Forbidden Love: A Loki Fan Fiction

Chapter 1

Aubrey

"Again!" Sif yelled as the soldiers went through their morning drills. Aubrey watched on from the outskirts of the training yard, not wanting to get too close and in harms way, but also wanting to watch all the action take place.

She had been invited, on several occasions, to join the warriors daily practices but she had morning cleaning to do. As much as Aubrey wanted to learn how to fight, her duties came first. Perhaps she could start learning with the afternoon drills, but Thor ran those drills and often ignored Aubrey's presence at the training ground. Sif was at least kind enough to make some type of conversation when she noticed Aubrey. Though Aubrey couldn't complain too much, she had noticed that Thor had changed ever since his banishment from Asgard and was trying to be more kind-hearted, but she supposed his love of fighting wasn't something that would disappear overnight. 

Aubrey reluctantly removed herself from the training yard, making her way to the castle and down the stairs to the dungeon-where they were keeping him. Loki Odinson. She hadn't been down to clean the dungeon halls since they had locked the second prince down there, and she could already feel her nerves getting the better of her. Most of the cells were filled with random thugs and looters, no one of importance; and no one usually bothered her while she did her cleaning. But now to have someone down there, much less someone as recognizable as the prince...it was unsettling. She had heard he was quite the trickster, what if he tried fooling her?

She pushed the thought from her mind as she made her way down the staircase. He was in a cell, and she was not, therefore surely she was protected. They wouldn't have a young woman cleaning in the dungeons if it wasn't safe, she told herself, doing her best to push away the illogical fears parading her mind.

Reaching the bottom steps to the cells, she had her broom in hand and ready to go. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward into the dungeon.

Loki sat in the first cell to her left, sitting on the  stone floor. Aubrey had told herself she wasn't going to attempt to look at him, but it was hard not to. He looked so sad, so defeated. He had fallen so far from being that prince that the Kingdom had looked up to. She could feel her heart sink, even though she knew she was supposed to be angry with him, looking at him now she couldn't help but feel sorry.

"I don't need your pity." Loki announced, making her jump. "I have plenty enough as it is in here." He waved his hand through the cell, which was greatly furnished with a chair, bed and even a writing desk with books placed upon it. Even though he was a criminal and supposed to be doing his time down here, it would seem someone up-top was making sure he was comfortable.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to stare." She replied, embarrassed that she had been caught. "I'm just not used to anyone of importance being down here while I do my cleaning."

"You look too well taken care of to be a maid." Loki replied, leaning back against the cell wall.

Aubrey's face heated up at the observation. "That's because I'm of noble blood." She replied, biting her lip.

This seemed to intrigue Loki. "What is a woman of your political status then doing cleaning the palace dungeon?"

"I just wanted something to do in my spare time." She replied, as though it was no issue at all. "While I love my studies, I am a quick learner and so I find myself with a lot of free time."

He nodded at that. "But why choose to clean in your spare time?" He mused, studying her. "Surely there are far more interesting things to do than clean in the company of criminals? What would your father think"

Aubrey bit her lip. "My father died a summer ago, shortly after my mother fell ill and passed. It is just me and my younger sister now." She replied, though she didn't know why she was bothering to tell the second-prince this. "I prefer to keep my hands busy so my mind does not wander to the past."  She sighed, gripping her broom tighter. "Now if you excuse me, I don't want to fall behind on my cleaning."

She walked off, leaving Loki staring after her, a curious look on her face. Perhaps he was just lonely and wanted someone to talk to, or perhaps he was simply making fun of her. Aubrey was never good at knowing when people were making fun of her, but then again her mother always told her it was because she had a heart of gold and saw the good in people. She hoped it was for that reason, and not just because she was being daft.

Cleaning though did keep her mind busy, as well as her hands. Scrubbing the floor and  dusting the sconce's made it easier for her to forget that her and her sister were orphans. Her sister was two years younger than her, only twenty-one, and while they were both adults now; Aubrey still found herself acting like the parent in the house. Making sure her sister, Kali, was taken care of was just another thing that she did to keep her mind busy. Sure, many people would have gotten over the fact that their mother and father were long gone, would have moved on with their lives, but Aubrey still felt the pain in her heart as though it was yesterday.

Once cleaning for the day was completed, she made her way back towards the front of the dungeon and on her way home. She caught Loki staring at her from the corner of her eye as she walked passed his cell, but made no motion to stop.

"So, how was cleaning today sister?" Kali asked when Aubrey walked into their small cottage in the village.

"It...was interesting" She replied hesitantly, not knowing if she wanted to share her conversation with Loki just yet.

Kali straightened up, studying her. "You didn't happen to see the second prince down there?" She asked, not breaking eye contact. "I heard they're keeping him down there all by himself until the All-father decides what to do with him." She shrugged. "Which means he will most likely be down there for the rest of his long life, unless Lady Frigga can get him to change his mind. She did always have a soft spot for Prince Loki."

Aubrey nodded. "I think the whole thing is still too fresh to fully know what will happen." She replied, putting a pot of water over the fire-lit stove. "Until then we will just have to trust that they know what they're doing."

Kali nodded, taking a bite out of the apple she had picked up from the small basket in the middle of the dining room table. "I suppose, but I do hope they decide soon, I miss looking at the Prince's handsome face."

"Kali!" Aubrey exclaimed, "He murdered innocent Midgardians, and the only thing you care about is his face?"

She shrugged. "What? You can't deny that he is devilishly handsome."

Aubrey smirked, shaking her head. "And you can't deny that his deeds were horrible."

Kali stood up, walking towards her bedroom. "Why must you be the sensible sister? Learn to live a little won't you please?" She laughed as she skipped out of the room before she could hear her sisters reply.

Yes, she supposed Loki did have a handsome face, but she didn't think that excused the deeds he had done. But she also believed that a person could be redeemed, and so maybe one day Loki would be released and prove himself the Prince of Asgard that they had seen before all of this mayhem had erupted.

Either way, she had no idea what the future would hold or the surprises that it would throw her way.