The blood had finally dried on the now ruined wedding dress.

Asgard had never experienced such a blatant any of their outposts, not since the war with the frost giants. Hundreds of wounded soldiers poured in through the castle gates. The dark elves were to blame, everyone was panicked and the king had quickly dispatched a "special" unit to take care of the problem.

Or at least, that's what one of the nurses told me.

My day was spent cleaning wounds and popping shoulders back into their sockets, just basic stuff I had learned by growing up on a self sustaining plantation.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the cool stone wall. "Nice work" I jumped, a pretty young nurse was smiling softly at me, "we don't get many young ladies down here to help out"; she cocked an eyebrow.

"It was kind of easy to get swept into the rush of t all' I admitted, pushing myself up off the floor.

"yeah" she chuckled "well, either way I think I speak for all of us when I say that I appreciate the help" she tossed the end of the sentence over her shoulder.

I felt my insides warm as I exited the infirmary.

I pinned my hair in a bun and threw on a comfy grey dress, because of recent events the royal family wasn't having dinner together, leaving me free to do what I wanted.

I opened my door to go the library to reveal Thor, his fist raised as if to knock.

I gave a start as my blue eyes met his and he smiled, and I literally felt my heart skip a beat.

"Hi" I breathed "I needed to see you", was all he said in reply,

and then he hugged me, and I was caught off guard but enjoying it all the same.

When he finally released me it wasn't because h was done, or because I was pushing him away.

It was because someone had called his name, and being who he was, he had to go and being who I was I had to let him.

But as he released me I saw a haunted look in his eyes that told me that at some point while he was gone.

He had seen Death, and Death had seen him.

I spent my evening in the library, alone, or at least left alone. Every once an awhile I would catch a hint of leather and pine and I knew he was here.

"So I hear from a very pretty little birdie that our dear princess is quite a pro at stitching people up."

I could feel my lips twist into a small smile and I turned so I was nose to nose with the younger prince.

"whoever you talked to was very much exaggerating my abilities, and I'm not a princess yet" I chided.

I stood up and moved closer to the windows trying to hide how uncomfortable the word "princess" made me feel.

I could feel him considering whether to pursue the subject, thankfully he let it drop.

But I wasn't off the hook yet.

"But you must have felt so empowered, being competent and having a purpose" I whirled around in shock at his brash statement.

He raised his hands in the universal signal of "hold up".

"I meant that as sincerely as one can" he breathed, his voice had dropped an octave or two.

Sending shiver down my spine that I ignored (which was not easy), "well I hope you did, because I have purpose" I could feel how false the words felt on my tongue.

"Ah yes your purpose,

to be pretty little ornaments on the arms of men

and to bear their brutish children" He stepped closer to be again and with each word he advanced,

and with each word I retreated, until I could go no further and my body was pressed against the glass.

I opened my mouth to reply but he took my breath from me,

he lingered so close to me I couldn't find any words but

"what a man will do for the sake of being dramatic".

His eyes widened and his body start to shake and before I knew it I had relinquished a prince of Asgard to having to sit down he was laughing so hard.

After I had gotten over my initial shock I began to laugh to and like someone had turned on a light the mood changed.

Loki, still chuckling slightly, extended his arms, and on instinct I walked into them,

and he pulled me onto his lap and even though I could feel my instinct screaming at me that this as wrong, wrong, wrong, so very wrong.

Some deep dark recesses hidden deep down in my chest told me just go with it.

He grinned at me and I giggled a bit,

and then he kissed me.

Very softly and very slowly, like he was revering something precious to him.

He tasted like something I couldn't describe but would always remember and I was lost.

So very lost in something new and wild and so very right.

Something I could feel deep in my chest and bones and humming in my bloodstream,

and when it was finally over and done with and I could breathe again,

he just grinned at me, said "I very much prefer the real, competent, you"

and kissed me again.