A.N.: The update schedule of this fic is the ONLY reason I'm even keeping up with the days. Quarantine has made my brain into mush. Anyway, as I stated at the end of the last chapter, the celebration they're having in this chapter is one I've made up myself. I thought about trying to find an ancient Norse holiday to use, but I figure that, in this little fic universe of mine, Norse culture would be inspired by bits of what they could pick up from Asgardian Culture, Asgardian culture would be its own and would have holidays and ceremonies that were unknown on earth. I also wanted to tie in the bit of comic book lore that has Loki be the God of Stories as well as lies and mischief. That's where the idea for this feast came from. So roll with it, it's fun, I promise.
Chapter 11
The doors opened. The King and Queen of Asgard entered the banquet hall first to an eruption of cheers and shouts of adoration. Thor went in next, raising Mjolnir above his head to uproarious applause. And then Loki was tugging her forward, her heart rate picking up and thumping rapidly in time to the drums being played by the musicians off to the side.
The room glittered and glowed. Flowers, candles, torches and some magical source of light shimmering above them made the evening festivities bright and warm. Swaths of sheer silk draped artfully down the walls from the ceilings and framed tables covered end to end with dishes and platters of rich, delectable food. There was a small but ornate stage at the far end, with smaller thrones than those in the throne room for the king and queen to sit, and a central raised platform wide enough for one or two people flanked by tall candleabras with unlit candles.
Every inch of it was absolutely breathtaking, but it only served to distract her from the teeming crowds for a moment. The sheer number of people present and lining each side of the hall overwhelmed her. Panic began to rise in her throat to choke her.
Loki brought his other hand up to cover her fingers that now gripped his arm in a near stranglehold. Kagome whipped her head around to meet his eyes. She'd rarely looked in them for long. Their bright, unique green, flickering with mischief and mystery usually ensnared her in an embarrassing trap, but this time it was their gentleness that caught her.
"Just breathe."
She nodded and smiled tentatively, taking a deep, cleansing breathe.
A ghost of a smile-not a smirk, she noted- flirted with the corners of his mouth, and then he turned his attention back out to the crowds, flashing a big, bright showman's grin.
Kagome firmed her resolve, squared her shoulders, and looked back out with a confidence she didn't quite feel. But if she could save the earth from a murderous spider with a god complex, she could get through a fancy royal party in one piece.
Loki led her all the way up to the small dais. She tried to tug away, but he simply firmed his grip on her hand as he took his place next to his mother.
Thor had settled on the other side. As the heir to the asgardian throne, his place was on his father's other side.
But her place, Kagome was certain, was out in the crowd. She'd had no intention of standing up with the family at the head of the room. She kept trying to pull free so she could slip away, but Loki was much, much stronger than he looked.
"If you keep wiggling like that, you're only going to draw more attention."
The amusement in his voice was unmistakable, but his now stoic expression gave none of that away.
She stood upright and tried to look like she belonged.
Because really, she did. Thor and Frigga had gone out of their way to assure her of her place here. She took another breath and allowed her tension to melt away.
"Better."
She thought briefly about sticking her tongue out at him, but decided against it in favor of appearing at least partially mature and regal next to the literal gods who'd adopted her.
Odin stepped forward and the crowd hushed as he addressed them.
"It is time again for our traditional Feast of Tales. Let the merrymaking begin!"
Loki's hand, which had previously been imprisoning her own hand in the crook of his arm, released its vice grip. She let go and he stepped back, giving her a polite bow.
"And now you may go."
"Uh.. th-thanks for that. I'm not really used to... this kind of thing."
She gestured around vaguely and her eyes widened in shock when he chuckled at her.
"Apparently not."
Her jaw dropped. His face had softened in his amusement and his emerald eyes twinkled and damn if he wasn't the prettiest and most confusing person she'd ever met.
She shook herself and decided that now was the time to make a run for it.
"A-anyway. I should be going. I'll be with the food, if anyone needs me."
She scurried off, ducking her head and avoiding his bemused gaze. She made a quick dash for the food table where Thor was already two giant legs in to some gargantuan roasted bird. He held one up and gestured for her to join him. She peeked back over her shoulder.
The shimmering light reflected off Loki's golden horns as he bent to receive a hug from Frigga, a sweet smile on his face as she patted his cheeks and hands.
Blushing and ready to be done with the confusing God of Mischief for the night, Kagome hurried the rest of the way to the blessed distraction of delicious food.
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Several hours into the feasting and dancing and music, the banquet hall hushed as Loki, wielding a tall scepter capped with blue flame, ascended the stairs of the dais and turned to look out on the crowd before taking a seat in Odin's throne.
"Oh goody! It's time for the main attraction!"
Thor looked positively giddy, quickly downing the last of his wine and leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Main attraction? What do you mean?"
She jumped as Loki loudly banged the end of his scepter against the floor three times. The flame flickering happily around the top snuffed out, leaving behind a large, faceted gem. All eyes were drawn to the center platform as the candles surrounding it ignited with that same azure fire.
Thor leaned down to whisper in her ear so as not to draw any attention away from whatever ritual was currently taking place.
"Loki is not only the god of Mischief and Lies. He is also the God of Stories. As this is the Feast of Tales, he plays an important part in tonight's proceedings."
Her eyes widened as she turned back to the front where Loki sat on the gleaming, gilded throne, looking every inch the powerful royal that he was. He lifted his scepter and his eyes scanned the crowd twice over.
"What's he doing?"
"He's choosing tonight's Story Teller."
"But so many have already told stories tonight."
On and off through night people in groups of one up to five or six had crowded that center platform to tell drunken, raucous tales of war and glory.
"Yes, But this is the Story. The Story of the Feast. Every year he chooses someone new to try to tell a tale so spellbinding, of such valor, victory and strength that we're all left longing for the spoils of war. Then he judges the tale, and if he deems it the greatest tale ever told, then all future tales will be judged against that one. We haven't had a new winner in centuries."
"Who was the last winner." She asked, positively spellbound at the idea of a grand party just for story telling.
Thor glanced down at her with a cheeky smirk.
"Mother."
Kagome quickly covered her mouth to silence her delighted laughter.
Of course.
His mother had been the last winner, and he wouldn't pick anyone else to take her place.
This whole thing was delightful.
The crowd erupted as a storyteller was chosen and he took his place on the platform and began nervously bumbling through his chosen story for the night. Odin versus the frost giants.
An exciting tale no doubt, but it was one that even she had heard more times than she could count in the mere weeks she'd been here.
'The poor guy must not be a public speaker.'
Eventually, his story came to an end. He declared his king victor over all and the ice king Laufey and his kingdom humiliated into subjugation.
Loki's considering stare was dark and intense and the man on the platform fidgeted under his gaze.
Finally, Loki closed his eyes and shook his head.
Frigga remained undefeated for another year.
Cheers and jaunts went up and the feasting and drinking and dancing continued. Kagome swirled the wine in her glass and considered some of the things she'd just learned.
"Thor, does everyone who's chosen to be the story teller pick some battle story?"
He paused stuffing more food down his face and nodded.
"Nearly everyone, yes."
She glanced back over to Frigga and couldn't help but smile when she saw that Loki was twirling her across the floor.
"And what kind of story did your lady mother tell?"
"Mother? She told a love story."
Her brow furrowed at that little piece of information. She was unsure of what to do with it right now, but it certainly seemed significant.
"A love story?"
"Yes. She told of how her parents met."
She watched Loki bend down so his mother could give him a kiss on his cheek. He bowed low to her and she removed his gold helmet and ruffled his hair.
She let Odin lead her away, and Loki waited until she was completely out of sight before fixing his hair and replacing his helmet.
'A love story amidst all those tales of bloodshed and woe.'
She took a sip from her wine as her eyes narrowed in thought.
"Interesting."
