Reign

Chapter 9: Truth

Loki appeared in a rather extravagant living room with Ash struggling in his arms. Loki let out an annoyed sigh before she pulled from his grasp and tripped to the ground.

Ash didn't look up at Loki. She remained looking at the ground as she was breathing heavily from not only struggling but also her rising anxiety. She had no idea what Loki could be thinking; she had no idea what to do. She said quietly into the silence, "L- Loki, please-"

"Did I say you could speak?" He harshly interrupted her before beginning to pace the floor. What was he going to do with her now? What he had seen was certainly not a sign of loyalty to him. Perhaps he took an unnecessary risk of letting her hang out with the Avengers for so long. She had become soft to their little team.

Ash felt more afraid than usual, but she suddenly got an urge of defensiveness. She stood to her feet though she was slightly quivering. "What is your problem?!"

He was slightly surprised that she had gathered the nerve to challenge him. But he was angry enough, he was only afraid to lose his temper and permanently harm her. He warned, "Ash..."

Before he could get another word out she interrupted him, "I got you your scepter! I got you what you wanted! I did what you said! I followed your orders! I got Thor's attention, I did everything for you, Loki! I sacrificed everything and here I am God knows how far from my family, and it's all for you, Loki! It was all just to please you!"

He mostly stopped listening after she had mentioned Thor. Sure she had gotten the scepter as he had asked but he also asked for her unwavering loyalty. He wasn't specific on anything when he said loyalty, that was because he was being specific. He wanted her loyal to him alone. He wanted her mind, her thoughts, her actions, her body. He wanted her to follow him. In return, he would give her everything. Did she not understand this? It made him irritated beyond belief but he refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Do not hold that tone with me, mortal! I gave you those powers but I could make you just as weak as you once were as a child!" He slowly approached her as he looked down into her eyes. "You will once again be under me."

Ash felt like crying right then and there and Loki knew this much. He saw the tears welling within her eyes. Her entire situation was just pathetic. She couldn't stand up to Loki without being threatened in such ways. He called her 'love' at one point, but he had begun to use the term 'mortal'. For him, it was a low term when speaking in relevance to Ash and she knew that.

She whimpered to him, "Loki... please stop... Stop and hear me out..." He placed his scepter against a wall as he gripped her wrist with his other hand. She flinched in fear but attempted to continue her pleading, "Loki, I- I love you. Don't do this..."

"And what of Thor?" He almost seemed to be testing her, just to see her reaction, her opinion. He knew she was afraid of him. Part of him wanted to tell her that he wasn't going to hurt her, but there was the other part of him. The sadistic side that wanted to make her his. The monster that just wanted her to fear him. It wanted her to know not to challenge or disobey him. He wanted to comfort her, but the monster was sometimes too strong. It wanted to see her in this pain. Was this the true nature of a Frost Giant?

Ash was very speechless as she had her own thoughts on the situation. It was apparent that Loki viewed what had happened in a very negative light. Did he not understand the truth of what had happened there between her and Thor? Was it not obvious to him? But she knew she had to tell him what he wanted. She had to bring Loki to a calm level. How she hates herself for this.

"We can get rid of Thor!" Her outburst was surprisingly filled with desperation and another attempt at pleading, "We can get rid of the Avengers and SHIELD! They don't matter, Loki. You're the only one that matters to me. I need you and I don't want you to think that I would ever follow anyone else on a whim. I wasn't about to kiss Thor to make you jealous! Cutting my hand open wasn't a part of the plan but it certainly got him away from the scepter. I got his attention like you told me to. I distracted him like you told me to. I gave you the opportunity to take back your staff like you planned. You got your staff, you got me. What more are you asking me for?" Her voice got even more quiet as she looked down with few tears falling from her eyes. This was what heartbreak felt like... She had never experienced this even when her ex-boyfriend had broken up with her that some time ago. "I... I thought you had loved me, Loki..."