Despite his greatest efforts, Loki couldn't help but grin as he walked into the palace. He had not felt so happy since he turned the tapestries around Thor's bed into coils of snakes and effectively pinned it on Freya.

His grin only brightened at the memory.

The sound of another set of footsteps gave the trickster pause for thought, his grin dimmed as Thor rounded the corner in front of him, effectively squashing every remnants of a smile. Loki took up a disturbed, shocked frown instead for his next performance. Thor's own smile at the sight of his brother fell in seeing his troubled appearance.

The god of thunder placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "What is it that troubles you brother? You look like you have seen a monster."

Loki put minimal effort into conveying fear when he looked into his brother's eyes, Thor was none the wiser. "Brother, I must ask you to not pursue that woman in the forest; it would be a foolhardy venture."

Thor cocked a blond eyebrow. "Loki, what are you saying? This is the woman I intend to marry, what discretions do you have against her?"

Loki grinned internally. Good, Thor was still under her spell, it didn't seem to fade over time. He placed both hands on his brother's shoulders, coloring his voice with a serious undertone. "Thor, after hearing your story I became distressed over the implications of some strange woman in possession of your cape. The rumors of the Prince of Asgard involved with some filthy forest quim, they would put your name to shame and I couldn't allow that to happen to my dearest kin."

"This morning I went into the woods, hoping I could persuade this woman into giving back your royal garb, but…but what I came upon was terrible. I saw your gorgeous minx brother, but what I saw was not glorious in the least. I stumbled upon a cave, within she was battling a good ten men, and they were insane with magic."

Loki looked away as though remembering the horrid sight he described. His silver tongue wove emotion into his tale, leaving none with doubt of his story, especially not his dearest brother. "She tore through them; she didn't even need a weapon to easily overtake them all, severing them in half without breaking a sweat. She put any Valkyrie, even our dear Sif to shame. She was a force like none other I have seen. I think you would be the only one able to subdue her should she attack."

Panic now laced the lie smith's voice in an act that was unparalleled. "Stay away from her, brother." Loki pleaded with desperate green eyes. "She is dangerous as she is beautiful; do not pursue her for fear of provoking her rage."

Thor opened his mouth several times, but nothing came out. Finally he gave a bright smile, clasping Loki's shoulders with a reassuring grip. His smile wavered at his next words; his skills at lying were pathetic in comparison to his brother. "I swear to you brother, if it is what you wish, I will not go after her. Though she will not be easy to forget, I will honor your will."

Loki's lips curled into a content smile, seemingly relieved by Thor's promise. With a heavy sigh he patted his brother's back and bid him a pleasant good night, for after all the horrors he witnessed that day, he was in much need of a good sleep.

Thor didn't object to bidding his brother a farewell, for he could hardly hold up his charade a second longer. As he strode quickly away, a smile began to inch onto his face. His heart was racing and a knot of anticipation and impatience tightened in his gut.

How glorious! Not only was his forest lady a beauty without match, but she was a warrior-no, not just a warrior- a warrior with blood lust. Just the thought made him giddy with need to see her again. What he would give to see her in battle!

Thor got lost in his own mind as scenarios played across his mind's eye of him fighting-killing- with her. How fantastic she would be as a queen of Asgard, strong and powerful.

'…I think you would be the only one able to subdue her…'

Loki's words rang in his head, sparking a thought that flushed him with excitement. Surely if she was a beast in battle, she would have equal fire in bed and produce strong, king-worthy children. His heart sang with his thoughts, he swore it was trying to beat right out of his chest. He had to see her again – tomorrow!

Loki's placid face didn't twitch once, not as he strode through the palace halls, or through the sitting room and library of his chambers. It wasn't until he was locked in his room that he let his mask fall.

He bent with maniacal laughter, tears welling in the corners of his eyes and the giddy feeling of a successful lie bubbling in his chest. It was so satisfying! His entire act went off without a hitch, and now he could sleep in peace that the next day Thor would not have an ounce of affection left of Eridin.

Loki was very well aware that he described a woman that Thor would find completely irresistible, in fact, that is what he intended. Loki needed to be very sure that his war monger of a brother would go in search of Eridin the next day. Knowing Thor, he would barely be able to wait through the night to see her again.

The trickster could see his plan playing out before his eyes, his arrogant brother would go out looking for her, eventually find her, proclaiming his love all along the way. Then he would see her back and be wrenched from her spell at the exposure of her deformities. He would be horrified, disgrace her and run from the woods, never to return.

Loki knew it would most likely hurt the woman he loved, but it was for the best. He would much rather her have another little fissure in her heart than have his brother steal one more precious thing from his already forsaken existence.

Yes, Loki would be able, and more than willing to fill any cracks in his precious Eridin's heart, even if they were from his own making. Just this once he would cause her pain, but never again, it physically caused him pain at the thought of making her suffer. But with him she would never suffer another day.

Determination hardened his gaze as he wandered out onto his patio overlooking the forest. He would cure her curse; make their marriage the most anticipated event of the era. He would make her an Asgardian princess-no – a queen. His lips curled in a positively devious smile, no, it wouldn't be long until he would be the one ascending the throne, not Thor the golden child.

His heart singing with sick anticipation, he relented and laid down in his bed, he had a long day of mischief to look forward to.

As he promised himself, Thor set off the next morning; set and determined to find the forest minx that had ensnared his heart. Throughout the night he tossed and turned with excitement, fleeting dreams of his shy love. His heart raced as he recalled the figments of his imagination. He dreamt of their marriage, their multitude of children scampering around the palace and milling about his throne.

His steps increased their pace; trying his damnedest to recall the trail he had taken to find her the first time. The sun climbed high in the sky and before he knew it he was thoroughly lost, not that he minded. He took brief note of how the air seemed more pure when not pilfered by the city, the sounds didn't cause him anxiety like that of shouting guardsmen and chattering women. The simple atmosphere of the woods put his mind at ease and quieted his desire for battle and confrontation.

Suddenly he heard footfalls, snapping his head to the side he followed the sounds. Thor's steps were sure and steady, not bothering to hide his presence, he heard voices…more than one. He slowed, approaching carefully, hand clenching around the handle of Mjolnir.

He reached out to push aside a low hanging branch only to stumble across an oddity he was not prepared for. In the shadow of a cave sat three short, stout creatures with large, human-like features, not unlike those he read about in story books as a child. Large hands and feet dusted with mud and dirt, they were clad in threadbare clothes and the prince's brows drew down at the sight of a cow's tail protruding from their backs. Tension tightened Thor's shoulders, upon closer examination he recognized them as Asgardian garb, tattered with…bloodstains.

He flushed with anger, taking a step into the open as he spoke. "Did you dirty creatures kill Asgardians for those clothes?!" Mjolnir crackled with electricity and the ugly creatures shrunk back in surprised horror. Tears welled in the eyes of the adolescent creature at the sight of the lightning, but it did nothing to slow Thor's quick judgement. "How dare you!"

Thor raised his hammer, eyes shining with anger as he prepared to strike down the foul creatures that must have killed some of his people for their clothes. Suddenly pain blossomed across his brow and he caught sight of a rock rolling away as he slapped his hand to the point of injury.

He did not have a chance to retaliate against his attacker as he glimpsed a pair of very feminine bare feet rushing in the direction of the cave where those creatures lurked as he cradled his throbbing head. He heard a shrill female voice ushering the monsters away, a voice that had haunted his dreams for the last two nights. That delicious fog began to permeate his mind again, abating his rage and making him oblivious to like trickle of blood sliding between his fingers. He found himself grinning despite his injury; he looked up quickly to catch a glimpse of her in all her glory.

His head pounded with the speed of his movement, blurring his vision for a moment before things started to clear again and he could see her. Her bright blonde hair flew about her as she turned away from the creatures retreating into the cave, but he didn't care about them any longer, not while she was there. Strange…he couldn't recall as to why he was so angry. Her bright, amber eyes flickered like fire and even with her teeth barred and brows drawn down in anger, she was stunning.

"You savage!" she cried, fists clenched at her sides. He didn't even hear her words when she spoke, just heard her voice and got lost in it, sinking in her chiming tones until he didn't care to ever come up again.

There was a cry from the cave that sounded muffled to his ears, but caught her attention well enough. He admired her hair once more as it spread like a brilliant halo around her while she turned towards the mouth of the cave. His eyes traced down her neck and the plains of her collarbone, his dreams didn't do her justice. Time seemed to slow around her, optimizing her beauty in his eyes as they raked down her skin. His fogged over blue orbs followed the dip of her throat…across her shoulders…down her shoulder blades.

Everything shattered.

His heart stopped and he unconsciously staggered backwards at what he saw. In the middle of his angel's back was a gaping hole that lead to a yawning darkness. The edges were lined with rotting bark dotted with moss and mold. He cringed at the sight of a beetle crawling across the crags of the decaying wood. Below the rotting tree stump of her back was the tail of a beast, red fur covering the fox tail that sprouted from her lower back. It swished like the tail of a real animal and he found himself repulsed.

"What in the nine realms?!" The mighty Thor staggered back as though he had been struck. All of a sudden all of his daydreams were tainted with the image of that disgusting deformity that marred her milky skin. Just the though of laying intimately with whatever she was made his stomach churn. It seemed as though he could finally see, the forest was no longer a blur around him he saw every little imperfection of the woods that was mirrored in his so called love.

His mind suddenly flashed to when he had rolled around with her in the field, holding her…kissing her…

He really thought he was going to be sick at that moment.

She turned back to him, teeth barred, but eyes swimming with tears of shame and embarrassment. She snarled at him and reached for another rock. "Go! Leave me!"

The rock narrowly missed his head as it whistled through the air. She took in his look of utter disgust and it only served to stoke the hurt and fury in her chest. Her shrill cry followed him as he turned to run. "Yes! Run from the hideous monster, you pig!"

The prince fled the clearing, not taking to mind the bright green snake coiled around a branch, its black eyes shining with intelligence far beyond its capacity. As the god of thunder weaved between the trees he came quickly across a stream. With panic and fear still clouding his mind he did not mind as to where his hand made, fine leather sandals fell.

How ironic that the mighty prince of Asgard would be felled by the forest itself; his city made shoes found little purchase on the moss covered stream bed. His arms flailed as his balance was lost and he could only watch as a large slimy rock rushed towards his face. He barely made out a quick prayer to Odin before his skull connected with the unyielding stone, stealing his consciousness.

Thor's eyes cracked open to find the world around him fuzzy and distorted; he blinked hard against the orange light streaming through the tree tops. The sound of water reached his ears, tumbling over those treacherous rocks that had been his literal down fall.

The prince attempted to sit up only for his head to connect to the grass again as pain swept his thoughts away. What had happened? It was all perverted visions of reality merely an hour ago. His hand reached up to cradle his head only to found it wrapped in a fine clothe.

What was it that struck him down? He was looking for that enchanting girl, that he remembered…there were some odd creatures, and he had found her. Yes! He had found her. That realization was not as thrilling a prospect as it had seemed the day before, though.

Surely there was something else, he just knew it. He remembered feeling shocked, disturbed, even scared; his body still hummed with the remembrance of the adrenaline that had not so long ago thrummed in his veins. For the life of him he could not comprehend as to what it was that had caused him to lose consciousness.

Now despite the taunts of his brother and the general assumption of most of the nobles, Thor was not thick. He was no world class intellect, but neither was he about to fling himself of the closest tower because he could perhaps sprout wings. His palace life had gifted him with a lofty education, and despite his sheer determination to not spend any time cooped up in a library when there were enemies to fight, a good amount of intellect was crowbarred into his head.

Picking through his memories he was able to distinguish that he had found the girl, he had been spooked by something, and something had knocked him unconscious. The only logical conclusion smacked him square in the face; the girl was powerful, enough to knock him off his feet, and had found just reason to attack him.

But what could ever provoke her so when his only intention in entering the forest was to shower her with adoration, purely innocent intentions. So she must of attacked him of her own choice; unjustified. That brought another question to the forefront of his mind; why did he no longer feel smitten with her?

He had wanted nothing more to please her and follow her until the end of his days- a thought that terrifies him of feeling for anyone- now he was impassive, worried, and suspicious. He knew well that matters of the heart as strong as that did not fade so quickly.

Sitting up, staring at the stream, his hand lifted to his bandage once more, adjusting it only for the material to flutter into his lap. There it sat for a moment, the deep green strip frayed on one end where it had been torn from something, the other side hemmed neatly with golden thread. Running it through his fingers it flowed like water, very fine material; an odd thing to have available in the forest.

He couldn't help but think he had seen it before.