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Jane Foster stood on the balcony outside of her chambers of Utgard Hall. Her caramel colored hair danced about her shoulders with the breeze as she glanced over the city before locking her gaze on the scenery beyond.Jotunheim really was beautiful this time of year.While autumn on Earth was full of color and peaceful and relaxing, the change of seasons on Jotunheim reflected the delicate balance which held the Realm together. Thick snow in the mountains tapered to icy foothills while the valleys remained a more temperate climate reminiscent of Earth in autumn.Of course, it didn’t really matter what the temperature was outside her chambers. Jane had long ago mastered the magical art of warming herself. If that wasn’t enough, Loki had insisted on placing a spell over the chambers to ensure her comfort. He was always thinking of her.As if she had summoned him with the thought, Loki entered their chambers, drawing Jane’s attention back inside the palace walls.She hadn’t summoned him.She could.She often times did.But not this time...No matter how many times Loki entered a room, she was always awestruck by his presence. His raven black hair was cut to a length just below his ear by her request. She loved his hair no matter what length he chose, but this length suited him best on Jotunheim. With this style, his red eyes seemed to sparkle with life.Jane remembered the first time they had discussed his hair:“You only want my hair to be short because of Midgard’s preference,” Loki had thrown long tresses over his shoulder with flourish.Asgard. Midgard. Jotunheim. No matter the location, Loki was prone to becoming a bit of a diva.“Loki, you exist as both Asgardian and Jotun. Don’t you think a hairstyle to fit both would be a good idea?”“Long hair suits me in either, thank you very much.”“Long hair on the King of Jotunheim makes you appear bloodthirsty. Sorry, but it does. This cut will make you so much sexier.”“Sexier?” Loki had actually scoffed at her, “What does that have to do with ruling?”“Will you just trust me?”“Fine.”Loki had relented. Afterward, the King had gathered the lustful eye of many Jotuns who wanted nothing more than to be summoned by their sovereign. It seemed every subject of Jotunheim suddenly wanted Loki’s undivided attention.Loki had a burst of pride.Jane reminded him whose idea it had been.Loki disagreed.Jane warned him to admit the truth.Loki didn’t see what all the fuss was about.Jane leeched his magic from him, forced his hair to become blond and grow past shoulder length.Loki had immediately apologized and readily admitted Jane was right...as usual...and he promised to make it up to her. After giving him back his magic and returning his hair to its normal color, she had made him announce to everyone at court that his wife was the genius behind his haircut.Looking at her husband now, it was hard to believe she used to think his magical powers were responsible for her response to his presence. Over time, she had come to accept the fact that she was forever hopelessly in love with Loki...HelasonLaufeysonGod of MischiefCrown Prince of AsgardKing of JotunheimProtector of the Nine RealmsAvengerYeah, Jane loved Loki...even with his mouthful of titles.Jane stepped inside from the balcony and closed the doors. No sooner had the door latched, Loki had his arms around her waist and spun her to face him.“Good morning,” She offered sweetly before Loki cut her greeting off with a kiss. She wound her arms around his neck as he lifted her against him.“Good morning,” Loki replied as their lips parted.“You were up and gone early today,” She met his eyes while her fingers danced in his hair.“One would think your Celestial heritage would make you more aware of the passage of time,” He grinned slightly, “I was up at my normal hour. You’re the one who slept in.”Jane shrugged half heartedly, “I was tired. We did save the universe yesterday after all.”“Yes, we did,” He replied, “Speaking of which, Mother requests our presence on Nornheim.”“Nornheim?” She asked in confusion, “Why?”Loki paused as he lowered Jane back to her feet, “Actually, Mother is just the messenger.”“The Norns are requesting us? Whoa,” Jane stepped slightly away as she processed the information, “Why? What did we do wrong now?”“I have no idea,” He admitted as he watched his wife’s thoughts spiral into their own kind of logic.Watching Jane as her mind calculated infinite possibilities had always been one of Loki’s favorite pastimes where she was concerned. Her hazel eyes shifted back and forth as if doing so would allow her to find an answer to a still unforeseen problem. Her face always tensed ever so slightly while her jaw slackened and she worried her lips.“If you don’t stop chewing on your lip, you are going to draw blood. Stop worrying. Mother wouldn’t lure us into any danger,” Loki attempted to soothe her while grazing his fingertips along Jane’s arms.Jane gave him a pointed stare, “Oh really?”“Okay, she has done it before but just the once.”“Asking us to join her on Muspelheim only to find out that she and Surtur were in the middle of a gigantic pissing contest was enough. I’m not really keen on accepting an invitation from her regarding any Realm other than Asgard.”“This time, Mother was only the messenger.”“Doesn’t really help,” Jane frowned, “If we have to save Hela from the Norns, so help me, she is going to need saving from me afterwards.”Loki chuckled, “Fair enough.”“So when are we leaving?”“As soon as you are ready.”Jane focused her power to change her casual Midgardian blue jeans and tee shirt to a dress befitting the Queen of Jotunheim. The icy blue cloth draped over her shoulders, gathered around her waist and fell effortlessly to the floor.Loki grinned as he spoke, “I’m surprised you’re not choosing to appear in your Celestial form.”“I’m trying to trust your mother. Appearing as my Celestial self might seem more provoking than trusting.”“You’re right,” He agreed as he shifted to his Asgardian form and tucked her hand in the bend of his arm, “However, I am not about to use the Bifrost to travel to Nornheim.”Jane’s mouth quirked a grin of her own, “You don’t exactly trust her either, do you?”“Let’s just say I prefer not to be seen until we know what we are walking into,” He patted her hand gently.She smiled with a quirk of her head, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”With a wave of Jane’s hand, a spiral of white light spun before them before opening into a clear portal. Loki smiled and escorted Jane to Nornheim.Stepping onto Nornheim was an experience Jane was never quite prepared for. Standing in the roots of Yggdrasil was breathtaking to say the least. Long thick branches sprawled towards the sky, reaching through the universe to hold all of creation together.Loki led Jane through a path towards the Cave of Ages. As they approached, they saw Hela standing near the entrance as she conversed with Thor.“Ah, here they come,” Hela beamed as she turned towards her son, “My son.”“Mother,” Loki smiled warmly.Hela smiled warmly in return before casting a glance towards Jane, “Jane.”“Hela,” Jane replied simply.“You should address her as Queen,” Thor grumbled as he leaned against the rock cavern’s opening.Hela smiled proudly.Jane took a deep breath and clenched her teeth, trying to will her stubborn streak into obedience.“Why the invitation?” Loki interjected, drawing attention to himself to diffuse the situation between his wife and his mother.Hela eyed Jane for a quiet moment. Jane returned the Queen’s glare.“Yes, right,” Hela turned sideways, “The Norns wish to give you a gift.”“Why?” Jane asked, suspicion evident in her voice.“Ha, you can take the girl off of Midgard but can’t take Midgard out of the girl, huh?” Thor laughed haughtily, “Always suspicious.”“Uncle?” Loki turned with a smile to Thor.“Yes?”“Go hammer something,” Loki declared pointedly.Hela chuckled as she waved her fingers towards Thor, “Go ahead, Brother. You can wait for me at the Bifrost site.”Thor twirled Mjolnir in his hand before casually walking down the pathway, muttering something under his breath.“He still isn’t happy that you are going to be rightful king of two Realms one day,” Hela addressed Loki as she shrugged, “Now, back to the business at hand. Come along,” She moved with a catlike grace that was more gliding than stepping.Jane looked to Loki for any signs that he was still uneasy about this situation. He shrugged in answer while taking her hand reassuringly in his. They walked into the Cave of Ages, an impressive rock structure nestled within the roots of Yggdrasil. Small candle like flames burned in jagged outcroppings of rock, leading towards glowing room several yards away.“They are here.” A trio of voices echoed amongst the cavern walls.“This probably isn’t supposed to scare me, but I have to tell you I’m a little on edge right now,” Jane whispered to Loki before they stepped inside the room.Loki squeezed her hand as they stepped towards an alter in the center of the room. Three robed figures stood behind the alter but several feet apart, making the room seem altogether smaller than it should have been.“Loki, son of Hela and Laufey,” The Norns unified their voices, the resonance pronouncing their authority over all things, “Jane, daughter of Isabella Foster and Ego the Celestial. Step forward.”Jane held Loki’s hand with a death grip as they stepped closer to the alter.“You have slain the Mad Titan, restored order where there was chaos, saved countless lives through the universe,” The Norns voices echoed, “We are grateful.”“It is always a pleasure to serve,” Loki bowed his regal best. Jane took the cue and curtsied in deferrance.“There is no prize worthy of this achievement. We can, however, offer you a gift,” The Norns spoke, their voices seemed suddenly softer and less menacing to Jane’s ears, “We cannot show you your futures. However, we can allow you to see how your other selves in alternate realities lived their lives. We will open our library to you. Your fates from infinite alternate universes are written in the tomes within.”“You mean we can read about other lives we may have led?” Jane questioned, “That won’t effect our timeline?”“It will not. Other than perhaps increasing your appreciation for the lives you’ve led here,” The Norns spoke as the stone wall behind them rumbled behind them. A large wooden door appeared in the stone before swinging open to reveal a vast library beyond.Books of every size and color filled rows and rows and endless rows of shelves as far as the eye could see.Loki stood beside her, surveying the stacks, “Well, it seems things could have turned out quite differently.”“You think?” Jane asked rhetorically while trekking down a row of books.“Why do you want to see what we are like in other universes? Are you not happy here?”“Of course, I am,” She stopped and practically collided with him. She wrapped her arms around him, “Oh come on, don’t tell me you aren’t curious about how things could have been different.”“Ah, there it is. Curiosity,” Loki teased as he enveloped her in his arms, “I’m still not sure what to make of this.”“Why can’t you just accept that we saved the universe and this is our reward? Why do you have to be so suspicious all the time?”“Experience?” He asked with a half hearted shrug.“Okay, I’ll give you that,” Jane turned and glanced over the books, “I guess I’ll just choose a few at random.”“We can read them at night after the children are abed,” He grinned, “If we can’t find anything better to do.”“You’re insatiable,” She teased with a knowing smile. She walked down the current row and picked three books from the shelves, “Now you pick three.”Loki plucked three different volumes before they left the library to return home to Jotunheim.Later that night...“The children are asleep and all is well in the Kingdom,” Loki spoke as he entered their bedroom.“Oh my god!” Jane groaned, “What the hell?! Like seriously?”Loki stopped as he slowly closed the door behind him, “All is not well in the Kingdom?”Jane slammed the book in front of her closed as she looked up to her husband, “You do not want to know what kind of an insane life we led in this universe. You in particular.”“You started without me?” He casually leaned back against the door as he crossed his arms, “I’m greatly saddened by this turn of events.”“Don’t try to play the guilt trip angle. We both know I’ll make it up to you later,” She flashed a flirty smile before wiggling her finger at him, “Come here.”With a whirl of magic, the King’s armor became casual trousers and a green tunic while his Asgardian form became prominent. He crossed the room and sank down on the sofa beside her.“What’s the title on this one?” He asked while examining the red and white cover.“Infinity War.”“Boring title,” He noted, “Please...Tell me what you’ve learned so far.”“Your history is so twisted I’m still not sure I have it all right.”Loki raised an inquisitive eyebrow, “Explain.”“Well,” Jane took a deep breath, “You were taken as a baby from Jotunheim and raised on Asgard as Odin and Frigga’s son.”“Excuse me?” He winced at the very idea.“Yeah, as Thor’s little brother.”“Ugh, sounds like torture,” He groaned.“You could call it that,” Jane bit her lip, “You found out about your Jotun lineage the day of Thor’s coronation.”“Thor’s coronation?” Loki stopped as he sat up, “What the hell?”“That’s what I said,” Jane sighed, “You let Frost Giants into Asgard through the vault.”“Seems I still had some good sense about me,” He declared as he glanced at her then the book, “But why do I feel like this gets worse?”“It does,” She nodded, “The Frost Giants were killed in the vault. Odin was happy to let it go. He saw it as the moves of a desperate few not the tactical moves of a Kingdom. But Thor went ballistic and marched into Jotunheim. He was sent packing.”“But of course he was,” Loki smiled brightly.“He had defied Odin so, of course, the old man was pissed. He stripped Thor of his powers and Mjolnir before banishing him to Earth.”His smile fell. He met her eyes, “No...don’t tell me...”“My other self fell in love with Thor.”“What?!” Loki almost fell off the sofa, “What?”“You heard me,” Jane rolled her eyes, “Your reaction is better than mine. I dry heaved.”“How far apart were we in this universe?”“Far...and yet so close.”“How did we meet?” He spoke before a horrible thought crossed his mind, “Did we meet?”“We did but you are missing a lot of your story here.”“Okay,” He reigned in the curiosity for a moment, “Please continue.”“Odin told you about Laufey before he fell into the Odinsleep,” She continued offering tidbits.“Ah, Odin,” Loki sighed with an ironic smirk, “Always one to seize an opportunity to avoid dealing with a mess he’d made, hmm?”“Yep,” Jane nodded, “With Thor banished and Odin in his sleep chamber, you became King of Asgard.”“Doesn’t sound so bad.”“Sif and the Warriors Three rebelled. They went to Earth for Thor. You sent the Destroyer after them. Thor urged you to kill him to save everyone else. And you did. Then you tried to destroy Jotunheim.”“What the...” Loki stood from the sofa to fetch himself a cup of tea, “What the hell kind of life did I lead?”“It gets worse.”“How?”“You fell from the Bifrost and met Thanos. You went to Earth to conquer it for him while regaining control of the Tesseract.”“Evidently, this version of me was an idiot.”“No. Just desperate. You lost and Thor took you to Asgard to be imprisoned for the rest of your life.”“Where was Mother in all of this?”Jane paused, “It seems Odin imprisoned her too. In fact, no one even knew about Hela until Odin’s death. He erased her from Asgardian history.”“Oh dear...” Loki crossed his arms as he looked to the book, “I’m not sure I want to know anything else about my own story. Where are WE in this universe?”“The us from that universe...” Jane’s fingers slowly danced along the spine of the book, “We met on Asgard just before going to Svartelfheim where you died at the hands of a Dark Elf. Well, it looked like you died but you didn’t. You banished Odin to Earth and took over his visage to sit on the throne.”Loki poured his cup of tea and laughed, “Sounds like a bit of fun, really. Can you just give me the highlights of the rest?”“Your mother destroyed Asgard.”“Mother destroyed Asgard?” He repeated in a question as he stirred a bit of Midgardian honey into his tea.“Well, Surtur destroyed Asgard. Thor had captured Surtur’s crown before Odin’s death. When Hela came out of Odin’s prison, she returned to Asgard and wanted to conquer all the realms. The only way to stop her was to destroy Asgard. While Thor and Hela battled, you went to the vault and placed the crown into the Eternal Flame. Surtur rose and destroyed Asgard. So technically, I suppose you destroyed Asgard.”“This just gets better and better,” Loki shook his head and sat back beside her, “Then what?”“You were killed by Thanos. Choked to the brink before he snapped your neck.”“Son of a...”“We can’t win in every universe I guess.”He rubbed his neck gently, “And the other you? Did she and Thor live happily ever after?”“No,” Jane answered as she placed the book on the coffee table before her, “She dumped Thor. She buried herself in her work while avoiding death threats. She was finally gaining a sense of normalcy when Thanos assembled the Gauntlet.”“What became of her?”“She died in the Snap. She wasn’t taken by the Gauntlet exactly. She was on board a plane when it happened. Everyone on board except for her was rendered to dust. By the time she got to the cockpit to try to gain some sort of control, it was too late. The plane crashed into the side of a mountain.”“Surely, the Celestial stepped in.”“No,” Jane replied, “I wasn’t Celestial in that life. I was only human.”Loki sipped his tea as he considered the possibility, “I don’t believe that. It’s possible the Celestial was dormant but could have been triggered if given the right impetus.”“Always the professor,” She teased as she gently captured his tea cup from him and took a sip for herself.“Personally, I’m rather happy with the way our lives have turned out so far,” He turned his body on the sofa to face her.“So am I,” She smiled as she sat the tea cup on an end table. She crawled across her husband to seat herself comfortably in his lap.“Are you going to start another book this evening?” He asked as he drew his fingers down her spine slowly.“One a day. I do have other things to do, you know,” Jane wound her arms around his neck, “Like taking my husband to bed.”“Excellent idea,” Loki agreed while taking her lips in a sweet kiss.
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Loki stood at the doorway of the nursery, watching Jane as she settled the children to tell them a bedtime story. He loved this. At the end of a long day full of tedious meetings filled with tribal rhetoric and petty complaints with the occasional dash of intergalactic diplomacy to attend to, this was his perfect ending to the day.Rikki, their eldest at ten years of age, sat at the end of the bed with his feet tucked under him. He was beyond the age of listening to bedtime stories but he never failed to spend this time with his mother and sisters. He looked the most like his father with his raven black hair and green eyes.Bella, named in honor of Jane’s mother, was six and very much a miniature version of her mother. Her auburn hair was ever so slightly darker than Jane’s but those hazel eyes were a perfect match.Brenna, their youngest at four, was a marvelous mix of her parent’s features with a lovely chocolate tone to her hair and a green color to her eyes.“Mother, will you tell us your story one day?”“Yeah, Mother, tell us about you and Father. Tell us about Alfheim.”Jane looked between her daughters who were crowding space for her lap, “We should probably let your father tell some of that story.”“Father is literally right there,” Rikki pointed to the doorway.“Father!” The girls squirmed out their mother’s grasp and bolted towards their father.Loki scooped the girls up, one in each arm, as he met them, “I don’t think you are old enough for that story yet.”“I am,” Rikki smiled with a grin he’d definitely inherited from his father.“No, you are not,” Jane playfully pushed her son on the arm to which he responded by swatting at her hand.“Come on. I’m ten already. You have said that I am very mature for my age,” Rikki reasoned as Loki sat down with the girls beside him, making the bed bounce ever so slightly, “Father, tell her.”Loki grinned as the girls crawled back across the bed towards Jane, “You may never be old enough to hear our story, My Boy.”“So tell us another story,” Bella urged as she climbed onto Jane’s lap.“How about we skip the story tonight?” Loki asked, causing the girls to groan loudly, “I need to discuss something with your mother.”“But Daddy...” Brenna whined as she batted her eyelashes.“It concerns the three of you,” He raised his forefinger to quiet any more arguments, “A surprise that you might enjoy.”All three children, along with their mother, fixated on Loki with silence.“I will speak with Mother alone first,” Loki held out his hand to Jane.The girls separated from their mother to allow her to join their father.Jane took her husband’s hand and allowed him to lead her outside the nursery door. Loki closed the door and drew Jane slightly down the hallway.“You know they’ve already crowded the door trying to hear us,” She whispered laughingly.“I know,” He smiled.“What’s this surprise?”“Mother wants the children to visit Asgard for a few days.”Jane fidgeted with her hands, “You know I hate being away from them, especially that far away.”“Jane, our children are safest on Asgard. Of all the Realms, including this one, you know that to be true,” He brushed his hand gently over her cheek, “Grandfather and Grandmother want to see them as well.”“Okay,” She sighed, “I know I shouldn’t hang on so tightly.”“After everything we’ve been through, you have every right, My Love,” He kissed her forehead gently before pausing, “Rikki?”Jane pulled back to spot her husband’s attention on a nearby pillar.“Yes Father?” The boy stuck his head around the corner to smile sheepishly.“You teleported?!” Jane shrieked in both fearful and prideful astonishment.The boy nodded slyly.Loki grinned, winking at his son in mischevious encouragement, “He’s a very quick study, perhaps even quicker than you.”Jane rushed over to her son and gave him a strong hug, “I am so proud of you.”“Thanks, Mother,” Rikki hugged her in return, “So, the girls and I are going to Asgard?”Loki nodded, “Would you be so kind as to tell your sisters?”“Sure!” Rikki started to walk down the hallway.“Nope,” Jane tugged him back to her side, “You teleported here. Teleport back.”Rikki looked to his father for encouragement. Loki nodded with a smile. An instant later, the boy vanished before their eyes. A flurry of giggles from the nursery signaled the girls’ joy upon Rikki’s arrival.“How long has he been able to do that?” Jane asked in awe.Loki smiled as he crossed the distance between them and took her hands, “He’s been trying for a few weeks, but he only mastered it this morning. We had quite a game of hide and seek.”“They are growing up so fast,” She breathed a long sigh.He drew her into his arms and held her tightly against him, “We need a few days to ourselves, Jane.”“You’re right,” She squeezed him in return, “How about we go back to our chambers and read another book? The Norns said maybe it would make us appreciate what we have. I think I need that.”“If last evening’s tale was any indication, I’d say we are infinitely better off here. However, I am curious if we faired any better than that one.”After stopping back by the nursery to tuck in the girls (Rikki was “too old” for that sort of thing...or so he said), Loki and Jane had returned to their chambers and settled in for a comfortable evening of reading.“I chose last night. This one is your choice,” Jane spoke as she climbed onto their massive bed.Loki glanced over the titles before choosing one, bound in a blue and black cover, “Why did I choose this again?”“Randomness. You just grabbed,” She teased, “What’s the title?”“When the Light Ends.”She frowned as she conjured a pile of handkerchiefs on the fur before her, “That title says I’m going to need these.”He grimaced, “Maybe something with a lighter title.”“Pun. That’s funny,” She said with no humor at all, “Bring it over here and start reading.”“Yes, My Love,” Loki yielded to his wife’s gentle demand as he settled in beside her and began to read.A short while later, the book had revealed the following: Jane had been born on Earth and raised there until the age of eight when she had been kidnapped by Ravagers and delivered to Ego. She was raised into adulthood by her father’s side along with her half brother via Ego, Peter Quill. Meanwhile, on Asgard, Loki was raised as the son of Odin and Frigga along side Thor. While Thor was the golden warrior prince, Loki was much more adept at the intricacies of interplanetary politics and the subterfuge required for espionage.“Get to the point where we meet. If we are gonna meet in this one,” Jane frowned, not liking the turn the story was taking already.“Seems we did meet. Let me read this bit,” Loki offered as he began anew.~*WHEN THE LIGHT ENDS*~*At nightfall, the shipyards of Asgard were abuzz with unusual activity. Workers scurried back and forth as they prepared for an imminent arrival.The entirety of the Asgardian Court has turned out for the event. A golden processional had led them to the shipyards. King Odin and Queen Frigga led the procession of royalty while the princes, Thor and Loki, walked behind.“I hope they are an attractive species,” Thor grinned lasciviously as he nudged his brother.“Has that ever stopped you before?” Loki retorted before Frigga cast them both a chiding glare.“Leave them be, My Queen,” Odin chuckled to himself as he patted Frigga’s hand.Frigga still glared at her sons even as the ship landed. She gave them both her patented ‘You’d better behave like Princes’ warning look.Loki smiled warmly as his mother while Thor winked at her.“You two will be the death of me yet,” Frigga quipped with a smile as she stood proudly beside her husband.The oval ship’s door retracted, revealing three humanoids not dissimilar to Asgardians.“My name is Ego. I am a Celestial,” The older man spoke, “And I have come to speak with you, King Odin, Son of Bor,” His tone was cheerful, bordering on friendly.“Welcome to Asgard,” Odin approached the Celestial, offering his forearm in a greeting as equals.Ego returned the greeting, “Allow me to introduce my children, Peter and Jane.”Jane tilted her head with a kind yet shy smile. As soon as the attention of the crowd was elsewhere, she returned to her study of the Sky. The stars here were lovely, and she couldn’t wait to get a better look.“My Queen, Frigga,” Odin offered his hand to his wife as she stepped forward, “And also allow me to introduce my sons, Thor and Loki.”The princes acknowledged the introduction with polite smiles and respectful nods.As the crowd’s attention returned to the elders, Thor leaned in closer to Loki, “They don’t seem like much of a power, do they?”“They have the power to level world’s, Thor. I doubt they show such a thing if they do not intend to use it,” Loki replied, all the while his eyes lingering on the girl named Jane.~*~Back in their chambers...*~*“Spare me the romantic sap. Get on with it,” Jane nudged his ribs.“I didn’t write it. Don’t blame me,” Loki shrugged as he flipped a few pages forward, “How about the first time they were alone?”“If they kiss, I’m going to vomit,” She spoke with a serious enough tone but the laughter beneath it was evident.“If they don’t kiss, I’m flipping a few chapters forward,” He challenged as he began reading again.~*WHEN THE LIGHT ENDS CONT~*~After a feast of Welcome, Jane escaped the festivities to roam the palace gardens. She walked through colorful night blooming flowers in search of only one thing...an opening through which to view the night sky.“Ah, there you are,” Loki stepped out of a hedge pathway.She stumbled backwards in fright, losing her footing amongst the pebble trail.Luckily...A pair of strong arms drew her forward, instantly transforming her descent into ascent, until she met the brick wall of a leather clad chest.Jane’s eyes connected with Loki’s. Breathlessly, she waited as he steadied her.“I’m terribly sorry,” His voice was low yet soft, comforting, “I did not mean to frighten you.”She shivered as she regained her footing, his arms remaining around her, “I didn’t really expect anyone to be out here.”“I didn’t expect you to escape before I could ask for a dance,” He flashed a charming smile.Jane blushed as she eased herself from his grasp, “I’m not really the dancer of the family.”“So that’s what you’re about? Avoiding the festivities?”“Not avoiding. I just really want to see your stars from here.”“What?” He asked in surprise, “You are Celestial. I am surprised anything about the stars would entertain you.”“You are so wrong,” Jane smiled proudly, “I can feel the stars and the cosmos, yeah,” She shrugged a bit, “But the sky lit up at night while standing on a firm planet is the most beautiful thing in the universe.”Loki returned her smile, her absolute faith in her words touching his own love of the night sky.“Well then, shall I escort you to the courtyard? It is only lit by torchlight and well shielded from the lights within the palace,” He extended his hand to her, “Would you like to see it?”Jane placed her hand in his and smiled brightly, “Yes, please.”~*~Back in Their Chambers...~*~“Aww,” Jane cooed warmly.“No kiss though,” Loki frowned.“Honey, do me a favor and read this with that magic thing you do. Give me highlights.”Loki held the book open and recited a spell. Pages of the book flipped by in a whirlwind of motion before the cover closed.“Well?” Jane questioned as she watched his features grow dark.“As it turns out, my other self was seducing you on Odin’s orders in order to learn more about Ego,” He placed the book on the bedside table, “He succeeded, but he also fell in love with you along the way. He discovered you were not only Celestial but Human as well. This meant Ego had violated an agreement made with Bor in the time of the Dark Elves that your father would not visit nor interfere with the Nine Realms. Ego had returned to Asgard to gain access to Odin’s vault.”“Don’t tell me he wanted the Gauntlet,” Jane’s mind making the leap.“He did. With your help, we defeated Ego and drove him from Asgard. You told us how to defeat your father. So we traveled to his planet and destroyed him.”Jane swallowed a lump in her throat, “And Peter?”“He chose your father’s side unfortunately.”“That means...I wouldn’t be...I would lose...”“All your Celestial power? Yes. She did,” Loki took Jane’s hand, lacing his fingers with hers, “The other me taught her how to wield magic found from other sources. Over time, she became quite good at it.”“And then what?”“The other me proposed marriage to her. He wanted to give her Idunn’s Apple. She refused.”Jane covered her mouth with her hand, “She refused?”Loki nodded, “Nevertheless, he stayed by her side until she died of a mortal affliction in her elderly years.”“I am getting really sick and tired of these books having really crumby endings,” She groaned as she leaned into her husband’s arms, settling into a more relaxed position in their bed, “Maybe tomorrow will be better.”“They said it would make us appreciate what we have, Love. I don’t think we’d appreciate this as much if all of these other tales were perfect.”“I do appreciate our lives, Loki, and I love you. Don’t you ever forget that,” She squeezed his ribs while laying her head uponnhis chest.“I love you too, Jane,” Loki snuggled her closer against him as he settled in for a night’s rest.
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The next morning, too early for Jane’s liking anyway, she and Loki led the children to the Bifrost where Thor awaited them.“Rikki!” Thor spoke strongly, proudly addressing the young boy, “Would you like to go on a hunt?”“Yes!” Rikki jumped and pumped his fists in the air.“Only if Sif or Volstagg go along,” Jane warned.“You don’t trust me, Jane?” Thor asked in arrogance.“I trust you to be you which means you are in the thick of things and not paying attention to my son’s welfare. Sif and Volstagg will.”“Brenna and Bella, my lovelies,” Thor ignored Jane as he stooped with courtly flourish to face the girls, “How fare thee my beauties?”The girls both giggled at Thor’s lavish greeting.“I do believe my mother has a lavish garden party ready for you to enjoy,” Thor offered as the girls bounced in anticipation.“You look out for each other,” Jane declared as she gathered her children one by one in the huddle of her arms, “I love you. More than..”“More than the moon and the stars and the universe beyond,” The children replied as they hugged her tightly.Rikki moves to stand before his father, “I will watch over my sisters.”“I know you will protect them, My Boy,” Loki cupped his son’s cheek in his hand for a moment as the girls joined him, “You two listen to your brother. He is your protector and will keep you safe.”“We know, Father,” The girls each hugged their father gently before Rikki squeezed his father’s neck and whispered, “I’m gonna kill a very large bilgesnipe, Father.”“I have no doubt,” Loki returned his son’s affection before the children and Thor departed.Upon returning to the palace, Loki had declared his half brother, Byllister, his regent while he took a holiday with his wife.Of course, Loki had arranged everything for their getaway ahead of time, surprising Jane when he gathered her against him and teleported them to their cabin on Alfheim.“You were serious about some alone time,” She smiled brightly as she kept her arms wrapped around his neck.“Yes, I was,” He declared while waving his hand to transport all their needed belongings to the small space.“You brought the books too, right?”“Yes, I did. I want to start one right away because tonight, My Love, I will take you to the peak of this mountain to watch the twin moons rise.”Jane squealed in delight as she hugged him tightly, “You’re ready for another baby too?”Fertility had not come easily for the couple. Various magical methods needed to be employed to conceive when the time was right and certain elements were aligned.He smiled a proud smile, “You’ve been thinking about it for the last year. We’ve been talking about it for six months. Time to act.”She chuckled, “Then, pick a book and read already.”“It’s your choice this time,” He led her to the stack of books, “Choose.”“Here’s a one word title. This might not be so bad.” Jane plucked a book from the stack and turned over the crimson book to glance it over.“What’s the title?”“Scarlet.”“Odd name. You begin reading. I indulged you last evening. I’ll put on the tea,” Loki urged her as he moved towards the small kitchen.After a few chapters, the book had revealed the other Jane and Loki were very similar to the first night’s tale. Svartelfheim was the beginning of deviations from the other tale:Loki had not died at the hands of a Dark Elf. Instead, Thor had recovered in time to join his brother in sharing vengeance for Frigga’s death. They, along with Jane, followed Malekith to Earth where they, as a team, defeated him. Afterwards, Thor and Loki returned to Asgard where Odin commuted Loki’s sentence to the planetside version of house arrest until such time he could prove himself worthy of more. Thor told his father he would only take the throne if he could marry his beloved Jane. Odin relented and granted Thor’s conditions.“So I suppose whatever interaction there might be between the other us will be on Asgard,” Loki prepared his wife’s tea just the way she liked it before delivering it to the end table near her perch on the sofa.“It looks that way. Okay, it looks like we are about to get to the good stuff.”“How do you know?”“There is a time jump and the point of view has skewed kind of like the other me wrote it. Sort of,” Jane tried to explain before patting the book gently, “Just let me read.”~*SCARLET*~*Another war council. At least, that’s what the message had said.Of course, it was a lie.One would think that after forty years of the same lie, it would seem stupid. Or unreasonable. Especially to person with a Ph.D. under her belt.Here, on Asgard, her Ph.D. meant exactly nothing. Her own name didn’t even mean anything. Here, all people needed or wanted to know was her title.Her Majesty, Queen of Asgard.Her title. It was one of only a few things she had to hold onto. Her husband had been all but absent from her life for at least thirty of the last forty years. She had no career here. She had no children. She had her title though, and Thor had told her it would have to be enough.Who was she any way? Where had she lost so much of herself along the way? What had happened to the woman who took the leap of faith in love and left her home...her entire life...behind?She sighed. That woman no longer existed. She hadn’t since a night almost thirty years ago...[Flashback]A typical day for a newly Aesir (if one could consider a ten year old new) was spent learning customs and traditions of all Nine Realms. In fact, with all the tutoring and her own up to date knowledge of Earth customs, she was sure she knew more about the Nine Realms than the King himself.One afternoon, after such a tutoring lesson, she was left in her chambers surrounded by star charts from each realm when Thor came to visit.“Thor,” She smiled as she scrambled to her feet. It was unlike him to stop by in the middle of the day. Even more odd since she hadn’t seen him at all in over a week. As she started to embrace him, he caught her forearms to stop her.“I will no longer be sharing your bed,” Thor stated calmly, “However, you will remain Queen of Asgard. Therefore, when the time is right, we shall mate to secure an heir.”“How romantic,” She tore her arms from his grasp and walked away from him. If he wanted distance between them, he would have it, “Why? Why this? Why did you take me from everything I knew and everyone I loved for this? It’s not even like it’s been a hundred years, Thor.”“I did not expect this rift to grow between us. I love you, but I am not in love with you. To continue to act as if we are in love would be to destroy us both.”“And you think this is better?” She shouted as she leaned against a marble column, her stomach churning in knots, threatening nausea.“It is not ideal, but it will allow us more freedom.”“Allow you more freedom, you mean,” She closed her eyes, fighting all the raging emotions from coming forward, “While I remain trapped.”“You are the Queen of Asgard. You are hardly trapped,” Thor argued.“I want to go home.”“You are home.”“That’s what I mean. Earth! Earth is my home.”“No longer. You are Queen of the Nine Realms. You have a duty...”“Don’t you dare speak to me of duty, Husband!” She spat the words as she turned her anger and pain towards him, “I am a prisoner here.”“Do you not have everything you could ever want?” He asked as he looked around her accommodations.“Love? Companionship?” She questioned in reply, reminding him of the things she had actually become Aesir for.“I told you before we were married that sometimes hard decisions would need to be made. Sacrifices...”“Then why this? Hmm? Why not divorce me? Strip me of the life you gave me and send me home!” She was basically pleading now. It made her feel weak. Powerless. Even more alone.“The people of the Nine love you too much for that. I would never be forgiven.”“So once I was bad for Realm politics and now I’m the key to it?” She laughed hysterically, “Oh the irony...”“You will be given every comfort and freedom here on Asgard, but I cannot allow you to return to Earth long term.”“I hate you!” She screamed as she threw a vase towards him.Shards of pottery exploded across the wall beside the King of Asgard.“One day, you will see this was for the best,” Thor spoke calmly before turning and leaving her alone to process her emotions.[End Flashback]She had died a little that day. Maybe it was what remained of the human body in which she had been born.It was much later when she began a cycle of rebirth. A blossoming of the woman she would become and the Queen she was meant to be.The door opened behind her. She didn’t have to turn to see who it was. She already knew he would come. It was their ritual.“Jane.”He was the only one on this entire planet who used her name when addressing her. He was the only one who knew that Jane still existed beneath the cool yet loving exterior of the Queen.“Loki,” Jane spun on her heel in perfect timing to be encircled in his arms.“Are you ready?” He asked softly as he held her against him.“Yes.”The truth was she would never be ready for what they were about to do. It was necessary. It was the only way. It was inevitable and...It...Was...Terrifying.Loki tipped her chin so he could meet her eyes, “By morning, you will the rightful queen of two Realms, and you will be safe.”Jane nodded before he kissed her tenderly.“Our child will be safe.”She smiled at the mention of their unborn child. She swept her hand over her abdomen where their child rested in her womb.“We are doing the right thing, aren’t we?” She looked to him with trepidation.“This all ceased to be about doing the right thing decades ago,” Loki offered her a warm smile, “But it’s what must be done.”Jane nodded, “I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”“I don’t either. I wish there was another way, but we both know there isn’t.”“Okay,” She sighed heavily.“Jane.”Jane met Loki’s eyes, seeing a reflection of the same painful dread she felt in her own heart.“We will get through this.”~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*“What are they getting through?” Loki asked as he snatched the book from Jane’s hands.“Impatient, are we?” Jane teased.“This book actually speaks of a child, Jane,” He replied as he smiled, “Closest thing to us so far.”“The only similarity. Come on,” She groaned as she rolled her eyes, “You are about to cheat, aren’t you?”“It isn’t cheating. It’s just a talent I possess that you do not,” He winked at her before performing magic to finish the book quickly.“So?”Loki thumbed through a few pages of the book before selecting a passage. He placed the book in her hands, “When Thor set Jane aside, she became a prisoner just as my other self was. Our counterparts spent reluctant but increasing and eventually more tolerable amounts of time around each other, goading one another about their situations and how they were equally helpless. Darcy had been allowed to visit Asgard one time after Thor’s dismissal. She told him exactly what kind of idiot he was, and Thor reacted badly. He banned Darcy from Asgard and Jane from having any communication with her. Of course, my counterpart knew a way around this for a price.”“What price?” Jane asked with a raised eyebrow.“That Jane would befriend Jotunheim and earn their love and respect.”“Why would he do that?” She asked in confusion.“Because he needed her to,” Loki grinned, “This is by far, my favorite alternate version of us.”“Oh boy,” Jane sighed knowing the rest of the story would probably be rather interesting if her husband was so enthusiastic, “What is this you want me to read?”“After another five years or so passed, Jane had received an invitation to Darcy’s wedding. Loki advised her to accept the invitation. Jane told Thor she was going to Earth for a holiday. He was not easily swayed. My counterpart had regained enough trust from Thor to offer his services as her personal guard. Thor relented and they went to Earth. You should read what happens here.”“Okay...” Jane hummed with trepidation as she focused on the words before her and began reading once more.~*SCARLET CONTINUED*~*“I am getting married!!!” Darcy bounced excitedly on her large hotel room bed. No expense had been spared on Darcy’s wedding. She had gone full tilt diva with a destination wedding at a ski resort in Colorado. (“Come on Jane. Snow is romantic as hell,” Darcy had explained.)“Yes, you are,” Jane squealed excitedly with her friend, “Ian is so in love with you. He practically had puppy dog eyes at the rehearsal dinner.”“He fucking better,” Darcy chuckled as she drank yet another bottle from the minibar, “What exactly does it take to get you drunk now any way?”“A lot more than what is currently available in the United States,” Jane replied with a laugh.“It’s good to see you smile, Jane,” Darcy noted with just a small note of somberness in her tone.“I’m finding my way,” Jane assured her, “We’re not going to let the state of my crazy life affect your big day though.”“Jane, this might be the only chance we get to really talk to each other,” Darcy sat the empty bottle aside as she looked seriously at her friend, “I know I’ve been running crazy with the final preparations for this wedding, but I’ve noticed a few things.”“Such as?” Jane asked curiously, unsure of where her friend was going in her drunken ramblings.“You and Loki.”“What about Loki? He’s my guard,” Jane laughed off the notion of anything more.“I saw you feed him a bite of your coconut cake. Do you do that with all your guards?” Darcy asked with a prod to Jane’s arm, “I know flirting when I see it.”“That was not flirting. I told him he should try it. There’s a cake from Vanaheim which is similar that he loves. I thought he would like it,” She shrugged, “We’re just friends.”Darcy cleared her throat boisterously as she mocked Jane, putting up air quotes with her fingers, “Just friends.”“Seriously,” Jane sighed heavily.“I call bull shit!” Darcy declared pointedly, “Jane, you’re so in love with him it’s pathetic really.”“I am not!” She issued the denial with perhaps a bit too much dramatic flair as she stood and gathered herself a glass of water.“Would you stop already?” Darcy stood beside the bed, felt woozy and decided to sit back down, “Don’t deny feeling it, Jane. I know you’ve been hurt in the worst possible way, but to see you feel again,” She tilted her head lightly as tears came to her eyes, “Don’t miss out on something that makes you feel, Jane. Don’t forget what it is to be human and to love someone. Don’t become like that asshole you married.”Jane drank her glass of water, hoping beyond hope she could distract her friend to another topic and leave the heavy distracting insanity of her life for another conversation.After several tries (along with Jane plying Darcy with at least three more bottles from the minibar), Jane was able to make her exit from her friend’s needling questions.Jane met Loki in the lobby where he had been watching a television news program at the bar. He’d pointed out that Earth was still full of petty wars which could have been avoided under his rule. She’d pointed out that Asgardians weren’t any better with their petty squabbles. They just handled it with fisticuffs instead of guns or bombs. He’d reluctantly conceded the point.Returning to the private cabin they shared for this trip (Darcy said they’d be less noticeable there), Jane had changed into a pair of blue jeans and a soft baby blue sweater. Loki had started a fire in the stone fireplace and sat on the stone ledge hearth, gently stoking the burgeoning flames.Jane tossed pillows from the sofa to the floor and switched off the lights, wanting to fully enjoy the fire light. She sank amongst the bed of pillows she’d amassed.“If you’d asked, I could have conjured you a mattress,” Loki offered as she made herself comfortable, shifting pillows to support her position properly.“It’s not the same,” She reasoned while looking at the fire.A few quiet moments passed.Jane was busy thinking of everything Darcy had said. Her friend was too damn observant. Feeling anything again for anyone was dangerous...much less someone like Loki.“What’s on your mind, Jane?” Loki spoke, breaking the silence and forcing Jane to realize she’d been staring at him.“Nothing,” She averted her eyes to the fire. Was she in love with him? Yes. She was. But could she allow herself to be? That was the real question.“Darcy seems to have made a good match with Ian.““Yeah, they are definitely in love.”“Sentiment,” Loki whispered the scoffing word, his tone betraying the nature with which it was spoken.“Wouldn’t you like to fall in love some day?” She asked as she dared to look back at him.“Who says I haven’t already?” His voice held an eerie calm.Jane knew her next words needed to be calculated, intentional, “Really?” She asked as she watched his eyes turn from the fire to meet hers, “I wasn’t aware such a creature existed that could win the heart of a man who claims not to have one.”“I never said I didn’t have one. It is merely foolish to be led by it.”“Why?”“Sentiment leads to catastrophe.”“That’s a dark and jaded view of love,” Jane replied as she sat up, “Even for me.”“And yet, it is the truth.”“Really? And if you were led by your heart?”“Excuse me?”“If you allowed yourself to feel,” Jane asked, probably pressing the issue a bit more than it needed to be, “What would you do?”Loki searched her eyes for a moment, “Condemn myself to the axe, probably.”He did not need to explain further. They both knew what he meant. Adultery. Treason. The sentence on Asgard was the same.She reluctantly tore her eyes away and focused back on the dancing flames, deciding they were playing too dangerous a game of skirting around words they couldn’t say. She spoke again, her voice remained calm and resolute...something, ironically enough, he had taught her, “Then, it is good that you and I both want to lead with our minds instead of hearts.”Loki hmm’d a murmured reply, one she never could quite make out.~*Back in Their Cabin...*~*“How long is it going to take them?” Jane groaned as she flipped a few pages.“You realize you are encouraging adultery,” Loki teased her as she continued scanning pages.“It’s still us,” She reasoned, “So, not really.”“She’s married to Thor and the bloody Queen of Asgard. He is a fallen Prince held in servitude to a halfwit King,” He reminded her, “Definitely NOT us.”“Oh, here’s a good part,” Jane scanned the page then shrieked and closed the book, “That’s...uhm...explicit.”Loki grinned as he used his most seductive tone of voice to urge, “Please do read it aloud.”“No, that feels like an invasion of our privacy,” She declared in the most illogical logical reasoning she could muster.“Give me the book. I’ll read it,” He held out his hand.“No.”Loki teleported the book to his hand and turned to the desired page, “Let’s set the scene, shall we...”
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~*SCARLET CONTINUED*~*Darcy’s wedding was beautiful. The bride and groom had eyes only for one another from the moment she began down the aisle, during the ceremony and reception, to the moment they had left for their honeymoon.After all the loving tender moments witnessed at the wedding and reception, Jane had felt something stir within her she had long thought dead: the overwhelming desire and desperate need to go after something she wanted.She just had to put a plan in motion.When the happy couple had waved their goodbyes and departed, Loki had escorted Jane back to the cabin. As they stepped through the door, she began towards her bedroom, “I’m going to change. Could you start a fire again?”“Would you prefer a mattress this time? I promise it will be infinitely more comfortable than those cushions,” He called after her.“That would be perfect. Thank you,” She stepped into the bedroom and closed the door. Her heart was racing. Could she seduce the God of Mischief? Could she, little ole’ Jane Foster from Earth, make him feel something?She was bound and determined to find out. She made quick work of the formal dress she’d worn to the wedding, dropping it on the floor as she crossed the room, kicking her high heels in haphazard directions.She plucked the gift bag she’d received for being the Matron of Honor from a nightstand. Leave it to Darcy to give lingerie as a gift. When Jane had first opened the bag, she’d snorted and laughed uncomfortably. Now, Darcy could be proud that Jane was actually about to wear it.Jane pulled the lingerie from the bag and laid it across the bed. She shed her comfortable bra and panties as she continued to stare at the fabric before her. At least Darcy had kept it semi-tasteful. The burgundy fabric of the floor length gown was thin, the bodice practically see through with a string thong that did absolutely nothing but offer an obstacle. The fabric of the gown split at each leg, allowing just a peak of the thong. It was maybe a bit much but, this little number would be perfect to tantalize and seduce...if she went about this the right way.She pulled the burgundy gown on and adjusted the straps on the bodice for a perfect fit. She considered the thong for a moment before sliding it on. Obstacles could be a good thing. Maybe. She swayed lightly, each the split of the skirt opening to reveal her thighs and a peak of hip.She tugged the pin holding her hair in an elaborate up do and shook her head to free her tresses. She walked to her dressing table and brushed her hair, taking in her reflection.For the first time, in many years, she almost felt she was seeing a true reflection of herself. She felt her heart pumping in nervous anticipation, her body aching for a feeling it hadn’t known in years.Jane placed the hairbrush back upon the table and took a steadying breath. Her old self never could have done this. Her old self would have cowered in a corner and forced herself to be content with the little scraps of contact and bits of affection she could garner from a smile, a random touch.She was not that person any more.“Fuck you, Thor,” She whispered defiantly, a last condemnation to the reason for her emotional torment. She would change her situation. Tonight, she would bring the woman within her back to life...except she needed some help.Loki. She needed Loki.He was her companion and her friend. He was her protector and her confidante. Now, she needed him to be her lover.Jane swallowed her last bit of reservation and opened the door. She was set on her course and nothing would stop her.Loki stood in front of the fireplace still tending the infant flames. He had changed from the designer black tuxedo Darcy had demanded he wear into a more casual Asgardian look, emerald green tunic and black trousers.She glanced at the living room of the cabin bathed in only gentle firelight. He had conjured the mattress (at least that’s what he had called it. Looked like a gigantic fluffy pillow to her) and evidently decided the rest of the cabin furniture didn’t suit his needs as it had been banished to wherever he might decide to put it. A few comfortable looking pillows lay scattered upon the mattress’ surface.Maybe he had half an idea what she had in mind...“Loki,” Jane spoke his name casually, drawing his attention.“I decided a total redecoration was in order,” He spoke teasingly a smile gracing his handsome features as he turned to face her.And when he looked at her...Jane had yet to be convinced that spontaneous human combustion was possible short of static electricity. But if a look could hold the power to turn someone into a raging inferno, this man, this god, held the formula.He collected himself in a rather uncharacteristic faltering action while spinning on his heel to face the fireplace, bracing his hands against the mantle, “What are you doing?”“You know what I’m doing,” She replied softly while slowly, almost casually, closing the distance between them. She placed her hand upon his arm, “Look at me.”“No.”“Loki,” She eased her fingers up his arm, to gently brush the backs of her fingers over his cheek, “Look at me.”“No,” He had closed his eyes at her touch, turning his cheek towards her fingers.She ducked under his arm and stood before him. He might try to will himself not to look at her, but she could make her presence known. She pressed her palms against his chest, “Look at me, Loki.”“The first glimpse was quite enough to ignite fire in my dreams until I die,” He muttered, keeping his eyes closed.“Look at me,” She smoothed her palms up to gently cradle his face in her hands, “Loki, look at me.”“Jane, what you...” He searched for the words while fighting his physical responses to her, “What you propose is treason.”“Since when are you opposed to a little treason?”He sighed while lightly wetting his lips, “Jane, you know this isn’t what you want. You took vows and those mean something to you. I could bloody well care less...”“And do I really look like I care any more?” She asked, her thumbs dancing lazily over his cheekbones, “I am tired of sacrificing everything I am for Asgard. Fuck Asgard. Fuck Thor. Fuck the entire Nine Realms. All I care about is right here, right now...with you.”Loki slowly opened his eyes, careful to focus his gaze upon her face. He spoke somberly, “Asgard is supposed to be the Realm Eternal where every flower can blossom,” He moved a hand to brush her hair from her face, “Not where a priceless bloom goes to wither and die.”“But I am alive when I’m with you. The rest of the universe be damned,” Jane declared as she took a tentative step closer to him.“Jane, it would mean your head,” He captured her cheeks in his hands, “My life means very little, but you...” He closed his eyes again as he struggled with his feelings, “I would not have you die for...for...”“For you?” She questioned, the words drawing his attention back to her, “I would, you know.”“You don’t know what you’re saying...”Jane cut Loki’s protest short by pressing her lips to his. What started as a kiss to hush his protests quickly became a plea for more. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss, pressing her body to his.“Jane,” He spoke her name breathlessly as he drew her body against him, “You make me lose all reason.”“Good,” She whispered while capturing his mouth with hers, another breathless moment later, “This is not a time to think but to feel.”“One of us has to,” Loki paused, his forehead against hers, “Jane, think. We’re being watched even now.”“Is that what you fear?” Jane asked as she met his eyes, understanding his reference to Heimdall. She smiled knowingly, “He isn’t watching,” When Loki started to refute her claim, she press her fingertip over his lips, “When I ask him for a favor, he always obliges. He’s seen the worst of the worst,” She referred to her marriage before continuing, “He feels guilty that he could not stop it. So, he grants my request for privacy. Unless I speak his name, he won’t look this way.”“You really believe he would trust me enough to actually grant that request?”“He asked me if you were to be trusted. I told him probably not. But I knew you’d never intentionally hurt me. That was enough for our watchful friend,” She spoke evenly as her fingers slipped down his throat. Her eyes met his, fire light dancing across his face, “Are you done with the excuses?”“Jane, there’s no going back from this. What is done cannot be undone,” He reminded her as he seized her arms to shake her gently, “Think, Jane.”“I’m done thinking. I’m ready to feel again,” She relaxed against his hold, causing him to instantly ease his grip. She placed her hands on his forearms, “Loki, I’m not the Queen of Asgard here. I’m not anything but a woman who desperately needs to feel the man she loves.”Jane took a single step back as Loki’s hands dropped to his sides. She slipped a finger under the strap of the gown and brushed it off her shoulder. His eyes hadn’t left hers. Strengthening her resolve, she repeated the motion on the other shoulder. She eased her arms free before giving the fabric a gentle push to drop into a burgundy pool on the floor.His eyes were scanning her entire body as if he were etching her image into his memory. Every where his eyes lingered seemed to catch fire as if he were touching her.She slid her fingers under the straps of the thong before his hand caught hers. She met his eyes, ready to defend against another of his rational arguments. He allowed her to slip her hand free before he drew the flimsy undergarment slowly down her legs.Jane watched his slow movement as he knelt before her. When the fabric hit the floor, Loki’s fingertips traced her calf, the outside of her knee, the soft expanse of her thigh, the gentle curve of her hip. His light touch electrifying her every nerve ending as he rose. As he stood to his full height, his hands lingered at her waist.Jane could feel a sudden tension in him, as if some last minute excuse had come to mind. She would have none of it. She slid her hands around his waist, gathering the fabric of his tunic as she moved and urged him to allow its removal.Once the tunic was discarded, Jane lay her hands upon his chest, splaying her fingers to cover lean muscle. She drew her fingers down, over his hard abdomen to unfasten his trousers. She met his eyes as she silently drew all his remaining clothing to the floor.When his clothing was tossed away, Jane took Loki’s hand in hers and led him to the mattress upon the floor. With all his reservations apparently discarded with his clothing, he knelt on the mattress, drawing her to do the same before him.~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*“Loki.”He heard Jane speak his name as he finished the last sentence. He glanced up to receive a rather sultry look from his wife. Grinning, he asked, “Yes, Love?”“How long before the twin moons rise?” She asked casually while plucking the book from his hand.“Feeling anxious, are we?”“Impatient might be a better word,” She flipped several chapters forward, “I’m just going to see what happens to them later.”“You are missing all the fun parts,” He warned.“Later...” She spoke as she began to read.~*SCARLET CONTINUED*~*Jane Foster stood at the balcony’s edge, staring out over the Realm Eternal. This night should be full of tears for fallen warriors, for those who fought with the utmost bravery and sacrificed everything to save The Nine Realms. Instead, somehow, in the midst of the chaos that had become her life, she felt more relief than grief.She smoothed the material of her dark navy blue dress. Asgardian fashion had made some strides since her arrival many years ago, but somehow it still didn’t feel as comforting as her jeans and a nice sweater. What she wouldn’t give to be curled up in front of a fire right now in those beloved clothes.“Jane,” Loki stepped into her view, his battle armor toned down slightly for the somber events of the evening, “It is time.”Jane nodded as she approached him, “I’m not sure how I am supposed to act tonight. After all that’s happened, after all we’ve done...”“In response to what he did first,” He reminded her as he took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips, “Neither of us wanted it to come to this.”“I know.”“And yet you still feel guilt,” He replied with a sad smile, “You truly are a woman worthy of the title Queen of Asgard.”“And of Jotunheim?” Jane asked curiously, “Am I worthy of that one as well?”“Much more than I am worthy to be called King,” Loki answered honestly.She paused for a quiet moment, “What if I don’t cry? Will the people think me heartless?”“They could never think that. Not after all you’ve done for them,” Loki caressed her cheeks before pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, “Just act however you feel. No one can fault you for that,” He tipped her chin so he could meet her eyes, “And I would not fault you for tears shed for your fallen husband...though he did not deserve that title either. However disgusting he may have become, he was still my brother. And I would be lying if I said I do not feel anything about his death.”“Do they know how he died?” Jane asked softly, torn between hoping the people of Asgard knew the truth and being terrified that they did.“Yes,” Loki answered simply, “Not all the details were officially released, but servants have been gossiping about his behavior towards you for years. They came to hate him for your sake. No one will question our version of events.”“What exactly is our version?”He tugged her hand gently to sit upon a plush sofa with him, “The truth. Mostly.”“Let me guess which part we are leaving out,” She pinches the bridge of her nose in emotional exhaustion, “The part where we murdered Thor.”“It was not murder.”“We planned it.”“We planned for a series of circumstances that were so outlandish neither you nor I could have foreseen them actually occurring.”He was right on that one.“So, how are we telling this?”“We are telling the entire sequence of events. Except for the part about planning it. And that he found out you are pregnant with my child.”“The people are going to figure out I was pregnant before Thor died,” Jane reasoned, “Then what?”“He didn’t know. He never knew you were pregnant.”“You think Asgard will just accept that we killed their beloved shining King and that he just never happened to find out I was pregnant?”“No, I think they will accept the truth of what he was. The common people already knew. More warriors were growing concerned by the day. No one still held Thor as the Golden One.”“Except for Fandral and Hogun.”“And they followed him straight to Hel,” Loki declared harshly, “Why are you so worried about this? Having more guilt than you imagined?”“No!” Jane declared, “He would have killed me and this baby,” She bit her lip as tears blossomed within her eyes.“You’d do well to keep remembering that,” He urged her tersely, tipping her him with a fingertip to meet his eyes, “Though Thor was my rival in everything and he had not been my brother in many years, I still loved him. I had hoped he would find his way through his madness and emerge my brother once more.”“You’re right,” Jane swept tears from her cheeks with a single fingertip, “I’m sorry.”~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*“Holy shit, they killed Thor.”“You are missing most of the good stuff by just skipping around like that,” Loki took the book from his wife’s hands, “You are going to have the read the entire book now. I’m not giving you any more highlights.”“Well, give it back,” Jane reached for the book.He held it just out of her reach before vanishing the book to a pocket dimension.“That’s not fair.”“You were the one who was skipping around. Besides, it’s time for the moons to rise,” He spoke casually as if nothing special was about to occur.Jane grinned, “Then, what are we waiting for?” She crawled into her husband’s lap, “Let’s go.”
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The morning after their very long and industrious night, Jane had risen before Loki. It wasn’t completely unheard of. It had happened before. Exactly three times before.Jane smiled as she brushed her hand over her flat abdomen. Of course no one would know she was pregnant for months. She wouldn’t show. She and Loki definitely would tell (they liked keeping it their little secret for a while).But she knew. Her human body wouldn’t acknowledge the child for a while beyond subtle hormone shifts and a tiny bit more fatigue than usual. Her Celestial being, however, knew the instant life had begun. Celestial always knew another Celestial.If the last three times they’d done this were any indication, Loki would be asleep well past noon. She almost laughed as she thought of the first time they’d performed their special brand of magic.She had been shaking him and nudging him for thirty minutes when it occurred to her he might not just be asleep. She had checked his vital signs, even Jotuns in a deep sleep had a feint pulse. There had been nothing.She had burst into hysterics as she shook him, tears and wild insane laughter mixing, “Loki, I have heard of a person being fucked to death but this is NOT funny!”Loki had cracked a sleepy grin. Jane had immediately hugged, kissed him and then slapped any remaining grin off his face.As it turns out, Loki did die. He did every time they performed this ritual. It was a strange side effect of being the son of the Goddess of Death.Jane prepared herself a mug of decaf coffee before looking at the remaining books from the Norns. She grinned as she plucked the thinnest one from the stack.“I’m just going to get a head start, babe,” She whispered as she sat on the sofa, dragging a plush throw across her legs and settled in to read.~*TOMBSTONE*~*As the stagecoach rode past, Jane Foster stared at the wooden sign. Tombstone. They said it would be a new shining star in the West. So far, she was not impressed. Saloons everywhere, bath houses, hotels, and the mining camp outside of town. Surely, this was just another Rush town that would fade away.Erik Selvig, her guardian after her parents died, had said the West was in need of teachers as families were flocking there. He had signed on for a term in Tombstone and taken Jane along for the ride.The place was barely hospitable much less appropriate for families. Jane couldn’t imagine anyone deciding this was a better way of life than back east.The stagecoach stopped in front of the Grand Hotel with a gentleman opening the door. Jane took the pro-offered hand and stepped down into blinding Arizona sunlight.“Welcome to Tombstone. My name is Phil Coulson. It’s a pleasure to meet ya,” The gentleman smiled as he helped her stand on solid ground.“Thank you, Mr. Coulson,” Jane smiled and gave a gentle curtsy.“My name is Erik Selvig,” Erik spoke as he stepped off the carriage, “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”“We’re real proud to have you in Tombstone. Families need to know their kids will get some learning,” Phil smiled before a raucous across the way drew all their attention.Two men were thrown from a saloon, creating a cloud of dust as they landed in the street.“I’ll kill you, you cheatin’ bastard!” Steve Rogers shouted as he pulled a pistol. Shots were already being fired from the man who landed in the dust beside him.Bucky Barnes was firing two pistols as he approached the saloon. Glass window panes shattered, women screamed from nearby, and wood splinters filled the air. After six shots from each gun, silence hung heavy in the air.Heavy footsteps rattled wooden boards from inside the saloon. The barely swinging wooden doors fell off their hinges and thudded to the ground as two rather tall and authoritative men stepped into the daylight.Since the raucous began, Jane had been neatly tucked behind Erik. What he didn’t know was that she had sneaked around the stagecoach behind them to get a better look at the entire scene.The two large men on the saloon porch seemed out of place but in a spectacular way. Their clothing was normal enough if a bit clean for a cowboy. They were regal, statuesque...one might even call them beautiful. The one to the right was blond and burly, but his face spoke of a gentle humor. The one to the left was raven haired and lean, his demeanor warned of danger but something about his sparkling smile told her he wasn’t as dangerous as he seemed to be.“I suppose that’s the end of this village, Brother,” Thor smiled brightly as he caught a punch midair from Bucky. The blond twisted Bucky’s arm behind him before launching him through the air. Bucky landed in a whirlwind of dust at the other end of town.“Things were just starting to get interesting, too,” Loki held out his hand before him. Green swirls of magic danced in his palms before a full deck of playing cards appeared. He twisted the cards in his hand to reveal they were all Kings to the crowd.The ones who hadn’t screamed and fled the moment the green swirls had began stood fixated at the scene.“You were cheating,” Steve declared as he shakily attempted to reload his gun.“Silly mortal,” Loki chuckled, “Of course, I was cheating. I am a God, You Fool!”Replicas of Loki appeared on the street, on porches of other buildings. One even appeared directly behind Jane. She caught the glimmer of it as she scrambled to turn. She faced the replica with disbelief before gently stretching her fingers towards the image. She had to know...was this real?!Jane could not hear Erik get swept away in the screaming panic around her as people fled the streets. She was transfixed as her fingers brushed through the illusion causing it to disappear.Loki’s eyes snapped to her location.“Trouble, Brother?” Thor asked as he shook his gentleman’s cane to reveal Mjolner and his armor.“I don’t know. Wait here,” He waved his fingers, changing his western apparel for his green battle armor sans helmet.Jane turned back too late to have any warning. Loki was leaning casually against the stagecoach. She cleared her throat of the dust before speaking, “Who are you?”“That’s a bit of a bold question, isn’t it?”“Why should it be?” She defended against his accusation, “I would like to know who I am addressing.”“You are young for your species. Not married. Traveling with an older gentleman who could be your father. Not a harlot, much is the pity,” He murmured after the fact, “So what are you exactly, my bold little mortal?”“And you certainly are not a gentleman,” Jane snorted back at him, “Should have known.”“What is your name?”“I believe I asked you first.”“I am Loki of Asgard, God of Mischief.”Jane blinked her eyes, “Like Norse mythology?”“Not myths,” He grinned slyly, “And you are?”“Jane Foster. I’m a teacher,” She smiled as she took a step towards him, “I must ask. How did you do that?”“Magic.”Jane put her hands on her hips, “That’s no explanation at all.”“What have you found, Brother?” Thor asked as he nudged Loki’s arm on the way past. He stopped and whistled, “I can see the allure, but we must go. Father requests us back on Asgard immediately.”“Oh dear, stirred up a bit too much trouble, I’m afraid,” Loki nodded to Thor, “Give me a moment?”Thor winked at his brother before walking towards the edge of town.Loki stood to his full height, shading Jane from the sun’s rays, “I wish I had a bit more time to spend here. You interest me.”“I don’t know why I would interest any God,” She lowered her head in disbelief and self depreciation.He lifted her chin with a finger as his lips descended upon hers. Jane was too astonished to do anything. When he broke away, he licked his lips and smiled, “I do wish we had more time. I would show you.”Loki stepped away from her and gave a cheeky wink, “Look to your stars and think of me.”In a green flash, he was gone.~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*“What time is it?”Jane smiled brightly as she closed the book and tossed it to the opposite end of the sofa. She slipped back into bed beside her slowly stirring husband, “Late.”Loki gathered her against him, “How late?”“Mid afternoon.”“Have you been reading without me again?”“Guilty,” Jane smiled as she snuggled closer.“And?”“It’s a short story. We met. You left. Never fell in love. Never saw each other again.”“Rather depressing.”“That just means we have more time to rest today,” Jane muttered as she drifted into sleep.“Good plan,” Loki echoed without ever opening his eyes.
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After a well deserved day of rejuvenation (that’s what Loki would call it. Jane would call it a lazy day in bed), Jane awoke to find Loki staring at the ceiling in deep contemplation.“What are you thinking about?” Jane asked as she snuggled into his body.“The gift the Norns gave us. These books,” He offered while gently stroking her hair.“What about them?”“They said it may make us appreciate what we have here in this universe. I can’t say they’ve been wrong,” Loki acknowledged before continuing, “I’ve actually been thinking of our own story. Perhaps we should write our history for the children to read some day when they are much much older.”“Like a couple of hundred years older,” Jane raised her head to meet her husband’s eyes, “Even then we can’t tell them everything.”“What parts would you omit?” He asked curiously as he adjusted his head on the pillow to look at her.“Do you really want our kids to know about how we got married?”“I wouldn’t advise them to follow in our footsteps, but I don’t see any harm in their knowing the truth.”“Have you ever, even for a moment, thought our relationship was maybe a bad idea?” She asked seriously.“Every day since I first met you.”That earned him an elbow to the stomach.~*OUR STORY*~*Jane Foster walked through Ljosalfgard, the capital city of Alfheim. The city was bustling. Every street filled with marketplace booths selling everything from firefly wine which sparkled like the stars at night to candy promised to be the most spectacular grown on all the planet. Street performers roamed the crowd, singing and playing lyres or flutes, dancing around while their audience cheered for more. And then, there were the triple jointed Pleasure Elves who called out to passing patrons, inviting them to a showcase of their delights.After asking for directions, Jane had found her way down an alleyway leading to the Academy. Alfheim was famous for its magic and mystical wonders with the Academy being its foremost magical university. Every magic user in the universe came here if they wanted to truly learn their craft.Jane pressed the door chime. Before she could withdraw her finger, a hooded figure opened the door, “The Prince awaits you in his office.”The voice sounded female but echoed, as if more than one person was speaking.“Excuse me?” Jane asked in confusion.The figure spoke again, “You were seen coming from light years away. You do not know why you are here. You think you have one purpose, but you do not yet understand the truth of why you are here. Not yet. Not truly, but you will.”“Okay, look. Is there anybody else I can talk to? Somebody who maybe isn’t crazy?” Jane asked herself mostly as the figure was already leaving the door.“Come in. Take the elevator to the thirteenth floor. His office is at the end of the hall,” The figure spoke while waving a finger towards the elevator, “He’s waiting for you.”“This can’t be good,” Jane sighed before following the Figure’s instructions.Upon arriving on the thirteenth floor, Jane could see the office door standing wide open. This was so incredibly not good.She stepped into the doorway and tapped the heavy wood with the back of her fingers, “Hello?”“Come in.”Jane stepped into the office and glanced around. Bookshelves spanned the length of the interior walls. Two comfortable looking chairs sat in the corner with a table and lamp between them. The outer walls were lined with windows allowing the late afternoon sun to flood the office with natural light.A heavy wooden desk sat near a bank of windows and behind it sat her savior. At least she hoped he could be. He appeared to be deeply ensconced in a book, and she felt as if she was an unwelcome distraction.“Not what you were expecting?”His sudden question startled her. Was everyone on this planet a mind reader?“I didn’t really have any expectations. I know what I’ve heard,” Jane crossed her arms, the creak of her leather Ravager jacket making a disgruntled sound.Loki closed the book he’d been reading and smiled up at his visitor for the first time, “Only believe about half of what is told about me.”“And the other half?”“Lies.”“Aren’t you the God of Lies?” She countered with a cheeky smile.He smiled, standing from his desk, “I prefer God of Stories.”“Semantics,” Jane murmured dryly.Loki stood before her and took her hand, “Prince Loki, son of Hela and Laufey, of Asgard and Jotunheim. And you,” He have a polite buss upon her hand as he practically cooed the following, “Are the lovely Jane Foster.”“How do you know my name?” She met his eyes and desperately fought the urge to yank her hand away from him. First rule of being a Guardian of the Galaxy, never show fear. At least Peter had told her that. She’d always known he’d plucked that line from a movie. Movie line or not, it was a good rule, and one she intended to stand by.“I know everything about you, Jane.”“How could you know everything about me?”“I am a God.”Jane rolled her eyes and uttered a very undignified snort, “Please. That might work on some starry eyed girl on Earth, but I have seen a lot of beings in the universe in the last few years. I’ve never seen anything that has made me believe the people I’ve met could be gods.”“Not even your father?” He asked as he studied her for a moment.“What do you know about my father? How did you know my name? What was that person downstairs who said I was seen coming?” She peppered the questions in rapid order, “Why would you even want to know everything about me?”“Quite full of questions, aren’t you?” He asked in mild amusement. He motioned towards the chairs, “You might want to sit down for the answers.”“Just answer the questions.”Loki tilted his head gently and grinned before he crossed to the chairs. A serving tray with a teapot and cups appeared on the table. He began pouring himself a cup of tea as he spoke, “Would you like a cup of tea?”“Don’t try to distract me. Answer the questions,” She demanded, clenching and unclenching her fists repeatedly to still her raging nerves.“You came here for one answer,” Loki turned back to the tea and prepared two cups before sitting in one of the chairs and motioning for her to take the other, “But you have so many questions. Let’s start with why you think you are here.”“You seem to know so much. You tell me,” She swallowed hard as she stood firmly in her place, remaining ready to bolt at any moment.“Let me hear how you see it, and then,” He smiled dubiously, “I might tell you the truth of things.”“That’s not much of a bargain,” She loosened her shoulders, feeling suddenly like this all was a horrible idea.“It’s the only one I’m inclined to make,” He motioned to the chair, “Tell me how a human arrived on Alfheim.”Jane closed her eyes, resigned herself to going through with this conversation and spoke, “I came to ask for your help.”“That’s the why. I’m interested in hearing the how. Humans do not travel the stars yet, not outside their own limited solar system. How did you get here?”“I’m a scientist. I was working on a portal device. Theoretically, it would bridge the space between worlds without moving any distance at all.”“I’m familiar with portals,” He smiled as if everyone should understand her description.“It worked. It was small, barely a tear in space, but it was a start. There was only one small problem. My biological father sensed it. He knew a human, even a scientific genius, shouldn’t have been able to pull it off. I did.”“You were tapping into your Celestial powers and knowledge without even realizing it,” He concluded.“Exactly. I’m a scientist by trade. I’m at home in a lab, but gazing at the stars, plotting charts, tracking meteors...those were my passion. I’d go out stargazing at night, and that’s where he found me. He abducted me from Earth and took me back to his planet, a physical construct of his own making, where he showed me possibilities of what we could do.” Jane moved to the chair and sat down, deciding maybe she needed to tell this story, “I knew something wasn’t right. I could just feel it. Ego went looking for my brother, a man named Peter Quill.”“The Ravager,” Loki noted.“Formerly a Ravager. He’s on the straight and narrow. Now, he is. Kind of anyway,” She shrugged, “When Peter came to Ego’s planet, he felt it too. Something wasn’t right. We started looking around and asking more questions. We discovered Ego was true to his name, a real narcissist. He wanted to remake the universe in his image with our help. Peter and I were able to fight Ego, and in the end, we killed our father to save the universe. Afterwards, I traveled with Peter and his friends for a while. I decided to come here to learn about what it means to be Celestial or if it even means anything at all now that Ego is dead. The power seems to have died with him.”“It did not,” Loki corrected, “It will just take much more patience and practice to learn how to tap into and wield such power.”“Could you teach me?”He seemed to consider the possibility for a moment, “I could.”“Will you?”“For a price.”Jane sighed as she rubbed her fingers together, “What price?”“We’ll discuss that more in a moment. You wanted to know how I know all about you, yes?”“Yes.”“Your mentor, Erik Selvig,” Loki spoke gauging the warm recognition in her shocked features, “He still looks for you.”“How do you know Erik?”“He’s a friend,” He replied simply, “Quite a lot has happened on Earth since you’ve been gone.”“How do you know Erik?” She repeated her question.“Your father was not the only being to sense your portal being created. Earth has long been thought to hold no magic on any kind. It was a curiosity that a portal of this kind was created.”“Meaning?”“I wanted to meet the person responsible for its creation,” He spoke before sipping his tea, “I traveled to Earth with a small expedition to meet you, but you weren’t there.”“You met Erik instead,” She concluded.“I did. It was perfect timing as it turns out. An invasion force created a portal on Earth and attacked.”“What?” Jane sorted through the information, “Do you think my portal got their attention as well?”“I do,” He affirmed, “Earth gathered what forces it could, and with help from Asgard and Jotunheim drove back the invaders.”“And Erik?”“He now leads the science division of SHIELD.”“What is SHIELD?”“An acronym for an organization that serves as your planet’s best defense against outside threats,” He shrugged, “They call the leaders of this organization, The Avengers, of which I am a member.”“Does that mean I can go home?”“Yes, it does but the question remains of your training in your abilities,” He placed his tea cup on the table as he met her eyes, “I have a proposal.”“Okay?” She breathed the word, not sure what his ‘price’ could be.“You need help learning your abilities, and I need an excuse not to marry Aelsa, the princess of Alfheim. We can help each other.”“I don’t know how you think...”“I cannot train you on Earth. We will need all the magical resources of Alfheim to train safely. You will have to remain here at least a year for your training.”“A year?” She asked, dismayed at the prospect.“It’s nothing. It’s a heartbeat,” He dismissed the length of time, “However, a year and a day is all I ask of you.”“A year and a day?” She questioned, considering the familiar terminology.“A handfasting.”“Wait. A handfasting? On Earth, that’s almost like a marriage,” She asked to which he replied with a slight nod, “Are you out of your mind?”“It’s a trial marriage,” He explained, “I’m not asking you to fall in love with me. The truth is this marriage to the princess was arranged while I was an infant. She is a selfish, vain girl whose voice makes inanimate objects weep. I am shackled to the arrangement unless...”“Unless what?”“Unless Aelsa or I marry others for love before the date of our arranged wedding.”“What does any of that have to do with me?”“I will train you, and you pretend to be my lover for the next year and a day. It will give me time to put as many suitors in front of Aelsa as possible. Perhaps she will even fall in love and save me from this wretched arrangement.”“I just have to pretend?”Loki smiled coyly, “If you prefer to make it a reality, I am not opposed. You are very attractive.”Jane flushed slightly at his suggestion before speaking again, “And at the end of a year and a day?”“You would go your way. I will go mine. We never have to see one another again.”“That’s weird. How does that buy you time?”“Because a hand fasting is considered a binding marriage during its duration. It would be symbolic of telling all the kingdoms that I love you and fully intend to marry you. It postpones my wedding date for at least that amount of time,” As an afterthought, he added, “It also assures that any children conceived during the year and a day would be legitimate.”“Any children?” She asked from the corner of her eye.“I, myself, am the product of a handfasting. My mother entered the agreement with my father explicitly to irritate my grandfather. It’s a twisted tale, but suffice it to say, children can happen if the couple are not careful.”Jane shook her head, “Can’t we figure another way for me to pay you for your time?”“I’m a prince of two worlds and a master sorcerer, My Dear Girl,” He leaned towards her slightly, “What else could you possibly offer me in compensation?”She dropped her eyes to the floor, ignoring his reply, “And you can just enter into this handfasting with anyone at any time? Why would anyone believe that we would be lovers?”“Because the person who opened the door for you downstairs,” His words seemed softer, a bit more reverent, “Was a Norn, a goddess of Fate. She says you and I have a shared future.”“What? Like we’re supposed to fall in love or something?” Jane laughed.“The Norns are always cryptic. You’ll never get such a straightforward answer to any question posed to them, I’m afraid,” He shifted in his chair to face her, “I am asking for a commitment of one year and a day, Jane Foster. It will allow you to learn what your Celestial heritage is capable of, and it will allow me time to fight this blasted arranged marriage.”“If I say yes, when will it start? And just how much pretending will I have to do in public?”He smiled, “We can be bound as early as tomorrow, and I promise to be an adoring and attentive husband.”“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Jane sighed heavily.~*Back In Their Cabin...*~*“The kids never need to know we didn’t get married because we were in love,” Jane turned towards Loki, “I want them to believe in the fairy tale.”“But it was a fairy tale,” A very pointed look from his wife urged him to explain, “It was our fairy tale.”“Really? Then, what part of the story are we at now?” She asked, knowing her God of Stories would have the perfect ending.Loki smiled, “They lived happily ever after.”The End