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The evening of the middle of the week at the Asgardian 'Embassy' is often quiet. Currently with the two elder brothers out and tending to their matters with the Jotun and Queen Karnilla, it leaves only Loki in attendance and his 'entourage' is decidedly… smaller. Oh there is still the occasional hustle and bustle of various servants moving hither and yon. Some of the other Asgardians also tend to use the manor as a sort of base of operations. Yet the man known as Louis King, for him… it's a home of a sort.
His domain, currently, seems primarily to be the study. An ever full cart of liquor being the main draw for him at times, though he currently has made use of it to provide him with a snifter of brandy that he holds in one hand while moving out into the sweeping halls of the manor house.
It's down the way that he moves, pausing for a moment to consider an old portrait of one of the elder Wildensteins. He tilts his head to the side, considering the patriarch in his regal seated posture with an old hound dog at his side. For a moment Loki cocks an eyebrow and then lightly touches a fingertip to the portrait and suddenly the captured image is now that of Loki and the hound at his side is a rather dire wolf.
A small smile touches his lips as if such a change fit him, but then his attention is drawn towards the front door as something trips one of the wards he has in place.
*
This was not how Liv wanted to be spending her day, but events have left her feeling as though she really doesn't have a choice. Still dressed for her mundane day job — slacks and a warm sweater, with her hair caught up in a /normal/ braid rather than the collection of warrior's braids she favors in battle — she passes through the wards on her way to the embassy's front door.
Setting her jaw, Liv raises one hand to politely knock on the door, still not quite comfortable with the notion of assuming she is welcome and seeing herself in. In her other hand: a copy of the Bugle, rolled up tight.
*
That door opens and instead of a servant to ask her her business, there stands the younger of the Asgardian princes. Those green eyes meet hers and a rather calm smile is given as his eyebrow twitches upwards slightly. He gives her a once over as if trying to discern her presence and intentions simply by that casual glance. And then… he steps back, holding the door for her. "Sigrunsdottir."
He gestures inwards while still holding his brandy in his off hand, "Please, do come in. You are welcome here." Loki turns around and retreats back into the foyer, perhaps assuming she will indeed follow him and allowing her to close the door behind them.
*
When she sees Loki holding the door open, Liv's eyes momentarily go a bit wide. It's genuine surprise, and not at all unpleasant. "I — thank you," she replies, actually looking a bit flustered as she respectfully ducks her head and comes inside. She is not accustomed to princes holding doors open for her.
Once inside, Liv closes the door and turns to — yes — follow him into the foyer proper. "I apologize for coming so late in the evening all the same. Most embassies have hours," she notes with a wry, apologetic smile. She takes a few longer strides to catch up with him and, after a moment's hesitation, she unrolls the newspaper and offers it towards him, with the front page facing up. "But I, ah. I thought that perhaps it shouldn't wait."
*
"Well yes, but the time zone difference from Eastern to Asgardian is so staggeringly arcane. It's something akin to fourteen centuries? Best to just operate at all times." His lip twitches as if his own joke amused him, and really it does.
But he glances over his shoulder as she catches up, though he holds up his glass as he murmurs, "Care for something to drink? I assure you the bar is quite well stocked." Yet as he says that he continues down the hallway, pausing before a side room doorway that leads to what seems to be a comfortably furnished sitting room.
He'll await for her to enter the room first and then follow through, asking her curiously. "What couldn't possibly wait? Are you in danger?"
*
That's alright — the joke about time zones catches Liv off-guard enough that she can't do anything about the laugh that bubbles up out of her chest. "Suppose that's a fair point," she muses, developing a lopsided grin as she keeps pace after him. "A drink would be lovely, actually. Thank you."
Liv slips into the room ahead of him and, with permission given, heads straight for the aformentioned bar. She's not feeling picky about what she drinks, as long as it's something she'll actually notice.
"Not danger, but — I'm in the press," Liv replies with a wince, waving the paper at him. "Front page. They even printed my full name, it's… it's a lot more publicity than I'm accustomed to. And since I'm receiving it because the editor's daughter is the other person in that photo…" She offers him a tight smile. "When they come asking me questions, I'm trying to figure out what in the world I'm supposed to say."
*
"Ah," Loki's smile is tinged with a ghost of amusement as he steps towards the bar as well and then moves behind it. His own drink sits down with a faint clink of ice cubes even as he begins to bring forth a trio of bottles, one after the other and proffering them to her with a gesture akin to a presenter on a game show. Finally he sets down a glass with some ice and allows her to avail herself of something good. "You decided to become terribly heroic and have left your mark on the world, and now fret that it may not be the right sort of mark? Or that you may draw attention ill?"
The Asgardian prince looks askance towards her as he takes a sip of his own drink, leaning to the side to lounge against the bar. "Do you fear some sort of chastising from us, or do you more fear the change to your living arrangement as it stands?"
*
"The worst part is, I didn't even do the heavy lifting," Liv admits with a laugh, setting the paper down. She needs her hands free for the far more important matter at hand, inspecting the bottles curiously before she plucks one of the three from his hands with a quiet thank-you. "There were three others there who should be receiving the lion's share of the praise. They actually stopped the attack. All I did was end up in front of the photographers."
She pauses to consider the question as she pours her drink, her lips forming a tight, pensive line. "…both," Liv finally admits. "But I was hoping to avoid any chastising by finding out whether or not I need to keep my nature as someone from Asgard under wraps, should they ask. I wasn't expecting to be a public figure, but if it only effected me, I wouldn't be so…" She gestures awkwardly with both hands, searching for the right word.
*
Loki lounges there and his eyes follow her movements. He listens, taking the occasional sip of his drink and then making a small 'hm' of sound at her ending words. The glass sets down with a clink and he uses that free hand to gesture now as he points towards her. "You come before me at an interesting time,"
There's a glance towards the doorway as the trickster seems to consider some possible outcome. Yet then he looks back towards her, "You know it is staggeringly tempting to simply tell you, 'Oh do, please tell the entire world of us and then take the ensuing blame, leaving you to accomplish my wishes and take all the grief.'" He takes another drink and quirks an eyebrow at the now empty glass, as if how dare it not have more liquor.
But then he looks to her, "Yet that would be an ill use of you, and truly I would regret the damage. Also, it would be inelegant and I would not care for that either."
*
All of that, and Liv's grin doesn't even falter. Having a glass full of alcohol probably helps. She raises it in a salute at that last, with a chuckle. "I appreciate that. So. I'll keep that under my hat, then, shall I?" she asks, looking down into her glass a moment before bringing it up for a long drink. Well, then. Half-truths to the press it is.
Liv finds herself a free seat and settles down into it, both hands coming to loosely wrap around her glass. "That does have me curious, though. Is that something you're — " She pauses, corrects herself. " — we're ever going to tell them?"
*
With a proper pour, Loki's drink is refilled and he swirls around the liquor for a moment before pulling around one of the high bar stools. He hops onto it and now seems reasonably comfortable, allowing him to converse with her with an ease. "Probably for the best, though I am often loathe to tell someone exactly what they should do. I am always a fan of offering what one can, dissembling is not a good option."
He spreads his hands before him, palms flat upon the bar's surface. "As for revealing ourselves. Perhaps. Eventually. I have given it some thought and what could come of it. It could serve certain goals, could serve as a rallying point as well as a lightning rod." The slim Asgardian looks to the side, eyes distancing. "Some would argue for an eternal subterfuge and that also has aspects to speak in its favour. Yet an eventual revelation could also damage relations between the races irreparably."
*
"That's what I'm worried about," Liv sighs. "It's simple enough to lie by omission, if they ask. I've just always been this strong," she says in a light tone, almost a sing-song as she rolls her eyes towards the ceiling. "But I do worry about finding myself representing a group that I'm not actually a part of." Even if mutants could use some good PR, they should be getting it… you know. Themselves.
She gives her head a short shake. "I don't normally like being told what to do, but in this case? I asked." Liv offers Loki another smile and inclines her head. "So I appreciate it. Thank you."
*
There's a moment where Loki cants his head to the side, as if trying to look at Liv from another angle. His smile comes to the fore, and for once there's no edge to it, nothing like malice in his expression. Instead he's amused, intrigued, yet he is a creature of his nature so he offers her what he can.
"How about this, Sigrunsdottir?" Loki lifts his chin, "For now, I will appreciate if you hold your words on who we are, what we are doing here. I will consider it a personal favor and such is not to be taken lightly." That having been said he then offers further incentive. "If you do this for me, then in the future… should matters change… I will inform you before they do so and perhaps you can play your hand then in some suitable manner."
There's a pause as he tilts his head the other way, as if looking at her through a magnifying glass. "Does that suit?"
*
A personal favor? Liv can't keep her eyebrows from leaping up her forehead in surprise. Hell, she was going to do that anyway, but if the prince wants to sweeten the deal… who is she to protest?
The way he's studying her is pinging something in the back of the younger Asgardian's head, but Liv can't put her finger on it. So she does the sensible thing: she ignores it and has another drink, then grins over at him once again. "That's incredibly generous, in point of fact. I would say that definitely suits."
*
"Good," Loki sits up a bit and lightly claps his hands together, rubbing the palms as if to warm them, "It is always so pleasing when purposes are shared and dovetail together so." He looks to the side again to the doorway and then back towards her. "Had you any inclination to staying for the evening? I can have Helga prepare a room for you."
For a moment he looks back from the doorway and then pretends to catch a 'look' from her, "Liv, be more charitable. I am not making a pass at you. For shame for thinking such." He then waves a hand, "I just prefer to be able to drink freely without worrying about my drinking partner's future accommodations in the extremely likely event of my drinking them under the table."
*
Not making a —? Liv's eyes go wide and she sputters into her glass, nearly choking on her drink. She is not normally the sort to get flustered by comments like that, but she's not normally hearing them from Loki, either. So the prince is greeted to the rare sight of Liv Sigrunsdottir blushing furiously and hurriedly wiping her face with a sleeve as she tries to regain her composure.
At least, when Liv finally does have some composure back, that blush is accompanied by a massive grin. "Why, you… ah, no, no. Thank you. Home isn't too far from here — which actually reminds me! Apparently, you work with one of my neighbors," she muses, her eyebrows raising. "Miss Scarlett is an… interesting girl."
*
There is a reason why Loki, despite the occasional trick and taunt, was welcome around the campfires on campaign. He can make light, and can offer a glib off-handed remark that can change the tone of a morose camp so well. Not to mention that his smile is an infectious thing. He spreads his hands, "Very well then, very convenient that."
But then she broaches the topic of young Scarlett and he lifts his head slightly. "Ah yes, she is…" There's a moment as he cants his head to the side, "One of the strongest hopes or perhaps… representations of the potential that Midgard holds."
His brow furrows for a moment as he looks askance, "Perhaps the greatest benefit I've gained from spending such time here has been meeting these small pearls beyond price. The people amongst their own undiscovered."
*
Talk of Midgard's potential actually brings a brief cloud across Liv's expression, one that she immediately chases away by finishing off her drink. Perhaps one refill wouldn't be remiss — one more drink, and then she'll go home.
"I still don't know a great deal about her. Only that she introduced herself as someone who acts on your behalf," Liv says, her tone of voice thoughtful. There's no judgment in her voice as she says this, for good or ill. It's just a thing. "And that she knew a valkyrie's lullaby. That was an odd thing to hear someone humming in the hallway."
*
Lips parting with a small 'ah', Loki looks down at the bar top for a moment, his dapper suit making him seem like perhaps the world's best dressed bartender even as he ponders the words Liv's offered him.
"She does, indeed. For truly, is it not my due?" His lip curls as he looks up as if embracing the ego that is expected for one of the divine. But he takes up his drink and downs the brandy in one short sharp draw before he sets the glass down with another softer clink.
"You recall the tale of the All-Father, and of those of Vanaheim?" Assuredly she has heard it, but then again that does not stop him from elaborating albeit briefly. "How for a time he considered keeping our people apart lest his destiny subvert their own?"
Loki pushes his glass away as he starts to step around the bar. "I find that tale coming to the fore of my thoughts more and more of late."
*
The raise of an eyebrow and quirk of her lips probably suggests how serious Liv thinks Loki is being about 'his due'. He's been quick with a joke about so much tonight, why would he pick that moment, of all moments, to be sincere?
"I recall it. I can certainly see why it might be on your mind," Liv says with a tired-sounding chuckle, running one hand back over her hair as she draws in a breath. "Being here and watching them… change, watching them grow in the ways that they have, it's been…" She pauses, trying to decide on the right word.
She eventually settles on: "…humbling."
*
"Bah!" Loki crinkles his nose at Liv as he starts to walk across the room, heading towards the hallway once again. "Mortals. Humbling. Shame on you, Sigrunsdottir." Over his shoulder he looks and narrows his eyes at her, though his smile is wry and offered freely. "Shame."
And with that he steps out into the hallway, offering a small wave of one hand as he murmurs. "Enjoy yourself as you will, Liv. Just turn out the lights when you are finished. I bid good night to you."