eachdraidh | ( video: open, both courts. )

[ appearances are important, he knows — everything, almost — and fairies and their ilk aren't known for any dedication to being either honest or straight forward.

so: he's been here long enough to have worked out how the locket works, and to have decided on how he wishes to appear. "as himself" — in a manner of speaking — is easy and simple enough, and this is not the place for tantrums and demands. that had all occurred earlier, when he'd realised where he wasn't and that he could not leave. that he'd lost — again, momentarily — what was, finally and rightfully his. he's not willing to commit to an assumption one way or the other as to the presence of thor or any of the so-called "avengers", so—

there's a drawn-out silence, whilst loki's gaze runs pointedly over the locket, eyes narrowing briefly; he looks very much as if he's considering something and, at length, he lets out an audible, almost defeated sigh. it's punctuated by a brief raising of his shoulders in a lazy, almost arrogant shrug of sorts. ]

The Realm Between Realms. [ the corners of his lips twitch upwards in a brief facsimile of a smile. the utterance itself is dry, but with the barest hint of mocking, although who or what that's directed at isn't made clear. ] I admit, it's not quite where I expected to find myself, but given the alternative, I can't really complain. Perhaps one small act of redemption can do much more than one imagines, although— [ a momentary pause, hesitation gracing his features before giving way to another brief twitch of a smile (faintly amused). ] —it's no Valhalla. [ deliberate caution. after all, for all that anyone knew, after all, loki had died; only odin and thor now live.

silence again, and a fleeting glance away from the locket. ] There have been a few words, but Fair Folk tend not to be known for their dedication to honesty, and one has to be careful with what they say and how and to who, do they not? So if any truth [ wry, fleeting smirk. ] can be spared: it would be appreciated.

[ impressions can and often do tell more about a place than simple facts, and above even that, they speak more of the person holding them than anything else, and it's that that has loki's interest for the moment. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Redemption is a tricky matter no matter where you are. At least here there are gifts to tide us along.

[ Erik flexes his arm and there's a glint of scarlet; red gauntlets that cover his wrists. Of course he knows Loki has no idea what, exactly, they do, but they're handsome enough to be shown as prizes well earned. He's quite proud of the fact he barely did any work to get them, too, which is more than can be said for others he'd seen.

He leans back, switching the filter and tilting his head, watching this other man with a curious and interested gaze. Such fascination with how life and death might work here would, probably, worry other people -- it just makes Erik wonder. ] I'll admit I have no experience over their control of life, death or otherwise - no one I know, personally, has come back from the dead. [ Which is a good thing because if Shaw returned, came back and waved his smarmy fingers at Erik, he might lose control and destroy half the castle. ] But they have power.

[ This makes him pause. Admitting weakness is hardly his forte, exactly, but he purses his lips and leans forward, into the camera feed. ]

They can take and give powers beyond any imagining. This Queen ripped my gift from me and tried to crush my skull with her fingers and nothing else. They should be watched.

[ loki's attention shifts to the gauntlets momentarily — he doesn't know what they are precisely, beyond that they're of value to their owner and that he's showing them with the intent to impress. as such, then, loki's expression reflects a brief measure of curiosity, but it's deliberately fleeting. after a moment, he nods — not at the gauntlets, but at the remark following; it's good — worth — noting that their power doesn't, perhaps, truly extend to the dead. nevertheless— ]

Your "gift"? [ because really. that needs addressing before he touches anything else. ]

[ Erik raises an eyebrow; of course that is what he focuses on. Who wouldn't? He moves, leaning back, and before Loki's eyes a coin begins to dance around his fingers, twirling itself as if there was a magnet in Erik's hands. ]

Mutation.

[ his attention shifts — of course — to the coin, eyes following its movements with curiosity. it wouldn't be impressive in and of itself, not as such: magic permits for various tricks, after all, and the universe is large. but then: the word. loki's attention returns to erik, and the corners of his lips twitch upwards momentarily, before rounding and forming a soft 'ah'. it's not the same, but it's what he thinks of, what he knows: doctor banner. steve rogers. humanity attempting to improve and raise itself far above its rightful station with ill-advised science. ]

Cute trick. [ beat. ] And she took that from you?

It is more than just a trick. You should see the things a person could be capable of with mutation.

[ He leans forward, nodding. Of course he can't show Loki his lifting of submarines or gun control right now but, perhaps, another time. Instead he simply lifts a shoulder, absently. ]

She did, in her anger.

[ there's a hum at his first remark, but the second draws a smile, sharp and interested, and loki leans a little closer to the locket. (that it is nothing more than a trick compared to what others could do — that can be dealt with later), for now— ]

What did you do?

I told her the truth, that I wasn't her plaything and I wouldn't be her pawn.

[ He bites back his smirk, lifting a shoulder. ]

She doesn't take well to being given commands.

[ there's a flicker of acknowledgement, even appreciation to his expression. (though, he thinks, it tells him more of erik than it does the monarch.) ]

It's my experience that monarchs tend to take issue with dissent and disagreement, not simply commands.

I do not take orders from anyone.

[ He shakes his head, lips quirking. ]

If they bring us here they must understand that we aren't going to be idle cattle.

We. [ intoned with a huff of a laugh. ] Most are and will be.

Maybe I'm being optimistic. I'd like to think imagine that not everyone is a fool.

It would be nice to hope as much. [ the 'but' is left unsaid; it's evident enough that loki doesn't hold the same opinion. ]

I suppose kind like theirs have always been more like sheep than wolves.

One of humanity's defining traits, if you will.

That we can agree on, my friend.

[ a sharp, darting smile, then: ] Unseelie, I assume. [ almost a question, though it lacks the intonation. ]

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