Princess of Mischief {Loki Fanfiction} Book 2

Chapter 2: {Annabelle's POV}

     "What does it mean to lose somebody you love so much?" I asked in a hushed whisper while I sat on the stone bench of the palace garden with Sif, looking at the blossoming March roses before us. Sif could only sigh softly and take my hand, intertwining our fingers and giving a small squeeze.

    I could feel the tears threaten again as she began. "Well, to lose someone you love in general means that they are gone from us physically but are always with us in memory. They never truly leave us."

     "I just can't believe she's gone..." I choked out as I allowed my heavy feeling head to gently rest on Sif's shoulder plate while a single tear slipped down my cheek.

     "We all miss your mother, love. We all do."

     "Really? Because it seems that everyone, even Jonathan, is unfazed since she passed... it's been two months..."

     "Because you two close to her. That's not to say your father or your brother were not but it affects all of us differently. I could understand with you being her only daughter and with your father well... Makall changed Loki. It's normal sweetheart."

     I looked to Sif then after she spoke. It seemed that everyone said those words when I spoke of my father and mother in the same sentence. What did they mean my mother changed my father?

     "I..." the words I wanted to get out wouldn't pass my lips so I changed what I wanted to say. "I thank you Sif. You've been of great service to me in my time of need. My brother and Jane are of little to no help. Thor and you seem to be the only ones who understand."

     Her perfect eyebrows rose curiously. "Your father hasn't talked to you about it yet, has he?"

     "What do you me-" Two familiar voices interrupted me and caused me to cast a glance back to find Alvis and Jonathan arguing in the archway that led out to the corridor connected to the throne room.

    "Do you really think just because our fathers are Half-Kings that this tradition will continue?" Jonathan shouted in a harsh tone, yelling towards the blonde-hair blue-eyed Alvis.

     "I do! Its brought peace to this realm and I do wish that you'd accept the fact we both will rule this realm, together one day, Johnny."

     I stood instantly at this and Sif followed. The testosterone must have really been flowing in both sixteen year olds as they were chest and chest, ready to for battle.  "Dear Odin... those boys are too much." Sif shook her head as she watched them walk separate ways down the halls after a stare off.

     "Don't they understand that both of them have to rule together? That's how it's been for a while now since my father and Uncle Thor took the throne." 

     Sif nodded her head in agreement.

     A sudden tapping on my shoulder caused me to tense.

     Annabelle.

     I heard my name whispered into the wind as it swam past me. I turned at the sound of a familiar woman's voice speaking my name but alas I turned to see nothing more than my father looking up to the cherry blossoms swaying slightly from the gusts disturbing their leaves.

     Sif noticed too.

     He seemed to be thinking as his hand ran delicately along one of the blossoming pink petals on a low branch.

     "Father?" I asked as I walked behind him, Sif not following. 

     He did not tense, nor run off as he had when I came around for the past few weeks. 

     Not this time. This was the first time in a month that he was in the same space as me.

     "Annabelle." He spoke my name softly in a sorrowful tone.

     "Father?" I asked again as I bit my lip hard, his back straightening impossibly straighter. He looked over his shoulder to me and I was met with his piercing green eyes that were on the verge of tears. I lowered my gaze to the cobble stone path I stood upon.

      "Annabelle. I need to talk to you." His voice wasn't stern, nor comforting. It was as if he were speaking to a counsel, giving an order as King.

 Loki slowly turned on his heel and looked towards Lady Sif, raising his hand to dismiss her. Sif gave me an apologetic glance towards me before bowing and leaving the garden. I was ushered over to another stone bench by my father and sat while he stood a few feet in front of me.

     I watched closely as he pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down. Once he looked back up, his eyes met mine and I could see how broken he was. In his eyes I could see a struggle between good and evil and honestly that scared me. I tensed because of what I could see... but how could one see that in another's eyes?

     "Annabelle, I..." He seemed to be struggling with his words but I remained silent. "Annabelle," My father began. "I heard that you, well... injured two guards who stood outside your mother's bedchambers?"

     "Perhaps." Bluntly I stated, crossing my arms.

      "Well young lady they didn't survive their injuries. My question now is why and how did you kill two guards who are much older than yourself?" Loki's voice was stern now, but I knew that if I showed I was nervous, he'd take advantage of that.

     "Well being a female warrior kind of helps. They refused to let me see mother. She was ill." He glared when I stood, not saying a word. That only fueled my growing frustration. "She needed me!" I shouted now, furious. "You didn't tell us she was ill... that she was dying! I had every right to see her and they refused to allow the princess to see her mother."

     "Makall did not need to be disturbed, Anna." My father's hands were now in fists and I scoffed.

     "Well end of story. They deserved it."

     "And you'll deserve your punishment." He shot back, causing me to sit back down in my seat.

     "Punishment?" I questioned, a bit too cocky. Odin knows what he could do meaning that.

     "You killed two fellow Asgardians and only the family knows. If this gets out you could be sentenced to death yourself!"

     I took in what Loki, my father, was saying and I felt regret. But in a way I didn't. If I had not done what I did I could have never saw my mother. "Annabelle did you hear me?" His voice snapped me from my slight dazed daydreaming.

     "No... please I..."

     "Annabelle I'm sending you to Midgard. Things have become complicated. With your mother's passing and your brother becoming difficult to tame, I must send you to live with Emi." 

     Midgard...

     Inside I began to have mixed emotions. Half of me was excited to return to Midgard but the other half felt betrayed. He seemed to only want to handle Johnny's issues... nobody had really comforted me so of course I should have seen this.

     "When do I leave... father?" I could feel the anger within' me boil. "And who is Emi?"

     Loki sighed, looking behind him to the cherry blossoms.  "You leave by morning through the Bifrost to Stark Towers, and Emi is well... my half-sister so to say. So your Aunt. Be good will you?" He looked back to me and I smiled a tormentingly innocent smile, my scarlet cape swaying in the breeze. He shook his head and with that I turned on my heel. "Please don't be terrible with your Aunt, Anna." 

     I couldn't listen any further and I found myself rushing from the scene. Running away from this all now down the corridor to my own bedchambers. 

     The further away from here the better. My brother was becoming a power hungry loon and my father was becoming different... just the way he seemed to talk and walk was enough to signal something was changing... I could feel it and I needed to get back to Stark Towers.

     Soon.