Aislinn threw open the door to the throne room and strode into the court with more bravado than she felt. She had no sooner entered the room then all eyes were on her, and whispers broke out in such quantity the room began to sound as though it were full of shouts.
Loki stood at his mother's side before the throne as was his place, a duty he did not forgo even in his punishment. In the moment that Aislinn came into the room, he forgot to draw breath. The silken gown was not as elaborate or embellished as other court ladies, but it flowed over her and clung to her body in a way that he could not help but notice. Her body's beauty had been undeniable even in simple clothes in the healing rooms, but shown off to greater affect, it was enough to make a seasoned man sweat. Her hips were full and swayed gently as she walked. Her limbs, though willowy and fine were possessed of a feline grace that betrayed their strength and power. Her chest was full and pleasing to the eye, especially now as the gown scooped low and a beautiful necklace settled gently between their curves. Her hair, still that unique deep red, was bound loosely and flowed around her, swaying with her hips. Her face, though tense in the situation, was still the most beautiful and perfect one he had ever seen.
Loki had to shake himself slightly to stop from gawping, and stretched his usual stoic mask across his face. He was far more displeased to see that his brother and his companions were not even trying to be gracious. Fandral and Thor whispered together and laughed, even Volstagg seemed to encourage them. Sif looked positively envious and pointedly looked away. Only Hogun remained stony faced in the sight of Aislinn's unexpected appearance.
Odin also did not remain impassive. He looked concerned and a bit aggrieved. He watched unmoving as Aislinn came before the throne. She curtseyed gracefully as befitted a lady, but then knelt on one knee and placed a fist above her heart as only a warrior would. Her dress billowed around her as she knelt in a fetching way, and Loki was mesmerized for an instant by the swirling fabric around her prefect form. Her claim of a warriors skill and rank sent out another ripple of surprised chatter, and even Odin sat up a little straighter on his throne.
"My King, I must speak with you." Aislinn spoke, low and deliberate.
Odin, at the moment possibly lost for words, simply gestured to her graciously and she rose to her feet to speak:
"I must beg of you some employment." Aislinn stated simply, allowing a moment of silence to fall before she continued. "I have trained since my childhood in the arts of combat and magic" she stated, "And I would prefer to continue my study here in my new life. I must be allowed to be of some practical use to the realms and to serve my king as my family has done before me."
Before Odin could reply, Thor sauntered down the steps of the throne to stand beside Aislinn, eyeing her up and down as he went. Loki's jaw locked suddenly tight, and his hand curled into a fist, despite all his efforts to remain still. "I will train her!" He boomed out brashly. "If you will permit it," he said turning to his father. Loki's head filled with dark plans as his heart felt dread at the prospect of Thor being always in Aislinn's company. Thor winked at her with his merry blue eyes, but she was too focused on her King's face as she awaited a reply to notice.
"Very well." Replied Odin. "I will watch your training carefully before making any decisions about sending you out into real combat on the hunt or the battlefield. Thor, you will not permit her to accompany you on any such endeavor without my explicit permission."
"Thank you, Allfather." Aislinn replied.
The Allfather gestured to a matronly looking older adviser to come forward, and asked her if she would take Aislinn into her tutelage. At this, Aislinn spoke again.
"Forgive me, Allfather, if I give offense, but I wondered if I might beg the indulgence of Prince Loki." A hush settled over the room as Odin turned to face his new charge. Loki felt his face register shock despite his best effort of control: his eyes opening wide and his lips parting in a silent question. The seething disquiet of knowing Aislinn was to spend her days with his brother was overcome with the knowledge that she had publicly sought him out as her teacher.
She continued before Odin could say anything, "Your son was the only man capable of discovering the nature of my restraints, and the one responsible for my recovery," she reminded him, although Thor made a bit of a face at that assertion. "I had hoped, that in the course of my training we might work together towards some more answers about the nature of my captors."
Odin could not help but agree, although he had real doubts about his son's accepting the offer to comfort him, right up until Aislinn turned to Loki and he gave a half bow of assent.
"Very well then," Odin spoke, rising from the throne and silencing the room by bringing down his staff, creating a disproportionately loud boom echoing through the room. "From this day forward let all of Asgard know that I take this young woman into my charge and into my family. She will have all the duties and honor of being my relation and my servant, and shall be treated as such by all the members of my kingdom. A feast will be held in her honor as soon as preparations may be made ready!"
The room erupted into general applause at the promise of a feast day, and Aislinn curtseyed low before excusing herself amid the general din. She escaped the throne room and was in Tofa's arms in a moment as she allowed herself to at last tremble with the nerves she had suppressed,being so vulnerable and on display before the court.
….
Lacking any further plans for the day, Aislinn returned immediately to her room. She flopped on the couch in a decidedly unladylike manner as she tried to relax and slow her heart rate. It had been intimidating enough to enter the court and speak out before Odin, but asking for Loki's help was an additional unexpected burden.
She had given her King and his court some true reasons for her choice, but another reason simmered below the surface that she was not even ready to admit fully: she found the dark prince attractive. Her decision to request him as a teacher had been entirely spur of the moment, and surprised her as much as it had him. She thought about the shocked expression on his face, and a small voice deep inside her was gleeful that she had put a chip in his mask.
No sooner than she had settled in to her seat and started to calm down, a knock came at the door. Sigrid answered it, and exclaimed as she curtseyed, apparently surprised about the visitor. Aislinn turned around only to see Loki standing framed in her doorway. He came further into the room, and they greeted each other cumbersomely, and then stood awkwardly for a few moments. Neither seemed sure of what to say or do.
Unable to bear the silence any longer, Aislinn, still flustered, said, "….Thank you, for agreeing to train me in magic." He did not respond right away, so she continued, "I hope it will not be an inconvenience for you, I have already studied for many years."
"You will want to train in combat in the mornings I assume," Loki said. "My brother," he said with some acid in his voice, "prefers to train in the morning and late afternoon, when the sun is not too hot. I spend the afternoon and evenings in the library, you are welcome to join me there." Loki opted to leave out that Thor would not train mornings after feasting days, festivals or private parties because of his tendency to drink too much.
Aislinn, who had been staring at her hands or Loki's chest now glanced up to his face, only to find herself transfixed by his piercing gaze. His eyes were the pale green of a new leaf, and as intense as the stare of a predator. It was the first time Aislinn had ever really given herself a moment to study his face undistracted by anything else. The gentle curve of his lip, his pale and unblemished skin, the dark contrast of his hair, and the air of mischievousness and intelligence that clung to him began to overpower her. He was handsome… more than that, he was beautiful. She shivered subtly, but was not at all sure if it went unnoticed by Loki.
"I wonder if you might like a tour of the palace," he continued, barely missing a beat. "I am sure no one has had the forethought to ask you if you would enjoy it." Loki said this smoothly, in a low and rich tone of voice that sent tingles up and down Aislinn's spine. She nodded and thanked him rather uncomfortably, and he told her he would come back to take her in the morning.
They made some vague small talk for a moment longer about her health and his magic and the question of her memories before he excused himself and left.
She fell back on the couch and cradled her head in her hands for a moment, letting out a soft moan of dismay. The whole encounter had felt strange and unnatural, and she silently cursed herself thinking that Loki must find her very foolish. Little did she know that he was likewise slumped against the wall behind his own door at that very moment, silently pounding the back of his head into the stone repeatedly.
"I do not blame you for that my lady!" exclaimed Tofa, bustling into the room and sitting beside Aislinn. "Most people seem to feel that way after talking to Loki. They say he has a silver tongue, but for the most part he just seems to set people on edge these days. I think he finds sport in it."
Aislinn thought she would wallow in the awkwardness of that encounter the whole day long, until distracted by a great loud knocking at her door only an hour later.