"Natalia…" Sif didn't even bother to question why the Princess was awake so early. She wanted to deliver her news quickly. "There's something you need to know…"

Natalia whipped her head around. The gloomy tone her handmaiden chose to use told her that something happened. Something bad. "Was it Clint?" she whispered.

"Just a burn," she began, walking towards the bed. "He's fine, but his arm suffered a deep burn."

"From a witch." Natalia could already assume this much.

Sif nodded her head. She was glad that Natalia was taking this easier than anticipated. Sif had worried that word of a witch would've set her off. "I've been told that Doctor Banner looked over him-he's lucky to be alive."

"I'd like to see him," she said weakly. "I need to know for sure."

"No." The handmaiden shook her head and grabbed Natalia's hand. "Not after an attack so close. You stay inside."

"Who saved him? How did he make it out alive?" Natalia wondered.

"Fandral was close by when he heard him scream." Sif wasn't going to hold back on the truth. Natalia had every right to know the whole story. "I overheard from Thor that his arm had caught fire…it spread onto his clothes, but Clint dropped and rolled over," she continued. "His arm suffered most of the burn and Fandral helped put out what remained of the flames… As for how it happened, I have no clue yet," she sighed.

Natalia lowered her head and took several deep breaths. She kept reminding herself that Clint was fine-that was all that mattered.

"Did you not sleep?" Sif gently asked.

Natalia shook her head. "I never can on a Blood Moon. And look what happened last night…"

"The stress really isn't good for you," Sif warned her.

"I'm not stressed," Natalia growled.

She took the redhead's hand and led her towards her vanity. "Yes you are. Between moving to a new home, these witches, not to mention your recent travelling…"

"I've had a lot of fun travelling," Natalia interrupted.

"My Lady," Sif sighed. "I've been serving you for over a month and you haven't bled."

Natalia's face reddened at the mentioning of it. "We're both women," Sif reminded her, rolling her eyes. "All I'm suggesting to you is that you try to relax a little. Your body needs to be ready to make your Prince a child," she teased.

Natalia didn't bother to make a comment. She sat completely still as Sif brushed through her hair. All she could think about was her last period she had just before leaving for Asgard. But she hadn't bled at all since then. And she and Clint had committed a sin. A sin that could lead to something that could have Natalia hanged. The princess suddenly felt sick as she realized that she could very well be carrying another man's child.

Loki stood before the library window, eying the stable boy as he brought Sleipnir some fresh hay. The horse seemed to be back to his normal, happy self. Loki decided that he would pay his four-legged friend a visit once the stable boy was gone. The prince hadn't slept all night. He found himself replaying his attack on Clint Barton over and over. Loki fully intended on killing the archer and he was fully prepared to take the secret of Clint's murder to his grave. His plan, however, failed. Loki allowed himself an early breakfast and that was when Thor found him and told him that Clint suffered a mere burn at the hands of a witch. Someone above clearly favoured the young archer's health and wanted him to live. As future King, Loki wouldn't stand for that. Right when he was about to deliver the fatal blow, the voices were screaming to have Clint dead, and they didn't stop until after the deed was done. Loki could faintly see a reflection in the window that he couldn't recognise as his own. The man staring back at him looked older and angrier. Loki assumed it was an effect of his powers draining his body. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix. The stable boy left and Loki chose to be lazy and rely on his perfected teleportation ability to take him to his horse.

Sleipnir's ears perked up upon seeing his newest visitor. He stepped back into his stall, lowering his head as he did so.

"Come now, Sleipnir-I saw you playing nicely with the servant," Loki stated. He summoned an apple into his hand and offered it to the midnight-black horse. "What have I done to offend you?"

Sleipnir backed up against the wall, cautiously eying Loki.

"You're being ridiculous!" Loki unlatched the pen and allowed himself inside. "Don't be stubborn-know who your master is!" the prince growled.

The horse didn't take too kindly to having Loki enter his home. He stood up on his powerful back legs and Loki stepped back.

"Sleipnir?" he breathed. He saw the steed's front legs begin to fall forward and he knew that there was no backing away from the stallion's attack. Loki threw his arms out in front of him and the apple turned into a dagger that buried itself into the horse's neck.

A sharp groan escaped Sleipnir's throat that made Loki shudder.

Loki's mind hadn't even had a chance to register what had happened until the deed was done. "Dear Lord," he breathed, releasing his hold on the dagger's golden handle. His trembling body fell backwards as he watched blood trickle down his beloved pet's throat. What had he done? He never meant to harm the animal… Something just happened-an accident… "Oh, Sleipnir," he choked out. The horse stumbled into a pile of hay, painting it red with blood. Loki carefully approached him and pulled the dagger away, evoking a pained sound from the wounded animal. The sharp blade had been halfway lodged into the stallion's throat and judging from Sleipnir's labored breaths, there wasn't much that could be done. There was only one option Loki could think of. His Father had taught he and Thor a painful lesson when they went hunting as children. Whenever an animal seemed unable to carry on… "Put it out of its misery," Loki murmured. His shaking hand raised the blood-soaked weapon above his head. "I'm so sorry," he breathed, staring into Sleipnir's eyes. His pet looked back, taking in a final sight of his former master. Refusing to break eye contact, Loki delivered the final blow. Sticky drops of crimson sprayed his face and he drove the knife in deeper, deeper… He closed his eyes and imagined not his beloved horse, but the body of Clint Barton. Rage seized him and he proceeded to brutally stab the animal's strong neck over and over, until all was silent except for the sounds of Loki's ragged breaths. He opened his eyes, his insides raw, as he gazed upon his crime. Innocent blood stained his clothes. There was no turning back now. Loki got up and slowly backed away from Sleipnir's pen. With a flick of his hand, his body and clothes were free of blood, but the irony scent still lingered in his nostrils. Loki tossed the weapon into a stack of hay and made it erupt into a ball of flame. This wasn't the crime of Loki Odinson. This was the crime of a witch. The prince quickly vanished from the scene just as the other horses began to pick up on the nearby fire.

Heimdall was first to notice the thick clouds of smoke. He dashed towards the stables and found that Thor and Sif had guided three of the family's three horses to safety. "Was this a witch's doing?" Heimdall urgently asked.

"Aye," Thor answered. "Help us fetch some water, Heimdall!" the blond ordered. As the guard and Sif ran off, Thor glanced back at the stables, cringing at the burning stables. He desperately wished he could have saved his Brother's horse, but Sleipnir's pen was at the heart of the inferno.

Loki ran straight for the dining room and found Natalia and his Mother sitting down for breakfast.

Frigga glanced up when she heard the noisy footsteps and was shocked to see that it was Loki. He was out of breath and beads of sweat had formed across his forehead. "Darling? What is the matter?" she asked.

"I…" Loki saw the look of horror in Natalia's eyes. He didn't mean to alarm her, but he didn't know where to turn. "The library," he gasped. "I saw smoke from the stables. S-Sleipnir…"

'You killed him!' a voice hissed.

'Murderer!'

"N-No!" Loki cried.

"Loki?!" Natalia cried out.

"Fire," he choked out.

'A fire you started!'

Loki grabbed fistfuls of his ebony hair and hunched forward.

"Darling?!" Frigga rushed to his side, followed by Natalia.

'How did the fire start?'

A choked sob escaped Loki's throat.

'Don't lie!'

"I…" Loki found himself staring at multiple blurred images of his mother and fiancé. Their mouths were open, but he couldn't hear the words. The taunts of the wisps were the only voices he could understand.

'Liar!'

'A liar in the house of Odin!'

"N…No…" The prince's world began to spin around him before everything went black.

Later that afternoon, the King gathered his guards along with his wife and Natalia for a meeting to discuss the unexpected fire. Loki wasn't present since he was still unconscious from what Doctor Banner declared a high fever.

"The fire has been extinguished, my Lord," Heimdall assured his King.

"No one was harmed," Odin stated. "For that, we need to be thankful."

"Father," Thor interrupted. "I'm afraid Loki's horse didn't make it."

Natalia's eyes grew wide with shock.

"Oh, dear…" Frigga murmured. She knew that this news would break her son's heart.

"This was a witch's doing, we're sure," Thor continued. "But I think that Loki and Lady Natalia are being targets. This can't be a coincidence. First York, now this… They're in danger, Father."

Natalia felt sick upon hearing those words. She had plenty of things to worry about, and now being a target was one of them. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Sif eying her carefully.

"The Prince and Princess need protection at all times, then," Clint chimed in. "Allow me to be of service to either one, my Lord."

Clinton was the last person Natalia wanted to guard her. Especially if his child was really growing within her. She couldn't bear to face him. He was sure to realize that something was bothering her and Natalia couldn't bear to have him discover the truth.

"I entrust you with my son's protection," Odin told Clint. "And Thor, I trust you to protect Lady Natalia."

"Aye," Thor nodded.

Natalia breathed a sigh of relief. The meeting was soon dismissed and Sif approached her before she could wander off.

"I heard the Prince fainted?" she whispered.

Natalia nodded. She felt ready to do the same. "A fever. That's what Doctor Banner said. I figured as much. He hasn't been sleeping…"

"You best stay in good health, too. You'll worry yourself sick."

"I need to check on Loki," she said quickly. "Excuse me." She brushed past Sif and made her way up to her prince's bedroom. Without bothering to knock, she quietly opened the door to steal a quick peek inside the room.

"Is that you, Natalia?" Loki softly asked.

So he was awake… She took a deep breath and allowed herself into the room.

"I'm terribly sorry for frightening you," Loki whispered. He pat the edge of his bed, desperate for her to accompany him. "The Doctor says I've fallen ill, but I feel perfectly fine. Just tired."

"Loki…" Natalia knew that he deserved to know about Sleipnir. "There was a fire-you mentioned it before you fainted…"

Loki turned his head away in shame. All he could think about was Sleipnir. And all that blood… "Yes. I saw the fire. Sleipnir is dead," Loki grimly added.

"Loki… Don't talk like that," Natalia warned him. She sat on the edge of the bed and reached for his hand.

Was she trying to lie to him? He of all people knew the truth of his pet's demise. "I saw smoke in his pen. He's dead," Loki repeated. "Unless you mean to tell me that by some miracle he survived." Oh, if only, Loki thought. His madness brought about the death of his oldest friend. This was all Loki's fault.

"I'm sorry." Natalia got onto her knees and wrapped her arms around Loki's neck. "Loki, I'm so sorry this happened-you don't deserve this," she whispered as she stroked his hair. "You're a good person…"

Good. Loki wanted to snort at her assumption. Would a good person brutally murder an innocent animal? A loyal friend, a beloved companion… He closed his eyes and all he could see was the pain in Sleipnir's eyes before the final blow was delivered. And the blood. So much blood… His arms wrapped around Natalia and he buried his face in her chest. Regret kicked in and Loki found himself crying like a small child. Sleipnir's death wasn't his only concern. What would happen if he lost control again? Next time, it could very well be Natalia's blood on his hands…