For the next few days the same cycle seemed to be on repeat; rise, fight, grumble about being pathetic, drink, sing, dance and return to my room with Loki on my arm. Thor had been avoiding us as best as possible until finally I took him aside and explained that though I was angry, him staying away from us wasn't going to help any.
"Have you figured out how I might make amends to my brother?" Thor asked me quietly as he brought down Mjolnir in a lazy arc over me.
"Not yet." I flashed my gaze over to Loki and smiled remembering the feel of his soft body beneath me. "It's not just making up for telling me something that you shouldn't have. It's for breaking his trust in you, and for every wrong he's ever borne from you." I hooked the scythe around his wrist and brought it down, pleased that the metal was dulled for this. "At least that's how is must feel."
Thor nodded, distracted and I lowered my arms. "Should we stop for the day?
"I'm sorry friend." The blond man shook his head and lowered his arms in turn. "My mind is elsewhere." I saw the faraway look in his eye and smiled.
"On Midgard?" I asked and laughed as he ducked his head. "Why not bring her here?"
"She has her own life. Her work is important and she is one of the best people in her field. I cannot justify taking her away from that just because I miss her." I could see the others begin to slow their fighting from the corner of my eye and waved them over.
"I'll try and help your brother as much as I can so that you can get back to her as soon as possible." I whispered and grinned as the others closed around us. "How does swimming sound to everyone?"
"Had enough training for the day sister?" Volstagg laughed and laid his sword on his shoulder.
"It's not just fighting I need training with." I laughed as I spoke. "Besides it's positively boiling out today."
"You're not going to get any better if you only fight in the ideal conditions." Sif said and caught my eyes with a knowing glance.
"Forgive me, I am weak." I bowed with my hands out to my side and gave her a cocky grin. "Being as that may I'm still going swimming, anyone who wants to come with me can." With a wave I turned away from them and went to go change. It seemed that Elli had finally gotten the hint after I had started wearing the pants I had brought from home exclusively and slowly over the last few days she had replaced most of the clothes in the wardrobe with clothes more fitting to a man.
"Looking forward to swimming?" Loki said quietly from my door and I turned waving him in.
"Always. Especially if you're coming with us." I licked my lips and let my eyes roam over his body. I hadn't worked up the courage to do more than stroke him as a male but as a female I had come to know every part of her. With hungry eyes I moved back across the room to press into his chest looking up at him. "Unless you can think of something more exciting to do."
His eyes darkened and he growled pushing back against me until I could feel the hardness of his length straining against his pants. "I can think of thousands of more exciting things for us to do." Blushing I looked away and felt his cold hand tilt my face back towards him. "The question is would you do any of them?" He smirked and I knew he could feel the heat coming off my cheeks. Biting my lip I looked towards the door for a split second then turned my eyes back to him.
"Two seconds." I held up a hand and stepped away from him, shutting the door. "We have a while before they suspect anything. So tell me my Lord-" I bowed low and smiled at him. "- what would you have me do?" I could see the ripple run through his body and he reached down to grab my wrist, pulling me up hard.
"Do not tempt me." His voice was low as he gazed at me, his breathing more ragged than usual.
"And if I wanted you to fall to that temptation?" I purred and looked up at him from beneath my lashes.
Loki snarled and pulled me over to the bed and threw me down on it. "You poke at a sleeping bear." He said and watched me his body tense.
"Are you scared of what you might do?" I asked stretching out across the mattress and keeping my gaze level with his. He gave the smallest of nods and I felt my smile spread further across my face. "And if I told you that I'm not." His breath was hard as he watched me, his eyes following my hands as I let them roam across my body. Still he didn't move and so I sat up. "Loki, you once told me the most depraved thing you wanted to do." He blushed across from me at the mention of it. "There are so many more things that I've done. I'm not some wilting flower to be crushed by a few rough motions." I stripped off my shirt and pants motioning for him to do the same.
"They'll wonder where you are." He said softly and let his pants fall to the ground.
"They'll wonder where we are." I corrected and let my eyes roam over him. "And they can wait. I want to do something with you first." He shivered and I grinned. "It'll be a briefer scene than I'm used to but such is our time limit." I watched him tilt his head to the side and I smiled. "Tell me princeling, can you feel that rage inside you? The absolute want to strike out against someone." I knew I was right when he looked away from me. With a smirk I took his hands in mine and pulled them lightly so that he would look me in the eye. "Loki." His name made him snap his head up and I slid a stray piece of hair behind his ear. "This is something I enjoy. I promise. If it starts to hurt too much I'll say "enough". That'll be your cue to stop. Now…" I stepped from the bed and walked over to one of the columns running my fingers against the chill of the stone. "bind me."
. . .
"You're late my lady." Fandral said giving a sweeping bow just before he swung up onto his horse. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."
"Lost is such an ugly word. I prefer to say I went on an adventure." I purred and set my fingers against Areion's nose gliding them up to scratch the stallions ears. I could feel the energy from Loki from where I stood and I turned my face to look at him. There was nothing to suggest that he was feeling uncomfortable and he met my eyes with a smile. "Let's ride, shall we?" I slid up into my saddle and lightly grasped the reins in my hand.
"Where are we going anyway?" Sif asked falling into line behind Thor.
"Do you remember the lake near the mountains?" Thor said tapping his horse into a walk. "Well it's not freezing cold anymore."
"It sure isn't." I laughed and kicked Areions's haunches launching him into a gallop. "Race you there!" Beneath me Areion reared and thundered his hooves in place a few times before racing off again. The others behind me laughed and set their mounts to a run chasing after me. "Best hurry up!" I called back over my shoulder and leaned down close against his fur, feeling the wind sting my cheeks as we moved. Areion's shoulders rose and fell beneath my legs making the pain in my muscles scream with every motion.
With a turn of my head I could see the others fall away, the only one who seemed to be able to keep close to me at all was the dark haired man who had stolen my heart. "Come on then princeling." I called over my shoulder hearing him close in on me as the horses raced on.
. . .
"By the nine, did you get all those from practice? I didn't think any of us hit you that hard." Sif touched the bruises on my back as she joined me in the water. The others laughing amongst themselves as the two of us moved towards them.
"Not terribly hard but I'm weaker and frequently getting in fights with gravity." I gave a grin and flashed a smile at her. "Tell me, just before we go over there. What do you think of him?"
Sif's blue eyes met mine and she frowned. "Of who?" My eyebrow raised and she pulled her head back in surprise. "Loki?" I nodded and she took a long breath before she spoke. "It is well known that I am less fond of the prince than most." She pulled a strand of her dark hair between her fingers and looked at it. "His mischievous tricks can often go too far and I believe him to be dangerous when crossed." She sighed and met my eyes. "But that isn't what you're asking is it?"
I smiled gently. "No, not entirely."
Sif nodded and looked over towards the men watching Loki magic a large amount of water over the others dropping it on their heads. "Do you like him?" She asked finally not looking at me.
"I do." My words were soft and I moved to stand next her.
"What would you ask of me?" She still refused to look at me and I gave a soft exhale.
"A chance for him. I doubt the All-father will let me stay once he's been satisfied that there is no threat to his people. It would calm my heart to know that when I leave he will not be alone again." I could see the wry smile curl onto her lips.
"A chance I can give him." She grasped my forearm and gave it a squeeze. Her kindness lifted my heart and I smiled.
"I thank you." I held her arm in return and then dove under the water, swimming past the legs of the men.
"Are you sure you aren't secretly a fish? Fandral asked as I came up for air behind them.
"Hardly – a selkie if I had to pick."
"A selkie?" Volstagg tilted his head to the side. "The word is familiar but I can't place it."
"A seal shape-shifter." I blinked my eyes ridding them of the drops of water that fell into them from my hair. "They show up mostly in Celtic myths. It's said that if you hide their seal skin when they shed it to be human you can force them to do whatever you want." I shrugged and rolled backwards in the water. "But I'm pretty sure I'm not a selkie."
I could feel the familiar weight of Loki's gaze on me and I turned my head to look at him. "Is there something I can do for you Prince Loki?" I purred and turned swimming away.
"Ouch, sister. What happened to your back?" Volstagg towered over me and I stood up looking down at my arms and shoulders.
"What the cuts?" I asked and lightly poked at a bruise feeling the pain ripple through me. "As I told Lady Sif I'm a bit less resilient than an Asgardian so between the lessons you've all been so generous in giving me at fighting and my habit of picking fights against gravity that I always lose I'm pretty much always have a few bruises." I grinned broadly taking care not to look at Loki.
"Well see the healers. They'll be able to give you something for them." He laid a gentle hand on my shoulder and I chuckled.
"I don't want to."
"What?!" half the group turned to look at me and I grinned.
"They help me remember to block." I said laughing. The rest of the group laughed along with me before dissolving into conversations of their own.
"Here." Loki came up behind me and held out a fruit to me. "You didn't get any breakfast this morning."
"And whose fault is that." I smiled and took the red skinned fruit from him. "Oh Loki… I… I'm sorry… I don't eat pomegranates." I handed the fruit back to him and laughed confused when he gave a sly smirk.
"I'm sorry, I had no idea." The fruit rippled in his hand and he held it out again. "Would an apple suffice?"
With a smirk I moved in close to him and grabbed the apple from his hand taking a bite from it. "An apple with do just fine." I licked the sweet juice from the corners of my mouth and winked at him. "Though I can think of things I'd rather be having. Care to join me?" I held out my hand to him and grinned as he took it. Slipping from the water I grabbed my cloak and let go of him to swing into Areions saddle, watching Loki do the same to his mare.
"Where are you two going?" Fandral's voice rang out but I could give no answer and so I just laughed, kicking the horse into a sprint.
"Never mind them." Sif said and chuckled. "I'm sure we'll see them later at dinner."
I was thankful to the shield maiden for her support, I would have to do something nice for her soon though what I could do for her I had no idea. The trees whipped past us as we rode, my body beginning to freeze as the wind chilled the water on me until finally I could stand it no more and carefully twisted the spell for fire Loki had taught me so that it burned within my skin. For time beyond time we road, only the sound of the hoof beats and the whinnying breaths of our steeds echoed in the silence. By the time Areion slowed I was warm, almost painfully so and I slid off his back patting his neck as I went. I heard Loki ride up behind me and dismount, feeling his fingers brush over my skin.
"You lied to them about the cause of these." His touch lingered on the heavy bruising on my back and I smiled.
"It's often difficult to explain to people that you find being harmed erotic." I turned and looked at him, leaning in to kiss him gently.
"You must tell me truthfully, do you regret letting me mark you in such a way?" His eyes betrayed no emotion and I reached out to slide my fingers across his cheek reveling in the coolness of his skin.
"No. Of course not." I leaned into the finger that rested on the dark bruise and groaned softly as the pain rolled through my body making my toes curl in delight. "But that wasn't why I brought you out here. I brought you here for two reasons. One, I need to know if you want me to keep what we have secret." I met his unreadable gaze. "Because really I would rather not. You're a treasure to have on my arm and I'd hate to have to hide that but I will if you wish it."
"And two?"
I laughed and smiled seductively. "Answer one first. Two isn't a question so much as an action."
Loki stayed silent for a long time his eyes not meeting mine. "I am tired of being the one who has to watch on as my kin are fawned over." A slow smirk spread across his face. "I will not hide in their shadows any longer, but I believe it is you who are meant to be on my arm." The smirk solidified and I laughed.
"I cannot help but court you. No matter Asgardian customs on the subject letting my love know how I feel is something I cannot change." With a purr I pushed him up against a tree, pressing my body along his and running my fingers up under the hem of his shirt. "And now for the second thing." With a quick motion I pulled his shirt up enough to kiss a line down and across his chest, sliding his pants down with an eager hand. I could feel his erection as I moved the material, groaning at the size of it in my hand.
Falling to my knees before him I pulled him free and raised my eyes enough to make sure he was watching before I wrapped my lips around him. I had thought his taste as a woman was spectacular but this, this was something else altogether. I could hear his sharp inhale of breath and felt him relax more using the tree to keep him upright. With a purr I slid my tongue along him and hilted him inside my mouth, fighting hard to keep my teeth from his skin and my throat from rebelling against his size.
Closing my eyes I set my hands against his hips and slowly pulled back, my tongue gliding against every sensitive spot that I knew he had. I felt him buck and chuckled to myself, pressing my hands tighter to him.
"Now now my princeling. Be good." I took my mouth from him to place teasing kisses down his hips and thighs.
"Do…" He panted softly. "Do you really think you can order me about?" He said staring down at me with half-lidded eyes.
"I do." I quickly bobbed my head on him again and felt him shiver. "Because I know how exquisite it can be, as long as it's agreed upon first." I dug my nails lightly into his hip and lowered my head again until my lips pressed against his skin. "So tell me, will you let me please you?" I groaned around him, loving the way he squirmed and bucked each time I moved my head.
"Nnng" The sound that Loki made stoked the fire in my loins and eagerly I redoubled my efforts taking one hand from his hip to wrap around his length so I could increase my pace. I could feel his fingers tangle into my hair urging me on and carefully I let my teeth slide against him. My promise to make him be good fell away as I concentrated solely on bringing him towards his peak.
The quiver of his hips gave away how near he was and with a final stroke I sent him tumbling over the edge. His fingers pulled me close, holding me still on him until he finished emptying himself into my mouth. Finally his hands fell limply away from me, using the tree to keep himself upright.
"Where… where in the nine realms did you learn that?" He asked panting hard and sliding his thumb across my cheek. Chuckling I swallowed ever last drop of him and turned my head enough to nip at his thumb.
"You wouldn't like my answer." I said laughing and purred softly.
"And where did you learn that?" He nodded his head behind me. Frowning I turned my head and gasped. The field which had been filled with the closed buds of early spring bloomed with bright color.
"And I don't know the answer to that one." My hand reached out to touch the flowers feeling them lean towards my fingers.
Loki laughed and sat down hard on the ground, his legs sprawling out to either side of me as he landed. With a pleased sigh I laid my head down on his leg and plucked a sprig of mint from the ground.
"Loki?" I kept my eyes fixed on the edges of the plant, inhaling the scent of it. I felt him turn his head to look down at me and I gave a small smile. "Have you come any closer to figuring out how I got you out of the cell you were in?"
"I'm starting to piece it together but there are a few more things I need to check on before I'm absolutely sure." His hand moved to rest on my hair and I closed my eyes bringing the mint close to me.
"And what then? I convince your father that I am no danger to your people and then I'm given over to S.H.I.E.L.D?" I rolled over onto my back and started up at him.
Loki's smile eased and he covered my eyes with his hand stroking back along my forehead. "Thor is great friends with many of the members of their team. I'm sure he will be able to convince them to let you go. At worst I suspect that you will be able to walk out of any cell they put you in, just as you were able to walk out of the ones here."
"But where do I go after that?" I could hear my words quiver and I closed my eyes to keep from crying. "Going back to the life I had on Midgard now would be torture…" I turned my head away from him. "Being away from you forever would be torture." My voice was as soft as I could make it and I felt the painful squeeze of my heart.
"I'm sure that if you can learn to control your magic S.H.I.E.L.D. would be willing to hire you on as a consultant at least."
"Well I hope that's a possibility. If I have to go back to doing excel sheets I'll cry."
"What are excel sheets?" I could hear the confusion in Loki's voice and I opened my eyes again laughing softly.
"Just sheets that let my more carefully follow trends in data." I reached up and felt him nuzzle into my hand. "I'm surprised that they haven't offered you a consulting position."
"Oh they have." His eyes opened and he turned his head to press his lips against my wrist. "But as per father's orders until very recently I was not to be taken out of my cell. With time he may be convinced that I should be allowed off Asgard." His eyes danced. "Especially if it is proven that I can be tamed even with my access to magic restored." He looked down at me and I blushed.
"And would you be tamed? Or would you be as a kelpie? Calm and tame until your bridle is taken off and then devouring whomever is unlucky enough to be near you?" I asked smiling.
"Who can say?" Loki laughed, beaming down at me.
"Brat." I leaned up and lightly pushed his shoulder, grinning broadly. "So when will you tell your father what you know?"
"In a few days, no more."
I swallowed hard and let me grin fade. "I'd like to be there when you do. If this is a part of me then I'd like to understand it as best I can."
"If that is what you wish." Loki leaned down and kissed me lightly.