Sorrow's heavy breaths ripped through the library. She put a hand over her mouth to stifle the sounds. It was dark and she could barely see. She peeked around the corner of one of the gigantic shelves, searching for the man who was hunting her. She quickly bolted across the aisle to another bookshelf, clutching it to keep her steady.

She felt a knot of nervousness start to burn in her stomach, her heart slamming against her ribcage. A layer of sweat covered her brow, making her hair cling to her forehead. She sank to her knees, pressing herself to the bookshelf even more. She crawled across the floor, trying to blend in with the shadows. She rose to her feet at the end of the aisle. She again peeked around the corner, but this time He saw her.

She gasped as he grinned wickedly and charged towards her. She dodged through book shelves, trying to lose him again, but to no avail. She could almost feel his breath on her neck as he gained on her. She tripped over her own foot and collapsed to the floor, panting. She struggled to her feet, only to feel cold hands wrap around her wrist and yank her back. She crashed into him too hard and they both tumbled to the floor.

Laughing.

"I believe this is the part where I say 'Tag, you are It'." Loki grinned.

Sorrow groaned in irritation. "I was so close!"

Loki chuckled. "You are a fast runner. I am impressed."

Sorrow scowled at him in the dark. "You were letting me win." She breathed.

"Guilty as charged, love."

It was silent for a few seconds as Sorrow caught her breath. She hadn't realized it, but she was on top of him, straddling his waist. She blushed furiously and hurriedly fumbled to get off of Loki, only managing to fall back onto him. Loki laughed once more, realizing her embarrassment.

She finally tumbled off of him and he helped her stand up. She touched her flaming hot cheek and hid her face behind a curtain of hair. "I… sorry…" She mumbled, fidgeting with her soft brown hair.

Loki took her hand from her cheek and kissed it. "For what?" He pulled her towards him, making her face heat again. Loki's lips brushed against her own, making her heart beat wildly. His hand cupped the side of her neck, his thumb on her pulse. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you blush?" He murmured against her lips. She didn't answer as their lips met, exciting and slow at the same time. Her hands travelled up to his chest, his settling at her waist.

She felt as though time was slower. As if Fate wanted to make sure she memorized each and every second. She felt a shiver run down her back as he kissed her jaw. The air seemed tense, then. She felt a pull she had never felt before, something inside her that was buzzing with electricity, making her want more. She hadn't noticed that her breaths had become shaky, that his soft lips had travelled down to her neck, that she was slowly being guided backwards until her back touched a shelf.

"Loki…" She whispered. "We marry tomorrow…"

Loki stopped, breathing in her sweet scent, his hands tracing the scars on her back. "Yes. We do."

"I'm nervous…" She whispered.

"Why?"

"I… I am… I was a slave… what will people think? I am not royalty type… How do I compare to Jane?"

"You are more a Queen than Jane could ever be. And, people don't have to think and rarely do."

Sorrow sighed. "Jane is beautiful, outgoing, easy to talk to… I'm obviously none of those things."

Loki gently lifted her chin so their eyes met. "Trust me as I assure you. You are in no way in her shadow. She is in yours. To me, you are perfect. It does not matter what Asgard thinks. Sorrow. I love you."

Sorrow kissed his neck, surprising him. "Loki... I love you, too. But you do realize you'll have married your former slave."

Loki scoffed. "No. I'll have married my best friend."

"Who is also your former slave."

Loki sighed, kissing her hand as he gazed into her eyes. "Does it matter?"

"People will talk." Sorrow said.

Loki rolled his eyes. "People will always talk. Look at Thor. He married a mortal. At least I will have married an Asgardian."

Sorrow's eyebrow rose in mocking. "And what if I wasn't Asgardian? What if I was Vanir? Or even a fire giant from Muspellheim?"

"Are you trying to tell me you are the runt offspring of a fire giant? Because that would be perfect, see, as I am the runt offspring of a frost giant." Loki grinned.

Sorrow laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"You're not denying it." Loki pointed out.

"Fine. You know my deepest, darkest secret. I am actually a fire giantess who is rather small." Sorrow said with a playful smile.

"Then you wouldn't mind showing me your true form?"

"I'm afraid I would catch this library on fire."

"I'm a frost giant. I would put it out before it singed the first page of a book."

"I guess I'd have no other choice than to burn you. Fire and ice don't mix well."

Loki faked shock. "You would harm me? After all we've been through together? I prefer you as a spirit. That way you could only scare me to death."

"How did this go from fire giants to me playing a spirit years ago?" Sorrow asked.

"I have no idea." Loki smirked. "But you almost made me forget that I won our game of tag, which means we get to play more chess."

"Alright. We'll play chess. But I hope we don't have to play in this dark library." Sorrow walked over to one of the tables, where she had left her shoes. She slipped her feet into the flats, turning to find Loki staring quizzically at her. "What?"

"You took your shoes off?"

Sorrow smiled amusedly as she bent down and picked up a book. "Yes. One of the many tricks I learned as a slave. If you want to keep quiet, take your shoes off and run on the pads of your feet. It's more tiring, but it works."

"No wonder I could barely hear you. I was counting on hearing your footsteps. The game would have gone a lot quicker." Loki said, walking over to her and offering her his arm.

"Then it would have been no fun. Besides, I never stood a chance in the first place. You have your tricks, I have mine. It was only fair." Sorrow said as she slipped her arm through his.

"Honestly, I did lose track of you for a few minutes. It kind of worried me. I thought you had somehow left without my noticing."

Sorrow laughed, the image of Loki lurking in a dark library for hours, waiting to pounce on his victim who had left.

"You obviously find it very amusing." Loki said. "When you think I have left you alone in the library, I assure you that I would never do so. When I think you have left me, you laugh. I think you have just hurt my pride."

"Everything hurts your pride." Sorrow leaned her head on his arm as they entered the hall, the guards to the royal library trying not to verbally agree with her last statement. "In fact, even saying that has hurt your pride. I can feel it in the air. Your hurting pride."

Loki pretended to sniffle. "No. It's not hurt. Now, it's broken. Thank you, Lady have damaged my pride beyond mental repair."

Sorrow rolled her deep blue eyes. "Just dig a little deeper. I'm sure you can find some more."

"You are on a role tonight, aren't you." Loki remarked.

"Where do you think I get it from? You are who you are with. Isn't there a saying like that somewhere out there?"

"Most likely. There is a saying for everything."