Pride Blinds
It was a strange thing, to be held securely by a cool arm to a cool body. He wasn't cold per se, but it felt as though slightly pliant stone encased her. The Jotunn prince still slept a drinker's sleep; his breathing was heavier than normal but deep and steady behind her. From her position in his bed all she could see through the window was the foggy nature of the morning. It looked thick and uninviting. Her mother had always told her that the souls of the dead could travel through a fog, that it was their way of visiting their loved ones.
She'd always had the strangest beliefs; beliefs set apart from the Asgardians she'd lived among for so long. Her mother's people had been a superstitious sort and from time to time Leti wondered what her life might have been like had she lived among them and not the Aesir.
She would not be in the trickster god's bed, that was for certain. She would not be arguing with herself on whether or not she should try to extricate her body from his hold. He'd told her to stay last night but he'd said it while in his cups. Whatever reason he'd had for her to do so last night might be gone with his morning's sobriety. But if it weren't and he woke to find her gone? She suppressed a groan. This man was impossible to predict so she remained where she was, sticking to the known by obeying his final command.
She had little warning, no change in breath or small movements, when he suddenly shot up into a sitting position beside her. Leticia gently rolled onto her back and tentatively looked up at her bedmate. She found him resting both his forefingers along the length of his nose, his brow pinched together.
"Water?" she asked, hoping to avoid an awkward conversation. He just nodded, not even opening his eyes to look at her. She hopped from the bed and didn't bother covering her naked state as she trotted out of the room. She fetched some fresh water from the pitcher that had been provided while they slept and brought the cup back to the waiting prince. She lightly touched his shoulder to silently offer him the water. He took it and drank deeply while she moved to the window to draw the heavy curtains across the opening. It may have been foggy but there was still enough light making it through to easily irritate senses that had spent the past night overindulging in drink.
Turning from her task, she saw him looking right at her but he dropped his gaze the moment she faced him.
"Do you prefer to eat through this self induced sickness or do you abstain from food in its wake?" She injected a bit of teasing into her tone in an attempt to keep the mood from being too heavy. She knew it for the risk it was. Some men didn't appreciate any sort of teasing after saying more than they might have wanted too in moments of… vulnerability. She didn't know the prince well enough or had enough experience with him to know if her plan would backfire. She preferred the risk. Her continued presence within these walls depended on his continued interest. Playing it safe hadn't served her well in that respect in the past so she would avoid failing strategies and continue to develop new ones where the prince was concerned.
"Nothing sweet," he replied quietly. She nodded and hurried out of his chamber, snagging her dress from the main room floor before sending the morning's food order through the guard stationed outside. She looked at the small chair she normally sat on during her waits but given the lengthy debauchery of the night before and the resulting soreness, she decided to keep to her feet this time. Not long after, as she waited patently for their breakfast to arrive, the prince and all the opportunity for awkwardness entered the main room. He'd scrubbed his face and tamed his hair though he'd forgone the need for anything more complicated than a robe.
"Shall I put in an order for more wine? It seems your stores have run low." He shot her a brief, withering look before he heavily settled himself into his chair.
"That will not be necessary." If he'd taken the time to look up at her, he would have seen the small, knowing smirk on her lips.
Soon after, the food arrived. She prepared his plate first, taking it to where he sat and setting it down. Just as she began to leave, his hand took hold of her wrist, ceasing her withdrawal. He didn't say anything right away and Leti didn't press, she could see him trying to work out what he wished to say to her.
"Your responses to my questions last night," he looked at her and this time he kept it steady, "were they truthful?"
She nodded, "Yes."
His eyes searched her face for a moment longer before he nodded as well and released her. As she walked back to the platter of food to prepare her own plate, she warred with herself on how she should act or what she should say next. He obviously remembered everything from the previous night unlike some who easily forgot their actions after consuming so much alcohol, so she couldn't pretend as though it hadn't taken place.
"Do not."
Her hand hovered over the platter, unmoving as she waited to see if he would expound on that command.
"Do not," he paused a second time before she heard him sigh. "Do not let my words change this…easy nature we had established between one another."
She turned then and looked at him, nodding her agreement. "Of course, my prince."
He looked irritated suddenly. "I recall explaining that such formality was no longer necessary."
She smiled lightly before nodding again. "Of course, Loki." His name felt odd on her tongue but like everything else about the azure man, she would become used to it, maybe even fond of it.
XxXxX
"I gave the woman my word!" Thor bellowed at his father, something he had not done since the fateful day that he'd been banished to Midgard, what had started this whole mess to begin with.
Odin, for his part, remained calm in the face of his eldest son's desperate rage. "And yet it seems you should not have."
"So the word of a prince of Asgard means nothing?"
Odin merely shook his head. "It means nothing to a criminal condemned to death." This caused Thor to turn away in disgust.
"I will not stand for this."
The king sat heavily into his chair, a sad sigh escaping his lips before he spoke again. "It is unavoidable. I have done everything in my power but the law is not on her side."
"Are you not the king? Do you not make the laws?"
"And as I've made them, I must enforce them, not change them to suit my needs or the needs of my sons."
"She is still imprisoned." Thor turned away when he saw his father begin to shake his head.
"Imprisonment is not death and you know, as well as I, that was the sentence she was given."
"By YOUR COURTS!" Thor turned and stormed back over to the aging monarch. He smashed his fist upon the tabletop. "You know, as well as I," he mocked, "that is was the bloodlust of that family that led to her trial's outcome. The circumstances surrounding…"
"ENOUGH!" Odin shouted as he stood. Only then did Thor take a step back, realizing that he'd allowed his passions to carry too far. "The circumstances no longer mater. There is war on the horizon and without that family's support and the families that will fall in line behind them; we put the entire realm at risk. I will not allow the fate of one woman to fell a kingdom whose safety is my main trust. I can buy her time but I cannot buy her life."
The young god's fists clenched impotently, unable to deny his father's logic despite the war of emotions that raged within him. He looked down at his hands, hands that fought wars and vanquished serpents, and realized that despite all his strength, he could win this battle.
"How long?" he asked quietly, feeling more defeated now than he had when Mjolnir refused to obey him on Midgard.
"A year at most. It's dependent on the tide of this impending war with the Dark Elves. I will have to offer her in order to keep their support. It would be best to do it now."
Thor ignored his father's final words, not allowing himself to consider that eventuality just yet. Instead, he focused on the initial idea. "Even though they stand to lose everything if the war is lost?"
A long paused reigned between them, neither looking at the other. "Pride blinds people to many things."
Another pause. "Yes, Father, it does." He looked into Odin's eyes and saw the sadness there. "I will not tell either of them until we must."
"You only deepen the pain, my son. If he has truly developed an attachment to her, best to sever it while it is new before it has a chance to grow into something more."
"I will not rob the sisters of their short times together."
Odin cocked his head at his eldest son. "You worry more for the girl's pain than for Loki?"
"Loki has done wrong as has the woman regardless of whether or not the punishment fits the crime but of all of us, the sister is an innocent. I will give her as much as I can, while I can. I know what it is to lose a sibling and I will endeavor to keep her from it for as long as I am able," he stared hard into his father's eyes then, "as will you."
With a great sigh, Odin nodded. "As will I."
AN: Sorry for both the long wait but more importantly for the short chapter. I provided the morning after awkwardness and it's somewhat resolution and then continued with the main threat to our companions. For once, it seems Thor is more concerned with someone outside of himself and his family (to his brother's detriment) and he get's a reluctant Odin to go along with him… to a point while our companions remain ignorant of the future.
And I can't neglect my review responses again. I've missed doing them.
Yasumi: How else do you get the God of Lies to let slip the truth? Booze, of course! Who said I was going to end this happily? ;) I do love my angst… probably too much. Thank you!
female'wraith: And you will have another! Is he gaining his magic back? Hmmm
Etoile Black: (8, 9, 10) He did not know the reasons behind her scentence and has only begun to even take an interest. Drunken Loki is always a chance for something interesting to happen. It's a nice cheating way to get some ooc while remaining firmly in character, lol.
ClaMiAl: I'm glad you liked the line and it's always fun to give Loki a little bit of kindness when he obviously thinks so lowly of himself. And now you've found out.
CeffylGwyn: I'm so pleased that you did! The beginning of that one and the ending of this one aren't very promising for our imprisoned couple. There is something going on between them, is the 'L'? Hmmm. No worries about not reviewing before. I'm just glad to see you again and that you're enjoying my other fics as well!
AuroraBlix: Thank you? :)
whatcatydidnext: Thank you. I would be spoiling you better if I wasn't making you wait so long as well.
LocaEspaniola: I'm all about messing with people's feels and I'm glad that I seem to be succeeding. I take no responsibility for the state of anyone's panties but I'm so glad you're having fun. You are very welcome!
Phoenix Rebel: She did. The question now is, why?
Poodle Warriors: Interesting you say? I'll take it.
vic: So glad you think so!
: I love the fact that you like this pairing better because they are both morally ambiguous. It really made me smile. Thank you for that.
Opera123: I know, I've been slow to update. Sorry.
Victorita9: I'm so happy you're enjoying it and that you saved it. I hope you continue to!
