You Promise(d) Me - Loki Laufeyson

Chapter 6

"Why did you eat mine?" Loki's voice rang out, breaking the silence that enveloped the cell.

She blinked, her gaze shifting from her plate to Loki. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "No offense, but I'll still have to be here next to your rotting corpse, cause I do not think those guards would enter here. And I've been around one too many to know that they smell horrible."

The shapeshifter wrinkled her nose as she recalled the past. "Though that would mean your body has been decaying for at least a day, by your time measurements, I could be off, I ain't good with numbers." She estimated as she dug into her food some more, taking another bite.

"I also don't want to be the one accused of killing a royal. Publicly, of course." she snorted. "If I ever did actually do it, which I have not, it would be more low-key." She laughed at her own joke. "Get it? Loki, low-key. Besides, the poison did give the food a really good kick. Like spicy, which is something I do like."

As she finished her meal, the shapeshifter's playful behavior took a slight turn towards seriousness. " Besides, I don't like it when those who have some power use it to bring someone who is already down into a worse situation without a really good reason." her gaze locking with Loki's.

Loki turned away to continue with his meal. As he handed back the tray to her, indicating that he was done, she went to place it near the slot provided for their meals. When she turned back around, her eyes caught sight of two new differences. She approached the book pile that was now placed atop the line, next to the now crossed-out tally board.

"Why did you-" she began to ask, but Loki interjected before she could finish her question.

"Because you did answer my questions," he simply said.

"Well, yeah, but that's too much to warrant the need for the entire pile, especially since they're your books" she replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"They're still mine to use, so let's just say that particular deal is changed on that regard, as long as you continue on giving information."

"Really?" Her voice was still full of doubt as she reached out to caress the spine of the first book in the pile.

"Of course," Loki confirmed with a nod. "Consider it a token."

"Well, if you want to change the terms, then let me give you something in exchange then," she suggested, turning thoughtful for a moment. She took the book she was touching and placed it beside her as she rummaged through her bag until she found what she was looking for—a small, pale blue rectangle package.

With a sense of purpose, the shapeshifter walked over to Loki's side and placed the package lightly on the stack of books. "It's milk chocolate," she explained. "I've been craving it since I got out of prison the first time and found a vendor who sells it. I bought it for myself for those moments when I don't want the darker version; you know, when it's too bitter to handle, even though it satiates that feeling longer." She went to sit back down.

"You can have it; it isn't harmful to your species, just don't eat it all at once 'cause I currently can't get out of this cell anytime soon." She broke off a piece from her own navy package and started eating it, her demeanor softening.

"You could have left at any moment," Loki noted the event of her being able to stretch herself outside the jail.

"I could have," she acknowledged. "But this would've most likely been already taken, and it would've been such a hassle to deal with and I would've left it behind." She gripped her bag under her arm closer to her body. "And now, I'm stuck with it here."

"Why didn't you just leave it where you were last?" he inquired, genuinely intrigued.

"I planned on leaving in a different way than from where I came, so I brought it with me."

What exactly is your purpose to break into the Royal Vaults then?" Loki questioned.

"A very wealthy informant of mine gave instructions on how to get something that could make my search easier. But I guess not."

"And what exactly is it?"

"My heart." She said deadpanned at him, before breaking character. "Sorry, I'm messing with you." She laughed. "But in all seriousness, I'm trying to return something that is in my care back to the original owner." Deciding to leave the conversation at that ambiguity, she turned the book she took earlier, flicking the pages through her hand with boredom before setting it aside. 

A/N: Apologies for the delays. I've had some scares regarding my medical conditions but I've currently been relieved that I'm stable, so yay on that! As always, I am a bit dissatisfied with this, so hopefully I'll have the motivation to go back and fix this in the next update (and to also update on time).