Lust of Mischief

Meeting the Family

The hustle and bustle of the palace started with an unusual buzz of excitement that Zenia couldn't sense and understand. However, Loki wasn't as excited as everybody else. Frigga was beaming a smile at everyone that came pass her. Zenia looked up at Loki with an annoyed expression on his face. What would annoy him at this time? She took up the courage she has and asked him, "What's happening today?". He turned his head towards her and answered, "Thor is visiting today."

The words rang in her mind and she didn't know how to respond. Was she supposed to be happy or sad or annoyed as how he is? She doesn't know much about Thor but all she knew was that he was sent to Midgard to wed his bethrothed and stayed there for as long as he wish and could return to Asgard whenever. Suddenly, a loud booming voice was heard from the entrance and Loki let out a groan. "Ah, home!", said Thor. "Gods, have mercy on me. He's here earlier than I expected," said Loki. Frigga scurried to hug her son. Surprisingly, Thor wasn't alone as he brought Jane Foster along with him. 

Loki and Zenia arrived at the scene and greeted him. "Is this Asgard's future queen that my brother will wed?" Thor asked while softly kissing her knuckle and smiling at her. "Yes," he replied coldly. "She's beautiful," Jane commented. "Thank you," Zenia replied to her. To Zenia, it's no wonder why Thor would marry a Midgardian like her.  Bronze strands of hair lighter than her's, green eyes that look like the emerald on her ring and tan skin tone could charm any man. "What brings you here today, Thor?" asked Frigga, breaking her train of thoughts. 

"I'm here to see the beautiful future queen that Heimdall has been telling me about and of course, to see Asgard under a new king's reign. So far, everything seems to be in order and I could see some slight improvement among the people." he answered. 

"I apreciate your compliment very much, Thor and I think that Zenia would very much apreciate your lovely comments about her, isn't that right?" Loki said to Zenia. 

"Um, yes. Thank you very much." she replied hesitantly while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

She hoped that nobody would notice her sudden nervousness towards them although she had nothing to do with them. When they dined for lunch, her cutlery nearly slipped from her grip countless times and she disappeared after and was nowhere to be found. Loki had to slip away for a while to look for her. He called out her name but there was no response. So many efforts were done but were proved to no avail. He stopped at the garden where they would always be almost all the time. He sat under the tree and heard the rustling of leaves above. There is no wind, Loki thought. He looked up and saw a piece of red cloth hanging from a branch. He approached the cloth and tugged it. "Hey!" shouted a familiar voice. "Zenia?" he called out. Zenia lowered her head to see who called her. "Oh, Loki," she said.

"What are, how do you get there?" he asked. 

"I climbed." she answered.

"In your dress?"

"I wear a trouser-like petticoat inside my dress."

"That's something I never knew. Do you wear that everyday?"

"Yes, I do. Sorry I left suddenly. I don't know why I felt insecure around them. Especially Thor's lady."

"Why would you want to feel insecure about Jane? Her beauty is nothing when compared to yours. And she's Midgardian." he said as he was climbing the tree. 

"I know that she's Midgardian but she has the beauty to charm a god like Thor to marry her. I'm just another typical goddess."

"To everybody's eyes, maybe you are just another typical goddess. But to me, you are the goddess that has made a god more powerful than you fall in love with you. I've met other maidens who were also godesses and none of them has made me feel like this. When you walked through that door wearing that deep scarlet dress, you captivate me. You seem familiar as if we've met before. I took your face in my hand to raise your gaze to me, the lady of infinite beauty in my dreams came true."

"You met me through your dreams?"

"Yes. It was a strange experience."

"Did you ask me for my name?"

"I did and you said that I'll know soon enough. The dream kept happening until you arrived."

"I had the same dream. I asked your name too and your answer was the same. It happened repeatedly until I met you physically."

They looked at each other in awe after talking about their dream. How coincidental for them to have the same dream in their sleep. What could it mean? Was it because of this dream that their meeting came true? Being in a tree was probably the last thing Zenia would ever want to do in the palace. She knew that it is not ladylike to do this but she needed to clear her mind, get away from her fears for a while. Loki seems to enjoy this moment with her. He hasn't been a tree ever since he was a boy. Zenia leaned back against the tree trunk and fiddled with the skirt of her dress. Her hair was down and it fell onto her shoulders all the way down to her back. Loki admired the view and laid back thinking that there's something behind him that will support him but he fell to the ground on his back instead. He groaned of pain and rubbed his head to sooth his headache. Zenia quickly climbed down and tended to his side. "Are you alright?" she asked in a concerned tone. He sat up while still rubbing the back of his head and replied, "I'm fine, just a bump on the head." She helped him up and went behind him and massaged his head gently. 

Unexpectedly, Thor and Jane were walking past them. "Oh my God, they look so cute together!" said Jane to Thor. Thor turned his head to look at them and he smiled. "He deserves her," he replied. It's true, maybe. He hasn't received anything like that for so long and it seems fair that he should get some affection from someone who truly loves him at first sight. Thor cleared his throat to catch their attention but Loki doesn't want to be disturbed and tripped Thor by creating a small pool of ice under his feet. He fell back and Zenia held in a laugh. Jane laughed at Thor and Zenia couldn't hold in it anymore. Her laughter was like bells chiming in the wind and Thor laughed, followed by Loki lastly. Loki has never thought that a beautiful laughter could be contagious and the pain in his head stopped throbbing.

***

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Loki asked her while embracing her from the back. 

"I guess so. At least I wouldn't be so clumsy to not notice there's ice at my feet." she answered. 

"Are you sure?" he purred into her ear as ice started to form under her feet.

"Very." she whispered to him while leaning her head against his chest and melting the ice under her.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead softly. She smiled at the feeling of his lips on her head and turned to face him. "I have a question and it is just out of curiousity," she said. "Go on," he replied.

"If you're a Frost Giant, does that mean that you're resistant towards cold?" she asked. 

"Hmm, yes." he answered. 

"I see. If that's so, then I'm resistant to heat."

"Heat?"

"I'm part Fire Giant."

Loki's eyes widened in disbelief. Did he hear it right? Fire Giant? "How are you part Fire Giant?" he asked. 

"My grandfather came to Asgard from Muspelheim and married and Asgardian who is my grandmother. The heat-resistant ability was passed on to my mother and me and so on and so forth." she answered. 

"You are confusing."

"That's what girls are. Confusing, indecisive, overprotective and lovable."

"Men are lovable too."

"Certainly, they are."

She ended the day with a kiss on his lips.

***

Hello my dear readers! I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry for the really late update but I fulfilled my promise because exams just ended and I'm dealing with depression currently because my bestie of 7 years took a joke too hard and didn't talk to me earlier this week so, I apologised to her and hopefully she'll forgive me by the school starts the day after tomorrow. To my Malaysian readers, Selamat Hari Merdeka! #disinilahirnyasebuahcinta