Love Slave

by Beatriz Romero

Loki, overlord of the galaxy, is bored and looking for a little excitement at the local whorehouse. He finds a human girl who turns things around.

Author's Note: What am I doing? I'm just uploading stuff. Uploading all my WIP crap… why? Because I want you to see that I am writing, not what I should be writing… Like all the other stuff I have started… It's just that… at times, I sit and write and some ideas just won't leave me alone… and I just submerge myself in these other worlds… in these other stories… and my mind is there 24/7 for weeks. And sometimes I can write things and be eloquent on the page. And then there are times when it's all in my head, scene by scene, but I cannot write it. I try and I struggle for hours and the scenes playing in my head will not be written. I'm sorry. Lately I just feel like I fail at everything and writing is the thing that I'm failing at the most because I can't form words. UGH! Anyway… Don't read this crap! You'll just be submerged into a world that might never EVER end… I've become the type of writer that I hated as a teen, back when ff DOTnet began. Writers that leave you hanging for years on a story… Sorry… I will try harder.

This stuff is not final… it's just work in progress crap that will not leave my head. Don't get too into it… you'll have to read it all again when I update. Sorry… again.

Summary: (I'm soulmate trash… if it has to do with soulmates I eat it all up… and come up with crazy crap like this.) Loki, overlord of the galaxy, is bored and looking for a little excitement at the local whorehouse. He finds a human girl who turns things around.

1

He had no need for companionship, thus he had not frequented a place like this for a long time. Ever since he had become the rightful king of Asgard, there were always plenty of power hungry women and men throwing themselves at him. Although he had enjoyed it at first, he had to admit, he had now grown tired of it.

He needed the thrill of the chase, someone that would not be too keen on his advances and would put up a fight. He needed to bring back a bit of excitement into his life. Being King and Ruler of so many realms made him powerful, but it also brought the boredom of seldom having to face opposition. Perhaps he could find a bit of that here.

He stood back against the shadows as they were paraded out, the potential candidates. There was a wide variety to choose from. Every corner of the realm, represented.

"A whole new batch, m'lord." The owner of the establishment, a small balding man by the name of Wim'olf, addressed him. "All fresh and untouched, sir." The short man cleaned the drool off his chin, as his eyes shamelessly regarded each girl with a lustful grin.

The expression made Loki frown with disgust, but he turned his attention towards the women that had been lining up before him. All of them were beautiful and alluring in their own right, the choice would not be an easy one.

As it was usual, the majority of women had been bred for the job. They might be "fresh and untouched," but their mannerisms betrayed them. You could see it in the way they stood, the way they looked at his direction even though they couldn't see him. Their secret smiles and feigned innocence was a clear sign of it. Though, he knew from experience that they would be fun and would know how to please him, he was looking for a little less... eagerness.

As they all lined up, he felt someone studying him, but as he was briefly distracted by the gorgeous redhead in front of him, he couldn't tell who had been watching him so intently. He dismissed it until he felt it again, and looked up and down the row, trying to find whose gaze was so powerful as to catch his attention.

The owner next to him was trying to get his assistant's attention, gesturing that he wanted the last girl to be removed from the line.

Brow furrowed, he looked at said girl. She was gorgeous, for a Midgardian. Long ondulated black hair, wide eyes, full lips, sun-kissed skin. He wondered briefly how she had ended up here, as Midgar was under his control and the dwindling human population was not allowed intergalactic travel, but it didn't matter at the moment.

She was struggling against the assistant, as he placed her back on the line after she had stepped back. The man he placed a rough hand on her forearm, missing the owner's frantic gesticulations to take her away.

She did not hide her displeasure at being manhandled and quickly twisted her arm away from the assistant. Unlike the rest of the girls, she seemed truly unspoiled and out of her element.

He understood why the owner had been so eager to have her taken away. A woman like this was a rare find out here. Plus he knew from experience just how uncooperative and feisty human women could be. The owner of the establishment knew this as well, and Loki assumed that was the reason for his frantic gesturing to his employee to have the woman put away. His mouth broke into a wide grin, knowing his search was over.

"That one." He pointed at the midgardian girl.

"B-but...m'lord doesn't want that one..." The short man was sweating more than before as he stuttered.

Loki raised an eyebrow but did not look away from the woman. She was looking away from where he stood, not that she could really distinguish him or hear him, but she was actively trying to make herself as small and unnoticeable to him as possible. She wore the same simple heather grey shirt dress that the other candidates, yet it hugged her voluptuous curves beautifully.

"She's Terran, m'lord," The owner interrupted his thought. "She's not as… resilient as the others, sir. Might I suggest one of our Zen-Whoberians candidates? Or perhaps a Xantarean?"

Loki waited for a long moment before he spoke again, still admiring his find, but knowingly making the owner of the establishment squirm where he stood. His voice was slow and full of threat as he spoke. "You imply that you know my tastes better than I?"

"N-no...of course not, m'lord." The small man stumbled. "I was merely suggesting…"

Loki held up a hand to silence the owner.

"I expect her to be delivered before nightfall tonight." Loki turned on his heel. "Undamaged." He threw over his shoulder, just in case the owner was stupid enough to try to swindle him.

..ooOoo..

I couldn't see The Buyer.

I was the last one to be paraded out after trying but failing to make myself small and invisible. There were so many girls here, why did I have to line up with them? So many of these women were stunning, happy to do this type of job, but they still lined us all up, me at the end of the long line of available purchases.

The room wasn't as well lit, and if I just stepped back a bit, if I stood behind one of the other girls, perhaps I could make a quick escape. It wasn't as though I was likely to be picked, but I wanted to make the odds even slimmer by disappearing in the background.

I wasn't cut out for this type of job, not that I had chosen it. As soon as I had been brought in I had realized that my new home was a whorehouse, I had made it my goal to find a way out. I wouldn't allow my kidnappers to do as they pleased with me or sell me for sex. Unfortunately, I hadn't had a chance to explore the house, as we had been put in a room where we were told to "freshen up" as an important buyer was to look at us.

Said buyer, was hidden from view, utilizing the dim room to his advantage. I could make out his silhouette from where he stood. Tall, slender, wearing some sort of shining armor that caught a bit of light here and there. I couldn't make out his features, yet I caught a glint of emerald green as he moved further back as he tried to avoid any contact with the owner of the establishment.

I was set at the end of the line, and kept staring at the buyer, wanting to have a better look. I shouldn't be that interested, I needed make myself as invisible as possible, but there was no chance that I could be chosen, so I kept watching. I was curious to see more of this man.

I sensed the moment he realized he was being watched, he moved again in the shadows, and I finally looked away.

I took a step back, but the man that had ushered me out of the room was still behind me. He grabbed me by the forearm, rather forcefully too, and pushed me forward. I shifted and managed to detach his hand from my arm.

I kept my gaze down, still trying to seem uninteresting as I felt his gaze boring into me. I never looked up, but I sensed when he looked away, and I took a shuddering breath to try to settle my racing heart.

I was frightened. I needed to escape this place… this planet. Just like I had done back on earth when it had been taken over by that maniac - Loki - and the alien army he had brought with him.

The owner seemed to be negotiating with the buyer now, I looked up for a second and caught the moment the buyer turned away and left. The owner's face had turned bright red, and the sweat stains on his shirt were even more noticeable.

I looked away revolted.

The owner had come to see us as we had been led out of the ship that had brought us in. Leering at us, and "testing the merchandise" as he has put it. He had kissed a few of us, his hands roaming where he pleased as he did so. I shuddered at the memory, trying to think of something else, but I could still smell his sweat, his rank breath, and the bitter taste of his tongue in my mouth.

"I like you…" He had said to me.

I closed my eyes briefly and tried to calm myself.

I wouldn't think of that. I needed to make a plan, stay aware, find a way to escape.

We were given the order to move back into the room.

I opened my eyes and turned, following the girl in front of me, but I was stopped by the assistant. I was about to pull my arm away once more when I noticed the owner walking toward us.

I froze, the memories from a few minutes ago flooding back. My heart began racing faster, my stomach turned and I knew I would be sick.

The owner lifted his hand in anger and I recoiled, covering my face, but the blow wasn't meant for me.

Blow after blow, the assistant fell to the ground but the owner was relentless. Confused and frightened, I moved away, trying to get back to the other room.

"Where do you think you're going?" The owner bellowed as he grabbed me by the hair, pulling me back and hurting me. I screamed in pain as he threw me to the ground. I held out my right hand, to try to catch myself. I heard the crack as my wrist broke and yelped as the white hot pain ran up my arm. I could barely breathe I was so frightened and in so much pain, but I needed to get away. I could see the assistant to my left, bruised and bloodied as the owner kicked him again, I needed to get away. This man was insane…

"Take him away!" He yelled at his other assistants as he turned his attention back towards me. Tears streamed down my face as I managed to sit up, whimpering as I tried to cradle my broken wrist.

The owner walked towards me, and I whimpered again as I tried to shuffle back, hitting a brick wall behind me. He lifted his arm to strike me, but stopped himself as I pushed myself back. He glared at me as he lowered his hand.

"Take her!" He yelled at another assistant, who picked me up brusquely and took me past hallways and back outside to where the ship that had brought me here had landed. Here he instructed another man to take me away.

Where was I being taken? Had the buyer chosen me? No… he couldn't have…

"Up to the castle with this one." The assistant said to a large man whose face was obscured by dark red facial hair.

The castle? I thought to myself. I was gonna be taken to a castle? There was a castle around here? I looked around, curious about the planet I now found myself in, but I was thrown into what resembled a black carriage floating in mid-air. They closed the door behind me and I sat on one of the black wooden seats, as the vehicle began to move. The only light source came from a skylight on the roof, there was enough room in the carriage to stand, but even standing I could not reach for the open sky light, much less with my broken wrists that still stung.

The carriage walls were lined and cushioned, but the fabric was old and ripped at different spots so that the fluffy white stuffing stuck out. Both facing seats were simple hardwood, and were large enough for me to lay down on, which I did.

I was so exhausted that I fell asleep almost instantly.

I was abruptly awoken by the large bearded man, as we had apparently arrived to our destination. I wasn't sure how long I had slept. It might have been seconds, or perhaps hours. Although I felt less exhausted -I had not slept for days since I had been caught- the nap had also left me feeling disoriented and confused.

The man helped me down the carriage, and I took in what was a courtyard, with a cobblestone floor and various doors into a larger building. I couldn't exactly make out the structure, as twilight had veiled most of the surroundings by now. I began feeling a little cold and scared, and tried to hug myself for warmth. I whimpered at the pain on my wrist that was now alarmingly swollen.

A hefty woman, with dark hair and pale skin came out from one of the many doors to greet the man. She was just as large as the man that had brought me here, but they seemed to be well acquainted as she reached to give him what must have been a very scratchy kiss. How she had managed to find his lips under all that hair was beyond me.

"About time you got here, Obolf!" She told them man. "We were had been worrying that the girl might not be here in time."

The man just grunted in response as the woman turned to look at me. The expression on her face was of pure disbelief and perhaps disgust.

"This is what he chose?" He turned to the man who shrugged. She approached me as she cleaned her hands on her filthy apron, and I flinched she grabbed my injured arm. "He usually picks out the pretty ones…must have been slim-pickins'..."

"Hold your tongue, Kren…" Obolf chastised her.

I frowned at her comment, it stung, but I did agree with her. There had been very beautiful women in that room, and I was still unsure as to why I had been chosen.

"Argh! She's damaged as well! You know he won't like that!"

"Wim'olf, was angry," Obolf explained, "he wanted her for himself."

"Why?…" The woman looked even more confused as she looked at me, her nose scrunched up as if I smelled bad, which perhaps I did. "Men…" She frowned. "Well, might as well get her in and get her cleaned up. Tarja!"

I noticed a woman that had been standing near the door, she was holding folded white fabrics in her arms as she approached us.

"Ah!" The large woman, Kren, smiled at the younger woman, "Good girl, you have things ready. I'll take her to the baths and you prepare her room and clothes."

Tarja, the younger woman, handed me what I could now see was a towel and toiletries she had brought out. I managed to grab them, and followed Kren through the open door as instructed.

I was led through a colossal kitchen. I couldn't count how many ovens were against the wall, as I was urged to pick up the pace by Kren.

We kept walking, past another courtyard. At least twenty rectangular pools, divided into two rows, were built into the ground. They were made up of the same cobblestone as the courtyard, all of them full of steaming dark water. Along the sides of each pool, water emanated from stone rafters, the cascading water dripping at varying speeds. From a weak trickle to a powerful waterfall that could probably drown you inside the pool it flowed into.

"Go on girl!" Kren urged me, "Wash yourself well and quickly! We don't have time to waste!" She crossed her arms around her ample chest, tapping her foot on the ground as she waited. Seeing as she was not gonna look away, I proceeded to take off the slip on shoes I had been wearing, and tested the water with a toe.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed at the scalding water, so I moved to the pool across it to test out the water, "Tsss…" I hissed, too cold.

"Get on with it, girl! Before I throw you into one of those pools and scrub you myself!" The woman threatened.

I hurried along to the next pool, which was still a bit too hot, but I couldn't act like Goldie Locks at the moment and find one that was just right.

I set the towels and toiletries on a bench near the pool I had finally selected and turned away from the watchful eyes of the woman who was growing more and more impatient. Somehow, I managed to take off the shirt dress I had been wearing, as well as my underwear and stepped down the stairs that had been built to the side of the pool.

The water was hot, and highly perfumed, but strangely soothing. I noticed the swelling and pain on my wrist had begun to recede. Kren seemed to have lost her patience, because she was next to the pool now, handing me the bar of soap.

"Quickly, girl!"

I took it and did my best lathering as quickly as possible with my non-dominant hand.

"Here!" She was trying to hand me a crystal bottle of what I assumed was shampoo. "What is your name, girl?" She asked as she took the bar of soap from me. I dipped my head into the pool to wet my long hair. I spent more than a few seconds underwater, thinking of an answer to the woman's question. I never gave my real name to anyone since I had began running. I smiled as I thought of my earlier predicament and resurfaced.

"Goldie." I answered, after taking a deep breath and cleaning my face. "my name is Goldie."

I did not miss the woman rolling her eyes as she poured a generous amount of the shimmering scented shampoo onto my open palm. She did not believe me, but it didn't matter.

"Well, Goldie," she began, "I'm gonna tell you the same thing I tell every girl that passes through here."

"Ok…" I said as I scrubbed my hair.

" You're not special!" She said.

"Umm… okay…" Was all I could answer before dipping my head back into the water.

"I mean it, girl!" She continued after I resurfaced. "You're are here to entertain the King until he gets bored with you. Understand?"

"The King…?"

"Just because he picked you out from the many other girls in the whorehouse, it doesn't make you special, understood?"

"The King…?"

"Yes, the King! Are you stupid girl? Now, don't let it go to your head. When you're down here in the servants quarters, you are not above anyone else. You're not useful to me, so stay out of the way. No one down here is here to serve you and you are not to order anyone around. Understood?"

I nodded, my mind racing as I made my way out if the water and into the flowing waterfall to rinse off.

"Now, I'm gonna give you a piece of advice, because I've seen it time and time again with stupid gullible girls that he's brought from there before." She handed me a towel which I wrapped around my body. "Don't fall in love with him, ya hear me?"

I nodded as she handed me another towel for my hair.

"You're not special. You're just one of many and not the last, so don't delude yourself into thinking you're more than a whore-" she noticed as I winced at the expression, "companion…" she retracted quickly.

I could feel my heart racing again as I began realizing the severity of my situation. She handed me my shoes, but not my clothes and signaled me to follow her.

"Don't be stupid, girl." She warned again. "Do the job that you were purchased to do and know your place."

"But…" I stopped walking. "I didn't… I mean… I'm not a… companion. I only ended up there because I was tricked and kidnapped… I didn't..." My voice was so quiet, I wondered if she could actually hear me, but she stopped in front of me and turned. Her face was softened and her tone was gentle as she spoke.

"Well then, for your own safety, play along with whatever game he wants to play, and you might just be able to live through this, understood, Goldie?"

Live through this...was she joking? My mouth felt dry, I could hear my heartbeat so loud in my ears, and I could still feel the throbbing pain on my wrist, although most of the swelling had gone.

I saw the deep concern in her eyes now. She might seem mean, but she was truly trying to get her point across. She was trying to look out for me, which made me worry even more.

"O-okay..." My voice was weak and I was sure I had gone pale.

"Now, girl," she gave me an awkward pat on the back as she began walking again, "a last piece of advice…" she stopped and I almost crashed into her. She seemed to be struggling to put whatever last advice she had for me in more gentle words. She sighed. "You're Midgardian, that makes you less… sturdy… and the King, well, he tends to be rough." I felt the color drain from my face and felt slightly lightheaded. "Now, now...he can be… well… cruel, but." I felt nauseous. "But… we've never had a dead whor-companion or an injury that a night or two in the healer's room couldn't cure."

A knot formed in my throat and felt as though I couldn't breathe. I needed to find a way out.

"But again," she emphasized, "just play along with whatever game he wants to play and you'll be fine, understood?"

I nodded as she continued to walk. "The girls that get hurt are the ones that fall for him or are stupid and stubborn and don't play his games. So don't be stupid!"

All I could do was nod as I followed her. I felt dazed and nauseous, but I somehow continued walking.

She led me away, past an empty common room, down a couple of hallways where other servants hurried along. All the rooms and faces blended together as my heart kept threatening to run away from my chest.

The girl from before, Tarja, waited for us by one of the rooms.

She smiled at me as she opened to door, and signaled for me to follow her in.

"This is your room, Tarja will take care of the rest, and take you over to the King's chambers when it's time." Kren continued from the doorway, she gave me a frown before she spoke again. "Remember what I told you, Goldie, don't be stupid."

"Ok…" my voice cracked as I spoke.

Kren stood by the door a moment longer, she hesitated but finally spoke. "Life can be really unfair, girl… but you can always chose to make the best of your lot, understood?"

I nodded, although I did not agree with her at all. How was I to make the best out of this situation.

She nodded, seemingly happy with her words, "Well, good luck…" and she closed the door behind her.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt Tarja hold my broken hand as she led me and sat with me on a red cushioned ottoman. My wrist didn't hurt much now, but I wasn't sure if it was due to the shock or the fact that the girl had begun smearing a thick pungent ointment on my wrist.

I let a breath out, I had meant to speak, but the words wouldn't form, my tongue seemed heavy and suddenly I felt so tired and drained. Tears began running down my cheeks, a steady stream that I was unable to stop. The events from the past few days had finally caught up with me. From the moment I had been caught, my mind had been focused on escape, on the next opportunity to run away, but finding myself so vulnerable had finally shaken me so deeply that I could barely think.

Tarja finished by wrapping my hand and stood, walking away.

"T-thanks…" I was able to breathe out as I looked down at the wrapping that held my wrist still.

She looked at me and gave me such a sad smile, strangely, it made me feel a bit better. She grabbed a cloth from her apron and she cleaned my face gently, which made me blush as I began to feel embarrassed.

"Here…" I grabbed the cloth from her, "I can do it…" my voice was weak and shaky, but she smiled again and nodded, moving away to get one of the dresses that were hanging inside an oversized wooden armoire. It was then I actually took in my surroundings. It was a small guest room, a single bed, two ornate nightstands on each side, the armoire packed with dresses, shoes, and odd looking clothes. There were a couple of floor length mirrors, and a separate door which I assumed was a bathroom.

The girl, Tarja, pulled out a dress as she gestured for me to stand and come to her. I was a bit lightheaded and unsteady, but managed to stand and walk towards her.

The dress was long, made of silver fabric that shimmered as it moved. She signaled for me to remove my towel so I could try the dress on.

I nodded and stared at her for a moment too long, tilting my head slightly as I wondered if she wasn't allowed to speak to me. She looked young, late teens or early twenties, she was taller than me, pale skin and long brown hair that was braided. Her large blue eyes stared back at me, still smiling and nodding, urging me to put on the dress.

"Umm… is there underwear?" I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed, she shook her head. "Of course not…"

She was very pretty and young, and I wondered how long she had been a maid for.

"I'm really scared..." I admitted as I took off the towel and grabbed the dress she was offering me. "I don't really know what to expect… I mean…" I swallowed hard as I wrapped the dress around my waist. "Well, I know what he'll expect… I just… I've never done this… and Kren just scared the hell out of me, telling me he's probably gonna hurt me..." I shook my head, I knew I was rambling but I was so scared and nervous. "I don't think you can show me a way to escape, can you?"

Tarja watched me as she stood behind me, she had taken the towel from my hair, brushing and styling my hair into a fancy knot. She she shook her head, still giving me that sad smile.

"I figured..." I said quietly, frowning. I finished getting dressed and I looked at my reflection. The dress was floor length, it flared on the ground around me, because I was too short for it. It was a wrap dress, with a deep v-neckline and long split sleeves that gathered at the wrists. The fabric was silky and smooth to the touch. It shone like liquid mercury and felt cold against my skin. My hair was expertly pulled back and smooth, the intricate knot sitting low at the nape of my neck. I felt tears well up in my eyes once more.

I had never worn anything so beautiful in my entire life, but it was a shame I was wearing it only to please a man that obviously had no respect for women.

Tarja put a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, cleaning my face with the handkerchief she had procured for me earlier. "I just… I've been running for so long… and I'm tired…" I sniffled again. "You know, perhaps Kren's right. The situation might be horrible, but I can make the best of it, right?" It sounded so unconvincing, even to myself, and I could tell she didn't agree with it either, but she gave my shoulder a little squeeze and nodded.

"At least I'm not back on earth where that maniac Loki is. That's definitely a plus, right?" I chuckled, but stopped as soon as I saw her face. Her eyebrows scrunched up as if she didn't understand.

"Oh! I'm from planet Earth, some people call it Terra, others Midgard…" I began explaining. "Well, about eight years ago, well, eight earth years, my planet was conquered by this maniac from another planet, Asgard, I think was his planet. There was no one to defend our planet, and those who tried were killed. The whole human race was enslaved, but a few of us managed to escape. I've been drifting from planet to planet ever since." Her eyes were the size of dinner saucers, and her face had lost what little color it possessed. "You've probably heard of that monster Loki, huh?" I asked but before I could get an answer as Kren startled us both as she opened the door.

"What are you still doing here, girl?" She yelled as soon as she saw me. "Tarja! Take her up to the King's chambers this instant! The King has just arrived!"

Tarja walked up to the older woman quickly, frantically, gesturing with her hands. Kren looked confused for a moment,

"What? She doesn't know, what? Oh stop! You know I can't understand you when you sign that fast!" The woman threw her hands in the air. "You can tell me later, now take her upstairs!" Kren pushed us out the door and up a flight of stairs yelling at us to hurry.

The staircase was very narrow, so I followed behind Tarja as fast as I could while attempting not to trip. If I hadn't been so distracted with gathering my skirt and looking at my feet, I might have noticed earlier that Tarja seemed very distressed. We climbed so many stairs, I was winded by the time we came in to a long open hall. We turned a corner to find two long golden doors with intricate patterns carved on them. There were two guards there, in golden armor, holding long spears that crossed in front of the doors. Tarja made some gestures, which I assumed they understood, because they opened the doors for us. We passed another hallway, and another set of ornate doors. These were unguarded and led into an extravagant living room, one that I did not get to explore as we kept walking and went through another hallway and set of doors where we found an elegant bedroom, decorated and furnished just as ostentatiously as the living room.

This is it… I thought, the King's bedroom. Tarja turned to look at me, her face full of concern and sadness which made my stomach twist. She grabbed my shoulders and squeezed hard. I swallowed hard, breathing hard and not because of the walk upstairs.

I was so scared.

I was about to thank her when she surprised me by pulling me into a tight hug. Perhaps it was because I hadn't had any affectionate contact for years now, or perhaps it was because I was so frightened, but I hugged her back and held her for dear life as I began sobbing. Her embrace reminded me so much of my younger sister who I had been unable to save. It made me cry harder, now that the memory resurfaced. I had avoided thinking about her for so long…

She finally let go of me, prompting me to clean my face and leaving my side for a second. I almost reached out to her so she wouldn't leave me, but then I noticed she had just retreated to a table near the window, where there was an ornate crystal bottle full of purple liquid. She poured a small amount into a snifter and brought it to me, signaling me to drink it.

I did as she asked and grimaced. The liquid was warm, which I didn't mind as much as the flavor. It was deep and bitter like coffee, yet sweet and tangy like barbeque sauce, and spicy like peppers, all at the same time. Besides confusing my tastebuds, it made me feel as if I had just taken too much caffeine. I was suddenly wide awake, all my senses alert and attentive, I felt as though I could run a marathon.

Tarja took the glass from my hands, setting it back on the table. She squeezed my hands for a second as she nodded at me. I nodded back, giving her a small smile, feeling more courageous than ever in my life, but knowing that it was probably due to the drink she had given me. She gave me one last look and left through the doors, leaving me standing in the twilight of the dimly lit room.

I looked around. The room was large, circular in shape, with floor length windows that led to a balcony. I couldn't really make out the view, as the sheer curtains and the lack of light obscured the view. The four poster bed was massive, with its golden designs across dark wood and heavy velvet drapes in deep burgundy. Four adults could easily sleep comfortably on it, I decided. The small dark wood table with the strange purple beverage, was surrounded by two cushioned arm chairs to my right, and there was an arched doorway which led to what seemed an extensive bathroom.

"I should have asked Tarja if it was ok to sit down." I whispered to myself.

"Certainly, my dear. Make yourself at home."

I almost jumped out of my skin, my stomach twisting and making me nauseous once more, but it wasn't just because he had come in without my noticing. It was because his voice was unmistakable. My blood ran cold and whatever slim ray of hope I had felt died away, because I knew quite well who I would find before I even turned around.

Loki.

...oo0oo...

Eager to meet his new and latests purchase, he had entered the room as soon as the mute servant girl had left. His new acquisition, however, did not notice as he came in.

As he opened the door, he took a step back and inhaled sharply, startled by the picture before of him.

She was beautifully framed against the fading light from the window. Her delicate profile outlined by the soft light. Her hair had been gathered back and she now wore a dress that suited her better. She was breathtaking.

He congratulated himself on such a great acquisition. He held his tongue a moment longer, not even bothering to signal for any extra illumination in the room as he kept admiring her. His heart beat faster in his chest and he was surprised by how excited she made him feel.

She did not move, lost in her own thoughts and he just kept watching her until she spoke quietly to herself.

"I should have asked Tarja if it was ok to sit down." She spoke softly and he took it as his chance to chime in.

"Certainly, my dear. Make yourself at home." He voiced pleasantly as he signaled for the lights in the room.

She gasped and jumped with fright in front of him, but did not turn to look at him. He smirked, enjoying small tremble that overtook her, he could sense her fear and it pleased him.

He began removing his armor as he walked to one of the chairs near the table. She was no more than an arm's length away, but he did not get any closer, choosing instead to keep undressing, and leaving his coat and chest armor on the chair. She was looking away and he could only see a fraction of her face, but he could see her whole body shaking with fright.

"I see you've found the vitality draught," He noticed the used snifter on the table. "Good! You'll need your strength." He untucked the light undershirt from his pants, but stopped there, reclining himself against the table instead. "Turn around."

He did not miss the way her hands curled into tight fists, but also noted her bandaged wrist. She let out a shaky breath, but did not move.

"Tsk…tsk…tsk…" He pushed himself away from the table and smirked. She was exactly what he had been craving for.

She was more than a head shorter than him, he noted as he positioned himself in front of her, taking the time to admire the way the silk dress hugged her figure.

"l don't know if anybody told you, darling, but you belong to me now…" He reached a finger to caress her cheek, she jerked her head back before he could touch her, and he chuckled.

Exactly what he wanted...

He moved quickly, grabbing her hair at the nape of her neck, and forcing her to look at him. She whimpered as he stepped closer, pressing himself against her. Her eyes the color of copper, could not hide the fear she felt, it was so strong that it reverberated within him, making him slightly uncomfortable and confused, but he continued to speak.

"I am sure you were warned, but allow me to remind you." He tugged her hair back further, bringing tears to her eyes, her full lips opening to let out a soft cry. "You were brought here for my pleasure, and you will do what you were purchased for." He wrapped his free arm around her small waist and pressed his body closer to her. There would be no doubt of his desire for her. "I will take what I want from you whether you want it or not." He let go of her waist and brought his hand to her exposed throat, wanting to know the softness of her skin, and to teach her just how vulnerable her yielding body could be.

As his skin made contact with hers, he pulled his hand back. It was as though he had touched a live flame, and a bolt of lightning burned up to his shoulder.

Brusquely, he let go of her, and she fell to the ground, sobbing as she gently touched the spot on her neck that was red, burned by his touch. The palm of his hand, where he had touched her skin, it was red as well, and it burned, but it faded quickly, unlike the mark on her neck.

"What is this?" He whispered mostly to himself, thoroughly confused. "What form of magic is this?" He yelled at her, picking her up by an arm and throwing her on the bed, removing his hand quickly as the same flare of electricity shot through him where his skin came in contact with hers. "Some sort of curse?" He looked at his blistering hand, rage filling him. "Answer me!" He bellowed.

She was still crying, now cradling her arm, the one that was bandaged, and he could see the blistering red mark his fingers had left.

"Are you so stupid as to try to use magic against me? Are you not aware that I am a master in all forms of magic?" He laughed at her.

Yet he had never encountered a curse like this, but he would not admit to that.

"N-no...I'm not….It's not..." She was cowering, pushed up against the backboard of the bead, crying uncontrollably. It enraged him even more, so he pulled her towards him, raised his hand and slapped cheek, so hard she fell sideways onto the mattress.

The pain hit him straight away, he felt dazed, and had to hold the side of the bed for balance. Shaking off the dizziness, he felt his own blood dripping from his lower lip, it had been split. She was no longer crying, and for the moment before he pulled her up, he wondered if he had killed her. Her hair was no longer tied neatly behind her, clumps of it obscuring her face, sticking to the wetness of her tears and blood. He pushed the hair off her face with the palm of his hand, gasping as he saw where her lower lip had split, reflected on the opposite side as his own, like a mirror image.

She noticed it as well. Her eyes, bloodshot and confused stared into his own, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

"What?..." she asked very quietly. His wound was beginning to heal, closing up as if it had never happened, the swelling on his own cheek dissipating as well, but not on her. The marks he had left were still swollen and angry on her skin, her lip was still dripping all over the front of her dress.

Could it be some sort of curse gone wrong? A mirroring spell that had be improperly cast and was injuring her as well? But mirror curses were so rare, so complicated, and required a prodigious and strong caster. They required so much magical energy that even he avoided them. This small midgardian woman did not strike him as particularly powerful either.

Unless she was using some sort of amulet...

She let out a surprised yelp as he pushed her flat on the bed, straddling her as she tried to escape.

"No...P-Please…" She had started to beg as he ripped the dress off her. Smooth tanned flesh greeted him. Her heaving chest littered with small freckles, ample supple breasts, full yielding hips and her thighs… He took a deep breath, focusing on finding out what magic she was using instead of how his body responded to her naked form.

She wore no amulet.

"P-Please..please...s-stop…" She was sobbing as she tried to cover herself with the ripped pieces of fabric.

He narrowed his eyes, her lip had stopped bleeding and had begun to heal just like his, the red marks he had left were disappearing as well. This was not normal for a midgardian, something else was at play.

She was trembling underneath him, trying her best to cover her exposed flesh, turning her flushed face away as tears streamed from her eyes. Reaching behind him, he pulled out a thin golden dagger. It wasn't until the blade glimmered as it caught the light, that she looked up and gasped. She reached a hand to try to stop him, but it was too late as the blade sunk into her skin.

He stabbed her, just above her right breast, under her collar bone.

She screamed and he reached a hand to cover her mouth, holding her tighter under his hips as she frantically tried to escape.

He noticed the way her face paled, as she screamed into his hand, and sobbed harder, trying in vain to escape, making the blade sink further into her skin as a gush of blood emanated from the wound. She was scratching his arms, pounding with closed fists against his arms and chest, but he remained steady. Right until the second he began sliding the weapon out of her skin, did he feel it.

He tossed the blade on the bed as he let out a pained gasp, catching himself on one arm to prevent from falling on top of her. He was no longer covering her mouth and his grip on her body had eased, but she had stopped moving and was staring at the spot on his own shoulder where pain was flaring.

He looked as well, his pristine white shirt stained with his own blood. Ripping the shirt away, he was angered to see the exact same cut he had induced upon her, on his own flesh.

"How…?" He stopped his question as his blood dripped upon her exposed flesh. He looked on, mesmerized as his blood mingled with hers.

It created a blue fire that traveled upwards to his own wound. It tingled for a second, then closed up his wound leaving behind a symbol.

He witnessed the way her own flesh healed as well. The same symbol left behind.

"No." He gasped.

Panicking, he stumbled backwards onto unsteady legs. He reached up and touched the symbol… He felt it. He felt the bond, as well as her panicked thoughts...

"No." He said again before he fled the room, leaving her trembling on the bed.

...ooOoo…

Time passed and I remained still.

My mind had shut down. Tears had stopped flowing, and I had been staring at the fabric canopy for what seemed an eternity.

The lights in the room turned off after some time, plunging the room into darkness, and startling me. I suddenly felt more cold and vulnerable than ever in my life, and my body began shaking uncontrollably.

Fear began inundating my mind.

Had Loki come back? I should have tried to escape after he left.

Holding my breath, I sat up slowly as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The smallest sliver of light penetrated through the curtains. The night was silent and it seemed as though I was still alone in the room.

I let out a breath, still cautious as I gathered the ribbons that were left of that beautiful dress, in an attempt to cover myself.

Was I brave enough to try the door? But even if it opened, where would I go? Half naked running and around a castle… I had been brought up to the room in such a hurry, there was no way I could remember where to turn. Plus there were guards outside of the rooms. Guards with spears and swords…. Would they use them on me? Perhaps that would be the best option...

Death.

I had been running for so long. Exhaustion was not even a good word to describe how tired I felt. Death was more than tempting at the moment… But I doubted that the guards would kill me. They would probably laugh and bring me back in here…or worse, laugh and rape me, then bring me back...

Perhaps I could jump out the window…

I felt dizzy and nauseous.

It was hard, coming to terms with the stark realization that death would probably be my only way out of this one. How had I ended up here? As a sex slave to that maniac? I shuddered just thinking about it, and felt my stomach turn once more.

I had been trusting and I had been stupid….

Before I had been trapped and sold, I had been in Kagan-Seven, a mining planet. The work was hard, there was always food and rest at the end of the day, and it was peaceful… but I always did know how to ruin a good thing

The Krook, the alien race indigenous to the planet, were all hardworking and peaceful aliens. They mined the mineral rich lands of their expansive planet, and were fair in sharing the profits that came from selling the coveted natural resources. Everyone worked hard, no one went hungry, and they took care of each other.

Although their manner was so mild, they had made great technological advances, but they always used it for the betterment of their people and planet. And they protected everything fiercely from any other alien race that came looking for trouble.

They were a very human looking race, although their skin had a bluish purple tint to it, and their appearance was slightly more ape-like. Sort of how a primitive species of humans was always depicted in science books. The more time I spent time with them, the more I wished I could somehow have had the tools to compare just how closely related we were genetically. Perhaps then I would have found how this race of humanoid aliens were so unaffected by greed that seemed so prevalent with humans on earth. Not that it mattered anymore, it was truly just out of curiosity.

They had taken me in as soon as I had explained my plight to the leader of their planet. I had worked for a few months in the mines, doing my best to keep up with the far stronger and capable race, but they had never demanded more than I could give. They had been so kind that I had never been given less, even though I could not work as hard as them. Quite the contrary, I had been given more than enough and pretty soon my body had joyfully stored and reserved all of the extra food in my boobs, thighs, and stomach.

I had even been grateful and happy to have been given larger clothes every time my pants began bursting at the seams. After running for so long, after knowing hunger for years, I was more than happy to gain the weight. If I could keep this up, I would be happy to just live out my natural life here with the Krook.

Then along came Lyra.

A humanoid alien who had asked crash landed on the planet and had been placed in the mines to work for exchange of materials to fix her ship.

She had not been injured, but as she was stuck in the planet for a while, and because I was fluent in her language, I had been tasked with teaching her the mining job.

Her skin was green, but her features were very much like a human woman, she was twice my height and build, but then most alien races were larger than a smaller-than-average human woman like myself.

We became fast friends and soon enough she began twisting my head.

She had told me beautiful stories about her home planet, and how they protected any and all females from any alien species that were endangered.

And I had been so stupid and gullible, so trusting and foolish, that I had begged her to take me with her.

I shook my head at the memory.

Stupid.

I had given up an life of honest work and peace, for some stupid ideal that didn't even make sense now that I thought about it.

Now, death seemed like the only way out.

A cold draft came in from the window, making me shiver and making me aware that I needed to pee.

It was time to make a decision…

I could jump from that window, end it all or I could go find a bathroom and hope that I could somehow find a way out of this horrific situation.

I shook again remembering the traumatic events from earlier.

The wounds that maniac had inflicted upon me no longer hurt, but the scar, the one under my collarbone, it pulsed and felt warm.

I traced the circular pattern that had been left upon the healed skin, it looked like a tattoo made with blue ink. It brought his face to mind, which made me flinch and stop touching it.

I didn't understand how the wound had healed so quickly, or how he had been injured every time he had hit me.

What is it all part of a sick twisted game? What would happen if he came back? It was very likely that he would hurt me again, even if it also hurt him...

It made the thought of jumping out the window seemed more tempting, so I stood up and walked towards the window. I reached for the silky fabric but stopped short of pulling the curtain open.

My sister's face came to mind.

Burning tears ran down my cheeks and my whole body shook with bitter sobs.

I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't throw away my chance at life when my sister had never been given that chance.

For a second, as I cleaned my face in an attempt to calm myself, I thought that perhaps I could somehow make it my goal to kill Loki.

I laughed bitterly between sobs.

What could I a weak and exhausted human do?...

...ooOoo…

He had spent the rest of the night in his private library, pouring through books that had supplied him the same answer over and over.

There had been no doubt in his mind, from the moment their blood melded, and the seal had formed over their skin. Still, he had read through and explored every book and scroll on the subject in hopes that something contradicted his worst fear.

Twin Souls. Kindred Spirits. One's Promised. Destined Souls. Soulmates...

No matter what it was called, it was all the same.

In a rage, he screamed and toppled over the table with all the books and scrolls.

He paced the length of the room, gritting his teeth, and raking his fingers through the top of his head over and over.

The books and scrolls all spoke of love and companionship, of a bond so deep and pure, an unbreakable bond... He saw it for what it truly was.

Weakness.

It had taken him years to gain the power he possessed. He had sacrificed so much… lost so much in order to become ruler and king.

He cursed the moment he saw her. The moment he felt the need for the conquest. He could not allow this stupid connection- this caprice from the fates- to destroy all he had worked so hard to obtain.

Feeling determined, he waved a hand, the table and books righting themselves effortlessly. He had faced bigger threats than a small human woman… he would find a way to destroy this bond.

...ooOoo…