Chapter two: the thief

The dining room was made in all his glory in name for the guest. The flowers were spread across the floor and randomly floating in the air, held up with magic. Candles were lit on the table and around the room, but the most of the light was still from the last sunrays. The long table was set for a big company to eat, all with silverware and golden plates. Almost everyone was already eating, only Loki didn't show up yet. Odin was at the head of the table, with to his left Thor and to his right Faheiya. The rest of the table was filled with Thor's friends and the head of the counsel. All gods, of course.

Thor was telling about his journeys out hunting and the battle of New York, completely forgetting that his brother was not far. Just when he started on how much Loki destroyed, the god himself walked in the dining room. He strode fast to the head of the table, behind the chair he should be sitting in.

'You are late,' Odin told him, clearly irritated.

He ignored that. 'I have more on my mind than this diner. There is a thief in the castle.'

The company became quiet and everyone turned to look at Loki. Even Odin seemed fully surprised. 'What? Why would you think so?'

Loki looked around the table, as if searching for someone that behaved strangely. 'Half of my books are gone. I was out to my private collection to get some rest, but found all sort of books missing. I am sure I haven't removed them myself. So someone…'

'I took them,' proclaimed Faheiya with a grin on her face, trying to make it warm. Loki's eyes grew big, first of surprise, then of anger. 'Why?' he hissed through his teeth.

She shuddered. 'I was bored and wanted to read. I found your chambers and took some. Do you have a problem with that, Loki?' She let her face rest on her hands, as she remained looking in his darkening eyes.

'Yes,' he answered.

'No,' said Odin a moment after.

Loki and Faheiya both looked his way. 'You are free to take whatever you want, mi…'

Faheiya held her hand up. 'I believed I said something about that.'

He bowed his head slightly. 'My apologies, Faheiya.' He hated to be so informal. 'Nevertheless, you can have whatever you desire.'

She turned her head to Loki, as to say 'how about that?'

He leaned over the table, an angry look in his eyes, focusing them on the eternal ones of Faheiya.

'Everything but my stuff. You will not enter my chambers nor will you take anything,' he nearly whispered. His voice was full of disgust and anger, hating the feeling of someone being stronger. He didn't care. He would not let her win. With that said, and getting no response, Loki left the room again. He slammed the door shut with his magic, making it echo for several moments. Thor sighed and Odin dropped his face in his hand.

'My apologies again for his behavior. I do not seem to have control over him.'

Faheiya never took her eyes of the door where Loki disappeared. 'I noticed.'

With that, she had a plan. And it involved annoying Loki even more.

Loki went to the chambers of Faheiya and let the books disappear, to reappear in their original place. He angrily walked down to his chambers.

How dare she? No matter she is protector of the nine realms, I am Loki, soon to be king of Asgard. He would not let this annoying woman mess with him.

He swung the doors to his room open with his magic. As he was about to enter he noticed the presence of someone there. In the chair facing him, was the last person he wanted to see now. She was casually holding a wine glass, letting the liquid turning in rounds. She was sitting sideways in the chair, her legs falling over the one arm, her back against the other. She smiled at the moment she saw him.

'Ah Loki, good to see you again.'

'Get out of my room. In what way wasn't I clear when I said 'do not enter my chambers'?' He walked around the room, pacing angrily.

'O you were very clear. I just don't see why I should obey you,' she said, pointing her finger from the hand that was holding the glass at him. He looked at her, to notice the glass she was holding.

'Were did you get that?' he asked, afraid to hear her answer.

She looked at the glass, pretending to not know what was so special about it. 'This? O I found a great room under this place, full of the finest of wines! How long did they last again? 200 years already? I found this very special one, prepared for a special day. Or so said the note with it. Well, I thought it was.'

Loki's blood started to boil. He slowly turned blue, and his eyes blood red. He turned into his frost giant form. He breathed heavily through his teeth. 'HOW DARE YOU? THAT IS MINE! YOU DO NOT DRINK ONE MORE DROP OF THAT!'

Challenged, she brought the glass to her lips to take another sip. That took the best of him. He was in front of her in a second, slamming the glass out of her hand to shatter it against the wall. He putted his cold big hand on her throat and lifted her up. 'Why are you torturing me woman?! Do you just like to make me angry? Well, you succeeded!' He spat in her face, throwing her back in the chair. He tried to calm down by turning away from her.

That was stupid.

In a second she picked Loki up, threw him against the wall and was back in front of him to hold him up against the wall with her hand on his throat. He turned to his Asgardian form again, truly surprised by her sudden power. Out from the balcony came roots of plants, crawling over the floor until they reached Loki to strangle him. She could let go of him now. Her eyes were totally black, not showing the stars anymore. Loki gasped for his breath.

'You feel way too big for your own good. Your father and brother know their places. And that is, together with you, below me. Do not challenge me in strength, for I can kill you with a flick of my fingers.' She let the grip of the roots on him go when he turned purple. He felt to the floor, coughing and breathing heavily. 'You are a puny god. You believe to be a ruler. A king.'

She bent down and lifted his face in her hand to make him look at her. 'But you are not,' she whispered.

He stared back at her, unable to answer. Partly because he didn't know what to say, partly because he still didn't catch his breath. She raised back to her feet and walked over to the dark spot of liquid on the light wall. She waved her hand and the spot was gone. Not just that, the pieces of glass started to move. They flew through the air to form a whole glass again in her hand. It was like someone pressed the play backwards button. Even the wine returned in the glass. She took the last sip, emptying it, then she putted it back on the table. Loki watched her carefully. She turned to meet his gaze. Her eyes showing the stars again.

'Do not test me again, or you will follow the consequences. Have I made myself clear?' Her look was hard and piercing.

'Yes, you majesty,' Loki choked out.

She gave one nod before exiting the room and slamming the doors shut behind her. Loki crawled to the nearest chair and pulled himself in. In the mirror at the other side of the room he a few cuts in his face, one running over his nose. He looked over at the roots, now lying still on the floor. They had thorns. A humorless laugh came out of his mouth.

'I look just like the last time someone called me a puny god.'

He needed to face the fact: she was stronger than him. He hated everyone that was stronger than him, but so far that were only men. He never felt the torn of a woman before.

And for a reason he didn't understand, he kind of liked it.