A/N: Don't own don't sue

Lyrics at the beginning are from 'If I Knew' by Bruno Mars

If I Knew

Chapter Eighteen

I was a city boy
Right into danger's where I'd always run, a boy who had his fun
But I wouldn't've done
All the things that I have done
If I knew one day you'd come

If anybody at court suspected that Odin acted differently these days, they didn't mention it. Where before he had been secretive and mysterious, now he was more often than not seen lounging in his huge golden throne, a knowing smirk on his grizzled mouth. He used to disappear without a word, vanishing on some mission that he didn't care to inform anyone about. Now he was often to be found strolling around his court, deep in conversation with one lord after another. Some assumed it was a reaction to the death of his beloved wife. Some, rather more cynical, assumed it was a reaction to suddenly being single for the first time in a millenia. Eira, who knew exactly the cause of Odin's sudden personality change, wisely kept her thoughts to herself.

He knew very well that she hated to look at him when he wore this face, just as he knew that she had no choice but to obey him as her sovereign. He seemed to take great pleasure in forcing her to dance or sing or exchange pleasantries with him while he was masquerading as his father. She knew that showing him her displeasure would only make him enjoy his behaviour more, so she bit back her snarky tongue and pasted on her courtly smiles and curtseyed prettily to him day after day after day.

It had become a game they played during the day, he manipulating the court to put her wherever would amuse him most, her sweetly obeying him whilst silently wishing a lightening bolt to strike him dead in front of her. At night, however, was a different game. Most nights he came to her rooms and they verbally toyed with each other as they had always done, the dimly lit sanctuary of her small quarters becoming as familiar as his cell had been. Sometimes he would tempt her with darkly seductive kisses that never seemed to lead anywhere, but sometimes entire weeks would go by without him touching her. The nights when he played this teasing game with her were the ones where she wished for a lightening bolt too.

He was currently on one of his cruelty streaks and had not touched, kissed, caressed, brushed or so much as accidentally bumped into her for over a week and her patience with his games was rapidly dwindling. She was also still fending off Lord Darr's ridiculous attempts at courtship. Due to this she was fully ready to lose her temper on the next foolish man who happened to cross her path when one of Odin's messenger boys popped up beside her as she broke her fast with some other Ladies.

"Lady Eira." The boy bowed politely and held out a note.

"Thank you, Fabian." She smiled sweetly and he flushed to the very tips of his ears.

Eira unraveled the note and skimmed it briefly. Apparently the King would like to take a turn in the gardens and her presence was required. She could feel his gaze on her, waiting for her reaction and she carefully kept her false smile in place as she nodded to Fabian, returned the note to him and gestured him away. What was the maniac up to now? As she finished her food and excused herself, she inwardly fumed. If he insisted on summoning her to his side in full view of the court at every opportunity, the vultures would start to gossip.

"Lady Eira."

Eira ignored Lord Darr, continuing on her way towards the garden entrance. She had neither the time, the inclination nor the patience to deal with this fool. Unfortunately he failed to take the hint and caught up with her before she could slip through the elegantly arched doorway.

"Eira."

Eira snatched her arm out of his grip immediately, scowling up at him. Would this foolish oaf never learn, good grief!

"Leif, whatever nonsense you have in mind, I have no time to hear it."

His handsome face darkened as it always did when she didn't immediately crumple into his arms and profess her undying love for him. They had the same conversation every few days, when he finally managed to catch her alone after doing her best to avoid him, and during each encounter the shock of her rejection seemed to strike him anew.

"Eira I-"

"Leif!" She snapped, cutting him off before he could start his usual spiel of how wonderful their marriage could be. "When will you give up this foolish behaviour? There are dozens of stupid girls in that hall who would leap at the chance to become your betrothed. Why are you so fixated on me?"

He took a step forwards and she had to force herself not to flinch back from him. He slipped an arm around her waist, turning his body so the long warm length of him was pressed against her. She felt the familiar flicker of desire low in her belly, the sweet flush of being held closely by an attractive man, but it was different to what she felt with her Prince. With him a single feather-light touch of his hand on hers ignited her whole body, made her heart race and her breath catch. She examined the feeling curiously as he twittered into her ear, the way her body reacted to his was so mild in comparison that it made her anger at his games burn brighter.

"Lord Darr."

Leif jumped, glancing over his shoulder at Odin's approach. His grizzled eyebrow lifted as he took them in; Leif's arm around her slender waist, his mouth a scant inch away from her ear. He reluctantly let her go, clearly under the impression that her lack of protest while she'd been lost in her thoughts was some form of consent to his proposal. He bowed and made a gracious greeting to his King, shot her a last look that clearly threatened a return to this conversation later, and then disappeared back towards the main hall.

Eira sighed and took Odin's silently proffered elbow, allowing him to guide her out through the arched doorway and into the pretty sunshine of the gardens. He was silent as they wound their way along the paths, stepping into the cool silence of the huge hedge maze that Frigga had insisted on being built. It was a tricky maze that Loki had helped design and many courtiers claimed that walls moved whenever they felt like it as it was almost impossible to find one's way around it. As such it was nearly always deserted.

"If you must insist on summoning me, please do not wear that face." She said wearily as the silence continued.

She expected him to at least argue, but to her astonishment he simply dropped the facade. She stared at his handsome face hungrily, savouring the strong jawline and the sharp cheekbones, the elegant dark lashes and the fathomless jewel-bright eyes.

"Lord Darr seems very taken with you." He pointed out lazily as they turned a corner of the maze into another long identical path.

"He's after me for marriage." She surprised herself by revealing, apparently more exhausted by the constant masquerade than she had thought.

He didn't so much as blink at the revelation, but she felt his arm tighten just the slightest bit on her hand still held in the crook of his elbow.

"Is he indeed." He murmured thoughtfully, tilting his head to stare up at the brilliantly blue sky above them.

He took a sharp right turn suddenly and she almost stumbled, taken by surprise. She righted herself quickly and glared at him. His face was completely expressionless and his mouth a mild line, as if they were simply discussing the weather.

"An interesting choice for him." He commented and she immediately bristled.

"Am I such an unappealing option for a wife?" She snapped icily and he slid her a wicked sidelong glance as if she had responded exactly as he'd hoped. "He thinks our history and the brief betrothal to Lord Moncliere-"

"History?" His voice was like ice, slick and dangerous.

She glanced at him in surprise, taking in how dark his face had become. He had never ever displayed a single second of jealousy; not when she danced before him with other lords, not when they openly flirted with her in front of him, not when she felt the gaze of one of his guards on her as she sashayed past them, not when she fluttered her eyelashes at anyone. Curious.

"Why, Prince, I thought everyone knew." She turned her eyes down modestly to hide the smirk in her eyes. "This court is so very free with gossip."

He didn't respond, his face a blank mask as they continued through the maze but she could see his pulse had quickened in his throat. She could sense that he desperately wanted to ask for more information, and was trying to think of a way to accomplish this without showing how interested he was.

"It was never an official courtship, of course." She continued sweetly, watching the vivid greenery passing them by as they walked. "Whispered words and tender caresses."

She sighed dreamily as if the memories were sweet and familiar, not patchy and barely recalled. He remained silent although a faint flush had crept up under his collar.

"Things are much simpler in the darkness of a bedchamber, aren't they?"

She deliberately stepped a little closer to him, ensuring her warm pliant body was pressed almost flush against his side as she conjured up the image of her nakedness for him.

"We parted quite amicably." She lied easily, deliberately neglecting to mention that this was years ago.

"Clearly he does not wish to stay parted." He pointed out sulkily and she had to turn her face against his shoulder to hide her grin.

She rolled one shoulder in a pretty shrug as if it was out of her hands.

"I think he feels I am in need of a protector now, with the Queen no longer here." She glanced up at him from under her lashes to gauge if she was pushing him too far. "And since I am no longer betrothed or being openly courted, well…"

They lapsed into silence as they emerged suddenly into the center of the maze and she blinked in surprise. She had only been here once when the maze had first been constructed, and the plants in the small intimate center garden had been newly planted. Now everything was blooming in colour, bright exotic plants clashing wonderfully with each other. Eira felt her heart clench painfully. The garden was so wonderfully Frigga, everything neat and tidy in regimented beds whilst simultaneously bursting with life and energy.

"Is he courting you?" He asked bluntly, startling her into remembering his presence.

It took her a long moment to remember their previous conversation and eventually she forced her focus back to him.

"Not openly." She studied him curiously, watching the wheels spinning behind his eyes. "He was bringing his petition to the King."

His eyes flashed and his mouth lifted in a half-smirk briefly.

"Well this does seem like a decision best left to the King." His voice was syrupy-sweet and it made her wary.

He jerked his arm suddenly and she tipped towards him, her hand trapped between his arm and his side. His spare arm slid around her waist exactly where Lord Darr's had been not too long ago, tugging her closer until they were pressed tightly together.

"And would you accept his courtship, Nightingale?"

His breath brushed across her lips and she felt her heart start to pound, her body tingling pleasantly against his.

"Would I have a reason not to, Prince?"

His smile turned positively dangerous and he pulled her even tighter against him, until she could feel his heart tapping wildly against her chest.

"Only the selfish desires of your King."

Eira gazed up at him boldly, sliding her slender thigh between his until his pupils dilated and heat flushed into his cheeks.

"Desires, Prince?" She purred teasingly, pushing her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. "What desires?"

Her face was tilted up towards his and she could see his pulse beating rapidly under the delicate skin of his throat. Without thinking, she lifted her head and put her lips against the soft skin there, causing him to inhale sharply.

"Nightingale…" He murmured dangerously and she could feel him pulsing against her thigh, his arm tightening around her waist so she knew she would have bruises later.

She bared her teeth slightly and nipped, at the same moment lifting her thigh slightly to press against him and he hissed. She pressed a tender kiss on his throat, inhaling his intoxicating scent as she drew away enough to look him in the eye again. He was breathing heavily, red spots on his high cheekbones and his eyes glittering brightly. His mouth came down on hers roughly, his hips pulsing against hers until she clung to him, dizzy with desire.

Gathering her scattered wits, she strengthened her resolve and pushed him away. He was breathing heavily and his mouth was slightly bruised from their kisses. His eyes narrowed slightly before he managed to compose himself, straightening his clothes and slicking back his mussed hair.

"You're perfectly correct, nightingale." He murmured thoughtfully, watching her beautiful eyes narrow in suspicion at his tone.

She took a step further away from him warily, pushing her fingers into her glorious hair and tousling the soft curls until they fell becomingly down her back. He had a brief momentary vision of that hair wild and free from its pins, bursting over her naked shoulders as she tossed her head back… but he hurriedly filed it away for later, determined to focus.

"How so?" She asked despite herself, tilting her head to the side suspiciously as she studied him closely.

"While you are not officially betrothed, or openly courting an appropriate nobody…" He let a dangerous smile twist his mouth, watching her body react automatically as it always did as a flush crept from under her dress and into her cheeks. "You are a delectable little target, my sweet."

He moved closer to her, delighted to see that she wasn't shrinking back from him and was therefore not quite broken yet. He coiled one arm around her waist again, letting his hand drift until it rested warmly on the deliciously pert swell of her behind.

"What are you talking about?" She demanded rudely, clearly flustered at his roving hand.

"A solution to a problem I wasn't even aware we had, love." He leaned towards her and she turned away from him sulkily.

"What solution? That I marry Lord Darr." She snapped mutinously, rolling her eyes.

Loki let the moment linger, watching the indignation flood into her. She was so very bewitching when she was angry, it was really her own fault that he enjoyed torturing her so much. The flush crept over the top of her breasts just peeking out of the lovely lilac gown that accentuated her slender waist so well, staining her porcelain cheeks until her eyes glittered like jewels.

"Have you lost your mind?" She snarled, wrenching herself out of his grasp.

He hid his smile from her anger, crossing towards the elegant marble bench and taking a seat for the show. He was still painfully aroused, no doubt as she had intended the sly temptress, and the cool bench was a welcome relief as he forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

"I thought you were partial to Lord Darr." He said sweetly, knowing she wasn't buying the innocent look on his face for a moment.

"He's a fool." She barked harshly, her hands on her hips as she glowered at him. "If I wanted to marry a fool I'd have been betrothed years ago."

Loki lifted an eyebrow, quashing the flicker of jealousy that erupted in his belly at the images this statement conjured.

"What are you playing at, Prince?" She demanded, looking unbelievably desirable in her fury as she towered over him.

"Surely you brought the matter to my attention for assistance, nightingale." He poured honey into his voice, watching with pleasure as it only enraged her further.

She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut again, pursing her lips prettily as her blush darkened. He knew perfectly well that she had taken advantage of him stumbling onto her talk with Lord Darr to provoke his jealousy and tease him mercilessly. The knowledge only made his desire for her burn hotter than ever and he shifted slightly on the bench to conceal his arousal. She was too stubborn to admit that she had been manipulating him, folding her arms sulkily over her chest and pouting.

"You're going to marry me off to him?"

He heard the threads of disappointment in her voice, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, and he firmly clamped down on whatever foreign emotion that stirred in him.

"Certainly not." He teased. "I'm going to make the whole world think that I will."

She gaped at him in confusion, twisting away from him to pace between two overflowing flowerbeds as she turned the concept over in her clever mind. He watched her pace, studying every enticing inch, every seductive line and curve. He wanted to touch her, to snatch her to him again, to push her down amongst the flowers and tear the flimsy dress from her tempting body. But he resisted. Always he resisted. He wasn't sure why he was torturing himself, he knew he could have her in a moment. There were several times in any given day that the urge to hoist her from her seat, shove her against the closest wall and lift her skirts was almost overpowering, so much so that his hands would be shaking as he clenched them on the arms of his stolen throne. Yet he chose not to, regardless of the tempting glances she slid his way from underneath her long lashes. He continuously toyed with her, drawing her closer then pushing her away, reeling her in and then tossing her back. He was powerless to stay away from her but he couldn't let her go. For a reason he had no intentions of examining too closely.

"You want me to openly court Lord Darr, tease him with marriage… why?"

Loki shrugged carelessly, tossing his head back.

"Prancing around like this." He gestured vaguely with one careless hand. "You're a liability, sweet."

He was fairly certain that if she had a weapon she'd have lunged at him by now. The thought pleased him immensely.

"So you're going to chain me to a useless man to keep me under control." She hissed in outrage, her chest swelling so much with indignation that he had to work to keep his focus. "Absolutely not."

"Nightingale." He chuckled mockingly, brushing a stray leaf from his thigh absently. "This is the second marriage proposal you've tried to dodge. Given your many, many charms… I highly doubt it would be the last."

She tilted her head, looking a little more open to the discussion and less likely to try and rip his throat out with her bare hands.

"That's true, I am certainly a tempting prospect as a wife." She agreed, sliding him a sidelong glance that made his chest burn. "So this is your brilliant plan?" She lifted her eyebrows, her tongue dancing briefly across her lips and distracting him. "You're going to whore me out to keep the court distracted, what for?"

Loki blinked. This stage of the discussion had played out differently in his mind, he had expected her to be much more mollified by now. Her face was burning again, sparks practically flying from her eyes as she glowered at him.

"You hold no claim on me. You are not courting me. You couldn't court me wearing that ridiculous mask, even if you wanted to. You're hardly keeping my bed warm, why do you need someone else to pretend they are?"

He stared at her, his face a careful mask to hide the torrent of confused emotions suddenly tearing through his gut. His carefully planned plot had gone awry. He had not predicted this and that confused him more than her reaction. She was staring at him challengingly, daring him to contradict her. He realised he had put himself in a corner again and the thought enraged him. She had not followed the course his mind had set for her and now he had to agree with her, or reveal that he burned with desire at the very flicker of her long black lashes.

He saw the change in her eyes as she came to some decision he was not part of, saw her lashes sweep down to shield herself from him, her delectable mouth curving into a sly smirk.

"Very well, Prince." She said sweetly, looking perfectly docile with her hands clasped before her and her eyes on the ground at his feet. "I will court Lord Darr for your pleasure."

He twitched as she lingered on the word for longer than necessary, the faint glimmer of her eyes teasing him mercilessly.

"Or for mine." She added pleasantly with a careless shrug. "Whichever comes first."

She swept him a barely respectable curtsey and he stared uneasily at her dipped head, feeling almost as if he'd just been threatened.