"I hope we don't run into any Wolverines," Madisyn quivered as she and her friend trudged through the Buckeye forest.

"Don't worry," Alyssa assured her. "If we come across those critters, I'll take care of 'em."

They approached the Nord's house and knocked on the door.

"Who is coming to say hi?" Frea asked as she opened the door. "Why, it's dear Alyssa and Madisyn. Won't you come in with me and have some tea?"

She poured them both a cup of tea, which eased their nerves a bit.

"It is wonderful to see your face, now what brings you here to my place?"

Madisyn was too nervous to speak, so Alyssa explained for her. "As you may have noticed, Loki's back."

The Nord narrowed her eyes and stomped her hand on the table. "I am fully aware that God's in town, when I came to find my hut upside-down!"

The southern human glanced around at the mess of broken bottles and turned over furniture. "Yeah, I can see that. I'm sure you heard of his...demands?"

Frea nodded. "News in Ohio travels fast, that it just so happened to have passed my ear that Loki has said...he would like a girl to wed?"

"That is correct."

"And if he doesn't get a bride by tomorrow, he'll hurt the prince and princesses," Madisyn added, fiddling with her cup. "And I...well..."

Alyssa finished. "Madisyn's thinkin' of being that girl."

Frea looked at the marcher with wide eyes. "Is that so? You wish to go?"

"Yes," she muttered. "No. Maybe? Oh, I don't know!"

"I keep urgin' her not to," Alyssa said, "but she thinks she's the only one who can do it! That's why I brought her here, Frea, so you can talk some sense into her."

"Perhaps I can help lift your spirits up," Frea said, holding out her hand, "but first, I will need your tea-cup."

Madisyn handed Frea her empty cup and the nord studied the tea leaves carefully. "For such a long time, I see, you have been most unhappy." The marcher hung her head. "You are haunted by your fear, the very God that brings you here."

"You can tell all that from her tea-cup?" Alyssa marveled.

"But look!" Frea showed the cup to Madisyn and pointed to a picture of the sun that was made by the leaves. "In your future, I also see great happiness, and this is if you go with the Frost Giant."

"What?!" The southern human grabbed the tea-cup. "How could she possibly be happy with Loki?!"

"He may not be an angel from above, but perhaps all Loki needs is some love."

"Love?! That varmint? Now I know you're makin' this up!"

"You mean..." Madisyn stammered. "He just wants somebody to love him?"

Frea shrugged. "I could be mistaken, but I assure you if this path were taken, no harm will be brought upon you. Yet it could be that Loki is unhappy too."

"I hadn't thought about that."

Alyssa slammed her hand. "Because there's no way in the wide world of Ohio that a God like him could ever...!"

"Do you not remember what you thought of me," Frea interrupted, "when you came crashing through my house? Were not your judgments of me wrong, yours and that of the massive throng?"

"That...that was different! We didn't know you then! But Loki...he's terrible! Do you know what he did to us? What he did to Madisyn? What he's gonna do to the prince and princesses?"

Frea waved her words away and smiled at Madisyn. "The key to happiness is to show marcherness."

The marcher looked at the nord's assuring face and grinned slightly.

"Now, Alyssa, shall we see what is in your tea?" She peered over at her cup.

"I'll pass, thank you," the southern human said.

"Really? You do not want help alike on your conflicting emotions for Boise?"

"How did you...?" Alyssa blushed. "I mean...I told ya coming here was a waste of time! Come on, Madisyn!"

As the marcher followed her friend out the door, she turned back to the nord.

"Tell me, Frea. Is what you said...about Loki...true?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not," she replied coolly. "But perhaps it's worth a shot."

Madisyn nodded in thanks and stepped outside. The two friends were quiet on their stroll back, until Madisyn recognized a certain part of the wood. Abruptly, she marched down a path and Alyssa raced after her.

"Madisyn, what are you...?"

Then they stopped at a gorge, a rickety rope bridge hanging in front of them. On the other side was a gold enchanted castle. Loki had obviously fixed up the ruins and made himself at home. Madisyn stared at it in wonder. If she made this decision, this was where she would spend the rest of her days.

"We should get out of here," Alyssa whispered.

Her friend nodded and followed her back.

"Madisyn," the southern human said seriously, "I know what you're thinking, but you can't do it."

"You don't suppose Frea was lying?" Madisyn asked.

"I'm not calling Frea a liar. It's Loki I don't trust."

"What if she's right? What if Loki just wants somebody to love? I mean why else would he ask for a bride? All those years, I bet he's never even had a friend."

"Well, he should have thought about that before he took over Ohio and messed up everybody's lives!"

"Alyssa, somebody has to go with him. What choice do I have?"

"There are plenty of girls in Ohio! It doesn't have to be you!"

"But how many do you think would be willing to go?"

"I...well..."

"This is my choice, Alyssa. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Sugar Cube. I've seen you face up to a manticore and a full-grown dragon. But Loki..." She sighed. "Look, I just don't want you to get hurt, and I know the others don't wanna lose you to that..."

"If I don't go, the sun may never rise again and Anna's baby will never be born. Alyssa, it's either me, or all of Ohio."

Alyssa stared up at her friend with blurry eyes and then hung her head. "If this is your decision, Sugar Cube, I'm not gonna stop ya, but...you do realize I'll have to tell the others what you did, right? I'm sorry."

"No, they have a right to know."

"Just...promise me this. If nobody else comes forth by tomorrow, then...you may do what you wish."

Madisyn embraced her friend. "I knew you'd understand, Alyssa." When she pulled away, she smiled smugly. "So what's this about you and Boise?"

Alyssa turned red. "It's nothin'! Really! It's a school girl crush, nothin' more!"

"When did this happen?"

"When he saved me from those Wolverines last year, but it's been goin' on and off. It's kinda embarrassin'. Ya can't tell anybody, or any dog, ya hear?!"

Madisyn giggled. "Cross my heart and hope to march, stick a wire in my eye."

"Was Frea of any help?" Vahl asked the two once they had returned to Columbus.

Alyssa hesitated. They had told her they were visiting Frea, but they had not given the details.

"She, um, gave some advice. Has anybody come forth yet?"

The dark elf shook her head. "No. I've tried to find the prince and princesses using divination spells, but I've had no luck so far."

Madisyn said nothing and headed towards her room. Alyssa caught up with her before she could close the door.

"Madisyn," she called, "whatever you choose, I just want you to know..."

She turned to her. "Yes?"

"You...you just might be the bravest human I've ever known."

Madisyn smiled, knowing that it was always the truth with her. "That really means a lot to me, Alyssa."

That night, she dreamt of Loki, and the words that Frea had spoken: He may not be an angel from above, but perhaps all Loki needs is some love. The words soothed her. The more she thought about it, the less worried she was. She was still terrified, though not as much as before. She liked to think it was all true. What if Loki was just a God that needed to be tamed, like the manticore and the dragon?

Even if Frea hadn't been right, somebody needed to go. So when Madisyn awoke that morning, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Vahl gazed out her window. The sun hadn't risen in three days and the stars and moon were starting to fade. It would soon be nothing but darkness, and the deadline was near.

A cry from Nichole Price interrupted her thoughts. "Vahl! Vahl! You've got to come, quickly!"

"What is it?" the princess demanded.

"It's Madisyn, she's gone!"

Vahl didn't waste a second and followed the marcher to Madisyn's room. Tatum, Cwryen, Alyssa and Boise surrounded the empty bed. The dog held a note in his paws. The dark elf removed it with her magic and read it aloud:

"Dear friends, I am very sorry, but this is the only way. Do not come after me. This was my choice. Alyssa will explain. Please, take care of my animals, especially Max. Tell them I'm sorry. Love, Madisyn."

Everybody turned suspiciously towards Alyssa.

"Do you know anything about this?" Vahl asked.

The cowgirl stomped her feet. "She did it! She gone and did it! I tried to talk her out of it, I really did! She made me Cwryen Promise not to tell y'all before she did it!"

"Calm down, Alyssa. What happened?"

She took a deep breath and looked up at them with tears in her eyes.

Madisyn stood at the cave entrance. A part of her was telling her to turn back, but another was telling her to go in. She had to do this for her friends, for the prince and princesses, for Ohio. She inhaled deeply and walked in.

It was dark, but that's not what frightened her. She had the feeling that he was going to jump out at any moment. Stop it, Madisyn, she told herself. You need to be brave.

"Hello?" she called out weakly. "Anyone home?"

"Well, well, well."

She yelped in surprise and spun around to find the Frost Giant standing over her.

"If it isn't the Element of Marching herself? How nice of you to drop in!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath her disappeared and Madisyn screamed as she fell through a hole. She landed with a thump and looked around to find that she had landed in the same spot that she had fallen.

"How did...?" she stammered.

Loki laughed maniacally. "Oh, that was priceless!" He wiped away a tear. "So what brings you here, my dear? Come to 'negotiate' some more?"

Madisyn struggled to stand, as her knees were shaking. "Well, I have come to negotiate something..."

"Strange that Vahl would send you to try to reason with me. Well, you can tell your precious princess that I will only take a bride and that's final!"

"And a bride you shall have!"

Loki stared at her, shocked at her sudden outburst. "Is that so? Well, where is the lucky girl?"

Her teeth started chattering. "R-right...h-here."

He blinked. "Say again?"

Madisyn closed her eyes and straightened up. "I will be your bride."

For a long while, there was silence and she opened her eyes to see his face full of confusion. Then he erupted into a roar of laughter.

"Oh, I get it! This is a joke, right? Alright, who put you up to this? Vahl? Maybe that prankster Cwryen Caster?" She did not respond. "Nichole Price?"

"They...don't even know I'm here. Well, they should by now. I left them a note."

"Why would you leave them a...?" His laughter faded as he studied the human's face. "You're...serious about this?" She nodded solemnly. "You?"

He would have never expected her, the marcher afraid of her own shadow, to accept his offer. Actually, he was beginning to think nobody would come forth at all.

"Y-yes," she squeaked.

"And nobody put you up to this?"

She shook her head. "This was my decision. But..." She backed away nervously. "If you'd rather have somebody else..."

"Now hold on!" She jumped as he appeared behind her. "I didn't say I wasn't interested."

He circled her, studying her carefully from every angle. Madisyn shut her eyes and stood still, her heart racing. She flinched as he sniffed at her hair, but tried not to react.

Loki had to admit, for a woman, she wasn't that bad to look at. Her silky brown hair was well-groomed and smelled of roses, her big brown eyes, though closed now, were almost adorable, and her voice was sweet as honey. This must have been a trick of some sort. There was no way this woman could have come out of her own free will, but he knew she wasn't a trickster. Besides, when was he going to get another chance like this?

"You'll do," he said with indifference. "But are you certain this is what you want, my dear? Remember, if you agree to this, there is no going back."

Madisyn looked up at him boldly. "If I were to go with you, you will keep your promise and let the prince and princesses go?"

"My dear," he said with a bow, "you have my word."

"And...my friends?"

"Will never hear from me again."

She gulped. "Nor me?"

He stooped down to her, his face just inches from hers. "Think of it this way. You could either spend eternity living comfortably at my estate, catered to your every need, or you could spend the rest of your short life in a world of darkness."

"Catered to my every need?"

"If we are to be married, what's mine is yours. If it is in my power, I shall give you whatever you desire. Call it incentive."

She could not tell if he was serious. Being offered whatever she desired did sound tempting, but why would he do that for her? Perhaps Frea was right. Maybe he was desperate for a companion.

Seeing that he was getting to her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "So what'll it be, my dear?"

It didn't matter. Ohio needed the prince and princesses returned. She breathed in.

"I'll marry you."

"Excellent!" He leapt excitedly into the air.

"Now where are the prince and princesses?"

Instead of answering, he smirked. "Why don't we make it official?"

He snapped his fingers and a box materialized in his hand. He opened it to reveal a sparkling diamond ring.

"Oh dear," Madisyn muttered.

He chuckled. "I'll ask again. Will you marry me, my dear Maddie?"

"Madisyn, don't!"

The marcher turned to see Vahl racing towards them, the others running behind.

"You keep away from her, creep!" cried Nichole, her face filled with blood lust.

Loki stopped them all with his magic. "Do you mind? I'm in the middle of a proposal here!"

"Put them down!" Madisyn begged. "Please, just let me say goodbye to them!"

He rolled his eyes and released them from his spell. Madisyn rushed to Vahl's side.

"I told you not to come after me."

"We couldn't let you go with him!" the dark elf bellowed, pointing accusingly at the Frost Giant.

"You don't understand. I have to do this."

"No, you don't! There has to be another way!"

"If I don't do this, Ohio's doomed for all eternity and Anna will never have her baby."

"But do you have any idea what this monster might do to you?!" Nichole shouted.

"Nobody chooses my fate but me."

"Madisyn," Tatum pleaded, "you can't possibly marry this...beast!"

Loki dramatically put a hand to his heart, pretending to look offended.

"I'm sorry, but this is my decision."

"But Madisyn," Cwryen sniffed. "We'll never see you again."

She looked at her friends sadly. "I know."

"We'll find another way to get the prince and princesses back!" Vahl insisted. "I'll even go in your place! We'll..."

"She's right!" Alyssa interrupted. They all turned to her in shock. "Madisyn's the only one in control of her destiny. If her decision is to save Ohio, we should respect that decision." She walked up to her friend. "You take care of yourself, ya hear?"

Madisyn nodded and embraced the cowgirl. "Make sure my animals get everything they need."

"Of course, Sugar Cube."

"Madisyn," Nichole started to say as she marched over to her. "You can't...you won't..."

She hugged her childhood friend. "You stood up for me so many times. Now I can return the favor."

She walked over to Tatum. "You can keep my clothes, if you like."

The human was astonished. "Darling, you can't expect me to..." She stopped as she too received a hug. "Don't be silly. I'll donate them. They're not my size anyway."

Madisyn then turned to the red- haired scientist. "Cwryen Caster, I..."

Cwryen let out a wail and flung her arms around her neck. "Don't forget us, okay? I mean even if you'll never see us again, don't forget our names! I mean it's easy to forget one's name after not seeing them for a while and..."

"I won't forget you, Cwryen."

She sniffed and hugged tighter. "I know."

Once Cwryen had loosened her grip, Madisyn turned to Boise. Before she could say anything, he wrapped his arms around her legs with a whine. She then looked up at Vahl, who was on the verge of tears.

"I'll be fine," she assured her. "I promise."

"How can you possibly keep that promise?" the dark elf choked.

"You know how good I am with creatures." The rest she said in a whisper. "I think I can tame him."

"But...but..."

"For Anna."

She nodded and embraced her. Loki was about ready to gag.

"Hello?" he called, waving the ring box. "Waiting for an answer here!"

Madisyn pulled away from her friends and courageously faced the Frost Giant. She stuck out her hand and uttered, "Yes."

Loki smiled in triumph as he zapped the box away. The ring then reappeared on Madisyn's ring finger. The Frost Giant cackled as he scooped his bride-to-be in his arms. The humans watched in horror.

"If you hurt a hair on her head...!" Nichole warned.

"I assure you, she won't be harmed, so long as you don't try and take her back. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a wedding to plan!"

With a final triumphant laugh, Loki vanished with Madisyn and in their place, the one prince and two princesses appeared, their magic restored to their bodies.

"What's happened?" Harleen demanded. "Where's Loki?"

The humans burst into tears. Alyssa was the only one with the strength to speak.

"He's...taken a bride."

Their eyes widened. "Who?" Auer asked. In receiving no response, he beseeched his student. "Vahl? Who did he take?"

The dark elf buried her face in her hands, knowing her friend was gone because of her failure as a princess. "I'm sorry, Madisyn...I'm so, so sorry!"