A prisoner joins Loki in the Asgardian dungeon. Someone with a past almost as tumultuous as his own.
Content Warning: Angst, Strong Language, Mature Themes.
Highest Ranking: #54 in Thor.
A broad smile slowly spread across the God of Mischief's face. It was an actual, genuine smile, she realised after a few seconds of study. It lit his eyes to an almost luminous green.
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While she had certainly not expected revulsion, (he was a murderer himself after all) the level of positivity he was displaying towards her admission was not what she would have predicted.
He shifted from sitting cross legged to a position that could only be likened to a lounging cat.
"Tell me." He gestured with a slender hand for her to divulge her story.
"But what if my words were to offend you, My Prince." She clutched a hand to her breast in pretend, over-exaggerated horror.
Loki raised a single eyebrow.
"My dear Visna, I doubt that there is anything that you could say on the subject of murder that would offend me."
His words sounded so charming, a complete juxtaposition to the matter at hand.
Loki's reputation of his silver-tongued gift preceded him so Visna was not completely taken aback. Her only surprise was that it was being directed completely at her.
She was ashamed of the physical reaction it inspired. Her stomach had jolted in a deliciously unpleasant way and a faint flush appeared on her cheekbones.
Loki continued with his coercion.
"You must know that I have done the same," He dropped his tone to almost a whisper. "And I am confident that my count is higher than yours."
A moment of silence passed between them before Visna started.
"I've killed 32 men."
"For what reason?"
"Payment."
Loki's smile was upgraded to a laugh. "Oh, an assassin. I am astonished."
"So were they when they realised I was there to kill them."
"I would imagine that to be the case with anyone facing their impending doom."
"What I mean, My Prince, is that I don't exactly look like your typical assassin." Visna cocked her head to the side and flirtatiously looked at Loki while playfully fluttering her eyelashes.
"Well, it would be rude of me to disagree with you after that little display, my dear."
Her replying laugh was melodic, soaring and completely artificial. She cut it off suddenly.
"It worked every time."
"Where did you get your business from?"
"I had a handler to begin with but, eventually I made a name for myself and broke away. By that point, the higher classes of society were familiar with my services and cutting 'them' out meant that I could have all of the payment to myself."
Visna tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear before continuing.
"They preferred to employ me because I was not a part of their world. Lesser chance that my actions could be traced to them."
"Who were the employers that you refer, may I ask?" Loki inquired politely.
"Jealous business rivals wanting full ownership of a market, disenchanted wives looking for a way to be with their lovers without the stain of divorce on their reputation, impatient children clawing for their fathers' inheritance."
Her vision drifted to a place that Loki could not follow. "They were all desperate in their ways. Too privileged to know what true desperation feels like but I took their coins regardless."
She purposely fiddled with the leather cords that held her wrist bracers in place while carefully choosing her next words.
"It became a routine; I would trail the target to become familiar with their movements and wait for as long as it took until they went to a tavern. That was the only way I could get close to them without raising suspicion.
Loki started smiling again. "Let me guess, you would make an excuse to talk to them?"
Visna nodded. "I would persuade them into a quiet alley, make them believe they were going to get something and seal the deal. I'd take their valuables to make it look like they got caught up in a robbery that went too far and leave."
Loki made direct eye contact with Visna.
"So what happened at hit 32?"
"I would have thought that was obvious, My Prince."
Visna gestured to her surroundings.
"I got caught."
A/N: I had so much fun with this chapter, let me know if you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.
