A/N: Hey there! Back again after a bit of time away from this story. Enjoy!
As if pronouncing his victory was the key to her metal bindings, Jane felt the cuffs disappear from her wrists. She brought her hands in front of her, gently massaging where the metal had rubbed against her skin. She stood slowly, gripping the pillar for support as her still-wobbly legs threatened to give out on her. A shiver ran over her damp skin, but she could not yet force herself to walk toward the bedroom.
Each step she took away from this pillar would be exiting the world of what if, and plunging deeper and deeper into the world of when. How could it be that just yesterday she had challenged Loki that she would never submit to him, and now she knew her fate was sealed? She couldn't resist him. The scariest part was that she no longer wanted to. Her temper flared again as she thought of the cocky smirk probably dusting his lips in this instant. He knew he had won, and now he was just waiting for his little toy to come running into his arms.
Maybe I'll just stay right here until he drags me out of the room himself, she pondered stubbornly. The thought was childish, and she knew it. Even if she hid here all day, Loki would summon her to him whenever he was ready to claim his prize, and whatever form that took would surely involve a lot of begging and embarrassment on her part. Maybe if she faced this head-on, she would be able to meet him on her terms. Maybe.
At last she let go of her marble support and strode toward the bedroom, still in no great rush to watch Loki gloat. When she reached the doorway to his chambers, she was surprised to find them empty. Walking carefully into the room, Jane inspected the far corners of the chamber for signs of life, but found none. Either Loki was gone, or he was disguising his appearance. She supposed it really didn't make a difference either way. Jane shrugged on Loki's robe lying draped across a chair when a piece of parchment on the desk caught her eye. The script was long and elegant, with the end of each character curling into a delicate point.
She picked up the note to read it more closely:
My dearest Jane,
I hope the preview was quite to your liking. I assure you that and much more awaits you once you let those few words drop from your lips. Let me show you the heights of pleasure you never dreamed were possible.
In the meantime, you will dine with me tonight. You will wear the attire I have left for you and only that attire. I shall summon you directly when we are to begin.
You may explore the grounds at your leisure.
The note was left unsigned, but there was no doubt who had written it. She scanned the lines again, brain whirring as she attempted to process each piece. 'My dearest Jane'? When had Loki ever shown her affection? And since when did he think she would really believe this whole arrangement was about offering her pleasure? This whole thing was a power play for him, and maybe this note was just another pawn in that game. Still, a slight shiver coursed through her when she realized he would probably make good on those words.
However, it was the last line that really drew her attention. She was free to leave his chambers, free to explore the palace and beyond. Free to escape. She held onto the thought for a precious moment before letting it go. There was no escape. At least not yet, anyway. But as absurd - and possibly ironic - as the note was, its meaning was clear: Loki was granting her a small shred of freedom. She would take it.
Jane dressed as fast as possible, pointedly ignoring the dress lying across the bed. She would deal with his dining plans later, but now she needed to escape this room. Judging by the position of the sun, it was early afternoon and she would have a few hours to herself before Loki magicked her away. She would probably have enough time to come back to the room and change. And if not, she would just endure his punishment. Normally that thought would have caused her to pause and reconsider her plans, but the glowing allure of freedom was too bright and it blocked out any concerns about Loki's temper.
Moments after she was dressed, she flew from the room, nearly toppling down the staircase that led to his chambers in her extreme haste. Her brush with serious injury caused her to slow down ever so slightly as she glided through the marble halls. Just the feeling of being able to freely roam the palace was enough to make her want to twirl and laugh with joy. Out here, Loki's presence felt less oppressive, and Jane herself felt less like a fish being slowly reeled into her doom. Here she could breathe, marvel at the natural beauty of Asgard, and even pretend for the fleetingest of moments that everything was back to normal.
Basking in the full glory of this small freedom, Jane began to run without a thought for where she might be headed. She sprinted through vast halls, along twisting corridors and around dark corners. She finally stopped when she ran out of breath, leaning against the nearest pillar and sinking into the warm feeling of physical exhaustion. The sound of footsteps a moment later startled her out of her reverie.
Jane looked up, expecting to see that Loki was here to impose himself on her alone time, or to mock her for running around, but was met with an entirely different surprise.
"Sif?" Jane gasped aloud.
Jane couldn't believe there was someone else wandering the grounds, even if it was Sif. She couldn't say she hated the woman, but they were far from best friends. Maybe the warrior had heard about what Jane was doing with Loki, because she held her face still and continued forward, ignoring Jane.
"Sif!" Jane called a little louder, turning to catch up with the woman's long strides. Still receiving the cold shoulder, Jane tried another tactic. She reached out to grab Sif by the arm as she called her name again.
Sif's head snapped toward her, but there was nothing but a blank expression on her face. She grasped Jane's arm tightly between her fingers and effortlessly flung it so far that it spun Jane around. Even if Sif was mortal, she was still a warrior, and the bruise Jane felt forming was proof of that.
Okay, so maybe she's really pissed. I know she loved Thor, and probably still does. Maybe she thinks I've betrayed her? Jane raced up to Sif again, desperate to explain herself. "Sif, look," Jane sighed as Sif continued her quick pace. "I'm sorry, ok? I didn't do this to hurt Thor, I did it to save him. You have to believe me." Nothing she said seemed to gain Sif's interest. Damn this woman is stubborn. Jane tried again, jogging so that she was slightly in front of the the stone-faced woman, but Sif wouldn't even make eye contact with her.
What the hell? She doesn't even want to rub it in my face how this is proof that Thor should be with his own kind? I would expect at least that much venom from her, if not more. Jane studied Sif for a few more strides, noting that the woman barely blinked and kept a perfectly even pace. The human tried waving her hand in front of the warrior's face, but Sif didn't even blink. Jane tried a few more times, even snapping her fingers right before Sif's eyes, but nothing could provoke a response.
And then Jane saw it. On the middle finger of Sif's right hand was a golden ring with a large glowing emerald in the middle. Even as they rounded a darker corner, the emerald seemed to give off an internal light that reflected on Sif's bronzed skin. Of course this is Loki's work. Whatever magic Loki had worked on the ring was clearly responsible for the zombified Sif roaming the halls. While she wasn't a major fan of Sif, Jane couldn't stand to see someone so strong deprived of their free will. She kept pace with the warrior, trying to time her reach to the swing of Sif's arm. If she could get the ring off in one fluid motion, she would risk avoiding any more of Sif's terrifying warrior strength.
One, two, three! Jane reached for the ring, only grabbing it halfway off of Sif's finger. Uh-oh. Without even a glance, Sif grabbed Jane by the wrist and flipped her over to land hard on her back. Jane stayed down, groaning in pain.
"Jane?"
Jane looked up to see Sif blinking in confusion, the ring on the ground a few inches away from where Jane fell. Sif quickly extended a hand and helped to set Jane back on her feet.
"What are you doing here?" the lady warrior asked, eyeing Jane with a hint of suspicion.
"How much do you remember about what's going on right now?" She tried to hide the wince as she straightened her spine. Damn, that really hurt.
Sif paused for a moment, and Jane could slowly see memories returning to her. Suddenly her eyes were wide, and she was grabbing Jane by the arm, ready to run. "Come! We have to leave, now! If we can make it to Heimdall-"
Jane stopped herself from being tugged along. "Sif, it's too late. He's already won." She had to stop herself from saying, He's already won me. "Everyone except for him is mortal."
Sif was outraged, and then confused. "What am I doing here?"
Careful not to let it slip over her finger, Jane picked up the ring and handed it to Sif. "I think Loki had you on autopilot with one of these."
She accepted the ring, but was still apprehensive. "What is your purpose in all of this?" The look she gave Jane said that she could presume the human's purpose quite easily.
"I made an arrangement with Loki." She could barely look Sif in the eye as she said it.
"What sort of arrangement?"
Jane looked around for somewhere to sit, and motioned for Sif to follow her to the nearest bench. The two took a seat on a stone slab overlooking the whole of the city. It was much harder to admit what she had done - what she was doing - to Sif. Jane had hoped that Thor would understand since she'd stepped in to save his life, but Sif... She sighed, deciding Sif should know the truth anyway. "I agreed to give myself to Loki, in exchange for him sparing Thor's life." Out of the corner of her eye, Jane thought she could see a smug smile settle on Sif's face in a look that screamed 'I told Thor he could do better.' Before the woman could judge her more, Jane spoke again. "But I have a plan, or at least the beginning of one, anyway." She glanced around quickly to make sure Loki wasn't in sight. Not that it would stop him from invisibly eavesdropping, she realized. "I think I can stop Loki."
Sif scoffed. "You may be headstrong, Jane, but there is little you could hope to do that the strongest army in the nine realms could not do before you. We all fought him, and he turned each of us mortal in an instant." Sif turned to look at Jane, real concern in her eyes. "I've never seen such power. If you make an attempt on him, you will be hurt. He will make you beg for death."
Jane shuddered at the thought. She knew everything that Sif said was true, but she was having an increasingly difficult time reconciling that behavior with the Loki who she had seen the last few days. Could the same man who promised her pleasure beyond her imagination also be the beast that destroyed his kingdom? Suddenly, she realized she needed Sif to confirm what Loki had quickly dismissed. "Did he," she fumbled for the right words, "kill…. a lot of people when it all started?"
Sif pondered the question for a moment. "No. Actually, I don't think anyone died. Many serious injuries to be sure, but…" she trailed off in thought.
The human felt herself sigh with relief. Somehow it made it easier to stomach her bargain when she knew Loki hadn't slaughtered everyone in the realm. "What did he do with them?"
After a few moments, Sif responded. "I don't know. I remember charging at Loki during the second wave of attacks. I was mortal by then, but I wouldn't let that stop me. And now… I'm here. I can't say for the life of me what has happened since." She turned to Jane again, clearly puzzled. "How long has it been?"
"About a week. I'm pretty sure Thor and I arrived at the tail end of Loki's attack." Jane noticed the way Sif's breath caught when Thor came up. "He's okay," she said, gently patting Sif's knee. "He's pretty banged up, but he'll be alright. Loki has him in the dungeons right now."
For a moment, Sif looked vulnerable. She looked just like any other heartbroken girl Jane had known on Earth. She looked like Jane after Thor had vanished out of New Mexico and back into the sky.
"I'm going to try sending Thor back to Earth." The words came tumbling out of her mouth before she even finished forming her thought. "I want to send you with him, to make sure that he's okay." Meaning I will be staying here.
"How are you planning to manage that?"
Jane ran her fingers through her hair. "Honestly, I have no idea." A small smirk crossed her face as she forced herself to sound braver than she felt. "But I'm willing to bet that it will either end up with me dead or permanently imprisoned."
Sif gave a small smile, too. "Well, if you really are Hel bent on taking Loki down, there's something you should know." Jane turned to her at full attention. "I don't know where Loki got his powers from, but you can't become that powerful without a little help." Her eyes turned very serious. "He's working with someone, Jane. Someone much more powerful than a citizen of Asgard."
Jane nodded solemnly. It made sense that someone was helping Loki. It might even explain what he was busy doing for some of his long absences.
There was nothing left to say. Jane wasn't really interested in what Sif might think of the situation, and was certainly not going to face Loki's wrath if caught trying to hide Sif away until she could be sent to Earth. After a short silence, the women decided it was safer for Sif to return to mind control than to risk being discovered by Loki. Jane promised to find Sif again as soon as she had a grasp on a plan. "You won't ever have to do this again," Jane said as she held the ring over Sif's finger.
"You had better be right about that," Sif replied sharply. At the last instant, she reached out and stilled Jane's hand. "Be careful, Jane." Jane nodded and slid the ring the rest of the way onto Sif's finger. In a moment, Sif's features slid back into the vacant stare from before. Jane watched as Sif walked away, rounding a corner and going out of sight. For a brief instant, she thought about following the warrior to see what sort of mission she was on, but for once, she didn't want to know. With Sif gone, she suddenly felt completely alone for the first time since arriving in Asgard. She wasn't sure if it was liberating or depressing.
Jane continued roaming the halls, this time lost in her thoughts. Who is Loki working with? What do they get out of putting him in control of a mortal Asgard? Even as she asked the questions, she realized that part of her didn't want to know. No matter what Sif had told her, she still felt the internal tug drawing her to Loki. She would still give herself to him. Perhaps if she didn't know his real motivations, it would make it easier, somehow. Yeah, right. I know he's a monster and I still want him. What's wrong with me?
After a short time of wandering and brooding, Jane found herself back in a hallway she recognized. It was the same hallway Loki had walked her down before - the one that led to the dungeons. She could go see Thor right now if she wanted to. Did she want to? No. Jane remembered Thor's defeated expression and his anger at her for getting involved. He seemed to think that if he couldn't save Jane, there was no rescuing to be done at all. She felt her fists clenching and unclenching as anger bubbled up inside of her. He wasn't there for her when she needed him most. As much as she hated him for it, it also strengthened her resolve to get him out of this mess. She couldn't face him now, but she would find a way to free him and make him see her for how strong she really was. Somehow.
Jane wheeled about in frustration, desperate to find an escape. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed with the weight of her mission and needed a minute to be normal. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that when she opened them she would find herself back in her lab with Erik and a steaming cup of coffee. When she popped an eyelid open, she didn't find her lab, but did spot a place to hide out for a few minutes.
At the end of the hall stood an open archway leading into a part of the palace gardens Jane had never been before. The sunlight warmed her skin as she stepped closer to the greenery. Flowers in a rainbow of hues surrounded her, some stalks growing higher than her head. She felt like Alice in Wonderland marveling at the enchanted flora for the first time. Out of the multitude of blooms, one in particular caught her eye. She reached out delicately to touch its white petals that were in beautiful contrast to its purple stem. The velvety petals caressed her palm and the scent calmed her immediately. She plucked a small sprig of the flowers, intending to carry it back to Loki's chambers. It would be something of her own to keep there. Something to make the room feel less like a prison, more like home. She sat on a bench and closed her eyes, thankful for a moment of peace.
Loki was making his way to the garden when he saw her. He froze in his tracks. What is she doing here? She looked serene, delicately sitting on a bench and basking in the sun. In her hand she held a flower. Why would she want that flower? For a brief instant he thought of going out there and ripping it from her fingers. She should know better than to touch what wasn't hers.
But then he was struck with a different thought. What if she simply shared the same taste in floral beauty? It seemed too much of a coincidence that Jane would be drawn to Frigga's favorite flowers, but perhaps that's exactly what this was. Loki had woven too many plans in his time to believe in coincidences, yet he struggled to believe that Jane could have planned this. She couldn't have known, could she? He stayed in the shadows, watching her in befuddlement. For the first time, he found himself looking at her as more than a tool to be used for his pleasure. Who are you, Jane Foster?
She opened her eyes then, and he made his move. He was standing in front of her before she had even fully realized he was there. At first she appeared surprised, then a slight look of irritation crept into her features. He chuckled internally, sure that she hadn't expected to be disturbed. "Good afternoon, Ms. Foster." She nodded in response, looking both irritated and wary. Without warning, he sat next to her, but made no move to touch her. He could sense a shockwave reverberating through her as she reacted to his presence. Turning his stare to better take in her expression, he was intensely curious of how she was feeling. Do you fear me, my little pet? Are you craving my touch? Her eyes held a mix of emotions he couldn't decipher and he chuckled aloud. Such an interesting creature you are, Jane.
He motioned to the flowers in her hand. "I see you have taken a liking to the palace gardens?"
She blushed slightly and he felt his cock twitch in response. This was the same look she had given him when he discovered her in the bath earlier. "Yeah," she said softly. She twirled the flower in her fingers, considering it carefully. "We don't have this particular species on Earth. It's beautiful."
Loki was taken aback by the honesty in her eyes. This really was about the simple beauty of a flower. "It was Frigga's favorite." The words were out before he could stop himself.
Jane looked up at him through her long lashes, a soft smile curving her lips. "I can see why. It reminds me of her, I think. The scent is really calming." She took another sniff of the light scent and he could see her shoulders falling back, losing their tension.
He allowed himself to bask in the warmth radiating from her for a few moments before she spoke again. Her words were so soft that he strained to hear. "Thank you," she whispered.
"For what?" Those were probably the last words he had expected to hear from her.
"For this," she said as she gestured toward the garden. "For allowing me out of the room. I really needed some air." She wasn't babbling as he had heard her do with Thor. Each word seemed deliberate, heartfelt yet forced from her lips. It wasn't easy for her to thank him for this small freedom, but she was grateful nonetheless. Loki couldn't begin to fathom how she could feel any gratitude in her current situation.
He was overcome with the urge to touch her. He wanted to pull her to him and absorb her sense of peace in order to heal his fractured life. He wanted to fuck her senseless, right here on this bench, if only to make himself forget for a few small moments. Before he could stop himself, his hand was over hers, caressing her knuckles as he stroked the white petals. She was shivering slightly, but she didn't pull away. He brought his other hand to her face, allowing his palm to rest on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut as he brushed his thumb over her lips. Her mouth parted slightly and he felt himself hardening as he thought of the feel of her lips over his. She leaned into his touch, relaxing the fingers of the hand he was holding. The flower dropped to the ground. The spell was broken.
Loki pulled away, furious with himself. He stared at her with a hardened look, wondering what she had done to make him forget himself. She couldn't heal him, she couldn't help him. She was simply a means to an end. Jane was staring at him with desperate eyes, breath still coming in small sighs. She didn't understand what had made him pull away and he wouldn't tell her. He pulled his eyes from her face and focused on an empty patch of pavement. "Dress for dinner. I will summon you shortly." He didn't look at her again as he teleported himself away.
Jane sat dumbfounded on the bench, the burning touch of Loki's fingers still searing her flesh. What the hell just happened?
A/N: Teasing again, I know, but trust me that more of that smutty goodness is coming your way sometime soon. :) Let me know what you think! Your wonderful support and feedback keeps this story going.
