𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄 ━ loki laufeyson¹·¹

9│ON THE ROAD AGAIN

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
❛ ᴇᴛᴏɪʟᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ꒱


❝ I'LL BE FINE, LOKI.
YOU'LL BE WITH ME ❞

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

V A N A H E I M

A silver coin turned over in the air, spinning in front of the transfixed man. His eyes stayed on the shiny object in front of him, even as the woman— Herja— prowled around him. He seemed completely oblivious to the threat she posed as he was far more interested in the money before him.

"Due west, you say? And you're certain he had a girl with him?" the witch asked calmly.

"Yeah," came Ferdy's breathless response, mesmerized by the coin.

She made sure that the hood of her cloak was secured over her graying hair so the trader wouldn't know her true identity. "You're sure? Absolutely sure? Sure you're not lying?"

"I'd cross my heart if I had one." His expression brightened with greedy glee as the silver piece landed in his lap. "Brilliant. You know, my lady, for your time, I will give you a piece of free advice— you're not the only one searching for the Star, as I'm sure you know. One of Odin's men tracked me down. Promised. . . well, more like threatened that he would keep my fine establishment running as long as I told him what he wanted."

"And did you?" Herja demanded, though the ire in her voice was hidden under a veil of sweetness.

"I had to, my lady," he stammered a little. "I can't have Odin sniffing around here! But I'm sure he's no threat to you, of course— the man, I mean—"

"Enough," she ordered him. A flash of green magic silenced Ferdy's rambling. She turned her back on him to continue her pursuit of the Star, leaving the man squawking like a parrot in her wake.

✧ ✧ ✧

It was the second to last night on the pirate ship— they'd be at the passageway in the morning— and Eleanora was out on the deck, looking at the stars like she usually did. And, like he typically did, Loki joined her. He stood next to the girl, so close that their arms brushed and he could feel the heat coming off of her skin. But, unlike the other nights, she wasn't looking up, she was looking at him— though the god, of course, was the one whose gaze was focused on the stars tonight.

Eleanora was thinking about how Loki had given her so much: he'd taught her new songs, would teach her how to read Asgardian, had shown her the world (even if it hadn't exactly been the way she wanted to see it), and he was going to teach her how to dance. She hadn't given him anything in return except trouble, and she wanted to rectify that.

Her hand slid into the pocket of her blue dress where— despite all odds— the glass flower that she'd bought so long ago was still with her. It was the only thing of hers that she had, and though it was surely a paltry gift to give to a prince, she didn't have anything else.

"Loki," she said quietly, drawing his attention to her. "I. . . I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" he repeated, bemused. "As you often remind me, Eleanora, I stole you away from your home, broke your ankle—"

She waved an airy hand. "I'm over all that. I wasn't thinking about the fact that I'm seeing the world— worlds, and I'm travelling, having adventures, just like I always wanted. Admittedly I wish I interacted with less people who want to kill me, but I'd rather have it this way than not at all."