35

"Oh!" The elven woman exclaimed suddenly, Loki looked up from the ground to her. She leapt off of her bed and darted around the room. He frowned watching her run around clearly looking for something.

"Sorry can I just politely ask you to move?" Maerwen stood in front of him smiling. Nodding slowly he stood up, barely standing up from the chair Loki had to jump away from the chair being flung to one side.

"Can you watch where you aim your furniture?"

"Sorry," she smiled and crouched down on the floor. Pulling out a trunk from under her bed she rooted through it. Amongst the numerous items she'd pulled out from the dark wooden trunk she turned and waved something up in his direction.

Loki reached out and took the book from her hands. It was the Midgard book which had sadly been impaled twice. Maerwen had removed the arrows, which she now sat crouching holding onto.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed he opened the book to assess the damage. As far as damage went parts of words were completely blotted out thanks to arrow holes.

Frowning lightly he looked down at Maerwen, who was now muttering to herself. "What are you talking to yourself about?"

Maerwen snapped out of her apparent daze and waved an arrow up at him. Putting the book by his side he took the arrow from her hand. "What is it exactly I am meant to be looking at?"

"Wait a minute." Maerwen held her hands up, Loki moved to the side as she clambered over her bed and pulled another trunk from underneath her bed. He sat and listened to the dragging noises as she pulled the trunk around. Flinging the lid open she carefully removed numerous little weapons such as throwing knives, eventually she pulled out her bow. Leaning it against the bed she pulled out an arrow and held it up.

"Notice anything?"

"They're both shot from a bow?" Loki's words caused Maerwen to look at him dumbly.

"Try again." She said, standing up and sitting beside him she kicked off her boots and tucked her legs up onto the bed. "Here," gesturing her hands to his she took the arrows from him. "Same wood," she tapped the arrows together and looked at him. "Same arrow head, same sort of fletching." Maerwen's fingers glided over the faded blue feathers at the end of the arrow.

"You feel the need to show me this because?"

"They're the same." Maerwen said bluntly, she felt like what she was explaining was so obvious. She couldn't quite grasp why no one else, especially Loki, couldn't catch onto her words as easily as he previously had done with other matters.

"So you and the enemy use the same weapon. Am I surprised? No. Don't you two use the same sort of weaponry anyway?"

"Common misconception." Maerwen smiled, "They're more up for fighting. Svartalfheim's army are not as strong as Asgard's. But they're roughly made up of the same sort of warrior class. Then there's archers." She paused, "All in all they're more up for slashing with swords rather than piercing with arrows."

"Whereas you and Alfheim are more peaceful?" Loki questioned regarding her earlier sentence, Maerwen nodded confirming his words. "I think that's now a common misconception too." Loki smiled lightly, Maerwen dropped the arrows in the trunk and reached out to shut the lid.

"Why would they all use the same weaponry? Why do I feel the need to show you this? Simply because if they're sharing and exchanging weaponry then the Alfheim elves could soon be donning cloaking devices too." Maerwen paused and looked at him sidewards. "They exchange the arrows for better swords, then possibly exchange better bows for better shields. See where I'm going with this?"

"They're banding together better to make a more complete army." Loki mused and nodded, "Yes I understand what it is you are trying to say. But only because they've swapped weaponry that does not mean they have worked on their people skills." He paused and picked up the book again, he had spent many times flicking through the pages and enjoying reading the text. It saddened him a little to see the book in this shape. He frowned and slid his fingers over one of the arrow holes, he shouldn't have let Maerwen use it as a shield.

Next time she needed a shield he'd make sure not to have any of his possessions nearby for her to use.

"You all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You sure? You completely blanked out there. Didn't even tell me to be quiet."

"You were sitting there talking to yourself again?" Loki asked, Maerwen nodded simply. "That's the first sign of insanity is it not?" Maerwen's light smile faded and she clapped her hands on her head. Loki smiled, he found it funny how Maerwen listened and seemingly believed his words.

"If I go insane-"

"Are you sure you are not already?"

"I am perfectly sane." Maerwen said in a determined tone while crossing her arms and giving a certain nod. Loki raised an eyebrow at her, her confident disposition faltered and she looked at him. Yet he just sat looking at her blankly. Eventually Maerwen's shoulders sagged and she ran a hand through her hair. Looking up at him she grinned and let out a quiet laugh, he hadn't moved and still looked at her with a rather blank expression.

Reaching up she put a hand over his eyes, "That's better."

"I'm still here though."

"Yes you are, but at least you are not looking in my direction boredly." Maerwen reasoned and then pouted when he moved to the side. Lowering her arm she twiddled her thumbs and looked at him.

Maerwen jumped and sat bolt upright when movement was heard from the adjoining room. Soon the door opened and Eira peeked in, "You are still up and about?" Maerwen stiffly nodded and looked to the spot where Loki was sitting, but wasn't anymore.

She slightly envied him being able to turn invisible in the blink of an eye.

"Are you all right?" Eira walked over and sat beside her. Her tired eyes skimmed over the mess of Maerwen's room. She eyed her up, "Is there a particular reason why you have dismantled your room in the early hours of the morning?" Eira questioned, she was using a lightly scolding tone.

"I woke you up didn't I?" Maerwen questioned, Eira nodded slowly and yawned. Her brown hair which was usually so neatly tied up or plaited was scruffy from sleep. "I am sorry."

"It is all right," Eira said while covering her mouth to yawn. "Come on then," she rubbed her arms to keep herself warm.

"Huh?"

"Your reason for all the mess at such an early time."

"This," Maerwen smiled and lifted up the battered Midgard book. Eira looked at her sceptically with a raised eyebrow. Maerwen's smile stayed and didn't falter.

"That must be one important book then." Eira smiled and stood up. "Or perhaps it is the owner that is important? That'd explain the dire need to find it."

"Shh," Maerwen said while dropping the book on the bed and covering her slowly reddening cheeks. Eira chuckled and reached down to embrace her loosely, Maerwen still sat with her hands over her cheeks staring straight ahead at the wall.

"Good night dear," Eira said while patting her red curls. "Try and get some sleep."

"Will do!" Maerwen smiled and saluted her as she exited the room.

"Am I important to you?" Loki whispered, Maerwen covered her mouth to keep the exclaimed yelp in. After all he was still invisible and he did make her jump. "Fandral is right, you are jumpy for a guard."

"I cannot see you, things which I cannot see are likely to make me jump." Maerwen said in a whisper in case Eira was just settling back down and trying to get to sleep. She was rather sure that Eira would reappear again to see what she was doing if she heard her voice.