I returned the books to the royal library, I have been there a few times before, but only when I had to clean it up. I remembered that it was big, no huge. The library was deserted, there was not a soul insight. Most Asgardians train, reading was more a Loki thing. Loki was smarter because of this, at times of war Loki came up with the most elaborate battle plans. Unfortunately Thor fought the battles and he got all the glory. Nobody praised Loki for coming up with the wining strategy, only Frigga complimented him, but that wasn't what Loki wanted. Loki longed for the acceptance of Odin, but never got it. Poor guy, I feel bad for him, maybe I shouldn't be so mad at him. I believe that in all this time Odin never visited him, nor looked at him.

Loki wants Odin's acceptance more than anything, but Odin only gives it to Thor, who isn't always worthy of it. Like wanting to marry a mortal, a Midgardian, how low of him. By the time that their child is old enough to take care of himself, Jane would be old and grey, waiting for the arms of death to embrace her. Stupid Thor, wanting to mary a mortal, only pain can come from it, she will die and Thor will have to find a new queen. I'm sure that some maidens will wait for him, not mary now so that when Jane dies they can go for Thor. Stupid people, this all seems so stupid and irrelevant to me.

I shouldn't worry about Thor and his stupid mortal lover, I should concern myself with Loki. I better put these books back, so that I can start looking for the books on the list. It takes a while to find the place where the books belong, but it's just a matter of finding out the system. The system is a very smart one, I guess either Loki or Frigga is responsible for it. I guess they're probably the only ones who come here. Thor's to busy fighting at the training grounds and Odin always sits in his throne room.

Better start looking for the books on my list. 20 books, the man sure loves to read. I wonder how long it will take him to finish all these books, a day, two. Probably an hour, Loki has been reading his whole life, he can read really fast. I have seen him read an humongous pile of books in just an afternoon. How I loved that sight, the sun shining down upon his handsome face and making his eyes sparkle. I had to fan myself some fresh air just thinking about that moment. There were so many moments that I looked at Loki from a safe distant, observing him and treasuring every small detail I could see. Finding out about his likes and dislikes, what he wants and needs.

Wait a second, I know practically everything about Loki there is to know, I should be able to become the perfect chamber maid to him. If I'm good enough I might even become his personal chamber maid, can you see me like that. Being the only one allowed to serve him in his room, doing everything he wants, be in his presence the whole day long, every day. Now that would be excellent, that would be a dream come true. I better hurry up and collect all his books. Oh and finds some grapes, I remember how he loved to eat those when reading his books and also some ice water. I guess he had a liking to ice water, because of his Jotun side, but who cares. Loki's Loki, Jotun, Asgardian, I don't care. All I care about is the man that's underneath, a man with a superb mind, who loves to trick people and read to his hearts content.

I find book after book and make sure I place them in the order Loki put them on the list, that's probably the way he's going to read them, better not ruin that. After I'm done finding all the books I look at the pile, that's a lot of books. How am I supposed to carry all those. Wait, maybe he's testing me, to see whether I'm up to his needs. I will show him, I will carry all these books to this room, without any complaining. I said I would be the perfect maid so I guess I gotta start with this. I grab half of the books in one arm and the others in my other arm, I put them in front of me and carefully walk to the kitchen.

I make some ice water with lemon flavor, like I know he likes and pick out only the finest grapes and put them in a bowl. Loki's hates to pick them from the vine, he wants them ready to eat. I carefully placed the Glass on one pile and the bowl on the other one. With all my strength I stand up and walk to Loki's chambers. Once I arrive at his chamber I think of something, how am I supposed to open the door, wait I've still got two feet. While trying to steady myself I get my foot on the door and get the handle down. I open it only a little and quickly walk inside. I've gotta watch out that I don't mess it up now. While balancing the books I walk into the room and peak side wards and see that Loki's still reading his book. A different one though, this one has a purple cover, the other one had a black one.

Before I can even make one more step, I get hit in the back, making the books float into the air. I try to catch some of them, but fail miserably and all the books drop to the ground, the ice water tumbles over me, the bowl ends up on my head and some books fall on top of me. I'm half laying, half sitting on the ground, with a huge pile of books all around me. Great, this definitely shows Loki how I am the perfect maid. I'm lucky if I don't get scolded and punished and banished to ever come into his room again.

A huge laugh erupts from behind me and I jolt up at the sound of it, it's like there's thunder inside this room. I see that it's Thor, that's the thunderous laugh, the man doesn't seem to be able to be more quiet, he's always so loud. Thor just keeps laughing and laughing, he even leans onto the wall, so that he won't fall down, the bastard.

"Thank you, prince Thor, for forgetting your manners of knocking once you enter someones chamber and just throwing the door open. I certainly like my ice water showers and book hitting daily", I say with a sweet voice.

Thor's face falters and he immediately stops laughing and looks at me with big eyes, he looks like a Bilgesnipe who's about to get killed, if only. I try to stand up, but fall down again. I hear Thor chuckling and give him one look, he stops right away and looks down onto the ground. How I would love to hit him with a book. Wait just a moment, I could. If I pretend to fall down again and "accidentally" hit him with a book while trying to grab something, he won't notice it. Loki might, but Thor certainly won't. It seems revenge is coming right now.

Thor keeps looking at the ground and I grab my chance. Just like I planned I fall down again, grab a book and it goes right to Thor's face. Thor falls down onto his ass and I have to try my hardest to not laugh at this.

"I apologize your highness, seems like clumsy little me accidentally hit you with a book", I say feigning guilt.

As if I would feel even the tiniest bit bad about hitting that big dumb ass with a book, maybe some of the information in the book will come into his head. I stand up without falling this time and start with gathering the books that now lie on the floor. Thor stands up with a red face and quickly walks out, to embarrassed to show his face and to wipe away the blood. He got a blood nose from the book, serves him right. Never laugh at Avalyne, unless you're prepared to pay the price.

"I guess Thor just learned that lesson", Loki says.

"Good, if he's ever in my presence again he will know it", I answer

"Wait, did you just read my mind?", I ask when I remember that I thought that comment.

"No, you were saying it out loud, a thinker who thinks out loud", Loki quirks up his brow and looks at me.

"I'm sorry, I tend to do that from time to time, your highness".

"No need to apologize, you just hit Thor with a book and made his nose bleed. Anyone who does that, has my gratitude".

"I already thought you would notice that I did that on purpose, your highness".

"And that idiot Thor thinks it was a accident".

"Rocks would sooner find their way into the forest than him".

Loki chuckles for a second at this, guess his funny bone isn't broken, just hidden a bit.

"You think Thor is dumb", Loki remarks.

"I have seen him do many things one cannot call smart but dumb, your highness".

"Like?".

"Like not noticing that he had been drinking wine for a hole night and not mead. He only noticed it when he accidentally bumped into a lady and the wine spilled over her white dress".

"Let me guess, you were the one responsible for this mix up of drinks".

"I was the one who had been serving him the whole night, your highness".

I see that Loki's trying his hardest not to laugh, I laugh at that it so funny to see. Loki looks at me and starts to laugh along with me. Before I know it we're both laughing. I remember that I have to clean up the books and stop laughing and pick up the mess I made, actually Thor. He threw the door open, not me. Loki returns to reading his book, like noting ever happened. I put the books back in the order of the list, I remember the order, it was the same one as the one used in the library.

"You remember the order, after seeing it one time?", Loki asks.

"Yes, it's quit an easy one. It's the same one that is used in the library when I had to put the books back, your highness".

"You don't have to say your highness all the time".

"I'm sorry, your highness".

"Stop calling me that, I hate it".

"Of course, your... prince?".

"Loki, just Loki. You have earned the right to call me by my name after confessing to have teased Thor several times".

"But I only confessed to one time, your... Loki".

Loki chuckles at my weird correction, but says nothing.

"Sometimes we don't need to hear the words to know them".

I sigh at this comment, he really has a silver tongue and he's so smart.

"Why did you sigh?".

"Oh, I... uh... I... I never heard your intellectual remarks from up close".

"So you have heard them from a distant, you've been spying on me".

"Not spying, just watching from a safe distant".

"That's your approach, do everything from a safe distance so that you can't get hurt", Loki looks me in the eyes.

It's like he can see right trough me, knows everything, I don't want to. I have a past, I don't want anyone to know. I quickly excuse myself turn around and leave the room. His comment got to me, he knows, but how. No, he can't right. Loki is smart, but he can't know about it, no one does. Arg, this is so frustrating. I have to find her and find out whether she has told anyone.

Onto my way to her, I swore I would never go to her again, but it seems I have no choice.

.

Seems like Avalyne has a secret, what could it be?

Do you like the way the story is going, or are there some pointers. Even bad criticism is useful ;)