King Loki

Chapter 6
Loki took a brief moment to put his hand to his forehead. Headaches were not uncommon for him as of late.
The damage he'd dealt his room was but a taste of emotions he felt. Nothing had gone right for him since losing Washington. More and more Resistance groups were showing up and attacking other outposts Loki had in place.
The Outposts were meant to keep the lands Loki had conquered in his grasp and already three had been annihilated. He'd heard the news only recently from Captain Rogers.
He'd gone like the good soldier boy he was and checked out what was happening and came back with half his team dead. It would seem Loki underestimated these special humans. Their powers much different from his own, unique to each one, but some were far more powerful than he dreamed they could be.
He cursed himself for having thought them a joke. He should have known better. He was enraged at his own stupidity, not that he would admit that. Everything he was working hard to achieve was constantly being challenged by these lowly Earthlings.
He'd remained composed after his meeting with the Captain and then, when he reached the privacy of his room, he'd let loose his anger. When his attendant returned from an errand he'd sent her on, she arrived in the midst of this tantrum and dared utter the words 'spoiled brat' under her breath which met her with the back of his hand.
She was lucky. Had they lived in Asgard she'd have been flogged for her insult. Perhaps he has been to lenient with his servants, but it was not a matter he had time to address. That was the problem, Loki was on his own and hadn't time to address much of anything properly.
If he wasn't faced with the attacks and spies within his own Spire, he was creating strategy plots to take over the remainder of the world. And now he was stuck trying to regain control of those lands which he'd lost. It was infuriating.
For this reason he sat on his throne the day after his tantrum and caressed his slowly throbbing temple. Luckily enough he'd found some entertainment to take his mind from his troubles, but that was short lived as usual.
He needed new tech, new weapons. He needed new soldiers with powers to match that of these new super humans who wielded energies resembling magic. He needed a new servant and he needed a god damn potion to rid him of his headache.
One thing at a time, he would start with the easiest thing first. "Guard," he called out. A guard opened the door and stepped inside. This man was what the servants called a Loyal. Someone who Loki didn't need to brainwash to work for him. "The girl who cleaned the mess in my room yesterday bring her to me."
Giving a bow the guard left. When he returned he had the girl in question following in front of him. Loki waved his hand at the guard who took back his post, closing the door, and leaving Loki in private with the girl with the violet eyes.
"Your work is acceptable and I'm in no mood to be picky. From now on you will remain at my side to attend to anything I need. When I am in here you will stand at the back wall until required. When I walk the halls you follow behind me. You are an attendant and do anything I demand without question, is that understood?"
She nodded causing her side bang to fall across her eye before she pushed it away. She kept her eyes cast off to the side, never directly catching his gaze. He preferred woman to attend to him, at least they were nicer to look at.
"Where do I go at night and how do I know when to return, my lord?" She asked remembering her manners this time which made his smirk.
"Your sleeping situation remains the same and you come to me at 6am each day. If you are needed earlier than that you will be fetched by a guard." Again she nodded her understanding. "What name do you go by?"
"Cephera," she replied her eyes moving to observe the room slowly.
"Well Cephera know this, if you fail me like my last attendant you will find yourself in my prison. If you steal from me in hopes of escaping you will end up in the prison. If you attempt to kill me you will lose your life instead. I expect only loyalty and trust at all times." He kept his eyes on her gauging her reaction.
"Then why not use your staff on me?" She seemed to be surprised by her own words as her hand came up to clamp over her lips.
"I don't expect the whole world to kneel to me by such tricks. What fun would that be?" Her question was valid, he would not reprimand her for her curiosity. "Take your place over there, I have meetings to attend."
She began her movement to the spot indicated when he stretched his staff out to block her path. She stopped with a gasp of surprise and stepped back a few inches before turning her eyes up to look at him directly.
"Everything you hear while attending is to stay that way. You are not to spread rumors. A wagging tongue will find itself removed from your head." He warned her. Feeling satisfied by the slightly frightened look on her face he allowed her to continue to her spot.
One problem solved, on to the next.
XxX
The basement pathway was dark. Hollowed out far underground for the laboratories Dr. Whitehall had requested. Once Loki reached the door at the end of the hall he waved his hand to open it.
Light burst forth and himself, and his new attendant stepped inside. He was greeted with a clean, disinfectant smell much like a hospital. The linoleum gleamed under his feet.
The people of the room grew silent in the presence of their King.
Loki rarely came down here. He left such experiments to those who know what they were doing with it. Today, however, he needed to request something of his good Dr.
To his left, as he reached the far end of the room he passed through two high security aluminum doors where the lights were not as bright. He heard the intake of air from his attendant but otherwise ignored her.
On beds lay bodies. People who had been previously captured who showed a hint of being special. They were not dead, just sedated for Dr. Whitehall and his assistance to do with as they saw fit.
Dr. Whitehall himself looked up from a chart he was observing and smiled. "My King," he said giving a bow but Loki caught that look of surprise.
"I need your expertise Doctor," Loki said. "Outside the Spire more enhanced have appeared and oppose me. They are making things difficult."
"Strong ones then," the Dr. perked up at the news.
"It would seem so." Loki replied. "You promised me enhanced of my own and yet have produced none." Loki turned cold eyes to Dr. Whitehall and watched him squirm under the gaze.
"These things take time. The ones here are weak and their power certainly nothing special enough to aide you. Mere parlor tricks is what they can do, nothing more." Whitehall insisted taking his eyes off Loki and looking to the some 20 people in beds.
Loki found it hard to believe that not one of them were useful. The problem was that these kinds of people were the kind who often died to his brainwashing. They had the strength to fight against it causing brain aneurysms resulting in death. He couldn't simply force them to work for him, he'd tried.
"I am disappointed Doctor. I would hate to see our alliance come to any sort of end over your failure to produce for me something of worth," Loki said the words slow and clear.
"I will double my efforts." Dr. Whitehall promised. Another empty promise no doubt. More and more Loki was beginning to think the Doctor had other plans that didn't involve his King. He would have to keep a closer eye to him.
Loki could have used brainwashing, but all HYDRA agents under Loki's command were loyal to the Doctor and Loki couldn't afford to have an uprising in his own home. Besides the more he held to the power of his staff, the weaker the staff became. It was a continuos use of its power. He couldn't just brainwash the whole world even if he'd wanted to, not that anyone else knew that.
"I'll return in a couple of days and I do hope you have something worthwhile for me." Loki turned his back on Whitehall and headed back upstairs.
XxX
Cephera fetched Loki a nighttime snack of caviar and crackers. He didn't speak a word to her except to order her about. She didn't mind. Already only on day one of this new position and she saw its potential.
She had already seen more of the Spire in this one day than her whole month of being here. Soon she would know where to find Tony, maybe even stumble across Pepper. She had a little more freedom than before and ideas were forming in her mind.
If she could put Loki to sleep even for a little while, she could roam around and the Guards would think she was on an errand for her King. It was perfect. As long as she was back in time, Loki would think he fell asleep and think nothing more of it after that.
XxX
When she was able to retire to her bed, Cephera waited for Lana as usual. When her friend crept to her bed she quickly told her what had happened and about the horrible rooms downstairs.
"You can't save everyone." Lana pointed out. "Not without a solid plan."
Cephera knew she was right. Even if she did save them, Loki was still ruler of Earth and might one day rule it all. "I have a plan," Cephera admitted and told Lana about her ploy to put Loki to sleep. "I just need a way to do it."
"I thought you said your power could drain him to make him tired." Lana replied.
"He's the master of magic, I can't take the chance he might feel that. If he finds out I have power, I'll be lying on one of those beds being experimented on." Cephera shuddered at the thought.
"There is another way," Lana said after some thought. "I can get you a pouch of herbs that you can steep in his tea. If your lucky, and his alien body doesn't resist the drug, he'll fall asleep. I can't guarantee how long it will last. It's not like this stuff was tested on his kind before."
"I'm willing to try anything. Get me two lots of it. One for testing and one for the real deal." Cephera resigned herself to this mischief and hoped she wouldn't get caught. "And please be careful," Cephera told her friend.
"You too," Lana replied and crept back to her own bed.

Notes