Chapter 7
"Please don't be rude, Thor! Let the young prince enter."
His mother's words hit him unexpectedly. How did she know that the man at her door was none other than Prince Loptr himself? Did she already know these games or did the noble men already suspect something? Had they been too careless when Loki let him get away without any kind of punishment?
But before he could voice all these questions aloud, he was grabbed by the shoulder and gently pushed aside by his mother. Smiling politely, she waved Loki in, who now stood awkwardly in the entrance area.
If the situation hadn't been so serious, Thor wouldn't have been able to stop laughing. The picture was just so unreal that he could never have imagined such things in his wildest dreams. Unfortunately, he wasn't dreaming. Not only was the future king of Asgard right here, no, they could easily get themselves into trouble for it. If any guard had seen Loki leave the palace, it would have been simple to follow him and report to Odin that his son had spent the night at Lady Eir's house and the consequences for him and his mother would inevitably be death. No matter how much the prince would defend them.
"I am so sorry. That's not how I raised my son."
Again, if they wouldn't be in immediate danger of anyone knowing why Loki was here, he would probably have rolled his eyes because of his mother's comment. Instead, he went forward and led the dark-haired man in the direction of the living room. Once there, he could no longer hold himself back.
"Can someone please explain to me what is going on? Was this all planned?"
For the first moment, nobody spoke a word and Thor became more and more frustrated. But just when he wanted to ask again, if someone could have the goodness to explain himself, his mother began to speak.
"I didn't know if his Royal Highness wanted to speak first but I can assure you that none of it was planned. I realized that our prince was standing in front of our door because of your figure around your neck. It had shone, in the same color as his eyes. Do you remember? I wanted to teach you that spell as a child but no matter how simple this trick may be, you didn't have the concentration for it."
His mother's warm smile calmed his nerves a bit. But still, he couldn't follow her. There were many people who had green eyes. Sure, Loki probably had the most intense emeralds he'd ever seen, but that didn't explain why she realized that this was indeed the prince. Thor constantly met new people, met working Asgardians and also foreign beings from other realms, why shouldn't he have met someone with a similar eye color?
"Thor, my boy, I taught him the spell. I caught him trying unsuccessfully to make some kind of love potion, which he had found in an antique book. That's why I showed him this little trick, hoping that he would be able to express his appreciation that way and no longer cause mischief in our infirmary. It's nothing special. But I didn't expect you both to know each other, let alone to receive such a talisman."
The blonde looked shyly to Loki. How could he explain to her that he knew the crown prince? Of course, he could have told her the truth straight away, but he was sure he wouldn't be able to cope with the wrath of said man. But wonderful as his beloved mother was, she seemed to feel his inner conflict. With a big smile she looked at him, signaling that he should not mess this up.
"But where were my manners? I didn't even offer our guest a beverage. If you'll excuse me, I will make some tea for us."
With a short bow, she left the room, leaving Thor behind. He often bragged about his ability that no situation could scare him, but right now he didn't know what to do or say. As always, when the young prince was near him, his mind seemed to let him down. What was it with this man, that he always let him look like a picture of misery? Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find a suitable beginning for a conversation because he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Unnoticed, Loki had got up and stood next to him. His hood had disappeared and he could see his face. Involuntarily, his heart made a joyful leap.
"Thor, I want to apologize to you for putting you in such a position. This was never my intention."
The blond man, now turned completely to Loki and looked at his face, in his eyes. He could read many emotions in them. Sadness, shame and remorse.
"Then why did you kiss me, Prince Loptr."
When Thor pronounced the real name of Loki, the man flinched as if he had been slapped. The prince swallowed hard and looked away. He didn't seem to have an answer to his question, which was frustrating enough. The blond man didn't care if Loki belonged to the royal family, Thor also had the right to know the truth. He wouldn't serve as another pawn and would then be brought to the surface when it was the crown prince's wish to play with him, only to be thrown back into a dirty corner when he was no use for the man
"I just wanted to know..."
Loki nervously ran his hand through his hair.
"...I just wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed.”