"Explain it to me!" Loki railed against his mother. "How is it that an uneducated blacksmith with no battlefield training is more fit to be King than me? I speak three languages because I understand the importance of subtlety. The Allspeak doesn't always pick up on it. He knows nothing about trade negotiations or the rituals or the customs of other species. But he's an alpha and Mjolnir likes him so I should just bend over and get fucked!"

"Enough! You will not speak to me like that. I am your mother. Now, I will say that you are right Loki. You are right on all counts. It isn't fair in the least and you have a right to be angry."

"Then why is this happening to me?"

"You know why son. Listen, Thor is a good man. Good men are simple men, and Thor is. For him the world is black and white. Politically speaking, the man could never survive on his own, and for all the reasons you just stated, but more. Even after a time, when Thor gains experience, he won't have the heart to make the ugly decisions that is sometimes necessary to maintain power. Why do you think your father can't lift Mjolnir anymore?"

"You never told me how he lost her favor."

"Your father was faced with a choice. He could either do right by a small village of people on a distant moon that discover a large vein of gold, letting them grow rich by their labors and their land, or conquer them and enrich Asgard. He chose Asgard and his own ambition. We would not be the country we are today without the gold that came from that mine. It wasn't our land. We had no right to it. But your father took it and slaughter the citizens there. It was a small people, only roughly 100 or so. And now hundreds of thousands of people benefit from the steady and peaceful rule that came from that windfall. We have not needed to conquer anyone else nor negotiate trade agreements that might be unfair or unbalance since. Poverty among our people is now manageable. Even the poorest of our people have meat on a regular basis. Now tell me if you think Thor could do the same?"

"No."

"But you could."

"Yes."

"And that is why you are not worthy."

"But that is why I should be King!"

"And that is why you both need to rule together. You would slaughter them too easily, too quickly. Your conscience would not be bothered by it in the slightest. You wouldn't bother looking to alternative solutions. Your father agonized over the decision for days, but he couldn't risk any of the other realms discovering the find. It had to be kept quiet."

"You're wrong."

"I'm not wrong Loki. It is not just the matter of ruling that needs to be considered. Loki, you need a mate, a partner, and someone that loves you. From what your father has told me, he is a very considerate man and he worries about your needs. Give him a chance. Even if you were to be King you'd still have to marry. You'd still need to have children of your own. No man is an island Loki, and you are very lonely."

"I'm not lonely. I don't need anyone." Loki said. He walked away from his mother. He'd heard enough. So far no one could explain why he could not be King in any kind of way that made logical sense.

"Loki! You come back here now! Thor will be here to meet you in fifteen minutes!" She yelled after him. Loki ignored her, intent on leaving the garden. He was stopped, however, by a contingent of guards at the arch. They blocked his entry back into the palace.

"Get out of my way!"

"We cannot my prince."

"When I am King I swear I will get revenge on each and every single one of you!"

"Loki, threatening the people who guard you while you sleep is unwise." Frigga said. "Come back to the garden son. You need to spend time with your betrothed." Loki grit his teeth and followed her back to the bench.

"Sit." She said forcefully. "I'll go get Thor."

Loki sat there contemplating all the different ways he could murder Thor and not get caught. It would have to be in public and he'd need to be at least several feet away. But even then, people would suspect him. Damn, damn, damn!

Thor entered the garden carrying a bouquet of wildflowers, which he'd picked and tied with green ribbon. Loki rose when he saw him approaching and he recoiled when he saw the flowers and that dumb smile on the dumb blonde's face.

"Hello. I picked these for you. I hope you like them."

"I'm a man, not a simpering maiden, so NO! I don't like them!"

"How can you not like flowers? Everyone likes flowers." Thor said as his blood pressure rose.

"If you like them you keep them. I'm not easily bought by empty trinkets."

"This is our first meeting. I would think that some basic pleasantries would be in order."

"Fine. How do you do?"

"Very well thank you." Thor said and then dead silence followed. He looked around at their surroundings. "So…What do you like to do for fun?"

"Fun? There's nothing fun about life at the palace. Everywhere you go you are being watched. People pretend to like you to gain your favor. People plot against you to gain power and entertain themselves. There are whispers in every corner of this place and all of them are about what they can do to make you look like a fool. Even the events that are supposed to be fun are nothing more than carefully choreographed political games where the fates and fortunes of others all hinge on how much I decide I like someone. Or how much they like me."

"Surely there is some joy in your life?"

"My one life's joy was snatched from me, by you. My life no longer has meaning or purpose, except to birth your children like a good little whore."

"I would never treat you thusly."

"Do not lie to me! You are all the same, you alphas. You cherish nothing. Sex is an empty game to you. If you or my father thinks that I'm just going to lay back and spread my legs to Asgard's New Golden Perfect Savior, then you can go fuck each other!"

"You need to listen to me! I just want…"

"I don't have to listen to a damn thing you say!"

"You don't even know me!"

"Nor do I care to!"

"We are to be married. You can't avoid me forever! You're acting like a child!" Thor said.

"Go to hell!"

"You're a rude miserable little man and I feel sorry for you!"

"Pity? Oh Thunderer, you'll be feeling pity only for yourself when I am through with you!" Green light sparked from Loki's fingertips as he muttered a spell under his breath. Thor pulled Mjolnir from his belt and held it aloft, not knowing what to expect. Loki flung the spell at Thor as hate radiated from his eyes. But the green web of magic, which was supposed to transform Thor into a goat, met with some resistance. Mjolnir glowed and a blue dome of protection deflected the spell and sent it flying back at Loki. Thor watched as the man transformed into a four legged beast of burden. Loki became a donkey. Guards flooded the garden and Thor dropped Mjolnir like a rock, horrified and unable to explain what had happened. Odin came marching out of the palace.

"I didn't do it! I didn't mean to. He attacked me!" Thor said. Odin chuckled and patted Thor on the shoulder.

"I know." He said and turned his attention to Loki. "Well son, I did warn you not to do anything stupid. I think I'll leave you in this form tonight and let you mull over your actions today. Perhaps if Thor is feeling forgiving later, he'll bring you that bouquet of flowers to you for your dinner."

"My King, I don't want to further enrage Loki. Our relationship is not starting off well."

"All the more reason for him to suffer the consequences of his rash behavior." Odin said to him. "Well Loki, you look like an ass. Enjoy staying in the royal stable tonight."

XxXxXxXx

The following morning the spell wore off and Loki disappeared into his chambers for three days and refused to speak to anyone. Thor was worried but he didn't have time to address the situation. The preparations for the wedding were taking up all of his time. His mornings were spent learning mind numbing information about how to run the kingdom and his afternoons were filled with flying lessons, magic lessons, and combat lessons. By the evening Thor was ready to fall down face first onto his bed and never rise again.

When Loki finally did show his face, he avoided Thor at all costs. Thor knew it did not bode well for them. Loki had been publicly humiliated and would want revenge. Thor tried engaging him in conversation at dinner, but Loki gave him the silent treatment. The man even seemed physically pained to get within a foot of Thor, as though his physical presence had some sort of an effect on him. It dawned on Thor that it was having an effect and he went to Frigga to ask her a private question.

"My Queen."

"Call me Frigga dear. I'll be your mother-in-law soon."

"Yes, Frigga. I need to ask you; do you know when Loki is due for his next heat?"

"Ah yes, if we timed it correctly, he'll be in heat on the day of your wedding."

"Which means he'll be agitated and desperate and forced into a bedroom with me. My lady, he avoids me as it is. Surely he'll see such a set up as a violation?"

"Thor, you are a genuinely sweet man, which is why I'm going to say this. You need to be less coddling with him. He's an omega. He responds to strength."

"Yes but he is not submissive. He's the most dominant omega I've ever met. I don't know how to treat him. And I can't figure out how to treat him if he keeps avoiding me."

"Thor, you need to consider the possibility that there is no happy solution here. No matter what you do, Loki will take offense. He wants you to hurt him. It'll make him feel justified hurting you in return."

"I see. I'll think on your words my queen."

"I know you will. I know you don't want to hurt him Thor and that, whatever you do on your wedding night with my son, you'll consider his needs."

Thor returned to his room, feeling more troubled than ever. He felt like he was being set up to fail, and at what, he wasn't certain. Loki was an omega, who acted like an alpha, but was miserable, clearly. He thought about the fact that Loki hadn't (from what he'd deduced) had sex with anyone yet. And probably because he feared it. Loki was so afraid of being perceived as weak that he has avoided even being penetrated, because he didn't want to be seen as a soft child bearer.

Control. It was all about control. Thor's mind spun as a plan formed. He realized what he needed to do to make this marriage work. He was going to give Loki what he thought he wanted. Thor pulled his coin purse out of its hiding place and left his room, heading for the shops in the market district. He needed to buy sleeping potion, lubricant, a mouth gag, and a length of rope.