Loki strode into the throne room after the guard, for what felt like the billionth time in a few days. He was getting sick of seeing the stupid place, it only bought bad news nowadays. As he walked to his spot in front of the throne, he could see that there was still some destruction left from Takumi's outburst. There was still a crumbled pile of marble on the floor, but the ceiling had been fixed. He snorted and turned his attention to the empty throne in front of him. While he waited for Thor to make his arrival, his mind roamed.
Never had there been as many meetings before the Vanaheim sisters- and there wasn't nearly as much trouble back then either, he mused. The women were more nuisances than anything else, truly. Hell, they were probably the reason why the Jotuns had attacked Asgard in the first place. It was probably never about the weapon vault; that was simply a bonus.
His mind wandered to earlier that morning, during the fight between Takumi and Kaisa. Whilst the fighting was short and ended within a few minutes, it had been filled with venom and hatred. And if he was honest with himself, which he seldom was, he was surprised to hear the pure rage in both of their voices. Even as Thor tried to intervene, the great God of Thunder was pushed aside like a little puppy as they continued to fight.
'I never wanted the throne, sister! All I wish is to be accepted for who I am, just like you have. I just wish to be YOUR EQUAL!" Takumi's voice screamed in his head once more, filled with anguish and deep hurt.
Strangely, it was that one sentence that was repeating in his head since the argument. He couldn't rid himself of it, it simply kept replaying over in his head like some horrible chant.
The feeling of rejection was much too familiar for him. Being cast into a shadow because he wasn't good enough, or strong enough; being forced to watch as Thor surpassed him in everything, even in the things he was expected in excel in. Loki understood that concept much too well, but he didn't realize that Takumi had felt the same way.
In all actuality, he thought that the sisters' relationship was as close as could be.
He had been wrong. It made him wonder whether there was more to it than he could see. Would he dare to even think, for a second, that Takumi was going the same thing he had suffered through? Had she been cast into the shadow of her sister's perfection, just as he had? Now that he thought about it, he remembered Kaisa making a harsh comment on something called the Gift.
The Gift. If he remembered correctly, that was the Vanir ability to read emotions and auras of those surrounding them. It was something that was only found in the royal family, and it was the one thing that had saved their realm from a war. It was a trait that was important far before he and Thor were ever born.
He would have assumed that both the Vanir sisters had acquired the talent. In fact, he hadn't even thought of the Vanir Gift until Kaisa had bought it up. Even more peculiar, it seemed as though Takumi didn't possess that trait. It immediately made her inferior to her sister, bringing her down into the shadows as a freak.
And to make it worse, she had the practice of magic.
Loki shook his head to himself, unsure of what emotions were swirling through him. There was a small pang of... something that he didn't recognize. Was it sympathy?
Thor walked into the throne room, and it made him snap out of his little thought process. He pushed it aside, scoffing to himself. Why in the Nine did he care at all for Takumi? Who cared if she felt similar to he did?
He detested her, and her sister. He wanted them both to be cast into the realm of Jotunheim, never to return. He would be much happier without the little pest to look after.
"Brother." Thor said curtly, kneeling beside him in his usual spot. The blonde man looked heavily exhausted, with bags under his eyes and his face weary. "You have heard of the news?"
"It is madness. There is no worry from Muspelheim." Loki scoffed, rolling his eyes. "They are an extinct people, gone as the snow from the Vanaheim mountains. There is no worry, and this is a waste of my time."
"Do not be so sure." Thor said tiredly, looking towards the empty throne. "One can never be sure, Loki."
"Thor is correct."
Both brothers turned on their heel and saw Odin striding into the room, his staff in hand. The large wooden doors closed behind him, keeping the meeting room sealed off from all visitors. Loki swallowed a lump in his throat as he watched Odin step up onto the steps and onto his throne, where he gripped his staff. Loki felt Thor staring at him in alarm, but he didn't turn around and return the gaze.
Odin cleared his throat. "I have called you in today, my sons, for a reason. The guards have told you, I am sure."
"They have, Father. And it brings much alarm." Thor said solemnly. Loki rolled his eyes. Such a suck-up, Thor was.
"As it should. Muspelheim used to be a very fruitful realm, giving us the best fruits the cosmos had to offer. But it was also the most dangerous; the Fire people had the ability to wield fire out of thin air and was known to kill whomever betrayed them. Even the Jotuns feared them, before they were wiped out in the Great War." Odin gripped his staff and slowly walked to the throne, standing in front of them like a gracious king. He sat down, staring at them coldly. "And now there are fires that are sprouting in random places, burning so brightly that they are difficult to put out."
Loki scoffed again, unable to hold his tongue. "Must it be so serious? Perhaps some idiot wanderer of the realms have been lighting fires for warmth, and they spread and get out of control. That doesn't mean an extinct realm has come back to life."
"It is not so simple, Loki." Odin sighed. "Heimdall has been watching the realms closely, and these do not appear to be by a mere wanderer or two."
Thor put a hand on Loki's shoulder, as if to condole him. "What is our plan? Surely we cannot let this continue."
"There is not much we can do, unfortunately." Odin shook his head and leaned back on the throne. "If this is Muspelheim people, than we are nearly defenseless. They are a strategic people, very smart, and very patient."
"But there are precautions we can take." Thor protested. "The Jotuns have created a barrier of ice around their realm to prevent such fires from getting into Jotunheim. Shouldn't we do something similar?"
Odin stared at them for a long minute, his face going soft with kind parenting and then hard, with the look of an old warrior. Loki recognized that look- it meant that he made up his mind and he wasn't going to change it. "Fire is lethal to the Frost Giants. Their history with the Fire people of Muspelheim make them more paranoid than ever. They are simply protecting their race."
"Should we not protect ours?" Thor asked, his voice strained.
"Despite the recent attack from Jotunheim, their people have reached out to Asgard for a brief respite in battle. They wish for our protection if there is to be war with Muspelhiem." Odin spoke with simple words, as though he wanted to be finished with the argument.
Loki couldn't help but widen his eyes, feeling disgust at the very core his body. Those disgusting monsters had infiltrated their home, their palace, had even kidnapped his fiancee. He may be a part of their species, but he would never be one of them. And now he was forced to protect their kind from harms way? Despicable. He glared at Odin hatefully.
"I will not spend my time trying to protect creatures that I despise." Loki snarled, shrugging off Thor's comforting hand. "They had tried to kill Takumi."
"The two Vanaheim princesses will be under strict protection." Odin said reassuringly, ignoring Loki's comment of the Frost Giants. "After the marriage ceremony, they will be locked in the palace and will be escorted by guards only. And their husbands, of course."
Thor silently choked on air. Loki saw his reaction and felt a knot twisting up in his stomach. So, the marriage was still going to continue, as though the threat of war wasn't hanging over their heads. His plan on getting rid of Takumi was slowly falling apart at the seams, slowly ripping apart each day spent together. And it seemed as though Thor wasn't really enthusiastic about the ceremonies either, even though Kaisa was nearly jumping out of her skin for it.
Odin continued, as though he didn't notice either sons' reactions. "In fact, your mother and I have decided that we can no longer wait for the ceremonies. They must happen at once, for if there is war, you all must be ready to lead with an iron-fist."
"What are you saying?" Loki snapped, unwilling to waste anymore of his time. He didn't like the sound of where the conversation was heading, and from the sinking pit of his stomach, he could bet on what Odin was about to say next.
"I am saying that the wedding will be sooner than we expected." Odin said firmly, glaring at Loki with a You hush now look. "The ceremony will be in two days time, where we shall tie the knot between you and the Vanaheim sisters."
Loki stared at Odin, his jaw dropped open in surprise.
So soon?
No, no... It was much too fast, rushing into his face all at once. He glanced over at Thor, who had the exact same look of disbelief on his face. His eyes flickered back to Odin, unable to say a word, no witty comebacks going through his mind.
His life was over now; being married to Takumi and all her dull-witted ways. He was never going to be freed again, unless she died. But he couldn't kill her in cold blood, as much as he wished to, or else he would be the first person convicted. Of course he would be- he was a criminal. His entire life was now written for him, without him having a damned say.
He clenched his fists, but Odin spoke before he could erupt.
"I understand that this is a big step for the both of you. This wasn't expected, but we have to take precautions now. If Muspelhiem is a threat like we believe, there could be a war on our hands. Especially yours, my sons. I fear I cannot always be here." Odin paused, taking a look at them. "Do not tell the girls. Especially not Takumi. We cannot afford anymore distractions."
Thor looked at Loki, a startled look still slapped across his face. He looked as though he was on the brink of protesting, but he simply stared at the ground and nodded dutifully, not saying a word.
For one long moment, there were no words that were exchanged. It was pure silence, ringing in their ears. Loki swore he heard a small sound coming from behind Odin's throne, but anger was clouding him so that he couldn't think straight. He dismissed it and focused on the more alerting problem in his presence. Even as Odin dismissed them, he couldn't help but walk with his fists clenched tight.
He heard Thor say his name behind him, but he ignored it and walked faster, nearly slamming the wooden doors behind him.
As soon as Odin got up to leave, and the throne room was empty, Takumi appeared from behind the throne. Magic shimmered off of her, the spell wearing off and making her visible again. Even though she had been invisible and was hiding behind the throne, the breath she had been holding inside was finally let out.
Well, that was the last time she did something like that.
She had been afraid to make any noise, for if Odin found out, she would be punished once again. Actually, scratch being afraid. more like terrified. And she would probably punished twice, for using magic once again.
She never learned her lesson did she?
Takumi shrugged to herself and sat on the steps, her stomach twisting into knots and making her feel like she was going to vomit. She regretted coming and spying on the meeting: she would have rather been ignorant and happy instead of waiting for the knife to come down.
The wedding was moved. In two days time, she would be married to Loki. In two days time, she would have to go through the wedding ceremonies, ending with the honeymoon to consummate the marriage. She would have to lie there on the bed, letting Loki do whatever he wanted to her. That was going to be the worst part. She squeezed her eyes shut as a wave of revulsion rolled through her, nearly making her vomit on the spot.
And Muspelhiem. The realm of the Fire people. The possible threat of war hanging over their heads, like a curved blade just swinging over their necks. None of it seemed so interesting now; it was as meaningless as the argument she and Kaisa had that morning. Everything that she had been working towards: her freedom, her magic, her rebellion- was all meaningless as snow on the ground. Everything meant shit now, and she couldn't do a thing about it but dress nice and get fucking married.
That was so ridiculously stupid that she would've laughed. She was too nauseous to.
Takumi touched the amulet around her neck, the one that Loki had given her, and she wanted to rip the thing off with both hands and stomp it with her feet. She sighed as she slowly took her fingers away from the precious stone, resting them on the cold stone steps she was sitting on. There was no point in getting angry with Loki. He hadn't done anything wrong.
Not yet anyway.
She got up and slowly walked out from the throne room, closing the doors silently so the guards around the corner wouldn't see her leave. She walked down the hall with her hands clasped in front her, like she was trained to do. She felt like she was simply in a trance: walking, moving, smiling, even talking; but never feeling. Takumi couldn't feel anything but a throbbing of dread, slowly getting closer as the hours ticked by.
Two days.
Two days.
Please review.