King Loki

Chapter 46
When trade talks ended, King Yorin requested time to think about what Loki had to offer. As Loki had a far ways to travel he was allowed to stay for a single night with a promise that the next morning the King would have his answer.
"Oh, and if anyone should make any sexual advances toward you, feel free to accept." The King said once all formality had ended. "Or if you should see someone of interest to you, don't be afraid to let them know..., anyone at all." King Yorin winked.
Loki knew of their open minds were sex was concerned. It wasn't something they saw as shameful if done with multiple people. They did not keep such things secret.
"Cephera," the King looked to the woman Loki had been having trouble looking away from. To see her again in such a different time and place was like a dream. "Take Loki and find him a place to sleep."
It was no coincidence that King Yorin had picked Cephera, and Loki knew this. With a sweet smile, Cephera nodded to her father and Loki gladly followed her. He took note that Seraphina stayed behind. Perhaps his staring had been too obvious even though he'd tried to be discrete after the first time.
"I wouldn't worry. You have some good offers on the table. Sometimes the King likes to just make people sweat a little." Cephera told Loki when they were out of earshot.
"While researching places that could be of useful trade to my people, I came across this place. Obscure, with little information to go on. Your people seem to be very secluded despite having open trades with other places." Loki replied.
"Technically they are not my people." Cephera looked down with a reddening to her cheeks.
"I wondered. In my efforts to gain more knowledge of this place, I had heard the King had a daughter but I had not known of a second." Loki walked slowly to match her soft strides.
"I guess you could say I'm unofficially adopted. The King is my sister's father, not my own. He treats me like I am his daughter but they have strict laws here. Outsiders can stay for a day or so, but no longer. As adoption isn't something they practice here, I'm kind of an outsider." She explained and then looked around to see who else was near them.
The hallways was scattered with people walking by. Most looking up at Loki with wide eyes of deep interest. Loki already knew the answer to his next question, but he did so enjoy making her squirm. "So how is it you live among them if you should not be here?" He tried not to smirk as she inhaled a deep breath.
"I'm currently in a partnership with one of them." Her blush deepened. Loki knew she did not share the same open confidence about her sexual endeavors. He tried not to think of those in detail either, as the thought of Krystoff touching her filled him with jealousy.
"Ah yes. The young man you arrived with in the..., lunch room." He watched her pace slow.
"Yes." She replied. "Krystoff is his name." She didn't sound too excited and, had Loki not already known why, he would still have caught the vibe. He decided that he would not force her to elaborate.
"Just before you arrived, I had mentioned my talents in magic, Seraphina said her sister would enjoy that, I assume she meant you." Loki opened a new line of conversation.
Cephera's head shot up, her eyes wide. "You do magic?" She asked hopeful and excited.
"I am a master at many things magic." He replied. "If this trade is successful, perhaps you would like to come visit Asgard for a change in scenery where I would have more time to show you anything your heart desires." Loki waited for her response. He could tell she was bursting with excitement.
"That would be...," she stopped and thought. "Krystoff wouldn't...," she
paused again. "I'd like that." She settled on that answer, gaining her composure.
As bitter as the words tasted, Loki spoke again. "Krystoff is welcome to come as well." Loki was playing it safe. He wouldn't show his distaste for Krystoff as that could cause Cephera to decline his offer.
"Oh no. He's happier here." She replied hastily. "He doesn't like the thought of magic. Everyone here can use some power, but they don't rely on it. I rely on it. If ever a time came between life and death, magic would be all that could save me."
"I've changed my mind...," Loki announced. "If your thirst for knowledge is so big then you may come to Asgard anytime to learn more, even if this trade agreement is declined." She smiled from ear to ear.
"Thank you." She replied and for a moment he caught her gaze directly and did not let go until she looked away her cheeks turning pink once more.
XxX
"I bet he's lonely in his bed." Seraphina said to Cephera who was lounging on Seraphina's bed.
"Who?" Cephera asked, confused. She'd avoided Krystoff all day since the dining hall and was now hiding in her sisters room, a place Krystoff would not dare intrude upon.
"King Loki," Seraphina rolled her eyes.
"Then go to him if that's what you're thinking." Cephera sighed and shook her head at her elder twin.
"You should go," Seraphina replied grinning.
"What? No, I have someone." Cephera shook her head harder.
"Krystoff's an asshole. It's time to ditch him. You don't need him. Even father is tiring of how he talks to you." Seraphina replied scowling at the thought.
"If I leave Krystoff I'll be forced to leave here." Cephera frowned. It was always the dilemma she faced when thinking about moving on.
"Who cares. Wherever you go I'll follow. I have free reign to visit you at anytime. Besides you can take King Loki up on his offer to go to Asgard. It's a win-win situation. You get away from Krystoff, you learn magic, and you get to spend your nights with a man of high importance." Seraphina winked.
"I will go to Asgard someday, but I will not seduce the King, he's a stranger." Cephera was appalled at the thought. She didn't like the idea of random lovers. Her sister knew that.
"He's got an interest in you. Did you see how he stared at you?" Seraphina sounded like she was having fun with this. Cephera huffed but did not answer. She was aware of how he looked at her and how he couldn't seem to stop. In many ways it brought a warmth in her and made her heart jump, but in other ways it felt odd and out of place. Cephera was not use to the attention.
"I agree that my time with Krystoff is coming to an end. I cannot bring myself to go to his bed anymore. I find myself trying to find reasons to be left alone. If I leave him it won't be to seduce another, but to find a life that I want. To follow my dreams." Cephera sat up.
"Well whatever you decide to do, you'll always have me." Seraphina got up on the bed and hugged her little sister. In many ways Cephera felt Seraphina blamed herself for Cephera's years of settling for second best. Cephera never loved Krystoff in the way one should love the person they devote their life too.
She had an attraction to him, but even that had wavered over time. At this point Cephera was only hanging on because it was all she knew. It was time for a change and she knew it.
XxX
"Where were you last night?" Krystoff found Cephera as she walked down the hallway the next morning.
"With my sister." Cephera replied trying to keep her tone light. She hated when Krystoff questioned her so harshly.
"People noticed you with that foreigner." Krystoff's tone held tones of accusation.
"Yes. I found him a place to sleep while he waits for King Yorins decision." Cephera remained calm, but she could see the anger rising in Krystoff's eyes.
"Found him a place to sleep? Is that where you were all night?" He accused once more his teeth grinding together.
"I don't like your tone." Cephera's posture straightened and she squared her shoulders. "You devoted yourself to me all these years upon my own request to have a monogamous relationship, the fact you would think I would do the very thing that I asked you not to do is insulting." Cephera narrowed her eyes.
Normally she would apologize and try to calm him for the sake of avoiding a big argument, but after her conversation with her sister the night before she felt more inclined to end taking his bullshit.
His mouth opened but no words emerged. He was shocked at her tone and her demeanor. "The Lady showed me to a room and bid me goodnight before leaving. I am not a man who would prey on an innocent already attached to another." Loki had walked around a corner in the midst of this public argument.
Krystoff turned. Cephera felt almost bad for feeling good at the look of worry on Krystoff's face. After all, King Loki was a guest who held different morals than the Mechanovians. Krystoff's accusation could cause insult to the the Jotunheim King and King Yorin would be furious at that.
"This is a private conversation." Krystoff finally replied.
"Private conversations should be done so behind closed doors, not in a hallway for everyone to listen to." Loki rubbed his temple in impatience.
"Come on," Krystoff stalked toward Cephera and grabbed her hand. She pulled from his grip and turned her back to him.
"You can go without me." Her stomached ached from confrontation and yet she knew she had to stand her ground. She would have to end things with Krystoff, but this moment was not the time. Not after he'd accused her of sleeping with Loki. Krystoff's temperament was at its highest level and she could wait for later that evening. "We'll talk more about this later Krystoff. There is much I need to discuss with you anyhow, when I am ready."
She looked over her shoulder to see the man she'd given so much of her time to scowl and look at her with disapproval. "King Yorin will be waiting for you in the Dining Hall. I'll show you the way." Cephera turned her attention to Loki leaving Krystoff but a memory behind her.

Notes