The Art of War

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Collide

"I worry I won't see your face light up again. Even the best fall down sometimes, even the wrong words seem to rhyme, out of the doubt that fills my mind. I somehow find that you and I, collide."

-Collide Lyrics, Howie Day

The embrace was far more gentle than Loki expected the response to his truth telling would be, the tender way she pressed her lips into his was too much. Was this just a kind way of her telling him goodbye – it was all overwhelming – a tear slipped from the corner of one of his eyes. How wrong his brother had been. It wasn't he that did the breaking at all – if she'd of yelled or screamed or hit him or reacted poorly he could have handled it – this was the least expected reaction and somehow it felt crueler than if she'd of simply stormed out on him.

"I'm not happy about this, don't mistake that...but I'm not just going to walk out on you and leave you to deal with this on your own." Jane commented, shaking her head at his confused expression. Had he been offered so little kindness by his own family that he would not know how to take a little in? Then, he'd just told her that his father had been glad he had died instead of Thor – it didn't justify murder but she supposed she could understand his lack of caring. He had to have learned it from somewhere – and Odin did seem pretty uncaring during her short interactions with him.

"Jane, you don't understand, Hel is not someone you can escape or defeat with a well placed punch in the face. She is far more talented at dismantling her enemies than Sif, and far less merciful. She can do so either on the field of battle or in a court. She is not someone trifled with easily." Loki remarked as he realized she intended to stay by him. "I have a plan for her but it involves her letting her think she's won. It's why I'd rather you return to earth, for a time – pretend I've annoyed you and stalk out not to return until I come to get you."

"So, you were going to kick me out no matter what I had to say?" Jane asked, her lips curling downward with her eyebrows. "I don't think so. Uh-uh. I did not just put aside all the crap you put me through in offer to support you so you could just dismiss me. If she's the only other person that knows about what you did then you need someone here. I realize you think I'm just sort of worthless but I'm not, I can help."

"How exactly do you plan to aid?" Loki asked in reply, smirking vaguely despite the dark topic – was Jane serious? She really didn't plan to simply leave him despite all he had done to her? What could he have possibly ever done to deserve that sort of response? It was all too confusing. Had he been a saint in a past life?

"Well, tell me what your plan was and we'll work on it." Jane replied. "I didn't graduate at the top of my class to have anyone indicate I'm stupid – god or otherwise."

Loki wasn't certain he should explain, it wasn't as if his idea was much kinder than the story he'd just explained to Jane – he presumed eventually she would have a limit to what she would tolerate from him. Still, given the generosity she'd already shown he could hardly ignore her. "I plan to kill her Jane, to frame her for my father's death so the whole matter is taken off my hands completely and then once she's executed we would be the only ones that know the truth."

"What?" Jane blinked. It was underhanded, completely on the opposite realm of scrupulous, but she couldn't argue that it fit Loki like a glove. If whatever the finer details were worked out then Loki would escape his own crimes Scott-free. She wasn't sure how she felt about that idea...even if he'd been distraught he should still somehow have to pay for patricide. Then again, she didn't really pity the woman that planned to blackmail him since Hel sounded like murder wouldn't be beyond her either. Jane closed her eyes and lay back on the carpet to join Loki in staring at the ceiling. Was she really going to go through with this?

After letting out a long breath and then taking another to steady herself Jane asked. "Tell me the details. I want to help. I still don't agree with what you did but I don't think this woman's involvement can help anyone, we can deal with the rest later."

"Well, the plan had been to play into her game, wait until she was closer to me, but that will be difficult while you remain on the planet. Still, I believe I can adjust if you think yourself capable of acting well enough to pull off what I have in mind. And that you can suffer a few injustices along the way." Loki commented, the spark in his gaze made it clear he was plotting even as he spoke.

Remembering the cave he shoved her into where she nearly died didn't make Jane any more comfortable about this. Why should she care what happened to Loki anyway? But the thought of him dying...it made her blood run cold. He spoke so often of having fallen for her...was she just as blinded? Certainly if she didn't love him why would she be willing to even consider forgiving him, desire to help him as much as she did. Then, there was the idea of this Hel, and the fact that this woman wanted to take Loki from her. Despite herself, Jane couldn't help but feel a little jealous given the way Loki spoke of her – he clearly held no love for her now but the mannerisms he used in his voice made her think they must have been an item once.

She nodded at him finally, she was resolved that even if Loki was to be punished that this wasn't the way to do it. There was conviction in her tone when she spoke again. "I can do whatever it takes."

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A week later...

Jane was fairly sure she was about to eat her own words. Then be highly uncomfortable when they bit her in the rear. As she watched the small gathering of people she felt incredibly uncomfortable, all this just for the announcement of an engagement? Apparently they required several witnesses for just the agreements of the engagement. What about when there was a real wedding? How long would that take? Hopefully it would never reach that point – since engagements were supposed to last a year traditionally.

Hel would have been beautiful in the long flowing gown if it wasn't for the skeletal half of her that made the image look more like something out of a Tim Burton movie. She was standing in the deep green silks – shaded to match Loki's attire Jane assumed – and had wrapped her arm in his. With Loki near the well dressed and horribly creepy looking Hel, she couldn't help but feel a little out of place.

She tried to offer a small smile to Fandrel when he touched her shoulder and asked a whispered, "Are you all right?"

"I...guess? Not really." Jane answered honestly. It was far from a lie, she really wasn't completely okay but she could hardly just start freaking out about it. "I don't know what I was hoping for."

"You don't have to attend." Fandrel suggested, offering a brilliant smile when the mismatched blue and red eyes shot him a glare from the dias where the engagement was being discussed. Clearly Hel had better hearing than almost anyone else here if she could pick out their conversation from that distance.

"I do." Jane answered in as low a whisper as she could manage. "I guess the lady insisted on my presence, though lord knows why she'd want me here."

Fandrel offered another reassuring squeeze and went silent, not wanting to cause Jane anymore trouble than she was clearly already in. It wasn't as though any woman could appreciate her future husband having consorts...Fandral felt bad for all involved. He'd never enjoyed these sort of tense situations.

Thor and Sif both looked irritated from their places much closer to the stop of the steps where the details were being discussed. Who the line would fall to, obviously after Loki it would be Thor – and then it would fall to Hel once she and Loki were officially wed. Then the custom of a year's engagement was ignored and even Jane felt a twist in her stomach. One month was the time being listed? No one was already that happy with the pair 'getting to know each other again' in such a short time. Announcing an engagement, Thor had been the most outraged. Jane had heard him screaming at Loki even though the thick floor the night before this.

"I told you that you would end up breaking her brother. Have you seen Jane as she paces the floors? She is nothing compared to before, how dare you cage her there like some animal." Thor had bought into the whole plot as easily as Loki had predicted. Jane found it flattering that Thor still cared that much for her despite everything that had happened – he was probably the best friend she had in this place right now. Since Loki was someone she couldn't rely on at the moment.

How long did these things normally take? Why had Hel insisted on her presence anyway? The witch just wanted to rub it in probably, too bad Jane hadn't taken Darcy up on an offer of a stun gun last time she'd been home over Christmas. Jane had a small mental movie of shooting Hel while playing the kids song of 'dem bones' and had to stifle a laugh. Loki was having far too much of an influence on her these days.

"Is something funny about our engagement, whore?" Hel had paused to step down several layers of the tall platform to come closer to Jane. Jane wilted a little despite her desire to remain strong – the woman was half a skeleton and that was creepy as hell. It was a little difficult not to want to wince away from her.

"No, no of course not." Jane answered, keeping her face as straight as possible despite her brain thinking: 'the wrist bone's connected to the arm bone'. "Though I wouldn't say I was the hustler here."

Even though she'd whispered the last part the woman swiftly turned back around and was prepared to strike Jane, who wouldn't have gotten up a hand in time to block but was thankful Fandral was still there to offer his own arm.

"Now now ladies, no reason to fight." The blonde tried to smooth things over. "This is a happy day Lady Hel, no reason to concern yourself with the thoughts of a servant."

"The servant needs to learn her place. You are just a second rate citizen, you are lucky you're allowed to be here at all. If my fiance didn't have needs that my malady fails to allow me to satisfy I would have already seen you cast out. You are naught more than breeding stock." Hel remarked, her voice superior, haughty.

The slap echoed in the large tiled room, the lack of any tapestry's but lots of sculpted stone made it probably sound worse than it was. Jane's hand hurt like hell but she was gonna go in for another hit when it was Loki that knocked her backward. She flew from the steps, landing on her back and rolling several feet before coming to a halt. He'd began to move further down the steps when Thor stepped in front of his brother.

"Stop this now Loki." Thor demanded, standing nearly face to face with his brother despite being a step below him. "I will not tolerate such mistreatment of the Lady Jane."

"I would have let her insolence go but she attacked me...she's more animal than noblewoman." Hel hissed, "She's lucky I didn't do worse than Loki. She cannot go unpunished for this, however you all seem to adore her she must understand there is a propriety that comes with rank. Perhaps times in a stocks would do her well."

"We removed the stocks years ago." Sif remarked, as much as she wasn't a fan of Jane even she was uncomfortable witnessing this form of treatment. "Loki, even you cannot be seriously considering this."

"If not the stocks, then at least time to chill her head in the prisons." Hel suggested.

"Three days in the prisons." Loki agreed, gesturing dismissively as if he didn't want to deal with some argument. "Gaurds, take her. Make certain she is still fed and taken care of and that she had a cell to herself."

"Loki!" Thor grabbed his younger brother as the Asgardian went to turn back to the task at hand, whirling him around. "What is wrong with you? Did you not tell me that you loved Jane?"

"And it passed, as most infatuations do, I've known Hel for far longer, and she makes a far better choice for a queen. She is already trained in our ways, she knows how to manage the court needs of an escort – Jane is undoubtedly beautiful but as my fiance has mentioned to you – she is worth little more than a way to produce heirs and..."

Thor's punch caught Loki squarely in the face, and he went twirling around twice a bit like a ballerina before he managed to catch his feet and glare at Thor. Many weapons were drawn on both the side of the guards and Thor's usual group of friends, the moment suddenly getting even more tense.

"No, no, do not fight the guards." Thor instructed his friends. "If Jane will be spending time in the dungeon's then I will join her. Some punishments are worth it when the crime is needed – hopefully I will have knocked some sense into him. You all remain here, my brother clearly needs someone to remind him what a fool he's being while I'm behind bars. Will that satisfy you brother? Three days was it? And after that if you have not come to some form of rationality then I will beat it into you."

Thor threw off the hands of the guards that meant to 'escort' him, walking himself toward the dungeons in disgust. His friends glancing between them and scowling at Loki before excusing themselves.

"Everyone cannot just leave, we require witnesses." Hel hissed at Loki.

"Then find ones that will not cause such unneeded drama." Loki replied, but then he knew that Hel had a love for the dramatic that teetered on insanity. She thrived on the tension, ate up the turmoil as if she were starved for attention. It was her biggest fault, it was how she'd ended up getting caught by Odin years ago. "Have you not grown up at all since we were children?"

"This from the boy that went to the mortal realm to claim it as a god because his own family troubles." Hel returned without missing a beat. "How did that work out for you? From what I heard you got beaten by that ragtag group of misfits and thrown in jail by daddy? You shouldn't judge me Loki, I've played this game much longer than you and I have a much better idea as to what I can get away with."

Loki endured the insults, only glancing away from her as he took them

"There's a good boy. I do like when my pets learn to have the right respect." She whispered so as to not be overheard by the guards, before adding loud enough for them to hear. "I'm sorry my king, that was uncalled for, that girl just got me so riled. I hope you'll accept my apology."

"Of course my heart." Loki vomited the words everyone needed to hear. Just as glad he'd had little to eat that morning given he had to look at her face while he said them – otherwise it might not have been only words that came up. He had to keep reminding himself that he would see her killed for this – and that he would have to strengthen his game if he was to win this.

End Chapter

So, starting to slowly unravel, or ravel maybe? Depending on how you look at it. Hel is a real B, but I'm enjoying the writing so I hope people enjoy reading it. I have recently finished a mv for this pair – if you look up 'my demons' and 'lokane' on youtube it should be the first thing that comes up. We'll be starting our move into a new house Sunday so I'll try to get up another update before then but I can't make promises.

-Aura

P.S. I cooked up a Loki plot but it doesn't appear to be very liked so it'll probably be a oneshot. Called Trust My Rage.

P.P.S. My brain has come up with another Lokane plot but I'm trying to focus fire this fiction first – why must you hate me muse?

To my reviewers:

As always you guys rock. I appreciate that you take the time to write me about my work.

Violence – Your comment made me nearly spit soda out when I read it. While I'm pretty sure I'd never write that but it was amusing.

Word lover – I think we all feel bad for Loki. That's one of the traits that most drew me too him as a bad guy. The way I can relate and pity him for what he's been through. Thanks for the remark about cliche's too. I do try to avoid them when possible – unless they're logical XD