Here's chapter two! Hopefully you all enjoyed the first chapter!(:
Xoxo, Em
----------------------
(Elarinya's POV)
"Loki," I breathed as I felt my palms begin to sweat. He smiled, his green eyes glinting in mischief.
"I see my name has become well known, even to a delicate royal elf such as yourself." He got up as the vines let their grip go. Fear struck me, my feet fleeing before I could process the god in front of me. Before making out of the field, I was stopped by strong a grip on my wrist. "Tsk tsk. A princess such as yourself should know better than to flee from guests. Especially when your guest is a royal visitor of Asgard." I turned to him, my breath hitching as I found my face only a few inches from his. Using my other free arm, I punched his face as hard as I could. He fell to the ground and I was suddenly grateful for those self defense classes I once took with my father.
He got up, his green eyes glowing with power and anger. "Do not think that will go unpunished, you ignorant wench!" With only two long strides, he came up to me, his hand around my neck as if to choke me.
"Let go of me," I said to him firmly. His hand stopped at the nape of my neck, as if noticing something.
"You are not screaming," he replied cooly, his eyes becoming blank.
"I do not need to scream for help. I can take care of myself." I slapped his hands away as I hexed the shadows on the ground. Shadows in the night began to wrap his legs, binding him to the ground he stood on. I eyed him curiously, noticing his lack of struggle. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance just now?"
He smirked at me, the sight if it making the hairs on my arm rise. "I knew you would not reveal my presence."
"You do not know that. I could've been lying when I said I wouldn't scream."
"Oh please," he scoffed at me, a small smile playing on his lips. "You are speaking to the god of lies."
I smirked back at him. "True. But you never know. I could be gifted with the ability to lie just as well as you."
"Oh, I doubt that princess." He plopped himself on the ground, realizing I wasn't about to let him leave so quickly. "So what will you do with me now that you've got me, oh royal one?" He winked at me, his eyes darkening suddenly.
"I'm going to ask you questions." His eyes widened as if expecting a different asnwer. "I want to know what I'm dealing with."
He shrugged. "Suit yourself."
I nodded in satisfaction. "Okay. My first question is: Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in Asgard as a prison?" I eyed him carefully, his lack of struggle stirring suspicion.
"First of all, if you could count, that's two questions. Secondly, I will tell you if you let me out of your grip," he purred, throwing a smirk at me. I smiled at him, his attempt at seduction not working.
"Fine, I'll just ask another."
He rolled his eyes dramatically before speaking. "Dumb girl," he whispered.
Ignoring him, I asked him my next question: "I've heard of the things you've done back at your home in Asgard. Did you really try to get rid of your own brother, Thor?"
He shot me a sharp glare, the simple action making me feel defensive. "He is not my brother."
"Then what is Thor to you?"
He looked at the dirt, his eyes almost black with the moon's light disappearing behind the clouds. "I was adopted," was all he said.
I stared at him, seeing the difference between him and Thor. I've only seen Thor once, but I can believe his adoption statement. They looked like complete opposites. Seeing it was a touchy subject, I left my next question unasked. I walked closer to him till I was about a few feet away, sitting down in front of him.
He eyed me curiously. "Well, what is the next of your annoying questions?"
I rolled my eyes at him. "You could be more appreciative."
"Appreciative towards you?" He cackled, his face more annoyed than humored. "Just because you're not revealing my visit here in your weak world, does not require me to be appreciative towards you, you irritating woman."
I looked at him, surprised I wasn't offended by his insult. I only smiled at him. "I know your kind."
He raised his eyebrow at me, curiosity aimed at my response. "Really now."
I nodded. "You are defensive and childish. You're as simple as that." I got up and began to walk past him.
"Wait!" He turned his body as much as he could, my shadows still latched on to his limbs.
"What?"
He looked at me with an incredulous expression. "Release me!"
"Goodnight. I'll come back for you tomorrow." I turned again, smiling as I realized I had more power than the god.
"You can't expect me to just sit here all night! Are you even listening to me?!" His cries became silence as I shielded him so that no one could hear or see him.
************
"Hello? M'lady? There is a guest here for you" it was a chamber maid.
I sighed as I turned my face towards my opened balcony door. "Now? It's before dawn. I'm sure the guest can wait till noon or something."
"M'lady, it is urgent. Your father sent the guest to your chambers."
"Oh, fine. Is the guest out there with you? I'm not in the mood to ready myself at this time."
"Yes, the visitor is by my side," she replied her voice souring as mine became bitter.
Getting out of bed, I realized something. Chamber maids and all servants are to leave the castle by the time the king and queen go to their own chambers. No one should be here but the royal family and the private healers. Cautiously, I opened the door only to find a small woman about my height standing in front of me.
"Hello, my'lady." She gave me a kind smile.
"Hello," I replied quietly seeing no one near her. "You said the guest was here? I don't see them."
She smiled once more, before raising her hand. Before I knew it, she struck me, the sudden contact making me fall to the ground. The skin began to turn hot as pain welled in the hit spot.
"You ignorant girl." She smiled as she began to change in front of my eyes. Her body stretched until she towered over me, her smile beginning to turn evil. Her plain brown hair turned to an inky black, contrasting against the pale skin. Her form finished completely until Loki was standing above me, his green eyes boring into mine. "You underestimate me."
"How did you... That spell is indestructible. There's no way you could've escaped." I scooted away as he stepped closer to me, his face like a predators.
"You cannot contain chaos."
(Loki's POV)
She stayed on the ground, her eyes wide with confusion as to my escape. I stepped closer, her body hitting against her table.
"I'm not here to hurt you." I looked at her face, seeing her change in expression to that of relief and suspicion.
"I can't trust you," she said defensively.
"Why?"
She rolled her large blue eyes, the movement making her seem appealing. "You said it yourself. You are the God of Lies."
"Ah, so the princess listens." I knelt down to her level. "I need your assistance."
"Whatever it is, I'm not interested. You are lucky I haven't sent you to your death in Asgard."
"Listen," I replied, my patience becoming slim. "I only need you to come back with me to Asgard. You are the most powerful sorceress in all the nine realms. You are more powerful than my mother. Next to me, you are the best."
Her lips turned into a small smile, her cheeks flushing. "Well, um, thank you."
I cleared my throat realizing that I was also smiling at her. Ridiculous. Nothing about the situation was worth smiling about.
"I need you to come with me to help retrieve my weapon." She looked at me, her eyes changing suddenly into a dark blue as she turned her head down.
"What are you to do with your weapon? Is it the scepter that you speak of?"
I nodded at her. "Yes, I need it. I do not wish to be back at Asgard, not where my father and brother are. I do not wish to see them. But I also need my scepter."
She frowned. "Okay, but what are you going to use it for?"
I smiled, her perceptive ears hearing my avoidance of her first question. "I'm just taking back what belongs to me. Thor has his obnoxious hammer. I have my scepter." I glanced up, forcing my eyebrows to furrow into a look of longing. "If Thor had his weapon taken away, I'm sure the entire castle of Asgard would go into a frenzy. What else could I do that I haven't done with my scepter?"
She nodded, understanding my dilemma. "And your scepter is protected by magic, isn't it?"
"Unfortunately, yes." She sat there, her hands fiddling as she processed my lie and the obvious issue of helping an escaped criminal. "I need it. It belongs to me."
She sighed. "I cannot help you."
"Why not?" My voice rose in irritation.
"I'm never to leave the premises. It would be a danger."
"Ah yes," I replied. "The issues of being a protected princess." Getting up, she walked passed me and sat on her bed, her face a bit gloomy. "Why so upset, elf?"
"I wish to leave this place. But I know I cannot." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I raised an eyebrow, interested in her reasons. "Why?"
"Oh please." She scoffed at me seeming to be offended. "A man such as yourself couldn't possibly be interested in my sob story."
I walked towards her, standing by the edge of her bed. "There is no rule in this game saying I cannot show interest." She stared at me, her bright blue eyes staring into my own. We stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. I'm not sure what she could've been thinking about, but she refused to look away. Being the prideful man I am, I did not want to be the first one to turn my gaze.
As we kept our eyes on each other, I began to really look at her face. She had delicate futures, typical of an elf, but there was something about her that was oddly beautiful. She had large eyes, piercing blue irises that were framed by her long lashes. Her cheeks were round and white under the dim candlelight. She had lips that were full and lush, naturally pink. Her attractive face was then wrapped in her dark hair, the black waves adding an ethereal touch to her look. She was a beautiful woman.
The most beautiful I've ever seen, I admitted to myself in dismay.
"Alright," she replied, her voice bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Alright what?"
She got up to stand before me, her small frame a foot or so shorter than my six foot two inches. "I'll help you, but only because I want to see what it is like out there." I grinned at her, proud that I convinced her to go, my fib going unseen. "Do not smile at me like that. I'm doing this out of curiosity and I wish for a glimpse at the world I'm missing out on. This is not just for you, it's my curiosity getting the best of me."
I only smiled at her. "Do not forget that curiosity killed the cat."
She smiled back at me, her piercing blue eyes turning into ice. "But remember that the cat has nine lives." She walked past me towards her door. "Besides, I am immortal. As are you."
"True. For immortals such as ourselves, that number is infinite. But that does not mean the soul cannot die."
"Alright, well," she opened the door, motioning me to leave. "I wish to go to sleep. If you want me to help you, I'm gonna need my rest."
"Oh no," I replied taking three long strides towards her. "We are leaving now. I do not want to be seen in the day. I might get caught. And besides, your father isn't up, leaving a perfect time for us to leave."
She frowned at me, a childish yet attractive face. "But I haven't gotten anything packed. I don't even know how long I will be gone. I need to take precautions." She stopped as she came to another realization. "You don't even know my name."
I turned my face away. "I know all about you."
She raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Really? What do you know of me?"
"I know of your history, the dark past your parents wish to hide," I replied cooly. She froze, her eyes widening in panic.
"I do not have a dark past," she breathed.
"Everyone has a dark past."
She shot an icy glare as she took in my challenge. "You are lying, you snake-" her sentence was cut off by a harsh knock on the door.
"Elarinya? What is the commotion? Your mother feels your distress."
I looked at her, panic beginning to flood me. "Who is that?" I whispered to her.
"It's my personal healer," she said in a hushed tone. "I'm alright, I just had a small nightmare, nothing too major."
"Do you wish me to fetch you some sleeping potion?"
She searched around the room until she found a dark red robe, the color enhancing her beauty, simple and elegant. "No! I'm alright." She pushed me until I was hidden in what seemed like an orb I had not witnessed before. Putting her finger to her lips, she motioned me to stay silent. She rushed to the door opening it letting a woman walk in. "I'm fine really, I just needed a bit of fresh air."
The woman looked past her, as if seeing something, her beady eyes suspicious. "Alright dear. I'll be at the other wing. Ring if you need me." She nodded as the healer turned to walk away.
Closing the door, she sighed, relief coming across her face. "That was too close." Making her way to the bed, she plopped herself on the sheets, her body becoming limp.
"I want to apologize," I said quietly to her. Her eyes met mine, a confused blue. "You agreed to help me and I was being disrespectful. So, I apologize... Elarinya."
She smiled, her cheeks flushing in appreciation. "Thank you. But you've done nothing wrong. No need for the apology, Loki."
I smiled, her voice caressing my name ever so gently. That, or it was just my imagination. "Just accept my apology. I don't do often, in fact, I don't do it at all. So, take it."
"Alright," she chuckled softly in defeat. "I guess we should get going!"
"Yes," I turned to her balcony, the night beginning to slip from my hands. "We should."