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Rosa stirred when the warmth from the first rays of sunlight touched her face. She peeled open her eyes to see the rows of bookshelves she lay beside. She was still in the Great Library, in the clothes she had worn the day before. The arm around her waist tightened, pulling her closer to the warm body which lay beside her. Loki, through the night had removed his cloak and covered them in it. They had not meant to fall asleep, but Loki had been more than willing to remain there and so had not stirred her from her sleep. Rosa smiled as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

"Are you awake?" he whispered against her neck.

In answer, Rosa rolled over and buried her face in his chest, breathing a sigh of relief. She was sure it had been a dream, yet here he was, lying by her side on the Library floor.

"You know… we do not have to unseal the door," he murmured, "We could just stay."

"And eat the pages of books for sustenance?"

"If need be," he said.

Rosa smiled and tried to stand, "I must go, Loki."

"No."

"The Royal Feast is drawing nearer. I have duties!"

"Your duty is to please your Prince."

A small laugh, "And what would please you, Sire?"

"For you to stay… until I otherwise command it."

He pulled her into a deep kiss, and though she laughed at him, she returned the kiss. When they parted for need of air, Loki pressed his lips to her forehead.

"No." she whispered.

Loki pulled back to look at her, "No?"

Rosa smiled, "No."

She got to her feet and moved towards the door. Glancing over her shoulder to look upon him once more with a smile upon her face, before closing the door behind her.

As Rosa slipped back into her room, Lyora emerged from their washroom. Her absence had not gone unnoticed by Lyora, who only gave her a knowing smile. She wore that smile the whole while she prepared herself for the day, then left the room without a word.

Rosa smiled and shook her head to herself. It would not be a smug smirk that her dear friend would have worn, had she known just who Rosa had spent the night with.

"Magic is honest. It is selfish… in order to perform it, you must want a thing to happen more than anything else in that moment. You cannot be distracted. You have to want it and you have to make it so. That is why so many people are wary of it; because to cast a spell is to bare your soul."

The Prince and the maid lay together, covered only in the silk sheets of Loki's bed. In the dark of night, Loki had disguised Rosa as not but shadow with an enchantment, and together the two had made their way to his chambers. And here, hours later, when the moon hung high above Asgard, the pair lay together in the light provided by a single candle. Loki lay on his back, the sheets pooling at his waist and he tucked one arm beneath his head, propping himself up to watch her. She lay across his chest, her chin resting upon his naked skin as she reached up and gently stroked the dark locks of hair at Loki's temple. Loki ran his fingers up and down her exposed shoulder absentmindedly as they spoke, completely and utterly content.

"I do not see why that would be a frightening thing to witness," Rosa replied in a murmur, "surely for the most part, if what you say is true, magic would be used for not but good. Nobody wants to act evilly."

Loki tilted his head slightly, "You do not believe in the wicked soul?"

"No. No being is entirely evil… I indeed refuse to believe it." Rosa pressed a soft kiss to Loki's chest.

Loki smiled, "I suppose then, it is the ambiguity to it. The chance of evil, if you will. If you can do anything, then you are capable of anything. Which makes you untrustworthy. A Spell-caster may create fire with the intention of providing warmth, but to those who are unsure of his actions, fire may very well look to them as destruction and danger."

Rosa moved off him as Loki sat up and opened his palm. When he did so, a small flame flickered in his hand. Rosa gasped and her eyes widened, holding not but wonder. She leaned in closer until her eyes were level with Loki's hand. Slowly she reached out and flicked her finger through the flame, like one might play with the flame of a candle. The fire was hot, yet it did not cause Loki any discomfort at all. Rosa looked up and their eyes met. Loki soon wore a grin to match Rosa's.

"It reminds me," he told her softly, extinguishing the light, "I need to burn those two books we read."

Rosa moved to rest up against his chest, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. As if it were a natural reaction Loki's arms encircled her waist.

"Why is that?" she asked.

"I loathed them."

"Truly?" Rosa asked, looking puzzled.

Loki tilted his head and when Rosa glanced up, his eyes bore into her, "Entirely… though, only because they kept me from you."

She blushed and he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"…can anyone do magic?" she asks him, hesitantly.

Loki watched her, a knowing smirk blooming on his features, "Potentially," he said, "any Asgardian could, yes."

Blue eyes met green, "Could you teach me something?" There was that light in her eyes again… "Just something small."

As Loki moved, Rosa sat up, instantly missing the contact of his bare skin against hers. He climbed slowly off of his bed, allowing Rosa a moment to appreciate the way the muscles in his back and shoulders rippled as he moved. He glanced back at her before stepping out onto his balcony for a moment and then he was back, just as quick as he disappeared. He climbed onto the bed once again and sat down in front of her, only inches between them. Rosa, who was thoroughly distracted, was shaken from her thoughts when Loki held out both of his hands before her. In each hand was a flower bud.

"The real secret is to be completely unafraid." He told her, his voice not much louder than a whisper, "If you doubt yourself in even the slightest, you will fail. Call from deep within yourself, something that is there, though you cannot explain what it is. And then want it. Really want it."

Rosa's eyes widened as the green little bud in Loki left hand glowed green before unfolding itself, blooming into a beautiful orchid. It was as if it had awoken from a deep slumber… it had just been waiting for Loki, all this time, to allow it to explode with life. She let out a laugh, and touched it softly before Loki placed in her hand the still closed bulb. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting it.

"What is there to be afraid of?" Rosa whispered.

"You are about to find out what you are capable of… what if it is more than you thought? What if it is less? What if it's more than you can control? Or if you were to make something dreadful happen unintentionally."

"But I thought you said to cast a spell, you had to desire that and nothing else."

"But the mind strays easily, does it not?" Loki pressed a kiss to her shoulder, "Accidents do happen."

Rosa stared at the bud in her hand, Loki's words swirling in her head. And though she truly, deeply wanted the bulb to bloom, he was right... She was afraid. Her eyes met his as she let out a sigh.

"It is not a skill easily picked up," Loki told her, "I know few who are capable of it at all."

She smiled and clutched the bud in her hand and Loki gently laid her back down, climbing over her and capturing her lips in a kiss.

Loki stood on the vast balcony just outside of Odin's chambers, staring out over the kingdom. He stood there alone with his thoughts, or so he thought, before heavy footsteps sounded behind him. He did not have to turn to know them to belong to Thor.

"You are deep in thought brother, what is it that ails you?"

"What troubling thoughts could possibly plague the mind of a man who looks out over all of this?"

Thor laughed and took a spot beside his brother. The blonde leaned upon the stone railing and his eyes followed that view Loki gazed out over. The two stood in silence for some time, as they shared the view of the Kingdom which would one day belong to only one of them.

It was Thor that broke the silence, "Father grows tired brother, the Odin Sleep draws near. He will soon announce which of us shall rule in his absence."

"At which time I shall do my best to hide my shock when he utters your name, Thor." Loki said with a scowl.

"Come Loki, Father has always said that we both were born rulers."

"Then perhaps the next time we wage war against the Frost Giants, he shall sit me on the throne in Jotenheim as a consolation prize." The bitterness in his voice was evident, even to Thor.

"Brother-"

"Spare me, Thor. I do not care to hear it."

Rosa sat cross-legged upon her bed, turning over the closed flower bud in her fingers. The full moon shone out over Asgard, giving the ocean outside the maid's window an eerie glow.

Open, she willed it, just a little, dear flower… open…

Lyora kneeled behind her, grooming tangles out of Rosa's hair. She hummed to herself a sweet song, while her fingers worked.

Come little flower, I want you to open…

Rosa held out the bud in her palm as she tried to focus on it, and it alone. Telling herself that nothing else existed, nothing but her unopened flower. And so, she had nothing to fear.

Open… Live…

"There you are, Rosa," Lyora said gently as she finished her work. She climbed off of her bed and into her own.

Her voice slipped absently from her throat, as if she was not at all aware of it while she stared at the flower bulb, "Thank you…"

Wake up, my flower… open for me…

It had been so easy for Loki, as if he were breathing… like everything he did. It seemed as easy to him as breathing. A smile bloomed upon her lips as thoughts of him began dancing through her mind.

From the other bed, Lyora lay on her side studying her friend as she played with a green flower bud. She was completely and utterly absorbed in her thoughts, cut off from the rest of the universe. Lyora smiled.

"Love suits you," she whispered.

For the first time that night, Rosa looked away from the sleeping flower. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"…love?" she murmured.

Lyora only smiled, "Goodnight, Rosa."

Love… "Goodnight…"

Her eyes returned again to the flower bud.

With a sigh she lied back against her pillow and reached out to place the bud on the small stand beside her bed, atop which stood a single burning candle. She stared at it in the light of the flame for a moment more, before she leaned over and blew the candle out. She then closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

The moment he entered the Library, he knew something was out of place. He scanned his surroundings cautiously as he moved further into the room. Something was strange… but what? He shook the feeling off as he heard light footsteps approaching him, he turned towards them, waiting for Rosa's smiling face to appear-

A tiny woman with black hair pulled into a tight bun popped out from amongst the shelves. She wore the same attire Loki was so used to seeing Rosa adorned in; a maid. In her arms she carried a pile of books which she set about returning to their places upon the shelves. Frowning, Loki took a step towards her. She heard his footsteps and gave a startled jolt when she spotted him so close to her without her having realised his presence at all.

Turning to face him, she gave a respectful curtsey, "My Lord." She said before returning her attention to the shelves.

"Who are you?" Loki asked, tension in his words.

"My name is Yomir, Sire," she replied, bowing her head to him once again, "I have been assigned to Great Library as caretaker. Anything you might need, it is my honour to see that it is done for you, My Lord."

"Where is Ro-the maid before you? What happened to her?"

"I know not, Sire. She has been reassigned."

Loki looked away from the woman, his jaw clenched tight. His hands were balled into fists by his sides as he attempted to keep his temper in check. Whoever had moved her, he would be certain to see them flogged.

"Is there any way in which I can assist you, Sire?" Yomir asked timidly, stirring the Prince from his thoughts. She could not be certain, but she was sure the room was growing darker… just her imagination, she told herself.

"No," he replied bluntly, his voice sounding harsh, even to his own ears, "go about your duties."

He turned and stormed out of the Library, the door slamming shut behind him with a thundering boom. As he made his way through the corridors of the Royal Palace, those he passed actively moved out of his way. Rage seemed to seep out of him. But beneath that, in the pit of his stomach, there was a deep concern. Where was she? What had happened?

His strides quickened, he moved as fast as he possibly could without breaking into a sprint.

When he reached his chambers he threw opened his door and slammed them forcefully behind him before he flew across the room to the empty basin. After a wave of his hand the thing had filled with water which because the ripple as Loki leaned over it.

As the liquid began to glow green, it swirled into the image of a face, Rosa's face, bowed reverently towards the ground. Her hair was not tied back as it usually was, nor was she in her blue maid's attire. Instead, her hair fell in lovely waves around her shoulders and down her back. She now wore a dress, far more beautiful than that which the other maids were made to wear. It was white and gold, elegantly made from the finest materials. Loki knew all too well why Rosa was adorned in such attire. He knew where she had been reassigned.

"Try not to look so nervous, Dear," his mother's voice echoed up out of the basin, "I requested you, you need not win my approval."

Rosa gave a small, nervous smile, "Thank you, My Queen."

Frigga sat before her with her hands folded in her lap, "The other girls will see to it that you are shown your day to day duties, and I am confident that you will pick them up quickly. And do not fret, I am not intolerant of mistakes. I cannot however excuse those who refuse to learn from said mistakes."

"Of course, My Lady." Rosa replied, respectfully.

"For now, I shall have you go with Rin, she will teach you what you need to know." Frigga gestured to the woman by her side, dressed identically to Rosa.

"Thank you, My Lady." She curtsied to her Queen, "Until tomorrow."

Frigga offered a kind smile and inclined her head, "until tomorrow, Rosa."

Loki pulled away from the basin, the image swirling into nothingness. His hands screwed into fists. No, she was his. Rosa was his. Could there be nothing in this world that he could call his, and his alone? Whoever the being was who rolled the dice to determine his fate seemed much inclined to will him poor luck. Though a bitter voice in the back of his mind was kind enough to remind him that this was his fault.

If he could but swallow his pride and name her his…

An image of Rosa adorned in his colours, emerald and gold, flashed within his mind. Standing before the Kingdom, on his arm, for all of Asgard to see… Loki scowled and confessed himself a coward. Bitterness filled him and he threw the basin against the far wall where it shattered into pieces.

Ta-dah! I hope you liked it! Please let me know, I love reading your reviews. They make me so happy!