A Royal Arrangement

Chapter 2

- Loki's Pov -

When Vesper visited my home again a week later, I made sure to introduce her to my other siblings. She and Hela, despite the age difference, immediately hit it off. According to my sister, it was a refreshing change to have another female presence in the house besides Sif and our mother. Vesper not only got along well with my family, but she also spent time engaging Thor's demons in various games, which they all seemed to enjoy.

As I observed her behaviour during her visit, I couldn't help but notice how much more relaxed and at ease she seemed compared to when we first met. It was nice to see her letting her guard down and opening up more. I was impressed by her ability to connect with my family and entertain the demons, and it made me appreciate her even more as a person.

Late one evening, I was engrossed in a captivating book, lost in the world within its pages. Suddenly, a loud knock on my door jolted me out of my reverie. I hesitated for a moment, wondering who could be knocking at this hour. I didn't want to be disturbed, but I knew I had to answer the door. Without taking my eyes off the book, I called out.
"Come in." To my surprise, it was Vesper who entered my room. And when I say entered, more like stumbled. Her face was contorted with an expression of panic. I will admit that I was not expecting Vesper, as she usually did not come to my room. Vesper would normally come if Hela or Vali dragged her along with them. I barely had time to register her presence when I noticed Hela running down the hall, frantically chasing after Vidarr.

As I turned to look, Vidarr was already out of sight, taking something with him that he had presumably taken from Hela's room. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I could sense the tension in the air. I wondered what had happened and what was going to happen next.
"Do come in, Lady Hawthorne?" I said, a tad sternly, trying to give off the impression I was a busy man, and that I had no time for this. Though, if I was being honest, I was a bit curious to know what she was going to say. As she walked into the room, she left the door slightly ajar. I couldn't help but feel a little concerned about her reputation, but I knew it was ridiculous as we had been alone together before. My eyes shifted to the hallway where I saw Sif, leading one of my nephews away. I couldn't tell which one, they all look the same from behind. I put down my book and took a closer look at the raven-haired woman before me. Lady Hawthorne's description of her daughter had been completely inaccurate, Vesper was not plain at all. She was a stunning beauty. I couldn't help but notice her curves, which set her apart from her peers. Her skin was not the typical pale complexion of the other debutantes, but rather slightly tanned, which made her even more alluring. The contrast between her hair and skin was striking. In any Asgardian eyes, Vesper would be considered a Goddess. As I continued to observe her, I noticed that she was facing the floor, seemingly unaware of my gaze.
"My Lord... I... I would like to apologize for my appalling behaviour the other day," she said with a slight tremble in her voice. Loki did not say anything, and Vesper thought I probably needed more of an explanation "I .. was very impolite towards you and a horrible hostess. I am sorry, please accept my apology," she said, still staring at the floor, awaiting my response. He waited a few moments for he did put her out of her misery.
"Apology accepted, Lady Hawthorne. Now if you'll excuse me I have some work to do," She looked up at me then, clearly looking relieved and a brief smile occurred on her features before she gazed back down again.
"Thank you, My Lord," She curtsied, turned, and left the room.

In the weeks that followed, Vesper's visits to the palace became more frequent. She spent more time with Hela and the two became even closer, forming a bond that was almost like that of sisters. Thor and Vali were also part of their group and they all seemed to enjoy each other's company. Vidarr, on the other hand, continued to be his usual irritating self and we hardly ever saw Baldur.

What puzzled me the most was Vesper's behaviour towards me. I couldn't help but notice that she avoided me like the plague. It was as if she didn't want to be around me. I wondered if I had done something to offend her or if there was some other reason for her strange behaviour. I tried to think back to our previous interactions to see if there were any clues, but I came up empty-handed. It was frustrating not knowing what was going on.