The slave trade was quiet and chilly the next morning. Slaves in their cages huddled close together for warmth, keeping the young and most frail in the middle. Those alone were the unluckiest. Each time a gust of wind swept over, they clutched anything they could, as if afraid they would be swept along with it. Guards in their warm uniforms patrolled like mindless drones, and they beat any slave who dared ask for something in the bitter cold. Some were reduced to crying with need and frustration, only to be barked at to be quiet, even young children, who would fearfully cling onto the nearest person they could find, glassy eyed and shivering.

Loki felt nothing but sorrow and pity as he followed Jaggers down the 'streets' of cages. It stung to know there wasn't anything he could do to help them. They just had to keep suffering.

Jaggers reminded Loki of an overgrown rat, scuttling around in the filth, while the slaves reminded him of frightened mice. He looked at many of them as he passed, and saw nothing but fear and anguish. He remembered seeing Harmony in her cage for the first time and how she had blossomed since then, a diamond in the rough. It led him to wonder what Arro would look like and what his personality would open up to reveal.

The trade came to a stop in front of a large cage, filled with about a dozen slaves, and fiddled with his keys and hauled the door open. "Arro," he spoke gruffly, "you've got a very special visitor." Without another word, he stooped and reached into the cage, grabbing a boy by the arm and tore him from the huddle of slaves. "This is him," Jaggers said to Loki.

The god eyed the boy with interest, comparing him to his older sister. He had a mop of dark brown hair instead of chestnut red and stormy grey eyes instead of deep amber, but he had Harmony's shape of face, the same nose and the same eyebrows. He was little and dainty, like his sister, malnourished and ill cared for.

Arro looked up at the stranger fearfully, taking in his size and grand garments of metal and leather with an emerald green cape billowing in the wind behind him. Loki smiled as he saw curiosity in his face as well as his fear, just like Harmony when she had been found by him. The boy brushed his unkempt hair out of his eyes with trembling reddened fingers.

"Let us not waste time," Loki said. "The boy is freezing."

Seizing Arro by the scruff of his tunic, he started dragging him towards his office in the cabin to fulfil the Binding Law, "He's used to it," he shrugged.

"I don't think he is," Loki's voice held a dangerous tone. "As Prince of this realm, I command that each and every slave is given a good blanket to keep them warm."

"We-" Jaggers started to protest.

"I shall hear nothing of it," Loki snapped irritably. "You will obey me. Each slave will have a good blanket for themselves. It is hardly an impossible task."

"Yes, my lord, of course, my lord," Jaggers grovelled, humbly bowing his head.

It was warmer in the cabin, not as warm as what Arro was hoping for but at least it gave shelter from the wind. He took in his surroundings like a young rabbit venturing out of the warren for the first time, curious and cautious. There wasn't much time to look around; Jaggers hauled him into a smaller room and shut the door, giving the three males privacy to complete the process.

On the wall, in a fine cabinet, was a beautiful blade. It was coloured black and red, the red merging through the black like a river or a streak of pink across the darkening sky. The pommel was oddly formed, angled diagonally from the hilt, black and silver. At the base of the blade itself, there was a little additional curve, pointing downwards and adding another edge to the razor-sharp weapon. The tip of the blade had a slight curve in the opposite direction, and an inch or two lower, there was another tiny tangent pointing the same way, shadowed by the main blade. The other edge was jagged and zigzagged as the blade started to curve.

It was a frightful sight, a promise of horrible pain.

Besides the cabinet was a long cupboard stretching across the wall, and as Jaggers opened it, Loki and Arro saw hundreds upon hundreds of little vials filled with a black liquid. The grubby trader plucked a single vial from the collection, then released Arro and went to the cabinet, opened it, and lifted the dagger from its holds. Loki saw the boy start to quiver violently. Jaggers placed the dagger and vial on the table to pick up a form. He handed it to Loki, "You need to sign the contract," he told the god.

Loki bent over the table, using the quill and ink provided to sign his name and legally bring Arro into his ownership. He lowered the quill and turned just in time to see Jaggers gripping the scrawny boy's forearm, holding him still as he dragged the blade across Arro's palm. The boy whined in pain, screwing his features together and was left nursing his bloody hand as Jaggers brought the bloody blade over the vial; he unscrewed the lid and let a few drops of Arro's blood slide off the blade into the midnight potion.

"Drink this, my lord," Jaggers handed the vial to Loki and started to clean the blade.

Loki lifted the fragile glass to his lips and let the potion pour into his mouth. It tasted of very little, perhaps with a slightly sweet edge to it. As the vial emptied completely, Loki swallowed, and Arro was his.

The prince handed Jaggers a pouch of coins without another word. He put his arm around the young boy's shoulder, feeling him flinch, and guided him back outside to where his horse was waiting. The beast blew softly through its nostrils in greetings to his rider, but his head bobbed up at the strange scent of the mortal. Arro shied from the large horse. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you," Loki said calmly. "Offer him your hand so he can smell you."

Being edged forward by his new master, Arro obeyed and timidly extended his hand to the horse. The animal lifted its head, ears pointing back for a moment but then he poked his muzzle forward, sniffing the little hand. Very slowly, Arro lifted his fingers and brushed them lightly over the horse's velvety muzzle. The gallant beast lowered his head, welcoming the contact. "He likes you," Loki said approvingly. "Now, keep this around your shoulders," he unfastened his cloak, folded it in two and hung it over the small lad's shoulders.

"Th-Thank you," Arro whispered in surprise, voice unbroken.

His new master was a mystery to him. He'd never met a man like him before – so smoothly confident and elegant yet masculine at the same time; he held clear dominance but also gave an air of gentleness, protectiveness and intelligence.

Picking him up under the arms, Loki lifted the boy onto his horse's withers before mounting the saddle with ease. He held the boy to his chest with one arm to help warm him more quickly and keep him secure for the ride. At a gallop, any sort of conversation was pretty much impossible. Not that it mattered to Loki; he just wanted the boy out of the cold and for him to meet his sister at long last.

Arro could not believe his eyes as they trotted into the palace courtyard, a part of him thinking it must have been a dream. Surely he could not be here, so suddenly without any warning? And why him, not another slave?

Loki dismounted and lifted Arro down, making sure his cloak was tight around the boy's shoulders. A stable hand came to take Loki's mount back the stables, and Arro watched the lovely animal being led away with almost a pang of sadness. He jumped suddenly as Loki laid a hand on his narrow shoulder, "Come, Arro," the god said.

The mortal boy felt naked under the gaze of all those around them. He kept his head lowered as he walked with his master and was taken to a room he assumed were his master's chambers. His hands nervously clutched the emerald cloak around him, fingers fiddling with the fabric.

"Before anything begins, there are a couple of things I wish to be clear on," Loki turned to face the young Lockehart, his hands clasped behind his back, "I am Loki, and you may address me by my name when we are alone but otherwise, you will address me as 'my lord' or 'master'. I expect complete obedience and do not tolerate insolence; I am firm but fair. You will follow my orders to the letter, and if something troubles you, speak to me about it and never go behind my back to do anything. Is that clear?"

Arro nodded, unable to speak.

"You do not need to be frightened, Arro. You may speak freely, within reason. I will not harm you, nor will I allow anyone else to do so. You need only fear me if you break my rules and anger me but I highly doubt that will happen," Loki said. "You are going to work for me and I am going to take care of you. I hope with time we will become fond of one another."

Arro managed to return the smile his master gave him, albeit very shyly. "I'm going to take you to William, the new head servant. He will get you cleaned up and tell you everything else you need to know. And then there is someone I want you to meet. Follow me."

Arro pulled Loki's cloak off and held it out in his feeble arms, "Would you like this back?" he asked in a small voice.

"No, that's all right," Loki said. "I want you to keep it until you are changed into some proper clothes."

Arro kept silent, following the dark haired man down a number of halls until they reached the servants' quarters. William came to greet them as soon as he saw them, "My lord," he said pleasantly, turning his curious gaze to the little boy beside him.

"This is my new slave, Arro," Loki explained. William smiled at the boy, noticing something very familiar about him. The expression on his face told Loki what he was thinking, "He is Harmony's brother."

Brow furrowing, Arro snapped his head towards Loki, confusion written over his face. Brother? He had a sister? At the same time, William nodded, seeing it completely now. Harmony's brother, of course! "I take it they haven't met?" the servant inquired upon seeing the boy's face.

"No, not yet. I want him cleaned and given a change of clothes," Loki said.

"Of course, sire," the other man nodded, and looked back over his shoulder, calling, "Katla!"

Out of the passageway that led to the laundry room, a plump kind-looking woman bustled out with a basket tucked under her arm. Her expression gave away that she had been busy with something, however she softened completely at the sight of Prince Loki and a shy little lad by his side.

"Katla, can you give this boy a bath and find him some new clothes?" William asked politely.

Katla put down her basket, smiling at Arro like a mother would at her son, and he smiled back. "Yes, of course," she said kindly, "I'll get him cleaned up. Come with me," she held an arm out to the mortal.

Arro slipped Loki's cloak off his shoulders and shyly offered it back to the god. Loki took it, giving him a soft nudge towards Katla, who put her arm over his shoulders and walked him down a different passageway, telling him she'd get him a good meal as well.

"Is it a mere coincidence that he is the girl's brother?" William asked, casually folding his arms.

"No, it was her wish to find her family, and the All-Father owed her a favour for saving his life so she used to it to find her siblings. Arro was the only one still at the slave trade," Loki explained.

"I think it'll make her very happy," William said. "I remember how distraught she was when Hunter was taken away. She needs a fellow mortal companion."

"I agree," Loki nodded. "Though there are a number of mortal slave here, has she made any of them her friends?"

The other man shrugged, "I'm afraid I don't know, but I do doubt it. She's such a quiet girl, too timid to speak unless spoken to."

Loki did not answer, finding what William said very easy to believe, and he hoped the Lockeharts would be more at ease with each other. "Bring him back to my chambers when he is ready."

"Yes, my lord," William nodded, as Loki was already striding towards the door.

A while later, Loki received a knock at his door. Laying the book he was reading down on the sofa, he got to his feet to answer it. Opening his door, he was met with the sight of William and a slightly happier Arro. The boy was dressed in a deep forest green tunic, tied with a dark brown belt at the waist, and he had had his unkempt hair trimmed and brushed, his face, hair and body free from grime and filth. Grinning in approval, Loki nodded, "That's much better. Thank you, William."

With a bow, the head servant departed, and Arro came inside, certainly happier than before. He looked around the large room, at all the ornate, grand furniture. Next to the fireplace, against the wall was a small cupboard, which contained a wash bowl and jug and all the tools Arro would need. A long sofa, the same colour as Loki's cape, stretched in front of the fire, and an armchair sat diagonally adjacent to the right; adjacent to the left was a small mattress with two rolled up blankets down the side, a fluffy quilt on top and two plump pillows at the head. After glancing over at the grand four poster bed, Arro concluded that it must have been for him, and again, he could hardly believe it.

"Is that really for me?" he thought aloud.

"Of course it is," Loki answered. "We will visit your sister soon."

Arro paused, "Do I really have a sister?"

"Yes, you actually have four sisters in total, did you not know?"

The boy shook his head and answered quietly, "I had no idea."

Loki resumed his position on the sofa, "Were you aware of any of your family?"

"I know I have a brother called Colba, but he was sold months ago. We used to share a cage," Arro told him.

"With any luck, you might be seeing each other again soon. What kind of slave was he?" Loki picked up his book though paid it no attention.

"A domestic slave, otherwise he couldn't have been sold," the mortal said and Loki's brow creased slightly, prompting him to explain further, "Domestic slaves can be sold at the age of five; labour slaves have to be fourteen; and pleasure slaves have to be at least twelve or thirteen to get sold but most aren't sold until they're sixteen or seventeen because they're still growing and learning – twelve is usually when they start learning. One of the older slaves told me."

"I see," Loki nodded slowly, and then turned to his book. "Feel free to look around for a while – I cannot leave a chapter unfinished, and then we will visit your sister."

Arro opened his mouth to speak but his master was already lost in his reading. He padded quietly around the room, looking at everything with fascination, and he smiled as he knelt to feel his little bed. He couldn't wait to sleep in it! He searched the joining room, which turned out to be a washroom. There was a lavatory and marble sink behind and large screen; the majority of the large room was taken up by the bath, perfectly circular and deep enough for a grown man to swim, slopping down into the middle.

Quietly, the boy walked back into the main chamber, saw his master was still reading, and curiously stepped behind the sofa, meekly looking over his shoulder. Pieces of paper bound together somehow were covered in lines of squiggles and symbols that Arro couldn't understand.

"I find it hard to concentrate with someone breathing down my neck," Loki said irritably.

Arro straightened immediately, frightened. "I-I'm sorry, my lord."

"If this interests you then you are welcome to read it when I am finished with it, but I must insist you take the utmost care with it," Loki said, twisting his head to look up at the boy, who returned a very sheepish look. "I...I can't read," the mortal admitted in a shamed mumble.

Loki, starting to turn back to the book, now snapped his head in his slave's direction at the confession. "Not at all?" he raised his dark eyebrows, and the boy shook his head sadly, "Then I shall teach you. Now, hush for a minute."

The moment Loki's eyes crossed the final word of the current chapter, he shut the book, almost tenderly, and stood abruptly. The sudden movements startled the slave boy. Loki's pleasant smile was enough to start calming him. "Shall we visit your sister then?" Although spoken as a question, Arro knew he didn't really have any choice in the matter, but he nodded in agreement all the same.

He followed Loki like a shadow down another set of unfamiliar hallways, and when the god came to a stop, he almost crashed into him from behind, only managing to halt just in time. Raising his arm, Loki tapped his knuckles thrice onto the door, expecting to soon be looking down into a pair of brown eyes.

Instead, he jerked his head, which had already been angled downwards, up to meet a blazing pair of deep pools of liquid sapphire, and his eyebrows knitted together. Since when did Thor answer his own door when someone else could do it? Loki quickly covered his surprise with a smile, "I have Arro with me, as I promised. Is Harmony here?"

Thor looked a little troubled, almost tired, but what was strangest of all was that he opened the door passively, speaking a hushed voice, "She is asleep."

On his way in, Arro had a moment to glance up at the new man. He was utterly enormous! A masculine face surrounded with golden tresses, with unforgettable blue eyes. Massive and muscular, Arro's pulse quickened fearfully as he took in the god's physical features, before lowering his head submissively before their eyes could meet. The boy looked around expectantly to find a girl sleeping somewhere on the floor but he found himself being met with a very unexpected sight.

At the head of the huge bed, nestled between pillows, cushions, blankets and quilt, a small girl was curled up, making her look even smaller, her eyes closed. She was pale and Loki could see her face was lined with scars left behind by tears; his keener senses allowed him to see that her breaths were faint, and to Arro, he could have believed she was dead.

Forgetting all about the occasion, Loki spun to face Thor, "By the Nine, what happened to her?" he hissed, alarmed, while Arro started to step closer to the bed to get a better look at his sleeping sister.

Thor's face darkened with anger, "I lost control with her," – Loki's eyes widened in horror – "I did not take her; would she still be alive?" the Thunderer snapped in a vehement whisper, "It took at least an hour before I could touch her again without causing her to weep and wail all over again. When I finally could carry her to bed, it took until the first light of dawn to soothe her again, and she has been resting since."

"Did she resist you?"

"At first, she was consumed by fear completely and did nothing but weep into me. But she soon mistook my attempts to comfort her as a threat," Thor looked crestfallen, "I held her, she battled and cried but I held her."

"How long did that last?" Loki's voice was rushed, unnerved by his brother's melancholy demeanour.

Thor shook his head with a bitter laugh, "Not long. The little thing exhausted herself within minutes. But I don't think I will ever forget it. She gave up her resistance an hour or two later, let me embrace her as she wept like a child," he sighed forlornly, "Though, it gave me some consolation when she later reached for me, and I whispered to her all night long."

Loki nodded, unexpectedly overwhelmed by what he was hearing and the way it had left his brother. The last fragment of Thor's anecdote consoled him as well; Harmony still felt it in her to turn to Thor for comfort and protection, maybe even meant it as a gesture of her insignificant forgiveness. Loki watched his brother with unusual intrigue. It was a brute fact that Thor had no obligations to care or consider the feelings of his slave, to be wounded when she was hurt, and yet he was. He could have kept going, or made her work with no exceptions or considerations or regret, but he hadn't.

"Arro," Loki softly summoned the boy, who had crept towards the bed to look at Harmony.

He joined his master's side, anxious to be in such close proximity to the giant man and was unable to conclude what this man thought of him.

"Arro, this is my brother, Thor," Loki introduced quietly. Arro bowed his head in timid respect, straightening up as Loki continued his brother's titles, "Crown Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, Strength, Fertility and Courage, and the most feared warrior in all the Nine Realms." That did not exactly help to ease Arro's nerves.

"I regret that you could not meet your sister for the first time in the way you might have hoped," Thor's voice was soft, purposefully gentle for the boy's sake. "But I can wake her. I know how eager she was to see you."

Standing close to Loki's side, Arro watched as Thor approached the bedside as quietly as he could. The blond giant crouched slowly. He cupped the girl's face in his hand, speaking very softly, "Harmony, wake up, little one," his thumb rubbed tender circles over her soft cheek, and her eyes opened slowly.

"Thor," she croaked weakly in a voice more fragile than spider threads. From her little ball, her hand gradually inched up until her fingertips brushed against the side of Thor's face, and their eyes moulded together.

"You have some visitors," he whispered, carefully easing back.

Startled, Harmony turned her head and saw Loki and a boy standing at the end of the bed, Loki's arm around his narrow shoulders, a strange mirror image of her and Thor. The Asgardian god and the mortal slave. Somehow the two seemed to piece together, two sides of the same coin.

Sure that she looked absolutely awful, Harmony was not totally wrong as she certainly didn't look her best, though not as dreadful as she worried; her hair was matted with knots, tangled and unbrushed, eyes red and sore, there were tear streaks down her cheeks and she had dark circles under her eyes. It wasn't the first impression she wanted her brother to get of her, though there wasn't anything she could do. Wary and weary, she pushed down through her weak arms and eased herself into a sitting position, imagining she could have looked like a dying woman being visited on her deathbed.

She watched Loki give Arro a nudge, rubbing one eye with the base of her palm. "Go on, say hello," Loki chided softly, and Harmony gave her best efforts in a smile as the boy timidly came round the side of the bed, taking his features, unsuccessfully being able to see the resemblance others had seen.

"Hello," Arro whispered shyly.

Harmony blinked slowly, "Hello," she replied, mirroring his voice, only a little deeper and more feminine.

They stared at each other, neither with any idea of what to say or how to be.

If she weren't so drained, Harmony might have made a decent attempt but the wheels of her mind refused to turn. She glanced sideways at the two gods side by side at the end of the bed, and they took her glance as a request for a little privacy. Thor clapped Loki round the shoulder, drawing him to the other side of the room. "I must ask you for a favour," he practically forced out, battling his reluctance.

"What is it?" Loki spoke in a hushed voice, only loud enough for the two of them to hear.

"I cannot risk losing control again so I plan to find a woman to join me tonight. Harmony is," Thor breathed, "fragile, more so than usual. I do not want anything to shake her even further, so when I return with my companion for the night, may she come to you for the evening, perhaps the night?"

"Yes, of course, I don't see why not," Loki consented with a nod, watching Thor's features soften with relief.

"And perhaps you could find something for them to do together, maybe something intellectual?" the older god suggested.

Mildly surprised by the suggestion, Loki found he too thought it was not a bad idea at all. Something intellectual would get them both talking, exploring their own views and thoughts, things they had always been denied. Loki was actually rather impressed, if not a little miffed that he hadn't thought of it himself. He remembered speaking to Harmony a fair while ago, asking her what she thought of the idea of her freedom, there was no reason why he couldn't do that again. He would need to pick something they could both relate to.

Meanwhile, the Lockeharts weren't exactly thriving.

"Do you like it here so far?" Harmony asked wearily after a lengthy paused of awkward silence.

Throat dry with nerves, Arro nodded and tried to smile.

"Do you like Prince Loki?" she tried again, but only received another silent nod and thought of something she could add, "He's always been good to me. I'm sure he'll be good to you too."

Arro felt pressured to say something but his mind was blank, concentration visible on his young face. He finally came out with an innocent murmur, "How old are you?"

"I'm sixteen," Harmony replied quietly.

Having reached another dead end, Harmony glanced down, a sigh passing over her lips. It was apparent Arro wasn't going to make another attempt and the awkward air between them didn't have much hope of clearing. "Forgive me, I am tired. I fear I am not good company at the moment," Harmony said, her brow furrowing for a moment after at her 'proper' choice of words. Asgardian eloquence must have been rubbing off on her.

"Then why not rest for the day and come to visit us later?" Loki interrupted, smoothly crossing the room.

Harmony looked to Thor for his verdict and the blond god gave his approval, saying he would be having company for the night.

It surprised her more than anyone else, but Harmony found herself a little relieved instead of consumed by jealousy, not to say there was not bitter pang in her chest, and she knew more than anyone else the reason for his action. In a way, she was almost thankful.

Thor had whispered to her for hours the night before, not only had she heard him but listened and believed him. He wasn't going to take a risk again. They had pulled through mostly all right – she had eventually wanted him to hold her again – but if it happened again, Harmony didn't know if her trust would survive, or her steadily growing comfort.

"Then I shall," the girl smiled tiredly.

"Excellent. Come away now, Arro, your sister needs a little more rest," Loki said.

The Lockeharts gave each other a final look before Arro followed his new master obediently and left Harmony and Thor alone once more.

Removing his boots, Thor climbed into bed beside his slave, warm and firm as he wrapped himself carefully around her. He lulled her back into a peaceful slumber, healing her…healing them both.

After another few hours of deep sleep, when Harmony was up and about, she had perked up quite a lot, with light in her eyes and life in her movements. She didn't turn her back to him and Thor couldn't blame her, however he was sure that with a little time, she would become at ease with him again. And she tried to make a start with her domestic duties but Thor ordered her to stop, saying they could wait. It left her looking a little lost, not knowing what she should do if not her work.

Shuffling on the spot from one foot the other, Harmony looked to Thor, taken mildly aback to see him reading on the sofa, something she hadn't seen him do before. Her curious brown orbs watched him with interest.

It didn't take long for the god to notice, and he turned with a soft grin, amused by her confusion. "I do not get a chance to read as often as I'd like; my other duties oft keep me too busy," Thor said, resting his book on his knee with a finger between the pages, "You can ask what I'm reading, I know you want to." He patted the spot on the sofa next to him.

As she perched beside him, Harmony tilted her head to read the book title, words of swirling gold. The Great Sieges of Asgard.

Thor opened the book, lifting his arm for Harmony to snuggle up against his side, the thick muscles of his arm keeping her warm and tight, reaching around her to hold the book open. Harmony wrapped her arms around his bicep, angling her head to look at the page, only to find it in a language completely unknown to her. "Is that Asgardian?" she asked.

"Yes, it is. I can change it if you wish?" Thor offered and did not wait for her to reply. He lowered his hand over the pages, a soft green light emitting from his palm, and the words simply moulded into Harmony's native language.

"How did you do that?" she gasped in amazement.

Thor chuckled, "Loki is not the only one capable of using a little magic," he gave her a wink, making her cheeks involuntarily flush.

Harmony's eyes scanned the page. There were many words and terms she still didn't understand but she understood enough to know it was the description of one particular defence strategy. "Do you always read things like this?" she asked innocently.

"Usually," Thor said, reading at the same time, "Anything to do with warfare tickles my interest; tales of battles, tactics and strategies, the politics of warfare, the philosophy of it, even the psychology of it. I have always found it fascinating. I would read more on other topics but I have little time to read at all. I will not be King for quite some time, but I have been a warrior for millennia."

They then sat together in silence as Thor read and Harmony relaxed in his one-armed embrace, growing more and more used to being close with him and not feeling so afraid. He seemed rather relaxed, which, in turn, helped to relax her. Now and then, she would pick a random point on his current page and start reading but he always turned the page before she got far.

Content and strangely at ease, Harmony closed her eyes and dosed quietly as the late afternoon passed by, sometimes opening her eyes for a few seconds to make sure she didn't fall asleep again, Thor's arm held tight to her breast, and he would plant the odd kiss to her hair or forehead.

"When do you want me to leave?" the mortal asked.

"I never want you to leave," Thor replied with another kiss to her head. "But I will need you to when I return with my companion. And if I do not come for you then you will sleep in Loki's chambers and return in the morning."

"Yes, my lord," Harmony said.

Thor closed his book and set it aside, "Are you still tender?"

Not entirely sure of what he was meaning, Harmony innocently replied with unease, "I don't know."

"Would you like me to check for you?"

Harmony nodded reluctantly, and Thor shifted himself a little so her back was tight to his chest. One hand ghosted over her belly, down over her lower abdomen and dipped between her legs. Harmony, realising what he was doing, tensed with a whimper, fingers clutching the arm that held her secure.

"Hush now, my sweet," Thor purred soothingly into her ear, "It will never be like that again."

He nuzzled her face, holding her stiff body close, the sweet scent of her filling his nostrils and his heart started to race. Between her thighs, Thor's gentle fingers lightly probed around, giving tiny nudges to her soft womanhood through her leggings and underwear, ears acute for the noises she responded with. Harmony felt a tiny jolt that made her flinch, but it wasn't from pain, as Thor touched her covered clit. Thor took his time to inch lower, and added the tiniest amount of pressure to the spot where her opening was underneath.

Harmony seized in sore pain, a whine slipping from her mouth as her hips pushed back, away from Thor's touch. He gripped her protectively, the hand between her legs now in her hair, stroking slowly, "Shh, shh, there now. It's all right," he whispered, rocking her slowly, "You're still very tender, little one. Don't be frightened, nothing is going to hurt you." He could feel her heartbeat, and he held her, rocking her back and forth, stroking her hair, until she eventually eased into a state of total calmness. "That's better," Thor approved.

He patted the side of her thigh, lifting his arm off her and they got to their feet, one hand lingering on the small of her back. Curling a strand of hair behind Harmony's ear, Thor's hand slid down to cup her cheek, his eyes seeking out hers. They shared an affectionate gaze, swimming in pools of amber and sapphire.

"I will return shortly," Thor said, and Harmony nodded. He kissed her farewell and walked away, glancing at her again before he disappeared.

Harmony slumped with a sigh. She supposed she would have to get very used to this. A little stiff in the legs, the girl walked over to the bed and made it quickly. It had been strange not doing any of her chores, resting all day instead. A stab of pain would strike if Harmony stretched her legs too far. She hated it and wished it would go away, slightly worried by not knowing how long it would take to do so.

The doors suddenly swung open, making Harmony jump and stand straight, only having just finished. Thor was definitely true to his word.

A wolfish grin on his lips, Thor guided a dark haired woman into his chambers. She was dressed in a simple yet very lovely dress, meaning she could not be a common maid or servant, but her attire was not enough to distinguish her as highborn, so she must have ranked somewhere in between. Her hair fell around her face, down her body, ripples of the darkest chocolate. Eyes fixed on the Thunderer, she did not notice the timid slave girl standing nervously at the end of the bed.

The woman turned her head to look upon the god's chambers for the very first time, and so her gaze fell upon Harmony, who became rooted to the spot. "What is this?" she asked, looking the mortal up and down with jealous distaste.

"This is little Harmony," Thor said, as if introducing an old friend, "My personal slave."

Unable to think, Harmony lowered her head in a shaky small bow, eyes to the floor.

The woman gave a little scoff, unimpressed, "Does she not curtsey before her betters?"

Letting his hand slip from the woman's waist, Thor sauntered over the small girl, physically intimidating her with laughably little effort. Lowering into a crouch to reach her height, standing perfectly adjacent to her, Thor rumbled in her ear, close enough to make shivers crawl up her spine, "Curtsey for lady Kelda."

Having learnt to curtsey at the age of nine by her old mistress, Harmony wasn't wholly unprepared, though her legs were still visibly trembling as she crossed one behind the other, bending at the knees, back straight and bowed her head. Glancing up, Harmony saw that Kelda was about to make a comment, and she highly doubted it was a nice one, but Thor interrupted purposefully, now at his full height, "Very good," he turned to Kelda, pretending to no longer acknowledge the existence of his slave, "There a lady's dressing table in the bathroom; I have found it useful with the company I keep."

Harmony noticed a blush on Kelda's smooth cheeks, and it seemed that the Asgardian woman had too become blind to her existence. Thor took slow, teasing strides towards Kelda. The woman seemed to shrink as he drew closer.

"Why do you not," the god began, making both females in the room shudder, "get yourself ready for me, but do not keep me waiting long."

Kelda gasped breathlessly, and Harmony would have done too, without a doubt, if she did not have a part to play, "Yes, your majesty."

A dark grin curled Thor's lips. He looked down and felt the material of her pretty dress, "And I suggest that if you ever wish to wear this again, that you remove it before you come to me."

Kelda giggled like a young girl, dark grey eyes sparkling. Feigning innocence, she turned and went into the bathroom to prepare herself for the god's enjoyment. At the click of the door, Harmony suddenly found herself swept off her feet. Cradled to Thor's chest, he crushed his lips to hers, walking the line that shared both gentleness and passion. Harmony moaned quietly, cupping his cheeks with little hands, glad to open her lips when his tongue slid across her lower lip. Their tongues danced, treasuring the few moments they had.

"I very much enjoyed your little curtsey," Thor whispered with a grin, "You must do that for me sometime," he lowered her to the ground, glad to see a lovely, genuinely innocent smile gracing the girl's lips.

On her tiptoes, Harmony kissed Thor tenderly before turning, breathless, and heading for the doors. She looked shyly over her shoulder, chestnut ringlets swishing and bouncing, and she slipped out just as he had earlier. She refused to let herself think about the things Thor would do with Kelda, the things he'd done to the other women he'd fucked. No, she would keep herself in the moment; she knew what it was all for, and she had a place to be. Brisk steps carried her quickly to Loki's chambers.

Before she could even raise her hand to knock, the door opened and Loki smiled down at her, "I heard you coming. Do come in."

Harmony stepped inside, her eyes immediately drawn to the roaring fire, which bathed the room in a golden-orange glow and embraced all with comforting warmth. The room was not too dissimilar to Thor's; things weren't in the exact same place, and the colours were suited to each god. Reds, golds and lighter browns seemed more to Thor's taste, while Loki seemed to prefer emerald green and the darker shades of brown. And other than a couple of extra bookcases dotted around the room, the princes' chambers weren't all that different.

Her eyes fell on Arro, who was sat at the table with a look of deep concentration across his features, and she wondered what he was doing. Many candles formed a semi-circle around a few sheets of parchment and the inkpot for the quill in his hand. Loki strode past her, going to stand behind his slave, his avid gaze crossing over whatever Arro was doing. "Keep a slightly firmer grip on the quill," he said, "You're a's and e's are a little thin; like this," Loki took the quill gently from the boy and demonstrated slowly.

Arro nodded, taking the quill back in his little hand and tried again. "Yes, like that," Loki approved, then looked to Harmony, who was still lingering back a little, "Don't hide back there, sweet girl," he beckoned her forward.

Harmony came round the other side of her brother, tilting her head to get a look at what he was doing exactly. On one piece of parchment were the individual letters of the common alphabet, both capital and lower case, simple yet elegant, and obviously written out by Loki since Arro looked like he was copying from it onto a second piece of parchment. The letters he was writing deviated from the perfect examples Loki had given, some more than others.

Feeling another presence behind him, Arro startled and looked up over his left shoulder, seeing the kind face of his sister, and thought she looked much better than their first meeting. "Master Loki is teaching me the letters," he said proudly, smiling up at her.

"Arro, put your quill down now. I shall teach you further tomorrow," Loki gathered up the papers and set them aside and then opened up the ring of candles. "Do sit, Harmony," he patted the closest adjacent chair to Arro, who sat in the grand chair at the head of the table, where Loki himself usually sat.

Harmony took her assigned seat and watched as Loki took the seat opposite her instead of making Arro move. His emerald gaze shifted between the two of them, and their nervous demeanours were almost amusing to him. The god sat forward, clasping his slender hands together, "Both of you, as slaves, not only could not grow up together as a family but you were denied an intellectual education of any sorts and denied the ability to explore and express your own ideas and thoughts. You have both been shunned from the rest of the world, knowing hardly anything beyond how to serve. There's one thing you know better than most though, and that's fear," he looked between them, pleased to have their full attentions. He turned to the older mortal, "What is fear to you, Harmony?"

Harmony took a deep breath, thinking hard, "It's something I can't imagine myself without. Um, it's something I've never gone without; it's…it's almost like a companion."

"Mmhmm," Loki nodded and looked to Arro, "Do you think the same, or something different?"

"I think," Arro briefly paused, "the same. It's like a friend you don't always want but never leaves you. It's there for you."

"There for you?" Loki repeated but Arro shrugged, saying he wasn't sure how to put it, so the god turned to Harmony and she answered instead, "It's an instinct, a way to warn you of danger like natural self-defence. It helps keep you alive because it tells you when there's a threat around."

"Do you think it a weakness?" Loki asked them both.

"No," Harmony answered bluntly.

"Sometimes," Arro alternatively offered.

"Why sometimes, Arro?"

"Sometimes it can make you freeze up and stop you from thinking and that doesn't help you survive. If anything it makes you easier to hurt. It's not the fear itself as much but how someone responds to it," Arro justified.

"And why 'no', Harmony?"

"Having fear is part of being human, and I don't think you can call yourself human if there's nothing you're scared of. It can tell you when it's best to hold back or be a way to motivate you to do something; I think it's there to help, not to get you killed. My fear has helped keep me alive many times; I wouldn't condemn it a weakness."

"If you want to control someone, all you have to do is make them afraid," Arro interjected innocently.

"But I don't think you would become afraid to begin with if there was nothing to be scared of," Harmony countered. "Things we get scared of aren't irrational, not for us. If someone can actually control you through fear then they must be playing on a very real, rational fear, things we should be afraid of."

Loki looked between them, pleased and intrigued to hear them talking, expressing themselves, and in such a different way. He clasped his palms together under his chin, "Now let us talk of the different types of fear. What can you think of?"

Harmony kept herself silent so Arro could answer first. "Being scared for yourself or for other people, scared of something that might happen or not happen," the boy offered, and then looked to his sister.

"Physical fears like of an object or a person, being afraid of harm or damage to your body or someone you care for. Then there are non-physical fears like being scared of feeling something or imagining things that haven't happened yet, losing things that aren't physical like someone's love or the upper hand…being scared of a secret being found out," her voice trailed off slightly, thinning as her face paled.

"I think you're quite right, Harmony," Loki cut in, practically able to feel her anxiety. "Am I right in assuming that as slaves you relate more to physical fears, as Harmony put it?"

The two Lockeharts nodded in simple reply.

"Was it a fear for yourself or others?" Loki asked.

"Both," Arro said.

"Myself," Harmony answered at the same time.

The god turned to Harmony first, gesturing for her to explain. "I was nearly always kept by myself. I was put in my own cage when I was five and stayed on my own until I was sold so that was four years, and then I was back there another year after I was brought back, so I guess I never had to worry about anyone else because I was always on my own."

"I'm the opposite, almost," Arro said, "I was kept with other slaves so we all tried to look out for each other and we were just as scared as seeing each other hurt as getting hurt ourselves."

"Both perfectly reasonable explanations," Loki said approvingly. "Would either of you give up fear?"

Arro shrugged, "I don't know. I can't imagine being without it."

"Would you give it up, Harmony?"

"No. It's part of being human and it's part of who I am," Harmony said, "It's there for a reason, and it's why I'm still alive."

The three of them talked a little more, asking and answering questions, expressing views and ideas. Harmony found it liberating, an almost thrilling new experience to be respected and valued for her thoughts. But little did she know that she had both Loki and Thor to thank for it. The attention starved fire had started to dim, burning slow and hot. Yawning sleepily, Arro stretched his skinny arms above his head. Loki chuckled, "You need rest, you'll sleep well tonight."

"Yes, master," the lad said, getting up and then walked tiredly into the bathroom.

Harmony clasped her hands between her thighs and stifled a yawn. "Thank you for tonight," she said quietly.

Loki smiled, "Not at all, sweet mortal. You are a clever and bright young woman, it's a true shame you've been denied your potential. I deeply admire a woman or girl who speaks her mind and has passion."

Harmony blushed, "Thank you."

"Are you content with Thor?" the question knocked her off-guard.

"Well, he…he lost control last night but I know he didn't mean to do it and dedicated many hours to caring for me afterwards. I don't blame him or hold anything against him; he does so much for me and he makes me feel a way that I love," she loved him, she loved his power, his dominance, his protection and care, she loved him. No matter what.

"Do you love him?" Loki's voice was soft.

Harmony opened her mouth but before she could answer, her brother re-emerged from the bath chamber, sleepily rubbing his stormy eyes. "Is Harmony going to stay?"

"Yes, she is," Loki answered, "You can share for tonight," he gestured to the little bed on the floor for Arro.

"Thank you, my lord," Harmony got to her feet and took her turn in the bathroom, and when she came back, Arro had taken one side of the bed while Loki had his feet up on his sofa, reading by candlelight.

Looking up at her, Arro smiled and beckoned her sweetly with his hand, shuffling over a little more to make room for her as she lay down next to him. He rolled over and snuggled back into her, facing away. Unused to being this way, Harmony awkwardly laid her arm over her brother, moving up slightly so his head was tucked under her chin, able to breathe without inhaling his dark hair. It didn't take long at all for her to relax and within minutes both Lockeharts were fast asleep.

Loki looked over, silently wishing them sweet dreams.

Thank you for reading, please review! Also, if you want a visual idea of the Binding Blade, simply look up 'Skyrim Daedric dagger' I hope the description matches ;)

What did you think of: Loki buying Arro and the Binding Blade, Arro beginning his new life, Loki and Arro together, Thor's talk with Loki, Harmony and Arro's first meeting, Harmony reading with Thor, Kelda, Harmony's evening with Loki and Arro?

So please review, the more the merrier!

Love and hugs xxx