A splendid Edmund
Almost one week after Loki had tried in vain to move the teacup; he stood at his bedroom window and looked down on the street below.
People walked along in both directions wrapped up in their own little, mundane lives. How Loki loathed and envied their simplicity.
Before long Nell and Jenny came in to view, walking up the street towards No. 13. Jenny carried a bouquet of flowers, no doubt for her wife. Nell walked stiffly beside her in the high collared navy blue dress Madame Vastra had bought for her. Unfortunately corsets were still fashionable, and though it was fastened as loosely as possible Loki could see that it was making her bruised and cracked ribs cry out in pain. He wondered why women suffered so for fashion.
The two women climbed the steps to the door of No. 13 and entered the house and the sound of their pleasant, chattering voices floated upstairs.
For the past few days Nell had been helping Jenny run her errands, to keep idleness and frustration at bay more than anything else, and perhaps to avoid him. She had seemed to settle well into the household.
Loki however, could feel himself growing increasingly restless. His magic had not yet returned and that vexed him terribly. He had hoped that if he were patient his unseen wounds would heal on their own, but there was not even the slightest sign of improvement and he was at a loss. As he stood at the window letting this hopelessness wash over him, he felt two stern eyes boring into his back.
"Don't you knock?" Loki asked without turning around. "Not in my own house, no" Madame Vastra replied. In the window Loki could see her reflection shut the door and move into the room.
"You are not dressed" she said with an air of disapproval. Loki, who was still wearing his green tunic turned and eyed the grey suit which Strax had laid out neatly on the bed.
"I will not wear that" he replied.
"Do not be petulant" Madame Vastra said picking up the white shirt and held it out to him, "and if you continue to protest I make you cut your hair as well".
Loki glared at her and snatched the shirt from her "fine". He gave Madame Vastra, who still stood in the centre of the room a frown. "Do you mind?" He said.
"Not at all" Madame Vastra replied and did not move.
Loki sighed and made a twirling motion with his finger "at least turn around won't you?"
Madame Vastra laughed and turned her back to Loki "goodness I didn't know you still had such modesty".
"When was I ever modest?" Loki asked as he began to undress.
"When we first met you were" Madame Vastra replied, "such as mysterious child. So charismatic, yet so shy, and quite aghast at the thought of me devouring humans I recall". She smiled to herself "would it bother you now I wonder?"
Loki scowled to himself as he attempted to button his shirt "if you are planning to launch into the 'what have you become?' speech, allow me to me save you some time. I have heard it all before and frankly I do not care".
"I was not going to lecture you" Vastra said evenly still with her back to him, "and if I am entirely honest I'd likely do the same in your position if I had discovered what you know now".
Loki raised an eyebrow as he slid on his waistcoat "the Doctor told you didn't he? About my true lineage?"
Madame Vastra nodded. "He did. And I can understand your actions. If I discovered that all I believed myself to be was a lie, then I would twist the lie to suit my own purposes" she told the Asgardian, "of course, that does not mean I approve".
She turned and looked at Loki who was now dressed and trying to do up his tie. "Here let me help you".
Loki stood stiffly as Madame Vastra tied the knot around his neck with expert hands. "I only want what I deserve".
"Mmm hmm" Madame Vastra murmured disapprovingly, "what you deserve is debatable. But say you got your way, what then? What would King Loki do with his throne?"
Loki gave her a cold look "I had my throne, and I would have kept it were it not for the Doctor's meddling".
"Ah yes, when he exposed your ruse" Vastra nodded, "and tell me, before you came undone, were you satisfied?"
Loki smiled a humourless smile "satisfaction is not in my nature".
Madame Vastra shook her head "then you shall never be happy, not until you learn to be content with what you already have".
She patted his neatly knotted tie "there now, much more presentable. Shall we go downstairs? Strax will be serving tea."
Nell grinned at Loki as he walked into the sitting room behind Madame Vastra. "So she finally got you to wear the suit huh?"
"Shut up" Loki growled.
"Oh it looks fine" Nell assured him picking up a china tea cup and sipping from it, "and anyway, it could be worse". She shifted uncomfortably "at least you don't have to wear a corset".
"Madame!" Strax barked at Madame Vastra as he walked into the sitting room, "Sir Henry Irving is at the front door".
"Oh really?" Madame Vastra smiled, "do send him in Strax".
"Who's Sir Henry Irving?" Nell whispered to Jenny. Loki leaned forward in his seat to hear her response.
"Oh he's a very famous actor" Jenny replied, "He owns the Lyceum theatre. He and the mistress met several years ago during a case and they've been great friends ever since".
"My dear Madame Vastra" a loud voice boomed, almost entering the room before its owner did, "how are you?"
Loki looked at the man with interest. He was a tall, thin and distinguished man with strands of silver grey hair highlighting his dark chestnut locks which betrayed his age. He has a long aquiline nose, gleaming dark brown eyes and ruby red lips which were curved into a charming smile.
Madame Vastra stood up and embraced the man "Sir Henry my dear friend".
"Ah!" Sir Henry exclaimed as he looked over Madame Vastra's shoulder at the room's occupants, "and these must be your mysterious guests".
Madame Vastra frowned to herself "mysterious guests?" she murmured.
With a grand manner Sir Henry moved from Madame Vastra to Jenny, who had also stood to greet him, took her hand and kissed it "the lovely Jennifer Flint needs no introduction of course". Jenny blushed a little.
Nell remained in her chair but extended her hand to Sir Henry "Eleanor Bennet, nice to meet you". Sir Henry kissed her hand as well "charmed. You are a beauty Miss Bennet. Ah, if only Raphael Santi had painted angels in your likeness".
"Just the once" Nell replied, her cheeks reddening a bit.
Sir Henry blinked in confusion for a moment, but then turned and smiled at Loki who stood with his hands behind his back, and greeted the man with the curt, regal bow that had been drilled into him since childhood.
Sir Henry laughed gaily "my goodness, you must be a man of the theatre".
"No" Loki said slowly.
"Really?" Sir Henry replied gesturing to Loki's frame, "you should consider it. Your posture, your demeanour... What a splendid Edmund you would make to my King Lear".
Loki raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Sir Henry Irving" the famed actor reiterated his name and replicated Loki's bow perfectly, "and you are?"
Loki hesitated for a moment; he could not use his true name. He tried to think of an alias and then grinned. "Alexander Green".
A sharp crack followed by the chink of ceramic caused both Sir Henry and Loki to turn and look at Nell.
The young woman's expression was still as pleasant as it had been when she had greeted Sir Henry, but all eyes fell to her left hand which was curled into a fist around a broken teacup, blood beginning to out between her fingers.
Nell followed their gazes. "Oh!" she exclaimed softly in surprise as though she had only become aware of the injury.
"I told you that this China was not very good ma'am" Jenny said hurriedly, "it breaks at the drop of a hat". She stood up and held her hand out to Nell "come along Miss; let's see to that cut"
Silently Nell nodded, she stood up and followed Jenny out of the room deliberately avoiding Loki's gaze.
The room's remaining occupants stood in uncomfortable silence.
"Sir Henry" Madame Vastra spoke to fill the silence, "how did you even know I had guests? I'd told no one that I was entertaining".
"What?" Sir Henry replied tearing his gaze away from the hallway, "my dear Madame Vastra, these things have a way of getting out, my secretary told me all about it. I am hosting a party at the end of this week, I would be honoured if you and your young guests attended".
"Ah" Madame Vastra said eyeing Loki with a gaze so sharp it could cut a diamond, "I do not think we will be able to attend. Miss Bennet and Mr-ahem-Green, are trying to keep a low profile".
"I see" Sir Henry looked at Loki with a knowing smile, "runaway lovers? Who disapproves of the match, your family or hers?"
Loki looked thoughtful, as he contemplated the scenario. He had no idea of who Nell's family were or had been but no doubt he would have greatly frightened the little creatures. As for his own upbringing, would Frigga have cared? Perhaps not, but Odin already greatly disapproved of Thor's courtship with the human, Jane Foster.
He thought gleefully for a moment of what Odin's face would have looked like if both his 'sons' presented him with mortal brides to be. "I expect neither family would be pleased".
"Well I insist that you all attend" Sir Henry tried to persuade Madame Vastra, "You will find plenty of friends in London society if I give you a proper introduction".
Loki flashed him a slightly jeering grin "perhaps London society is not ready to be introduced to me".
Sir Henry laughed "what a shameless young man you are! You'll fit right in" Then he turned back to Madame Vastra "now I must be going my dear friend, I have many other visits to make".
He shook Loki's hand "splendid to meet you, do give my farewells to Ms Flint and your fiancé".
"Oh she's not-" Loki began but Madame Vastra cut him off "certainly Sir Henry, Strax shall see you out".
As Strax led Sir Henry out of the room, Madame Vastra stood up and glared at Loki. "You behaved very badly just then".
Loki shrugged "I could hardly have given him my real name could I?"
"You could have used any name you cared for" Madame Vastra shook her head, "but you choose that name. Have you no respect for the dead?"
"Nell named 'Alexander' after her dead friend" Loki pointed out. Nell's friend, Alexandra Osgood, had been murdered by the Mistress not long before Loki's turn as a human. "How is that different?"
"That was to honour her memory, not to mock it" Madame Vastra hissed, "do not even try to deny that that was your intention. Go upstairs to your room, and do not come down tonight".
Loki laughed in disbelief "you are trying to send me to my room?"
Madame Vastra's eyes glittered with rage; she flicked her forked tongue in and out of her mouth "I am sending you to your room. I warn you Asgardian, do not test me, and never, ever underestimate me".
Loki gritted his teeth, he knew he probably defeat the Silurian, but there was something so commanding about her tone that he found his feet were carrying him out of the room.
As he reached the base of the stairs he saw Nell coming down the hall from the kitchen, a bandage on her hand.
Both froze when they saw one another. Loki looked at Nell's stony gaze and felt a surprising pang of guilt. Perhaps he had gone too far?
Nell was the first to break the stare. She looked away from Loki and continued down the hall.
"What would have had me do?" Loki demanded softly, "Asked you to choose another name for me? Another lie?"
Nell stopped and looked back at Loki thoughtfully.
"He dies you know".
"Who?" Loki asked.
"Edmund in King Lear" Nell replied, "I saw it as a girl. He's mortally wounded in a fight".
Loki was familiar with the play and nodded "yes he does".
Nell continued to watch Loki with her thoughtful gaze. "Remind me, who killed him?"
Loki tried to maintain composure and gave her a strained smile "his brother".
"Oh yes" Nell nodded, "that's right. He was killed by his honourable, favoured older brother. Doesn't sound like anyone you know does it?"
She looked at Loki's incensed expression with a wan smile. "Good day Loki".