Chapter 12.

She stood quietly, waiting for him to finish his meeting with a Nobleman and she folded her hands. He wore a dark blue tunic and leather pants, his patience with the man infinite as he looked at Floria in her dress of amber silk. She folded her hands again, and watched the man pass her with the dismissive air she expected of her station as he walked out the door. Loki sighed, and stepped toward her and smiled.

"My apologies, it was an important matter. You look lovely in that color, it was hard to look away." He said and she nodded at him quietly with a soft smile. She, always patient and calm as she stood there.

"Forgiven Sir." She said and curtsied to him. "I came for my lessons as agreed."

"Of course, shall we begin with the tenets of what I am about to instruct you in then?" He asked her and she nodded at him. Her hands trembled a bit, and he wanted to calm her then. Reassure her that he would let no harm come to her, and he gave her a gentle smile. He gestured to a chair, and she sat smoothing her skirts over her lap.

"There is no need for fear Floria, I will not force you to do any works that may give you cause to go against your nature." He said and she listened closely. He handed her the journal, and she took it and he put a pen and well of ink in front of her.

"You will find that you have to trust me, but I will be very careful to ensure that you are not hurt." He said and she nodded, her hands folding as she listened to him.

"I believe you Sir." She said and he smiled at her.

"Then let us begin Nightengale." He said and she took the pen and a piece of paper to write careful notes on what she always had to remember in her future learning.

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"I've done it!" She said, opening her hands on the illusion cradled in it. A small bee floated up and he applauded her. She bounced on her toes, her smile wide as it vanished and she giggled. She frowned for a moment, sighing at the loss of the illusion caused by her broken concentration.

"You did not concentrate hard enough, but it was very well done for your first time." He scolded gently then praised, and she blushed.

"I am sorry Sir, I was just so excited to accomplish this." She blushed deeper and he grinned at her. He stood, standing behind her and he could smell the light scent if the floral perfume she wore. He waved a hand and a wolf appeared, making her gasp.

"With proper concentration, you will one day be able to create larger creatures. And, give them further life than previously thought." He said and she nodded at him, unable to look away from the illusion. He made the wolf sniff about the room, and it scratched at the door with a large paw. He waved a hand again and it vanished, leaving the two alone in the room.

"I will be able to make a wolf? It seems so very impossible." She said and he sat back in a chair, he invited her to sit near the fire to warm herself and he laughed at her.

"Why does it seem impossible?" He asked as she sat and she folded her hands. "You learned to read and write in a few short months, can do sums, and are being prized by the Queen of Asgard as her finest Lady, all in a very short am out if time. You should know that you, of all people can do what is impossible."

"I am sorry Sir, I did not mean to offend you." She said and he sighed. She looked up at him, and he noticed a new nervousness in her eyes that was not there before. She shifted quietly, her hands shaking and she hid her face.

"Is something the matter Floria?" He asked and she nodded, obviously afraid to tell him something. He leaned forward, looking into her eyes and she wept into her hands suddenly.

"I... I..." She sobbed, and looked at him. "I compromised my chastity."

Loki stood, anger racing through him at the thought and his fists closed, he glared down at her and fought the urge to scream in anger. She shook, her eyes filling with fear for her wellbeing and instead of raging, he paced the room She sat in the chair like a wounded animal and wept into her hands, her entire body trembling in fear.

"Was it Thor? Was it him?" He growled and she shrank back, her eyes becoming afraid as she nodded. He raged then, shouting and pacing the room like a caged animal. He could not hate her though, she was so unused to Courtly life and still so innocent to its ways. Thor had used her, and she could be dismissed from her new life for his actions. He could hide It, do anything to protect her should she prove to not be with child. His mind raced, pitying her and hating Thor for his indescretions.

"I am so sorry Sir... I did not want him to do it." She wailed and her lifted her out of her seat by her arms, his heart pounding in rage as she shivered.

"Norns! He.. He raped you?" He said and he looked into her eyes, she shook her head to deny it and he growled. "What happened then?"

She shook, pushing away from him and she wiped at her eyes. She folded her hands, crying and praying that he would understand. She looked at him, and he walked toward her with a steady stride. She backed against the wall, wanting to run away and her stood over her.

"Tell me what he did to you." He demanded and she dropped to her knees at his feet, her skirts pooled around her and she wept.

"He... He forced a kiss on me." She cried and collapsed to the floor, her sobs shaking her whole body. "I did not want it, but he held me so tight and I... I was scared Sir."

"Only a kiss?" He asked her, calming suddenly and he rested a hand on her shoulder. She hissed in pain, pulling away and sat up. He pulled the collar of her dress aside and saw a large bruise forming on her shoulder, obviously caused by rough handling.

"Floria, you did not compromise your chastity at all. He trapped you and stole a kiss, and harmed you in the process." He said and moved close to her. She looked at him, and slowly calmed but her tears fell still.

"I made you so mad Sir. Why?" She asked and he gave her a handkerchief to mop her face. He laughed a bit at her innocence, and put his hand out to help her stand.

"A stolen kiss is not as awful as what I thought had happened... I thought he forced you in to giving him your maidenhood." He said and she swooned in front of him, he caught her and looked at her pale face. His eyes becoming gentle again as he looked down at her, and she whimpered suddenly.

"No Sir, I am still innocent." She said and he helped her lay on the couch. He crouched near the seat, holding her hand and he brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. She did not fear the contact, but she blushed still as he did it.

"He had no right to violate you in that way however, and I am sorry he did it. I will tell Frigga what happened, and how he hurt you by being rough." He said and she nodded gently. "Close your eyes, and rest a bit. Working magic takes some of your energy, and can be draining. It explains why you are so emotional over this occurrence, and I am not diminishing your fears at all. But, our emotions can make us act without thinking at times."

"Yes Sir... And thank you so much for not being angry with me." She said, and he stood. He placed her hand on her stomach, patting it and giving her a soft smile.

"I will go to Frigga at once, I want you to feel safe here and for you to never feel that you are forced to do anything you would never want to." He said and he gave her a polite bow. She sighed, closing her eyes and he let her drift into a sleep of sorts before leaving her.

He turned on his heels, growling under his breath and pulled open the door to his sitting room with force. His eyes falling on Thor and Frigga standing in the hall. They both saw his anger, and with a roar he grabbed Thor and slammed him into a wall. His fist balled, and he felt himself let go as his hand met Thor's face with a meaty thud. Frigga screamed for them to stop, but Thor attacked back. His fist striking Loki in the shoulder, spinning him slightly and he returned with a blow to the ear. He brought forth a knife, pressing it to his brother's throat and he glared into the oaf's eyes with all the venom he could muster.

"You will keep your hands off of Floria, or I shall emasculate you with such glee that you will not understand the joy it will bring me." He warned and he shook Thor, his rage giving him strength. Thor smirked at him, about to come back wirh something clever but stopped.

"Loki!" Frigga gasped, and he turned his head to see Floria standing in the hall next to the Queen. Her hands covered her mouth, and both women looked on in shock as Thor laughed despite his bleeding nose.

"Looks like your audience is afraid of you Brother." Thor laughed and he released Thor, putting the blade away. Frigga hugged the girl to her, soothing her and she glared back to her sons.

"If you are both done being foolish, Thor has a question for your Apprentence." Frigga scolded, and Loki looked at the trembling girl.

"He what?" Loki said in shock and Thor laughed as his incredulous expression.

"Yes Brother, I came to ask Floria for the honor of courting her. Mother gave me her permission to properly be her Suitor, but only if she accepts." He said and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. Loki looked at Floria and she shook her head, her hands clinging to Frigga's shawl.

"No My Prince, I do not want to be courted by you." She said and Loki laughed internally, feeling triumph at her rejection of the Golden Son of Odin. Finally, he would be shown that not everything he desired was for him to take and Loki grinned at his opponent. He relaxed his knife hand, making the blade vanish and crossed his arms. Thor shrugged, looking at his brother and punching him in the jaw. Loki fell, hitting his head on a pillar and the world faded to darkness.