Loki's dreamer: reading the rest...oh god it gets so strange...you have no idea. :p

Shellyjb: I am so happy when people tell me Cephera and Loki are their favourite pairing. She was my first pairing for him and I am very proud of her and I miss writing about her currently. She is still lurking around in other fics not yet published though.

I am also happy that you still also enjoy Illtihia. Currently they are staying in Jotunhiem. It will be a home base.

Doctor Loki love: oh how could I ever end it here. :p my plans for this knows no bounds but the idea is finished in my head now I just need to put together the pieces. She will gain confidence but it will take time. :)

Midnight awaken on you: she had a curiosity about just about everything and is very respectful. Tamika is her glue at the moment.

Sorceress of the trees: he was Jotun the whole time. I. Sorry for not being more explanatory there. And there are cultural things to come.

Sidney loves fiction: I find it oddly easy to flow Loki with the girls I choose. Cephera has a goodness innocence but Illithia has a naive innocence. I wanted to write the sex from her POV first just because of what she had been told would make her view interesting.

White light of death: I try to remember that Loki is a little over 1000 years old and not everyone around him is younger then him. I wanted him to be gentle knowing she had fears but also be determined to claim her.

Chapter 10

Loki woke to Tamika trying to gently wake Illithia privately. She sighed when he was the one to wake and Illithia stayed sleeping soundly in his arms. "She need cleansing now." Tamika insisted. "I bring her back."

"Was all this your doing?" Loki asked her. He knew very little about Tamika. She only ever spoke to him when she needed to.

"She come to me, I help. You want her, now she yours." She said simply. Loki hated to wake Illithia. She looked peaceful in her deep slumber

"Can it wait till morning?" He asked.

"No. Cleansing used to promote seed taking shape. First hour is important." Loki hadn't considered getting her pregnant. He had been to wrapped up in the fact she was there on display for him and him alone. Loki licked his lips almost nervously.

"I think perhaps we will wait for such things. What do Jotun use to deter it?" Loki worried that right now children was not the way to go. There was still much Illithia needed to learn about the world.

"Infants secure lineage and strong warriors. We do not stop such blessings here." She sounded insulted. "She may not be of our blood but you are. She come here willing to learn, to understand. She will accept our ways."

"Yes and look what was done with me." Loki snorted. "Left to die as an infant for my abnormally small size." Tamika laughed at Loki's words and it annoyed him.

"Is that what you were told?" Loki paused. "We have very few children born of small size here but the ones that were had no less potential then the rest. You were not abandoned." Loki had released his arms from around Illithia forgetting for a moment she was there.

"You seem to know much more about myself then even I do." He glowered at her.

"Of course I do. I helped deliver you as tiny baby. I am Tamika Laufeyson and your half sister." Loki felt his shocked expression and she smiled. Loki wasn't sure if he was more angry that she had waited until now to tell him or more curious to find out more.

"Half sister?" Those words hadn't become lost on his ears.

"Yes. We share mother only. I was not told your true fathers name. Perhaps Odin, perhaps not. I was under understanding that you were given to Odin as part of alliance and that my father had no want for a child not of his own." She shrugged.

"I thought the Yotun mated for life." Loki was trying not to mock.

"It was trick of man wearing our fathers face that took our mother to bed. Law is she keep child till birth and then Laufey decided to give you up." She frowned. "It was sad time." Loki felt confused. Was Odin his father? Why would Odin trick the queen of the Jotuns into bed with him when he had his own wife at home? There was a lot of current questions. This was back during the war with the frost giants, a little over 1000 years ago. Why did Odin lie on top of his already laid out lies and say he had been abandoned as a baby to die? What purpose did he hope to achieve?

Loki suddenly felt frustrated. "Illithia." He said directly into her ear. She mumbled and he said her name again. She blinked sleepily. "Go with Tamika, she will explain." She looked from Loki to Tamika and then back to Loki. She looked concerned.

"You're unhappy." She said to him. "Was I not how you thought?" Loki realized his concern over his new information had given her pause to think it was her that caused his current state if distress.

"No. You were better then I thought, then I deserve. Go. Tamika will explain." Tamika had placed a warm smile on her face. Loki watched Tamika take her, wrap a cloak about her shoulders and took her from the room. Apparently the cleansing was not done in his bath. When they were gone Loki found himself thinking about everything and nothing.

(Illithia)

Tamika helped Illithia into a small pool located in a deeper part of the cave palace. "Many woman have come here for their first cleansing. You once asked if we worship and I said some might, I guess in a way this is like worshipping. You are here to cleanse your body of any imperfection and hope to promote healthy growth of seed in your womb." Illithia felt her face redden.

"I ahhh..." She paused. "Do I do this every time?" She decided to ask instead.

"Only first time, now you are tainted and no longer pure. You are claimed woman for life." She nodded a respectful and proud nod.

"Why was Loki unhappy?" Illithia settled into the waters. The water was oddly warm and she wondered if it was a natural hot spring.

"He heard some hard truth. I tell him who he is, of his mother and he now questions the lies he was told in his life." Illithia paused. In this she understood how Loki felt. She had been lied to. Taught and raised on lies.

"You told him?"

"We are family now, you and I. I knew you special when you were brought to me. I like you. You are outsider but yet you show us respect and kindness. Loki is my half brother, he not gain my respect the same way." Illithia looked up shocked.

"Your brother?" Tamika laughed.

"Yes. Same mother. Beautiful mother. She gone now. Loki all the immediate family I had until now. I did not want to waste my time on him until I sure he was here to stay. You are his pillar. You give him strength. I like you." Illithia couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you. I like you too." She replied.

"Now relax, enjoy water. I will return with new proper garments for your station." She watched Tamika leave and thought about it. Station? What did that mean here? Illithia couldn't help but be curious about everything. She leaned back against the wall keeping the water in and looked up. The cavern was tall. The torches lit all around her only lit up so far and the the rest was total blackness. Illithia thought about the caverns where she met Loki and how far away it now seemed that he had kissed her there. After what happened between them less then an hour ago it was difficult to think back on that simple kiss.

Did the fates foresee this? Was that why they had sent her to tend to Loki? Why wouldn't they have shown her? Illithia suddenly felt bad. She needed to stop thinking that she was not capable of choosing her own path. She had chosen this because she wanted it. Because she wanted to be here. Because somehow in this small measure of time she had fallen in love. "You look funny when you think." Tamika said returning and grinning at her.

"I was just thinking about how I got here." She admitted.

"Regrets?" Tamika sat with a golden fabric with a needle and thread. Illithia noticed that her hands were calloused like a woman who knew hard work.

"No regrets." She assured her. Tamika smiled and set to work on the material.

"I think you not ready to show too much body. I make you something that cover all of you." Illtihia tried to have an open mind. No matter how much of her it covered it would leave hardly anything to the imagination but she reminded herself that it was the custom and she would not be scrutinized for it.

"What happens now?"

"I will take you back to the king and when day breaks you both will be branded." Tamika held out her left hand and across the top lay spirals of an intricate design that wrapped around her wrists and she turned it over to see a stencil like design of what looked to be a firefly. "You and your mate will carry the same mark for the rest of your lives." She explained and Illithia took hold of the hand before her to look at the smooth black marks gracing the skin. It was like a tattoo. It was slightly raised off the skin.

"Will it hurt?" Illithia was always made to fear pain. To her just about everything outside her temple could be painful.

"I not lie to you. It will hurt and it will take a couple of hours to complete but after it will symbolize the union you have to each other, now and forever." Illithia swallowed and continuing studying the mark. "I think for you and the king perhaps white is best. Your skin tan and black would look strange. White would be pretty." Tamika gently removed her hand and went back to sewing.

"I think it's sad." Tamika gave her a puzzled look. "That once you lose your mate that's it for you." She frowned.

"To move on would dishonour the love and devotion you gave to your one true mate." She explained but Illithia didn't buy that. It wasn't that she planned to love anyone else aside from Loki but people should be given a chance to feel a loving embrace if one dies. To be given another chance to be happy and share it with another. She didn't press the issue. It wasn't her place.

She sat quietly and watched Tamika work fast on the dress. It looked as though this one would come straight across from one shoulder to the other, no gaps in between her cleavage but her hips would still be viewable. She certainly hoped that, considering the other way round meant there would be a long droop in her neck line almost to her pubic area. Three more females joined them after a little while.

"This her?" One said curiously looking Illithia over. "Strange to see outsider in pool." She said in the same semi broken speech Tamika spoke with. Oddly she wore furs and was carrying a spear. Illithia would ask about that later.

"She is queen now." Tamika said.

"Outsider as queen, half outsider as king this strange times indeed." Another said. They didn't speak unkindly. Illithia wouldn't blame them for feeling upset over the while thing.

"I suppose makes sense. King want what he used to seeing." She meant Asgardian females Illithia assumed.

"She family now. We show her our ways. She is willing to learn with open mind." Tamika told them.

"It true? You ready to learn how to be fierce, formidable female?" The one in the furs asked kneeling to better look at Illithia.

"I am willing." Illithia replied and the woman grinned.

"Good. I like teaching. I teach hunt. You come with me in next passing days and I will teach you. I am Akrina." Before Illithia could respond with a greeting the next girl knelt.

"I'm Belladonna, I teach you crafting of many kinds." Her smile was warm. The last girl knelt, she looked younger then the others.

"Katu is what they call me. I teach you to fight." Illithia was awed by the different variety of both woman and teachings. The females were much more then she originally thought.

"They are cousins of blood. In Yotunheim everyone is family but blood family help other blood family most. The king is our blood and now mated to you, so we help you. I teach you in household things we do. You've much to learn." Illithia only nodded at Tamika's words.

(Loki)

Loki had drifted back to sleep while Illithia was gone. He woke to Tamika, his half sister, as she announced her arrival. Loki looked up to view Illithia dressed in a gold garment. Her skin looked nice in the color but it suddenly hit him, everyone would view her this way. Her body was not just for his eyes here? Is was difficult to leave everything Asgardian behind and Loki was not content to allow her out of the room in such a thing. He didn't care what Tamika claimed, even the Yotun men would look simply out of curiosity for the girl not of their kind. His jaw was set on the thought but he didn't voice it.

His eyes looked her over. They had braided and twisted her very long hair up and out of the way. Loki had never asked Illithia why she kept her hair so long. He had noticed once before that when left wild and free it reached behind her knees and considering her height that was the longest he had ever seen. He had seen her twist it in many styles but the one he saw most was left down and then braided in two braids, with the unbraided hair reaching halfway down her back before the actually braids began. Loki enjoyed long hair but he liked it also pinned up like it was now.

"I will come back sunrise. You be branded for all to see then." Tamika said and left.

"Feeling better?" Loki smirked as he watched her stand with her arms straight down her front to clasp in front of her thighs in an effort to hide herself. This amused him greatly as he had already seen and explored her but yet she still felt unease over it. It seemed her brazen, excitement filled decision of earlier had given way to leave this uncertain shy girl in its wake. Loki offered her his hand and she took it her breath heavy.

He gently guided her back onto the bed. "I am confused but less emotional now." He told her. He was half sitting up. One hand still had a hold of hers and the other curving up over her cheek. He pulled her lower and kissed her. She kissed him back a smile breaking across her lips.

"I keep feeling like this was all a dream." She told him when the kiss ended.

"If it is I wish to never wake unless you are there to greet me." He replied making her smile all the more. She squinted a little when she smiled too wide. It was cute. "So what did you talk about? I don't suppose you know what the branding is?" She laughed and lay down beside him. He stayed propped up on one elbow on his side while she lay on her back. She explained to him everything she was told and Loki found himself surprised.

He had initially thought the female Yotun to be the lesser of the species but it seemed there was much more to them. He had learned early from Tamika that there were no servants there. That those who did his bidding for room service and cleaning were ones who volunteered to do so. Each and everyone holding the same standing expect the king. The king was the final word. Loki felt relief that they were accepting Illithia so openly but it sounded as though she had a lot to prove to them to truly gain any amount of real respect.

"I wonder how many more Blood family I have." Loki mused.

"I can find out." Illithia told him.

"I am sure you can but for now we should sleep." Loki gazed down at her.

"I'm not tired." She told him frowning.

"Then I will make you tired." Loki glided his free hand down her neck and over her shoulder hooking the fabric and sliding it off one of her arms. He watched her cheeks flush at his meaning but she didn't stop him. Her breath quickened and her breasts rose and feel sharply as he uncovered them both to view.

A/N: this is so much fun creating this world! Bet your all happy that Loki never gave Tamika that second look now hmmm. Lol