The great dining hall was filled with the din of adamant chatter as another meal was held in the palace of Asgard. Many were gathered around the long table, eating and sharing stories of both great triumph and failure. Not a thought was given to the next day and no one dwelled in the past while surrounded by their friends and full mugs of ale.

It was exactly what annoyed Loki the most.

Every dinner he had to listen to the pointless stories of his oh so wonderful brother. If it wasn't a story of conquest on the battle field, then it was of one in the bed, though he was hesitant to tell the latter kind in front of Sif. She tended to get a bit…hostile.

But Sif was gone that night, and so the proud stories of a pig-headed bachelor commenced. As per every dinner like this one, Loki mostly observed those around him, studying and planning a way to liven up the monotonous dinner. But that particular night, Thor's stories proved to not only be engaging, but quite interesting.

With a large gulp of ale and a smile for his rowdy friends he exclaimed. "You will never believe what happened to me in the forests a few days ago!" That was enough of an opening to garner the attention of everyone within earshot, which also happened to be Loki, sitting across from his brother while his friends gathered like anxious puppies around the god of thunder.

"I was wandering the forests, in search of some worthy game. It was after hours wandering farther into the woods than I ever had before that I came across a stream. And it was there that I saw the most beautiful woman I have ever laid these sorrowful eyes upon." Thor's bright blue eyes glazed over as he seemed to recall the beauty of the girl he had seen by the stream.

Loki could barely keep himself for scoffing, Thor always though the women he bed were the most beautiful in the universe, even if they were absolute dogs that he rolled around with in a drunken haze. In his mind, they were all gorgeous.

"She had skin like cream, and golden hair that fell to her hips and shone like the sun. The woman was covered sparsely, only wearing rags really, but it didn't matter; if you had asked me then, I would have sworn she was wearing my mother's finest jewels. I moved from hiding and she startled at my presence before a smile curled those flush pink lips. She placed the flower crown she had been weaving on her head before grabbing a ratty cloak and pulling it tight around her. She stood and took off into the woods with a grin. I could tell she wanted me to follow."

Thor's entire ensemble of friends were enraptured with his story at that point, even Loki's curiosity was piqued. "I followed her further into the dense forest; I could barely keep up with how quickly she moved. She led me into a pasture of flowers; its beauty was second only to hers. It was there that I approached her, not sharing a word we kissed, tender and slowly. I moved to wrap my arms around her and she pulled away, instead lying on the ground. I climbed atop of her and things turned very passionate, that's when I heard her voice for the first time. Oh Valhalla, it was like she was singing while she spoke, it entrapped me."

Now Loki was very curious. Even if his brother didn't notice it, he was most likely under the influence of magic. The prospect of a new form of sorcery made the god of mischief's heart speed.

"She said, 'Will you take me away? Make me yours forever?' Oh how enticing the idea was. I said nothing, I had the intention of showing how far I would take her away, but then she pushed me away. We sat up and she gave me a deep kiss, as we parted she said, 'I suppose I will have to keep on waiting.' She wrapped herself tight in her cloak and went to leave, but I stopped her, telling her that would come back since she meant to wait for me. I gave her my cape and she ran off draped in my colors."

Fandral quirked an eyebrow, "You gave her your cape? Thor, that was a symbol of your authority, are you sure you should have done that?"

Loki chuckled under his breath, at least one of his friend had some sense about them.

"Other capes can be made!" proclaimed Thor exuberantly. "If it is that much trouble, I shall retrieve it when I find her and make that divine minx my queen!"

The statement was met with a few drunken hoorays, but Loki just rolled his eyes. If his brother had been in tune to the woman at all he would have realized that she had rejected him, not promised to wait for him, but rather a better man. The trickster just couldn't resist voicing his thoughts. "Dear brother, what if she grows tired of waiting, or is seduced by a man similar to yourself?"

Thor's eyes burned with passion. "Then I shall fight for her. I would never let a girl of such beauty escape."

As expected, Thor didn't speak of her withdrawn manner or the mischievous intent behind the chase she led. He only comprehended her outward appearance, because to him it was all that mattered. Loki internally despaired, what a poor king his brother would make.

Loki's attention waned as Thor's friends began sharing their own stories. As the trickster ate in silence, he pondered Thor's tale. If there was a magic as such that could nearly hypnotize a person with their voice, it would be invaluable to the god of deceit.

He would have to find this girl.

The next day Loki set off early in the morning into the woods, telling everyone that he wasn't to be disturbed that day. The night before, he had studied some maps of the known area of the forests. Not many went into the forests of Asgard, dangerous ancient magic lurked amidst the trees, making the weak of heart and mind go insane. There were plenty of stories told to children to keep them out of the woods of monsters that kidnapped farmers and ate babies. The folk lore used to be believed quite avidly, but that was centuries ago.

Loki followed a well beaten path for nearly two hours before branching off into the uncharted wilderness. As he wandered he was met with strange sights unlike ones he had ever seen, strange plants and animals that he had never come across in the city. He figured he should give the ancient woods more visits, no telling what type of ancient secrets lie in the under brush.

The light came through the tree tops in golden streams, brightening everything it fell upon. The leaves shone green as the trickster god's eyes and Loki couldn't help but admire it. If some strange sorceress lived here, he couldn't really blame her. In its own way, the forest was as beautiful as the sprawling city he had lived in his whole life.

A grin curled his features when he heard the babbling of a stream, he followed the sound and strangely picked up on another, quite unexpected sound. Music flitted through the trees, merging with the rush of the water harmoniously. The sound was tempered; the closer he got to the music, the more he lost focus on what he was doing. The dulcet song was coming from everywhere and nowhere, wiping the renowned intellect's mind.

Pushing through the bushes, he came across an odd sight that shook the stupor from his mind, if only for a moment. On a rock in the middle of the stream sat a young boy with bright blond hair playing a strangely colored violin. A delicate white flower was tucked behind his ear and the closer Loki looked, the more it seemed like the boy's exposed milky skin flowed like water.

Not even knowing it, Loki's feet were taking slow steps to the water's edge as he listened to the boy's music. With every step he became more assured that, until that point, he had never truly heard music. All he wanted to do was get closer, to sit at the boy's feet and listen for hours, days, the rest of his life.

Glazed green eyes didn't notice the cruel smile that curled the boy's lips as he drew nearer, nor did he notice woman emerging from the brush on other side of the stream.

Suddenly the melody was broken. "Nix! Stop it!"

Loki's wits snapped back to him all at once and he took a staggering step back, realizing he was knee deep in the cold water. Looking up he saw his savior for the first time and his breath caught.

She was stunning.

She frowned at the little boy, whose violin melted into a puddle of water dropping into the stream. Even angry, brow creased and lips turned down, Loki still found her gorgeous. He knew that she had to be the woman Thor was speaking about the night before.

For once his brother was completely right. For when she spoke it was nearly as dulcet as the boy's instrument. "Be gone, you little river demon, and take your tricks with you!"

The blond boy scowled and stuck his tongue out at the girl; turning back to Loki he glared with the air of a petty child around him before diving into the water. Loki could hardly believe his eyes as the child just turned into the water and flowed away with the course of the stream.

Loki's green eyes flashed back up to the woman before him, he stared at her intently, trying to get a hold on his mind. He had no idea what to say at that moment. He always knew what to say, never in his life had he ever been at a loss for words, but the strange woman before him stole the very breath from his lungs.

She bit down uncertainly on her lip, but it didn't last long, for her lips curled in a coy smile before turning her back to him, her shoulders garbed in Thor's cape. She walked slowly in the direction she came, a clear invitation for him to follow.

He followed behind like her shadow, his lips parted several times to speak only to close once again. She stopped at on over turned tree, the bark worn into a smooth seat that he imagined she sat on often.

He deliberately took a seat next to her, eyes still trained on her face. Finally his tongue seemed to loosen as he said all he knew to. "Thank you for saving me."

She smiled bitterly at the ground. "He doesn't really mean it, it's just in his nature to…drown people. But don't thank me yet, Asgardian."

Loki's head tilted to the side, he noticed that his head was less fuzzy, perhaps she wasn't using her odd sorcery. "You say Asgardian as though you aren't one."

Her eyes studied his face for a moment, strangely he didn't mind. He couldn't even find himself to mind if she took him apart, examined his every secret. As long as he could keep staring into those eyes…

"My kind belong to all the realms in one way or another." She smiled at him, and he felt flushed with pride at making her smile. It was then that his consciousness slapped him across the face.

His eyes widened in realization at what was happening, she was turning him into a sniveling slave. The strange forest girl dressed in rags without even the decency to properly cover herself was bewitching him. He pulled a dagger from his side and pressed it to her neck, eyes narrowed into slits.

"What is the magic you use?" He fought with the urge to lean in the small gap and kiss her. He could smell the scent of lavender wafting off her, her mouth pulled into a bright smile and he surged with pride again.

"You can tell?" her tone was far happier than one whose tricks had just been exposed.

"That isn't an answer." His harsh tone was contradicted by this dagger slipping from her neck. He just couldn't find it in himself to hurt her, she filled him with warmth that he hadn't felt since he was a child sitting on his father's knee.

"It is in my nature to seduce men into doing what I want, just like it is Nix's nature to drown unsuspecting passer byes." Her melodious voice rang in the silence.

"Then why not move into the city? There are countless women who feel the need to seduce men there as well." He countered, mind slowly rising from the fog of her presence.

Her smile fell and she turned from him, unconsciously tugging the red cape tighter around her shoulders. She rose, mumbling out excuses as she went. She didn't get two steps away before Loki reached out for her; his heart throbbed painfully at the prospect of her absence, at the thought of rejection…more rejection, of falling short of expectations again.

His hand fisted in the red materiel of his brother's cape and he moved to tug her back to him. A harsh gasp was wrenched from her lips as he tugged the cape free of her shoulders.

As it fluttered to the ground, his mind went blank again, but for a whole different reason this time. He didn't know exactly how to react to what he was seeing, recoil in fear, cry in shock, gape like a moron? She turned quickly, hiding her back from him, but the damage was done and she could feel the furious tears building in her eyes already at the expression of his face.

He wasn't sure he would ever forget what he just saw. Rather than milky smooth skin as he would expect, her shoulder blades were interrupted by a gaping hole that almost looked like it was a hollowed tree, the rim of it edged in bark, bits and pieces of it rotting with the occasional sprout of tiny mushrooms. Inside was dark and red, a door way straight into her chest, but he had the feeling that if he reached inside he would find no heart. That sight alone was enough to spin his head with the oddity and genuine repulsiveness of wasn't all that there was to see, further down where her spine was supposed to be was a red fox tail sprouting from her tailbone. The red and white fur flashed in the sunlight almost as brightly as her hair.

Confused was an understatement for how he felt. Initially; repulsed.

She had backed up to a tree, a vain attempt to hide her certain attributes, for he could still see her tail swishing behind her. A snarl escaped her barred teeth, her glare leaked with delicate tears that ran down her cheeks while she pressed further into the tree.

His green eyes lit as his lightning wit came back to him, almost as though her spell had been broken upon a glimpse of her odd qualities. She no longer clouded his mind and he was able to think again. He raised his hands in an attempt to ease her nerves, taking slow, cautious steps closer to her despite her bristling at his every move while his mind tried to catch up to what he saw.

"Why don't you run Asgardian?" she shouted at him as more angry tears leaked from her eyes. Her narrowed glare was so intense he almost found it in his mind to turn and flee, but his heart tugged for him to stay and his insatiable curiosity wouldn't allow him to turn his back on the strange creature.

"I have no need to run…assuming you have no means to attack." He carefully removed his cloak and extended to her to take. He was slightly amused as she glared at the clothing briefly before shooting out a trembling hand to snatch it from his grip. Despite his amusement, he could not completely rid the shake of his hands.

After securing it tightly around her form, she eased away from the tree she had pressed herself to. Her eyes never left him, studying, confused and suspicious. "Why are you still here? You saw it." She spoke the last word with immense disdain, mostly at herself. "Surprise, I am not beautiful maiden of the forest, now leave me in my solitude."

Her words pulled at a chord in the prince's heart, those words she spoke hauntingly familiar to him. He was a sorcerer, not a warrior, not the ideal son of a king, instead the shameful misanthrope that was never quite good enough. Always second place to Thor; never was he appreciated for his genius wit or masterfully crafted words, a prince on the outside, a weak disappointment within.

"Solitude cannot heal all wounds," He spoke from experience. He wanted to know, his insatiable burn for more knowledge could not let him leave, and for once his curiosity had a virtuous intent. "What are you? Why are you alone in this forest?"

She pursed her lips, eyes wide and he could tell that not many men stayed after seeing her back, let alone asked questions. Her answer was hesitant. "I am a Huldra…we are keepers of the forests, elf people, but not many remain in this realm."

"Why not?" He prodded for more information, easing to sit next to her on the tree trunk like they had been before.

Her eyes took on a far away look as she spoke. "The sprawl of civilization, we are creatures of the woods; nature and civilization do not mix. And there are…other reasons."

All the fairy tales and old folk tales Loki recalled his father telling him came rushing back all at once. He vaguely recalled the stories of the elf peoples who haunted in the shadows of the trees. "What other reasons?" He asked but he was sure he already knew the answer.

"The others got the one wish we have." She smiled forlornly. "They lost their hideous features by marrying a man. I didn't know exactly how they did at first, none of us quite understood in the begining. Eventually we deduced that we had to marry. We went wild, using our charm to seduce men and lure them into the forest." She chuckled, but it held little humor. "Sometimes, if they were weak in mind or body, we would just have our way with them and kill them, occasionally leaving them mad to wander the trees."

Loki shuddered at the tale, he knew he should be far more disturbed, but her tale held him in morbid fascination. Now that the spell of her charm was broken, he found himself even more interested with her. No longer was she the stunning beauty that he saw at first, she was still outstanding, more so than any court lady he had ever seen, but now she seemed like less of a higher being and more attainable; real.

"We would trap the men, force them to marry us, but it would rarely work. There was something more we needed. I would trap men with me in caves, they would give in, but I never changed." Her eyes watered in disappointment and she tried to push it back, refusing to let out the emotions she had never told anyone. She didn't know what was so…compelling about the green eyed man, but she found herself willing to speak. Perhaps it was because he actually listened.

"We discovered what was missing after far too long. In the few that had changed, there was genuine love. That was centuries ago, now not many of us are left that have yet to change." The pain in her voice evoked pity from the trickster, something he rarely felt for anyone but himself.

"Why have you not found a man to love?" He quirked a brow, studying as the tears began to dry on her flushed cheeks. "You are more than captivating; I don't see how you could have come this far without encountering a man to love you."

She smiled lightly at his back handed compliment, but shook her head somberly. "Magic is not love, you should know that, sorcerer." She smiled lightly at his quirked brow. "I can smell the magic wafting off of you, and you certainly do not have the build of the previous men that have seen me."

He frowned a tad at the unintentional insult, but didn't interrupt as she continued. "The only way for a man to love me is for the charm to be broken, and for that he has to see…"

She didn't have to finish her sentence for him to understand. He couldn't deny that the sight was disturbing, just recalling it made his stomach twist with nausea. But then he looked at her face, into her eyes and he knew there was more to her than that, there was a person behind those deformities.

"They see it and…" The tears were welling up again and she fought them back. "They run, scream, even…I can understand why-it is a hideous sight to behold-but they attack sometimes."

Loki's heart throbbed in sorrow for her at her tale. How could anyone even think of harming her? That must have been why she reacted so violently when he saw her, she was scared of what he would do. Eyes no longer shrouded with magic, he could see scars on her sparsely clad form, some small, some long and jagged, some old…some very new.

His mind flashed to the thought of Thor's meeting her. What would have happened if he had seen what Loki had? Would his brother have acted violently out of shock or fear? He couldn't imagine her surviving an attack from the god of thunder.

His own sorrow and self pity seemed to kick him in the stomach at that moment. Sure, she had lived out here in solitude for centuries, but she wasn't truly alone, there were the occasional men she trapped and various other creatures of the forest. Surely a life alone was better than a life in an unattainable shadow. He relished in the time he was able to get to himself, it was his hobby to be antisocial, not an easy task for a prince. What right did she have to complain when compared to his suffering?

And then she caught his eyes again and that bitterness waned at the look of genuine heartache that lay there. Another question piqued his mind.

"What's your name?"

She looked at him with such shock and bewilderment that he almost laughed, but he figured it would have been in poor taste. Instead he just quirked an eyebrow and gave her an amused smile. "Or is that a secret?"

She just swallowed and for the first time since he had seen her, she smiled. Not a fake smile, or an impish one to seduce him; a grin of genuine mirth. "It's just; no man has ever asked my name. It's Erdin."

He raised a hand after a brief pause, the sight of the rotting hole in her back flashed through his mind's eyes, but he ignored it, just focusing on her smile. She extended her hand slowly, allowing him time to pull back if he wanted, even though she desperately hoped he wouldn't. Warmth blossomed from her touch, simply reassuring his mantra that she to was a person. He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. "I am Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard"

Her brow furrowed at his words. "A prince? I had a royal visitor not but a few days ago."

As per usual, Loki's stomach soured at the mention of his brother. So the comparisons continued.

"He was a nice man." Her eyes were lost in her recent memories and Loki was almost hissing at what he was sure was going to come. Oh Thor! Wonderful, charismatic Thor! How I wish for his love, that magnificent man. Her brows furrowed further. "But he had a fickle heart…quite superficial and so very arrogant."

Loki nearly choked on air. A female that wasn't completely enraptured with his brother? Unheard of! Not once had his brother ever lost the affections of one he chased, let alone had them see his true nature. He looked on her with a new appreciation. Thor had a charm almost as bewitching as her own, and she could see past the flair, she could see what counted.

A small smile curled her lips and she hardly looked like a centuries old creature. "Though I must admit, your company is much more desirable."

He chuckled, a smile growing on his lips as well. How long had it been since he'd smiled like that? "Good to know there are some who think that."

She brushed aside the dark undertone of his light statement, not wanting to taint this rare interaction with a dark mood. Her eyes took on a curious light. "What is the city like?"

Loki's eyes cast down. He could tell her everything she wanted to know, tell her what she desperately wanted to hear, but he found his tongue heavy when he though of lying. "It's very beautiful…but also very corrupt." He met her eyes again, she observed his anger and discontent, but didn't interrupt. "The people do not see certain royals for what they really are; they are more impressed with bravado then actual leadership. And acceptance is a very rare gift given only to a select few in the palaces of Asgard."

She frowned at the pain that was deep in his eyes, behind all the bitterness and scorn, he was broken. She reached out a hand to rest on his shoulder, sliding it behind his neck, she pulled him to her in a warm embrace.

He sat tense in shock for a moment before he accepted the gesture, careful to rest his hands on her hips so as to not touch the gaping hole in her back and ruin the moment. Her warmth permeated the constant cold that seemed to haunt his limbs, even if only a little. He pulled her to him tighter, the embrace reminiscent to the ones he would receive from his mother when Odin would take Thor to hunt, or into the city without him.

The heaviness of all the emotional burdens he had constantly suppressed seemed to fall on his shoulders, weighing his heart and body down against her. He let a tear slid from the corner of his eyes, trembling slightly. Eridin was in a similar state, silent sobs shaking her form as she held the prince and he supported her.

They sat there like that for longer than either of them wanted to admit. Loki pulled away first, resting his hands on either side of her face with his thoughts caught by her gaze. She was beautiful, understanding, she saw past the superficial shells of the world. His mind recalled her stories, she was on outcast just like him; he reveled in the feeling that he finally wasn't alone. He was almost positive that she would align with his plans, his tricks, because she could relate. She was something he wanted to keep.

Loki slowed his hyper active thoughts; he was not rash like his brother, he would not proclaim his unending love and desire to marry her all in one meeting. No, all in good time would it grow. Even if she didn't completely agree with his schemes that would soon come to pass, by the time they came to unfold he would have her so wrapped around his finger she wouldn't see an issue.

Eridin was thinking on a similar path; if she could get him to love her, she could get everything she had every wanted-more in fact- a princess of Asgard. And Loki certainly wasn't the worst man she could imagine spending her life with, in fact she could easily see being happy with a man such as himself.

And so they both leaned forward with resolute feelings, closing the miniscule gap between them. As their lips meshed, the warmth she gave spread further through his body, deeper than he though it could. Likewise, his touch cooled the burning shame and unsteadiness of her spirit in the face of her flaws. Having such a beautiful creature held against him made Loki yearn for more, he shuddered as she yielded beneath him. He laced his fingers through her hair, deepening the kiss and dipping his tongue past her lips.

Her heart thudded deeply in her chest as he slipped his hands up her waist, Loki's cool touch brought shivers to her skin like she had never felt. Everything about him was different from what she had encountered before. She liked it.

It felt like his mind was falling under her spell again as he got lost in the kiss, swallowing down her light whimper with immense satisfaction. But he knew that it wasn't magic she used on him, it was something much more intense. Hands lost track of where they were going and they brushed the edge of rotting bark on her back.

She pulled away with a harsh gasp, cheeks pink with shame and embarrassment. She didn't meet his eyes at first, over come with self consciousness. Even with a face that would put most to shame, she could never leave her hideous deformities behind.

When she was not met with fearful or disdainful cries, she dared to look up to find Loki looking on her with an amused smile. He placed his hands on her hips and hauled her back to him.

"I've seen some odd things in my long life; you would not be the oddest." His reassurance made her smile.

"It is unwise to trust one of the elf kind so easily." She lightly teased him while tracing his jaw with her fingers. "Have you not heard the bed time stories of all the mischief we cause?"

This only seemed to fuel his satisfied smirk. "Oh trust me, Lady of the forest, mischief is not an off putting attribute for me."

She grinned back and placed one more lingering kiss on his lips before he rose, taking her with him to extend their time in each other's arms. Before he pulled away he spoke. "I will be back again soon, very soon."

"I will wait, Prince." She replied as he finally separated himself from her.

"Will you?" He asked with a more serious tone.

"For as long as it takes." Her reply came without hesitation, reassuring his confidence in the choice he made.

He certainly hoped not to make her wait long. He had no idea of what was to come.