The newlyweds didn't make their way downstairs until late afternoon. Loki refused to leave the room until he'd had Annalise enough times that she could barely walk, and Annalise wouldn't leave until Loki covered the surplus of pink and purple marks he'd left along her jaw, neck, chest… everywhere. She was covered in them.
"They know I'm yours, Loki. You rule the earth, my dear husband," just saying word that out loud made her shiver. She was married to the most powerful being on the planet. "No one would dare touch me."
She smiled kissed his cheek. For once, both of them were in amicable moods. Capitalizing on her husband's rare pleasant demeanor, Annalise persuaded Loki that they needed to begin the process of seeing their guests off. The open invitation bid their visitors stay as long as they'd like, but most were needed in their respective countries and industries in order to keep the world functioning under Loki's watchful eye.
As Annalise hosted a farewell tea with many of the wives and diplomatic counterparts, Loki met with his most prominent leaders in the banquet hall. They arranged a summit in Geneva which was to take place in several weeks regarding co-existing with the Chitauri. Though still uncomfortable with the alien presence, the humans were slowly growing accustomed to the beasts and were willing to work with Loki as long as the species stayed peaceful.
Summit date set, Loki only had one more issue to deal with before he could truly focus on ruling earth. In exchange for his army of Chitauri, Loki bartered the Tesseract with The Unknown, the creature seemingly in charge of the brutes. The king did not know what the Chitauri leader intended to do with the Tesseract, but he knew that Annalise would not approve of gifting one of the most powerful artifacts on earth to someone with questionable rectitude. That was not an argument he wanted to have. He also didn't trust the elusive entity. Loki genuinely believed that The Unknown had less than admirable intentions for the relic and the King was feeling especially protective of his pregnant wife and newly acquired realm. He would not surrender the power source as initially promised, and therefore, going forward, needed to prepare for the backlash of breaking his word… But he would save that for a day in the near future.
x
That evening, the newlyweds were dining with several mildly uncomfortable and humbled diplomats at their table when Thor approached Loki and Annalise. Immediately Loki stiffened and put his hand on Annalise's knee. She fought not to roll her eyes in front of her husband's dignitaries. Likely in an attempt to show respect, Thor bowed his head awkwardly at the King and Queen. Sensing the tension, the other men and women bid the royal couple adieu and scattered for the door. When Loki stared at Thor with a hint of wicked aggression in his eye, Annalise quickly greeted him before her husband had a chance to lose his temper.
"It's good to see you, Thor. Have you been enjoying your visit? Please, take a seat."
Evidently the elder brother sensed the hostility radiating off Loki and opted to sit to Annalise's left. She smiled and patted his hand before turning to her husband.
"We really should begin permanently assigning rooms for our guests as I imagine many will periodically visit for weeks at a time. I'll speak with the project manager of the Waldorf and make sure that is put into action." She turned to Thor. "Since we're not yet in the city, we will give you temporary rooms here. Do you know how long you'll be staying?"
Thor smiled and shook his head.
"I plan to take my leave shortly."
Out of the corner of her eye, Annalise saw Loki smirk in satisfaction. She was certain Loki saw Thor's departure as a retreat. How could her king still feel threatened by his older brother? He had a planet, he had a queen, he was in the process of obtaining followers, yet still he felt intimidated by his brother.
Loki sneered.
"And will you be returning to the Avengers? Or will you brave your father's anger when he realizes you neglected to capture me?"
Thor looked between Annalise and Loki and sighed. He folded his hands on the table.
"Brother, I am not here to fight. I—. I wish to offer my blessings."
Loki stood immediately.
"I will not have you mock us in our own home. Be gone," he hissed.
Annalise slipped her hand in Loki's and for a split second she thought he was going to recoil, but after a moment he realized she meant no harm and let his shoulders drop. She spoke softly to him.
"Loki, can't you see the sincerity in his eyes?"
The king looked at his brother, then to his wife, shaking his head.
"All I see is the man that lied to me for my entire life."
"I know," she soothed softly. "But this is Thor, who lived as your brother for centuries, not Odin."
Both men looked surprised that she would so casually speak the Allfather's name, but she refused to let the old man cow her. Especially all the way from Asgard.
Thor nodded, "Truthfully, brother. I… I am surprised that you are still in power. All of us are," he admitted. "But the Avengers know they will lose if they engage with the Chitauri. There are too many of them and countless civilian lives at risk."
Loki's face was void of emotion, but he nodded, seemingly accepting his brother's claim. Thor continued.
"As the sub-realms of Midgard saw the decimation of the City of New York, many chose to surrender peacefully in order to avoid human casualty. This has been a agreeable solution. To the Avenger's bewilderment, the Chitauri have not engaged unless provoked. They believe co-existence is, perhaps, possible."
Again, the younger brother nodded. Deep down, Annalise knew inside he was nearly beaming. To hear such words come from Thor… Never would her husband have thought such a day such would come. But he refused to show his how important his brother's approval was, and he remained stoic.
"I am glad the imbeciles realized their cooperation would lead to lesser loss of life."
Thor's eye twitched, but he didn't retaliate. Annalise quickly cut in.
"Thank you for attending the wedding, Thor. Your support is important to us." To Loki, of course, but she wouldn't dare say so in front of her husband.
Thor stood, smiling uneasily and held out his hand to Annalise. She rose and extended her hand to shake his, her own hand looking ridiculously small as he took it and, to her surprise, pressed a kiss against the back. The new queen heard Loki growl behind her and immediately she pulled her hand away from Thor's lips, backing up until she bumped into Loki's hard form. Possessively he wrapped his arms around her little body, his palm splayed over her belly, and she rested her hands over his in an effort to soothe and reassure her king. It would not do for him to attack his brother over such a silly show of affection.
The elder of the two cleared his throat.
"I see some customs are different on Midgard," he chuckled. "I apologize if I overstepped my boundaries, Loki. You have a lovely wife."
Annalise's nails immediately dug into Loki's hand in an attempt to keep his attention on her as Thor finished his sentence. She felt her husband tense, and could hear the speed of his breathing increase in anger.
"Loki, enough," she hissed.
She felt him relax slowly behind her as she toyed with the ring on his left hand, distracting him enough to diffuse his anger.
Thor looked back and forth between husband and wife, confused at what just happened before him. Did she just calm Loki?
Annalise looked at him sternly.
"I think it's time you leave, Thor."
"We are now family! Call me brother."
Anna winced as Loki's hand moved from her belly until it rest even more possessively against the underside of her breast. She sighed. Thor could not take a hint to save his life, and if the room filled with any more testosterone, she was going to vomit.
"Brother," the word felt awkward on her lips, "It is time you return to Asgard. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Neither of us will forget your faith in Loki to rule peacefully."
Had Loki's grip not been so tight on her, she would have offered to embrace her "brother," but when Thor lingered in hope of a hug, Loki snarled, making it clear touching her was not an option.
"Off with you," she forced a laugh.
Thor left Carrollcliffe on foot in order to call Heimdall to open the fragile, but repaired, Bifrost. Annalise slipped from Loki's grasp, sighing in relief once Thor was gone. Never would she have guessed that her brother-in-law would give them his support. Part of her wondered if it was all a ruse, but for Loki's sake, she hoped not. To her surprise, she felt a pang of anger at the thought of Thor hurting his younger brother yet again.
Even after he was gone, Annalise stared out the window of the castle in thought. When Loki spoke in her ear, she jumped in surprise.
"Perhaps Thor would be a better match for you," Loki said bitterly.
Annalise whirled around and glared, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"I saw the look on your face when the oaf kissed your hand."
"How dare you! We've not yet been married for twenty-four hours and already you accuse me of wandering!"
Loki shrugged and examined his nails. "He's an attractive and powerful man. I can understand the infatuation."
A tear of frustration streaked down Annalise's cheek. With a growl she pushed past Loki, annoyed that he allowed her to do so, as he easily could've blocked her exit had he wanted. If he was truly invested in them as a couple, he would've stopped her to resolve such a silly argument.
She stomped to the elevator and hit both the up and down buttons, uncaring as to where she went. She just needed to get away from Loki and his toxic self-doubt. When the doors dinged and opened, she stepped into the first car to arrive. The array of buttons were scattered with lit floors peppering the lower half of the building, indicating they were descending. Shaking herself out of her distress, she greeted the other guests in the elevator and made polite conversation on her way down.
Once she stepped from the car, she quickly darted into one of the many rooms off the lobby. She wandered and wove, losing herself completely until she found a door that led outside. The knob was old and took some jimmying, but eventually she worked it open and stepped outside into the gardens. The landscaping was exquisite. She wandered along the pebbled paths, absentmindedly brushing her fingers against the many colored roses.
The girl froze when she heard rustling behind her. Her stomach dropped as she quietly slipped her shoes off; her bare feet were quieter. Tiptoeing, she peered around the hedge and gasped.
"You almost scared me to death! How long have you been following me?"
A sheepish Barton and an additional agent shrugged nonchalantly.
"Since you left the King. You took the elevator; we took the stairs. His orders."
Annalise laughed humorously.
"Of course. Well, I don't know where we are and I'm tired. Take me back to the castle, please."
She sighed in defeat as the other agent grabbed her shoes, while Barton began walking her back to her husband.
x
Stepping out of the shower, Annalise grabbed a robe, walked to the counter and stepped on her stool to begin drying her hair. The dryer blocked the sound of the door opening, but the burst of cool air caught her attention. She turned off the hairdryer and looked at Loki through the mirror. He lazily stalked towards her, turning and resting his rear casually against the marble sinks. He stretched his legs out, crossing one ankle casually over the other. Neither spoke.
With an irritated huff she turned the dryer back on and proceeded to tousle her fingers through her long auburn locks until they were mostly dry. Watching her husband out of the corner of her eye, she continued with her nightly routine, messing with moisturizer and eye cream until she couldn't prolong her ritual any longer. She turned to Loki.
"Can I help you?"
The man considered his wife for a moment. He wanted something from her, or else he wouldn't have waited for her in the bathroom. Annalise sighed in exasperation and shoved past him, intentionally checking him with her shoulder. The queen stumbled, whereas he remained completely still, but she felt slightly better after shoving him.
Since her passive aggressive antics were clearly underappreciated, she gave up, grabbing her most modest nightgown—one that fell mid-thigh—and selected a thick book from the shelf. She peeled back the bed covers and slid beneath them, opening to an arbitrary page which she stared at for three minutes. Annalise could feel his damn eyes on her. In a fit of exhaustion and mild immaturity, she threw the book against the wall.
"What do you want! Do you want me to sleep in a different room?"
The girl whipped off the sheets and began stomping to the door. Loki caught her around her waist. He bent, cupping the globes of her rear in either hand as he dragged her up his body, lifting her until they were eye to eye.
Annalise blushed at the intimacy of the position, but cooperatively rested her hands on his shoulders. It was much more difficult to yell at her husband when their faces were inches apart, especially when he looked at her like that. His eyes were on her developing list of downfalls. They could be devilishly diabolical and frighteningly violent, but there was also a curious, fiercely protected innocence to them at times. That side of him seemed only to come out around her, and it was making an appearance now.
She sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his and letting her lids slip shut. Her brain function improved slightly when his gaze wasn't boring into her.
"I don't want your brother."
Loki grunted and leaned back, pulling his face from hers. She opened her eyes, returning his gaze. If he needed to see her face as she said the words, then so be it.
"You are my husband. As dysfunctional and tumultuous as our relationship is… I wouldn't trade it," she admitted quietly.
Loki rose a brow.
"You would abandon me in exchange for your freedom," he stated.
Annalise hesitated and chanced a look over his shoulder out the window. Her husband could allow her to go free, but then what? It wasn't as if she could take her horde of victims back to Germany with her, and how could she go about her life not knowing if they were safe? Though the violence had mostly ceased, the Chitauri were still working out co-existence with the NYPD/ NYFD and fires continued to burn in the city. The smell of smoke had been present since their arrival at Carrollcliffe. Most of New York City was still destroyed, and nothing would be the same again. The world was slowly adjusting to its new ruler, and Annalise was fairly certain she was the only person that could ease the transition.
Slowly she shook her head.
"No, I wouldn't."
Loki eyed her skeptically.
"You mean to tell me if I granted you autonomy, you would not leave?" He scoffed. "Do not taunt me, little Queen. You will not like the consequences."
"I'm not taunting you, Loki," she said softly. "Formally release me, if you need to, it won't matter. I'll stay."
"Why?"
She looked away. It was far too late in the evening to have this conversation. She didn't know why. Or at least she wasn't going to admit it to herself. Their relationship was far too malfunctional to dissect on a psychological level. She was afraid of what she might find.
Annalise felt him begin to withdraw emotionally.
"I don't know why," she blurted. "Right now, I just want to kiss you until you're not angry with me anymore." Her voice caught in her throat. The admission sounded foolish, even to her ears.
"Why?"
The queen shrugged.
"You make me care about you. Sometimes."
"I do no such thing."
She laughed softly and bowed her head, unable to look him in the eye.
"Well, regardless, I do. It's messed up and I shouldn't, but I do."
Loki sighed and strode to the bed, sitting and dragging her into his lap.
"I have a temper."
She studied his face. He seemed calmer; the ache and ire was gone from his eyes. His admission was more self-acknowledgement than coming clean. She gave a watery laugh and wiped at her face.
"Yes, you do, my King."
"Your presence… pleases me. I w—. I would be dissatisfied were you not here."
Annalise wiped away a stray tear from her eye before leaning in and pressing her lips to his. For a moment, he just felt her, savoring the sensation of her soft mouth. Then, the king kissed her back, slowly deepening it with a groan.
In her tirade, the partially clad Annalise had also neglected to grab panties, and she could very much feel the growing erection through the fabric of his trousers. With a smirk she reached between them, grasping his hardening length and making him hiss. Though his face appeared blank as he watched her, that at least for that moment, he was hers. His queen pulled at the laces, whimpering impatiently as they knotted. Loki chuckled and snapped his fingers, relieving himself of the confines of clothing. She pressed a hand against his chest and pushed him back, silently asking him to relax against the pillows. He did so, casually resting his hands behind his head as he watched his wife.
Annalise settled between his legs and began stroking his semi-hard cock. Loki groaned and reached forward, tangling his fingers in her hair and gently pulling her mouth closer to his shaft. With a self-assured smirk, she lowered her lips to the velvety hard flesh in her hand. Settling on her stomach, Annalise pressed open mouthed kisses against him, which quickly evolved into greedy licks.
"Little Queen," he gritted. "Enough teasing."
She grinned against him and slipped her lips over his length, moaning as she did so. His hips rose up off the bed when she gently cupped his sac, then tugged which elicited a noise somewhere between a grunt and a groan. Quite pleased with herself, she continued her ministrations and worked his shaft down her throat. Each time her mouth receded, she stopped as they hit the ridge of his head, sucking eagerly before pushing her lips back over him. The guttural, primal noises he was making only spurred her on, and she let out a cry of disappointment as her husband yanked her forward by her hair. He sealed his mouth over hers, not bothering to seek permission as his tongue invited itself past her lips. Annalise moaned and clung to him, immediately canting her hips forward against his chest, desperate to be filled and unable to stay still.
Holding Annalise to him, Loki slipped a finger against her slit, teasing her cruelly before finally rubbing her clit and causing her hips to buck wantonly at him.
"No more," she panted with a needy whine.
"My little peach cannot handle another moment without my cock buried in her?"
Annalise whimpered and shook her head.
"Well then," he purred, positioning his cock at her entrance.
He roughly pulled her down, sheathing himself in her slick, tight velvet walls with a feral growl. Crying out, Annalise wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his as he cupped her hips and forced her to ride him. The king groaned; he loved how fucking wet she got for him, especially when they argued.
"Every time I take you, must we argue prior?" He grunted into her ear.
"Evidently," she gasped.
She released his neck and leaned back, resting her palms on his thighs as she scooped her hips, luxuriating in the leverage the position gave her. It was rare she had any control when they were together, and, when she was able to keep her eyes open, she loved to watch his face as she took him inside her. When Loki reared up on his knees, his wife wrapped her legs around his middle and reinstated her grip on his shoulders. He roughly thrust up as he pulled her down, making them both groan. Loki held her with one hand and used the other to guide her mouth back to his, drinking greedily from her lips as she squirmed against him. Impatient and needy, Annalise fought with him for power, despite knowing how much stronger he was. And how much taller. And how much more knowledgeable in the art of combat. She struggled anyway, determined to grind or thrust against him to the best of her ability.
To her surprise, he chuckled against her mouth and she pulled away, scowling until he dropped her at the perfect angle, making her see white as she arched. Scrabbling against him, she did everything in her power to fuck him right back as she felt the telltale signs of an orgasm usurp her brain. The little queen clung to Loki, crying out against his chest as he pumped inside her. Her King filled her in ways no man ever had. He was large, yes, but he also knew how to use his gifts, and he held nothing back when they were in bed. Electricity shot through her and finally she snapped, screaming as her hot cunt contracted around his pumping cock. The second her impossibly tight heat clenched around him, Loki lost complete control, his mind totally blank aside from something screaming at him to fuck her harder. He came with a roar, his hips jackhammering up against her pussy, burying his seed inside her as deeply as possible.
Loki collapsed backwards, tugging Annalise to him without pulling out of her. They lay in a panting, sweaty mess until Loki unceremoniously dumped her off of him. Sputtering in exasperation, she began to swat at him until he pinned her arms above her head and leaned forward, examining her belly.
"I cannot see any difference."
She couldn't help but laugh, which made him turn at her and glare. Wrestling a hand free of his loose grip, she stroked his hair from his face.
"The baby may be half giant, but they still start out very, very small. He or she is in there, I promise. Remember this morning when I cursed you for getting me in this situation in the first place? And how I had to keep running to the toilet? Morning sickness is a classic symptom of pregnancy."
Still frowning, Loki nodded. Intellectually he knew the baby was there, he could sense it. But when does Loki not doubt the validity of good things?
In a rare, rare act of affection, he lay his head on her tummy and closed his eyes, sighing in contentment. Annalise stared at him, dumbfounded and relieved he couldn't see her face so there was no chance he'd witness the look of her pure shock etched across her features. Tentatively she combed her fingers through his hair, and he sighed, his body relaxing as he drifted off. His queen looked up at the ceiling and shook her head, smiling as she reclined against the pillows and let her lids slip shut.