The Would Be King
The library was dark, the only light you knew came from a single-window near the back of the library. You raised a hand and created a small flame, before quickly making your way through the rows of books. How could I not have seen it? You scurried through the maze of books relying on memory alone. I should have known! You didn’t have to think as your feet had memorized each step. I shouldn’t have let him leave! Moonlight came into view and you came to a sudden halt, your flame disappearing into sparks. You instantly recognized the figure sitting on the window sill.
“Figures I’d find you here.”
You could tell he heard you by the slight twitch in his shoulders but he didn’t move. You gave a soft sigh then took a place sitting against the wall. Loki’s back was to you as he stared out the window. You sat like that, not speaking, for what seemed like forever. This wasn’t the first time the two of you had been here.
When you first arrived on Asgard you thought everything would be better. But it was during the night, when you were alone, that the nightmares came. In the first week, you barely slept more than 8 hours. You found that every time you closed your eyes you were met with a different nightmare. Dionysus, Vixen, burnt bodies, all the atrocities that happened to you in your time in the dungeon. You were losing your mind. On a particularly bad night you woke up screaming, guards came to check on you but you lost control of your powers severely injuring them. Fearing the worst you ran and hid. Loki found you hours later, in the library. Your powers were still out of control, but he didn’t leave you. Instead, he just sat and read until you calmed down. When you finally did he tried to coax you out of the library but you refused, you were afraid everyone would think you were a monster. You never forgot what he said to you, “You are probably right, so prove them wrong.” He was the one that went with you to heal the guards. He was the one to take Odin’s wrath to let you stay in Asgard. And he was the one that would read to you in the library every time you got upset or couldn’t sleep or just needed to getaway. This spot became important to both of you, and now it was your turn to help him.
You tossed a flame between your fingers, the soft crackling letting Loki know you were still here.
“I don’t want to talk.”
“Okay. Then we’ll just sit here.”
You keep the flame bouncing between your fingers. As the minutes ticked by you began to shoot small flames onto the stone floor in front of you attempting to hit the same place twice but failing.
“Your aim is almost as bad as Thor’s.”
You held a single finger up to Loki, who was now turned around to face you.
“But I could still hit your big head.”
Loki gave a soft smile but turned to look out the window again. You gazed at him for a moment before returning to your game. Another few minutes ticked by before you heard his voice again.
“The worst part... is I knew this was going to happen. But I still couldn’t stop it.”
You stopped firing your flames but kept your head down to listen.
“He said my skills and cunning were unmatched by any other, but strength is what makes a true king.”
Loki gave a soft laugh before taking a deep breath. You slowly turned to him. His eyes were fixed on something out the window, but you could tell he was barely holding himself together.
“What do you think?”
“What?”
Loki turned to you a slight harshness to his voice. You tried to keep as calm as you could.
“What do you think makes a good king?”
“Not that blubbering oaf that’s for sure.”
You kept your eyes on him and his expression slowly softened.
“Strength matters, but intellect is equally important. A wise king is just as powerful as a strong king.”
You gave him a soft smile.
“I would have won.”
You barely made out the words, which you assumed were more for him than you. Loki’s gaze dropped to his hands which were fidgeting on his lap.
“Would it have changed anything?”
The question was harsh, you knew that, but you wanted him to be honest with himself. His eye’s shot up to meet yours, the anger slowly replaced by something softer, before he turned his gaze back to his hands.
“No.”
You could hear the hurt in his voice as if he finally accepted the fact he was destined to be a prince but never a king.
“You are probably right.”
He looked back to you shock written on his face. Your gaze dropped slightly as you recalled what he said to you all those years ago.
“So prove them wrong.”
You looked back to him with a soft smile on your face. His shocked expression faded away to a smirk.
“Using my own words against me, you’ve turned into quite the manipulator.”
“Well, I have learned from the best.”
“You said it, not me.”
You couldn’t help but laugh. You finally had your Loki back and you couldn’t be happier.