The story so far: Loki and Cephera have been bounded by an invisible spell attached to their wrists. At first nether was sure they where happy about it and had to lie about the circumstances. Brunhilda had found a spell to the passage and they are waiting for her to decipher it. While that was happening loki has been learning something's about Cephera and forced to spend time with her they both become a little closer.

More news...I will be posting Loyal servant alternate ending as a separate fic called loyal servant alternate ending only because I added a bonus chapter so the original chapter 2 has become chapter 3 and a new one inserted in between and I have up to chapter 15 written. The alternate ending really begins at chapter seven so in a way it's kind a whole new story after that. Lol so pull up your socks when this story ends for more Cephera/Loki fun. Lol

Loki's dreamer: I bet you do...you and everyone. Lol

Frostfire613: they are indeed. :D

Doctor Loki love: ahhh. The ever protective sister and the possible swelling romance. Cephera is so used to her sister being that protective she's immune to seeing it anymore. Lol

White light of DEATH: I am always sad and excited to end a story but I usually have another one in the works to keep my, dare I say fans, happy. :)

Sidney loves fiction: I am happy my sexy time is so enjoyable. I swear you crave it. :p

Sorceress of the trees: a little too comfortable maybe? Will I shake things up a little...?

Kat snowstorm: hmm what's Pi day? I live in Newfoundland and am not familiar with it. Perhaps I will facepalm myself when I find out. Lol

Chapter 15

Cephera and everyone else waiting on Brunhilda had been woken early. It had been Thor who done the waking and he looked rather pleased to see Cephera laying in bed her back bare to him, cuddled in Loki's arms. He didn't comment he just told them to get dressed and meet him in the throne room. So that was where they were now. Everyone was stood around Thor waiting for him to speak.

"Brunhilda has sent word she is ready for us. We leave immediately. I know it's early but this mystery has gone on long enough." Everyone mumbled an agreement. It had been a full week since Cephera and Loki had been bound and so far they had managed to live with the new ties. In fact the week had been one of the best in her life. Cephera was almost lamenting letting it go. She wondered how long her and Loki would be bound and when they finally were free would he still choose to have her in his arms at night. So far they hadn't gone a night without touching each other.

Cephera no longer fought the feeling to get away from him. Slowly her walls were caving and she was allowing herself to feel so eyeing more. Her confusion of her feelings began to wan and she was trending the dangerous path of being emotional hurt forever if he failed to feel the same. She had been doing so well keeping her lust separate from her heart but the more they talked and spent time together, even though it was forced, she began to feel as though she understood him and that she could love him.

He had also been doing well at not saying things to her to hurt her feelings. They had one minor fight when Seraphina made a comment about...Cephera's mind blanked out. For some reason she couldn't remember why they argued now. She would have to ask Seraphina later what it was she said. She felt a funny feeling bubble up inside her like she forgot something important and it wasn't the first time since she had begun to actually lay with Loki that she felt that way.

Loki helped Cephera mount the winged stallion and he sat behind her. She mused how beautiful Asgard looked from above in the light of the early hours of dawn. The ocean seemed to drop off into nowhere and Cephera wondered where it went.

"Your world is beautiful." Cephera said to Loki over her shoulder. Loki leaned forward so his chin touched her.

"Beautiful enough to make you want to stay?" He inquired.

"We know what it would take to make me stay." She reminded him. Loki snuck a kiss to her ear quickly and sat back up straight but he didn't offer a response on the matter. Cephera felt her heart flutter a little. She was becoming attached and she knew it but still she attempted to remain in denial.

They touched down and dismounted. Brunhilda was there to greet them. She handed a scroll over for Loki to look at as he requested to see it. When he opened it Cephera looked at it as well. The spell was more like a chant and looked puzzling. "Come." Brunhilda said and they followed her to enter the room where the angels still lay. She brought them to the pedestal that held an orb that was seemingly dormant. Cephera remembered seeing it the first time they came there. "This item was presented to us by a seer who had a mental link with Valhalla. She told us that this orb was a gift from the angels and that it was to be protected at all costs." Cephera looked closely and could see the inscription across the globe. The writing was tiny, it was no wonder Brunhilda had problems with it.

"What what do we do?" Maria spoke up stepping forward.

"Well there are actually two spells here." Brunhilda mentioned. "I want you all to step up and very carefully place your hands on the orb and I will tell you what to say." Everyone moved forward. "Ahhhh. Not you. I don't trust you to get too close." She said to Loki.

"He has no choice." Cephera said. "Long story short, spell got us bounded by our wrists. Where I go he goes." Brunhilda had an absurd look on her face but she waved Loki forward with a sigh of defeat. Loki stood just behind Cephera allowing her room to touch the orb with the other girls. Brunhilda began telling them what to say from the scroll and they all chanted in kind with Loki telling Damaris what to say as she still didn't know how to speak their language.

Cephera didn't see anything happening with the orb but she did see the silvery wings sprout from everyone around her and stretch out shining. She could feel her own back tingling and in another moment those wings had folded over them all blinding them in silver light. When Cephera was able to see, she was laying on a cloud covered floor with all the other girls around her and Loki was no longer attached to her. In fact no one but the Ushers where there.

Everyone climbed to their feet and where startled as a voice forced them to look up. At the top of a clouded staircase stood a female with long flowing black hair and green eyes. She was beautiful in a eerie way and her wings where solid white. "Welcome to Pandora." She said spreading her arms wide.

"Pandora?" It was Alleria who spoke.

"Yes. Pandora is the place between Valhalla and Nevaeh. Everyone one who dies comes here first. Those destined to be angels will ascend these stairs and those who are not will walk Ethereal's path." She pointed off in the distance where the clouded floor tapered off into a golden hue.

"Who are you?" Serpahina said firmly looking closely as the woman got closer to them.

"I have been known by several names throughout my many lives. But you may refer to me as the last name I was known by when I lived as a downrealmer, Seria."

"Ok, Seria. Can you explain to us what's been happening."

"I've been waiting here for just that opportunity." Everyone gave each other irritated looks.

"Why not just come tell us?" Alleria huffed.

"That's not how this works. We are bound by rules, messing about with the Downrealms without good reason is one. And even if I had wanted to I could not. We are trapped here in Valhalla with no connection currently available to the other worlds. I escaped to here before I too was trapped." Seria was smiling warmly.

"So you're the only angel we can speak with?" Tanium tilted her head.

"I am the only one with answers." She replied. "One of our higher Valkyrie, a Valkyrian, has been corrupted." She said. "Before all of this began I was to be the first female to rise to the rank of Valkyrian. Like any society, even among us, jealously ragged. One of the highers, Gabriel, was displeased with this decision and hatred, jealously, malevolence and I am sure much more has touched and tainted his heart. He has sealed away all other angels and cast down those you currently have on your realm."

"Cast them down why?" It was Maria who spoke this time.

"To make sure no usher should be able to reach us. He's on a bit of a rampage. He's being using an ancient power he stole to undo the work I had done when I once lived. He has to be stopped." She sounded pleading, her eyes wide.

"And we can help with that?" Payten stepped forward.

"You can. Now that you all have recovered your missing blessings you can now handle the artifact needed to stop him. That artifact is already within your grasp but it needs energy. All of you can give it what it needs and then you can bring it here to me, I will take care of things from there."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Meriall almost growled.

"Do you have a different idea?" Seria sounded almost sarcastic and it seemed odd from her. No one argued that. "The orb that now lays dormant in the holy mountains amongst the Valkyries, the one you used to get here, is what you seek. It's called Ethereals light. Once it reaches it full power it must be brought back here. You can chose to believe me and do as I say or to let things play out and find your reality will soon change and nothing will be as it was." Everyone exchanged glances but no one had a better idea and so no one disagreed.

"Can't we just find Gabriel and stop him in our world?" Avia asked.

"Do you think you can stop an angel?" Seria questioned back. "Even if it were possible none of you hold the power to jump realities. Right now he resides between the worlds which you cannot view. So no. None of you can face him without finding him and if you could find him you would most certainly meet your own end. Go now and make your decision." She waved her hand lazily their way.

No one got to ask anything else. Light blinded them and soon Cephera found herself alone with Seria. "I have more to tell you." She said emphasizing the you.

"Me?"

"Yes. You. If this should fail, and it might, our only hope left is you." Cephera bit her lip.

"How?" She asked gazing at the angel in front of her.

"When I still had the power to do so I looked across all realities, an alternate universe you might call them, to find a pair who could sire another me. You see in another reality you and Loki where my parents." Cephera felt a cold chill run over her.

"Our dreams." She muttered incredulously.

"Yes. I admit those are my doing. I entered back to a time frame before coming to this place to escaping Gabriel, where I could force the two of you to find one another. You see if I could exist in the Downrealms once more I could stop Gabriel from playing with the realities and send him back to Vahalla. But as I am now I do not have that power. When one dies and becomes an angel they lose everything they possessed. The saying 'you can't take it with you' rings true. I no longer hold my power to jump or manipulate time but dreams I can do. Tethering you to Loki was another of my concoction to try and make you both get along. In your bloodline together lies the genes to create another me that no other reality currently has. If all else fails we need that child sooner rather then later." Cephera looked down. Everything she felt wasn't about love or destiny. It was all a lie laid out to force them to copulate and for her to bare a certain child.

Suddenly everything she thought she was feeling for Loki felt wrong. Felt like a lie and she felt almost hallow inside. "Why would you do that?" She said her heart clenching. "To play with people's lives that way! Do you play with my feelings too?"

"It was a necessity. I have done what I must to ensure the survival of all mankind. You and Loki have not made this easy. I have very little power here and I'm exhausted beyond measure from trying to get you two together. If Gabriel is not brought down he will destroy world after world. I was desperate. I still am." She sounded saddened but it didn't make Cephera any less angry.

"Make them stop." She said. "The dreams, make them stop."

"I can't. Until you are either with child that is the new incarnation of myself or until Ethereal's Light is brought to me the dreams will not cease. You and Loki will never be free of each other until one of those things happen. If you bring me the newly restored orb I will have access to power that will allow me to find and stop Gabriel. If that happens you and Loki are free to do with your lives as you see fit."

"Were me and Loki ever meant to be together in this 'reality'?" Cephera asked glaring.

"I do not know. I only cared that you both held the key to another me and not weather it was meant to be. You're very different from my mother." She said smiling. "But different isn't always a bad thing."

Cephera felt she had nothing more to say. "Send me back. I've heard enough." She hung her head and ignored the light as she was swept away back to the others.

The moment Cephera appeared she yanked the bond that still held her to Loki. "I need to rest." She declared her voice strained with signs of emotion. Loki was surprised and was reluctant to follow her until she gave him a look of pure pleading. Her eyes were glossy with the beginning of tears. He followed without question. Serpahina made to follow but Cephera made a gesture for her not too which made Loki nervous. He was rushed from the room with her mind obviously was elsewhere. She marched them all the way out into a woodsy area.

He could almost see her mental breakdown before it happened. Once outside and away from view she kept herself turned from him and he watched her shoulders shake and her head hunch down. He heard the wretched sob that was pulled from her as she slowly began to lose her self control. Soon she crumpled to the grass below the bond tugging Loki down as well. Loki wasn't sure how to deal with this. She had no other choice but to have him there when he was sure she would have preferred to be alone. He did the only thing he thought might be appropriate and wrapped his arms around her pulling her back to his chest while she sobbed.

He didn't speak any words as he was unsure what brought on this emotional distress. He was sure it wasn't something he said and only assumed it had something to do with why she took longer coming back from their visit to the angel then the others. It took her longer then expected to calm herself to hiccups and light crying. "It's all a lie." She said softly and Loki had to strain to hear her.

"What is?" He asked keeping his voice low and as soothing as possible. He was not suited to these situations.

"You, me. Everything that had happened between us is all a sham, an elaborate ploy brought down upon us by an angel." Loki was still confused. He needed the whole story.

"What did she tell you?" He asked.

"She was the one who placed upon us the spell to cause us to dream of each other. We are not meant to fall in love, it matters not if we marry, all that mattered was for you to get me pregnant with a progeny that is a rebirth of her. All a plan to gain a powerful child who could stop and fix the wrongs done by a jealous angel." She shivered and was bent over almost pulling away from him. "Nothing we feel is real. Every time we felt pulled to one another, anything we might have thought we were beginning to feel for one another was just a ruse to get us into bed. Just when I thought I had everything figured out..." She trailed off.

"So an angel wants us to have a child. Why do you fret over such a thing. Surely you've taken precaution to deter pregnancy." Loki felt her stiffen.

"I haven't. The thought never crossed my mind." Loki was instantly annoyed.

"What do you mean never crossed your mind." He said a little more forceful then he meant. "If I did not wish to marry you why would I want a child with you." His mouth began going before her thoughts about his words.

"You don't get it do you! Did you think about it?!" She had turned to glare at him.

"I..." Loki stopped. He hadn't thought about it.

"I suspect the angel Seria was the reason for that too." Cephera said bitterly. "Have this week done nothing for how you feel...never mind. It doesn't matter. Anything you might have begun to feel is nothing but lies anyway. Loki felt his angry ebb. He was arguing with the wrong person. It was not her fault. They had been manipulate from day one and suddenly he felt a calm.

"I am sure not everything we feel is fake." He said. "I am sure there are genuine feelings there somewhere." he could feel her panic over this.

"It doesn't matter. How would we know." she said it her shoulder hunching in defeat.

"We have found a way to get along. We have been happy this passed week..." She turned and shoved him.

"Don't you get it...I don't love you! You wont love me! All that we have is lust and even that is fake. We are not meant to be together. There is no happiness in our future. All this was a forced relationship." Loki stared at her. He didn't feel as passionately about this information as she did as he was still confused about how he felt about her anyway. He had simply been enjoying having her warm body next to his each night and her kisses. He had known she would begin to feel strongly for him but he had been conflicted as to weather or not he felt the same. Now he guessed he knew why.

Loki forced her to come closer into his embrace. "If all you say is true then we have no control over weather or not we have this child. If the angel wants it bad enough she will force our minds all the more. But once we have this child we will be free to figure out how we truly feel. All that you have felt may not have been conjured but may have been the product of spending time with me." He kissed her forehead.

"Do you feel as though you love me?" She asked. Loki was hesitating to answer.

"I am confused over how I feel." He said once more just as truthfully as when he said them the first time. She nodded. "If we have a child together and we feel differently once we do the most that will happen is that we will part ways but you will have gained a child to whom you can love forever." She blinked at him.

"I don't know if I desire that." She told him looking down. Loki kissed her hair.

"Then don't think about if. For now we will attempt the other way to fix the problem and whatever should happen between us until then we will take nothing from it but the comfort we feel when in each others arms." Loki wasn't thrill with the concept of a child when he barely knew of he wanted her fully but at this point is wasn't the worst thing that could happen.