Chapter 25 - Dance. Enjoy!
Taking the final bike of her cheesecake, dessert eaten with a much more slower grace than the main, Aria was finally content she had eaten enough.
Loki was swirling some wine now, eyes continuing to assess the room around them, picking out people they hadn't spoken too yet and people to check up with.
"I want you to continue by yourself for a while" Loki explained, soaking up the fear that spiked in her, the dependency she was starting to feel. "Just go talk to some of the more natural people here, I have some business to attend."
As he rose, he forced her to rise with him. Turning towards her before she could break away, he skimmed a piece of falling hair behind her ear before leaning down and kissing her. A few comically 'aww's could be heard from the party, the grip Loki still had in her hair the threat to return the kiss, before they went their separate ways with smiles.
Aria gave Rosie an instant 'find me another drink' look, which she did with a playful roll of her eyes.
"Your Grace" someone called her over, a small gathering of stunning woman, all legs and breasts, all that touch more graceful and beautiful than her. She would have to check what her 'official title' actually was, because she was being called all kinds of stuff at this point.
She noticed none of them had rings, and none seemed to have a business stature. Aria tried engaging them on some light politics to check, but they had no idea what she was talking about. She barely knew, only grasped things from Loki's conversations. But she concluded these women were here to pry and find someone to help hoist them into the foreground of society. These were not the type of people she wanted to be talking too, as she could see a pair of women behind them who looked much more genuine.
"You look divine" a woman in a startling red dress complimented, the other colours of the rainbow nodding along. Aria noted no one else had worn green.
"Where did you get this gown?" blue dress asked, going to run her fingers through the fabric but Aria moved away. She didn't know if her anklet would burn her in this event but didn't risk it.
"Loki chose it for me" Aria explained, feeling she had used the word husband enough for a lifetime.
"How gracious" gold dress sneered, eyes roaming the room for him, locking on and practically purring.
Aria was about to make an excuse to depart, when black dress suddenly turned to her with a snide smile.
"Well tell us, Your Grace, how did you two meet?" Aria realised pretty quickly they were trying to get her to slip. They knew to a degree what she went through, and instead of wanting to help, they just wanted to be in her position, the arm of the King and gifted gown and balls.
"Me and the King" Aria forced herself not to choke on the words. "Are rather private about our lives."
The girls nodded falsely in understanding.
"So, nothing on your meeting? Lifestyle or wedding? Did you go on a honeymoon? The wedding night?" They were all staring at her at the end as Aria forced herself not to relive any of what he did at night, gulping purposefully.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, ladies" Aria started, voice luckily as strong as before. "But, please respect our privacy. I must go find my husband now."
"Oh wait" blue dress appeared in her direct path, hands reaching to her dress collar before Aria noticed. When her skin didn't burn, Aria was almost relieved, until blue dress started adjusting her strap. "Just a little off." Her slender fingers skimmed across the scar running over her collar, applying a little too much pressure and making Aria wince through wide eyes. "There" the bitch smirked stepping away and leaving Aria shocked.
"Your Majesty" Rosie appeared, taking Aria's freezing arm. "Let me sort that for you" as she steered the shocked girl away.
They left the ballroom, and into the nearest bathroom that would not be likely disturbed.
"What a bitch" Rosie muttered, before seeing how upset Aria. "Should I get the King?"
"No" Aria instantly bit out, she didn't know how he'd react to her less than formal reaction. Tears leaked down her cheeks. A small group of women were bringing her down more than Loki was himself, it was stupid. This wasn't what she was like. But it was inhuman, using the physical torture Loki inflicted on her as a manipulation tactic.
'Where are you?' Loki's voice cut through her thoughts.
'Bathroom' she snapped back, before thinking to real in her emotions.
'Stay there' now the anger was evident.
"Fuck" Aria ground out, dabbing at her cheeks and eyes to try and look less weak. "You can go for now Rosie, he's on his way."
Rosie gave her a sympathetic glance before disappearing out the room. Aria heard her mutter a greeting and knew he was there. He didn't even bother to knock, striding in and closing the door behind him.
"When I said continue by yourself, I didn't mean go off alone" Loki growled, before really noticing her.
"I'm sorry, I can't control my bladder" Aria ground out, going to walk out passed him until he grabbed her.
"What is it?" He asked, knowing her emotions for once might not be directly because of him. He didn't feel any growing satisfaction at this, just intense anger and violence towards someone in that ballroom.
"Just a rather consuming environment" Aria explained, not a lie, but not exactly the truth.
"Pet" Loki sighed, not in the mood for her games.
"Some women just asked too many of the wrong questions" Aria admitted, seeing him raise his eyebrow waiting for the rest. "One touched the scar."
His grip tightened, before he reached up and ran his own finger over it, feathering and seeing the pain in her eyes.
"Tell me who they were, and they will be dealt with" Loki muttered, calming him voice so she didn't think he was angry at her.
"No it's okay, no one important, they just-" he interrupted with a harsh grip.
"I'm not asking, Aria" he spat, while she begrudgingly identified the woman. Loki helped clear any evidence she had been upset, and they headed back out into the ballroom.
Not long after, the group of women were seen escorted out the party, the one in the blue dress with a shocked and pained expression, Aria didn't ask what had happened, but it didn't seem good. They continued on a circuit, before Loki let her break again to continue talking to a lovely man, about late 50's, regarding a novel she had studied in school and enjoyed greatly.
"Now the King and Queen will share a dance" someone announced, snapping Aria out of the conversation.
'Really?' she questioned him, receiving the ghost of the smirk back as she walked towards the centre of the ballroom, Loki was already waiting confidently, clocking her as she walked forward. He couldn't help but admire her, stunning and graceful, gliding across the floor even before the dance begun. After everything he'd done and continues to do, she didn't let it crack through now.
The music started as they met, instantly falling into step as they swept around the room.
'This is insane' she explained.
'In your culture maybe, not in mine' Loki replied, spinning her around and drawing her back, suffocatingly close.
'Not your culture anymore' she commented, seeing how his eyebrows furrowed and he nodded a moment, as if just recognising something. 'Is there going to be more of these events?'
'Possibly, all depends on you.' Of course it did. Her behaviour.
As the second song started, other people started dancing around the room, but the two of them barely noticed, too busy communicating to themselves. They swung in time, practised and perfect. The elegance they mustered seemed natural, people couldn't help but be captivated by them, watching them glide with distracted purpose across the floor.
"Someone asked if you could dance with them before" Loki finally spoke, Aria chuckling sarcastically.
"Assume you told them it was never going to happen" she guessed, seeing him nod a little.
"I would like to say I held onto my Kingly dignity, but the man is no longer here to vouch for it" Loki explained, clutching her closer and they waltzed into a third song.
They continued dancing until Loki said something that froze her mid step, appearance or not.
"I've been thinking about children"
He quickly assessed this may not have been the best place to mention it, and urged her to continue dancing.
"You said when you first brought me here that it wasn't an option" she seethed, panic rising.
"I had no original desire, and still don't, but it was mentioned many times. What you said before about this not being Asgardian culture, I have to start adapting to here instead of just making another Asgard. If children are the norm," Loki started, feeling the way she gripped tighter to control her emotions.
"I never wanted kids before this" she answered honestly. "I wanted to peruse my career and my future, the family aspect was always second nature. Kids never fit in. It is only expected if an heir is required, which you already said isn't. So, it would only be for pretence sake and conforming."
"Well I would hate to conform" Loki half joked, tipping her down at the end of the song. Cliché as it seemed, he leant down and kissed her softly before righting her and whisking off to find them a drink, Aria moving to the edge of the ballroom with a breathless sigh.
He returned with a coke for her and Champaign for herself, which she nodded her thanks too. Aria was growing warm, the room becoming a lot.
"Loki" she muttered awkwardly. "Can I stand on the balcony, only for a few minutes to cool down?"
Tensing her spine, Aria was relieved when he nodded and gave her 5 minutes. It was unlikely he would chain her to it in front of everyone, but she was still slightly cautious.
Aria greatly appreciated the fresh air, taking in slow and careful breathes to calm her nerves of the conversation they just had and the night in general.
"Agent Green"
She froze, the air turning too cold and her breath matching. This night was a never-ending whirlwind of emotion right now.
"That isn't my formal title" she fake scolded, turning to an Agent she thought she recognised but couldn't be sure.
"I have a message" he started, but she stopped him.
"If this is another one of His tricks, you can tell him to fuck off. Not in those words, but im not playing his games right now. I said I needed air, I'm not running this time" she urged the name, seeing his posture almost wince at her pleading.
"Stark says he is close. He needs to know which room is yours, that's all" the Agent explained, seeing her face fall.
"No" she whispered, voice cracking. The Agent widened their eyes, clearly having not expected that answer.
"We can't help you unless you tell us, if you want to get out of here" He continued, ignoring her distress.
"We made a truce, one night. That tonight I wouldn't plot an escape, and he wouldn't play games or hurt me. I don't know what else he wants from me" she cried, throwing her head back. "Is this because I refused to have children? Is he punishing me with hope again?"
"Green" he barked, earning her attention. "I'm not a messenger for that monster, I promise you. We just need to know where your bedroom is. Stop him hurting you."
Aria was choking on emotion, unsure what to do.
Risk telling him and this being another trick, Loki appears and punishes her again. Or this is real, and she outs this man to Loki and hinders possible escape.
Her mind was whirling as she opened her mouth to make some reply. Any reply.
Woah. One of the first official cliffhangers of the story. Don't worry, i've started writing already, yes this chapter is shorter because i decided to be horrible and cliffhanger it. But in all honestly, i'm trying to decide which decision she will take. I already know if the man is the real deal or just another trick, but what will she decide?
Please review! Got amazing responses last chapter and that was amazing to read.
Thanks, Tayz x