard a grunt and looked up to see the Frost Giant standing over her. Despite the circumstances, she was happy to see him, for now he was here to comfort her. Her joy died, however, once she saw his face overwhelmed with hurt and anger. His hands were clenched into fists, and his eyes were glaring at her with disgust.

"You know? You really had me fooled for a moment."