Hope you enjoy the next chapter, and Yes! I have returned from the dead!Woop woop! So anyway... *Opens mouth and spills out chapter*

Time itself seemed to slow down and stop entirely in those next moments, the air rippling like water around Octavia and becoming nearly tangible. Loki's face froze in an expression of rage and shock, and Fandral became as stiff as a statue behind her. The others as well seemed to be affected by this strange turn of events, and became as life-sized figurines, their features masks of surprise.

Motion wasn't the only thing that seemed to cease, and Octavia felt as though someone had shoved balls of cotton in her ears, for everything had fallen eerily silent. The air weighed heavily on her body, but much to Octavia's surprise, she found herself still perfectly capable of movement, if a little sluggish.

Walking forward clumsily as if wading through a lake, Octavia hesitantly touched the frozen blue orb that Loki had fired from his scepter and that now hung in midair like a crystallized ball of flame. It felt like nothing, but reacted to her fingertips, floating away lazily.

Relaxing slightly, Octavia took hold of it and turned to stare at Fandral. He looked so helpless like this. His sword hung at his hip, but it would be useless against Loki's magic. The warrior hadn't even had time to make a grab for it. Making her decision, Octavia walked away from the small group and stared at the field in the distance, then drew back her arm and tossed the ball of magic as far as she could, watching it land harmlessly in the grass a few yards away.

Turning, Octavia walked back and took her place in front of Fandral. As a precaution, she reached out and gently pulled Loki's scepter from his grip, laying it on the ground at his feet. Octavia felt mildly guilty for disarming him, but under the circumstances, it was probably the best idea.

Now there was nothing left to do but wait for this strange spell to wear off, for surely it was a spell. It occurred to her that she had no idea who had cast it. Whoever it was, they were nowhere in sight. Shrugging, Octavia took up her previous position as best as she could remember it, and waited. It didn't take long.

As quickly as time had frozen, it sprang back into life. Loki lunged forward; confusion registering on his features as he realized his staff was no longer in his grasp. His nimble movements turned clumsy in an instant and he fell rather unceremoniously into Octavia, knocking her off balance and sending herself crashing into Fandral. All three of them landed in a heap in the straw.

Sif swore loudly, and Volstagg gasped. Loki, who was lying across Octavia's legs, lifted his head to stare at her, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. His face was even more pale than usual and his raven hair had fallen over his forehead.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Thor's voice boomed, and a large set of hands gripped Octavia, yanking her rather roughly to her feet. Fandral scrambled up, looking disgruntled at being knocked over and more than a little bewildered at what had taken place. Only Loki remained kneeling in the straw. He stared first at his hands, then at his staff that lay beside him.

"Loki!" Sif's sharp voice seemed to snap him out of it, and he looked up as the warrior woman stalked forward and reached down, snatching him by the collar and nearly lifting him completely off his feet as she hoisted him up to face her. She was livid, her dark eyes snapping. "What have you done?"

"I have done nothing!" Loki stammered, panic written on his face. The silver-tongued one was for once at a loss for words. "I promise you!"

"You lie!" Sif shouted, shoving him backwards and nearly causing him to lose his footing once again. "This is powerful magic!"

"That will be enough, Lady Sif!" Thor interrupted, stepping between the two before fists began to fly. "You forget that you are addressing a Prince of Asgard!"

Sif's face went from red to white, and she pursed her lips, lowering her gaze. A muscle jumped in her jaw. An uncomfortable silence fell in the stables, broken only by a soft whinny from Sleipnir.

"Brother," Loki began hoarsely, moving towards Thor with pleading eyes. "I assure you I had nothing to do with this."

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Loki," Thor growled, and Loki clenched his fists, looking around for some sort of avenue of escape.

"Loki didn't do anything." Octavia's voice sounded oddly out of place, and everyone turned to her with surprise, as if by speaking Octavia had reminded them of her presence. "I know, because I saw everything," Octavia continued shakily, stepping forward. "Everything froze, as if time itself had stopped. And I stopped Loki from hurting Fandral. I didn't see anyone else here, but I just know it wasn't him." Feeling the incredulous gazes of the others upon her, Octavia swallowed hard and fell silent.

"Of course you didn't see anyone else here," Loki spat bitterly. "What are you going on about?"

How everyone was looking at Octavia! As if they all knew something she didn't.

"Well, someone must have cast the spell," Octavia mumbled awkwardly. "Time doesn't just freeze itself."

"Aye," Fandral agreed softly, moving up to her and laying a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "It takes powerful magic to do what you just did."

"Me?!" Now it was Octavia's turn to stare at everyone in astonishment. "Ah, no I think you have the wrong person," she said, laughing nervously. "I'm just a normal human, remember?"

"Apparently not." Thor's voice was gruff, and he was regarding Octavia with same distrust that she had seen in his eyes the first time they had met. Bewildered, Octavia looked to Loki for support, but his face was rigid and he refused to meet her gaze.

"Loki, you told us that this girl was mortal and posed no threat to this realm," Sif accused, crossing her arms. "How do you intend to explain this to the Allfather?"

"Nothing needs to be explained!" Loki snapped suddenly, seeming to regain his tongue and straightening his shoulders, turned to her with fire in his pale eyes. "The girl is my responsibility and I will deal with her as I see fit!"

He took Octavia by the wrist before she had a chance to object and with a swish of his cloak, led her away from the others. He walked so quickly that Octavia nearly had to run to keep up, and his grip on her arm bordered on painful.

"Loki," Octavia pleaded, but he wouldn't speak to her. Octavia's heart sank. She had no idea what had happened back there, but whatever they believed she had done had obviously gotten both her and Loki in quite a bit of trouble. He led her back into the palace, and turned down a corridor.

Recalling his speech to Thor about disposing of her if she was deemed a threat, made Octavia turn pale with fear. Was he indeed leading her to her execution? Tears began to spill down her cheeks of their own accord, and when Loki stopped suddenly, terror washed over her.

The raven-haired god turned to face you, finally letting go of your arm. Octavia was sure there would be bruises on her wrist by the next day, if she was allowed to live to see the next day, that is. Loki's expression was dark and did not look at all promising.

"Let me make something very clear to you, mortal," he growled, his tone making Octavia shiver. "I don't know how you managed to cast that spell earlier, but if you wish to remain on my good side, I'd suggest you refrain from repeating it. As you can see, it is my neck on the line as much as yours and I have no desire to rouse my father's anger at this time."

"Oh, I'm on your good side?" Octavia asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from her tone. "So I suppose you don't intend to 'dispose' of me, then?"

Loki look momentarily surprised, and then frowned.

"Don't be ridiculous." He indicated the doors he had stopped in front of, and Octavia noticed for the first time where she was. "Come inside and gather up your things. I'll show you to your new room and you can get settled before supper." He opened the doors to his chambers and ushered Octavia in impatiently.

Octavia merely nodded and meekly did as he asked, wrapping everything in a bundle as it had been when Deirdre had brought it for her. Without speaking, Loki led you away from his room and down another corridor, where she was relieved to meet up with Deirdre.

"Ah, you are ready to see your new room?" she asked, giving a polite curtsy to the prince and a bright smile to Octavia. Octavia nodded.

Loki cleared his throat.

"If you wouldn't mind taking it from here, Deirdre, I would be much obliged. I feel weary and in need of a good bath after this afternoon's activities," Loki commented, smiling at the servant girl, and Octavia raised an eyebrow at his change in mood and tone.

"Of course, my lord," Deirdre replied, giving another curtsy. Loki turned on his heel and left.

Deirdre led Octavia into her new room, and you found it to be set up similar to Loki's, although the color scheme was white and pale green, and the furniture had a more feminine feel. Together they found a place for Octavia's belongings, and thanking Deirdre for her help, Octavia expressed the wish to be alone. She looked concerned, but didn't protest, and soon Octavia was seated on edge the large bed, alone with her thoughts.

Octavia had a lot to think about.

Loki had a lot on his mind as well as he settled down into the warm bath, sighing in contentment as the soothing heat brought relief to his aching muscles. The afternoon's events had been as much of a shock to him as anyone, perhaps even more so. The prince's pride was bruised at being bested in magic by an inexperienced mortal and a woman nonetheless!

He lifted a hand from the water, watching the droplets trickle down his pale skin. He had been studying magic for thousands of years now, but the spell this Midgardian had cast by accident was far more advanced than should have been possible. Not only had she made a fool of him, deflecting his attack and disarming him without his knowledge, but she was showing signs of a natural talent for magic that was greater than he could have ever hoped to acquire.

Dropping his arm back into the water, he leaned his head back against the rim of the tub, closing his eyes. The part that puzzled him the most was that he hadn't sensed it on her before. He had not been lying when he told the others that she was harmless, that she posed no threat. But that was before.

Before what? What had changed? Was it Asgard itself, awakening abilities within the mortal that had lain dormant her whole life? He had never heard of such a thing. Then what was it about her that had changed since she had arrived?

Suddenly he sat bolt upright, accidentally sending water sloshing over the edge of the tub, and swore loudly. Of course, it was the only explanation. The one thing he did not factor in to his plan.

"You're slipping, Loki," he murmured to himself, lying back again until the water lapping against his chin. "You keep up like this, and you'll lose your wonderful reputation." He chuckled at his own joke. Yes, it may not be what he had expected, but it was certainly an interesting development.

"Perhaps," he mused softly to himself, "it wouldn't hurt to see where this goes."