Chapter 3
"You will remain here until the end of your days." The sentry's rumbling voice announces, "I hope it was worth it, frost-runt." He finishes with a sneer on his face.
Loki thoroughly observes him through squinted eyes for a moment before turning around to examine his cell. Laugh all you want now, you'll be screaming for the rest of your days when I get out of here. Inhaling slowly, an unsettling despair growing his chest, his fingers brush the embroidered arm of one of the three chairs in the room. He notes the books and the quality of the fabrics decorating the bed. Frigga has gone through much to make this so. His vision fills with sorrow as he thinks of her, the woman he still considers mother despite everything. And, I shall never see her again. Sitting wearily down, Loki's gaze turns to the guard who remains faced away standing watch. A barely discernible smile twitches upon his features as a roguish notion comes to mind. Lashing out his thoughts, he creates a form across the prison hall.
The guard immediately responds, his back straightening, his brow sweating. "Aesa? Is that… no… it can't be…."
The illusionary woman creeps ever closer to him, her golden hair sliding off her shoulder as she moves, "My love… of course it is me…"
Reaching out his hand, he whispers, "But, how… This can't be..." Pausing before letting his hand touch her cheek, understanding darkens his frown, "wait…this must be a trick…" Immediately the woman's flesh ages, grays, and begins to sag off her bones. A putrid smell seeps out from her rot and lingers in the air. Struck in shock, the guard begins to shriek.
Finally the figment crumples to the floor, her crisp finger pointing in accusation before the sentry collapses to the ground next to her, his head in his hands. As Loki starts to laugh, the man turns towards him, noting his confident stance, his hands held behind his back. "You…you did this?"
Loki's eyebrow rises as he swipes his hand through the air, diminishing the farce. "If I am going to be here until the end of my days, as you say, I might as well make it worthwhile." The guard sputters peering into his bitter glare, his blood freezing as he stares at the twist in his grin.
"Úbeinn?" Another enters the chamber and rushes to the fallen man. "Úbeinn, what ails you?"
Raising a trembling finger he accuses the prisoner. The new guard stands cautiously, studying his once-prince in disbelief. Loki glances back carefully, evaluating him as he helps his comrade up and leads him away, a new sentinel uneasily taking post shortly after.
"Well done. I'm glad, at least, that you are making the most of your predicament."
Loki spins around and nearly falters as he discovers Eira seated comfortably. He murmurs her name almost to himself, but as he begins to stride guardedly over to her, he realizes, "You're not really here."
"Not entirely. Mostly though." She stood up grinning proudly and reaches out, grips his arm, and pulls him to her. Glimpsing up at him, she utters, "I can still do this" and leans forward, but before her lips could meet his, he pushes her away.
"How are you doing this? You're just a mere projection."
"You've had contact while you were a projection before, it shouldn't surprise you so much."
"Yes, but the contact broke the apparition. How do you keep it so steady?" His appraisal now full of curiosity.
Her smile eases, "Practice and aptitude. Want to try it out for yourself?"
"Your knowledge is enough to make me weary, explain to me how you have come to learn it?"
"My planet, my people, we have very similar abilities to that of the creatures of Jotunheim."
"And, how have you come to this place?"
"It wasn't too difficult to find you, since we shared thoughts previously."
"You're tracking me?" His semblance shines dangerously.
"It goes both ways, my whereabouts shall always be known to you if you search."
"I assume you are using that connection to strengthen your projection, to give it more solidity."
"Very good! I'm quite impressed. But, that isn't the only way to give a packing punch to your illusions. Most others don't have the psychic strength you and I have; all you have to do is creep into their thoughts and plant the belief. The mind is a powerful thing."
"Let us take a walk. I'm sure you'd like to see more of Asgard." He extends his hand, his expression gleaming.
"Finally realizing my value, are you?" She places her hand into his.
"Oh, I was just growing bored of these walls already. You sparked an idea, that's all. The cage I'm in prevents me from projecting my form outwards, but I can still create illusions." As he speaks, the walls around them melt away to reveal a gnarled tree centered by a lush garden. He regards her carefully as her expression reveals enchantment, her eyes wide as they drink in the sights of buds so heavy the stems bow down in seeming revere as they begin to move through the flora with composed steps.
"It was rumored that when I was a child Odin became so irate with me that he transformed me into a tree, of which I wouldn't be released from until someone shed a tear for me."
"Ever a nuisance for those who surround you, I see."
"I've never been able to resist a bit of fun."
"Of course he didn't actually turn you into a tree."
"Indeed not. But, it was still believed to be truth. Citizens would come to this garden daily to visit this tree, and they would merely laugh. Odin knew I would come out of curiosity to monitor the results of his game. Days past and all anyone ever did was cackle at my misfortune. I suppose he meant to teach me a lesson of it."
"Did he not?"
"A lesson I learned, though not the one intended. One day I woke early to approach the tree myself; I climbed up and hid in its branches, and when the civilians came to the tree on that day, each and every one of them wept. I witnessed them all come, tears reddening their eyes, and I reveled in delight for hours until, eventually, Odin appeared upon realizing the situation." Positioned now under the tree, he animates the story as he continues, "He marched right up to the tree, reached out his giant hand and yanked me from the branches, anger shaking the ground around him. But, I could only smile. He said unto me, 'What is the meaning of this?' And, I replied, 'If they refuse to empathize, then what is left but to solve my dilemma by force?" He dragged me inside and left me with Frigga for weeks, saying that I needed a woman's humility to teach me of my error." They commence their saunter along the pathways once more.
"And, how did you accomplish such a task then, getting them all to cry? Mind trickery?" She banters.
His leer broadens as he stops in his gait, turning to her he answered, "Onion powder."
Her laugh bursts forth, filling the garden with delightful sound.
"Though, I have learned more subtle means of accomplishing such tasks since then. Techniques more along the lines of, what did you call it? Mind trickery?" The scene around them swiftly dissolves away to expose a shoreline with gray, rocky sand spreading immensely out to either side of them. Loki sits down leisurely, his eyes losing their light as he idly watches the likewise gray ocean lapping up to the coast. Eira places herself next to him remaining silent. "They never understood, and I equally never truly understood them. And, now here I am, imprisoned because of it."
"You seem abnormally unguarded with me today."
"What harm can befall upon me now?" Without taking his sight from the water, he reaches out and pushes her over, her projection flickering only slightly as she tumbles aside, "You are currently just a projection inside of an illusion. Besides, you are unrelenting, so as long as you persist unthreateningly; I suppose I must simply accept your presence."
"Quite so." She says as she rising back up, regarding him with a playful gleam in her air. Though he does not turn to perceive her, she notices a minor upturn in the corner of his mouth hinting at amusement. Continuing to observe him, she notes the wind blowing strands of his hair around his face. "While this place remains a sheer daydream, the breeze still has normal influence. You are allowing it to be so. How delightful…the dark king enjoys the sea's whisper." She remarks, her truthful words garnished with jest.
"Must you be so horribly poetic?" He inquires dimly. Without warning, the seascape vanishes around them, reality inserting itself over illusion as the cell returns. Sighing, he walks over to the bed and despairingly lies down, staring steadily up at the ceiling. "I don't care if I ever feel the airstream again, as long as I get out of this chamber."
"You will, eventually. You are too significant to be abandoned here to rot. You'll see." She rests at his bedside, looking down at him.
His eyes roll over to peer at her. "Stop being so hopeful, will you? You're ruining my mood." He ends with a teasing flash in his glare.
Leaning over his dreary expression, she lightly places her lips against his. "Stop being so dismal, will you? You're ruining my mood." But, he hardly responds to her touch.
"Why do you do that?" He asks, her face still hovering over his.
"I'm going to need a little more than that."
"From the start you have been overly familiar with me."
Sitting back against the opposite end of the bed, down by his feet, she continues to hold his attention. "You ask that now? You certainly are in an unpromising sort of disposition. Very well, I will play along. You are an alluring sort of man. You are not so aware of this yourself because of the women you have been surrounded by your entire life. They do not see what I see. They want a warrior, wits matter not. Your intelligence is intriguing. I suppose I have been out of practice with customs, but to be honest, I don't heed customs even if I am in practice. I may play with words, but I am rather blunt about my behavior when I want to be. I spend so much time dancing with chimera; I prefer my important interactions to illustrate reality. If anyone disagrees, then they will surely make it obvious, so I do not usually bother with worrying about stepping on anyone's toes."
"Do you have much of those, important interactions?" He says with his clouded vision back upon the ceiling.
She lets out a quiet chuckle, "Not particularly. As I said I am out of practice."
"I have to oppose that statement based off of our previous exchanges." He pauses, "How long has it been? I trust you when you say that it has been awhile, there is a certain amount of desperation in the way you throw yourself at me in attempt to gain my trust."
She swallows hard, her jaw line dancing with tension, her back stiffening. "Is that how you classify me then?"
"'If anyone disagrees, then they will surely make it obvious.' I believe that is what you said, did you not? Not that I am particularly arguing, you may toss yourself at me all you wish, just know it will not gain you my loyalty. I have been placed against much in my life; it will take more than a woman's charm to mollify me of my suspicions."
"You misunderstand me." She whispers before continuing with a calm sharpness in her tone, "It is not desperation in my manner, as it is easiest for you to grasp, it is anticipation. I recognize your potential as sure as I distinguish the reality of this room against your pretty illusions. You simply define your capabilities as a desire, a vengeance, a dream. So where you have desperation, I have fervor. I do not disrespect myself so much to throw myself at anyone to gain an end as frivolous as trust."
He seats himself up slowly. "So with that said, let us go back to our first meeting, shall we? You did indeed use your womanly lure for a precise purpose, even if it wasn't as trifling as trust. "
Her countenance steady, she replies, an incisive simper worn, "Perhaps you are correct."
"You needed to know how to find me; I assume that is when you established the required connection, since you knew I would not willingly allow you to construct that link."
She remains silent, her gaze resolute.
"Your silence defeats you." He pauses and leans forward studying her, satisfaction in his manner. Quickly sitting back, his voice surprisingly bright, he carries on. "Good job. It worked."
"I now comprehend how much you dread any sense of respite from your loneliness. You can possess so much, Loki, but first you must triumph over your own temperament." Her words hold an acrimonious tone.
He smiles serenely, sits up and leans over towards her once more. Carefully placing his finger under her chin for a moment to level her view with his before dropping his hand, he responds, "Oh…did I cause you distress? Well, I must admit at least, I am quite taken with your clever speeches. You use a lot of words, but you conjure them quickly and use them wisely. You are brash at times but also elegant with them, and you seem to always speak honestly. I'll give you that. I am not so forth giving with what I say. After all, it was you who came to me; it is you who desires to gain my trust. So knowing this, your candid technique could be perceived as just the best way to go about doing so. Currently, I see it as just that, a tool you are using to gain an end. I still don't trust your intentions. So, until such time comes where you can give me more than words and tender kisses, I will be weary of whatever it is you utter, and I will say what I need to say to get the information I want from you. I'm sure you can understand that."
"You may be foolish with certain affairs, but with at least, with this matter, you are not. And, until such time comes, I will continue to bestow upon you my words and gentle kisses." She breaks, a curious smirk on her face, "You say you don't trust my intentions, but you once said that you were beginning to understand me. Has this changed?"
"My original assumption has been cast aside, as you are too cunning to amount to a mere mewling quim, crying out because she is alone in this world and thus frantically attempting to gain an ally. Though, I do know with certainty that you believe you see yourself in me, which is why you are drawn to me. I remain wary of you and your intent, because you are indeed like me, and I know better than anyone what I am capable of." Withholding a final thought from being shown upon his features, he veers away from her, lying down once more, his hands tucked behind his head.
Taking in all that he has said, she takes a deep breath. "You are absolutely devastating. I must admit, I am no longer having any fun at all." Standing up and straightening her skirts, she turned her regard towards him for a final time. "I do enjoy our little talks though."
"Until next time, then?" He asks lazily.
"Yes. Until then. Goodbye, Loki." And, suddenly, she was gone.
Sitting up, he considers his cell, now suddenly too quiet and dull. His jaw clenching, he distractedly picks up a book and flips through it mindlessly. He made a point to make her believe that she had nothing to offer him, and he had actually believed it himself, until she was gone.