Bibbidi Bobbidi Asgard: A Cinderella AU (Loki x F!Reader)

Chapter 1: Once Upon A Time...

             "Do you mind?"

The words startled you so much that the knife in your hand slipped, catching your little finger. You spun around ready to snap at whoever had thought it a good idea to interrupt you while you were in the zone when you came face to face with the younger prince of Asgard. He was stretched comfortably out across the window ledge as if he'd been there for a long time without you - or anyone else - noticing.

Your mind went completely blank. What was he doing down here in the kitchens when he had the entire palace to skulk around in? The royals never came this deep into the servants levels. In fact, in all your years working in the palace, you couldn't recall a single time any titled Asgardian had ventured this low, let alone a crowned prince. Even the guards didn't often grace you with their presence down in the kitchens.

Realising with a start that you'd been staring with your mouth gaping, you bowed your head and asked, "Do I mind what, your highness?"

"Your incessant humming. I came down here for some peace and quiet, not to listen to you murder the songs of our fathers."

"Perhaps if you wanted peace you should have gone to the gardens," you grumbled, turning away from him and returning to the job at hand. You had an entire banquet's worth of potatoes to peel and you didn't want to face the wrath of the head chef. She was built like a bilgesnipe and had the temper of one too. Anyone stupid enough to anger her paid dearly for their mistake.

As you worked you could feel the prince's eyes on your back and it quickly became quite annoying. Twisting on your heels, resting your back against the worktop, you pointed the small knife in his direction and parroted his early, "Do you mind?"

A smirk crossed his face, utterly mischievous, before his neutral expression returned. However, looking closely, you could still see the glint in his eyes and found yourself thanking your lucky stars that you hadn't managed to offend the prince. "Not at all. I have quite the wonderful view from this angle."

Narrowing your eyes, you raised your knife a little higher and quietly held his stare, hoping that your expression said everything. It was not unknown for the lords and ladies of Asgard's court to come down to the servants quarters in search for liaisons. There were many young men and women that worked in the kitchens that had been charmed into such meetings. However, there was no way that you would allow yourself to be involved in anything so sordid.

Whilst you hardly believed those were his intentions, you wanted to make it perfectly clear where things stood between you. And judging by the slight way the prince's lips curved at the edges, your glare had said everything you'd wanted it to and more.

You returned your attention to your work and soon got back into the rhythm of it. It wasn't long before you started humming again, either. You were halfway through your favourite tune when the prince asked, "What's your name?"

"Y/N, your majesty," you answered softly, not turning to look at him.

"You may call me Loki."

This time you did twist to look at him, although as the light from the window framed his striking profile you almost wished you hadn't. It would be far too easy to get lost in such beauty. Swallowing deeply to steady your voice, you bowed your head and said, "I could never, my prince. It would be a breach of etiquette. I shouldn't even be talking to you now."

"The last thing on my mind when I made the decision to brave the depths of the palace was protocol. If it is just you and I alone, I would prefer you called me by my name and not my title. Understand?"