The torturous pain had barely stopped when he felt the sudden lightening of the chains that bounded around his body. The fact of which scarcely registered in his mind as he gasped for breath while the tremors that had filled him only seconds before began to settle. He blinked incoherently as he continued to stare up at the serpent wrapped around the branch of the tree and dangling above him. He could see the next drop begin to glide down the beasts tongue and he attempted to steel himself against the next wave of agony that was sure to follow. Then he felt the chain around his neck slacken and his head fell forward. Did he dare hope, was it finally over? He was pulled roughly off the ground by two armed guards and dragged away from the tree. He was tossed unceremoniously onto the back of a horse. His mind was a jumbled mess as he was jostled back and forth being ridden along as if he were some sack that had been bought from the market. This was the way that they dared treat a prince of Asgard? His eyes stared down at the cobblestoned roads that were passing underneath him. Were they taking him to the dungeons? What did Odin have in store for him now? Then the horse stopped and he was pulled back off as he fell to the ground in a heap. Loki barely had the strength to lift himself enough so that he could take in his surroundings but he realized immediately that he was in front of the palace. No doubt he was being brought here to be placed in front of the All-Father. Not for the first time he questioned the logic behind his plans. Was all this suffering really worth it? He felt the guards lift him by his shoulders as they pulled him forward, dragging him up the steps since his legs were so weak he could barely walk. They pulled him along the halls as servants gaped, turning away quickly and going about their business. He realized he must be quite a sight, how long had he been tied to that tree? He had lost complete track of time but he could see that his arms were grimy with dirt and he could only imagine what the rest of him looked like. He was shocked when he realized that they were taking him through the halls towards the royal chambers and not to the Great Hall. Then suddenly they opened a door and tossed him onto the floor. The taller soldier grabbed one of his arms and placed a golden bracelet on his wrist and then did the same with the other. They left him there collapsed against the tiles without saying a word as they closed the door behind them. He pulled himself up to a sitting position as he looked around the room. They had brought him to his bedroom. The room he had spent his entire childhood in. How strange? Was that it? Was his punishment over? What were these things on his wrists? He stood up slowly, cautiously as he tried to get his bearings. He could see himself in the mirror over his dresser. His hair was greasy and disheveled. He was so covered in dirt that his skin had taken on a darker shade all over. He barely recognized himself. He closed his eyes and reached out for his magic and it was then that he knew that his punishment was far from over. It was like seeing a cup of water right in front of you but not being able to extend your arm out far enough to reach it. Was this what these things were for? He thought as he attempted to rid himself of the ornate jewelry that wrapped around his wrists but it was no use. Damn him, he thought bitterly. He moved along the floor to his bath chamber and turned on the faucet. As he watched the water begin to fill the in ground tub, he laughed mirthlessly. Here he was a great sorcerer and he had to wash away the dirt like a common peasant.
When he was finally clean he sat still in the water as he began to finger once more at one of the bracelets on his wrists. How could he continue if he was cut off from magic? What was he to do with himself? Had everything he suffered been for nothing?
"Maybe if I closed my eyes and went under the water I could finally have some peace," he murmured to himself as he leaned back resting his head against the tiles and stared up at the ceiling.
"You wouldn't really do that would you?" her voice shot through him like a bolt of lightning as he sprang upright and turned in the direction of the sound. She was standing less than a foot from the bath. The first thing that he noticed was that she wasn't wearing her uniform. She was wearing a pretty purple dress that clung to her sensuous curves. He could see the outline of her thighs through the silky material that stopped slightly above her knees. The wide straps along her shoulders left the rest of her arms completely bare and the scooped neckline gave just a slight glimpse of the beautifully formed breasts hidden beneath the fabric.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he bit off angrily, uncomfortable with the feelings that her presence was stirring within him.
"I'm not sure," Natasha paused looking around at her surroundings in confusion. "I think I missed you. How weird is that?"
"Extremely odd," he mused, forcing himself to turn away from her and settle himself back against the tub. He took a long deep breath as he closed his eyes once more and tried to relax. "I must have passed out from exhaustion."
"You didn't answer my question," she continued as she took a step closer. "You weren't seriously thinking of drowning yourself?"
"You needn't worry, Agent Romanoff," he snapped. He opened his eyes once more and realized that she was close enough to touch. Why in the world was he thinking of her now? He thought irritably as he cemented his hand against the hard tiles. He refused to give in to these strange desires even in his dreams. He was not interested in a mortal woman, least of all this one. "I have worked far too hard to let my well laid plans fall to the wayside."
"You have bruises?" she inquired thoughtfully as her sapphire eyes fell upon the dark marks along his arms and chest from where the chains had pressed against his skin during his punishment. "I thought you healed instantly?"
"Asgardian metal is much stronger than your pathetic earthly trappings," the young prince frothed. "Fear not, Agent Romanoff, they will disappear soon enough." His emerald eyes watched her curiously as she knelt down and reached her hand out slowly, tentatively and glided her fingers gently along the bruise upon his neck. The feel of her fingertips made his entire body shiver. "Why are you touching me?" he gasped as he fought the urge to touch her in kind. A stupid question, he realized as it was his dream. She was touching him because he wanted her to. Only he didn't, not really. At least he didn't want to yearn for her this way. Why was this woman still haunting his thoughts?
"I don't know," she answered wistfully as her fingers travelled along to his chest. "I just wanted to."
"Well, stop it." He ordered defensively. He didn't like the reaction her touches were causing throughout his body. He was not like his brother to become undone by some mortal woman's caresses.
"Even in a dream you are an arrogant jackass," the black widow remarked as she brought her hand back to her lap. Her bright blue eyes staring back at him defiantly.
"And you are an overconfident manipulative shrew," Loki rasped. "Why don't you dissipate from my presence and leave me in peace?"
"Maybe because it's such a pleasure to annoy you," she jested as her gaze fell further along the tub. She bit her bottom lip provocatively as she continued to stare at him unabashedly. "No bubble baths in Asgard? The water is crystal clear." She did nothing to disguise the lustfulness of her scrutiny as she took in the sight of his body under the water. "You can do anything you want in a dream," she whispered almost to herself as she looked up into his eyes once more. "No one ever has to know."
"And what is it that you would like to do?" his voice slickened with need as he watched her maneuver her legs out from underneath her and dip them slowly one by one into the water as she continued to sit on the tile's edge. He could no longer deny the intensity of his cravings as he felt the hard pulse of his own arousal, hunger and temptation burned inside every fiber of his being. Why shouldn't he indulge himself in a small fantasy? She was right after all, it was only a dream. What harm could it do? He placed his hands on her thighs and pulled her gently into the water on top of him. He snaked his hand around her neck as he crushed his lips over hers. He kissed her slowly, intimately, exploring every part of her mouth. He breathed her in as his hands slid along her wet body until he reached the edges of her dress beneath the water. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She smelled of flowers. Violets and perhaps roses and something else maybe leather, he thought absently as he pulled the fabric up her body until he had lifted it over her head and tossed it onto the tiled floor. He smiled wickedly as he became aware of the fact that she had been wearing nothing at all underneath her dress.
"Do you like what you see?" she asked coyly as she ran her hand down his chest.
"Oh yes," he said huskily. "You're strong," he added, biting her shoulder lightly as he cupped her round breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples. "But so soft." She whimpered at his attentions. He dipped his head, closing his lips over her sensitive peak, drawing it into his mouth. Suddenly he couldn't taste enough, get close enough. She rolled her hips against him, sliding teasingly along his straining sex until she lowered herself to sheath him completely. The action caused them both to gasp in amazement at the feelings that overtook them as he pressed into her sweetness. The warm tension of an orgasm blossomed quickly. His blood boiled, pleasure overflowing as their bodies collided in a perfect rhythm until that blinding pulsing moment of release. She sighed, collapsing against his chest as he held her close. This was the most intense dream he had ever had, he thought as he struggled to regain his breath.
"That didn't feel like a dream," she exhaled softly as she lifted herself from his chest and gazed down into his dark green eyes.
"No, it didn't," he agreed. He traced his finger along her jaw and over her bottom lip before leaning in to kiss her once more. "Natasha," he whispered softly and was surprised to see the smile that formed upon her lips at the sound of her name. She had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Then she disappeared.
Loki opened his eyes to find himself alone in his bath chamber, goose bumps shivering across his skin as he realized that unlike in his dream the temperature of the bath water had dropped considerably since he had dozed off. Still he felt rejuvenated as he stepped out of the tub and moved into his bedroom to find some fresh clothes. He was still Loki after all, the god of mischief, he would find a way to break these miserable little confines around his wrists and then he would complete the next step in his plans. Their victory over him would be short lived. In the end he would have everything that he ever wanted. Everything, he smiled to himself as he remembered his dream once more.
The black widow shot up from her seat as she looked about the plane, confused for a moment by her surroundings before she quickly remembered that she was aboard the quinjet and on her way to her next mission.
"Sorry I had to wake you, Tash," Clint quipped as he watched her with an amused look upon his face. "Sounded like you were having a really great dream," he chuckled," but we've landed and Fury wants this thing done like yesterday."
"What makes you say that," she asked trying to regain her calm exterior. Please don't let me have said his name out loud, she thought frantically to herself as she moved casually across the floor to retrieve her weapons.
"You were moaning," He grinned as he picked up his bow and quiver, "Very loudly, in fact."
"I was not," she remarked coldly. "We don't have time for your jokes, Barton."
"I'm totally serious," Clint insisted as he followed behind her. "Was it anyone I know?" he winked playfully.
"I don't remember a thing," she lied as she pushed the button to open the hatch. "We're on the clock, no more jokes." She sucked in another breath as she began walking down the ramp. She had been plagued by thoughts of him since he had been taken back to Asgard. To see him in her dreams was nothing new but nothing like that had ever happened before and it better never happen again. She had to do something to flush these crazy thoughts out of her mind before she went insane. At least she didn't have to worry about ever coming across him again in the flesh. He was safely imprisoned in some far away realm. Now if she could just get him out of her head than her life could finally go back to normal once and for all.