Unlike Loki

Chapter 47

(Loki)

I turned and stormed away from Anna.

I knew she was right. But I didn't want her to be. I wanted to believe that if you made people sorry for what they did to you, that you would feel better. That you would feel free.

Because at this moment, I was suffocating.

*********

It had been nearly a month and the physician was nowhere closer to telling me what was going on with Anna and I and our mysterious, dooming aura. He kept asking me to give him more time. That he wanted to be absolutely sure of his diagnosis.

So I gave it to him. Because I wanted him to be absolutely sure. I didn't want a theory. I wanted answers.

Borin went back to training the armies, his pride still hurt, even though very few people knew about what had happened.

So much had happened in the past month, yet at the same time, nothing had happened. There were no wars to fight, only to prepare for, there were no extravagant balls to attend because no one was in the mood, the taverns were always full of song and dance and drink and sex but they were depressing.

I was happy being King, yet I couldn't have been sadder.

**********
I left Anna standing by the balcony and went to take a hot bath to calm my nerves. I stripped myself of my clothes and dipped into the steaming water and tried to clear my mind.

No sooner had I laid my head back, then did I hear a knock on the door.

"What?!"

"What am I suppose to do? I think I'll go to bed now. Where do I sleep?" I heard Anna's slightly muffled voice behind the door.

"Where do you think? On the bed of course. I won't have you sleeping on the floor." I said, closing my eyes.

"Excuse me?" she exclaimed.

And then she burst into the washroom.

"Oh!" She reeled back. "You're taking a bath. Sorry, I --" she covered her view of me with her hands.

"What? is bathing not a normal custom on Midgard?" I asked.

"Yes. But it's a private custom." She began to walk out of the room. But then she stopped herself, with her back towards me, "So I am to share a bed with you?" I could hear her voice trying not to shake.

I got up out of the water and I saw her stiffen as I did so. "Don't worry. I'll keep to my side of the bed." I grabbed a towel that hung nearby and wrapped it around my waist.

"But why do I have to share a room, a bed even?"

"Because I want to keep an eye on you as much as possible. I still don't trust you. And if I do have to leave you alone, at least I know your secured in a safe and comfortable place."

"I could do that in my own room." She retorted.

"Now, now don't be getting greedy on me. What if I don't have the space to just give up a room?" I was behind her now.

She spun her head around to glare at me, momentarily forgetting that I was practically naked which, for some reason, made her feel uncomfortable. She blushed a deep red and then spun back around.

"That's bullshit." She said.

"Curse words on a lady's lips are unbecoming." I said as I walked passed her, tapping her nose.

"Why not keep me in the cell, then?" she asked, following me back into my chambers.

"Because I'm not and idiot, Anna. I know that you had figured out how to get out, how to take down the wall. You were either just biding your time or decided it wasn't worth it. I didn't want to take the chance."

"I didn't--" she started.

"Don't take me for a fool! I have eyes everywhere! I see all that happens in this kingdom!" I yelled. She snapped her mouth shut, obviously surprised.

And then I dropped the towel.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" She exclaimed, aghast.

"What, did you not know all beings are naked under the cloth?" I smiled.

"It's not something you go around showing everyone!" Her eyes gazed towards the ceiling.

Midgard was a very boring planet then. It definitely was not uncommon to see someone without their clothing. It didn't phase anyone here.

But it sure phased Anna.

"Ok. Ok, fine. There, I put on trousers. Happy?" she looked at me finally.

I was still definitely naked.

"Oh my god! You're such a liar!" she screamed and turned away.

I laughed. Midgardians were so odd. And this one was beautiful.

I finally put on some clothing, for her sake and invited her to bed.

"I don't think you understand how creepy that is."

"Really? If I had asked any other woman she would have literally ran and jumped into my bed. And I'm not even going to touch you." I winked at her. It made her squirm.

She slowly and reluctantly crawled into the other side of the bed, staying on the very edge of the cushion. I chuckled, and crawled into the bed as well, a good ten feet away from her. I soon heard her sleeping, her breaths the sound of the wind, and reached up to blow out the light.

Within the hour, I woke again, to find her head on my chest and her arm draped over my abdomen.