"I was enchanted to meet you."
Thats when Loki came to a halt at the entrance to the balcony.
His eyes had strayed over the hall prior to the mission his mother had sent him on. Loki had searched for her in the crowd of revelers. It was his mother that finally voiced his concern.
"Loki, would you find Jane? I suspect your sister's retreated to some dark corner again."
He's swallowed down an angry retort. Jane wasn't his sister. The only true child of Odin was Thor. But it wasn't his or even Jane's parentage that made him tense at the word sister, it was something else entirely. Loki only nodded and stood, ignorant to his mother's watchful eyes.
Loki had some time ago become accustomed to finding Jane. As a small child she had been prone to trouble. Not mischief as himself, but she was curious, much to curious. It was something Loki had come to appreciate. She'd amused him, from time to time. As much as a mortal child could amuse a being that was over a thousand years old.
She'd squeal when Thor would throw her in the air, laugh when he held things out of her reach. But she had always followed Loki, seeking him out in libraries and pestering him with her endless questions. He tolerated it, because his mother requested it. It also didn't hurt that Odin was had always been troubled by the mortals presence. Odin's discomfort over the girl made Loki appreciate her more.
Loki couldn't help but take some pity on her, she was adopted, looked down upon by those around her. Loki could relate, and even he had to admit that at the very least he had his own strengths to silence those that would questions him. Jane had no such resources. She was a mortal girl in a strange world.
That was until Frigga had presented her with Idunn's apple upon her twentieth birthday. Jane had taken it behind closed doors, with only Frigga by her side, the only mother she had ever known. The celebration of her birthday, of the Aesir life she had been granted, that was a grand affair. Dignitaries from across the realms were invited to celebrate the immortality of the Aesir princess.
It was that celebration that Jane was currently missing from and how he found himself on the threshold of the balcony searching her out. It was an old hiding place, one he had found her in often over the years whenever Frigga had sent him to search out Jane. 'She loves Thor, but I think she finds you much more interesting Loki. She listens to you.' Those were Frigga's words as she ushered him away every time to send him in search of the errant girl.
Girl no longer though.
Honeyed words reached his years.
"I was enchanted to meet you."
"Thank you."
"Shall we have a seat?"
"I really must-."
"I insist."
"My mother-."
There was nothing particularly dangerous about the man's words, but Loki tensed and stepped forward. "I believe you'd be unwise to insist."
"Prince Loki," the man said, slightly taken aback. His eyes widened slightly as he realized his error. "Your sister and I-."
Sister. It was that word that made him snap. "Leave her side before I put you through an unimaginable hell." Jane gasped, but Loki paid her no mind and instead watched the man take his leave. When he turned back to Jane he schooled his features.
"Loki, I don't think he meant much harm. He's a powerful man, you shouldn't-."
"I'm powerful," Loki snapped angrily. "And that fool had no right to accost you, alone no less. I would have been within my right to do more."
Jane released an exasperated sigh. "Over protective older brother doesn't suit you. Isn't that Thor's thing?"
Loki watched her roll her eyes and turn away from him to walk to the edge of the balcony. He was grateful for it, then she couldn't see the way he tensed at her words and his eyes narrowed. After a few short moments he had calmed himself and closed some of the distance between them. "You know you can't hide here for long."
"I just needed a break," Jane responded, her earlier ire now gone. "I'm just feeling... overwhelmed."
Part of him didn't want to ask. Loki knew that inquiring and caring would only damn him in the end. "What is it?" He asked finally.
She looked down and pursed her lips, brown hair almost entirely shielding her face from him as he came to stand next to her. "This is what I wanted, I know that. But five thousand years Loki...By chance Frigga took me in. What if I was wrong? What it I was meant to live a mortal life."
"Don't be a fool," he said harsher then meant. "Would that have been your wish? Grow old and die before even the turn of a century? If that's the case then I was I not meant to die on that cold, barren rock?"
She spun at his question, brown eyes wide and panicked. "No!" She exclaimed reached for his arm, but he pulled away. "No, Loki, I-. I'm sorry, I'd never mean that. I'd never want that. I-."
He shook his head, dismissing her apology. "Stop, I know. Then apply the same reason to yourself Jane."
At that she only nodded, unwilling to go on further. "It's overwhelming, looking out over the possibility of five thousand years."
"One day at a time," he said softly, anger and tension fading from him. She smiled up at him and his chest constricted with an emotion he clamped down on and refused to put a name to.
"My first day and they're already coming out of the wood work," she said with an amused grin and nodded towards the hall where her hopeful suitor had escaped to.
Loki frowned and rolled his eyes. "I hate to be the one to inform you, but that won't be the last."
Jane huffed in annoyance and turned from him to return to the balcony, again staring out over the stars. "Can't I just be left alone? Why-?"
"Your the adoptive daughter of King Odin, the light of the Queen's eye." She turned and looked at him with a frown. "Don't fret Jane, I've already made piece with the fact that Frigga is unable to contain herself now that she has a daughter. You're in no danger of my tricks."
"Unlike Thor," Jane pointed out with a knowing smile.
He found his own lips lifting into a grin. "Unlike Thor," he agreed.
"You sell yourself short," Jane said and turned away. "You're more like her then you think and I don't think you realize how proud she is of you."
The compliment startled him for a moment, but Loki shook it off. "My point is, now that your Aesir, and taking into account your status, this is only the beginning. They'll come from across the realms to seek the chance to gain your favor." She remained silent at his words, and Loki found himself unsure if he wanted a response or not. They'd come, simpering over her, showering her with gifts, t first female heir since Odin's own sister, and Loki would watch as would be expected of him, because it would be what Odin wanted. The thought of it made his gut twist, it made him tense with anger.
"I don't want that," she whispered. "I wanted to explore, learn things, travel the realms." She turned to him, tears in her eyes. "You promised me remember? You promised to show me everything."
Those had been his words when she was younger, he had promised. Yet it was as if she teased him now with companionship that wasn't really his to own. "You'll do it, have everything you want," he said gravely and then advanced on her, coming to stop just inches away to towered over her. "Then Odin will want to hand you off in marriage, because what good is his adoptive daughter if he has nothing to gain." His words were cruel, a snarl said on twisted lips meant to strike, meant to cause pain.
Jane gasped at the force of his cruelty. She reared her hand back and aimed to slap him, but he caught her wrist.
"Don't be a fool Jane," he mocked. "You still only have the strength of a Midgardian."
"Let me go," she whispered and pulled at her hand. "Let go!" She said repeated and again tried to pull away.
"What did you think Jane?" He asked and lowered his head. "What did you think would come of you?"
"He wouldn't-."
"He will, trade you like common goods," he said, his words meant to cut her deep, make her hurt as much as he did. His eyes glinted with evil mischief and the corners of his mouth turned up in a sharp smile.
"Why are you doing this?" She whispered painfully, tears threatening to spill. "This isn't you."
Her words were the first thing that scratched the walls of his anger, frustration and pain.
"I may not be Thor, but Odin doesn't despise me that much, not as much as your own mind has conjured up that he hates you!" She spat, even as tears fell to her cheeks.
It was an old wound, reopened by his words. Loki fired back with precision. "A Midgardian woman," he began slowly, wanting to be sure his words sunk in to her, dug deep, "with a particular beauty that is unfamiliar to most, should go to a very high bidder." Her sharp gasp shook him and for the the first time he felt the weight of his words.
Jane shook her head, still denying his words. "Why?" She gasped. "Why are you-. It as if you want this, as if it gives you some sick pleasure for this to be my fate. Did you never care?" Now her eyes held anger.
"Jane..." He started, beginning to realize his error. Hurt, pain, sorry, it shown on her face clear as day and it was a dagger in his gut, because he'd put it there.
"Was it all a trick Loki?! Play with the stupid mortal girl for your amusement then cut her down! Laugh as you tell her of her own bleak future. Why Loki!" She screamed and ripped her arm from his with success. She stumbled back with the force of it. "Why do you want to see me so go to the highest bidder as you so cruelly called it!"
"I don't!" He roared finally and advanced on her. When she tried to move away he grabbed both arms to stop her, but he kept his hold gentle. "You stupid girl. Do you really think that's what I want? To see these lowly peasants scrape at your feet for a piece of you?"
"Then what do you want?" She whispered shakily, but didn't pull from him. The tears had stopped, but her were still glassy.
"I want you to stop calling me brother," he growled through clenched teeth. "I am not your brother and I have no wish to be. I want to stop this foolish charade, and be honest for once, because my intentions are not brotherly and I have no problem making any man who looks at you with interest run from your screaming in fear."
With each breath Jane shook, as if cold chilled her to her bones. It wasn't cold though. Tears again escaped her eyes as she blinked. Slowly, she lifted a hand to his cheek, fingertips touching it. "Loki..." She whispered, her voice pained. Her hand slid to cradle the pale, smooth flesh.
Her touch shook him free of his anger, and as he came down from it the implications of everything he'd said finally hit him. "Jane," he exhaled and closed his eyes, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been cruel." When he opened his eyes those same brown orbs stared back at him, glistening tears, soft, hurt. He sighed and released her arms to wrap them around her. With one arm around her shoulder, and one hand against the back of her head, he held her to him. "I'm sorry," he said again and pressed a kiss to her head. Her arms slid around his neck and he lowered his head to sigh into her neck, letting himself relax.
"It's okay," she whispered back and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
It wasn't okay, but Loki was to much of a coward to argue with her forgiveness. After a brief moment he sighed and pulled away. With his arms still around her, hers still draped upon his shoulders, she did the worst thing possible, looked up at him with wide brown expectant eyes, still glassy with tears. Full lips parted just slightly and he found his hand cupping the back of her head firmly and he lowered his own. "I cannot be your brother Jane, nor your friend. And I won't abide another man trying to take you."
"And I don't want anyone else either, for the record," she said gently, her eyes flickering over him as if she was searching for something.
All the tension, anger, fear, frustration, it fled him in that moment. He allowed himself a small smirk before dropping his lips to hers and claiming them. She made a small sound of shock, but her body leaned into his and he hugged her close, trapping her in his embrace.
For the past couple of years he had been fighting with growing affections for Jane, aware of the pain in his heart as those affections grew, became deeper. It all exploded into a greedy, rushed kiss. Loki fisted her hair and sucked on her bottom lip, dragging his teeth of over it, nipping it.
Jane tightened her arms around his neck, arching into him. When his tongue slid along the seem of her lips she parted them, whimpering as the kiss deepened.
Slowly, Loki backed her up, away from possible prying eyes, and against a stone wall. She gasped in response, breaking the kiss briefly. Loki was fine with that. Gently, he pulled her hair to guide her head to the side, exposing the flesh of her neck to his lips. He kissed the long line of it, sucking and nipping, drawing her ear into his mouth and grinning as she gasped and pressed closer to him. When he kissed her again he didn't beg entrance, he demanded it and pressed her into the wall. Blunt nails dug into his neck and he resisted the urge to growl. "You're so impossibly short," he said in annoyance against her lips.
Jane laughed breathlessly and pushed onto her toes to kiss him again.
Without thinking, Loki released her to cup his hands around the back of her thighs, he slid them up, gathering some of her dress to give himself some slack in the silken material, and lifted her, bringing her legs around his waist and again found her neck. She whimpered, clutching his shoulders. With her body pressed against him and the wall at her back, his hands were free to roam. He slid them over bare arms, grasped her hips and slid them up her sides, thumbs brushing over her ribs and stopping as they bumped against the swell over her breasts. It took great effort to stop the ascent of his hands.
He cradled the back of her head and kissed down her neck coming to the silken strap of her dress and grasped it in his hand to pull it to the side to expose more skin. The silken fabric hung from her shoulder, teasing him, inviting him to undress her further. With some effort he sought her lips again, noting the sound of her soft pants, and kissed her roughly, his fingers winding into her brown hair. Jane whined softly, squeezing her legs around him and pressing herself against his stomach. She wasn't low enough though, not for the release he needed. He growled against her lips and grasped her hips to yank her lower so that he could thrust up against her. She cried out, throwing her head back. At once it sent a rush of need through him and startled him at the same time.
Loki had to stop. Not Jane, never Jane. She may have grown into her adult body, but she was still young, and he knew she had been protected, shielded from the outside world. As her adoptive brother, a title forced upon him, he was well aware that Frigga had protected Jane fiercely. He was over a thousand years old with a girl just reaching adult hood. He knew better, she didn't.
Loki dropped his forehead against her bare shoulder and sighed, fighting to control his breathing. His heart pounded in his ears, evidence of his arousal and excitement.
"Loki..." Jane whispered breathlessly, a question in her tone.
He pressed a kiss to her skin. "Jane, I don't think this is the correct venue." He heard her sigh and lifted his head to look at her, finding her head tilted back against the wall and eyes closed.
"Then what is?" She asked and looked down on him, her breathing still coming in breathy gasps.
Her lips were swollen, face flushed. Loki felt the urge to kiss her again, take her to his chambers and strip her bare for him. "Not here, and not yet." She groaned and dropped her head back. Loki chuckled darkly and kissed her neck.
"You can't get people worked up like that Loki! It's teasing and cruel!"
He smiled against her neck, pleased with himself. "The wait will be worth it." Then he lowered her slowly to the ground, grasping her waist as her legs fell away from him. Silence hung between them as they stared at one another. When he was drawn to her lips again he held back, kissing her slowly, prying her lips open gently. He didn't press her into the wall again. Instead he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close, slid his hand into her hair and tilted her head back slowly.
"Loki!"
Frigga's voice banished any thoughts of Jane, her body and her lips. The arousal he had been fighting went from unbearable to nonexistent. Loki dropped his hands from Jane and took a firm step backwards. Jane stumbled a bit from his quick release and he immediately reached out to grab her elbow. He fought a grin as she yanked the strap of her dress back up.
The three of them stared at one another. It was only Jane that looked like a fish out of water, mouth gaping, eyes wide. Loki and Frigga stood still, staring at one another. Loki knew his facade was one of calm indifference. Frigga's was one of anger.
"I thought I taught you better then that. I'm not treating you any different Loki. If you wish for Jane's hand then you'll go about it in a manor suitable for a princess. Do not disappoint me."
It took entirely to long for it to sink in that Frigga was reprimanding him and giving him permission to be with Jane all at the same time. When she shock wore off he bowed slightly in acknowledgement, showing respect to the Queen.
"Escort her back inside," she said in a clipper tone and turned to step over the threshold, a small smirk spreading over her lips as she stepped away.
"I thought she'd be angry," Jane said in wonder as she stared after Frigga.
"She's angry at me for not showing you the respect you deserve." Loki shook off Frigga's words and turned to Jane.
"I'm not a child," she said with a sigh, but didn't seem as if she wished to push it further. She was sensible enough not to.
Back in the hall her attention would be torn from him. Already Loki could feel a flair of annoyance, a possessive claim that he knew he would have to clamp down on. When she turned back to him he raised hand and threaded it into her hair again. He kissed her lightly, but didn't deepen it. She sighed against his lips and slid he arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. It was then that he was forced to grasp her hip and stepped back. Distance between them would be necessary, her body against his was to tempting.
Jane huffed in annoyance and his smirk only earned him a glare. Loki slid his hand from her hair, down her bare arm and grasped her hand. he bowed at the waist and kissed her knuckles. When he looked up from under his lashes he caught the heated look in her eyes.
"Loki you're being ridiculous," she said in exasperation and rolled her eyes.
Loki stood and held her hand at his side again. "There are many forms of seduction Jane," Loki said softly, holding her eyes with his own, making his intent clear. "May we be clear on one thing?" He asked and looked down on her. She looked back up at him in confusion. Loki raised his free hand to her face to brush strands of hair from her eyes. She smiled up at him and he let his fingers trail down her cheek to cup it, fingers sliding into her hair. "When we walk through that door, it's together Jane. Any other possible suitors," he said the word with a hint of disgust, "will be told you're already spoken for." The air hung heavy between them, the tension building.
"Okay," she whispered, unfazed by his demand that had been shaped so eloquently in the form of a request. "And you?" She asked hesitantly, but didn't break eye contact.
He smiled slightly and lowered his head to press a chaste kiss to her lips. "Trust me Jane, there is no other, and I would be the last person to break your heart."
"I'm sure you could catch bees with that honey," Jane said, smiling up at him.
The pleasure on her face, the genuine smile, it made his heart pound in his chest. It was an emotion he was unfamiliar with. There'd been no woman to capture his attention as she had, to steal his heart. Having those affections returned was almost to much to keep his composure. He kissed her once more then pulled away, dropping his hand from her face and winding the one he still held around his forearm. She settled it there and pressed against his side.
Guards opened the doors for them and they were immediately bombarded with the noise of celebration and the scents of the feast. Her hand gripped his forearm tighter as they made their way to the dais. Loki lower his head, bringing his mouth closer to her ear. "I was neglectful earlier in not telling you how beautiful you are."
The tension that had pinched her face faded away when she looked up at him and a smile spread over her lips. "Thank you."
Loki escorted her back to Frigga's side where she took a seat. By luck his own seat was on the other side of Jane. Frigga met his eye as he sat, one of her eyebrows cocked slightly and the corner of her mouth lifted in a hint of a smirk. Then she turned away, much to satisfied for Loki's taste. He was starting to realize his mother knew much more then she let on and was just as mischievous as he was. Thoughts of Frigga's meddling were banished when he caught site of Jane. When she smiled at him nothing else seemed to matter.