King Loki

Chapter 9
By the next day it was hard to tell there was even an attack on his Spire. Loki was pleased with the fast work of his minions, but still he was not satisfied with his own lack of a superior army. He needed to fix that.
He walked down the familiar hall toward Tony Stark's chambers. His attendant walking behind him. He could hear her skirt brushing against the floor as she walked. He might have gone overboard on his embellishment to make her appear presentable.
He'd given her a new uniform, one to match her new station. The skirt hugging low on her hips, touching the floor in a white shimmer laced with green along its edges. The sleepless top had a hooped neckline that might have shown cleavage if she'd had larger breasts. The green top cut off an inch under her breasts leaving her midsection visible. Much more flattering than the simple servants uniform.
Approaching the doors, Loki turned to Cephera. "You will wait for me here," he ordered her pointing to empty spot next to a large potted plant. She took her place there without question.
Loki entered Stark's room and closed the door behind him. Stark didn't acknowledge his arrival, he made a great effort to never do so. "The materials I dropped off last night, have you looked into my newest request." Loki began his topic of choice without the small talk.
"I don't know what you expect me to do with scraps," Stark replied. "I can build you a love robot that can strangle...I mean cuddle you in your sleep." Tony's smirked.
"I'm in no mood for your witty games today." Loki warned. "You know what it is I want from you." Loki glared.
"You're talking about something much bigger than something I can create in here." Tony replied. "Besides, even if I could make a birthing room -"
"Birthing room?" Loki inquired, confused to its reference.
"You want a room dedicated to creating your own mechanical army right? Then it's a birthing room." Tony rolled his eyes as if Loki were a small child asking stupid questions. The king refrained from charging across the room and teaching his pet a lesson. "As I was saying, even if I could make such a room, we don't have the materials to create that many robots for your fighting pleasure." Tony gave a pointed look around his room.
It was true. Precious metals were hard to come by. The only way to get them was to tear down buildings and Loki didn't want to create more havoc among the common folk.
Trade was difficult. Shops were not what they once were as the Resistance has taken to hoarding anything worth Loki's time to collect. He hadn't anticipated it and so when the time came that he realized he needed this stuff, the Resistance had already gotten ahead of him making it harder to obtain the good durable metals and even harder to obtain the rare ones.
"I'll acquire you more. Draw up the plans." Loki ordered.
"Even with plans do you think you have anyone here that could code this machine like I can? What you want done won't fit in this little room, you'll have to let me out." Tony replied. Loki cocked his head to the side and gave him a hard look.
"We'll speak more of this later, once I see your design." Loki replied unwilling to dismiss the notion but not ready to accept it either.
XxX
Cephera wanted so very badly to press her ear to the door in an attempt to listen to what Loki might be saying to Tony, but the Loyal who was guarding the end of the hallway kept glancing back at her. At least she now knew where Tony was.
XxX
Initially, Cephera wasn't sure how she might get into her friends room. There was a guard on duty at all times and as Loki was the only person who was suppose to have access to the room, she had no business she could pretend to be on that wouldn't raise suspicion.
Luckily she came up with a brilliant idea. The last time Loki had grabbed her by the arm she'd taken liberty of copying his different magical abilities. They served little purpose to her except for one, transformation.
Cephera was able to turn into the likeness of her King and walk right by anyone, anywhere. So this was the plan. Knock Loki out with the herbal concoction and then transform into him to access Tony's room without alerting anyone.
Of course there was still a problem..., she hadn't been able to test her previous sleepy tea on Loki and would have to wait for Lana to provide her with the new batch of herbs. Cephera would have to do a test run of the herbs first and then a second attempt later.
Once she was able to talk to Tony she might also gain his input and help, after all he couldn't be that helpless. If Tony Stark was good at anything it was fucking shit up on purpose and then making light of it.
XxX
The plan was Agent Lake approved. "I have a better idea though..., it's perfect," Lana said to Cephera after taking in everything Cephera had told her. "Why don't we find a way to rid ourselves of the King permanently and you just take his place?"
Her idea made a knot form in Cephera's belly. "I don't think I could hold the magic that long. Magic takes energy, long term could potentially kill me." Cephera frowned in the darkness.
"Oh," Lana was clearly disappointed. "I guess that would have been too easy." She added. "The plan you have is sound all the same. I should have the herbs soon. It's hard to smuggle things from the storehouse. All herbs travel to Loki's personal tower from the storehouse but only certain people are allowed access. My contact has to be careful not to get caught." Lana told Cephera.
"I know. I can be patient. We've waited this long, what's another month or more." Cephera shrugged. As eager as she was to see Tony, she didn't want to rush things and end up doing more harm than good.

Notes