The Brightest Star

Chapter 11 - Late Night Meetings

(Loki's POV):
"Kára!" I cried out, sitting straight up in my bed, covered in a thin layer of sweat. I tried to calm my heavy breathing as I realized that it had all been a dream, nothing more than a nightmare. But even with Thanos killing everyone in the palace, including my mother, and threatening my own life, what troubled me most was how devastated I was as I watched Kára get killed.

I could not understand why I felt so emotional, perhaps it was some strange effect of the dream. I certainly did not care for Kára, she could die and I would not feel as much as a twinge of sorrow. And yet watching her die in the nightmare had been more painful than watching my mother get ripped to shreds.

All I knew was that I needed to clear my head, the nightmare was messing with my thoughts and emotions. Perhaps distracting myself with literature would prove successful in taking my mind off of Kára and the strange feelings I had towards her. I easily slipped past my guards, who Odin really should not have trusted to keep me on the premises, and walked down the hallways to the library.

However when I arrived, I found that I was not alone. Kára was tucked away in a window seat of the library with a cup of tea and a book, which I identified as William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

"It appears that you have quite a fascination with that playwright, Lady Kára," I spoke, leaning against the wall next to her seat.

She startled at the sound of my voice, nearly dropping the book, "Loki, wh-what are you doing here, it is nearly midnight!"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same question," I replied, giving her a small smile. "Mind if I join you?"

She moved her legs to make room for me on the seat, gazing at me curiously. For a moment I waited for her to speak before finally asking, "are you just going to stare at me all night or is there something that you want to say?"

"I was just confused as to why you wanted to sit with me, it seems very unlike you."

"Yes, I am sure that it does seem strange. I must admit that I am a bit of a Shakespeare fan myself," I said, watching as she relaxed a little at my words.

"Are you truly or is that some weird mental game you are trying to play with me? Forgive me if I seem rude, but I do not think of you as someone willing to extend an olive branch."

A small chuckle escaped my lips at her words, "no, I am certainly not that type, I would sooner burn the branch. I simply found sleep evading me and came here to clear my head andwhen I saw you reading Shakespeare, I had a strange desire to discuss the playwright. I do recall you reading Coriolanus a couple of weeks back."

"How did you know about that?" She asked, hugging the copy of Hamlet closer to her chest.

"Trust me, I know everything that happens in this wing of the palace, I am the God of Mischief after all."

"How did you come about that title?"

I glanced at her, wondering if this was some strange trick, but she genuinely seemed to want to learn more about me. However, there was a small voice reminding me that Frigga had suggested she try to learn more about my personal life. Perhaps it was because my mind was still foggy with sleep that I elected to ignore that thought and began to open up, something I rarely ever did. And yet, against my better judgement, I felt as though I could trust her.

"Well, growing up my brother was always in the spotlight. There were times when I wanted my share of attention and I discovered that that could be achieved through pranks. They were for the most part harmless; rearranging things, using magic to change food into inedible objects, tricking my brother into thinking I was a snake and then stabbing him, the usual."

"Wait, did you really do that? You stabbed Thor?" Kára questioned, her eyes twinkling in the light of the moon streaming through the window.

"Oh, I have stabbed him on many occasions, it is actually a great source of entertainment. You should try it sometime if you ever get the chance," I recommended, recalling all of the times that I had managed to draw blood.

"Oh yes, I shall remember that piece of advise if I wish to be carted off for treason," Kára joked, playing with the pages of her book.

"How far into Hamlet are you?" I asked, choosing to change the subject from my personal life.

"Oh, I have just gotten to the part where Hamlet goes to kill his father but doesn't because Claudius is praying."

"Yes, it appears that not everyone has the constitution to kill, if Hamlet had then the play would only last for about two acts, if that."

"I, for one, understand where he is coming from. Choosing to end someone's life is a huge decision to make and I know I would not exactly trust the ghost of my father, especially considering ghosts in Midgard are often considered temptations from the devil. Besides, his only other piece of evidence is a biased reaction to a play."

"Claudius was clearly responsible for the crime and his reaction to the play clearly illustrated his guilt."

"Yes, but once Hamlet was suspicious of his guilt, he was going to read guilt into Claudius's reaction no matter what had happened. I am not trying to say that Claudius was innocent nor that Hamlet does not have a lack of followthrough, but I think that murder should be well considered before executed. Think of Othello, has he taken more time to consider his actions, he would not have killed the innocent Desdemona."

I shrugged, "perhaps, but Claudius did kill his father, I believe that Hamlet should have acted upon his desire for revenge much sooner than he did. And he could have acted a little less suspicious leading up to his murder, his 'madness' was not getting him anywhere."

"But it is interesting how Shakespeare portrays his madness, beyond adding a layer of comic relief. Look at how Hamlet speaks when he's imitating madness, his words ramble on without any sense of rhyme or meter, but then look at him when he is alone, he speaks in-"

"Iambic pentameter," I finished for her, impressed that she had picked up on that on her first read. "He speaks in the style of Polonius, the only insane man that he knows."

Kára's laugh rang out throughout the library, a sound that was like a drug. I wanted to hear it more, I needed to hear it again. She was so beautiful when she laughed, my heart quickening at the sight.

"Loki?" She asked, her voice bringing me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at her, "sorry, I-I was thinking about Henry V, have you read it?"

"No, I was wondering if there was an order in which you should read those plays, perhaps in the order of their reign? Unfortunately I know nothing of the Midgardian kings so I have just been avoiding them."

"Well you have come to the right person," I smiled, holding out my hand as a book materialized in it. "Here, this has a list of every British monarch and the years they reigned. Although I would not say that it matters much, Shakespeare did not even write his plays in that order. The first of those plays he wrote was actually Henry VI Part II."

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(A/N): I apologize that I went a little Shakespeare crazy in this chapter, I couldn't help myself (I'm a huge Shakespeare nerd and also I spent three months studying Hamlet this year so it all came pouring out)