Oh this is a good chapter! You will love it. Toward the end it gets a little fun, but not worthy of having to look away if you are squeamish. Please continue to read and review!

Chapter Sixteen - In search of truth

Night had fallen over the castle located on the jagged mountain peak. A strong blizzard had taken its icy grasp and thoroughly wrenched hold of the Odinson Mansion; mainly Loki's doing due the fact he was angry.

Loki sat in his throne room focused off to a side. The golden singular band that wrapped his head shimmered in the glowing embers of the fire off to his right.

He tried to focus on the dinner meeting at hand, but he felt nothing but shame in this moment. His moment, his ultimate moment to prove that Midgard finally had something over the other realms was dashed; due to those confounded rebels who sought to destroy everything he had created.

He vowed that he would destroy them first.

However he was not alone long as his mother Frigga entered his throne room. She was very lovely in her golden gown and jewels that wrapped her neck.

Loki gave no emotion to her presence, instead remaining in his focused position.

Surprisingly, his mother bowed lightly before his throne.

"Mother," he said, "why do you bow to me?"

"This is your realm my son," she said. "I taught you manners and I would expect that I would be held to those standards to which I taught you."

He stepped off his throne and platform to take her hands in his. "Mother, I have always wanted to say something to you." He wanted to tell her how much he appreciated everything that she did for him, even though he was not her son by birth. "Mother, I..."

She put a hand to his cheek. "I know my precious snowflake," she told him. "I know." They heard the bell sound for dinner in the adjacent room. "I guess we best go."

"Yes," he replied and offered his mother an arm. She took his arm and they walked into the next room; the dining room.

His father Odin was there and Thor soon arrived with Sif. Each of them was adorned in royal red and bronze tunics that matched off one another. Sif had her hair pulled back in a brooch of ruby and amber gemstones.

But there was someone who was missing. His wife was not present.

"Ashlyn," he called, "where is Lady Jane?"

"I will go to her my king," the servant replied, curtseying, and leaving.

"Shall we wait for your queen?" his father asked.

"I am sure that she is making herself presentable," Loki said. "Let us at least be served and we shall wait."

Ashlyn took great pride in being selected to serve the Queen of the Earth. She had been chosen from hundreds of young girls from her academy class, but the queen had stated she was loyal, creative in her clothing selections, and stayed organized with her studies and responsibilities.

It was true. Her parents had challenged her to do her very best when it came to her work and would continue to do so; mainly for life and job security.

Arriving to her rulers' bedchamber, Ashlyn noticed that it was ajar.

"My queen," she called in to see if she was welcomed. At no reply, she pushed the door open and found her queen.

Lady Jane was hunched over the side of the bed. She was dressed in her gown that she had selected (mainly so she matched her king's black and gold attire), but was lying on the edge.

"My queen," Ashlyn lightly screeched and went to her. "My lady," she added with a light shake.

Jane woke up to a startling and shaking motion. Her servant girl Ashlyn was at her side, giving her a little jolt to bring her back to the realm of consciousness.

She did not know what had brought it on, but she was dressing and was adding her tanzanite and silver chain belt to her waist when she became light-headed, nauseous, and finally she was out.

"Are you ill my lady?" Ashlyn asked.

Jane stood back to her feet. "I am fine Ashlyn," she replied. "I think it is just a residual injury from the attack earlier. I might have a minor concussion or something."

"Should I send for the physician?"

"No dear," she replied. "I will go if I begin to feel ill again. Has everyone met in the dining hall?"

"Yes milady. I was dispatched to bring you down."

"You go on off to bed," Jane told her. "I will be fine once I eat something."

"As you wish my queen."

"It is my wish dearest Ashlyn. You have been loyal to me so let me reward you for your loyalty."

Ashlyn curtseyed and headed out of the room.

Jane went into the washroom to splash some water on her face, careful not to disturb her makeup, combed through her hair briskly before pulling it back in a headband that matched her belt.

She slipped on her ring and boots before leaving the chamber.

It would be a visit to the doctor for her in the near future, but for tonight, she would indulge her husband and his family.

The large doors to the hall were open so she took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

Loki finally saw Jane appear and she was very lovely. He was almost jealous that she looked so good for a simple dinner date with his family. The red number slinked along her curves and fanned out toward the ends. There was a long slit that went up her right leg for simple movement. Tall black boots caressed her shins.

"There you are my love," he said as he stood from his chair and walked around the table to meet her. "Taking your time getting lovelier than normal, I see?" he asked with an enthusiastic. "Love the dress," he whispered near her ear.

"Thank you my darling," she replied. "No. I actually got a little dizzy and I stopped to rest for a bit. I must have fallen asleep."

There was hesitation in her voice and her heart beat slightly faster. Was she hiding something?

"Are you OK?" he asked.

"I think I may have gotten a light concussion from the attack earlier today," she replied. "Might have thrown my head for a loop."

"Then we should send for a doctor."

"I am fine darling. Please do not fret about me. I just want to be down here and engage with our family under non-formal conditions."

He took her hand and guided her to her chair beside his.

"Now, we dine," he told everyone.

Thor stared at Jane as she did not drink wine, but stuck with spring water and did not eat much food from her plate. She appeared to be ill, sweat beads sparkling lightly against her skin.

Was she in some sort of heat where her body was overheating? Was she not telling everyone everything.

Jane and Loki shared a private dance near the fireplace when their maestro at the instrument with numerous keys across it played a hypnotic melody.

They moved flawlessly together. His brother led her hands and their feet moved together. It was clear that she wanted to dance faster and spin herself around, but her husband being concerned about her frail condition kept her grounded.

What was wrong with her? What was the truth of their relationship? He still did not give up his theory that she was under some sort of magic enchantment.

Once everyone was asleep for the night after this feast, he decided to patrol about and investigate.

The moonlight from above and the torchlight that illuminated Icehawk Mountain waned down to a dim, ethereal glow.

Servants finished up their prep work for the morning and adjourned to their own quarters while guards switched shifts with their fellow infantry member.

It was during one of these shifts that Thor slipped out of his family's suite and walked through the halls. Their suite was in a different wing than his brother's so he would have some traversing to do. While walking, he observed some of the arcane statuette figures and eclectic taste in artwork that his brother and his wife had. It seemed to be that the pieces reflected chaotic elements mixed with eternal love and devotion. Many of the pieces were themed after tragic lovers.

One piece Thor observed was a painting called "Romeo and Juliet."

Finally he saw a piece of the woman who had stolen his heart. Jane was sitting beautifully on a garden bench with her hair lightly blowing in the breeze, a purple rose in both her hands, just grazing her cheek.

She truly was a gem to Midgard and her race.

He journeyed forward and finally found the gem he sought. Jane was resting behind a glittering veil in her large bed that she shared with his brother.

Thor passed through the door and entered the royal bedchamber.

The bed was directly ahead of him, coated with sparkling veiled curtains that were draped over the four-posts of the ornate bed.

But it was not the bed that attracted him, but the resting form within.

Jane appeared to be resting very comfortably in a peaceful slumber. He could not understand that after the events of the day and evening how she could be resting so comfortably.

Thor's fingers grazed along the jeweled curtain and pulled it aside so he could get the full look of Jane's body. She was even more beautiful as she slept, even though this was the second time that he had seen her sleep.

She appeared to still be warm with the perspiration upon her brow, but she was peacefully asleep; a book resting across her midsection.

"Oh Jane," he whispered as he reached to touch her mane that was scattered about the pillow.

He had to retreat back suddenly from staring at Jane's sleeping form when water from within the next room was shut off. The handle on the door to the bathing chamber signaled that it was about to be opened from someone on the other side.

He darted out of the room and closed the door; leaving it ajar so he could stare within.

Thor took notice to his brother walking out the door without a tunic covering his upper body. He was only adorned in a loose pair of dark trousers.

Loki walked near the bed, closed the curtain, and pulled the black sheet away to cover himself completely in it. He slid closer to Jane's body which remained still as the predator moved toward his prey.

He watched in painful and silent anguish as his brother's hand glided from her mane, gently grazing her shoulder, and smoothed down Jane's midsection (once he had pried the book from her hands) that was cloaked in silk and lace nightdress. However, she remained still and unmoving.

Loki's fingers began to creep up on her flesh and Jane actually started smiling. She was playing him by pretending to be asleep.

Her eyes opened when Loki grabbed her on the sides and began to tickle her body.

Jane dove underneath the covers in an attempt to play with her husband. Thor could not tell if she was enjoying it or trying to fight him off.

"Trying to resist me are you," his brother's voice came from the play. "No one can resist the God of Mischief and the King of Midgard." He was also laughing.

"Stop it," Jane screeched in laughter and joy. Her legs and arms flailed as she tried to escape his tickles. The sheets billowed and buckled as they fought underneath it.

Eventually, the sheet was thrown away after Jane's body was revealed to be over his brother's body. Her legs straddled him while her hair was pulled along the side of her face as his brother played with her hair.

Thor knew that he did not want to see this happen between Jane and Loki, but he could not long to pull his eyes away from the room.

"I love you my king," he heard Jane say in near breathlessness.

How he longed to hear those words said to him by her.

Loki sat up sharply, but Jane was still in his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. He took the sheet and wrapped it so they were wrapped together in it. "And my love to you my queen," he told her before their mouths were locked with one another.

He did not stay locked with her for long as he began to suckle along her neck and neckline. His hands plucked and undid the strings along Jane's spine. The king's hands smoothed along her flesh and then slowly gathered up the fabric of her nightdress...before pulling it over her head. Loki took possession of his prize and held her ever so tightly to his body; using the sheet as a cuff.

"Take me to your lair my temptress," Loki whispered to her. "Take me to your lair and consume me."

Thor could not take any more of the intimacy between Jane and his brother. He was going to be violently ill if he witnessed anything further between them.

He snuck away from the residence and headed back to the suite where his family was living, but he would demand that they left soon.

Loki could feel the presence of his brother near his bedchamber even while he was changing out of his dressing clothes and into something more comfortable for bed. His brother's aura was unmistakable, but he would not summon the alarm for service.

He would show him the emotions that traversed between him and Jane; on a nightly basis.

Now, he loved his wife and her loyalty to him, but for this night since a "prowler" was afoot, he would turn up the seductive games a bit.

Jane was not complaining as their lovemaking was always an experience being that he was a god and she a mortal. Tonight would be one of those nights that she would never forget.

Nor would Thor.

This pleased him a great deal.

What an ending, huh? Loki striking back at his brother in such a way that breaks his heart. Please review for this one!