Loki, Unraveled|| NovaVerse 2

10|| Preperations

Word count: 3,154

Nova spent the rest of the day and night sleeping. Not to mention nearly half of the present day.

Her limbs were heavy, but at least her wounds didn't sting when she rolled over on the bed, and no part of her skin felt like flames were trying to attach themselves to her. All she felt was the coolness of the salve, the smooth silk covers, and a hand on her shoulder, shaking her- wait, what?

"Miss Karma, I'm afraid you have forgotten what today is." Of course, its him. It's always him. "It is quite a big day, and I fear we are unprepared."

She groaned, throwing the pillow over her ears. "Can you ever let me sleep in peace?" She said, voice so muffled that it's a miracle Loki could decipher them. The presence of his warm hand remained on her shoulder, shaking her back and forth on her own bed. She was beyond annoyed at this point, she was tired, he was being a nuisance. If she just got up from bed, he would stop shaking her. That would be enough. The moment she pushed herself off the bed Loki yanked her to her feet.

"Waking you up is the best part of my day," he joked, his face then setting in something only a tad bit more serious. "You do know what today is, though. right? It would be a catastrophe if you didn't prepare." No look of remembrance appeared on Nova's face. A look of mild worry crossed his. "The ball? With the high nobility of Asgard and representatives from the Nine Realms attending?" He did not realize he was squeezing the sides of her arms too harshly, but Nova made no deal of it. She saw clearly no matter how much Loki tried to hide this fact: he was afraid. And to be honest, she was too.

Nine realms were going today. Nova would have to go. All Nine Realms were going to be attending. The king and queen would probably attend to such a large event. They would probably want to get to know Loki's betrothed. They would want to know Nova.

"I don't know how to act or speak like and Asgardian," she argued, pacing the dark room. It didn't truly feel like morning with the blinds closed, the sunlight unable to light up the room. "I only know the word fugl, and I don't think repeating the word bird is going to get me anywhere in a conversation."

He handed Nova a plate of her breakfast and pointed at the white, plushy chair a few feet away in the corner of the room to sit on as she ate it.  "You needn't worry, the Allspeak will translate for you." 

"The All-what?" She said, words muffled by the pancakes she was stuffing in her mouth this time. "You wouldn't happen to have any ketchup for the pancakes, would you?" She asked.

"What's that?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"It's the sauce I need for these pancakes," she responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She recalled how on her first few weeks after escaping HYDRA, she had ordered takeout from a McDonalds in the morning and eaten the pancakes outside. She had recalled how when she was a kid, she ate them with ketchup, and so she took out a packet to see if it was still good. It really was good. But then an old woman with frizzy grey hair, a hunched back, and had a wort on her long nose, yelled, You're insane! Funny, considering as the woman rambled on, she had called herself a witch that could turn people to frogs and how her first name was Malaria, like the disease.  At least I am not the only crazy person on this street, Nova had responded.

Loki shook his head in disbelief. "I am concerned with how to keep our predicament a secret, but you are thinking about sauce?" 

She nodded.

He massaged his temples, muttering under his breath, walked to the door, and said, "By the way, I have a maid who is to arrive soon to assist your preparations. As soon as the two of you are finished, I will return."