It was the second night in the Asgardian palace, and Takumi was sitting on the outside wing that led out to the gardens, thinking her to herself. She wasn't sure whether to go into Loki's chambers like she was expected to, or she was going to go through with what she said about finding another chamber to sleep in until the marriage ceremony. To be honest, she was unsure about the entire palace to begin with. The palace was too large to explore at once, and there were too many guards for her liking.
Netherless, she had just begun to explore the palace when she accidentally slammed into Kaisa. She had regretted it just as it happened, even as she was calling out her sister's name and shook her shoulders. To make matters worse, after all the excitement had calmed down, Kaisa had noticed the small bruise on her face and had asked about it. And tried to use the Gift on her.
Takumi visibly twitched as she thought of it. The cursed Gift. The thing that had set her apart from all the other Vanir's since her birth. It was the thing that she always wished for- it was the reason she had even tried magic in the first place, to make up for the fact that she lacked the royal talent. Magic could do a lot of things, but it couldn't do what the Gift did.
Kaisa tried to console her of course, telling her that perhaps the Gift could be hidden, or that it could've skipped a generation. Takumi knew that she was simply trying to make her feel better, and it didn't work. It never accounted for the whispers and gossips of the royal Ladies that she was…defective.
But now that didn't matter, did it? She had to find a place to sleep tonight; she didn't want to spend another night on the cold, hard floor. She sure as hell didn't want to sleep in the same bed as Loki, except that she had no idea where else to go. She only hoped that Loki wouldn't mention the little helmet incident. That was embarrassing.
She sighed and slowly got up from the bench she was sitting on, all of a sudden realizing just how cold she was. She rushed inside the palace and rubbed her icy skin ferociously, cursing herself all the while. She did that all the way to the chambers, bitterly cursing herself for her stupidity for staying out in the cold. Pushing open the bedroom door without another word, she saw Loki sitting on his bed by the window, reading a book.
With a bored expression on his face, he looked up at her.
Takumi stared at him back, standing defensively at the doorway. "Hello." she said tersely, still hugging herself.
"You seem cold." Loki noticed. "Were you outside?"
"Why do you care?" Takumi said at once, her mouth running on autopilot. She regretted her snappy response at once, but Loki didn't bat an eyelash. He simply chuckled.
"You do not fear much, do you Takumi?" he asked musingly, a mischievous smile on his face.
Takumi felt herself freeze. She knew coming back to these chambers was a bad idea, and she cursed herself. She would be better off sleeping in the gardens. In a cool voice, she shook her head. "No, I don't. I only fear what's necessary."
"You mean like ice monsters?" Loki asked smoothly. Takumi felt her face flush, but she didn't speak a word. Loki calmly closed his book and set it in front of him, as though he had said something as insignificant as supper. "You know, the ice monsters of the Vanaheim mountains look like wee infants compared to those in Jotunheim. Now those are the ones that test you."
"I... I've never been to Jotunheim." Takumi wanted to melt into the wall from embarrassment. "I don't really plan to either. It's too cold."
Loki gave her a smirk. "Ironic, really. Vanaheim is the neighboring realm of Jotunheim. You seemed rather comfortable fighting that monster with your new battle armor, did you not?"
Takumi shook her head and looked at the blazing fire in the fireplace. "Look- I just tripped on it and I got curious. I wasn't expecting to really do anything with it..."
"What makes you think that you can be a warrior?" Loki asked, his voice now a low, hoarse whisper. He got off the bed slowly, and walked towards her like an animal who stalks it's prey. "I saw you, in all your damned glory. You pretend to be a Princess by day, but fight at night? Is that it, Lady Takumi?"
"I'm not a fighter of any sorts." Takumi scowled, trying not to show her fear that was pressing hard against her throat. "I simply learned self-defense in my Princess training, and that was all that was allowed."
Loki laughed dryly, getting closer to her so that his face was inches from hers. "Now, Takumi, the both of us know this is not true."
Takumi froze in her spot as she stared into those emerald-green eyes. She had tried so hard to hide her magic powers from her Father and the rest of Vanaheim, and now she just blew it all with one stupid mistake. She cursed herself, but there was no way around it. Looking at his mischevious grin, she knew exactly what he was going to do.
"What do you want from me?" she whispered hoarsely. Loki quickly grabbed her wrists in one fluid motion, and she resisted the urge to let out a shriek.
"You are aware of the consequences of a woman knowing the arts of magic." he growled. He grinned again, that same grin that he had the previous night when he was about to stab her in the stomach. "Of course, I can keep this between us, and spare you the sentence of those treacherous Asgardian prisons."
Takumi glared at him hatefully, wanting to wretch her grip from Loki's grip. She pondered it in her head; could she really risk it? What if she was sent back to Vanaheim, in the chains that witches were convicted in? What if she was thrown into the prisons with no hope of being free, all because she broke the biggest rule in the Nine Realms? She would never see Kaisa again. She gulped.
"But you practice magic too." She said, in an off-handed hope that he would reconsider his threat. But another gleam flashed in those eyes, and she knew she had lost.
"Odin already knows of my ways. There is nothing he can no longer do about it." Loki pressed in closer, laughing quietly. "And I am a man, my Lady. Even if it is frowned upon, I will never be convicted of witchery. But you.. You will be scorned from the realms and Vanaheim will be fined with hiding a woman warrior."
"But Asgard has a woman warrior!" Takumi cried, losing all self-control that she had. She tried to wrench her wrists away from Loki's grip, but she failed and fell against him. "One of the Warrior Three!"
"Her parents are one of the royal council, and they have allowed it. Ever since she was a young child, she has been trained. You have not, Princess." Loki's smile had disappeared, and now he was frowning at her. It was more scary than his smile.
Takumi stopped struggling and stared at him, the last remnant of hope dying in her heart. "Fine, you caught me. I practice magic. So what? So fucking what?"
Before she saw it coming, Loki's hand came hard into the side of her jaw. She flew to the side, nearly falling to the ground if it wasn't for Loki's iron-grip on her wrist. She let out a shocked cry at the sudden pain. In a daze above her, she heard him softly croon, "Do not use such language. It doesn't fit a Princess."
Takumi squeezed her eyes shut and slowly brought herself back up, looking back at her future husband with hatred. Her mouth twitched, and she longed to just skewer him in the stomach with the dagger that was still hidden in her belt, or throw him out the window with the magic that was swirling in her veins. She could, she really could.
But right now, she was between the consequence of punishment or giving Loki what he deserved- which one was worth it?
Loki gazed at her, and with a hand that wasn't so gentle, he wiped off the tears that Takumi didn't even realize she was crying. She winced at his touch, but netherless, she bowed her head respectfully, hating herself for the choice she was about to make.
"I am very sorry," she mumbled, the sound muffled. "I know that I have made a mistake, and I will not make it again. I beg of you to not tell anyone else of this incident, for I will suffer greatly."
There was silence for a moment, just the two of them breathing hard and staring at each other with mutual hatred. They just stood in their spots, Loki's hand rubbing at the wetness on her face. After what seemed like an eternity, Loki spoke.
"All I request is a favor." he said harshly, his voice sounding as cold as ice. A shiver rippled through her body, but she clenched her teeth and nodded. He looked around for a split second as though he thought someone was watching him, and then he leaned in closely, by her ear.
"I want for you to act as though you are infatuated with me." he whispered. "I want you to act as though I am your savior, your lord, the one who cares for you in each and every way. My idiotic brother and his little fiancee must see that I am providing well. If you fail to comply to my needs, I will simply tell the Royal Council of the treason you have committed, and you will punished for violating the rules."
"I see.." Takumi felt her heart sink, but she was slightly relieved. This wasn't so bad. "Fine. I will comply to your stupid plan."
Loki quickly dropped the grip that he had on her wrist, and she let it fall limply to her side. He brushed past her, silent.
Takumi stood in the same spot, as still as stone, her heart still fluttering in her chest as though it was fighting to get free. She heard Loki quietly leave the chambers, the door closing softly behind him as he left. She stood in that spot for the longest time, hearing nothing but the dull thudding of the silence and the small crackles of the fire behind her. Cold goosebumps prickled all over her skin, but she didn't try to warm herself. There was no point.
Was this her fate? Condemned as a wife that she didn't wish to be? Now she didn't even have the option of telling Kaisa about her situation. Not that it would've mattered anyway- Kaisa would've just told her that it was a husband's' duty to be stern.
Takumi felt her cheek throb dully with the pain of Loki's slap, and she wished that she could just fly away to some other realm. It didn't even matter where she went anymore, as long as it wasn't here. She didn't notice when her legs finally gave up and she slumped to the ground.
She didn't notice as she curled into a small ball on the floor, and she didn't notice when tears started to slip from her eyes and slowly trailing down her face. She didn't notice anything but the horrible thought of the future, which was happening too fast.
The room was dark and was getting colder from the dying fire. Takumi got up from the floor and disgustedly wiped the tears from her eyes.
This was your fault. You have no one to blame but yourself, understand? This isn't so bad. Count your blessings. You have shelter, food, and Kaisa is still here. Just deal with it. Deal with it.
With that mantra in her head, she slowly crawled to Loki's bed by the window. She no longer cared if he came into the room later to sleep. She pulled the blankets up to her chin and curled into a small ball, staring out the window leading up to the sky.
The next morning when Takumi saw Loki at breakfast, she reminded herself of the deal they had made the previous night. As she sat down at the table across from Kaisa, she gently reached over the tabletop and laid her hand on top of Loki's, and gave him a tight-lipped smile that she reserved for boring lessons back in Vanaheim. To her surprise, Loki returned her fake smile with one of his own, his emerald eyes sparkling.
She watched in silence as Kaisa took a drink from her goblet and turned to say something to Thor, who, as always, had a wide smile on his face. Her eyes turned to her food, but she wasn't hungry. Nothing looked appetizing, honestly.
"I see you and Loki have been getting along well," she heard Kaisa say to her, and she felt a twinge of fear spasm through her chest. With difficulty, she lifted her head and smiled at her sister.
"Yes, we are." she said in a cheerful voice, squeezing Loki's hand. "He has been showing me around the palace. Your realm is marvelous, by the way, Thor."
"Tis a glorious realm, I do agree!" Thor met her cheerfulness, but she felt more like throwing up. Kaisa said something to him, but she didn't hear it.
Takumi sat in silence for the rest of breakfast, nodding her head at appropriate times and giving Loki a shy smile every now and then. In her head, she was daydreaming of a far away land, someplace laden with forests and the warm sun. No one was there, except her. Just her in a solitary land with a dagger in one hand and her hand sparkling with magic in another. There wouldn't be any goddamn men to tell her what to do. Or how to live.
She didn't notice when Kaisa got up to leave the room, but she sure did when Thor got up. Plates suddenly clattered- spilling food and drink everywhere. Small drops of jam and sauces splattered onto her face and hair, and a roll of bread fell onto her lap. Then she noticed a small rivulet of mead running slowly towards her hand.
"Thor!" Kaisa laughed.
"I am sorry, Lady Takumi!" Thor apologized, his face turning a light shade of red. "I had stumbled over my own feet."
Loki was staring at her with a smug grin on his face, and Takumi swallowed down urge to slap him. She slowly lifted her hands and put them onto her lap, brushing the bread off and wiping her sticky hands on her ruined dress. "Quite all right, Thor. It was an accident."
"Are you sure, my lady?" Thor asked, his face still a light shade of red. "I will request for a new dress to be delivered at once."
"Thank you." she said kindly, offering him a small smile. Even if she hated Loki with all her burning passion, at least Thor was bearable. Thor nodded at her, and without another word, he carefully stepped to the side and walked away. Kaisa gave her sister a curt nod before following after him, her steps fast and quiet.
Takumi got up as well, not wishing to stay in the same room with Loki for more than was needed. Unfortunately, just as she was pushing in her chair, he spoke.
"You are convincing." he raised his eyebrow at her, as if he was surprised.
Takumi snorted. "You're blackmailing me. I'm going to act as though you're the ground I walk on, yeah?"
"You bet." Loki grinned, and she felt a small twinge of irritation at his smug demeanor.
She scoffed and walked away from him, clenching and unclenching her fists as she walked. One of these days he was going to pay for his abuse. One of these days.
Please review.