mischieftm:
Once he was sure that Nicolo was on his best behavior, his stance changed into a more passive one. Loki was more interested in reading one of the books in the library ( such as a tome he’d conjured half-way through the proceedings ) than to listen to what was really going on. Now and then, he did pause and listen, if only to understand what issues the coven faced. But there was something else that worried him, and it lay beyond the walls of the Venetian palace.
Loki had finished the first book and was a quarter of the way through the second when the meeting finally ended. She’d stopped and talked to her father within earshot, and now she returned. Her smile was returned with one of his own, and he turned back to the book to finish the current page.
“You could never be boring. Your…guests, on the other hand…”
He trailed off, finally closing the book and standing. He had to admit that she knew a great deal about leadership and politics. There were a few moments when he noticed Valente’s handiwork, especially when it came to reaching a compromise with the hunting groups. Then there was the moment when she’d diffused the situation he’d created, a skill very few leaders knew to do.
“Though there’s something I must apologize for. This…bond we have. It concerns me. With how strong it is. Is this normal?”
As someone who prided on working alone ( and who was used to being alone ), this sudden dependency was something he was frightened of. What if she, Frigga forbid, die? Would he waste away in grief? A part of him didn’t like the idea, mainly because he didn’t like placing his fate in someone else’s hands. Even though he’d done so to survive his face-off with Thanos, he hadn’t expected things to get this “bad” so soon.
“Yes, it is quite normal for it to be intense in the early stages.”
She had witnessed this false love occupy the minds of many of her parents’ fledglings many times. The desire to please, to bestow unyielding loyalty to their masters, it was highly common for them all to crave nothing more than the praise of their beloved sire. It was why her mother had a history for being so intimate with her handmaidens, for those closest to her in service often were bestowed the most mightiest of rewards. The emotional connection that was also built with physical intimacy also made them loyal bodyguards. They were quite willing to massacre to protect Estella, a feat that was often necessary now in these political times. It was fortunate, many claimed, this loyalty had extended to Sofie upon her birth.
Thus, Loki’s prior display did not bring much concern to Sofie’s own perceptions of her fledgling. He was simply following the normal behaviours of a newborn, soon enough the fascination of her would likely be dismissed in favour for the quest for new discoveries... or new plans to destroy Thanos.
“You will find that it will wear off with the passage of time, as you become more invested in other interests that occupy your mind, you will find your interest in me will slowly wane.”
Thoughts turned to her own parents, the scarce details that she possessed of them and the loyalty that her mother may have held to her father once long ago. Sofie was aware that her mother had defied expectations as a fledgling, the initial loyalty that she was supposed to demonstrate being transformed into rage directed solely upon her father instead. Eventually they had settled her into their ways and she had become settled with her father, but, why had it taken such a delay?
More importantly, what had Sofie done to earn such a strong reaction from Loki so early on?
“It is the same for all of our kind, I believe. I know for certain that there was a close connection between my mother and father.”














