Loki waited a small amount of time before acting. His mind had not stopped ticking and turning since he had been slipped another hint of his brother's close relationship with his slave. Loki was sure that Thor had been wise enough to break off feelings for the girl after the time he had felt a trace of the God's Bond. Both he and Thor knew the dangers of it, and both knew the best course of action to take: cruelty to achieve a greater kindness.

The raven haired god knew Thor better than probably anyone, and it was a brute fact that Thor would not share his bed with someone, unless it was a maid or noble woman or any kind of female that he wanted to fuck. The Thor he knew would sooner climb into bed with a horse than a mortal slave, and yet, there he was, keeping her close and warm.

Furthermore, Loki knew what his father's grand plan was, and while Thor could have done with a little more graciousness and a little less impulsiveness, the All Father's decision had led to a door with disaster lurking behind it. The God of Mischief could understand why the All Father had made this decision, however its results were probably not what he intended to achieve.

That little slip of information told Loki everything he needed to know.

It occurred to him that both the mortal and his brother were ignorant as to why Odin commanded that Thor take possession of a meek and obedient slave, and Loki felt it was in the slave's right to know why they were bought, well in this case, this particular slave, whom Loki had taken an odd liking to. There was nothing about her that strictly stood out, and yet there was at the same time; something about her had caught his eye in the slave market, quite a time ago now.

The God of Mischief found his older brother in the weapons vault, having pursued like a shadow, to find him admiring ornate armaments of old, alone, just as Loki wished. Thor heard him from a long way off, but it wasn't until he close that he turned to face the smaller god. "Loki," Thor said blankly, "what are you doing lurking down here? I would have thought your nose would be buried in a book."

"No, not today," Loki replied with a sleek smile. He waited a few moments before speaking again, "It is about your slave."

From the corner of his eye, Loki saw Thor stiffen, both the gods looking directly ahead at an ancient battle helmet, chipped and ornate.

"What about her?" Thor demanded, with a growling edge to his baritone voice.

Loki remained calm. "Had it not occurred to you that the two of you might have become a little too familiar?"

"She mourns," Thor said simply. "She is young and the young need to be cared for."

"But since when do you care about the welfare of a slave? That's not the Thor I, and all of Asgard, know," the younger inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"She is mine, and my responsibility. A slave is no use while they mourn and cannot work," Thor said in response.

"Ah, but the Thor I remember would just have made her work, and would not have spared her feelings a moment's thought," Loki said, a glimmer of a smirk flashing across his features.

"Enough of these games, Loki." Thor turned his head, facing the other. "You are already aware I care for the girl. You were the only one to feel the God's Bond."

"And I assumed that after that you would have banished any feelings; you know what it would do to her. Yet, you were the fool and allowed yourself to feel for her. Asgard does not need a king who has feelings for his slave, a mortal child!" Loki's hissing voice ricocheted off the walls of the silent, empty vault.

"Enough, Loki," Thor growled. "She belongs to me, and what happens between us is of no concern of yours or the realm. It will affect neither."

"You're wrong." How Loki loved saying that. He went on to reveal, "You know that it was father's idea for you to purchase a slave. Did it never cross your mind as to why?"

"She was bought to be of service to me. Why else are slaves bought?" Thor countered.

"No, Thor, think about it," Loki's voice became louder. "Why, of any time, would father suddenly decree that you should have a mortal slave in your possession? Why not a century ago? Why not half a millennia ago?"

Thor couldn't fathom what his brother was trying to get at. He simply hadn't thought about why Harmony was bought for him; he only assumed since his duties as prince were rather heavy, a slave would be a wise choice, and he'd had many slaves before. He couldn't quite understand why Loki was so flustered about this.

"You will be king soon, brother," the raven haired god continued. "There are lessons father wished to teach you to prepare you for the throne, the lesson being your slave."

"Enough toying with words," Thor growled. "Explain."

"I believe that it was father's grand idea to teach you a little graciousness and humility in order to make a better king of you when the time came. Putting you in the frequent company of an oppressed being who only knew how to be obedient and gentle would eventually have an impact on you, teach you how to act with more care. Only it has gone too far," Loki explained, taking a moment to let everything sink in. "The feelings you hold for your slave have begun to corrupt you, brother."

Although Thor didn't want to admit it, he was beginning to see how his brother could be right. Everything ticking in Loki's mind had probably already crossed his own. He had tried to destroy the bond between them, but it still made his chest hurt to see Harmony's broken heart displayed across her innocent face.

"The feelings between the two of you will cause disaster," Loki said. "You care for the mortal; she's turned you soft." Thor growled at that, turning his head sharply towards his brother, but nevertheless, the other continued, "Now that you have learnt to care for her, you will care too much for other things. A king who cares too much is a weak king. If you learn to care for other things and beings like you have come to care for the girl then you will not be able to bear the burden of the decisions a king must make. Father meant to teach you grace and humility, not to make you attached to a mortal girl!"

"I do not, and will not, care for anything or anyone else like I care for her," Thor said in a snarl that made Loki wary. "She is different to all others. Mortals are delicate and weak; I must care for her because she cannot care for herself in this world. She is the one being I am willing to change for, but for no other."

"Then she will be your weakness," Loki answered softly. "Your enemies will target her and use her to get to you. All these years, they have been searching for a weakness in you but one has never existed, until now."

Thor's blood spiced hotly as he thought of how Harmony had been taken from him and hurt, almost killed on two occasions because he had failed to protect her and to discipline her for when he wasn't there. A matter of good fortune had saved her life twice, however that was no guarantee. "I will not let her be harmed. And I will destroy anyone who tries."

"I believe you," Loki gave a little nod, his voice surprisingly light. "But what about when father forces you to find a bride?"

"It'll be out of duty, nothing more," Thor said dismissively.

"So, is that it? You will continue to hold affections for a slave who will die if her bonds are broken? Father will discover this one way or another."

"If there were a way to free her, I would do it. But the Binding Law has never been broken."

"Even if you did free her, then what? Would you make her your queen?" Loki hissed.

"I do not know," the older prince shook his head. "If free, she would age and die within less than a century. The Binding Law is what keeps her alive. But I know father would never accept a mortal slave as my lover, let alone my queen."

"Lover?" Loki echoed, before breaking into a rich laugh. "Oh, that is wonderful! Lover? Lo and behold, the mighty Thor has fallen in love with a mortal!"

Out of nowhere, a huge, burly hand wrapped mercilessly around his throat, lifting him off the ground as if he was weightless. Gasping and struggling, Loki clawed at Thor's hand, wrist and arm. The Thunderer took no notice, feeling nothing. Holding the Trickster more than four feet off the ground, Thor eyed him icily, his teeth bared in a monstrous snarl.

"What do you think he'd do if he found out?" Loki rasped throatily. "Probably make you return her and you'd never see her ever again."

With a flick of his wrist, Thor tossed Loki unceremoniously to the ground. "He will not find out. If he does, I will kill you," he promised darkly, looming over his brother, holding his gaze for a few moments before striding away with Loki left on the floor coughing and nursing his throat.

Harmony walked silently to the kitchens. Nearly every head turned when they saw her for they had never seen a little girl look so sad, not even if they had tears streaming down their cheeks or screaming with sobs. The dazzling sparkle that every youth held in their eyes had dulled and faded in hers. Half the heads turned away uncaringly when they discovered she was a slave, as opposed to a noble's daughter. Harmony didn't see them though. She didn't really see anything.

Her legs seemed to know where to take her. The kitchens were noisy and bustling like they always were. Harmony weaved insignificantly in and out of people, tables, counters, small enough to stay out of the way. Her master's tray of food for his chambers was waiting for her, steaming and mouth-watering. As she lifted it into her arms, Harmony noticed there was a larger quantity of meat than usual and a few added pies. Saliva welled in her mouth as the smell wafted up to her nose, but like always she had to steel herself.

Like in the halls, a lot of the Asgardians turned to look at her. Unlike the soldiers and nobles, many looked upon her with sympathy and kindness, looking past her status. The girl made eye contact with no one and left without moving a single muscle in her solemn face. The heavy tray caused a strain in her frail arms within five paces, and by the time she got back to Thor's chambers, her arms were shaking, blood flowing, veins pulsing.

The prince was standing on the open balcony, gazing out proudly over his realm. He looked over at the grand doors at the first sound of his mouse's pitter-pattering footsteps. Harmony pushed the door open with her shoulder and let it close by itself behind her. Thor smiled confidently, noting how the girl blushed the instant she caught his eye, and he chuckled, sauntering towards her. Placing the tray on the long table, she turned towards him, body language shy as always.

"Good girl," Thor whispered, gliding his arms around her waist and tugging her towards him. He was one of the very few people, if not the only person, that could make her feel again, and the one person she felt remotely close to after Hunter.

Bowing his head, the golden haired god kissed his slave's head, the tip of his nose dipping into her hair. For a while, he simply held her, allowing them both to bask in the closeness and warmth of their embrace. Thor hated leaving his mortal, especially now when she still needed someone desperately, and as he held her, he found truth in Loki's words: he did deeply care for the girl and it was impossible to believe how much he had changed for her. Just her.

Harmony was the only one he would let himself soften for. The sweet, innocent, delicate, frightened slave girl.

Harmony let out a soft sigh; the ache inside her was starting to ease in the close presence of her master. The only thing in the world she had left to fear when she was with him was him, protected from anything else.

Thor slowly pulled away, his grip still tight, "You must eat," he told her in a soft voice.

The girl glanced over at the large tray of food, guessing that the extra sustenance was for her, though now she came to think of it, she wasn't very hungry at all now that she had the actual chance to eat. Her belly suddenly felt very full. She guessed her master wouldn't accept that; he was determined to have her gain weight and a little more body strength. Looking back at him, she saw his face was serious and she bit her lip in instant reaction.

Thor kept one arm secured around her waist and took her to the chair he usually sat in to work and eat. Harmony felt incredibly wrong and awkward about being put there. It was his chair, not hers; she felt like she was stepping on his territory, taking his place. Thor pushed the tray directly in front of her, allowing the warmth and the delicious smells to envelop her invisibly.

Harmony could feel her nerves pooling and rising. There was no chance she could simply sit there and take her master's food, and the only way she'd take it comfortably would be if he were to hold it out to her, force to eat it, like she was used to. The chair she had been sat in was too big for her; it felt like a giant's chair. Well, it sort of was.

Her hands pressed down on the seat, tensing all the way up her arms and into her shoulders, with her whole body stiff as stone. Thor was not blind. Quietly sighing, the god lifted his slave under the arms, held her aloft while he sat in his chair before sitting her back on his lap, while hearing a prominent squeak from her mouth. With his left arm snugly around Harmony's middle, Thor used his right to pick up a little chunk of juicy meat, cooked rare, between his thumb and forefinger.

He brought it to her mouth, "Eat," he ordered simply.

Harmony took the chunk between her teeth without hesitation, chewing rather quickly. The taste was indescribable to the slave! She'd never tasted anything so rich, so perfect in her life, nothing even a quarter as good, not even from her first mistress whom had been fairly fond of her.

Thor let an approving smile grace his face, picking up a second piece of meat, a little bigger than the first and held it to her lips as she swallowed. After a couple more bits of rare meat, he fed her a chunk of golden bread, watching how she took adorable little bites, reaching up with her own tiny little fingers to hold the food on her own, the skin of their hands and fingers brushing tenderly. Next, came one of the hot pies. It was more than small enough for Thor to cup in his palm but Harmony had to use both of her child-like hands to hold it.

She took a timid bite into it, deciding she liked the pies better than both the meat and bread put together. Her tongue slithered out to lap at the steaming gravy like a kitten. She took another small bite, her teeth sinking into a tiny piece of meat, coated in gravy, and she tugged softly, pulling it into her mouth. She moved it around with her tongue as she chewed because it was a little too hot for her liking.

Thor fed her morsel after morsel, with a pie or two. Harmony became full rather quickly, her body only used to meagre portions of mediocre food. But she wasn't sure how to say no to anymore food, and while she was thinking about it, she was fed a few more bits of fruit, meat and bread. It was only when Thor lifted another pie to her lips that she caved into her body's demands and shook her head softly, dreading a negative response.

"Can you eat no more?" Thor's voice rumbled through his chest and into her.

Harmony shook her head again, seeing a mildly confused expression flicker across the god's face, in turn confusing her. A small wave of relief washed over her as Thor crammed the whole pie into his mouth with ease, the feat eliciting an almost silent gasp from her. The prince swallowed everything at once, grinning down at her and finding their very different ways of eating rather humorous. He had purposefully given her the smallest pieces, not wanting to over-feed her all at once. It still surprised him how little food mortals could consume. He, like most Asgardians, could eat and eat and eat, consume mountains of food to satisfy his hunger. Though at the same time, he could survive months with no food at all.

Harmony sat quietly in her master's lap as he devoured the rest of the food on the plate…and there was a lot. She curled into him, with the intent of not getting in his way while he ate, her tiny size aiding that. A few shivers crawled through her as she watched him; such a monstrous appetite fitted the hulking god, and what surprised her most was that he didn't even seem half full when he had finished.

Swallowing the last mouthful, Thor pushed the empty tray away and turned his attention to his slave. His thick arms constricted and she trembled against him, his strength causing her bones to shudder. Harmony's heart began to quicken as he lowered his mouth to her neck; she tilted her head to the side, allowing him what he wanted. He kissed slowly and passionately, his lips hot and wet on her skin, and his right hand resting against her lower abdomen, while his left inched upwards, towards the swells of her breasts.

Sparks began to flutter deep within her. She had placed trust in him and could let herself let him do what he wished without feeling a need to stop; in the end, he could do anything and everything he wanted with her, with or without her consent.

Like a cat, Harmony pressed her back into his chest, rubbing herself against him, the whole world falling away around her. She seemed to shrink in his grasp, a part of her refusing, afraid, to let go; part of her wanted to hold out against him, for the sake of not losing control over her own mind and senses.

The god's fingers curled, squeezing her so tightly to him, his hands spreading further apart. One now cupped her breast and began to fondle it hungrily. The other dipped in between her legs, pressing against her warm groin. Harmony let her shoulders stretch and her legs open a little, provoking a husky purr from her master, "Very good, little one, my fragile mortal."

The slave could feel his passion growing underneath her, and her breath quickened rapidly, pulse elevating. Her young, firm breasts heaved under his hand. They weren't that small for a girl her size, but everything mortal was tiny to one like Thor.

"You are all mine, aren't you?" he whispered, voice deep and growling.

And when she didn't answer verbally, he tightened his arms a little bit more, stirring elements of fear inside her. "Aren't you?" he repeated.

"Yes, yes, sire," Harmony panted breathlessly. "I'm only yours."

"And I can do anything I want with you," he told her, pinching her nipple through her clothes. "Even if you begged and screamed, there would be no way to predict if I'd let you go." His hand in her groin rubbed in a firm, steady rhythm, circling her folds through the irritating fabric of her trousers. "Especially if my cock was enjoying you."

Harmony suddenly struggled, whimpering in terror at his power and promises.

"Now, now, I will not have defiance," Thor taunted, stilling her struggles without effort. "I protect and care for you, little one, and someday soon, I will have you."

Releasing a tearless sob, Harmony sank back into her master's body, letting the dark, yet divine combination of fear and passion overwhelm her.

Both so tied up with their actions, neither of them noticed a fly landing on the other end of the table, having been in the room some time. It crawled around a little bit before hovering into the air again, and disappearing into the darkness.

Please review! All kinds of comments are welcome, apart from non-constructive criticism.

Love and hugs xxx