Darcy dreamed of Darius again. He was sitting on a metal cot in a dark room. She could see him as if he glowed in the darkness.
"Your dormant abilities are awakening, and soon you will be ready to free me." Darius said standing from the cot to approach a confused and frightened Darcy who backed away from him.
"As we speak you are with the ones who you seem to trust, it appears that the Asgardian has taken you to his father to seek guidance on what might ail you. When you are ready you will come for me, Asgard shall not hold you."
Darcy felt her fear and confusion morph into anger. "I don't care if you are my great grandfather where do you get off doing this to me? What have you done? What am I!? Darcy yelled as her body became engulfed in flames and she didn't feel any pain."
"Impossible." Darius said sounding surprised while watching Darcy as if he had come to some profound realization.
Everything began to blur and Darcy knew that she was waking up from the dream or whatever the hell it was.
Slowly opening her eyes Darcy gasped as she realized she was covered in flames.
"She has awakened!" A male voice yelled frantically as heavy footsteps ran away from her location. Where exactly was she anyway?
Darcy sat up and stared at her body, and the flames that covered her, she had been laying on a mattress with what appeared to be sheets that seemed a cross between leather and snake skin. She was in what appeared to be some type of observation room. Above where she stood was a single floating platform and a bridge that lead to a golden door. The room was white and empty save for the bed she sat on. Her feet touched the cold stone flooring and Darcy discovered she was barefoot and naked. The flames must have burned off her clothes. Running quickly to the bed Darcy grabbed the odd sheet that didn't seem affected by her and wrapped it around her naked self.
"Wait to dad finds out his daughter is a mutant." Darcy muttered weakly, trying to accept the fact that she was the female equivalent of the human torch. If she wasn't so fucking terrified she would find her new ability pretty awesome.
"Lady Darcy!" Thor's voice boomed from above.
Darcy looked up at the floating platform at Thor in all of his hot Asgardian glory. What a lucky woman Jane was.
"Hey, big guy…so… I'm covered in flames and imprisoned and if what my dear great gramps said is true… this is Asgard. I think I'm a mutant so I can pretty much can go home now. Mutants aren't a big deal on earth, though they or should I say we, have groups dedicated to whipping us out of existence, but hey I'll survive, if I can get the whole torch thing to go away. Do you think I could get a job as a light bulb alternative, or roasting marshmallows for campers? That might be a bad Idea I'd burn down a national park just by setting foot in it. Why go home yet? Maybe I'll get the grand tour." Darcy babbled uncontrollably.
Darcy jumped in shock as Thor jumped from the platform and landed with a loud thump on his feet causing the room to shake a little.
Thor reflexively reached out a hand in an effort to comfort her, and Darcy jumped back.
"Don't touch me." Darcy watched as Thor realized his mistake and brought his large hand back to his side.
"Forgive me Lady Darcy I seem to forget your current state, for I still see you and not the flames." Thor said apologetically.
Darcy raised an eyebrow. "The flames are kind of hard to miss."
Thor chuckled before his face took on a rarely seen look of seriousness, and Darcy felt like a patient about to receive horrible news. "That they are." Thor said solemn.
"What is it?" Darcy asked.
"You are not what Midgardian's call a mutant, Lady Darcy. What you are is of ancient Elfin fables thought to be mere imaginary tales told to children. None believed your kind to be real, but you are proof enough since you bare the signs. There is one in all of Asgard that possesses the knowledge to discern if you are what we believe. For he has seen the realms beyond Yggdrasil's branches and leaves."
"This doesn't make any sense! How can I go from being normal, average Darcy Lewis to this?" Darcy exclaimed raising her arms in exasperation and dropping the sheet. Thor stared at her in fascination and with a blush covering his face, causing Darcy to follow his line of sight to her ample bosoms. Darcy hurriedly covered herself again.
"Hey eyes up here." Darcy said internally smirking, 'at least I can one up Jane in something'. "So when is this seer of all things coming?" Darcy asked smiling as Thor glanced one last time at her now covered chest wistfully, before looking at her face.
"It is not of Heimdall I speak. My brother is not a seer he merely has knowledge gained from his usage of the Tesserect. Loki is also familiar with magic, and since your people are fabled to be beings of magic it is only fitting that we seek his audience." Thor watched Darcy closely as if waiting for the protests to begin. People rarely wished to freely be in Loki's presence unless it was to torture or ridicule him.
"My day just keeps on getting better." Darcy said sarcastically as she shot Thor a glare. "You honestly expect me to go to your homicidal brother to be examined without my Taser?"
Thor's eyebrows rose up in surprise. "You are concerned about physical protection?" That was surprising indeed. Thor could not believe that Darcy's only concern was her physical safety. It was a well-known fact that Loki did not need to harm one with physical violence, he could do it with words along. Loki's abilities of manipulation, has already driven numerous guards assigned to him to madness.
Darcy looked down at herself. "Well I am covered in flames I guess I can always barbeque his crazy maniacal ass." "Why do I have to go to him anyway? Aren't you worried about me burning the place down?" Darcy asked confused at Thor's grin.
"Do you truly not fear my brother?" Thor asked curiously.
Darcy laughed nervously. "Right now, I'm freaked about what's happening to me more than anything. I've seen pictures of your brother and his glowing stick of doom. The aliens did most of his dirty work for him." Darcy said with false bravado. Thor stared at her for a second longer before approaching her.
"I wish to wrap you in that Dragon's skin so I can carry through the castle safely." Thor explained as Darcy backed away from him.
"Dragon skin?" Darcy looked at the cover she was wrapped in, in wonder.
"That type of Dragon's skin is immune to flames and temperatures that even an Aesir could not stand."
"Oh." Darcy said, letting Thor approach her. She watched as he winced when a flame covered strand of her hair touch his cheek. "I'm sorry." Darcy said ducking her head beneath the cover and insuring that all of her body was covered as Thor carried her.
"It is nothing Lady Darcy, you need not apologize. You cannot help what you are." Thor said somberly, as if he had said the words before and they held a deeper meaning than Darcy would ever know.
Darcy felt her eyes begin to water. Who knew that Thor could be so…un-Thor like. Darcy never saw Thor as being the caring or insightful type. Apparently Mr. Muscle and Brawn was just as layered as everybody else. Before she knew it her watering eyes began to pour and she sobbed. Darcy sobbed for the death of her slightly normal life, for not having her grandfather alive to vent to, for discovering her great-grandfather, and when Thor began to rock the bundle she was in to comfort her, she sobbed in envy of how fucking lucky Jane was to have someone like him.
"What is this? The All-father has altered tactics in his efforts to reform me?"
Darcy's sobs quieted at the sound of the satiny dark humored voice.
"You bring a sobbing motherless and fatherless Migardian child to my prison, in an effort to make me feel remorse?" Loki laughed.
"Brother!" Thor growled in warning, Jarring Darcy in his arms.
Darcy recalled the number of children that became orphaned after the attack in New York, the numbers were staggering, and here was the son of a bitch responsible for it laughing. Darcy felt her blood boil.
"I am not your brother! I would sooner slit your throat than call you brother. Leave me!"
"Enough!" Darcy yelled through her dragon covering, struggling to break free. "Listen here you sorry excuse for a whining bastard! How dare you say that to your own brother?" Darcy yelled, causing both of the gods to go silent. "Thor put me down so I can give this jerk a piece of my mind!"
When Darcy felt her feet land firmly on the ground she fell and rolled around on the ground in her cocoon of dragon covering until she managed to get her feet free.
"Lady Darcy." Thor said in worry and mild amusement, as Darcy let out a long stream of profanities against his brother who was watching the struggling mass on the floor with a look of rage.
"How dare you address me-" Loki began, just to falter.
Darcy jumped out of her makeshift cocoon triumphantly, and marched right up to the glass prison that held the universe's biggest prick.
"I am going to Kentucky style roast your ass! Do you know how many children have been orphaned because of your big boy fucking tantrum? And how dare you say that to your brother!" Darcy yelled. The flames covering Darcy seemed to rise with her anger. So angry was she that she managed to walk right through the magic enhanced glass keeping Loki prisoner and right into his cell naked.
Loki stared at her wide-eyed as he backed away from her. "What glorious illusion is this?" Loki whispered awestruck.
"Lady Darcy you must calm down at once! You are bare." Thor bellowed from outside of the prison, growling at the sound of prisoners in their cells making obscene comments about Darcy's state of undress.
Darcy looked down at herself and behind her to see she had left her Dragon covering on the floor outside of the cell, and she stood naked before the god of lies and mischief, and random prisoners across the hall. Darcy's anger instantly deflated to be replaced with embarrassment as she used her hands to shield her breast and her lower region. She quickly turned around to try to go through the glass again just to find that she couldn't. She felt herself getting tired. Her shoulders slouched as she stared at a blushing Thor with confused eyes.
"W-what's happening?"
"It is the ancient magic that is used to contain my brother in his imprisonment. The magic weakens him so he cannot escape. I fear that it does the same to you Lady Darcy. The Allfather is the only one who can unlock Loki's cell." Thor said seemingly conflicted.
"But I came in shouldn't I be able to get out? Can you at least throw me the dragon thingie?" Darcy asked pleadingly.
Thor looked away seeming embarrassed. "No one can merely walk through those bars. You broke through the magic barrier somehow. I must consult father, but I fear leaving you along in my brother's presence after you have berated him so." Thor said worried.
Darcy turned her back to Thor having forgotten about his homicidal sibling. Loki stood transfixed, staring at her as if he was eyeing something breathtaking and wondrous and yet a look of fear also rested alongside his emotions of wonder.
"Thor why is your nut job brother eyeing me like I'm a tall glass of water and he's been stranded in the desert for days?" Darcy asked weary as she looked around the cell for an escape. She wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Here she was naked before two gods who were probably use to seeing the hot perfect bodies of Asgardian babes.
"I imagine that my brother finds you fascinating. Your people are the essence of magic, and he considers himself a sorcerer of sorts…and you are momentarily unclothed." Thor explained.
As if to prove Thor's point Loki muttered "Fascinating."
"This isn't a museum and I'm not on display, so stop gawking you pervert!" Darcy yelled at Loki snapping him out of his trance.
"I do not gawk." Loki whispered unable to look away.
Darcy turned and gave Loki her backside to address Thor. "Hurry up and get the every father so he can get me out of here."
"Allfather." Both Loki and Thor corrected automatically.
"I do not think it wise to leave you unattended Lady Darcy." Thor said.
"You have no right speaking of things which you know nothing about. Wisdom has never allied itself with you." Loki sneered at Thor while still creepily staring at Darcy.
Darcy felt the fire covered hairs on the back of her neck stand up when Loki addressed her.
"My lady what brings you to this realm? You are far from home." Loki asked politely.
Darcy turned her head to look at him so fast that she swore she almost gave herself whiplash. "Bipolar much?" Darcy asked raising an eyebrow. . Darcy noticed that the God of Mischief's posture seemed rigid and nervous, as if he wanted to do something but he mentally kept talking himself out of it.
"Lady Darcy and I came seeking your assistance brother. She is of Midgard." Thor said.
"Hey dude, do you think it's a good idea to tell your human hating brother that he has a human in his crazy psycho midst?" Darcy asked in disbelief turning around to face Loki completely while covering her lady parts with her hands and arms.
"You believe yourself to be human?" Loki asked in disbelief.
Darcy found herself blushing as Thor's oddly attractive brother looked her up and down as if studying her.
"I was born and raised on Earth, I'm human." Darcy said adamantly as if wanting to convince herself.
"Your name, Darcy is it not?" Loki asked closing the distance between himself and Darcy slowly.
"Loki." Thor called out in warning.
"I will not harm this one, for her life's value far outweighs yours Odinson." Loki carefully held out a hand in front of himself with his palm facing up, as his dark brows furrowed in concentration. Darcy watched the God of mischief wearily, suddenly he grinned and Darcy watched as a flame shot from her and landed in his outstretched palm. Darcy leapt forward to grab the flame back feeling as if it was a part of her. Loki grabbed her hand, and Darcy watched stunned as his pale skin did not burn. Darcy's heart raced as Loki brought her hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on top of her hand, ducking his head in a bow, he looked up at her with relief and something darker than fascination dancing in his eyes.
"Y-you can touch me." Darcy whispered in awe.
Loki stood to his full impressive height. "Magic dances in your blood, in your cells and I am a manipulator of magic." Loki answered smiling.
There was something unnerving about his smile, it seemed innocent enough if one focused on his upturned lips alone, but the truth rested in his eyes. Loki looked like a starved man who had just come across a buffet, and Darcy felt unnerved that she was the buffet. His eyes left her face to flicker at her uncovered breast in appreciation.
"I am a manipulator of many things" Loki said cryptically.
"Um, Thor your brother has crazy eyes." Darcy said laughing nervously as she pulled her hand away from Loki and covered her breasts.
"Gaze upon your reflection, and know that it is I who reveals your truth." Loki said manipulating the flame until it became a reflective obsidian slab.
"Brother? How can you perform magic?" Thor asked alarmed.
"See how he insists that I am his brother when I constantly tell him otherwise. He is a fool." Loki said casually as he held the slab for Darcy to look at herself in.
Darcy gasped at her reflection. She looked like herself just covered in flames. Her blue eyes seemed to be brighter as if they were glowing, but the thing that made her gasp was the flame crown a top her head. There was an honest to goodness pointy royalty crown made of flames resting atop of her flame covered hair.
"The stories have proved true." Loki spoke reverently.
"Everyone keeps talking about these stories but I haven't heard one yet." Darcy said annoyed.
"Then I shall tell you them all." Loki said.
Darcy carefully studied the trickster. His shoulder length wavy hair seemed to be blacker than any charcoal, making the paleness of his skin harsher. His green eyes that had been dull when she first laid eyes on him now danced with life. His black prisoner clothes seemed to be made out of a nicer material than anything Darcy owned. Darcy found herself wondering if his silken black shirt and pants was the Asgardian equivalent of pajamas. Looking further down, Darcy noted that he was barefoot before looking back up to his green eyes. He wasn't ruggedly handsome like Thor…no…no he was beautiful, like a work of sophisticated art, that only a select few could appreciate.
They stared at each other for a long time, forgetting about the silent contemplative Thor.
"Can you tell me how to go back to normal?" Darcy asked quietly looking down to break eye contact with Loki.
"Why do you crave normalcy when you are something so much better?" The God of Lies asked placing his palm against Darcy's cheek. He seemed just as surprised as Darcy that he could touch her.
"What am I?" Darcy asked, looking up at Loki from under her long lashes.
Loki brought his face close to hers. Darcy trembled and closed her eyes thinking he would kiss her. His cold lips trailed across her cheek until they rested by her ear.
"Power." Loki spoke the word seductively, causing moisture to pool between Darcy's thighs. She felt even more embarrassed, if that was possible.
'I am such a horn dog.' Darcy thought ashamed.
"Brother cease your games." Thor ordered.
Darcy's eyes opened and she backed away, putting as much room between Loki's body and hers as possible.
'I am not a one-night-stand-two- bit whore. I will not be attracted to this nut job.' Darcy repeated in her mind pressing her thighs tightly together.
"T-thor, I think I'm ready to go, so you should go get the key. Don't worry, I'll be fine." Darcy knew that she was telling a bold face lie. She would not be fine. Loki was doing something to her and between the heady concoction of confusion and fear was lust.
"Are you sure Lady Darcy? I can-" Thor began before Loki interrupted him.
"Leave us." Loki ordered sending a hateful glare in Thor's direction.
"My, aren't you bossy?" Darcy said frowning at Loki.
Staring between his brother and Lady Darcy one last time, Thor rushed from the room in search of the Allfather.
"If you are uncomfortable in my presence, demand that covering come to you." Loki said gesturing with a hand to Darcy's failed attempts to maintain some modesty with her hands and then to her discarded dragon blanket on the ground outside of the cell. "I will not take what you do not offer."
Darcy felt her cheeks heat up. Part of her was willing to do anything to cover herself up in the presence of freaking shamefully hot gods, but something about the layer of haughtiness and superiority that seemed to ooze from Loki even when he was acting polite, (she guessed this was him acting polite, he wasn't trying to kill her yet) made Darcy want to hold her head high and show him that she didn't feel ashamed of any aspect of herself.
'What do I have to hide anyway? Thor and his manic brother had already seen all of my goodies.' Darcy thought as she tried to stoke the fires of her fake bravado. 'I'm wearing a freaking awesome crown of fire damnit. I am a bad ass bitch!' Darcy tried mentally cheering herself on but became even more self-conscious as the seconds ticked by.
Looking at the dragon covering Darcy held a hand out to it and instinctually pictured the covering her to save any remaining modesty she may have had left. The dragon hide obeyed and flew through the glass and into her outstretched hand.
Grinning triumphantly, Darcy wrapped the covering around herself. "Now, that I've covered the awesomeness that is me naked. How about these stories? When do you plan on telling them?" Darcy asked casually.
Loki smirked before sitting down on the single metal cot in his cell.
Darcy looked around for a place to sit in the barren stone floor cell, but came up empty.
"This story was not meant to be told in any Midgardian tongue. I will adapt it as best I can." Loki said furrowing his brows in concentration before smiling softly.
"Yggdrasil, Yggdrasil… branches ever descending and ever ascending bright, leaves of heaven bark delight. Mother! Father! Speak your children a tale tonight, of the space… of the place outside of Yggdrasil's might. Beyond… the Allfather's sight! Speak to them of Dresleim and the curious, mischievous, brilliant beings of shifting fiery light…"
As Loki retold the story Darcy could not help but note how it sounded like he was singing, and his voice was as hypnotic and mesmerizing as his eyes that studied her with fascination in their depths.
"…Or tell of Dresleim's Crown! Of how their royals stray from home, leaving queens born outside the throne! They are ruled by women, thus no men dare stay for long. Nay, nay surely you speak these words to the youth of Asgard who dream of great battles and bloodied swords or perhaps it is a little sorceress of magic arts. If the latter be the case all tales you must replace and impart on her the tale of Daëřce."
Darcy looked down at the stone floor and the char marks her fire covered flesh was causing and shrugged her shoulders before sitting down with her legs beneath her. She noticed that Loki momentarily paused in his story to lick his lips as his gaze followed her movement.
"O-on a world far from home went a princess unknown to the throne, clothed in flames and eyes of ocean blue-"
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you're just describing me." Darcy said interrupting Loki's story.
"This is how the story was told to me as a child, I can assure you that I have changed nothing but the language it was meant to be told in, seeing that you might not understand the Ancient Elfin language." Loki said before swallowing and continuing.
Darcy was willing to bet her Taser that the God of Mischief had just blushed as he diverted his eyes away from her.
"On her head rested a crown, of her royal blood all but herself knew, for she lived in denial casting her in another hue. She would call herself silver... when it was clear as day she was red. She denied herself a princess, and centuries flourished by until all believed what she believed and she was cast aside. In her lonely wandering she came across a boy, cast out by all who knew him, foreign to any form of joy. The boy held from a place of warriors and kings, yet he was seen unfit... refusing to suffer any longer he put down his sword and quit. The princess approached the boy and sat beside him, and as if hit by lightening the boy felt his body swell with a strange stirring. He held out his hand and a flame came from the Princess's body and in his palm it spun and danced. The boy manipulated the flame until a slab of obsidian was formed he held the reflective surface to the princess and her eyes became a light at the sight of the crown she adorned. She believed herself to be a princess at last as memories of a lifetime ago poured forth. Forever! Forever she exclaimed she would be in the boy's debt. She formed a cave of flowers and pulled the boy inside, she taught him of magic and magic's might and trickery and illusions. She cast her flame inside his heart, and dissolved the cave and left the boy a sorcerer in a land of mighty swords. The boy returned to his home, defeating all of his king's enemies, and after he was done the King cast him out again, not wanting him to upstage his sons…" Loki trailed off, giving a self-deprecating chuckle.
"I often wonder at the prophetic properties of Elfin tales" Loki said before continuing. "The boy arrived where the cave had been and fell into the grass. Suns came and moons went, and the boy did not move, and in that spot he grew into a man starved for the embrace of Hel's cold hands. Just when the boy had formed a blade to end his life, above his head as if a shooting star descending from the skies the Princess arrived. The Princess cradled his head and wrapped him in her flames. The man once a boy told her of his failures, and the Princess graced him with a smile. Greatness shall be yours she vowed, and the Princess wrapped the man in an embrace and asked him what would he take from her now? The man in his thirst and starvation took her all, and the kingdom denied to him fell and bowed to him, his power unparalleled in any realm. The man now king ruled eternally, unwedded, without heirs because the need was never there." Loki finished, bringing his serious gaze back to Darcy to gauge her reaction.
"Well that wasn't exactly a Disney classic, but how in the hell does that explain what's happening to me?" Darcy asked confused. Loki stared at her in disbelief.
"You honestly do not see it? Are you incapable of seeing the similarities between yourself and
Daëřce?"
Now it was Darcy's turn to give Loki a look of disbelief. "Is that why you stole my flame and made that mirror? You read it in a story and thought it would be cool to try? You think I'm this princess don't you?" Darcy stood up wanting to put as much distance between her and Thor's obviously mentally ill brother. "I haven't been around for centuries. I'm twenty three. My father isn't a king; he's an accountant at a bank. There isn't a royal bone in his body. Though I can't say the same for my mom she's always viewed herself as queen of everyone's castle." Darcy said nervously watching Loki stand and approach her.
"It is common knowledge that some Elfin stories have actually occurred or will occur eventually. It is not a mistake that you are here in my presence after I have been defeated, and that you respond to me so well." Loki waved a hand and a wave of flame flew from Darcy's body to wrap around Loki's right hand and arm. Darcy watched as the God of Lies somehow made her flames into butterflies resting on his arm.
"You are the key to the acquirement of my rightful place on the throne of any realm I choose to rule." Loki shook his arm and the butterflies resting there came alive and fluttered around the room. "They do not know what they have gifted me by bringing you here."
"In your story the man ate the princess. Are you seriously planning on eating me?" Darcy asked panicked with her eyes wide. "Thor!" Darcy yelled pressing her back against the bars. "For the record you wouldn't like how I taste I pretty much live off of coffee and Poptarts. I'm pure grade 'F' human."
The God of Mischief laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke of the century. "Eat you?" Loki asked smiling and cocking his head to the side to stare at Darcy in that unnerving manner of his. "She shared herself with him. The king did not have a need to marry nor have heirs because he was complete from his bond with the Princess. They became one; after he spent a night between her lush and soft thighs she had eyes for no other…he had eyes for no other." Loki said smirking at Darcy's blush. "I suppose I would not be averse to eating you." Loki said mischievously glancing at where the juncture between Darcy's thighs would be beneath the covering.
Darcy felt her knees get weak at Loki's suggestive words. Her eyes went to his mouth as his pink tongue darted out to wet his lips.
"Mmhm" Darcy moaned, mentally picturing the things he could do to her with that tongue of his.
"You will find that no other man will be able to touch you unless they can manipulate energies as well as I can." Staring at her with want and a foreign emotion Loki advanced, pressing his front to Darcy's front, shivering in pleasure at the feel of her lush breast pressed against him. Darcy's eyes widened when she felt Loki's obvious erection against her.
"I want out." Darcy said panting. Darcy knew if she stayed in the psychotic bastard's cell any longer she'd let him take her right on the blackened stone floor. Just as she was about to give in Darcy felt herself falling backwards and through the bars.
"What the hell!" Darcy yelped as she fell onto her backside onto the outside of the cell. She looked up to see the enraged eyes of the God of Mischief as he growled…shit…he actually growled in frustration.
Quickly crawling to her dragon covering that had managed to fall off of her, Darcy wrapped it around her and stood on shaky legs before turning towards the exit, faltering only when Loki spoke.
"You will give me what I desire of you Darcy Lewis of Midgard. This prison cannot hold me. I promise you that the longer you deny me the worst it will be for you and those you hold dear. I will not lose in this endeavor." Loki said silkily.
Darcy spun to face the ass that dared to threaten her. "Listen here you psychotic asshole! I don't care who you are or what you can do. I will cut your balls off and stuff them down your throat if I catch you anywhere near Earth again, and if you even dare to harm a hair on Thor's head not only will you have Jane to answer to, you'll have me. So back the fuck off." Darcy sent Loki a glare that would have made even Nick Fury piss his pants.
Loki merely sneered. "Why do you show any favor towards Thor? Is not this Jane you threaten me with his paramour?"
"Para-what now Shakespeare?" Darcy asked, her anger giving way to confusion as she tried to use her mental Asgardian to Midgardian dictionary.
"I believe the word you are searching for is lover." Loki explained annoyed.
Rolling her eyes Darcy put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, Jane got him first. I couldn't compete with the perfection that is our favorite Astrophysicist anyway." Darcy shrugged her shoulders with a 'what can you do about these things' look on her face. "Though he did fall hard for me when we first met, I think incapacitating him might have rubbed him the wrong way. He's still my favorite hobo though, so yeah no hurting him!" Darcy pointed a finger at Loki and shot him a bad dog look.
"If this Jane was not around would you pursue my-I mean Thor?" Loki asked curiously.
Darcy studied the caged lunatic. He was clenching his fist in either rage or nervousness…and his green eyes held a dark look, even though he refused to meet her eyes as he awaited her answer. The light and curious tone he used to ask her the question conflicted with what she was seeing. He seemed on edge, on the precipice to further madness, but Darcy couldn't figure out why. So what if she still had a slight crush on her boss's boyfriend? This wasn't examining Darcy's lack of a love life hour.
"I'm the sidekick to the sidekick. The hero never notices me. E-even" Darcy licked her lips "Even if I wouldn't mind being a dainty damsel once in a while. Darcy chuckled darkly. "I'm a human torch so finding Mr. Right won't be on the menu for a very long time." Darcy turned away and rushed from the room, ignoring the sound of rage and shouts of the caged mad man.
"If this Jane was not around would you pursue my-I mean Thor?" Loki knew that he was anything but merely curious as he asked his question. His entire being anticipated her answer, and he felt himself waiting on baited breath on the precipice of something based on what answer he received. From the moment he laid eyes on the flame wrapped woman across from him, he knew that fate had brought them together, that she would be the key to his success. He had read the story of Daëřce repeatedly growing up, finding a connection between himself and the boy of the story. As a child he had spent nights gazing up at the sky, naïvely waiting for a princess to fall and strengthen the magic he already possessed. He had long since given up such hope and foolishness. After seeing what he believed to be the princess from a favored tale come to life in front of him, while he experiences his lowest low; Loki found all of his childhood belief and enthusiasm flooding him. He wanted… he needed someone to have eyes for him only, to see past the grandeur that is Thor.
Loki stilled as Darcy began to speak.
"I'm the sidekick to the sidekick. The hero never notices me. E-even" He glanced up and watched as she licked her full lips. "Even if I wouldn't mind being a dainty damsel once in a while, she chuckled darkly. "I'm a human torch so finding Mr. Right won't be on the menu for a very long time."
He watched her leave his presence and he felt madness descend on him in full as he let out a yell filled with his anger and hurt, and fueled by his isolation. Since he was a mere boy he had wanted and waited for what all considered a fantasy to come to him. That childish hope in his heart had always secretly been there, known only by him. The death of his dreams occurred when he discovered himself to be an abomination… to be Jotun. At that moment he had thought: how could a monster born and made of ice ever touch the fiery flesh of a Dresleim? Nothing, Loki had ever done had ever been as horrid as being born a monster. Being Jotun is his greatest sin.
When Darcy had fell from her coverings bare before him, crowned, and covered in flames he thought himself truly mad and given to hallucinations. Then when she opened her mouth to berate him Loki wondered if the All-Father had finally decided to use the cruelest form of torture he could on Loki: Showing him his heart desires and how unattainable they truly were.
And then, his princess had passed through the barrier of his cell to stand before him, more beautiful and breathtaking than any goddess born of Asgard. Staring at her, Loki realized he could spend the rest of his existence gazing upon her and he would never tire.
The great God of Mischief and Lies had found himself speechless for a time, and thought himself foolish when his first meaningful utterance to Lady Darcy had been "My lady what brings you to this realm? You are far from home." He had known the moment she had broken through the ancient magic of his cell that she was there for him. Loki had felt fear and excitement all at once. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to perform the first part of the courting ritual of the Dresleim, but found insecurities about the coldness running through his blood. How could fire and Ice ever touch without one destroying the other? Loki would not have overcome the voices of doubt in his head if it hadn't been for Darcy's words: "Hey dude, do you think it's a good idea to tell your human hating brother that he has a human in his midst?"
The irony had not been lost on Loki. He had spent a large part of his existence believing himself to be born of Asgard just to discover he was Jotun. Darcy a Dresleim born of Midgard believed herself to be human. They both had been lied to and misled and it was tragically comical. The woman had seemed so distraught at the thought her life had been a lie and in a rare moment of empathy Loki couldn't contain himself anymore, he had to touch her, and so he did.
Darcy's flesh was soft and smooth beneath his hand, the flames wrapping around her body felt like nothing more than soothing warmth that seeped into the coldest of his bones and provided a wordless comfort that he did not know he needed. The God of Mischief knew once he had touched her and felt her, manipulated the magic that was her that she had been carved by beings above even the Aesir just for him. He needed Darcy to see beyond her infatuation with his brother, to choose him.
"Damn you! Damn you Thor! She is meant to be mine, to see only me!" Loki grabbed his cot and flung it against the metal bars. The loud metal clanging of the cot against the bars reverberated through the tiny holding space. Loki felt the one piece of magic Odin had left him falter as his skin became blue in his rage, and his eyes burned red.
Asgard, Midgard, the throne… Thor possessed all of the things that should have rightfully belonged to him. Loki had been born to be a king! Darcy had been born to see him! Loki felt his anger abating to sorrow, and that sorrow morphed into determination. His breathing calmed and the cool palms of logic grasped his mind. He needed to plot and plan.
Trapped in his cage Loki had been without a plot or plan for so long, the only certainty being that whatever he did he would punish Thor in the worst way possible. Maybe he should pay the great Jane a visit.
'If Darcy believes Thor's woman to be a greater splendor to the eyes then herself, Jane must truly be a sight to behold.' Loki thought wickedly.
Jane was a key chess piece in his new game. He just needed to figure out how to play his hand. Smirking Loki snapped his fingers and a ball of fire he had pulled from Darcy's body came down from the ceiling to float obediently besides him as he bent over to grab the black obsidian mirror off of the floor.
What his princess was unaware of and what he tactfully left out his story is that: The obsidian slab not only works as a mirror but Loki could use it to watch Darcy and those around her. Loki held a hand out to the ball of fiery magic and let his frost giant abilities reach out and freeze it to a ball of ice. It would not stay frozen for long, so Loki crushed it into a fine power in his hands before eating it. Loki instantly felt the properties of the cell that weakened his magic lose power over him.
Having a goal, an objective to focus on again filled Loki with a sick twisted joy. He had failed in his conquering of Midgard, but he would not fail in his conquering of this new source of power. Loki held the slab watching Darcy Lewis studying the night sky of Asgard.
Darcy found herself standing on a lone balcony overlooking an elaborate and colorful garden filled with statues worthy of a museum. The garden didn't hold a candle though to the intensely beautiful night sky of Asgard. The purples, pinks, and pale blues slashed across the sky were breathtakingly beautiful. Just by looking at the sky Darcy knew that it was true: she had left Earth, and met the man responsible for almost destroying New York.
Just as Darcy's mind was drifting to thoughts of Thor's brother, the blonde god himself stepped out onto the Balcony behind her.
"Lady Darcy, are you well?" Thor asked concerned.
Darcy smiled a lopsided grin. Thor would always attach the Lady to her name, even if anyone who knew her would insist that she was anything but a Lady. A part of Darcy enjoyed being addressed as such, it made her feel special. Every woman deserved their own Asgardian prince. Really they should sell them in stores, give them away to girls at their coming of age parties. Darcy was willing to bet that there wasn't a single woman in Asgard with low self-esteem issues.
"As well as a candle stick can be bud." Darcy answered embracing herself and rubbing her arms as if she was cold even though she was anything but.
Thor walked to stand beside her and stare out over the garden. "From the state of my brother's chamber and his hateful looks, I surmise that you did not gleam the knowledge you wished."
Darcy glanced from Thor to her hands on the lip of the banister and the dark char marks she was leaving there.
"He might not have been a joy to be around, but he did tell me some stuff about what I am, but I'm not sure if he made it up or not. He is the God of Lies after all isn't he?" Darcy began to fidget nervously, not sure if she should tell Thor about Loki's little instant obsession with her.
"My brother does not lie all of the time. When we were but children, I often would find my brother alone staring up at the night sky after a day of training where I bested him yet again. I would ask him why he spent long hours searching the sky, since it does not change much over the course of many centuries." Thor paused and Darcy turned to look at him.
The wistful dazed look on Thor's face told Darcy that the blonde Asgardian had lost himself in a fond memory. Darcy admired Thor's handsome visage as he smiled warmly deep in thought.
"What did he say?" Darcy asked, wondering if Thor would even respond after minutes began to tick by in silence.
"Many times Loki refused me an answer, until one night after a day in training when my brother managed to best me with his magic. That night Loki felt himself in high spirits and humored me. He spoke of waiting, waiting for his fiery maiden to fall from the sky. She would be beautiful, her body would speak of the bounties of the universe and a crown of flame would adorn her head." Thor's eyes met Darcy's and he stared at her in confusion furrowing his blonde brows, before his face settled into a look of regret.
"I may have made a grave mistake bringing you before my brother. In Loki's state of madness he is more dangerous and unpredictable than anyone could have ever imagined. My brother behaved as if a man enamored and bewitched in your presence. I wanted to think his behavior normal after being without the warmth of a woman in so long a time in his imprisonment, but I know the look my brother gave you Lady Darcy. Loki is fascinated by you. You are like a book unread, a treasure undiscovered, a mystery unsolved. When Loki is fascinated, he does not leave the objects of his interest to be."
Darcy squeezed her hands into tight fist when they began to tremble slightly. "But he's locked up right?" Darcy asked feeling the mask of calm bravado slip away completely.
"I spoke to you of the guards that Loki drove to madness without needing to touch them. Loki need not escape his prison to harm you Lady Darcy. You need but be in his presence for a day and he will delve into the very essence that makes you who you are. He will gleam your weaknesses, your strengths and find out which way is best to hurt you. My brother craves a distraction in his madness, and the guards have proved unfitting. Mother, father, and I know him too well to be easily swayed by him." Thor reached out to place a warm hand over Darcy's trembling fist but faltered.
"I a-appreciate the offer of comfort big guy, but I'm sure Jane would kill me if I fricasseed her boyfriend." Darcy tried to make her voice sound careful and joking but it only came out as shaky as her hands.
Thor his body to face Darcy, giving her a small smile, and she knew that he was about to give her an 'everything will get better speech'.
"You cannot harm me Lady Darcy for I am Thor, son of Odin and God of Thunder." Thor gave Darcy a hopeful smile.
It was kind of impossible to stay frowning in the presence of a grinning Thor there was something magnetic about his personality. If Thor believed that there was sunshine beyond a canyon of trash and a dark stormy sky, anyone else could easily believe it. Thor's confidence, cockiness, strength and warmth were reassuring.
Darcy half-heartedly smiled as she turned to face him, pulling her dragon covering tightly around her. "I really wish I could hug you right now. I seriously need a hug right now and my Ipod" Darcy's eyes widened in horror as she exclaimed "Son-of- a motherfucking bitch!"
"What ails you Lady Darcy?" Thor asked concerned, glancing around momentarily as if an enemy could be hidden in the shadows of the balcony.
"I need to go to sleep right now." Darcy said suddenly, the fire encasing her seemed to burn brighter and higher as her anger increased.
Thor looked comically confused.
Darcy began to pace in the small space, before stopping and quickly bringing her right hand up to her face. For the first time since she had awoken she noticed her grandfather's ring on her finger. Sending the object a hateful glare Darcy began to talk to it.
"You may be my great-grandfather and I am trying, gods how I am trying not to use all of the cuss words I know against you right now. Do you know what you have done to me, besides turn my life into an X-Files episode? I will never be able to use my mother-bleeping freaking Ipod again. The one piece of technology besides my Taser and vibrator that brought me joy! I don't care how much my grandfather loved you… he never even met you…you have made it onto my Shi- I mean Crap list. I will go to sleep and when I do I will do whatever hocus pocus mumbo jumbo you did and give you a piece of my mind!"
Darcy took deep calming breaths.
"What transpires here?"
Darcy looked up from her ring to find her yelling had gained her an audience of not only the warrior three brandishing their weapons but a few other's she did not recognize who looked at her in a mixture of wonder and suspiciousness before glancing to a stunned Thor, who from the look on his face must be thinking that Darcy had finally flipped her lid and caught a one way trip to the nut farm. The crowd maintained a wide berth between the heat of Darcy's body and themselves.
