A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! And thank you for reading and following/faving!
Natalia lay awake in the dark confines of her bedroom thinking only about her previous intimacies with Clint. She needed more of that special touch, more physical contact. Natalia couldn't wait until her wedding, though. The pesky itch she couldn't scratch nagged her like the plague. She rolled onto her back and spread her legs beneath the wool blanket. Her fingers pulled up her nightgown and rubbed against the apex of her thighs. She bit her lower lip as she slowly stroked the core of her heat. Natalia instantly felt a wetness between her legs. She let her middle finger part her folds and she subconsciously ground her hips. There was a spot Clint managed to hit that felt like electricity running through her. She longer for more of those sensual sparks in her belly that made her entire body tremble with delight. Her thumb happened to graze her clit as she shifted her body and she gasped. Natalia repeatedly stroked her sensitive nub and felt her need increase. It didn't take long for her fingers to become slick with her fluids. Her middle finger easily slipped inside of her. So easily that Natalia added a second. She let her fingers explore on the inside, desperately searching for her pleasure spot. A muffled whimper escaper her as she curled her fingers and rubbed against a particularly sensitive spot. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined Loki's slender fingers touching her ever so softly and slowly quickening his strokes. Natalia could almost hear the sweet nothings he would whisper into her ear. She shoved her fingers in as far as they would go. Her need for Loki's length filling her couldn't wait. Fingers had to abide for now. She caressed herself until her hand cramped and her fingers were wrinkled and sticky. Natalia had to leave her room and sneak down the candle-lit hallway to wash her hands off. Once she returned to her bed, she easily fell into a dreamless slumber.
Loki had been spending a week on strict bed rest. He was content, especially since Natalia would bring him his meals and chat with him. The preparations for their wedding were underway. Natalia's dress was being made, as were Loki's ceremonial garments. There was still much planning to do and royal documents to sign. Frigga insisted that Loki took time to rest before he and Natalia were to travel to several different countries to meet with the rulers of the lands. In the meantime, Loki had mastered a few new spells-levitation and transportation. The levitation spell came in handy to summon books towards him. That way, he didn't need to get up and hinder his healing. After a full week of being cooped up in his room reading and practicing his magic while alone, he decided to reward two very special people with a surprise. Feeling fully recovered, Loki made his way to the library and stared down towards the apple tree. He concentrated and with a wave of his hand, he had a ripe apple picked from the tree and directed it towards the barn for Sleipnir to eat. Finally, there was Natalia. He summoned another apple into his palm, then made it vanish. Loki knew that once his princess awoke, she would be greeted with a special treat.
"Natalia!" Sif hovered over the redhead's bed, seconds away from yanking on her curls. She wouldn't really do it, but the princess was becoming more and more difficult to awaken. One morning, Sif had heard her softly moaning Loki's name. She dared not say a word-she knew Natalia would quickly become defenseless about it. "Natalia…"
She finally awoke, stretching her arms as she sat up in bed. Natalia had been sleeping much better since she began engaging in nightly self exploration. Her fingers were never enough to set her off like when she was with Clint, but she discovered just where she liked to be touched-Loki would need to know these details once they were married.
"Where did you get this?" Sif wondered, picking up a crisp, red apple from the night table.
"Hmm?" Natalia hummed, sorting her thoughts. She eyed the fruit and grew curious. "You found that in here?"
"I'd ask if anyone came in here, but you've been sleeping like a log," Sif quipped with a smirk.
As much as Natalia wanted to eat the piece of fruit, she feared that it could've been cursed. Apples forever reminded her of Loki and their heated first kiss. What she would give to taste him again… "Throw it away. I don't want another repeat of the Banner incident."
"A wise choice." Sif nodded and helped her highness out of bed.
After Natalia was dressed, she went over to the library to grab some books for Loki-but mostly for her-to read. While there, she happened to see Clint walking away from the stables. That was the first she had seen of him in a week. All she knew was that he was busying himself with repairs to his home. Natalia had no desire to see him, though. She approached the large window and stared out towards the barn. I felt like years since she had last been out there. Once Loki was well enough to walk around, she wanted him to climb the apple tree with her and maybe take another ride on Sleipnir. She caught sight of Loki's steed nibbling on something red and she threw her books to the ground. An apple! The horse was eating an apple! Natalia stormed out of the library to begin her search for Clint Barton. She had just seen him leave the stables-to feed Sleipnir, no doubt. That wasn't what angered her, though. If he gave the horse an apple, then he must have given her one, too. She nearly ran out of the castle and found Clint hauling a large rock towards a stone pile he had collected. "You're sick!" she snapped at him. Clint dropped the rock and stared at her in genuine confusion. His innocent look normally made her smile, but not today. "You snuck into my room! Didn't you?!" she angrily accused.
"What? Nat, why the hell-"
"I found your 'present!'" she growled. "And I had it thrown out!"
"Nat?" he blinked. "Are you okay?" He worriedly eyed her.
"You gave Sleipnir an apple, too! I saw him eating it!"
"'Apple?'" he parroted. "He had that when I just checked the barn. I thought the errand boy brought it or something…"
Now it was Natalia's turn to be confused.
"You thought I brought you an apple?" he asked, trying to stifle a chuckle. "You know I would never sneak into your room, your Majesty. Let alone leave you with something that corny…"
Natalia felt her face grow red with embarrassment. If Clint didn't do it, then was it really a witch's doing? "Shut up!" she snapped at the man, turning on her heel. Before she could walk off, Clint spoke up.
"You really hate me, don't you?" he quietly asked.
Natalia stopped in her tracks and folded her arms across her chest. "Yes."
"Okay, then," he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "But…know that I still don't regret it, Nat. I still care," he breathed. "Always will."
She turned to shoot him a warning glare. "Stop it, Clint! This ends now-all of it!"
"What? You won't even be my friend anymore? I wasn't myself that night-and I'm still so sorry for what happened!" he whined.
"Clint!" she hissed. "Enough!"
Clint watched her go with sad eyes. She seemed angrier than normal. He wondered if this was the effects of magic… What if this was Loki? Clint was still suspicious about the prince. Something wasn't right about him. And he intended to find out what.
Natalia opened the door and nearly had a heart attack as Loki appeared inches away from her. "You're up," she dumbly stated.
"I'm feeling much better," he promised with a charming grin. "Did I surprise you?"
"A little," she admitted with a breathy laugh.
"Did you happen to find a special something this morning?" he asked, reaching out to toy with her curls.
"Wait…" Her brows furrowed in confusion. "That was from you?" He nodded and she shook her head. "You were in my bedroom?" His smirk widened and she took that as a yes. "Loki, you shouldn't take any risks like that!" Now that she knew it wasn't witchcraft, Natalia suddenly felt awful for getting on Clint's case.
"You are to be my wife. I see no harm in leaving you a snack-you've been bringing meals to me for the past week." She didn't need to know of his powers-not yet, at least.
"When you were awake!" she corrected him. "Don't sneak up on me again," she warned him.
"Do you not wish for me to see your sleeping face? Soon enough, I will have the pleasure of waking to it every morning," he added, feeling pleased.
Natalia inched closer and reached for his hands. If only he knew how badly she yearned for him. "But until then, we wait."
The prince nodded and couldn't refrain from kissing the top of her head. "Let's take a walk, Natalia."
"I didn't even have breakfast-did you? I was about to bring you yours…and some books…" Clint was to thank for that distraction.
"Then we can eat first," Loki decided. "I just wanted to see Sleipnir before we left."
Natalia gave him a puzzled look. "You just saw him, though. I saw him eating an apple-you gave me one, too," she reminded him.
"But Sleipnir misses you," he corrected. Natalia was somehow catching on. He couldn't let her discover his secret just yet.
She rolled her eyes. "Did he tell you that?"
"Yes," he chuckled.
Natalia managed a small smile before returning her attention to Loki's previous statement. "Are we going somewhere, Loki? You just said-"
"Mother told you, didn't she?" he blinked. "We need to announce our marriage to the neighbouring countries. They know of Prince Odinson, but you, Lady Romanova, are from a much farther land. They eagerly await your presence."
Frigga had mentioned to Natalia a few days ago that she and Loki were to travel, but Natalia didn't realize they would be leaving so soon. "Are you well enough to be travelling?" she asked.
"I told Mother just last night that I'm up for the journey. Besides," Loki continued, "I would love nothing more than to share a carriage with you, my darling."
The princess blushed at the notion of being all alone with her prince in a cramped carriage for hours of travel. "If you insist," she coolly remarked.
The couple then paid Sleipnir a brief visit. Loki was overjoyed to finally nuzzle with his pet again. "Daddy has been away for too long, hasn't he?" The Prince offered his horse an apple which he greedily ate.
"Sometimes I wonder if you love him more than me," Natalia teased, stroking the horse's soft mane.
"I love you both equally," Loki promised. "I can't possibly choose."
"It's gonna get harder once we add our children in," she chuckled.
Loki's features softened at the mentioning of their offspring. "I eagerly await the day I see you holding the product of our love in your arms."
Natalia couldn't refuse his warm, loving smile. She still wasn't fond of the idea of motherhood, but she wouldn't deny Loki of something he desperately wanted. In a way, the two would both have their desires fulfilled-Natalia would get to know what it felt like to be one with her beloved and Loki would get his child in due time. "Me, too."
Loki gave Sleipnir a quick kiss on the nose. "We'll be home soon," he promised. "Shall we go, Natalia? Breakfast awaits us." He offered her his hand.
The redhead nodded and reached for his warm grasp.
