video @L.Mills

[thestoriesarereal]

[The video turns on with Lucy smiling and then giving the camera a wave.]

I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day.

Also, all the Valentine's Day chocolate should be marked down, perfect time to get a lot of chocolate and candy.

[The video feed ends there, but she is a clever girl and thought this would be a better way to address those she left a valentine's day card and various candies for.]

For Emma

For Victor

For Nico

For Jefferson

For Older Loki

For Stan

For Younger Loki

For Laura

[And for Ivar for when he comes back.]

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ Not at all. Especially when Loki is sporting a green tunic and slacks, but still looks vaguely ethereal and out of place. He spots her easily, heading her way. ]

Lucy Mills, I presume?

[thestoriesarereal]

Yes, that's me...

[Looking up at the God, he really is pretty. The color green looks beautiful on him, and he is a lot taller than she would've guessed. Nearly forgetting her manners, she is quick to curtsy and bow her head as a sign of respect.]

It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I have the stories and can't wait to tell you about them.

[dothelokimotion]

[ His eyebrows go up slightly at the curtsy, his eye alight with good humour. ]

Yes. Perhaps I should have come to you from the start.

[thestoriesarereal]

But that's okay! You're here now and I can go over these stories with you. Starting with one of my favorites... [She shows him the book of Cinderella.]

We can sit down on the bench, if you want. Or, I could stand and read it to you. It doesn't have too many pictures, so no need to look at them or anything.

[dothelokimotion]

Sitting seems more polite.

[ And he does, smoothing over the creases in his clothes. ]

Cinder-Ella?

[thestoriesarereal]

[Lucy follows his lead, sitting next to him and opening her book.]

It's one word: Cinderella.

Now, depending upon the version of the story, the details will be different. And in my world, my mom is Cinderella, but her story is nothing like this. But, I thought this would be a good starting point.

[And she starts to read him the story of Cinderella.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Cinderella sounds like a terrible name but Loki keeps that to himself as he listens attentively. ]

[thestoriesarereal]

[So Lucy starts on the story, how Cinderella had a mother and a father, but then her mother died...she goes over each word of the story, trying to keep things upbeat and not too dramatic.

Plus, she wants Loki to understand the details and doesn't rush at all. By the time she's done, she looks up at him.]

There's another version of this story too, and it has songs to it, but I thought this would be the best way to introduce you to fairy tales. So, what did you think?

[dothelokimotion]

It is interesting. Very linear.

You said this is your mother?

[thestoriesarereal]

Well, sort of. So in my world, just like there are other worlds, my mom is Cinderella. Except, her story isn't exactly the same.

[And so Lucy starts to explain what happened: how her mother had two step sisters, except one nearly died. How her step-mother didn't like her, and how Cinderella--Ella, went to the ball to kill a prince because he stole her father's kingdom. But she didn't kill the prince, instead she left and fell in love with her father, an Author.

And how they all banded together to bring down the evil step-mother.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Were fairytales meant to be this complex? Loki knows his mythos has a life of its own, but they didn't involve this many plot twists. ]

A rather long tale.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ Welcome to her world. ]

Yeah, it’s complex and my Dad’s story is even more complex. But, people are never simple. They’re not one dimensional, they’re complex and so are their stories.

[dothelokimotion]

And yet the stories rarely seem to capture that.

[thestoriesarereal]

Yeah, and it depends upon who the author is and what they want to capture.

[dothelokimotion]

I am familiar with that.

[ Loki, after all, has had many stories written about him. ]

[thestoriesarereal]

Then you understand.

[ She looks up at him, offering a smile. ]

There’s always more to someone than what’s printed on paper. Things—stories that the writer didn’t capture. That’s how it was for my grandma, Regina. She’s known as the Evil Queen, but she’s come a long way from being that.

[dothelokimotion]

I have more than a passing familiarity with stories and the way they change.

[ Even if some labels stick. ]

[thestoriesarereal]

Then...you know how hard it is to change people's minds about something.

But, there is magic in my world, and those fairy tales are real.

[dothelokimotion]

Of course.

[ Some things last forever. ]

But it seems as though these people are not immortal. How did they survive for so long?