This chapter is told from Thor's point of view.

Walking into Loki's room and seeing Frigga unexpectedly, Thor's mind immediately went back to the healing rooms, to Loki ill and near death. Worry wound its way around his heart and squeezed.

"Mother? What are you doing here? Is Loki alright?" he blurted. Loki appeared to be fine, standing tall, radiant even, but Thor was no expert in these things. Thankfully, Frigga set his mind at ease, and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Frigga took her leave, but not before whispering some advice, and a suggestion, into her son's ear.

"Be careful with her, son. She will captivate the men without even trying, and is likely to be eaten alive if left alone." Thor nodded at her words, though he doubted Loki was as vulnerable as his mother thought. She added, "Show her the library. I think she will enjoy it." With that, she was gone, and Thor was left blinking at Loki.

Oh, was Loki radiant! All the gold in Asgard could not shine as brightly as Loki did. Her raven hair, no longer lank, hung in soft waves around her face. Her alabaster skin contrasted beautifully with the deep green gown she wore. The gown complimented her lovely figure, her shapely shoulders, her slim waist. Thor's eyes traveled up and down for a few moments before Loki spoke up to remind him that he was being impolite.

"You look at me as if you've never seen a woman before, yet I know you've seen plenty." Her words stung a bit, but there was too much truth in them for Thor to deny them outright. He was a prince, healthy, handsome, and very much a man. Of course he'd seen many women. But now, taking in Loki's beauty, he could not remember a single one.

"True, I have seen countless women. Though none are quite as enchanting as you." The compliment sounded less sincere than Thor had hoped, but then eloquence had never been one of his strong suits.

No surprise, Loki rolled her pretty eyes at him. "I am a novelty. Nothing else."

Thor frowned at Loki's self-deprecating comment. Did she believe he did not want her? He did. Thor had every intention of courting her, and bedding her. That was certain. Loki would be his. Technically, she already was, and he could take her to bed whenever he wished. He was half tempted to do it now. To rid her of that gorgeous green dress so he could see naught but her soft, pale skin laid out beneath him. To silence her smart mouth with his own, and have her crying out his name instead of these snide remarks. A novelty, Loki called herself, but Thor knew she was no such thing. Loki was not merely a passing fancy. This was the first time he'd looked at a woman and thought there could be something more there. So, while taking her now was well within his rights, according to the deal, Thor did not. He wanted more than a meaningless fling, and he needed to court her carefully.

But how to court her? Thor was at a loss. Every other woman he'd been with had needed very little courting. It was an honor to be sought out by the prince, and they had all been more than willing. Loki was the first woman he'd encountered who did not seem to want him at all. It confounded him and left him feeling off balance. In addition to that, there was the unnerving notion that Loki was different. Special. He was drawn to her more than he had ever been to another. Her beauty was more pure. Her wit more sharp. She was every bit the challenge Thor had suspected she'd be that first time he saw her in Jotunheim. The truth was, Loki brought out insecurities and self-doubt that Thor was not even aware he possessed.

"Now, shall we take this grand tour, so that I may learn to find my way around?" Loki continued, unaware of the prince's inner turmoil.

Thor wanted to argue, to find some words to say that would explain his feelings, his desires. Yet as usual, the words eluded him and he was left with no choice but to drop the subject.

"Of course, Loki. Let us go," he said with a smile that he didn't quite feel.

It didn't take long for Thor to regain his good spirits, for he was more than excited to show off his home to Loki. He started in the dining hall, as he knew it would be empty this time of day. Loki's viridian eyes were wide with awe as she took in the tall ceilings and ornate trim. The fanciful murals on the walls, which had been there for as long as Thor could remember, caught Loki's attention. She asked a few questions about the stories illustrated on them. At least, she did until she spied the one depicting the Frost Giants and The Great Battle. Loki fell silent as she looked up at it, and although Thor desperately wished to know what she was thinking, he stayed quiet too. He did not know what to say. What had Loki been told about the battle? Did she believe Asgardians to be barbarians? Murderers? Thieves? Thor watched her closely, but Loki just looked pensive. After a while, she backed away from the wall and strolled slowly alongside the table, running her hands along the wood of the heavy chairs.

"There are so many," she murmured.

"So many of what, Loki?" Thor asked, following along behind her.

"Chairs," Loki replied. "As if every meal is an excuse to gather round a feast."

"Oh, it is!" Enthusiastic once more, Thor boasted about their typical meals, where food and drink abounded. Loki grinned at his exuberance.

"It was not like that for us," she explained. "The hunters would feast on their spoils, while the women and young waited for what was left."

Thor frowned. "The hunters did not invite you to eat with them?"

"Oh, no," Loki laughed, and the sound delighted Thor, despite his disapproval. "It was not safe for us to be present when they were eating. It is most often a savage affair, and they eat indiscriminately." Loki looked pointedly at the prince. "Anything that moved, risked being devoured."

Thor thought that sounded more barbaric than anything the Asgardians had done, but he did not want to offend her, so he simply nodded and said, "You will find dining to be quite a different experience here." A thought of Volstagg, a fellow warrior who was a voracious eater, passed through his mind. "For the most part," he added.

Loki tipped her head in confusion, but Thor had already moved on. "Come, I will show you the kitchens. If they let us in, that is."

As it was in his best interest, Thor maintained a good rapport with the cooks, and they welcomed him and his lovely new lady friend. The women teased Thor good-naturedly, for they still saw him as the cheeky little boy who used to sneak in and steal their freshly baked treats. They all regaled Loki with stories of his misdeeds. And though Thor playfully scoffed, as if upset about being teased, there was no denying the stories. He really had done all those things. Besides, the stories made Loki laugh, so he couldn't be angry. They also plied her with plenty of those treats, pushing small cakes and fruit tarts and such into her hands, even after she had begun to refuse. Thor managed to nab a few of them, but not as many as he'd wanted, and certainly less than they gave Loki. He sulked a bit, until Loki began to sneak hers over to him. Yes, it was safe to say the cooks very much liked Loki.

By the time the pair managed to escape the kitchen, both were grinning.

"I take it you spend much time in there," Loki said, as they continued down the hall.

"Aye," Thor replied, patting his stomach. "You can see why."

Loki laughed. "Yes, I can."

The tour continued rather uneventfully through the empty throne room and the atrium. It wasn't until they exited the palace and came to the gardens that Loki's face lit up again. It was a beautiful place. Winding stone paths curved around lush patches of brightly hued blooms. Trees held their branches low and their leaves provided dappled sunlight and a sense of safety. It was serene, halcyon. Thor never had the patience to spend much time here, but he thought maybe Loki would enjoy it.

"It is much different than Jotunheim," Thor said softly, not wanting to upset her, but wanting to initiate conversation.

Loki nodded, but still said nothing. Her slender fingers touched everything that they walked by, caressing petals, tracing leaves, and running along the scratchy bark of the trees. She seemed in awe, and Thor again found himself overcome with the desire to know what she was thinking.

"I used to climb this tree, when I was a boy." Thor stopped beneath a large apple tree, and Loki looked up into it's canopy. "Well, I climbed all of them, I think, but this one was the best. The branches are laid out just so." Thor pointed out the branches that formed a sort of spiral staircase around the trunk of the tree.

Loki squinted up at the red apples. "Those fruits were on my tray this morning. What are they?" she asked, the first words she'd spoken since they arrived in the garden..

"They are apples. Did you like them?" Thor inquired. When Loki nodded, he offered, "I can get you another one, if you like." He moved to jump up to the first branch, but Loki stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No. Thank you," she said, dropping her hand back to her side when Thor turned. "I am still full from our visit to the kitchens."

"Alright." Thor tried to hide the disappointment he felt that he wouldn't have the opportunity to not only provide Loki with an apple, but to show off some of his strength. "If you change your mind, I shall be more than happy to get you one."

"Get one for yourself, and perhaps one for me that I can save until later," suggested Loki, seeming to understand his disappointment. Thor grinned. With an agility belied by his size, he scaled the tree, climbing high into the branches. It took him a few minutes, but he plucked the two largest, reddest apples he could see. Placing them against his belly and folding his shirt up over them to hold them, Thor started back down. When he reached the lowest branch, he held the apples in place with one hand and jumped to the ground below. Chest puffed out a bit with pride, Thor stepped up to her and presented the shiny red apple. Loki laughed as she took it.

"You look as proud as if you scaled a treacherous mountain peak, fraught with danger at every turn!" she teased.

"Oh, but it was fraught with danger!" Thor's smug smile did not falter one bit as he played along. "I faced peril on every branch! Any of them could have snapped under my weight, sending me plummeting to my death."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "I see. And does the prince routinely risk his royal life for such meager gain?"

Thor smirked and took a bite of his apple. His blue eyes crinkled in amusement.

"A woman's fancy is never meager," he countered after he'd swallowed.

"Neither your appetite," Loki's slight failed to hurt Thor's pride. One does not insult an Asgardian man's appetite by calling it substantial.

"My appetite is renowned! There is nothing meager about it," Thor said boastfully as they began to walk further down the path, leading out of the gardens.

"Yes, it is renowned. I knew of it well before laying eyes upon you." All frivolity was gone from Loki's face when she spoke those quiet words. Thor frowned at her.

"They spoke of my fondness for eating in Jotunheim?" he asked, confused.

"Your appetite, Thor," Loki said, pointedly avoiding his gaze. "Not for food."

"Oh," Was Thor's only reply at first. His brow furrowed in displeasure. It was not as if he could deny any of those rumors. Though surely the Jotuns had put a negative slant on whatever tale Loki had heard. They despised him, his father, his realm, everything. Is this why she looked so unhappy? Did she think him brash, imprudent or frivolous with women?

"I do not know what you were told, Loki, but my appetite in that area is well within the norm, for Asgardians. As a prince, it is almost expected of me. And I only take what I am offered, never anything more." He had to defend himself; he couldn't bear to have her think poorly of him.

Loki gave a soft sound of disapproval, then fell silent.

"What is it? Tell me." Thor prodded gently.

"Nothing. It is nothing, Thor." Loki met his eyes with a smile on her face that Thor could tell was false. "Where to now?" she asked, changing the subject. Thor sighed. For the second time today this topic had put an end to his good mood. He wished he could make Loki tell him what was on her mind, but he did not want to push her. Give her space, he thought. Perhaps a diversion was necessary.

"I will show you the sparring ring, and you can meet my friends."

Thank you again for the reviews, favorites and followings! I truly appreciate it! I know female Loki is not typical or popular, but I am glad this story has found an audience.

Up next, what exactly is on Loki's mind? And how will she react when introduced to the gang? I'm guessing there will be some fireworks there.