The Raven

The Supreme Necromancer - Chapter Twenty

Loki watched the pair hug one another. He felt rage boiling within him. But, he was quick to drown it, simply by looking away. He gazed to Athanasius, who had a small smile upon his face. Loki cocked a brow at him, then speaking,
"Pardon me, sir, but do you know where I can get a drink?" He quizzed. Athan turned to him, his smile disappearing almost instantly.
"Hm," A sound of obvious disapproval. "The punch table's over there..." The necromancer gestured to the wall farthest from them, where a clothed table sat. On it, was a punch bowl filled with...well, punch? At least, that was what he assumed. The liquid inside of it was black. He kindly nodded to Athan.
"Thank you," He chuckled. "I suppose I overlooked it. My apologies." Loki offered a tiny smile, while Athanasius just nodded. How rude... The god thought, as he made his way towards the punch table. He filled an intricate glass cup with punch, then added a few ice cubes to it, from the bowl that sat beside the other. He was careful not to touch it, for not-so obvious reasons. If he had to choose a place to expose his true self, it would most definitely not be here. Loki turned, sipping his drink as he did so. He was relieved to discover that it was, in fact, punch. A delicious punch, at that. He gazed back towards Edith, and her friend. They were still talking. The dark god watched silently over the top of his glass, as the spaniard looked to him, then back to Edith. Edith looked to him, after the man had said something to her. Loki slid his tongue over his lips, wetting them. Edith began approaching him, the dashing man in tow. He clenched his jaw, prepared for the worst, as they reached him. "Loki," She called, smiling softly at him. His worries vanished, for just that brief moment, as she smiled at him.
"I'd like you to meet my lifelong friend, Señor Caspian Delgado." Edith gestured to the spaniard, who Loki now knew to be Caspian. Loki lowered his cup from his mouth, offering yet another smile. - Uck. I can't believe I'm enduring all of this. And for what? So she won't hurt me? Tsk, she could never lie so much as a finger on me. Now, he had angered himself. You would never hurt her, you treacherous bastard. His own voice rang in his head. The god clenched his jaw, in a brawl with himself.
"And Caspian, this is Loki," Edith finished, gesturing from Caspian to Loki.
"Ah," Caspian formally bowed to the god. Once he rose, he spoke, "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, señor." Caspian smiled, tucking his cane beneath his arm. Loki forced another smile, giving a brief nod.
"As it is to meet you," He chuckled softly, rushing his hand over his greased back hair.
"Caspian and I've been friends since...Well, since I came into existence. He's a year older than me," Edith explained, smiling up at Caspian. Caspian returned her smile, fondly. "Edith tells me you are of Asgard?" He said, quizzically.
"Ah, yes," Loki acknowledged. "I am Prince of Asgard, alongside my brother." He sipped his drink carefully. If he were honest, and that he rarely ever was, he was not comfortable with introducing himself this way. But, he devised, he had no other way of gaining respect from these so-called necromancers.
"Might I ask who your brother is?"
Loki almost choked on his drink over the question.
"Ahem, yes...His name is Thor." He replied.
"Hm...I don't believe I've heard of him." Caspian stared just behind Loki, in thought. Finally. Someone who can't compare me to that oaf.
"Pardon me, sir," Loki spoke. "But...it seems you are of Spain, on Midgard, and yet you're here?" He asked the question that rang repeatedly in his ears.
"Ah!" The spaniard laughed softly. "My father is a necromancer," He looked briefly to Edith. "And, my mother, like myself, is a spaniard. My siblings and I were born and raised in Spain, though we all harbor necromantic abilities." Caspian allowed his right hand to hang at his side, a gentle smile upon his face. Loki nodded, absorbing the information.
"Edith has not explained much of your species' way, unfortunately..." He looked to Edith, who seemed...paler, than usual.
"Ah, well...I would answer your questions on this manner, but I'm afraid Edith would flay me if I did so." Chuckling, Caspian turned his gaze to the dark haired woman at his side. "And you're right. He should learn from someone who's experienced," Edith teased, sniggering. Caspian shook his head, a chuckle once again escaping his lips. Loki looked to the grande doorway, where more guests spilled in. - However, it was obvious that this was Caspian's family. Each were dark haired, and fairly tanned. All except for the man Loki assumed to be Caspian's father.
"If you'll pardon me, I must return to my family. Once again, it has been a pleasure meeting you, Loki." With a proper bow, Caspian approached his family, as more guests spilled into the ballroom. Each were greeted by Ethelinda, who donned a kind smile. Edith returned to Loki's side, gently slapping his bicep.
"Good job, killy-stabby," She smirked up at him. He peered at her, over the top of his cup.
"Hm?" He hummed simply in response. Edith rolled her eyes. "Thanks for actually being polite, dumbass," She slapped his bicep again, this time harder. Loki gave her a glare, which only earned him another slap. With a sigh, he lowered his cup, and spoke,
"You're welcome, I suppose," Loki watched as multiple guests spilled into the room, all eager and excited to see one another. However, he quickly became irritated when people began approaching the table to get drinks. Many stopped to speak to Edith, who like Loki, was doing her best, no matter how much she hated acting proper, to be polite. One blond haired man stopped briefly, smiling at Edith,
"See ye at th' ceremony, aye, Edie?" Without another word, he vanished back into the crowd. Edith grumbled beneath her breath, while Loki chuckled.
"Edie?" The god repeated in a mocking manner.
"Call me that and I'll knock ever single one of your teeth out of your mouth." She snapped. Laughing softly, Loki raised his hands in fake surrender, "Whatever you say, Edie." His laughter vanished when she calmly slammed her elbow into his rib. Loki cursed beneath his breath.
"I was joking, Edith. Calm yourself." He growled at her. Edith shrugged.
"I told you not to call me that." Without another word, she turned on her heel, heading towards what he assumed was the main entrance area, as more guests came from that direction. She stopped, looking over her shoulder. She mouthed a single word: "Behave." A devious grin appeared upon his face, and he allowed a quiet snigger to escape his lips. He took a sip of his punch, but when he looked up from it, Edith was gone. He shrugged her disappearance off. He knew well that she would return for him. - After all, she was technically still on duty as an Avenger. Tch. Pesky Avengers. He entered the crowd, sipping his drip quietly, when a thought struck him. — He actually liked an Avenger. But...no. She was different. Edith was nothing like the others. She even complained about them! Worse, deep down he feared...He feared he was exposing himself to her. - In simpler words, Loki, beneath his pride and many masks, feared that he was falling in love with this strange, beauteous woman. Of course, he wouldn't even allow to the thought to cross his mind. Love was not a thing Loki Laufeyson could do. — Loki was snatched from his thoughts when he heard a voice, no doubt calling to him;
"Excuse me, sir?" The god cocked his head to the right, gazing down at a young girl. She had waved strawberry blonde hair, wide, wonky green eyes, and freckles along her fair skin. "Er-...Yes?" He answered. He examined her closely. Clearly, she was in attendance of the ball. She wore a fine, mostly black velvet dress. She didn't look much older than fourteen.
"Well, I, um-..." She looked around for a moment, seemingly paranoid. Loki took note of this. "I was- I, er, saw you talking to Miss Edith, and I was just, ahm-..." Loki seized the moment of silence,
"You know her?"
"Well, I know of her, and her family. This is, er, my first time here." She explained, fiddling with her thumbs. The Nervous Type. Loki took a mental note.
"Ah," He nodded. "It is mine as well. - You are a necromancer, I presume?" Loki sipped his drink once again, then lowered it to his side.
"N-Not technically yet, no, sir," She answered. His eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"Might I ask what you mean?" Loki quizzed.
"Oh!-" The girl almost yelped. "Er- Well, um, sir...The Necromancer's Ball, as I've read, is tradition for the necromancers. Y-You're of course born a necromancer, but when you're my- my age, twelve,"
Loki was surprised. She looked older. She was certainly taller than the average twelve year old.
"You attend the ball, which is where you're officially deemed a necromancer, and- and you get assigned your mentor. The Supreme Necromancer welcomes you on stage," She gestured to the stage against the back wall. "And then you're officially a necromancer. It's basically the, er, whole p-point of the ball." Finally, the girl finished, staring at the ground.
"Pardon my lack of knowledge on this. My friend has yet to have told me much of your race," He slid his tongue over his lips, wetting them.
"What is your name?" Loki asked. The girl was quick to reply,
"Holly."
The dark god gave a simple nod. "Holly, then," She gave the tiniest of smiles. Out of kindness, he returned her smile. - Secretly, he had always had a soft spot for children.
"Who, if I may ask, is this 'Supreme Necromancer'?" Loki quizzed, his curiosity peaked. Holly's eyes widened in surprise.
"Y-You mean...you don't know?" The girl was completely stunned.
"Er...I'm afraid not." He calmly replied. She gasped quietly, her eyes growing wider.
"Oh, wow..." Realizing what she was doing, she quickly regained posture. "S-Sorry," Loki nodded, excusing her. "But, ahm, you-...You were just with her, sir." Now, his eyes widened in shock.

          "What?"