The One That Wasn't || Loki

Chapter 10: Entwined

"There'll be happiness after you
But there was happiness because of you
Both of these things can be true"
-

Sitting by the window and watching the birds pass by, a sigh escaped Loki. He looked down at his hands and saw them to be plain. Of course, he had his magic working then. He moved his right hand over his left arm and removed the enchantment to reveal the scars that still remained from when he had tried to kill himself.

Thinking about it, he remembered what had driven him to it. But he also remembered what brought him out of that mind, or who, to be more specific. He owed Cordelia more than he thought and being with her was everything that he could have asked for. He was grateful. He was happy. He needed her more than anything and was grateful for her love.

But when the doors to his chambers opened up and a frantic Cordelia walked inside with tears falling down her face, he was worried. "Cordelia, what-"

"Why do you like me?" 

She stood right before him, making him look up at her. She had tousled hair and mud on her face but that only seemed to make her more beautiful. His eyebrows knitted together. He had never seen her shake so badly before. He wanted to touch her shoulders and make her sit down but he worried that she might flinch or pull back. There was red soaking through the arm of her tunic and he noticed that there was a scratch there. 

"Della, are you okay? What ha-"

"Please answer me." 

He smiled deviously. "Is that a trick question?" 

She shook her head, clearly not getting attacked by his magical smile. "I'm nothing special. There is nothing about me that would make you, a Prince of Asgard, want me. I'm simply another girl from town. You could be with anyone that you please. I'm sure that if there are princesses coming to Asgard, you would care to sneak one away and whisper cheating words in her ears and court her so that the throne is secure. That's how court life works, isn't it? You could ask anyone to be your....you...." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. "So why are you wasting your time with me?"

Loki did not have time to process any of that as all of it seemed like nonsense. Why would he want to court anyone else when he had deep feelings for Cordelia? And what was this about sneaking girls away from crowds? "Did someone say something? What happened?"

She looked at the ground, more tears falling down because of the weight on her chest. "I was at training."

"Well, that explains the cut on your arm. But what happened for you to question yourself like this? If you had questioned me, I wouldn't have been this worried." He made her sit down and he sat on his knees in front of her, taking her hands in his. He tried to see her eyes but she was staring at their hands joined together. "Hey."

Cordelia looked up at him. Loki's head cocked to one side, a smile forming on his face. "Hai!" He exclaimed as he held his heart. The way her eyelashes moved as she looked at him made his heart melt. "I'll stop now," he said, seeing her lips purse in a thin line. "Tell me."

She took restricted breaths and gulped once more. "One of the other warriors said that you were....I don't know....that you could like someone with a status. Someone worthy of walking in this palace. Someone that is not a commoner like me. I don't believe her, of course. But it made me think. Why would a Prince of Asgard want to be with me? I'm nothing special, Loki. I'm nothing-"

"Hey, don't say that." He looked her directly in the eyes. "I was just thinking about how important you are to me. Why would you listen to whoever this is? They don't know about us and they have no right making you feel inferior about yourself."

"Don't you let Thor and Sif get to you? This is precisely like that! Except whatever they told me was the truth. I am nothing. I don't have a status. I don't have anything to give to you." Their voices still echoed in her ears and she closed her eyes, trying to block them out.

Loki wanted her to tell him what they said but seeing her in so much pain, he decided to keep silent about it. He wouldn't be the one to make her go through it again. And what was she going on about not having a status? She was the Allfather's preferred candidate, and only candidate, for the start of the Warriors! She was Loki's world. She owned his heart when he had vowed a long time ago that he wouldn't give it away to anyone. She didn't have to give him anything because she was more than enough. 

It was he who owed her everything. The world, respect and his vows. 

He owed her his life.

"You want to know why I am with you?"

Cordelia's heart stopped beating for one second, the words they spoke coming back to her. She had known Loki all her life but the way her fellow mates had painted the picture, it made her question everything. "Y-yes."

Loki looked down at their hands, knowing that the words wouldn't come out if he looked at her while saying these words because he would fall for her all over again. His unconditional love for her could only be expressed now....if he could find the right words. "I am with you because you were my first friend - my only friend. You are the only one who has been able to speak to me despite all the things that I do to make people blame me for their actions. I'm broken and you are just as broken as me, and I feel whole with you. I am with you because I can't fall for anyone else." He looked up at her now. "There is no one else and there never will be."

Cordelia's lips trembled as she knelt down before him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. She started to cry into his shoulder and let go of the emotions that were making her feel this way. She had been so stupid to listen to other people when she should have been listening to the people that actually cared. Loki was right. They were friends and they were together. Nobody else mattered. This was their story. 

He brushed her hair, calming her down. "Shh it's alright. I know this can be hard. But we must remain strong. You cannot let yourself think lower than me, because you are much more than I can ever be."

She pulled back and sniffed. "I'll try to remember that." She let out a shaky laughter.

Loki pushed her hair back as he cupped her face. "You won't have to. I'll try to remind you every day." He kissed her forehead.

Cordelia was usually the one who would talk some sense into Loki whenever someone made him feel inferior, but the tables had reversed for a time that came only once in a red moon. Loki was glad that he was able to make her feel better. They took a walk through town, far away from the castle and intruding eyes. They were only Loki and Cordelia and not the Prince of Asgard and Lady Sigyn for a few hours.

Even if he couldn't help her every day, he wouldn't let anyone tell them who they are supposed to be. Nobody had the right to their heart because they were going to write their own future.

But alas, I wish I could tell them that their destiny has already been written.

I wish I could show them a peek at the ending.

I wish I could change it.

Loki and Cordelia walked hand in hand as he escorted her to her chambers. He kissed her once more, not wanting to leave her side ever. "We are joined together. Nothing can change that. You are stuck with me." He took her right hand and kissed her knuckles. "Lady Sigyn."

Cordelia bowed down to him and sighed. "You are stuck with me too. Prince Loki."

- End of Act One -