"There are liars in the house of Odin," a voice whispered to Loki. "Liars and traitors."
Loki could recognise the voice as that of the Will-o-the-Wisp. He hadn't heard that voice in a long while and wondered why it would haunt him now. 'Liars and traitors' it said. Was his kingdom in danger?
"Kill him, Loki."
Kill. Kill who? He had a vague idea of who he would gladly kill, but was it really necessary?
"Hold on to what you hold most dear."
Natalia. She was the one he loved the most. But hold on to her? Was something to happen involving a certain archer? Something dangerous?
"Kill him now."
Kill Clint Barton… The sound of Natalia's muffled screaming echoed in the distance. Natalia!
"Loki!" she cried out.
The prince's eyes flew open and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The sight of Natalia fast asleep with her cheek pressed against the carriage wall assured him that she was perfectly fine. It had all been a nightmare, yet it felt like something more… Loki kept his head on Natalia's lap and watched her as he attempted to solve the riddle in his nightmare. He knew exactly who the traitor was. Clint Barton. Was he going to rat out his powers? What if his mind erase spell failed and Clint remembered seeing him appear out of nowhere. If Loki was exposed of witchcraft, then he would be put to death. And Natalia would be heartbroken. He recalled her screams and tightly shut his eyes. Was he the liar in the house of Odin? Loki took another deep breath. Before he did anything rash, he needed to be sure that Clint remembered nothing. He decided that once they arrived home, Clint Barton will be put under close watch…
The Prince and Princess' return home after a long week called for a feast thrown by the King and Queen. As tired as Loki was, he enjoyed a hearty dinner with his family before heading straight to his chambers. He waited there in his candle-lit room for what felt like hours. When the time felt right, Loki took a walk to Clint's makeshift room and knocked on the door.
"Milord?" Clint asked, staring at the prince with a confused and wary look.
"Clinton," he smiled. "May I enter?" In one hand, Loki was holding a tray with a kettle and two mugs.
Clint stepped aside to allow Loki inside. "What's this about?"
"I'd like a word, Clinton." He set the tray down on the wooden dresser and proceeded to pour hot tea into the mugs.
Clint didn't like where this was going. Last time Loki brought him an offering, hell broke loose. He was presented with a mug, but he shook his head. "No thanks."
Loki took a long sip from his drink, then offered it to Clint. "Would you feel safer with this?" he chuckled. "No poison in there, if that's what worries you…"
The archer smirked and accepted the mug. "I take it Lady Natalia told you of my suspicions."
"Yes," the prince nodded. "She told me. How silly of you to think such a thing!"
"Is it silly?" he wondered, watching Loki calmly sip his tea.
"I find it amusing," Loki mused. "Asgard's future King, a witch."
"Did you come here just to talk about this?" Clint wondered. "It's getting late…"
Not once did Clint mention the previous night. All seemed to be going well so far. "Forgive me for intruding on your personal life, Clinton, but I believe this will be good news for you." Loki walked over to the trunk at the foot of Clint's bed and sat down on it. "The home you were showing Natalia…That was where you once lived, correct?"
Clint shrugged. "Same location, different house. Why do you know that?"
"Sentiment," he answered. "Why else would you bring Natalia there?"
"What, are you gonna scold me for taking the Princess for a walk?" he asked, tightening his grip around the warm mug.
"No," Loki answered. "From what I noticed, no one is currently living there. I'd like to purchase it in your name."
"To get me away from Lady Natalia?" Clint asked. "Sorry, my Lord, but she made a promise that I serve her. And I don't intend on breaking a promise with the Queen."
"I respect that," Loki nodded. "Just know that my offer to buy you the home still stands, even if it's decades from now."
"Thank you?" Was this really all Loki came to talk about? He curiously watched him, wondering if there was a catch.
"I will leave you to your slumber." Loki rose from his perch and set his mug atop the tray. "Would you like me to take yours?" he offered.
Clint shook his head. "Leave everything here, my Lord. I'll have them sent to the kitchen."
"Thank you, Clinton," Loki smiled warmly. He left the room and walked the halls until he reached his own chambers. The archer seemed clueless enough, but it was only a matter of time until Clint would grow suspicious again. Loki was prepared, though. So long as he had his spells, all would work out in his favour.
The next morning, Loki decided to visit Sleipnir. He first stopped to grab an apple and on his way to the stables, he saw Clint and his hunter friends working to rebuild his hut. All the hard work wouldn't be necessary if Clint had just accepted Loki's offer of a new home. "Sleipnir!" Loki called out as he passed through the gate. "Daddy's home!" Something was different today. Usually, Sleipnir awaited his master's return, but today, he chose to stay in the shadows of his pen with his ears pinned back. "Sleipnir?" Loki softly asked. "What is it?" He reached out to touch the animal, but he strayed from his owner's touch. "Are you ill? Was it because you missed me?" He opened the wooden gate and Sleipnir lowered his head and stamped his hoof into the ground. Loki clenched his jaw and quickly stepped out of his horse's pen. An angry horse wasn't something he wanted to mess with. "What happened to you, boy?" he gently asked. "I missed you very much, you know…" Sleipnir showed Loki the whites of his eyes, angering his master even more. "Damned animal!" Loki hissed, throwing the apple into the hay.
"Loki?" Natalia stood frozen in place, wary of what she had just seen. "What happened?"
The prince immediately regretted his actions. He didn't want Natalia to see him angry. "It seems that Sleipnir isn't himself," he muttered.
"That's no reason to throw things at him!" She approached the gate, but Loki grabbed her arm.
"His stance is that of anger, Natalia," he warned her. "It is best to stay away…" He gently pulled her arm. "Why did you come find me?"
"Your Mother wanted a word with you in private," she began. "I may have mentioned your sleepless nights," she quietly added. "But I only did that because I don't want you falling ill." Natalia knew Loki would be angry. He had every right to be…
"Alright," he softly replied. "I'll find her."
Natalia gently squeezed his cold hand. "Meet me under the apple tree when you finish," she smiled. "We can have lunch there."
Loki finally smiled for her, feeling his tension slowly leave. "I would like that very much."
Natalia watched him walk away before approaching Sleipnir's enclosure. "Are you sick?" she sweetly asked.
The horse slowly approached Natalia and allowed for her to stroke his snout.
"That's a good Sleipnir," she whispered. Natalia heard that animals had strong instincts. She wondered if Sleipnir could sense Loki's distress. "I'm worried about Loki," she admitted to the steed as if he could understand. "I think he's under a lot of stress. The wedding, travelling, paperwork… Be good to him, alright?" she smiled.
Three days passed and King Odin summoned both of his sons, Natalia, his witch hunters, and Ivan into the throne room for an urgent meeting. "There has been an attack on the city of York," he stated in a grave tone. "Six witches. Only one was killed."
Natalia gasped and Loki grabbed her hand for support. "We were just there…" she breathed.
"You don't suppose this was intentional, do you, Father?" Thor asked.
Loki scowled at the assumption. This was only going to further upset his bride.
Odin's eye rested upon Natalia. "That is always a possibility… Because of that, I want guards surrounding the gates. There are five witches afoot and we must be prepared."
Natalia recalled all of the people she and Loki had seen within the peaceful city. They did nothing wrong, "And what about York?" she asked the King. "I told the people that Loki and I would work to help protect them. My King, you should consider sending help to their city. Food, money, hunters-anything to help them!"
Odin smiled at his daughter-in-law. "Your kind offer will not be declined, my dear," he promised. "However Lord Stark wrote that he is already working to resolve the matters. But I will send a carriage to York with some gifts in your name."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Natalia curtsied, grateful for his understanding.
"Your heart is in the right place," Frigga beamed.
"There's a Blood Moon drawing near," Clint chimed in. "Protection throughout the castle, as well as the town, is crucial."
Loki turned towards Clint. "Then we are grateful to have someone with your strength and expertise on our side. Clinton should be our primary guard," he told the King. "He can stay positioned at the forest's entrance where he has a clear sight of who enters the town." Loki now had the perfect excuse for keeping Clint at bay from his fiancé. "Thor can guard our home. Isn't that right, Brother?" he grinned, pleased with his decision.
"I will gladly defend our home, Father," Thor announced to the King.
"We best prepare now-we never know when danger could draw near," Odin warned the group. "You are dismissed."
Natalia tightly held Loki's hand as they exited the throne room. "What happens when they come?" she worriedly asked.
"Now don't talk like that." Loki pulled her behind a column and kissed her cheek. "You shouldn't fret about things like that."
"I shouldn't, but I have to!" she snapped. "That could have been us under attack in York! Or worse-what if they came because of us? Because of me?!" Tears formed in her eyes and she became more flustered. Her bad luck was creeping back into her life. She knew her life had been going too well, and this was the reason why.
"Oh, Natalia." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Darling, all will be well-I swear it!"
"You always say that," she sniffed, nuzzling against his chest.
Loki stroked her hair in a soothing manner. "We will be prepared. Try not to worry, my love."
Natalia inhaled his calming scent. She knew she needed to calm down, but it was hard for her to not worry. "I'll try my best," she promised. "Thank you, Loki."
"Get some rest, Natalia," he told her. "Sweet dreams," he added before kissing her forehead. They went their separate ways and Loki proceeded to lock himself in his bedroom. In order to ensure Natalia's safety, he needed to take matters into his own hands. The risk was great, but for her, Loki would do anything. He closed his eyes in deep concentration. One second, he was in the safety of his room, and the next, Loki found himself in the dark forest outside of the palace. Transportation was the easiest way for him to sneak out. Loki took advantage of the darkness to place protective seals on several scattered trees. Despite being slips of parchment with ink, Loki had placed a charm on each one to ensure the castle's safety. Not all magic was for evil-it solely depended on the user. Before he returned to his bedroom, Loki stole a golden opportunity to abuse his powers of good. He stood before the stone blocks that served as walls to Clint's in-progress home. A blast of green light from Loki's palm blasted a three-foot high stack to smithereens, making the prince cruelly chuckle. If Clint was going to be on guard duty outside of the palace, then he had no need for a home. Clinton's priorities were about protecting the people, not working on rebuilding his miserable little home. After stirring up some mischief, Loki transported himself into his bed where he let his need for sleep take its toll.
Days began to pass and the land of Asgard was prepared for whatever may come. Clint spent his days at an inn, keeping him far from the King's palace. This pleased Loki, but Natalia worried for her friend's safety. Regardless of the possibility of an attack, everyone went about their daily routines. Natalia would spend her mornings with Frigga preparing for the slowly upcoming wedding, while Loki had work of his own to do. King Odin had sent a gift package to York and after two days, Lord and Lady Stark answered back with a thank you letter especially for Natalia.
"Exactly one month away from your wedding," Frigga happily mused as the seamstresses were busy pinning pieces of powder blue satin to Natalia's body.
"I only hope the day comes faster," Natalia replied with a wide smile. She did her best to remain as still as possible so no needles would prick her.
"Give it time, dear," Frigga assured her. "We still need to have your gown finished."
Natalia stared at her reflection and imagined herself as a lovely bride, waiting for her prince to meet her at the altar. "Do you think my Lord is all ready?" she wondered. Natalia hardly saw him over the past week and when she did, he always seemed worn out.
"I warn my boy not to overdo it, but he has always been a stubborn one," Frigga smiled. "I believe he thinks that working harder could allow for an earlier wedding," she laughed. "He's grown desperate to have you as his wife, Natalia."
Natalia lowered her head to try hiding her flushed face. "I'm not going anywhere-tell him I said that." Her dress fitting came to an end and Natalia decided to spend the rest of her afternoon in the library. After settling down before the fireplace with a book, she suddenly got the feeling that she wasn't alone.
"I am glad to see you at peace, my darling." Loki coolly sauntered over to the bench and took a seat beside her.
She set aside her book and wrapped her arms around Loki's neck. "I wasn't expecting to see you around," she grinned. "How have you been, my Lord?" she teasingly asked.
"Missing you dearly." His long fingers wound themselves through her long curls.
"Your Mother and I were talking about you today," she murmured, growing serious. "Loki, you know that I'm not going anywhere, right?" she asked, gazing into his emerald eyes.
"I know," he nodded.
"Then why does it seem like you're trying to overwork yourself?"
"Is that what it looks like?" he innocently wondered. "Forgive me, but I'm only working to make sure the lands are all safe. Along with adding my signature to our wedding invitations," he smirked. "One month. Merely four weeks until you become Princess Natalia Odinson." His eyes lit up with joy.
"Don't forget to write that poem you promised me," she teased. Natalia was glad that Loki was in good spirits again.
"Oh, but I've already finished it," he chuckled. "And it is kept in a secure location where no devious bride-to-be will find it," he winked.
"Is that a challenge?" she asked, raising a brow.
Loki gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Try, but you will never find it," he taunted. "Be a good princess and wait for me to read it to you on our wedding night."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." She pressed her soft lips against Loki's cheek. If he would only let his guard down, she would gladly relieve him of any stress he felt. Natalia hadn't given herself any self-gratification in a while, but the need was now slowly building. "Loki?" she whispered into his ear.
"Hmm?" he absently hummed. The prince's gaze was focused on the reddish clouds outside the library window. Tonight was the night and Loki was prepared to set his latest plan into action.
Natalia's hand traced against his leather tunic, feelings the contours of his muscles beneath the heavy fabric. She caught herself staring at his pants and quickly forced her gaze to meet his face. "Loki?" She thought that he would be watching her, but he looked to be daydreaming. "Loki!" She grabbed his face between her hands and forced him to look at her. "If you're tired, you should rest."
Loki's attention returned to his fiancé in time to let her words sink in. "Bed. Yes," he mumbled. "Tell Mother and Father I won't be dining with them tonight. I do not wish to be disturbed." He rose from his seat and felt Natalia's lingering gaze as he left the room.
Night fell and the blood red sky made it difficult for Natalia to sleep. She buried herself under her blanket in an attempt to hide from the red-washed walls of her bedroom. All she wanted was for someone to hold her and tell her that everything would be alright. She needed Loki. Without his peaceful reassurances, her mind wandered down dark corners. She knew Loki would probably be asleep, but she needed to try. The princess left her bedroom and quietly crept down the hall to Loki's room. Her first knock was soft, but after no reply, she knocked harder. "Loki?" she whispered. Still no answer. He was probably fast asleep by now. Defeated, Natalia returned to her own room.
The Prince's movements were so quiet and careful that not even the dry leaves crunched beneath his feet. Loki's footsteps were like those of a nimble cat. Through a clearing in the bush, he spotted his prey. 'Kill him,' the Wisp told him. Loki felt his anger surging as the Wisp's voice grew louder. 'Kill him!' Remember who it is you are doing this for, Loki reminded himself. "Natalia," he breathed. He shut his eyes and with a flick of his wrist, he sent a whirlwind of leaves in the archer's direction. The foliage burst into flames as it sped towards Clint's post at an unbelievable speed.
Clint whirled around just in time to see the ball of flame drawing near. For a split second, he swore he saw a pair of bright red eyes leering in the forest.