AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry, It's been practically four months since my last update! Sorry for the delay but school has been extremely demanding. I hope you in enjoy the chapter; once again I have been listening to some Zelda. Specifically the 25th Anniversary edition Orchestra CD – it is amazing. I suggest listening to tracks of it whilst reading this chapter. In fact I suggest listening to it out on runs as well; it makes for an adventurous atmosphere.
Warning in this chapter I am attempting to adhere to the Loki we know from Avengers, so as much as we love that warmer and softer side of the God of Mischief, I think it would be unrealistic to not adhere to his more 'noteworthy' character traits and of course without them, he would not be Loki.
Please remember to review!
x.
The moon held a heavy glow over Jane and slowly upon Loki's emerging form, as he drifted from the tree line into the clearing of the Mother tree. He let his left hand slide off the rough bark of the tree he'd been leaning against as he approached her. And paused momentarily under the presence of the great tree before him, that towered over her and protected her.
The leaves under foot crunched loudly beneath his tread and his sharp gaze seemed to take in everything before him as a warm breeze blew through the forest, the sound of the elfish flute still on the wind.
In a moment he was kneeling down at her side, Jane slumbered peacefully under the care of the tree, curled into the supple roots that had long ago begun their strange above ground weaving.
Loki's eyes narrowed and anger flared in his chest as he stared down unable to pull his gaze from her, this infuriated him. He considered it was due to the fact that as a mortal she was exceptional and intellectually unlike the rest of her kind and perhaps subconsciously this is what sparked his interest in her, and that perhaps, if one looked hard enough, there was a sort of beauty to her, a simple and plain one at that.
Plain and Simple, just like that oaf…
He inwardly mocked as he stared down at her.
Though mocking as he was he felt this strange magnetism towards the woman and very slowly did his hand that had been leaning across his right knee begin to move, ever so slowly, towards her cheek.
Loki felt a sudden tightness in his throat he could not discern and his eyebrows furrowed in abject irritation, simmering anger boiled in his gut, but his heart felt light and its beats fluttered in a mysterious exhilaration.
"No…I think not." He breathed and if any random observer had been watching it would have seemed he was talking to himself, but Loki knew the forests of Asgard were so much more than trees and foliage. There was a magic, ancient, terrifying, and alluring within the natural columns of brown that surrounded him that could submit his will.
One could say that the forest was an entity within itself that seemed to allow the ebb and flow of life through its trees.
And Loki was certain the forest was compelling him now towards the Foster woman, he withdrew his hand and any softness that was in his face was gone and replaced by his usual look of cold indifference.
He stood and clenched his hands at his side and with great effort pulled his gaze from her form and scanned the tree line around him. Certain that any creeping beasts had seen him he slowly receded back into the tree line across from Jane, and as he leaned back against the tree and crossed his arms his eyes fell back on her.
x.
Jane awoke to a warm brightness flickering against her eyelids, when she opened them she saw the lush green of leaves swaying in a light breeze and the deep blue of an azure sky in the background. She rubbed her eyes and was briefly disoriented as her hands came down to rest in thick grass. She looked down and saw a green reflecting that of the leaves above and then she remembered.
The forest…
She looked around herself now and realized she was in a clearing and still deep within the forest and as she had suspected the night before, she was now in a different part of it. The trees here were thicker and covered in green mosses on their trunks, though the trees where she had entered had been large, these seemed to dwarf those in comparison. But these she considered as she looked up at the one she was leaning against, it had to be at least eight arm lengths around.
She yawned and stretched her fingers and feet before she stood and brushed off the green dress of leaves and forest floor debris.
She looked back up at the tree she had slept under the night before and briefly considered climbing it, in hopes of seeing the edge of the forest and a way back to the palace. Thinking about the palace had her wondering why no one had been sent for her, surely the Asgardians knew their way through their own forest. But then Jane started to wonder why she'd been brought her again and now more than ever she wanted to find that spoiled arrogant Prince! He had landed in her backyard a few months ago and she'd vowed to give him time, but now she wanted answers.
"First thing's first Jane, hopefully get out of this forest before you die of starvation then tear a new hole into that…that.."Jane was fuming at the thought of Loki.
"Insufferable dick.." She muttered as she began to walk back the way she came, or at least where she was about ninety percent sure she had come from last night.
The forest was silent again as it had been during the day previously, she soon found the deep blue and yellow tuliped hollow once more and to her right was that bush that had housed those vicious ember eyes.
For a long moment Jane stared at the spot out of curiosity and primal fear that the creature from the night before would appear again or that it would only after she took her eyes off its hiding spot. She swallowed and turned away from the terrifying memory that was still so fresh and jarring in her mind.
She walked down into the hollow to cross back over towards the side of the forest she remembered from yesterday, where the trees seemed to shine a golden brown and its atmosphere had been less wild…less sinister.
Half way through the hollow she stopped, that familiar chill ran down the back of her neck.
Someone was watching her.
She closed her eyes for a moment as horror began to flood into her limbs in the form of adrenaline and those yellow eyes flashed in her memory.
Jane was not a screamer, but if she turned to those primeval eyes she was going to. But she was frozen, she knew she needed to be brave and turn but the fear had her paralyzed.
After a moment she swallowed and was about to turn when she felt air against her back and she straightened.
Oh god, where's Thor when you need him?
She thought and wondered what had moved so silently she did not know where its presence was until it was right behind her.
Still she did not move.
Her heart almost exploded when she heard the quiet laugh, but Jane soon recovered and turned quickly around to face her tormentor.
"Loki!" She exclaimed, her hazel eyes widening.
Mirth danced in his green-blue eyes as he stared down at her and Jane realized this was the mischief she'd heard of. So clearly exposed to her in the small smile on his face and the languid but strong presence, as usual he was in his normal garb of emerald and black leather.
"Is it not common knowledge on Midgard that intelligent girls should not wonder into the forest alone?" Loki leaned towards her, his grin slowly widening as he enjoyed the visible discomfort his closeness etched into Jane's face, "There are much more terrifying creatures than wolves Miss Foster, you would do best to remember that."
It only took a moment for Jane to find her voice as it took only half a moment for her to be reacquainted with her anger towards the mocking man before her, "What? Do you mean creatures like you?" she said with just a little more venom than she'd planned.
Loki's smile tightened and broke his eye contact with her, he stood up straight and looked past her. Instantaneously he regained his normal composure, which Jane assumed was either idle annoyance at her presence or sheer lack of interest in her once more.
"If you wish not to die out here…" His voice trailed off as stepped past her and began to walk purposefully back, to what looked like to Jane, the way she'd entered the forest. Soon Loki was out of the hollow and back on level ground. He effortlessly passed through lush green trees and over the crunching of dead leaves, all the while sparing no glance back at Jane as he walked.
She struggled to keep up with him, as his legs were twice as long as her own.
"Loki, wait up!" She finally yelled after what like seemed to be at least an hour or so of silence. If he had heard her he made no indication of it, if anything he seemed to be walking faster. Frustrated beyond belief, Jane hitched up the green dress and began to run as much as she was able towards him.
After a few minutes she by his side and was huffing and breathing heavily, desperately wanting a glass of water. The trees were beginning to thin out and the bright Asgardian suns began to warm her skin through the tree branches above. Her anger ebbed away as focused her attention on the suns and smiled as she raised her face up towards the now partially visible sky.
"I've missed the sun."
Loki, who seemed to have been stuck within his own mind now jerked his head to face her, as if he'd been pulled out of a revere and had been completely unaware of her presence beforehand.
Or perhaps he just forgot.
"It hasn't even been a full day, you humans are far too dramatic for your own good."
"Humans are too dramatic? Have you seen the B-Roll of your life? No, you sir definitely take the cake on drama queen." Jane responded as she uncharacteristically rolled her eyes.
Loki's eyes narrowed, he could identify condemnation, though he could not quite ascertain the meaning of, "taking the cake".
"Perhaps you have forgotten," he had stopped walking a moment ago and at his comment Jane stopped and turned back to face him and when their eyes met he continued, "But you are speaking to a God, you should act a bit more-"
"Pious?" she raised an eyebrow in abject irritation.
Loki clenched his jaw and somehow, his features became sharper and his eyes narrower, "respectful." He half-growled though clenched teeth, breaking eye contact he pushed past her and in moments with Jane trailing behind awkwardly, they were back in the palace gardens.