Lower Your Eyes (A Loki Romance Fanfic)

Chapter Five: Where the Apple Falls

Days spent at the training grounds were always easier on me since there wasn't much work for me to do. I generally stood—or sat—at the edge of the rink, while the Prince engaged with his brother, and the Warriors Three. I often wondered if they realized that he used magic, however subtle it was. The Prince's movements were his own, but his seidr was ever-present. Always glowing beautifully in translucent wisps around his skin—practically unnoticeable. I'd have to look for it to find it most days, but it was always there to my liking, whenever I had a look.

And it was fascinating to behold. Not even my mother—who was exceptionally more gifted than I—brimmed with such magical energy. It didn't plume from her in the middle of our lessons.

On any given day, the patter of my feet became customary behind the thump of his heavy boots. I trailed after him one perfect afternoon in a palace hallway, after a half-day in the rink, and evening time was near. It just before the start of a new week, and as usual, I strolled past him when we entered his chambers, making to fix him a hot bath in the bathroom—a post-shower routine that he regularly indulged.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror before strolling back to the main chamber—feeling a bit nervous for the favor I was about to ask.

"My Prince, I—" I stuttered, cheeks heating suddenly at the sight of contracting muscles, while he threw his shirt over his head. I tossed my gaze to the ground, but not before his eyes fell on me as he lowered his arms. I watched from afar as he casually balled the shirt in his hands, though I couldn't make out his expression from the ground. "I—I'd like to request an early leave tonight."

The movement stunted a bit. "Really? And why is that?"

"I have something to go to tonight." I revealed freely.

In any other circumstances, I might've said nothing—I wouldn't dare to breathe a word about my destination tonight...but the Prince had been kind to me through the course of these past few weeks. There was a trustworthiness about him, something about his lack of care of things that did not affect him directly. He struck me as the type of master would rather know, without consequence, than be lied to.

"Is that so?" The Prince tossed the matted shirt onto the bed, and sauntered toward me slowly, arms crossed over his toned chest.

He stopped a bit closer to me than I anticipated, and for a moment, I wasn't sure what to do with myself—the thought of lowering my eyes further down from his arms brought an uncomfortable redness to my face, but I didn't want to stare right at him either. So, my eyes flitted beside him instead—to the floor, just past the curve of his strong arm. His massive bed was on the other side...and I wasn't about to stare at that instead.

"What would that be?" he asked.

"A wedding."

He paused. "A wedding?"

"Not a real wedding by anyone's standards, I'm sure—not by the court's standards, anyway," I murmured lowly, grinning just a bit. "More of a gesture of sentiment. I'm sure you know that we can't marry, so we 'declare' ourselves instead. Not an official capacity in any sense, but a declaration means something to our community."

He muttered curiously, "And what might that be?"

"Love—of course....protection, at times."

He tilted his head. "Protection from what?"

I shrugged. "Other slaves, at most, for women. Loneliness, at least, for all of us together."

The Prince stood silently for a time. "You're very forthcoming, Aila," he muttered grimly. "You realize who you've told this to?"