His Dove (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 58 (Enchanted)

If I had told myself years ago that the same man who fought me in Stark Tower would treat me the way he has, I would've never believed it. I would've laughed, thinking it was a joke.

The side of Loki I had now gotten a full view of, from his warm and caring embrace to his desire to nurture me, was such a drastic difference from one I had ever seen from anyone. He was sweet, gentle, and loving when he played with my hair as I rested my back against his chest, the warm water engulfing to two of us from my collarbones down. He placed flutters of kisses on my shoulder, humming softly against my skin. It was perfect, truly just perfect.

"Would you like to tell me more about your book now, dove?" He hummed as he kissed my jaw, his hands moving to wrap around me. I turned my face to look at him, his gentle eyes full of love. Even with that being said, though, a slight twinge of concern was held within them. He knew I was acting odd; his genuine purpose was to find out why.

"It's not really a book." I whispered back, my eyes staying focused on his. "It's a journal. My mother's journal."

"Your... Where did you get it?"

"Fjolnir brought it to me. He said his mother found it, after they scavenged the isle."

"Fjolnir... didn't have a mother."

I felt my eyes grow wide slightly, realizing I had let a bit of Fjolnir and Freyr's lie slip passed my tongue in my comfort with Loki. I huffed.

"He, uh... I promised him I wouldn't..."

"Promises made to others should exclude me." Loki quickly countered. "I don't wish to have secrets between us."

He was completely serious, almost offended I would even think of holding a promise not to tell him something.

I groaned at his sweetness, huffing. "Fjolnir had a mother; Freyr had a wife. She died not long ago, but they hid her from the Asgardians."

Loki looked completely perplexed. "Why in the realms would they hide her? The Asir think Fjolnir to be a bastard. For years they attempted to force Freyr to marry so the crown could go to a child born in matrimony. What is she? Low born? That wouldn't be an issue t-"

I bit my cheek, "They hid her for the same reason Odin is still hiding your heritage."

Loki stilled, his body tensing slightly behind me. "She..."

"Was Jotun." I said calmly. "Jotuns were welcome on the isle, and Freyr met his wife through my mother. They fell in love, and... Fjolnir."

"He told you all this? Voluntarily?"

I nodded a bit. "I think he understands that there are similarities, between Jotuns and my father's k-... My kind."

Loki's jaw clenched against my skin, his tenseness remaining within his shoulders, "What do you mean by that?"

"That Odin saw them as-"

"Monsters."

I sighed, but nodded. "The stories about my father, his monstrosities... They aren't true."

"Darling, I'm not sure I under-"

I sat up slightly, grabbing one of the towels sitting on the table beside the tub.

"It'll be easier if I show you." I hummed, stepping out of the bath and holding Loki's out for him.

He took it and wrapped it around his waist as he followed me out of the bathroom. After a second, he flicked his wrist, dressing me in a short, noodle-strapped nightgown and himself in a pair of lounge pants.

I pulled the other books in his shelf out, reaching behind a couple others to grab the journal.

"You've hidden it?" Loki questioned, a worried expression on his face. "... From me?"

"No!" I said quickly, honestly. "I didn't know you had shielded the room. I wasn't sure how it's done, honestly; I haven't gotten that far in my magic book. But I... Nobody else should ever see this. I can feel it."

Loki nodded slightly, and I handed him the book.

"Quite thin." He hummed.

"It appears that way." I responded flatly, sitting on the bed.

Loki opened it up and stared at one of the pages with a blank expression, before looking up at me and closing it.

"I can't read this."

"Yes, you can. Just read it."

"No, dove. I mean I literally cannot re-" Loki reopened the book, now staring at the pages with a confused expression on his face. "That..."

"What?" I questioned, walking over to see what page he had turned it to. It was a random one, dialogue of her life at the palace.

"That... This book was just blank, scribbles filling the pages rather than words. And then when I reopened it..." He stared at the pages for another moment, before turning to me. "You gave me permission." He whispered.

"What're you saying?"

"I'm saying it's enchanted."

"Well, I knew that when I turned hundreds of pages and was still in the same spot of the book."

"I couldn't read it until you gave me permission." He furrowed his eyebrows. "So, either Eir knew you would have this book in your possession and somehow designated her encryption spell to you, or..."

"Or?"

"Or you put the encryption enchantment on this."

"How would I have done that?" I asked as I tilted my head, "And when?"

Loki ground his teeth together for a moment, before setting the journal down beside me, "I'm truly not sure. Either way, what parts do you wish for me to read."

As if the book itself knew what I desired, it twisted to the first page of Eir's escape. I jumped as it snapped itself open, but when I glanced over the page I motioned for Loki to read it. It didn't take him long, but I could feel his discomfort grow as he turned the pages, the slight panic rising within his features as he read.

Before the next entry, he set the book down, staring at it for a moment before he looked back up at me.

"You need to stay right here, understood? I'll be back, but do not, under any circumstances, leave this room."

I felt my eyes grow wider at Loki's words. He sounded fine, calm, but his emotions were flying off the walls of the room. Was he scared? What was he scared of? Odin?

I shook my head quickly, "No, let me come w-"

"No." He said firmly. He kissed my forehead, leaning down to look me in the eye. "I will be back momentarily, dove. Stay here. Keep reading, if you wish."