Chapter 14

Once again Devian found his way into his father's rooms. He made the attempt earlier in the night then normal and he just barely got in without notice. He wanted a longer time to work with than he had the night prior. Devian spoke the magic words and made his way down the stone stairs to his fathers hidden room. This time he brought a lantern and a means to light the fireplace so he could get cozy. He assumed that because his father gave him the way into the room he didn't care what Devian found there and so he didn't fear Loki knowing he was in there.

Devian lit the fireplace after he first cleaned it up a little and once it was crackling he set the lantern down blowing it out and went right for the journals. These were the things he was most curious for. He picked the one on the top most level assuming it was the earliest. He was right. According to the date listed on the inside his father would have been about his age. The words read like a whiny brat. Beginning usually with 'Thor got us into trouble again.'

Devian read a few stories about how Thor got them into trouble and made Loki look like it was his idea. It seemed during the younger years Thor didn't like to admit to his own actions and used Loki as his shield. Devian skipped to the next shelf in hopes to find something more substantial. He opened the book and on the first page was a drawing. A rather good drawing. It was the face of a woman. A beautiful woman. Full pouty lips and long tendrils of neatly curled hair. Turning the page he read the tale to be held within.

- 'I hadn't expected it to work. The banquet was going well enough, but my first attempt to woe Shala had seemed to have ended before it began. A larger, stronger Asgardian warrior having come out of nowhere and carting her off to the dance floor. My heart was seized with icy jealously as I watched them. But somehow I caught her looking at me and the ice melted just from the smile given from those lightly painted lips.

After her dance, she politely excused herself and from the look passed between us I followed her. I met with her outside in the hallway. I'd never wanted a woman so much in my life in the ways I wanted her. She guided me to a vacant room. I remember everything from her soft skin and velvet touches. I'd never been touched this way by I woman of higher birth whom I held affections for. The memories made in that room would stick with me forever. -

Devian stopped reading when things became detailed. Devian didn't need a full description of his fathers sexual experiences. He turned a few pages and this one was an entry looked back on to a few weeks after his encounter with Shala.

- I am convinced the harlot had planned it. To think she felt for me as I did her. I was a fool. Shala was no better then a whore. Bedding both myself and my brother without either of our knowledge. Leading us both to believe she loved us. My heart aches with hurt and seethes with hatred. We are done with her. Thor has agreed to never see her again, as have I.-

Devian sighed and flipped through the pages before continuing to the next book. Every time he came across a picture he would examine it. It seemed his father would sketch the things that most caught his attention regarding these women or soMetimes items. He didn't write of his whores but rather women whom he expected to gain further relationships with or just made an overall impression on him. So between reading about his fathers many failed relationships and his stories of his strained relationship with his brother it seemed there was nothing to be found within the journals aside from slowly seeing the way his father's mind changed were Thor and girls were concerned. Still Devian was interested in his development and kept reading.

He went through at least a dozen journals since Shala when Devian had a thought. He skimmed over all the earlier years, slipping a piece of parchment between the place he left off, to seek out the year Loki would have met his mother. Was she in these books somewhere?

Devian opened journal after journal until he got to the year in which Cephera would have arrived on Asgard. Half way in was yet another drawing. Another woman. This one was stretched out, one foot on a bottom shelf and her arm reaching up for something she could not touch. Hair hair neatly pinned up and her head titled back. Devian stared at the picture a second before he realized this profile was his mother. Devian got an odd excitement in him. The fact his father did indeed view his mother as someone significant enough to add to his life's tales was warming. Devian already knew where that story would go detail wise, but of course the curiosity was killing him as to what his father thought of her. Deciding he was a grown man and could handle the information he turned the page.

- The moment I remember most about Cephera, the innocent in the library, was her determination to reach that book and how easily her curiosity for it disappeared when made a more tempting offer. Her innocent eyes wide as I made my intentions clear. It didn't take much persuading. The poor girl seemed to long for someone to notice her. My attentions flattering. I kissed her there against that shelf. Kissing was not something I did often, but I knew I'd never see her again and so I didn't fear her becoming attached with thoughts of love.

She came willingly to my room and her laughter as we ducked the guards along the way was like music. Her frivolous behaviour was welcomed as it made myself feel free as well. -

Devian's skimmed past the erotic parts far enough to find the end of their meeting.

- She was gone as quickly as she came. Forever leaving Asgard to live a much more different life. A life meant for her kind. I'd be lying to myself if I said I wouldn't miss her. There was something about her that told me there was so much more to her than the little I had gotten to see. I would have liked another day or so to just study her. To learn more. I had never cared to learn about a human before, but something about her drew my attention. Alas she is where she belongs and like all the others her memory will fade over time. I note her because she opened my eyes. Not all humans were boring and useless. -

The passage outside their coupling was short, but Devian felt a deep sense of understanding in his words. He clearly had never forgotten her even though he thought he would. She'd made a silent impression on him that even his father couldn't shake. Devian couldn't help, but wonder what his father thought of her now. He flipped throughout the pages and found no more about his mother. As much as he wanted to go in order Devian was also curious about his father's last days to write such things. He picked out the last journal and opened it up to the last entry.

- Thor has been banished and I sit on the throne. I'm conflicted. As much as I thought Thor was not ready I also wonder if I am. A thought I will never share with anyone else, but deep down I feel nervous. This was all my doing. What was meant to be a bit of mischief to spoil and delay Thor's accession turned into a whirlwind of truths, lies and confusion. I sit on the throne wondering how I would get myself out of this mess and still save face. My father, no my warden, is deep in his Odin sleep and I am alone in my tasks to right my own wrongs yet dark thoughts are continuous in my mind. Thoughts to end all this nonsense. A war is on the horizon and I began it without meaning to.'

'I am left with preparing for war or taming the mess I stirred, but that is where my dark thoughts lie. Why not destroy my enemies now while I can. To stop this war by obliterating all those who would oppose Asgard. I would be a hero. I would be the king to end all thoughts of war or future problems. It would not be what Odin would have done, but I am not Odin and I can do better than Thor. -

The page ended there in an odd manner. As if he got interrupted. Devian wasn't sure of everything Loki had done, but reading this only made him want to know. He looked around. Somewhere in this room was the answer. Devian moved to the desk. It was clear his father had been doing something there before he had fallen from the Byfrost. Devian spread his hands along the papers spreading them out further to inspect them. There were more drawings, none of women, but of outlines of areas. Among those same papers were symbols belonging to spells. Devian spent the remainder of his time trying to make sense of the seemingly senseless mess of papers left behind by his father.

(Loki)

Loki smirked into the darkness of his cell. He had his arms crossed under his head and his feet crossed at the ankles as he laid on his back on his bed. In the spell he had cast above him he could see his son sifting through his old things. Loki was wondering how long it would take Devian to figure out just what all the papers were.

He'd been amused that his first move had been to read his journals and then to skip to the one he was most curious about. He would have questions, no doubt the next time they spoke. He was curious as to why Devian had not shared his secrets with his sister. The two seemed close, but it also seemed they enjoyed very separate things. Loki had a feeling Diana would much rather burn his secret room to ashes then to poke through his things. Loki was glad that whatever reasons Devian had to leave his sister out of this they existed.

Cephera's day however had Loki slightly miffed. After her morning chasing after her daughter down to the arena she'd been approached by a man. Loki new the man. A noble by the name of Tolk. Loki didn't like him chatting to her. Mainly because he noticed his wandering eyes. The man determined to make an impression on the newly allied princess. The kind of man Loki had warned her about. The kind who would use her but never love her. The kind who would lie to her to win her heart and then break it. It infuriated Loki that she spoke with him for as long as she did. That Loki had been honest with her about his own wants but she would fall into the lies of others.

Of course Loki was looking far to deeply into it. After all it was not as if she brought him to bed. She only spoke with him. Diana had been the interrupt. Loki had smiled as he watched Diana give Tolk what Loki considered her 'evil eye'. It would seem no man would get close to her mother without her approval and Tolk most defiantly didn't have her approval. To be fair Cephera seemed relieved to see him go, but Loki still hated to come to realize that this man would not be the only one. Her new title would bring more to sniff about her. Loki had hoped they would be warded off by the mere fact that Loki and her shared children together, but apparently it meant nothing.

People knew that Loki had been locked away but the reasons they knew were not complete. They didn't know of his crimes while sitting on the Asgard throne. They knew only half the story of his deeds on Midgard and most assumed he was locked away for disregarding Odin's rules but none knew just how treacherous his deeds had become. It hadn't been how Loki planned them at first. Things had gotten out of control more than any other plans because he had been running on pure emotion. Since then Loki had done well to keep his emotions in better check. However, once in a while his emotions got the better of him. He was after all just a man.

- Vulcaniumx: :)

- Twifan 1987: he may be in for a big surprise and maybe she will be too. Who knows where my brown will take this. Hehe

- Katarina Lillis: I thought it would make a nice touch for Cephera to think back to earlier times. As for the journals well in you skip to these responses you best read the chapter for that. ;)

- Loki's Dreamer: you are very welcome. :)

- Reneemm: happy you liked the dream. :) yes Loki is very happy toward both his children.

- Akera Writer of the Night: I completely agree!

- Benfan1: I'm basing this on the year we live in today only because I can't figure out which year the movies fall into. So Cephera ended back on earth in the year 1813. However I am open to changing that should anyone be able to pin point the year the movies are set.