{SET BEFORE THE EVENTS OF 'THOR'}
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"Did you know," she said, sitting on the ground and turning to the prince, "that Midgard has an entire language dedicated to flowers? Each of them mean something else. It's a very sweet way they can express emotio...
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Loki barely processed anything that happened after the lights blew out. People rushed around in the darkness, blindly, screaming and fumbling for weapons and escape routes, but his concerns didn't lie on his personal safety. The guests he'd been charming into deals that benefited Asgard tapped him on the shoulder, searching for answers. He completely disregarded them all. He didn't care about them in the slightest.
"Maeve!" He yelled, pushing past frantic people as his eyes scanned the crowd in vain. "Maeve!"
Lightning lit up the false sky and Thor's angry roar echoed throughout the room. Loki did hold a dagger, but he possessed it more for self-defense than attacking purposes. Once he found Maeve, then he could summon something more useful, but until then, a smaller weapon gave him more mobility.
'Maeve!' To his dismay, she didn't respond. It felt like his thoughts were disconnected from hers, but he had no time to make any sense of it.
"Loki!" Fandral ran up to him, Sif close behind. "How did they even get in?"
"I don't know," Loki grumbled.
"Well, this is madness! And Lady... what's her name? Victoria? Vivienne? Whatever her name was, she was the prettiest one from Alfheim and was this close to a kiss. Now she's run off screaming. Shame... I suppose that's besides the point. I'm going to help Thor!" He ran off in the direction of the lightning.
"Have you seen Maeve?" Loki asked worriedly.
Sif glanced backward, then took out a Frost Giant with a single jab of her sword. She'd already torn her gown so that fighting was easier and she'd stolen the blade from a fallen guard. "She's not in here. She and Asmund left once battle broke out."
Loki nodded, already feeling slightly more at ease. At least she wasn't there. At least someone could protect her, even if it isn't him.
His eyes found Sif's. While the two didn't agree on much, they both cared immensely for Maeve. After a moment of hesitation, he made a difficult decision.
"I'm going to find my mother. Will you ensure that Maeve's all right?"
"Loki, I-"
"Thor doesn't think clearly during battle. Mother left the hall early to be by my father's side. Someone needs to make sure that she's safe, too."
"I understand that, but I think the Allmother-"
"Sif, please."
Sif heard the desperation in his voice and it scared her. She stared at him for a minute, then nodded, her face set in grim determination, before turning on her high heels and sprinting through the crowd. She fought her way through the crowds, slaying Frost Giants left and right as she went. The hallways were all but deserted, and as Sif ran, she realized she had no idea where to start.
