Disclaimer: I own NOTHING you may recognize from the MCU or Marvel comics. Just Murielle...and her OC's.
Chapter VII
Despite what anyone would say after, Loki had been waiting for her. Their conversation from earlier, combined with what he'd overheard in the hallway, had made him very desirous to speak with her. He had been thoroughly educated on what he now assumed was the High Elven culture, and Murielle could share so much more information if he could find a way to talk to her. She'd been absent at lunch, much to his dismay, but it had given him a chance to observe the other elves. Unfortunately, he found them to be all very much the same as every other Kentonmen arrival. The group he'd overheard earlier were obviously the most elite of them all. They wore light colors, but for the ladies the cuts were all very Asgardian. He was not surprised to find that many had chosen to blend in, as if they were saying that they were prepared to stay here if they were chosen.
It wasn't long before dinner was to be served that the half-elf had arrived, and with her maid no less. After a few brief words between the two of them, Murielle gave a very sad look and watched as her maid left the room. It wasn't hard to see that she'd been recognized but ignored. The other elves always seemed to be carefully aware of her presence but always made sure that she wasn't to be acknowledged. It was a feeling he knew quite well.
He stepped away from the wall he'd been occupying and made his way over to her. She had changed from her earlier grey gown into an evening gown of deep blue. While the dress bespoke her heritage, the color was what was striking. Deep jewel tones often were a sign of noble birth, and he couldn't help but wonder himself over who her parents actually were. It was probably in the archives somewhere and if he searched carefully, he could discover the truth.
"How was the reading?" He asked, coming to stand just beside her.
Murielle jumped slightly, as if jolted from an inner thought. When she looked at him her expression changed from puzzlement to recognition to irritation in a flash.
"Very well, Your Highness," she replied, curtly. "I look forward to continuing my readings after the evening's festivities."
Loki chuckled. "Well fortunately you only have this formal dinner and then dancing. Many will disperse afterwards and follow my elder brother and his friends on their merrymaking way."
Murielle shook her head. "Such formality reminds me of the High Countree dinners. If they're anything like the dinners we had at school that is."
"And what sort of merriment happens in your Countree, my lady."
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips but she remained silent.
"A smile!" He exclaimed. "Small and barely noticed but still there. Please, I must know your thoughts!"
A laugh escaped her then and he was struck strongly with the urge to hear it again.
"I was thinking that Thyscarian celebrations are very different from this formal dinner being prepared. I can imagine it's almost like your elder brother's drunken nights, though with a bit more reverence and coherence."
"I should like to see this."
"It's impossible. My countree doesn't look kindly upon outsiders who come to view us only as a spectacle. To truly participate and enjoy what my home has to offer, you'd have to be a citizen of it."
A bell was rung and everyone began moving to find seats for dinner. Loki noticed that Murielle hesitated, and watched as she fidgeted nervously with her hands. Smiling, he extended a hand towards her and offered her his most courteous bow.
"Would you care to join me for dinner, my lady?" He asked, looking down into her eyes, which reflected the surrounding candlelight.
"So courteous, Your Highness! This is so very different from the prince I met earlier."
Loki bristled under her words and looked at her apologetically. "I am sorry for how I acted. I'm not used to carrying conversations with elves."
"Well, I can assure you that if you treat me with such dignity and I shall lose all respect for you!" She honored him with another laughter before placing her delicate fingers in his hand.
"Then I shall tease and vex you until you depart this realm." He led her over to a place next to him at the royal family table. There were whispers, but Loki caught the approving glance in his mother's eyes and chose to not care about what other people thought. Murielle was something of a fascination and he wanted to learn all of her secrets before she left. If he was lucky…she would stay.
The family table was more of a half circle with the Allfather and Allmother at the head, Thor to Odin's right and Loki to Frigga's left. Murielle took the seat on Loki's left and Saida took the seat beside Thor. He would have been blind to have missed the look of animosity that Saida shot to the half-elf, but despite wanting to know more about his dinner companion, he was curious to see what, if anything, would transpire between these two before the night was over.
"My son was just telling me that you're used to something with a bit more entertainment at home, Murielle."
The comment came from Queen Frigga and Murielle had just taken a sip of delicious wine.
"Prince Loki is correct, Your Majesty." Murielle placed her hands in her lap and looked at the Queen. "However, I didn't have a chance to explain to him that we don't have parties every night. There's usually a large celebration once a month in which we all gather in our respective cities to celebrate. I live in the capitol which has the largest gatherings in all of the Low Countree."
"And what is the next celebration for your people?" The question came from the Allfather, to which Murielle was pleasantly surprised.
"Halbera," she answered without hesitation. "It is our harvest time where we give thanks for the protection of our Countree, and to remember the founders Halamshir and Eldarin. They were both descendants of great families and trapped in engagements to people they did not love. Halamshir and Eldarin loved each other and longed to be together, but strict tradition is adhered to in the High Countree. And so they fled to the south, where they were blessed by the Ancients and protected. Many have joined them since, my mother being one of them."
"And by default, you." Prince Loki finished, smiling down at her.
"Yes. We honor this couple with a reenactment. It just so happens that this year I shall be playing Eldarin and Halamshir will be played by a good friend of mine, Gaelin."
"It's quite savage if you ask me, traipsing about in the wilderness," Saida commented, twirling her wine glass in her hand.
"Well, aren't you quite fortunate that no one asked you," Murielle replied, taking another small sip of wine. "And we aren't traipsing about anywhere. We live lives, just as you do, though probably with a bit more freedom and ability to choose and to think for ourselves."
"Well, everyone knows…"
"Stories that are only told in fear. My people are not the monsters your parents tell you. You should really learn a little more about my heritage and culture before making wild accusations and repeating slanderous lies."
Murielle was proud of how she managed to keep her voice calm, as she knew that Saida's main goal was to instigate a fight. She kept a smile on her face and turned to Prince Loki. "Wouldn't you agree?" She asked.
"Entirely," he replied. He was smiling at her, as if he was pleased. It made her quite confused. Where had the instigator of arguments from this earlier gone? She had been determined to not like him, after he'd riled her in such a manner, but here he was, being kind and pleasing. She didn't like this changeful manner of his.
"There are two sides two every history," Queen Frigga spoke up.
"More commonly by the winning side," Murielle amended, smiling at the Allmother. "But such is the way of things. I am happy in Thyscar and, after having spent quite a bit of time in the High Countree, I am quite satisfied with where I am."
"What made you decide to come here?"
Murielle was surprised that the eldest son decided to join in on the conversation. She wasn't surprised, however, with the dark look on his face. His attempt to intimidate her was laughable. If he thought she could be silenced with a harsh look…well, he didn't know what he was up against.
"I think we can all agree that Mothers will do anything for their children," Murielle replied, gesturing to Queen Frigga. "As I know that your mother wishes for you two to be happy, she would do anything to secure it. The same goes for my mother as well."
"And do you intend on staying?" Prince Thor asked, his tone easily betraying that only one answer would satisfy him.
Murielle laughed and pretended to give the matter a great deal of thought. "No," she answered, after a few moments. "Though it would give me no amount of pleasure to see Saida and her friends eat their words from the past fifteen years, I love my home too much to wish to be parted from it."
"We must allow that you stand a better chance of being asked to stay because of your Mother," Prince Loki spoke up. "She must have surely prepared you on how to best please each of us."
Murielle smiled mischievously and folded her hands in her lap. "Mother gave me the same advice as she did the day I first started school at Linta Academy."
"And what was that?" The Allfather asked, his eye glowing with an understanding Murielle did not expect.
"To be myself. It was the best advice Mother could have ever given me. The teachers accepted me for who I truly was. In a place like the High Countree, it's very difficult to find those kinds of elves."
"You tell lies about a people you don't truly understand, Orloth." Saida gripped her dinner knife in her hand and Murielle's guard went up. She felt a hand on hers and realized that Prince Loki realized the same as she. Saida was gearing up for a fight.
"I tell stories about the High Countree, because I have spent the last fifteen years amongst you. None who have traveled to Thyscar have returned to your land because we give them something they do not find in your land."
"And what would that be?"
"Freedom and understanding. You all sit idly by, day by day, never truly knowing or understanding your history. You have let great things pass you by for the sake of your comfort. My people are blessed beyond your wildest imagination not with great worldly treasures, but with abilities to think and to feel for ourselves. To live a life that makes us happy and is not dictated by people who think they know us better than we know ourselves."
"Now who's making wild accusations with no justifactions?"
Murielle had grown tired of this line of conversation and was determined to end it. "Saida, when you leave here you will be expected to live according to your laws. You are of noble birth and so will be put into a marriage chosen by your family. You are from a noble house and were blessed with adequate looks. You will marry, have children, and that will be it for you. Whereas, I will go home and will be my own mistress. I will till land, be blessed by the Ancients, read books, have my own house, and should I ever decide to marry it will be my own choice. My choices will be mine and mine alone. I will be dependent on myself…and not have to be flattered and admired to know that I exist."
The knife had been a ruse, but Murielle had been prepared for the remaining contents of Saida's wine glass to be thrown at her. Such a thing had happened many times at school, but never in the presence of people that could easily call her out on it. With a raised hand, Murielle was able to stop the offending wine from making contact with her dress. Instead, she twirled her fingers which sent the wine back into Saida's glass.
"Such display is meant for the Provings, Saida." The Allmother cautioned. "We could have you sent home for such an act."
Saida's clear blue eyes had gone wide, as if she had just now realized what she'd done. "Your Majesty, she's the one…"
"It would be a waste of the Bifrost energy, Mother," Prince Loki said. "Besides, it would be more entertaining to see them at the Provings when all bets are off."
A glance out to the dining hall gave Murielle the knowledge that they'd drawn the attention of the entire assembly.
"Perhaps I should retire for the evening." She stood up from her chair, her dinner barely touched, but she wasn't going to sit another moment across from Saida. It wasn't the first time something like this would happen, but she was embarrassed that it happened in front of the Asgardian family.
"Of course, dear. Loki won't you escort her?"
"Yes, Mother." Loki pressed a kiss to Queen Frigga's cheek and rose to take Murielle's arm.
"Running away? That's unlike you?"
Murielle gave a sweet smile to Saida. "You are hardly a person who is allowed to know what I am most like."
She waved off Loki's hand, feeling a little upset that he was still following her.
"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" Saida yelled at her.
Murielle stopped at the door and took a deep breath. She turned back and offered a polite wave. "Yes," she replied, before walking out the door.
"You don't have to follow me," Murielle said once she'd safely made it away from the dining hall. "As long as Saida and her friends stay in there, I'll be fine."
"But can you make your way back?" Prince Loki asked, extending his arm to her.
She stopped in the hallway and took a look around. The sun had almost set and she truly had no idea where she was going, despite having tried to trace her steps as she came down to dinner.
"I suppose I can't." She placed her arm in the young prince's and allowed him to walk her back to her room.
"Is she always like that?" He asked, after at time.
"Saida?" Murielle asked. "Yes, I'm afraid so. Fortunately I've grown quite used to her and have staved off her assaults from some time. Most of my classmates stay away from me, but it's Saida and her followers that have been so attentive to me. No matter what happens, though, I'll have the final say at the Provings."
"And which day will you participate?"
"Eager to see my abilities?"
Loki's knowing smile was all the answer she needed.
"I don't know yet. There is so much to do and to see here. I can duel it out with Saida any day. But I am only on Asgard for a short time and would enjoy to see as much of it as possible before I return home."
"Do you really wish to return home?"
Murielle stopped walking and looked up at the young prince. She tilted her head to the side, her eyes questioning. "Are you wanting to know if I desire the Queen to ask me to stay on Asgard?"
Prince Loki's silence was all the answer she needed.
"Your Highness, I do not know if there is anything here that would ever entice me to stay, but this isn't my home. Alfheim…Thyscar is my home. It owns more of my soul than I think any other realm or person ever could. I am grateful for my time here, but it is not a place where I could live out the remainder of my days."
"Perhaps I can change your mind?" He asked, resuming their walk. "As you say, you have only been here a day and haven't seen all that this realm has to offer."
Murielle smiled. "You are more than welcome to try and change my mind, Your Highness. But I feel you shall be sorely disappointed."
Prince Loki bowed his head and a mischievous smile played across his lips. "Challenge accepted, my lady."