Aemilia awoke the next morning, comfortably nestled on her stomach in a sea of cool silk, feeling more rested than she had in longer than she could remember. She felt so wonderful, in fact, that she had no desire to fully awaken, so she rolled over to her back and sighed as she sook a few more moments of sleep.
But then, as semi-alertness slowly grew into half-alertness, the memories made the night prior suddenly flooded her mind and her eyes snapped open. She looked first to her left, and then to her right. She was alone.
Feeling slightly bereft despite the onslaught of warm, blissful memories, she sat up in Loki's bed, casting her eyes around his room as morning sunlight swept along the walls. There was no sign of him anywhere, so she let herself lean back against the pillows and headboard, closing her eyes as she stretched.
For once, she was not sore, bruised or even exhausted following a night spent with him. In fact, she felt rather wonderful, and quite shocked that last night had even happened at all. She never would have thought that he could be capable of such tenderness, that he could be so gentle and, dare she say, loving. It struck her and left her feeling even more wondrous to think that they had not merely lain together as they had many times, but for the first time had truly made love. It had been made all the more powerful by the lack of spoken words between them after, how he had taken her in his arms and not even contemplated sending her away.
It was the latest wholly unexpected turn of events, and there had been many of those lately. But this was one that she had needed desperately, without even realizing it.
After a few more moments spent mentally replaying some of the night's best moments, Aemilia realized that should probably get back to her room. Perhaps it was early enough that she could slip back in without Gunnvarr noticing and thus avoiding a potential disapproving glare or speech from her.
She peered over the edge of the bed to look for her clothes, but they were long gone from the floor. She glanced at the sheets, but they were far too huge to even attempt to pull from the bed and cover herself with. However, a slightly lighter shade of emerald green near the foot of the bed caught her eye, and she took a second look and realized there was a silken robe laid out there.
It was rather short and trimmed with black lace on the sleeves and neckline, and she almost rolled her eyes as she picked it up and pulled it over her shoulders. She stood up from the bed and tied it closed at the waist, unsurprised that it reached only her mid-thigh.
After a brief trip to the bathroom, she crept back into Loki's bedchambers to find them empty still. She took a turn about the room, realizing this was the first time she'd ever seen it during the morning hours. It seemed less... overpowering with the soft light filtering through and illuminating the dark shades of green and royal gold throughout.
She spotted a lidded tray near Loki's desk across the room, and for a moment she debated picking at whatever food lay there or going back to her room. The choice became clear, however, when she considered the considerable walking distance between rooms and the fact that she still had yet to find her dress anywhere.
She walked to the tray and removed the lid, her stomach noisily appreciating the sight of what could have been a royal breakfast sampler. A bit of everything, not too much of anything. She wondered if Loki had chosen it for her sake, since he didn't know her taste in breakfast foods, or if his own tastes were simply this widely varied.
Also on the tray was a glass half filled with something that looked like tea. She picked it up and sniffed at it, then immediately realized it was the contraceptive potion she hadn't taken in more than a week. She then drained it in a few gulps, thankful for Loki's penchant to truly think of everything. She might not have remembered to take the drink for a few more days. She then turned to the food and began plucking at it.
She'd downed a few plump berries and half of a fruity little pastry when she felt a sudden cold chill on the back of her neck. A smile graced her lips - she was no longer alone.
"You're late to rise."
His voice was silky and she felt it vibrate lightly against her skin as he grazed his lips along her neck; his arm enclosed around her waist. She smiled. "Not normally. I happened to sleep exceptionally well last night."
He chuckled against her cheek, leaving a little kiss there before answering, "As did I."
She turned her head then and met his gaze before catching his lips with hers. This didn't seem real, this ease between them, at this hour of the day. She'd meant it when she told them that their relationship could not be as it had been before, but the idea that he'd taken her words to heart was surprising.
He hummed into the kiss when she reached a hand into his hair. She was about to turn and draw him fully against her when he drew away, a small grin on his lips as he took her hand in his. He turned and sat down in a small chair at the table, then tugged on her hand and led her down to sit sideways on his lap.
"Where were you?" she asked as Loki pulled the tray of food closer to them.
"Here and there," he answered vaguely, smirking at her as he picked up one of the same berries she'd been sampling. "Saw my mother and made my amends for my... ungrateful behavior yesterday."
He held the berry up to her mouth, and her eyes flickered from it to his eyes as she took a graceful bite. He watched her mouth greedily, then ate the rest of the berry himself. His free hand was on her hip, holding her close to him, and her arm was draped around his shoulders - it felt wonderfully comfortable to be with him like this.
"She's rather fond of you," Loki added absently, grabbing another berry and offering it again. She took a bite. "I don't think I realized quite how much until yesterday."
"Why?" she asked. He didn't move to finish the berry himself, so she then took the rest of it, making sure that her lips closed over the tips of his fingers as she did. Her eyes stayed on his as she lingered just slightly too long, and to her surprise, a bit of color filled his cheeks just before she pulled away. The blush was extremely subtle, but it was there. She smiled as his eyes stayed on her lips even after she'd swallowed the berry. "Loki?"
His eyes blinked and then snapped up to hers. "What?"
"You're blushing," she smiled.
He narrowed his eyes. "I am not."
Her smile grew. "You are."
"I do not blush."
She thought he was oddly adorable in that moment, not that she'd ever say the word out loud in his presence. That would earn his indignation far more than an accusation of a blush. Instead, she leaned down and pressed her lips to the expanse of his neck visible between the edges of his high collar.
He leaned his head back slightly to give her better access, letting out a breath as she ran her hand over his chest. He was in his usual layers of clothing and leather that made it hard for her to feel him through it all, but that didn't stop her. His pulse fluttered against her lips as she nibbled and then sucked at it, and then his free hand was reaching into her lap, tugging at the silk tie around her waist holding her robe together.
The hand on her hip rose up to grip a handful of her hair and pry her away from his neck. Their gazes met and he let his eyes flicker down to her lips briefly as he took the hand not in her hair and pushed one sleeve of the now-open robe off of her shoulders. His voice was pure velvet as he began to speak. "When I awoke this morning to the sight of you in my bed... barely covered by my sheets and sleeping soundly... it took a great deal of self control for me to not wake you and have you again."
"Why didn't you?" she asked, taking her arm out of the sleeve he'd pushed down.
He immediately cupped the breast her motion exposed, watching his hand upon it as he replied, "I have duties that I cannot always shirk. Not even when I desperately want to."
She covered his busy hand with hers, and the urge to speak to him about what had transpired last night was suddenly overwhelming. Though she wanted his touch, she drew his hand away, and in remembrance of one of the many heart-stopping moments from the night before, she laced her fingers through his and held his hand tightly in her own. He looked down at their joined hands and then raised them to press a kiss to hers, then met her gaze with a glimmer of the same sweetness he'd shown her last night.
Her heart swelled like a balloon on the verge of bursting. "I don't think I can properly tell you how... last night... I..."
He silenced her with a kiss, taking her hand and placing it in his hair. Then he drew away and murmured, "You don't have to say anything."
"I want to," she replied, looking up into his eyes and seeing a trace of apprehension in his eyes. It shouldn't have surprised her. As enormous of a step as they'd taken the night before, the journey was yet only beginning.
She decided on something that she hoped was safe to say. "I meant everything that I said."
"As did I," he replied before kissing her again, this time deeper and with a greater passion.
Both of her hands were in his previously immaculate hair, laying waste to it as they kissed hungrily. She felt his hand at her knee, sliding over it and then pressing it away from her other one, and then his hand was crawling up her thigh, inching higher, and when he reached center, he broke away from their kiss and let out a huff of a chuckle.
"Woman," he groaned against her lips. "You are gushing."
"Are you surprised?"
"No," came his still-strained sounding response as he let his fingers just barely brush against her. "Though I suspect that if I were to set my mouth to you, I would surely drown."
She laughed softly but his eyes caught her cheeks flushing. His fingers pressed gently into her, and she gasped quietly and reached for another kiss, but he moved his head away before she could touch his lips. He grinned and touched his nose to hers as he asked in a mischievous whisper, "Who's blushing now?"
She smiled again and dropped her face down to his neck, moving her hips against his insistent fingers, but his free hand grabbed her hair and pulled her back. "Don't," he purred, kissing her and adding, "I want to watch the heat burning under your skin."
The hungry tone of his voice made her flush deeper, as was surely his intention, and she moaned as he began moving his hand faster. She felt him hard underneath her lap, straining and occasionally grinding slightly against her thighs, but she didn't have the presence of mind to tend to his needs quite yet. His lips were kissing underneath her ear and then nipping at her earlobe, and as his fingers worked he whispered into her ear again.
"Close already, darling?"
She nodded and moaned in response. He smiled and kissed her lips, then increased his pace again. She had to hold on to his hair with both hands to withstand the change.
"Think of what you'll do after you've finished," he whispered, after drawing a wet line up her neck with the tip of his tongue. "How you will repay me. Think of me spilling in your hand, or your hair wrapped around my hand as I thrust into your wet little mouth -"
Her sudden cry interrupted him, and her nails dug into his scalp as she clenched down around his hand, like a vice. She curled against him rather than arch, shaking as she rode it out, her body releasing its firm grasp on his fingers only when the last little tremble had faded away.
She laid her head on his shoulder, her breathing slowly returning to normal. He ran his hand gently up and down her back as his voice rumbled against her cheek. "One day I will see if my words alone are enough to make you come apart."
"And one day I will discover all the ways in which I can make you blush again," she replied with a grin, raising her head and placing a small kiss to his lips as her hand went to his lap. She began undoing the laces holding him back as he laughed at her.
"I told you, silly girl, I do not blush," he said in amusement. "I once did, when I was as young and inexperienced as you are. But I have not since."
She narrowed her eyes at him, as she pulled him free from his pants and watched as the contact made his jaw unconconsciously tighten. "So, what you're telling me is that other women have made you blush, but not me."
He shrugged. "I was once like you, or as you were before, having to be taught how to please a lover. And I was far younger than you."
She didn't answer his words, nor move the hand that was wrapped idly around him. He twitched in her grip, but she still didn't move. He raised an eyebrow to her.
"Am I detecting a hint of jealousy?"
Judging by his grin, he was relishing such an idea. She rolled her eyes. "I prefer not to think on how many others have warmed your bed in the last thousand years."
"You should be thanking them," he said with a falsely innocent expression. "You get to reap the rewards of the skills I honed with them."
"I am merely one of many," she shrugged, giving him an unexpected squeeze. His body tensed.
He looked at her in slight irritation, as if he was truly annoyed that he had to say what he next did. "You are not merely anything. You are the only one to have ever slept in my bed."
She blinked at him, at first unable to believe him. In all of those years, he'd never allowed a single other woman to stay the night? "Do not lie to me."
"I am not," he replied.
Her heart was on the verge of swelling again. She hoped that he was telling the truth.
He hissed when her hand finally finally gave him a slow, thorough stroke. She kissed him when his lips slightly parted, then worked her way up to a steady rhythm that quickly had him rolling against her.
She nipped at his bottom lip when he tried to draw away for a breath, and he gripped her hair tightly as he spoke in a whisper against her lips. "Kneel for me."
It was the first command he'd issued her in a long time, and rather than anger or annoy her, it made her shiver and instantly comply. She kissed him one more time before sliding her legs off of his lap and letting her feet touch the floor. Her knees came next, and her hand kept working all the while, and his hand remained fisted in her hair as she knelt between his legs.
He leaned forward when she replaced her hand with her mouth, bracing himself on the table's edge as she took him as deeply as she could. The pulsing between her legs began anew as she listened to him groan and felt his hand in her hair gently push and pull, guiding her as she met each thrust of his hips. Then, just as her renewed arousal almost became too much to bear, she was suddenly wrenched away and flipped around against the table.
"Grip the table," she heard him growl into her ear as she was still processing what had just happened. She grabbed the sides of the table just in time, before he yanked up the flimsy fabric on her hips and pushed her down flat on the table. They both moaned as he thrust inside of her.
He bent down over her as he took her, and she relished his lack of restraint or care. She'd loved the achingly sweeter side of him that she'd met the night before, but his dominant, rougher side was also decadently satisfying, something she craved more than she ever would have thought she would. The table skidded slightly forward as he pounded into her, and his teeth scraping at the nape of her neck nicely emphasized the balance of pleasure and pain that he was so good at maintaining.
Then, just as she felt the familiar coiling and building tension begin in her belly, he withdrew from her so quickly that it made her yelp in surprise. He spun her around and then picked her up, placing her on the very edge of the table and entering her again, looking her in the eye as he began at a slightly slower pace.
One arm held her against him by her waist while his other hand kept its favored place in her hair. She gripped his shoulders and looked up at him with just slightly wide eyes as she rocked against him, legs wound tightly around his hips.
"I was a fool before," he whispered, taking her lips between words. "But I won't let you go again. Even if you wanted me to, even if you begged me to, I will not. You are mine, do you understand?"
She nodded jerkily, then moaned as he kissed her again. He roughly palmed a breast between the silk of her open robe, teasing the peak with his thumb as he broke away and spoke again. "Now beg me to let you come again."
His demand alone almost did it, but she managed to hold back as he tilted her back slightly and began moving at a new angle. His mouth dropped down to her breast and began a torturous assault there, and she managed to squeak out a plea amid a chorus of broken curses.
Then his lips were briefly back on hers, and when he pulled away he growled, "You can do better than that. I said," he thrusted almost painfully sharply, "beg."
She groaned and then pulled desperately at his hair as she moaned out louder pleas mixed with near-shouts of his name, and only when he was satisfied with her frantic words did he slide a hand between them. The first touch of his hand sent her careening and moaning out her end.
He followed right after, biting down on her shoulder as he jerked against her. She held him close with limbs that felt like limp noodles, his breath tickling her neck as he slowly came down from his own high.
She leaned her cheek on his head, gently running her fingers through his now-sweat dampened hair, only opening her eyes when he slowly raised himself up and kissed her lips.
He chuckled when he pulled away, brushing his nose against hers. "You're late."
She blinked up at him. "Late?"
His grin was maddening. "Your rehearsal was meant to start an hour ago."
Her jaw dropped and she all but shoved him away, grabbing at her robe to close it and hopping down to her feet. Gravity instantly brought a warm trickle down her thigh, but it was her absolute last concern as she began panicking. "I forgot! How could I forget?! And you knew! You knew and you just now remind me?
"You were at the service of your Prince, Aemilia, I think they'll understand," Loki grinned wickedly, fixing his trousers as she glowered at him.
She wanted to rail at him, but she simply didn't have the time now, and she had far more immediate concerns - like the fact that she still needed clothes. She began tearing around the room aimlessly. "Where's my dress? What happened to it? What did you do with it?"
She heard him merely snicker in return, and when she spun around to yell at him, she felt fabric lapping at her ankles. She looked down to find a long, sleeveless dress suddenly on her frame, one with a slightly low neckline that did nothing to mask the little tiny marks that now littered her neck and shoulder. It was all a deep shade of emerald green, of course.
She was in no position to complain about it, of course. His magic had even cleaned her up as well as clothed her. She merely narrowed her eyes at him and said, "I'm still angry with you. And I wish to learn how to do this trick myself."
He smiled. "All in due time, little student."
She sighed and began rushing towards the door. He grabbed her by the wrist before she could pass him and pulled her close for a titillatingly deep kiss.
He grinned at her when he finally released her. "I will come for you when you're finished."
She looked at him a bit warily, but nodded all the same before sprinting off. She had a feeling this was only the first small taste of the mischief she'd experience while living here under the same roof as the younger Prince.
Right after Aemilia had gone scrambling off to the music room, a guard had come to Loki's door and informed him that Odin required his presence in the throne room. He went then, and stood beside Thor as Odin told them both of various coming events, foreign envoys that would be arriving to witness Thor's coronation, and their duties during this time. Thor was annoyed that he had any "duties" at all, being the one who was being celebrated, after all, and Loki was already aware of everything Odin was informing them of. His expression was one of quiet interest while his mind was utterly detached, drifting either to the fantastic morning he'd had or to his continuing dilemma of figuring out how to ruin this very event that he was pretending to care about.
He wasn't expecting Thor to walk with him out of the throne room and follow him as he began making his way down the hallways, immediately launching into grumbles about what they'd just heard. Loki only bothered to listen halfway through.
"... and Father knows this! What does he expect me to do with the Elves when they come? I should be drinking and dancing and fighting during my time of celebration, not holding the hand of an aging Elven King and giving him a grand tour of Asgard."
Loki snorted. "I'm fairly certain that as King, you will be required to do your fair share of diplomatic hand-holding rather frequently."
"But that's what I have you for!" Thor laughed. Loki gave him a sideways look, but as much as he tried to scowl at his brother, he ended up smiling anyway.
"Yes, I suppose that's true."
They rounded a comer, and Thor asked, "Are you aware of yourself right now, brother?"
Loki furrowed his brow and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Look at you! You are smiling, you are not stomping down these halls for once, and I know when you're only pretending to pay attention to Father," Thor grinned. "Do my eyes deceive me, or are you happy?"
The smile on Loki's face grew. He was almost disturbed by how he couldn't stop it. "I... merely have had a particularly marvelous morning."
"Ah," Thor chuckled. "I wonder who you could possibly have to thank for that? I take it you two have made amends, then."
"Yes, one could say that," Loki replied, still grinning.
"Good! I am happy to hear it," Thor said, patting - or really, thumping - Loki on the back. "I've never seen you look so smitten in your life. Bring the lady to the training grounds later - let our friends and I get to better know this lady who's so entranced you."
Loki's smile faltered a bit then, as he had no desire to do such a thing.
"Do it or I will find you and drag you both there myself," Thor warned with a smile before walking off.
Loki pursed his lips, knowing that Thor was not bluffing. He remembered very vividly one time that he had refused to come along on one of Thor's many adventures, and Thor had literally thrown him over his shoulder - in front of not only the Warriors Three and Sif, but Odin as well - and dragged him out of the palace. That was before he had perfected the art of vanishing, but he had managed to blast Thor's feet and send them both tumbling to the ground, but it had been humiliating nonetheless. He had no wish to repeat such a moment.
Not that he was going to let it get him down. He set off once more, a spring in his step and the ghost of a smile still lingering on his face.
Before Loki could make good on his earlier promise to come and fetch Aemilia once her practicing was done, the Queen intercepted her first. She found herself in Frigga's private rooms again, this time taking lunch with her, feeling more and more at ease with the Queen the more that she was around her.
"I hope you did not take offense to my actions yesterday," Frigga said after a few moments of light conversation.
"Oh, no, not at all," Aemilia quickly said, shaking her head.
"It's just that I know how stubborn Loki is, and he had been in such a foul mood after the setbacks he's suffered," the Queen said. "I knew that he would waste a great deal of time ignoring you, so I took matters into my own hands."
"You have my gratitude," Aemilia said sincerely. "He was quite nasty at first, but... I believe we've come to a truce."
"More than that, judging by the blush on his his cheek this morning when I asked him why Gunnvarr could not locate you."
Aemilia almost choked on the tea that she'd been sipping. "Oh. Well..."
"Relax, dear," Frigga smiled. "He also told me of your recent discoveries regarding your heritage. And that you wished to know more about your true father."
Aemilia blinked, her brief mortification fading quickly at the change of subject. "He did?"
Frigga nodded. "I do not know of this Eileifr, but I will inquire - discreetly - on your behalf, if you would like."
"I would," Aemilia said, suddenly a bit overwhelmed. "Thank you. Loki really told you of this today?"
"Yes," Frigga smiled. "You seem surprised."
"Well... I suppose that I am just... unnaccustomed," she shrugged, looking down at the cup of tea in her hands.
"Unaccustomed to what?"
Aemilia was about to answer that she was unaccustomed to Loki outwardly showing that he cared for her when a slight commotion across the room drew both women's attention. The door to the hallway opened and Loki strode inside, brushing off a fussing servant, smiling at his mother and lover as he walked up to the table.
"I had a feeling that my mother had stolen you off," Loki said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. Aemilia smiled slightly shyly at him, and he turned his eyes to Frigga. "Might I steal her back?"
"I suppose," Frigga smiled. "Though I insist you both join me for dinner tonight, in the Great Hall. You are my guest, Aemilia, and I want you to experience the full splendor of your new life here, in the palace of Asgard."
Aemilia smiled in response, then caught Loki's slightly smirking gaze upon her. She almost narrowed her eyes at him, seeing the playful spark in his eyes and wondering exactly how hard it was for him to not make a comment about all the "splendor" he'd already made sure that she experienced. Instead, she addressed the Queen once more. "Of course, Your Highness. And thank you, truly, once again."
Frigga nodded, and Loki offered a hand to help Aemilia up. She took it, and Loki bade farewell to his mother before turning and leading Aemilia out of the room. She was the first to speak once they'd entered the hallways, no longer holding hands.
"Shall I ask what you have in store for me, my prince?" Aemilia asked playfully, excited for whatever his answer may be.
"Well, I thought that I would give you a proper tour of the palace, since I'm fairly certain you've only seen perhaps one-eighth of it," Loki remarked, catching her gaze as they walked. "Then we will end the tour in the training grounds, where my brother demanded our company for the afternoon."
"Oh," Aemilia replied, her tone just slightly surprised.
He shot her a look. "Were you expecting something else?"
She shook her head and smiled. "I've come to realize that when it comes to you, it's best not to try to predict but simply enjoy the surprises."
He grinned. "Interesting. And wise."
"That is my father's council room," Loki said, glancing at Aemilia halfway through the tour to find her still completely interested in what he was saying. They stood in front a large room with wide-open doors, and Aemilia peered into it to find little more than an enormous golden table lined with many chairs. "My brother and I used to sneak under the table when our Father was in here with his advisors, and I'd bind their feet together with magic. They'd stand and immediately topple over in a heap on each other, and Thor would give us away by laughing too loudly."
Aemilia laughed, and he smiled as he led her forward. She seemed to love when he'd give an anecdote with each new part of the palace that they'd cover, so he tried to give her at least one with each new bit of covered ground. One that he didn't have a story for was the next pair of doors they happened upon.
The doors were enormous and had two guards stationed in front of each one. Aemilia eyed them and asked, "What's that?"
"That is the weapons vault," Loki replied, continuing to walk her past it. He grinned at her and added, "Full of dark and ancient relics. The room that our enemies would sacrifice their firstborn children for the chance to break into."
"What sort of relics?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at his words.
"I believe the most recent one to be the Casket of Ancient Winters. My Father took it in the last Great War against Jotunheim."
Aemilia visibly shuddered. "My father fought in that war. Nothing phases him, generally, but when one speaks of Frost Giants in his presence... it's the only time I see the ghost of fear in his eyes."
"They remain, but they are few. The only way they could hope to regain their power would be to take the Casket back, and they have no hope of penetrating our borders alone."
That was when it hit him. It hit him so hard and so clearly that he nearly stopped dead in the middle of the corridor and threw himself to his knees to praise his own brilliance.
He knew how to ruin the coronation.
It would be so easy. Almost elegantly perfect. And beautifully effective.
The best part was, nobody would ever know that it was him who'd masterminded it.
"What's so amusing?"
He looked at Aemilia and realized that he was grinning rather widely. It was alright - he had the perfect way to cover up his sudden glee.
"The next stop on our tour," he said, suddenly grabbing her wrist and hurtling her towards an alcove, "is here."
She gasped in surprise when she did not collide with a stone wall but instead became enveloped in near-pitch darkness. He chuckled and pulled her to his chest, then pressed her against a cold wall, grazing her lips with his as she whimpered.
"Wha-"
"This is one of many secret passageways," he purred before ravaging her mouth with a hard, dizzyingly deep kiss. His epiphany had come and left him feeling utterly high, brimming with a twisted excitement and relief, and the best way he could think of to burn off the sudden energy was to throw her into this dark little cavern and feel her body tremble against his.
She moaned a little and clutched at him, laughing a little bit once she recovered from the shock of what had happened. She kissed him in return, matching his fervor, and her fingertips creeping up into his hair made him shiver against her.
"This particular passage," he breathed between kisses, "is my own creation. Only I... and now you... know of its existence."
His lips trailed to her neck, and she exhaled shakily as she gripped his hair. "Are - are there a lot of these throughout the palace?"
"Oh yes," he grinned, tongue flicking out and stealing a taste of her skin. Then he raised his head up and nipped at her ear as he whispered, "There are more than enough to accommodate us should my lust for you overtake me, no matter where we are in this palace."
His lips collided with hers again, and she moaned again. The sound was enough to inflame his passions and compel him to take her right there, and he knew she would have let him. It was tempting.
But instead, after he'd thoroughly explored her mouth and had her panting and squirming against him, he released his hold on her by all but his hand that clamped her wrist. He then sent them out of the passageway as quickly as he'd sent them into it, and Aemilia panted as she found herself back in the main corridors.
"Enjoying the tour?" he grinned, releasing his hold on her wrist.
She laughed shakily as he strode forward, following him as she replied, "A bit too much, I fear."
Her favorite part of the tour, even more than the stolen kisses in the secret passageway, was hearing the lighthearted tales he told of when he was child, making trouble everywhere he could and dragging his brother along with him. A few of the stories had the roles reversed, with Thor being the one to lead Loki astray, and they all ended the same way - with Frigga sparing them any real punishment, which only led to further, bolder mischief in the future.
Loki's eyes would sparkle as he told the tales, and it was refreshing to hear him speak of his life and his family in a way that he hadn't before. He also spoke of his brother differently, in a way that made her notice how he seemed to truly miss the days he spoke of, when they were inseparable and a team of harmlessly destructive little brothers out to wreak havoc. Loki seemed to be a mostly solitary creature these days, judging by what little she truly knew of him, and she was beginning to suspect that it wasn't really by choice.
She also had several other suspicions by the end of the tour, as they began making their way out to the training grounds. Every now and then, when one or several servant girls would pass by them in the halls, some of them would gaze longingly at the Prince and others would glare stonily at him. Very few would not look at all. None of them so much as noticed Aemilia's existence.
"Have you done something to cause nearly all of the young female servants to act strangely when they see you?" Aemilia inquired as they stepped out of the palace and into the midday sun. It was a cool, beautiful day, and she gulped down the fresh air as Loki looked at her quizzically.
"I'm sorry?"
"They either look at you like you're the last cake on a dessert table, or like you're a particularly foul bit of excrement they've just stepped in."
As if to make her point, a servant girl bearing a basket of grains appeared, walking past them towards the palace, and the girl looked up at Loki before furiously blushing and hastily casting her eyes down to the ground as she hurried on. Aemilia turned to Loki and raised an eyebrow.
He smiled sheepishly. "Ah. Well... I'm sure it's not hard to deduce why some of them blush at me while others appear to revile me."
She squinted at him and said, "Do you mean to tell me... you bedded all of these servants? Is that not... I don't know... below your station?"
"First of all, no, very few servants ever touched my bed but for to make it. That's not say I didn't find other uses for them." Aemilia grimaced, and he grinned. "Secondly, it would be below my station to court them, not to have them tend to me when they offer. I suspect the ones that blush caught me in more generous moods than the others did."
She lifted her hands as they walked, shaking her head. "Stop. Stop. I don't want to know."
"But you asked," he chuckled, clearly amused with her squeamish reaction. "Would you rather I lie to you?"
"No," she shook her head. "It's just... difficult to wrap my head around."
"I believe that you are jealous for the second time today," he smiled. "Would you like to hear my personal tally?"
"No!" she exclaimed, making him laugh. "No, and I would prefer that I never do hear it."
"For what its worth, my number is far lower than my brother's," Loki replied, visibly thoroughly enjoying he fluster. "I'm far more conservative than you suspect."
Now it was her turn to laugh. "I don't believe there is a single conservative bone in your body. And do not make a jest about what I just said."
He chuckled and eyed her appreciatively. "You are coming to know me all too well, my lady."
She was going to roll her eyes at him, but the sound of metal clanking on metal and masculine grunts caught her attention. Without even realizing it, they'd now reached the training grounds.
"Come along," Loki said, his tone cheerful as he led her down a number of stone stairs. "Time for me to show you off."
She warmed at his words, which helped to wash away the slight unpleasantness of the previous conversation. It was not surprising to learn of some of his dalliances, but it was... jarring, if only due to the proximity of the servants and due to the inequality of she and Loki's personal histories. But, she knew better than to dwell on it.
Currently, the Warriors Three were in the midst of mock-battle while Thor and Lady Sif watched, speaking amongst themselves. Thor noticed the new arrivals first, smiling brightly as his voice boomed across the grounds. "Ah! My brother and his lady have arrived!"
She smiled, wholly unaccustomed to being addressed as such, and reminded herself that she'd met each of these five famous people before, and that she had little reason to be nervous. Of all of them, Sif was the only one who was looking at her strangely - not in an unfriendly manner, but perhaps surprised that the singer the warrior woman had been vaguely acquainted with was now suddenly Loki's "lady".
"Aha!" Fandral exclaimed, merrily dropping his sword downward as he strode towards the others. "At last! We meet again!"
There was a small flurry of greetings then, first from Thor, a warm one from Sif that belied her previous confused look, and a kiss on her hand from Fandral that made Loki roll his eyes. Hogun gave her a nod and Volstagg gave she and Loki both hearty shoulder-pats. Then the questions began.
"Now Loki, you sly little rat, tell us where you've been hiding this lovely maiden," Fandral said, grinning at Aemilia.
"Yes, exactly how long have the pair of you been... a pair?" Sif asked cautiously.
Loki and Aemilia both opened their mouths, he to tell them that it was none of their business and she to protest the accusation of being hidden away, but Thor beat them both to it. "He's been smitten with the lady since she first sang at the palace months ago!"
"Months!" Volstagg hollered. "No wonder Loki's been a stranger as of late!"
"Well, then it's about time you stop hogging her all to yourself!" Fandral addressed Loki before turning his gaze to Aemilia and smiling. "Say," he pulled his sword from its sheath and held it proudly before her, "would you mind lending me a hand polishing my sword?"
Loki groaned. "And you wonder why I've been 'hogging her all to myself'."
Aemilia laughed. "I believe you have two perfectly serviceable hands of your own to tend to your sword, my lord."
Everyone, very nearly even Hogun, had a good laugh at that. Thor looked around and said enthusiastically, "Do you see, my friends? Did I not say how feisty she was? Why, just yesterday, after I so graciously greeted her to the palace, she gave me quite the tongue-lashing on Loki's behalf."
Aemilia could feel Loki eyeing her curiously, and she merely shrugged and said, "I meant no offense, Your Grace. It is only that I find arrogance unbecoming, even of a Prince."
Thor laughed again, while the others stared at her in slight shock. "I do hope that applies to my brother as well."
"It applies to everyone," Aemilia smiled back.
"Well, then I fear you will not be impressed with any of the men currently in our presence," Sif remarked. "Arrogance and the male gender go hand in hand as it is, but for a man who is also a warrior..." Sif raised her eyebrows meaningfully as she trailed off.
"A warrior's confidence should never be mistaken for arrogance," Thor said, raising a finger to emphasize his point.
"I would ask you to please explain the difference, brother, but I do not wish to cause my guest to fall asleep from sheer boredom," Loki remarked.
"Indeed," Fandral agreed. "Let us provide the lady with entertainment! Care to challenge me, Loki?"
"I would ask the same but I do not wish to embarrass my brother in front of our company," Thor said smugly.
Aemilia glanced at Loki, expecting him to look irritated or annoyed, but his face was a perfect mask of indifference. He opted to simply ignore his brother. "Come on, Fandral."
Fandral laughed and then walked off with Loki, towards the center of the clearing, and Aemilia shared a small smile with Loki before Thor's hand thumped down on her shoulder and nearly knocked her over.
"I like you, I do," he grinned. "And please, do not misunderstand the way that I jest and carry on with Loki. It's the way we've always been. He knows I mean no harm."
Aemilia wasn't so sure about that, but she held her tongue and nodded anyway. She didn't want to speak too freely around the older Prince, since she doubted he'd always be so entertained by what she had to say. Plus, as quietly pleased as Loki had seemed at Thor's recounting of her defense of him, she doubted he would want her mouthing off in his favor at every turn.
Meanwhile, across the way, Loki had pulled out a sword of his own from the literal thin air and was casually walking closer to Fandral, who was tossing his own sword back and forth between his hands. Thor crossed his arms and cast a glance to the friends standing at his side. "I wager on Fandral."
Sif snorted. "Loki will cheat."
"Sif is right," Hogun agreed.
"Fandral has outsmarted Loki plenty before," Volstagg interjected. "I wager him."
Aemilia kept silent, a prickle of a thrill sparking in her veins when Loki's sword slashed through the air first. Fandral blocked him and Loki advanced on him almost casually, smiling as he brought the sword forward here and there, easily ducking out of the way and circling around when Fandral tried to strike back and put him on the defensive.
"No cheating as of yet," Volstagg commented.
Sif snorted again. "Yet being the operative word."
Aemilia turned her gaze to Sif and the Lady caught it before quickly turning back to the two sparring men. Fandral was laughing and Loki was grinning as they clashed, making it a wholly different experience to watch this fight as opposed to the vicious one between Loki and Thor.
"Now, now," Thor said, "perhaps now that his lady is watching, he'll leave the tricks out."
Aemilia furrowed her brows and decided to Hel with her previous decision - this was becoming rather annoying. She turned to Thor and said incredulously, "His 'tricks' are his strength - why should he not use them? Should you not wield your hammer because it is magical?"
Sif stared at her like she was insane, Thor glanced at her with his lips parted dumbly, and Volstagg considered her words while Hogun remained his usual silent self.
Eventually, Volstagg shrugged and broke the silence. "The Lady makes a fair observance."
"His tricks are deceitful," Sif argued, "and therefore dishonorable as a warrior."
"I'm sure they've proven useful in battle," Aemilia said quietly.
"It's the principal of it," Sif grumbled in reply.
"Enough, ladies," Thor chuckled, trying to lighten the sudden slight tension in the air. "No need to quarrel over something trivial."
But Aemilia couldn't understand the prejudice towards Loki and his magic. She understood that Asgard valued physical strength and power above all else, and that its warriors did even more so, but Loki's talents had a place in battle just as Thor's or Sif's did. She was no expert on war or battle but she did know that - it seemed to be a rather simple concept.
Her attention refocused when she saw Fandral swipe Loki's sword straight from his hand and sent it flying to the ground. A few strategic kicks sent Loki to his knees, facing away from Fandral, and the warrior laughed as he held the tip of his sword to the back of Loki's neck.
"I take it you yield, Your Highness?"
Quick as a blink, Loki looked up through the black hair falling in his eyes, met Aemilia's gaze and winked. Then he vanished and reappeared directly behind Fandral, sword back in hand, and he kicked the backs of the warrior's knees and disarmed him in the same breath. Their positions were reversed now, but for good measure, Loki threw another kick his way and sent Fandral down to his back, blade now skimming his throat. Fandral rolled his eyes and groaned in slight pain, letting his head hit the ground.
"What was that about yielding?" Loki gloated.
"Yes, yes, you win, let me up," Fandral sighed.
Loki chuckled and helped the man back up to his feet. "Always a pleasure."
Fandral eyed him warily and muttered, "You know, you are far better company in your female form."
Loki grinned. "I wonder why."
Meanwhile, Sif raised an eyebrow to both Thor and Aemilia and said, "I told you he would cheat. It's all he knows."
Sif then marched out to the clearing, withdrawing her double-edged weapon as she did. Thor grinned and muttered, "I do enjoy sparring when she's angry," then followed her out, just in time to pass Loki on the way and give him a shoulder-thump.
The sword vanished between his hands as Loki strode up to where Thor had stood earlier, next to Aemilia. She smiled only very slightly at his smug expression, and he immediately caught the fact that she wasn't as satisfied with his victory as he was.
Volstagg and Hogun wandered off to cheer up Fandral with another mock battle, and Loki took the opportunity to lead Aemilia to a nearby bench and sit her down beside him.
"What's bothering you?" he asked as she looked up at him, suppressing the urge to reach up and fix his now-ruffled hair.
"I do not like the way they speak of you," she answered honestly, seeing no point in saying otherwise. "Especially Lady Sif. I never realized how... poorly she thought of you."
Loki chuckled. "Ah, yes. She's never forgiven me for the... hair incident, when we were children."
She furrowed her brows. "Hair incident?"
Loki nodded, sitting back and running a hand through his hair as he spoke. "Yes... it's quite the legend now. I'm surprised that you've not heard of it. Thor teased me about my ... odd-colored hair one day. She was there, playing with us. She began to tease me as well. You see, back then, she had a gloriously long mane of perfect golden hair. The same color as Thor's. She made a jest that it would be more believable if she claimed to be Thor's sibling, as opposed to me. So... I snuck into her room one night as she slept, and I cut her hair within a mere inch of her head."
Aemilia's jaw dropped. Loki merely grinned. "That's..."
"Evil?" Loki supplied, turning his gaze upwards and pretending to consider the concept. "Perhaps. It's said that her resulting screams the following morning awoke sleeping giants in our neighboring realms."
"But... why is her hair no longer blonde?"
Loki's grin widened. "That's the best part. In order to make amends, my mother sent me to some dwarves to retrieve a new head of hair that would be placed over hers and restore it to all its former glory. But... when she received the new hair, rather than grow back her natural shade... it grew as black and odd as mine."
Aemilia slowly trailed her gaze away, towards the woman in question. Her long, black hair flew magnificently around her head as she sparred with Thor. "The color does suit her."
"I agree." Loki mused.
"But that was quite a terrible thing to do. Though I do not deny the nastiness of her transgression."
"You would think that after a thousand years, she would have forgiven my little prank. But she has held nothing but distrust and contempt for me ever since."
"I do not blame her," Aemilia shrugged. "But it does not excuse the manner in which she speaks of you."
Loki turned to her then, his eyes suddenly a bit more serious as he said, "Surely the manner in which she speaks of me does not come as a surprise to you. I'm well aware of what others say when they don't believe that I'm listening."
"But... they call your magic 'tricks' and 'cheating' when -"
"Aemilia," Loki interrupted, and the sound of her name on his lips brought an involuntary jolt in her stomach. "Your own mother forbade you to learn magic, did she not? You are far from unfamiliar with how magic is viewed by the people. You know how I am viewed by the people."
Aemilia swallowed, not looking him in the eye as she replied. "I hoped for better from your friends."
Loki's jaw set as he watched her continue to look ahead rather than meet his eyes. "They are not my friends."
"What of your brother?" she asked, finally looking up at him.
His voice dropped low, to an almost deadly seriousness. "I love Thor more more dearly than any of them could ever hope to."
Suddenly, she understood something that she had a feeling was crucial in some way. Loki, true to the jealous, possessive man that he'd shown himself to be to her, was jealous for his brother. Even his love for his brother was greedy and selfish.
Loki looked away, discomfort suddenly flickering across his features. Aemilia held her tongue - she had no wish to try to coax more from him and make him feel more uncomfortable.
"Come," Loki sighed, standing up and reaching out for her. "They've all occupied themselves, and they can see you more over dinner later if they wish."
Aemilia nodded and placed her hand in his.
From the training grounds, Loki took Aemilia on a walk through the rest of the outside grounds, showing her some of the springs and gardens that surrounded the palace. Along the way he asked her to show him what magic she'd taught herself from his book so far, and though it was only the most elementary things, she obliged. He, in turn, showed her how to conjure a ball of light to illuminate their path as darkness began to fall on the day, and then proceeded to do everything he could to break her concentration. But, she was learning to control her focus better - she only let the light fade a handful of times, and only when he'd do something unfair like kiss her or conjure a double for her to walk straight into.
In all, it was possibly the most time they'd ever spent together in one day, and surely the most words exchanged as well. It was nice. Even when a somewhat tense subject arose, like at the training grounds, the tension did not linger into the next conversation. She'd always found him easy to talk to, but he was even more so now, it seemed.
Eventually, when dusk had set fully, Loki reluctantly let her go to her room to prepare for dinner. She let Gunnvarr fuss and fix her up for the better part of an hour, though she didn't particularly enjoy the treatment, but she had little choice when it came to the oddly headstrong servant.
After, once she was dressed in a shimmering silver long-sleeved gown that Gunnvarr had insisted upon and primped with a headful of half-pinned curls, she let the servant happily lead her down to the Great Hall. The sounds of merriment could be heard throughout the entire hallway that led there, and once Aemilia stepped inside the enormous room, she couldn't help but shake her head with a slight smile.
The hall was utterly filled with loud, exuberant men and women, feasting and drinking and laughing and celebrating nothing other than the simple passing of another day. In the center of it all was the loudest table, filled with familiar faces; Thor, in the midst of tossing a goblet to the floor and demanding another, next to Sif who was rolling her eyes at Fandral, who was sitting next to her and holding his sword as three giddy maidens literally polished it, all while Volstagg chewed on a huge leg of something and Hogun ate silently. Naturally, Thor noticed Aemilia's arrival first, and he smiled broadly as his voice boomed across the hall for her to come and join them.
"I'll be here if you have need of me, my lady," Gunnvarr chirped, and Aemilia nodded before setting off. She glanced up at the highest table and caught the Queen's eye as she sat at the King's side, sharing a smile with her before looking around, hoping to spot Loki somewhere. She didn't.
"I was wondering when you would find your way here!" Thor greeted loudly when she arrived at the table. The others smiled at her and Volstagg was the first to clamber over to make room for her.
"The Lady can sit next to me!" the bearded warrior exclaimed through a mouthful of something. "I will show her how one properly feasts in this grand hall!"
She chuckled as she made her way to the seat he'd freed up, replying, "I will do my best to keep up."
"He will see that you do!" Thor laughed. "Oh, and before I forget - my brother wished me to tell you that he is unable to join us tonight."
"Oh... why?" she asked.
"He said something about... meditating, I think it was," Thor shrugged. "But no matter - we will take good care of you in his absence."
Aemilia smiled somewhat nervously, glancing at the doe-eyed girl standing next to her and Fandral's hand as it slid indecently down past the girl's back.
At the very least, the night should prove entertaining.
Loki was not meditating. He was invisible to the naked eye and also magically hidden from Heimdall's all-seeing gaze as he stood on the edge of a cliff that sat deep within the southeastern edges of the city's expansive woods.
He'd discovered this particular secret path between worlds on accident some time ago. He'd been sitting here, alone, after a day spent in the clearing that he used to test new spells in, and he'd been idly tossing rocks into the abyss below as he read a book in his lap. He'd taken a break to rest his eyes when he noticed that the rocks were not hitting the swirling sea below, but rather disappearing into a telltale shimmering ripple in the space between cliff and sea.
It was the third secret path he'd discovered. He knew now of all nine that linked the neighboring realms of Yggdrasil, and this particular path he never would have predicted he'd have need of. But here he stood, contemplating the gravity of what he was about to do, giving himself one last chance to change his mind.
But there could be no turning back now, he knew that to be true. What he was doing absolutely needed to be done. For Asgard, for all of the Nine Realms, for Thor. The best thing that Loki could do for his brother was see that he did not ascend to the throne yet and thus buy him more time to grow up.
The glee and satisfaction that Loki would take in doing so was merely an added bonus. He could just imagine the look on Thor's face when his big day came crashing down around him...
Now grinning, Loki took a deep breath and braced himself before jumping off of the cliff and into the ice and frost of Jotunheim.
"Another!"
"Another!"
Aemilia laughed as Fandral hit the ground along with his empty goblet, falling into a pile of giggling maidens as he decidedly lost he and Thor's drinking contest. The warrior groaned as Thor laughed and the girls tried to help him up, and Sif took the opportunity to quickly slide over to sit next to Aemilia.
"Never a dull moment with this bunch," Sif smiled, and Aemilia smiled back.
"I would expect nothing else," she replied, sipping at her own small glass of wine. Volstagg was the only one still actually eating, having now put away more plates of food than she could count. Everyone else was now simply drinking and letting their consumption lead them where it may.
"I wanted to... apologize for how I must have came across to you earlier," Sif said somewhat stiffly, staring at the table as she spoke. "Loki and I do not have the best history, but I've enjoyed your acquaintance in the past and I did not mean to offend you."
"It's all right," Aemilia assured her. "Loki told me a bit of what's transpired between the two of you, so I do understand."
Sif seemed a bit surprised at that, but she paused before she spoke again. "I was also quite shocked to see him show up with you at his side. Or any woman, for that matter." She paused again before asking somewhat reluctantly, "Is he kind to you?"
Aemilia opened her mouth, suddenly struck by how complicated the truthful answer to that question was. She went with the mostly true one. "Yes, yes he is."
"It's just strange... he's so solitary and... Loki," Sif remarked. "I never thought I'd see the day when -"
Sif was suddenly cut off when Thor appeared behind the two women and grabbed their hands, wrenching them both up to their feet and bellowing, "Enough chatter, ladies - who would like to dance with the future King first?"
Aemilia caught the sudden, subtle blush on Sif's face as she smiled and replied, "Oh, I believe that honor should go to our guest."
"So be it," Thor grinned before whisking Aemilia away into a small sea of other dancers. She laughed when he all but threw her into them, holding her hands in his much, much bigger ones as they joined in the exuberant dance. It was the sort of dancing that one saw in pubs, slightly sloppy jumping and singing and spinning that made it incredibly fun and carefree. The more people they bumped into, the more they'd laugh, and Thor's laugh boomed when they knocked down three other couples like dominos.
"Did I not tell you that I'd show you a good time?" Thor shouted over the others, surprisingly light on his feet for how much he'd already drank that evening.
"You did!" she laughed. "You've not disappointed!"
"I never do!"
Suddenly she bumped into something that felt much harder than another dancer, and she turned only to freeze at the sight of a royal guard staring wide-eyed under his helm. It was not just any guardsmen, but the man to whom she had been engaged only two days prior.
Dagr looked at Aemilia, then Thor, then back to Aemilia. She opened her mouth to speak just as he quickly averted his gaze and hurried away.
She turned back to Thor and looked down at their clasped hands, and also how close he'd been holding her to his chest, and she sighed at her luck, or the lack thereof.
"That was my ex-fiancé," she explained when she saw the confused look on the Prince's face.
"Ah," he said, recognition dawning on his blue eyes. "I... apologize?"
She shook her head. "Nothing to be sorry for."
She was then nearly knocked off her feet by another couple, and then she and Thor got swept back into the dance. She had no doubt that Dagr would run back to her mother and report what he'd seen, and she realized that she really didn't care. Loki, however, might.
Later, after Aemilia had left the party to return to her own room and Loki had returned to Asgard following his secret actions off-world, she had found herself feeling a bit nostalgic when Loki appeared in her room and vanished her into his own. It reminded her of the way that it had been before, except now she was so much more comfortable with what they were doing, and guilt wasn't slowly eating away at her inside.
He seemed to be in a fantastic mood, and he didn't give her a moment to breathe until it was the very early hours of the morning. She wondered how an evening spent as he'd said he had could have brought about such... enthusiasm. Not that she complained or questioned it.
It was only when she lay draped over him, panting lightly against his chest when he seemed to have at last run out of steam, that her mind slowly began to return to her. His had returned as well, evidenced by his question as he gently rolled her to lay in his arms.
"Did you manage to enjoy yourself tonight despite my absence?"
She looked up at his grin and rolled her eyes sleepily. "Yes. Barely noticed that you weren't there."
"Hm," he muttered skeptically. "I doubt that."
She shrugged. "Your brother kept me busy." Loki raised an eyebrow at that. She noted his mildly annoyed expression and added, "I should tell you that I had a slight run-in with Dagr. He saw me dancing with your brother and I suspect he may have gotten the wrong idea."
If Aemilia had never seen a look of being calmly murderous on Loki's face before, she certainly did in that moment. Fingertips that had been idly tracing her side stilled as he glared at her.
She glared right back. "What?"
"I will not have others thinking Thor of all people has a claim of any sort on you."
"Well, what would you have me do?" she asked, too tired to quarrel with him over this.
He seemed to think for a moment, expression softening somewhat as he stared off for a moment. Then he turned his eyes back to hers and said, "You are singing at the open of the coronation celebrations, yes?"
"Yes," she replied.
"I will escort you. You'll stay by my side throughout the party. That should put to rest any speculation you might have given rise to tonight."
Her eyes widened. "That I might have given rise to? I did nothing but dance with your brother - I did nothing wrong!"
He did nothing but continue to eye her with what looked like irritation, so she shoved his hand away and moved to roll away from him. But he caught her wrist and had her pinned underneath him before she could so much as blink. She stared up at him defiantly.
"Do you not wish for Asgard to know of us? To know whom you belong to?" he asked, voice low and somewhat threatening. It sent a shiver down her spine that she probably shouldn't have enjoyed as she did.
"I do not wish to keep us a secret," she assured him. "But I do not appreciate you implying that I am to blame for someone else's misconceptions."
"I do not appreciate turning my back for a few hours and hearing of how you spent that time in my brother's arms."
She rolled her eyes. "Your jealousy is excessive and preposterous."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You are mine now, Aemilia, truly mine. And I won't have you acting as if you are not."
"And I will dance with whom I please."
She gasped then as one of his knees slid between her thighs and pressed against her over-sensitive center. Both of his hands still held her wrists to the bed on either side of her head.
"Then I will punish you as I please."
Her lips parted at those words, and she tried to muster up some outrage, but instead, she felt equal parts annoyed and... excited. She was hopeless.
"But you would like that, wouldn't you?" he grinned wickedly, grinding down against her and making her squirm. She felt hardness against her thigh and cursed this man's ridiculous stamina.
"Perhaps," she answered, gasping again when he swiftly replaced his knee with his length, pressing against her but not breaching her yet.
"What a deviant little creature you are," he grinned, kissing her lips as he continued to just brush against her.
"You made me this way," she said, straining against him despite her exhaustion.
"Oh no, you were always this way," he purred, giving her what she wanted then and thrusting inside of her. She moaned and let her head loll in satisfaction. "I merely awakened you."
He never let go of her wrists, and she didn't want him to. There was little sleep to be had that night, and she had to admit, his envy and issues with possessiveness were not positive qualities, but they did undeniably have their benefits.
A/N: Things be happening :-D not much to say here tonight, at least about this particular chapter, but first and foremost, my usual thanks to all you guys for your wonderful reviews & feedback & general amazingness, and I also have to thank midnightwings96, who I am super excited to say wrote an AMAZING Loki/reader fic called In Service of The King, and holy CRAP, people - go read it, because it's scaldingly hot and amazing. Go read it and leave a review for the amazing mind behind all of the best ideas in my stories :D it's on my favorites list so hop on over and have a look, you shall not be disappointed :D Oh, and a bonus chapter is up next, its not written yet but it'll be up before the next "proper" chapter, and it's gonna be fun :D lots of love to all you guys :D