A/N: Never had so much trouble making a title for a story. This is only a temporary name until I come up with something better (any helpers? lol) so don't get too attached to this title if possible. :P I had been dying to do a Lokane fanfic for the longest time but lacked the right inspiration. A few weeks ago at work I was finally hit with some inspiration. I had watched The Swan Princess (because why not?) earlier that day before I went to work. While on the job, I couldn't get "Far Longer than Forever" out of my head and that's when Lokane came in. There was just something so attractive about the idea of Loki being the dark sorcerer obsessed with our girl, Jane. It's not gonna follow the story of The Swan Princess or the original Swan Lake tale that much but I will through in some parallels or references to it once in a while if I feel it flows well with the story.

Wings of Glass

Chapter 1: What Makes a Prince


The north star had completely disappeared from sight. Jane sat by the window of her small cottage, sighing a bit as she gazed up at the miles high marble walls of Odinson Castle. Things had been so different- peaceful before they had arrived. They had arrived on the day where they had celebrated fallen warriors once a year. That was when the Frost Giants had arrived. At least thirty of the villagers had died that day and more than half of their homes had been destroyed...all because the Frost Giants had been chasing them. Those strange beings had inadvertently led those monsters right to their doorsteps.

They introduced themselves as gods. And with strength and power such as theirs, who wouldn't believe they were anything less? Their quiet village had not had a ruler in over ten years since King Stark had passed without a single heir. Though, Jane's people had been awed by these godly beings, she was among the few who felt her fear nearly outweigh the awe for these gods could just as easily turn their strength and rage on them. She was pulled out of her thoughts when her door was slammed open and shut just as hard.

Jane raised her eyes skyward, summoning all the patience she could muster. "Darcy, one day you're going to yank that door right off of its hinges," she chastised.

Darcy snickered. "You mean like Thor did the first time he came to visit?"

Jane stood up sharply, closing her book and holding it to her chest as she crossed the room.

"It was nice of him to fix it for you even if it did take him a few tries since he used way too much force with Mew Mew." Darcy grinned at the memory.

"Mjolnir," Jane corrected. She shook her head in frustration. "What do you want, Darcy?"

"That attitude is precisely why I've come," Darcy stated, pointing a finger in Jane's direction. "You, Jane, need to relax, which is why we're attending tonight's festivities," she stated matter-of-factly.

The sound of cheers, laughter and music was heard softly in the distance right a that moment.

"They've already started. Let's go!" Darcy exclaimed, yanking on Jane's arm.

Jane yanked her arm free and rolled her eyes. "Those gods or whatever they claim to call themselves really have nothing better to do than throw these parties each night. They should be focusing on real issues within the kingdom not getting drunk off their asses all the time."

"Oh, come on. At least they don't have us pay taxes."

"Taxes or no taxes we've lived peacefully without rulers for over ten years," Jane insisted, walking across the room to place her book back on the shelf, her finger running along the spines of each until she grabbed another one and flipped it open, her eyes running over each word meticulously.

Darcy pouted. "Jaaane," she whined. "I don't want to go alone."

"You should go," came Erik's voice from the next room. He rubbed at his sleep-encrusted eyes. "There's no reason a young woman shouldn't be allowed to have fun once in a while. You're always so caught up in your studies. Take a load off. Go relax and enjoy your youth while you can."

Jane blinked. "What? No. Erik, they woke you up again with their racket, didn't they? Ugh!" Jane glared in the direction of the loud music. "Oh, I'll attend their party alright but it will be to give them a piece of my mind," she hissed through grit teeth.

Erik rubbed at his right eye a bit and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's not necessary. I've gotten used to it." He waved his hand in dismissal. "Besides, it will give me the chance to make more star charts."

"Erik, don't you see that you don't have to get used to behavior like that? Having wild parties every night is ridiculous!" Jane tossed her arms up into the air in exasperation. "I'm going to have a talk with Thor."

Before Erik could respond, Jane was already marching out the door, walking down the dirt covered road. She could hear Darcy somewhere far behind her, yelling at her to wait up. They arrived at the town square to find a ring of people dancing and merrily drinking the night away. Jane could spot Sif leaning against a tree, watching unimpressed as Jane's ex-lover Don tried to woo her. Volstagg was at the table devouring one turkey leg after another with gusto. Jane's gaze perused the area, falling on Fandral sitting on the table opposite of Volstagg with both arms around two comely women. He was whispering all sorts of naughty things from the giggles the women gave him. Finally, Jane's eyes fell on Thor who had been pulled into the human dance ring to dance with a blonde curly-haired woman.

Thor laughed as he twirled the woman around, appearing to be having a grand time for all of one minute until his eyes locked with Jane's over the crowd. He quickly disentangled himself from the woman, the shine in his cerulean blue eyes and pure pleasure on his face seemed to be all for Jane. He easily pushed two people aside to reach Jane in three quick strides. He took Jane's hand in his, lifting it to his mouth, drawing her ever closer to him. His chin stubble scraped against her skin lightly as he kissed it.

For a moment Jane was flustered as he beamed down at her from his impressive height.

"Jane! I'm so glad you could join us. You must dance with me."

Jane tried to control the blush that seemed to always plague her whenever he was around. It's as thought her mind and her body weren't connected the moment she laid eyes on Thor. Oh, how she wanted to be angry and annoyed with him. Focus, focus, she reminded herself.

Jane pulled her hand free, taking a step back and letting out a shaky laugh as she did so. She pushed back her hair away from her face before finally meeting his gaze.

"I'm not umm...I'm not a very good dancer." She cleared her throat before Thor could protest. "Anyway, I only came to tell you that the loud music is disturbing Erik's and others' sleep. I'm not saying you can't throw parties, they just shouldn't be every night. I don't know how things are done in Asgard but there's a certain level of respect and consideration one must give to their neighbor."

Thor stared down at her, blinking in surprise. "Oh...I hadn't considered how others would feel. I only wished to provide a merry time for my subjects."

"Well, as long as we have an understanding, good night," Jane murmured, curtsying slightly before turning to walk off and bumped straight into a very solid chest.

She glanced up and immediately regretted it. Standing before her was Thor's younger brother. Though, Loki rarely attended Thor's parties, when he did there was always chaos. He was constantly pulling cruel pranks left and right. He had yet to pick on Jane but it was only a matter of time. Jane would not give him a reason to turn his twisted sense of humor on her.

"Well said, Miss Jane. I can never get my brother to listen to reason." Loki smirked. "But you seem to hold his attention quite...effectively."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "Loki," he warned.

"Relax, brother. I find it quite...cute that you've set your sights on this small mortal woman."

Jane rolled her eyes. She had had enough for one night. She didn't need to be talked about as if she wasn't even there and she wasn't entirely sure if she even wanted a god's attention...even if her traitorous heart did do funny things whenever Thor was around.

"I have to be going," Jane murmured, trying to side-step Loki but he only mirrored her movement. She frowned and tried to go around him again but Loki merely imitated her once more. Loki grinned down at her. "Please move."

"Why not stay, Jane? Who knows? Chances are you might be lucky enough to warm at least one god's bed tonight," he murmured darkly.

Thor growled, stepping in between Loki and Jane. "That's enough!"

"You take everything far too seriously, Thor." Loki seemed amused. "But clearly, you must know when a woman is not in the mood to dance. She probably already has a lover. Must be quite a skilled one too if she prefers his attentions to that of a god's. I can always escort the lady home if she wishes."

Jane glared at him, fists clenching at her sides. She was not going anywhere with him and judging by the look on his face, it seemed he was actually serious about his offer oddly enough. She whipped around to face Thor, leaving him utterly surprised by her look of determination.

"I changed my mind. I would love to dance with you," she announced.

Thor's face lit up. "Excellent!" He bowed deeply, taking Jane's hand once more.

He pulled her into the human dance ring before Jane had the opportunity to change her mind once more. Thor twirled her around and for once Jane just went with it and completely lost herself in the music. They moved back and forward until their chests were nearly touching. During every half circle they made around each other, their left hands met palms up before switching to their right. Jane smiled when she met Thor's warm gaze, biting her lip a bit as she did so. She could see the flame from the torches reflected his eyes. After the longest moment of openly gawking at Thor, she extracted her gaze from his in favor of observing the crowd.

She caught Loki's dark gaze over the crowd momentarily before focusing once more on her and Thor's hands joined together palms up. There was just something completely unsettling about that man. They had barely spoken more than five words to each other in his entire stay on Midgard. What was his problem? Why was he acting in such a way with her? Despite doing her best to ignore him, from time to time she could feel him watching her from the shadows as she and Thor danced. Jane yelped when Thor raised her off the ground. Her hands immediately grasped at his shoulders.

Thor chuckled. "Whata tiny thing you are."

"That's what I get for not doing as my mother had bade me by eating my vegetables when I was younger," Jane mumbled.

Her fingernails dug into his shoulder as he spun her around quickly in mid-air before setting her down on her feet once more just as the music came to a halt.

"Did I hurt you? I dug my nails pretty hard." Jane rolled her eyes at herself. "Wait, of course not. You're a god. Of course I can't hurt you," she babbled.

Fandral waltzed up them, all smiles as the two women from earlier clung to him.

"Very true, girl. Even if you did scratch him up, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind some scratches on his back, eh, Thor?" He winked.

Jane blinked, surprised to find that Thor's cheeks were pink. "Fandral," he said warningly. "You're just as bad as Loki."

Fandral tossed his head back and laughed. "You know I only tease. Now, ladies, let's head back to my chambers, shall we?"

Jane stared at Fandral's back in irritation. "You can't take him anywhere, can you?"

"Fandral has always been...Fandral," Thor replied lamely, shrugging his large shoulders. "He is a man. Not all men can quench their thirst with just a single woman."

"Can you?" Jane breathed out before she could think. She blushed as she realized what she had just asked her king. "I'm- I'm sorry..." She shook her head. "That was inappropriate. I don't know why I asked that. I-I should really be heading home now." She did a quick curtsy. "I enjoyed dancing with you. Truly. Good night."

Before she could run off, Thor had taken hold of her wrist, effectively immobilizing any further movement away from him.

"I like your directness," Thor murmured, his eyes alight with adoration. "That curious and brilliant mind of yours always astonishes me. Feel free to ask me any question you like." He raised her hand to his lips. "To answer the aforementioned question...yes, it is difficult for me to remain with one woman."

Jane lowered her head in disappointment. Why should she have expected otherwise?

"It's...difficult for me to explain but I feel different when I'm with you. Other women no longer interest me. You interest me Jane," Thor stated sincerely.

Jane's eyes widened. "His Majesty-

"Thor," he corrected, his eyes alight with amusement.

"...Thor, I don't..." 'I don't know if I can believe you' her mind whispered.

That was when Darcy came running up to them with two cups of mead in hand, dropping some of it splashing onto the ground.

"Jane! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Darcy caught sight of Thor and their current position. She managed a quick albeit clumsy curtsy, knocking her elbow into a passerby and tripping someone as she did so. "Your Highness. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's alright," Jane assured, pulling herself free from Thor's grip. "I was just leaving. I think Erik will probably need help with the maps. I'll go assist him."

Darcy balked. "But-but the party!" she sputtered.

Jane patted her shoulder as she walked by, doing her best to avoid looking back at Thor. "Enjoy yourself, Darcy. You can tell me all the scandal and gossip about it tomorrow," she mumbled.

Jane took a deep breath as she marched forward in the direction of her home, Thor's words replaying over and over in her mind. Her shoulders trembled at the cold night air. Jane reached up and frowned. Where had her shawl gotten to?

'No matter. I'm home already.'

Jane could see the warm amber light emanating from her cottage window.

"You dropped this back there."

Jane gasped as she whirled around to find Loki smiling down at her deviously.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Jane's hand fisted over her chest momentarily before dropping it back to her side. "What are you doing here?"

Loki narrowed his eyes as he drew closer to her. "You toss formal titles in Thor's direction all the time but when I turn up, your manners are no where to be found. Why is that?"

Jane jutted her chin out in defiance. "You've done little to nothing to hold my respect. Though, you may carry royal blood, you sir, do not act as a prince should."

"Oh, and what is a perfect example of a prince in your opinion since you seem to be an expert when it comes to royalty," Loki hissed scathingly. "Thor no doubt?"

Jane froze, considering his question for a moment. "He...is. He's a proper gentleman."

Loki grasped her chin in his hand, sharply forcing her eyes to meet his. "You have an awful lot of courage for such a small woman. You may be a favorite of Thor's but rest assured that I am not nearly as merciful as my dear brother. Continue to defy me and I'll punish you in the best way I see fit. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Jane murmured, starting to get uncomfortable with how hard he was holding her chin.

"Good." Loki slowly released her, seeming pleased with her discomfort. "Now are you off to bed for a good night's rest...or are you waiting on my brother to join you later?"

Jane felt her face rush with anger. "I don't appreciate the lewd comments. Even if he was, why would you care?"

Loki shrugged. "To be honest, I never cared who my brother's conquests were...but you..." He grasped a strand of her hair, long fingers delicately gliding along it until it reached the tip. "For you I must make an exception." His eyes hardened. "Whatever fantasies you've entertained, you will put a stop to it immediately. He'll only break your heart. I've seen it all many times before in my lifetime. Whatever interest he has in you, it won't last. It never does."

Jane stood there stunned as Loki continued to hold her strand of hair. Her mouth opened and closed a few times.

"How...how can you be so sure?"

"No one could know him better than his own brother." Loki smirked, finally releasing her hair. "Warm his bed if you must but don't do the human thing and..." He made a face of utter distaste. "...let your emotions rule you. Falling in love with a god would be a most fool hardy thing to you. I'm sure I can trust that you will think this through logically."

Jane gave him a steady look. "Rest assured, such a thing won't happen."

Even as she spoke these words, she felt her heart break a little.

Loki inclined his head. "Very well, then. I bid you a good night, Jane...Oh, before I forget." He wrapped Jane's shawl around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him with it. "Remember those words you just told me. They could be fatal if you break such a promise."

Jane nodded, unable to look at him as he released her. She watched him walk off for a moment, fading from sight just as quickly. She turned back to her door, hand poised over the door. He was the God of Mischief as well as the God of Lies. Lying should come to Loki as easy as breathing. She shouldn't believe a word he said but his advice had sounded fair enough. Jane did not want to get her heart broken again. Her last relationship had been with Don but that had quickly gone up in flames. When it came to relationships, she didn't have the best luck. If she and Thor were to make an attempt at a relationship, it would not end well.

Jane sighed as she pushed her door open and slipped inside to find Erik fast asleep at his work table, hand still poised with a quill pen. She smiled and shook her head as she removed the pen from his hand and deposited it back into its ink pot. She grabbed the blanket she had left by the window to wrap it around Erik's shoulders. She took one final forlorn look at the giant walls of Odinson Castle. Her north star really was gone and nothing would ever be the same again.

A/N: I know it's not as long as my usual chapters from other fics I've been but this just seemed like a natural stopping point. I know this first chapter didn't have a ton of Lokane in it but that will change in the following chapters. Super excited to finally be writing this story. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Plz R/R if you want me to continue.