Stolen Relic ~ A Loki Fanfic

Chapter Three

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Kenna stood in the small potting cottage, staring after the prince of Asgard. She didn't know what to think. She looked back to the books he had left in her care. It was illegal for a slave to have possession of books of magic. No doubt concern that the slave would rise and use the knowledge against their master. She wasn't certain if the prince was aware of the law or if he had simply chosen to disregard it. Certainly one who was a master of magic among his people would know the strict laws governing it.

Either way, the prince had been kind to her and she would see to the task he forgot in his haste to leave. Kenna did not understand what had first brought the prince to the King and Queen's private garden. Never before had either princes visited and after the first day Prince Loki had returned every day.

As an elf her senses were enhanced, but even with such abilities she had barely heard him move throughout the days aside from the quiet rustle of a turned page. She had found out from the palace servants that Queen Frigga had ordered the library refurbished and expanded. As a result the younger prince, who normally spent most of his time there had been displaced.

The palace servants were quite pleased the prince was no where to be found as they claimed he often played pranks on them when they had the misfortune to stumble upon him while he was studying. Despite the rumors about him being a trickster he had seemed only quiet and studious in his time in the garden. In fact, in her few brief interactions with him he had been kind and polite.

It took her several hours to tend to the wet texts, and when they were finished she set about returning them. It was dinner time and the palace was mostly empty, everyone being present in the main dinning hall. So she risked being caught with the books and carried them back to the library.

She froze as she entered the room. It appeared as though whatever changes the library had undergone were completed days ago. There was nothing out of place. So why would the prince continue to visit the gardens?

The library was two whole floors with nothing but stacks and stacks of books. She closed her eyes, holding the prince's books to her chest and breathed in deeply. The smell of books, ink and old paper filled her nostrils. She wasn't sure why, but she had always had a fascination with books. The smell and feel of the ancient knowledge awoke something inside of her. It was like a forgotten memory she couldn't quite place that rested like a weight in the back of her mind. 

She coughed once and rubbed the skin beneath her collar. She didn't belong here, and she needed to get back to work. In her centuries of serving on the palace grounds she had never been in the residential wing. Slaves weren't allowed unless expressly ordered. Until the last week the only royal she had ever had contact with over the years was Queen Frigga in the garden. Even that had been limited.

She moved deeper into the library wondering where she should put the books. There were several desks throughout and she picked the one overburdened with neat stacks of books and papers as the prince's. The papers were written in scrawling handwriting and when she came across a slim gold dagger beneath several scrolls she was sure she was correct in her assumption. She stacked the books neatly and returned for the others. It ended up taking her three trips.

She didn't see anyone until the last trip.

"Kenna?" Frigga's gentle voice came from behind her.

Kenna turned to face the Asgardian Queen. She could feel how wide her eyes were, she was in a place she wasn't supposed to be with things she was forbidden to touch. She attempted to bow but when the pile of books nearly toppled she squeaked and snatched them back against her chest before she dropped them all at the queen's feet.