AN: My apologies for the short chapter. I won't be returning for a short while, I have a huge writing project to work on in English, but I will definitely return to Kanashimi, no doubts! I have so much planned for the next few chapters ~Moonmilk

Ruby

A bright light blinded Miku for a short while. But then she could make out the faces and figures. Jane, Darcy and Ian.

"Jane," She wheezed. The scientist turned her head in surprise and bent down at Miku's bed side.

"Miku, can you hear me?" Jane carefully grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. Miku nodded, a small moan escaped from her lips.

"What happened, where's Thor? Where's- where's Loki?"

"He's under care right now, in secret." Ian rubbed his knuckles, blankly staring at her bed side. Darcy moved to her boyfriend and touched his shoulder.

"You know it was assault. Odin is going to kill him." Miku shook under the covers.

"Miku, we can't fight him. He's a king, we are the visitors." Jane mentioned.

"But...no, we can't. Jane he's getting beaten for no reason, the king is drugging him like he's a test monkey. For what reason?" Miku sat up on her bed her eyes frantically scanned for approval. Jane bowed her head, Darcy was staring directly at her, brows arched. Ian let his girlfriend go, Darcy grabbed Miku's hand and took a deep breath.

"Miku, please calm down. Can't you let it go?" Darcy moved closer to her and began to whisper. "What did I say about him, he's screwed up. And our friend is getting married, please we can't ruin this for her."

Miku inhaled as her brown eyes closed and opened slowly, carefully. Then they began to flutter as she spoke. "I-I know. It's just-,"

"We all know you feel for em', Thor does, Jane does, hell, even Ian does. But he killed thousands Miku, he needs this. I'm sorry to say this...but it's his destiny for now."

Miku shook her head. "I can't agree...I can't let go, I swear I saw good in him." She choked. Jane gave her a reassuring hug, telling her to forget about Loki, to go wander Asgard with Ian and Darcy. But it's not like Jane could just say forget about Loki and Miku would feel all better. She told her that so many times yet Miku went back and saw him. Now he's gone, she broke the flow of medicine and now he's getting tortured more and more.

"Alright, alright," Miku lied. She got out of the bed and Darcy escorted her to their room. Once she was showered and dressed, Miku stepped out into the castle halls. Everything changed once she came out of her room, the feeling changed. Caterers and decorators filled the rooms with large bouquets, meals to prepare and strange instruments Miku had never seen before.

She couldn't help but smile at the sight. Darcy insisted on taking a walk around he gardens and watch the wedding preparations take place. Miku smiled even more at the sight, they way Jane described it was spot on.

The rest of the day Darcy treated her with a fine dinner along with Ian. The culture was interesting, the food was interesting, but with everything she saw only one name popped in her head. She tried her hardest not to reveal any form of tears.

Loki.

...

It was the 3rd time he was beaten. Pain coursed though the stomach, head, limbs and chest worse than ever before. The guards mocked him, still calling him 'monster', 'killer', 'liar', the list went on.

Loki couldn't even hear any more, his head was so badly damaged that all he heard was a faint ringing tone, and the impact of the blows. He could tell the 3rd session was almost done, the guards thrashes were slowing down. To finish it off, one more punch to the stomach and he was flown against the hard wall.

The guard towered over him. Loki watched with dazed eyes as he bent down, then clamping a hand over his mouth. Loki could taste the rust on his fingers and smell fire wood. He felt something coming up his throat. Loki hummed slightly.

"What was that frost runt? Hmm?" The guard questioned, hand still over the thin chapped lips. "Do you hear me?" Loki's eyes got suddenly larger, his brows crinkled. "Do you hear me?!" Bile moved between the guards fingertips. He screamed loudly and gave him another slap, the noise now erupted around the room and Loki could hear it plainly.

He slumped to the ground lower, then curled slightly. Loki was motionless, the guard kicked his shoulder slightly, he shifted slightly, whimpering, blood now pouring out of his nose.

The guard scoffed and left the post, shutting the wooden doors behind him. The force made the candles burn out, small tendrils of smoke surrounded Loki. He whimpered louder and groaned as he sat up, his feet ached as he pulled himself on his bed. Newer blood dropped on the sheets once again, he didn't stop the flow from his nose. He sniffed and leaned down, pulling a portrait from under his mattress into his hands.

He sniffed harder as he examined Miku's mystery word. Blood fell on the 'cat' smudge, he wiped his nose, whimpering even louder.

Loki looked at it forever, that's what it felt like. He didn't even know what time it was, it could be morning, or night, he didn't care. He needed sleep, he needed food, he wanted her food, he wanted her stories.

He stared at the portrait even longer, making out the small squiggles in the large one word picture. Loki had come to a conclusion, and he couldn't believe it.

He didn't need her stories, he didn't need her food, he didn't need her paintings, or 'King Lear.'

He needed her.