Horrible Terrible Things

Chapter Three

There was only the sound of cutlery scraping upon dinnerware as the three of us ate in silence.
Thor had sat at the head of the table, I sat a ridiculous way away on the other end while Loki sat in the middle, silently sipping a glass of wine.

He was relaxed in the grand setting, sleeves of his black shirt rolled up to reveal veined forearms, his black tie loosened around his neck.

I had instead kept my head down, focused on my food and the sheer presentation of the quaint dish. Though my stomach was hungry, I couldn't force more than a few bites down my throat. My knee jostled under the table anxiously as Thor took a sip of his mead and slammed the glass down hard.

I jumped. Both men threw glances my way, Thor's apologetic, Loki's closer to a sneer. He didn't like me, more so he didn't like me being there. Didn't like how my mere presence had cast him down to third place - the throne even further from his grasp. Though a small part of me imagined it wasn't the throne he wanted, it was the attention being king brought.

'So what, pray tell is this prophecy?' Loki asked, refilling his wine glass with a flick of his wrist. I gawked a little at the trick, he smirked at me as he lifted the glass to his lips,

'And why are you taking it so seriously, I thought you didn't believe in prophecies?' He took a long sip of his wine, placing the glass back on the table and then licking his lips slowly. I looked away, pushing my plate away from me.

'I did not believe in many things a short time ago. I didn't believe it possible my brother could fake his death yet again. To deceive me the way you have, only proves me wrong once again. I cannot believe that I had mourned you all these years, you will never allow me to forget how I have wronged you in the past.'

Thor sank back in his seat, eyes watered with tears unshed. His own plate pushed away from him. My stomach tightened. I felt for Thor, I had only been introduced to my father post-blip but I had seen the desperation on his face when he had announced himself as my father, wondering if I would walk away and deny him.

Besides a few strange friends, Thor was alone. A king from another realm expected to rule his people and build back what they had lost. I admired my father, his strength, his passion to bring joy to those that had lost. Though it had been mere months since his introduction, I held him in high regard. A hero, worthy of the love his people gave him. But like me, he was alone.

Loki only shrugged, 'You did allow our father to lock me in the dungeons.'

'That was one time.' Thor bit back.

'Clearly, you were the favourite child.' Loki sneered.

'I did not try to conquer Midgard and deceive the Asgardian people.'

I pushed my chair out to stand and as I did both men's eyes landed on me.

'I'm going to leave you two to snipe at one another.' I said, moving to leave, I only managed to make it to the door before a voice told me to stop and sit.

It was not Thor, it was Loki.

'I wish to hear your story, how a Midgardian woman happened to wake up one day and become the daughter of Thor, the great and powerful God of Thunder.' His words dripped with sarcasm.

I turned and tried to level my glare at Loki but he only slunk back in his chair, glass in hand, the fingers of his other hand rapping on the arm of his chair. He would be incessant, I knew he would hound me until he got the truth - the full story of how Evangeline Harris, a human and ordinary young woman became Evangeline Thorsdóttir. Though I suppose I always was, it was just not known.