Imagine growing up with Loki and Thor and being best friends with both, but having just a slightly better relationship with Loki, and also a secret attraction to him. Later on, Thor takes a wife and the throne of Asgard. However, that doesn't get Odin or Frigga off Loki's back about also taking a wife. There isn't a day that goes by that Loki doesn't complain to you about how much pressure that is being put on him. One day, you half-jokingly suggest that you two should be in a "relationship" just to appease Odin and Frigga, at least for a little while.

When Loki agrees, you're shocked, but thrilled inside. So the two of you pretend to court each other, all the while you keep falling more in love with Loki. One night, after the charade has been going on for a few months, there's a huge ball to celebrate the birth of Thor's new heir and the entire night Loki is bombarded with questions about when he shall take you as his wife. Fed up, he storms out and comes to your room where he finds you laying in bed. Obviously noting his anger, you get up and try to calm him down but he's inconsolable with rage. Suddenly, he looks at you with that look in his eye; anger… And lust. He may not have taken you as his wife, but he definitely took you that night.

Over the next few days and weeks, your pretend relationship with Loki becomes not so pretend, but things get incredibly complicated when you discover you're pregnant.

"I can't stand them anymore!" Loki lamented throwing himself on Eliza's bed, where she lay on her stomach reading.

"Odin and Frigga?" She asked, but she already knew the answer.

"You would think, that after Thor's lavish wedding and then the coronation, they would be off my back for at least a little while. But no, they just keep hounding me."

"They are your parents."

"Your parents don't badger you about getting married?"

"My parents don't exactly care."

Loki had the decency to look sad for her, he knew how her parents were, desperately climbing up the social ladder at court. They managed to get their eldest daughter, whom everyone thought more beautiful than Eliza (Loki didn't believe that for a moment) to marry Thor, and their son to marry the Lady Sif, daughter of Asgards most respected generals. They just simply didn't have the time for Eliza who didn't have the ambition for social glory like the rest of her family.

"You are lucky," Loki responded taking her hand, causing her whole body to tingle.

"If you say so. If I didn't have you I would have tossed myself off the Bifrost a long time ago." She laughed.

"I just can't stand it anymore."

"Well… I might just have a suggestion for you."

"What's that?"

"Why don't we just tell everyone we are courting? That will get your family off your back and I'll earn points with my family. Plus, it beats having them picking someone dreadful for you themselves."

Loki considered her offer. No one would really be surprised at their relationship; his parents always asked him why he hadn't just gotten on with it already. But he was worried it would ruin their friendship.

"I just don't want it to be weird, you know, we might have to kiss in public."

"I can suffer through it if you can." Although suffer wasn't the word she wanted to use; her lips already singing with the possibility of what might happen.

"Well…if you are sure."

"I am."

"Alright then!" Loki sprang from the bed and swept into a bow in front of Eliza, "I would formally like to ask your permission to court you, my lady." He offered her his hand.

"Why, Prince Loki!" Eliza put a hand over her heart, in exasperated surprise, and with the other took the hand being offered, "I would be delighted."

The news of their "courtship" was received well by both families; Thor slapped Loki on the back at dinner that night that Loki almost landed fast first into his plate, and Eliza's parents were looking at her with new eyes. Her sister, Lore, muttered something but otherwise seemed unimpressed and continued to keep all conversation on her and her honeymoon to Vanaheim.

"I told you." Eliza nudged Loki, and for once he was able to eat a meal in peace.

"So that wasn't horrible," Eliza whispered as she and Loki and their families walked Asgard's garden's as the sun was setting. Arm in arm, they didn't contribute much to the others conversations. Lore was complaining that the gardens here were not as vast and colorful as the ones on Vanaheim.

"Now that you are Allfather we must remedy this," She said to Thor, ignoring the hurt look on Frigga's face.

"Mother may not be so willing to let someone mess with her gardens. I think she cares more for them than she did Loki or I." Thor laughed, earning some kind of fake laugh from Lore. Eliza knew her sister was already trying to plan on how to weasel her way into the running of the grounds.

"I don't know why Thor married her," Eliza said in a low voice.

"I don't either," Loki replied.

"What are you two talking about back there?" Odin called back, to where Loki and Eliza had fallen behind.

"Oh, leave them alone," Frigga ordered lightly, giving them a wink.

Loki tried to return a smile but it was more of a grimace, Eliza's smile was a bit more sincere.

"That lasted long," He grumbled.

"Oh please, that was nothing."

The rest of the night went on rather uneventfully, thanks to the pair's ability to ignore Lore, and all too soon in Eliza's opinion, she was saying goodnight to Loki outside of her families quarters.

"They are watching us like they are expecting something," She muttered, feeling her parents eyes on her and Loki.

"Well…I suppose we can appease them a little bit." He replied with a smirk and leaned in for a quick kiss, one that made Eliza's body tingle all over. "Goodnight, Lady Eliza."

"Goodnight,"

As the door closed behind the prince, she hoped the sound of his footsteps would drown out the pounding in her chest; a pounding she was sure the entire realm could hear.