Days passed and Loki found his thoughts wound tightly around Amora. He not only found himself dwelling on their passion, but also her treatment of him afterward. He recalled her gentleness as she assisted him in buttoning up his shirt. He could have sworn that he felt the tips of her fingers grazing his skin as well. Her sharp banter also remained with him. He would have never expected such vulgarity from such a delicate creature.

"What troubles you brother?" Thor asked one day. They were in the library. Loki was sitting in an armchair near the roaring fire. A book was open on his lap, but his eyes were focused on the flames. His mind was not present in the room at all. Thor was perched on a desk, and was rummaging noisily through the various dusty tomes.

It took a few moments for Loki to register that he was being addressed, "Besides your ruckus?" he asked snidely.

Thor chuckled. "You act as if I have been interrupting your reading, yet you have yet to have turned the page! It has been nearly half of an hour, I trust that your reading pace is not so slow."

Loki closed the book on his lap. A smile of humor spread over his face. "You are correct brother. I am troubled by something else."

"Well? As your brother I expect an explanation." He set a particularly heavy book aside with a loud bang. He joined Loki by the fire, resting himself on the arm of the chair.

Loki looked up at his brother and laughed uncertainly. How was he to explain how he felt? He wasn't sure of it himself. "Well," he began, "it would appear that I find myself thinking of." He coughed uncertainly.

"Of what?" Thor punched his brother's arm playfully as a friendly gesture. It was a nonverbal reassurance. They were brothers and no matter what, Thor was going to understand.

"Of Amora," Loki said quickly and quietly. His attention snapped back to the flames crackling in the fireplace.

Thor chuckled, "She's enchanting. Isn't she?"

"Quite." Of all the women in London to be captivated by, it had to be a whore, he internally seethed.

"Ah, I remember all of our…antics." A small smile crept onto Thor's face.

"Please." Loki sat back in his chair and glared at Thor, "I have no wish to hear about your sexual…adventures. With anyone."

Thor threw his head back and laughed. "My apologies, brother. So when are you returning to her?"

"Return to her?" Loki scoffed. "Please. I am not involving myself with a whore on a regular basis."

"Maybe you should consider it," Thor said. His tone was suddenly serious.

"And why's that?"

"You've experienced it, Loki. They're not like other women," Thor tried to explain. He sounded exactly as he had on the night he had convinced Loki to visit the brothel.

"I know. Most women have virtue, and dignity."

"They're liberated. They don't have to conform to the rules of society. They converse about things other women have no idea about," Thor was speaking as though he was telling a glorious tale about a band of inspirational goddesses instead of a group of devious sirens.

"You're blinded," Loki said shortly, "They want only one thing, brother. Your wealth."

"That's a lie!" Thor stood and his voice rose.

Loki jumped. He was unsure as to why his brother was so defensive about a group of strange women. "I apologize. I did not wish to offend you," he said sincerely.

Thor shook his head. "No, that outburst-" he looked toward the door, "Perhaps I should leave you to your reading."

Loki nodded. He turned in his chair to watch his brother leave. In the silence that was left behind Loki found his thoughts wandering once again. He sighed, sat back in his chair, and let them take over.

xxxxx

A few days later, Loki was sitting in the dining room. The only beings that were awake at this early hour were the servants. He had requested a small breakfast and they had delivered. He pecked at the eggs and meat on his plate while savoring the silence. There was only the noise of his silverware scraping against the china of his plate.

He was just finishing up when his father entered the room. Odin usually consumed a hearty breakfast before tending to his business affairs. Occasionally Loki would find his morning schedule to collide with Odin's. Before the incident a few weeks ago, they would chat idly about politics, or sports before Loki would politely excuse himself. Now however, he could not bring himself to be in the same room as his 'father'.

He stood to leave, but Odin stopped him. "Loki, please, take some coffee with me," he requested.

Loki glared at him but returned to his chair. Odin chose one across the long table from him. "I regret that you still harbor such malicious feelings toward me," he said. His voice echoed dully in the dining hall.

"As I regret that you were untruthful to me for the majority of my life," Loki replied simply. His voice did not reflect the rage that burned inside of him.

Odin cringed. A small servant boy rushed to take Odin's orders for breakfast. The two sat in silence as Odin waited for his food and the coffee to arrive.

"How have the past weeks been treating you?" he asked finally, "I have not seen much of you."

"Fair," was Loki's response. That conversation died quickly. Soon Odin was served his food and coffee was poured for both gentlemen.

Loki took his cup and swirled its contents around idly with a silver spoon. He recalled the events from a few weeks ago.

Odin was standing at the fireplace with a silver picture frame in his hands. Frigga was seated in an armchair by the fire. They were both silent.

"What troubles you?" Loki asked again. The first time was met with silence. This solemn demeanor was uncharacteristic of his parents. Frigga turned to him and managed to smile weakly.

"You are growing into a fine gentleman, Loki," Odin placed the picture frame back on the mantle and Loki could see that it was a family portrait, one that was painted shortly after his birth.

"Oh," Loki was taken aback. Odin generally did not give compliments so freely. "Thank you."

"We," Odin gestured to Frigga, "Have decided that it is time we are honest with you. Now you must assure me that after we share with you, you will not be think less of us."

"We care for you Loki," Frigga jumped in, "We always have." Odin nodded at her statement.

Loki laughed. "I don't know what you could possibly share that could be so devastating, father."

"Loki, you are my son. But not by blood," Odin said.

Loki's heart was enveloped by ice. "Ex-excuse me?" he asked shakily. "I don't understand."

"I was with child," Frigga explained. There were tears in her eyes. She was reliving a past pain. A pain she had never been able to cleanse herself of. "Unfortunately it was lost to me during birth. We were devastated." Odin placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and she allowed tears to spill onto her cheeks.

"There was a void in our life. We ventured to the local orphanage. We discovered you there," Odin explained.

There was a sharp pain in Loki's palms. He hadn't realized he was clenching his fists. HIs fingernails were digging into flesh. He was quiet and Frigga continued where Odin had left off. "We knew you would be the perfect addition to our life, Loki. You had the most beautiful emerald eyes. The quietest little thing too. Your nurses rarely had difficulties with you."

"Little devil, though," Odin chuckled fondly, "Pulled the watch right from my pocket when I leaned over your crib."

"So," Loki swallowed, "I was a replacement. A sort of filler for something you had missing from your perfect lives?"

"No," Frigga's eyes widened, "Loki, that's not it at all."

"Who were they?" Loki asked.

"Who?" Odin's eyebrows pulled together.

"My real parents."

Odin and Frigga exchanged a meaningful glance. "We-well nobody really knew. You were left on the orphanage steps and they accepted you. There wasn't even a note or anything," she stumbled.

"So I was entirely unwanted?"

"No! Were you not listening? We wanted you, Loki. We made you our son!" Odin explained desperately.

"I'm not your son," Loki spat, "I'm just another addition to this house. I'm no more a part of this family as the arm chair or the dog, for that matter."

"Loki?" Odin's voice brought him from his memories.

Loki forced a smile that looked more like a grimace than anything. "Yes, father?"

"I think it is time that we discuss marriage."

"Oh, of course. I'll need a wealthy bride since my father probably won't write me into his will. Correct?" Loki seethed.

"Loki you are getting half of my estate. Nothing has changed," Odin said firmly. "You can't live in this house forever."

"So, I'm receiving half of the estate, but Thor gets the house. I see," Loki took a sip of his coffee.

"He's the eldest-"

"How can you know for certain who's the eldest?" Loki shouted. The servant boy who was stationed at the door to the kitchen jumped slightly.

Odin blotted the sides of his mouth with his napkin. "I have found a lovely young woman and I would appreciate it if you would kindly give her your affections."

"You can't force me into a marriage," Loki's voice returned to a normal volume, but the rage had not dispersed from it.

"We shall attend a ball her father is throwing this Saturday as celebration for her coming of age," Odin continued.

xxxxx

Thor was leading his horse back to the stables. He greatly enjoyed his afternoon rides. They were almost essential to ridding himself of stress. He was surprised to find his brother leaning against the building when he arrived. "Good afternoon," he greeted cheerfully.

Loki appeared to be in a foul mood. They were so frequent now days. "I want you to take me back," he said darkly.

"Take you back?" Thor didn't understand at first. Suddenly it clicked. "To the brothel?"

Loki nodded once and Thor grinned knowingly. Loki had a different way of ridding himself of stress.

Yep. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. So sorry for the sluggish update