No tricks (Loki Laufeyson)

IV - Books

I was finishing getting ready to leave my chambers in the morning, when I heard a bang on the door. I figured it was a guard looking for me, probably to pass on some sort of information about Loki. We had left things in a weird place last night, yet he did mention me being allowed to train with him. I ran my fingers through my hair before opening the door. The person standing across from me shocked me.

"Prince Loki" were the only words coming from me. My cleverness sure disappeared at the right moments. I remembered my manners, which was followed by a reverence. "I had not expect to see you here." I glanced back at my room and flustered with horror because of how untidy it was. "I apologize for the states of..."

"Don't" he stopped me, his own personal style of hardly smiling being at full disclosure. I swallowed my next words. "I'm sorry to disturb you, I only came to give you these." He handed me two books; the cover that was visible read something among the lines of magical arts.

I received them without hesitation. "Thank you."

"I thought they might change your mind about what you said last night." He explained his choice of literature piece.

I chuckled. I shut the door behind me and began walking with him down the hall, the books in my hands; I thought I could begin to read them during the first meal. Loki seemed interested in how I examined the covers.

"I will probably still believe it is an unfair fighting method." I warned him. "I wouldn't get too excited."

"No fight is fair." He stated, walking with his hands behind his back, as if he trusted his own words more than anything in the nine realms. "You would know that if you had ever gone to battle."

"I suppose that is true." I reckoned his assertion to be logical. The man had fought enemies before, which is more I could say about the matter. "But there is a reason magic frightens people, it's... an art of lies."

"Yes, of course." His voice sounded much more relaxed and less formal, which meant this was a simple conversation between two equals. "That is why all throughout history many realms have feared and punished witches."

I stopped walking to face him, which he did as well. "Witches are feared and punished because they are too smart for men to endure. I have never heard of a punished wizard."

Loki stared down at me with a grin, visibly pleased with what I had just said. I had expected the opposite, for my mother usually discouraged these types of wits.

"I had never thought of that." He admitted, then continued to walk our path. "I will be training tomorrow, if you'd like to join me. The private patio is much smaller, but you'll like it better, I bet."

I smiled to myself. It was extremely generous to let me use his private arena, to train with him, only because I found myself embarrassed in front of the soldiers. I thanked him a million times more, which he continued to let me know was not necessary, until our paths separated, and I was off to the feasting hall.

I did not have many friends to share my early meal with, for my days were quite lonely. All my life I had had friends that lived at court with me. Women my mother called respected and respectful, living in a very similar way to me; dedicating their time to more womanly tasks in expectance of being married off to a suitable, high status man. However, the past year or so, my two best friends had gone live with their husband, leaving me alone at court, only surrounded by acquaintances.

I suppose it wasn't too bad. I rather enjoyed speaking to new people every day, and I didn't mind eating alone sometimes. Yet I still hoped to find a more stable friendship now. After I filled my stomach with fruit and other crops, I went to the library to read the oeuvres that Loki had borrowed me.

.

My eyes were barely open when I heard my mother's voice. "Kari, darling." She hummed.

I shot them open, jumping in my seat. I realized then that I was falling asleep in the middle of the library, reading.

"Mother." I acknowledged her presence, rubbing my hands through my numb face. "What is it?"

"You missed supper tonight." She let me know so that I would comprehend my surroundings. We didn't share a feast room but it wasn't difficult to induce that I had spent all evening with my nose dug in books. "And I've been told someone rather special was looking for you." Her voice sounded too excited.

I straightened my posture, expecting her to continue talking, which she didn't. Instead, she stared at me with a happy expression plastered on her face, staring down at me. "Well? Who?"

She sat down in the chair next to me, which she rarely ever did, showing how hyperventilated she was. "Prince Loki. You didn't tell me the Queen had offered you to meet her son!" she scolded me, yet too proud of the news to be mad about it.

"That is because it wasn't that sort of meeting." I had to lower her from the happy cloud. "He isn't courting me."

"But what if he would?" she insisted.

"Mother, I am tired of every encounter being a possible husband. I have been deprived of spending time with too many people simply because I must concentrate on finding a suitable marriage." My words were dry and probably slightly harsh, but they were the truth.

The woman sighed, fixing the ornaments on her neck and chest. "This isn't some encounter. This is a Prince we're discussing. It's what I've prepared you for."

"Maybe I wish to live without that sort of pressure."

She stood up, focusing on me, below her. "In that case, do not give people the wrong impression with the Prince. Your future husband will be the only one to court you."