Every minute felt like an eternity. Every beat of her heart counted off one more moment she struggled to survive.
Nancy sat with her head resting back against the wall behind her, her knees curled up to her chest. Her eyes were closed, but she could still feel the heat radiating off the bright lights above her. Sleep was just out of her reach. She could feel it tugging at every fiber of her being… but could never reach it again. At least, not without his help.
As reality and sense slowly slipped from Nancy's mind, she began to softly recite all the words she knew. There was no rhyme or reason for her list. It was simply a procedure. Something factual to hold onto in the insanity.
"Prosody. The study of speech sounds. P-R-O-S-O-D-Y... Syntax. The study of the grammar systems of a language. S-Y-N-T-A-X… Semantics. The study of the meanings of words. S-E-M-A-N-T-I-C-S…."
/
In the morning, Loki woke late. After taking out some of his anger last night, he had slept like a baby. He needed to find some way to release stress without harboring regrets over it. Perhaps that could be his mission for the day. However, first, his pet would want her morning meal. Loki rolled out of bed and slowly prepared to bring the girl her morning apple.
/
"Discourse. The study of conversations. D-I-S-C-O-U-R-S-E…." Nancy stared straight ahead with vacant eyes, studying the flickering light of the torch outside her cell. If only she could reach it. Perhaps, if she could, she could ask it why it danced so gracefully. How it balanced on the end of the wooden handle like that. Why it waved and moved so softly in the air. Surely it had a name. She would ask it its name. Or she'd give it one. Yes, if she could talk to the torch, she'd give it a name. What would she name it? Flamma. The Latin word for 'flame'. Yes, it was fitting. "Pragmatics. The study of how words are used. P-R-A-G-M-A-T-I-C-S…."
A tear streamed down her face.
Loki arrived at her cell, apple in hand. He stared at her for a moment. Were those tears? And was she spelling to herself? What had happened between sleep last night and this meltdown this morning? He cleared his throat to get her attention.
Nancy jolted and glanced up at him, snapping out of her mindless repetition. As soon as she realized who it was, she looked back down at the floor. She absolutely refused to make eye-contact with Loki. She had to show him her obedience. She'd be a good pet this time. A very good pet. She'd obey. Anything he asked, she'd do it. Anything.
"Have you ever had a falling dream?" she whispered, somewhat coherent.
Loki raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in a 'maybe' manner. She would go somewhere philosophical with it, he was sure.
"All that begging," she continued, her voice hardly above a whisper, "All those tears. I haven't slept at all."
Loki sighed. As much as it pained him to think she hadn't slept as he had intended, he couldn't break his own rules. "You wish me to allow you sleep without a favor."
"I'm too weak, Loki." Nancy's voice cracked with emotion as she began to fade, "I can't. I'm sorry." She closed her eyes and curled up tighter.
"Is this another thing a mortal requires?" He motioned to her, weak and unmoving. "Their slumber?"
Nancy didn't respond. She simply sat there, motionless, waiting for him to decide what to do with her. Whatever he decided, she'd go along with it. She was so tired of trying to fight him.
"Which do you desire more?" Loki tossed the apple and caught it. "Sustenance or sleep?"
Such a hard decision. Her body was so weak from starvation. But she couldn't survive for much longer without sleep.
"What favor must I do to get my sleep?" she finally asked, "I need both food and rest. Humans are… delicate creatures, with many needs."
"Hmm… Let us think… Once for sleep, you asked nicely. Another time you begged. What seems fitting now, to you?"
"I will do whatever you ask. Please… remove the curse."
"Remove it?" Loki clicked his tongue. "No. I may have need of it. But perhaps, full of pity, I will give you rest for the price of meat."
Nancy opened her eyes and glanced at him. "What if I have another nightmare?"
"Then we will negotiate new terms." he shrugged. "Are you prepared to accept my offer?"
Nancy nodded, her head barely moving. "Will you guarantee my rest? At least for an hour?"
Loki stepped through the barrier. "That depends on how well you have learned."
Nancy hoisted herself to her knees, bowing her head as he approached. Her obedience was genuine this time. "Please. At least an hour. I'm begging you, my good master, just one hour."
"As I said, let us see how you have learned. Stand." Loki folded his hands behind his back, waiting for her to move.
Nancy slowly stood to her feet, but staggered as she tried to steady herself. She caught herself against the wall as her legs threatened to give out under her. After a moment to get the room to stop spinning, she regained her balance and resumed her obedient posture.
She glanced up at him, still avoiding eye contact, and stepped closer. She pressed her lips to his and mimicked his motions, but any passion she'd ever felt for him was gone. Her kiss was robotic, a means to an end.
After the appropriate amount of time, Nancy pulled away and allowed herself to collapse against him. Her muscles quaked under the effort of trying to remain standing. She clung to him for support.
Loki smiled at her effort. She must surely be tired. So tired she could not even find in her the innate desires she had shown the other evening. He moved her hair away from her shoulder and kissed the side of her neck. "I release you to slumber, pet."
At hearing his words, Nancy released him and collapsed at his feet. Her muscles continued to shake and spasm from the effort she'd given in standing. A soft whimper escaped her lips.
Loki stood up straight and watched her. What had he done? Were mortals so delicate that even this small discomfort could cause her demise?
"Help… me." Nancy whispered, her voice barely audible.
Loki picked her up, cradling her. He produced a cot for the corner of the cell and set her on it. A peace offering for what he had done, though he would never admit that. Not to her. "Give in to sleep, little one."
The sudden feeling of a soft surface beneath her caused Nancy to give a small sigh of relief. She had no idea where the cot had come from, but she was thankful for it. "Stay with me." Nancy whispered, already beginning to doze off. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel Loki sitting next to her. She wanted to cherish every nice moment she could with him, to make up for the horrors.
"Orders, pet." Loki warned. He didn't move, but he didn't promise to stay either.
"Please." Her plea was hardly more than a soft mumble. Within moments, Nancy was sound asleep.
Loki stood against the wall, studying her face as she slept. So much peace, in slumber. As tranquil as he had ever seen her. Maybe he should have stayed to watch last time, but he had been too upset to think clearly. Eventually, Loki took out the apple he had meant for her and ripped off a bite.
Half an hour passed without incident. At least she wouldn't have another falling dream. But then, Nancy began to whimper in her sleep. Her face twitched and scrunched and distorted. Her breathing accelerated and became rapid.
"No…" she mumbled, "No… please…."
Loki sank to the floor, his apple still in his hand. Interesting, that peace could so easily turn to nightmares. What did she dream? Who plagued her in the night? Loki shot up a field of invisibility around himself. She did not need to know he had stayed.
With a short screech, Nancy sat straight up, waking from her nightmare. She looked around, panting, as she tried to recover. But as she glanced around, she noticed Loki was gone.
"No!" she screamed. She reached up and gripped at her hair, hot tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Frustrated and desperate, she released another scream, unleashing her agony on any within range to hear. Her scream dissolved into sobs, and she began to dig her nails into her scalp. "Why?!" she cried between gasps for air, "What have I done? What have I done?!"
Loki swallowed. He had asked himself the same for days now. He couldn't let her know he sat a mere two feet from her. He couldn't let her think she had the upper hand. So he did the one thing he knew he must. Loki flicked a wrist. A green mist swirled around Nancy, lulling her back to sleep, dulling her senses to the fear and anguish of night terrors.
Suddenly, Nancy felt herself begin to calm. She took in a ragged breath and lowered her hands from her face, finally noticing the green mist surrounding her. He had stayed. Even though she couldn't see him… he'd stayed. A small smile crossed Nancy's face moments before the mist knocked her unconscious. She slumped back down to the cot, enveloped in the spell.
Loki smiled to himself and finished off his apple. This decision, he did not regret. For the first time, Loki felt almost proud of what he had accomplished. He released the invisibility shield and stood to look down at the girl on the cot. Loki leaned down, placing a hand on either side of her waist. He could feel her soft breath on one wrist. He bent over her, and placed his mouth centimeters from her ear. He knew, better than most, that even in sleep she would her him.
"Eight hours, pet. Uninterrupted. I do hope you enjoy it." With a grin, Loki left the cell.
