Hopefully I'll have chapter 38 up very soon. However, I'm having a bit of trouble for Loki's plan in coming up with a cunning scheme to prevent the wedding or should I use it to an advantage? A little bit of writers block i'm afraid so reviews and suggestions are very welcome! And thank you very much to those who have followed the story, favored it and reviewed it! It gives me the confidence to continue on and finally come up with a great ending to the story.

Days and weeks passed by. Rai would visit Loki every day thanks to Firgga's help. She was unsatisfied however. The girl couldn't touch Loki or feel the warmth of his body. She was yearning for his touch… for his caress and his loving embrace. Rai didn't know how much longer she could stand this.

Loki felt the same way. It was killing him inside knowing Rienne was so close yet… so far. His mother would visit him from time to time as well. Loki knew Frigga could tell of his frustration of the lack physical contact. Especially with his beloved. She had tried to comfort him numerous times but to no avail. He missed his children and felt a strong pain in his chest, knowing that he had some responsibility for what happened to them. Rienne had promised to free them but had yet to. He knew it was a lot harder than it seemed and perhaps there was no way of doing it but… he still held some hope that she could.

Loki paced the floor of his cell, anxious for Rai's arrival. Why wasn't she here yet?... Rai and Frigga had always informed him of the approximate time it was. Since he couldn't even tell if it was sunrise or sunset, he went off by what the women told him. According to his mother's early visit today, which was around noon, it had been approximately nine hours since then… it should be around eight or nine p.m…. so where was she?... She never visited this late… since Odin was with Frigga in her chambers and the queen could not produce a hologram at that hour for her… would she not visit today?...

Sighing, the young prince took hold of a new spell book Rai had brought him. Though he could not practice, since Odin took his magic, he could memorize the new spells at least. He crawled into his large bed, book in hand. 'I suppose a good read before I sleep should help me keep my mind off her then…'

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Tyr I've come to relieve you of your post." The god of war stared at Rienne with eyes narrowed.

"Well it's about time you showed up. I thought you had forgotten about the beast." His face held no emotion. No smirk, no trace of fondness for Fenrir at all.

"It matters to me not that you are a god, Tyr. I shall not have you speak ill of Fenrir." Rai walked right past him with no emotion held in her features for the god of war. He smirked, amused by this passionate love the girl had for Loki's beasts.

"That monster, Loki, will eat you alive one day Rienne… that is… if his mutt doesn't first."

"Do not feign hatred for Fenrir Tyr. If you absolutely and truly hated him, you would not have volunteered to take care of him." Rienne could hear the ruffling and shuffling of something monstrously huge moving about deep in the cave.

Tyr only scoffed. "I merely wanted to watch the bastard pup suffer for taking my hand. Besides, Odin ordered for Fenrir to be kept alive, and since there were no takers, I had no choice." He crossed his arms over his very muscular chest.

"Then shouldn't you be relieved I'm taking your post for the night?" Rienne turned to him and glared as she lit the torch she was clutching tightly. This bastard was taking precious time away from her. Time she could be spending with Fenrir.

"Tch." Tyr decided to take his leave. He had been watching over the wolf for three days straight now and needed some sleep. As he walked away, he turned to Rienne once more. "I shall return in the morning." Rai paid him no mind and continued walking towards the end of the cave.

After a few minutes of walking, she finally saw, what she thought to be, Fenrir's shadow, dancing in the soft light on the cave wall. A small smile spread across Rai's lips as she envisioned a loving reunion with the rambunctious lad. But as she drew nearer, she noticed this reunion perhaps wouldn't be so heartfelt.

There, in the furthest corner of the cave, was Fenrir. He was in his monstrous wolf form. His fur was a bit matted, his claws held a tinge of blood, and there was a mountain of meat on the opposite corner where Fenrir sat, but the most shocking thing was Tyr's sword sticking out from the poor boy's snout. He was unable to open his mouth due to the blasted thing. It went in from the top of his mouth and out from the bottom, holding it violently shut. As she saw him struggle with his bloody paws to remove it, he only hurt himself more. Rienne also noticed that the more he struggled, the tighter Gleipnir became. At one point, Fenrir choked a bit and he calmed down. Gleipnir then loosened just enough so he'd stop choking. Taking a step forward, she had unknowingly kicked a rock across the room and Fenrir quickly turned towards the noise. The second he saw her, he whimpered…. A sound she had only heard when he had just been born… a sound she never thought she'd ever hear again…

Rienne dropped the torch she held onto and ran to his side. Her heart ached even more so than when she finally met up with Jormungand. Her son was horribly wounded by Tyr and here he was crying for her to help him. "Fenrir! Fenrir shhh it's alright boy, it's alright, I'm here…" He gently placed his face down as close to her as he could. She softly stroked his nose, careful not to touch the blade and cause him more pain. "Oh Fenrir…." She sweetly kissed the wolf's nose and let her warm tears fall but only for a second.

Quickly wiping the tears away, she positioned herself in front of him. "Alright, enough! I will not stand by and watch you whimper and cry like a babe! I will remove that blade from you!" She placed her hand on the hilt of the sword and looked into Fenrir's eyes. Though they were dark pools, rivaling the darkest of black holes in the universe, they were tinted with a ghostly blue. The look on his face was evident that he was afraid. Afraid of the imminent pain about to be placed onto him by his mother. Soon however, the blue hue dissipated and he gently gave a slight nod in approval. "Just try to relax and take a deep breath in through your nose. I won't lie… this will be rather painful but it'll only be for a few minutes. It's better than enduring it for another day." Fenrir let out another light whimper, letting Rai know of his uneasiness but she held a firm gaze into his dark pools. He took in a deep breath and braced himself.

Shutting his eyes tightly, as a cue to Rai that he was ready, Fenrir awaited the impending pain that would soon ensue. She took in a deep breath and placed her right foot on the bridge of his nose. Rienne paused for one second and then she quickly pushed against his nose with her foot, while pulling the blade from his nose. That thing was in there deep! She really had to try very hard to pull the heavy blade out. Fenrir was trying to contain his growls as his eyes started to fill with tears. Finally, with one last tug, Rienne removed the bastard Tyr's blade from her son's face. She stumbled backwards and dropped the blade. Fenrir let out a howl so loud, Rienne covered her ears and winced in pain.

"Bacraut, beiskaldi (means: asshole, bitch in norse) Tyr!" He roared. The boy placed his paws over his nose and whimpered once more. The howling and roaring had finally stopped and Rai removed her hands from the side of her head. As she rubbed her ears for comfort, she walked closer to Fenrir. She placed her hands gently on the boy's nose and applied pressure.

"Shhh… try to calm down Fenrir… the pain and bleeding shall subside soon enough." She kissed his nose once again and it seemed to sooth the wolf's pain somewhat. He continued to whimper softly and tried to contain his pain and anguish. "I'd rather suffer this punishment a thousand times then to see you this way…" Seconds later, the same green light that the ring emitted and had engulfed Jormungand, was now engulfing Fenrir.

He was completely covered in that soft, green light and when it finally dissipated, Fenrir's human form was standing in front of her with Gleipnir snugly fastend around his neck. He was still connected to the large boulder Gioll. The boy rivaled Thor in stature. Rippling muscles that glistened in the gentle torchlight, were being flexed and stretched.

"Dammit… I thought surely that would have worked…" Rienne walked up to him but had to stand on her tippy-toes to get a good look at his face. Blood dripped from is nose and she could make out a scar beginning to form on his upper lip, right under his nose.

"What would work?" The boy gave her a questioning glance. He stuck two fingers in his nose to try and control the bleeding.

Rienne ripped a piece of her shirt sleeve off and then ripped that piece in half. She handed it to Fenrir and he stuck the delicate fabric up each nostril. "You'll have to breathe through your mouth for a bit. Until the bleeding stops… and I was talking about Gleipnir… I thought surely when you turned to your human from, you could have slipped Gleipnir off… but it seems this bastard ribbon refuses to release its hold on you…"

"Yeah seems that way…" Fenrir let out a heavy sigh and sat atop Gioll with legs crossed and eyes shut.

"… How do you fair my son?" Rienne stood in front of the boulder, looking up at the boy.

"Well enough I suppose… Tyr keeps me company…" Rienne raised a brow at that.

"Does he now?... I thought he hated you for taking his hand."

"He does… To be honest I'm not quite sure why he stays with me… but he's the only one that does so… he brings me food too." Fenrir looked over at the untouched mountain of meat to his left.

"I see…" Rienne now sat in front of Gioll, knees to her chest. Fenrir jumped down and dropped the blood soaked cloth in front of her.

"Listen ma… I need to get out of here… I want revenge… I want Odin's blood." He glared down at Rai, eyes full of hatred yet held determination.

"So do I… revenge on Odin for all he's done to you and your siblings… but perhaps we should think this through… or at least bide our time until the perfect opportunity arises…" Fenrir snorted in disagreement. He was always a brash and straightforward boy. "I know Fenrir but I have yet to find a way to free you of Gleipnir… things are… too complicated at the moment…" She looked away from him. She could feel his gaze upon her, questioning what she said. Sighing she spoke again, "I am to marry Thor in two weeks… I know not what to do… obviously I don't want to marry him but-"

"Then don't."

"It's not that easy Fenrir… Odin always gets what he wants… I see no way out of this…" Fenrir remained silent and thoughtful. "Your father is alive…"

"So I've heard…" He looked to the floor now, sadness evident in his dark eyes.

"Tyr I presume?" The boy nodded. "Well then you know he is imprisoned… if not for eternity then for a very, very long time…" She looked up at him for a response but didn't receive one. "Fenrir do not be upset with your father… he's always had you and your sib-"

"Do not be upset?! How can I not be upset when he abandoned us and brought Odin's wrath unto us?! He sent my sister to Helheim! That bastard Odin transformed her back into that … grotesque monster and then forced her to live her days with the dead!" He paced the floor with his hands forming into tight fists. "Jormungand's fine… I don't need to worry about him… he's smart… if he doesn't find a way out on his own he's smart enough to survive… I'm the strongest and don't need any help but Hela… Hela's too kind for that… she's just a girl!"

Rai placed an assuring hand on Fenrirs shoulder. "Hela is stronger than you think Fenrir. Do not forget she received the gift of magic from your father. She is very powerful, if not more so than Loki, she will be just fine. Besides, she is the queen of Helhiem… no one will harm her there." Fenrir sighed softly and slightly slumped his shoulders as he took in his mother's words. There was truth in what she said. Hela would be ok after all.

"Now… I'm not sure if Hela and Jormungand are aware that Loki is alive and imprisoned… I visited your brother in Midgard not too long ago and at the time, he still believed him dead… I have yet to visit your sister…" Rai crossed her arms over her chest. "I must speak with Loki and tell him of the wedding…"

"Why not become queen… then you could release us all, including father." Fenrir's voice held some optimism.

"Trust me, I've thought of it… I've thought of killing Thor after we marry as well but now… I don't know if that's such a wise idea… I'd have to dispose of Odin first of all and I…." Rienne let out a soft chuckle. "I… even went as far as to tell Jormungand I would bring about Ragnarok… that was… very foolish…"

"Perhaps not." Fenrir held a smirk. "Why not just kill them all? That way it would just be us… Father, you, me, Jorg and Hela…" Rienne placed a gentle hand on his cheek.

"Fenrir… do not let rage cloud your judgement… I love you my boy… listen, give me time to think about this ok? I shall return to visit you soon. Hopefully by then, I'll have some sort of solution, alright?" Fenrir took her hand in a soft grip and brought her into a loving embrace. He held onto her tightly and tried to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. She had her head resting on his chest. The boy was much taller than her and stronger but she welcomed the contact. Fenrir nodded in agreement to what she said and released her.

"Soon… I promise. And do not let Tyr get under your skin! You're smarter than that." She smiled up at him before leaving his side.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The following day was pretty normal. There was a feast being held for a successful peace treaty between Vanaheim and Asgard. Thor sat next to his father and The Warriors Three with Sif sitting nearby. Rienne was nowhere to be found. Odin scanned the room diligently but no sign of the girl was evident.

"Father, are you alright?" Thor was concerned for Odin. The king just shook his head.

"Thor you are now ready for the throne and I can see your heart is confused and distracted." The king held a steady gaze onto his guests eating and having fun.

"Is this about Jane Foster father?"

"Human lives are fleeting, they are nothing. You'll be better served by an Asgardian my son. An Asgardian turned Valkyrie. I'm telling you this not as the All-Father but as YOUR father, you are ready, and the time has come for you to take the throne. Embrace and celebrate for what you have done. Join your warriors, eat and drink. Revel in their celebration. At least pretend to enjoy yourself." Odin was indeed annoyed with his son's refusal in marrying Rienne. She was perfect for him. Beautiful, strong, intelligent and a perfect warrior. Absolutely befitting of becoming Thor's wife and he wouldn't have it any other way. But Thor kept refusing Odin at every turn. Saying that he didn't love her as a bride but more as a sister. He knew that she felt the same way. Her love for Loki had never faltered and it wouldn't now. Even if he wanted to marry her, Rienne's heart would always belong to Loki.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The girl stood behind the dark-haired god. He was upset that she had not visited yesterday and she knew it. "Loki… I had gone to see Fenrir… I'm sorry I did not inform you of it sooner… please do not be upset."

"Hmph." Loki concentrated his gaze on a spell book.

"Alright well… I don't have much time with you today and there's something important I have to tell you." Loki turned around to see the seriousness in her eyes. "In two weeks… Odin has declared I am to marry Thor… he says he is ready for the throne now and I… I have no idea what to do… I don't want to go through with this Loki… why doesn't the All-Father just marry him off to Sif? It is painfully obvious she swoons for him so why me?..."

Loki's heart felt like shattered glass. Odin had finally won… he promised to take everything away and he had… isolated in this damned cell… never to feel the contact of a friend or even his mother… he truly felt like some sort of… possession… like one of Odin's trophies just sitting there collecting dust until one day he would die in this prison… no… he wouldn't let that happen… he needed to think of something fast… he needed to stop this façade of a wedding.

He tried to hold her in an embrace but she just melted through his grasp. Again Odin mocks him… she was but a hologram… the only way she could visit him now was in secrecy… He sat on his bed holding his head in his hands. "I need to think… think of a solution to this… mess… leave me."

"But Lo-"

"LEAVE ME!" he spat at her, eyes filled with rage. Rienne closed her eyes and the hologram vanished without another word.