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Amora had taken up her time in Midgard by, gasp, securing a job. Not just any job but playing at being a secretary for a mortal CEO in one of the city's tall skyscrapers. A few cantrips here and there, a few forged documents and she was one of the best paid secretaries in the city. And no one questioned it. Still the, former, Enchantress of Asgard, bound in magic as she was and lacking a heart; hardly had to work too hard to convince the male population that she deserved the job.
At the moment though, she was on her lunch break, reclining at a fairly well to do Uptown ice cream parlour's out door plaza. Her hair was combed back into a high twist of a bun, tinted glasses perched on her nose and hid the emptiness of her green eyes from those that would know better. Otherwise, she looked as much as she normally would, save the mortal guise of an average height. A dark green velvet blazer hugged her form over a white button up shirt and a fitted black pencil skirt and matching nylons and heels.
A bowl of strawberry ice cream sat before her, as she flipped through a tiny black note book and every so often took a spoonful.
*
Lorelei had looked for where her dear sister had landed after sniggering up her sleeve about that round of misfortune for… oh… several days.
She, too, has assumed Midgardian guise. After a fashion.
The first warning for Amora is that there is something yapping at her. It is a pekinese dog, small and immaculately fluffy with a blue ribbon at the top of its head. It yaps with the fury of the Greek Cerberus! It is on a long thin lead tracing back to a hand with immaculately manicured fingernails and a mink-sheathed sleeve.
Lorelei is instantly recognizable to Amora - she would have to be. Nobody else would respond to temperatures not yet cool enough to drive business off the street with a mink coat over a pair of modish leggings and a figure-flattering turtleneck top. Or heels that high. Or sunglasses that big.
"/Darling/," Lorelei says, with sugary gloat. "Imagine seeing YOU here." The dog keeps yapping until Lorelei snaps her fingers at it and it -
Did it disappear? Maybe it was an illusion.
"Is that your dinner? It looks meaty," she observes, not being specifically familiar with strawberry ice cream.
*
A golden brow lifts upwards as Amora looks up from the black book in hand to eye her sister without so much as a frown of irritation. Then she promptly goes back to reading her book, flipping over the next page with a soft, 'hmm'. A finger held up toward her sister, and should said sibling attempt to talk she'd interrupt with a prompt. 'Shh'.
This would continue for some time, before Amora finally finished the page she was reading, closed the book and set it aside. She reclined in the chair, picking up the sugary confection in her bowl and dipped her spoon in it without a flourish.
"Strawberry ice cream. Tis an invention of the mortals that is quite pleasant. Now," She tilted her head to the side as she peered at her sister.
"What is it you want, little sister? I assume you've come to gloat and attempt to get under my skin or some such nonsense. You may of course, try it, but be aware it won't work. Loki couldn't gain a rise, and I doubt you will dear sister."
*
Lorelei is probably rolling her eyes behind those shades. By the time Amora is done, Lorelei has made herself even more garish looking by producing a Hepburnesque cigarette holder and, at some point, lighting it. She exhales pointedly in Amora's general direction, free hand resting on her hip.
"My, my. I come to visit you in your latest round of /vile exile/ and you accuse me of things immediately. Perhaps I felt GUILTY, Amora, that I didn't come and visit you during your LAST exile for malfeasance and disgraceful behavior. After all, we're sisters."
She bites the stem of the holder idly. "That said, I did intend to gloat a /little/. But I suppose that you are so /terribly/ calm and collected that such a thing would be impossible. I'd be wasting my time to try."
"What are you reading?" Lorelei asks afterwards, hips shifting a little. She's not sitting down at least. Maybe she doesn't want to risk staining the mink.
*
A dry look is offered to her sibling over the rim of her glasses, her green eyes a blank and yawning void of emptiness. No emotion flickers there, even as she holds out the black book toward her sister. "I didn't think you could read Midgard's tongue. Tis not a spell I thought you'd bother to master." She offered with a flat tone and then promptly went back to her ice cream.
"As for my exile last time, it was more interesting. A castle in Scotland with both princes Loki and Thor, and toying with this realm's Sorcerer Supreme." She rolled her shoulders back with a shrug, tilting her head as she waved away the smoke with a flick of her finger and a small burst of magic.
"Though honestly it matters little, as far as I'm concerned the Princes can enjoy playing Midgard's games as long as they desire. They're busy rutting with Midgard's women. Who, honestly, when you consider it.. are hardly older than most children. How very odd.." She mused, her voice just as dull and bland as previously.
*
"I can do a lot of things," Lorelei answers, haughtily. "Think you that this pathetic tongue is beyond me? Why, it's got fewer than a hundred characters. And most of them don't even look that similar!"
Her lips quirk as the question of who Thor and Loki are begetting with comes up again. "At least it isn't a horse this time," Lorelei says with a theatrical sign, before flopping down in her seat. "So, I see you're clad in the livery of one of their scribe harems. How is THAT working out for you? Have you learned at last to take dictation, my darling sister?"
*
A brow rose as Amora propped up her chin and watched her sister as the woman finally flopped down in an opposite seat. "Well, Loki has been here on Midgard for the past century or so. Played at being a farmer, a soldier and a professor most recently. So I figured I should find some form of amusement. Pity the women of this realm are still working for their freedom. Still, 'tis not so terrible to keep one occupied." She murmured, still unflappable in the face of her sister's haughty tone and barbs.
Another spoonful of ice cream followed, "Did you want directions to the Princes' manor house here in the city? Balder, Loki and Thor are all in the same house. Granted, the All-father made Thor in charge of the Nine Realm's diplomacy, and made Loki Midgard's protector, but I'm sure you already know that… I'm merely waiting for /that/ entertainment to pick up. Also the fact that Thor's beloved is a mortal exiled Princess without a Kingdom, throne and… is in love with another mortal. That should prove entertaining to you as well."
*
Lorelei's lips twist. She is, perhaps, about to needle Amora in a more heartfelt way when Amora adroitly realizes what will distract her. A throbbing, juicy piece of - no, bad analogy. A hot, sizzling sausa— no; /a thing which appeals to her greatly/.
That works.
Leaning forwards, Lorelei says, "Is she /really/. Who? Tell me everything." After another drag on the long stick she adds, "Does Thor know?"
*
A chilly laugh escapes Amora as she leans back, a memory of laughter and a sharp smile pull at her lips. "Oh yes, he knows but holds out that she might come to love him. Even as /his/ heart pines for the lost mortal Jane Foster whom Odin rejected. Princess Crystalia of the Inhumans," She leaned forward and held out a hand, summoning a tiny circle of power to show Lorelei a scried image of the princess in question.
"Her heart belongs to a mutant man of some power, I am to understand. And he loves her in turn. But she worries that her sister, an exile as well, will not approve of the match. As it stands, I believe they're still a rutting pair as well. Though she has some manner betrothed herself to the Thunderer."
*
Lorelei chews on the stem of that thing, inadvertently appearing almost comically like Audrey Hepburn in the process. She looks at Crystal's image, scowling as it is no doubt burned into her memory. "These 'mutants' and 'inhumans,' then, they're rivals somehow? Competing kingdoms, one rising and one falling? Or something else? These Midgardians are too complicated in their politics, at times."
"So thus if I understand you - this Crystalia fears that her exiled sister will disapprove of her wedding our dear stallion of the storms - and still loves this 'Mutant.' Is it Crystal or this as-yet-unrevealed sister who lays with the mutants? I'm sure you understand," Lorelei adds, "how /important/ it is to make sure you have - what's the expression - have 'all of the facts straight.'"
*
What might have been an amused smile remained painted on Amora's features, but it did not reach her eyes, much less bloom to its full strength. It was merely a memory of what once danced upon her red lips. "No, these mutants are a natural occurring… element to the mortals here. They have powers and some are of great skill. These 'Inhumans' seem to come from a kingdom named Attlian.. I know not where it is on Midgard, I have yet to bother." She waved a hand and the image was gone.
"But she and her sister are exiles, even though she claims her sister is Queen I have yet to see a crown. As a result she wants to marry the Thunderer to gain Asgard's armies in support to reclaim the Kingdom I believe." A shrug followed /that/.
"And Crystal is rutting with the mutant, the mortal.. ah, I forget this name. Either way, she is the one in love with some mortal and he in turn loves her. And yes, the Thunderer is aware of it.."
*
Lorelei considers this for long moments.
"Does he prefer that sort of a situation? Or is he simply willing to spend our blood and treasure for this Midgardish misfit chiefdom? Does this Crystal have charms of seduction, or is this some trick of a hidden party?"
*
A shrug followed as Amora picked up her ice cream again and dipped the spoon into the bowl idly. "I know it not exactly, merely that he's promised to lend Asgard's aid to the recoverment of her sister's Kingdom. Which, has /nothing/ to offer the realm Eternal, I might add. Tis a little kingdom here on Midgard, not even the entire realm. Willing to risk Asgard's troops in some childish Princess. And no, she has zero skills in seduction. I checked. The woman lacks all magic though she claims some elemental powers. She has no trickery and no power over the Thunderer."
Another shrug, and Amora helped herself to more ice cream. "Honestly it makes little sense to me politically, nor romantically. She's not ugly per say, but even Sif looks better than she. So it cannot be her looks that attracted the Odinson. I know not what brought the two together." Another pause.
"Loki has a pet mortal too."
*
"If you shrug one more time I am going to put this cigarette out in your ice cream," Lorelei says, if with some amusement. She purses her lips at this new information, though, digesting it perhaps.
"Who is this Midgardian who has stolen /Loki's/ eye? Perhaps this is just a fad or a fancy, something they'll work out once the little mayflies lose their wings."
*
Amora hooked a golden brow upwards and took another bite of her ice cream. "Scarlett. Another mutant born. She has some considerable power. Loki started to train her in the magical arts, and I suspect has taken her to bed a few times. She's under his protection. Which, shockingly is not the first mortal woman he's claimed that to." She tilted her head to the side.
"And she even journeyed to Asgard when he was in prison, playing at Crystal's handmaiden. She has red hair too.." She mused faintly, gesturing at her sister's locks. "As far as I've been able to ascertain Loki is playing with her, but the poor girl is utterly in love with him."
*
Lorelei laughs briefly and nastily. "Well, she's in for a surprise, isn't she? I'd feel bad…"
"But I won't," Lorelei concludes.
"But he's taking her as an apprentice? This really does seem more and more like a fad, Amora darling. How long do you think it will last?"
*
Amora waved a hand in lieu of a shrug this time, picking up her spoon and stirring the bottom of bowl up. "Well till Scarlett dies or Loki grows bored. Either is possible. He has a taste for mortals after spending a century here. And now that he is Midgard's protector, he has every right to remain down here and play at the hero while the Crown Princes mucks up diplomacy for the Nine Realms. I do look forward to seeing /that/ explode." She murmured, tilting her head to the side.
"As far as the case with the Princess? Who can say, the golden Princes of Asgard is nothing if not stubborn in trying to have what he has been told he cannot. Frankly, I'd rather see the little mite squished with the rest.. but oh well.." She finished off her ice cream and set the spoon aside.
"Perhaps he will find another mortal to fawn over. Lady Sif apparently has been bedding the son of Satan? I know not exactly who he is, other than he owns a club with a library."
*
"Ugh. Do you mean an entertainment club or a sports club?" Lorelei asks after another consideration moment.
"Well, this has been terribly diverting," she continues, "and you've given me quite a bit to think about, Amora dear, but I fear I don't have much time to waste. I only wanted to be sure you weren't languishing too awfully in the toils of scribery. You'll call, of course, if you're truly imperiled?"
*
Amora settled back in her seat, "A club for dancing as the mortals dub the term. Vapid things.." She drawled, and touched a hand upon a quartz that hung from her neck from a wire woven clasp. "I am under the Norn-Queen's protection and power, Lorelei. I highly doubt, little sister that you would desire to gain /her/ eye?" Amora settled her arms under her bust, folding them over her waist as she reclined.
"Are you planning to stay on Midgard? Sif, Balder, Thor, Loki, Hrimhari, Fandral, and assorted others have taken the time to visit. I'm sure they'd just /adore/ your company." She opened up the black book again, turned to the last page and pulled out a card, and a pen, and scribbled down an address.
"I'm sure you can work out Midgard's system for where their abode resides?"
*
"/Yes/, Amora," Lorelei huffs, straightening up as she looks at the address. "I am not /simple./"
With that she rises upwards and tosses her hair back. "I will leave you, then, to your books and your scribing and your 'strawberry ice cream.' I'm sure we'll see each other again afore long, sister. Try to keep your chin up."
*
Amora arched a golden brow upwards. "Considering you've been gone for the past few centuries, how else am I to assume your directional ability, little sister? Do stay in touch more often than a few centuries, hmm?" She eyed her sister as the woman rose and tossed her hair back and she propped up her chin with a hand.
"Have fun, darling, playing with the mortals. I know you do so love the attention."
*
"Hmf!" is Lorelei's last word as she starts to saunter down the avenue. A few paces away and the dog reappears, seeming not too startled by this particular turn of events… this time.