Again I will apologize for the long wait. I am sorely lacking in motivation as of late. There would be another update soon. Please enjoy.
Loki scoffed lightly at Elizabeth's declaration of contempt for him. Her soft voice had choked out the syllables quickly and deliberately. "You are not alone in that sentiment." he replied. For some unknown reason, her words had cut him. A pang of sadness and loneliness gripped his chest.
/
Sif sat comfortably with three of her closest friends. Volstagg was happily gnawing on a chicken leg while Hogun and Fandral were playing a game of strategy. Hogun captured the last of Fandral's pieces, much to Fandral's displeasure. "I am tired of this game." He announced loudly. Volstagg grinned at Fandral over his mug. "Just moments ago, you were assured of your victory. What happened to the great and cunning warrior Fandral?"
Poking out his chin Fandral straightened himself up. "I could never be so 'great' a warrior as you Volstagg. I doubt anyone in the nine realms could rival your skill at combatting hunger." Sif found herself laughing along with Volstagg's hearty mirth. Hogun even chuckled a bit as he stowed the game and its pieces.
As soon as the laughter had calmed, Volstagg took up his plate again and turned to Sif. Between mouthfuls of food, he asked "Will you be in attendance tonight? I hear that the warriors from Midgard will be there and I am anxious to meet them." Sif nodded. "I would never miss such a special occasion. Besides, queen Frigga spoke to me earlier and told me that the lady Elizabeth will be there."
Hogun nodded solemnly. "I hear she is quite lovely for a Midgardian. I am curious to see if that is why Loki has refused to release her." Fandral shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "I saw him this morning. No man could be in such a foul temper with a lady as lovely as she is rumored to be on his arm."
Volstagg let out a small belch and wiped his mouth. "I care not if she is beautiful as the moon or ugly as Fandral's backside. I prefer to take part in the revelry and joy of a celebration such as this." Hogun raised his eyebrows at his friend. "That is not what you partake the most of." he remarked playfully as Volstagg bit into a small loaf of bread, "I have never known anyone that eats before a feast."
/
Looking at myself in the small mirror I held, I saw only a glimmer of myself in the beautiful face that looked back. Unblemished and lightly powdered, my face looked basically the same as I remembered but something felt different. I had been noticing the difference for a while now. A feeling in my gut that something deeper than the obvious events had affected me. I was beginning to fear that I felt something more than pity for Loki.
It had happened last night, when I heard him having a nightmare. My heart had ached to calm his terror. I saw my little brother in his face despite all he had done to me. Now that I thought about it, the ache in my heart felt an awful lot like love. I scoffed inwardly. Don't be stupid. You are not interested in him like that. No, I wasn't. But it was a pang of love none the less. It was the sort of love you have for a sibling or a dear friend.
My thoughts were interrupted by Sif. "My queen, she looks beautiful!" I looked up into the large mirror I was seated in front of. Frigga's gentle smile hovered behind me. Looking at my hair, I felt my heart beat faster. Frigga had wrapped my brown hair into an intricate hairstyle. She was placing a few gems throughout my hair. The front was braided loosely to show my face and the braid wrapped around to the back where it pooled gently at the base of my neck. I wasn't sure how she had managed my thick mess of hair into such perfect behavior.
She finished placing the gems and stepped back. "I have always wondered how spoiling a daughter felt." She smiled at me and patted my arm. "I have a dress for tonight just for you." With an excited smile, I rose and followed her behind a partition screen.
In her hands was the most beautiful gown I could have imagined. It was a silvery white fabric that rustled softly when moved. Frigga quickly helped me to undress and pull the new gown over my head. When it was fastened, she propelled me out into the room and in front of a full length mirror.
Butterflies flitted about in my stomach as I looked myself over excitedly. The gown sported a deep boat neck, three quarter length sleeves, and slim bodice the queen favored. The fabric itself, stunning as it was, paled in comparison to the numerous pastel jewels that adorned the neckline and the hems of the sleeves and skirt.
As I gazed in awe at the beauty of the dress, Sif appeared at my side in her own party gown. Hers was much less decorative but ornate all the same. She wore a grey silver bodice and skirt. Her neckline was higher and her sleeves short. She also wore a thick silver belt just above her hips. Other than subtle embroidery, her dress was plain by Asgardian standards. She looked me over approvingly. "It suits you well."
She touched the metal collar gently. "It's a shame that his is not another color."
I looked in the mirror again and my face fell. The gold of the infernal thing clashed painfully with the starlight colored dress. I touched it lightly and remembered what that cold bit of gold meant. It embodied all the evil that Loki had inflicted upon me.
He controlled me. Even without his magic, he still held me in his palm. When Frigga had come to collect me, he had to give me permission to go. He had almost denied me. I had seen it in his eyes. But at the request of his mother, he had dismissed me with a nod. How ever happy I was to get away from him, I wasn't sure yet if I really wanted to attend a party.
Frigga interrupted my thoughts once more. "With a dress as lovely as that, no one will notice such a small thing." Sif cleared her throat skeptically and forced a smile. "No, they will likely not notice."
Frigga smiled again and ushered Sif and I out of her quarters and down several winding halls. As we walked, I noticed a growing rumble of voices. When the voices reached a final crescendo, she turned Sif and I through a door. A tidal wave of light and sound crashed out of the room and hit me with enough force to make my knees weak. Sif took my shoulder and guided me to the great table in the center of the hall. Around this table was seated the most extravagant party I had ever seen. All of the women wore glimmering outfits and the men wore sparkling suits of decorative armor.
Sif guided me toward an open chair. To my relief, the Avengers were already seated there. Tony was engaged in a conversation with a proud looking Asgardian but the others were uncomfortably silent.
When Steve saw me approaching, he rushed to pull out the empty seat for me. I found myself blushing despite myself.
I felt childish in the presence of so many beautiful people. I looked around for a familiar face other than the Avengers. I found Sif, but I could not find the reassuring face of Frigga.
I chatted with the Avengers briefly but it seemed that there were few subjects that weren't painfully uncomfortable to discuss. When the conversation ran dry, I devoted my attention to the drink setting in front of me. It was a sweet blend of vague fruity flavor and dark, nutty undertones. After a few sips I recognized it as a mead.
Thankfully, the king and queen appeared shortly and the feast began. Great platters of food were served. Whole boars, giant birds, and other unnamable delicacies disappeared as quickly as they were placed on the table. Conversation lulled for a time and each person in the hall ate their fill.
/
Loki sulked around the bedroom for a time. Alone now that he had given consent for Elizabeth to leave, he found himself utterly bored. Without his magic, he felt useless. His usual entertainment was stripped from him and a strange sadness gnawed at his innards. He was without a plan or purpose and that made him feel lost.
Pacing across the room again, he noticed the small bit of blue fabric that was Elizabeth's embroidery. Grateful for a distraction, he sat down on the covers and picked up the stitching. He saw that it was finished now, the threads neatly clipped and the enchanted needle and thread stuck through the corner for safekeeping.
The motif was simple and plain. Loki admired the precise stitches aligned perfectly in the design. Frigga had told him once that stitchery reflected a person's emotions and desires. He ran his fingers over Elizabeth's motif, a twisting green vine twined around a small white bird. Unbidden, the dream in the library rose to to front of his mind.
With a sigh, he placed the fabric back on the bed. He rose and headed toward the washroom.
/
When the feast was all but devoured, a small group of musicians began to play. It was an interesting mixture of eerie melodies and Celtic sounding rhythms. Some guests found partners and began to dance. Before long, nearly the whole hall was filled with dancers. The great table was pushed against a wall and filled with sweets for when the dancers tired.
Before I knew it, Steve whisked me up into the swirling couples. He started a simple waltz and I thanked my elementary school self for learning to ballroom dance. Steve smiled widely, genuinely caught up in the festivity. Before long, a lively tune prompted a dance with a change of partners. As I was whisked away into the much larger arms of an Asgardian, I began to enjoy myself fully. At one point I danced with Tony and another pairing found me with a smiling Bruce. I don't know how long I danced or with how many partners before a dance with a young Asgardian boy was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder.
The boy ducked out without so much as a bow and I looked up to see the pointed face of Loki. He wore a much more decorative version of his usual armor but it was much plainer than many of the other guests'. Unsure of how to react, I decided upon diplomacy and accepted his outstretched fingers.
He took my waist in his hand just as a new dance began. I noticed that he was smaller than all of the Asgardians I had danced with previously. I could almost reach his shoulder when I had only been capable of reaching the upper arm of the other men. It was a slow and careful march. Again, I was thankful for teaching myself to dance. So far, each of the dances were only slight variations of ballroom dances I knew.
We stepped silently around the room for a time before he spoke. "It seems you have a guard." He looked pointedly to the left. Following his gaze, I saw a flash of Natasha's bright red hair disappear behind a pair of Asgardians. I looked back at Loki, "So it seems."
The march was reaching a crescendo now. Breaking the steps of the dance, Loki pulled me inward and wrapped an arm strongly around my waist. I pushed on his chest in an attempt to extricate myself but he kept his hold. He held my other wrist firmly in his hand and I noticed that there was no sign of the gold bracelet on it. My breathing hitched. Did he intend to poof away again with me in tow? I leaned back and looked at his angular face. I saw no sign of malice, but I supposed that never really meant much.
He let go of my wrist and waist to grasp my throat instead. As his hands touched the metal, a soft golden glow formed around my body. With one smooth motion, he pulled his hands back from my neck. All at once, the weight of the collar was gone and a different glow emanated from my the dress. My mind seemed to slow in shock.
The music came to an end and I watched dazedly as the gold collar in his hand fell to the floor with a clatter. It hit the floor and shattered in a brilliant shower of shards that dissipated into fading gold light. I suddenly felt very light.
Then I realized that everyone in the hall was turned to gawk at Loki and I. Natasha and Clint were frozen halfway to my rescue and Steve stood looking shocked and slightly embarrassed next to a young Asgardian lady.
Looking down at myself for the source of the faint glow, I understood why all eyes were on me. The silvery dress now shone in a rainbow of iridescent colors. Each movement created an undulation of light. The fabric now reminded me of the 'rainbow bridge' I had crossed when Thor brought me here. I looked back up at Loki and a smug grin was spreading across his face.
A small sparkle of gold caught my eye. Just behind Loki stood Frigga in a radiant blue gown. In her hand was the bracelet. She stepped forward and placed her hand on Loki's shoulder. The smug grin on his face fell slightly but he held out his arm for the gold circle without hesitation.