I should be posting the next chapters about 2-3 days apart, that is the best schedule I can give. Fill free to comment or send me a message. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

In the great throne room of Asgard sat Neris, accompanied by Frigga. The woman sat against the wall and waited. Upon the throne itself sat Odin, an imposing figure. He stared ahead, waiting for his lost son. He fumed in silence. Where had he gone wrong with Loki?

Chains rattled rhythmically as Loki slowly entered the chamber. Frigga stood and waited to receive him. He halted when he saw her. Turning, he goaded her.

"Do not make this worse, Loki."

Neris could see the effort the queen was making in talking to a boy that refused to listen. There was bitterness she felt at losing him, but it wasn't from him falling from Asgard. His hate and resentment was part of her doing and she would see to it that she made it up to him. Her heart ached for her son, but if her plans came to fruition, then it would be a pain that she would happily suffer through.

Loki mocked her in response. It was then that the king spoke, ordering her to leave. A muted look from the queen brought Neris to her feet and she followed the older woman out of the chamber. Neris took the opportunity to steal a glance at Loki. He never knew she was there, he never saw her. She wondered briefly if he was concerned, if he worried about her. She desperately wanted to know.

"Patience, Neris," said Frigga as the woman led the Caela through spacious halls. "I am forbidden to see Loki, but the king has made no such declaration for you. Do you understand what that means?"

It took several of her steps just to keep up with the few strides of the queen. For more than a hundred years Neris had spent huddled, on her knees, or unconscious and strung up wherever he masters wanted her. She was never permitted to stretch her legs, run, or climb her precious trees; her masters stifled her movements. Having only been free of the Chitauri for a few months, Neris still found long distance walking difficult. Her legs seemed to want to work against her.

"Of course! My queen, I am your ally and friend. And. . . if it will help Loki, then I shall do whatever it is that you ask of me."

"Good," she replied with a smirk. "Then we have work to do before you see him again."

Neris had never before touched such fine clothing. Almost brought to tears was she when the queen told her that she was to be given as many dresses as she wanted and in what ever color she prefered. She liked green. With her skin color she would look like a blooming flower. Then there was purple to match her eyes, or an earthy brown to match her hair, or grey like the nightgown Loki had given her on her first intimate night with him. Embroidery of any color could be added along with armored pieces that were commonly added to the breast or shoulders as per Asgardian custom. She chose to forgo the breast plate armor and instead chose to wear an crescent shaped necklace to match the image on Loki's breast plate.

Neris examined herself in the mirror, she was shocked to see the woman staring back at her. She almost looked Asgardian. Her people had never worn much clothing, they never needed too. Their climate did change, but the Caela were well adapted. They never scorned one another or lusted for each other, unless it was mating time. That time was something Neris could not bring herself to reveal to the queen.

Mating had once been an exciting event. Neris had always hoped to find a Caela who would chose to be her mate for all time, like her grandparents. She feared to be like her own parents. Her father was from her tribe, but her mother was from the Tribe of Water. They could hear the songs of the rivers and lakes and oceans, but not the trees, not like Neris. Their mating lasted long enough to conceive her. The break had been horrible, no Caela wanted to end mating with their chosen mate, but it could not be helped. It was the nature of the Caela that compelled the tribes to continue to mix, despite the failure of one coupling.

It was a strange ritual if one was not a Caela. Far more than a physical bonding, it was spiritual, it was whole. Mating was intimate and necessary as the name suggested, but it was also beautiful. For her people, they choose the tree that sang to them and beneath it they would sit. The couples would sing a song together and if the light of their world appeared in their hands, they could begin. Her mother sang songs to the water which then flowed into the tree that had picked her father. The light had appeared, but it was not meant to light went out and it was done.

Since she had never mated, Neris did not know the details of how it was done. Without her world, could it even be done? How could she explain the complexity of the ritual to those that thought it to only be a primeval intercourse? She shook her head of such a silly notion. She wasn't even sure if she could mate properly with Loki since she had no world to connect too. And then, what if she was like her parents? What if it was wrong for her too? What if she was only meant to mate within her tribe? What if her love for Loki died like an ember?

"What is on your mind, dear Neris?" Asked the queen. "You have been thinking a great deal and saying nothing. Speak."

The Caela paced around room of textiles. "I was thinking of my parents. They did not remain together. What if Loki and I do not either? My father sang with the trees and my mother with the water. What if Loki and I have two different songs and in the end, he does not want me?"

Frigga laughed softly and smiled at the girl. "You have the forest and the river. So you are grounded, but adaptable and accepting of change. Your roots can be dropped anywhere." She spoke as if she was a Caela. "Loki is of the frost, the Jotuns of whom your legends speak- oh, yes, my dear, the Johas'ar and Jotuns are one in the same. They were once a tribe of the Caela, lost long ago. His frost is the death of life, it is isolation. You are of the elements of life, Neris. Of unity. Perhaps your parents were only meant to come together and make you."

She had never thought of her situation in such a way before. No Caela was lonely before the Chitauri and none were lost, the idea that Jotuns were lost Caela was shocking and strange to her. Only a small handful of the Caela matings had ever ended up like her parents, all resulting in children. Were they meant to create another tribe? Did the water and trees sing a song to reach out to the frost that had been lost to them? Could such a thing be?

"What should I do, my queen?"

"Think no more of these doubts and embrace the idea of being with Loki, my dear." The queen possessed a glimmer in her eye not unlike the one Loki expressed when he was scheming.

The prison was unlike anything she had ever seen. The cells were cubes of energy, exposing everything that lay inside. It was clean, very unlike the Chitauri prisons. There was space within and mild privacy. Neris was taken down the stairs and into the prison by the a pair of guards who spoke very little to her. When they reached Loki's cell she was admitted into his room without ceremony. The guards then disappeared from her peripheral, but remained close enough in the event that they were needed.

"Sweet Neris," whispered Loki as he took the pile of books sent by his mother from the her rosy arms. He gaped at her, unsure whether he should be angry with her or grab her and tell her she was his forever. But he did nothing except stare as he tossed the books to the side. "Why have you not gone into the forest? You are free now. You are not a prisoner or a slave. Why do you remain here?"

"I work for your mother now." Her amethyst eyes threatened to burst forth with tears. "Loki, I-"

"Neris, I gave you your freedom. I-"

She moved quickly and silenced him with a kiss. He responded instantly and before she knew it, he had scooped her into his arms before setting her down onto his bed. His hands roamed her body while he kissed her and breathed in her scent. His heart fluttered within his breast as he held her.

"You always smell like the forest. Like a clear, Spring day. You are free. Why do you linger?" He held her desperately. Of all his deeds, beating her was the worst and he felt sick at the memory, he was glad that she no longer bore the signs of his wickedness. Loki had known what the Midgardians and Asgardians would think when they saw her and he wanted them to think that, then they would protect her. Protect her from him, a monster.

"You gave me my freedom, my king. You give me hope. You give me love. You give me strength. Can I not give you something in return?"

Her pink fingers snaked their way through his ever lengthening black tresses. The red blotchiness reminded her of her own faults. She doubted him so much. Did his reputation as a liar permeate her mind so thoroughly? Loki bore his soul out to her, she just had to see it. The rage she felt when he first struck her blinded her to the reality of what he was doing for her.

"You give so much, just to have the world hate you. I know why you did it and that is why it was so easy to forgive you. I was foolish to allow my rage to consume me and now I am tainted." Her tone was mournful and her gaze observant.

"You are far from tainted, Neris. Can you stay with me?" His voice faltered. "Please, stay, they have all abandoned me. I am to remain here forever." He tried to suppress his emotions with his usual stoic stare, but Neris could see his pain. She could see the rage swelling within him. The battle of emotions.

His entire life had been a lie. His birth father had been their enemy, a tyrant. If his father being a monster wasn't awful enough for him, the man who had raised Loki as his son now declared himself to be Loki's savior and claimed that he was the only reason Loki lived. Odin had merely thrown more wood into the fire; Loki's hatred had grown.

"I haven't and neither has your mother. She sent you the books. . . and me. I cannot stay for long. But she has promised that I will be permitted more visits."

Loki sat back on his bed and pulled her up with him. "Frigga is. . ." His voice trailed off. "You will return?"

She nodded in response and watched as he stood from the bed and paced briefly.

"Do you love me?" She asked without thinking. Fear of rejection washed over her.

"What question is this?"

Neris felt a wave fall over her heart. She bowed her head submissively. The rejection would come and she would be more alone than ever before. Around her the air grew cold, and she dared a glance towards Loki who then revealed himself to be responsible for the temperature change. How easily he could change himself. Loki turned towards her once more.

"Neris, you are my entirety. Sweet Neris, hear the words I do not speak. Kiss me," he ordered. He towered over her when he approached once more. His red eyes blazed fiercely.

Tentatively, Neris drew her fingers over the ridges of his Jotun flesh. It was like touching ice, soft, fleshy ice. But she did not mind and it did not bother her. She took his face into her hands and drew him down to her height. Cautiously, she drew his blue lips to hers. Their tongues battled each other, both seeking to invade the other's mouth. Neris felt as if she were touching Loki for the first time, kissing him for the first time, but without the awkwardness that had been present originally.

In her mind she could hear three different voices. One she knew: the trees. The trees, wherever they were, sang to them. But the other two were different, one was fluid and abstract, like the call of a whale. The final one was strong, but mournful, cloaked in a distant echo. But beyond the three voices she could hear the Caela. Were they giving her their blessing? Or telling her not to forget them?

When they parted, both were winded. Loki then pressed her hand to his blue lips. Slowly, the color faded and he was pale once more, with green eyes holding her gaze.

She heard the songs, Frigga was right. "Did you hear the voices, Loki?

Loki smiled and took her pink face in his pale hands. "I did. I know what it means. Neris of Caelandis, will you-"

"Lady Neris, it is time for you to go."

Neris frowned as Loki drew back. She knew her escort to be at the door. The tender moment she shared with Loki had passed. Her eyes flickered up to his face void of any emotion, the only hint of his anger exposed in the flexing of his jaw. The bright lighting of the room flickered unexpectedly.

"Lady Neris," He spat disdainfully. Loki stepped further away from her, tossing back several books with his heel as he did. "You are their pet?"

Neris heard herself as she sucked in an offended breath. She stood up promptly and glared back at him. "I am no one's pet. I was given my freedom by my only love and it is for him that I stay."

They stared at one another for a while, ignoring the guard who quietly asked Neris to follow him. When Loki's eyes relaxed, Neris felt her shoulders relax. Without further delay Neris approached Loki, took his hand and pressed it to her forehead. "My king," she whispered. She then released his hand and promptly followed the guard.

Loki watched as the alien woman rushed from him. His anger was replaced with bitterness at their parting. The thought of her being a member of Odin's court sickened him, even if she served his mother. No, Loki had no intention of sharing her. Neris was not one of Odin's ladies, she was Loki's queen.