Hell or High Water (#Wattys2016)

•Embrace Possession•

A/N: POV switches from Charlie to Loki in this chap.

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"I can not... Fathom. That. All. I. Had. To. Do. Was. Call. You...Charlie." Loki pondered aloud while they made their way through the gardens.

It's obvious here that every inch of shrubbery, petal of flower, and strip of grass is tended to with the highest care. Loki even made an effort of telling Charlie that when seen from above the towering hedges form a geometric shape symbolizing Asgard's penchant for peace, and in the center of it stood an intimidating twenty-foot fountain mirrored in the image of Odin himself. He also explained the reason for Odin insisting on the distinct placing of olive branches as another well-known symbol of peace throughout history.

All the while Charlie appeared to be listening with such intensity that he wondered if she even heard half of what he said - he noticed she liked to contemplate her surroundings quite often.

Naturally, this was all buried under the continuing irrelevancy of why he hadn't thought to use her nickname in the first place. Well, he always did have a strange habit of over talking people. But would he admit it? No.

"Are you still on this? And you talk about me!"

"It hadn't crossed my mind -"

"I believe it."

"But you never said."

"Yes, I did."

"No, I have not recalled you stating such. Seeing as my memory is rather brilliant."

"Yeah, I've told you a bunch of times."

Loki quirked an eyebrow.

She certainly is the stubborn sort.

"Charlotte...you did not. I assure you I would have used it earlier had you inquired."

"Oh. Really? Well, I should've."

He sighed. Thinking not for the first time how ridiculous this entire situation had become, and led Charlie towards the healing chambers, it is no doubt his mother spent a lot of her time there. Giving Charlie a supposed grand tour of Asgard was not fairing well, though it has next to nothing to do with her being a mortal than his newly appointed position. Especially when most of what they received from fellow Asir's were disdain cloaked by pseudo-approval, and he failed to see why they should even continue - perhaps he would have one of the royal staff attend to her needs by way of apology.

If not for these austere idiots I was cursed to live with, I would not have to. None of this could have happened had it not been for their impervious, insolent, rules!

He rationed his abortive fate has been sealed long before he was born and quickened his pace, leaving Charlie hurrying to catch up. He imagined his mother would be in rather a fix if she did not promptly meet his new bride.

"Come along, Charlie, mother wishes to meet you."

Charlie chewed at her lower lip and followed.

°°°°°

Great. This week keeps going from bad to worse. Now I have to meet 'mom' too? Would I even call her that? And what about food? Isn't that how this goes, over dinner? Did they eat? Given the fact they might be aliens who knows. Loki didn't imply that they ate anything...weird, so maybe I'm safe. He also implied once that I was a stubborn nut, so maybe I have reason to worry.

They were finally back in Asgard from what felt like two hellish weeks on Midgard, but was in fact two or three days. Charlotte had been overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything and everyone, it made her feel useless and claustrophobic at the same time. But the palace still held her interest, everywhere she looked there is something that screamed royalty, it was enthralling.