Unexpected

Dinner and Conversation

"It's all a bit extravagant, don't you think?" I asked, getting up from my chair to wander around the rooms that would be mine, completely captivated by each beautiful detail. I strode up to a wall, examining one of the small tapestries.

This one depicted a glorious tree upon which floated nine orbs with words written on them in embroidered gold. I couldn't read the language. It wasn't one in my repertoire and I assumed that it was some written form of the Asgardian language, maybe an old dialect from their past. It was clear to me what the tree was though. It was Yggdrasil and each orb were a situated realm. I stared at the one I imagined said 'Midgard'. Earth. Home.

I'd be lying to say that I didn't miss it. After everything that went on today and the fact that I had left earth behind only a handful of hours ago, it would've been odd if I hadn't. I was so far away from everything I'd ever known. I was so far away from D.C., Steve and Nat, and my little apartment. Homesickness sank to the bottom of my stomach, floating below where my hunger rumbled in my stomach as I shifted over to one of the massive carved bookshelves.

"I think it suits you." Loki replied, coming up behind me as he plucked a particular book from the shelf above my head. He flipped the cover over so that I could see it, "Does this story look familiar?"

This book's cover was clear enough to me, which I found odd, but in any case, the old lettering clearly wrote out "The Princess and the Spy". I smiled, reaching out for it, "It's beautiful."

"It's the exact copy that my mother read to Thor and me from."

"That's why it's so well worn, isn't it?" I grazed my fingers over the edges of the leather binding that had paled and frayed just bit from being read over and over again.

The corner Loki's lip twitched, "Perhaps."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, catching my attention. I saw Loki's illusion light cascade down his figure in a moment before he called out in the Allfather's voice, "Enter."

A pair of maids pushed the doors open, their hands carrying golden covered trays. In the back of my head I pictured myself carrying Loki his meals down the hallways of the subterranean hideout. These women looked much happier than I had been though, aprons covering their dresses as they bowed their heads towards the illusion king and me. "Where should we put these, Allfather?"

"The table will do." Odin-Loki replied, placing the book back in its place, "Thank you. You are dismissed."

"Allfather." The pair of them intoned before bowing their heads and walking out of the room, closing the doors once more.

I looked over at Odin-Loki, who turned and smiled at me before dropping the illusion once more, "It's going to take some time getting used to that. One second you're you and the next you're your adopted father..."

"It's not ideal." Loki agreed with a huffed laugh before waving me to the low table between the setup of furniture.

Sitting down Loki lifted the trays' lids with a flourish, unveiling our suppers. I gawked at what looked to be lamb chops in some sort of thick brown sauce. There were roasted potatoes, green salads with some familiar vegetables and others that were foreign to me, and bowls of red soup with small loaves of steaming bread and butter beside them. Everything looked gourmet like it should've been on the cover of a medieval food magazine if such a thing existed and the rich smells that wafted to my nose made my mouth water instantly.

"Wow." I breathed.

"Please, eat." Loki nodded encouragingly to me, seeming eager for me to try the dishes.