It had been hours.
We were in Loki's small library and the table in front of us was piled high with dusty tomes. I was bored out of my mind. None of the books were in a language I could understand.
I had spent the last hour using the books like building blocks. I had made a complete replica of the Taj Mahal before Loki had snapped at me to stop fidgeting. Now I was staring at the swirled patterns of rock in the walls and ceiling.
The entire building seemed to be made of the same stone. What was most intriguing about it was that there were no blocks, no seams of any sort. It was as if it had simply grown straight out of the rock.
When I was bored with the ceiling, I turned my attention to flipping pages and sighing as loudly as possible. Loki was visibly irritated by my noise and turned to glare at me. "What?" I asked innocently. "I thought you were going to fix the problem. Not spend all day browsing your collection of novels."
Before I could even regret my comment, he grabbed my manacled wrist with his and took hold of my hair with the other hand. He pulled my face close to his. Tears prickled at my eyes as his fingers endeavored to pull my hair out by its roots.
"If you aren't quiet, I will chop off your hand and then you can go seek your fortune in the forest." Loki's voice was low and set my teeth on edge. He released my hair and resumed his careful scrutiny of the thick volume before him.
/
She was grating on his last nerve. Even after his threat, she was only quiet for a short while. Thankfully for Elizabeth, Loki found what he was looking for before he followed through on his gruesome threat. With a short spell, the manacles melted from around their wrists and Loki felt a surge of magic rush through him. He breathed a sigh of relief. His magic was uninhibited and he was free from the constant presence of the girl.
/
Loki melted the cuffs away and relaxed. Then to my mild surprise, he simply vanished. I sighed. I guess this meant that I was free to do what I liked. I decided that, instead of escaping right away, I would look for a bathroom. I needed to relieve myself and I desperately wanted a nice, hot, shower. When I finally found a bathroom, I was more than a little disappointed. The room was positively medieval. However, a bathroom was a bathroom, and the tub was full of steaming water as though it had been expecting me.
I removed my clothing and got in. In the time that I had been attached to Loki, showering was the most awkward affair to go through with. Now, with Loki nowhere to be seen, hopefully for a good long while, I let myself enjoy the feel of the soap and warm water. It felt so good to my tense and tired muscles, that I fell asleep.
/
Loki found the girl asleep in the tub of water he had summoned for her. He entered the wash closet and replaced her old, midgardian clothing with a dress he had conjured. He kept his eyes respectfully averted from her sleeping form. He knew she would wake shortly. In the meantime, he intended to bathe himself in his private washroom.
/
Elizabeth slowly rose through the layers of sleep to realize she was still in the bath and the water was beginning to get cold. She got out and dried off. She found that the sweet scent of the soap clung lightly to her skin. She was so enjoying the feel of being clean that she didn't notice the dress till she reached for her old clothes. Finding no trace of her previous attire, she angrily put on the clothing Loki had provided. To her surprise and further irritation, the flowing green dress fit perfectly. She looked at herself in the mirror.
The fabric was light and soft in a deep green hue that was precisely the same as Loki's preferred shade. The waist was pulled in by a black silk strips woven together into a girdle with large gold clasps. The neckline was a graceful scoop that showed her collar bones and just the tiniest hint of cleavage. The sleeves were simple cap sleeves of the same green color. Her dark brown hair had begun to dry and lay in loose waves over her shoulders. To her surprise and mild annoyance, she had to admit that she looked very nice.
She left the room and almost ran into a small bird flitting down the hall. Forgetting her purpose of escaping the stone palace yet again, she followed the chirping bird into a large hall. In the center of the hall, a table laden with food was set for two.
The little green finch landed lightly on the edge of the table. In the next moment, the finch was gone and Loki stood dressed in a green tunic with gold fasteners, black pants, and several gold rings.
/
Loki was pleased at Elizabeth's reaction. She was surprised and a flash of fear played across her face. He turned and sat at the head of the table. She stood, watching him carefully.
Loki motioned for her to sit in the chair to his right. When she made no move to do so, he projected an image of himself behind her. A second doppelgänger pulled the chair out as the first escorted her to the wooden seat.
As soon as she was settled into the carved seat, the doppelgängers disappeared and Loki smiled pleasantly at her. "That dress suits you." He began. "I do have another gift for you as well." She looked at him with nervous curiosity. Loki smiled. "I think I will save it till after the feast. Perhaps during dessert."
/
Loki was up to something. I knew it. I knew that it was bound to be something unpleasant for me. He was too polite. Two can play at this game, I thought. "I am not very hungry right now, today was rather trying and I would like to go to bed early." My voice sounded so sickeningly sweet that I felt like vomiting.
My stomach chose that exact moment to let out a thunderous growl and ruin my charade. In truth, my hunger gnawed at my belly like a starved wolf. He grinned broadly.
"Surely you can stay awake long enough to eat some roast boar." He lifted the cover from the nearest dish and the smell of cooked pork made my stomach growl even louder. Before I could protest, he had sliced a large chunk of meat and placed it onto my plate.
It smelled so delicious that I simply couldn't quiet my hunger. I dug into the tender hunk of pig with as much grace as I could scrape together. Soon, I had eaten my fill of every dish on the table. Loki snapped his fingers and it all disappeared and was replaced by various cakes and pastries.
I found myself enjoying the meal with an unintended enthusiasm. When I felt my stomach was about to burst, Loki snapped his fingers again and the table was cleared.
/
Loki watched her eat. She ate quickly, yet she was still dainty and well mannered. A stark contrast with Thor. He thought.
When she had eaten as much as she could, Loki quickly cleaned away the food and turned to the girl. She seemed lethargic from the surplus of food. Now was his chance. She was pliable with fatigue and a full belly. He conjured a black box in front of himself.
/
I didn't like the smirk he was wearing. The box came from thin air just as the feast had. I eyed him warily as he opened it to reveal a beautiful necklace. It was a thick gold chain with a single green gem embedded in a beautifully embossed triangle. The tip of the triangle pointed downward. "Those who are loyal to me will always be rewarded. Those that serve me will enjoy lavish riches." He said with a broad grin.
It suddenly dawned on me that he was saying I was his. A slave to him.
He was standing now, lifting the beautiful trinket from its box. He moved to clasp it around my neck. I stood up and sidestepped his efforts. "I am no one's servant." I snapped at him. "Least of all yours." With that, I moved to step past him and try to make a run for the door.
/
Loki had anticipated some amount of resistance, but he had hoped that his kindness would make the girl compliant. He caught hold of her arm when she moved to leave. Clutching the necklace in one hand and Elizabeth in the other, he walked briskly to the room he had chosen for her. She struggled and screamed insults at him the entire way.
He flung open the door to her room and shoved her harshly inside. "Those who will kneel to me will be rewarded." He reminded her. "Those that resist will be punished."
/
Loki slammed the door shut as he uttered the final sentence. I flung myself at the carved wood door. I beat on it till I heard the lock click. The final nail in my coffin, I thought. I ceased to abuse the woodwork and crumpled into a sobbing mess on the floor. I spluttered and moaned at the cold stone till I was too exhausted to keep my swollen eyelids open. I slipped into a fitful sleep.
/
Loki listened to the sobs from behind the door for a moment. He would try a different tactic now. His kindness had not swayed her. But he would try it once more in the morning. Just for good measure. If she failed to yield then, he would be forced to use more drastic measures. He chuckled to himself. He was almost looking forward to seeing the fear in her eyes again. He tucked the necklace into his pocket. He was also looking forward to a decent night's sleep in his own bed.
I hope this new chapter will help make up for the rather short ones before. Till the next time, stay adventurous.