AN: Thank you to everyone who has continued to read throughout these ten chapters! I know I haven't been updating on a regular schedule, but I don't plan on discontinuing the story anytime soon. Please follow and favorite, but especially review. Some constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.
The next morning, Kira woke up late. Throwing on her clothes, she ran bleary-eyed out the door, still trying to wake herself up.
When she reached the library, Arvid was waiting for her, an unreadable expression on his face. "You won't be able to get a head start on your books today," he said, "Loki will be expecting you soon."
Kira grimaced at the thought of having to see Loki again, but grabbed the books and trudged down the corridor to his cell. There, she found Loki back in his original position: reading against the wall. Kira dropped the books down on the table with a loud thump, waiting for him to look up. He didn't. She stood in front of him and cleared her throat loudly. When Loki still didn't respond, she hesitantly began her prepared speech, "So…we need to talk about what happened yesterday…"
Loki glanced up at her, but just as quickly went back to his book. By now, Kira had realized that Loki was giving her the silent treatment, and she put her hands on her hips defiantly. "You can't ignore me forever, you know."
"I just don't see what it is we need to talk about," Loki finally acknowledged her.
"You can't just ignore all of your problems, Loki," Kira patronized, "You have to confront them head-on."
"This isn't about ignoring my problems. I just don't understand why you would want to talk about our argument. What's done is done."
"So, no more lessons then?" Kira asked slyly.
"Well, perhaps we could-" Loki was cut off mid-sentence by the sight of a man outside his cell.
"Brandon!" Kira exclaimed, quickly stepping outside to greet him.
"Hello, Kira," Brandon said, "I went by the library because I was looking for you, but they said you were down here." He didn't appear to be frightened of Loki, but clearly did not like the idea of Kira being alone with him.
"Part of my job is to bring Loki his books," Kira explained. "I know, I know," she said hastily, catching Brandon's sideways glance, "it's not a job for civilians, but really, I don't mind it."
"I don't mean to interrupt this heartwarming gathering," Loki interrupted, "but, Kira, could you possibly not keep up this trend of bringing random men into my prison?"
"Hello to you too, Loki; I was just going to ask Kira a question. I'll leave immediately after," Brandon explained graciously.
"Get on with it, then," Loki said bad-temperedly.
Brandon tactfully ignored Loki's snide remark and instead continued his conversation with Kira, "I had a great time with you at the dance and I was wondering if you would like to go out with me sometime. It doesn't have to be serious; it would only be so that we can get to know each other."
Kira could practically see Loki's eye roll from behind her, "I'd love to. When do you want to do it?"
"Why don't we do it now? I will be off duty for lunch."
"Alright," Kira felt awkward leaving Loki immediately after they had just been in conversation. Brandon seemed to realize her discomfort and added, "I'll wait for you in the library, if that's alright?"
"Yes, that's fine," Kira said eagerly and she couldn't keep the smile off her face when she turned back into Loki's cell. "We were just discussing lessons, right?" she asked, feeling slightly awkward knowing that Loki had overheard her and Brandon's conversation.
"Yes, before we were rudely interrupted by your new pet." Loki sounded decidedly more bitter than when Kira had first walked in that day.
"I just met him yesterday, and he's certainly not my 'pet'," Kira caught Loki's gaze, "Why don't we just get back to talking about the lessons?"
"Very well," Loki dropped the subject and stood up from his vantage point against the wall. "Would you like to continue them?"
"Well, seeing as if I didn't you would have to find another way to 'quell your boredom', I think I would."
"You're not still upset about that, are you? I only said it to get my mother off my back."
"Really?" asked Kira, "And you didn't think to tell me?"
Loki just shrugged, realizing their conversation was heading back into dangerous waters, "It never crossed my mind."
Kira just sighed, "So what am I going to be learning today?"
Loki thought for a moment, he hadn't been anticipating this. To be honest, he hadn't anticipated Kira coming back at all. Sure, she had said he was stuck with her, but it would be hilariously easy to get a guard to do her job for her, especially now that she was such good friends with Brandon, the Captain of the Guard.
Why did that bother him? Why was he so upset that Kira had found someone as annoyingly good as she was. It's not as if he had feelings for her. Gods, no. It had to be because she was his property, nothing more and nothing less.
"Illusions," he decided, "I've gotten bored of playing with fire, at least for now. We will start with conjuring an illusion of an object and then we'll move on to conjuring an illusion of you that can communicate with others."
"That's how your mother got into your cell the other day, isn't it?" Kira asked him.
"Yes…" Loki seemed eager to get of the topic of his mother, so Kira took pity on him and dropped the subject.
Loki picked up a book from the top of the pile and dropped it at Kira's feet. It had a beautiful blue cover with gold embellishments. Loki stretched out his hand to the space beside it and the air shimmered green for a second before an exact replica of the blue book appeared. Kira knelt down beside it and reached out her hand to touch it, but her touch just caused the illusion to flicker green and her hand went right through it.
"Your turn," Loki said, and the illusion disappeared.
Kira closed her eyes and stretched out her hand just as she had seen Loki do and pictured an exact replica of the book in her mind. She opened her eyes to find an illusion of the book before her…except for the fact that it was at most half the size of the original.
"And that is why we don't close our eyes when forming illusions." Loki said dryly, "It's a common mistake and easily fixed by keeping your eyes open."
"You could have told me that sooner," Kira muttered under her breath, but kept her eyes open as she stretched out her hand again; and this time when the illusion appeared, it was the correct size.
"Better," Loki said, and Kira realized that was as much approval as she was going to get from him.
"Thank."
"Now we're going to move on to-"
"Actually," Kira interrupted, "I have to go. I don't want to keep Brandon waiting any longer."
"Of course," Loki said, his tone void of any anger or even reluctance, and Kira couldn't help but be a little disappointed by his lack of reaction, although she knew she shouldn't be surprised. She made her way back to the library, expertly shoving Loki out of her thoughts.
When Kira arrived, she saw Brandon and a guard standing outside the library doors. Their conversation must have been very humorous because their laughter echoed down the corridor.
"Kira!" Brandon waved warmly, a grin still present on his face. "I would like you to meet Nathaniel, my best soldier-"
"Who just happens to be your best friend," Nathaniel cut in with a huge impish grin, shaking Kira's hand enthusiastically. Kira liked him instantly, his eyes sparkled with laughter and there was something refreshing about his optimistic nature, especially after spending so much time around Loki. Not that Loki wasn't interesting to be around, Kira reminded herself, but he wasn't the warmest person in the world; in stark contrast to Brandon and now Nathaniel.
"So nice to meet you," Kira said, and as with Brandon, Nathaniel's laughter was infectious.
"You too," he said and turned to Brandon saying loud enough for Kira to hear, "How in all the nine realms did you manage to convince her to go out to lunch with you?"
Brandon elbowed him hard in the ribs, but that only made Nathaniel's grin widen. Kira blushed and smiled, "It didn't take much convincing, Nathaniel."
"Oh, I see…" he winked at her. "You can call me Nate, by the way. But are you sure Brandon didn't coerce-"
Once again, Brandon elbowed him good-humoredly, "I did no such thing, and besides, don't you have somewhere to be?" He looked pointedly at Nate.
"Right, of course," Nate rolled his eyes at Brandon and blew a playfully flirtatious kiss at Kira as he walked away.
"I'm sorry about him," Brandon apologized as he tried to keep from grinning at Nate's antics.
"It's fine," Kira laughed, "I think he's funny."
"That's a good thing, I suppose. Do you have any preference to where we go for lunch?"
"I don't really know any of the places here," Kira confessed, "I haven't lived here for a few centuries."
"Really? That would explain why I've never seen you around before. Well then…" He quickly racked his brain for a nice place they could go to. "Mistress Beluthra's Café of Fine Mead is one of the most popular restaurants in Asgard. Would you like to go there?"
"Sure, it sounds wonderful."
Mistress Beluthra's Café of Fine Mead was a cute restaurant off of Hilles Street. It looked almost like a posh rustic cabin with its wooden walls and plush turquoise and gold pillows. Kira even saw a sparkling chandelier hanging from the rafters.
The moment Brandon and Kira were through the door, they were immediately met by a round, motherly woman who grabbed Brandon (who was a good head-and-a-half taller than her) and enthusiastically hugged him to her bosom. Looking over Brandon's shoulder, she caught sight of Kira and her eyes immediately lit up.
"Well, I'll be a Pegasus' behind!" she exclaimed. "Brandon, honey, who is this gorgeous child you've brought with you?"
"This is Kira," Brandon introduced her once he could breathe again.
"Well, hello Kira. I'm Mistress Beluthra, welcome to my café!" She hugged Kira as well and Brandon shot her an apologetic glance.
"Come on, dears, I'm going to find you a nice romantic spot…" She turned to Kira, "Did you know I've known Brandon since he was a little boy? He was always so sweet. He used to come in with his friends and that boy, Nathaniel," she pursed her lips disapprovingly when she said his name.
"I like Nathaniel," Kira said in defense and Mistress Beluthra looked at her sympathetically, "You'd do best to stay away from him. I'm just saying-" she cut off Brandon's protests, "that boy's a troublemaker. But what do I know? I'm just an old café owner." Brandon shot Kira such an exasperated look she had to cover her giggles.
"Here we are," Beluthra stopped at a corner table. "Hmmm, I'd better get you two a candle; it's more romantic that way." She tapped her nose knowingly, "I should know, all the couples that had a candle on their first date ended up getting married!" She nudged Brandon and added in a loud whisper, "You had better get to saving for that ring, she's a keeper!" Kira looked down and pretended she hadn't heard.
"It's our first date!" Brandon whispered back fervently, "I told her it was just so we could get to know each other."
"Now why would you do that?" She frowned and shook her head, "Boys these days. I'll just go and get that candle now."
"Please do," Brandon murmured and Kira couldn't help but laugh. Mistress Beluthra overheard them and smiled to herself, they would make a truly wonderful couple. She could just see it.
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