Loving Loki

Discovery

In the corner of the cell, a child sat cowering, trembling. I cautiously approached the cell. He couldn't have been more then seven years old. He was small and looked mistreated. Bruises circled his eyes, darkening them. He was thin and wore only pants and a torn shirt. His lip was cut and bleeding. He looked at me with fear.

" W-who are you?" He stuttered. His voice was soft and sounded sad.

Something struck me as wrong. What was a child like this doing in such an odd place? The cell was definitely meant for an important, dangerous criminal. I looked closer at the child. His eyes were green, but had shots of blue. Only one person in the world had those eyes.

Those eyes had haunted me. In dreams they visited me and every picture tried to capture their radiance. I had tried for years to forget them but they would not be forgotten. I had pushed then away in the past years. But here they were again. Mocking me, for even in the face of a child, even in an elaborate disguise, he could not hide the mocking.

" Hello Loki" I said. It was all I could think to say.

The child's eyes  widened and then narrowed. Green light surrounded the child and there he stood. Prince Loki in  all his extreme glory. He looked down upon me, for the cell was in a rock base and sat slightly taller then ground level. Besides that, he was tall.

His face was emotionless. I saw no trace of the young man I had met in the woods. His lip was still cut, but his eyes were normal. He stared at me for a moment as though trying to decide something. I must have passed the test.

" You are that girl I met in the woods all those years ago. Yes. You were the one that secretly agreed with me. You shall have to enlighten me. I seem to have forgotten your name." Though his words were polite, it seemed almost taunting. The way he spoke of me made me feel less then worthy.

" Lola. My name is Lola Prince Loki." I said curtsying.

" I am not a prince here. No need for formalities." He said bitterly.

" Of course." I replied. It seemed the only thing to say.

" You are bleeding." He said, in a very bored voice. I almost rolled my eyes at the obviousness of the statement. I gently touched the area with my handkerchief.

" So. Is this your secret prison?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

" Well its not exactly out in the open, now is it?" I was a bit taken back by the sarcasm and bite in his words.

" No. No its not." I said quietly.

" What are you doing here?" He asked with a very bored expression on his face. He sat in one of his chairs and folded his hands, his gaze never wavering.

" Well if you haven't noticed it's storming and cold. My horse threw me and I was too far to turn back. So I found a cave and stepped in this hole. Does that answer your question?" I answered hotly. His bored expression angered me for some reason. I wanted him to look at me as an equal.

" Well as you haven't noticed, it has stopped storming and raining." He said, motioning up to the ceiling. I peered up and saw that rain no longer pelted against the clear glass.

I glared at him. Then I calmed. My mother's words ran through my head.

" No matter who they are, everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and love. Never forget that my little one."

I glanced at him, my expression softening.

" I suppose I shall be off then." I said softly.

" Goodbye." He said dismissively, waving his hand as if to shoo me away.

I walked over to the ladder and glanced at my arm. This would be difficult. With only one usable arm, climbing the ladder would take a while.

" Whatever is the matter? Are you stupid? It is a ladder. You climb it." Loki said impatiently.

I spun around, my cheeks hot with rage. I nearly began spouting off all the words that came to mind, but I restrained myself in the nick of time. I bit my tongue and took a deep breath.

" I have dislocated my shoulder. I am simply thinking of a way to climb without falling again. And although I may seem to be so, I am not stupid." My voice wavered a bit at the last part. I hated being considered stupid.

He seemed slightly taken back. He gestured for me to come closer. I obeyed.

" I can heal you if you wish me too, but you will have to come in here for me to do that." He said, his voice as emotionless as his face.

"How?" I asked curiously. He seemed slightly surprised that I would actually get anywhere near him.

" The walls are made to keep me in, not  others out. Go one. Touch it. It wont hurt you." He said.

I hesitantly reached up and touched the golden fence. My hand passed through easily. I gasped and drew back. Then I put one foot in. A moment later, I stood in Loki Laufeyson's cell. I was unarmed and alone. That didn't bother me though. I was focused on Loki. I realized that I did not fear him like one would expect.

" I shall have to touch you. You won't scream or claw my eyes out will you?" He said. His words indicated fear but his voice said anything but.

" I see no reason why I would." I replied calmly.

He hesitantly wrapped his slender fingers around my shoulder. He closed his eyes and focused. A bright light began to shine from his hands. In a minute  it was over. I had felt nothing but a slight pressure. I flexed my fingers. Then I raised my arm up. It was good as new.

" Thank you." I whispered. He nodded and I took that as my cue  to leave. I stepped out of his cell and walked quietly over to the ladder. I began to climb, but after two rungs, I turned back around.

" Would it bother you dreadfully if I came back and visited you again?" I don't know why I asked. I wasn't supposed to know that this place existed and now here I was, offering to come back.

" I don't care. But I am warning you, I am not responsible for what happens if you do." He said forebodingly. I nodded and gulped. I began to climb again, determined to come back again the next day.