A knock sounded through out the room, both I, the doppelganger, and Thor turning our heads quickly to look at the chamber doors. "The feast will begin in 15 minutes," a servant said with an almost too dulcet voice. "I'm just- I'm changing into my feast attire, I'll be ready soon!" I called.
"Do you need assistance, Sir?" the door was creaking open as the servant had said this. "No!" Thor and I shouted ebulliently. I elbowed him in the ribs, receiving a grumpy glare in reply. "Oh," the servant huffed, her steps fleeting away quickly. I turned to scowl at Thor, the doppelganger doing the same. "Sorry!" he emitted, raising his hands in mock surrender.
~
I paced the room a few more times, scowling in between breaths and stopping to stare at the doppelganger before shaking off the idea and creating another. Thor jumped suddenly, startling my twin that sat next to him. "We could put him in your secret reading place!" I stopped at that, "I guess it could be our best serendipitous,"
I turned to face the double, "What if he wonders?" I prompted, observing its calm expression as it listened silently. "If we were to place you in the library, would you stay there until we come back for you?" Thor asked, receiving a small nod from it. He turned to me with a shrug, "Can it lie?"
"It'd be helpful if I could check my book, but I left it in the gardens,"
"I could get it," Thor offered, standing up from the bed. The doppelganger stood as well. I took it by its arm gingerly, "The book should be under the apple tree closest to the pond just outside the parlor, meet me at the library in my reading place," I addressed him, receiving a nod before he quickly left the room. The double tried to follow him, but I held onto its arm tighter. "Come with me," I professed, leading out of the room cautiously and to the library.
~
"Okay, what does it say?" I inquired in a low whisper, sitting next to the doppelganger on the library floor as Thor skimmed through my book. "It says," he began, pausing for a moment to flip through a few more pages. "Place it in boiling water for at least 5 minutes-" I sighed loudly, nearly thumping Thor on the forehead. "Wrong spell, Thor."
"Okay, okay! Calm down, I found it. If you are still a beginner, it is best to try this procedure in an open outdoor environment." I sighed, "Are you sure that's for the elimination process?" I asked, looking to the doppelganger as it held a book of Historic Medical Procedures. "Yes," he assured me, holding the book by its binding in front of my eyes to present the page he was on.
"But we don't have time for that!" Thor shrugged, "So we'll just show up late, the only one that would notice is Mother and she can't stay angry at us forever," He had a point, unfortunately. "Fine, but we've got to make it fast. Hold his hand or something so he won't be able to run away,"
We tottered through the halls quietly and quickly, feet moving from tessellated tile to cobblestone and back again as we weaved through indoor halls and outdoor courtyards.
"Why don't we just try it in this one?" Thor complained, gesturing to another courtyard. I shook my head, "We'd be more likely to be caught! We're going to the cemetery!" Thor looked to me with a look closer to frightened than anything else, but I continued through the courtyard, leaving him to follow. "The feast has just begun, come on!" called the voice of a young man.
Rushing foot steps sounded down the hall, approaching dangerously close. I looked to Thor, his eyes wide and panicked. I looked to the door just a few yards down, it was a tight corridor where the maids kept their brooms and other supplies. I quickly pushed them towards it, Thor protesting in a low grunt and shake of his head. "Just,-Go!" I commanded, opening the door just enough for them to fit through and quickly slamming it behind me.
Two young men slipped past, oblivious to everything around them. A heavy sigh of relief parted my lips, and I turned to open the corridor. I tugged at the cold silver handle, but it didn't budge. "Shit,"
I leaned my forehead against the door, closing my eyes for a moment to collect my thoughts. "Thor," No reply. "Thor," I called louder this time. "Uhm-Yeah?" I rolled my eyes, "Try opening the door," I felt a small budge, and the attempted turn of a knob, but the door didn't open. "Please don't tell me we're locked in here!"
Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you?
"You're being awfully rhapsodic, brother." I laughed, at least I got something amusing from this awful situation. "I'm going to pick the lock," I slid one of my throwing blades from its pouch, sliding it into the small slit in the lock and hoping it would suffice. The dramatic complaints and exaggerated sighs soon stopped from the other side of the door as I worked on the lock with experienced hands.
"Shouldn't you be at the feast?" The lock clicked open just before I turned on my heal to face the voice behind me. "Sif!" I nearly shouted, relief pouring over me heavily. "And what are you doing with that corridor?" I shrugged, "I was fetching an extra broom for the kitchen staff," she gave me a weary look, but nodded with a small smile. "I'll see you at the feast!" she called over her shoulder as she continued down the hall.
I leaned back against the door, "Dear Gods," I mumbled, pushing myself from it and opening it with a heavy heave. Thor and the double's limbs were tangled and a straw from a broom was stuck in the double's tousled hair. Thor quickly brought himself to his feet clumsily, a blush obvious on his cheeks. The double followed suit, mimicking his reaction precisely. "Did you- Never mind, I honestly don't want to know," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
Finally, we entered the cemetery. I looked past the rusted gate, the guard that was there previously not in sight. "Okay, hand me the book," I held my hand out to Thor, but he looked reluctant. "Come on, brother, we're already late!" He let out a sigh, giving it to me cautiously as though it might bite. I flipped through the pages, stopping on the one I had marked with an old dried orchid from the garden.
I read through the first paragraph titled: Ridding of the Doppelganger
"Are you kidding me?" I nearly kicked the wall, holding the bridge of my nose as I let out a deep sigh. "What is it?" Thor mused absently as he picked a piece of straw from the double's hair. "All I had to do this whole time was will it away!" Thor frowned as I set the book aside on the cobblestone pavement. "It shouldn't be too difficult," I mumbled, turning to the double that stood closely to Thor.
I looked at the both of them, "Oh, for Gods sake! He's just a double, Thor! You actually live with the real Loki, you know,"
"I-" I only waved him away absently, gesturing for him to be silent as I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the double. I pictured it's-my, face. I thought about it disappearing, dissolving into thin air only to return once I needed it to. I willed myself to keep my eyes closed, squeezing them tight before loosening them just barely. Focus.
After what seemed to be a few minutes, I heard a small gasp escape Thor's lips and I opened my eyes a slit to see that the double was gone and Thor looked as though he was a child and someone had stolen an apple right out of his hand. "I did it!"
Thor gave a weak smile, "Good job, brother," I rolled my eyes, "Oh, come on, Thor. He'll be back sooner or later,"
"Will he remember anything?" he asked as I handed him my spell book. "I don't know, we'd have to wait and find out," I professed, smiling at the hopeful glint in his eyes.
