Horrible Terrible Things

Chapter Fifteen

The room was cast in low light, bodies were packed together tightly and I was dressed in a gown similar to that of the one Thor had gifted me for my arrival party, though the cut of the dress was questionable as well as the train which followed it and the circlet crown which sat upon my head.

All eyes were on me.

Us.

Thor and I. The God of Thunder, King of New Asgard - now a kingdom recognised on earth - and his daughter the Princess of New Asgard, future goddess of something.

People stared, offered their welcome and information about who they were, and what they could offer us. Thor was a natural and worked the room taking in the crowd and their awe, in his stride. He beamed as he introduced me. To some of the men, he mentioned the upcoming hall in New Asgard.

I was enraptured by it all. More specifically the stares of the men Thor had invited to the palace. Their grins were hidden in their glasses as they drank, eyes raking over me beside Thor. The entire time their thoughts would have been on me.

It was a power I enjoyed. Having these men under my control, my power. I held their fate in my hands. One word to Thor, one pointed finger to tell him who I wanted and my wish would be granted.

None so far had been worthy though as the music grew louder and the number of glasses of champagne I had consumed turned into double digits; my eyes searched the crowd for someone I had been eager to approach.

But even as my eyes scanned the room, my stomach turned on itself in dread that I might see Loki. He was not who I looked for and I truly believed he wouldn't show up. Nearly everyone in the Avengers Compound had an indifferent attitude toward him, but then again he was the God of Mischief and what better way to cause a little trouble than right in the heart of the party.

My eyes caught a few times momentarily on flashes of dark hair or green clothing. I mentally kicked myself for allowing myself to feel nervous, scared really of seeing him.

We would go back to being nothing to one another. He would go back to being nothing to me.

I kept up my search for the one I wanted. The Avengers had floated around the room most of the night, all of them were in the room somewhere but due to the expanse of the crowd I had only seen Bruce as well as Peter who had been sent to bed after trying to steal a bottle of champagne from behind the bar and Ant-Man who very quickly introduced himself as Scott and invited himself to our palace uninvited; sharing with us he hadn't ever been to Norway.

I hadn't seen Sam and the man I knew would inevitably be stuck by his side - Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

Maybe it was the alcohol in my system or the fucking crown on my head but I asked around and was given a few gawking stares and shrugged shoulders until someone pointed me toward the terrace where the party continued.

A little giddy, I moved through the crowd to the large glass doors overlooking the terrace and expanse of manicured lawns beyond.

I was stopped mid-stride as a hand shot out to grab my arm. It was Loki.

At my glance toward his hand, fingers curled around me - his touch cool against my bare forearm - he dropped it. I almost winced at how much that affected me, like he was bothered by it.