"It's up ahead. I promise you, you will not regret following me here," Thor said with his usual grin. He had dragged Sif and the Warriors Three along with him through a heavily forested part of Alfheim, realm of the elves. For the past three months he'd been going back and forth from Asgard to Alfheim for one reason, and his friends had been curious as to what it was. "For the last time Thor, where are you taking us?" questioned Sif, who was particularly upset by the fact that she was being taken somewhere unknown to her- she'd say against her will, but she knew that she could've turned around and left at any time she wanted- when she could be sparring. "It's not much further... Here!" Thor stopped abruptly, causing Fandral, who'd been following closely behind, to bump into him. "A... Spring? You wanted to show us a damned spring? There's plenty of water in Asgard! Why would this be the reason for your ceaseless venturing?" inquired Valstagg, who'd been complaining alongside Sif, though he'd been complaining more about his stomach than anything else. It was at that moment that suddenly there blew an ominous gust of wind, causing flower petals of every color to fall from the trees above and float down into the spring. Though, as more flower petals fell, the more the wind blew, making the petals fly upward and swirl about until, much to the surprise of all but Thor, they took the shape of a woman. "Ah, Thor. I see you've returned. You have also brought friends with you. How delightful," spoke the woman. The warriors accompanying Thor stood there stunned, unable to truly process the magic before them. "Aye. This here is Lady Sif, and these are the Warriors Three: Fandral, Hogun, and-" "And Valstagg. I knows of you. Now tell me Thor, have you answered my riddle?" The flower petal woman had interrupted Thor and now looked down at him with an intensity that almost made even Sif want to cower, for instead of looking at what would resemble eyes, there were two black petals, like black holes that would swallow them if they angered the magical being. "Er... Yes, I have. I believe the answer to your riddle is... Vowels?" At this Sif and the other warriors looked at Thor strangely. They'd been hearing riddles being passed about through Asgard, people constantly trying to find the answers, and after about a week or so, they'd come across a new riddle. It seemed Thor and this flowery being were what started it. They finally turned their gaze back to the flower woman and watched as the two red flower petals that formed her mouth seemed to turn upward a bit in what resembled a smile. "You truly are clever, dearest Thor. I have yet another prize for you. Close your eyes, and I shall bestow my gift upon you for your cleverness and intellect." With that, Thor closed his eyes, and the flower woman seemingly floated over to Thor before placing a flowered hand on his shoulder. Thor visibly shuddered as the woman then leaned in and seemed to softly kiss his forehead. "You are a strong and big man, and a man such as yourself should be sure to keep his plate and cup full. For answering this riddle, I bestow upon you the gift of an endless goblet, and for the kitchens of your kingdom to remain full to the point of bursting. No longer will your kingdom need to rely on trade and harvest, and no longer will your cup need to be refilled." Thor then opened his eyes and grinned his usual grin. "I thank you, my lady. Asgard will prosper with this new gift of yours. You are truly generous."

"Finally," thought Loki out loud, who now sat in front of the fireplace in the rarely-used library, an old tome in his hands, "finally will I have peace with Thor off on another of his escapades." Loki had longed for a day of peace without his brother's constant begging for them to spar together, or to go out and run their horses across the grounds. He'd been meaning to read the book he now had opened in his lap for quite a while now, but with Thor constantly bugging him for attention, he'd been unable to do so. His eyes scanned the pages as he read of different types of magic, from white magic to the darkest arts. It had seemed like hours that he'd been reading when he'd finished the book. Over a thousand pages read in such little time. Loki stretched languidly, his muscles stiff from sitting there for so long, when he suddenly heard what sounded like the opening and closing of the doors leading to the outside world from the castle of Asgard. So Thor is back now... And it seems he took Sif and the others with him this time. It wasn't long until the doors to the library opened and in marched Thor, alone. His companions didn't care much for going with Thor to the library, for it was a place they often took care to avoid. Warriors didn't waste their time sitting and reading when they could be attempting to beat each others' brains out or gorge themselves with food and drink to the point of exploding. "Ah, brother. Back so soon?" asked Loki, a smile playing on his face, though he truly wished his brother had stayed away longer. "Aye, brother. And I've also thought up another riddle for you." At this Loki's expression turned genuine. It'd been three months ago when Thor first came to him with a riddle, to which Loki answered with ease. It wasn't so much that he enjoyed the riddles, but every time he answered a riddle, his brother left on another journey. Hopefully he'd even take his friends with him again. "Oh really? Another riddle for me? Hopefully it will be more of a challenge than the last one," he replied as he stood, the book now resting on a table that was beside the chair he'd just been sitting in. "Yes, I believe so. Here is the riddle: When you do not know what I am, I am something. However, when you do know what I am, I am nothing. What am I?" Hmm... That is a tricky one... "Well... This one seems to be an enigma..." "An enigma, brother?" Loki sighed. Of course my idiot of a brother wouldn't know what an enigma is. "A puzzle. An enigma is like a puzzle, or a riddle... Wait... I think that might be the answer. A riddle." Thor looked at him with a bit of both confusion and uncertainty on his face before masking it with a smile. "Congratulations brother! Another riddle solved! You truly are the cleverest of the Aesir." Loki cocked an eyebrow at his brother but decided to shrug it off. His brother had really been acting strange since he'd been coming to him with riddles. It was as if he didn't even know the answer to them, when it was he who came up with them. "Come, Loki. Let us celebrate another intellectual victory in the dining hall, shall we?"

Kenna sighed as she sat on her rock; the same one she'd been sitting on when Thor had arrived to her spring three months before, and the same one she would be forced to sit on until he broke her curse. It'd been many years since she'd been taken by a Naiad after straying too far from home and venturing too close to a forbidden spring. It had turned out that the spring was truly a prison cave in the ground, covered by a sheet of water to prevent it from being seen, and its former prisoner had been a dwarf of ill temperament and dark magic who lured her close to the spring only to trade places with her, sending him free and forcing her to remain in his place. Kenna had used what little magic she could to try to free herself, but the magic that closed her prison was far too strong. The only thing the dwarf had told her before departing was that she must have six consecutive riddles answered correctly in order to be freed, or to drag down a new victim using powerful magic. She didn't know magic beyond the basics, so she sat and waited. Finally, one day she'd heard the sound of mighty hooves pounding against the ground and used her magic to conjure a being, almost a mirror image of herself, out of flower petals. She could not see using the puppet, but from the sound of the hooves, she could tell that the horse and its master must be no ordinary or small beings. Hopefully she could get this person to stop and perhaps even answer a riddle. The man, Thor was his name, had listened to her riddle and pledged to return soon with the answer. It'd taken him two weeks to return and provide for her the correct answer. Since then, Thor made regular visits, answering the riddles as quickly as possible. In return Kenna used what little magic she could use to bestow upon him prizes for the correct answers, to make sure he came back after each riddle.

Kenna sighed again as she sat and waited. She'd told Thor that the sixth riddle he would answer would earn him the ultimate gift. Unfortunately she was forced to tell him her most difficult riddle, having given away the easy ones first. She had a strong feeling that she'd be there for a while before she was finally able to get free.

"I am sure that she would be a true beauty, had she been a real woman." "Aye, but everyone knows that Dryads are timid creatures. No one has before been able to see one's true form." "Her eyes were a bit intimidating didn't you think? Like two dark voids, waiting to engulf you and swallow you whole."

The chatter between Sif and the Warriors Three went on endlessly, and needless to say, Loki couldn't care less. That is, until he heard a certain part of the conversation that nearly sent him into a rage. "Aye, terrifying, indeed. I am surprised though by the magic of this being. And to think, Thor is getting valuable prizes for only answers to riddles." "That was what I was thinking. He hasn't even been truly answering them. He's been having his brother answer them for him. I wonder what would happen..." Loki didn't bother to hear the rest of the conversation. He stood abruptly and exited the hall, Thor and his companions staring after him curiously, wondering why the sudden temper in Loki's manner.

I'll teach him to use me like this. Play me like a puppet for little treats, will you Thor? Well we'll see how that goes for you this time, thought Loki viciously. He was not one who took too kindly to being played the way he was. He knew that his brother's sudden ability to create complex riddles the way he has was more than a little suspicious. Thor could hardly even come up with a haiku, let alone a riddle. Loki had decided that he'd follow this time, invisible to all. This time Thor wanted to go alone to answer this riddle, which made it even easier for Loki to follow silently. Though, Loki had no idea that it took almost two days' travel to get to their destination. He'd contemplated just taking the form of a bird, but decided against it, for Thor seemed to enjoy hunting birds for his meals every now an then while out venturing. Loki's feet felt as though they'd been burning for hours, which they probably were, but he refused to stop for a moment, lest he do something to reveal himself accidentally. By the time they'd gotten to the spring, he'd wanted to collapse. Though he was a sorcerer, he couldn't use one spell while focusing on another. He just had to suffer through it. When he felt the ominous breeze, he knew something was up. When the flower woman revealed herself, he'd all but laughed aloud at the absurdity of this. It was obviously a trick, planned out by some mischievous creature that wanted to play with Thor the way he'd been playing with Loki. "Thor. This will be the final riddle to answer. After this, you will be granted with the epitome of gifts I could grant." It is good that I followed then. Otherwise I would never get this chance again. "I see... Well, I have your answer. It is-"

At this moment Loki revealed himself and interrupted his brother.

"A riddle. The answer to your riddle is 'a riddle'." The look on Thor's face would have been humorous if it hadn't been for the sudden flash of light that came from the spring. Then there was nothing. The flower maiden had disappeared and the woods silent and still. "Loki! What is the meaning of this? How and why are you here?" Thor sounded furious, but deep inside he knew that it was bound to happen eventually. His brother was far to clever to have let this matter be for long. "That is a good question Thor. An even better one would be why you have been using me for the sake of earning petty treats like a whipped dog would?" This silenced Thor. He looked down as if ashamed that he'd been keeping his brother in the dark, instead of telling him of the flower maiden and the spring. Now, however, the strange woman was gone, and her voice nothing but a mere memory now.

Then they heard another voice.

"Th-Thor? Are you still there?" The brothers looked at each other in confusion. This voice was similar to the flower woman, yet it sounded meek and hesitant instead of beautifully empowering. Thor looked a bit unsure as to whether he should answer or not, but Loki nodded, giving him approval. "Aye, I am here. Who and where are you?"

"Please help. I'm in the spring," called out Kenna. After the other man that had accompanied Thor answered the riddle, a bright flash of light broke the seal keeping her in her prison. She was free at last! It was unfortunate though, that the walls of her prison were far too steep and smooth for her to climb. How a dwarf had been able to grab her from this place, she would never know. "In the spring? What do you mean by that?" Thor had answered her. She sighed. How would she explain this to him in a few simple words? "Thor, I'm pretty sure that she means she's literally in the spring," Loki had answered to Thor's question. He rolled his eyes and approached the spring. That was his big mistake of the day, for when he attempted to step in what appeared to be a shallow pool of water, it turned out to be an enormously deep hole in the ground. Loki let out a shout as he fell straight down into this hole and fell onto not a hard rock floor as he expected, but a soft pile of flesh. Female flesh. A woman. He immediately stood up and helped the woman up. She had incredibly long, auburn hair and icy blue eyes that gave him goose bumps. "LOKI! Brother, are you alright?" Loki shook his head and brought himself back to reality. "Y-yes. I'm fine. Don't come near. It's a large hole of some sort, and there's a woman down here." "A woman? Is she a Naiad?" Loki started to look her over but immediately looked away when he realized that she wasn't wearing clothes. Kenna noticed this fact when he quickly looked away and shyly attempted to hide her female parts with her arms and hands. "I don't think so brother. She appears to be an elf," he replied, after looking once again- but this time at just her face- and discovered she had pointed ears. "Alright. I will get you help from any nearby natives. Stay there, I'll return shortly." Then it went silent.

Loki rolled his eyes. Where am I to go you idiot? I'm in a damned hole. He was shaken from his thoughts though by a soft, song-like voice. "Y-you are Loki? Yes?" He turned to look at the woman. She was thin and pale. It seemed she'd been down here for a while, and it was purely by magic that she hadn't starved or dehydrated. "Yes. I am Loki Odinson. One of two princes of Asgard. You seem to have acquainted yourself with my brother already." The young woman nodded and smiled softly. That smile churned his stomach. She was almost as lovely as Freya and twice as fair, though that was more than likely from being in this hole for so long. "Yes, I have. Though, I had no idea I was speaking with royalty. My name is Kenna." Kenna... Oh lovely Kenna. How I long to see how soft those long locks of yours are. Loki mentally slapped himself. Where in Helheim had that come from? "How did you come to be here?" he asked, hoping to shake those absurd- and very provocative- thoughts from his mind. He was unable to do so though, when she proceeded to tell him of how she ended up in this hole- a prison apparently. While she talked of the evil dwarf that imprisoned her and of the three months of telling Thor riddles, he could think of nothing but how perfectly plump her lips were, how flawless her alabaster skin was, and how he wanted to somehow record her voice into his mind, so he may hear her beautiful voice whenever he pleased. "Um... Loki? Are you alright?" Kenna waved a hand in front of his face then blushed and realized that in doing so that she'd momentarily exposed herself. By the Norns... I've never wanted to touch a woman as badly as I do now. That blush made him want to kiss her until her lips were melted against his. "Y-yes... I am fine. I apologize. I was deep in thought," he said, trying to keep himself distracted from her almost unnatural beauty. It was then, however, that he got a very good idea- or at least good by his standards what with the position he was in. "You rewarded my brother for answering your riddles, yes?" The young beauty blushed yet again and nodded. "Yes, I did. Why?" "Well, I feel you should know that it has not been my brother who has been answering all of your riddles. All this time I've been giving my brother the answers to your riddles, and he has done nothing to repay me for this." Loki's voice was casual almost as if he were merely talking about the weather. Had Kenna not been pale already, she more than likely would've visibly paled. "Is that so? Well... Why don't you prove it?" Her voice sounded almost defiant, though Loki was sure she didn't need any more proof than his word. "The first answer was a violin. The second, a human. Then a rainbow. Fourth was silence. Fifth, vowels. Sixth, a riddle," he said, a slightly smug smirk on his face. Kenna's eyes widened slightly when she heard his answer. "Y... You must be telling the truth then... I am sorry, but I know not of what to give you as payment." In reality, she had not planned on even giving Thor a last gift. She'd been prepared to run as quickly as possible to avoid doing so until she had reached the safety of her home. She didn't have any more tricks up her sleeve to appease Thor. Then she saw the look on Loki's face. It was a mixture of both mischief and lust. "Oh, I know of the perfect prize." She started to back up, his intent clear in his smooth voice and piercing gaze, when suddenly she found herself pinned to the stone wall, a pair of smooth and slightly cold lips against her own plump, warm ones. She'd wanted to fight him off at first, but thought better of it. Wait a moment! Isn't he a prince? And besides, even if you did manage to push him away, where would you go? She then banished any other thoughts from her mind as her arms found their way around Loki's neck and she kissed him back with a passion equal to his. She then felt him smirk into the kiss as well as felt him press his hard and lean body against hers. It wasn't until she felt his hands caress her hips and thighs that she realized that he truly was serious.

Loki found himself trying harder than usual to restrain himself from taking her like an eager child right then. Her body was so soft against his palms, and her lips molded perfectly with his. She seemed hesitant though, as if she were unsure of where to put her hands or how to touch him to give him pleasure as well. A virgin, perhaps? He attempted to keep from rolling his eyes, lest she see and be offended, and pulled from the kiss to take her hand and press her palm against his cheek. Her hands were warm compared to his own, and he relished in the feel of her soft and warm skin against his. She seemed to understand, however, and proceeded to softly stroke his cheek, almost like a lover would. He found himself wanting her more a soft, and pleased sigh, he leaned in to kiss her again, this one more tender. The tenderness was soon lost though when he felt her dainty fingers tug at his shirt, as if asking for him to take it off. He pulled it off quickly, eager to have her hands on him. He was not disappointed neither. Her hands stroked the skin of his chest and abs, almost like she was trying to consume him with her hands. His lips soon found hers again, but this time he kissed along her jaw to leave a trail of butterfly kisses along her neck and shoulder, earning him a soft, breathy moan from her. Her hands soon wanted to explore more of him as they trailed down his spine, causing him to shiver with pleasure, and found his pants before tugging at them as well. His patience was wearing thin now. If she truly were a virgin, she caught on fast. Soon they were both completely naked, his clothes strewn about and their hands everywhere at once. Their moans filled the air when one of them touched the other the right way. Ye Gods! I can take this no longer! With a movement swift even for an Aesir, he had her on the ground beneath him, face flushed and breath heavy with want. He gripped her legs and pulled them upward to have her wrap them wrap around his waist, and without warning or any further preparations, he plunged his rigid cock deep into Kenna's sweet tightness with a groan of approval. She let out a cry of pain though, confirming his suspicions of her being a virgin. He soon found himself showering her face, neck and chest with feather-soft kisses, hoping to ease her pain. "Oh Gods... L-Loki..." Her sweet moans, a mixture of pain and pleasure, sent another shiver down his spine. That shiver was enough to send a wave of pleasure through her, and she arched her body against his; more than enough invitation for him to continue. His thrusts started out slow and sensual, relishing the feel of her beautiful body under his, but soon started to pick up pace when she ran a hand through his hair and tugged him down for a demanding kiss. His control quickly started to slip away and he found himself moving in her with quick and rough thrusts. Kenna moaned loudly, her moans swallowed by his own mouth. Her hips started to move against his, increasing the friction and increasing their pleasure. Loki let out a low groan of pleasure when she leaned in to tease his skin with her teeth and tongue, kissing softly at first before roughly nipping at his skin then licking the small hickey left behind. His thrusts soon became frantic as she continued to tease his skin in this manner. "Ahh! L-Loki! Oh yes, more!" Kenna moaned loudly. His control was now completely lost and he found himself pounding into her, not caring about whether he hurt her or not, but wanting his release. He wanted to lose himself inside her and claim her as his own. After all, she was a virgin, and he couldn't just simply leave a prize like that. Loki felt more than heard himself moan her name when he felt her inner walls start to clamp down on him tightly, her orgasm close at hand. Kenna cried his name loudly, her body arching against his as she came to her climax. Loki chose at that moment to lean in and capture her lips in his, swallowing her moans as she swallowed his, and came with her, his seed shooting deep in her. Their lips were still locked when the two of them collapsed to the hard rock floor, completely spent and in an almost hazy bliss. "K... Kenna..." Loki panted out softly, trying to keep himself from crushing her under his body. "Y-yes..?" she responded, panting as well. "... When Thor returns to get us out... I want you to return with us to Asgard..." "What? Why?" Loki looked up at her, his emerald green eyes pleading with her own icy blue ones as a smirk slowly spread across his face. "You do not mean to think that that was not the best you've ever had?" "Th-that was the first I've ever had-" "Exactly. And think, what would happen when a man beds you, and does not find blood on his sheets? I doubt he would be pleased with the thought that his lover is not completely his." Kenna frowned down at him. "Are you trying to blackmail me into returning with you?" Loki shook his head, this time his smirk replaced with an almost loving smile. "Nay. I am trying to blackmail you into becoming my lover, and perhaps later my wife." Kenna's shocked expression sent a surge of hope, anxiety, and despair. What would he do should she reject? Well, I'd more than likely take her by force, that's what. "I... I guess I will have to accept your offer," she said, a soft smile gracing her lips.

It was then that Loki realized multiple things. The first: he had fallen in love with a woman in a matter of minutes. Second: he would more than likely want to spend the rest of his eternal life with this strange woman, whom he knew nothing yet wanted to know everything about. "Brother? Are you finished in there? As much as I enjoy the thought that you've finally found a woman for yourself, I highly doubt that these kind people would be willing to wait another half an hour before getting you out. They have lives as well."

Lastly, this meant endless gossip, teasing, and more than likely children in the near future. Loki shrugged. It would be well worth it, with a goddess such as this by his side.

AN: Thank you for reading. Just so you know, this was written in a matter of minutes at about 3:00 in the morning, so if there are any mistakes that I forgot to correct, I apologize. I'm not exactly an expert on Norse mythology neither, so once again I'm sorry for any mistakes, be it in the characters or in setting or whatever. Oh, and the riddle isn't mine. I got it from a Batman cartoon. :3 Um... that's really it. o.o Once again, thanks for reading.