Unofferable

CHAPTER 14: REVELATIONS

Playlist: "Will He" — Joji, "Unofferable" — Half Moon Run, "Middle" — DJ Snake & Bipolar Suns, "Hurricane" — 30 Seconds to Mars

It was a known fact by those who worked within the palace that the princes took women to their chambers when they could. Being a royal didn't rid you of standard needs, so they usually used their status to bring willing partners to their bed (or any nearby surface, really) quite often. Loki was a little bit more selective in his courtesans and escorts than Thor, who usually chased down women on relentless pursuits if they didn't immediately bend over, only to toss them aside once he was sated. If he thought they performed well in bed, he would keep them for a while longer, but none ever lasted a very long time before being swapped for another. Loki did not do relationships in any shape or form. If you ended up in his bed, you knew you would only be there temporarily; no feelings, no expectations, no spending the night (unless activities continued until the morning). He didn't consider his actions to be in any way excessive — usually he had sex to sate himself when the need arose — but lately things had not been the same. Having multiple sexual partners was still good and mostly satisfying, but there was a nagging part of him that no longer got any pleasure from it.

He was in such a situation early one morning with a servant. They were in his chambers and had been since the night before. While it was completely unorthodox for her to still be there, Loki had stopped caring hours ago when he finished with very little satisfaction. He lay there, utterly dissatisfied with the body beneath him. Everything she did was wrong; she tasted wrong, her noises pierced his ears like nails on a chalkboard, her body felt sharp and hard beneath his. He was thoroughly perturbed by the whole thing, so he pulled her back to bed and kept her there until he could find the satisfaction he was looking for. When he noticed the sun rising through his curtains, he gave up and resided himself to the fact that he would not catch the pleasure he sought any time soon.

He lay naked on the bed, his back propped up against some pillows as she rushed around the room in search of her clothes. He barely sparred her a glance, burning a hole into his fireplace as he contemplated what had just occurred. Sometimes the servant — or was she a maid?What was her damned name again? — crossed his line of sight when grabbing her wayward garments, but it didn't distract him from the elephant in the room. Since when did he find no satisfaction in casual sex? He could only assume that she was the problem.

Loki barely heard her when she bid him a good day and, now fully dressed, skittered off towards the door. He gave her no response, too fixed on his own worries, but looked up when she opened the door and hesitated in the doorway. When he saw why, his eyes nearly fell out of his head.

On the other side stood Ellie, her hand raised in preparation to knock, eyes wide as she and the frazzled maid gazed at each other in mutual shock. He hastily pulled a sheet over his waist when she looked at him and went instantly red.

"Astrid?"

The maid — who was apparently named Astrid — stared back at the young Midgardian. "Ellie?"

"M-my apologies, My Prince," Ellie stammered when she suddenly realised he was still present, looking from the floor to the ceiling and anywhere that wasn't his exposed frame. "I had been about to knock."

"You may leave now," he ordered, addressing only Astrid. "Away with you."

Visibly irritated by his tone, she took her leave and left them both alone.

"I'll wait out here, My Prince," Ellie explained and quickly shut the door to give him privacy.

He stood and pulled on a nearby pair of loose pants when he knew she was not going to open the door until his signal to do so. He put his head in his hands at the thought of what she had just seen — not that his habits were any secret — but he had preferred her remaining blissfuly ignorant to them. Nakedness was not something that embarrassed him either, but Ellie was young and innocent and presumably pure, so he was more concerned about whether she would ever look him in the eyes again.

Once he safely had pants on, he called out for her to enter. She came in slowly, making sure he was covered before stepping into his room.

"The Queen asked me to come get you," she explained, still a little nervous from their encounter. "You're, eh, late for breakfast with your family."

"Thank you for informing me," he replied, arms folded across his chest. "Would you mind just telling them that I overslept?"

She blinked, eyes darting from his face to his bare chest. "Ehh… Okay then."

A smirk slowly found its way to his lips. "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"There is no need to be embarrassed, little one."

"Excuse me?"

"This is not new behaviour for me. You act as though you have never seen a naked god before."

She pouted at him, clearly somewhat offended by his jesting. "Probably because I haven't? And also 'cause I wasn't exactly prepared to see you with your pants down."

Whatever confidence Loki had displayed before was nearly wiped off his face. "I'm…sorry?"

"Sorry?"

"You said—"

"I said that—"

"That you have never—"

"It's not really that big of a deal—"

"But you…" He paused, staring at her for a moment. "Really?"

She shrugged, looking back at him with wide eyes. "Not tryin' to be smart, but when would I even get the chance to do that? I sleep in a part of the palace with a bunch'a other handmaidens in neighbourin' rooms and, if you haven't noticed, I don't have many male friends."

He hesitated in his response, trying to choose his next words carefully. "So you have never seen a man naked?"

"No," she admitted as a flush painted her cheeks. "W-well, I hadn't up until just now."

Her confession nearly knocked him for six, even if he hid it with ease. He wasn't expecting to feel so…proud? Was that what he was feeling? That however awkward, accidental, and embarrassing the encounter had been, he was still the first man she had laid eyes on? His unwarranted reaction concerned him more than the actual situation.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I'm sorry that I have now ruined your expectations for any future suitors."

That earned a hearty laugh from the young woman. "Hush! You're an absolute bastard, y'know that?"

"I am merely going to refer to my title of Trickster again to justify my behaviour."

She rolled her eyes at that. "Well I will inform your family that you will be with them momentarily. Anythin' else you require before I take my leave, My Prince?"

"Little one, if you ask me such a thing while I am half naked, you are sure to receive an exceptionally crude answer."

He burst out laughing when her eyes went as wide as saucers. "Jesus. Right, I am takin' my leave and never coming to your room in the mornin' again. Goodbye!"

He stood fixed to the spot while he watched her leave. When he was left alone again, he took a seat on the edge of his bed and contemplated all that had occurred. He didn't have much time to himself before his own handmaiden, Dagny, made an entrance. She greeted him accordingly before asking what he required for the day.

"Just the usual duties," he replied, getting to his feet. "Thank you. And also draw me a bath."

"Of course, Your Highness." With a bow she got to work preparing the bath for him and laying out his clothes for the day.

Loki didn't care too much for her, if he was honest. She was…fine. Fine at her job, that is. She never really held conversation, apparently having no interest in doing so. She was still new to the position as well, having only begun working for him for the past three years after his previous hand servant of centuries, Radburn, retired from his duties. He had no problem admitting to himself that he missed Radburn dearly — the old man had been quite the confidant to him and had no problem with holding a conversation, unlike his replacement. Sometimes they still saw each other in the city and greeted each other like the old friends that they were. He supposed at least Dagny wasn't bad at her job, even if her indifference to him was mildly irritating.

With her assistance, he readied himself quickly and washed the evidence from his stressful night activities from his skin. He left his chambers and managed to make it to breakfast without bothering his father too much with his tardiness. It appeared that Ellie had upheld her part of the bargain.

Secret trips to Midgard became a regular occurrence for Loki and Ellie since the very first time. Every month they sacrificed a lesson in seiðr to visit different parts of earth. He didn't mind missing lessons too much, as she was making good progress with her continued studies by reading books he assigned. He showed her the different portals he knew of that left them in on various corners of the globe. In the notebook her gifted her some years ago, she began to keep a tally of the cities they visited together so far:

Dublin, Ireland

Gothenburg, Sweden

Sydney, Australia

Johannesburg, South Africa

Casablanca, Morocco

This time around, they ended up in New York City, a place that nearly sent Ellie into a sensory overload. Loki, however, had been here before on a few occasions, so he was well used to the bustling city and its equally busy inhabitants. All things considered, it was a good destination for someone who wanted to disappear into a city that never sleeps. The relief that came with these journeys always ended up being worth the risk getting there. It was refreshing to wander around a place where no one knew of them and where the risk of a politically-charged assault was practically non-existent.

When asked if there was anything specific she wished to see, Ellie's reply was simple; exploration would suit her fine. Obviously impressed with the towering skyscrapers and jam-packed streets, she was happy to just walk around for the evening. She made a habit of stopping him whenever she became distracted by an interesting landmark or even a fluffy dog on a walk with its owner. While he made sure to complain because it either annoyed her or roused a laugh, he did not mind stopping every thirty seconds. He began to realise that seeing her happy also made him happy. He found himself smiling when she stood staring up at a towering building mid-construction on Park Avenue near Grand Central Station. Much like the sense of pride he felt the morning of the 'indecent exposure incident', he was briefly puzzled by these new feelings. He thought it best to ignore them for both their sakes and continued on exploring the city with her by his side.

While they waded through Times Square that evening, Ellie picked up a newspaper from a local vendor.

"What are you reading that for?" Loki asked as she unlinked her arm from his to pay the woman.

"'Cause I want'a know what's happening on Midgard while I'm here," she answered simply, wetting her finger so that she could get a better grip for turning the thin pages. "It's hard to keep up with the news when you're livin' on a different realm. We don't exactly get the New York Times on Asgard."

He linked his arm with hers again so that he could usher her through the crowds while she insisted on reading. "I can assure you that interesting things rarely happen on this heap of rock."

"I don't know, Your Highness. This headline sounds fairly interesting to me: 'Green Sasquatch Sighted in Canada'."

He let out a heavy sigh. "Midgardians and their sasquatch sightings…"

"'Local resident, Elliot Litton, notified local police yesterday of what appeared to be a green sasquatch. 'It only lasted a moment, but I know what I saw. It was definitely green, and it was big,' said Litton when describing his sighting.' What were you sayin' about Midgard bein' dull? Because apparently we have massive green monsters in Canada."

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for such a sighting, be it poor lighting or hallucinogenic drugs."

Ellie shrugged, furrowing her brows at the report. "I dunno, the police seem to believe him for some reason. They say it could have some connection to a guy called Doctor Bruce Banner, who is apparently 'on the run'. You know him?"

"I do not," Loki admitted before a local diner in the distance caught his attention. "But put the newspaper away for the moment. Have you ever had pizza?"

"Not that I can recall. Maybe? Remind me what it is again?"

He grabbed the paper and shoved it into his satchel as he dragged her towards the establishment. "You are about to find out, little one."

After having to forcefully drag Ellie from the pizza place, Loki returned with her to Asgard in good time. They arrived back with enough time that they could sneak into the palace without having to rush around. Hidden under his glamour, they wandered back through the silent corridors towards her shared chambers. At first, he was quite uneasy as they walked along in the dim light. He was not sure why, but Loki knew to trust his gut feeling more than anything and, right now, it insisted that something was afoot.

Suddenly, the palace came back to life; it was as if someone had flipped a switch. A group of Einherjar rounded a nearby corner and sped past the pair. Loki was quick to pull Ellie into him to avoid a collision and watched transfixed as one guard yelled orders as the others.

"You three get to the handmaidens' chambers quick! We will secure the royal family!"

"What in the Nine…" Ellie muttered, staying close to Loki. "What happened?"

Loki shook his head. "I do not know, but you are not to leave my sight."

"I won't argue with you, I promise."

"We are going to my quarters. Now."

Placing himself in front of his companion, Loki conjured two daggers as the guards split and went their separate ways. The couple rushed off and made it to his quarters moments before the Einherjar arrived. To cover up the fact they had been awake and travelling about, he used magic to change them both into sleeping garments. If the guards were surprised to see a handmaiden in his company, they said nothing to imply it.

"Your Highness," one of them began. "We need you and Prince Thor to gather together in the King and Queen's chambers immediately."

"What has happened to require such a thing?" he asked, eying them carefully.

"There has been a breach in the palace and an attack on one of the Allmother's handmaidens, Your Highness."

"An attack?" Ellie exclaimed, visibly shook. "Is everyone okay?"

The guard looked at her calmly for a moment before speaking. "Someone has been killed."

She took a step back from the doorway, her face falling. "Oh my God…"

"Your Highness," the guard addressed Loki again. "We need you to come with us as soon as possible."

"Then she is coming with me," he insisted and took hold of her hand. "If one of her comrades has been murdered then she will not leave my sight."

"Understood. We must move, now."

"But Loki," Ellie grabbed a hold of his arm with her free hand. "What about Fen and Sevda? And the others—"

"We already have men posted at the handmaidens' quarters to safeguard them all," the guard reassured her. "We will tell you more upon arrival to the the King and Queen's chambers."

"We must go," Loki said softly and gently led her along with the guards stationed at either side of them. "I promise that as soon as the palace is found to be safe again we will go to see your friends, alright?"

Although visibly panicking at the thought of her friends being hurt, Ellie nodded and obediently followed him to their destination. The place was swarming with Einherjar, two stationed at every single door and passageway within the palace walls. Along the way, they came across Thor dressed in his nightwear and in the company of his own escort of guards.

The eldest Odinson let out a relieved sigh at the sight of them."Loki! Ellie! Thank the Norns are both alright."

When Thor clapped his shoulder affectionately, Loki returned the gesture. "And you, brother."

"Are you alright?" Thor asked Ellie after he made sure that his younger brother was indeed unharmed, touching her arm with uncharacteristic softness.

She shook her head as the first tears began to escape along with a hastily said sentence. "One of my colleagues has been murdered, Prince Thor, and I don't know if my friends are okay."

Thor's gaze snapped to Loki at her admittance. "Odin's beard… I am afraid I do not know anymore than you both."

"The Einherjar will tell us more once we reach Mother and Father's chambers. It is best that we remain calm, especially you." Loki gave Ellie's hand a squeeze as they neared the massive golden doors that lead to their destination. Guarded by four Einherjar, they let the princes and their companion enter without delay. Inside, Loki saw his mother and father pacing around by the burning torches. Both of Odin's ravens were perched proudly either side of the grand bed, cawing incessantly to mirror the Allfather's internal distress. When they entered, both heads flew up and Frigga didn't hesitate to run to greet them. She pulled her sons into her arms, sighing in relief.

"My sons," she whispered and hugged them tight. "Thank the Norns you are alright."

"We are glad you are not hurt, Mother," Loki replied and kissed her cheek tenderly while his brother squeezed her hand and turned to greet their father.

"I am relieved to see you are both unharmed," Odin said and firmly grabbed Thor's hand. When Loki was released from Frigga's hold, he gave his hand a squeeze too.

"Ellie?" Frigga suddenly sounded, noticing the girl for the first time. There was no mistaking the confusion but clear relief in her tone. "Are you alright?"

"Y-your Majesty," the girl stuttered, cheeks tear-stained and her frail body shaking uncontrollably. "Are my friends okay? The guards, they said t-that—"

"Hush, little one," Frigga pacified her, hugging her gently. "You must stay calm. You are safe here in our company. I am glad that you are unscathed."

"While I am also relieved that the Midgardian is alive and well," Odin began, his one good eye narrowing. "Why was she brought here with you both?"

Thor shrugged and looked to his sibling for an explanation. "She was in Loki's company when I met them."

"I found her reading in the library," Loki lied effortlessly. "It was late and passed her curfew, so I thought it was best to accompany her back to her chambers rather than let her go alone. On the way there, the commotion began, and I chose to hide her within my chambers for her safety while we waited for the all clear."

Odin merely nodded, clearly too preoccupied with the fact his palace had been somehow breeched to really question whether his son was lying or not. It's not as if Loki had reason to lie either.

"It is good that you found her, brother," Thor said with all the severity he could muster at such an late hour. "Otherwise she would have been in her chambers alone during the attack."

"The attack did not take place within any of their bedchambers," Odin explained gravely. "It was in the corridor outside the chambers of your mother's handmaidens where screams for the guards were heard. When they arrived, they found the body of Astrid. Her throat had been slit. The guards said they spotted a cloaked figure fleeing the scene, but cornered him in the gardens where he took his own life before they could subdue him. They are currently searching the palace for any signs of additional participants."

Loki faltered and met Ellie's gaze.

Frigga wrung her hands and took a seat with the girl on the end of her bed. "Oh, Astrid. You poor thing."

"Who has done this?" Thor demanded, baring his teeth. "Who has the gall to murder a handmaiden to the Allmother within this palace?"

"We do not know, son. The attacker bore no signs of race or rank. He might as well be a phantom."

"How dare he! Had I gotten my hands on him, he would now be a charred corpse!"

"What do we do now?" Loki asked, trying to remain calm for Ellie's benefit. He noticed she had gone pale sitting with his mother.

"Remain here until the Einherjar say it is safe to leave."

"What of the other handmaidens?" Ellie asked, looking to the Allmother hopefully. "Are guards still with them?"

"Yes, they are being kept in their shared living quarters in the company of several guards. No one will get in or out until it is safe."

Happy with the news, Loki once again asked whatever questions he saw to be necessary. "Did Heimdall not raise the alarm? Surely he saw something?"

"He did not," was Odin's simple reply. "He says he saw no one entering Asgard or skulking around the palace until after Astrid was killed."

Thor was visibly baffled at the thought. "How could he get passed the Gate Keeper who can see across the realms with such ease?"

"Surely some form of seiðr would have been involved then?" Loki pondered.

"It would seem that way," Frigga agreed. "There is no other explanation for his impressive stealth. He was somehow cloaked, armed to the teeth, snuck into our palace, and murdered an innocent Asgardian right under our noses."

"Clearly this is not the work of an amateur assassin. Why would he come here? Was Astrid his target?"

Frigga shook her head. "She did not have any enemies that I knew of. I cannot see a reason for her to be killed. She was always loyal to her work and I. My guess is that she was killed for raising the alarm and squandering whatever plans he had."

"And as to what they were," Odin sighed, standing before his two sons with a hung head. "I have no notion as of yet. Had the Einherjar captured him, then we might have gotten answers and be less in the dark about all of this."

With a bang, the chamber doors opened again, and the Captain of the Guard strutted into the room. He kneeled in front of them all before getting to his feet again and speaking. "Your Majesties, we have cleared the palace and found no trace of any accomplices. We are happy to give the palace the all clear for now."

"Thank you," Odin said with a nod. "I would ask that you double patrols and add more men within the vicinity of these chambers, those of my sons, and those of the servants."

The Captain hit a clenched fist into his armoured chest and nodded firmly. "As you wish, My King."

"Have your men accompany my sons and the handmaiden back to their quarters, as well. You are to protect them with your lives."

The group shared goodbyes before they were all herded to their destinations. Once back in his familiar rooms, Loki did not get a moment of sleep. He sat up all night in front of his fireplace, fingers tapping anxiously on a nearby table top. Ellie had seemed eager to see her friends again in order to see with her own eyes that they were unharmed, but Loki detested watching her leave his sight. He was angry with the murderer, with Heimdall, with the Einherjar, with everyone involved in allowing that assassin within the safety of their walls. Had he and Ellie not been on Midgard, she could have been the one to meet his blade. The thought made him ill and furiously angry. His fist clenched until his knuckles went white. He chewed his lip until it bled. What were these emotions he felt so passionately? They drove him mad. Part of him wanted to better understand the way in which he looked at Ellie of late, but another part of him was too distracted by what had occurred that night to worry much more about it. His mind refused to stop thinking of the endless possibilities had they remained in the palace that night. He could not have shut off his brain even if he tried. He needed to know how someone could get passed the fucking Gate Keeper and murder a handmaiden to the Allmother. And yet, he and Ellie had snuck by Heimdall twice that very evening. Evidently, it was something done easily if you had the knowledge to do so. But Loki knew this was not something done haphazardly.

He stared at the flickering flames as they eat the kindling on offer. With pursed lips, he tried to calm his reeling mind and steer clear of thoughts of what could have happened had Ellie been around when the intruder was there. It made him panic and his hands shake.

Thor claimed that he would have left the assassin's body a charred mess had they met in combat, but this was no match to the rage Loki felt towards this invader. Had he succeeded in whatever his mission was, had he stumbled across Ellie instead of Astrid, had he hurt her… Loki would have made him realise that being burned to a crisp was a generous death in comparison to what he had in store for him. Better yet, he would have done it all with an unwavering smile on his face.