Pain raced its way back and forth along her spinal chord, accumulating into a throbbing mass at the base of her spine and lesser so in the curve of her neck. Kari groaned as her discomfort reached its peak and finally managed to rouse her from unconsciousness. Blinking in a flutter of light she pushed herself gradually up from the awkward position she half lay in, across the desk, having used a book as a pillow and gotten a little drool over the open pages.
There was no sign of Loki, not until she managed to sit up right and shake the fluff from her ears. On closer inspection the god of mischief was lounging idly across the ledge of a dominating arched window across the room flicking through a book and blurred in her sleep deprived vision. Sunlight was beginning to filter into the library; the candle that had kept her company through most of the night now burnt out and spent besides her on the desk. She must have fallen asleep an hour or two ago though her body ached and felt chilled as if not having slept at all.
Releasing a long drawn out breath Kari rubbed her eyes clear, fussing the hair out of her face, and turned her attention back to the book she had been reading. It was the third she had managed to get to, though still stuck repeating the same page in the first chapter for the unknown time. She had no idea how she had managed to get through the last two, did not remember a word of what was in them but she had recited them in her head as he wanted her too. Maybe he was right; maybe the squiggly ink symbols would fill the empty space in her head and she would get smarter or something. Maybe, but incredibly unlikely.
Finally reaching the end of chapter one she exhaled tiredly and pushed a bookmark towards the books spine before closing it. As 'fun' as all this was, the irritating tweeting of the birds outside the windows were warning her of how late the hour had become. She needed to go, take a quick bath if she had time and get to the kitchens for work.
Sliding her chair out she rose from her seat carefully; her whole body was stiff and tender as she attempted to stretch a little before slowly making her way across the library towards a serene Loki. He looked well rested, upon coming closer he smelt freshly washed and those were definitely new clothes he was wearing. Bastard must have snuck away whilst she was asleep to his room. No wonder he had not awoken her like he had been doing all night every time she dosed off.
Opening her mouth to say something she paused, realizing he still had her voice under lock and key and snorted as she leaned in closer tapping the prince on the shoulder. He paused at her touch, turning sharply with an infuriated expression as if she had offended him greatly before slamming his book shut.
"What is it?" He demanded though his features soon relaxed from a frown to neutrality as she mouthed out words to him he could not hear. "I think not." He shifted his legs one over the other as he reclined on his perch apparently able to lip read. "I only suggested I might return it if you completed your task. Besides, it is far more peaceful in the palace with you silent." He sighed as she rolled her eyes at him and continued a silent arm waving conversation. "'Two and a bit' is not the completion of your task. Return to your studies." Loki discarded his book unimpressed with her stubbornness. "No, you will not. I care not for your work ethic, but I suppose a good dog deserves a bone."
Oh how it pained him to relinquish what was his. She could see the prickling burns of displeasure amongst the green of his eyes as he reached into a concealed pocket and produced the pouch from yesterday. Excitement flushed her tired pale skin back to life as he stuck his hand inside apparently looking for the correct voice among many before pulling it loose.
"Now you shall return to your desk and continue before I change my mind and take what was previously stolen once more."
"Yeah right, Loki. Like I was saying before I need to get to w-" Kari froze having heard her voice for the first time in hours and unable to correctly recognize it. "Why do I…? Is this… Loki why do I sound like Serana?"
"You thought I would surrender my hold over you so easily? For nothing more than your unheard assurance of co-operation?" Loki chuckled. "Do you take me for a fool, Karian Motter?"
"You're a dick!" She scowled biting down on her lip to relieve some of the urge to punch him. "What are you doing with Serana's voice anyway?"
"Such sweet persuasions and wounding of prides must be punished and how better than to remove the vixens deadliest weapon. How she longed to speak and flatter."
"Wait… so you…" This was really weird; the god of mischief's way of getting over heartbreak was certainly unique but why was she getting dragged into it too? "Could you just keep me out of your sordid affairs for once? Give me back my own voice!"
"I am not inclined to." He shrugged getting comfortable with his book once more.
"Well fuck you then. I'm still going to work, not as if I need to talk and-"
"I have already explained to you once, do not make me explain to you again." He was getting enraged now. "Your place is here."
"My place is in the kitchen…" She really needed to kick herself for saying that later. "I have stuff to do, a job and responsibilities that do not revolve around your petty squabbles with your bimbo of a brother. Maybe you should try getting a career or something. Might work all these stupid kinks out of your personality and you'd be a damn well lot less idle without all this free time to act like a spoilt brat. How old are you anyway? You act like you're eight or something. Stupid capes on, brawling every five minutes. Just go build a tree house out in the gardens and stay up there pretending to be king of the universe till you grow up already."
"Are you quite finished." It was a warning, not a question but she hardly cared now her mouth had the meter running.
"No I'm no-"
"Be quiet!" He bellowed, squishing her lips together between his fingers and holding tight as she struggled against him before stilling realizing her defeat. "Merciful silence." He released a great sigh capturing her fuming gaze with his own resilient green. "You will wait here. You will not leave this room whilst I am gone or on my word, as a prince of asgard, I will forever keep your voice from you. Do you understand?" He smiled, relieved as she nodded and released her from his grip. "Good. Continue your studies and I shall return shortly."
"Where are yo-"
"Quiet." He spoke softly but there was enough of a threat hidden in the deeper layers of his tone to hush her. "Good girl."
"You…" She bit her tongue, holding back the insults lining up ready to be released, as he raised his finger in preparation of scolding.
Loki nodded his satisfaction at her obedience, however scowling it was delivered and hopped down from his perch in order to make his way out of the library. She watched after him, arms crossed and kicking the ground with the tip of her shoe. What was his majesty up to now? Whatever he was going to do she was sure she would not like it but what choice did she have when he held such a ransom over her head. On a similar note, why did it seem the less they got on the more they were forced together? It must be of his doing, the way he was talking to her as if training a badly behaved puppy. Was that his game? Train her to be obedient to him? Things were so much better when he was getting laid now she got to re-taste pent up Loki. Well at least she assumed he was celibate at the moment. He did tell her prostitutes hung out in the palace after all. Ew, what if he had an STD or something? Wait, didn't he say he had a daughter a couple of years ago now she recalled? She really needed to stop thinking about Loki so hard. Ignoring him was definitely the better option and maybe he would go away if she stopped paying him attention.
Walking back over to her desk, Kari slid into her chair once more huffing her exhausted displeasure as she buried her forehead between folded arms on the desk. A sense of desolation was beginning to wash over her. No superhero to save her day. Even her grandfather was off gallivanting around wherever he was and who knew when he would return. Would he help her fend off Loki anyway? Probably not, he was a god and prince and that after all.
"I'm doomed." She lowered her voice an octave chuckling at the strange quality it gave to Serana's tone.
By the time Loki finally returned, Kari was fast asleep again cuddling onto a book about the element of fire. Of course, he shook her conscious after trying several times to awaken the bedraggled woman with verbal commands eager to be heard right away. She was not happy, actually she was positively grumpy and moody as she told him where to shove it and threatened to throw a book at him before he had the chance to assert his dominance over her and the situation.
"I bring such glad tidings and you dare to threaten me?" He was looming above her as she yawned remembering her resolve to ignore him as much as possible. "Fix yourself, you look a mess, Motter."
"Yeah, yeah." She slouched, resting her hand upon her palm and bracing most of her top weight on her elbow. "Nobody to look pretty for here. It's only you and me, Loki."
"Ah yes, my mistake, it is only Balder the brave you resign yourself to appear pretty for now."
"Oh that's so sweet, you think I'm pretty."
"Silence." All right maybe ignoring him was not a do able plan seeing as how much fun it was to make him mad. "I command that you will discontinue your relations with that noble bore."
"You can't make me." She laughed waving him off with her free hand.
"But I can." Gosh was he looking smug about something. "I have just now returned from discussions with my mother and the queen has agreed that you are now mine."
"Yours?" Kari snorted her disbelief of his latest ploy to shock and aggravate her.
"A servant of Loki, prince of asgard, and under my command."
"I'm not a piece of meat or a slave or something." She rolled her eyes at his widening, wolfish grin; his enjoyment was only rising the more she defied him. "You can't just decide stuff like that without my consent."
"But I can."
"No, but you can't." She mocked him. "I'll go talk to Frigga myself."
"If you wish."
"I can just quit you know."
"Is that what you have been led to believe?" He tilted his head to the side admiring her with a regretful knitting of his brow as she squirmed uncomfortably at the level of sincerity oozing off him like synthetic banana flavouring. "Pitiable fool. You know nothing of your circumstance and place in this realm. Did no one explain it to you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh this is good."
"Stop laughing!" She was getting cross now, tired, provoked and now being laughed at for something that was surely not real – perhaps this whole conversation was a hallucination but could she ever be so lucky. "I don't even know what you are laughing about so you just look crazy."
"Forgive me, this is one of those moments where in your simplicity amuses me once more." Loki straightened his spine, restraining his desire to continue his mirth for the preferred sensible delicacy his next words needed to display. "When the allfather, my father, ordained you stay and never be permitted to leave our realm you became property of the palace and the house of Odin."
"Wait what?"
"Midgardians are not allowed to live in asgard unless invited or as favoured servants. You were never invited, you were simply acquired, Karian Motter."
"I…" She paused, sucking in a large intake of oxygen to boost her slothful cognitive abilities into working order. "What are you… uh… Even if that's true, and I'm not saying I believe you for a second, liar, but if I'm like some slave owned by Odin how exactly could Frigga give me to you?"
"The queen is in charge of the household duties, it is her responsibility to distribute and allocate goods to the household members, I being one of the household as a son of Odin." He smiled cheerfully as he noted the droop of her shoulders and surprised, wide-eyed, realization dawning across her features. "Do not fret, I shall treat you well so long as you obey me."
"Fuck you Loki."