(A/N: I'm back! This is the last chapter in the second arch! Next chapter will begin to delve into the events of the first Thor movie!)

Gardenia. All Andromeda could smell was gardenia. Her body felt as if she was floating, like she had ascended to Mount Olympus and was now frolicking with the Gods. She just felt so...light. Oxygen came into her lungs so easily, like she was breathing the freshest air.

"Andromeda." Her name sounded from above and she looked up, where a clear blue sky and bright sun was shining down on her. Suddenly, a brown face blocked her view of the sky.

It was her mother, though she looked younger and her brown eyes were bright. "Andromeda, my pretty girl." She cooed in her face, "You are going to be so special. I just know it. My only baby, my special one. Ruler of men, Andromeda."

"Mother?" She called into the sky, but at that moment her mother's face disappeared. All at once, her mother appeared before her, standing in front of the princess. "Mother, where am I?"

Cassiopeia smiled, her regal face beaming at her daughter. She was dressed all in white and her hair was free, a rare sight for the fallen queen. "Why, Andromeda, you are with me."

Andromeda furrowed her eyebrows, "Am I…?"

Her mother shook her head and smiled once more, reaching forward and cupping her cheeks. "No my beautiful girl, you are just sleeping. I just wanted to visit you." She paused and played with Andromeda's curls, smiling slightly, "I am so proud of you."

"But why?" The princess frowned, looking away from her mother, "I am the reason you are dead; that is nothing to be proud of."

Cassiopeia clicked her teeth and lightly moved Andromeda's face toward hers. "Hush, you are not at fault for what happened. It was my boastful tongue that almost got you killed and I was the cause of Aethiopia's end. I have to live with my decisions in the afterlife, but you will no longer carry that burden on your back. I forbid it."

"Mama how will I be able to continue to live without all of you?" Andromeda questioned, shaking her head and moving her mother's hands from her face. "I feel as if I continue to live and be happy I am betraying your legacy."

The queen put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked into her eyes, "The only way you would betray our legacy is if you did not continue it." Her mother wiped the budding tears from her eyes and smiled at her once more. "I'm afraid you have been here with me for too long."

Andromeda furrowed her eyebrows and began to shake her head, "Mama, wait."

"Andromeda…" Cassiopeia's voice slithered around the girl, her body starting to fade. "You must go now, baby, you cannot stay with me any longer."

"But-!"

"I love you, my beautiful girl, and I will always be with you,."

With a burst of breath into her lungs, Andromeda's eyes snapped open and she sat up, her mother's words still echoing through her mind. Her chest heaved up and down as she took in her surroundings; she was in an unfamiliar room, though she was still on a stone bed. The room was decorated with white flowers and banners with unfamiliar writings and it was void of any people. She looked down at her body and discovered that it was covered by a thin white sheet, something she would see on a dead body. Her eyes widened and she looked at the flowers around the room once more confusedly, wondering where she was.

She lowered herself off the stone, shivering as her bare feet touched the granite floor. She held her hands up and stared at them with furrowed brows; she didn't feel any different. She ran her hands along her body, finding no changes there either. She was the same. Her sight wasn't enhanced and neither was her hearing. She was still just plain Andromeda. Or so she thought.

The princess lifted her dress and padded out of the room, looking both ways down the hallway. She made her way through the halls of the palace, stopping for a moment to look out a window at the bright Asgardian sun. The rays hit her skin with such warmth that she felt rejuvenated. For the first time in a long time, she smiled. The visit with her mother made her feel better. She was happy to know her mother gave her a blessing.

Andromeda stopped in front of Loki's chambers and tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. She raised her hand and knocked her knuckles against the door, standing back and biting her lip. There was a quiet moment where she was nervous and feeling so small in front of the huge double doors, feeling like a little girl again. She raised her hand to knock again, but the door opened before she could and she put her a hand over her mouth to keep from gasping.

Loki looked like death. His skin was a sickly pale, paler than it usually was, and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. His eyes were red and they had deep bags under them. His normally sleek, slicked back hair was wavy and wild and his royal robes were replaced with a wrinkled green tunic and black trousers. And now, he was staring at her like he had seen a ghost.

"Oh my…" Andromeda muttered, taking a step towards him and placing a hand on his cheek, "You look terrible." She moved her hand to his forehead, "Are you ill?"

The prince just moved her hand from his forehead and stared at it. His eyes flickered to her face and he frowned deeply, "Is this a trick? Or a dream...I must be dreaming again..."

"A trick?" Andromeda blinked, "I do not understand-!" She was cut off by her own yelp as Loki grabbed her by the forearms.

"Why do you continue to torment me?" He shouted in her face, his green eyes hardened. "Have you not made me suffer enough?"

"Suffer? I-!" She was interrupted again by Loki clutching her arms bruisingly hard. She groaned in pain and something in his face changed. "How is this possible?" Loki whispered, squinting his eyes. "You are dead." Andromeda opened her mouth to protest but he interjected, "Most of Asgard is mourning your death, your body is being prepared to be sent off in an Asgardian death ceremony, I saw the color fade from your face and the breath leave your lips; you are dead!" He dropped his hold on her and stormed into his chambers.

Andromeda followed him step for step, "I am in front of you telling you that I live." She smoothly retorted, her voice soft. The prince paused, his back to her. She stopped behind him, looking at his back. Hesitantly, with the pace of a snail, she weaved her arms through his and embraced him from behind, pressing her cheek to his back. "I am alive." She murmured, her voice as small as a child's.

Loki clenched his jaw and looked down at her arms wrapped around his middle. He could feel her on him; how was that so? Her body was warm and did not have the coldness of the dead. Her sunkissed skin glowed like bronze and her eyes burned like embers. He smelt her scent of Midgardian roses and earth. Her voice sounded just as sweet; was she alive?

Loki swallowed the sob in his throat, placing his arms over hers. A tear left his eye and he turned around, cupping her cheeks in his hands. He looked in her eyes once more before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers tenderly. He exhaled harshly and pulled away, placing his forehead on hers. "I thought I killed you." He breathed, his green eyes brimming with tears once more.

Andromeda put her hands on his and smiled, "Oh come now, sweet prince," She mewled, her voice playful, "You did not think that a simple potion could end me; did you?"

Loki let out a watery chuckle, shaking his head and smiling back at her with squinted eyes. "How foolish of me to think that the girl who cried over a skinned knee would perish from a potion."

"It was not 'a' skinned knee," Andromeda pouted, her voice coming out in a chiming whine, "It was two skinned knees and two skinned hands!"

"I told you not to play by the coastline." The prince murmured, nuzzling his nose against hers.

Andromeda rolled her eyes playfully, "Oh you know I do not take direction well."

"You do not listen." Loki chided lightly, his hands slowly slipping off her face and settling around her shoulders.

Andromeda's eyes fluttered at the light touch and she placed her hands on his chest, looking up at him with her big brown eyes and whispering, "Not to you."

Loki raised an eyebrow and moved his face a little closer to hers, breathing lightly on her lips. "Is that right?" His words danced over her skin and he turned her head slightly to brush his lips against her cheek.

Andromeda's eyes fluttered closed and she swallowed, breathing heavily. She felt his lips move from her cheek to the juncture of her neck and she sighed out, "Yes." Her tongue darted out to wet her lip and in a fluent motion, she grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head back, pressing her lips to his.

Loki let out a strangled groan as their lips met, his hands slipping down to Andromeda's bum and gripping it roughly. The princess tugged at his dark locks once more and as their bodies pressed against one another, she felt his desire for her. The prince reached behind her and yanked the ties from her dress, causing the bodice to loosen and the gown to completely crumple to the floor.

Andromeda was rendered completely nude and Loki removed his lips from hers, taking a pert, brown nipple in his mouth. The princess threw her head back in a moan and tugged on his tunic. Loki pulled away from her and pulled it over his head before frantically grabbing the bronze woman and lifting her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He tangled a hand in her hair and forced her lips to his, gripping her ass in his other hand.

Loki exhaled harshly through his nose and pressed Andromeda against his door, sucking harshly on her plump lips. He reached a hand between them and felt how wet she was, groaning into her mouth. He rubbed her clit, while his other hand fumbled with his trousers. They fell in a heap at his feet and he lined himself up with Andromeda's slit before thrusting into her.

Andromeda slid up the door and threw her head back in a moan, her toes curling. Loki buried his head in the crook of her shoulder, breathing in her scent as he slowly fucked her. "I have waited for this for an eternity, Andromeda." He whispered against her, his breath shallow. "To be buried in your sweet heat, to feel you write underneath me." He sharply thrusted upward and the woman whimpered, her nails digging into his back.

"Gods," Andromeda mewled out, gripping her lover. He was so large and there was a slight curve in his cock, though he was more gifted in length than width; but she had no complaints. "Go faster, Loki." She muttered, pressing his lips to his chest.

The prince pecked the smooth skin of her shoulder and leaned away from her, until they were nose to nose. He peered into her eyes and placed his hands on the door behind her, murmuring, "As you wish, princess." With that, he began to relentlessly fuck her against the door.

Andromeda's eyes closed and her mouth fell open as she began to come apart. Her back arched and she let out a guttural scream, digging her nails into his back as she came. Loki pressed her closer to him and clenched his jaw as he felt his own climax approaching. He inhaled the smell of her again, his eyes rolling in the back of his head as his dream of taking her was finally realized. He repeated her name over and over again as he finished within her tight walls, feeling her lips against his skin.

The two of them stayed joined at the hips for a moment more, catching their breaths. Loki lowered Andromeda to the ground and she gripped him once more, her legs giving out on her.

"Maybe a bath is in order." The prince muttered and the bronze woman nodded with a brilliant smile. He lifted her up and carried her into his bathroom, lowering her into the tub. He seated himself on the other side and flicked his wrist, making warm water fill the tub.

Andromeda pulled her legs closer to her, placing her chin on her knees. She looked over at Loki with a smile, laughing slightly to herself.

"Oh silly girl," Loki growled playfully, raising an eyebrow, "What are you laughing about now?"

The princess just smiled, crawling over to the prince and sitting in his lap then wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He, in turn, gripped her waist and smirked up at her. Andromeda pressed her forehead against his and smiled wider, "I love you." She breathed before pecking his lips.

"And I you." Loki replied, nuzzling his nose against hers.

Andromeda narrowed her eyes teasingly, leaning back when he tried to kiss her once more. "Say it."

The prince smirked and pecked her nose, "I love you." He muttered, then pecked her cheek, "I love you." He repeated, pecking her chin, "I love you." He kissed her neck. He genuinely smiled at her and pressed his lips against hers, caressing her bare back. He pulled away and looked into her eyes, "I love you, Andromeda."

"I know." The princess replied cockily, laughing when her lover pressed her closer to him.

The prince grinned wickedly, a glint in his green eyes, "Show me how much."