"I think Odin is done treating you like a guest who has overstayed her welcome and finally acknowledged that you are here to stay," Loki commented, causing Maisy to turn back into their room after threatening Bjorn.
Her eyes went wide as she saw that a few items had been added to the room during their absence. A second wardrobe sat opposite the first, the bookshelf was now so full that some of the books had to be double stacked, and a second, empty, bookcase had been added next to it.
"Whoa," Maisy took off her backpack and went to investigate the wardrobe, "This is great! Now I can stop storing my clothes in the laundry basket!"
When she opened the wardrobe she couldn't help but emit a squeal of delight upon seeing the contents. There were three bolts of fabric inside in three different shades of green. Her clothes had already been hung up (by Linn) and there were a few new pairs of shoes. Now she wouldn't have to keep switching between her Midgardian Converse, the green combat boots from Taka af Brúðr, and the flimsy pair of red slippers Madame Veru had given her. Even to the wedding she'd worn the boots. It was nice to have some more options.
"I don't know what I did to make Odin so happy," she said, reverently touching the fabric, which was the softest she'd ever felt, "But remind me to give him a hug or a bow or whatever when I see him next."
"It must be his wedding present," Loki said, looking over her shoulder, "And the returned books must be his gift to me."
"Those are all your books?" Maisy asked, closing the wardrobe and going over to the shelf. Most of the titles were in a variety of different languages and she couldn't figure out what they were, but there were two, tucked in the back, that were in English, "Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman," she read aloud, "Accurate?"
"Not very," Loki took the book out of her hands, "I got it for a laugh and it gave me just that. They thought I had a wife named Sigyn and a giantess on the side. And a horse."
"You do have a horse - oh, like... oh ew!" Maisy wrinkled her nose at the book, "What the heck vikings? Why would you even think of that?!"
"Given what I now know of Tzefira and her love for the norsemen," Loki said, "I believe she may have told them she was a goddess herself and spread slander."
"Did you know her back then?"
"No, but she'd probably heard stories of Asgard. Elves like to make themselves look good by putting down others so it is likely that she twisted some truths."
"But a horse? Really?" Maisy shook her head and looked at the other Midgardian book, "Oh hey! Hamlet."
"Mm, have you read it?"
"No, but I kind of know the general plot. Sort of. I watched an animated movie about lions that was based on it."
Loki raised a brow at that.
"Anyway… you like it?" She asked, flipping through the worn out paperback.
"I found it entertaining," Loki replied, "It made me wonder what would have happened if my uncle, Cul, had murdered my father. And if Thor would react like Hamlet."
"Well, um, I'm glad that didn't happen, from what you've told me about Cul."
"And the fact that it doesn't go well for anyone but Horacio."
"Who?"
"Hamlet's friend."
"What happens to the rest of them?" Maisy asked, skimming through the book, but not able to make out heads or tails of the old English.
"I could tell you, but that would spoil it if you ever read it or saw it performed," He plucked the book out of her hands and then looked at the shelf, "I wonder who put these back. They certainly made a mess of it."
"No kidding," Maisy agreed, "But it looks like they at least gave you an extra shelf to use!"
"I believe that one is for anything you'd like to store," he said, "Your sketchbook perhaps."
"Oh," Maisy pulled her drawing journal from her backpack and put it on the empty shelf, "Sweet. Now the pages won't get bent."
"Wonderful," Loki was already enthralled in rearranging his books and he didn't pay much attention to her. She rolled her eyes and took a few things out of her backpack. Things she'd been lugging around because she had no place to put them. She might not fill the shelf up with books, but she could probably fill it up with a hodgepodge of junk fairly quickly.
As she was unloading her stuff she noticed that there was a carving that looked almost familiar on the bookcase. She ran her fingers over it. It was shaped like a lindworm and when she realized this she jerked her hand back as if it had burned her. Some of the other carvings on the wood looked familiar when she studied them long enough.
A picture of Odin's scepter.
Another of apples and an apple tree - probably Idunn's.
There was one that looked like a distorted version of earth.
One of a knife with a dying man at the end of it.
"You don't think this is Drin… do you?" She asked pointing at the last carving, "It's just a coincidence, right?"
Loki stopped his reshelving and looked to where she gestured. His brow furrowed.
"Perhaps Odin is not as fond of you as we thought," he reached over and traced the carving with his thumb, "He's had your bookshelf covered in carvings of your… accomplishments."
"And killing somebody is such an accomplishment," she said bitterly, and then pointed at the lindworm carving, "And being nearly killed by one of these things."
"Surviving the lindworm is one that I would be proud of," Loki commented, "Most of these are. But he must have had the craftsman slip this in as some sort of cruel reminder."
Maisy glared at the likeness of the man she'd killed and clenched her fists. Loki pushed on the face and a compartment opened up behind the character, much like on Loki's bookcase. The compartment already had something in it; a black leather case tumbled to the ground.
"What on earth?" Maisy stooped to pick it up and open it. She pulled out the diadem that she'd worn to the wedding ceremony, the one that had belonged to Queen Frigga. However, instead of being immaculate and glimmering, now it was dripping red liquid. The red smelled strongly of iron and Maisy dropped the circlet in surprise and fear.
"Blood," she took a step back, against Loki's side, "It's covered in blood."
"Odin did not do this," Loki said darkly.
Maisy wasn't listening, she was staring at her sticky hands and the blood splattered piece of jewelry. She could hardly breathe.
"There was something else in the case," she whispered, pointing at the leather case she'd dropped, "A piece of paper."
Loki picked it up and read the note he found inside. He crumpled it up and stuffed it in his pocket, glaring at the circlet.
"What did it say?" Maisy asked, squeezing her eyes closed.
"You don't need to know," Loki replied through grit teeth.
"Loki, what is it?"
"Nothing," he left her side and walked to the balcony and scanned the railing until he found a bit of rope tied there. He untied it and reeled up what was left of it, revealing a cleanly cut end. Maisy had followed him out onto the balcony and gasped when she saw it.
"Someone broke in."
"I don't think so," Loki tossed the rope aside and glared over the edge of the balcony, "If they knew about the compartment in the shelf then they probably had it commissioned or they made it themselves. Either way, they could probably easily walk through the door. They needn't have scaled the side of the building."
"So why is the rope there?"
"To let us know that, one way or another, they are capable of getting in here," Loki growled, slamming his fist on the railing. He turned and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and then went back in the room, picking up the diadem. He headed for the door with such a fierce expression on his face that Maisy almost felt scared of him.
"Where are you going?" She asked, running after him.
"To speak with Thor."
"I'm coming too."
"No, wait here. Bjorn will keep you safe."
"There is absolutely no reason I can't come with you unless you aren't actually going to talk with Thor - and hey!" Maisy got in front of him, "I just remembered that Thor went back to Midgard. So unless Odin decided to allow you to use the Bifrost thing you aren't going to talk to Thor."
"Fine," Loki snapped, "I am not going to Thor. But you should stay here."
"What did the note say?" She demanded, blocking the door when he tried to open it.
"Get out of the way," Loki said, "I have business to attend to."
"What business? Do you know who put the circlet in there?"
"That much is obvious," Loki snarled, "Tyr."
"Drin's dad?"
"Maisy, move. I'm going to take care of this and then we won't have to worry about it any longer," he said, arms stiff at his sides.
"You think I'm going to let you go kill someone?" Maisy crossed her arms, her hands still had blood on them, "Think again."
Loki stared at her menacingly and she tried not to flinch. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. She knew he wouldn't, but she had been pretty sure Egil Belison would never kidnap her and chain her to furniture. Clearly she wasn't very good at judging what the men she loved would and would not be willing to do.
"I'm not going to kill anyone," Loki said, "Get out of the way."
"How do I know you aren't lying?" She challenged.
"I'm not."
"You could be."
"Maisy, move or I will move you."
"Tell me what the note said."
Loki sighed and fished it out of his pocket, holding it out to her. She nervously looked down at it and felt her breath catch in her throat again.
The blood on the crown is a pig's, but soon it will be yours. Go home Midgardian. Go home or we'll make you wish you never left. We can get to you anywhere on Asgard.
A note from the author: Ahem, well... so much for fluff, huh? Originally, instead of a sequel I was just going to do a collection of fluffy, occasionally bitter-sweet, one shots, but my writing got away from me and there's a plot now and we have a full blown sequel that I shall do my best to end happily.
Thank you so much to everyone who has already favorited and followed! You guys are awesome! :)
And to my amazing, superb, fantastic reviwers, an enormous thank you! Instead of doing a giant confusing paragraph I'm going to address you all individually now, hurray! And even if I don't say it, assume that you have been thanked for your feedback.
Guest: So it does... mwahaha!
Ninja Squirrel: Linn would definitely tell you the most embarrassing stories. If you gave her any kind of caffeinated beverage she would go on for hours and hours about that one time she walked in and - goodness! They was about naked they was! ;)
ferbette: Lady Fulla is already starting a relief group for the stuffy Asgardians who get offended by Loki, Maisy, and Linn. She brought fancy finger sandwiches and they all sit in stiff uncomfortable chairs to make themselves feel important. It's basically the opposite of the PFoD.
yellowroseofthenw: No worries! Bjorn isn't up to anything! Although... I could be lying. Nah, he's fine! Unless he isn't. But he's probably great. ;)
Ceres Friggadottir: Lots and lots of things are about to happen, trust me.
xlokiswolfx: Seriously, your reviews make me so freaking happy. I'm so glad you like my OCs! To be honest, I really like them too... that's why there's so many of them lol.
YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!
TTFN!