Passionate Misfortune

Chapter Six

By midnight, Loki returned to his chambers and saw that the maid had left. He sighed as his gaze turned to Delysia sleeping soundly in the bed. He watched for a few moments as she shifted in the bed and inhaled deeply before taking his night clothes and changing into them. As he got into bed, a sense of familiarity swept over him, although the woman in the bed next to him was merely a stranger to him. Loki laid himself on his back and stared at the ceiling. The following morning, it was Delysia who woke up after Loki. She sat up in the bed and watched as he adjusted his armor.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake." Loki said.

"Really?" Delysia asked.

"Not really but I thought you would still sleep after I had left." Loki replied.

Delysia nodded her head and Loki sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"You really should come to the feasts. Everyone expects you." Loki told her.

"Not now. It's too soon." Delysia said.

"Why?" Loki asked.

"They only wish to see me to see if all the rumors about high elves are true. After all, we were a breed that was born long before you." Delysia told him.

Loki scoffed and Delysia exhaled sharply as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry. That was rude." Delysia said.

"You don't have to apologize. Besides, I like a woman who can chide with me." Loki told her.

Delysia smiled weakly and Loki smirked.

"And after everything you've been through, I wouldn't expect you to be gentle with me or with anyone." Loki continued.

Delysia put her head down as she rolled out of bed and walked over to her dresser. She pulled out a dress and watched as Loki walked over to his writing desk.

"Will you have the maids bring me my breakfast?" Delysia asked.

"Of course. But, you should try to leave these chambers. It isn't healthy." Loki replied.

"In time, I will. Just not right now." Delysia said.

Loki nodded his head and Delysia was about to speak when he turned to walk towards the door.

"Are you sure you're alright with the maids?" Loki asked.

Delysia sighed as she nodded her head.

"I am. They do not speak with me but they keep me company." Delysia told him.

"Do you wish them to speak with you?" Loki retorted.

"No." Delysia replied honestly.

"Then, I bid you good day and most likely...a good night." Loki told her.

Delysia gave him a quick nod of her head and paced towards the bathroom door. Loki made his way out of the chambers and Delysia took a step out of the doorway and sighed as she watched him close the door. She walked back into the bathroom to change. Loki just finished instructing a maid to send Delysia her breakfast when Frigga walked over to him and smiled brightly.

"Good morning, dear." Frigga greeted.

"Good morning, mother." Loki smiled.

The two kissed each other's cheeks and Frigga pulled away to look at him.

"How is she?" Frigga asked.

"She still does not leave our chamber." Loki replied.

Our...it sounded strange on Loki's tongue.

"Why?" Frigga asked.

"She's afraid to let anyone see her at the moment. After all, she is the last high elf in all the realms. Who knows what people would do to her?" Loki explained.

"I heard you have a guard at your door during the night." Frigga commented.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Loki retorted.

"Surely, you don't think someone would come and snatch her in the night." Frigga said.

"I actually do, mother. After what those men at the council said they wanted to do with her...I couldn't let them get to her. Some wanted to dissect her brain, mother." Loki told her.

"I read over the suggestions. Some even wanted to see her heart believing that that is where her powers lie." Frigga added.

"Having a guard at the door keeps her safe and helps to give me a clean conscience." Loki explained.

"It isn't healthy for her to stay cooped up there all day and night." Frigga commented.

"That is what I told her before I left." Loki said.

"And what did she say?" Frigga asked.

"She didn't really say much. She said she would leave when the time is right." Loki replied.

"Have you and her...you know...shared your marital bed in any way?" Frigga asked.

"Mother!" Loki sighed.

"I'm only asking." Frigga mumbled.

"No...we have not and we will not. I do not love her, mother. And she does not love me. Just because we are husband and wife on paper does not mean we are husband and wife together." Loki told her.

"I was only asking because she is worth more to those men if she is a virgin." Frigga explained.

Loki rolled his eyes and Frigga scolded him.

"I'm serious, Loki. I'm not saying you have to sleep with her but I am telling you the truth. As much as you hate the position you are in, you must learn to deal with it and keep her safe, Loki." Frigga explained.

She patted his chest and walked away into the dining room. Loki exhaled sharply as he watched her walk away and followed after her. Once breakfast had ended, Loki decided to take a walk through the gardens. As he walked down the paths, he heard some noises from behind one of the hedges and furrowed his brow. He turned the corner and rolled his eyes when he saw Fandral kissing a woman with the front of her dress unlaced so he could fondle her.

"You know, you should be really more discreet. Whatever would my mother and father do if they heard a guard found you like this." Loki interjected.

The woman gasped and quickly pulled her dress together as Fandral scoffed to turn and face Loki. At first glance, Loki furrowed his brow when he noticed the woman's features resembled those of Delysia's.

"Later." Fandral whispered in her ear.

The woman giggled and ran off as Fandral crossed his arms over his chest and looked over at Loki.

"Why can't you let me have some fun?" Fandral asked.

"If you were in your chambers, I would not have disturbed you. But given that you are out in the open and she was clearly below your station, I was saving you the trouble of being scolded." Loki explained.

"She was a pretty young thing, wasn't she?" Fandral chuckled.

"I couldn't really tell with her hair all disheveled and her lipstick smeared all over her face." Loki retorted.

"Well, you should have. Looked just like your wife now, didn't she?" Fandral asked.

Loki was about to protest when Fandral stopped him.

"I know you looked. I know you saw her face." Fandral laughed.

Loki rolled his eyes and Fandral nudged his shoulder.

"Come on. Admit it." Fandral chuckled.

"Why are you so obsessed with Delysia?" Loki blurted out angrily.

"Because she's a beautiful maiden, Loki. Any man would be jealous of you for having a wife as gorgeous as her." Fandral replied.

"Listen to me, Fandral. You stay away from her." Loki warned.

"Or what?" Fandral retorted.

"Or would have me put a stop to your liaisons in the gardens for good?" Loki replied.

Fandral's expression softened as Loki nodded his head.

"That's what I thought." Loki remarked as he walked off.

As Loki walked through the gardens he looked up at the palace and found himself staring into the window of his chambers. He saw Delysia leaning against the window and gazing at the sky. Loki wished to know more about her. She was foreign to him and there was something about her that intrigued Loki. That he could not deny but he could deny his feelings for her. He did not feel love but a liking towards her as you would feel towards a friend. He was taken from his thoughts when he noticed Delysia's gaze focus on him and he inhaled sharply as he looked away and continued on his walk. Delysia furrowed her brow and gripped the chain of her necklace as she sighed.

"He seems very taken by you." A maid commented from behind her.

Delysia snapped her head around to face the maid and glared at her, causing the maid to bow her head and take a step back before walking away. She looked back out the window and leaned forward to catch a better look at him. All she could see was his back and she sighed. She wished she could have told him that she enjoyed his company but he had left. The maids did nothing but sew and talk with themselves and Delysia was left to spend the day alone either writing, eating, or reading. She knew being a princess was boring but she didn't think it would ever be like this. Maybe it is more exciting out there, Delysia thought to herself. She shook her head and exhaled slowly before walking over to the writing desk, sitting down, and writing on the paper in front of her...

Dear Mother,
The maids wait on me every day. He doesn't trust me to be by myself. It's not that he doesn't trust me as a person...it's the people here he does not trust. I wish he stayed to keep my company. The banter we seem to share in the few minutes of the morning and at night we see each other makes me happy. I'd prefer his company over the maids or anyone's any day. Unfortunately, it isn't the right time for me to show myself to the world. Soon...but not yet...

Later that evening, Loki saw a maid bringing Delysia her dinner and Loki sighed as he made an unlikely decision. Delysia was about to eat her dinner as the maids started the fire in the fireplace when the door opened. All the maids quickly bowed their heads and curtsied. Delysia furrowed her brow and followed their gazes to the open doorway to find Loki standing there with a plate in his hand. Delysia almost dropped her plate as she stared at him and Loki stepped into the room.

"You are dismissed." Loki acknowledged the maids as he bowed his head.

The maids quickly paced out of the room and Loki closed the door after them.

"What are you doing here?" Delysia asked.

"I thought you might be lonely." Loki replied as he smiled weakly.

"Well, I can assure you that I'm not." Delysia told him.

Stop lying to yourself, Delysia told herself.

"Do you enjoy being alone, Delysia?" Loki asked as he pulled up a seat next to her at the writing desk.

"I've lived almost my whole life alone. You could stay it's more than an enjoyment to be alone." Delysia retorted.

She held her chin up high as she grabbed her plate and walked over to the couch in front of the fireplace. Loki scolded himself under his breath and ate his dinner as he looked at the back of Delysia's head as she sat down on the couch.

"Everyone at the feasts wish to see you. They expect you." Loki told her.

"And I don't wish to see them." Delysia retorted.

Loki scoffed softly and Delysia turned to look at him.

"And besides, shouldn't you be there tonight?" She asked, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry. Have I intruded on personal time?" Loki replied.

"No. It's just that you are the prince of Asgard after all. It will be perceived as rude to the guests if you do not at least make your presence known and then retreat." Delysia explained.

"And what would you know about that?" Loki chuckled.

Delysia's stone cold expression softened as she processed his question and she slowly turned back around. Loki bit his lip realizing that she would no longer be speaking to him tonight. But, he had to know more about her. He didn't want the rest of his life to be like this. He had to try. So Loki picked up his plate and sat himself next to Delysia on the couch. She gave him a look as she watched him plant himself next to her and she moved herself a few centimeters away from him.

"We both can't live like this." Loki commented.

Delysia knew he was right but didn't want to believe it. She had lived a life in solitude and this wasn't any different. Only that there was no one who would come into her cell, chain her to the wall and...stop, forget it. But, Delysia already knew she had cracked and Loki did not even notice it. He was the first person she ever spoke to ever since she was captured by the Vanaheim army. She vowed that she would never speak again but somehow, when he brought her food and comfort, she broke that vow. He was slowly getting to her and Delysia knew it yet he did not. And she did not want him getting too close. Delysia remained silent as she took a bite of her food and Loki sighed as he looked down at her.

"Why do you speak to me and then just shut yourself away?" Loki inquired.

Because I fear I will have the same fate...because you are too kind...because you treat me as a human being...because you treat me with care..something I have never experienced and...I'm afraid, Delysia thought.

"I don't know." Delysia replied.

Loki scoffed as Delysia put her head down.

"You don't know." Loki said.

It was more of a statement than a question. Delysia thought he was just trying to come to terms with her answer and trying to believe it for himself. Loki needed to get into her head. He wanted to know what she thought about. He didn't understand why she would be writing letters to her mother if all the high elves were long gone. Does it give you a sense of comfort, he wanted to ask. But, he couldn't ask that. He would be giving away that he violated her personal space and she would surely shun him for life if he told her that.

"Would you rather me come here and spend a few hours with you than just the maids?" Loki asked.

"Yes." Delysia replied, eagerly.

Her answer caused Loki to furrow his brow. She was so unreadable. Her actions did not match her intentions and Loki knew it. He could always tell what someone's intentions were but her...he couldn't figure her out. She was almost like a project to him. He needed to solve her in order to move on. She didn't make any sense but soon enough she would.

"Alright. Will you be happy then?" Loki inquired.

He watched as she took her time to answer. It puzzled, yet amused him. She blinked twice before answering. She turned to look up at Loki and smiled weakly.

"Yes." She said softly.

Her voice resembled that of a siren he read about in books when she spoke. It almost frightened him. Right now, it was soft like an angel but soon enough her sweet song would turn malicious and Loki knew that he would drown. He needed to figure her out if he did not want to drown. In order to win, he had to stay afloat. Her eyes stared directly into his and he swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. She had the most piercing eyes he'd ever seen. They were intimidating to look at and he found himself being the first to look away from her glance, much like before at the window.

"Why are you so kind to me?" Delysia asked.

Loki looked up at her and could see the sincerity in her intimidating eyes.

"I don't know." Loki replied.

Delysia chuckled but, it was his honest answer. He didn't know.