Price of Magic
Fill for this prompt at norsekink
Loki crouched on the building ledge high above New York. He grinned to himself as he watched the mortals scurry about below him. He felt the air around him twist and his wards flared with the influx of magic as a gentlemen holding a cane and dressed in an expensive suit materialized into mid-air next to him. The other man brushed some imagined wrinkle from the French silk shirt and joined Loki on the edge of the building. He sat on the edge and swung his legs in the air as if they were a few feet from the ground and not 107 stories high.
“Good Evening, Mr. Laufeyson,” greeted the man. The newcomer had shaggy brown hair and eyes that never seemed to settle on just one color. His skin was deeply tanned and even had a slight golden sheen to it. When he spoke, his voice lilted between several accents and tones. Loki glanced to his left and took in the others appearance. He inclined his head towards him. “Good Evening to you, Mr. Gold.”
Gold smiled, his lips peeling back to reveal slightly pointed teeth. He reached into his suit pocket and produced a shiny, red, crisp, apple. “I brought you a present!” With a flourish, he held out the fruit to Loki. Without making eye contact, Loki held out his hand, and with a smirk, Gold placed the apple into the waiting palm. His smirk faded with the apple touched the other man’s skin and transformed from a red apple to a green one. Loki lifted the fruit to his mouth and took a bite.
Finally, Loki turned to face the other man. “I too, have a present.” With a flick of a finger a large bale of hay landed on the ledge next to Gold. “Maybe you can teach a peasant girl to spin this into golden thread, hmm? Then once she has something you want, you can swoop in and steal it from her. Isn’t that what you do, Gold? Make bargains?”
Loki stood in one fluid movement and stepped back onto the solid rooftop. He moved over and took a seat at the small table on the terrace. He motioned to the empty chair across from him. Gold slowly approached, sniffed the air, and took a seat. He helped himself to a plate of food and a glass of wine. He ate and drank for several long minutes before he looked up at his dinner companion. Loki was looking at him with thinly veiled disgust.
Gold sighed. “You are unhappy with me. Why? You know the rules, Loki. They are as they have ever been.” He held up one finger on each hand. “All magic has a price!” He laughed manically, and his eyes and skin seemed to waver towards a sickly metallic golden color. He cleared his throat and once more looked human. “And you know that better than most. ‘Hair dark as night, Lips red as blood, Skin white as snow’…wasn’t that the deal? You knew exactly what you were bargaining for. It’s not my fault that the spell took poor Fandral and made him fall in love with Snow White instead of you.”
Loki stood so fast the chair upended itself. “You tricked me!” He screamed. Gold smiled. “It was a fair deal, my prince. Fandral found his dark haired love, and I got the curse that I gave to the Evil Queen.” Gold ran his hands down his front, smoothing his suit jacket. He moved away from the seething God and gave a small wave. “Well, I should be off,” he glanced at his watch. “Poor Ella should be just about ready to pop! And I hate to be late to pick up my merchandise!”
Before he was able to move fully away, the Trickster lashed out and wrapped his hand around Gold’s throat. He gurgled in surprise. His magic danced along his skin, but was no match for the God. Loki lifted him up so his feet kicked uselessly in open air. He then brought their faces together so they were inches apart. “I shall ask you this once. Where. Is. Fandral?” Loki loosened his grip slightly. Gold wheezed. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean---agh!” Loki’s hand had started to turn blue and Gold resumed his struggles. “Ok! Ok! Maine! He’s in Story Brooke, Maine.” Loki grinned and Gold felt a chill in his bones that had nothing to do with the coldness of the hand around his neck.
Loki marched over and held Gold out over the edge. He muttered a spell under his breath and Gold felt his magic leech away. He started too truly panic. Loki couldn’t bind his powers for more than a few minutes, but he could temporarily block his connection to magic. “I spent some time reading the fine print of that contract that I signed. Did you know, Rumplestikskin, that all your deals and bargains become null and void in the event of your death?” Gold’s eyes widened and he kicked harder, but could not break the grip on his throat.
“Wait!! I can offer you another deal! A better deal! Anything you want!”
Loki smiled one more time. “No deal, Rumple. You know why? Because…this is my happy ending.”
He let go and listened to his former ally scream all the way down to the pavement below.
Loki crouched on the building ledge high above New York. He grinned to himself as he watched the mortals scurry about below him. He felt the air around him twist and his wards flared with the influx of magic as a gentlemen holding a cane and dressed in an expensive suit materialized into mid-air next to him. The other man brushed some imagined wrinkle from the French silk shirt and joined Loki on the edge of the building. He sat on the edge and swung his legs in the air as if they were a few feet from the ground and not 107 stories high.
“Good Evening, Mr. Laufeyson,” greeted the man. The newcomer had shaggy brown hair and eyes that never seemed to settle on just one color. His skin was deeply tanned and even had a slight golden sheen to it. When he spoke, his voice lilted between several accents and tones. Loki glanced to his left and took in the others appearance. He inclined his head towards him. “Good Evening to you, Mr. Gold.”
Gold smiled, his lips peeling back to reveal slightly pointed teeth. He reached into his suit pocket and produced a shiny, red, crisp, apple. “I brought you a present!” With a flourish, he held out the fruit to Loki. Without making eye contact, Loki held out his hand, and with a smirk, Gold placed the apple into the waiting palm. His smirk faded with the apple touched the other man’s skin and transformed from a red apple to a green one. Loki lifted the fruit to his mouth and took a bite.
Finally, Loki turned to face the other man. “I too, have a present.” With a flick of a finger a large bale of hay landed on the ledge next to Gold. “Maybe you can teach a peasant girl to spin this into golden thread, hmm? Then once she has something you want, you can swoop in and steal it from her. Isn’t that what you do, Gold? Make bargains?”
Loki stood in one fluid movement and stepped back onto the solid rooftop. He moved over and took a seat at the small table on the terrace. He motioned to the empty chair across from him. Gold slowly approached, sniffed the air, and took a seat. He helped himself to a plate of food and a glass of wine. He ate and drank for several long minutes before he looked up at his dinner companion. Loki was looking at him with thinly veiled disgust.
Gold sighed. “You are unhappy with me. Why? You know the rules, Loki. They are as they have ever been.” He held up one finger on each hand. “All magic has a price!” He laughed manically, and his eyes and skin seemed to waver towards a sickly metallic golden color. He cleared his throat and once more looked human. “And you know that better than most. ‘Hair dark as night, Lips red as blood, Skin white as snow’…wasn’t that the deal? You knew exactly what you were bargaining for. It’s not my fault that the spell took poor Fandral and made him fall in love with Snow White instead of you.”
Loki stood so fast the chair upended itself. “You tricked me!” He screamed. Gold smiled. “It was a fair deal, my prince. Fandral found his dark haired love, and I got the curse that I gave to the Evil Queen.” Gold ran his hands down his front, smoothing his suit jacket. He moved away from the seething God and gave a small wave. “Well, I should be off,” he glanced at his watch. “Poor Ella should be just about ready to pop! And I hate to be late to pick up my merchandise!”
Before he was able to move fully away, the Trickster lashed out and wrapped his hand around Gold’s throat. He gurgled in surprise. His magic danced along his skin, but was no match for the God. Loki lifted him up so his feet kicked uselessly in open air. He then brought their faces together so they were inches apart. “I shall ask you this once. Where. Is. Fandral?” Loki loosened his grip slightly. Gold wheezed. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean---agh!” Loki’s hand had started to turn blue and Gold resumed his struggles. “Ok! Ok! Maine! He’s in Story Brooke, Maine.” Loki grinned and Gold felt a chill in his bones that had nothing to do with the coldness of the hand around his neck.
Loki marched over and held Gold out over the edge. He muttered a spell under his breath and Gold felt his magic leech away. He started too truly panic. Loki couldn’t bind his powers for more than a few minutes, but he could temporarily block his connection to magic. “I spent some time reading the fine print of that contract that I signed. Did you know, Rumplestikskin, that all your deals and bargains become null and void in the event of your death?” Gold’s eyes widened and he kicked harder, but could not break the grip on his throat.
“Wait!! I can offer you another deal! A better deal! Anything you want!”
Loki smiled one more time. “No deal, Rumple. You know why? Because…this is my happy ending.”
He let go and listened to his former ally scream all the way down to the pavement below.