taken [loki laufeyson]

7: torn

"Loki? What was that all about?"

I storm down the hallway, Thor hurrying behind me, struggling to keep up. He followed me out of the dungeon.

"I know that you brought her here. But why?" I try to ignore his questions. If I reveal anything, he might become suspicious. That could abolish any hopes of my succession, if he finds out anything more.

I stop in my tracks and turn sharply on him. "It doesn't concern you, Thor. And you had better not speak a word to Father."

A goofy smile spreads on his face. "Oh. I know what this is." Thor laughs and puts his big, rough hand on my shoulder, almost sending me backwards. He is stronger than I care to admit.

"What?!" There is no way in Hel he could've figured out my plans. He's too much brawn and not enough brains. Honestly, I'm surprised he's already questioned me this much.

He points a finger at me and laughs heartily. "Don't deny it, brother! I know exactly what you're going though."

Rolling my eyes, I start back down the hallway, hoping to rid of my brother. He's just as annoying as he was when we were kids. Which, in a way, makes me bitter, considering I hadn't known about my origins then, and I was so pitifully innocent and blissfully blind to the obvious truth. Really, I would have found out eventually-- my father had always treated me as an outcast.

"Mmhmm. Honestly, Thor, you being Father's favorite you'd never under--"

In a swift motion, he grabs me by the shoulders and spins me around, looking at me with sparkling eyes. "You're in love!"

It takes me a moment to process what he said. But the rosy blush I feel on my cheeks doesn't wait for me to come up with a response.

"Ha! I knew it!" Thor, the big doofus, grins, and claps me on the back. "And I'd bet you Mjolnir that it's that prisoner girl!"

Silence causes a tension between us. I, Loki, Silvertongue, God of Mischief and Lies, doesn't have an answer. Which can only mean that my mewling quim of a brother's proposition seems to be accurate. I didn't even know that myself.

He believes that it is Allissa, and by him thinking that, everything still works out. The assumed 'love-interest' plan answers the questions of why she's here and what I am doing with her. Thor has, once again, solved my problems for me. The best part of it is that it silences any lingering suspicion about any plans I might have.

Thor notices how silent I've gotten. "Wow."

Snapping back to reality, my gaze flits up to him. "What?"

"Nothing. I guess I just hadn't realized how real this is."

"Real?"

Thor gazes off down the hallway, deep in thought. "I would have thought your emotion was a cleverly used coverup for a dastardly plan you concocted in order to steal the throne."

I don't respond. Our footsteps echo in unison as the hall breaks open into a wide balcony perched at the top of the castle. The gentle breeze blows casually. It's just past noon, so the sun shines brightly upon the gold railing that I lean on. I don't like being up here-- too many memories of a childhood I wish I didn't have.

Thor stands next to me, taking it all in as well; his expression guarded. "I haven't been up here since we were only children."

Beneath us lays the glorified city of Asgard, where Odin's subjects live and work. From up here, they look tiny. Like ants. I agree with him. "Too many memories here."

"So you really do love the girl?"

Yes I do. It hurts my heart how much I do. And it hurts to know that she might end up dying in the end of all this. In the end of my plan. It's a funny thing that I usually don't get attached to pawns, they are insignificant. There was nothing different about this time-- except the girl.

"Yes I do-- I love her so dearly. I feel different when I'm around her. Like I'm not some monster. She can see through me, all my lies and hatred." It wasn't until now that I fully realized how much Allissa affects me. "She has this power over me-- it's crazy. And I love it."

Out of the corner of my vision I see Thor grinning.

"What?"

"I'm just so happy for you. I've only known you to be full of broken pieces, and if Allissa makes you this happy, you can be put back together again." He turns to me once again, still smiling, and puts a hand on my shoulder. "I am really happy for you."

-

Part of me believes him.

Loki's green eyes sparkle with something I don't normally see in him-- content. It would be hard to believe that he doesn't love her by his eloquently described feelings about her. About Allissa.

But over the millenia, I've become wary of him. I have to keep reminding myself that this Loki is not the same one I played with as a child. He's clever and mischievous and a Silvertongue.

He looks out over the balcony, his suit of black and dark green looking out of context in this brightly colored realm, towering over me.

The thing is, if he was lying about all of this, conjuring up some plan to steal the throne, I don't think I could go after him. Fighting with him hurts me. I don't like it-- Loki starts thinking that I hate him, but I don't. It makes me sad.

"As long as you're happy Loki, I support you."

A hint of a mischievious smile plays on his lips. And at the sight of it, I feel happy and afraid. This love of Loki's is going to be something big, I can feel it. Gazing back out to the horizon, I know that Loki never just does something. There's always a net of carefully threaded lies behind one action. There's nothing I can do as of now but wait for him to play his hand.

sorry such a short chapter😒
i was so busy this week!! Fingers crossed that my afternoons are less crazy!

and btw taken is soooo close to 200 reads! Lets keep it going guys!!

aaaaand one more thing. just for lols, lets review what we already know is happening in Taken:

-loki has some sort of plan that deals with some sort of revenge that might kill allissa, but his feelings for her are conflicting.
-thor is suspiscious of loki but is reluctant to stop him
-allissa isnt fully into loki yet, and is still wary of him because of his monstrous past and her personal experience with abuse. She also doesnt know about the plan.

love you guysss!
💕