Warning: some mature content.
Also see note at the bottom!
And away we go...
The following morning, as the sun took its throne in the azure sky, Harmony awoke, curled in a numb ball. She had turned over, unfeeling in her sleep, and her back was snug against Thor's chest, nestled tight to his firm muscles with his arms circled over and under her. His chin rested comfortingly on the top of her head. Unmoving in body, Harmony opened her eyes, unblinking. For a few seconds, her mind and memory were blank, then as the haze started to clear she remembered every second, the same way she remembered that she had brown eyes or stood at five feet three inches.
A smile dawned on her face. She took in a big breath so she could sigh delightedly, but all that followed was a loud whimper of pain. Thor had been snoring peacefully when the sound ripped him from sleep like a parent being roused by a child's cry in the night.
"Harmony, Harmony," he murmured thickly from sleep, turning her onto her back.
The movement only sent fiery ripples of soreness down the length of the mortal's body, erupting from her loins like a volcano until the ashen cry reached her mouth. Thor hushed her frantically as he stilled her in the crook of his arm. With his other hand, he cleared any tangled tendrils of chestnut from her face and whispered deep gentle words. Harmony stilled her body, attempting to relax completely but each breath came out as a delicate whine. Large fingers traced soothing circles over her jaw and down her neck, occasionally brushing over that erratic pulse.
Thor sighed, "I feared this might happen."
Panicked eyes met his. He recognised the bitter dark swirls that poisoned her irises, knew which fear matched it. Running a hand down the slave's pale face, Thor pressed his lips to her forehead, at the same time relieved that she had quietened and softened. Thor slowly pulled the covers down her naked body, and Harmony sucked in a breath as she was swallowed in the clutches of the morning cold. A few small, light bruises had formed on and around her hips, though other than that there was no sign of physical injury on the surface.
"You did well," Thor said coolly as he surrounded Harmony's body in the quilt, "Very well. I feared for you last night, I was so careful," he dragged the back of his forefinger down her cheek, "And I still managed to hurt you."
Harmony shook her head in denial, "No, no, please don't take it away. Last night was the best in my life."
"Hush, little one," Thor whispered, making Harmony lower her gaze, "I can be gentler and you are still building up your strength. And those marks will fade in a day or two. It is normal to feel shaken and sore, especially for a tiny little thing like you," the edges of his mouth curved upwards wickedly, and Harmony lowered her head further with a shy coquettish smile.
She would have rolled over and nuzzled herself deep into his chest were it not for fear of that horrible pain. Nervously, her hand repeated the pattern Thor had made down her body, ghosting over the skin of her hips, silent until she added pressure. Thor took hold of her forearm and pulled it away, placing it firmly by her side, expression firm. "You must stay and rest, my beauty," Thor said, easing himself up, "I shall try to return as soon and as often as I can. Promise me you will stay here."
Harmony acquiesced with a nod. She kept the covers tight to her body as Thor rose, every inch naked and breath-taking, and she watched closely as he dressed himself, looking away if he turned his head towards her. She didn't want him to leave, not ever. Even more, she didn't want to be alone in pain, feeling brokenly helpless as she lay there. Still, she didn't exactly have a choice.
Now fully clothed, Thor leaned over and kissed her softly, his lips invitingly warm. "I love you."
"I love you too," Harmony whispered, and she watched longingly as Thor strode away.
A sigh dropped from her mouth. There wasn't really anything for her to do other than to daydream. Slumped and relaxed against the mattress, the slave started to spin the threads of her thoughts.
The guards by the entrance of the Council chambers gripped the large handles and pushed the mountain high doors open for the Crown Prince. The morning sun streamed through the windows, beautifully coating the golden architecture of the chamber. He expected to see the table full, all those wise or fierce faces staring admirably. However, only two people were seated.
"Mother, father," Thor said with mild surprise.
"Good morning, Thor," Queen Frigga smiled elegantly, and Thor took his usual seat on the other side of Odin.
A large book with golden pages, tinted and crinkled with age, was laid out in front of the King and Queen. At a glance, Thor recognised it; within those pages, the history of all the Asgardian noble families was contained. A pang of dread settled in his stomach as he quickly put all the pieces together. He'd known this day would come eventually, but he had not thought it would be so soon. He looked carefully at the page the book was opened on, recognising the family, and recalled what he knew of them. They were famous for prowess in battle, both men and women, and for crafting weapons.
"Thor, the time has come to arrange a suitable match for you," Odin began, "I believe you are ready, and while you shall not be king for some time, a true and solid bond is needed between a future king and queen."
An expression of collected seriousness slipped onto Thor's face. He brought the large book closer to himself, scanning down the many names and descriptions to see which of the family's women could be chosen as possible matches.
"You have changed," Frigga spoke softly, her voice making Thor look up.
"In what way, mother?"
"You appear to be in much deeper control of yourself, a little gentler and more thoughtful," the Queen said with a proud smile. "That slave has been good for you."
"It seems she has taught you a few things in her time with you," Odin agreed, his voice steady as a clear day. "A fine choice."
"Why you bought her for me," Thor said, a statement rather than a wondering, "To teach me."
"Aye," Odin nodded, "There would have been other ways, but this particular path has proven to be very effective. Mortals do have a few uses, after all."
At those words, Thor's mind was taken back to when he had learnt that lesson for himself. It was the day the Frost Giants attacked Asgard with the aid of the sorceress, Astrid. Hearing her deceptively lovely name made Thor's blood simmer, even if merely in his own thoughts. To him, Harmony was a mortal who had far beyond a few uses.
"And how are you together?" Frigga asked, able to lighten any mood with that soft, elegant voice, "Do you like her?"
A weight settled on Thor's shoulders as he chose his next words, "I am rather fond of her, I must admit. She does her duties well and does not ever cause me inconvenience. And she is surprisingly well educated for a slave."
The silence that followed set Thor's teeth on edge. He wondered what they might deduce from his statement.
"Do you care for her?" came Queen Frigga's next question.
"She has given me her service and loyalty," Thor began.
"That is the purpose of her existence, no more," Odin cut across brashly.
"Nevertheless," Thor retorted just as boldly, if not more, and the emptiness of the chamber only served to echo further. "I see fit to reward her with care," he went onto explain, "I make sure she is cleaned, clothed and fed well. As frail as she may be, it is better for her to be as strong as she can. I have never seen fit to carry out a punishment on her." Thor chose to look over the occasion when Harmony left with Loki to take Hunter to the Hall of Eir without his permission, feeling it was not really a slight against him, just a misplaced expression of Harmony's grief. Besides, it was not as though she were running from him, she had always intended to come back. It all seemed so long ago.
"I am glad you are satisfied with her. Do you think she is fond of you as well?" Frigga asked.
"There is certainly some form of attachment. Yes, I am fairly certain she is," Thor felt himself give into a tiny smile.
"Be sure you do not become too attached to her. Mortals cause weakness; they are weakness," Odin interjected, and Thor disagreed.
The prince chose not to reply. A slip of the tongue could be a costly mistake, and he knew that he knew better, this time. He half expected his mother to ask another gentle question, but she too was thinking. The Queen was honestly glad that Thor was learning the lessons needed to make him a great king, and that he and his slave had some form of bond. What worried her – scared her even – was that his fondness of his slave would only serve to make him more dangerous. A young mortal could easily be targeted; Thor was extremely protective over what belonged to him; the slave could not protect herself so it would be up to Thor to do it for her. People could often allow themselves to go to extremes in protecting another.
The silence was broken as the mountain-high double doors opened wide. The rest of the council stepped through, the brave and wise men and women, all with dignity. At the head of the group was Loki, and close to his side was one of the eldest council members, a man who reminded one of an owl. The words on their lips grew louder to Thor's ears with every step; the dismissal of a female from one family for apparently being too young of age, not mature enough for the future king. Remaining silent as the rest of the council took their seats, Thor readied himself for the calm, compliant mask he would have to hold in place, and in his mind he was already trying to think how he would break the news to Harmony or if there was any hope of a refusal.
The first match they looked at was named Arna Erradotter. She was 823 years old, blue eyed with light brown hair, described as fairly tall and slender with an aptitude for the sciences of life and living creatures, and golden skin from spending so much time outside. Thor dismissed her; thankfully, the council agreed with him.
Then for what seemed like hours, they looked through each and every one of the possible future brides for Thor.
In the end, they reached the conclusion of several suitable matches.
Ellisif Galinnsdotter, 1284 years of age, blonde of hair, grey of eyes, average height and strong build. Skilled with swords, axes and horses. Intelligent mind, sharp wit; strong will and nature.
Hrefna Magnusdotter, 943 years of age, black of hair, blue of eyes, tall height and strong build. Skilled with knives and daggers. Passionate heart and mind, gentle and strong nature; scholarly interests.
Tora Durinnsdotter, 1079 years of age, blonde of hair, green of eyes, average height and slender build. Skilled in crafts, horsewomanship and astronomy. Wise mind, sharp wit; maternal nature, strong will.
Ingrid Ragnarrsdotter, 1317 years of age, blonde of hair, grey of eyes, tall height and strong build. Skilled with sword and bow, in scholarly arts, crafts. Intelligent wit and mind, passionate heart, strong nature and will.
Randalin Varinnsdotter, 1251 years of age, brown of hair, blue of eyes, above average height, medium build. Skilled in scholarly arts and sciences. Kind heart and gentle nature, wise mind.
The council then discussed each of them in more detail, weighing up their strengths and weaknesses and their potential to be a great queen. Military assets would match them well with Thor himself, but an intelligent mind was needed if they were to rule wisely. She would also need to have some skill in motherhood to bless the kingdom with strong and intelligent heirs. Thor wanted a strong woman, in every aspect, that was the sort of woman needed to make a queen, like Frigga.
Randalin was the first to be dismissed of the five, followed by Hrefna for her younger age. But by this time, Thor was sick to death of the business, and he almost didn't care who they picked for him; none of them would be totally insufferable so it hardly mattered to him anymore.
"Thor," Odin said, seizing his attention, "it for you decide now. Whoever you choose, they will come here and you will see how well you match. If you do not like her, we will send for another and do the same until you have found your preferred match."
Ingrid, Tora and Ellisif. Thor looked over each again, and out of the three, it was Ingrid who stood out the most. She had a combination between military and intellectual prowess with a strong will that was needed for any powerful figure. She was described to have a strong body, which would bode well for her when Thor was forced to be intimate with her. "I choose Ingrid Ragnarrsdotter," he concluded finally with a sigh, "When will she arrive?"
"In two weeks' time," Odin said, and the council was brought to a close.
Thor chose to wait for a couple of days before he told Harmony. He wanted to give her body time to full heal and gather her strength back, she deserved that at least. There was an uncountable number of times Thor had thought of how he would tell her. She needed to know that he loved her no matter what. The marriage was for duty and even if he and his wife became close, Ingrid would never come above Harmony in his heart. And he was ready to do anything and take as much time as necessary to make sure Harmony knew that, they would be together for the rest of their lives. But as well as Thor knew this, Harmony was only human, and so young. It worried him to think how her frail insecurities could so easily get the better of her.
On the second day after their first night together, Thor allowed Harmony to do her smaller tasks that didn't tax her little body too much. It was afternoon, and Thor was sat on his long sofa while Harmony plumped the last of the cushions oh his bed.
"Harmony, come here," he spoke softly. A sigh followed in one last pointless attempt to shift the dead weight in his chest.
There was something in the subconscious that made Harmony's ears prick up a fraction more, and it was enough to trigger the poisonous valve of anxiety, dripping into the stream of her blood. She tried her best to keep a light face in spite of what her gut told her. Gently, she laid down the cushion down on the bed and stepped lightly on her feet as she went over to him, but already, her mind had sharpened and was already evaluating everything. When she reached her master, he didn't pick her up to place her on his lap like he normally liked to do, like she liked as well; he made her sit beside him, and just everything about it screamed that some bad news was on the horizon.
The panic was evident on her paled face, and Thor lifted a soothing hand to her face, rubbing his thumb in small circles. It was all Harmony could do to stop herself shuffling closer to that giant, warm body and feel those arms wind around her. Lifting his other hand, Thor cupped her face, holding still for a second or two before taking her lips in a tender kiss. "I love you," he vowed, lingering on his beloved's lips.
"I love you too," Harmony promised back, but Thor could hear that nervous strain. He realised he had doubted her senses, they were far keener than he had granted.
"That will never change, we shall always be with each other," he ran his fingers into her locks.
Panic addled her brain, "What's happening?" she squeaked barely as Thor had finished.
The god raised a golden eyebrow, although said nothing about her lack of restraint over her tongue, forgiving her for what was about to happen. In honesty, he didn't blame her for speaking out of turn, and it would have been more concerning to him if she hadn't.
"Harmony, relax," he took hold of both her hands in one of his own, enveloping her in warmth. "After I have said what I must say, you are at liberty to tell me how you feel in all honesty. I will listen."
With a deep breath, Harmony nodded, blinking frantically and she laid her hand over the top of Thor's hands, dwarfed in comparison, "Okay."
Before he could bring himself to speak the words that had been running around in his mind for days, Thor leaned forward and kissed the mortal again, caressing her lips with the softest of movements. Pushing back, Harmony pulled her hands free and curled her fingers in the ends of Thor's hair, tightly holding on until he released her, or rather, she released him.
Firstly, Thor began by pulling her a little closer so that their legs now brushed up close together, sitting half way between adjacent and opposite. He took her hands again, looking at her paled face in the golden hue of the afternoon sun. Her eyes were pleading as she stared into his face.
Taking a deep breath of his own, Thor began, "The morning after," he made a brief pause, "our first night together, I attended a council meeting but I was unaware the agenda had been changed. My mother and father have come to the decision that it is time for me to choose a suitable wife," the tears welling in Harmony's eyes brought him to a halt.
His heart physically hurt to watch the light leave her eyes and the weight of the truth settle over her like thick, black smoke. A thousand words screamed behind her eyes, and her lips trembled with the difficultly of not being able to say a single one. All that kept her tears from spilling over was the uncertainly remaining.
Please say no, please have told them no. It's too soon. It's too soon.
Did you choose? Who did you choose? Please don't have chosen.
"We looked through a great number of possible matches and," Thor pushed himself on, rendered almost voiceless as he saw Harmony's already shaken resolve crumble, "and, finally, the Lady Ingrid Ragnarrsdotter has been chosen to be my wife…" Thor's voice died in his throat at the sight of Harmony's face crunching up, tears unleashed to soak her cheeks, bowing her head until there was a pull in her neck.
Without hesitation, Thor lifted Harmony onto his lap, the touch of his hand triggering the first sob that wracked through both their bodies. Harmony barely felt herself being crushed into her master's body, not as all her worst fears had been realised. She didn't know about Thor but she was not ready for this yet. She didn't like it much when he took another woman for a night, and she mostly managed it because she knew it was for one night and for the sake of appearances.
But a wife? That was not some meaningless night of heated passion, it was a deep, lifelong commitment. Their relationship could be hidden but not with a permanent female companion…And Thor would have to bed her too. There would be no time or chance for him to bed Harmony again. How could their relationship ever continue if Thor had a wife who was there every day of their lives? How could Harmony could back to being just a cleaner of Thor's room or a fetcher of his meals?
She held onto him so tight her knuckles lost their blood, wetting his clothes as she buried her face in his shirt, choking up one sob after the other. The violent convulsions were bone deep, pain ebbing for the centre of her whole being. All that was left that could console her was to know that Thor despised the whole thing as much as she did. She looked up at him, hoping there might be something more to say with a tiny glimmer that he still refused.
"Don't cry, little one. It'll be all right, I promise," Thor kissed the centre of her brow, "Nothing could make me not love you, and in my heart none shall come before you. We cannot be split apart, by anything." He could see the thousands upon thousands of words behind her eyes again, all blocking each other, keeping her mute, so he continued, "My father believes it is important for a bond to form between a future king and queen before they ascend to the throne together. She is to arrive in twelve days and I am to start my courtship of her in order to see if we fit well together – please do not cry, my love."
"It's over," Harmony managed to croak through a hiccup.
Taking her chin with his finger, Thor made her look at him, "I will not hear that. This is sooner than expected, I know, but we both knew it was coming. I'm not going to give you up."
"But, it'll be too hard," the girl choked, hearing a quiet click in her fingers as she clutched at him.
Thor sighed, constricting his arms. However much he hated to admit it, keeping themselves together would be no easy feat, but Thor had never ever been one to back down in the face of a challenge. "It shall not be easy, I know, but that does not mean it is impossible, little one. The future is not set in stone. It might even be possible that she will keep our secret with us."
"How would that work?" she asked with a sniff.
"Marriages in royalty and the nobility are more commonly out of duty than love, I have no intention to give my heart away to anyone other than you. She might feel the same, this is her duty as much as mine," Thor explained.
Harmony nodded, comforted a little by the haze of uncertainty, her mind open to the possibility that there would not be a connection beyond dutiful or that she would accept their secret and hide it with them. Scared to think further on that option, thoughts of an unintended relationship between Thor and Ingrid arising crept into her mind. "What if you do fall in love with her?" she whispered.
"It is you I love, Harmony. I will never choose her above you in my heart. Some sort of genuine feelings may form in time but it shall never match what I feel for you. Each day I grow closer to Ingrid, I shall also grow closer to you; you will always be that much closer and more beloved to me than anyone else," he promised, pausing here and there to caress her skin with tender kisses.
For a moment, Harmony couldn't speak. All she could do was give in to the ache, starting to cry heavily again. It wasn't that she didn't believe him…she didn't know what. She didn't know what to think, she couldn't think. Right then, she just needed to weep in his arms.
It was too much, she couldn't do it. She couldn't bear to think of it actually happening. There would be a strange woman living with them in the palace, sleeping on her side of the bed, having Thor's love instead of her. Harmony knew you couldn't always help what it was you felt – what if Thor fell in love with his future wife without meaning to?
"The two of you might even get along well," Thor interrupted her thoughts with his gentle suggestion, and Harmony merely shrugged in response, not yet able to find her voice. "It'll be all right, I promise, little flower."
Sitting up and straightening her back, Harmony swallowed and sniffed, cheeks and eyes reddened. Thor stroked her hair and kept the other arm securely around her waist, not willing to ever let her go. He said nothing as his slave collected herself. Watching her breathe in and out, he hoped she might have something to say.
Her shoulders hunched in a preparing breath, and Thor found himself bracing, "I can't believe this," was her defeated sigh.
"I know," Thor said, "but we cannot ask for the marriage to be stopped in its tracks for our sake. In the eyes of all the realm, in reality, you are a slave—"
Forcing her way out of his lenient grasp, Harmony sprang to her feet, every nerve alight, "I am more than just a slave!" she cried, emboldened by her own downfall, the fear, anger, hopelessness ripping her apart from the inside out.
Silence followed.
Not even the wind dared to breathe.
One side of her instantly regretted her words; she had lashed out before and she had suffered for it because it was wrong of her. But on the other side, she supported herself, what she had done was right, it was true. She was more now than the creature Thor had hauled up into his saddle to carry home. His lover, his companion, his friend, his little one, his slave, yes, but no longer that alone. Harmony knew it, and she knew that Thor knew it too.
"Tell me I'm wrong," she found herself saying before she could give it a thought.
By the gods, she'd done it now. It was already occurring to her that she knew she would come to regret opening her mouth, but now looking into her master's face made fear descend over her mind in a blinding fog that left nothing but the most primal thought processes.
A tick pulsed in the god's jaw, his eyebrows knitted themselves into a forceful glare. She didn't dare look in his eyes.
Gods…oh, gods.
Her flittering gaze was drawn to his tensed biceps, their immense size making her throat and chest grow tight; then to his wide shoulders and chest that he would crush her against when he got hold of her.
"Harmony, come here," he said in a deathly quiet voice.
If the girl had not been so overcome and stripped down to her instinctive reactions, a couple of tiny steps would have been taken before she fell to her knees with her head in her hands or hugging herself tightly. Apologies and pleas would have been whispered like hushed prayers in waiting for Thor to do whatever he dared.
But she didn't.
As if in dream, Harmony knew what she was doing, without a great deal of control over her own form.
She backed away, shaking her head vigorously as her eyes brimmed with burning water. Her step quickened with fear of losing her sight, blinking in a hysterical struggle so she could see any incoming attacks. A glance behind her would be too risky; Thor had a deceptive swiftness that she knew all too well. "N-No," she whispered brokenly.
Slowly, Thor eased himself to his feet. It was wrong – he should have thrown himself at her with a snarl, chased her, growling in his chest. He shouldn't have had such control over his colossal body. His eyes could melt stone. "Come here," he repeated evenly.
So close to the door now, Harmony half collapsed against the hard solid wood, hands fumbling for the handle.
"Don't. You. Dare."
The last of Harmony's nerve broke. Adrenaline fuelled her as she hauled open the door and bolted down the corridor, abandoned by all trace of rational, measured thought or reasoning.
She had to run. Away from him, away from the palace, away from thinking, feeling, away from everything.
Other people were nothing but blurs as she rushed past them, arms and legs working furiously to propel her on. Blood pounded in her ears, so certain she could heavy footsteps, when really nothing but a small rush of air followed in her wake, and a tiny stature was useful for weaving and dodging adeptly. Her legs carried her to the paddock where she rode Gyllir, firstly because it was the only safe way out of Asgard's city that she knew, only then, Harmony saw the mare. Tacked up for a session of lunging, Gyllir stood waiting in her stall, munching on her bit. The sight of her flicked a switch in Harmony's clouded mind, a miraculous coincidence for her need to escape everything.
Slowing to a brisk walk, pain and fatigue wasted no time in engulfing the young mortal's body and the adrenaline ebbed away. Gyllir, although put off by her little rider's fear, was glad to see her; she blew through her nostrils several times as Harmony fumbled with shaking fingers at the head-collar, and then with untying the throat lash to untangle the reins before buckling it back, quickly putting four fingers in between to be sure it wasn't too tight or loose. She didn't bother pulling the reins over Gyllir's head as she led her out of the stable, looking back the way she'd come over her shoulder once every few seconds, while tugging on the rein she held.
Her desperation held firm. There was no sign of her mind settling any time soon, not while she was there.
Harmony rushed to the mounting block, with Gyllir almost trotting to keep up, even with her long legs. With those fingers still shaking, Harmony tightened the girth as much as she could from them ground, and then pulled down the stirrups, which were fixed to her length of her legs since no one else rode her. She quickly looked back, climbing the few steps, before mounting. A flood of anxiety brought her close to hyperventilation. Swinging her left leg forward over the knee roll, Harmony reached over to lift the saddle flap and hold it up in her other hand, also keeping a hold on Gyllir's reins, so she could tighten the girth a little more. There was quite a way to lean down but she managed to tighten it by another hole.
She put her leg back in the usual position, gathering up her reins as she slammed her legs into Gyllir's sides. It didn't matter then about looking pretty or riding to the best of her ability. Only escaping mattered. By this point, what she was escaping from exactly had become a haze of confusion to her.
Just as Gyllir broke into a canter, Harmony spared a final glance behind her. Seeing nothing, she put every bit of energy into gaining as much speed as possible, until they were nearly flying. The closed gate that opened up onto the vast meadow was up ahead, nearer and nearer every second. At the speed they were going at, Gyllir could have leapt over the mountains but Harmony still tensed as she realised there was no way through other than over. Faster than ever before, Gyllir was upon the gate all too soon, launching from the ground with immense power. Folding as she had been taught, Harmony's hips shifted back as her weight lifted slightly from her saddle, her lower leg remaining still, giving with her hands. A tiny helpful voice reminded her not to look down, but ahead. The angle of the ascent came as a frightening surprise, leaving her a split second to adjust and keep her position.
Changing from flight to landing, Harmony shifted her weight back through her upper body, straightening so she was not thrown forward over Gyllir's shoulder for a painful tumble, but the force of the landing shook her and her upper body collapsed a little as they reached the ground. With a gasp, she regained her position, Gyllir already galloping with all her might. Harmony pushed her on still, using the strength in her hips to ride in time with her magnificent strides, and it was then that she remembered how this was the closest to freedom she would ever truly be.
The forests were close now. Protection, shelter, hiding.
Harmony prepared herself as Gyllir flew over the woody threshold. Ducking low, she placed her trust in her mount, now barely able to see a thing beyond the golden mane that tickled her red cheeks. The occasional jump and uneven patch of ground shook her but she gripped on tight, her lowered position giving a slight advantage.
In the later afternoon now, darkness clung to the tree trunks. As the light faded, Harmony risked looking back over her shoulder to make sure she could see the light of the meadow. She wanted to escape but she did not want to get lost either.
When she felt far enough into the woods to be safe, Harmony half-halted, sitting up and deep into the saddle, pressure increasing down the reins. Her breath jolted in her throat as Gyllir changed progressively down the gaits until they were walking leisurely and the mare stretched into the contact. They weaved through the trees, often doubling back since Harmony didn't want to venture too deep and didn't want to stop moving. The thought of stillness brought nothing but a cold chill of dread. Now reassembling her thoughts, the slave found she didn't know where to begin.
Did she try and make sense of Thor's upcoming marriage? Or worry her neck over what would happen when she saw her master again.
I've never run away from him before, she thought, I've never really actually disobeyed him. His punishments were never serious, if I can call them punishments at all. Frightening, but he never caused me real harm.
Would he understand when she came back, forgive her? Know that she would have never done it otherwise? She wished with all her being that that would be true.
With that fragment of reassurance and uncertainty, her thoughts passed over to Thor's chosen bride, Ingrid. Harmony had already convinced herself that she would be everything that she was not – strong, beautiful, confident, graceful, secure and bold. This woman would take her side of the bed, stand by Thor's side instead of her, and she would be discard and forgotten. How could Thor maintain his bond with her when he had a new bride in his life? They would of course be together much of the time, and Harmony could not think how he would find time for her, romantically or otherwise.
The only possible way for them to continue as they were was if this Lady Ingrid knew of the situation and was happy to let it continue. In a way, it all depended too much on Ingrid. Thor may have always chosen Harmony in his heart, he could not always choose her in reality. The idea of choosing a mortal slave over his own future wife and queen was ludicrous!
Lifting a hand to brush hair from her face, Harmony's palm touched against her cheek, and found it wet. She blinked and a tear from each eye slipped warmly down her face, but was somewhat soothed by the soft rocking of Gyllir's pace.
She regretted running now, especially here. Running from a master was one of the worst offenses a slave could commit. Not only had she spoken out against him, she had disobeyed a command and then fled. He would not be pleased when he next saw her, and her body tightened, gripped with terror, at the thought of what he might do with her. It occurred to her that he might be so angry that he forgot his strength and she wouldn't be able to reach him to calm him.
Looking up, Harmony could still see the light of the meadow, which was considerably darker. However, that concern was wiped clean from her mind as it started to rain.
The heavy droplets splashed mostly on the tree leaves, seldom actually directly hitting Harmony or Gyllir, but they could both hear it above. And it was growing heavier by the moment. Harmony, who had been looking straight upwards, now lowered her head, horror etched upon her face. Frozen as the realisation dawned upon her, a misty breath rolled from her lips.
Gyllir snorted impatiently. Without thinking, Harmony rammed her legs into the mare's sides again, and with a toss of the head, Gyllir broke into a canter from walk, urged on by her rider's desperation. It no longer mattered where they were headed, they just had to keep moving. Through the gaps in the trees, Harmony could see the sky was a deep grey, nearly black, and it snatched away almost all the light.
A clap of thunder shook the heavens and Harmony shrieked, drowned out by the fierce fanfare that seemed to go on and on.
Startled, Gyllir threw a buck and quickened. It was hopeless. It was over. There was never any hope of escaping. Her defeat was inevitable, but she found herself determined to fight it off for as long as possible.
A sharp turn shook Harmony's seat, so that she did not see her master drop from the sky; she only had a split second before Gyllir reared in fright, throwing her violently out of the saddle, and she practically rolled backwards down Gyllir's back before thudding painfully on the ground, luckily on the bone of her shoulder and not something more breakable. Adrenaline shielded her from the brunt of pain's keen hands; she looked up, faint and starved of air.
"There you are, I was beginning to worry," Thor growled bitterly.
His cape, colour of blood, billowed majestically behind him, terrifyingly. He gripped Mjolnir in a vice-like hold, tiny fragments of electricity dancing around his fingers, while the storm raged above their heads. The god was visibly shaking with fury. Harmony didn't dare say a thing.
She'd never seen him like this before. He'd been angry before, even angry with her, but this was something so much more than anger. Beyond redemption, beyond feeling.
"On your feet," Thor barked in order.
Mind frozen, Harmony obeyed blindly and shakily gathered herself to her feet, eyes to the floor. Thor lifted his hand and beckoned Gyllir forward to him before turning his baleful gaze on his slave. She could feel him burning into her, making her body hurt, her feet burn upon the ground. "Walk," he snarled, turning away.
He set off in his long strides with Gyllir alongside him, and Harmony shamefully following behind. It would have surprised her if he'd let her ride back; that would have been too kind, too easy. The journey home was a punishment in itself. Her feet soon grew tired from one tedious step after the next, and the darkening sky made it harder and harder to see what was in her path, causing her to become actually nervous about putting her foot down in case she hurt herself, which she did – several times.
Part of her sighed with relief when they stepped out onto the meadow. The soft grass caressed her ankles and calves, a welcome feeling after trudging through the woods for what seemed like hours. And Gyllir had drew back a little so they now walked close to side by side, Thor still leading. Harmony was grateful for the mare's closeness. She knew she'd miss it when Gyllir was put away in her stable, leaving her to face Thor alone.
By the time Harmony felt the warmth of Thor's chambers, she was ready to collapse. A dull ache ran up her legs, and a sheen of sweat clung to her forehead. The sofa, the bed, the carpet, they all looked so inviting…but Thor had barely begun with her yet. He hadn't said a word more to her, nor even looked at her.
Only then, at a double glance, Harmony saw what made her blood run cold with realisation.
Hanging from the two end posts of the bed, were iron shackles.
Thor turned and watched as her widened eyes inched further onto the bed and settled on the short whip.
Suddenly Harmony couldn't breathe. "N-No," she choked.
She wanted him to shout at her, roar at her, throw something at her, bruise her. They would heal with a little time. You could have whip scars for the rest of your life.
She would have willingly opted for a beating from her old owner than face the whip for the first time.
Stumbling back, she pleaded faintly again, "No."
This time, Thor caught her before she could flee again, grip like a vice. Sinking her teeth into her lip, Harmony stifled a whimper as he brutally hauled her over the bed, wrenching her delicate wrists up so he could shackle them, facing her away from him. Tugging futilely, the slave whined like a frightened animal, unable to resort to aggression to defend itself, total submission. She whipped her head from side to side, trying to look back over her shoulder so she could see him.
"I do not want to do this," Thor whispered, reaching forward and taking hold of the whip. Then do not do it, Harmony cried silently. "But you have forced my hand. Deserters must always be punished, even you."
"No, no please," she cried out, still fighting against her bonds, "I'll never do it again!"
"You have forsaken me in your fear," the god spoke, as though he were uttering her death sentence. Harmony shook her head in protest as he continued, "Defied me and my orders, and fled."
Tears scorched her eyes, her body still fighting against the unrelenting metal. "I'll do anything," she sobbed, "please don't."
A bruise would fade, an ache would ebb away, but a whiplash would mar her forever, a lifelong sentence of shame and impurity. She had never realised until then how important the sanctity of her own body was to her. Thor watched her struggle with mild fascination; he had not expected such passion, such desperation in her attempts to break free. He had whipped dozens and dozens of cowardly soldiers in his time, and was now rather adept at it, but they had never fought so hard like Harmony was then.
"Be still," Thor hissed. In one motion, he ripped her tunic open from behind, exposing her untouched back to him, pale and smooth.
"You said you'd never destroy me!" Harmony nearly screamed, "You promised me."
Suddenly Thor gripped her jaw from behind, wrenching her head to the side, "This is not your destruction. You have no idea what destruction is." He released her jaw and pulled the two halves of her tunic down so they hung off her arms.
Harmony struggled more than ever. The merciless metal binding her wrists shook the delicate bones, grinding them, drawing blood from the inside. Pain roared down her arms. She screamed through her teeth, near to breaking her wrists in her fight. Thor's arm wrapped itself over her middle, "Be still!" he snapped again, shaking her into stillness with a single jerk.
Now she hung her head and wept.
"Ten lashes," Thor told her.
He was being merciful, extremely merciful. Running away was one of the worst offenses a slave could commit; Harmony had seen slaves beaten for hours.
She tried to imagine the pain, how it would hurt, where most, for how long, and then she thought of how it would taint her unscarred skin. She couldn't bear the thought of what it'd be like when Thor ran his huge hands over her, over the punishment. A mortal could not heal like an Asgardian. How could he love to touch her once her skin had been cracked open by the forked tongue of the whip.
"I will never forgive you," Harmony whispered.
The whip came down, ripping a screaming cry from the slave's throat. A furious searing burn was ignited in its wake. The tiny muscles in her arms tensed and flexed as she gripped the chains with everything she had. But it did nothing to stop the whip cracking down a second, a third, or a fourth time.
Thor watched his little one struggling futilely, screaming, crying, whimpering. No words were uttered. It was the lightest lashing he had ever given; nevertheless, bloody welts lay in place upon her once pure skin, a true testament to how frail a mortal really was. The wounds would be ugly for a fair while, Thor knew, but once they were healed fully, all that would be left would be ten lines of slightly paler skin. It was hardly anything compared to what he had seen in his time.
He wished he did not have to do this though slaves could not go unpunished, just like a soldier could not if they disobeyed. He wished she had never run from him; he wished he hadn't had to say the things that pushed her to running away. Reality was not always fair.
Thor counted the lashes by the disfigured lines on her back. Five, six, seven…
Harmony thrust herself forward, far as the chains would allow her, in a final attempt to escape the agony, knowing she would never be like she was before, less beautiful, no longer pure.
It was all useless.
Eight, nine, ten…
Lowering the bloodied whip for the final time, Thor let out a long breath, eyes fixed on the damage he'd done. Sob after sob, Harmony's sizzling body quivered with the aftershock. The knowledge was damning. She'd carry those scars for the rest of her life. It could never be undone. Harmony wanted nothing more than the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Ironically, she only felt more defiant and rebellious now than she ever did before. He had done this to her, he had made her impure, deprived her of one of the things that defined her.
"Hush now, my love," Thor whispered, dropping the whip to the ground, "You shall not flee again?"
"I am not your love," Harmony spat, empowered by her own emptiness and defeat.
She heard Thor breathe deeply behind her and prayed he would not resort to more punishment, but she was too exhausted and hurt to be as afraid as she should have been. It was the pain and shame talking, Thor knew.
"I'm your slave, and not anything more," bitterness poisoned her husky voice, mocking earlier events.
"No," Thor spoke softly, "you were right before. However you still disobeyed and ran away; I promised everything to you and you lashed out as if it were my choice. That could not go unpunished. Being more than a slave does not mean you are not one still."
Harmony glowered brokenly, red hot tears streaking down her cheeks. Thor stepped away, reaching for a salve that would prevent any infections in the wounds. Harmony was too drained to lift her head to see for herself, only flinching with a sob as the cool cream soothed her ruined flesh. When each of the welts was covered and protected, Thor reached for the shackles and freed her bruised wrists. The girl, barely able to support her own weight, nearly collapsed to the floor, and would have done if her master hadn't hooked his hands under her shoulders.
"Let me go," Harmony whined.
She shivered at the feel of Thor's lips against her ear, "I'm going to make love to you now. You know I wouldn't do so if you were a mere slave, little one."
"I don't want you to," the girl grumbled in response.
It wasn't his terrible news, he couldn't help that; it wasn't that she was just a slave to him, she knew she wasn't; it wasn't that she'd lashed out wrongly at him, in the eyes of the world she was just a slave; it wasn't that she'd run away, she'd needed space to think. Thor had given her those wounds that she could never undo. Ugly and tainted, she no longer felt whole.
"Why not? It is you who needs to know my promises are true," he said.
"Look at me!" Harmony cried before she began to sob again, collapsing her weight against him.
"You will heal with a little time," Thor assured her, "Now lie on your belly."
"No," the slave defied stubbornly.
"You need this, you'll feel better afterwards," Thor kissed her ear, "And then we can speak more of matters that still worry you."
"I will never forgive you," she repeated, voice trembling.
"I know, I know. You do not need to speak any more. Let me take you and your mind will be clear when you wake again," the god whispered, stroking her tangled hair.
Harmony could only weep in reply. She hadn't the strength left to fight or refuse any longer, no more than a shake of the head.
"You need this," Thor said again, "On your belly now."
Harmony crawled onto the bed, wincing and whimpering in pain at the sharp protests of her wounds. It was all too easy to drop onto her belly, limbs like lead. Thor praised her with gentle words, moving round the side of the bed to take her tunic off her arms and then pull down her leggings and rid her of all over clothes. It could not be missed that the slave only wept harder the more she was exposed. After shedding himself to nakedness, Thor climbed over her, careful not to touch her back with his body as he leaned down to her ear, "It'll feel good, I promise. Let go, my beauty."
"Don't call me that," Harmony wept, burying her face in her arms.
Thor did not reply, and could not help look at her lash scars. They were ugly, she was not. Reaching between her shaking legs, he probed and rubbed her womanhood until he had coaxed her body enough. Her little broken body tensed as the tip of his cock nudged her entrance. Holding himself carefully, Thor guided himself into her, feeling her body fight the intrusion but helpless to stop it. Crying out, Harmony found herself lost of breath, filled in a way she'd never thought possible. He felt deeper this way, perfectly poised to strike her most sensitive spots. Her core was so tight it almost hurt Thor as well. He held himself aloft over her, not wishing to touch her scars or crush her, head thrown back with endless ecstasy.
The titan rocked his hips very slowly when he was sure they had both adjusted, thrusting into a spot that made the girl below whimper in pleasure and pain. So utterly tiny, Thor was still amazed at how his cock could fit in her without ripping her apart. Each roll of his hips, however small, reached her deepest moments, giving pleasure almost too much to bear. He made sure to almost stop inside her, and grind himself against her core so that she was gripping the sheets, struggling to breath. His pelvis would meet with the soft flesh of her hind, warming her for a few seconds every time.
Harmony stopped crying, which Thor took as a good sign. Her raging thoughts and brokenness struggled under the physical bliss her master weighed on her. But he was right, she was beginning to feel better. His closeness to her, his cock in her, their skin touching somehow started to numb everything she was feeling. She hated that he had been right.
"Let go, that's it, let go," Thor purred, gradually releasing his strength and speed.
If she'd had the strength in her, Harmony would have pushed her delicate hips back to meet him. Her mind had become hazy. Thrust after thrust, Thor slowly drew her climax from somewhere unreachable inside her. For a while it seemed just a fraction away.
Then it sprang upon her, stopping her heart for just a second. She moaned through each vice-like contraction, Thor whispering to her in his enticing voice. With care, he pulled out of her, caring nothing for his own release, and lay on his back beside her limp form. With even greater care, Thor pulled Harmony on top of him. He wrapped an arm around her lower back which was still untarnished and cupped her head with the other hand. "I love you," he promised.
In a final, exhausted act of defiance, Harmony said nothing and surrendered herself to blissful sleep.
Please review!
What did you think of: The council meeting, the choice of Thor's bride, Thor's talk with Harmony, Harmony running away, Mo being punished for the first time, her defiance and resentment over her punishment?
Let me know, you're all amazing!
NOTE: I've recently been working on a rewrite of 'Harmony and Thunder'. The new version is called 'Concordia in Tempestas', please read and let me know what you think!
Love and hugs xxx
