The Cold Doesn't Bother Me Anyway
Loki was soon bored of the throne of Asgard. He had to keep up the image of Odin, and he soon found that people were thinking he was too polite of a king. Odin had been more brutal than he was behaving under his disguise. Killing those ninety people is nothing compared to a king who used to let armies be slaughtered for purposes of snobbery and arrogance in the kingdom. Loki killed majorly with purpose and war, Odin had always let his warriors die with less than dignity could offer.
And he was sick of playing another person. He had a plan for his reveal, but he knew he wasn't ready yet. Loki would wait until after Thor's wedding, where his brother would settle down in Midgard in more permanence, before announcing Odin's death. He has it all set: Odin would die on a trip to warfare, an unlikely accident. Odin would be regarded as a hero and would leave note that Loki would be awarded the throne to follow his demise and Thor's wishes to remain with his new wife.
Loki just didn't feel ready yet, especially when Sif was spending every waking minute playing him without realizing it in his old cell. Sif only could remember at times given to her, brief moments, that she was in that position. Often these moments took place in the dead of night, when no one would come looking for her and she could be alone in her grief.
When Loki decided it was perhaps time to stage the demise, he also took to heart that he could use a vacation from Asgard. Somewhere he could adventure, find new things, and feel like himself for the first time in years.
He said his goodbyes to the kingdom in Odin's shell and assured them all it would be over soon, which he realized now that he was saying goodbye for his 'father' as well. For the first time, the weight of it hit him. It wasn't like he was lying – Odin had died in warfare, Loki was just the first to find out and take use of this intricate opportunity.
Loki left out the door, out of reach, before he went to Heimdall. "I want to find somewhere new."
Heimdall nods. "A new kingdom – I see a new fair-hearted ruler that could use guidance."
Loki grins, not believing that not one person has picked up on any of the slips of his mannerisms even under Odin's skin. "Take me there."
The bridge is opened for him and he soars through, feeling himself change with his magic as he hits closer and closer to the ground to himself. The grounds of Arendelle were again coated with snow, as the queen Elsa hadn't quite gripped completely on her powers.
It had been three years since she had taken the crown. Her sister Ana had since married her real true love, and Elsa knew that her sister eventually would make a great queen. Perhaps a far better queen than herself, she ventured as she looked out at another winter she had accidentally created. As long as she wasn't creating more monsters from the cold ice and powder, she felt a little more confidant that things would eventually come back to normal. As did her people, who by some miracle of the world trusted her.
It wasn't a particularly great day, as Elsa was trying to find the motivation within herself to fix the storm of winter that had once again taken over an Arendelle time of Spring. She watches out her window until she notes a figure in blurs of green, gold, and silver tumbling down a mountain of snow. She rushes down the stairs of her palace, not caring to grab a coat because she'd never been bothered entirely by the cold.
She didn't even realize her feet were bare until she hit the icy grounds of the palace courtyard, and by then Elsa was running so quickly that the burn of her speed took away from any chill. Some people called behind her, worried, but she couldn't stop her feet going long enough to hear any of her people or tell them not to fret.
It was mere minutes before she saw the figure in those bright shades of color contrasting the snow. There was a blue added to the mix for moments, at least she could have sworn, but the skin faded back to pale peach before she could confirm if her eyes or the snow were playing tricks on her.
Loki was brushing the snow off his shoulders, wishing he had hit the ground softer and cursing under his breath until he realized just how animated he looked. It took one glance up to see a petite blonde woman staring at him in awe with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, most guests here must make more graceful entrances," Loki mewled.
Elsa smiles gently, not minding in the slightest at the lack of his immediate grace. "As long as your journey wasn't too troubling," she said with a true smile. Elsa felt the atmosphere around her melt the snow. She knew it was coming from her joy, but she also didn't know the stranger so she couldn't acknowledge it to him yet. There were some realms that disapproved of magic and she had to be sure he wasn't one of them.
"I assure you, I've never felt better," Loki says as he notes the atmosphere changing around them. He experimentally lifts the girl's hand up to kiss it's back and observes the melting happen faster. Loki moves his glance to the ground before he notices the girl's feet. He smiles, more amused than before. "You ran down without shoes to help a stranger in the snow? What kind of village girl would do that for a possible intruder?"
Elsa laughs softly, wincing with her smile. "I'm an odd choice for queen then, huh?"
Loki can hardly hide his shock that this is the queen that was spoken of. "Excuse me, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty," he says quietly, not wanting to reveal too much about himself yet either. "Should I curtsey?"
Elsa likes the man already. She desperately wants to reach out and hold his hand, but she doesn't trust her touch to not take a turn for the magical at the worst opportunity. "No, but can I offer you somewhere to stay? Your journey must have been very long to make you stumble over the snowy mountains," Elsa ventures, hoping the man will take her invitation.
"I suppose I could use somewhere to rest," Loki says, playing coy. "I'm not sure how long I will be staying, but I can't say I'd be able to turn down an invitation from a queen."
"Queen," Elsa mocks in a low voice. "If you can call me that," Elsa continues as they start walking towards the open gates. "I'm still, uh, figuring out the ropes. There are very unique circumstances to my rule, I guess you could say."
Loki is itching to ask, itching more to tell her that he knows she has magic. However, overstepping his bounds seems like it would cause more trouble than it's worth. "I'm sure you are capable of anything, Elsa."
Elsa turns back at the use of her name. "I didn't tell you my name."
"You didn't have to – you're the queen of a city, royalty tends to get travelling names among the realms," Loki replies smoothly, noting in the back of his head he should have waited for introduction.
Elsa's eyes go wide. "You're from another realm? I'd only heard rumors, Arendelle is very small and we don't tend to get many visitors – especially those from completely different realms. Which are you from?"
"Would you be terribly offended if I wasn't ready to explain that yet?" Loki asks quietly as he continues walking towards the kingdom.
Elsa sighs, running after a minute to catch up with Loki, her hand catching his arm and pulling him back to face her. "Yes, it would, I would like to know something about my damsel in distress."
Loki had to crack a smile for that. "I'm from Asgard, and before we reach the gates I might explain," Loki stops in his tracks, as Elsa's hand is still on his arm. He waits for her to notice.
Elsa looks down at Loki's arm and immediately draws her hand back. Luckily she hadn't done anything by contact, Loki was just trying to inform her that the gesture could be considered bad if anyone recognized him.
"I'm a bit of an outlaw at the moment, wouldn't be best if someone recognized me and I was latched affectionately to their queen," Loki whispers, a gentle smile reaching his face.
"Oh," Elsa says with a small smile. There's even a hint of a flush on her face, something that rarely comes about. "Should I be afraid of you?"
The words had escaped Elsa's lips before she realized the weight of them. Loki took a deep breath, looked deep into the queen's eyes. People feared him in several places. That was not his intention here. All he wanted to do was help the kingdom, help her. When the queen trusts him enough, perhaps he can help her take control of her magical gifts. "I don't want you to be."
Elsa took a weary breath. "For now, I'll run with your word," Elsa replies before pushing open the doors to Arendelle. There was still sleek ice across the pavement, many happy citizens skating. They walked across in gentle footing, Loki taking in the scenery. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Magnificent," was the only word that Loki could use to reply with as they walked through. When they finally made it back to the castle, a younger looking woman with reddish-brown hair was running out to them.
"Elsa, you just bolted out of the castle! Why were you running so quickly, I mean, was there some sort of emergency or – well, hi," Ana stops in her tracks when she sees Loki. Ana smiles shyly, grabbing Elsa's arm and pulling her over a little ways, still in earshot of Loki. "Is he like your secret boyfriend or something?"
Elsa shakes her head. "Ana, I simply saw the traveler falling down one of the hills and I thought I should help."
"You melted the snow after you picked him up from it, didn't you?" Ana asks with a grin.
Elsa pulls away from her sister, walking back to Loki's side with a polite smile. "We'll be having dinner soon, I'm sure. Would you like to join us?"
"Is that your subtle way of asking if I eat?" Loki asks with a chuckle. "Which, I do, yes – and dinner would be lovely."
"Sorry about Ana, she gets worried for me sometimes," Elsa says slowly as she walks into the great hall, not shocked by the immediate presence of Kristof. "Hello, how's your day been?"
"It's not been as eventful as yours, at least I hear from Ana who keeps going through the halls talking about how you've finally brought a guy home," Kristof says with a grin, extending his hand for Loki. "I'm Kristof, the brother-in-law."
Elsa takes a deep breath. "Apologies, I will be back." Elsa runs off after her sister.
Loki finds this all amusing, as when and if Thor used to bring maidens home Odin was never approving – rather asking why it wasn't Sif. It was a fair question, perhaps, as Sif was a very good choice for Thor. However, Thor didn't love her and they couldn't escape that fact.
"I'm Loki, the traveller," Loki says before he can catch himself. He usually would have used a fake name, it just felt so comfortable and home-like in the atmosphere that he didn't feel the need to hide.
"Like, you know, Norse? Is it Loki like that god-guy?" Kristof asks.
Loki smiles, they have no knowledge of anything of Loki past written legend then. "Loki, as in I am not a god. A demigod, perhaps, is the closest measurement."
"Aren't you royalty or something?" Kristof asks cautiously.
Loki looks over as he sees Elsa coming back in, she appears to be laughing, before she stands in front of him and curtseys. "I like you," Loki murmurs, not aware that he's said it out loud.
"You're not so horrible yourself, Loki," Elsa says as she starts walking away, waving with her hand for Loki to follow her. "I have something to ask, and I don't want you to find it strange. If it's too intrusive, I mean, you don't have to answer."
"Of course," Loki replies, standing carefully and looking at her as they've hit the door to her room.
Elsa opens the door, indicating for him to come inside as well. Loki follows, plain curiosity now fueling him. As Loki closes the door behind him Elsa places her hand on Loki's shoulder, concentrating. She was sure earlier that there was magic escaping her when she touched him. "Why don't I affect you?"
Loki had to smile at that, taking her hand from his shoulder and winding it in his hand up for both of them to see. There were flecks of blue that threatened to taint Loki's skin in the cold, as Elsa's powers attempted to freeze him. "The cold never bothered me anyway," Loki whispers as he watches their powers battle so subtly together.
Elsa looks up, shock hitting her eyes. Loki starts to speak again. "Something I said?"
"Yes," Elsa replies, watching Loki's hand in awe. "What is that?"
"It's…demi-god/frost giant. It's quite complex in nature, really," Loki tries to explain even though he still hasn't fully began to understand it himself.
"Do you understand what is wrong with me?" Elsa asks carefully, drawing her eyes away from Loki's and having them look towards her feet.
Loki uses her spare hand to lift Elsa's face to look at his gently by the chin. "There is nothing wrong with you. The powers that you have are just a gift you have yet to harness properly."
"How would you know?" Elsa asks tentatively.
Loki puts his free hand away from Elsa's chin and into the air beside them, letting green magic stream around in lights from the tips of his fingers. "My mother taught me when I was very young that magic is a gift, not something to be feared. It just has to be harnessed and controlled to one's will."
"If one's will is good, of course," Elsa says with a small grin as she moves closer to him still.
Loki's face turns more solemn. "Unfortunately, magic can be corrupted if not used properly."
"Maybe," Elsa whispers as if just now realizing just how close they are, "we could help each other gain better control with our magic."
"I'd like that," Loki says before pulling away. "Now, um, you said something about dinner?"
"Oh," Elsa replies with a nervous smile. "Of course, yes, just down the main corridor around this time and-"
"That would be lovely," Loki says with a grin. "And please, don't be offended by my retreat. I just…wouldn't want you to have to regret anything if you weren't sure. You hardly know me."