Sitting on the side of the grand bed in Loki's chambers, Isabella remained silent. Her arms were folded across her chest as her eyes remained fixed on the wall in front of her. Loki stood on the other side of the bed, looking at the back of her head as he flicked his wrist, freezing time outside of his chamber. His green orbs strayed over her small back, taking in her blonde hair which hung down her shoulders as she refused to look at him.
Holding tightly onto the sceptre, Loki could feel his pulse quicken as he thought of lies to tell her. Everything would be okay. She didn't need to know about anything which he had done. He would make sure that his brother never returned to Asgard and he would destroy the Frost Giants. He would be hailed and Isabella would see that he never meant any harm. She would look up to him once again. Loki was sure of it.
But she had already seen him and Heimdall. She had already seen what he could do. Even Loki had been slightly taken back at his actions. Never before had he imagined that he could wield such power like the casket. And he had used the power in cold blood.
"Do you intend to tell me what happened?" Isabella dared to speak, her voice bold and strong as she remained looking away from Loki. The God of Mischief smirked at hearing her. For a moment on the bridge he thought that she had been scared of him. But there seemed to be no fear in her tone now they were alone.
"How much did you hear before making your presence known?" Loki wondered, slowly moving around the bed until he came to the foot of it. Isabella felt the mattress sink down as he sat on the smaller edge of the bed. Closing her eyes, she shrugged softly and shook her head.
"I heard nothing," she told him honestly. "I saw what you did and that was enough. Why did you do it?"
"Heimdall was defying me," Loki told her. Isabella rolled her eyes, finally moving her upper body to the side. She turned her head to look at the side of Loki. She could make out how his head was bowed downwards, his hands holding onto the sceptre, entwined fingers keeping the staff safe in his clutches. "He would have attacked me had I not made a move."
"Why would he defy you?" Isabella wondered. Her eyes roamed over his body, watching for any sign of body language which would tell her more. She knew he was keeping something from her. She just didn't know what.
"He allowed Thor's friends to leave for Earth-"
"-Why did he draw his sword?" Isabella interrupted Loki. "Why would he want to attack you?"
Loki looked up, his eyes focused on the closed door which led onto his balcony. He could feel her looking at him, watching him with curiosity and longing. She longed to know why he had acted in such a manner but Loki could think of no lie to tell her. He could think of nothing more. She had to understand him if he told her the truth.
"Loki," Isabella snapped his name, drawing him away from his own thoughts. "Why did he want to attack you?"
"Why could you simply not stay here?" Loki wondered, his fingers moving to his forehead and rubbing along his temple. His mouth parted with a smile of annoyance, his head shaking back and forth. He stood up again, turning his attention to his betrothed as she remained sat down. The pair of them finally looked at each other, their green orbs full of determination.
"Why could you not do as I asked you?" Loki wondered from her, moving around the bed, his hand pointing to his chest as he bent at the waist slightly, advancing towards Isabella as she rose up from the bed. "Why could you not put your curiosity to one side? Why must you be so disobedient?"
"Why must you keep things from me?" Isabella wondered from him. She took a step closer to him, her hands by her side, shaking as she clenched her fingers into balls. Her chin jutted out as her chest almost brushed against his. "What are you doing, Loki? What are you plotting?"
"You assume I am plotting something?" Loki wondered, his grin remaining on his face, a sinister look crossing his pale features. "Why would you assume that?"
"I know something is wrong, Loki," Isabella assured him. "Why will you not talk to me and tell me?"
"T'is best for you not to know," Loki whispered back to her. His long fingers moved forwards, resting on top of her cheek as he brushed his thumb along the bone hidden under her flesh. She leant closer into his hand, her own fingers wrapping around his wrist as her eyes challenged his.
"I want to know," she urged him. "I want to be there for you, Loki. Stop pushing me away."
"I do not want to," Loki informed her. "But this way is better for everything. Believe me when I say that everything shall be fine soon."
"That is where I am struggling," Isabella replied. "And I hate myself for it...but ever since I have been here...people have done nothing but talk against you and your intentions...and now I have seen you do that to Heimdall...I have seen you act so mercilessly and I do not know what to believe."
Loki remained silent, watching her before he dropped his hand from her. His skin tingled at the lack of contact as he stepped back, moving around his room, his cloak billowing behind him as Isabella watched him move.
"Loki-"
"-So after all I have done for you," Loki cut her off, his voice on the verge of hysteria. "After everything I have done. I have brought you here and I have provided us with a chance of happiness...now you stand there and tell me that you do not know if you can trust me?"
Isabella said nothing whilst Loki glared at her and she shook her head. She was in a daze, her emotions confused as to what to feel. One moment she had been angry with him, concerned over his actions. The next she had pleaded with him to talk to her and tell her what was happening. And now she was willing to fall in front of him, begging him to talk to her, to make her understand what was happening.
"You have to understand how I feel, Loki," Isabella begged him, stepping closer towards the King. Loki moved a step back from her, unable to bear the proximity whilst he noted her eyes begin to water in front of him. "I am confused. I have done nothing but defend you. I have never gone against you...but I cannot help you if you do not talk to me. I want to understand. I want to be there for you!" she pleaded with him, tears falling from her eyes as Loki continued to look at her in a cold manner.
He felt rage boil from within him at the mere sight of her. His Isabella. His caring, sweet Isabella wanted to be there for him. And she could be if she just trusted him.
"What is it that is so bad that you refuse to talk to me?" Isabella asked. She slowly moved closer to him. Loki turned his head to the side, his gaze fixed on the chair which contained her robe as she stepped closer to him. Slowly, she drew her hand to his cheek, her fingers on the cold metal of the helmet he wore as she drew his gaze back to her. He remained stern, refusing to show any sign of emotion on his face.
"Loki," she whispered his name, her voice so soft and caring on one simple word. Closing his eyes, he allowed her other hand to move to his other cheek as her body pressed tight against his. Instinctively, he moved his hands to her hips, drawing her closer if it were possible.
"I do this for my father," Loki whispered to her. How could she do this to him? How could her simple words and touch turn him so soft? How could his anger dissolve with her at the sight of a few tears and a look of longing? "Believe me when I say that I do this for the good of Asgard and to prove myself."
"Do what?" Isabella whispered to him. She dared to press her lips against the bottom of his jaw, her touch tender as Loki inhaled the scent of her hair. "Loki...what are you going to do?"
He said nothing back to her, simply holding onto her body as he realised that time passed in Midgard. Time passed and Thor would finally find his beloved friends. They would tell him that Odin was not dead and Thor would demand to know the truth. Loki couldn't let him back into Asgard. He would ruin everything.
Yet he couldn't tell Isabella that he was going to send the Destroyer to stop him. She would not understand and it was not in her nature to even comprehend his actions. Perhaps this was the Frost Giants inside of him. The part that was cold and cunning.
"Stay here," Loki told her, dropping his lips to press against her forehead before removing himself from her hold, pushing her arms from him and grabbing his sceptre. He moved for the door, shutting it and flicking his wrist, locking it.
He continued walking down the corridor, the echoes of his name coming from the room hidden behind the door as she shrieked out for him to come back and let her out. Yet he did no such thing.
...
Isabella kept on working at the handle of the door, pulling it with no prevail. It would not open and Loki had gone; she was sure of it. She moved her body to sit down on the bed, shaking her head in annoyance before looking around the room. She tried the door to the balcony with no luck once again. Clenching her teeth together she cursed Loki out loud, not caring for anyone who could hear her yells.
And then she saw the washroom. The room was connected to the bedroom and the door was wide open. She had tried all of the windows inside of the bedroom and Loki had managed to lock them too, stopping them from opening for her. She moved into the washroom, seeing the small window in the middle of the room. Pushing it open, she felt the fresh air hit her face. Climbing up, she smirked, silently pleased that she had managed to outsmart Loki.
Isabella dangled over the edge, jumping down the small distance to the balcony which ran around the palace. She could sense the stares in her direction as the maids and guards stopped their talking and watched the young woman move in such an ungraceful fashion.
Ignoring them all, she moved around the balcony, grabbing onto the skirt of her dress and picking it up. Running in any direction which she vaguely recognised, she searched for the throne room, knowing that it would be the first port of call for her to find Loki. She had no idea where he had gone or what he intended to do. But she would soon find out.
"Is the King in there?" Isabella snapped when she came to the throne room. Two guards stood by the closed doors as Isabella pointed to the golden material blocking her from the room. Looking at each, the guards took a moment to comprehend her question.
"The King does not wish to be disturbed," one of them told her. Isabella shook her head, rolling her eyes at them as she pushed past one of them, her hands resting on the gold as she pushed the material.
The guards watched her for a moment, wondering what they should do. They had been given orders by the King but they knew that this girl was the King's guest. They imagined she would not stop until she saw him. And if they had to be honest then they did not want to obey Loki. In the end, they followed her, one of them with their fingers wrapped around her elbow, holding it tightly.
"I thought I said that I did not wish to be disturbed?" Loki drawled out. He was stood on the top step leading up to the throne, his eyes looking at Isabella as the guard released her after she had wriggled around in his hold.
"She was very persistent," the blonde guard replied. Rolling his eyes, Loki waved his hand and the doors closed, leaving him and Isabella alone one more time. He knew that he had to act quickly. Thor's powers had been restored to him and the Destroyer had failed in his task.
But there was still hope. The Bifrost was not open and Heimdall was frozen. He could not let Thor back into Asgard.
"What is this, Loki?" Isabella whispered and Loki sank back into his seat, knowing that the Frost Giants were becoming impatient with him. He had promised Laufey access to Asgard and they were waiting for him to fulfil that promise.
She moved up the steps, her eyes never leaving Loki as he rested his hand on his chin and thought through his plan for a moment.
"What are you doing?" she tried again.
"I am showing father that I am the better son," Loki spoke, his voice low whilst Isabella shook her head at him.
She loved him. She loved him with all her heart and it scared her how she felt. It scared her how close she was to him. How his pain was her pain. How his happiness was her happiness. But when he was keeping things from her...when he was hiding the truth and lying to her...well, she hurt. She hurt because she wanted them to be honest. How could she be with someone who lied to her?
"How?" she wondered again. "Loki, if we are going to be together then you need to talk to me."
Arching a brow in her direction, he looked amused for a moment.
"You would contemplate leaving me?" he wondered, shaking his head. He knew that she wouldn't. They were too far gone for talk like that now. "Do not speak in an absurd manner."
"If you continue to lie to me then I may have no choice," she warned him. Loki rolled his eyes at hearing her. She finally came to the top step of the throne, standing in front of him with worry in her eyes.
"I intend to bring Laufey into Asgard," Loki declared to her simply. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, his eyes never leaving hers as her own orbs widened in shock at what she was hearing.
"What?" Isabella spat out. "Why would you do that?"
"I went to Jotunheim last night to speak with him of the plan," Loki told Isabella. He didn't know why he had decided to tell her. He knew that he could keep the truth from her and she would still remain by his side. She loved him too much to do anything else. Yet...he had told her...there was a part of him which doubted his confidence. There was a small part of him which wondered if she would leave him. She was a stubborn individual who stuck by her decision once she made it.
"I agreed to conceal him and a small number of his guards into Asgard," Loki informed her. She remained silent, too shocked at what she was hearing to do anything else. "Heimdall needed to be out of the way for he doubted me much like you do now."
"Why are you doing this?" Isabella snapped at him. Loki stood up, the sceptre in his hands as he continued to stare at her. She flung her arms to the side, her eyes looking heavenwards whilst her head continued to shake back and forth. "Why would you do this to Asgard?"
"I will lead them to Odin's chamber," Loki said and Isabella's mouth hung open.
"I know that he kept the truth from you...but Loki...you cannot hurt him..."
"Will you allow me to finish?" Loki snapped before she could continue with her babbling. "He shall not harm my father. I will kill him before he can do anything."
Isabella thought of what he was saying, trying to figure out why he would do this until it finally hit her. Looking back to Loki, her face paled and horror came over her body.
"You will look as though you saved his life," she finally pieced it together. Loki nodded, moving around her, standing behind her small body, his hand moving to her hair and pulling it over one of her shoulders.
He dropped his lips to where her neck connected with her shoulders, tenderly resting his nose on her shoulder, his touch sending shivers down her spine.
"And then I shall destroy Jotunheim," he whispered to her. "I shall kill all of those monsters and finally I shall have proved myself to father. I shall prove that I am a worthy son and he shall have no option but to allow us to be together, Isabella. He will be unable to stop us."
Turning quickly, she looked at him, searching his eyes and pleading silently with him to be joking. Or she could be dreaming. Loki could not do this. He could not even contemplate risking his own father's life. How could he do this?
"No," Isabella replied, her head shaking back and forth whilst Loki's brows furrowed together. He thought that she would understand. He thought that she would realise that he was doing this for them. He was doing this to let them be together amongst the nobility of Asgard.
"No?" Loki repeated the word, his teeth bared in a smile of disbelief. "What do you mean no? I am doing this for the good of Asgard, Isabella. The Frost Giants will never be able to hurt us again...father shall see me for the King I am."
"It is madness," Isabella interrupted Loki, shaking her head at him. "You cannot bring them here, Loki. You cannot bring them to the Allfather's chamber...what if the plan goes wrong? What if Laufey does kill him?"
"It shall not happen," Loki said stubbornly. "I know it."
"You do not," Isabella challenged him. "This is silly, Loki. The Allfather shall see how you have ruled Asgard and he shall see that you did well, Loki. He shall see that without this plan."
"No, he will not," Loki replied sternly to her. "Jotunheim will be destroyed and I will have proved myself. Those monsters will cause no more damage. Why do you not understand?"
"Why do you think this is a good idea?" Isabella retorted to him. "You cannot destroy a realm, Loki. It is wrong."
"They are the ones who are dangerous," Loki responded. "They need to be destroyed-"
"-You are not the one to decide that!"
"I am King!" Loki yelled at her. She recoiled from him, her blood freezing at the sight of him before her. His eyes had reddened and his skin had tinged to its natural form as he stepped closer to her. His hands curled around her shoulders and he shook her in his hold. "I am the King! Leader of this realm!"
"Loki...you're hurting me..." Isabella complained as she struggled in his hold. His grip on her slackened as he felt his skin warm again and she backed away from him, keeping her distance as she stepped down a few steps to keep away from him.
"If I prove myself," Loki whispered to her, seeing the fear and confusion in her face. "If I can remain King...or if I become Prince again...then he will see...he will allow us to be, Isabella. He will owe it to me."
"We were to have a meal with him, Loki," Isabella reminded him quickly. "He was to meet me and see how happy we could be together. We had a chance without this...without you needing to destroy another realm. You still don't have to."
Shaking his head, Loki looked away from her and onto the balcony, the Rainbow Bridge within his vision as the sun set over Asgard once again. Isabella moved closer to him, rushing to his side with her hands outstretched, her fingers curling around his upper arms. She managed to force him to look back at her, all of her might going into moving him and the clunky armour which he wore.
"Loki," she said his name again. "You do not need to go and let them in. You do not need to let them do this...what of your mother? What if she is harmed?"
"No on shall be harmed-"
"-You do not know that for sure!" Isabella yelled at him, her voice hoarse and her cheeks reddening. "You know not what will happen!"
"And if I go through with this..." Loki replied, trailing off as he thought, "If I do this and it all works...then what happens? Would you leave me, Isabella? Would you part ways with me?"
She said nothing to him them, taking her hands from him and folding her arms across her chest, slowly moving to the side as Loki watched her, waiting patiently for her answer.
She thought for a moment, wondering if she could allow him to do this. And if she did...if she allowed him to live a lie and be hailed a false hero what would she feel? Would she be able to stand by his side?
"No," Isabella shook her head, finally looking at him, hoping this would bring him to see sense. "I could not be with you, Loki. I could not be with you knowing that you were willing to risk your own father's life...willing to risk anyone's life...just for acceptance."
Grinding his teeth together, his jaw clenched as her words sunk into his pores. The pair of them simply watched each other for what felt like an eternity, neither one of them able to accept the answers placed before them. He didn't believe her. He couldn't believe her. She would be with him and he would make sure that she would be.
"I understand why you want to be accepted, Loki," Isabella promised him in a softer tone. "I understand why it means so much to you...but...this is not the way. Your parents love you already without this madness...I love you..."
"I thought that you would understand," Loki replied. "But you do not, do you? Have you ever understood?"
"Of course I have." Isabella said, her tone turning to one of annoyance. "I understand how you have felt...but I cannot understand this. Don't do it. Don't let them in and just stay with me. We can go away and hide, Loki. We can go back to your chambers and hide there for the evening...pretending none of this has happened."
Loki could not deny that the temptation which moved through his body. Spending the rest of his evening simply holding Isabella was something which he wanted and longed for. But he could not. His brother had his powers back and Loki knew that there was a chance of him returning. He had to prove himself before that moment presented itself.
"No," Loki said, gulping loudly as he said it. Isabella felt her spirits sink at hearing him deny her. "It is too late, Isabella."
"No, Loki," Isabella spoke. She moved, hastily clawing at the armour covering Loki's chest as she brought her lips up to his. She pressed herself tightly against him, her lips moving against his as Loki clenched his hands into her hair, slowly moving his fingers downwards to trail down her spine. He knew that she was trying to distract him. She was trying to stop him from leaving her.
But it didn't work. Loki closed his eyes, holding her tightly before he allowed his magic to take over him. His body tingled, moving away from her as his lips remained fixed on hers. She pulled back from him, feeling detachment until she looked down and saw his body disappearing before her eyes.
"Loki!" she snapped at him, knowing that he was vanishing from her hold. "No! Do not do this!"
He said nothing as he finally disappeared from her view, his body leaving the throne room whilst Isabella screamed once in frustration. Looking around the empty room she shook her head and ran back down the steps, knowing that she had to stop Loki for his own good.
...
A/N: And the next chapter will be the last one set in the movie and then we move on! I have it all planned out, I only hope that I don't disappoint. Anyway, thank you to LiTtLeMoNsTeR89, bowchickawowow, Toshiba234 and reverie-scriptor for reviewing.
Please do let me know what you all think!