Servant of Jotunheim

Butterfly

It is the night before the celebration and I am sitting alone in the gardens, practicing magic in the dark. It has now become much easier to control the light within me after many hours of practice.

I conjure an Azalea made of white light in my hands and levitate it through the air, illuminating the surrounding area with its enchanting radiance.

The King approaches, having been searching for me for some time and he seems quite pleased with my progress so far.

Loki: "You missed dinner".

Me: "I got distracted".

Loki: "Beautiful" he declares when he captures the flower in his hand.

Me: "Show me something new".

He places his other hand on top, covering the flower and when he reveals it once more there is now a beautiful, green winged butterfly in its place which quickly flutters away.

Me: "Teach me how to do that"

Loki: "Here".

He places both of my hands in the same position that his had been in seconds earlier.

Loki: "Think about a pure, new life hatching from within your grasp and will it into existence like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon".

I open my hands and a white winged butterfly emerges, flying off towards the green winged butterfly as they dance gracefully through the air together nearby.

Me: "Now yours will not be lonely".

Loki: "As I was before you arrived" he sighs.

Me: "You were lonely?"

Loki: "It had only been mother and I for some time since father had passed on. I had grown cold and uncaring, always believing I had to be a merciless King who no one dared to cross in order to prove myself worthy of the throne".

Me: "What do you believe your life would have been like if I had never come here?"

Loki: "I imagine that by now I would have settled for and married some dreary princess to please the kingdom. Destined to live out my days in a loveless, childless existence without you".

Me: "Then let us be grateful that I was gifted to you in spite of the circumstances".

Loki: "You are the greatest gift I ever could have ever received".

Me: "Tomorrow will soon be here. We should get some rest" I sigh.

Loki: "Indeed. Is there even the slightest chance remaining that I could convince you not to go ahead with the plan?"

Me: "Absolutely not. However I do wish for you to do one more thing for me?"

Loki: "Anything, my love".

Me: "Dance with me tomorrow evening?"

Loki: "But you cannot dance?" he chuckles.

Me: "That is not entirely true. Ever since Thor invited me to the ball all those years ago, I had been taking lessons in secret up until the day I left. I thought it would please you".

Loki: "You did that for me? Why did you not say anything sooner?"

Me: "I never got the opportunity to tell you that night. Ever since then it simply did not seem that important".

Loki: "I would be honoured to dance with you my love. It would also tie in perfectly with the plan".

Me: "You wish to make him jealous?"

Loki: "He will be enticed by what he cannot have, that which is close enough for him to touch, yet entirely forbidden".

Me: "As I once was to you".