The Myriad Misadventures of a Midgardian Queen-In-Training || Loki x Reader

Chapter 21

When you finally wake up, your head doesn't even feel like a head. More like a watermelon that someone drop-kicked off the Empire State Building.

"Hello?" You wince at the sound of your own voice. As you rub your temples, trying to get the blood flowing or whatever, you see someone step through the door. "Meg. Hi."

"Good morning, Lady (Y/N)." You see her glance around the room nervously, as though she's expecting someone to pop out from behind a corner. "I trust you slept well?"

"Hm? Yeah, yeah." What is she saying? You genuinely don't remember much from last night - you vaguely recall dinner, and wandering back to your room, but that was it. How you got washed and changed and into bed is anyone's guess. "You?"

"Er, yes." She gives you a strange look. "Are you all right?"

"Headache," you mutter. "Bad, bad headache."

Ten minutes later (though it feels like ten years), she's helped you get dressed, finds you a seat at the breakfast table before anyone else is down, and has a servant bring you the most glorious-smelling cup of coffee you've ever seen. You've never liked your coffee black, but your mouth is so dry you'll take anything at this point, and one sip minimizes the pounding in your ears by half. Meg is some kind of miracle worker, that's for sure.

"Refill, Miss?"

"Yes, pl - Albert!" You dismiss the beating behind your eyes and leap up to hug him. "You're still here!"

"Thanks to you." He's beaming as he pulls away to look at you. "And thanks to you, I'm taking a week's leave tomorrow. Going home to see my girls."

"What?"

"Well, y'know, His Majesty came up to me this morning. Gave me a raise and everything. Surreal, huh?" He cocks his head at the shock in your eyes. "I just figured you'd said something to him."

Your head is spinning. You were beginning to figure out that Loki wasn't as horrible as you'd built him up to be in your head last year, but this? This was nice beyond your wildest imaginings. "I didn't. But hey, that's awesome!"

"Right? I'm actually finishing setting up for breakfast, and then my shift is over, but you looked like you needed a pick-me-up. Oh, and he gave me this to give you." He pulls an envelope out of his pocket. "Listen, Miss (Y/N), I don't know what your interactions with him have been like, but...stay safe, all right? I know this was nice and all, but..."

"I know." He reminds you so, so much of your dad. "Go spend some time with your kids."

Breakfast comes and goes. Girls drift in and out, followed by camera people - the latter ignoring you, as always - and you leave with a couple of hours before afternoon lessons. You stroll down the hallway, hoping to squeeze in a quick letter to your parents and Erik/Carlie, when you see a crumpled mass of dark fabric at the other end.

You hike up your skirts and run to her, your heart dropping as you see the pool of red around her. "Lexi?"

She's breathing, but only barely, and her pulse is faint. You gather a handful of your skirt and press the stiff fabric into her abdomen in an attempt to stop the blood, but the wound is so wide - she hasn't just been stabbed, she's been gutted.

"Help," you whisper. You repeat the word until your voice has risen to a panicked scream. "Help!"

"(Y/N)?"

"Loki! Loki, you have to do something!"

He crouches opposite you. His hands flutter above the wound as he tastes the air with his magic. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I don't know, she just - she - " You're babbling in a panic, and your voice is rising in pitch, until Loki puts one hand on your arm, presumably to silence you, though it feels oddly...intimate. Like he's a friend, instead of...whatever he is.

"They're here."

"What?" You peer over his shoulder at Lexi - she hasn't stopped breathing yet, thank God.

"Come, quickly." With one hand around your shoulder, pulling you closer, and one hand still doing the healing thing to Lexi, he closes his eyes a moment and you find yourself surrounded by a strange green mist for a moment. When it clears, you're still on the floor, but you're in a different location - the floor is smooth linoleum, and the walls are lined with white beds.

Loki stands up, pulling you with him, and you follow as he carries Lexi to the nearest bed. A woman in a white shirt and pants hurries over, examining the damage. "Your Majesty!"

He holds up a hand to stop her bowing. "Security has been breached. Lock all infirmary doors, and keep Lady (Y/N) here with you."

The doctor, examining the wound in Lexi's side - which is smaller, thanks to Loki's healing magic - and nods. But as Loki pulls away from you, you realize he's about to leave without you to face whatever threat is out there. You aren't exactly sure why you care, but - "Wait!"

You grab his wrist in protest, and in surprise, his hand wraps around yours just as he transports, pulling both of you out of the infirmary in a cloud of green.