Follows a Marvel Thor TImeline,

Loki Lands

Celeste stood in the mid morning sun, bird song filled the air and a light breeze blew the wet sheets back into her face as she tried to peg them to the line. Being 5ft2, and the clothes line being about a foot taller and mounted to the wall, this was always a good stretch for her, and a real struggle when the wind blew and it was linen day. It was the one moment she regretted having a King size bed...

Out of the corner of her eye as the sheets flapped a flash of green and black and her breath was taken away for an instant, was that... gone.

For a moment she thought she was losing her already warped mind, but she could have sworn she just saw a man in black leather standing at the end of the stone wall that sectioned off the clothes line from the rest of the yard. Her heart was racing. Her hands shook slightly.

Celeste had always been a 'witch', a 'good witch'. She worked with crystals and light and cards, and often smelled and felt things, energies and was intuitive with things... but she hadn't, since she was a child actually SEEN anyone... was it a spirit? She knew it wasn't someone sneaking in to the property, the dog was still lying in his half shaded spot under the table... if it had been a person, he would have heard them. He would have attacked.

But still she couldn't shake the feeling that whatever she had seen had been a little too real. She needed to use the smudge stick and crystals to get this energy off her. As she attempted to peg up the last of the wayward windblown sheets, she breathed out and started mentally doing her ritual and then she heard it - a deep little laugh, and a voice said "that's not going to help you this time..."

The world spun, she was tangled in the wet white cotton and panic set in, she fought her way to see who had spoken, a clipped and articulate voice that was grumbling deep. She stumbled into the wheeled trolley that held the wash basket and pegs and it crashed to the ground followed by her landing on top of it.

Pain added to her mind numbing confusion, she was alone, why hadn't the dog barked, where was the voice coming from... and then as she lay in a damp wrap of sheet and grazed hands from where she had landed on the pavers, the trolley digging into her hip, a shadow came over her. "oh God, please" she began to sob and shake "please don't hurt me... I...I ... there's money inside, and the keys just take what you want and leave"

"Hmpf" a rankled huff came from above, and the shadow she noted seemed immensely large and wait, were they... horns... "you humans just give up so easily"

Her head slowly turned, as did her stomach. Her ears were ringing. This ... what was this?

Fine black boots crouched down to Celeste as she turned, still laying on the ground, the leather he wore squeaked and crunched, a hand came out - a beautiful long, slender pale hand with almost glowing nails "well she thought, for a rapist or a criminal he has very nice hands..." and then she looked into his face... her eyes widened and he laughed.

His face was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen on a man, slender like the rest of him she took in, and long shoulder length jet black hair, porcelain skin with cheekbones she was tempted to reach out and stroke, beautiful lips, a fine strong nose.. but it was his eyes she was drowning in.. like time had stopped... they were shimmering green, flecks of gold moved in them - hang on, that's not right she thought. These were not possible, she kept staring as if the whole universe were inside those eyes...

"who? I..." she could barely make a sentence, between the pain from the cuts and grazes and christ did she break her rib, fuck that hurts and trying to straight jacket her thoughts on just what the fuck was going on here... who was he? where did he come from? what the fuck was he doing standing in the backyard...?

"I know you have many questions Midguardian, but how about we get you up and fix your bleeding hands and I can explain"

Midguardian? Did she just hear that right... and with that her brain decided to return to working order "Midguardian? Are you fucking shitting me?"

"I do so love your language, I have spent so much time studying the ways in which you speak, but I can assure you, if I have your vernacular correct that I kid you not... but ah forgive me I should properly introduce myself..."

He lifted her up in one fell swoop, the sheet fell to the ground and she was standing, wobbly on her feet, he bowed deeply and looked at her as he did so, the wry grin on his face was mildly menacing yet it thrilled her somehow.

"I am Loki... of Asgard... and you witch have something I need"

IN her kitchen, she stood watching for the silver kettle to boil - she could see his reflection in it. She kept one eye on him while trying to concentrate of putting the tea bag in the cup. Someone was either having a lend of her, playing up to her and making fun of the fact that she was a sole practitioner witch. Who would do that? her brothers and sisters had always made fun of her, but that was in a teasing way. If this was someone's joke they'd gone to an extra-ordinary about of effort.

The other conclusion was this guy had escaped from somewhere and was delusional and it was just her (bad) luck that the lunatic had decided she was the focus of his attentions. That made her hands shake again as she lifted the boiling water to the cup. She could throw the whole thing at him and run, but with legs like he had she thought her would be on her and catch her within seconds.

Celeste glanced quickly to the back door trying to calculate if she could make it in time to get outside. He was between her and the door, leaning against her cupboards, legs sort of crossed - very casual for a god she thought. He was doing nothing but staring at her, his arms half folded and one finger on his lips tapping as if to ponder what he should say next to terrify her. that's what she was... terrified. His head was tilted slightly downward but his eyes looked straight ahead at her - it was almost Machiavellian to her - the stare the slight grin appearing at the corner of his mouth although that could have been the curve of the kettle-reflection creating the appearance.

he, Loki, didn't seem to be phased at all by her silence and feigned focus on her task at hand, as if he had all the time in the world for her to be ready. Like he was waiting for her to start.

"You know" he began in that deep rumbling voice that was like a warm wave "usually by now you people have asked me a million questions and declared that I cannot possibly be who I am... so that's interesting"

She turned and leaned on her side of the bench, echoing his stance. She swallowed hard to attempt to get her voice even, not to betray her fear and confusion. Celeste wasn't sure why but she felt she would do better if she remained calm and waited for the opportunity to arrive to get herself out of this mess. especially seeing as right now she could barely think straight.

This was all just a little too fucking weird.

"so YOU" as she gestured towards him with the cup in her hand " are Loki? As in THE fucking Loki of Asgard, the frost giant son of Odin and brother of Thor?"

He looked a little puzzled and his head twitched to one side "well, late of Asgard shall we say, I'mnot really from anywhere anymore, and sort of from everywhere... but yes, I am THE Fucking Loki, as you so eloquently put it"

She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly

"you do not believe me Midguardian"

"Would you believe you?"

He laughed a little and a wry smile spread across his lips, he shot her a look through the shimmering eyes which had settled a little - the gold flecks seemed to have stopped moving but that could just be that she was so far away from his face now. "I am the God of Mischief lovely witch, and I trust nothing but my rage..."

Celeste turned and put the finished cup in the sink and then looked at it, and over her shoulder at Loki, "I'm sorry, I didn't even offer you a tea or a coffee... did you...?"

"unless you have a good mead Midguardian which I highly doubt from what I have seen of your world to date, then no, thank you"

He stood again staring at her, like he was ... waiting.

"you said before, out there" and she gestured towards the backyard "that I 'had something you need', what do I have and how do you know I am a Witch?"

He stood upright, his enormous height almost filling the room and as quickly as that he had pulled out a chair and sat down at ther table...he gestured to the chair at right angles to him "Sit" he commanded.

She walked over to the seat opposite him "please never goes astray... this is my house"

"I do not beg or plead to those beneath me, I said sit" he growled and pushed the chair next to him out using his boot.

Celeste hesitated for a second to sit in the chair opposite him but the cool stare he held on her made her think she shouldn't etst this guy and she sat in the chair he indicated.

"I know you are Witch - apart from the markings upon your skin" as he grabbed her left arm and shoved her sleeve up to where her Triple Goddess tattoo wrapped around her wrist. " I have heard you and your incantations, each full moon you work with your stones of this world and offer a prayer to the skies, I hear these and these are what drew you to me"

His hand still held her arm so powerfully and she thought this was not a good situation to be in, this... whoever the fuck he really was now had hold of her and she realised that this giant of a man could easily over power her and again she started to shake and tried to control her breath.

"did you not think anyone was listening Witch"

"The spirits, not anyone... anyone..."

"Real?" he finished for her.

"It is not only Heimdall who can see all the souls of the realms, I have some magic of my own that allows me to hone into those that would serve me, serve my purpose"

"okayyyyyyyy and um..." her head was wondering if she really wanted to know the answer to her next question; it was either going to explain everything a little clearer - or send her on her path to becoming this guys skin suit or something.

"What IS your purpose... cut to the chase what do you want, so I can hand it over and you can leave, because quite honestly this is freaking me out and I would really just like you to leave and be on your merry little way..." there, she'd said it, shown she wasn't scared of him.

"direct, I like it. Well ...actually what is your name Midguardian?"

"hang on you know what I do and you don't know my name?"

"I never really cared till now, not that I really care NOW either... but it would be helpful to know"

"fuck you" and she began to push the chair back and stand up "ge-" he still had hold of her arm and he yanked her back down and pulled the chair back towards him with his foot, his grip so hard she winced a little "Ok, ok - settle down, I'm sorry..."

"Celeste, my name is Celeste please just tell me what you want and I'll hand it over and you can leave me alone!"

He laughed again, this time deep in his belly. But she noticed the smirk on his face did not go to his eyes. "you might not be so keen to hand it over when I tell you Celeste - of the stars, a fitting name considering"

"what I need is ... YOU. I need you to carry my child..."