The Forbidden Realm

Chapter 5

"And what if I am?" Loki raised an eyebrow at the woman who only chuckled at him before he turned and went on with his way. He always had a comeback. But Loki had already come to terms. Dreams will stay dreams. But if he doesn't do anything, being with the love of his life will only be a memory and fantasy.

"Good luck then!" Thor called out to which Loki didn't bother to turn but he only waved. Thor then muttered to the two, attention fixed on Loki's retreating form as he wondered what triggered his brother to pursue the queen again when he has gave her some space for a while after that thing that happened with Mila. Not that he stopped but it was expcetionally less that when they first came here. It was almost as if he set his own limit. "He's spending a lot of time with the queen," Thor muttered.

"You mean trying," Valkyrie chuckled. Yeah, he was spending time with her but it wasn't like Queen [Y/N] interested when he does. Val would even bet that he was just annoying her.

"Maybe he's trying to get back on lost time?" Thor shrugged, defending Loki's side a bit.

"It's more likely that he's just trying to get back on her good side." Val rolled her eyes, knowing that was just what Loki was trying to do. She just can't say that it appears to be working.

"Hey, Thor? Don't take this the wrong way but, " Bruce finally spoke out as he was brooding just a moment later. His tone was careful and hushed and Thor could only guess why it would be. "You don't think this is another one of Loki's schemes, do you?"

That made Thor think for a bit. Thor only shrugged when he found no answer. Loki has changed and he knows his brother much more now but he still has no idea honestly. "To be honest, I'm not even sure."

But then he perked, finding his point. "But I do know one thing, I've never seen him this eager and hell-bent on having someone's forgiveness." Thor then glance back to where Loki disappeared to.This was a clear rare event. He just saw it happen and he couldn't believe it.

"Never even seen him have interest in women before," he then shrugged again and shyly whispered out the next words, kinda embarrassed to impart his thoughts. "Actually thought he liked animals for sometime actually," he confessed to which Val only squinted at him.

"But I see him like this over a woman, he always looks smitten and dazed every time she's in the room, he always smiles when he sees her, he looks at her like how father looked at mother back then, maybe even more. Kinda reminds me of what I was like with Jane," he said almost wistfully with the ghost of a smile in his lips as he remembered.

"Just with those, I could say that maybe, we've caught one of those rare occasions where he's genuine." Thor nodded, feeling pride for his brother. Loki has changed.

"Loki asking for someone's forgiveness and being in love," Bruce repeated with a look of shock plastered on his face. "I thought I'd never see the day. "

"You're talking to the person who once thought his own brother likes snakes because he kept turning into one. Then finding out that he has a secret lover that is the queen of a forbidden realm. Imagine my shock!" Thor laughed out. He could remember when they were only ten and Loki has just mastered how to shape shift into animals. And as a child, he was too imaginative for his own good, fortunately, that wasn't the case for Loki.

They continued their conversation, the subject going towards Asgard, Aikenheim, and even just what they remembered from Sakaar when a familiar woman has crossed paths with them and bowed.

"King Thor, Lady Valkyrie, Sir Banner," Handmaiden Mila greeted with the usual politeness. She then turned her head side to side as if to check the halls for something. Thor followed her but he saw nothing and the woman smiled as she released a sigh in relief. "I see your good for nothing brother is not with you, what a relief. My day is saved."