Beauty and the Monster ⚤

Chapter Two: Welcome To Asgard

Belle could barely string a sentence together to respond to the God's offer.
Her mind raced, filled with so many different thoughts, emotions and possibilities.

The idea of her going to the eternal realm, homeland of the Gods, made her feel almost dizzy with delight. She wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around him in appreciation but knew she daren't. So in the end all she could manage was a simple,

"Y-yes...I will go with you."

With that he led her back through the forest the way he had came, and as he did, his own mind was racing also, to think of what explanations he would give Heimdall for bringing the girl back with him.
Not to mention what excuse he could give her, for him needing to resume the disguise of Odin.

This was getting far too complicated, and he didn't like it.
Loki thrived on chaos, and lived for mischief, but complications were something he actively tried to avoid. When a situation became over complicated, the outcome never ended well. At least not for him anyway.  

He'd assumed, when he first heard the call for help that it would've been a simple, straightforward task...but no such luck.

They reached the Bifrost site, and he turned to her looking deadly serious.
"Listen carefully now....when we arrive, my appearance will change"

Belle stared at him blankly,
"Change my Lord?...How so?"

Feeling awkward, but not knowing why, he deliberately avoided meeting her eyes .
She was quite tall, but her head came just up to his shoulder, enabling him to continue looking passed her into the middle distance.

"I will appear in the form of Odin...for....appearances sake"
He muttered quickly.

Belle was puzzled to say the least, and it was not in her nature to hide her curiosity.
"Odin? I do not understand this Sir, why must you-?"

"It is none of your damn business, woman!"
Loki snapped irritably, but when he saw the look of sadness on her face, for a fleeting moment he regretted his harshness...

"Look, it is in the Kingdom's best interests. The other realms are not yet aware that Odin has entered the Odinsleep.."
He explained, which was half-true.
"...I will never be trusted or accepted by the people, so it is for the good of Asgard that I keep up this pretence."

Belle, who was more saddened by him referring to her as 'woman' again, than him telling her not to ask questions, narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

Although it was true the people probably would not trust him, the situation did not seem to make any sense.

"Surely my Lord, you cannot hope to gain their trust by deceiving them."
She pointed out, much to his annoyance.

"When I want your opinion Belle, I will give it to you!"
He quipped.

Still, at least he'd used her name this time though. So she chose to say nothing further...despite feeling the need to.

Her thoughts were temporarily distracted when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her into him, causing her to gasp slightly. The contact of his body against hers sending shockwaves through her system.

"Hold onto me."
He instructed, looking down his imperial nose at her.

Feeling shy as well as nervous, she carefully slipped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his armour plated chest.
The feel of his solid torso pressed against her own made her pulse skitter alarmingly, but she didn't have time to dwell on her awkwardness as suddenly the sky split with light and she felt herself being hurtled upwards through the air at an incredible speed.