REMINDER: Pay attention to the title and name of each chapter! They give away small hints and important notes of each chapter itself.

Chapter 6: Your Turn

Loki was the most interesting person I had ever met.

He may be some strange, foreign man from another planet that also had anger issues…but I couldn't help feeling excited. I wanted to know everything. My mind was a sponge that thirsted after new knowledge and I couldn't stop asking him questions even as we ate breakfast.

And he liked science.

I loved science. No one in my life understood how my mind craved the knowledge found in medical journals and my worn copy of Gray's Anatomy. He had said that the medical book one of his people wrote while on Earth was a good read for him. Inquiring further, Loki revealed that he knew medical terminology quite well. Not holding back, I felt free to speak my mind. I had feared that all of my questioning would only irritate him—I still had no idea what set him off. Yet, he seemed eager and willing enough to answer them for me.

And he was the one asking all the questions now.

"What do you do, Laurel? You mentioned schooling beforehand, but what more?" his cool, soft voice purred. Since I was now skipping school and Loki was new to the area, we were currently walking around town. I was showing him where everything was, not knowing his long term plans for his stay here on Earth—er, Midgard. I didn't even know if he had any long term plans.

I tilted my head to the side as I answered. "I'm still in my last year of high school, but I'm allowed to start college early. I'm taking some training classes for the profession I want—basics, really, but I'm excited. I want to work in a hospital lab—to draw blood and run tests, help the doctors out, and wear a lab coat all day. I don't know why…but I'd rather work behind the scenes in the hospital than actually be a doctor. So lab work sounds perfect for me."

Loki nodded, seemingly pleased with that answer. "You sound quite intelligent compared to others your age."

I shrugged, "I suppose so. But I'm nothing extraordinary. I don't have any special talents.. I can't sing, dance, paint, or play any sports. I'm not even that well rounded in academics, really. It's just science that I like. Well, that and reading. I love to read."

"As do I," he agreed with a curt nod. Then smiling as if he already knew the answer, he asked, "How old are you, Laurel?"

"Seventeen. I'm a minor here, so we have rules. I can't drink alcohol under the age of twenty-one. I just got my license to drive a car—you have to be a certain age for that, too. I can't vote for the President until I am eighteen. It's crazy, really. I can't wait until I get older. Sometimes I actually feel like an adult trapped in a teenager's body," I laughed.

Loki looked at me inquisitively, asking, "What do you mean?"

I looked away from his prying, emerald eyes, and around at the coffee shop to my right. I easily spotted Loki's tall reflection towering over mine in the glass window pane. "I have this feeling that my life is supposed to be better than it currently is. I have all these goals pictured in my mind and they're just within reach…but I'm a few years too young for them to actually come true just yet. I still need to graduate high school and then college. It's difficult because I'm stuck in the stage between a teenager and a young adult. I can't quite do anything on my own, right now. But I'm so close to them." I sighed, "It's frustrating!"

"It does sound utterly exasperating," he agreed. I had a strong feeling that he was in the same boat as me. "And what are those goals? What is it that you so desperately crave, Laurel?" Loki asked, slowing down his pace. Our walk halted in front of a bookstore.

Biting my bottom lip, I murmured, "I don't want to be average. My friends are already getting pregnant—having kids and marrying their boyfriends. We're still teenagers for crying out loud! It's like they're in a rush to grow up, just like I am. But my friends and I have different mindsets of what being an adult actually is. I don't want to have any children. Ever. And marrying someone will come along if I'm meant to do that. But what I really want is to get straight onto working on my career. I want to buy my own house…even if I'll be living by myself. I want a big greenhouse full of plants—and a fireplace to read by in the winter. Just all these crazy, simplistic goals that everyone around me seems to brush off. Nobody seems to understand that I don't want to be a mother or the perfect housewife, like they do. I don't want to feel…"

"Trapped," Loki finished.

I tore my eyes away from the store window to stare back at him with a look of surprise. His features held understanding and sadness. His dark hair fell in front of his face, casting it into shadow, and I could have sworn that his eyes turned much darker.

"Yes," I nodded quietly.

Looking up at the sky, I couldn't help but wonder if Loki was just like me in a way. Perhaps he too had some goals that were just within his reach, but they weren't close enough to grasp right now. Sometimes that's one of the most difficult aspects of life—seeing what you want and not being able to actually achieve it due to current circumstances.

"Do you want to browse the books?" I suddenly asked him, wanting to change the subject. He nodded, eyes returning to their normal appearance, and we headed inside the bookstore together.

XXX

Laurel surprised me more as the day went by.

She had a mind like no other maiden of Asgard. She wasn't a sniveling, nagging woman like the ones I took into my bedchamber. She peaked my interest more and more.

And she was the opposite of Sigyn.

Sigyn didn't care for an occupation or work of any kind. She only wanted large banquets and lavish parties, then a boorish life as a housewife to follow. Sigyn was also very interested in having a household full of children. She didn't want an education and she definitely didn't care much for literature and novels, either. All of these things she made sure to tell me as we lay in bed together after coupling.

As if I cared what Sigyn wanted. Sure, she was a companion to me. But I had no interest on her life once she left my presence. She could do whatever she pleased as long as she didn't drag me into her sub par lifestyle with her. I, on the other hand, was destined for greatness.

I was burdened with glorious purpose.

But Laurel, she wanted a quiet life outside of her social normalcy. She wanted to focus on a professional job working in the medical field. A house to herself—one with a greenhouse and a fireplace. I could give her all of those things. She would work with our best healers and have access to my private library, a grand fireplace that touched the vast ceiling of our home, and a garden to shame all others. When I took her to Asgard, I would make sure to it.

She very much so, picked at the corners of my mind.

I wondered just how great of a king I could be with her at my side. Laurel was smart. She could give me advice and wisdom with my rulings. She would be in charge of certain tasks in the castle that I couldn't entrust to anyone else. I could already picture how powerful we could be joined together.

Father would see that I was fit for the throne this way, surely. All of Asgard would kneel before me.

Laurel suggested we enter the bookstore and I agreed. Perhaps these pathetic Midgardians had some quality literature hidden in here somewhere.

Together we browsed the shelves while idly chatting. We talked about Laurel's school and my magic lessons as an adolescent, whispering lowly so no one else could hear. Laurel did surprisingly well, taking in all the information I bestowed upon her. Just hours ago she refused to believe me. I could still sense her hesitation every so often. Like a whiff of a gentle perfume, I would catch her slight feelings of apprehension. Rightfully so, that she should not trust me wholly. I was The God of—

"—Lies and Mischief?" Laurel slowly spoke, reading a page out of a book. I snapped my head around to see that she held a book of Norse mythology in her pale, tiny hands. I strode closer, peering over her shoulder to see the pages she currently studied.

'Loki Odinson: The God of Lies and Mischief' was the current chapter name. The first page had a drawing of my signature helmet at the top next to the chapter's title. Laurel laughed gently and smiled, reading paragraph after paragraph.

"Is this true? Are you the most troublesome between you and your brother? There's a section on him, too. And your father! It says here that you use spells and charms to wreak havoc in your household," she teased. I frowned, not amused by the colorful green and gold vine-like patterns on the page and words that hit so closely to truth.

I had visited Midgard on rare occasion in the past with Father and our people had incidentally fallen into the Mythology of mortals. We were revered as gods, that I knew, but I had no idea that a simple Midgardian fairytale book here in front of me would contain pages about myself.

"Put that down," I hissed. "That was written many, many years ago by foolish men that have all since died of old age and war."

Laurel's smile diminished slightly as she tried to contain it, but humor shone in her eyes. I growled lowly and took the book from her hand, placing it on top of the highest shelf and out of her reach. She frowned and jumped up to attempt to reach it. She was a foot shorter than me, but she came dangerously close to having her fingertips brush against the spine of the book. Sighing, I waved my hand and the book vanished. Laurel's eyes grew wide in surprise, and the book reappeared on top of the actual bookcase itself. Now it was hidden and left to gather the dust that would surely accumulate in no time. Nobody could reach it there.

"Now then. Do not read such childish and trivial things," I ordered.

She scowled at me and continued down the hall to browse the isles some more. Cursing lowly under my breath, I hoped that she didn't read about how Father greatly favored Thor. Of how 'brave and mighty Thor, The God of Thunder' was compared to a 'silly trickster, Loki, The God of Lies and Mischief'. The books were wrong. Everyone was wrong. Asgard would see my wrath and all would kneel under the weight of my power. Simple minded creatures, all of them!

In my frustration, I had hit one of the tall bookcases. A handful of books tumbled off of the shelves, landing at my feet.

Cursing in rage, I waved my hand over the books to magically transport them back on the shelf quickly. But, before I did, my eyes caught the title of another mythology book. 'The Chitauri' it read.

A wide, wicked smile crept over my face. This book, this, would be the undoing of Thor's future rule. This was my revenge. I remembered learning about them—reading scrolls in the library, but had long since forgotten. I would make an alliance with them.

But it would take time to plan out carefully. I had to build up their trust. The Chitauri leader could be a distrustful and ruthless creature. I would have to prove myself to them, pledging allegiance.

It could take months.

I had to get started immediately. I would need to leave Laurel soon, tonight, perhaps. Negotiations with the Chitauri could be dangerous for Laurel, so I couldn't take her with me. She would evidently be safer here on Midgard while I left to prepare. I would return in due time, victorious, and take her with me.

I could use my skillful magic to transport between the realms. Heimdall could not sense those actions, even with his gift of sight. I had learned over the years how to cloak myself and others from his eyes. Leading the Jotuns into Asgard to disrupt Thor's coronation had been one successful attempt. I could do it again.

After our afternoon together, we headed back to Laurel's home. We continued to talk and exchange information about our realms. I wanted to know as much about her as I could in these last few hours together. I would leave tomorrow morning and, although I was eager to start my next journey, I didn't want to leave her. Laurel still had one foot in the age of a child and the other had her entering womanhood. I felt no romantic feelings for her. Yet, as my future queen, I cared for her. She intrigued me so and I found myself wondering what she would be like by the time my plan came to fruition.

Laurel's mother wouldn't arrive home until late tonight, according to Laurel herself. We spent the rest of the day discussing education, literature, and many more topics then she made dinner for the two of us.

Being as there was no place for me to sleep tonight, Laurel graciously offered to share her quarters with me. I purposely didn't mention to her the fact that I had enough power to go into town and threaten someone to let me board in their home for free. I wanted to be close to her. I had not an idea as to when the next time we would meet would be.

Stripping out of my 'borrowed' shirt from earlier, I sat down on the left side of her bed and awaited her return from the restroom. She stepped into the room, carrying her old clothing in hand, now wearing her pajama shorts and a t-shirt. She was blushing at my state of partial undress as she approached the bed.

"If you try any funny business, I'll scream loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. The cops will be called in no time," she mumbled half jokingly.

I smiled back at her, studying her features one last time. I would leave early in the morning and be gone long before she awoke. This was the last time that we would speak to each other for now.

My eyes took in the graceful arch of her neck, her round lips, and her light grey irises. Her soft and youthful cheeks were pale and lovely. Her long, dark hair stopped just below her breasts. Laurel was short, five foot…three inches by my guess, and slight of build. She was still so young. More of a princess than a queen as of now. Her body had small curves and I guessed that she would gain a bit more by her early twenties.

I memorized as much of her as possible.

"Goodnight, Loki," she yawned as she climbed in the other side of the bed.

"Goodnight, Laurel."

XXX

As I walked through the woods, I remembered that Laurel's front door was still broken. I chuckled softly to myself, picturing how shocked she would be when she found out. Or perhaps her mother would find it first. Either way, I hoped that she'd forgive me.

Appearing at the original sight of my arrival, I searched the grounds. After fifteen minutes, I managed to find what I was hoping to discover: a piece of shrapnel from my armor. A tiny shard that was bent and mangled as I fell through the planes of space. It had fallen to earth with me.

I held it in the palm of my hand to study it. It was mostly golden, but bits and pieces of it held the emerald designs as well. Closing my eyes, I used my powers to instantly teleport it onto Laurel's bedside table. She'd have a small token to remember me by until my return.

With one last breath, I prepared to enter the Chitauri's realm.

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