Book Three - Part One: Two Worlds (Prelude)

Chapter Two

Loki watches as Thor dances with Nienna, he knows it's just something they do, she can't show favourites between them even when he knows she prefers his company when there are strangers around. She's not comfortable around people she doesn't know. He knows how uncomfortable they make her. It's why she had attached herself to Loki and Thor. But he gets to watch her, so he really cannot complain all that much. The way her dress moves with her, like waves. The way she smiles listening to Thor. She looks really beautiful and Loki's heart aches. He lifts his drink to his lips and smiles watching Thor spin out Nienna before pulling her closer. He would be jealous but he knows that Nienna and Thor's relationship is different to the one she and Loki share. They're friends but that's it. Thor doesn't feel the way Loki does about Nienna and that makes things different between them. Loki takes a deep breath as Thor's place is taken by another, a young light elf man slips closer to Nienna, dancing with her closer than Thor did, more personal. Loki hates it. He clenches his fingers around his glass. His mind screaming at him: not fair, not fair, not fair. But he knows that if he just told her how he felt none of this would be happening, she'd be here at his side. But he's a coward. And he won't. He turns away, unable to watch her dance with other men.

..................

Nienna slips away from the gentleman she was dancing with and makes her way back to Loki, making sure he doesn't follow her. Loki's back is to her when she reaches him, her fingers dancing along his spine before she leans around him to look at his face.

"Save me" she whispers in his ear, Loki chuckles. "He smells really terrible" she complains taking his drink from him and takes a generous sip from it. "I only wish Iorek would maul on command" she teases, Loki turns to her surprised.

"That's so cruel" he points out and smirks. "I'm rather impressed"

"Well he smells that bad" she argues and looks up at him, her lips spreading into a grin. "Do you think we've been here long enough?" she asks as he takes his drink back, he smirks and shakes his head.

"No" he answers. "We've only be here long enough for Thor to flirt with seven different women" she smirks and leans into his arm. "He has to get to fifteen before we can leave" she sighs a little, he brushes his fingers against her wrist.

"Nienna" Frigga states moving towards her. "Come, there is someone from Vanaheim I want you to meet" Frigga takes Nienna's hand and pulls her along. Nienna shoots Loki a pleading look, he shrugs back unable to save her from his own mother. Loki now has to watch suitors, because he knows that who these people are, the ones that his mother are introducing Nienna to. He holds it in, that jealousy, that pain at seeing other men interested in her.

.................

Loki stands on a balcony overlooking Asgard the sounds of the party flittering through the open doors behind him. He takes a deep breath and then smiles hearing Nienna joining him. She pushes herself up onto his back, his hands instantly finding her legs. He smiles as she rests her chin on his shoulder, her arms around his neck.

"That's fifteen" she comments. "Save me from all those eligible bachelors" he smiles and turns his head to face her.

"I know just where to go" he offers warmly.

..............

Loki glances over the top of his book to look at Nienna, her legs tangled with his as she sit opposite him, she draws in her large sketchbook, her fingers all black with the charcoal she uses. It's even smeared on her cheek. Her hair is no longer neat and precise. She allows herself to be like this only with him, she is comfortable enough with him to be herself. This is their 'special' place. A hidden alcove in the library, high above the books, away from prying eyes, comfortable and close together. It's so quiet in here this time of night. Just the two of them together. Just how he likes it. Loki closes his book and she glances up at him as he moves closer to her, turning he sets his head in her lap laying out with his legs stretched out, feet pressed against the wall. She threads her fingers through his hair, he smiles closing his eyes leaning into her touch. She won't ever admit how she feels for him. Loki is a prince, and she is just a ward of Frigga's. She's basically the family pet. The family pet doesn't end up with the prince. She'll be married off to broker some form of alliance for the family. She knows that. She knows that's what Frigga has been doing. She will have to say goodbye to her friends one day, and probably one day soon considering how much harder she's been working to introduce different men to Nienna. She doesn't want to leave. She doesn't want to leave Loki or Iorek or Asgard. This is her home. She closes her eyes and pushes all that back, she can't ruin her mood with Loki, he'll read it on her and he'll want to know what's wrong and they'll argue, he always seems to get upset when she mentions leaving Asgard. He gets upset and he lashes out at her and they end up ignoring each other for days. So she stopped talking about it. It's better for their friendship.