Chapter 2
London, 2021
"You’re up?" Wanda asks slightly confused as she walks into their shared kitchen. "Have you slept at all?” she asks as she makes her morning tea.
"I fell asleep while trying to draw then woke up from weird dreams," Sylvie shakes the feeling off and keeps her eyes trained on her drawing pad resting against her knee.
"I see you’re drawing, does that mean you know what you’re focusing your show case on?” Wanda asks as she walks into the living room and sits herself next to Sylvie, peering over at her pad.
"You know, you’re asking a lot of questions for 7am," Sylvie takes her eyes off her pad to look up at Wanda, "and no I haven’t, I still have no idea what to do," she says with a sigh.
"Well, eyes are a good start," she nods down to Sylvie’s pad with a shrug as she sips her tea.
Sylvie had been up for the last hour, her unusual dream having woken her. The details had slowly blurred into one. She had pulled her sketch pad out almost immediately trying to sketch the fading memory only to be left with bright ocean blue eyes.
"Wanda you gotta let me knock off early, I need time in the gallery. I only have two months to finish it all and I need time to actually do it."
Wanda can hear the stress in her voice. "Hey, of course. I can cover you today; it’s Thursday, we’re never busy on Thursday afternoons.” She gives her a warm smile, "I need coffee, want some?" She pushes herself up off the sofa. Sylvie gives her a small acknowledgment staying curled up in her spot.
Her eyes were firmly back on her sketch book. She knew she had some kind of idea rattling around her brain somewhere, if only she could get it out onto paper. She continued sketching the single eye that crossed the whole page adding more color and detail making sure to put in all the places it would shine in the light.
Half an hour later Wanda was dragging her off of the sofa to get dressed, already running late to open the cafe.
•••
She was wrong. If Wanda had ever been so wrong it was today. It had already hit 3pm and they hadn’t stopped since their lunch time rush and things didn’t seem to be calming down.
Sylvie’s head kept bouncing between the watch on her wrist, the clock on the wall and the door as more people had flowed in. This was new, they were never normally this busy and it had to be the day she couldn’t be here any longer.
4pm, time just kept flying by them. It felt like every time something was pulling her further from her dream, something always kept getting in the way. The gallery closed in an hour. She looked to Wanda, desperately needing to leave.
"Go, I can manage this," she tells her.
Sylvie lets out a sigh of relief, "are you sure?"
Wanda grabbed her coat and bag and shoves them into Sylvie’s arms. "Yes, now go." She rushed her under the counter and out the door.
Sylvie set off running once again to get to the gallery, the sun was nearly set. The dark winters were slowly setting in. She finally reached the door 4:35 and out of breathe. 25 minutes was better than nothing.
She pushed through the front doors, throwing a smile at the receptionist who she still hadn’t learnt the name of. But with her cold exposure she didn’t want to. She pulled herself along the corridor into the work shop, a few other artist packing their things up, ready to leave for the night.
"Ah Sylvie, you made it!" she hears from behind her. She turns and sees Thor smiling big.
"I was working, couldn't get out of it."
"No need for explanations here, this is your time—use it as you wish," he tells her before turning to the group that was leaving. "I'll see you all tomorrow?" A chorus of yeses were heard as they all left the work shop.
Sylvie takes a seat around the huge table at the center of the room and pulls out her sketch book. She thought being in the environment would help inspire her but it just made it harder. Seeing the walls covered in beautiful, inspiring art work just made her feel, well, useless.
Time had gotten past her, the gallery workers were going home for the night. Lights were being turned off throughout the exhibits, unbeknown to Sylvie with her mind fully focused on her sketch book. She was trying to figure the weird feeling of attachment she felt from drawing a simple eye. She wanted to make sure she did it justice.
The clearing of a throat brought her back to reality. She looks at her watch. 5:15. Shit. Thor was again standing in the doorway.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the time.” She starts to gather her things.
“You’re okay. I’m not in a rush to leave but I do need to close up,” he tells her gently.
“It’s okay, brother,” Sylvie hears his silk voice from behind Thor.
Loki.
He move to stand next to Thor leaning against the doorframe. “I’ve got a load of paper work to do, I can close up,” he tells Thor, “and you can stay if you want,” he offers Sylvie, making her double take at his question. He wasn’t acting like the same guy she had met yesterday. “Work some more on your art?”
“Uh yes, that would really help.”
“Well then I’ll be off,” Thor tells them, slapping a hand onto his brother’s shoulder.
Sylvie sits back down in the work shop, going quiet again.
“If you need me, I’ll be in my office across the hall,” he points over to his office. Glass walls gave a perfect view of the gallery in every direction.
“Thanks,” is all she manages out, her brain turning back to the task at hand.
•••
Her eyes started to get droopy from barely sleeping the night before. Her tired state was finally starting to take over.
Loki watched her from his office, trying to stay focused on the paper work he had to file and emails to be sent, but he couldn’t. His eyes constantly drifted back to the open door of the work shop. He watched as her brain worked, seeing the motions of her thought process written across her face. The way her lip curled when she did something perfect or the way her eye brows scrunched when she didn’t.
Loki couldn’t stop looking at her, he didn’t understand anything right now. His brain was going foggy and confused, but the pull to this woman he had only met a day ago was undeniable. She was there and he wanted to know more.
He stood from his desk, taking his suit jacket from his chair turning the lights off. He made his way into the workshop. Sylvie was so focused she never heard his footsteps or the sound of the chair being pulled out beside her.
“That’s beautiful work,” he tells her, breaking her out of her own world and making her jump.
“When did you-” she looks between him and his office.
“We should probably be heading out now, it’s quite late,” he tells her.
She looks to her watch. 9pm, how the fuck did that happen?
“You really have no concept on time, do you?” Loki smiled holding his laugh in. Sylvie smiled, actually a real smile.
“None at all,” she laughed. Maybe he wasn’t as much of a twat as you thought.
“So tell me what your showcase is going to be based on?” he asked her, taking the conversation straight back to work.
“I actually have no idea?” she shrugged a little, choosing to be honest with him. She rested her head on her arms folded on the table.
“Most people know what they want to do before they even interview.”
“Well I’m not most people,” she laughed again, no seriousness in her voice but she was right. You aren’t like most people.
“But I know, it just-” she throws her hands in the air, “it has to mean something you know?” Loki simply nodded. “It needs to speak to me, be able to tell me a story, have someone fall in love with it and understand it down to every little stroke,” she rambled on, Loki sat there watching her face light up as she talked about her passion.
“I’ve seen your work y-”
“How have you seen my work?” Sylvie cuts him off.
“Thor showed me the painting he bought from you, that was before I knew it was you who had painted it.”
“Because knowing who I am changes your perception on the art?” she questions him.
“It adds more to it.” He smiles again, god he couldn’t wipe his smile off his face even if he tried physically. “You’ll figure out what you want to do,” he reassures her, and it actually helped. The calmness in is voice settling her creeping anxiety. “But we really should be going. It’s really late and I need to lock up,” he tells her standing to his feet.
“Of course.” She gathers her things, shoving them into her bag, not wanting to keep Loki any longer.
They both make their way to the front door, the low glow of the street lamps guiding them out of the dark gallery. “Thank you for letting me stay late, and the later Mr. Odinson,” she smiles at him, only now taking her time to really look at him.
“My pleasure, and Loki please. Would you like a lift home?” he asks her, pulling his keys from his pocket and unlocks his car parked across the road from the gallery.
“Thanks, but I’m okay to walk. Thanks again…Loki.” She smiles at him one more time before striding past him and down the streets of London.
The Isle of Asgard, 1564
“Come ladies. It’s time to introduce ourselves to the king!” Abigail smiles to all her friends as the music stops.
Smoothing down her dress, trying to make sure she looked perfect, Abigail and her ladies in waiting made their way over to the king and the queen mother who stood by his throne.
They patiently waited for them to end their conversation with the sir or duke in front of them. Alice and May were both whispering encouragements to the princess.
Finally they stopped talking and thanked the man as he walked away.
“Your highness,” she bows to both the king and his mother. “I’m princess Abigail,” she smiles, “these are my ladies in waiting. May, Yara, Alice and Sylvie.” All four girls bowed too.
“It’s lovely to meet you all,” Frigga smiles, “and to finally meet you, dear Abigail. Has your father joined you on your trip?”
“No, he had some last minute things he had to take care of.” Their words were slowly being muffled into the background, a slight ringing into Loki’s ear. He had kept his eyes on Sylvie every chance he could get, and as she looked back at him the burning pull to be beside her, to hold her, to know every little detail he could about her grew.
He didn’t understand this feeling, this new, strange but wonderful feeling. He had never felt anything like it.
“Wouldn’t that be nice dear?” Frigga’s words pull him from his thoughts. He looks to her to see both her and Abigail waiting for an answer from the king.
Yara elbows Sylvie’s side as discreetly as she could to pull her back in to her role tonight.
“You’d join us for lunch tomorrow?” Frigga asks him again.
“It would be a pleasure,” he smiles at them both.
“We shall you tomorrow then, Abigail,” Frigga smiles, looking happy with this match that had been made.
“Thank you, your highness.” She bows again, her ladies following suit. They follow Abigail back into the hall, watching the excitement take over.
•••
While her ladies helped her get ready the next morning, Abigail excitedly couldn’t stop talking about what this would be the start of.
“Can you believe this Sylvie?” her smile is wide, “we’ve been dreaming of this since we were young and now look!” She stood at the window, taking in the fields and towns surrounding the castle.
“Your finally getting everything you wanted,” Sylvie smiles back at her, genuinely happy for her friend but can’t shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach. The feeling she had at just the king watching her, staring right into her soul, it felt different to her.
“Okay, how do I look?” Abigail does a dramatic twirl.
“Like a princess,” Sylvie tells her sarcastically.
They all laugh before heading out of the room to walk Abigail to her lunch with the king.
“I forgot my shawl!” Abigail stops in her tracks, always the flare for dramatics.
“I’ll run back and get it,” Sylvie tells her, turning on her heels.
Sylvie doesn’t run, nor walk fast at all. She took the time to take in the castle for the first time since getting there. Double checking her path with one of the maids, Sylvie finally made it to the other side of the castle, forgetting how ridiculously big this place is.
Picking up her pace a little and picking up the end of her dress to avoid tripping, she walks straight into someone. She crashes to floor.
“I am so sorry!” The charming voice comes from above her. Looking up she sees his gorgeous blue eyes shining brightly.
“I’m so sorry, you majesty! I wasn’t looking where I was going!” Sylvie apologies profusely.
“Neither was I. Running a little late.” He holds his hand out for her and Sylvie gladly takes it, his hand engulfing her small one. His other hand goes for her waist as he gently pulls her to her feet.
“Princess Abigail forgot her shawl,” she explains to him, their eyes glued to each others. His hands were still on her, the warmth burning through her skin.
“Right, we should get in there,” he tells her without making any type of movement.
The door beside them opens and he whips his hands away from her.
“There you are Syl, we were just about to send the guard on a search for you,” Yara smiles before looking between the two of them.
“Haha, I wasn’t taking that long,” Sylvie jokes pulling Yara’s attention back to her.
“Thank you, your highness,” she gives him a small smile before following Yara into the room spotting Frigga and Abigail sat on the balcony having lunch.
Loki takes a deep breath, trying to pull himself together just as much as he was trying to pull himself away from Sylvie.
He didn’t even know this woman, but again, he didn’t even know Abigail and he’s set to marry her. He sighs and takes a few more deep breaths before joining his mother and Abigail.
•••
Sylvie was walking in the castle gardens, looking through all the flowers that grow here, trying to distract her mind from the king.
“It’s lovely down here. ” And just like that, as if he heard her thoughts he was here again.
She turns and smiles, “yes, your highness. It’s peaceful and quiet.”
Loki simply nods. “Please with the formalities, you don’t need them,” he tells her. “You can just call me Loki.” She nods and smiles again. He loved the way she smiled already, the way it curled up, brightening up her whole face.
“Are you enjoying Asgard?” he asks her, both still walking through the garden. Loki stayed a few steps behind her.
“I am,” she throws him another smile over her shoulder, “it’s a beautiful country. The people are kind and they have a great leader,” she tells him as she stops to lean down to smell one of the roses.
“That it true, the land and people that is,” he corrects himself.
“You’re very humble. Are you enjoying Abigail?” she asks him before her cheeks start to redden and Loki’s eyes widen a little. “Uh I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like—I didn’t, I meant are you enjoying Abigail’s presence? She was very excited to finally meet you after everything-” Sylvie puts her head in her hands shaking it. Loki stifles his laugh as much as he could watching her try and stumble over her own words out and how adorable she looked trying. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm. I’m just going to stop talking now.” She clamps her mouth shut.
“You’re fine,” Loki lets out a small laugh, “Abigail is a wonderful woman, my mother likes her.” That’s all he tells her. Sylvie so desperately wanted more answers but that wasn’t her place. Her place was to be a supportive lady and friend.
But the way he smiled at her, the shine in his eyes that alone could make her happy for the rest of her life.