Runaway - Loki Laufeyson

2

Moriah pulled the door back and stood aside to let me exit, Thor's eyes flicking up at once to meet mine before scanning over my change of clothes.

"You..." He began, before noticing Moriah stood behind me. "Ready?"

I nodded, crossing the hallway to where his arm was held out for me to take and waving goodbye to Moriah.

"You look beautiful." He finished his earlier sentence and I felt some heat rise to my face.

"Isn't it a bit early for your flirting, Thor?" I teased, finally meeting his eyes and watching them light up when he laughed.

"You'll have to get used to that. It's not my fault. You left one person and came back another."

"I haven't changed that much." I shrugged off his words, knowing we were entering into dangerous territory with this conversation.

"Believe me. You have."

"Well you have hardly changed a bit. Maybe grew another inch, or a foot."

We both laughed now as the doors to the small dining room were pulled open. I remembered eating here before. Most of our breakfasts and lunches had been in this room, although Thor and Loki were not often in attendance back then.

Thor pulled a chair out for me, crossing the table and taking the one opposite mine as a hoard of servants dressed in all black appeared with plates of fruit and small sandwiches, long strips of meat and pitches of juice.

Once the food had been set before us and the servants disappeared, Thor leaned in a bit closer to me, piling food onto his plate at once.

"Elsie, I hope you don't think me rude." He began, hardly looking away from his plate. "I want to give you all the time you need, truly. But when you're ready to talk, I'd like to know... what happened to you."

His eyes were on mine now and I felt mine begin to water, looking down to my plate at once.

"Of course Thor. I... Just a bit more time. But you'll be the first I come to."

He nodded, looking serious for the first time today as he dug into his breakfast.

The sun beat down on the three of us as we walked through the town, stopping once in a while at the small stands where people were selling jewelry or shawls, rugs or pots, the occasional gemstone. Thor had suggested a trip through the market, and Frigga had insisted Loki accompany the two of us, claiming that he hadn't been out in weeks. Four guards with long spears tailed behind us, although I doubted anyone would dare attempt anything with Thor here.

"Your highness!" Women called from behind carts and in doorways, children stopping a few feet away from us, eyes wide with excitement as they watched their future king pass them by.

"I don't know why you keep coming to these if you never buy anything from them, Thor." Loki's voice drawled as we left another stand.

"It's nice to see the people, Loki. And I think their products are interesting."

"They are lovely." I agreed, smiling at the lady behind our current stand who was selling long chain necklaces with gemstones wrapped in each band.

"Thank you, Princess."

"Pick one you like, Elsie, I'll-" Thor began before shouting behind us peaked his interest.

"-A whore!"
"She can't be our queen!"
"No one knows where she's been!"

My heart stopped in my chest at the voices carrying through the market. Who was I kidding thinking I could fool not just the royal family, but the entire city as well.