Sorry, I have had this written for days, but never got to type it. I chose a few of what are deemed "High Brow" books to reference in this (of course with the obligatory Shakespeare mention) Also I referenced the "Three Higher realms" I got that from a sketch of the Yggdrasil Tree of realms that explains the realms, referenced in the First Thor movie.
Loki paced his rooms in frustration, the girl had struck a nerve, but it was clear from her reaction that she had no idea why. Frigga had always warned him not to assume so much, it only ever led to misunderstanding. She had been right, but that was nothing new, she was seldom ever wrong. He swallowed hard, thinking of the song he had heard Lagertha humming as she tended to her work, Frigga often did the same when she tended to her gardens. He had long forgotten it until his legs carried him towards the kitchens. Hearing it only made him all the more curious about the girl. She was half Vanir, which was nothing unusual; Vanaheim and Asgard were close allies.
A knock on the door surprised him somewhat. He looked to the clock on the wall and noted it was not a specified meal time. Curious, he made his way to the door, expecting to see some sort of meal awaiting him on the small table as usual. When he opened the door however, he almost collided with something. Looking down, he was met by a slightly startled Lagertha.
"Pie?" She smiled nervously, holding up a baking dish. The smell from it caused the prince to groan. "It's as good as it smells, I assure you." She grinned a little wider.
"You usually just leave it on the table." He indicated to the usual spot.
Lagertha's smile faltered. "I wished to apologise." She swallowed nervously.
"Apologise? What have you to apologise for?" Loki frowned in confusion.
"I clearly upset you somewhat with my comments earlier." Loki swallowed. "Your reaction now again tells me that I am right. I am sorry, I did not mean to…"
"Enough." She silenced immediately, looking fearfully at him. "You did nothing to warrant my behaviour towards you. I am afraid I should take my mother's advice and cease to assume everything to be a comment on me."
"So it was about her?" He cocked his head slightly and frowned again. "I assumed it was something to do with your mother."
"Not exactly, you should also take her advice and not assume." He chuckled before becoming sombre once more and sighing. "I have little doubt you have been wondering as to my appearance." Lagertha remained silent, her intrigue as to such had been growing, and she was curious as to the explanation for it. Taking another deep breath, he stared to a far wall before speaking again. "I am not the son of Odin and Frigga." He admitted shakily.
Lagertha's eyes widened. "But Jötnar are giants, we call them Frost Giants, so that means they are far taller than us."
Loki looked down at her in disbelief that her only reaction was to argue his height as a Frost Giant as opposed to being disgusted by the information. "Are you not frightened?"
"Of what? You? Why would I be? If you wished to harm me, surely you would have done so by now. You have not given me much reason to, since of course that first night."
"Why? Why are you not terrified? Why are you not repulsed?" He felt as though he needed to know.
"You are not repulsive." She shrugged.
"That does not explain it." He barked in frustration.
"Why not? You are trying to tell me why I am not afraid, what makes you think you know?" she challenged. "So that is why you snapped at me, you thought I was referring to you." She started to laugh. "My goodness, you are very narcissistic aren't you?" Loki stared back in stunned silence as she took a deep breath to try and calm herself.
"It is not the least bit amusing, cease laughing." He growled; it only set her off once more. Loki just glared at her in bemusement.
"Okay, okay, I shall try." She giggled. "You should eat the pie before it goes cold."
"Thank you, it looks…" Loki groaned in pleasure as he tasted the dessert.
"It's not too hot is it?" Lagertha asked in concern. "I mean, do you find food hotter now? Would you prefer that I cool it more before bringing it to you?"
Loki swallowed the pie looking at Lagertha. "It's the same as before." He stated plainly.
Lagertha took but a moment to study his face before gritting her teeth and turning to leave. "Fine, I just thought I would ask so to make life easier. But what else was I expecting when having a discussion with the God of Lies?" Her hands in the air in exasperation.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Loki growled back, forcing her to remain still using his seidr.
"You are lying. When I asked you was the food too hot, you lied to me." She explained coldly, irritated that he had forced her to stay put. Loki stared at her in disbelief. "I am not as stupid as you think me to be."
"Clearly you are more intelligent than most, only my mother ever saw through my lies with that ease." He commended, he released her again and she remained still.
"So why lie?"
"I did not wish for you to put yourself out. Leaving the food for a small while is no great issue." He shrugged.
"Exactly, that is why I offered." She scowled.
"Are you always so temperamental?" Loki questioned in annoyance.
"Asks the God of Volatile Moods." She countered.
"You can be irritating, are you aware?"
"Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing." She smiled back sarcastically.
Loki chuckled. "What book were you reading earlier?" Lagertha stared back at him. "I saw you arguing with your hair while trying to read a book outside. May I inquire as to what book it was?"
"War and Peace. It's Midgardian. Do you know it?"
"Why would you be reading that?"
"Because I read everything worthwhile that is Aesir and Vanir, so then I began to read Midgardian writings. I liked Ulysses and the works of one Shakespeare, but overall they do not really compare to Aesir literature."
"If you prefer such works, surely you should have continued by reading the works of Svartalfheim, it is the third of the higher realms."
"Because not all of us are so privileged as to have been raised with access to such rare literary works." Lagertha laughed at her own attempts of using a courtier's accent, it increased more when Loki glared back in bemusement.
"Aren't you quite the little jester?"
"I thought of all people, the God of Mischief would be capable of seeing the fun in such things."
"I have been less inclined toward such of late."
"Why, you should be embracing it more now that you have been feeling a little blue?" Lagertha clasped both her hands over her mouth as soon as she said it. "Your Highness, please, forgive me. I meant it only as a turn of phase, not because of your…please, I meant no disrespect." She found herself shaking fearfully at how Loki would take her words.
Loki opened his mouth to respond when suddenly a flash of lightning lit up the room, followed closely by a roar of thunder. Lagertha jumped and backed up against Loki, looking around in terror. "Oh goodie." Loki groaned sarcastically with a grimace on his face.
"What?" Lagertha turned to look at him,
"LOKI!"
Lagertha shook as the loud voice bellowed through the palace, which seemed to be shaking with the ferocity of the storm. She curled in close to Loki as she heard loud foot falls coming toward the room they were occupying, it comforted her as she felt his arm wrap around her waist.
The door burst open and Lagertha leant her head in against Loki's chest. "What is going on here?" The newcomer's voice sounded, deep and resounding.
"It appears you just stormed into the palace without reason." Loki responded coolly.
"Do not play games with me brother, I just had one of the nearby village governors Æðelstan barge into my chambers stating you have taken his daughter to keep as your slave and that you are torturing her."
"I have not laid one finger on the girl." Loki snarled back.
"Prove such."
"You witless imbecile, if I were in any way harming her; explain why it is she is seeking my protection from you and not the other way around."
Thor looked stunned to his brother's side to see the truth in his words. Lagertha peeked out to see the young blonde haired king of the Aesir looking down on her studiously. "If such is true, then you will have no issue with me speaking with her in private." Thor challenged, eyeing Loki carefully to gauge his reaction.
"That is for her to permit." Loki looked down at Lagertha, but noticed rather than going towards Thor, she seemed to clutch his tunic tighter. "She does not seem too willing."
"Do not toy with me Loki, court is less than pleased at your antics, and it is only because I myself came here that you are not yet in chains." Loki bared his teeth at Thor's words.
"No!" Lagertha cried in horror at what was being said. As though trying to grasp at an opportunity, Thor stepped forward and grabbed Lagertha's arm, pulling her forcefully away from Loki. Lagertha fought, trying to use her nails to force Thor to release his grip as she pulled back towards the Jötunn prince. "Let go of me."
"You heard her." Loki took a step forward and went to grab Thor's forearm to help force him to let go right at the same time as Lagertha did. As Loki's skin touched hers, Lagertha shrieked in agony, Loki drew his hand back and watched in horror as the skin of her forearm burnt black with frost bite.