9

Loki was not thrilled with my idea of a fair trade.
"Well look at it from my point of view!" I argued through the door, a few hours since he had stormed away. "I don't know you at all, but here you are in my house, don't you think that's just a wee bit lopsided?"
"No."
"Oh come on, Loki, I'm not attempting to psychoanalyse you! I'm just-just completely out of my league here. I honestly wish I knew more!"
There was no response. The stubborn coot. I sighed and leaned against the door jamb.
A moment later, the door swung open and I was granted entrance to my room.

I peered around cautiously. Everything was in order, like it hadn't been touched at all. The bed was neatly made – it hadn't been slept in recently. Did gods sleep at all? Well, he ate and he drank. It would stand to reason he functioned pretty humanly then. I didn't know really.

He was standing by the window, arms behind his back, watching the wind in the trees. I imagined he had spent his time in this room in this manner. Doing what? Thinking? About his fall? I was dying to know all the reasons that led up to it, but it was necessary to curb my curiosity. He was already in a foul mood and I didn't want to anger him.

"Did you rest well, last night?" I began.
"Yes, thank you."
"I didn't mean to pry, it's just-"
"No, it's perfectly reasonable. I suppose I might have locked away an unwanted guest in a block of ice."
"Is that part of your magic then?"
He shook his head. "It is a part of my heritage, my bloodline."
"I don't understand."
"The All-Father, Odin, was only a foster parent to me and a careless one at that."
"Did you come here to find your real folks, then?"
"I know who my true father is," there was a sharpness to his voice. "I was taken from him as an infant by Odin. My purpose is unclear; my roots have ceased to exist."
I couldn't find the words to express my sympathy, so I remained silent, watching his back.
"I fell from grace and from the high realm of Asgard. In falling I thought it had ended. I thought I had died. But I was transported to your realm instead."
"How?"
"That remains a mystery to me – perhaps a rift in space and time. One can't say with these things. There is a means between the nine realms. In Asgard we call it the Bifrost, but it was destroyed. I cannot return, nor do I wish to."
Loki rubbed his face with his hands and then finally turned to face me. "I do not wish to speak of this anymore. But I am curious about you, Paton."
"Me?" I asked in surprise. "It's not much of a story, trust me."
"You live alone and without a mate, isn't that considered odd?"
A mate? What does he think we are? Penguins?
"Perhaps," I said slowly. "But it doesn't bother me. I make my own living and I don't need anyone."
"And your family?"
"There's no room for that now. I work sixteen hours a day sometimes, and I just barely make ends meet."
"You chose this life?"
"I suppose I did."
"And you remain unhappy."
Thanks for putting it into perspective, mate. I really need the slaps in the face every now and again.
"You could say I'm neutral. It may not be much of a life, but it's liberating in some ways."
"How long have you lived like this?"
"Soon to be three years now."
Loki folded his arms, "Haven't you ever wanted more than this? Or something different?"

I had never really given this much thought. It was my turn to go silent. Maybe this was it, the impending failure my father had always talked about, ever since I was nine. It felt like my self-fulfilling prophesy had knocked the wind right out of me. The revelation shifted the earth under my feet. Or was it something else?

The hollowness I felt inside me was not merely psychological. I felt my knees buckle and the last thing I saw was the floor rushing up to me.

End of Part One

Right, so I just got down to some spell checks and formatting issues. Sorry about that. Also, I see views have increased *secret glee* Though, in all honesty, half of those are probably just me refreshing the page like a loon. So review please? I want to know if this is decent enough before posting Part Two. Cheers, mates!