13677/Of Gods and Princesses

Of Gods and Princesses
Date of Scene:	28 July 2021
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	A quiet evening at the Embassy is turned interesting by the appearance of Loki, and he and Diana have a chat.
Cast of Characters:	Wonder Woman, Loki

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Wonder Woman has posed:
Evening has come, and most visitors to the Embassy have already filtered out. The hours of the Embassy do have some fluctuation to them, depending on a few different factors. One of those factors is the presence of the Princess of Themyscira herself. This evening, she happens to be present, and so the Embassy doors are yet unlocked. One of her Amazonian Sisters peeks into her office to check on her, to ask if she needs anything, but Diana simply gives a small smile and a shake of her head before shooing the other woman off with words of parting spoken in their native Themysciran. There are only one or two others who are left within the various rooms and offices of this floor of the Embassy, at this hour.

Shifting her position, Diana reaches out her left hand to pick up the cup of tea from where it sits on her desk. With it in hand, she crosses over to the door of her office before slipping off her high heeled shoes and then walking further, out to the main lobby. She wears a pair of charcoal grey dress pants and a crimson blouse with long sleeves that button at her wrists. The gauntlets she always wears can be glimpsed there, showing beneath the cuff of the sleeves. Keeping her cup of tea in hand, she walks partway along the wall to reach a old tapestry which she stops in front of to admire.

Loki has posed:
At this hour, it might be surprising if there were any visitors here. But there don't appear to be. Not to any senses that might be detected by the staff or Princess of this facility. And yet, when Diana walks across the lobby, there is a visitor here. His dark hair hangs in loose waves to his shoulders. His clothing consists of what appears to be leather, silk, and metal. Somewhat interwoven. His boots make not a sound on the floor of the embassy. Then again, he's standing still in one place so that stands to reason.

Standing still and looking at some of the Themysciran art. Actually, when Diana enters the room, he's running the fingers of his right hand over over a vase. Loki turns to glance at her, fingers still on the vase, when she walks to that tapestry. He's not precisely in line of sight until she's just about to the tapestry, but then he is. Caught. Red handed, as it were. As far as reading any sounds or emotions from him, he might as well not even be standing there.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The admiration of the tapestry happens for just a moment, and in somewhat sidelong fashion -- perhaps she'd caught a glimpse of him, across the room where he is. She lifts her cup of tea to take a sip of it, savouring the flavour of the silver needle brew that she's grown a fondness for. Her blue gaze shifts then, away from the piece of art that's centuries old and over to the fellow standing at the opposite side of the lobby from where she is. There's a brief glance that she gives to the vase that his fingers linger upon, and then her attention shifts back to him, looking him over.

Bare-footed, she turns and starts to cross the lobby towards him. Her stride is unhurried, her steps even, and her feet make little in the way of sound upon the cool marble floor. Once she's near to him, though not within his personal space, she stops. "Good evening," Diana offers in greeting, her voice accented with what sounds like Greek. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that he's taller than she is, though she's tall for a woman.

Loki has posed:
Curiously, Loki neither looks, nor acts guilty. Instead, he turns his very green eyes back to the vase and continues the stroke of his fingers down it's side. "I saw one very much like this one, many years ago," he says casually. His accent is also not from this country. Something British with a hint of Norway. It's curious, really, that accent. Very cultured and refined, as though he'd grown up amongst nobility. His posture reflects that as well. Very straight. Very correct.

At the bottom of the vase, Loki's fingers fall from it, and his hand drops as well. He clasps his hands in front of him, perfectly at ease to all intentse and appearances. "Good evening to you as well." Loki's words are accompanied by a smile. It even reaches his eyes and appears to be entirely genuine. "What a lovely place you have here," he says, a slight emphasis on 'lovely' as he looks around. His green eyes settle on the woman again. "Made all the lovelier by its hostess." Charming, to say the least. And he seems to be sincere. But it's hard to tell without being able to feel the emotions beneath the words. And Loki's like talking to a statue. There's no emotions there to read.

Wonder Woman has posed:
If he's done naught wrong, then there would be naught to look guilty for. A smile touches at the corners of her lips at his comment about the vase, and she tilts her head just a touch to one side. "Did you?" Diana asks, a touch of curiosity to the question. "Are you certain that this one is not that one that you saw?" she asks, one of her eyebrows faintly nudging up. The accent he has is, indeed, a curious thing. Similar to him, her own posture is straight and correct -- she grew up amongst nobility as well, and there's a certain bearing that grants a person.

Her gaze slips towards his fingers just as they fall away from the vase, and then shifts easily back to him. She takes a moment to glance around the lobby before her attention comes back to him, and a smile returns to her features. "It is most kind of you to say so, both on behalf of the Embassy and myself," she says softly, inclining her head slightly towards him as a smile tugs her lips. She keeps her tea in her left hand, then offers her right hand towards him. "Diana Prince," she offers, by way of introducing herself. She doesn't offer any titles for herself, just... her name.

Loki has posed:
A lot of people would consider touching someone else's artifacts to be wrong. Most owners of said artifacts would feel the same. Loki... is not one of those who considers it wrong. Afterall, the feel under the fingers is part of sensory pleasure when experiencing things. That certain bearing is very definitely a thing amongst those nobly, or better, born. And raised. "I am quite certain," he answers. "The images are not quite the same. And it was on Greece itself, not Themyscira." Which would explain why the images are different.

"Not kind," he corrects. "Simply the truth." Something he can be on the shady side of from time to time. He doesn't take up her right hand as she might be expecting. Oh no. There's the American way, and there's the Noble way. He takes her hand in his right, certain enough, but he doesn't shake it. Nope, he lifts that hand to his lips and presses a gentle kiss to the backs of her knuckles, his green eyes resting upon her eyes all the while. He straightens a moment later, though his hand lingers upon hers. "Loki Laufeyson," he replies to the introduction.

Wonder Woman has posed:
It would seem that Diana is of a similar mind to what he is, where artifacts are concerned. She doesn't seem to mind that he touches the vase. It is, indeed, a part of the experience. "There are often such differences between the designs used by the Grecian artists and those used by the Themysciran artisans. Yet there are similarities in the techniques used to make them," she says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. Her gaze lingers on him rather than returning to the vase, though. "The blue used is very slightly different, though it can be difficult to spot the difference for many," she adds.

There's nary a glimmer of emotion from him, and that's a rather curious thing while at the same time being peaceful. "Perhaps it is the truth that is kind, then," Diana says, a hint of amusement to her voice and a smile touching her lips. Though she's become accustomed to the American way of having her hand taken, she doesn't fuss at all to having her hand taken in the way that he does, for she's familiar with it as well. Her blue gaze lifts to meet his green one, and willigly so. She lets him take her hand, and she ducks her chin slightly as he places that kiss upon the back of her knuckles, allowing the contact to linger between their hands. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Loki," she says softly, watching him. "Was there something that I might help you with this evening?" she asks, a touch of curiosity rising to her voice. It's a natural enough question, after all -- it is an Embassy.

Loki has posed:
"Quite right you are," replies Loki, that charming smile in full effect now. "There's the barest hints of green in the blue used by Grecian artists. It makes the color quite rich." Loki's grinw idens. "Sometimes the truth can be kind. He keeps her hand for a few moments longer, then gently squeezes her fingers before releasing her hand. There's strength in those fingers. Strength, perhaps, to rival her own.

That is quite a natural question, but the answer appears to be no. "I was simply curious to know if the culture had changed." Whether it had or not, Loki doesn't elaborate. "And now that my curiousity has been satisfied, I shall bid you farewell. Take care, Diana Prince." He bows at the waist to her, a gentlemen down to his bones, and then turns and walks smartly out. Whistling a tune. A lullaby that had been popular on Themyscira when Diana was growing up. If she follows him out the door, she'll find he's simply.. vanished.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to compare a Grecian and Themysciran vase of similar age and style to one another. It is useful to know their differences when presented with a piece that could belong to either or, at first glance," Diana says, a smile tugging up the corners of her lips. The benefits of working at a museum means that she has access to a lot of old pieces. "There are times the truth is kind, and there are times when it can be many other things, as well." The glimpse of his strength that she's permitted when he gives her fingers that bit of a squeeze is noticed, and his own are given the slightest squeeze in turn before he releases her hand back to her, and she lowers her hand to her side.

"Many cultures change over the course of time, though the changes are oft brought about by external exposures or forces. Themyscira has been quite secluded for centuries, and so the changes have perhaps been smaller than what is likely seen in other cultures," Diana says in a thoughtful tone. One of her eyebrows raises a touch when he mention his curiosity is sated, and she inclines her head towards him. "Perhaps you will find yourself possessed of a new curiosity that will cause you to return," she adds, a smile touching the corners of her lips. She salutes him in the way of royalty of Themyscira would after he bows to her, and then she inclines her head towards him. "Farewell to you, Loki Laufeyson. 'Til our paths cross again," Diana says softly. Her gaze follows his movement as he turns to head out of the Embassy, watching until he's out of sight, and she tilts her head a touch to one side at the melody he whistles, hearing each note right up until he's vanished. And pleasantly surprised by it, as well.