Before you start reading this chapter… The original story was written in German language and I have to thank a certain person for translating it… Thanks a lot, Frozen… She did a great job, don´t you think? Saubere Arbeit, Süße! Danke dafür!

Innocently guilty?

Somewhat helpless I sit down on the narrow bed, which is not really comfortable, and I try to get some order in the events of the past hours. I fail miserably. I can't get any order into my closet, why should I succeed now? I am somewhere, where I'm not supposed to be, sitting in a cell, across the hall sits an obviously very confused man, who thinks he is a prince with a dumb name. And he shoots one mean look after another at me, but they don't impress me in any way. Why should they? As long he stays where he is, safe and sound in his own cell, everything's fine.

'You are by far the most impertinent creature that I have ever laid eyes on' he suddenly starts swearing. I yawn. It's not the first time that I hear this fact and I'm sure it won't be the last. 'There is always a first time, Mr. Prince.' I grin at him and I can see how he nearly explodes on the inside. Hm, such things give me so much joy. 'Apparently you do not know to whom you speak.' Yes, to Loki Laufeyson.

'It's the same with you. You still don't know my name.' Crossed arms in front of my chest I raise an eyebrow. As if he was the only one who could show off. 'You... You...' The prince is angry. He's searching for words. I have some creative suggestions, that I keep to myself. At least he doesn't wear a stupid helmet.

'I could step on you and crush you like an ant, you know that? I am the boot, you are the ant' he hisses. Oh, he threatens me. I think I will suffer from a horrible conniption.

'Yeah, sure. I begin to understand, why YOU are locked up here, Mr. Prince. But a really nice speech you held there.' Acknowledging I nod in his direction and grin even more. This is really funny. 'If I was not locked up here you would kneel humbly before me!'

Okay, that's enough, I have to laugh. Until the tears run down my face, my stomach hurts and I have to pee. If I get home again, I will get an appointment to an urologist, it can't be normal I have to pee so much. 'I would? Really? And then?' I chuckle and wait for his answer.

'You would serve me how it is allotted to you.' Damn it, he can talk. Good Lord! I'd like to discuss him under the table while having a glass of red wine. Or whatever it is they are drinking here, essential is, that it contains alcohol. Hell, where am I..?

'You mock me, right?' At least the master of rhetoric's is nobody's fool. 'A little', I smile sweetly and innocently, a smile I had to train hard for. Years of experience thanks to my job. I work in retail, where smiles are standard configurations to stand against idiots known as customers.

He's fixing his eyes on me while I'm still smiling. I've got a lot of insight into human nature thanks to my job and this guy over there is torn up by self-doubts, paired with self-pity and anger. Pretty fatal mix, which can destroy everything for you in an instant. Especially when one has much time to contemplate.

'Incredible, this mortal is mocking me. That's happening to me. To ME!' The prince jabbers angrily to himself and I think I won't get much sleep tonight. Tomorrow I will complain extensively to whoever is responsible here. Lousy service, lousy guests and background noises nearly not bearable.

'My god, calm down. It's not really good for ones nerves to get upset like that.' 'What did you call me? God? This is a dangerous game you are playing with me, bint! Because I am a god. The god of Lies and Mischief.'

'Oh, yeah sure. I am Pippi Longstocking, when I'm not working undercover as nuisance.' The divine prince raises his eyebrowes and frowns. 'Undercover? So you are a spy?' Okay, hi IS stupid. Or maybe he has no sense of humor. Shouldn't the God of Lies realize when he's lied to?

'You will tell me instantly what your name is and where you are from. Otherwise...' Otherwise what? He will continue over texting me? Shoot angry looks to entertain me marvelously? 'Nope.' Again I grin. What can he possibly do to me?

I get an answer to my question quicker than I prefer. A strange, dull feeling spreads in my head, his voice is whispering, telling me to say my name though his lips are not moving. He's doing hocus-pocus! He's cheating, he really can do magic. Oh dear Lord, I guess he's not just thinking, that he's the God of Mischief, he really seems to be something of that kind. But I am a pig head and answer in my thoughts: 'My name is Rumpelstiltskin and I want to have your first born.'

The dull feeling vanishes as sudden as it came and I sigh with relief. 'Impossible! You cannot deprive my thought's control, you are a woman.' Oooh, what kind of macho attitude is this? Is he crazy? I can show him woman if he wants! Really.

'You're really and absolutely annoying, Loki Laufeyson' I roll my eyes and glance enviously at his huge pile of books, which is towering in his cell. I want a book now, too. No, I want two. A huge one where I can hide behind and a thick one, that I can throw at this Loki. With enough strenght I might even break this strange mesh of energy. I don't have any books, I'm not good at aiming and my feet are ice cold, despite the warm socks. Pretty sure this will get me a cystitis.

'I can see how you cudgel your brain, you are a really peculiar woman.' I don't want to disappoint him, but it's not the first time hearing this and I don't care. I'm really like Pippi Lonkstocking, I do what I like without caring about what others might think. 'So you really are a god? Why are you locked up then? Are you a bad god?' to be honest I'm really curious, who he is and what he did to end up here.

'I am a trickster. You really do not know who I am, do you? So you have to be from Midgard. Only there people are this witless.' Another place I have no clue about. My GPS neither, I guess, but I think this is more a name for the earth. The penny is beginning to drop, that I am seriously in another world and the jailbird over there really is a kind of a god.

'A trickster? Someone, who wants to do good while damaging a lot simultaneously?' Don't ask me, why I know that suddenly. I've never heard the word 'trickster'. Loki doesn't seem to bother, he keeps on talking cheerfully, 'I was badly betrayed, lied to, deceived and misunderstood. It has been like this since I was a child.'

Oh no, not again a jerk who blames everything little bad thing happening to him on his miserable childhood. 'There are a lot of these guys in my world also. And they don't end up in jail. At least not a lot of them.' 'Your world seems to differ a lot from mine. I was lied to and used by the man I called my father. Odin. And I did everything to please him.' ODIN rings a bell. I know him: big boss of the gods, many glorious battles. God's stuff. And Loki has daddy issues. Seems to be my fate to always meet guys with terrible pasts, originating in dysfunctional environments. Guys with divorced parents, or only one parent left. I am the light and they are the moths.

'So you are here completely innocent like me?', I want to know. He nods tiresome. Sure, we are all innocent and wearing halos. Mine is in flames, if you want to know. And this has nothing to do with my terrible childhood. 'How long have you been locked up here?' As an answer he just shrugs his shoulders, which he repeats to my question for how long he has to stay. Maybe they even forgot him down here? I would understand that, the lad is annoying. But he looks good. But if that compensates I don't know.

I want to ask another question when it suddenly starts to get loud. I hear footsteps, a mutter of voices, the clanking noise of iron and steel. A completely watch squad enters the prison, led by a huge, blond man. He is unshaved, heavily muscled and wears an armour and kind of a cape. Okay, he seems to be one of them responsible. Loki gets restless and tense by the sight of this hulk, despite his smile. It is a fake smile, not reaching his eyes. 'Thor' he says coldly.

The giant examines dark haired Loki from head to toe, nods shortly and then turns to me. 'So this is the allegedly traitor?' He speaks of me. God, that guy is so huge and broad, I guess I won't even reach his nipples. 'As I said all the time, I just wanted to go to the toilet.'

'You talk to me uncalled?' I sigh. This fuss bugs me. First Loki, now this giant here. Loki mutters something under his breath and chuckles faintly, apparently he has some fun. 'Be quiet, Loki. You have said and done enough. We finally repaired the Bifrost.' Bifrost?

'It's called Bofrost' I correct the big man uncalled. 'Bofrost?' he repeats leery. 'Bofrost, not Bifrost. They deliver frosted stuff home to you.' I don't think, that they have Bofrost here and Bifrost seems to be something else entirely. Loki's eyes are filled with tears and he makes strange, chortled noises. He definitely has way more fun than I do, but blondie's face is priceless. Completely uncomprehending. 'Seemingly you are not from Asgard.' 'No, Thor, she is definitely not from this world' Loki explains jolly.

'As if I do not have enough problems. Who are you and where are you from? Go on, answer me, woman!' This Thor-guy is as rude as the rest of those people here. 'I don't say anything without advocate. Period.' 'Advocate? Obviously Midgard. I do not have time for this. Outside is an impediment of captives waiting and I have to accommodate them here. Loki, I am sorry, but you will have to share your cell. When you start to manipulate her, I will put you in chains and gag you.'

'No way!', we shout synchronically. I don't want to come near him. This won't end good, I fear. But what does Thor-guy mean by chains and gag? Is this some Sado Maso club? 'No contradictions. From neither of you. Guards, bring this woman into Loki's cell, put a second bed in there and lock up the others.'

Quickly his soldiers are moving. Two of them are dragging a bed, one has an eye on Loki, Thor is standing in the hallway organizing everything. He is dirty and smells like man's sweat and blood. Much of it sticks to his forearms, which are thicker than my legs. A soldier opens my door and gestures me with a very strict expression to follow him. I shake my head and cross my arms in front of my chest. That's enough, I just want to go home. No sitting in a cell with a god of whatever, no discussing with some warriors if it is called Bifrost or Bofrost. The soldier looks baffled at Thor.

Thor rolls his eyes, enters my cell, grabs and throws me over his shoulder and carries me towards Loki's cell. 'Hey! You idiot! Let me go! Hey!" I struggle and curse, but it doesn't help. Not until we are in Loki's cell. 'Have fun with her, brother.' Brother? They are brothers? But they definitely don't share the same father. There is no DNA test needed.

'Don't leave me alone with this guy' I complain, while the soldiers and Thor are leaving the cell and ignoring me. Great. Haven't I said earlier, that my problems will get even bigger? I am used to being right, but this time I could've gone without it. Voluntarily.

But as I saw what they locked up in my former cell, I am quite glad that I ended up with Loki. The new inmate is nearly three meters tall, has scales and horns and he smells pretty bad. Aside from that he's drooling and he eats raw meat. 'Bilgesnipe leg' Loki explains quietly. Luckily someone darkens the mesh of energy so I don't have to watch this strange creature anymore. There's only a smooth, black screen now. And smacking noises, followed by a belch and a tremendous fart. At least ventilation works here.

I deny myself the question what a bilgesnipe is. I fear I'd get an answer that left me even more confused. Apropos food, my stomach's growling. I take an apple and bite into it. I'm surprised. It is so sweet and juicy and intense like I've never experienced before. Well, at least catering is good. But I don't know about the company. Will it work? At least now I can throw books at him when he gets annoying, which will happen pretty soon. And I'm not intending to avoid it. That's not my style.