Lower Your Eyes (A Loki Romance Fanfic)

Chapter Three: I See You

Nearly a week had gone by since I began working for the Prince. Bit by bit, I'd begun turning to autopilot, since he himself hardly acknowledged me most of the time. I became accustomed to his neutral presence—ever writing, ever reading. Always at his desk. He was just another figure in the room, along with all the furniture. Though despite the calmness of the environment, I continued to struggle inwardly. Nothing having to do with him, of course—all to do with my mother's passing...onward was the long, arduous journey of grieving her death.

It was evening time on the seventh day, and I finally had a bit more lightness to my step as I carried the Prince's dinner to his room. The guards had become accustomed to seeing me, as I usually traversed these hollow halls alone. Holding the tray, I slowly entered the Prince's chamber after an unanswered knock. Everything was dark, save for the light of the fireplace, and brightness poured out from the bathroom in an arch shape.

The Prince was showering, and the intensity of the water pressure was palpable—I could hear his movements interrupting the spritzing current. It was easy to shrug off. Tonight, all I needed to do was avoid the archway, set up his dinner on the table, and be on my way.

Tonight, of all nights, the moments couldn't go by any quicker... Tonight was the night that Davos had promised he would attempt to retrieve a particular item of my mother's, which was taken the night she died—a music box she kept in secret. I'd been looking forward to it for days.

I'd grown up listening to it. I knew the tune by heart, and mother even taught me a few, sweet lyrics to match for my entertainment. They were affectionate words and comforted me whenever I felt alone. Naturally, we could only listen to it in secret, on the nights that we'd snuck into the guarded chambers of the palace. Most notably the throne room—the one place in the palace that needed no guards, because it was so heavily protected by magic. Magic that my mother was able to undo at the doors, and soon taught me to do the same.

The glittering image of the little device danced before my eyes. In a pulse of joy, I hummed the first few notes, while busying myself with re-folding the napkin that had come apart. The shower movements suddenly paused—and so did my own when I realized what had happened. I glanced toward the glowing archway, and slowly resumed folding the napkin without a sound. The movements continued shortly after as well.

Still, it didn't deter me. Though if anyone knew that mother possessed such a thing, she would have crawled from the dungeons with deep gashes along her back and front... The same fate would befall me if I wasn't careful.

The only worry now was that they might have taken it to the treasury—it had some gold, yes, but it was so small and insignificant. It couldn't possibly add to the treasures of Asgard.

I arranged the utensils and plate, and uncorked the ceramic wine jug, carefully pouring it into one of the fine goblets. The flavor of the poultry, vegetables and steaming biscuit hardly fazed me, despite having finished my rations for the day. Slowly but surely, I returned to autopilot—my mind was so far elsewhere, anxiously buzzing to have the little metal box back in my hands.

The water had turned off without my noticing, and only the shadow of the Prince sauntering into the bedroom had made me realize it. I glanced in his direction instinctively, remembering to cast my eyes back down before he caught me looking. He was clothed—thankfully—in a long, dark robe that trailed to the ground behind him a bit, leaving only his chest a bit bare. Pants kicked out as he strode toward the table, his dark, wet hair sticking to his neck and sides of his face.

Self-consciousness sparked through me when he got close. Standing tall and lean before me, invisible steam and heat seemed to plume from his body, and he smelled so good...like an array of fragrant spices. Which could only make him—along with every other man—so much more attractive. As though my Prince needed the help, of all the men out there.