Work Text:
Taking a deep breath, you raise your hand up to the large wooden door, and knock three times consecutively. A small raspy voice calls ‘Enter’ and so you gently push open the door to the Prince’s private chambers.
Loki was laid in bed, his eyes closed, but you could tell he wasn’t sleeping, or even relaxing. He was scowling slightly, no doubt you think, from the pain he was currently feeling.
Lady Eir, Asgard’s head healer, had already informed you all you would need to know of the Princes condition. He had caught a virus from one of his visits to a neighbouring realm, and his body was fighting violently against the illness. Loki would be exhausted, not wanting to eat or even move, but Eir had insisted that you insure the young Prince does not stay in bed, and help him to stretch his legs.
Thinking back to all the times you had seen Loki in the palace, you didn’t think that would be much of a problem. He was always doing something, whether it was a meeting, research, advising … It is no wonder that the small illness had resulted in the Prince also gaining a fever. He had tried to continue his normal routine, but his body had obviously put a stop to that.
“Good morning Your Highness.”
On hearing your voice, Loki raises his pale face, his bloodshot and bruised eyes frowning at you from where you were curtseying at the entrance to his room.
“You’re not Lady Eir …” Loki murmurs.
You do not immediately reply, but instead look at the young Prince closely, wanting to make sure that Loki was not having some fever induced delusion.
Eir had had to suppress a small laugh when she had told you that Loki had once believed her to be Thor when she had entered his chambers. You hadn’t believed it to be amusing at all, but Eir had merely waved off your concern, informing you that the Prince had a wonderful sense of humour. You hoped she was right on that account …
Loki continues to frown, so you walk forward, and give the Prince a small smile.
“No, Your Highness. I am her assistant, I’ve come to …”
“Where is Eir?” Loki interrupts, grunting as he sits up. You could see from where you were stood that the Prince needed a bath. His clothes were sodden with sweat, and he looked uncomfortable.
You tear your gaze away from the Princes chest before you are caught staring, and clear your throat. “She is indisposed Your Highness. It would seem that this illness is more contagious than we originally thought.”
Loki shakes head, appearing to be exasperated. “I warned her …” He murmurs, scolding his friend, but you do not hear anything real heat behind his words.
The Prince pushes back the covers with shaking hands, and slowly swings his legs over to the side of the bed, and rests his feet on the floor. You move further into the room, worrying that Loki trying to stand by himself could lead to even further injury. The Prince looked absolutely awful …
Suddenly, Loki’s green gaze turns to you, and you blush. The Prince’s face breaks out into a small smile, and you quickly move to stammer an apology.
“Forgive me Your Highness, I had not meant to speak that out loud.”
“I do not doubt that I look awful …” Loki jests, moving to stand.
“Your Prince, please allow me to examine you first.” You quickly reply, moving over to Loki and placing a hand on the Prince’s shoulder. He was hot and clammy, and you could feel the sweat drenching his sleeping clothes. When Loki looks confused, you continue “I need to see if there is any improvement from yesterday.”
You gently examine the Prince, checking his pulse, looking into his eyes …
Loki remains silent for this entire process, and you think it must be a testament to how ill the Prince truly was. You had been warned by Eir that Loki liked to jest, after all, he was the Trickster. But here he was, completely silent, and barely appearing to be awake as he swayed slightly sitting on the edge of his huge bed.
You stand back, nodding to yourself and mumbling under your breath. You needed to remember everything, as Lady Eir would want a full report on the Princes progress.
“Do you often speak under your breath like that?” Loki questions, with a small smirk.
Maybe you had spoken to soon …
“Yes.” You reply immediately, still frowning as you examined the Prince’s face. His eyes were dilated …
“They say that it is a sign of madness.” Loki continues, and you could tell from the Prince’s face that he was teasing you.
“Then we should get along very well …” You mutter quietly, as you turn to run a bath for the sweat drenched Prince.
If the Prince hears your response, he doesn’t comment on it, merely watching as you stroll into the adjoining washroom.
“Lady Eir usually helps me …” Loki mutters as you walk back into the room, obviously referring to his impending bath.
You try not to let your exasperation show on your face. Many people assumed that you were not truly a skilled healer, with you being so young, but you at least thought that an exhausted Loki wouldn’t comment on it. “I assure you Your Highness, I will be more than adequate to help you.”
Loki smiles, before allowing you to help him stand. He sways slightly, leaning into you for a quick moment before managing to right himself. Eir was right, the Prince was strong.
And stubborn, you add to yourself, as the Prince attempts to undress himself once you reach the filled bathtub. You roll your eyes, and quickly begin to help the Prince unlace his black cotton shirt, ignoring his questioning gaze.
“Have you done this before?”
“Yes Your Highness.”
Loki raises an eyebrow, amused at your quick response. You roll your eyes, careful however that the Prince couldn’t see your face.
“It is part of the training My Prince. Lady Eir had us bathe many sick and injured during my time training in the infirmary …” You drift off as you peel the sodden shirt from Loki’s body.
You stare. It wasn’t at all proper, and you had been telling the truth when you had told Loki that you had done this before, but you couldn't help it. Loki was ... well, beautiful.
“Is there a problem?”
Clearing your throat, you shake your head, and Loki actually laughs then.
As you undress the Prince, you notice old battle wounds, and can’t help but run your fingers over the slightly raised scars. The Prince doesn’t appear to notice your light touches, instead focusing much more on the awaiting bath. Clearly, he was as uncomfortable in his filthy attire as you thought he was.
Once the Prince is naked, you quickly hold out a hand, and help lower the man into the water. He lets out a filthy moan as he submerges himself, and you quickly turn to gather the clothes that littered the floor, scorning yourself internally for being so unprofessional. You were sure that Eir never ogled her patients …
“I have never seen you before …”
“I have only been here at the palace for two years Your Highness.”
“Two years?” Loki muses quietly, and even with your back to the Prince, you know that he was staring at you. “You’re blushing …”
You whirl your head around, ready to defend yourself, when you notice that the much cleaner and healthier looking Prince was trying to hold back laughter. Looking down at your dress, you notice what was so amusing …
Loki had managed to place two large wet handprints on your dress, directly near your chest.
You scowl at the laughing man before you, and suddenly in an unexpected moment of brazenness, you splash the Prince.
It is a tiny amount of water, merely what was dripping from your hand, but you stop dead immediately after, wondering what on earth had possessed to act so reckless.
Loki freezes, ceasing his laughter and looking at you with an expression that you couldn’t decipher.
You gulp “Your Highness, forgive me, I don’t know …”
The Prince suddenly throws his head back, his black curls falling over the side of the bath as he lets out peals of laughter.
“Are you laughing at me My Prince?” You ask, trying to remain serious and keep your own amusement at bay.
Loki nods, not at all trying to suppress his own laughter. “Yes.”
You let out a small laugh at that, before moving to collect a towel to dry the Prince. “I’m pleased that my foolishness is so amusing to you Your Highness.”
Loki remained in the bath for a long while, just soaking as you sat on a nearby stool. You were thankful for it, as from this angle, you could only see the Prince’s smiling face, and not his naked body.
You listen as Loki tells you about some of the other healers who had come to assist him, and you can’t help but smile and laugh along with the Prince as you wait to dry him. He looked so much better already; there was colour in his cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes that wasn’t there before.
After a while, you are sure the water must be cold, and so help Loki rise, and dry him swiftly. You disappear for a quick moment afterwards to collect some clean clothes, and then return to help dress the Prince.
“I’m glad I could be of assistance to you Your Highness.” You say as you help Loki get into bed. The maids would be here soon with food, and so you needed to bid farewell to the Prince. At least, for today. “And amuse you so …” You add when you notice that the Prince was still smiling.
“I assure you, my time with Lady Eir and the other healers is not nearly as entertaining as my time with you my dear.”
You try not to linger on the endearment, and instead you simply smile, and incline your head. “Until tomorrow Your Highness.” You reply, sinking into a curtsey.
“I look forward to it, my Dear.”
Your eyes widen, but Loki just smiles, appearing to be thoroughly amused, but thoroughly exhausted.
“Good night Loki.”
The Prince looks surprised for a moment, and ready to respond in his usual cheeky manner, but you do not wait for his reply, instead opening the door to the Prince’s chamber, and quickly making your way out into the palace corridor.
As you walk down the corridor back to the infirmary, you let out a squeal of childish abandon, and place a hand on your blushing cheeks. Damn that flirtatious Prince, and damn his beautiful … You quickly stammer an apology to a guard you had managed to walk into, and almost jog to get away from the confused man.
Although, Loki had been right about one thing, you were looking forward to tomorrow.