❀ Beauty and the Beast ↠

❀9❀

I couldn't believe that I had spent near the entire day reading in silence with the prince! When I was just getting to a good part, I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder. It was Loki! I hadn't even noticed him rise from the chair. I felt just as enthralled as he clearly was in the book. I had to agree with him that Midgardian's had a wonderful way with words. I left upon his request that it was getting late and I should prepare to dine. I felt warmed by his willingness to have me dine with his family once again. As he closed the door behind me, he turned and handed me a large key. I was awestruck! Loki had given me a key to the library! The one place that he went alone, probably a place of solitude and peace to him and he was willingly sharing that with me. I accepted the key graciously on the notion that sometimes the servants locked the door to get away with not cleaning it. It was horrid the way that they treated him. So what if he was the only person who went in there? Was he expected to sit around in poison dust and filth? It broke my heart. It was as if not a single soul cared for him at all. It was as if he could run away and no one would notice. I thanked him for the key and held the book close to my chest. Once that whole exchange was over, he thanked me for my company before bowing a little and walking off presumably towards his own chambers to change considered he was caked in dust and dirt. I smiled after him, still bewildered to how this man could be a frost giant. It would be easier to believe that Thor was such a beast with his brutality and taste for war. Not this calculating, intelligent man with careful fingers made for turning delicate pages. Aside from his strong temper, I saw no correlation. When I got to my room, I saw Ragna pacing who instantly ran to take my hands. She began to look me over desperately making sure that I was fine. "What did he do? Are you alright?" Honestly had she thought that he had slaughtered me or something? I smiled at her and laughed assuring her that I was fine. She noticed the book in my hand and her face exploded in shock. "He let you in the library?" I nodded quite confused. Why wouldn't he? "No one ever goes in there except him," I smiled at her and placed the book down, telling her confidently to add another name to the list. Ragna didn't say another word all night. I chose a white gown with long trumpet sleeves, it was considerably plainer than the other I had worn but after the previous evening was cold I wanted something a little warmer. I made my way down to the hall but was stopped by a loud, booming voice from behind, beckoning me. "Freya!" it called. I turned to see Thor trying to catch up with me. He was wearing the same sort of clothes that he usually did, red cape and tight armour. I greeted him with slightly less enthusiasm as he caught up and began to walk with me to the dinning hall. "I saw you in the library with Loki today," Very well spotted. I mentally rolled my eyes at him but he continued anyway. "Did you two talk?" I shook my head. We didn't really. All we did was sat in silence and read. It was isolation yet pleasant company at the same time, something that I was sure that the loud and proud god of thunder wouldn't understand. When we reached the dinning hall, the rest of the family were already present. The inhabitants of the room looked up at us as we entered. To my surprise, Thor did not pull out the hair beside his, but the one beside Loki who looked equally as shocked. He glared at his brother was I wasn't sure that he knew that I noticed. The table was layered with trays of the most delicious food and drinks, delicacies capable of making one's mouth water: a whole roast deer with sprigs of rosemary threaded through its antlers and stuffed with bacon and rye bread, marinated chicken, grilled trout with lemon, smoked sausages and a pineapple glazed ham, mounds of fragrant wild rice, potatoes and diced pumpkin smeared with butter and spices baked on hot stones, countless cheeses that went with baskets of crackers and bread rolls shaped as seashells, and all sorts of varieties of salads and side dishes. I believed that there was a lot that you could tell about a person from what they ate. Odin, Thor and his friends went straight for the meat whereas Frigga went for the fruit followed by Loki reaching for some of the cheeses. I could see the distaste in his eyes as he watched his brother tear into the flesh of the animal. Himself and Frigga seemed to be the ones with the best table manors. "So, Freya," Frigga began after she swallowed a mouthful of some fruit that I had never seen before. "Loki tells me that you went to the library?" She asked. I exchanged a slight glance at Loki who just continued to eat and avoid conversation. I nodded and told her that I had and that I had found the most wonderful Midgardian book. Frigga's eyes lit up with joy. "You must tell me the name!" She egged on but I sensed Loki listening in. He was tense, I could tell from his grip on the fork beside his plate. However, I cautiously recited the name and Frigga was impressed. A deep sigh of relief left my lungs, I was worried for a moment that she would react negatively and that was why the prince was so nervous. "I love that story!" She yelled with glee. After that, Loki seemed to relax a little and even smiled at me for a split second. For a moment I began to feel at home with the royal family. With my war history and attraction to the quieter pleasures, I felt like the perfect in between of the two brothers.