Infatuation Of The Mind • ♤Loki Laufeyson♤

Chapter eleven - Not looking for love

(Trigger warning - sexual content, yes indeed!)

It was early morning. The heat from the sun had yet to reach the flowers in the garden. Their petals still partially retracted and full of dew drops.

It had been three days since you had awoken from your coma. Every night was filled with nightmares, mostly consisting of Ivar. In the early hours you often gave up, threw on your clothes and took a walk around the palace grounds. You were always back just in time for breakfast. Ilse and you always shared a pot of tea and by then your mind had usually settled and calm. It was a morning routine that worked for you, at least for now.

You bent down to touch a small silver coloured flower. The only one that had woken up, it was stretching its petals awaiting the nourishing rays of sun.

"I hope you're not intending to use that on me?"

You jumped and clapped your hand over your heart. Loki walked out into the garden his eyes locked on you. You couldn't help but feel a little shy, this was the first time you were in the same place alone since you almost kissed in your chamber.

"What do you mean? What would I use it for? Throw it at you?" You looked down at the flower, a confused frown on your face.

Loki chuckled quietly, "You could, but that was not what I meant.", he walked up to you and picked one of the flowers, holding it up before you, "They are called Draumarós, the dream rose."

"Where does it's name originate from?"

"A sorceress named Arrén once brewed a potion based on this flower. The people who drank from the potion began having terrible nightmares, to the point where they no longer could separate reality from dream. King's have been corrupted by it's power for hundreds of years. Driven to insanity and corruption."

You loved the way Loki spoke when he told you something, a story or a interesting fact. He made it seem as if everything had a sense of poetry behind it.

"It's so beautiful, I could never imagine something this small to be that vicious."

"Looks can be deceiving." He handed you the flower.

"What are you doing up? The sun has barely risen over the horizon?" You said and looked up at the morning sky above you, that faded into different shades of yellow, pink, purple and blue.

"Alot on my mind." Once again the air between you grew thick as you locked eyes with eachother. Standing there quiet in the last blue light from the retreating night sky.

A chilly breeze moved through the garden, causing the flowers to look like waves on the ocean as the wind flowed through them. You wrapped your shawl tight around your shoulders and shivered slightly, "You're cold." Loki stated, his voice tainted with concern and he took a step forward.

Your heart fluttered at his gesture. Two months ago when you arrived on Asgard you thought he disliked you. As of now, you could actually see a future where you could get along. Seeing these last couple of days that he actually cared for you wellbeing.

"I don't mind the cold. It's refreshing and it makes me feel alert. I'd rather not sleep right now." You drew a eigth in the gravel with the tip of your foot, before kicking a small stone. It bounced a few times until hitting the wall and bounced halfway back.

"Nightmares?"

You nodded and held up the flower that you were still holding in your hand, "I won't be needing this.", the dream rose fell to the ground, "Would you care to join me for a walk?"

You felt a bit worried that he would decline your offer, but all the worry washed off of you as he nodded and walked up beside you.

There was a promenade around the palace, a lane you had walked through many times by now. Sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied by Ilse or your mother. Now you walked side by side with the god of mischief.