Chapter 4

Thor's head was in his hands as his wife paced up and down the bedroom, he himself perched on the edge of the bed dismally. He could feel Imogen's fury coming off her in waves.

"My hands are tied, Imogen." he insisted with frustration. He was just as outraged about this as she was. His eyes lifted to hers, filled with a burning spirit of anger to match hers. She just glared at him, as if it were his fault. His choice. It wasn't. "What can I do?"

That damned court...spite was their latest tactic. They disapproved of Imogen so much that they'd resorted to pure humiliation, bullying her into submission. Thor could feel the wound they chipped in his wife's heart - but her outrage drowned it out for now, burning madly. Imogen stopped her pacing, wild eyes blazing at her husband. Her hair whipped round her face beautifully. Now wasn't the time though.

"You're going to be king and yet you can't do anything?!" she screeched manically. Thor ran a hand over his face in exasperation. "How ridiculous is that?"

Thor fought to control himself. He was as offended as Imogen by this... but there was nothing he could do. "The court is important in our kingdom, Imogen. I cannot simply forsake them." he said as calmly as he could manage, his voice stiff.

It was the nature of their politics. A blessing and a curse. The king was the sovereign, always, but...he wasn't alone. The court was designed to be a group who spoke on behalf of the kingdom.

And in that sense it was 'the kingdom' that had elected for Thor to have a new mistress.

The thought weighed heavily on his heart. "The nobles are there to advise me and such an act is customary for a great many rulers as it is-"

His wife's eyes were thunderous as she stepped closer to him. "So they have the power to dictate who you share your bed with now, do they? I can't believe you're doing this..."

Imogen lifted her hands to her raven hair and raked her fingers through, screwing her eyes shut. She had to get a grip. Shelby was just a door away. She didn't want to upset her.

But Thor was getting a new mistress. That upset her greatly.

The thought of her husband having sex with another woman, leaving her cold and alone in their bed... it was wrong. It felt cruel.

Not that he seemed to be jumping at the idea - just one look at his troubled face, hid in his hands for half the evening in frustration told her that! But it wasn't enough. Imogen wasn't a submissive wife, wasn't going to be told what to do and just take it. Especially not this. She would not just roll over while the court told her it was okay for her husband to go and sleep with any other woman he chooses.

What if he has a child by another? The thought suddenly flitted coldly through her and she froze with horror. No.. she couldn't imagine that. She wanted to carry Thor's children. She didn't want to share.

She hugged her arms around herself and lowered her arms, feeling the emotion well up as the realisation hit her. Thor was her husband. Her man. Hers. She ran it through her mind stubbornly, like a child: she didn't want to share him. Her eyes burned with betraying tears and she rubbed them away furiously.

"Hey," Thor breathed, rising to his feet. His hands were outstretched, ready to take her in his arms. Imogen let him, savouring as much of him as she could. "It will be alright." he soothed.

She buried her face into his chest and let the pearly tears roll over her cheeks and onto Thor's armour, but she didn't make a sound. She wouldn't dignify her misery with sobs. She relished the feel of Thor's arms tight around her, embracing her. She needed him, more than she cared to admit.

"They want me to go to her tomorrow night." he finally said, thumbs stroking soothingly into the backs of her shoulder blades.

It did little to reassure her though. Imogen tried not to flinch at his words. So soon. The idea of him casting her aside so soon... she screwed her eyes shut. "Will you lie with her?" She had to know. She had to brace herself.

Thor paused, and Imogen held her breath.

She bowed her head further into his chest as a fresh wave of anguish arose and threatened to break her.

Suddenly, Thor's arms fled from around her and his hands moved firmly to her shoulders, holding her firm as he dropped to one knee before her. There was no ignoring him as he knelt right into her field of vision and Imogen forced herself to pull together, to compose herself. She sniffed and averted her eyes.

"Imogen, look at me." Thor ordered softly. Imogen ignored him; she couldn't. Thor reached up instead and cupped her face, angling her back down to him. Once his soft, glistening blue orbs held hers, there was no escaping it. "Listen to me, Imogen." he said calmly, holding her gaze gently. "I will not sleep with her. I will not sleep in the same bed as her. Whatever transpires between me and her will not jeopardize our marriage. This I swear."

Her head was shaking before she realised it. She was mildly shocked when she did. Did she not believe him? Was she expecting him to be unfaithful to her with this... harlot?

Well, he was a man, a voice argued in her head. And she was not the temptress she used to be.

Her gaze lowered shamefully over her post-pregnancy body and knew that she was nothing to compete with this inevitably younger, more attractive, slimmer girl. Her stomach still had tiny rolls from bearing Shelby, no longer as smooth as it had been before. A pinch of weight clung to her hips and waist in a way it hadn't before, weight she was finding very stubborn to move.

No wonder the court was giving Thor a new mistress. How could he possibly be attracted and satisfied with her when she looked like this?

She didn't know what to say. She knew what would happen tomorrow: Thor would go to that woman's room. He would sleep with her. And Imogen would be left here alone, crying until her heart broke. She'd never cried over a man before. But she'd never felt this sort of pain.

What could she say? That it was okay? No, that wasn't true. It wasn't okay? That wasn't her place, wasn't her call. Thor was her prince as well as her husband. She couldn't stop him.

"I hate that court." she muttered bitterly, clenching her fists at her sides. "They hate me that much..."

Her eyes glared at the floor, trying to hold her jaw strong. This was their doing, and she wasn't going to let them break her. Not them. She would not let them win. Thor had chosen her as a wife, she'd bore him a child... she'd be damned if she was just going to let this happen to her.

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she lifted her head slightly, lifting her eyes to her husband's knelt glittering orbs. Her's were strong now.

Well, she was never very good at playing by the rules. She would not be the timid little wife who stayed passive while her husband slept with countless mistresses, as the court would wish her to be. She wasn't passive, full stop. What had drawn Thor to her in the first place?

Her spirit.

She met Thor's eye boldly, her mind made up. She wasn't playing by the courts rules. She'd beat them at their own game.

"You're right." she said softly, pulling her lips in a small smile. "You won't sleep with her. You won't share a bed with her." she let her smile drop, her eyes glaring warninngly into Thor's. She felt his hand twitch on her cheek, watched his brow furrow at her sudden hostility. "Because I'm going to be there to make sure you don't."

XXX

Shelby or no Shelby?

It had been a wrench to decide whether to bring the infant along too. The baby would need feeding and comfort at some point in the night, but then again... Imogen wasn't sure it would be the right environment for her. Gods only knew how she'd react to the woman who was trying to have sex with her husband in her place, and vice versa. Just thinking about it made Imogen's eyes narrow with anger.

But she had to come in the end, cradled in Imogen's arms and she and Thor walked down the corridor. If she did need Imogen then she'd have no choie but to leave Thor and the harlot alone and Imogen didn't trust that. She loved Thor and knew he loved her ... but she knew he was a man. Knew how far his lusts could reach. She remembered how she'd teased him before they were married, how she'd driven him insane with want for her...the witch would do the same if she had any sense and Imogen didn't trust Thor's chances very much.

The god looked sheepish, almost embarrassed as he walked with her, the light dark in the corridors as the sun fell into night outside. "The court are not going to like this, Imogen." He warned beside her in a dark voice.

Imogen's heart did sumersaults of happiness. "Of course not." she agreed, a spring in her step. "Why do you think I'm doing it?"

An exasperated sigh was all that answered her and she just smiled smugly to herself. One-nil to her. This would be a night none of them would forget in a hurry.

If the court thought they could subdue her like this they'd have another thing coming. Whatever they planned, Thor would not be having sex tonight - unless it was with her. Whatever girl they'd picked out for the job would go unsatisfied tonight, that much was certain.

"What are you going to do?" Thor growled. "Tear her hair out? If you make a scene..."

"Don't worry." she replied smoothly, glancing him a mischevious eye. "I won't be as subtle as that. She needs to know her place."

Another sigh. "Now this I have to see."

Imogen just pressed her lips together in a smirk. She was looking forward to this too. Changing the tide was always exciting. She was keen to get one over the court at last.

She and Thor turned the final corner and Imogen eyed the door near the end, growing closer with every step.

"You shouldn't have brought Shelby." Thor grumbled. "This is not suitable business for an infant to be involved with. She should have stayed in her room."

Imogen didn't look at Thor. Her eyes were locked on the door, just like her husbands. "She should see the family she's destroying if she chooses to try and proceed with this." she justified quietly. If this harlot was going to sleep with Thor it would have drastic consequences, and Shelby would be affected. Imogen wouldn't allow that, wouldn't allow her baby to get hurt.

They said nothing as they approached the door, neither of them with words to say. The truth of the situation was suddenly weighing heavily upon them both.

Imogen paused a few strides before Thor and he wondered slowly to her other side. Both just stared at the door, as if it would magically open. Imogen didn't want it to open, didn't want to believe this was real. Her eyes hardened, mouth thinning; it was real. It was war.

"Knock." Imogen ordered bluntly to Thor, nodding at the door.

For a moment, Thor just stared at her sharply, brow furrowed. "What? I thought you-"

"Yes, but you should knock." Imogen waved in, cutting him off. She nodded back to the door again. "Go on. Knock. Knock like you mean it."

Wow... she really was a horrible person, she thought to herself as Thor's hand reluctantly lifted to the door. He knew just as well as she did what she was doing - stabbing the knife in deeper. She was not just willing to upset and hurt the girl behind the door, but was trying to.

A part of her felt guilty. Another part of her was rolling her imaginary sleeves up for the battle to win her husband back.

That part was winning.

Thor ran his knuckles softly over the door, satisfying Imogen's 'knock like you mean it' command. She could just imagine the girl's eager, excited face behind it.

Too bad, she sighed sweetly in her head. She fixed a polite smile on her face. She didn't need to worry; she would win this. Her heart thudded with adrenalin as they waited to be admitted.

They weren't waiting long.

Imogen fixed her battle face - painfully sweet smile, but hard, warning eyes - as the door opened coolly, the girl behind slowly peeling into view.

The first thing Imogen noticed was her lack of attire. The girl, fair haired and slim, was dressed in a see through night dress down to her high thighs, thin strips of solid material covering her modesty. Just.

Imogen heard Thor suck in a subtle breath beside her. She guessed the girl must look awfully tempting to a man. Though she wasn't sure if Thor's tension was really due to resisting or the anxiety as to what Imogen would do. He had good reason to be wary.

Imogen ran her eyes shamelessly up and down the girl, jaw clenching.

The girl's sultry expression dropped in a heartbeat. Smooth smile and smokey eyes were replaced with blunt shock as she stared at Imogen and the baby.

Her mouth dropped in an 'o' of surprise. Imogen clocked a point in her favour in her mental log. "I... don't understand..." the girl started.

Yes, she was young, Imogen noted. Slim, bordering on skinny. But her curves were slightly dull, Imogen's hips, waist and bosom holding a much more feminine curve. The poor girl barely had anything for the top layer of solid clothing to hide.

Thor didn't say anything. Imogen felt him look to her to proceed.

She lifted her eyes to the girl's confused ones, and refreshed her smile. Imogen stepped forward and strode past the girl into her room, as if it were her own. "You should put a robe on, dear." she called over her shoulder, making sure to emphasise the sway of her hips as she walked towards the bed. Turning, she perched herself on the edge slowly, pushing her hips and backside out subtly, just how she'd teased Thor when she'd seduced him. Her expression was sweet as sugar though as she made herself comfortable, crossing her legs. "You'll catch a cold."

Imogen noted the dark, 'don't push your luck too far' warning look Thor was giving her as he closed the door quietly behind him.

"I don't understand." the girl repeated, frowning between the prince and his wife with absolute confusion written on her face. Finally, she focused on Thor, hands meeting in front of her lap respectfully. "I did not realise you would not be coming alone, my Lord." her head bowed.

Still, Imogen smirked when the caught the dismayed look on her face, hidden from Thor by a subtly placed curtain of blonde curls. So she was getting to her. Perfect.

Across the room, Thor crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his broad shoulders back against the wall. Imogen read his body language: do what you want, but I will not be a part of it. He was leaving the battle between the women. "Don't look at me." he growled, not taking his burning eyes off Imogen.

Imogen didn't falter when the girl turned her eyes to her, obviously despising her presence. Well, she had expected to screw the prince tonight. Of course she was angry his wife was here.

Imogen didn't back down under the girl's gaze. Like she would ever! She did the opposite; slowly, she rose to her feet from the bed, uncrossing her legs. She would not be intimidated by a girl over her own husband. Thor wasn't the court's to deligate - he was hers.

"Thor," she said softly, feeling her anger quietly rise the longer she stared at the challenging girl. "Take Shelby please." She didn't want the little girl in the middle of all this. If her anger got control somehow, all hell would break loose. She wasn't about to land Shelby in the middle of all that.

Thor dragged himself off the wall and gently took his daughter without a word, cradling and rocking her softly in his arms. He went back to the wall.

Arms free, and restrictions gone, it was Imogen's turn to cross her arms. She let her emotions course through her, hardening her eyes, shifting her weight onto one leg as she ran a distasteful gaze up and down the girl. She was gearing up for a different type of war than the sort that Thor fought.

Her eyes finally lifted to the girl's dark brown eyes. "What did the court instruct of you?" Imogen asked in a deathy quiet voice.

The girl flushed. Imogen's patronising question remained unanswered for a silent moment, as the girl's eyes dipped down. "I... er..." her eyes flickered to the sides, and Imogen knew they were searching for Thor, though the girl was too proud to make it obvious. "I was told to lie with the prince and satisfy him." she finally mumbled.

Lie with the prince and satisfy him... the world swirled round in Imogen's head. "That's not going to happen." she said bluntly, taking a step forward. "There's only one person that satisfies him and that is me. His wife. All you shall be doing tonight is preparing yourself a bed on the floor and sleeping there. Understood?"

She felt powerful. Assertive. Telling this girl exactly her place empowered her. This energy would definitely need burning off in more passionate ways with Thor later...

The girl's head stayed lowered. "Yes, my Lady." she muttered.

"Good." Imogen smiled. Her arms relaxed to her sides. "I shan't learn your name because we shall not be seeing each other again. Any of us. Do you understand?"

What could the girl do but agree? To fight with Imogen, even to talk back... that would not bode well in her favour. Especially with Thor present. The court may not like her, but Imogen was still Thor's wife, sharing his rank. A slight against her would be against Thor too.

And he would not tolerate that.

Imogen watched the girl grit her teeth with seething fury, but there was nothing she could do about it. She had no choice but to submit.

"My name is Linda." she finally forced out in a tense, stiff voice, eyes burning into the floor. "Daughter of the Inkeeper's family." Her orbs flickered up to Imogen's and all the mirth within shone darkly. "Elga's sister."

Imogen felt her blood chill, ice washing through her system. The blood drained from her face in a heartbeat. Elga... the one who had framed her in the courts a year ago...

Anger stabbed deep in her heart and she felt her control slip. Her hand rose and slapped across the girl's face with a definitive crack, the sharp sound of skin on skin echoing painfully through the room. Thor watched on, alert, but still and silent. This whore was Elga's sister!? Imogen stared up and down her with new found disgust.

This was beyond insult on the court's behalf. This was ... Linda's head stayed to the side, blonde curls strewn across her cheek from the whip of her face.

"Imogen."

Imogen didn't expect the dark growl from Thor, and glanced beyond Linda, catching her husband's eye. Dark. Warning. He had Shelby draped over his shoulder, his hand cupping the back of her head protectively. Almost like he was shielding her from the negativity.

Almost instantly, Imogen felt something inside her snap. With regret. Sort of. The girl needed putting in her place... but she felt bad about her little girl being exposed to it. Thor had been right. This really was no place for a child. She wanted Shelby to grow up in a loving way; not listening to her mother slapping servants, being hurtful...

She swore in her head. In reality though, all she did was sigh heavily, lifting a guilty hand to ruffle her hair. "I..."

Linda barely glanced over her shoulder at the god before she aside, giving him uninterupted passage to his wife. Thor strode forward to Imogen, close.

Her eyes moved to his less than happy face. Then her pride kicked in. "I'm not sorry." she said bluntly. She didn't flinch as Thor juggled Shelby with one arm, his spare hand grasping the side of her neck. Not enough to hurt, but firmly, letting her know he was taking control.

She caught a flash of his burning, lustful eyes as he moved his lips in beside her ear. "Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?" he hissed.

Oh gods. Imogen's nether regions clenched at his deep words, her heart skipping a beat. Gods, she wanted him. And she didn't care if the little trollop was watching. Of course he was aroused by her spirit! That was what had drawn him in the first place, hadn't it? Her hand rose to play with the hair at the back of his neck, just holding him close for a moment.

Linda was at the wrong angle to see Imogen's spare hand creep low, and grasp her husband below the belt. She caught Imogen's sparkling eye though.

Thor's gasp was simply magical, and Imogen could feel the heat of his arousal leaking through onto her palm. Her hips itched to tease forward to touch his. She revelled in the ragged breath her husband breathed over her ear, feeling her affect.

Gods, this was so hot. "Then have me." she sighed back, brushing her lips over the shell of his ear teasingly.

The strong hand trailed down from the side of her neck and Imogen only pushed her curves welcomingly into his touch, as his palm ran over her breast and waist. The girl in the corner of the room was as good as forgotten.

Thor leaned in and his lips replaced where his hand had been on Imogen's neck, kissing her lovingly. She leaned her head away to give him better access. "You wish for me to show my devotion to you?" he kissed into her skin. She felt his teeth nip her as he grinned, drawing a gasp from her. "You want another barn incident?"

Imogen truggled to catch her breath. Thor's lips on her neck, his hand rubbing circles into her waist, the way his knee hudged between hers ... her hand fisted in his hair. "As long as she sees."

Her head jerked to the side, to where Linda was sulking against the wall, and Thor's mouth grazed off her to look. She felt his teeth as he grinned. And here she'd thought Thor would be appalled at the idea! Perhaps he was just as keen to rebuke the courts plots just as she was, in any way they could. And making love to his wife, in front of his mistress, in her place, would defitely be a rebuke.

She heard the rasp in his voice, and shared it; she was excited by this too. Being watched... they would have to make this damned good sex to make Linda jealous! "How much?" the god breathed huskily, before his lips returned to treasuring her neck.

Imogen thought about it...then made up her mind. Her hands yanked in his hair and tore Thor's head from her neck, till he was face to face with her. His eyes were crystal pools of swirling want, making the place between Imogen's legs moisten. She held him still, watching his desire for her as her lips hovered barely apart from his.

Her eyes met his. Some night there was straight, energy burning sex. Others there was time, effort, whole nights of passion. Imogen knew which she wanted now: "Give me everything."

She felt more than heard the animalistic growl from Thor's lips, and gasped as it was his turn to grasp her hair. His lips crashed down hungrily on hers. She was next to helpless as his mouth devoured hers, tasting every ounce of his hot desire and sharing it. She wanted him in her. So badly...

She felt her patience and resolve crumble. She wasn't going to waste any time claiming her husband.