To Withstand the Force of Storms (A Loki Laufeyson Fanfic)

Chapter 1: New Storms for Older Lovers

"Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. Take thou what course thou wilt." -Shakespeare

*

"Do I want to know where you got this?" Annaka asks. She sits on the perch outside Loki's cell while he sits on the other side of the glass as close to her as he can get. She's referring to the dragon fire opal engagement ring that glitters on her left hand.

"No, you really don't," Loki answers, amused. "I trust Thor gave it to you kindly?" It took a lot to trust his brother to do this imperative deed correctly. Due to his earthly mischief, he's been in this cell for...quite a long time.

"Kindly? He practically proposed to me himself," Annaka says, earning a humored laugh from her fiancé. "It's really pretty, and I really wanna know where you got it seeming as you're stuck in there."

Loki tries to frown at her. "I will only reside here for another week. Then I'll be out and you'll be wishing I was still locked up."

Annaka ignores his attempt at being threatening. "You didn't answer my question."

"I've had that in my possession for a long time," Loki informs her. "I found the stone when I was on the Mountain of Draconem, and I had it made into a ring when I met you. I was going to give it you for your birthday one year, but I decided not to."

"Good thing you didn't," Annaka replies. "My dad used to make stuff like this; he made anything from rings to swords."

"Rings to swords, that's a wide ratio." Loki smiles at her.

"He only made little things when he wanted. It was more recreational work." Loki knows that Annaka's true father abandoned her upon realizing she was female. Her adopted father raised her himself, making a living as a builder and craftsman.

"You're going to have to show me your true form now that we're going to be married," Loki reminds her, referring to her frost giant form.

She raises her eyebrows, showing off her golden eyes that glimmer like honey. "So are you."

"I'm okay with that."

Annaka smiles then, her golden eyes shining like the ring on her finger. "I must warn you, my eyes turn dichromatic, like most."

This peaks Loki's attention. "What colors?"

Annaka narrows her eyes at him. "Not telling."

"Fine," Loki says, crossing his arms like a stubborn child.

Annaka grins at him. She'd heard all about what he did on Midgard from so many different people, each adding in some peculiar detail. One said that Loki had turned into one of the Chitauri himself, while another claimed he had given birth to one.

After many false stories, Annaka wanted the truth and went to Thor to get it. Through him she got the real story from his perspective and from Loki's point of view when she finally got to see him (part of his punishment was not being able to see her for the first half of his imprisonment).

"You know, if you would've come with me then we could've been in this cell together," Loki says almost accusingly.

"I'm pretty sure Odin would not put us in the same cell. What kind of punishment would that be?"

Annaka understands where Loki's drive for power comes from. He was promised a throne only for it to be ripped away. She doesn't exactly approve of his actions, but that's who he is. She's not going to try to change him.

"Annaka," Loki says. He likes the way her name sounded rolling off his tongue, how it always takes his full attention to say. He loves how it started off soft and then catches at the end...sort of like her. If you don't know her well then she seems to be a sweet, loving soul, but if you got to her core it's full of hardships and melancholy, passion and willpower.

"What?"

"Leyna is coming," he tells her. Leyna is an Asgardian citizen, who is a servant for Odin, along with her twin Linnet.

Sure enough, Annaka hears the unmistakable sound of footsteps on the stairs. Leyna comes down every evening to let Annaka know that dinner is ready, and Annaka responds with the same phrase every time.

Leyna enters the room and looks to Annaka. Her extremely curly dirty blond hair is braided to the side; her blue eyes are disinterested.

"You know why I'm here," she sighs, getting weary of the same thing every day. "And I know you're going to say that you'll be up in a few minutes and then never come."

Annaka smiles at her. "You're getting fantastic at this."

Leyna laughs, letting her serious composure fall to pieces. "I'm gonna start not coming. You never follow anyhow."

"Do what you wish," Annaka says. "Can you ask Linnet to bring a few novels down? I'm getting terribly bored."

"If you're bored then you can leave. You don't have to keep me company," Loki says, secretly hoping she disagrees.

"Yes, I do," she insists.

"I'll get her on that," Leyna promises. "I'll see you tomorrow...maybe." Leyna exits the dungeons, leaving Annaka and Loki alone again.

"I feel outnumbered when she's down here," he says. "I also feel like she doesn't like me."

"She likes you," Annaka claims. "She's just intimidated by you."

Loki smiles. "Good."

*

"Here." Linnet hands Annaka four novels from the library. Leyna and Linnet are the least alike twins Annaka has ever had the pleasure of meeting. Besides their physical appearance, their attitudes and interests vary so greatly, she still wonder if they're honestly related or if they're just such good of friends that they call themselves twins.

"Thank you, Linnet," Annaka says sweetly. "These will be fine. I particularly like this one about--"

Linnet holds up a hand to stop her. "I didn't ask, nor do I care."

"That's awfully rude," Loki intervenes, feeling the anger that's been at bay all day flare up. It's amazing that all it takes is one sentence to provoke him.

"You would know all about rudeness, wouldn't you?" Linnet retorts sourly, retreating up the stairs with heavy footsteps.

"I don't understand why you like her," Loki says to Annaka.

Annaka shrugs. She had become accustomed to Linnet's attitude.  "She's nice enough. She's just had a bad week."

"Bad week or not, no one should talk to you like that."

"Just forget it, Loki."

Loki does so, distastefully. "Well if there's anyone who doesn't like me, it's her."

"You were very cruel to her the first few years she was here," Annaka reminds him, shooting in an accusatory glare.

Loki sighs, trying to refrain from rolling his eyes. "It was just because she was mean to you."

"Stop worrying about me," Annaka says. "I can manage on my own."

"I know that."

Too soon, the clock strikes midnight, and that was Annaka's cue to leave for bed. Loki didn't like her down there past midnight because the other prisoners were mostly nocturnal and would awake. Despite being behind impenetrable glass, Loki still fears for Annaka's safety.

"See you tomorrow," Annaka says, standing up with a yawn. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Don't start that," Annaka warns. "You'll lose."

"I don't lose."

Annaka raises her eyebrows at him. "Ever?"

"Let me rephrase that: I never lose at articulates."

"I'll give you that one. Goodnight."

Loki sighs as he watches her go upstairs. "Goodnight, love."