"Loki!" Isabella snapped at him as he continued to drag her from her home and she smiled at him even thought her heart beat was going ten to the dozen. Loki turned back to look at her, his hand never leaving hers as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist, forcing him not to move any further from her as she gasped quickly for breath, her face turning red as he smirked back at her.
"What is it?" he wondered.
"I simply would like to know where we are going," Isabella said. "I do not like it when you keep such things from me."
"T'is a surprise," he promised her, the smile never leaving his face as she looked at him with apprehension, wondering what he was thinking as he tucked a finger under her chin, tilting her head as he bent his and pressed his lips quickly against hers and pulled back before she could become too involved and distract him further. "Would I ever lead you astray?"
"Well, you are the God of Mischief," she offered to him and he rolled his eyes at hearing her, commencing his walking once again as Isabella attempted to keep up with his long strides. "Why are we heading in the direction of the palace?"
"I have something to show you," Loki said simply and she grabbed his upper arm with her free hand, almost snapping at him.
"Do you not know-"
"-I know all," Loki interrupted her protests. "Worry not. It is the middle of the night, Isabella. No on shall be where we are going and if someone appears then I shall conceal you."
Loki looked back down at her as she seemed slightly appeased with his words and she bit her tongue, remaining quiet as Loki navigated through the streets until he came to the palace walls. Isabella instantly moved her hands, grabbing onto her hood and pulling it over her head, concealing her face in the shadows as Loki did the same before recapturing her hand in his. How he loved holding onto her. Words could not explain how it made him feel.
"Besides," Loki whispered; his voice quiet and soft. "You did sneak into the palace once before, did you not?"
"I thought you were seriously injured," Isabella retorted with a roll of her eyes towards him and he smirked, the pair of them walking quickly through the gardens of the palace. Loki bent down, quickly pressing his lips against her cheek as if he couldn't resist to part from her.
"Oh."
Loki instantly froze, Isabella doing the same and she dropped her hand to her side, releasing Loki's cool limbs from hers and the God of Mischief ground his teeth together at the sight in front of him. How did this happen? How had she managed to sneak up on him once again? Was he losing his touch? He knew not but he knew that he had to be careful.
"Loki, I did not know that you would be here," she said, a small smile on her face as she looked at her son and Isabella continued to stare between them, her eyes wide as her gaze finally fixed on Loki. He could sense the panic radiating from her body and he shook his head, allowing a grin to fix on the corner of his mouth.
"I sense that you may be lying to me, mother. It is not possible to lie to the God of Lies," he reminded her and she shrugged nonchalantly, turning her kind smile to Isabella and eyeing up the young woman with intrigue. So this was the young woman who had her son besotted.
"I suppose I maybe knew you would come here," Queen Frigga waved a hand in the air breezily and Loki looked around, concealing the area for fear of someone hearing them and interrupting their conversation. "I saw you come back into the palace and head towards the gardens."
"So you have been spying on me?" Loki checked with his mother who allowed a small tut to move from her lips as she looked at Loki in a scolding manner.
"Do not talk daft," she said. "I am simply looking out for my son. Besides, I was curious to meet the girl who has won your heart."
"She has not won-"
"-It is a pleasure to meet you, dear," Frigga said, beaming at Isabella and cutting her son off as he remained stood to the side, scowling to himself as Isabella forced herself to smile back at Frigga. She quickly gathered her skirts into her hands, pulling them to the side as her knees bent and she dropped into a curtsey.
"And it is a pleasure to meet you, my Queen," Isabella replied and Frigga turned her attention back to Loki.
"She is a pleasant young woman, son," she said and Loki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Did she think Isabella would dare to be anything but unpleasant to her? She was the Queen and his mother. She was hardly going to be crude or rude. "And so fair too."
"Your Highness need not compliment me so," Isabella said, her cheeks turning slightly red at the entire situation. She didn't know what to say to the Queen. She simply hoped that Loki would get her out of this awkward situation soon. That was all he could really do. It was not that Isabella held anything against Frigga; on the contrary, she seemed like a genuinely lovely woman.
"I hope my son pays enough compliments for you so that I do not need to," Frigga said and Loki growled under his breath, his head shaking back and forth in annoyance. "Besides, I have been dying to meet you ever since Loki told me of you. He is a very secretive young man, never tells me anything so when-"
"-Is there anything else, mother?" Loki interrupted before she could commence her retelling of stories to Isabella. Loki looked down at the young girl, shocked to see that her face held a genuine smile upon it and his brows pushed together, lines forming on his forehead from confusion. Evidentially she liked how his mother made him uncomfortable.
"Come now, Loki," Frigga said, her voice soothing for her son. "You know that I mean no offence by anything which I say. I am merely curious."
"Has your curiosity been satisfied?" Loki wondered from her and Frigga pushed her lips together, trying not to laugh as she caught Isabella's eye once again and then looked at her son.
"I should suppose so. Where were you two intending on going, anyway?"
"We were just taking a walk," Loki lied to his mother. He did not want to tell her that he intended to take Isabella into the maze, back to the first place they had met. He did not need people thinking him soft.
"I see," Frigga said. "In that case, it has been a pleasure meeting you, Isabella. I hope our paths cross once more."
"I too hope so," Isabella said, curtseying once more as Frigga passed off a knowing smile to her son and turned on her heel, leaving the pair of them on their own. Loki's scowl never left his face as Isabella laughed at him and he turned his gaze to her, his brow arched.
"And pray, do tell me, what is so funny?" Loki asked from her and she rolled her eyes as he began walking with her hand in his one more time. She tucked her hair behind her ears and looked at him, taking in his pale features in the moonlight.
"You," she replied. "It was nice to see you and your mother together...the teasing and taunting...it was just...nice..."
Loki continued to look confused at her words but he did not dwell upon them.
"You find it nice to see me taunted so?" Loki wondered and Isabella moved ahead, turning around as she walked backwards in front of Loki, a mischievous smile upon her lips.
"It made a change," she simply said and Loki's grin seemed to grow.
"Is that right?" he wondered. "Well, I do hope you know the punishment for taunting a Prince in such a manner."
"Hmm," Isabella said, mock thought coming through as she rested a finger on her chin, pretending to contemplate in front of him. "I cannot imagine it being that severe."
"How wrong you are," Loki whispered, quickly moving, his arm wrapping around her waist as she shrieked in shock, her voice echoing through the gardens as Loki laughed along with her, easily hauling her into his arms, resting her body over his shoulder, his arm securely holding her around the waist to make sure she did not fall.
Her laughter continued to move through his body and he beamed widely at hearing her before speaking.
"Sh," he urged. "We do not want to be heard, do we?"
"Loki," she ignored his question, "put me down."
"I think you are perfectly fine where you are," Loki informed her, quickly moving into the maze before he adjusted his hold on her, moving her from his shoulder until she was cradled against him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she watched him, her lips never falling into a flat line. He bared his teeth in a wide grin at the sight of her dishevelled appearance. Her hair had fallen into her face and was knotted together, wisps of it moving in different directions around her head whilst her cloak was disjointed on her body.
"Now, do you not think that an apology is in order?" he wondered and she pushed her lips together, pouting up at him and shaking her head.
"Not when you apologise for nothing," she responded to his question and he took a left turn through the maze, knowing the route like the back of his hand.
"I am royalty," he reminded her.
"As if I could forget."
"Do you speak out of turn with me?"
"As always," she said and he set her on her feet again, his arm still around her waist as he steered the pair of them through the high hedges, knowing full well where they were going as she laughed for one final time and looked back up to him.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her head turning around and looking upon the maze.
"I found a spot which I think you would appreciate," Loki informed her and he finally entered the middle of the maze which they had never had the chance to find. She moved from his hold as he stood back, his arms folded over his chest as he watched her move to the fountain in the middle of the short grass. The water flowed from the top of the white marble, dropping down layer upon layer until it reached the pool at the bottom.
Isabella moved upwards, standing on the ledge which went around the water fountain and she bent down on it, dropping to her knees, her eyes looking into the clear water and Loki contained to watch her with intrigue, every movement which she made and every emotion which crossed her face.
"It is beautiful," Isabella admitted, shifting on her knees so that she could look back to him. Loki nodded once in agreement, moving from his thoughts and walking over to her, settling himself on the ledge, his feet managing to touch the ground as Isabella wrapped both of her arms around one of his. He turned his head to the side, his lips resting on the side of the top of her head for a moment.
"It is," he confirmed, his eyes looking to the sky. "That is not why I brought you here, though. Simply look to the sky."
Isabella did as she was told, her eyes widening at the sight before her and Loki moved his hand, his finger pointing to the different stars in the sky, his rich voice speaking to her as she rested her head on his shoulder.
"It is one of the only nights when all of the stars are visible in Asgard." He informed her, moving his hand to the side where a blue light shone far off in the distance. "And that is Midgard...home of the humans."
Isabella remained silent, wondering if she would ever be as intelligent as Loki as he continued to speak to her of the nine realms in extensive detail. It was times like that, when they were together, alone and peaceful, when she realised that she did not want to go another moment with him. She was in love with him.
...
"I have done it," Thor's voice boomed into Loki's ears and he cringed at hearing his brother. Loki had been dutifully having his armour measured for his brother's coronation when Thor had walked in on him, startling the maids who were taking his measurement. Loki didn't know why he needed a new set of armour, the one he had was perfectly amicable, but, his mother had insisted.
"Done what? You shall need to be more specific," Loki drawled out as the maids moved away from him and scurried around, cleaning their tape measures away as Thor watched them, a grin on his face as he admired their fairness. Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's obvious gawking and dropped down from the stand he had been stood on.
"Thor," Loki snapped as soon as the maids had left and his brother's grin widened as he turned to look at the God of Mischief. "Now is there a reason as to why you are here?"
"Yes," Thor said, clicking his fingers quickly. "I have found you a maiden willing to talk a stroll with you through the gardens this afternoon."
"I am busy," Loki hastily said.
"With what?" Thor wondered, his smirk dropping from his face at his brother's sudden news. "You cannot tell me that you are too busy for spending time with such a fair creature? Her name is Alyssa and she is from-"
"-I care not," Loki assured his brother, grabbing his book and moving to his balcony. He would do anything to escape Thor and his persistency. "I am not interested in who she is, Thor. You should go and tell her not to waste her time and apologise to her."
"I shall do no such thing," Thor snapped back to Loki, standing behind him and waiting for his brother to turn back to look at him. "Do you know how difficult it was to find someone willing?"
"Oh, what a confidence boost," Loki rolled his eyes, opening his book and resting against the ledge of his balcony, his feet crossing at the ankles. "I am not interested-"
"-You shall come," Thor said. "I assure you that you shall have fun with her."
"Your assurances are wasted."
"Why are you so against this?"
"Why are you so for this?" Loki retorted, his eyes never leaving the words of his books even though he knew the sentences did not form coherently whilst his brother was continuously nagging him.
"I simply want to see you happy."
"And I am happy. I do not need a woman for that," he lied. He knew what he needed to make him happy and he assumed she was probably wandering around the village.
"She shall be at the ball this evening," Thor told his brother with a heavy sigh. "If you are so against seeing her by yourself this afternoon then you shall see her tonight."
"Will I?" Loki wondered, keeping his voice low and Thor rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Stay here and lurk, if you must," he told him. "I shall see you this evening. I do hope you are in a better mood."
"I would not hope for such an incomprehensible thing."
Thor chuckled at hearing Loki but turned and left him. He would let his brother think that he had won this fight. But he hadn't. He had not won and he would not win.
...
"Do you intend to go to her later?"
Frigga had sat beside Loki as the dance for the ball began and the Prince remained sat at the table. Thor had taken Alyssa away, holding her by the waist and waltzing around the floor as she often looked at Loki and laughed at what Thor was saying. Loki had to resist the urge he had to scoff at the sight of them. Did Thor honestly think that he was making he was jealous? Because he was doing the opposite. He was making Loki glad that he did not associate with a woman so shallow that she had to make him jealous to win his affections.
"If I can sneak out early," Loki nodded, his voice a slight whisper as Odin's laugh rang out through the room, causing everyone's eyes to turn to him for a moment.
"He does not know," Frigga said, watching Odin for a moment. "When do you intend to tell him?"
"Perhaps after the coronation," Loki said in a mutter. "When Thor is King then I doubt he shall be able to stop us from being together. He would not do that to me."
"And you think that your father would stop you from being with her?"
"I think father is set in the ways of tradition," Loki said simply to his mother and she pushed her lips together and picked up her goblet, draining some of the contents. "I do not think he would be as tolerable as you."
"No," Frigga shook her head at Loki. "I am sure he would understand...but...it is your choice and only you can decide when to tell him your news. She seems a nice girl...and well...I saw the two walk into the maze and you...I have never seen you look so happy."
Loki pushed his lips into a tight lip and he shrugged. Of course he would never openly show how he was happy to his mother. He considered it a sign weakness which only he was allowed to see and Isabella could see it when she was around him.
"Loki, may I present the Lady Alyssa to you." Thor suddenly said, turning up next to Loki, the Lady Alyssa's hand held in his palm.
You may but I doubt I will care, Loki thought to himself as Frigga's shoulders tensed up whilst she watched her younger son bow his head out of politeness.
"Pleasure," he simply said to her and he took in her blonde curls which glowered in the light. They cascaded all the way down her back and her body was perfectly portioned as so many were. Her eyes were a bright blue and his face was slightly tanned in comparison to some of the women. In comparison to Isabella.
"My Lord, your brother has been telling me all about you."
"Only the good stories," Thor winked at Loki. "Why not dance with the Lady Alyssa, brother? I find myself in need of a rest."
Loki remained silent, watching the two of them until he realised his hand had been forced. He didn't smile or show any sign of emotion as Thor pressed her cold hand into his and he led her to the dance floor, listening to her insistent chatter whilst Thor slopped into the chair which Loki had vacated.
"That was a cruel trick which you pulled on your brother," Frigga told her son and Thor turned and winked at her, his chuckle moving from his body.
"I was simply trying to get Loki to smile," Thor defended his actions. "The Lady Alyssa is a fine woman. She is beautiful and smart. Witty enough to match my dear brother, too."
Frigga shook her head, resting her hand on top of her forehead.
"Could you leave your brother alone?" Frigga urged her son. She did not want the Lady Alyssa to get her hopes up and she did not want to see Loki scowl more than what was necessary.
"Why?" Thor wondered. "You were trying to get him to talk to the women of Asgard less than a month ago. What happened to make you stop?"
"I realised that Loki was content without me pushing him," Frigga said and smirked at her other son. "And so I turned my attentions to you for you will need a Queen one day, especially if you are to take the throne."
"Ha," Thor chuckled, shaking his head. "I can find a wife on my own accord. Besides, why is Loki against the fairer sex? Unless he has found someone already."
Frigga stumbled for a moment as Thor continued to smile widely at her. She took a moment to recover before rolling her eyes at him, trying to refrain herself from smiling.
"I think we would know if that were the case," Frigga said.
"I do not know," Thor said, turning to look back at Loki and Alyssa who were silent as they twirled around the floor. "Why else would he be so against the idea of courting? Loki is a master of deception. Perhaps we are too blind to his ways."
"Since when did you think so darkly?" Frigga said, standing up and looking down to her son. "Now enough of this nonsense and dance with your mother."
...
"It was tedious," Loki informed Isabella as he lay beside her that evening, holding her in his arms as she tried not to drift off to sleep. He had rushed from the party as soon as the clock had struck twelve and he had knocked persistently on her window, only to have no answer and so he had used his magic, sneaking in and seeing her there sleeping. She wore a simple white nightgown and the sheets were tangled around her body, her hair wet after washing it.
He had stood there for a few moments before waking her slowly. She had been startled but had settled again when she saw it was him. He had taken his place beside her, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. She was continuously yawning in his presence yet Loki did not feel tired.
He was too awake to contemplate sleeping.
"My brother seems to have it in his mind that I need to court a woman of nobility."
"What?" Isabella asked him, sitting up and propping herself on her elbow whilst Loki lolled his head to the side, his stare fixed on her.
"Thor has been trying to set me with Lady Alyssa. He will not stop his persistencies. I danced with her far too much for my liking."
"She's a Lady?" Isabella checked.
"She is from nobility," he confirmed. "A fine dancer too, if I have to be honest."
"Well, you do not need to be honest." Isabella snapped back. What was this? Why was her blood running warm and why was her face heating her up? Her hands balled into fists by her side as she flopped on her back, looking to the ceiling. Loki watched her for a moment, a flicker of amusement on his face as he rolled onto his side, moving his hand to rest on her stomach, his touch drawing her eyes back to him.
"Are you jealous?"
"No."
"Liar."
"Then why ask?"
"Because I want to make sure."
"You seem sure enough to me."
"You know that she means nothing to me. If she did then I would still be dancing with her."
"Thank you for that image."
"You are more than welcome," Loki said. "Seriously, Isabella. She does not mean anything to me."
"Yet she is the one you spent tonight with...holding in public...dancing without being ashamed...and I waited here for you...like some mistress which you have, only allowed to see when you decide to sneak out." Isabella complained and Loki grumbled at hearing her.
"You are hardly a mistress, Isabella." He told her. "Is it really bothering you? The secrecy?"
"It was not," Isabella muttered. "Until you told me of the Lady Alyssa. I bet she is perfect, isn't she? No crooked teeth or untameable hair?"
"I suppose so," Loki replied slowly. "It matters not though. Thor shall never be able to push us together. Mother has already warned him to leave me."
"Hm," Isabella said, clearly not appeased. "And I bet she never stood on your feet."
"No, she did not," Loki confirmed, moving his head to rest against her neck, kissing the skin there. "Does it really bother you, Isabella?"
"Would it not bother you? The man I love is dancing with another woman whilst I wash my greasy hair and-"
"-Say that again," Loki urged her and she looked at him, wondering what she had just said as she titled her head to the side.
"What? My hair was greasy earlier-"
"-No," Loki shook his head. "You...you said that...you love me...Isabella..."
"Oh," Isabella simply said, moving her head again to rest on the cushion, looking at her white washed ceiling. "Well...I mean...I was simply saying...it is not as if I...well..."
"Did you mean it?" Loki wondered, his face full of seriousness. Isabella managed to move her eyes to the side, a gulp moving through her throat as she nodded once at him. Her eyes were wide and her face was one of fear. She had never felt so vulnerable to him and Loki had never seen her look like this. It was like she was baring herself to him and it scared her.
Slowly, he moved his lips down to her mouth, capturing her in a kiss as she closed her eyes, wondering if he would say it back to her. She supposed he wouldn't for he was adamant in not stopping his kissing of her. It was like he was stalling. Maybe he didn't love her yet. Or maybe he was too scared like she had been.
Loki couldn't say it. He couldn't bring himself to speak the words back to her and so he had moved his body, shifting on top of her as he brought his hands down her sides, grabbing onto her thigh as she gasped, allowing him to fall between her legs as he moved his lips further down her neck, stopping at the base of her throat and she tried to take deep breaths, a feeble attempt to calm herself. It was only then did she note how her nightgown had ridden up to just below her hips and her legs were bare, visibly pale in the darkness. He moved his gaze back to hers, their eyes level and full of wonder and longing.
She wondered if he was going to say it to her then, but she had no luck, for all he did was allow his hand to rest on her hip and his lips to latch back onto hers.
"Isabella, I am home, did you..."
Loki and Isabella froze as the door opened and Roselyn's voice travelled through the room, her eyes instantly drawn to the sight in front of her before she turned away, backing from the room with her eyes closed and Isabella blushed quickly and Loki rested his head face first on the pillow beside Isabella's head.
"I am fine...we are fine..." Isabella said and Roselyn nodded, closing the door.
"That is good!" she called back and Loki rolled off of Isabella, his hands moving to rest on his stomach whilst the young blonde pulled her dress further down her legs, laying on her side due to the lack of space, her back facing away from Loki as the pair of them said nothing, too embarrassed with their behaviour to speak.
"Damn," Loki simply said after a moment and Isabella mumbled an agreement. "Do you want me to go?"
"No," she said and turned back to face him. "Perhaps it would simply just be wiser to sleep."
"I suppose sleeping is innocent enough," Loki admitted and she hesitantly rested against him, his arm dangling over her waist. She drifted off to sleep whilst he remained awake, thinking about what to do. He did not want to see her jealous and he...he did want to spend his time with her. He supposed the only way would be for him to tell his family and see their reaction. It was what he wanted.
...
A/N: And now the trials and tribulations commence! Another update, cannot believe I have found the time! Anyway, thank you to LadyFides and kalimecat for reviewing the previous chapter and to anyone who added this to their favourites and is following. Reviews are appreciated once more!