"Loki!" Katerina called out. "Loki, where are you?" He had promised to meet her in the fields that lay on the outskirts of Asgard. It seemed he was running late. Katerina got a small shock when she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist.

"I'm here my love, sorry to keep you waiting" Loki spoke into her ear. She giggled a bit at the warmth of his breath on her skin.

"Was it hard to slip past the palace guards?" She asked.

"Yes but I would do anything for you" He loosened his grip on her. Katerina turned to face him and lightly pressed her lips onto his.

"I love you" She whispered. Loki stared at her wide-eyed. Countless times had he told her he loved her and never got a reply. It was the first time the words escaped her mouth. This must've been a huge step for her. She was never truly capable of expressing love for another. "It's true, I am in love with you Loki" She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him once more, with a bit more pressure this time. She could feel him smiling beneath her lips. "Come, let's play a game" She grabbed hold of his hands and pulled him along. She removed her green silk cloak and placed it on top of the hill they were about to run down. She wore a beautiful, strapless, cream-coloured dress. Katerina had never dressed so exposed either. She was truly showing affection for the prince of Asgard. "Remember the rules?" He nodded. "Ok, ready?" He nodded again. "Go!" She ran as fast as she could. Loki found himself standing there for more than the ten seconds allowed. He was just too captivated by her beauty. "Loki, stop standing around" She called back to him. He ran after her. She giggled as he neared her. He was so close now that all he had to do was stretch his arm out to in. He slowed down, allowing her to get ahead. She adored winning so Loki tried to let her win. She stopped though when she noticed what he was doing. "You're supposed to catch me"

"But if I catch you the game will be over" He stopped when he reached her

"You do not have to purposely loose just for me, I like it when you win too" She said before kissing him on the cheek. She laid down on the ground and he lay next to her. "I wonder you're your father would say if he saw us"

"You're always worrying about my father, why not Heimdall? He probably is watching us"

"Oh gosh," She said sitting up "I never thought of that, he probably tells Odin everything he sees"

"You needn't worry my love, I'll keep you safe" She smiled at him before nestling against his body, her head lying upon his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to nothing but his heart beating beneath her ear.

When Katerina opened her eyes it was already sunset. Loki still lay beside her. They must've stayed there for at least five hours. She sat up and looked down at him.

"Did I fall asleep?" She asked him.

"Yes and that's good because I like watching you sleep."

"Oh I do hope no one has stolen my cloak, my mother made that for me you know?" Loki stood up and dragged Katerina to her feet. He held his arm out to her.

"Shall we?" Katerina linked her arm in his.

"We shall" They began to stroll up the hill. At the top was her discarded cloak. Loki placed it over her and did up the clasp at the top. "Thank you" She looked around and her eyes found something small and black laying on the ground a few metres from where they were. "What is that?" She wandered over to it, breaking the link with Loki. "Oh it's a bird" She knelt down to it. "And it has a broken wing" She picked it up and cradled it in her arms. "If we take it back to the palace we could nurse it back to health"

"Where would we keep it though my dear?"

"In your room"

"I don't think that would be wise Katerina"

"But Loki it's injured. We should be kind to we leave it here it will die"

"Just put it down and forget that you had found it." She did not obey him. His voice began to rise "Now come on we're going home!" He had never spoken to her in such a disrespectful way. She began to cry, whether it was because of the way he spoke or because she couldn't the bird he could not tell. "I'm sorry, that was mean. We can take the bird in and we'll heal it" He brushed away a few of her tears. "I'm truly sorry" She wasn't looking at him lovingly anymore. There was something in her eyes. Loki couldn't figure it out just yet. He placed his hand on her back and they walked towards the palace.
They snuck past the guards with ease and back into Loki's chambers. He had a bird-cage sent up along with food and water. Katerina had her fun nursing the bird as Loki tried to decipher what that look had been. He soon figured it out, it was fear. She had been fearful of him.

"Loki, I am tired. Would you please return me home?" He looked at her in awe.

"You're not staying?" He asked hesitantly.

"No, what you told me about Heimdall has worried me deeply. I think we should be more discreet" She gathered her cloak and redied herself .

"Katerina" Loki climbed off the bed and walked over to her. He cupped her face in one hand and stared into her brown eyes. "I love you, nothing will ever keep me away from you" He softly kissed the back of her hand. "Now please come to bed." She let him unclasp her cloak and drag her down on top of him. They kissed each other for a while before his hand begun to slide up her dress. She allowed it at first but then grew timid. She slapped his hand away and broke this kiss.

"Loki you know I'm not ready for that yet" She warned him.

"I'm sorry, my love, but with every touch my desire for you grows stronger than it ever has"