Part Ten

Cara

As the night of the next castle gathering approached, my nerves returned. I knew everyone would stare at me, pointing at the half Jotun girl who has been pretending to be a jaguar for the past three years.

The event was informal but I still had to wear a dress, according to Loki, so I had opted for a sort of long vest jacket, with a pinched waist and a full skirt, so I could wear pants underneath and still sort of follow the dress code. It was Mamalin's suggestion, a look she had modelled on Sif's attire, who also valued practicality.

Despite it not being fashionable, Mamalin left my hair loose, albeit with a few braids in, so that if I needed to use it as a shield, I could.

She also indulged my nerves, although I'm sure my constant questioning of every detail about my outfit must have been boring for her. It was boring enough to me, but I felt that if I could get the ensemble just right I would be accepted.

I know it's foolish, but that's how I felt.

Loki entered while I was still fussing and looked to Mamalin.

"Thank you, I think that will be all for this evening."

She looked to me for confirmation.

"Fret not, I can take care of Cara from this point on, and you must have your own preparations for the dance to do."

I'd forgotten she would be there as well, and now I felt guilty for keeping her here for so long.

"If you're sure, sir." She curtseyed and with a rallying smile at me, left.

"Darling, you look perfect," Loki assured me as I played with one of my cuffs that wouldn't sit properly.

His words reassured me slightly. "Do I really?"

"Yes. There's just one thing missing."

I looked down at myself, suddenly panicked again. "What is it? What did I forget?"

"Nothing, I just think this will help." He held his palm out and a flat, square box appeared there.

I stared at it, recognising it as a jewellery box.

"Well open it," Loki prompted with an indulgent smile.

I stepped closer and tentatively opened the box to find a diamond and sapphire necklace sitting on a velvet cushion.

It was beautiful, a string of sapphires, each surrounded by small diamonds, and a central teardrop shaped sapphire that would sit in the hollow of my throat.

"Loki, it's too much."

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"Then that's what counts." He removed it from the box and undid the clasp. "Turn around."

"Loki-"

"Turn around!" he said, his tone brooking no argument.

I did, and even held my hair out of the way without needing prompting so that he could fasten it, then he clasped my shoulders and turned me to face him.

"There, perfect," he assured me. He held his elbow out to me, "Shall we?"

"What if I lose it?" I asked as we headed out of the room.

"I'll buy you another one."

"Loki! You can't just replace something like this. I could probably buy this whole palace with this."

"Not quite," he smiled.

I don't know if it was his intention or not, but fretting over his gift kept my fears off the gathering, at least until we arrived at the huge hall that the dance was being held in.

"Everything will be fine," he assured me. "Head up, smile and when you feel unsure, just look at me."

I took his advice but I felt incredibly awkward when the conversation about us ceased as we entered. The silence seemed to spread until even the band stopped playing and all eyes were on me. I wished I'd never come.

"Loki, Cara! Come join us!" Thor boomed from across the hall.

As we began to move again, conversation resumed, but I was sure I was the subject of most of it.

Once I took a seat, I felt a little better, knowing I was surrounded by friends, and Loki poured me a goblet of spiced wine, urging me to "Drink up."

I did.

"Finally another woman," Sif grinned at me. "Two out of seven may not sound much but it's better than one out of six."

Fandral raised his goblet. "Here's to more women!"

"You don't need more," Sif rolled her eyes as everyone else at the table groaned.

"Well, I must insist on a dance with the prettiest woman in the room," he grinned at me.

I was well aware of my tendency to keep quiet; when you spend hours each day as a cat who cannot talk, it becomes much less of a need, even when you can speak. This was a rather raucous group though, and if I was ever going to fit into it, I had to learn to speak up for myself and join in with the banter.

"I think you mean, 'the newest'," I asserted.

"No, no, I mean the prettiest," Fandral insisted.

"The problem is, every new face you see at these things is the prettiest."

"The lady has a point," Thor told Fandral, as he and Volstagg burst out laughing while Loki smiled and patted my knee, and even Hogun cracked a small smile.

Fandral easily shrugged off the comments.

"I believe the first dance belongs to me," Loki stated.

"Fine, but I get the second," Fandral added.

"And I the third," Thor chipped in.

"Easy gentlemen," Loki smirked. "You may get to dance with her, but I get to escort her home."

"We'll see." It was a completely impulsive thing to say and I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth, but it was too late to do anything but continue the charade.

"What does that mean?" Loki turned to me.

"Well, I thought since you boys were turning this into a competition, I'd let the best dancer escort me home."

The group cheered and for a fraction of a second, I thought Loki was furious, but then he smirked.

"So that's how you want to play this?" he looked around his friends, then back to me. He stood up and held his hand out towards me, issuing me a challenging stare.

Now I was wondering what I'd got myself into but I took his hand and as soon as I rose to my feet, he pulled me into his arms and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"I hope you're ready, darling, because I don't intend to go easy on you."

And with that, he spun me under his arm and out onto the dance floor. I could hardly keep up, not because of the speed of the steps, but because Loki was doing his darndest to seduce me in public. A hand on my hip would slip to the small of my back, pressing me against him. When he turned me, the fingers of his free hand would trail over by body, making my skin tingle even though my clothes. When we promenaded, his lips would dip to my shoulder, just grazing my skin, hinting at future delights and when we spun together, he pressed me tight enough against him that I could feel his arousal.

It seemed that I had awoken the beast in him.

I had no idea how long we danced for, I only know I was exhausted (and exceptionally turned on) by the time he escorted me back to our table.

I gulped down a glass of wine as quickly as I could.

"Why don't you just pee on me next time."

Fandral and Thor roared with laughter.

Of course Loki had a reply ready. "Not in public, darling." Which only caused more laughter.

I'm not sure if Loki planned it or it was a just a lucky happenstance, but I had hardly noticed anyone staring at me since our rather awkward entrance.

Of course that changed when Fandral asked me to dance. He was the perfect gentleman, which meant that I took more notice of my surroundings than I had with Loki and couldn't help but notice people staring.

I missed my old cloak so instead, I brushed my hair in front of my shoulders and carried on, just as I always have.

Thor claimed his dance next and by the time our dance was finished, Loki was dancing with Sif and I was feeling warm, so I headed out to the balcony to cool down a little, leaning against the balustrade as I looked out over the gardens.

"You must be Cara."

I turned to see Lady Dush standing beside me.

"Yes."

"I'm"

"I know who you are. We've met many times."

"But never been formally introduced." She leaned against the railing. "I should be angry with you, I've wasted a lot of time chasing someone who it turns out, wasn't available."

I didn't know how to reply to that, so I remained silent.

"I can certainly see why he's so taken with you, such exotic looks would catch anyone's eye."

I was pretty sure that was an insult, but I was used to outright hostility, not backhanded compliments, so again, I didn't know how to respond.

Loki

One of the things I enjoy most about Cara is watching her so even when she was dancing with Fandral and Thor, she still had my full attention.

As I watched her lithe body twist and turn, I couldn't help but think that she had missed her calling as a dancer.

"Loki, if you do not look elsewhere soon, I shall think you horribly jealous," Volstagg stated.

"Not jealous, just enjoying the view," I smiled, but it really wasn't polite to stare, so I asked Sif if she would like to dance.

By the time we were finished, Cara had left the floor and I headed to the balcony, where I had seen her disappear to. She stood by the railing, Lady Dush standing next to her.

I knew how pointed Dush's tongue could be sometimes, so using an invisibility spell, I edged closer, needing to be sure Cara was all right, but also knowing that I couldn't simply ride to her rescue every time there was an issue, or she would never get used to life at court.

"I can certainly see why he's so taken with you, such exotic looks would catch anyone's eye."

Cara didn't reply and I prayed that the insult, veiled as it was, hadn't hurt her.

"As a word of warning though, Cara, don't get your hopes up. Princes have their fun with women like you, but they marry women like me."

Cara turned to her. "There are two princes in there, but I don't see either of them fawning over you."

"They're barely a thousand years old yet, they're still having their fun."

"So why are you telling me this?" Cara asked.

"Because, believe it or not, I like you and I don't want to see you hurt."

"You're lying, I can smell the deceit on you." Cara shook her head. "The truth is, the moment you decided to marry for status rather than love, you had no hope of securing Thor, and the moment you set your sights on Thor, you were doomed with Loki too. He doesn't want his brother's castoffs." Cara smiled sweetly.

"That doesn't alter the fact that he cannot marry a halfbreed like you!"

"You don't actually know Loki very well, do you?" Cara asked. "He likes breaking rules. He also values things that are special and different. Ladies like you can be found everywhere, on every realm but as far as we know, I am the only being like me. All your money, your manners, and your breeding can't hold a candle to that."

"You don't deserve him!"

"And you do?" Cara asked. "Look around you. To you, this is normal, that is what you've always had and feel entitled to. For me, this is special, this is something I could never have hoped to be a part of and the idea that I can experience this and have a man like Loki care for me? I can still hardly believe my good fortune. I deserve him because I appreciate him and everything that being with him affords me, while you simply see it as your due."

"Fine, but don't come crying to be when this all ends in tears." Lady Dush turned on her heels and stormed inside.

"I never intended to," Cara called after her, and I watched as her expression crumbled now she was alone, and she looked out to the gardens again.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against me, her back to my chest. She stiffened for a moment, until she realised it was me.

"Well said, darling."

"You heard that?" She sounded surprised as she turned her head to look over her shoulder at me.

"I needed to be sure she wasn't more than you could handle."

"I'm sorry if I said anything untoward."

"You didn't." I pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You handled that very well, darling, I'm only sorry you had to say anything."

She turned around and laid her head against my shoulder.

"It's all right, I didn't think that because your mother and brother had accepted me, everyone else would magically be okay with me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Loki. Besides, I've lived with this my whole life, I'm used to it."

"That doesn't mean you like it."

"True, but I can handle it."

"Come dance with me, I'll make you forget everyone but me."

"Actually, would you mind if we went back to our room? I'm not really feeling much like partying."

"I don't mind, but we have to stay a little longer."

"Why?"

"Because people like Dush want to hurt you and if they know they've succeeded, even in a small way, they'll redouble their efforts. Never let people see you vulnerable."

"I'm used to running," she confessed. "I did try to talk to people, make them see that my father's sins aren't my own, but no one was interested in listening. It was easier to just keep my head down and stay out of their way."

"You're a prince's consort now, my love, hiding isn't really an option."

Cara nodded sadly. "You're right, of course you're right. It's just… This is all so new, I didn't expect any of this."

"I know. I also know that you are a brave and strong woman, and more than capable of rising to this challenge."

"I prefer the shadows," she said, looking down.

I brushed her hair back behind her shoulders. "A creature as beautiful and unique as you, was not born to hide in the shadows."

She swallowed down her misgivings, raised her eyes to mine and nodded.

I stood back and offered her my hand.

"Shall we?"

She took my hand.

Cara

Loki entered our rooms to find me pacing in my jaguar form, my tail swishing with anxiety.

"Cara?"

I spared him a look but I couldn't stop walking.

"Mother told me you ran out of your meeting with her."

Around and around I walked. I didn't change back because I didn't know how to answer his questions.

"She said you seemed distressed, she's worried about you."

He came closer and noticed my muzzle.

"You've been crying. Has someone said something to you? Hurt you?"

I continued to pace anxiously around the spacious room. Loki was going to get a crick in his neck from watching me.

"Please, help me understand."

I changed back but continued pacing. "I can't do it, Loki! I can't be the princess you want me to be! Deportment lessons and etiquette lessons and learning matters of state and fancy gowns and diplomatic rules and seating charts and" I put my hands to my head and growled in frustration.

"Darling, you don't have to do any of that. You wanted to help with the visit from the Vanaheim delegates, remember? I expect nothing from you but to be yourself, the woman I fell in love with." Even that declaration wasn't enough to pull me out of this state.

"You don't understand!"

"Then help me!"

I turned my back on him and burst into tears, but I stopped moving long enough for Loki to pull me into his arms. He held me until my tears subsided, then he picked me up and sat in one of the chairs by the fire, settling me on his lap.

I was too emotionally tired to be angry or anxious any longer.

"Now, do you want to tell me what happened?"

I was silent for a long while but eventually found some words for him.

"We received a list of the delegates in the Vanaheim party today."

"And who is on that list that troubles you so?"

My words deserted me.

"King Dekheid, I assume?"

When I didn't deny it, he took that as an affirmative.

"And if the king is coming, we can assume his queen is too, then there's their..."

His words trailed off as he suddenly got a look of recognition.

"Their servants, his secretary and her lady in waiting. Your mother and stepfather."

"How can I face the woman who abandoned me?"

"You can and you will. She is a simple servant, my love, while you are a prince's consort, a member of the family in all but name. She gave you nothing and from that you have carved out a life and position of status for yourself."

"My position is bestowed upon me by you, Loki, I earned nothing."

"If you had not ventured out of that church and wandered for years to find a portal off Vanaheim, we would not have met. If you had not been as intelligent and wellread as you are, you might have captured my attention but you would not have kept it. And if you were not as kind and captivating as you are, you would not have bewitched my mother, brother and friends."

"But I can't meet her, Loki, not knowing that she gave me away."

"Now correct me if I'm wrong, but she doesn't realise you know her name, correct?"

"No, all children are given to the Church with the understanding of complete confidentiality." It was an old law, to save women who were terrified of being shamed from perhaps abandoning their child someplace it might come to harm before being found, or worse.

"What happens if a child wants to contact their parents? Or vice versa?"

"The church will write to the other party and if they don't agree to meet or be contacted, then it ends there."

"And you've never requested they contact your mother?"

"She didn't want me. I'd be damned if I would let her think I wanted her."

"Then this is perfect. She is a servant, hardly worthy of your attention, but you will captivate her, as you captivate everyone, and she cannot fail to recognise you."

"But…" I sighed. "I do have some sympathy for her plight. I don't want to rub her face in what she did." I snuggled into him, rubbing my cheek against his shoulder.

"You won't be. You will simply be doing your duty as a member of the House of Odin. If she has reason to regret her actions, that is not your fault, you had no say in what she did back then, just as you had no say in how you were conceived. You are blameless in this, Cara."

"I don't feel blameless."

"But you are. And while I think the safest thing to hope for is that she ignores you, as you ignore her, there is a chance she might want to know you. I don't expect that giving up a child is ever easy and it may be that she didn't want to. Perhaps her family or husband demanded it. Even if it was her choice, perhaps she has regretted it ever since."

I rose up and looked at him. "Do you really think so?"

"I said there is a chance. I would not wager that this reunion will end well and I would be remiss if I told you to expect the best, but it would also be thoughtless not to remind you of the possibility of a reunion."

I nodded. He was right, as nice as the reunion I had dreamed of in my childhood would be, those dreams had already been dashed once and I didn't dare start dreaming again.

"Now, since it's still early, how do you fancy a race around in the lake?"

"Only if I can cool off afterwards by jumping in. Can I still do that, now that people know I'm a person, not a jaguar?"

"Of course. I know you're spending more time as a person to help mother, but you're free to assume whatever form you want, whenever you want." He kissed me gently. "It would be a sad day indeed if we never saw Cara the cat any longer."

So we raced around the lake in the palace gardens, me using my advantage as a jaguar and Loki using his advantage as a sorcerer. Loki is a natural athlete but even he can't keep up with me, not without teleporting ahead every now and again.

Instead of completing the lap though, I decided to jump in and swim back. Most cats don't like swimming but jaguars are an exception, and with my huge paws, I was fast and even with his magic, Loki couldn't beat me. I climbed onto the shore and waited for him to catch up.

"You cheated," he told me, pointing an accusing finger.

I replied by shaking the water out of my coat, spraying it all over Loki.

"Why you"

I took off back to the palace before he could finish that thought, with Loki hot on my heels, yelling that he was going to make me pay.

I skidded through the palace, narrowly avoiding a few collisions but as I approached our room, I heard Loki's footfalls vanish and I knew he had teleported into the room. I had to pause to open the handle but as soon as I had, I leapt into the room, transforming as I flew through the air. Loki was exactly where I expected him to be, triumphantly facing the door. My pounce took him aback and he only just managed to catch me.

I kissed him passionately, and one of Loki's hands left my back for a second and I heard the door slam, thanks to his magic.

His hands roamed my body, looking for a way to my flesh as he staggered through to the bedroom with me.

"This was easier," he said in between kisses, "when you never wore clothes."

"Quit whining and fuck me."

"Gladly, my lady."

I was tearing at his clothes while he did the same to mine, unfortunately, both our garments were rather well made so Loki opted to magic them away, and they disappeared in a green shimmer.

"That's cheating!" I cried.

"That makes us even." He licked his lips. "Now there's just the small matter of you drenching me with water."

"Are you going to make me pay?"

"Oh yes," he smirked. "But I promise you'll enjoy it."

"Doesn't mean I'm going to make it easy on you," I said as I scratched my fingers down his back.

He smirked at me and caught my wrists, pinning them to the bed, either side of my head.

His dick was running the length of my slit as we spoke, easily parting my lips as I was more than ready for him.

"You're not going to hold a little thing like getting you wet against me, are you?"

"Actually," he angled his hips to his next thrust pushed his length inside me. "I was planning on fucking you until you're begging me to make you come."

"I'll never beg!" I knew I'd beg, but I was damned if I was going to give in easily.

"We'll see, lover, we'll see," he smirked. Cocky bastard!

He set a punishing pace that almost had me begging from the moment he started, but I managed to hold out for a while, right up until the moment he brought my hands together and secured them above my head in one hand, freeing his other one up to rub my clit.

I cried and screamed and keened for release, but he wouldn't give it to me until I apologised.

"I'm sorry I drenched you! Please let me come!" I wailed. "Please."

He either took pity on me, or was close himself as he increased the friction on my nub just enough to push me into my orgasm. I could feel my sheath shuddering around his length as my climax rippled through me in waves, and he was only able to hold out for a few more moments until his face tightened, almost as if he was in pain, and I felt his seed spill into me.

He collapsed on top of me and we both lay there, panting and sweat soaked. He released my hands and I wrapped him in my embrace.

After our earlier run and that rather incredible fuck, we were both so tired that we soon fell asleep in that position, with his length softening but still inside me.

When I awoke an hour or so later, I could see that it was nearly dark and we were supposed to have dinner with Frigga tonight. I could still feel his length inside me so I tried contracting my cunt muscles, just to see if I could get him hard and it wasn't very long until his arousal began to wake him.

He began to leisurely slide his length in and out.

"I think I want to wake up this way every day," he murmured still half asleep.

"I can't think of a single objection to that."