King Loki

Chapter 10
Cephera tried her best not to look guilty, but it was difficult. Even as she'd served Loki his spiked tea for the second time her hand shook. Agent Lake had acquired the herbs for the first cup three days ago and Cephera had tested it that very day.
It was perfect. He'd had a hard day. Nothing was going right for him. He was frustrated. It was the perfect time to have him fall asleep early so that he might blame it on his bad day.
He didn't question it when he nodded off and later woke up in a drowsy state. Cephera had waited by the door of his room to time it, an hour was all she might get, 45min just to make sure she didn't screw it up. He'd looked at her with those tired eyes and dismissed her early so that he could properly retire to bed.
She hasn't thought it would go so smoothly the first time, but still she hesitated and felt nervous this second time. This time would be different. She wasn't innocently waiting around for him to wake. She was leaving the room, disguised as him and hoping the herbs would last just as long the second time around. It was a chance she had to take.
Cephera tried to slow her breathing as she waited for the yawns to begin, followed by his heavy lidded eyes. Th last time she'd been too concentrated on how long it would last that she'd forgotten to time how long it took to kick in. She could have sworn it wasn't this long, but then again she was nervous.
Finally the first yawn came, quickly followed by a second. His eyes blinked slowly as he read through the documents in front of him. He shook his head and rubbed his face between his palms. He'd had a rough day again today. Two more of his outposts had been reclaimed by the Resistance.
So at last Washington and any immediate outposts along its boarders were captured. It seemed at this point they were covering ground faster than Loki had since most of his alien army were defeated.
Again the King's eyes fell closed and he nodded forward only to snap awake again. He glanced up at her an she felt those green eyes searing into her, as if he knew something.
"The last week has been tiresome for your mind," she said wanting him to look away, but unable to quietly just stare back.
"It would seem so." Loki replied getting up from his chair. "You stand at my side and observe the things I have to deal with, do you think I deserve this? Such stress is unbefitting of a King, don't you think?" He walked casually toward her, but it sent her on edge.
"I would image being a ruler in general is hard. You must think of everyone, not just yourself. Without the people to rule no one would be a monarch. Your situation is even more complicated. You've taken by force a world that is used to freedom, having no ultimate supreme ruler. Recreating a world from that, I image is harder." She replied with what she thought to be true.
He stopped just short of her looking down slightly to accommodate height different. Instead of staring at his collarbone, which was at her eye level, she was forced to look up in loo of their conversation. Anything else, would be rude.
"Leave me for the night. I take to bed early. Tell my regular chamber
servants to be here for 5am instead, and the same for you. Also, inform the kitchen to have my breakfast ready early as well." Cephera couldn't believe her luck. Not only was he going to bed early, but he was dismissing her and leaving her all the time she needed to speak to Tony without discovery.
Some unforeseen fate was watching over her this day.
XxX
Cephera walked right passed the guard on duty at the end of Tony's hallway. His posture straightened at the sight of his King but otherwise he showed no sign of knowing the difference.
Feeling ever the more confident, Cephera turned to the bedroom door. The doors, like the outside of the Spire was etched with Runes. Cephera wished she knew what they meant. Pushing it from her mind, Cephera opened the door and stepped inside. Once inside she allowed the image of Loki to fade so she could speak to Tony as herself.
Tony was stood back on to her across the room. "Tony!" She cried out happy to see him. She was unable to contain her excitement and nearly ran across the room to hug him, but he didn't turn, didn't so much as stir to her voice. Cephera felt worried all of a sudden. What if her friend was also brainwashed? A fall back for if he ever managed to escape the room.
"Tony?" Cephera asked inching closer. Still he didn't move, at least not to look at her. He was sketching on a long piece of paper. At last she was close enough to reach out only for her hand to go right through him.
Shocked she jumped back and watched her friend shiver. "Is that window open again?" Tony asked marching across the room to check, but it was closed. When he turned he should have been looking right at Cephera, but he didn't see her,
Literally, he looked right her way but looked like he saw through her. Cephera recalled the runes on the door and wondered if this was a secondary measure to stop anyone from seeing or speaking with Tony Stark.
Her heart sank once more. If he couldn't see her, or talk to her, how would she save him? How could she plot with him, or use his expertise to escape this place?
She cursed whatever fates let her get away with coming here. Cursed them for playing with her hopes. "Tony," Cephera tried again feeling desperate. Again he didn't budge.
Cephera wanted to cry. She'd been looking forward to this moment for so long only to have it shattered. She took a small comfort to see he was in good condition and health, but otherwise her heart was swept away with loneliness.
She stood just off to the side of him, watching him work. She had no idea what he was drawing, but he seemed unhappy with each product as he erased lines and added new ones. She wondered why he didn't use the computer nearby to do this with. Surely he had a program to work with, what became of JARVIS?
Now facing more questions than answers, Cephera changed back into Loki and headed for the door. She had no idea where to go from here. All her plans meant nothing if Tony couldn't see her. She had to think of something else. Maybe Lana would have the answers to some of Cephera's questions.
XxX
Loki woke the next morning feeling refreshed, but still extremely unhappy with the production of his pets. Stark was delaying the plans to the 'birthing room', as he'd named it. Complaining he didn't have enough supplies to suit any of the plans he thought of.
Loki knew this was a lie. This was a man who built a war suit from wreckage to escape his captors once before. He found it hard to believe Stark would have trouble with this command, and yet here Stark was playing the fool.
Dr. Whitehall was also making excuses only he treated Loki as if he was the fool. What choice did Loki have but to play along? For the time being Loki had no real allies save for those he brainwashed, everyone else was a loose connection. He was in a difficult spot, one he didn't know how to control.
It may very well be time for plan B. Perhaps playtime was over and he needed to get serious. He needed things done and done fast. He needed to take back control of these insubordinate fools and capture the remainder of Earth.
His servants came in to do their regular duties. He quickly bathed and when came out to his breakfast his attendant was the only servant left waiting for him, his only company.
"I see a change in the future." He told her as if she'd know what he'd mean or even care. "Today will be a fruitful day." He smiled down at his food before beginning.
She didn't respond, but it didn't matter. His spirits felt higher this morning now that he'd set his mind to the task at hand. He would fix his mistakes and take back what he deserved.

Notes