allofyou-beneath-me:

His eyes narrow as she stammers and cowers, he’s no respect or sympathy for the fearful, despite his delight in causing fear; at least, not when he is in full tyrant mode. Once he can see her skin beginning to frost, he relinquishes, and his guards set the butt of their spears on the ground as he looks her over, apparently assessing.

He’d a talent for discerning truth, it helped him formulate convincing lies, but still, he is… confused by her answer, and the fact that it does seem sincere. “Given to Odin? Appeasement for what? Speak quickly,” he snaps, impatient in the extreme, but the deadly edge is slowly beginning to fade from his voice. “I have never seen you before, and Odin has been dead some nine months now,” He informs her, as if it gave evidence to her lies, and yet he simply wishes to see what she would make of it, if she was, in fact, telling the truth. “You are either mistaken… Or not from my kingdom at all,” he muses. It would not, incidentally, be the first time something similar had occurred.

Her speech comes easier when he halts his frigid assault although her body continues to tremble.  It would be an easy remedy to simply call upon her flames but she knows any such act will likely be seen as a threat and end poorly on her behalf.  Her face hides none of the confusion she feels at his words.  She had only just dined with Odin and his son Thor but three nights past.  What is this? Her eyes search the floor for an answer that this King will find suitable.  If his words are spoken with sincerity, then her standing in his castle, not only as citizen of Muspelheim but daughter of their previous King, is in most unsteady peril. 

“When Surtur was sealed away and my uncle, Yuiln, took his throne there was much unrest with the people.  Odin came to threa….to ensure there would be no cause to usurp the new King as in his dealings with the previous one.  Along with other monetary offerings of good faith, I was given to the care of the House of Odin.  All of whom I dined with this very week including the very Odin you claim to be dead nine months already.  I had fallen asleep in the rafters above the library and when I awoke was but in a chair not far from here?  I know not how or why…but I swear it was only this morning when Odin was King and his son Loki lost to all after falling from the Biffrost.”

Perhaps she can prove herself useful to this King as to the last and secure her safety. Or perhaps he, having no use for her, will set her free and relinquish to send her home. 

allofyou-beneath-me:

His hand flies up around her throat, his eyes seem to change, becoming black as coal, and his voice echoes from inside the walls, “I am Loki, and there is no other king of Asgard.”  As he speaks, guards enter and put her to sword point immediately, but Loki’s grip is probably more formidable at this point, as he continues to restrict her throat, his eyes boring into her from where he towers above her. “Odin is dead, I killed him, and now it is I could have your head on my command.” At long last he releases her, throwing her back against the door gruffly in the process, his guard still keeping her contained between him, and the solid oak at her back.

“Now, let’s try again, a fresh answer may save your life. How did you enter my palace?” His voice still booms off of the stone walls, and now the ground under her feet slowly begins to freeze, the air becoming bitingly cold, fostering an ache that would chill to the bone if she did not start talking fast.

Ariya’s eyes clench shut, fingers trying in vain to worm their way in between his grip and her fragile neck.  Curse her weak heart for its pained rapid beating.  Even if his grip was not the vise it is, she knows her breathing would be difficult still from that most hated fear that causes her to tremble.   The vise tightens and panic rises as dull steady pain abounds around her neck alongside that which is the sharp need for precious air.  She has not the sense to put meaning to his words, or sight to know anything beyond that of Loki who bears down upon her: she has only fear and pain.

Her back hits hard against a surface and air returns to her.  She gasps it in deep and desperate through a still aching neck. Pressing herself harder against the door, wishing for naught but distance from this man, her head clears enough to make sense of what he had told her and what he has yet to say.  His question sends a tremor through Ariya on it own.   As the ground beneath her begins to bite into the skin of her bare feet and the air stings her skin, her eyes fly wide open as finally she relinquishes to cry out. "Stop! Please my lor…King..Loki, please…"  Her words already begin to waver as her body shakes, incapable of handling these temperatures.  She huddles into herself, tucking her head down and holding her arms around herself.  "I..w.was giv…ven to Odin for appeasement.  I have b.b.een in his care for almost a year now.  I did not know y.y..you, forgive me m.my…King.”

She doesn’t understand.  Loki is dead, fallen into the Bifrost.  How has this dead son come now and taken Odin’s thrown unbeknownst to the kingdom?

allofyou-beneath-me:

 

The name yields more recognition than her appearance, than her presence in his palace; if she’d been a captive of Asgard before, it was not in his Asgard, and her familiarity is now by hearsay only. “No, you may not,” he snaps, his eyes now more frantically searching her face, as if she were crazy to dare try to leave now — he is trying to control it, he needs to find out more but he knows it will be impossible if he frightens her much more. He straightens up, trying to appear more dignified than overbearing, but still he looks like a snake ready to strike, a curl in his lip.

“You now address the king of Asgard, and he wishes to know how you entered his palace. Speak, quickly.” For all he knew, he realizes, the terrified expression she wore could be a rouse, a cover-up for whatever reason she’d broken into his home; Surtur was not exactly on friendly terms with Asgard’s newest king, and there was no reason to expect his daughter would come to his home without ill intent, especially when he did not know how she got here. Loki was nothing if not paranoid to a painful degree. 

Ariya pales, hand retreating from the door. Something is amiss. It feels to be a very different situation than that of the Aesir who either bid her stay at her own expense and their amusement or demand she leave, as her presence is too offensive. She can’t help the confusion that springs to her face at his decree. Who is this man to make such claims. Does he think her so dim as to not know the face of Odin, her own warden?

“As I do not address Odin, I fail to see how I address the King of Asgard or how this palace is in any means yours. If you wish to play a game at my expense, I pray you, next time get someone with more invested in his head to do so for you!” Almost immediately, Ariya regrets her outburst. She knows better. No matter how they provoke your temper, never react and certainly never provoke. But, it is passed now, and she has no choice but to hold her ground and hope the repercussions do not exceed her own thresholds of will.

allofyou-beneath-me:

His brow furrows deeply as she turns; whoever she was, it was fairly obvious she meant it when she agreed to being lost, but how she got here was still a troublesome matter. No one was allowed in or out of his kingdom without his consent… One of the many rights afforded to him as the King of Asgard. “Might I be able to help you find your way…?” he asks, steeped in courtesy that is obvious stretched thin, taut as the head of a drum, it’s strained by his defensive, underlying aggression toward an outsider. He looks at her as if her skin is rather distasteful, something vulgar she was flaunting in an attempt to arouse his anger, but he’s honestly making some attempt not to be hostile yet. “… Since it is apparent that you do not belong here.” Fire demon.

“What is your name?”

Ariya recoils a bit at his words, the prejudice clear enough behind them.  Perhaps she should not have been so quick to escape her guards that morning, but she was usually left unharassed so long as she remained within the palace walls.  "Thank you my Lord, but I think I can find my own way…“ she says in a small wavering voice, taking a step back and bumping into the door she had closed. Embarrassment causes the subsequent wincing more so than the pain of the bump. Odd that he would ask for her name; in the sense that he would care and that he would be unaware of the name belonging to the House of Odin’s ‘pet.’  The daughter of Surtur.  "A..Ariya my Lord.”

She waits knowing it is not her place to ask his name and wishing in no way to provoke the man in conversation or anger.  Her eyes glance up at him though her head remains slightly bowed.  "May I take my leave my Lord?“ The question is meek and she moves to open the door even as she speaks it; afraid to leave unbidden and afraid to stay.

allofyou-beneath-me:

• little-ram-of-muspelheim has wandered before the King

“A peculiar looking creature… Are you lost?”

Ariya was not sure what had happened…she had been seated on a rafter in the library reading a scroll.  The night before had been restless as the one before it had been and she had dozed off in the warm sunlight.  When she awoke, she had somehow found herself curled up in a chair.  Unfurling from her nap, she peered around in search of the scroll, but it would seem someone had removed it.  Once on her feet, she padded barefoot through the corridors trying to avoid the ones with an abundance of servants running through them.  Stumbling upon what she had thought to be an empty room, Ariya backed in closing the door quietly; glad she had not attracted attention.  She was not meant to roam around un-escorted.  When she heard the voice raise up from behind her, she jumped and a chill rose up her spine. Turning around slowly she accessed the man before her.  Certainly not a servant wearing that.  Perhaps a warrior or lord.  She nodded dumbstruck unsure of what to say.  

kingoftheravens:

 With a wave of his hand, Loki conjured up precisely what she wanted, the food appearing in front of her. “Anything to drink?” He asked, resting his chin in his other hand. Keir moved to lean against the kitchen island, elbows resting atop the counter.

Ariya was taken back by the bowl and bread that appeared before her causing her to stutter a bit when she answered, eyes still on the food.  "Uh.uhm.water.“ She shook her head after finally spitting it out, embarrassed by how easily she had been thrown off.  He was a worker of magic after all.  She had simply expected his uses to be a bit more reserved.  "Do you not have a kitchen?”  The quip had slipped out before she remembered her circumstances called for a more careful tongue.

(Source: little-ram-of-muspelheim-blog)

iceboundprince:

 

He shook his head. “I am not permitted to speak of my dealings with Asgard outside of the Council, save for my father when my dealings are complete.” He said, his voice almost monotone. “So I cannot tell you anything, regardless of whether I want you to know or not.” He rubbed his forehead, sighing to himself. 

“I see…” Ariya responded quietly. It wouldn’t do for important information to be spilt so easily she supposed and really she had no need to know his official business. It had merely been curiosity that prompted her to ask. Biting her lip she tried to think of other topics of discussion. This was an area she had so very little practice in. In her distraction she veered to far to the side brushing against his arm. Heat sprang to her cheeks, hardly for the first time that evening, and she pulled away quickly murmuring a quick apology. Paying more attention to where she was going, they made it back to the table where their food had finally arrived.

Ariya was quiet during the meal, focusing more on eating and listening to the stories that the Aesir had begun to tell. They did have a flair for such things; she would give them that. As the festivities died down and the servants began clearing the tables, she turned and addressed Loki. “I’m afraid I have grown weary and had my fill of crowded rooms tonight. Thank you for joining me tonight. It has been a far more bearable event for it.” Rising from her seat, she gave a small curtsy. The solitude of the library was calling to her and the night had progressed far enough where her host’s would not notice her absence.

(Source: little-ram-of-muspelheim-blog)

//Hello; Sorry I’ve been absent for so long.  I’ve been focused on my River Song blog but I’ll get right on replies (just been having trouble sinking into this muse)  

iceboundprince:

 

Loki gave her a sad smile. “You would think that somebody of my profession would be given more respect in these peaceful times, but no…”

He rolled his eyes in the direction of the drunken Asgardian, but refused to comment, only nodding in agreement as he turned his heel and went back towards the table with Ariya. “Don’t listen to them,” He muttered to Ariya, “There is little point in engaging with drunk folk, regardless of their opinions.” He said dryly, forcing himself to look ahead and ignore the drunken Asgardians.

“Drunkenness is not known to beget much respect to anyone regardless of profession.” Ariya whispered behind a shaky smile hoping to dispel any notions of her being upset by the situation.  "How have your dealings with the Asgardian’s been thus far?“  She asked changing the subject. "What business did you bring?”

(Source: little-ram-of-muspelheim-blog)