All The Little Pieces

Lifetimes

Elizabeth snuggled deeper under the warm covers. A stray strand of hair tumbled across her nose, and she shook her head to move it, unwilling to open her eyes. At the motion, more hair dropped over her cheek. She felt cool fingers smooth her hair back. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. Loki was dressed and leaning back on the pillows next to her, a book balanced across his knees.

He smiled down at her. "Good morning, beautiful."

She snuggled next to him with a sleepy smile. "Morning. How late is it that you're up?"

"Nearly eleven." He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

Elizabeth yawned and pushed herself into a sitting position next to him. "What are you reading?"

"I grabbed another of your books." Loki flipped over the cover. "This is a fun one."

"Ah, The Hobbit." Elizabeth grinned. "I read that for the first time when I was maybe, hmm, eight or nine. I've loved it ever since." She stretched, then wiggled from under the covers. "I think I'm going to take a bath."

Loki closed the cover with a snap. "Then I'll get some breakfast for us." He swung his long legs off the bed. "I'll have everything ready by the time you're done."

Elizabeth stepped into the bathroom to find the tub already steaming, as well as towels and a dress waiting for her. She smiled at Loki's thoughtfulness as she sank into the hot water.

She emerged a while later to find Loki looking pleased with himself. The curtains were flung open so the sun could stream in and breakfast was on the small round table by the bookshelves.

"Thank you for everything." Elizabeth smiled across the table. "You don't have to spoil me like this, though."

Loki returned the smile. "I know, but I like to." They ate in silence, relaxing in the sun and fragrant breeze swirling in from the gardens.

Finally, Loki laid down his napkin and slid a small wooden box across the table. "I have something for you."

Elizabeth picked up the box. It was a very dark polished wood, carved with tiny vines and closed with a silver clasp. She flipped open the clasp and lifted the top.

Two items lay inside the cloth lined interior. One was a bracelet. It was a torque bangle, thin, but made of many gold wires twisted and braided together. The ends were capped with detailed serpents' heads, each of the eyes an emerald.

Elizabeth turned it over in her hands. "Loki, this is gorgeous. Thank you."

He was watching her, eyes full of emotion. "It was my mother's. When I was a little boy, it fascinated me. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen." His smile wavered a little. "I'm glad you like it."

Elizabeth held it out. "Would you put it on me, please?" He slid it gently over her wrist and turned her hand so the emeralds caught the light. Loki smiled wistfully for a moment and then looked at her. "It fits as though it was made for you." He inclined his head toward the table. "There's something else in the box."

She glanced back in and removed a slender cylindrical glass vial with a piece of paper wrapped around it. Elizabeth slipped the vial from the paper. Silvery blue liquid shimmered as she held it up. She looked questioningly at Loki.

He nodded toward her hand. "Read the paper first, then I'll tell you about it."

Elizabeth set down the vial and turned her attention to the paper. She unrolled it and read the words in Loki's distinctive scrawl.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love."

She looked up at him. "When did you read Hamlet?"