A Court of Gold and Serpents

by mobiusismycomfortcharacter

Summary:

“I hate them, Mother.”

Frigga finished bandaging Loki’s hand but held onto it a moment longer. She looked into his eyes, her blue ones meeting his green.

“Come now, Loki. Hate is such a strong word. Surely you don’t mean that,” Frigga said.

“I do!” Loki snapped and pulled his hand away, “They’re always teasing me. I hate them. I always will.”

Frigga let out a small sigh and got a far off look in her eyes. She shook it off before packing up her supplies. “It won’t always be this way,” she assured.

Notes:

This is a story for Speakington on Twitter. They've provided us with so much good dashingfrost art. I just wanted to give something back. I hope they like it.

Chapter 1

Loki was pushed to the ground with a thud, landing face first into the dirt and hissing at the sting of his hands as he tried to catch his fall. The fireworks he had been generating fizzled out to his disappointment. The young boy had been working all afternoon to summon them after his mother had shown him how to do it. That he had just figured it out and been so suddenly interrupted was a crime. The sound of laughter around him made his chest burn with shame. His eyes darted around, searching for the culprit who had shoved him.

Thor and his group of friends were nearby, giggling like a pack of hyenas as Loki pushed himself back up to his feet, but Fandral was trotting back to them. The blond boy glanced back at Loki over his shoulder only to be met with a glare.

“Watch where you’re going you clumsy oaf,” Loki spat, only for the group of them to burst into laughter again.

“Yeah Fandral. How could you of all people be so clumsy,” Thor snorted, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

Loki gritted his teeth but stood his ground, scowling at the lot of them. He tucked one hand behind his back and pulled out a dagger.

“Oh, come on Twinkles. Don’t be so serious. You obviously weren’t paying enough attention and knocked into me. I think you should apologize,” Fandral said. A smug smile spread across his face.

“Apologize?” Loki spluttered. He could feel the tips of his ears heating up with embarrassment. He would apologize for nothing. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Not yet anyway.

“It would be awfully rude of you to run into me without saying sorry,” Fandral said.

The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement. Loki turned his attention to Thor, hoping he’d see how ridiculous the situation was but he too was nodding. Loki could see the way the interaction was heading and refused to play into the group’s game. He strengthened his grip on the dagger behind his back, staring Fandral down. To all appearances he looked as though he were weighing options in his head. Instead he was lining up his shot.

The dagger flew through the air toward Fandral. The aim was true and would have hit its mark had Fandral been just a hair slower on dodging the attack. A roar of screams erupted from the group as they scattered. Loki took the opportunity to slip away, running into the palace and down a corridor to safety. Only once he was sure the pack of them weren’t following him did he allow the tears that threatened his eyes to brim over.

Frigga found him shortly after he dried his eyes. She spotted the scrapes on his palms and pulled him over to a wash basin to take care of them. She wiped the dirt from his hands and cleaned the wounds with a gentle touch.

“What happened?” she asked as she bandaged them lightly. They’d heal quickly but Loki allowed her to take care of him all the same.

“Thor and his friends,” Loki said sulkily.

Frigga pursed her lips into a frown. “I’m sure they didn’t mean any lasting harm.”

“I hate them, Mother.”

Frigga finished bandaging Loki’s hand but held onto it a moment longer. She looked into his eyes, her blue ones meeting his green.

“Come now, Loki. Hate is such a strong word. Surely you don’t mean that,” Frigga said.

“I do!” Loki snapped and pulled his hand away, “They’re always teasing me. I hate them. I always will.”

Frigga let out a small sigh and got a far off look in her eyes. She shook it off before packing up her supplies. “It won’t always be this way,” she assured.

Loki narrowed his eyes. He hated when she had that look on her face. It always gave him the impression she knew more than she was letting on. More than likely she did. She seemed to be right more often than not.

“You are young still,” Frigga reminded him.

“Am not,” Loki said defiantly.

“Yes, you are. You’re still just a boy, even if you do grow like a weed,” Frigga teased and pulled him close, “One day you will grow up, as will your brother and his friends and times like this will be forgotten.”

Loki grumbled. He doubted he’d ever forget about the taunts and the teasing, even if the rest of them did.

“Can you show me how your magic is coming along?” Frigga asked, changing the subject.

Loki nodded and held out a hand, concentrating hard. It took a minute before anything happened and then a small spark appeared and startled him so much he nearly lost focus. Gathering his concentration again, the spark grew until a miniature firework display appeared in his hand. He looked at Frigga in amazement and then back to the illusion.

“I did it,” he said with whispered awe.

“Yes, my son. You did,” she said and hugged him close, “Soon you’ll master grander illusions and better things.”

~*~*~

A knock sounded on Loki’s door later in the night. He had just about turned in to sleep and was just finishing the chapter he was reading when he was interrupted. With a sigh, Loki closed his book and answered the knock with an invitation in. He was surprised to see Thor shuffle in awkwardly, but he schooled his face into an expression of disdain. Thor seemed hopeful until he looked at Loki.

Loki set his book aside. If Thor was visiting him he likely wouldn’t be able to finish the chapter anytime soon. His older brother was likely still somewhat upset about the way Loki reacted to the taunting in the afternoon. But if Thor and his friends were going to make stupid choices they couldn’t be shocked when there were stupid consequences attached.

“I’m sorry, Loki,” Thor mumbled.

Loki’s carefully prepared expression fell apart as his jaw dropped. He had to have heard Thor wrong. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry,” Thor said more clearly.

Loki closed his mouth and tried to twist it back into a scowl again. He wasn’t about to let Thor get away with his bullying just because he apologized. One could not break a tea cup and expect to just put it back together with words. At least, Thor couldn’t.

“You can go if that’s all,” Loki said,trying to look down his nose at Thor, even though the older boy was several inches taller.

Thor hesitated. Of course he did, he never could just leave things alone.

“We shouldn’t have interrupted you while you were practicing your magic, Brother,” Thor said.

Loki rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you will again so why bother apologizing?”

Thor dropped his gaze. He knew Loki was right. The whole group of them had apologized for a multitude of things over the years but it had never stopped them from repeating their mistakes.

“What were you working on? It looked new,” Thor asked.

Loki raised a hand. The bandage was already removed and the skin mostly healed. As he reached for his Seidr, he concentrated hard as he did earlier in the day, trying to find the way the magic had flowed before. In a moment a small display of fireworks appeared in his hand again. He admired it for a second before looking at Thor, whose eyes had grown wide. Thor stepped closer to get a better look, crossing the room in only a few quick steps.

“Mother taught me,” Loki said. He kept the excitement out of his voice. “It’s just a small illusion.”

“Loki, it’s brilliant,” Thor gushed.

The fireworks disappeared as Loki closed his palm, the magic dissipating. He suddenly felt flustered and bashful about it.

“It’s nothing,” Loki grumbled.

“It is not,” Thor said. He puffed out his chest and pouted. “You were able to create that out of nothing! It’s amazing.”

“It’s only small. I can’t do anything big yet,” Loki argued.

Thor’s mouth twisted in the way that it did when he tried to find the right words. “Well, I think it’s wonderful. I can’t do anything like that. And one day you’ll be even better at it right? It just takes practice, like in the training arena. So if you keep working on it, one day you’ll be the best magic user in all the Nine Realms and I’ll be the best warrior.”

“You’ve got a long way to go before you get there,” Loki teased.

“As do you, Brother,” Thor said and ruffled Loki’s hair, much to his chagrin. He hated when Thor did that. “But you’ll see. Both of us together will be unstoppable.”

“And what of your Warriors Three? You couldn’t possibly think that they’d be happy to have me around. They hate me,” Loki said.

“Nonsense. They’ll come around. We just have to show them first,” Thor said, “I know! Why don’t you join us for an adventure tomorrow? I’ll make sure they behave and they can get to know you better and see how great you are.”

“I don’t know, Brother. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea,” Loki hesitated.

“Please?” Thor begged, “I promise it’ll be fun.”

Thor’s pleading eyes were huge and Loki sighed. Perhaps he’d regret it but he supposed one afternoon couldn’t be the end of the world. Besides, maybe he’d be able to pay Fandral back for his earlier actions.

Chapter 2

Summary:

Thor invites Loki on a couple of childish adventures

As he had guessed, Thor's friends weren't keen on having Loki join them on one of their adventures. They each sent dirty looks his way when Thor turned his back but none of them dared do anything to Loki with their leader around. Loki rolled his eyes at their antics and stuck close to his brother.

They set off on a trail just outside of the palace that led into the woods. Thor led the way, naturally. Loki followed close with Sif behind him and the warriors three trailing at the back. Thor began a marching chant early into their walk that the others joined in on, except Loki, who thought it a little ridiculous. He pretended to focus on keeping his feet on the trail. No one seemed to question it.

It wasn't very long before they came to a small pond in a shady clearing of trees. The branches overhead spread wide and weaved together so that much of the sun could not shine through. It gave the area a darker, almost mystical quality. Loki admired the area for one quiet moment before everyone rushed in and disturbed the peace of the forest. They climbed up trees and found sticks to swing around at each other as swords. Neither of those options intrigued Loki, who wished to explore the pond in peace instead but knew he'd be disturbed by the others. He thought about finding a hiding spot and just waiting for them to move on and leave without him but that would likely make them want to find him and flush him out. That left him with some kind of mischief. After all, he hadn't paid Fandral back for his joke the day before. And of course, such a funny joke should be repaid.

Loki wandered around the edge of the pond until he was nearest to Fandral, who was using a stick to sword fight with Hogun. Loki kneeled down, keeping the others within sight so he wouldn’t be surprised this time, and cupped his hands near the ground. He felt the swell of his Seidr within him. The feeling was already beginning to feel familiar from all the practice. He focused intensely on the space in his hands, trying to summon all of the details in his mind’s eye. It was still a small illusion but complicated.

“What have you got there?”

Fandral’s voice cut through the air and footsteps warned Loki of his approach. He let out a sigh of relief as he looked into his hand and saw the illusion he had conjured. Loki stood to face the boy and held out his hands. A small green snake was curled up sleeping. He could have done a better job on some of the details, like the scales, but at first glance it was a decent illusion.

Fandral crowded in to get a better look, letting out an “ooh” and Loki held it up higher for him. Fandral’s face was only a few inches from the snake when it suddenly lifted its head and struck out in an attack. The blond boy jumped back to avoid being bit by the small illusion and in his hurry caught his foot on a rock behind him. Fandral tried to gain his balance but couldn’t get his footing in the soft, wet earth and fell back. Loki put out a hand to try and stop him, dropping the illusion snake to the ground where it disappeared. He wasn’t fast enough to catch Fandral and the boy fell into a puddle of mud. What a shame.

“You did that on purpose!” Fandral cried out as he pushed himself back up to his feet. He was covered in mud and his clothes were soaked through.

“I may like snakes but I assure you I have no control over them. You must have startled it,” Loki responded blithely.

By then the rest of the group was beginning to gather. Thor and Sif had climbed down from the trees and Hogun and Volstagg came closer. Fandral was trying to wipe the mud from his clothes but it was no use.

“What happened?” Thor asked.

“He attacked me with a snake,” Fandral accused.

Thor looked to Loki for an explanation. Loki shook his head and feigned innocence.

“I was just showing him, like he asked. It’s not my fault it tried to bite him. I tried to catch him when he fell backwards but I missed,” Loki said.

Thor frowned at Loki and studied his face before turning back to his friends and shrugging.

“As he said, he can’t control the snakes,” Thor said, “Let’s head back and have lunch. Fandral can clean himself up.”

Everyone else agreed and quickly followed after Thor. Fandral waited an extra moment and grabbed Loki’s wrist before he could go after them. He stood over Loki, glaring.

“I know you had something to do with it. I’ve got my eye on you,” he said with vinegar in his voice.

“I haven’t any clue what you’re talking about. You would do better to watch your step. It’s unlike you to be so clumsy,” Loki said innocently and pulled his wrist away from the other boy’s grip and ran off to join the rest.

~*~*~

In the days after the prank, Loki had taken to spending more time with Thor and his group of friends, even if Thor’s warriors and Sif did not like it. They’d get used to it eventually, and Thor was still being so welcoming that it was enjoyable to take part in their games. Besides, it evened out their numbers for Loki to be there, so if they needed to partner up for a game no one would be left out. Most of the time Loki partnered up with Thor, especially since none of the others were keen on partnering with him.

When Thor announced that he would partner up with Sif for their next outing, Loki was left trying to figure out who he would partner up with. The Warriors Three quickly drew straws and determined that Hogun and Volstagg would work together, leaving Fandral with Loki.

“Tough luck, Fandral,” Volstagg called out as he and Hogun followed Thor and Sif out of the palace.

Loki ignored the irritation he felt at the comment and ran to catch up to the others, including Fandral. Even if he wasn’t working with Thor, he could still prove himself valuable to the group. Maybe it would be the chance he needed to prove it, beginning with Fandral.

Fandral had been giving Loki a wider berth since the prank. While it had not really been the intended consequence, Loki had been happy to have more space. It had meant Fandral hadn’t teased him as much and he definitely hadn’t been shoved recently. However, trying to work together with Fandral while he was actively avoiding Loki was fairly difficult. The object of the game was to find a chalice that had been hidden somewhere on the castle grounds by one of the servants and bring it back to the palace doors. A simple enough game, except that the other teams could potentially try to take it while on the way back and none of them knew exactly where the chalice would be. The grounds were expansive.

As each pairing split away in different directions in search of the chalice, Loki struggled to keep up with Fandral. The blond boy didn’t wait for Loki as he rushed toward the gardens and seemed to be actively trying to lose him. Loki didn’t understand. Surely working together would be the best way to win, even if they didn’t like each other much. He could swallow down his animosity for Fandral, why couldn’t Fandral do the same?

An uneven brick on the path they were running on tripped Loki, causing him to stumble to the ground. Fandral continued running even after Loki called for him to stop. Either he didn’t hear or he was ignoring Loki and going off on his own. Frustrated, Loki pulled out one of his daggers and threw it. He wasn’t aiming to hit Fandral, more to get his attention, but the dagger that was meant to fly past him ended up grazing his arm. He turned and finally saw Loki on the ground. He looked annoyed as he stalked back to Loki.

“Why are you leaving me behind? We’re supposed to work together,” Loki demanded as he pushed himself back up. The way Fandral had acted was really getting on his nerves.

“What are you going to do? Enchant another snake to bite someone? No thanks, I’ll be fine on my own,” Fandral responded. He took off again and Loki ran to catch up, pushing harder to match Fandral’s pace.

“You’re not still mad about that are you? It wasn’t a real snake, it was an illusion!” Loki cried out.

Fandral stopped and whirled around again so fast Loki almost ran into him.

“Lies,” Fandral said.

Loki held out a hand and recreated the snake he had made a few days ago. It was becoming easier to summon small illusions as he practiced them more. The illusion moved more fluidly than before and even the smaller details were looking better than the first time. Fandral took a step back from Loki and the illusion, clearly still cautious about what the snake would do. Loki sighed and waved his other hand through the illusion, to demonstrate.

“It wasn’t going to actually bite you. It wasn’t real,” Loki said.

Fandral reached out a hand to the snake to touch it and his hand went through the illusion as well. He shook his head and began muttering under his breath.

“Now can you act like a sensible person again? For today we’re a team and I don’t intend to lose,” Loki said.

“Fine, I suppose so,” Fandral agreed.

Thor and Sif darted past them just as they were making up. Sif had the chalice in her hand as they raced back to the palace doors. Fandral and Loki bolted after them. Fandral indicated that Loki should go after Sif while he dealt with Thor. Loki nodded and pushed on, away from where Fandral and Thor were already tussling. Sif continued running, trying to keep away from Loki but he threw one of his daggers at her, trying to get her to drop the chalice. If she did, he could grab it and win. They weren’t far from the doors of the palace. Sif ducked and rolled out of the way of the incoming attack but wasn’t fast enough to avoid it completely as the dagger ripped through her hair. She let out a scream of anger when she saw the small chunk that fell from her head.

Sif turned on Loki with a murderous look in her eyes. Loki had managed to anger her several times in the past but he wasn’t sure he’d ever infuriated her quite as much as he did this time. She dropped the chalice and lunged for him. He darted quickly out of the way of her attack, but she kept coming, trying to land blow after blow on him. He kept dodging out of the way, leaping and rolling his way around palace grounds until he was near enough to the chalice to pick it up. In a flash, he ran toward the palace doors. He could hear Sif behind him and could practically feel her breath on the back of his neck. She was so close that he thought she would grab him at any moment. He ran into the palace doors, slapping them with his hands to stop his momentum. He had won the game.

Sif’s palm connected with his face before he could let out any kind of celebratory sound. It stung so bad that tears came to his eyes. He was sure Sif was going to hit him again but the sound of something breaking in the distance made both of them turn. It came from the direction of Thor and Fandral. Loki didn’t like the sound of it and he definitely didn’t want to be slapped again so he took the moment to slip away into the palace and ran directly into Frigga.

Chapter 3

Summary:

Loki and Fandral have to clean up a mess

Loki found it rather unfair that he and Fandral both had to help clean up the mess that Fandral had made. While Loki had been busy winning the game, Fandral and Thor had been wrestling to try and stop each other from getting ahead. In the chaos, Fandral had managed to shove Thor through a stained glass window. Thor was fine, of course, but the window was in pieces. Loki had been required to apologize to Sif for his poor aim, which he supposed made sense even though he thought Sif was overreacting about some of her hair being cut. It was just hair. It would grow back. Yet even after that, somehow he was still forced to help Fandral sweep up the broken glass and scrub the hall. Thor had somehow managed to get out of the clean up, citing some other duties he needed to do.

Frigga supervised them, so at least there was that. Loki was sure Fandral would have slacked off and left Loki to clean it all had the queen not been there for him to impress. Loki rolled his eyes as he watched the way Fandral fawned in front of her. He seemed to really be putting his back into the scrubbing, trying to gain her attention. It didn’t seem to be working much. She was quite adept at dividing her attention between the two of them and the myriad of people who came through to ask her opinion on all manner of things. Loki decided to just keep his head down and his mouth shut until the end of the punishment. It would be over sooner that way.

By the time they finished, Loki was sore from scrubbing and his hands were dry and gnarled looking. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to take a bath to wash the day away. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be Fandral’s plan as he ran to catch up to Loki and then gave a small shove.

“Careful. You’d hate to break another window and start this all over again,” Loki warned.

“You just had to get us in trouble like that, didn’t you?” Fandral asked.

Loki glared at him. “I don’t see how this was my fault. You’re the one who broke the window. Why should I have to help clean up your messes?”

“You’re the one who cut Sif’s hair. Thor and I would have been able to have the window under control if you hadn’t antagonized her. We’re in this mess because you angered her and she told the Queen Mother,” Fandral accused, “I knew working with you would only end in trouble.”

“Sif is the one you should be blaming. I never meant to cut her hair,” Loki said.

“She said you laughed.”

Loki had to stop himself from snorting at that. “I would never.”

“We both know that’s a lie,” Fandral said.

Loki shook his head and kept walking. It didn’t matter if Fandral didn’t believe him. He didn’t have to. Loki just wanted to be left alone. He shouldn’t have bothered joining Thor and his friends. It always seemed to end the same way. He started to become antsy for Fandral to leave him alone again.

“Stay out of my way next time,” Fandral said before turning down a different hallway, toward some voices.

“Fine. Next time I’ll do it myself and you can win your own prize,” Loki responded.

That made Fandral turn around and stalk back. Loki had a smirk on his face as he pulled the chalice from a pocket and showed it off. He had kept it, knowing that without the proof of his win Sif was likely to dispute it. She was likely to dispute it anyway and probably already had. Asgard may consider him a liar but he knew everyone else was just as culpable. Fandral took the chalice from Loki and inspected it closely before smiling and shaking his head.

“I can’t believe you did it,” Fandral said.

“I told you I didn’t intend to lose,” Loki said and crossed his arms.

Fandral let out a disbelieving laugh as he looked over the chalice again. There was no mistaking it though. It was the one from their game.

“Fandral! There you are!” came a voice from down the hall.

Fandral looked over his shoulder to see a girl approaching. He put on his most charming smile as he greeted her warmly. Loki rolled his eyes at Fandral’s change in demeanor.

“I heard you were cleaning up some kind of mess today. You poor thing,” the girl said.

Fandral shamelessly accepted a hug from the girl and allowed himself to be led away from Loki and down the hall. Loki went the opposite way, determined to take that bath now that he was free from Fandral. He could hear the pair of them walking away. The girl was comforting Fandral after his long day. Loki was sure he heard her say something about how he was responsible for Fandral’s bad luck. No one ever comforted him for his string of bad luck, nor would they attribute Thor’s or his friends’ good fortune to Loki.

“After fighting off Thor I managed to pick up the chalice that Sif dropped after Loki so cruelly cut her hair. Dodging past all manner of obstacles I managed to sprint the rest of the way to victory,” Fandral said, his voice carrying down the hall.

“Wow, that is incredible! So dashing,” Loki heard the girl exclaim.

Loki stalked off to his room, asking a servant to draw a bath on his way. He wasn’t sure why exactly it annoyed him so much. There were always people hanging off of Fandral. He seemed to have a quality that drew people to him even though Loki found him insufferable. He was always running his mouth and bragging while putting Loki down. Loki wasn’t sure how everyone else had been wrapped around Fandral’s finger and couldn’t see what he could.

Notes:

Sorry it's a shorter chapter and I was away for a while. Work got a little hectic but it's calmed down again and things should be a bit more regular now. Thanks, let me know if you're enjoying it. Comments really do brighten my day.

Chapter 4

Summary:

Some sparring and Loki agrees to an unbelievable post

Even with Thor’s encouragement the Warriors Three and Sif never truly accepted Loki. Years went by of Loki reluctantly joining them on adventures at Thor’s request even though his friends would routinely make jabs at him or shoving him when Thor wasn’t looking. Loki returned everything he got in full. Thor seemed to be none the wiser that Loki and his friends weren’t getting along and Loki didn’t feel like bringing it up. He doubted anything would change even if Thor knew and he did enjoy spending time with his brother and being included.

Thor had become an impressive warrior and would someday soon become an admirable king. His warriors had each become skillful in their own rights and Loki had worked hard to keep up with them, both in magic and fighting prowess. If he was going to continue spending time with them he had to prove himself worthy of their time.

Loki jumped back and away, dodging strike after strike from Fandral’s sword. The two of them danced around the training field, Loki keeping just out of reach of the swordsman and weaving between other groups sparring together. He could see the frustration starting to build on Fandral’s face as attack after attack continued to fall flat.

“What’s wrong? I thought you were some renowned warrior and yet you haven’t managed to land a single attack,” Loki egged on.

Fandral lashed out so suddenly that Loki had to deflect the attack with one of his daggers. It was unexpected but also clumsy and easy enough to parry. Perhaps more provocations would cause the swordsman to slip up again.

“And I thought you wanted to spar. So far you’ve done nothing but leap and run like a frightened hare,” Fandral said.

Loki dodged another attack, rolling away from the blade. He had hoped the running would have tired Fandral out and affected his agility but Loki should have known the tactic wouldn’t work. Fandral wasn’t known to be “dashing” for nothing. He was easily able to keep up without breaking much of a sweat, though a sheen had started to form on his brow. Loki was going to have to find a new strategy or else his own stamina would falter soon enough.

Loki scooped up a handful of dirt from the ground and threw it in Fandral’s direction, halting the swordsman’s attack. It took only a moment or two for Fandral to recover but that was all that Loki had needed. He was back on his feet by the time Fandral had wiped the sand from his eyes and continued his attacks.

“You cursed trickster. Stand and fight,” Fandral growled.

“But this has been working well for me so far,” Loki said, ducking out of the way of Fandral’s blade.

The fight took on a different energy. Each strike Fandral made was with an intention that had been lacking previously. Loki felt as though he was being herded, his movements more guided than they had been before.

“Oooh, entrapment. How clever,” Loki teased.

A wall at his back stopped Loki’s retreat. He held his hands up in surrender as Fandral raised his swordpoint to his neck. Loki smirked back at him but made no further movements.

“Do you yield?” Fandral asked.

A blade at Fandral’s throat made him pause and then curse under his breath. The Loki he had pinned against a wall gave a cheeky wave before disappearing in a flash of green. The real Loki smirked and leaned into Fandral’s ear.

“Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing,” he whispered.

It was Fandral’s turn to raise his hands in surrender as he realized he had been caught.

“Cheater. We agreed no magic,” Fandral said.

“You should know by now that I don’t play fair,” Loki responded.

“Then neither do I,” Fandral said.

“What-”

Fandral grabbed the wrist holding the dagger at his throat and pulled it down and away. His foot swept at Loki’s ankles, causing the prince to lose his footing and fall backwards. Still holding onto Loki’s wrist, Fandral spun both of them until Loki was in front of him with his arm twisted behind his back uncomfortably. The swordsman pulled up slightly on Loki’s arm and squeezed tightly until Loki dropped the dagger in his hand with a clatter.

“Yield.”

“Alright, alright,” Loki yelped, “I yield.”

Fandral let go of Loki with a shove. Loki glared at him in return. He would certainly regret the rough handling one day, it was only a matter of time. A guard approaching drew the attention of both of them.

"You have been summoned to an audience with the All-Father, Your Grace," the guard said.

Loki brushed himself off and regained his composure. A conversation with Odin was bound to be aggravating and Loki knew better than to keep him waiting, though the thought crossed his mind. He could blame it on Fandral, say they were busy sparring. It wasn’t a lie per se but he knew that it would likely lead to more of an argument than he was already expecting. With a sigh Loki picked up his daggers and made his way to the throne room. The sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could go back to doing something enjoyable.

The throne room was surprisingly empty. There were fewer courtiers than usual hanging around, almost as if most of them had been dismissed before a conversation between Loki and Odin. That seemed rather odd, usually the All-Father loved an audience for their blowouts. Frigga was in attendance and rushed forward to greet Loki with a hug. He accepted it begrudgingly. She stepped back and led Loki to the base of the throne before taking her place beside Odin.

“My son, now that you have come of age it is a time for new responsibilities,” Odin began.

Loki looked boredly at Odin, though he was interested in what the new responsibilities would be. Perhaps they would come with new perks as well, or at least something that Loki could use as a perk at least. Perhaps he would finally have some kind of authority instead of being constantly overshadowed by Thor.

“What did you have in mind, All-Father?” Loki asked.

“As you well know there is a long-standing treaty between Alfheim and Asgard. We have done well to foster such a kinship between the two realms, as we have with others,” Odin said and took Frigga’s hand in his own. “Such alliances need to be looked after and nurtured if they are to continue to prosper and that is where you come in.”

Loki quirked an eyebrow. He was definitely intrigued. “You wish for me to be an ambassador?”

Odin’s lips curled into a half smile. “Of sorts.”

That was hopeful. An ambassador position would definitely be up Loki’s alley. He could spend time in Alfheim, away from the Asgardian courts and it would come with some power befitting a second son. Alfheim had interesting magic and mages Loki hoped to learn from. He couldn’t help beginning to imagine his new role even as a sinking feeling gnawed at the back of his mind. What was the catch?

“I would gladly accept such a position,” said Loki.

Frigga beamed at him from where she was standing and Odin appeared almost happy as well. He relaxed into the throne he was seated on. The gnawing feeling grew stronger as Loki realized he had probably agreed to more than he knew.

“Excellent. I will let Alfheim know and we can begin the arrangements,” Odin said. He gestured to one of the nearby guards, who approached the throne immediately. Odin whispered some kind of command. A chorus of whispers erupted from the few courtiers who were still around, skulking at the edges of the room.

“What kind of arrangements?” Loki asked.

Odin ignored him, continuing to give orders to the guard. Loki was starting to feel much more self-conscious. He should have known better than to agree to such a blind deal from Odin of all people. The reputation Loki had for being manipulative and duplicitous were overblown. The All-Father was easily just as deceitful, if not more so.

“What kind of arrangements?” Loki demanded once more, finally gaining the attention of Odin and Frigga.

The two of them looked at each other before Odin gave a small nod, permitting Frigga to tell Loki the truth.

“You will be married,” she answered.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. Let me know if you liked it by leaving a comment

Chapter 5

Summary:

Loki does not want to get married

“You will be married.”

Outrage bubbled up from his stomach and boiled over before he could control it. The whole thing had been a ruse concocted to make him agree to something they knew he never would have accepted otherwise.

“I will do no such thing,” Loki snarled.

“And what reason do you have to reject such an arrangement? You just said you would accept. Would you go back on your word?” Odin asked.

“It was an agreement made in bad faith,” Loki argued, “I do not wish for this.”

“It does not much matter what you wished for. You will marry as soon as you come of age," Odin ordered.

Loki felt as though a rug had been pulled out from under him and he was free falling. He should have trusted his gut feeling. Odin was untrustworthy.

"I will not. You will not use me as a pawn in some political game, sold like chattel to the highest bidder," Loki argued.

Loki turned on his heel to leave. He wouldn't continue fighting about it. He was not getting married and that was final. Odin could demand it all he wanted but it would not change his mind.

"You will do as your king commands, you ungrateful child," Odin spat behind him. Loki tried to ignore the sour feeling that washed over him. All of their conversations seemed to end the same way.

Loki stormed out of the throne room, fuming. The doors slammed behind him in his anger. The arrangement was a sham wrapped in pretty words. It was an opportunity for Odin to send away the problem child. He wouldn't allow it. He'd just have to find some way out of this marriage. There had to be a loophole somewhere. He stomped through the palace, back toward his room to think.

"Loki! Wait!" Thor's boisterous voice called from behind.

Loki ignored it and kept walking. He could hear footfalls running to catch up behind him. If he pretended he didn't hear it maybe Thor would get the hint and leave him alone. But of course Thor wasn't the type to do that. Instead he grabbed Loki's arm to stop him. Loki whirled on Thor, summoning a dagger and holding the blade to Thor's neck. Thor swallowed a lump in his throat but didn't let go of Loki’s arm.

"What has you so upset, Brother? It didn't sound as though Mother and Father were summoning you for some punishment," Thor said.

"Unhand me," Loki seethed.

"Not until you tell me what has happened," Thor responded.

Loki considered stabbing Thor then and there and making his escape but saw the Warriors Three approaching. They would probably step in if he did anything to Thor and Loki knew he couldn't win against all three of them. He lowered his dagger but kept his grip on it.

"The All-Father has decided to marry me off to Alfheim," Loki admitted in a low voice so only Thor would hear it.

"A marriage!" Thor exclaimed loudly. He let go of Loki’s arm and placed his hand on the back of Loki’s neck instead, "How wondrous! Why should such a thing upset you?"

"I am upset because it is obviously nothing more than a means to secure their alliance in the upcoming treaty renewals. He does not care for my wishes on the matter or if it is a good match. He is selling me for political favour," Loki said. He pushed Thor away from him.

"Come now, I'm sure he will find you a suitable match," Thor said.

"Alfheim is full of beautiful women. Surely one could warm that cold heart of yours," Fandral piped up. Loki wished to shove him and wipe the smug grin off his face.

Loki glared in the swordsman’s direction. "I do not doubt that but that is not the All-Father's intentions. He does not care about my desires."

"Oh Loki, I wasn't sure about marriage either before I met my Hildegund. Now I couldn't imagine life without her. Give the woman a chance before you condemn her. Perhaps she will surprise you," Volstagg said.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Forgive me if I don't take advice on marriage from someone who was just complaining the other evening about his own. Or did I misunderstand when you said Hildegund was 'nagging' you about how much time you spent at the tavern instead of at home with her and your children? Sounds like a very happy partnership indeed."

Loki's retort silenced Volstagg, who suddenly looked uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and sputtered but no argument was made.

"Loki," Thor scolded.

"I am done with this conversation. I said I do not wish to marry and that will not change just because the All-Father would like it to," Loki said. He turned on his heel and stomped away.

~*~*~

Loki’s mood was stormy for a few days after the conversation in the throne room. He refused the company of anyone, even Thor who tried to visit him and cheer him but left after Loki threatened him. Loki could hear the disappointment in his brother's voice and pictured the way his shoulders slumped as he walked away.

It wasn't until Frigga visited that Loki opened his door. She swept into the room at his invitation but didn't sit anywhere. Instead she looked around his room, examining the furniture, the books on his shelf, and the trinkets on his desk. Neither of them spoke as she drifted her way around, picking things up to look at them before placing them back exactly where they were. He stayed standing near the door, feeling nervous for some reason as she inspected the room, not searching for anything in particular.

"Why are you here?" Loki asked, breaking the silence.

Finally her gaze fell upon him and those eyes that had analyzed the objects of his room seemed to now do the same to him as she carefully studied his face.

"When you left the other day you were upset. I wanted to check on you and see if you were feeling any better," Frigga said.

Loki crossed his arms. “I haven’t changed my mind if that’s what you were wondering.”

“I thought you’d say that,” Frigga smiled. “I know it isn’t what you wanted and I understand how upset you are, but maybe consider the arrangement your father and I made.”

“He isn’t my father-”

“And I am not your mother through blood,” Frigga finished, “But I did raise you and love you now as I did when you were brought into our home.”

They had already had this conversation many times before. Loki brought it up often in arguments. He had found out about his parentage as a child but it still wasn’t common knowledge outside of the royal family. He was content with it being kept private. He still hadn’t fully reconciled what it meant to be the monster in most of Asgard’s fairytales. People already othered him as god of lies, he didn’t want to add to their whispers and stares.

“I didn’t always want to be married, and certainly had misgivings about marrying Odin. Norns know it wasn’t always easy,” Frigga said after a quiet moment. She approached Loki and placed a gentle hand on his cheek, “I’m glad I went through with it though because it led to many blessings too.”

Loki sighed. “What if it isn’t like that for me?” he asked in a quiet voice. He avoided Frigga’s gaze.

“I can not say for certain what the future has in store for you,” Frigga conceded. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He leaned into the touch and hugged her back. “I think if you keep an open heart, love will find you. Sometimes it comes from the most unexpected places.”

Notes:

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked this chapter as well. I appreciate all the kind comments I've gotten, they're very motivating.

Chapter 6

Loki geared himself up for the mission Thor invited him on. He thought it was below his skillset but Thor insisted he come. Thor had felt badly about how much they had all teased Loki and wanted to say sorry. Taking him on an off-world mission to the realm of Loki’s soon-to-be betrothed was an odd way of saying sorry but there was no telling Thor ‘no’. It wasn’t a particularly difficult mission and frankly having Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three seemed like overkill. All they were tasked with was ensuring a delivery of medical supplies made it to a remote village in Alfheim. Simple enough, and boring enough.

“Ah, there he is. Nice of you to join us. We thought we’d have to leave without you, Your Highness,” Fandral teased, clapping Loki on the shoulder.

The rest of Thor’s friends chuckled at Fandral’s joke but Loki just rolled his eyes. He wasn’t that much later than anyone else and Thor hadn’t shown up yet either, not that any of them would ridicule him for being tardy.

“Touch me again and I won’t hesitate to stab you,” Loki grumbled. He just wanted to get the whole mission over with.

Unfortunately, Loki’s threat was matched with even more laughter. “You really think you’re so tough,” Fandral laughed.

Finally, Thor showed up and they made their way to the Bifrost for their mission. In Alfheim, it was decided that Volstagg would steer the wagon while everyone else followed on horseback. It wasn’t a particularly long journey but there were a few portions of it that would be tricky and time consuming, like crossing through a pass in the mountains.

Occasionally, one of them or another would make some remark about how Loki should take in the scenery and get used to it since it would soon be his home. They were always careful not to make such a comment within earshot of Thor. It was Loki’s understanding that they had been told not to tease Loki about the marriage again.

“You shouldn’t be so upset. It’s your duty,” Hogun had said. Loki ignored that one and focused on the road ahead, watching for anything amiss.

“It will be a blessing for Asgard. Don’t you want to help the realm?” Sif said.

“If it’s so good, then you do it,” Loki grumbled back at her.

“I’m not a crown prince. My marriage wouldn’t benefit Asgard nearly as much,” Sif countered.

“Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m sure your marriage to my brother will benefit the realm plenty. That is, unless he becomes betrothed to make an alliance as well,” Loki taunted. Sif stayed quiet for a while after that.

It was before the pass to the mountains that they decided to rest in the shade of the cliff sides. The horses needed to rest and graze and having some time to stretch and eat would be good for the Asgardians as well. Loki took the time to get away from the Warriors Three and their constant jabs. He was already questioning why he had come along. He should have found a way to get out of it, even though Thor had been so insistent on his presence. Loki was more than annoyed and needed to cool down before he stabbed one of the others.

“Where are you going off to?” Fandral’s voice called behind him.

Loki ground his teeth together. The nosy swordsman just couldn’t leave well enough alone.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Loki said coolly. He continued on, refusing to turn around. Eventually, Fandral would give up and go back to his friends.

“You shouldn’t go by yourself.”

Or maybe he wouldn’t give up. The irritatingly insistent man.

“Are you my chaperon now? Or my jailer?” Loki asked.

Fandral caught up to him with a few swift steps. Loki came to a stop with a sigh. It was becoming more and more obvious he wasn’t going to get any time to himself. If that was the case, he’d much rather spend time with Thor than any of the rest of his companions. At least Thor seemed to enjoy his company.

“I am neither but these parts aren’t the safest. It would be best that none of us get separated from each other. We have to make sure these supplies get to the village,” Fandral said.

Loki rolled his eyes but agreed to go back to the group. There was no point in arguing and if Fandral was just going to follow him anyway he might as well spend his time with the rest of them.

On the way back to the group, some movement caught Loki’s eye. Something was on top of the cliffs. He scanned the cliffs to see what it was but it had disappeared for the time being. Fandral didn’t seem to notice anything. Loki had a suspicious feeling though, so when he saw movement again he reacted quickly. There was someone on top of the cliffs.

Before Loki could shout a warning out, bandits attacked the party, coming out of the underbrush. Thor shouted orders to Volstagg to get the supplies out of there and head for the pass. Volstagg did as he was told while everyone else held off the incoming attackers. Loki and Fandral rushed to join the fight, pulling out their blades and quickly making short work of a couple of the bandits. Sounds of battle rang around them as blades met and people yelled. Thor and Sif began retreating toward the pass while Loki and Fandral started pushing through to join them. The bandits were caught between them.

“On top of the cliffs!” Loki warned.

Thor looked up and saw the man sneaking above them, and the friends who had joined him. He nodded and raised his hammer to summon lightning and strike the attackers on the cliffside. The bandits on top of the cliff went flying, some of them falling off of the cliff to the ground below, as did the edge of the cliff. Rocks came crashing down and it was all Loki could do to avoid the boulders.

When the dust settled, Loki looked around for his brother. Boulders larger than himself blocked the mountain pass. He could see that some of the bandits had been unlucky enough to be crushed by the falling rocks. The horses had been scared off and were long gone. Fandral had landed nearby and seemed to be mostly fine, other than a light layer of dust over him. He was already getting to his feet. The rest of the group was not in sight. Loki immediately thought the worst but a yell from Thor soon abated his worries. Loki noted a new problem: how to rejoin the rest of the group.

“Loki! Fandral!” Thor called.

“We’re alright,” Loki yelled back.

“I can break the rocks,” Thor suggested.

Loki could imagine Thor smashing the rocks with Mjolnir or a strike of lightning and how it would cause more debris to go flying.

“No. We will find a way around. I think there’s another path further West that meets with this one,” Loki said.

Fandral shot Loki a look but didn’t say anything. For once.

“I know the one you speak of. Be careful. We will meet you at the crossing,” Thor said.

Loki began walking. It would be a long trek with no horses and they needed to get started. They had very few supplies and could easily be ambushed by more bandits on the road. There were a couple of farm and shepherd houses along the way, so they could likely find shelter for the night but it would be a while before they reached any of them.

Notes:

Hey, thanks for reading and Happy Easter. If you enjoyed the chapter let me know. Kudos and comments are appreciated :)

Chapter 7

Travelling with Fandral was about as annoying as Loki had anticipated. The swordsman talked a lot. Loki decided to mostly ignore him. That was going to be the easiest way through this.

“Come on, Loki. Smile. It could be worse. You could have been stuck with Sif,” Fandral said.

Loki rolled his eyes and frowned. “At least Sif wouldn’t be babbling on like you.”

“We both know that isn’t true. Besides, if I didn’t know better I would think you planned for this to happen,” Fandral said.

“Then it’s a good thing you know better,” Loki responded. He kept his gaze ahead. They had been walking for hours and the mountains swelled around them. The further they went in, the more shade the mountains cast over them. It was getting colder as they went and they didn’t have much for supplies. They’d have to find shelter fairly soon.

“Yes. Otherwise I might think you were involved with those bandits. After all, you were leaving just before they showed up. Almost like you were trying to escape the ambush,” Fandral speculated. “Thor might trust you implicitly but I don’t.”

That stopped Loki in his tracks. He turned and stalked back to Fandral, who had lagged behind a few steps. Fandral was watching him cautiously.

“I didn’t have anything to do with that,” Loki hissed, getting into Fandral’s personal space. “I just want to get this mission over with and go back to Asgard.”

Fandral smirked, one eyebrow raising but stayed where he was. “Maybe it wasn’t about the bandits. Maybe you just wanted to get me alone.”

“No.”

Loki turned around and continued down the path. He pulled his cloak closer around him to block out the cold that was seeping in. He could feel Fandral’s eyes on him and thought he’d make some comment about his reaction but nothing came. Good. He’d had enough chit chat from the swordsman.

They didn’t make as much progress as Loki expected to. Most of that was because Fandral slowed him down. Fandral’s reputation for being dashing apparently didn’t translate into speed because he moved so slowly that on more than one occasion Loki had to wait for him to catch up. He was looking tired too. Yes, they had walked several leagues but it wasn’t that strenuous of a day. Loki noted that Fandral must have gotten soft with all those banquets he attended and all the time he spent wooing women with flashy swordsmanship rather than training his other skills. The prowess he bragged about obviously wasn’t due to his endurance.

There was a house ahead of them on the path. It wasn’t much. It appeared to be a shepherd’s house but it would provide shelter if the owners allowed Loki and Fandral to stay and it would be better than roughing it outside without supplies. Slowly, they made their way to the building. Fandral was looking more and more haggard as the day waned.

Thankfully, the shepherd’s family welcomed them in. They didn’t have a lot of space for the two of them to stay but they offered a room furnished with a bed and a cot they had along with a small night stand. It was simple but it would do. The wife set up the cot and left them alone to get comfortable while she finished cooking up dinner.

Fandral looked exhausted on his feet, like he was fighting off sleep already. If Loki wasn’t mistaken he also looked a little pale. He didn’t really think much of it as he took off his outer layers and stretched out on the bed. It was welcome after the long journey they’d had. He only wished Fandral hadn’t been along to slow him down.

A thud made Loki look up. Fandral had begun removing his armor, most of it was already laying on the cot, but Fandral was slumped over on his knees and looked as though he was struggling to catch his breath. Loki sat up suddenly. Even if Fandral were tired, he should have been able to remove his armor without difficulty. This was something more. He saw red bloom across Fandral’s side as blood seeped quickly into his clothing. Loki leapt from the bed.

“Fandral! What happened?” Loki asked. He rushed to Fandral’s side to try and get a better look at the wound.

Fandral’s eyes went glassy and then he fainted. Blood pooled below him from the wound that Loki couldn’t see. He rolled Fandral over to examine the wound. From what Loki could tell, Fandral had been more injured in the skirmish with the bandits than he had let on. A piece of a blade seemed to have broken off in one of the gaps of his armor. It must have come dislodged when he removed the armor and caused him to start bleeding out. The idiot hadn’t bothered to tell him about it the whole time. How much pain had he been in all day? It was pretty deep and Loki would have to do something quickly before Fandral lost too much blood.

He looked around for any kind of rag to stop the bleeding and found one next to a wash basin on the nightstand. He grabbed it and pressed it to the wound to try and staunch the bleeding as he frantically began working on healing Fandral. It would take time that he hoped he had. He didn’t want to face Thor if he lost Fandral.

Finally, after what was probably only a few minutes but felt much longer, Fandral’s breathing eased to a more even rate and most of the bleeding had subsided. Loki’s focus stayed on the wound he was healing but he breathed a sigh of relief that Fandral would probably be okay. He was no longer in any danger of bleeding out.

A new problem occurred to Loki once he was done healing Fandral. The swordsman had lost a lot of blood, was still unconscious, and did feel pretty cold to the touch. Loki would have to continue to keep an eye on him throughout the night. He lifted Fandral onto the bed and got him tucked in. He needed to stay warm and rest for the night and hopefully he’d be better in the morning.

Once Fandral was cared for, Loki got to work cleaning the mess he’d made. He vanished the blood and picked up the rest of Fandral’s armor and put it aside. He pulled the cot over to the bed. He wouldn’t be getting much sleep but if he did he wanted to be nearby. Fandral might have been in better shape but that didn’t mean some other complication couldn’t happen in the middle of the night. The shepherd’s wife dropped off some dinner for them, which Loki was grateful for. He found he was ravenous after all of his efforts.

After gulping down the food provided, Loki got comfortable sitting on the cot next to the bed to watch Fandral. He was starting to look better already. Colour was coming back into his face. Fandral’s hands had warmed up again as well, Loki noticed when he gripped them. He breathed a sigh of relief.

At some point Loki must have dozed off himself. His head was resting on his hands as he leaned on Fandral's bed in front of him when he was awoken by Fandral shifting. It was dark in the room but Loki blinked awake slowly getting used to it only to be met by Fandral's gaze so nearby. Had his eyes always held that golden glint or was it just a trick of the dim light? Loki sat up quickly and stretched.

"I suppose I should be thanking you," Fandral murmured.

"How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?" Loki asked.

Fandral looked away as he slowly checked himself over, flexing his arms and legs and feeling where the wound had been.

"No. But I feel tired," Fandral finally answered.

"You did lose a lot of blood. You should be fine soon enough though."

Loki handed him some water and encouraged him to drink, which he did after shifting to sit up.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt sooner? You made it worse by waiting," Loki asked.

"You were in such a foul mood and wanted to get moving. I thought I'd wait until you had calmed down. I was fine," Fandral answered.

"Obviously you weren't," Loki pointed out, "And you slowed us down."

"Yeah. I know that," Fandral said. He sounded despondent and was actively avoiding Loki’s eyes.

Fandral rolled over to go back to sleep and Loki laid down on his cot to do the same. They'd both need their energy to continue on the next day and meet up with Thor and the others. If they didn't show up when they were expected Loki knew that his brother would worry.

"Why did you do it? Heal me, I mean."

Loki was startled by Fandral's whispers cutting through the silence. He had thought Fandral was already asleep. He was already starting to drift off again himself.

"Why wouldn't I?" Loki answered.

"You hate me," Fandral said.

"Not enough to let you die," Loki remarked.

Fandral was quiet again for a minute. Loki stared up at the ceiling, listening to him breathe beside him. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. Even most of the things he said while they were walking hadn’t been terrible. Loki had been annoyed and had considered slapping Fandral a couple of times but it had mostly been due to the situation.

“You’re not so bad when the others aren’t around,” Loki admitted.

“You aren’t either, Twinkles,” Fandral snorted. He paused for a second and Loki could feel the silence ballooning around them. “I just never understood why Thor trusted you so much. It never seems to matter what you do, he always forgives you and allows you to stab him in the back again. Sometimes literally.”

“It’s complicated I suppose,” Loki answered. Something about the darkness invited him to say more of the truth, as if it felt less exposed when they couldn’t see each other as well. “Sometimes it’s easiest to hurt the ones we love the most. We know exactly how to do it and where to place the knife for the biggest impact, but that’s only because we love each other enough to let the other in close enough to hurt. At the end of the day, Thor knows I care about him and that I’ll be there when he needs me, just like he will for me.”

“So, when you’re trying to knife me in the back you’re just being friendly because we’re so close?” Fandral asked.

“And sometimes being stabbed in the back is just because you deserve to be stabbed.”

“Thanks for healing me, Loki. I owe you,” Fandral said.

“I’ll remember that,” Loki responded before they both rolled over to go to sleep.

They left early in the morning to make up for lost time, thanking the shepherd’s family for their hospitality and promised to repay them. They soon found Thor and the rest of the Warriors at the crossroads they agreed to meet at. Without horses, Loki and Fandral had to either sit in the wagon or walk alongside it for the rest of the journey but the remaining stretch was peaceful. Loki had anticipated everything going back to normal once they joined the rest of the group, like the breaking of a spell. He expected the teasing from the other Warriors Three. He didn’t expect Fandral to brush off their comments and instead regale them with the story of how Loki saved his life.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. As always, kudos and comments are welcome. Let me know if you enjoyed the chapter

Chapter 8

Loki was sure that eventually everything would go back to the way things were before. Fandral and him would soon enough find themselves in an argument or Fandral would resume his teasing at some point. It had been months since they returned to Asgard and, if anything, they were friendlier than ever. Loki couldn’t remember ever spending so much time with any of Thor’s friends, let alone Fandral.

Their days were often spent in each other’s company, whether Thor was there or not. Fandral sought Loki out at the library, a place Loki couldn’t remember ever seeing him before. The swordsman seemed genuinely curious about the books Loki was reading. Loki, for his part, told Fandral about the interesting facts he found in dusty tomes or the stories he read about far away places and fictional characters. He thought Fandral would eventually stop him from going on and on about the books or tease him about them but every time he looked over at Fandral, he looked like he was hanging on every word. It was odd to be given so much attention.

If Loki was surprised by his new friendship with Fandral, he was even more surprised that he actually enjoyed the swordsman’s company. He spent more time than usual in the sparring ring. It was different to spar against Fandral as a friend rather than as a rival. They were much more amicable and had begun finding ways that their different fighting styles could fit together and complement each other. They had become much more of a force to reckon with when fighting alongside each other.

When they spent time with Thor and the rest of his friends, things were different there too. The dynamics had changed so much. Fandral used to be the instigator of much of the pestering and needling comments directed at Loki. Now, when Volstagg, Hogun, or Sif teased too much and made Loki feel like taking his leave, Fandral would notice and stand up for him instead of joining in. It was strangely nice to have more than just Thor on his side for once.

Things had become so peaceful that Loki had nearly forgotten that he had been upset about anything before the mission to Alfheim. It wasn’t until he returned to his room one day to find what was obviously a wedding outfit left near his bed that it all came rushing back. The concept of being married off to Alfheim had become an abstract thought. It was something he was aware of but it was something that wouldn’t affect him until much later, if it did at all. Seeing the clothing brought it back to the forefront of his mind and made it a much more tangible concept.

He was getting married. It was going to happen whether he wanted it to or not. There probably wasn’t anything he could do to stop it. A note left on top of the clothing indicated he was to wear it when he met Elphane in a few weeks time. He crumpled up the note and tossed it aside before collapsing on the bed. Even her name made him roll his eyes. But at least he knew when his life in Asgard was over. He had a few more weeks. It wasn’t much but it would have to be enough. Half-made plans flitted through his mind and were quickly dismissed. He didn’t have much hope of escape from this, at least not unscathed.

A knock at the door startled Loki. “Go away,” Loki spat.

The door opened, much to Loki’s annoyance. Whoever it was would regret that. He wanted to be left alone.

“I said go away,” Loki repeated, not bothering to get up.

“What’s wrong?” Fandral asked from the doorway, “We were going to go out to the tavern. Did you forget?”

Loki groaned. He had forgotten. He didn’t feel like going out to drink and socialize though.

“Go without me.”

The door closed with a click and Loki let out his breath. He was relieved to be alone. He closed his eyes for a nap. Maybe things would feel better after sleeping, at least he could escape the waking world for a while.

“Is it because of this?” Fandral asked. Evidently he had let himself in instead of leaving.

Loki opened one eye to see him holding up the clothing for Loki’s betrothal. A part of him wanted to snatch it away and throw Fandral out of his room, chastising him for being so presumptuous. The other part of him remembered that they were friends and evidently this was a part of being friends with Fandral. At least he wasn’t joking about the marriage anymore.

“Yes,” Loki admitted. He closed his eyes again.

“What bothers you so much about it?” Fandral asked, “You had to know something like this would happen eventually.”

“If you were told you had to marry a stranger would you be happy about it?” Loki asked.

“So, it’s because you don’t know her?” Fandral probed.

“Yes,” Loki said and then after a beat, “No.” It was more complicated than that.

Loki felt the bed shift beside him and he knew that Fandral had sat down next to him. He supposed he should open his eyes but with his eyes closed he could pretend it was dark and that it was like it had been in that shepherd’s cottage in the mountains where they had been honest with each other for the first time.

“What is it then?”

“I don’t know. I don’t like how it was sprung on me. I was tricked into it by Odin. It’s like he waited for the first moment he could get rid of me, like I’m just some problem to be removed from the court or some pawn in a game of chess to be thrown away,” Loki said, the words pouring from his mouth. “I don’t even get a choice in the matter. I just have to go along with everything to keep everyone happy. It doesn’t matter if I’m ready for this or if I want to be married.”

Fandral was silent beside Loki. The prince wondered if he should have kept it to himself after all. He opened his eyes and saw Fandral sitting on the bed, staring at the betrothal outfit. It wasn’t often that Loki was able to see him like this, deep in thought. He noticed how Fandral’s brow creased as he mulled things over. It was nice to see this evidence that he wasn’t perfect as so many seemed to think he was.

“Are you going to do it?” Fandral finally asked.

“What else am I supposed to do?” Loki responded.

“I don’t know. You’re the one who schemes and comes up with tricks to escape things like this,” Fandral said.

“I am wounded that you think so lowly of me,” said Loki, rolling his eyes.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Fandral said, “What if you ran away?”

“And then be hunted like a dog and dragged back to Asgard to be punished for dishonouring Alfheim? Where would I even hide from Heimdall?” Loki suggested.

“Alright. Maybe not,” Fandral said.

“I will be married soon enough,” Loki sighed, “I just thought I’d have more time. I thought I’d have until Thor was married at least.”

Fandral stood up, turned around, and pulled Loki to his feet. Loki struggled against his grip but was unsuccessful.

“Well, you might as well come out for drinks at the tavern. It sounds like you won’t have many more chances to come out with the rest of us and I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave you here to wallow,” Fandral said, pulling Loki along with him.

“I told you I don’t want to go,” Loki said, but he knew it was pointless.

“You’ll feel better if you come to the tavern. Who knows, maybe you’ll come up with some scheme while you’re there. Or maybe you’ll find some girl to fall in love with and get married to instead,” Fandral insisted.

Loki rolled his eyes but didn’t argue.

Notes:

Thank you for reading. I appreciate it! As always, comments and kudos are welcome

Chapter 9

Loki sipped his drink slowly. Thor was boisterously telling tales of adventures he’d been on, embellishing them along the way. Volstagg and Hogun were talking on one end of the table. They still mostly ignored his company. Fandral, of course, had the other end of the table occupied as he talked up several young women, and Loki had noticed him winking at a couple of busboys as they cleared one of the tables. Loki shook his head as Fandral kissed the hand of yet another woman who had walked past him. She blushed and giggled but continued on her way. It didn’t seem to bother Fandral.

Loki wasn’t sure what he was doing there. He knew Fandral had suggested it but Loki felt out of place. He sipped his drink some more and tried to keep his mind from wandering to the quickly decreasing amount of time he had before he would be officially engaged. It wasn’t easy to do. He could hear people murmuring about it around him, and then there was Fandral.

“Well, yes, that is true. We thought the young prince could use one more night out before he met his fate. Isn’t that right, Loki?” the swordsman’s voice cut through the noise.

“Right,” Loki responded.

There were only a handful of hours left. By this time the next day he’d be engaged and leaving some banquet in his honour. If it could be called such. He wondered how long it would be before he’d be shipped away to his new home in Alfheim. They’d have to be married first and there was a courtship period to be observed. There was also the matter of the treaty being signed. Something like that could often be drawn out as both sides negotiated their final terms. Loki downed the last half of his drink. He was one of those terms.

The last couple of weeks had been filled with appointments to prepare for the engagement. Clothes had been prepared, menus arranged, the palace was in chaos to prepare for the visit. Loki had been briefed on everything to do with Alfheim. Politics, economics, culture, news. His head had swam from it all. As he had snuck away from the palace and the responsibilities for the night he had glimpsed the arrival of emissaries from Alfheim. He had not yet seen the woman he was supposed to marry though, Elphane.

One of the women from Fandral’s flock set another ale in front of Loki with a smile. He took it even though his heart wasn’t in it. Going out wasn’t helping and he thought maybe he should have stayed home. Loki looked over at Fandral, who seemed to be in his element and Loki felt envy well up in his stomach as he saw the women fawn over the swordsman. It was always so easy for him. Everyone seemed to love Fandral. He looked into the ale that had been given to him. He didn’t really want to be like Fandral though, did he? There was nothing to be jealous of. He lifted the mug of ale to his lips and drank deeply.

Fandral’s voice beside him startled him a little. “I think it’s going well. Frida seems to be quite taken by you. What do you think?”

Loki wasn’t sure who Frida was but when he looked over to where Fandral had indicated, he saw the lady who had set the ale in front of him. She waved shyly at him. Loki took another sip of the ale. She was quite lovely, but Loki wasn’t really in the mood for the company. Maybe he’d be better off to just leave.

“Maybe,” Loki answered vaguely. He set the ale back on the table, ready to leave.

“To Loki!” Thor bellowed before Loki could escape. Cheers erupted around him. “My brother will be engaged in the morning, which gives him just enough time to get up to a little more mischief. I will miss you once you depart with your lucky bride. However, I’m sure I won’t miss all the chaos. Like the time you transformed into a snake and I picked you up and you transformed back into yourself and stabbed me. I wish you a happy marriage, Brother, and myself a longer life with you in Alfheim!”

People laughed at the toast before drinking. Loki rolled his eyes and left his cup on the table. Thor never had gotten over that prank as children. The last remark had stung a little though. Even Thor was ready to be rid of him. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t like Loki had ever actually tried to kill him.

Thor went back to telling stories, though he had switched to childhood stories of the many times Loki had stabbed him. Loki took the chance to leave without a word. No one paid him any attention as he stood up from the table and left the tavern.

The cool air of the night felt refreshing as Loki exited the tavern. Now that he was walking back he realized how quickly he had drunk the last couple of ales. His cheeks and the tips of his ears burned against the chill of the night and he told himself it was the alcohol and not the embarrassment he felt. Thor hadn’t been serious. Loki told himself that his brother would miss him when he was gone. It was a joke. It just wasn’t a funny one.

“Loki! Wait!”

Loki turned to see Fandral running after him.

“You’ll have to tell Hilda I won’t be enjoying her company tonight. Or really any other night, I suppose,” Loki said. “She might as well enjoy yours though. I’m sure it’ll more than make up for it.”

Fandral caught up to Loki and fell into step with him as he continued back to the palace.

“I’ve already told Frida that you won’t be joining her tonight and that I was otherwise unavailable,” Fandral said. Right, it was Frida.

Loki was so surprised by Fandral’s answer that he looked up from the dark path and nearly tripped over a raised stone. Fandral helped to steady him.

“Are you okay?” Fandral asked.

“I’m fine, just a loose stone,” Loki said, maybe a little too quickly.

“Right,” Fandral acknowledged but stayed close beside Loki to keep him from falling again.

They walked in silence for a while. At first Loki was annoyed. He wanted to be by himself. The time in the tavern surrounded by so many people had been more draining than anything and Loki craved the solitude of a nighttime walk. But walking beside Fandral was almost nicer. He felt relaxed next to the swordsman in a way he hadn’t felt for weeks.

“Are you going to tell me how you’ve managed to escape your engagement at the last minute?” Fandral asked.

“I haven’t,” Loki answered.

“I’m shocked. You? Trickster of Asgard, God of Mischief, Silvertongued Loki, could not think of a way out of this?”

“What would you have me do? I think the only way out would be to marry Frida and I fear I may have spoiled that chance with my hasty departure,” Loki grumbled.

Fandral laughed. “If you want we could always turn back and try but I don’t believe she was thinking of marrying you so quickly.”

The gates of the palace rose in the distance, getting nearer. Loki wished he could turn away from them and run but he knew that there was no running away. Not this time.

“Then I suppose I must accept my fate, since I doubt anyone else would have me in the next few hours,” Loki concluded.

“I’m sure that we could find someone if we really tried,” Fandral suggested.

“Perhaps. But I don’t know that it would be better either. Perhaps this marriage will be fine. At least I’ll be away from Odin,” Loki said.

Fandral didn’t answer him as they approached the gates. The guards posted at the entrance let Loki through and Fandral bid him a good night and departed to make his way home. Loki longed for his bed, knowing that tomorrow would be a very long day.

Notes:

Thanks for reading guys! I hope you liked the chapter. Kudos and Comments are always welcome to let me know if you enjoyed it!

Chapter 10

The clothing he was supposed to wear loomed at him in the corner of his room. He had not touched them since they had been delivered with the note telling him to wear it when he would meet his betrothed. The day had finally come but Loki could not bring himself to put on the garments that lay near his bed. They looked foreign, taking a style common in Alfheim, though in his normal colour palette. He sighed as he picked up the clothing to look at it. He supposed it wasn’t horrible but it certainly wasn’t his style or choice. Much like the rest of the marriage. He threw the clothing back down, not worrying about it wrinkling.

Turning to his closet, Loki pulled out some of his own clothing instead. All black felt fitting for the occasion and his mood. He could try to put up one more attempt to escape the unwanted union before he gave up. It was his last chance and he didn’t have high hopes but maybe he could convince his mother to help him. She might at least be more sympathetic than Odin.

Frigga was in the banquet hall, giving direction. She looked like the eye of a hurricane, perfect serenity while around her chaos bloomed. People rushed around her, carrying flowers, furniture, and decorations in all directions. Some of her ladies in waiting were trailing after her as she walked through the banquet hall. A few groups of nobles had already arrived and were being shown out of the banquet room and into more comfortable lodgings. The amount of people nearly made Loki turn on his heel and leave. Frigga had not seen him yet, he still could.

“What bothers you, Loki?” Frigga asked, before she turned to face him, making it too late for him to depart. It unnerved him that she knew he was there before she saw him.

“I don’t wish to be married,” Loki stated.

Frigga raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” she said with a smile, “You have made this quite clear already. Do you have any other reasons why you shouldn’t be married?”

Loki swallowed. His hands started fidgeting. He should have come up with something before pleading his case again. He’d already tried several times though and all his previous excuses had been rejected. He was out of excuses.

“Nothing you haven’t already heard. I suppose I was just hoping you might have changed your mind,” Loki said.

“Loki, you needn’t worry so much about this arrangement. I know you feel as though it’s being forced upon you but I think you might be able to see this as an opportunity instead,” Frigga persuaded before giving more directions to those around her.

Loki grew more annoyed with the conversation. None of the previous discussions had gone anywhere either.

“Yes, I know. An opportunity. To help the realm. To find my own place in the universe. To do exactly as I’m told for once in my life,” Loki spat.

“Would any of that be so bad?” Frigga asked.

Loki was taken aback by the question. Would it be so bad to be a docile little god? Doing exactly as he was told without complaint? The idea of it made him bristle. It wasn’t in his nature to be obedient.

“It might be. And what of my would-be bride? Has she raised any of these concerns? Or is she perfectly content to marry the god of lies and mischief?” Loki asked.

Frigga was readjusting an arrangement of flowers that someone had carried through for her approval. She pulled off a wilted leaf before ushering the servant on. “I’ve heard that she’s quite agreeable actually.”

“And she’s aware of all that it implies? About me and my lineage?” Loki asked.

“That actually won’t be a problem,” Frigga said.

The way her lips quirked up into a smile made Loki suspicious. He didn’t like that he felt so uninformed about the situation. It was like they were keeping something from him. He was agitated that throughout the entire conversation she had hardly looked at him at all, being too busy with making arrangements for a wedding he didn’t even want. Finally, he threw his hands up in exasperation. There was no point to the conversation.

“Well, it sounds as though you and Odin have thought of everything. Or everything except one thing,” Loki announced.

That finally got her attention. Frigga turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “Oh? And what would that be, Loki?”

“Your Majesty. You look radiant this morning,” Fandral said from behind Loki, interrupting the conversation. “Good morning, Loki.”

Loki hadn’t noticed Fandral enter the banquet hall at all. He looked well-rested, even after a night out at the tavern and he seemed to have taken more care than usual with his appearance. He must have been hoping to attract some attention among the visitors from Alfheim. He looked polite and respectable, so unlike his usual rakish image.

“Thank you,” Frigga greeted warmly. She seemed to note Fandral’s appearance as well. “What were you saying, Loki?”

“I am refusing this marriage. I will not be forced to go through with it,” Loki said.

Fandral linked his arm around Loki’s. Loki looked down in surprise.

“What Loki means is that he is otherwise taken,” Fandral interrupted, “In fact, I was hoping you and the All-Father might allow me to ask for Loki’s hand in marriage.”

Loki nearly fell over in shock but Fandral’s hand on his arm kept him steady. The people in the banquet hall might have stopped what they were doing but Loki didn’t know. His focus was entirely on Fandral. The rest of the world simply stopped existing. What was the swordsman doing?

“This is certainly a surprise,” Frigga said.

“I must admit we’ve fallen for each other and have been courting each other in secret for some time. I’m aware that the timing is rather unfortunate but I am hopeful that you, My Queen, might be sympathetic to the love we have found. I would not be separated from my beloved Loki,” Fandral declared.

Loki nearly jerked his arm away from Fandral but the swordsman’s grip was very strong. He wasn’t sure what Fandral was doing but Loki didn’t want to marry him. Fandral was tossing him from one hot pan into a fire. He knew he should object but his voice had disappeared.

“Is that so? And Loki? You feel the same way?” Frigga asked.

Fandral gave Loki’s arm a gentle squeeze. Loki looked at Fandral. His eyes seemed to be pleading with Loki. What Fandral’s plan was, Loki didn’t know but perhaps it would be better than whatever arrangement Odin had organized.

“Yes.”

“Well, Odin will have to be notified. Leave that to me. And preparations will have to be made and the treaty will have to be adjusted,” Frigga said. “You must excuse me.”

Frigga departed quickly and Loki was left in shock. He wasn’t sure what had just happened but he felt like the world was spinning around him. Loki was aware that Fandral was guiding him out of the banquet hall but he felt like he was floating rather than walking. When he finally came back to himself Fandral had led him almost all the way back to his room. Loki pulled his arm away from Fandral suddenly.

“What are you doing?” Loki hissed.

“I’m trying to help,” Fandral answered. He continued walking to Loki’s room, holding the door open for Loki. The door closed quickly behind them.

“Is that what you call that? Help?” Loki asked, “I’m trying not to get married.”

“And you won’t have to. We only have to pretend until the Elves leave. It shouldn’t be too difficult,” Fandral said.

“For you maybe,” Loki muttered, more to himself than to Fandral but he still heard it.

“Oh, come now. I’m not so hard to love. You must have thought about it before? At least once,” Fandral teased.

“I have not,” Loki said quickly. He hadn’t. Never.

Fandral held his hands up in surrender. Loki took a breath, forcing himself to relax again. The plan was absurd. There was no way it would work. They’d have to pretend until the treaty was finished being signed, which was going to take much longer now that it would have to be renegotiated.

“You won’t be married off. We’ll break up before we have to get married, after the Elves have left, and then you’ll be free. The Queen Mother already believes it and she’ll convince the All-Father and everyone else that it’s true,” Fandral said.

It wasn’t a perfect plan but it did seem to be the only way out. And Fandral did have a point. Frigga had believed it almost immediately.

“What do you get out of this arrangement?” Loki asked.

“You saved my life not that long ago. I aim to repay the favour,” Fandral answered.

Loki fell silent. He didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t think it would end up being as simple as Fandral implied but he desperately wanted to accept. They’d have to pull it off perfectly though, especially at the end, or else they’d both potentially be stuck in a marriage they didn’t want, or worse they’d be found out.

“Please. Let me help you,” Fandral begged.

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?” Loki asked, “We might have to keep this act up for a long time. You won’t be able to flirt with anyone else.”

Fandral grinned. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem. Are you in?”

“Fine.”

Notes:

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it let me know! It's always appreciated

Chapter 11

Loki paced nervously outside the throne room. Fandral had been called in to talk to Odin about his relationship with Loki. It had been a long time since he had gone in and Loki had regrets. There was no way the All-Father was going to believe they were courting, and even if he did he wouldn’t allow it to interfere with his treaty negotiations. It didn’t matter what they did, the plan was doomed to fail.

Loki sat down on a bench outside the throne room and picked at his nails before immediately standing up to pace again. He stared at the closed doors to the throne room as if he could stare at them hard enough and be able to see beyond them. He hoped things were going well behind them.

On the way to the throne room Loki had given Fandral one more chance to back out.

“You’ll have to pretend you’re in love with me. That you want to marry me more than anything,” Loki warned in a low voice.

Fandral snorted. “That won’t be a problem for me.”

Loki noted the tone Fandral used and narrowed his eyes.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Loki asked.

Fandral stopped and looked around to make sure no one else was around before he leaned in.

“Your act in front of the queen was lukewarm at best. I don’t think it’s my acting skills that need work,” Fandral whispered.

Loki swallowed his annoyance. They may be alone in the hallway but it was still a public enough area. They were “in love”. He had to act like it.

“You caught me off guard, that’s all. I’ll be fine,” Loki said.

He should have gone in with Fandral. He shouldn’t have let the swordsman face Odin alone. If they were really in love he would have gone in. Loki’s gaze flickered to the doors once more. It was too late. Fandral was on his own and Loki could only hope that he wouldn’t fold under pressure.

“Brother!” Thor’s voice called out, breaking Loki from his thoughts.

Thor came down the hall, arms outstretched and pulled Loki into a tight hug that Loki reluctantly returned. When Thor released him, he looked Loki over and beamed a smile at him.

“I have heard the news. I was not aware you and Fandral were courting. Congratulations are in order,” Thor said.

“Yes, well, we decided to keep it quiet,” Loki answered.

Thor clapped Loki on the shoulder. “I wish you had told me sooner but I understand why you didn’t.”

Loki sincerely doubted that. “You do?”

Thor’s hand grasped the back of Loki’s neck tenderly, the way he had always done when comforting his younger brother.

“Of course. You’ve always been secretive about your personal life, especially about matters close to your heart,” Thor said with a smile. “I hope he brings you joy.”

Loki nodded his head before finding his voice again. The sincerity of Thor’s congratulations surprised him and made him pause. Loki put a smile on his face. He would not allow Fandral to accuse him of being lukewarm again.

“Yes. He does. I only hope that the All-Father will allow us to be together,” Loki said, trying to add a wistful tone to his voice. He glanced at the doors again. Still they remained closed.

“Father will come around. Give him time,” Thor promised. He sat down on the bench that Loki had tried sitting on earlier and invited Loki to join him. “Now, I wanted to tell you that you are always welcome to come to me. About anything. I know as well as you do what Fandral is like. He may be my friend but you will always be my brother and I will always be here for you.”

“I-” Loki began hesitantly, “Thank you.” He found, to his surprise, that he meant it.

The doors to the throne room finally opened, drawing Loki’s attention. Fandral exited, looking tired but successful if the smile on his face was any indication. He made his way to the bench where Thor and Loki were sitting.

“The All-Father wishes for me to send you in to face the music next. Though I will say, it’s less music and more inquisition,” Fandral said.

Loki swallowed and stood up to go but Fandral grasped one of his hands, forcing him to stop picking at his nails. He hadn’t even realized he was doing it until he stopped. Fandral raised his hand up to kiss Loki’s palm, keeping his eyes glued on Loki’s.

“It will be fine. Just keep calm and remember I’ll be out here waiting for you,” Fandral said.

He gave Loki’s hand a squeeze before he let go of it. Loki gave a quick nod and turned away, heading toward the throne room before his ears turned too bright a shade of pink. He wasn’t used to such attention.

“I know. I’ll be fine,” Loki called over his shoulder.

The doors closed behind him with an ominous clank. Odin sat on Hlidskjalf. The rest of the room was empty except a few guards at the door. The room seemed larger than usual without so many people. Every sound echoed louder off the walls. Odin watched him sternly as he approached, not moving a muscle. Loki drew himself up taller and put on a confident smile. He could see through the intimidation tactics Odin was trying to use. If he stayed calm he could gain the upperhand, he reminded himself and took a breath in. Just like Fandral said.

“I am told that you and Fandral are courting,” Odin said.

“You are correct,” Loki answered.

“How convenient that you and he begin courting right after you were betrothed,” Odin commented.

Loki smirked. “Well, love sneaks up on you in the most unlikely of ways sometimes.”

Odin nodded, digesting the words for a minute. The silence hung awkwardly and Loki had to consciously remind himself not to fidget. He was calm. He would not get worked up. He was calm.

“And you are in love, are you?” Odin asked.

“Yes, All-Father,” Loki answered.

“Why don’t you tell me about that,” Odin said.

“Of course. What would you like to know?” Loki asked.

“Start at the beginning. How did this happen? I was under the impression that you and Fandral were not particularly friendly,” Odin said.

Loki nodded. He had been prepared for the question. He and Fandral had come up with an answer for it ahead of time.

“We weren’t,” Loki began, “However, on the mission to Alfheim we were separated from the rest of the group, as you know. We were forced to work together and became much closer through the trials we faced. It turns out pettiness can be easily forgotten when a life hangs in the balance.”

“So you fell in love on a journey in Alfheim?” Odin confirmed.

“I don’t know that it was necessarily love at the time but it wasn’t long before we realized there was more between us,” Loki speculated.

“You want me to believe that you have found love overnight,” Odin said, “I do not believe you. This is nothing more than a fling, if it’s even true. Such a thing should not interfere with years of diplomacy and negotiations.”

“You would stand against us? You wish to force us apart and send me to a loveless marriage instead? What do you think would happen? That I would suddenly forget the love of my life and become a doting husband to a woman I have never cared for?” Loki asked. He raised his voice to emphasize his point.

“I would think you should carry out your duty as Prince of Asgard, instead of making up excuses like a child!” Odin snapped.

Loki flinched to hide the smirk that crossed his face. Point to him for getting Odin to lose his temper first. Some days that was too easy to do.

“I beg your pardon but I believe it would be better for the realm if I were able to follow my heart instead of locking it away, allowing it to grow cold and frigid in duty,” Loki challenged.

Odin glared down at him from his seat upon the throne. His cheek twitched with annoyance. He leaned forward suddenly.

“Why do you love Fandral?” Odin asked.

“Excuse me?” Loki asked, taken aback by the question.

“If you would like me to renegotiate on your behalf I need to be convinced that you truly are in love. Why do you love this man enough to put Asgard in peril?” Odin probed.

Loki paused to consider his answer. He hadn’t thought he would be asked such a thing. How was he supposed to answer such a question? He thought about the sort of answers that someone else might give, like the words his mother had given when asked why she cared so much for Odin.

“He is brave and charming in his own annoying way. He’s able to keep up with me most of the time and is able to forgive me when I get the best of him,” Loki answered. Odin looked unimpressed so he continued. “He has seen the worst in me and still chooses my company regardless. He has put my needs above his own and I wish to be worthy of such choices so I may return the favour.”

Odin stared him down until Loki was sure the All-Father could see right through him and his words. He reminded himself to breathe. He needed to look calm even if he felt anything but.

“I will consider your words,” Odin said before dismissing him.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this one. I love hearing what you guys think, so drop a comment :)

Chapter 12

“We might have a problem,” Fandral whispered to Loki.

Loki looked up from the book he was reading. From the distressed look on Fandral’s face this seemed like a conversation that might take a while. Considering it was likely about their courting situation, it might also have to move from the courtyard to somewhere more private. Loki slid his bookmark in place and stretched before getting up and leading Fandral away from the public area to a hidden pathway that would give more privacy. Neither of them spoke on the walk there and Loki kept a slow pace to keep anyone watching from knowing something was up.

“What problem are you referring to? There are so many,” Loki asked once they were secluded.

Fandral still looked nervous, looking around as though there might be someone around who could overhear them.

“I think we both forgot about Thor in the equation,” Fandral said.

“What about Thor?” Loki questioned, “He doesn’t suspect anything.”

“No. He doesn’t,” Fandral said.

Loki waited a moment for the swordsman to elaborate but soon grew impatient.

“What does this have to do with anything?” Loki asked.

“Thor has threatened me. In the event that I break your heart,” Fandral admitted.

Loki laughed at that. He thought it was a real problem. Like Thor had stumbled upon some evidence that their courtship was untrue or that Odin had decided the courtship did not matter. This was nothing. That Fandral was so worked up over it just made the situation funnier.

“It’s not amusing,” Fandral grumbled, which almost made Loki laugh again but he held himself together.

“I’m not seeing how we have a problem,” Loki said. He couldn’t hide the smile that held back his laughter. “It sounds like it’s more of a you problem.”

"Loki..." Fandral said. The annoyance was plain in his voice.

"Alright, fine. When we are done here I'll be the one to break things off. That way you won't be blamed for breaking my heart," Loki suggested.

Fandral didn't look reassured but he nodded in agreement anyway.

"Fine, but if Thor blames me I'll hold you to that," Fandral said.

"If you insist. Now, if you follow down this path it'll come out near the kitchens. Try not to draw attention to yourself," Loki said.

He turned to leave but Fandral caught his arm before he could get far. The swordsman ran a hand through Loki’s hair and mussed it up, doing the same to himself.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked, pulling away.

"If someone saw us sneaking away would you rather they think we left to scheme or left to find some intimacy? You want people to believe this falsehood, correct?" Fandral asked.

"Alright, fine," Loki admitted.

Loki wasn't sure how he was going to go along with this story for so long. Fandral, with his natural charisma and propensity for flirting seemed to take to it easily. Loki would have to rely on his deception but he could already see that wouldn't be enough.

You're also going to have to do a better job of pretending to be in love. No one is going to believe you when you look at me like that," Fandral said as they walked together.

"Like what?"

"Like you're waiting for the moment I leave you alone," Fandral said.

Loki's jaw dropped for a second. He had thought he was doing better than that at least. He was supposed to be good at lying. The edge of the hidden path was coming up. He tried to think of what kind of face he should have on if they had just snuck off.

"What do you suggest?" Loki asked.

Fandral stopped them just outside the hidden path. The swordsman was standing only a few inches away from Loki, holding both his hands. His eyes smoldered with yearning and desire. Loki felt uncomfortable under such attention and looked away, down at the ground. Fandral lifted Loki’s chin with one finger and leaned in close.

"You could begin by pretending you want me to stay. That when I leave you'll count the seconds until my return. Most people look at the one they love like they are the only one in the room, or as if they're the one who hung the stars in the sky," Fandral whispered.

Loki felt like a deer in headlights. He couldn't look away from Fandral’s gaze though it felt too intense. He could feel his blood rushing to his ears. For half a heartbeat he thought maybe Fandral was going to kiss him. His glance flickered down to Fandral’s lips but before he knew it the moment passed and Fandral leaned back much to Loki’s relief. His heart sank back from his throat back into his chest, where it still beat rapidly.

"That's much better, my prince. If you remember that feeling you'll be okay," Fandral said. Loki doubted he would be okay if he felt exactly like that every time he looked at Fandral. He nearly thought he had swallowed his heart. "And if in doubt, just try to look like Sif does when she's looking at Thor."

~*~*~

The court was abuzz as the delegation from Alfheim drew into the room. Loki stood off to the side, trying to look interested. Thor stood on the dais with Frigga and Odin. It had been agreed by all parties that Loki should not join them since he had called off the betrothal. No one wanted to further offend Alfheim with his presence and Loki was more than happy to watch from the sidelines. Fandral stood beside him, one arm wrapped around Loki’s waist which pulled Loki in to lean against him.

Loki had to admit it was easier to follow Fandral’s lead in their charade. He seemed so practiced at it even though as far as Loki knew it was the first time the swordsman had volunteered to pretend to marry someone. Though he did have a lot of practice with flirting, since most of the court had been taken in by the dashing hero’s charm at some point or another.

The rest of the Warriors Three as well as Sif stood on the other side of Fandral, though they kept some distance. They didn’t seem to approve of the relationship and it had come as quite a surprise to them as well. The cold looks he had gotten from the group of them was hardly the worst he had faced from them. They would soon get over it.

The long congregation of people was finally nearly finished. The main part of the delegation stood at the front of the throne room while the rest had joined the remainder of the court along the edge. Loki scanned the group of them, wondering which he had dodged the bullet on marrying. There didn’t seem to be many that would have fit the bill. Most of them were men and many of the women among them were likely too old to have been his bride or seemed to be married already themselves. Loki was beginning to think that maybe she had not shown up at all when the last of the delegation entered the chamber.

In the center of the last group was a young woman that Loki immediately realized must have been her. She was dressed elegantly, with her hair twisted into elegant braids. She wore a floor length dress in a shade of blue that accentuated her features perfectly. Her perfectly blue features. Loki stared at her and felt anger burn through him. An ice elf would have been the perfect cover for Odin to orchestrate for his frost giant child to marry.

Loki pulled away from Fandral and excused himself as quietly as he could. He didn’t know exactly where he was going but he needed to escape. He wanted to be alone. Footsteps behind him told him he was unsuccessful in that endeavour.

“Where are you going?” Fandral asked.

“Leave me alone,” Loki demanded.

“What happened?” Fandral asked.
“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it,” Loki insisted. He continued on, hoping Fandral would get the hint. He didn’t so when Loki found a secluded bench outside he sat down and Fandral sat with him.

“Was that the one you were supposed to marry? Elphane?” Fandral asked.

“The ice elf. Yes. I’m sure she was,” Loki admitted.

Fandral was quiet for a moment, measuring his words before he spoke. “I suppose that is a clever way to hide a potential frost giant child.”

“How-” Loki began. It wasn’t common knowledge.

Fandral bit his lip and looked down at the ground. “Thor told me,” Fandral said. Loki looked back toward the throne room he had left. He was going to kill Thor when he saw him next. “It was a long time ago. I don’t think he told anyone else, not even Hogun or Volstagg.”

Loki was definitely going to kill Thor later. He wondered exactly how long ago Fandral had found out and how much of the teasing had been instigated because of his heritage.

“How does it feel to be courting the monster Asgardians warn their children about?” Loki asked.

“As far as I can tell, it doesn’t make you any less Asgardian,” Fandral said. He smirked, “Besides, we aren’t courting, remember?”

Loki rolled his eyes. “How could I forget?”

“Are you having regrets? That Elphane sure was cute, I could see how you’d want to leave me for her. You’d make such a cute coup-” Fandral was cut off by Loki pushing him off the bench.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading. I've appreciated all the support so far. If you enjoyed it please leave a kudos or a comment. It does really help to motivate me.

Chapter 13

If it had been up to Loki, he would have kept himself and Fandral out of sight. At least until the delegation had left. He thought that they might be insulted by seeing him and Fandral but Odin had decided that they should be out in public together. Loki suspected that he had more public outings with Fandral than he would have if he had married the elf. It was all a test. Odin wanted a show. And if that’s what he wanted, that’s what he would get.

A knock on his door grabbed his attention. He had been getting ready for some banquet, one amongst many, and was nearly finished dressing. He opened the door, expecting it to be one of the servants but instead faced Fandral. He was half dressed and was carrying the rest of his garments. Loki pulled him in before anyone could see him standing there. He thought it was probably too late for that though.

“What are you doing?” Loki asked.

“I came for help. I can’t for the life of me figure out how these clothes are supposed to go together,” Fandral said. He held out the extra fabrics to Loki.

Loki took the clothing and began dressing Fandral. He shook his head softly. “You could have had a servant help you. It would have been easier than running through the palace half dressed.”

Fandral grinned widely. He had his arms up to give Loki the space to drape some of the clothing over him. He looked absolutely goofy yet the luxurious attire seemed to suit him.

“I know I could have gotten a servant or a handmaiden to help dress me but this makes for a much more romantic story,” Fandral said with a wink. “I made sure people knew where I was going. I’m certain we will hear about it later.”

“Wonderful,” Loki said without enthusiasm. He was looking forward to being done with the whole act. He just wanted to go back to the way things were before and stop pretending to be in love. It was exhausting.

Loki laced up the fabric deftly, pulling the laces tight and smoothing out any creases. He brushed his hands over the cloth to admire his handiwork. Fandral looked magnificent in the rich clothing. The way it shaped itself around his body accentuated every angle. It was another moment before Loki realized he was still touching Fandral. He looked up and saw the swordsman staring at him. Loki pulled his hands away and turned to finish dressing himself.

Fandral stayed in the room, insisting that they should leave together, but he didn’t comment further on what had just transpired between them. Loki preferred it that way. Not that anything had happened. Loki had just been admiring the feel of the fabric and the fit of the clothing. It was excellent work by one of the tailors. He should find out who was responsible. Perhaps he’d have the tailor make him something too.

“Are you ready?” Loki asked.

Fandral stood up awkwardly in the tight clothing. He tested how restricted his movement was and looked disappointed with the result.

“I suppose so. I don’t see the point to these clothes. You can’t even move in them. I could have worn my own banquet clothing and been more comfortable,” Fandral complained.

Loki nearly laughed. It was the first sign he had seen of Fandral being uncomfortable with the situation and it was with the clothing.

“You could have before but now you’re courting me and you need to wear clothing more befitting of a prince’s consort,” Loki pointed out.

“Right,” Fandral answered.

“And they’re good for your posture. You should wear clothes like this more often. It might help with your swordsmanship,” Loki said.

Once they were both ready to go Fandral took his hand and opened the door. As Loki suspected would happen there were many more people outside of the room than necessary. All of them pretended they were doing something and bustled around. A couple of them were not so good at pretending and stared until Loki glared at them and they averted their eyes.

Fandral seemed happy to put on a show for them. He made a point of pushing a stray lock of hair out of Loki’s face before looping their arms together to make their way to the banquet hall. The whole way there he whispered jokes to Loki to put him at ease. He pointed out people who looked more uncomfortable than he did and suggested that they should consider making the outfits for this type of event more comfortable. Loki relaxed and made his own comments about the sordid rumors he had heard about some of the guests.

Fandral stopped him before they went into the hall. It was pretty crowded outside the doors as people waited to get in but he had managed to find a pocket of space. Many were mingling together and the hallway was loud with chatter. Fandral stood in front of Loki and held out a closed hand. Loki held his hand out to receive whatever it was that Fandral had. It was a bracelet made of silver and leather in the shape of a snake. It looked like it was eating its own tail when it was clasped. Loki looked it over in admiration before holding out his wrist for Fandral to put it on him. His partner obliged and gave his hand a kiss when he was finished.

Loki twisted his arm around to look at the bracelet. It was simple but he liked it and it somehow matched what he was wearing, as if Fandral had gotten it specifically for the outfit. In the corner of his eye he could see that others had noticed the gift as well. Not to be outdone, Loki decided to return the kind gift with one of his own.

His hand glowed a bright green as a small pin appeared. It was a gold cloak pin that matched the accenting colour of Fandral’s garments and the pin itself took the shape of a sword. Loki stepped into Fandral’s space to pin it on his clothes.

“Were they watching?” Loki whispered into Fandral’s ear.

Fandral leaned in close enough that his lips brushed against the shell of Loki’s ear to whisper back. “Yes.”

“Do you think they’re buying it?”

“I don’t see how they couldn’t, my prince,” Fandral whispered.

Loki smiled as he stepped back and took Fandral’s arm in his own to enter the banquet hall. People parted before them which made their entrance easier.

Loki was determined to make Odin believe the lie. That was his only hope. He accepted his role with vigour, giving and receiving little touches. Wrists, arms, back, thighs, all that were within reach were subject to his caresses and Fandral’s in return. He had never been overly touchy before but he knew that it would make it more convincing. It was expected.

He put his silver tongue to good use as well, spinning a tale of whirlwind romance in which he had saved Fandral’s life and the two had grown closer and fond of each other. Fandral added details of his own about how in his time of vulnerability he had given himself over to Loki and was awaiting the day to do so forever. The people sitting at the table around them ate the story up, happy to hear a love story.

“I had a choice that night, I could allow my pettiness to win out or I could save his life. I didn’t know that saving his life would change mine so much,” Loki crooned.

“His face was the first thing I saw when I woke up again. I’d never seen his eyes so filled with concern for anyone, let alone me. He looked at me so tenderly that I melted for him on the spot,” Fandral added.

Odin sat at the head of the banquet hall, watching the two of them closely with his one eye. If he intended to intimidate Loki then he was out of luck. Loki had prepared himself to put up with that this night and with Fandral beside him holding his hand, he felt untouchable. Loki held Fandral’s hand, grazing his thumb over his partner’s. His other hand rested on Fandral’s thigh and he leaned into the swordsman’s side. Fandral raised half a strawberry to Loki’s lips to feed him.

“Here, my prince,” Fandral murmured.

Loki opened his mouth and Fandral popped the fruit in. When Loki closed his lips they wrapped around the finger that lingered there. The sweet juice from the strawberry clung to the tip. He sucked the taste from the finger before Fandral removed it in search of something else to feed him.

When Loki glanced toward the head of the banquet hall he found the All-Father had dropped his gaze. Loki smirked. He would easily win this game.

Notes:

This was a fun chapter to write. It feels like I'm finally getting into the story I wanted to write. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, leave a comment. I love hearing from people. It's very motivating

Chapter 14

Fireworks lit the night sky as the harvest festival persisted below. Asgardians and Elves alike shared mugs of ale and mead and plates piled high with food. The season had been plentiful and even with many feasts they would weather the winter easily.

The celebrations lightened the moods of many in Asgard. The treaty negotiations which had turned sour after Loki’s broken engagement had finally started to make headway. Those on both sides had begun to relax and find common ground where previously there was none. There was talk of the negotiations being wrapped up by spring which was music to Loki’s ears.

As far as he could tell, Odin believed their act. The All-Father did not ask him any further questions, though he did keep his eye on the couple. Loki found that if he and Fandral got extra affectionate Odin would avert his gaze. It became a game in which Loki was determined to win with every calculated caress and well-timed glance.

Fandral's arm around his waist had grown familiar and almost comforting for how often it was placed there. Loki leaned into the touch as if it held protection from the world. In a way, it did. Gently, Fandral pulled Loki from the bustling path they were on toward one of the many tables that had been set up outside. It was empty apart from them and while it allowed a view of the fireworks, it was also secluded enough by the surrounding shrubbery to give them a sense of privacy. Perhaps they could even drop the act and just be friends for a moment. It had been weeks since they'd had a break from it.

Both of them relaxed into their seats. A woman came through to bring them a pitcher of mead and some cups but she quickly left to attend to other guests and didn't pay them any extra attention. Fandral poured a cup for each of them and handed one to Loki. Their fingers brushed each other and lingered an extra moment as Loki took the drink. He set it in front of him and held onto it, focusing instead on the fireworks. It had meant nothing. It wasn't real. They were just so comfortable with the performance that they did it without thinking. Or it was nothing at all and Loki was overthinking it. That's all it was. He drank deeply from his cup.

"What is it we're supposed to attend tomorrow?" Fandral asked.

He was also watching the fireworks intently. He took a small sip of his mead before setting it aside.

"Some kind of Elvish ceremony in the morning. It has to do with the harvest, I think. Or maybe it was the Equinox," Loki answered.

"And what if we didn't go?" Fandral suggested, "Volstagg and Hogun say they saw a white stag. Tracking something like that would likely be much more fun, don't you think?"

Loki looked at Fandral. The man was still staring at the sky. "Yes. We'd likely pay for it when we came back though. We can't slip away unseen anymore with everyone watching our every move."

"How unfortunate. Volstagg and Hogun miss our company. All our time is spent dealing with the courts and keeping up our charade," Fandral said.

"They miss your company is more like it. I'm sure they'd be just as happy if I didn't go," Loki said, rolling his eyes. "If you want to go on a wild goose chase looking for a myth you're more than welcome to. I'm sure I could come up with some reason for your absence."

"It's a stag not a goose," Fandral corrected, shying away from the slap to his arm that earned him. "It'd be more fun with you along. Play hooky for one day. If you can come up with an excuse for me to be gone, you can come up with an excuse for both of us."

"And people say I'm a bad influence on you. I'd say it's the other way around," Loki said, taking another drink.

"Oh, but you are," Fandral said in a low voice.

He turned his full attention to Loki, leaning in close. Loki froze. Fandral was almost close enough for their noses to touch. Loki didn't know what his friend was doing. His heart pounded in his chest loud enough that he thought for sure Fandral could hear it even over the sounds of the festival.

The sound of a twig snapping broke the moment. Both of them looked up at the arrival. Loki put space between the two of them, then wondered why he bothered. Loki expected it to be Thor or one of his friends looking for them. Or maybe it was one of the servants coming to check on them. The person who appeared through the shrubbery though was the last person Loki expected. The ice elf he had seen before, Elphane, stopped where she stood. She looked just as shocked to see them.

“Sorry!” she called as she turned around. She was leaving nearly as quickly as she had shown up.

“Nonsense. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like. There’s plenty of space and the view is exquisite,” Fandral called out to her.

That stopped her and she turned around, cocking her head to the side for a moment. She looked unsure until Fandral beckoned for her to join them. Loki was less pleased to have her join but he poured himself another drink and put on his best diplomatic face. It had gotten a lot of use lately.

“I didn’t want to interrupt anything,” Elphane said as she sat down.

“You interrupted nothing. We could use the company,” Fandral said. He poured her a cup of mead as well.

Elphane thanked Fandral and then turned her attention to Loki. “I am so happy to finally meet you. Somehow with everything that’s happened we’ve missed being formally introduced. I’m Elphane.”

Fandral introduced Loki and himself with a kiss to Elphane’s hand.

Loki put on a smile. “I’m afraid that’s partially my own fault. Forgive me. I believe that Odin wanted to avoid offending you or your companions after I broke off the engagement,” Loki said.

“I’m sure you didn’t mean to. After all, you can’t control who your heart falls for or when,” Elphane said.

“Surely you must have been disappointed to have made the trip all the way to Asgard only to find out you weren’t getting engaged,” Fandral said. “It’s quite a trip to make for nothing.”

“Not at all!” Elphane said. She turned back to Loki, “I would have been happy to marry you but seeing the two of you together and how much joy you bring each other, I couldn’t possibly stand between that.”

Loki took a drink to hold his tongue. She seemed so genuinely sweet. The way she was so earnestly happy for them made him almost feel bad for lying about it.

“I’ve heard that how you fell for each other is quite the story,” Elphane continued.

Fandral took over the retelling of the story, encouraging Loki to join in occasionally. Elphane, for her part, was an engaging audience member. She reacted in all the right places and asked inquisitive questions that Fandral enjoyed answering. Loki smiled and nodded and played his part but he found his mind wandering. Maybe he’d made his decision to break the engagement hastily. He had thought that the person he’d be forced to marry would be someone awful and had spent so much time resenting Odin’s choices but Elphane was nothing like he had thought. And now Fandral was stuck pretending to care about the intricacies of court with him instead of hunting with his friends. He poured himself another drink.

Fandral’s hand over his brought him back to the present. It was warm and squeezed his comfortingly. They were still talking, though the conversation had moved on to the topic of Elphane’s home. Loki finished off his drink once more and poured a new one. He wasn’t sure why he was reacting like this. She was nice, she wasn’t upset about their broken engagement, everything was fine. Fandral gave him a look like he was worried about something but he didn’t say anything. At some point a servant had brought more mead and some bread. Fandral pushed the bread toward Loki, who ignored it and reached over to the new pitcher. He wasn’t hungry, he actually felt quite full.

Elphane eventually excused herself to join in some of the other festivities for the night, leaving Fandral and Loki to themselves. Fandral raised an eyebrow at Loki.

“Are you okay?” Fandral asked.

“Never better,” Loki answered. He didn’t appreciate the look that got from Fandral.

He wanted to join the festivities too. He could hear people singing and clapping. It sounded much more fun than sitting with Fandral away from everyone else. He stood up but the earth below him shifted and he was forced to sit back down.

“Maybe you should sleep this one off,” Fandral suggested.

His bed sounded good. Soft and warm. Loki nodded. Maybe he was right. He stood again with assistance and leaned heavily on Fandral. The world continued to spin around him and he didn’t understand how Fandral wasn’t bowled over by it. When Loki stumbled, Fandral hardly moved. His strong arms easily kept Loki from falling. He couldn’t remember where he was going until Fandral turned them down the hall to his bedroom. Right, Fandral was taking him to bed.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. Leave a kudos or a comment and let me know what you think. It always brightens my day

Chapter 15

Loki was sure the sun was brighter than usual when he awoke. One beam in particular was aimed directly at his eyes which caused him to squint as he slowly took in his surroundings. He had made it back to bed, though he was still in his clothes from the night before. His mouth was dry and had a bad taste in it and his muscles creaked as he slowly moved, as if he hadn't moved all night. He closed his eyes and rolled over to avoid the sun and as he did so his leg bumped into something solid. His eyes shot open only to find Fandral face down, fully asleep beside him.

Loki tried to remember what had happened the night before. He didn't remember much. He wasn't sure how he had gotten to bed or much of the festival. He remembered finding a private area to watch the fireworks with Fandral and having some mead, which must have been to blame for his current circumstances. He groaned, hoping he had not completely embarrassed himself. Fandral continued snoozing beside him as he debated whether he should stay in bed or leave or wake his partner up.

Fandral was sleeping so soundly beside him, despite Loki shifting around, that Loki took a moment to look him over. He also was wearing his clothes from the night before, but whereas Loki had not taken anything off except his shoes, Fandral had removed his outer layer and Loki spotted it draped neatly over a chair on the other side of the room. A grin grew on Loki’s face as he heard the swordsman’s gentle snores. Perhaps there was something imperfect about Asgard’s dashing warrior. As he continued debating what to do he was lulled back to sleep by the rhythmic breathing.

When Loki awoke again he was alone in the bed. Fandral was quietly pulling on the rest of his clothes when the prince shifted up in his bed. Fandral glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"Were you hoping to sneak away without me noticing?" Loki asked.

"I was actually hoping to sneak away without anyone else noticing," Fandral commented, continuing to pull on his shirt.

"Good luck with that," Loki smiled. There was a secret passage in and out of the room but he thought he'd like to keep it a secret a while longer. "Why were you here, anyway?"

Fandral avoided looking at him, keeping his back turned and focusing on the buttons on his sleeves. He seemed antsy. The beams of light coming through the window suggested it wasn’t too late in the morning yet, they still had time before the Elvish ceremony but Fandral seemed to be in a hurry.

"I made sure you made it back safely. You drank enough to drown a fleet of ships last night. And then you insisted I stay so I did and I must have fallen asleep instead of leaving like I meant to," Fandral said.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know," Fandral said. He turned to look at Loki as he did up a button. “Get dressed. We don’t want to be late for the ceremony.”

Loki groaned but pulled himself out of bed to dress anyway. He didn’t want to go to a long, drawn out ceremony. He didn’t even know what it was about.

As he pulled his old tunic off to replace it with a fresh set of clothes, Fandral made to leave.

“Where are you going? I thought you were going to escort me to the ceremony,” Loki asked.

“I am. I just thought maybe I’d get out of here before someone spotted me,” Fandral said.

“We’re courting. I think everyone expects to see you leaving my rooms in the morning,” Loki said, rolling his eyes.

He selected a new tunic in a pale green. It wasn’t one that he wore often but would compliment the greens and teals that Fandral tended to wear.

“We aren’t supposed to spend the night together. I’d rather not be accused of doing something indecent,” Fandral said, “You must have another way out.”

Loki raised an eyebrow at him. That was a new one. Everyone knew of the swordsman’s conquests. It would be nothing new. He didn’t press it further though.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there,” Loki lied, “Your best chance of getting out unseen is probably out the window.”

Fandral walked out of the room, ignoring Loki’s suggestion, much to his disappointment. He would have enjoyed seeing that.

~*~*~

By the time he had finished getting ready, Loki was nearly late. Everyone else was already there waiting for the ceremony to start, including Fandral who had somehow already changed. He appeared more relaxed than before but Loki could see the tightness of Fandral’s smile and a posture that reminded Loki of some of the times they had trained together when Fandral knew he was facing a formidable opponent.

Loki greeted him with a kiss to the cheek and whispered, “You look anxious. Calm yourself.”

Fandral nodded and took Loki’s hand in his, taking a breath before he continued mingling with people like he had been before Loki showed up. Loki had to admire the man’s diplomatic abilities. He was able to woo and charm his way through any situation, even when nervous. Loki’s own talent with words was good but people didn’t trust him the way they did with Fandral. Loki noted how being with the swordsman made him look better. More credible.

The ceremony began and a hush fell over the crowd. Fandral explained parts of the ceremony to him as they happened. There seemed to be deeper meanings to everything and somehow Fandral knew them all. Probably from talking to Elphane the night before. He didn't know why exactly that bothered him. She was sweet and smart and curious and would have probably made a good wife had he not been so distrustful of Odin. Of course Fandral would get along with her too. Loki tried to pay attention but he found his mind kept wandering back to Elphane and Fandral.

Part way through, small pieces of paper and charcoal were passed to members of the crowd. Loki took his but wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with them. Everyone else was already writing something on theirs. He should have paid more attention apparently.

“You’re supposed to write something you want to let go of and leave behind you,” Fandral whispered to him.

Loki tried to look at what Fandral wrote but couldn't see. He sighed and looked at his own paper. He knew exactly what he wanted to leave behind. The sooner the negotiations were over the sooner he could drop the façade and they could go back to being friends instead of the complicated non-relationship they were in.

Someone came to collect everyone’s pages into a metal bowl. When Fandral tossed his paper in Loki caught a glance of the two words written on it: The Lies. Loki tried not to take it personally. He wanted the same thing, had written down a similar concept. It isn't real, the voice in his head reminded him. The bowl was brought back to the front of the crowd and was lit on fire along with some incense. The elf at the front went on about gratitude for far too long and how it was the time of year to count blessings before weathering the storms to come. Currently the only thing Loki was weathering was the ceremony. It did eventually come to an end though.

As people began dispersing, Loki thought it would be his chance to escape. Perhaps Fandral could catch up with Hogun and Volstagg on their hunt. However, he could see Frigga making her way toward them in the crowd and realized neither would happen. She smiled at them and wordlessly guided them with her, linking her arms with each of theirs. Loki didn’t resist but he knew this couldn’t be good. Frigga led them away from the lingering people until they couldn’t be overheard and then let go of their arms to stand in front of them.

“I have heard that Fandral was seen sneaking out of your bedroom early this morning,” Frigga began.

“My Queen, it isn’t what you think,” Fandral said before he was cut off.

“Tradition states that courting couples may not sleep in the same room together until they have married. You are young and impulsive and I know it is not always easy to follow such rules,” Frigga continued.

“We didn’t-” Loki argued but Frigga put up a hand to silence him. There was no arguing with her.

“You should know that such rules can be bent occasionally. However, please make sure you are more discreet in the future,” Frigga said. She nodded and then took her leave to rejoin the crowd.

Loki and Fandral were left standing in awkward silence. Loki could have laughed for how ridiculous the situation was. If Frigga knew that Fandral stayed the night in his room then most of the palace already did too. Loki could already see the knowing glances thrown their way from some of the people who had not left yet, including the Elvish party. Except that they didn’t know anything.

“I suppose that’s one way of convincing people,” Fandral noted. He looked pale after the confrontation.

“If people start questioning whether we’re lying we could always do it again,” Loki suggested.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed it leave a kudos or a comment. I definitely had fun writing this one.

Chapter 16

Frigga passed a picnic basket to Loki with a gentle smile. Loki took it cautiously, looking from the basket to his mother. He was sure he knew where it was going and he rolled his eyes.

“The weather is beautiful today and there won’t be many more warm days before the winter season. You should take advantage of it,” she said to him.

He couldn’t argue with that. The days were still warm but every now and then a brisk wind blew through to remind them of the changing of the seasons. It had been months since the Elvish congregation had arrived and Loki and Fandral had begun their act. The negotiations were progressing well but slowly. Perhaps they’d finish by spring if Loki was lucky.

“Yes, I suppose I should,” Loki responded.

He knew she wanted him to invite Fandral to join him but he thought maybe he’d bring a book and enjoy a picnic on his own for once. Or maybe he’d invite Thor. He’d hardly had any time to catch up with his brother for ages. All of his time had been devoted to events or appearances with Fandral. Frigga had not helped, she’d been unsubtly pushing the two of them into more situations together. It was almost as if she believed they needed an extra push, even though everyone else was convinced of their relationship. Or maybe she was just very enthusiastic about them being together. Either way, Loki was looking forward to having a day without the swordsman.

The appearance of Fandral around the corner put all of those plans to rest. He should have known that his mother would have invited the swordsman to go along with him. Loki put on his best smile and greeted Fandral, taking his arm in his own to lead him out to the courtyard to find a quiet area for a picnic.

It took some searching. With the nice weather there were more people out than usual but eventually they found a shaded spot away from the main path. They wouldn’t be subjected to too many stares.

They exchanged gossip as they ate. Fandral told Loki about the people who had been disappointed by their courtship. Apparently several of Fandral’s admirers had still made offers that he had to refuse. Loki described the last encounter he’d had with Odin. The All-Father continued to be angry about losing his bargaining chip to Fandral and had been keeping an eye on them but so far could find nothing to dispute their relationship. He had heard about the night spent together as well, which had made them all the more believable much to Odin’s annoyance.

After some time, the conversation turned to Elphane. Fandral had spent more time with the Ice Elf and the two had swapped stories and taught each other about different customs. Loki tried not to let it make him uncomfortable. Fandral could talk to whoever he wanted to, Loki didn’t own him, nor did he have any claim on Elphane. Still, he found it strange that the two of them seemed to have bonded. It isn’t real.

Silence fell over the two of them as they laid on the blanket, watching the clouds drift by. Loki’s head rested on Fandral’s chest. Fandral’s hand was intertwined with his, Loki’s thumb drawing unsteady circles over the man’s knuckles.

“Do you ever wish we didn’t have to keep up this pretense?” Loki asked.

Fandral shifted under him.

“What do you mean, my prince?” Fandral asked.

Loki watched the clouds pass by quickly. One passed over the sun momentarily, casting shade over the rest of the courtyard and chilling the air to remind them it was no longer summer.

“Have you thought about what would have happened if we didn’t pretend to be together?” Loki asked.

Fandral was quiet, unmoving. Loki turned his head to look at the swordsman’s face. He looked like he was pondering the idea. It had spun through Loki’s head many times. Especially after seeing what Fandral had written on his slip of paper at the Elven ceremony. What his life would have looked like if he had gone through with the arranged marriage. It might not have been as horrible as he first imagined. Perhaps he would have accepted it, found some kind of happiness with Elphane. Fandral would continue his rakish life and the two of them would drift apart, no longer held together by their ties to Thor. Maybe the swordsman would even find someone of his own to settle down with eventually.

“No,” Fandral eventually said in a soft voice, “I don’t regret making this choice.”

The sun came back out, warming the courtyard once again. The light glinted off the gold tones in Fandral’s hair and made the swordsman squint as he continued gazing at the sky.

~*~*~

Loki nearly raced down to the stables. He finally had almost a whole day to himself where he didn’t have to make any appearances anywhere and he could drop the pretense of courting Fandral. He had been looking forward to having some time to himself for so long that he wasn’t about to let anyone, Frigga be damned, take it from him. He would leave the palace and go for a ride. Alone.

A layer of snow covered the ground, muffling his footsteps. A few flakes fell from the sky. It was cold out but that didn’t bother him. He needed the time to breathe without anyone analyzing his every move. The stable, in contrast, was warm. The snow melted off his boots as he entered and saddled his horse.

He was almost free. The gate was ahead of him when he heard hoofbeats behind him. He nearly ignored them but he could hear them gaining on him. With a bitter sigh, Loki stopped to let Fandral catch up with him. He knew it had been too good to be true. Frigga’s gifts with Seidr and foresight had hindered him once more. There was no way this wasn’t on purpose at this point.

“You don’t have to come with me,” Loki said.

“The Queen Mother thinks otherwise,” Fandral answered, “She seemed concerned that something should happen to you.”

Loki mulled it over. It was hard to say if Frigga was being meddlesome or if there was a risk to his ride. He looked at the grey sky. The snow continued to fall lazily in small flakes, hardly a hazard to fear but he knew how quickly a storm could blow in unannounced. The disappointment was plain on his face when he realized he wouldn’t be going out alone.

“If it makes you feel better I’ll stay behind and keep quiet. You can still have a peaceful ride,” Fandral offered. Loki nodded. It would be his best offer.

He set off at a brisk pace. If Fandral was going to follow him he’d have to keep up, Loki wouldn’t be slowing down on his account. Fandral kept his word. He stayed several lengths back. Far enough away to give Loki his space, close enough to help if there was trouble. He didn’t speak the whole time, even when Loki took strange routes off path. Loki nearly forgot he wasn’t alone. The sound of hooves behind him were the only indication that he wasn’t.

They had been gone for hours when Loki turned back toward the palace. He took his time, picking through the landscape carefully. When the palace was back in sight he decided to take one more detour. His abrupt change of direction was followed by Fandral who kept any comments he had to himself.

When Loki stopped again it was inside a forested area, just outside the palace. He dismounted and took the rest of the way on foot until he found the place he was looking for, leaving Fandral with the horses. It was a clearing he used to visit often but had not had time to do so for a while. The first time he had seen it with Thor and his friends had been etched in his mind. The magic of the place wasn’t dulled by the bareness of the tree branches or the stillness of the frozen pond. Everything was covered in the barest whisper of snow that had slipped in between branches covered in mystical looking hoarfrost. The snow muted everything, causing it to be quieter than usual.

Loki closed his eyes to enjoy the peace and feel the magic of the location. He breathed in the winter air, it smelled of frost and earth. There was no danger. Frigga had come up with that herself to send the two of them together. He knew that now.

The tranquility was disturbed by the sound of a twig snapping. Loki opened his eyes to see Fandral had joined him in the clearing. Fandral’s eyes were wide as he took in the way the light glittered off the frost. Still he stayed quiet, but for an intake of breath at the sight. Loki watched his gaze traverse around the clearing, obviously holding back his comments, before it fell on Loki. Fandral opened his mouth to say something but stopped. His breath came out as a cloud of mist. His cheeks were rosy from the cold and frost had settled in his mustache from his breath. Still, his stare didn’t leave Loki’s face. A shiver went down Loki’s back, snapping him out of the moment.

“What?” Loki asked.

Fandral hesitated, like he was debating whether to speak or not. “It’s nothing,” he finally said, “I nearly forgot this place existed. You still come here?”

“It feels-” Loki said, struggling for words, “special.”

“I suppose you’re right. This is where we all had our first adventures.”

Loki gave the clearing another look. He remembered those adventures, but he didn’t look back on them as fondly as he suspected Fandral did. Still, the magic of the place had continued to draw him in even after Thor and his friends moved on. Fandral stared at the trees of the glade as if he were only just now appreciating the beauty it held which only made Loki want to keep it to himself all the more.

A chill breeze blew through the trees, dislodging the frost from branches above. It fell in glittering waves. The wind sent a shiver up Loki’s spine and Fandral turned away from it and grimaced.

“We should get back,” Loki announced.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. As always, let me know what you think. Kudos and comments are always welcome. I hope you enjoyed it!

Chapter 17

Loki drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. He had been sitting there waiting for Fandral to join him for far too long. They should have arrived together but by the time he had to leave Fandral still had not shown up. Loki thought maybe they would meet at the banquet but Fandral wasn't there either. Guests were seated and food was already being served and if the swordsman showed up he wouldn't be able to slip in unnoticed.

"He'll be here, Brother. I'm sure he just got held up by something important," Thor said, leaning in.

Loki rolled his eyes but didn't respond. Whatever had held Fandral up better be important. It's not real, he reminded himself once again. It didn't matter if Fandral was late.

Except that Loki could see the glances Frigga made to the empty seat beside him and the smug look on Odin’s face. He glanced at the entrance again. Still no sign. He ripped into a piece of bread. It didn't matter to him if Fandral was late. But it made them look bad in front of the All-Father so it did matter.

Finally, Fandral arrived. He opened the door to the hall but instead of slipping in and joining everyone else, he held the door open for someone else to go through. Elphane and one of her ladies in waiting entered quietly and sat down at the far end of the table. When Fandral sat down, Loki greeted him warmly even though he felt anything but. Under the table, he gave Fandral a small kick. Fandral gave a small wince but smiled all the same.

“We were worried you wouldn’t make it!” Volstagg announced, handing a tankard of ale to Fandral.

“I wouldn’t have missed this. I was just held up. I must give my apologies,” Fandral said. The last part was directed at Loki.

“Yes. I’m sure we can all see what held you up,” Sif said.

Fandral nearly choked on his drink. Loki glared daggers at Sif.

“You impune my honour and Loki’s. Lady Elphane misplaced something, I merely helped her look for it. I would never betray Loki’s trust in the way you imply,” Fandral said.

Fandral moved his leg out of the way of Loki’s second kick. Sif and the other warriors let go of the topic, either satisfied by Fandral’s answer or cowed by the look on Loki’s face.

Dinner was subdued more than usual. Loki refused to talk to Fandral unless directly spoken to, except once to whisper in his ear, “We need to talk later.” Instead, he decided to catch up with Thor for most of the meal, listening to his brother’s latest escapades. Since Thor wasn’t betrothed to anyone, even though as the next in line to the throne Loki believed Thor should have been the first to be pushed into marriage, he had the time to leave the palace instead of attending banquets and ceremonies. Loki yearned to be able to leave again. It was the one snag in the plan he and Fandral had formed.

Even with neither of them speaking to each other, they still managed to pretend to be fond of one another. The arm Fandral wrapped loosely around Loki’s waist felt uncomfortable but Loki forced himself not to pull away. He made sure to keep Fandral’s cup full throughout.

Once it became appropriate for Loki to leave, he gave his excuses and farewells and slipped out. He knew Fandral wouldn’t be far behind him so Loki waited for him in a nearby hallway. Even once Fandral had shown up to the banquet, the All-Father had continued to watch them, like he was waiting for them to falter. Loki couldn’t stand it and he was angry with Fandral for putting them in such a situation.

It was several minutes of impatient waiting before Fandral showed up. Loki pulled him into the hallway he was in and led him down another turn. It was far enough off the beaten path that it was unlikely anyone would see them. They were alone.

“What is wrong with you?” Fandral hissed.

“What is wrong with me?” Loki asked, “You’re the one who nearly ruined this whole act.”

Fandral scoffed. “That’s a bit dramatic. I was a little late.”

“You were more than a little late and you showed up with her,” Loki said. He crossed his arms.

“Elphane? I told you, I was helping her find something,” Fandral said.

“Yes. I heard what you told everyone else. It’s a likely story. Just as likely as the last time you helped a young lady ‘find something’,” Loki said sarcastically.

“She was upset because she misplaced a family heirloom. She was worried it was stolen, so I helped her look for it. Eventually, it was found in her room and I escorted her to the hall for dinner,” Fandral explained.

“Not only did you show up late accompanying her, you were also in her bedroom?” Loki asked.

“I was searching outside her rooms, where she took a walk yesterday. The brooch in question was actually found by her lady in waiting, who you might have also noticed arrived with us,” Fandral said. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were jealous of Elphane.”

The tips of Loki’s ears burned with the accusation. Of course he wasn’t jealous of Elphane. He was just trying to keep Odin from suspecting the truth.

“I was trying to keep up this ruse that you seem to want to sabotage by spending so much time with the woman I was supposed to marry,” Loki argued, jabbing a finger into Fandral’s chest, “Or do you want out now?”

Fandral grabbed the hand that prodded him. “I don’t. I said I’d help you, I intend to see this through.”

“Are you certain? You aren’t tired of all the lies?” Loki asked. The words Fandral had written on his paper at the Equinox ceremony still hung with him. Fandral was tired of playing a part. He was only doing it because he had to. That was all.

“What?” Fandral asked.

“The lies. This,” Loki said.

Fandral lifted his head at something and looked down the hallway but Loki continued on.

“Our whole fake relationship. You’re tired of pretending and you want out,” Loki said.

“No, shush,” Fandral said.

Stubbornly, Loki continued. “I understand. If you weren’t pretending to court me then you could court-”

He was cut off by Fandral pushing Loki back, their lips locking in a kiss. It took Loki by surprise. One of Fandral’s hands gripped the front of Loki’s tunic, the other had wrapped to the back of his head to protect it from the stone wall behind him. Loki froze, unsure of how to react, all thoughts left his mind.

A servant walking past them down the hallway revealed the reason for the kiss. Loki wrapped his arms around the back of Fandral’s neck to pull him in closer and kissed back. It felt like forever until the servant passed them and turned down another hallway. Neither of them dared to pull away until they were sure they were alone again. When Fandral finally broke off the kiss, he had a horrified look on his face.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” Fandral said.

Loki was still in shock. He was trying to process what happened. Fandral continued apologizing. Loki stayed frozen where he was. It was another minute before he realized they were still pressed against the wall. Loki dropped his hands first, Fandral pulled himself away. They both straightened themselves out.

“I don’t know what I was thinking. I just needed you to stop talking while they walked by. I know I shouldn’t have done that though,” Fandral continued.

Loki was at a loss of words. He felt the burning that started in the tips of his ears slowly spread down to the back of his neck.

“I won’t do that again,” Fandral said.

“It worked, though,” Loki said quietly, slowly coming to the realization of what happened. Someone almost found out about their ruse and Fandral stopped it from happening with a kiss. Heat moved to his cheeks. “What if this happens again?”

“Again?” Fandral asked.

“It probably won’t. We’ll be more careful. Private conversations will be done in private areas. But just in case,” Loki said. He looked at the ground, trying to avoid eye contact and trying to keep Fandral from seeing how flushed he was.

“Just in case. But it won’t happen again,” Fandral said.

Loki nodded. He moved to leave.

“Does that answer your question though? I’m still in. I intend to see this through,” Fandral said.

“Yes,” Loki answered. He almost forgot what they were arguing about before. “I see that now.”

Loki hurried off before his face could turn any more red. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. It didn’t mean anything. It was only a kiss. It was a means to an end. His mind flooded with justifications.

It isn’t real.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. Let me know what you thought. Kudos and comments are always welcome

Chapter 18

“My prince,” Fandral said curtly.

He took his place standing beside Loki. Fandral kept his hands at rest at his side while Loki held his own hands in front of him. He was picking anxiously at his nails again. He glanced quickly at Fandral, who kept his own gaze in front of him. It was going to be a long day.

“Good afternoon, did you sleep well?” Loki asked.

“Well enough,” Fandral answered, still not looking at him.

Neither of them had talked any further about what happened. The kiss made things awkward between them. If they could get through one more event they would have some time away from the courts. They could talk things through or maybe have some time away from each other. It had been a long time since they were permitted to do anything without the other’s presence. Maybe time away would help.

Today they’d make it through another banquet. Loki felt apprehensive about such an event so soon but they had no choice. With the negotiations so close to finishing the two sides wanted to celebrate. Things were going well. The treaty would indeed be renewed by spring. Which meant Loki and Fandral would soon be free of their facade.

They entered into the banquet hall and were welcomed in by Odin, whose eye fell over the couple before moving on. Music began and people started dancing. Fandral looked to Loki, who looked awkwardly back.

“We should join in,” Fandral suggested and put his hand out for Loki.

Loki accepted it apprehensively and the two of them began dancing to the music. It was a clumsy dance between the two. Their arms were held stiffly and neither of them pressed into the other’s space in any way. Whenever Loki looked at Fandral he was reminded of the night before, being pressed against the wall, the feel of his hands on his tunic, the taste of his lips. His ears burned just to think of it so he looked at the others dancing around them instead. Anything to keep his mind off of it.

The song went on for such a long time that Loki began to wonder if it was really just one song. Finally it ended and they were able to step back from each other. He was thankful to finally be able to put some distance between them. He allowed himself to breathe again now that he wasn’t in Fandral’s space. Fandral looked just as relieved.

“I just need a minute to ask Volstagg something. I’ll be over in a minute,” Fandral said.

He slipped off without an answer, leaving Loki to find his seat at the table. Odin’s eye watched him again as he drank down his wine and called for another. He saw Odin shift his gaze to Fandral. Loki wondered if Odin could see how awkward they were. He could probably tell that something was up. Loki tried to relax. He needed to. They were always under scrutiny, today was no different.

“Brother!” Thor said, clapping him on the back and sitting next to him.

Loki grunted at the hit to his back. He had not expected Thor and as such had not braced himself. He was lucky he didn’t hit the table.

“Where has your paramour gone to?” Thor asked, “Surely he should be filling your cup.”

Loki looked across the room to where Fandral was standing next to Volstagg, talking and laughing. Fandral glanced back at him and quickly averted his eyes. Loki did the same, turning his full attention back to Thor.

“He will be back shortly, I’m sure,” Loki said briskly.

What did it matter to Thor whether they were joined at the hip or not now? They had spent every waking moment together for months, one moment among all the others didn’t have to be the end of the world. The two of them could have lives apart from one another even while courting, or pretending to court, without it meaning anything. And yet, the look on Thor’s face made him think that wasn’t the case.

When he looked back over at Fandral a group of women had joined the conversation. One of them was trying desperately to gain Fandral’s attention. He seemed to be doing his best to ignore her advances on him. It had been months since anyone had attempted to flirt with Fandral, though it had also been that long since he had gone anywhere without Loki at his side. Perhaps that was where Thor’s concern stemmed from.

“Fandral!” Thor called across the hall, “Come join us.”

Fandral slipped out of the conversation he was having and joined Thor and Loki at the table. It did not escape Loki’s attention how Fandral attempted to sit beside Thor first before Thor gave him a look and he went around to sit beside Loki instead.

“I expected the two of you to be on the dancefloor all day,” Thor commented, “These days are made for celebrating.”

“I did not feel like dancing,” Loki said.

He took another sip of his wine and when he set the cup back on the table his hand brushed up against Fandral’s. Both of them recoiled from the touch.

They needed to get over this. It was only a kiss. They had been pretending to flirt with each other for months. One kiss couldn’t be what derailed them now.

Thor and Fandral talked while Loki sat in the middle, keeping to himself. He knew he should be trying but both of them had flinched from the barest touch, not just him. Fandral was uncomfortable too. Loki didn’t know if he should feel relieved or insulted that Fandral found his touch as uncomfortable as he found the swordsman’s.

After some time, Thor asked Fandral for a moment with Loki. Fandral obliged and left them alone.

“Has something happened between you two? Has Fandral done something to hurt you?” Thor asked quietly.

Loki did nothing but blink for a moment. Thor had noticed their change in behaviour. If Thor had noticed then surely it was obvious to everyone. His thoughts turned to the night before. He could feel his cheeks heating up. Something had happened but Fandral certainly had not hurt him.

“Is this related to his tardiness yesterday? I will kill him if he has done anything inappropriate,” Thor said.

“No. Nothing has happened. You need not worry,” Loki said. He turned away to pick at some grapes further down the table to avoid Thor seeing his flushed face.

“You are my brother. I will always worry about you,” Thor said, placing his hand on Loki’s arm, “I know how he can be.”

“He has done nothing wrong and your worry is misplaced,” Loki said. He was growing tired of this conversation.

“I am relieved to hear that. Is there something else bothering you then? Things seem… tense between you,” Thor noted.

Loki could feel his annoyance flood over him. He had enough of Thor’s pestering.

“Nothing is wrong,” Loki snapped, getting up, “Thank you for your concern but it is misplaced.”

Loki left the table and headed out of the hall without another word. He couldn’t sit there and pretend everything was fine and he couldn’t handle Thor’s questioning.

He passed by Odin, sitting further down the table. The older god raised his eyebrow and watched him pass.

“Trouble in paradise, my son?” Odin asked.

Loki froze where he was standing. He knew Odin saw through them. Of course he did. Everyone did. Even Thor saw through them. He straightened his back.

“I have a headache. I’m going to retire to my rooms to rest,” Loki lied.

Loki continued walking. They had failed in their act. There was no point in staying and pretending they hadn’t.

“I heard a rumor that you and Fandral were seen kissing in a hallway,” Odin said. Loki stopped again. “I don’t believe it though. It seems out of character for the two of you.”

“How so?” Loki asked.

Odin took a sip of his wine before continuing on. “I thought about it and I don’t remember ever seeing the two of you kiss. Perhaps I am mistaken. Or perhaps you have and just kept it hidden all this time. I never imagined the pair of you to be so modest.”

Loki’s hands curled into fists at his sides. He willed himself to calm down even as he could feel himself shaking. The noise of the banquet around them was too much. The smells and the warmth of all the people coming together were suffocating. He swallowed down his discomfort for the moment. He needed to leave.

“You must be mistaken then. Excuse me,” Loki said before making his escape.

Notes:

Ah poor Loki. Thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying the story. Leave a kudos or a comment to let me know :)

Chapter 19

Loki paced nervously around his room. Odin was still suspicious. They had to change that. He and Fandral could not make it so far only to fail at the end. The treaty negotiations were nearly complete, if they could keep everyone fooled just a little longer they would be free to go their separate ways. They’d just have to work harder, make it more believable.

With each pass of the room Loki looked at the door. He had sent a servant to fetch Fandral from the banquet a while ago and still there was no sign of him. Loki walked the length of the room again. He was too restless to sit or stand still, though he had tried sitting at his desk to write and collect his racing thoughts. Each one moved too quickly and the nervous energy had him standing and pacing again.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. The servant girl he had sent was finally back with Fandral. She let him into the room before taking her leave. Fandral stood awkwardly near the door while Loki leaned against his desk across the room. He still felt anxious but crossed his arms over his chest to keep himself still.

“You wanted to talk?” Fandral asked.

Loki nodded, sucked in a breath.

“We need to get past this awkwardness. Odin is suspicious again.”

Fandral let out a curse under his breath.

“Yes, we kissed. We’ve been pretending to court each other for some time. It would be odd if we didn’t kiss,” Loki pointed out.

Fandral didn’t say anything for once, staying quiet on his side of the room. He did manage to make eye contact with Loki again though. He nodded in silent agreement.

“Are you saying we will have to do it again?” Fandral said. Loki couldn’t tell whether his tone was meant to be cheeky or not. Loki hoped it wasn’t obvious how his face flushed pink.

“Yes, we will. Will that be a problem for you? Or are we going to continue to avoid each other’s company?” Loki asked. “It’s just a kiss. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Fandral straightened his back. “You’re right. It shouldn’t be a problem for me,” he said.

“Good. I know you didn’t mean anything by it last night. You were trying to keep up appearances. We just have to keep doing that,” Loki concluded.

“Of course,” Fandral said, “If that’s all, I’m going to rejoin the banquet.”

Loki didn’t have a reason to keep him from the festivities so he let the swordsman leave. Fandral left in a hurry and Loki wondered if anything had been solved or if the awkwardness would continue to plague them.

~*~*~

A day of sports was declared to bring together the two parties. The snow of the winter had already started to thaw, as had the negotiations, and grass had started to come in to allow a field for them to compete on. The best of the Asgardians and the Elves were pitted against each other and in collaboration with each other in competitions of speed and strength and games involving teamwork and strategy. Loki was happy to spend most of the day on the sidelines cheering on Fandral as he entered races and swordfights.

Loki’s concern about whether they’d be able to move past their awkwardness was misplaced as it turned out. Fandral greeted him warmly with a kiss to his knuckles. In turn, he gifted Fandral with one of his brooches as a token of his favour in the games and a kiss on the cheek. Fandral pinned the brooch to his clothing for all to see as competitors were called over to the first race. Loki took his seat on the sidelines to watch.

Fandral did as well as Loki expected in the sports. He was swift and agile in the races and formidable with a sword. Each win had Fandral coming over to Loki to share in the celebration. The win in the first race earned him a kiss to his other cheek. The second race he won got him a kiss to the forehead. After defeating several opponents in the swordfight, Fandral trotted over to where Loki was seated, leaned down, and captured his lips in a chaste kiss. Though Loki was surprised by the kiss, he leaned into it. His hand reached up to Fandral’s cheek. A call for competitors pulled Fandral away from the kiss as he went to rejoin the activities. Loki glanced at Odin, who was sitting nearby. The expression on the All-Father’s face was hard to read.

The games continued on into a game of Knattleikr. Loki watched boredly as both teams fought for possession of the ball, sometimes violently. Players shoved each other, knocking each other aside with bats as they tried to cross the field to score. Of the many players on the field, Loki only watched Fandral as he wrestled against his opponent, trying to free himself to receive the ball and fighting to get past him to the other end of the field. In the end, Fandral’s team won. Loki smiled as the group of them cheered.

The sun was beginning to set. The games were over and everyone was ready to celebrate or lick their wounds, in some cases both. Fandral joined Loki with a bruise forming on his cheek where he had been struck by his opponent’s elbow.

“Shall we join the others to celebrate?” Fandral asked.

One of the Elves, Loki recognized him as the one who had been paired up against Fandral in the Knattleikr game, walked by them, shoving his shoulder into Fandral as he did. Fandral lost his footing for a moment and stumbled into Loki.

“Hey!” Loki yelled at the Elf.

Loki was about to go repay the Elf for his actions. Shoving Fandral in a game was fine, off the field it was insulting. Fandral pulled him back by his arm before he could get very far, holding him in place and keeping himself between Loki and the Elf..

“It’s fine, Loki,” he said.

“Fine,” Loki agreed, calming down. He wasn’t pleased about it though. “You’re lucky this time.”

“It’s a good thing he’s here to hold you back. It would be terrible for Prince Loki to get into a fight he couldn’t win and derail the treaty a second time,” the Elf said.

The words stung as if he had been backhanded by them. Fandral released Loki’s arm and whirled around on the Elf. Loki watched with amusement as the swordsman stalked over to the offending Elf and grabbed him by his shirt. He knew he should have held Fandral back, like he had been held back but this was much more entertaining. People were gathering though and the situation was going to get out of hand very soon so Loki pulled on Fandral’s arm to convince him to stop.

“Fandral, leave him,” Loki said.

Fandral reluctantly let go of the Elf. “If you were a better man you’d apologize,” Fandral told him before the Elf slipped away into the crowd.

Out of the corner of his eye Loki saw Odin and Frigga in the crowd. Fandral still seemed annoyed but wrapped one arm around Loki’s waist to join the others at the celebration. Loki pressed himself closer to Fandral. He liked the way Fandral held him close to comfort him, even though it was only to keep Odin’s suspicion at bay.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to do that,” Loki murmured.

“I couldn’t let him say such cruel things about you,” Fandral replied.

They were leaned in towards each other as they entered the palace to keep their voices low among the din of the others. Fandral’s arm around his waist felt strong, safe. His own arms kept Fandral close to him. The smell of leather and sweat filled his nose. Fandral’s face was so close to his, blocking out most of the rest of the world. Except Odin, who watched them from his position at the periphery of Loki’s view. He had one eyebrow raised, as if in challenge to Loki. So Loki closed the distance between him and Fandral, their lips meeting in a hesitant kiss. Fandral’s grip on his waist tightened as he became more confident in the kiss.

Loki reached his hands up to the back of Fandral’s neck, holding him in place until the All-Father moved on. Odin would see them. He’d have no reason to doubt. Fandral ran his tongue along Loki’s bottom lip. Loki opened up, allowing the kiss to deepen, pressing closer to Fandral. His back bumped into a wall. Fandral’s body crowded him against it, a barrier to the rest of the world. Still the kiss continued. Fandral’s hands had ventured under his tunic, one rising up his side, the other wrapping around his back. The feeling of flesh on flesh raised goosebumps on Loki’s skin. His own hands had moved into Fandral’s hair.

A whine escaped his throat as Fandral’s thigh pressed between his own. He tugged on Fandral’s hair, which elicited a low moan from the man. He moved his lips down Fandral’s jaw, down his neck. A graze of teeth had Fandral groaning and tilting his head back to give Loki more access.

Over Fandral’s shoulder, Loki noticed they were alone. Everyone had left them behind. Loki stopped his ministrations and put his hands on Fandral’s chest to put some space between them. They were both breathing heavily.

“I think we convinced them,” Loki said.

“It appears that way,” Fandral replied.

Fandral brushed a lock of Loki’s hair back into place behind his ear. He stepped back and straightened his clothes out and ran his hand through his hair while Loki did the same. His lips were red and swollen from the kisses and it seemed Loki had been rougher with his neck than he thought. Red marks were forming on the skin. At least it would be very convincing to everyone else.

“Should we rejoin the rest of them?” Fandral asked, holding a hand out to Loki.

“Yes,” said Loki, placing his hand in Fandral’s.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you liked the chapter. If you did, leave a kudos or a comment. I appreciate each and every one.

Chapter 20

Apparently the kiss had worked. Odin was less suspicious of the two of them and his gaze had been drawn away from them again. Loki was thankful for the reprieve which allowed him some breathing space but he didn’t trust it. He knew that the All-Father’s attention could be brought back to them at any moment. It was because of that potential that Loki and Fandral continued their pretence: holding hands, flirting, kissing. Their kisses had been decidedly less heated however. After the previous incident it was agreed that they shouldn’t have a repeat of that, unless absolutely necessary. Simple kisses seemed to be enough to satisfy most though.

The treaty negotiations were finally coming to an end. Both parties had agreed on the terms and were prepared to sign it, ushering in a new era of peace between the two peoples. It meant that the Elvish party were preparing to depart and things would go back to business as usual in Asgard.

Loki was looking forward to having his home back to normal. Without the Elvish party, he and Fandral could drop the act. There would be fewer public events to attend, meaning they could have some space from each other again. It wouldn’t be long before they could go back to being friends. He was grateful to Fandral for everything he had done and being willing to play along but he knew they were both put into uncomfortable situations because of it. Soon enough they would be free to be together without having to hang off each other. They’d be able to greet each other with words instead of kisses.

It was shortly after the signing ceremony that Elphane found Loki in the library. He was reading a familiar favourite of his, enjoying what little alone time he had before he would be ushered to some event or meeting with Frigga or whatever else it was that he was supposed to attend. So to have his time interrupted by Elphane of all people, annoyed him.

She stood in front of the table he was sitting at, her hands clasped in front of her. She seemed shy as she shifted from one leg to the other. Loki set his book aside and gestured for her to join him. She shook her head and stayed standing.

“I won’t be long. We will be departing in the morning but I wanted to say a proper goodbye to you,” Elphane said.

“Oh. Well, it was nice to get to know you,” Loki said.

He didn’t really know what else to say. He hadn’t spent a lot of time with her and found it unexpected that she would seek him out specifically to say goodbye to. He supposed he should have expected it. She was remarkably polite and kind.

“Yes. I was happy to be welcomed into your home and I am glad to have spent time with both you and Fandral. It reinforces the treaty between our peoples that as individuals we have had the opportunity to become closer and form friendships with each other,” she said.

“I agree,” Loki said, “You and Fandral seem to have formed a very close friendship.”

“He is very welcoming and kind. He will be an excellent husband. I’m sure you will be very happy together,” Elphane said with a smile.

Loki’s breath stopped for a moment as he stared into her clear, blue eyes. He wasn’t sure why the sentiment caught him so off guard. The idea of Fandral as his husband made him pause. That wouldn’t happen. They weren’t really in love. Soon it would all be over and they’d go back to friends. But Elphane’s belief was so sincere and heartwarming that he almost wanted it to be true.

“Yes, he will be. Thank you,” Loki said.

“I wish you luck in your marriage. I hope you bring each other many blessings great and small,” she said. “It was lovely to meet you.”

“Thank you for coming. I hope your own marriage one day brings you prosperity and joy. Though I have no doubt you will find that,” Loki found himself saying. He was sure it was true. The elf brought joy with her everywhere she went.

With a smile and a bow of her head, Elphane left.

~*~*~

As soon as the Elven party left, Loki was looking forward to escaping to his rooms. Perhaps he’d have a bath to allow the stress that had built up to soak away. Of course that wasn’t what was going to happen. Since when did Loki ever get what he wanted?

“Come Loki, we have much to discuss now,” Frigga requested.

She ushered him away before he could argue. With a quick gesture she summoned Fandral to follow as well. Loki let out a sigh as he trailed along. He should have known he wouldn’t be free from their act yet. He had forgotten that while there were fewer people around to fool, there would also be fewer people to distract Frigga or Odin from their relationship.

“Now that the treaty is signed we must prepare for your wedding,” Frigga announced.

She guided them into a room with a few other Asgardians, each prepared with samples of fabrics or flowers and parchment to write down their decisions and tasks to be completed. It was overwhelming.

“There is a lot to prepare but I will make sure that things run smoothly, you need not worry,” she said.

Loki stopped in the doorway, refusing to go further. Fandral and Frigga were already inside talking.

“It’s too soon,” Loki said.

“Nonsense. The two of you have been courting for quite some time. The wedding has already been delayed because of the treaty, there’s no need to delay it further,” Frigga responded.

“Of course we don’t mean to delay it. I think what he means is that there is so much to think about in such a short time. We do not doubt that it can be done and we appreciate all the help you provide,” Fandral assured.

The queen’s demeanor softened at Fandral’s words and Loki was thankful for his ability to charm people and smooth out the situation.

“I know that the strain from the treaty negotiations has weighed heavily on Loki as of late. Perhaps he might be given some respite from the stress of wedding planning for now. You and I could continue discussing it and at a later time I can share the details with Loki and get his opinions when he is better rested,” Fandral suggested.

To his surprise, Frigga agreed. She dismissed Loki, allowing him to leave the rest of them to their planning. He wasn’t about to question it so he left before she could change her mind. Perhaps he would take that bath after all.

Slipping into the hot water, Loki sighed with relief. He could already feel his cares washing away. He sank down until only his face rose out of the surface. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax, the only thing he could hear under the water being the sound of his own breathing.

It’s too soon.

It wasn’t like they were actually getting married. It shouldn’t matter that it was happening fast. It should be better that it was moving fast. He’d been looking forward to it for months. The sooner the wedding happened, the sooner they could drop the act.

It isn’t real, he reminded himself again.

As much as it felt real when Fandral kissed him; as much as it felt nice to be held, to be cared for; as sweet as Fandral was for defending him and helping him, none of it was real. He knew that. Fandral was only playing a role. He was convincing. He had to be to fool Odin. But that’s all it was. There was no need for Loki to also be taken in by Fandral’s exceptional acting skills. That would only lead to heartbreak.

It wasn’t long before the wedding would be held. He just had to continue convincing everyone that they were in love while steeling his mind. It wasn’t much longer, then they could go back to normal and Loki could drop the fake feelings he had. It was only because of the pretend relationship that he felt so confused. It would be easier after. He knew it would.

He sank under the surface of the water, letting it wash over him completely. It isn’t real. It isn’t real. It isn’t real. He repeated it like a mantra until he believed it again. He needed to. Because Fandral didn’t really care for him like that.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know in the comments or leave a kudos. Both are appreciated very much

Chapter 21

Notes:

Hey. So the rating has changed, check the tags. If you don't want to read the spicy bit, it happens near the end. I'll throw an asterisk in just before so you can stop reading. Everyone else, please enjoy.

The day before the wedding, Loki needed to blow off some steam. The preparations had been stressful and he was nervous about the plan to break things off. He decided to go to the training grounds to practice for a while. They still looked the same as ever, even though it had been a season since he had been able to be there. He breathed in the air and stepped up to the targets for practice. Each dagger landed with a loud thunk. It was meditative. Breathe, throw, thunk, repeat. Always knowing just where it would land and what would happen next.

 

From the corner of his eye, Loki could see Fandral sparring with someone else. His movements were fluid and graceful, each hit landing with power behind it. He stopped his own practice to watch for a while, charting the way Fandral's strokes cut through the air. He was better than the last time they had sparred. Loki wondered how he had found the time to keep up his training, perhaps finding extra time early in the morning or late at night to complete drills.

 

Fandral’s opponent yielded and each of them stepped away from each other, wiping sweat from their brows. That's when Fandral looked up and noticed Loki watching him. His smile lit up his eyes.

 

"Practice with me," Fandral called.

 

Loki agreed, stepping into the ring. The fight started quickly, as both of them sprang into action and tried to overpower the other. It soon became obvious that neither would be able to. They were equally matched. Each strike was countered. Each movement was tracked. They flitted around the ring in perfect synchronization.

 

Fandral really was better than Loki remembered. Not only was he unable to land a blow against the swordsman, but Fandral was more perceptive than he had been before. Feints and tricks that used to fool him no longer did. It was like he could see right through Loki.

 

Loki dodged another attack, retreating back before parrying another. He changed direction, pushing back into Fandral’s space and forcing the swordsman back once more. They were getting tired, though neither could be said to be definitively winning. Every time one of them seemed to have the upperhand, their movements would shift until the other was in control. Loki read Fandral's movements easily, his time spent with Fandral outside of the training grounds gave him reference to the way he carried himself. It was similar to the way he carried himself on the dancefloor.

 

Loki swung, his aim going wide in his exhaustion after a long, drawn out fight. Fandral took the opportunity and stepped into the space given to him, positioning himself behind Loki. He brought his sword up and Loki felt Fandral's other hand reach around and grip him tightly around his chest. Loki struggled but was held in place.

 

"Yield, my prince," Fandral murmured.

 

Loki wriggled once more to no avail. Fandral's grip was solid.

 

"Fine, I yield," Loki said.

 

Fandral immediately let go and stepped back. He smiled as he eyed Loki up and down.

 

"Good match," Fandral said before he turned and left Loki in the ring by himself. 

~*~*~

Loki stared out his window into the darkness, not focusing on anything. The wedding was going to be in the morning. His thoughts were racing a million miles a minute but he couldn’t pin down a single one of them. He picked at his fingernails absentmindedly, thinking everything and nothing at all. The wedding was in the morning but he wouldn’t be married. Not if they pulled the plan off properly.

 

A strange sound shook Loki from his reverie. He summoned a dagger as a scuffling sound followed by a soft thud came from the balcony. Creeping forward to see what had crawled its way into his domain, dagger in hand ready to strike, Loki spotted Fandral brushing himself off. Loki let out his breath with a huff and relaxed, putting away the dagger. Fandral looked up to see Loki standing in the doorway. His face broke into a bright grin that made Loki smile.

 

“What are you doing?” Loki asked.

 

“I came to see you. I couldn’t sleep and wondered if maybe you wanted some company since you couldn’t sleep either,” Fandral said.

 

Fandral stepped into the room past Loki and fell into the bed. He leaned back against the pillows and looked over at Loki.

 

“How did you know I couldn’t sleep?” Loki asked.

 

“I saw the light through the window. If you weren’t having trouble sleeping the room would have been dark by now,” Fandral answered.

 

He gestured for Loki to join him on the bed. Reluctantly, Loki made his way to the other side of the bed, put out the candles that lit the room as he went, and sat down on the edge, keeping distance between them. Loki tried in vain to stop nervously picking at his nails but when he looked down at his hands they had betrayed him.

 

“You must be happy that it’s almost over. Soon you’ll be free of me and all this marriage business,” Fandral said.

 

“I hope not entirely free of you,” Loki said, “I do still consider you a very close friend.”

 

There was a pause in the conversation. When Loki looked at Fandral, he was sitting up on the bed, looking out the window on the other side of the room.

 

“We’ll likely have to avoid each other for a little while. Otherwise people won’t believe that we broke up,” Fandral said.

 

He was right. They would have to give each other space. The thought made Loki frown. Loki flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes in the dark. He had gotten through the toughest parts of their charade because he had Fandral at his side to guide him through. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do without that reassuring presence.

 

The bed shifted as Fandral laid back down on the bed beside Loki, an arm’s length away.

 

“Are you nervous?” Fandral asked after a few moments.

 

“Yes.”

 

Fandral rolled onto his side. He took Loki’s hand in his, gave it a gentle squeeze, and then gave it a kiss. Loki’s stomach did a flip.

 

“It’s going to be okay. Tomorrow will go as planned and then you’ll be free,” Fandral said.

 

Loki rolled onto his side as well to face Fandral. They were inches from each other. Loki held his breath as if that would silence the beating of his heart in his chest. It was pounding so hard he was sure Fandral could hear it.

 

“What if it doesn’t?” Loki asked in a whisper.

 

“Then I suppose we get married,” Fandral chuckled.

 

Loki tried to pull his hand away from Fandral’s so he could swat at him for the terrible joke but he was held fast. Fandral used his grip on Loki’s hand to pull him in closer and kiss him on the forehead.

 

“Sleep, Loki. It’ll be fine. I will make sure of it,” Fandral said.

 

*

 

Loki relaxed and gave way to the soft touches as Fandral ran his fingers up Loki’s arm and trailed kisses down his face from his temple down his cheek. Even though he knew it was a bad idea, he wanted more. Fandral’s embrace was safety even as alarm bells screamed danger. Loki ignored the warnings and instead arced his head up and met Fandral’s lips in a clumsy kiss. Fandral pulled away in shock but Loki tugged on his shoulder, encouraging him back in. Fandral took the message, returning the kiss with one of his own that quickly became more heated. It became clear that Loki was not the only one who had been holding back.

 

Loki gave way to Fandral as he repositioned himself on top of Loki. His kisses grew hungrier, more passionate. They spilled over his lips, down his jaw, across his neck. Loki's hands drifted down Fandral's chest, down his abdomen, they gripped Fandral's hips and pulled him, removing any gap between them. Moans slipped from both of their mouths at the friction. He knew he shouldn't be doing this but he couldn't stop himself, not with the way Fandral was touching him. His leg hooked behind Fandral’s, fingers digging into the swordsman’s back, willing all distance away. Hands pawed at clothing until Fandral pulled back again.

 

“Do you want this?” he asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

There wasn’t anything Loki wanted more in the moment. “It’s our last night together as a couple. Please,” he whined.

 

Fandral pulled his tunic over his head in one swift movement before going back to kissing Loki’s neck. It seemed he already knew exactly what to do to elicit moans out of the prince. Loki melted at the touch, needing more, so when Fandral tried to remove more of the clothing between them, Loki helped, shoving fabric away and kicking out of his clothes.

 

In a moment Loki found the lubricant and Fandral was preparing him in slow, drawn out movements. Loki keened into the touch, pressing back in an attempt to make Fandral move faster. Fandral refused to give in to his demands, taking his time to ensure Loki was ready. Finally, Fandral pushed in. Loki groaned at the stretch.

 

Loki’s hands brushed over Fandral’s body, urging him on. Over his thighs, hip bones, up his abdomen and back down. He reached up, cupping Fandral’s face and pulling him in. He wanted to be closer. Their desperate kisses grew heated as they each came closer to their climax. The feeling of danger loomed in the back of his mind, but was drowned out by Fandral’s thrusts that found that spot inside him, making him cry out. When Fandral’s hand closed around him and began stroking he saw stars.

 

“After you, my prince,” Fandral moaned.

 

He was so close. He focused on what was happening now, rather than the danger of later. Whatever happened after, he would deal with it. For now they had only this night. With one more erratically timed thrust Loki let go, allowing his release to spill over him. Fandral continued bucking into him through his climax until he stuttered and spilled inside him.

 

Loki felt boneless as Fandral collapsed over him. Loki’s brain felt hazy, fuzzy around the edges. He could feel Fandral pressing kisses to his face, his cheeks, his forehead. Strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him in.

 

“Gods, that was good. You were so good, darling,” Fandral mumbled into his nape.

 

Both were succumbing to sleep. Loki used the last of his energy for the night to clean them before he fell into the darkness of rest. The alarm bells had shut off but that small voice at the back of his head continued to whisper.

 

But what if it is real?

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. I love getting comments and kudos so let me know what you thought

Chapter 22

Loki awoke the morning of his wedding, rolling over in bed only to find it empty. Where Fandral had been laying was cold so he had to have left long ago. The only reminder of his presence was the indent on the pillow where his head had been. It was disappointing. Loki told himself it was for the best though. It wouldn't do to have anyone find them tangled up in each other's arms the morning of their supposed wedding right before they broke things off. It was proof for the voice in the back of his head though. It had not been real.

 

A note on the table caught his eye. Loki's breath hitched as he reached out to take it. He could see Fandral’s hurried writing scrawled messily on the paper. "I'm sorry. Last night was a mistake and I never should have done it. I will see you at the wedding and then we'll both be free from this act. Fandral"

 

Loki crumpled the paper. He should have known better than to believe any of it meant anything. It was pretend. That's all it ever was and all it would be. But last night felt different. It didn't have the peering eyes of others.

 

With a knock on the door, the day began before he was ready. A bath was drawn for him, after which he was dried and clothed. His hair was braided and styled for the occasion. After some time he was nearly ready to be married. The entire time, however, he was playing through his mind how he would stop it and convincing himself it was the right choice. None of it was real, last night included. The ache in his heart disagreed.

 

Thor entered the room just as the finishing touches were being put on Loki’s appearance. With the way he had been tugged and prodded at to make sure everything was perfect, Loki was just about to lose it. It had been a lot of work for a wedding look that would not matter. The thought made him feel on edge. As soon as Thor entered, all of the servants left. Thor looked awestruck though, so they had done their job flawlessly, if he were actually about to be married anyway.

 

“Brother…” Thor exclaimed.

 

“Yes?” Loki asked.

 

Thor regained his composure. “You look very nice. I’ve come to escort you.”

 

Loki hesitated. He wasn’t ready, and he was suddenly having regrets about all the lies he had told his brother. Thor looked so happy. He soon wouldn’t be. Loki took a deep breath to calm his fraying nerves and stepped toward Thor. He was enveloped in a bear hug he was too distracted to avoid. It was nice though. The normally suffocating hold of his brother now felt like it was the only thing keeping him from shaking apart. He leaned into it and hugged back. It ended too soon.

 

“No tears yet, Loki,” Thor warned, though it could have been directed at himself as well for how watery his eyes were, “The sun shines on you today.”

 

“Right,” Loki said, collecting himself.

 

Loki took Thor’s arm and they made their way outside where the wedding would be held. The sun was indeed shining, a fortuitous sign for the day. Loki wanted nothing more than to slink into the shadows and hide.

 

“I hope one day to be as lucky as you,” Thor said while they walked.

 

“What do you mean?” Loki asked.

 

“I wish to find a match as favourable as what you and Fandral have found,” Thor said.

 

Loki swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s far from perfect,” he said.

 

Thor gave a gentle reassuring squeeze to Loki’s hand. He knew that they had to lie to Thor to pull off their scheme but Thor was making it very difficult all of a sudden. Loki’s stomach was made of butterflies for how fluttery and anxious it felt.

 

“I know it isn’t perfect. No relationship is. But the two of you share such a special connection. I’ve seen the way you look at each other. It’s like you’ve found the piece of yourself you’ve been missing,” Thor said and added in a quiet voice, “I want that too.”

 

Loki focused his gaze on the ground. It had never been real. He knew that when he began the deception. So why did he feel so disappointed that it didn’t really feel the way Thor described?

 

“I’m sure you’ll find that someday. Perhaps you will find it has been right in front of you the whole time,” Loki said.

 

That seemed to be what Thor wanted to hear. His expression cheered up again.

 

They were nearly at the location of the ceremony when Frigga joined them, linking her arm in Loki’s unaccompanied arm. She looked as happy as Thor did. As happy as Loki should have looked on what was supposed to be his wedding day.

 

“Thor, may I have a few moments alone with Loki?” Frigga asked.

 

Thor acquiesced, leaving the two of them alone. Frigga walked with Loki a little longer until she stopped in a quiet area. It was close enough that Loki could see where the ceremony was being held, but far enough away that no one could hear them.

 

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

 

Loki considered telling her the truth. He felt lost and confused, disappointed, and not at all relieved like he thought he would. Her calm blue eyes searched his for answers but he put on a tight smile.

 

“I’m fine,” Loki said.

 

Frigga let out a little sigh, cupped one of his cheeks, and gave him a sympathetic smile.

 

“You’re having second thoughts, aren’t you?” Frigga asked.

 

Loki looked away. She always seemed to see more than what was presented to her. He was having second thoughts. But whether those second thoughts were about going through with the marriage or not, Loki couldn’t have told her.

 

“It’s normal to get cold feet before a wedding. It’s a big decision. I nearly didn’t go through with my own marriage to your father,” Frigga said.

 

More people were arriving for the wedding. Loki watched disinterestedly as they walked by. Frigga had continued talking but Loki wasn’t paying attention. He was trying to gather his nerve for what he knew he would need to do soon.

 

Among the crowd of people, Loki spotted Fandral. He was walking with purpose and certainly didn’t look like he had been up late and left early. The knots in Loki’s gut tightened at the sight of him. He thought he felt a certain way about the swordsman, but after the night’s activities and the morning he was suddenly unsure. Fandral looked in his direction, made eye contact for one brief second, and turned away like he was no one important. There was no recognition in his eyes of what had happened. Not even the easy smile he had grown accustomed to over the past months. The way Fandral looked at him, he was nothing.

 

And just like that the decision was made.

 

“Loki? Did something happen?” Frigga asked.

 

“I can’t go through with this wedding,” Loki blurted.

 

“What do you mean? What is it?” Frigga asked, taken aback. She looked over her shoulder where Loki had glanced and spotted Fandral.

 

Loki blinked back the tears that had been threatening to fall since talking to Thor. He would not be made to cry over a relationship that was nothing more than a business transaction.

 

“I can’t marry Fandral,” Loki said.

 

“Has he done something?” Frigga asked.

 

Loki considered telling her no, which would have been a part of the original plan, but he remembered the impersonal look in Fandral’s eyes. For once he was tired of lying. He nodded his head.

 

“I can’t. He betrayed my trust last night. Please. I can’t marry him, not now that he’s hurt me like this,” Loki muttered.

 

“Oh, Loki,” she said dejectedly.

 

“Please,” Loki pleaded.

 

“Of course. I’m so sorry,” Frigga said.

 

She enveloped him in a protective embrace. He hugged her back. The butterflies had stopped with the confession. He no longer felt the nervous energy course through him, he no longer felt anything but numb.

 

Frigga loosened her hold on him and sent him away, telling him she would handle things. Loki nodded and left, going back to the solitude of his room. He changed out of the fancier clothing and into something more simple, undid most of the braids, and then laid on the bed.

 

He was an idiot. All along he'd known it wasn't real. None of it was. He should have known better. Last night was no different. Fandral was a known rake and Loki had fallen for it all the same.

 

The door opened with a creak not long after. Loki wasn’t facing it but he assumed it was Thor coming to check on him.

 

“Go away,” Loki mumbled.

 

“So now you’ve gotten everything you wanted,” Odin said behind him.

 

Loki rolled over and glared at him and then turned away again.

 

“Have you come to gloat? You always thought it would end this way,” Loki said.

 

The bed sank near his feet where Odin had sat down on the edge. The All-Father sighed loudly.

 

“No, my son. I haven’t,” Odin said.

 

They were both silent for several moments. Loki wanted to scream and demand Odin leave him but he refused to be the one to speak first. Odin had come for a reason.

 

“You both put on commendable performances. You should really give the acting troupe some suggestions,” Odin said.

 

Loki didn’t respond. He wasn’t in the mood for this conversation.

 

“I think you did such a good job at fooling everyone around you that you might have fooled yourselves as well,” suggested Odin.

 

Loki looked over his shoulder at Odin. He really was infuriating. He wasn’t even looking at Loki, instead he was looking around the room. As formidable as he often seemed, he didn’t look it now. He looked old and tired. When did that happen? Had the renegotiations been that hard on him?

 

“Maybe you’re right. I fell for my own ploy, like a fool. I thought I could be happy for once. I thought I-” Loki said, his voice broke under the last thought. He swallowed and continued on before Odin could speak. “I was wrong and now I’m miserable and it probably didn’t even change anything. Have you already found someone else to marry me off to now that my wedding is called off? Are you happy now, knowing that you were right about it being a lie all along?”

 

The silence hung wide between them like a chasm. Loki almost believed that Odin had disappeared for how quiet it was. But eventually the weight lifted off the bed and footsteps crossed the room.

 

“No. For what it’s worth, I don’t believe it was all a lie,” Odin said before he left, closing the door behind him.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! As always, kudos and comments are welcome. Let me know if you liked it. :)

Chapter 23

Loki kept to himself for days after the wedding. He rarely left his rooms, choosing to stay in, away from people. He didn’t want to see their stares or hear their whispers. He could imagine them enough on his own. He turned away any visitors, not that he had many of them. He tried reading but he couldn’t concentrate on the words, so after reading the same sentence four times, he gave up and set the book aside. He thought about practicing his magic but knew if he didn’t have the concentration for books, he certainly didn’t have the concentration for magic. Most of his time was spent laying in bed instead.

Thor pushed his way in a day or two after, despite Loki’s wishes. He tried telling Thor to go away though he was touched that his brother was there for him. Secretly, he was a little glad that Thor ignored his protests.

“Won’t you tell me what happened, Loki? I hate to see you this way. I would fix it if I can,” Thor pleaded.

Where did he even begin? There was too much to explain. Loki stayed silent. He stared into the tea that had been brought for him. Thor was insisting he at least drink that and he had a few sips but it tasted bitter and lackluster.

“Fine, don’t tell me. But I will find out what happened one way or another,” Thor said. “Perhaps I should pay Fandral a visit. I assume he had something to do with it?”

Loki ignored the obvious ploy. Thor could talk to Fandral if he wanted to. They were friends with each other. He doubted Thor would get much more of an answer out of Fandral.

“I just don’t understand. I thought things were going well between you two. It’s like something changed overnight,” Thor said.

Loki gripped the cup he was holding tighter. His jaw tightened.

“It did, didn’t it? Did you see him the night before? Did something happen then?” Thor asked.

Loki refused to meet his brother’s gaze. It was much too intense and the questioning was getting much too close to the truth. How was Thor so good at guessing? Under Thor’s scrutiny, Loki looked away.

“I’ll murder him,” Thor fumed. “I’m going to kill that lout.”

The chair Thor was sitting on screeched loudly as he stood up and shoved it away. Loki had a hand on Thor’s arm before he knew what he was doing. Thor paused. Loki opened his mouth to speak, unsure of which words would come out.

“Don’t,” he said.

Even he was surprised by the word he said. He was hurt by Fandral’s actions but technically the swordsman didn’t do anything wrong. Thor’s eyes, wide in shock, softened to a pitying look. Loki looked away, he hated that expression.

“If he hurt you he should answer for it,” Thor said.

Loki hesitated. “I promised him in the beginning that I wouldn’t let you hurt him. Besides, this was always how it was supposed to end.”

Thor stared at him in incredulity for several moments. His mouth hung open. Loki could see him trying to form words and failing.

“What do you mean, brother?” Thor asked.

“We both agreed to pretend to court each other so I wouldn’t have to marry. It worked. Now we’re both free to go our separate ways,” Loki explained.

Thor nodded his head slowly. He relaxed and Loki let go of him. Thor understood. Loki breathed a sigh of relief. Fandral would live another day.

“Don’t murder Fandral. He doesn’t deserve it,” Loki said.

“Fine. I will not murder him,” Thor vowed.

~*~*~

Days later, Loki still refused to leave his room. He didn't feel up to doing anything outside and there were far too many nosy people who would want nothing more than to find out exactly what happened to cause him to call off the wedding. The last thing he wanted was to be pestered by invasive questions. Instead, he had meals brought in to him by servants and spent most of his day reading in bed or sleeping.

Such sleep was interrupted one morning by the curtains being ripped aside by a serving girl, directing a blinding ray of light straight to his face. He blinked sleepily and tried to roll over, away from the light. He pulled the blanket over his head to block out more of the light.

The girl let out a small giggle.

"Come now, Your Grace. It's a beautiful day outside. Spring is finally here," the girl said.

Loki glared in the direction he thought the serving girl was in. He refused to move though, preferring to stay under the covers. The girl let out a huff outside the blankets. He had won, now if only she'd close the curtains before she left-

The blanket in front of his face was pulled up and the girl peeked in to look at him. She had a very plain looking face, which at the moment seemed very stern yet friendly.

"You should get out of bed, Your Grace. The fresh air would do you good," she said.

Loki rolled his eyes. He didn’t know who this servant was but it seemed she wouldn’t be deterred. He sat up and stretched while the girl went to get some clothing and a bath ready. There was a tray with food set up on the side table for him. He wasn’t overly hungry but he decided it would probably be wise to take some fruit. He eyed the servant on the other side of the room. He wouldn’t put it past her to find a way to force him to eat something too.

He left his rooms for the first time in days, freshly washed and clothed and with a second piece of fruit that the girl, who had finally introduced herself as Thyra, had forced into his hand on his way out. As much as it pained him to admit it, he felt better than he had in a while, since before…..

A walk in the gardens was what he decided on. The weather was beautiful and with the beginning of spring came the fresh blooms of flowers and the clean smell of growing things. His muscles appreciated the movement after so much time in bed. A walk would clear his head and the fresh air would lift his spirits too.

It almost worked. No one had bothered him. He’d been able to walk most of the path when he turned a corner and saw him. Fandral was out as well. Loki should have guessed as much. It was such a nice day, of course Fandral would be outside. He only hoped he could leave before he was noticed.

Fandral was walking with a small group of people, talking, laughing, he seemed like he was having a good time. It made Loki’s stomach twist to see it. He wished Fandral was suffering like he was. He could cause some mischief, trip Fandral up or try to scare him or maybe find a way to spoil his appearance.

He was coming up with a good prank to pull when Fandral spotted him. Their eyes met, Fandral’s widened and then quickly averted. He looked down and turned away. His shoulders slumped and the usually charismatic and talkative man became quiet and withdrawn. The bruising on his face didn’t go unnoticed by Loki. He could guess who had given him those bruises even though Thor had promised not to. Loki’s stomach knotted tighter to know that Fandral was hurting. He was only putting on a brave face, much the same as the act he had put on for months for Loki’s sake. That was what he wanted though, wasn’t it? For Fandral to be hurting?

Loki left the gardens, leaving the palace grounds. He felt worse than he had before. He felt more confused than ever. By the time he made it to the clearing he sometimes visited he still didn’t know how he felt about the swordsman. He stepped into the glade and found a place to sit near the pond. Closing his eyes he focused on his breathing and his magic. It always felt stronger and his mind clearer in this area. Not this time though. The more he tried to concentrate, the harder it became. His mind wandered. He worried about the bruising, told himself he had no right to worry about it, thought about the comfort he would provide Fandral if he could, the comfort Fandral had provided him, and the betrayal after.

He couldn’t bring his concentration back to his magic. What should have felt like a steady stream of consciousness was a jumble of thoughts and emotions. With a cry of frustration, Loki lashed out. A burst of energy flowed out of him and threw nearby rocks in all directions. He had to get over Fandral. He couldn’t let a relationship that didn’t exist control him.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it and hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know by leaving a comment or kudos

Chapter 24

Loki slowly started rejoining Asgardian society. He began with short walks around the palace and gardens or going to the library. Sometimes he would take his horse for a ride. He preferred more solitary activities and still wasn't comfortable being surrounded by a lot of people. They tended to have questions he didn't want to answer.

Eventually, Loki became more confident and moved on to other activities he used to pursue. He rejoined shared meals, though he still tended to avoid any that Thor's friends were likely to attend. He also returned to sparring practice, although he kept to himself instead of practicing with others.

It wasn't entirely by choice. He noticed that Sif and the Warriors were avoiding him as much as he was avoiding them. At first he thought it was a coincidence but over time he saw it more and more. If they saw him in the hallways they'd turn and leave. Sometimes Fandral wasn't even with them.

There was also the time when Loki showed up to the training grounds. He saw that the Warriors Three and Sif were all sparring together and practicing new techniques. Loki watched for a minute. It was the most he'd seen of Fandral in a long time. Before long, Hogun noticed him standing off to the side and signaled to the others. They left quickly, before Loki could say or do anything.

He knew that they wouldn't take his side. Sif, Hogun, and Volstagg were Fandral's friends. It still hurt though. Everytime they turned away from him or ignored his greetings it felt like a slap in the face.

It hurt more that Fandral hadn't even looked up. At Hogun's signal, he packed up his things and left. Loki couldn't do anything but watch them go. Fandral ignored him the whole time, telling some joke on his way out. He looked so unbothered, even cheerful. Loki looked on enviously. He straightened his back. Fandral seemed happy enough, so Loki could at least put on the pretense that he was too. He wouldn't let anyone else know how much he had fallen for his own scheme.

He put all his frustration into his training, throwing daggers at one of the targets. Each dagger landing exactly where he aimed with a heavy thunk. He thought that he and Fandral were at least friends but apparently Fandral was perfectly happy to ignore him. Had he imagined the sad look he saw not that long ago? Fandral was so good at putting on a show but which was the real version? The carefree version he just saw? The one who looked at him with grief and longing? Was he a friend? A lover? Or were they back to hating each other? He wished he could just talk to Fandral but he hadn't been able to get the swordsman alone.

The dagger he threw landed square in the middle of the target with a loud thud. Clapping behind him broke his concentration. When he looked behind him, Thor was there.

"Impressive," Thor said.

"What do you want?" Loki asked bitterly.

"I just wanted to check on you. See how you were dealing with… things," Thor said. Loki noticed the pause as Thor searched for words that weren't 'your break up with Fandral'. "I see your aim has not suffered."

Loki retrieved his dagger from the target, pulling it out along with a chunk of the wood.

"I am doing just fine. Thank you for asking," Loki said in a cool tone.

"I am relieved that you have rejoined us outside your rooms. I've missed having you around," Thor said.

It sounded like Thor was leading up to something. It was as if he was buttering Loki up to ask some favour of him. Loki just wanted to skip ahead.

"Is that all this is? A social call? Just checking up on me or was there something else you'd like to ask?" Loki inquired.

Thor nodded. "I shouldn't be surprised. You always were very perceptive."

Thor fiddled with his grip on Mjolnir, tracing the leather straps with his thumb. Whatever it was he needed to say must have been difficult. He was stalling for time. Loki waited, watching him.

"I just wanted to know if you'd like to go on a hunt tomorrow," Thor finally said.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "A hunt?" That was what Thor was so anxious about?

"It's been a long time since you joined us on any sort of adventure. I thought a hunt would be good," Thor said.

Us. So the rest of Thor’s friends would be there too.

"I understand if you don't want to. We can split into groups. You don't have to spend time with Fandral. Or we can go without him," Thor pleaded.

Loki was sure that it wouldn't be an enjoyable time. After all, he had just seen the Warriors Three avoid him as if he carried the plague. But it gave him the best chance of being able to corner Fandral to talk to him.

"I would love to join you," Loki said.

"Really?" Thor asked incredulously before composing himself again, "We will leave tomorrow morning."

~*~*~

It was a cool morning but the rising sun would quickly burn away the mist and dew that had formed. Loki waited impatiently with Thor outside the palace gates. Sif and the Warriors Three were late. Thor was getting increasingly irritated. He huffed again for the third time in as many minutes and turned his horse to pace.

Loki watched Thor for a while. He wasn't shocked. Of course the Warriors wouldn't come. They'd been avoiding him since the wedding. They wouldn't willingly go hunting with him. Loki was disappointed, he'd wanted to talk to Fandral, but he wasn't surprised.

It was starting to get late. If they wanted to go for a hunt they needed to leave soon. They couldn't wait forever for their friends to show up. Thor pulled his horse around and huffed again, obviously very annoyed by the delay.

"I'm sorry, Brother. I don't know what happened. I thought they'd come," Thor said.

"It's alright," Loki said. He looked in the direction of the palace. Perhaps he'd go find a quiet corner of the library to spend the day in.

"No. It's not. I should have known better than to think things could go back to normal. I'm sorry," Thor said, his horse stamped.

His voice had a thunderous tone to it that made Loki pause. Thor was likely to hunt down his friends and unleash his rage on them. As much as Loki would have loved to see that, he didn't think it would be particularly helpful in the situation. Thor needed to find another outlet.

"Why don't we go hunting without them?" Loki suggested.

Thor shook his head. "We couldn't. Two people isn't enough-"

"We could find smaller game to hunt. Why let others spoil such a beautiful day?" Loki said.

Thor thought it over before giving in. "You're right. We will bring home our prize and show them we don't need them."

They rode out into the woods. It was a lovely day. The forest was cool and quiet. It didn't matter whether they went home with anything. Thor was calming down as they continued on. Soon enough he'd forget his anger and move on. They moved in silence, trying not to scare any prey away.

It gave Loki plenty of time to think. He would have to find some other way of talking to Fandral. There had to be other opportunities. Maybe he could find a way to get him alone at a banquet. Or perhaps he could run into him in a hallway. He let out a sigh. It was probably hopeless. There was no way he'd happen to find Fandral by himself. He was always surrounded by others. If it wasn't Volstagg, Hogun, or Sif, it was some gaggle of admirers vying for his attention.

"Loki," Thor whispered, drawing Loki out of his thoughts, "Look."

Loki scanned the foliage that Thor was pointing at. A large hare was sitting at the base of a tree, sniffing at some grass. It wasn't what they had originally planned to hunt but it was better than nothing. Loki drew in a breath and lifted his hand to strike with his magic. At the last moment he saw a deer just beyond the shrubbery.

He pointed the deer out to Thor, who nodded. Loki dismounted from his horse, handing the reins to Thor, and crept forward as quietly as he could. When he got close enough, he threw a dagger. The deer went down and Thor and Loki moved in to finish it off and prepare to take it back to the palace. They didn't need the Warriors Three and Loki certainly didn't need Fandral. If he was going to ignore Loki, then Loki could do the same back.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave a kudos or a comment if you liked it. They make me very happy

Chapter 25

Loki didn't need Fandral. He was fine without the swordsman at his side. He attended the court and banquets just fine, admittedly using tricks he had learned in his time with Fandral to make him appear more sociable than he was. He also spent more time with Thor again, which was nice since he had not been able to do so during his courtship. He was getting back to who he was before the whole ordeal had begun, and growing with it.

Fandral was a distant memory, or so he told himself. It was hard for him to be a distant memory when he was constantly in contact with him. They attended many of the same events and were frequently sat near each other as each was sat near Thor. It was fine. The Warriors Three were still mainly ignoring him and Loki was ignoring them in return. It was civil. He'd never truly been accepted by them so it wasn't so different to any other time.

Fandral was doing a better job of ignoring him too. He never let the happy look on his face slip and never looked in Loki's direction. All his attention was commanded by the courtiers who flirted shamelessly with him. One in particular had caught his attention, some blonde woman who was always around.

At the training grounds, the woman was always there cheering Fandral on and wiping sweat from his brow between sparring matches. At dinners she was sitting with him, listening to his stories and laughing at his jokes. They fed each other morsels of food and Loki noticed how she always kept Fandral's cup full. They danced with each other at events and walked with each other out in the gardens. So Fandral had found someone else to court and moved on. Good for him.

After a long court session, Loki decided to go outside and catch what light was left to read his book. He found a spot beneath a tree in a secluded area of the gardens. The sun was getting low in the sky, giving everything a golden hue. A fountain in a nearby pond provided white noise to clear his mind. It was quiet and peaceful. His book was getting to the good part.

A laugh rang through the air, disturbing the peace. Loki let out a grumbling sigh and looked around for the culprit. Almost immediately he spotted Fandral and the woman he was courting near the pond apparently going for an evening stroll. It didn't matter, Loki went back to his book, rereading the line he was on. Another giggle interrupted his concentration and he started over again. It was futile. He couldn't focus on his book.

He peeked over the pages at the couple. They were standing very close together, heads bent. The light glinted off their hair, making it shine like gold. Fandral was probably whispering sweet nothings into her ear and she was falling for them. Her body was leaning in toward his, her hand caressed his face. Fandral's grip tightened on her waist. He leaned in and kissed her. Loki wrinkled his nose. The kiss continued for a while, both their hands began wandering. Loki looked away but he couldn't close his ears to the sounds they were making.

Finally, he had enough. There was a rock near the couple. Loki shifted it with his magic a few inches so it lay just behind Fandral's foot and then for good measure he gave the woman the ever so slightest push. The two of them stepped, Fandral back and her forward. Fandral's foot caught on the rock, sending him falling. With Fandral's grip on her waist, he pulled her down with him, both of them falling into the water.

Fandral recovered first, sitting up and wiping water from his face. His clothing stuck to him. The woman he was with spluttered beside him as he helped her sit up. He glanced around and then his eyes fell upon Loki and narrowed. Loki considered pretending to be engrossed in his book but he knew it was pointless. He'd been found out. He wasn't particularly ashamed of it anyway so he held Fandral’s gaze until he looked away to check on his date's well-being. She had finished getting the water out of her lungs and was brushing her hair out of her face. Fandral helped her, tucking her hair behind her ear. And then she burst into laughter and a second later Fandral joined her. Their laughter rang out loudly and made Loki cringe. He went back to his reading, trying to ignore the couple in front of him.

When their laughing petered out, Fandral leaned in to kiss the woman before getting to his feet and giving her a helping hand to hers.

Loki overheard Fandral say "Let's go get out of these wet clothes," before they both left.

Loki closed his book and sighed. It was getting too dark to keep reading and he had probably done more to help push Fandral and his new partner together than anything else. He packed up his belongings and headed back to the palace. It had been a disappointing evening.

How nice it must have been for Fandral to move on so quickly. He seemed very happy with the lady he was with. It hadn't been so long ago that he had looked at Loki like that. But none of that had been real. Obviously it was less real for Fandral than it had been for Loki. So why wouldn't it be easy for him to move on so quickly? Loki trudged up the stairs.

Waiting in his rooms was Frigga. She was glancing at the books on his shelves but looked over at him when he opened the door. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hello, to what do I owe this social call?" he asked.

"I just wanted to check in on you and see how you were holding up," Frigga answered.

"I'm fine," Loki said. He didn't quite keep the annoyance from his voice. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You've recently broken off your engagement," Frigga pointed out.

"Yes. It was very sad and now things are back to normal," Loki said. "As you can see I am fine. Is that all?"

It was Frigga’s turn to raise an eyebrow at him.

"I am relieved. I assumed you would recover quickly after the fake engagement broke off but once it became genuine I did worry," she said with a knowing smile.

Loki pulled out the chair at his desk and sat down.

"How long did you know it wasn't real?" he asked. He was playing back in his mind all the interactions he could remember. Perhaps Thor had told her.

"Since the beginning," Frigga smiled. "And I've also seen the love between you and Fandral blossom throughout your engagement. I'm your mother. I know your heart. So I'm going to ask you again, how are you feeling?"

Loki didn't know exactly how to answer that question. He was still a little hurt and angry, it was why he'd lashed out after all. He did feel a little guilty about that now. But the anger was less than it had been. It only really felt that way around Fandral. When they were apart he could focus his attention on other things, keep his mind busy. But he was never quite happy either, just not unhappy.

"I'm fine," Loki answered again. His answer sounded less confident than before but he met her sympathetic eyes with his own. "I'm moving on."

Frigga nodded. "Good."

"I'm trying to move on," Loki admitted.

"Some days will be harder than others," Frigga said.

He looked at the ground, studying the tiles of the floor. "I wish they weren't. Some days I wonder what my life would have been if none of this had happened. You took care to find someone as perfect as Elphane. It would have been simple," Loki said quietly.

Frigga rested a hand on his shoulder for a moment before brushing his cheek and lifting his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"We could find an arrangement for you again if that's what you want," Frigga said.

The offer hung between them. He could marry, put all of this behind him. He could probably even move away from Asgard. He wouldn't have to see Fandral again. No more painful memories, no more watching Fandral find happiness with people who weren't him. He could grow to love someone else and eventually find peace.

"I'm not sure," Loki said.

"I understand if you need more time. The offer will be there when you are ready," Frigga responded.

She gave him a hug before leaving him for the night. It was dark outside, the sun having gone down long ago. He could get married and leave Fandral behind. It would solve his problems, he wouldn't have to see Fandral again and the bitterness he felt could finally fade.

His guilt over tripping Fandral surfaced again. If he was going to move on he supposed he should apologize for his childishness. He could close that chapter once and for all before marrying someone else.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. Hope you liked the chapter. Leave a kudos or a comment to let me know! I read them all

Chapter 26

The morning came too bright and early. The curtains were swept aside by the serving girl, Thyra, again. He was beginning to despise her wake up calls. She chattered on as she moved through the room, telling him about her family, her plans for her day off. Breakfast was set off to the side for him to eat. He had learned that getting up and eating the food was easier than trying to delay when it was Thyra who came to wake him.

“What are you doing today, Your Grace?” Thyra asked. She asked it every time she came to wake him up. If he didn’t give an answer that satisfied her, she’d suggest something to him, a walk, a ride, she once suggested learning a new instrument.

“I’m going to apologize to Fandral for a prank I pulled on him yesterday,” Loki admitted.

“You are?” Thyra asked. She had stopped what she was doing and gave him a questioning look.

Loki ignored the astonishment in her voice.

“I think it’s a great idea. The two of you should talk. Perhaps the bitter feelings between you and him were part of a bigger misunderstanding and could be eased with more insight,” Thyra suggested.

“I’m only apologizing for yesterday,” Loki said.

His words were drowned out. “You should both sit down together somewhere. Maybe have a meal together,” Thyra continued on. “Invite him to lunch, or dinner! I can have the kitchens prepare something special.”

“No, Thyra. I would rather not make a big deal out of it. I’m just going to pay him a visit and apologize for my behaviour,” Loki said.

"Suit yourself, Your Grace," Thyra said. "Maybe I'll have something special made up anyway."

~*~*~

The morning air still held a chill to it, despite it being spring. Loki pressed on, unbothered by the cool air. He found it refreshing. It wasn't a long walk to Fandral's house, he lived near the palace, but it wasn't a route that Loki took all that often.

It wasn't long before he heard a thunderous cracking sound. It repeated over and over again. Someone was likely chopping wood. The closer Loki got to Fandral's house, the louder it became until he could also hear the sound of the split wood falling to the ground with a clatter after the strikes. The house came into view, off to the side of the house was Fandral, shirtless, with an axe in hand, chopping wood. Loki stopped where he was and watched.

The axe went up, the muscles in Fandral's arms and shoulders flexed, before it came down with a thud. The log split in two and Loki's mouth hung open. Sweat glistened on Fandral's skin, catching the sun in a way that reminded Loki of the way the moonlight glinted off him that night, so long ago it seemed. Loki’s mouth went dry. Fandral’s heavy, rhythmic breaths made him think of a similar rhythm as they breathed together as one.

A crack of wood splitting awoke him from the thoughts he was lost in. Fandral moved to grab another log and set it in place, moving it around until he found a stable place for it on the stump. He looked up, his honey-coloured eyes meeting Loki’s green ones immediately. Fandral’s face showed recognition that melted into animosity. Loki immediately felt uneasy. He wasn't welcome. He should have known better. Of course he wasn't welcome after everything.

"Hello," Loki said.

Loki stepped closer, into the sun. He stopped when he saw Fandral's grip tighten on the axe. Rude.

"What do you want?" Fandral asked.

He set the axe down against the stump. With a handkerchief from his back pocket, he wiped the sweat from his brow. Loki shook away memories of the taste of that sweat.

"I came to apologize," Loki said.

Fandral looked surprised. He crossed his arms. "And what have you come to apologize for?"

Loki fidgeted, picking at his nails. The way Fandral was watching him made him want to squirm but he forced himself to stand still.

"I shouldn't have tripped you or your friend into the pond yesterday. I'm sorry," Loki said.

Fandral's expression didn't change. His arms were still crossed. The hope he had that Fandral would forgive him and welcome him back with open arms faded away. He supposed that was too much to expect.

"Is that all?" Fandral asked.

"I also wanted to check on you. We haven't spoken in so long and I hardly see you anymore," Loki said.

Fandral shifted his stance and looked at the ground, finally removing that imposing eye contact.

"I'm fine."

They both stood in silence for a minute. Loki considered whether he should just leave. It seemed as though his presence wasn't welcome anymore. He wondered if it ever would be.

"Your new friend-" Loki said before being cut off.

"Partner."

"Your new partner seems... nice," Loki said. There were other words he could have used but he doubted Fandral would have appreciated them as much as he did.

"Bothild is," Fandral said coldly.

"Alright," Loki said.

"Alright," Fandral responded.

"Good," said Loki.

Fandral nodded his head in reply. It was time to go. Loki turned around. He shouldn't have come. Fandral didn't need or want his apology and he didn't feel any better after giving it either. The entire trip had been a bust. He could hear Fandral pick up another piece of wood behind him. The rest of the pile clattered softly as it was disturbed. As much as Loki might have wished there was still something between them, there wasn't. There was just him and Fandral, two separate people who would never again have anything more than bitter feelings between them.

"You said we'd have to avoid each other for a while after we broke up," Loki said, stalking back to Fandral. "I didn't realize you'd be so callous."

"You said that you'd make sure Thor wouldn't harm me when we broke up. Sometimes things don't go the way you want I guess," Fandral said.

He matched Loki's energy and now they were in each other's space. Fandral jabbed a finger at Loki’s chest when he made his point. His eyes burned with anger. With passion. Loki licked his lips, Fandral’s gaze followed the movement. The smell of sweat, the heated argument, the proximity, it was intoxicating. If Loki only leaned forward a little bit he could partake in the taste of those lips once more. He could feel Fandral’s mustache tickle his skin again.

The door on the house swung open with a creak and swung shut. Fandral stepped away, putting space between them once more.

"I've left your clothes on the bed. I also- Oh," Bothild said as she stepped out of the house. Her words stopping when she saw Loki standing there as well. "Good morning, Your Grace."

"Good morning," Loki replied and then said to Fandral, "I really should be going."

He left Fandral with his new partner. Fandral didn't even say anything to him. Loki’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and he could feel hot tears trying to form in his eyes, which he tried to blink away. He was an idiot. He knew Fandral had a new partner. She'd probably spent the night with him when they left to "get out of their wet clothes". She had been there the entire time. Loki had misread signals, Fandral didn't want to kiss him back there. Fandral didn't want him. He had her.

There was nothing there. No feelings of love. Fandral had moved on quickly, leaving Loki behind. It had never been real.

By the time he got back to the palace, the cold air had helped stop the threatening of tears but it had done nothing to soothe the burning anger and humiliation he felt. He marched through the hallways until he found who he was looking for.

Frigga looked up from her embroidery when Loki stomped into the room. She smiled at him but before she could say anything Loki spoke first.

"Set up the arranged marriage," he said.

The happy look on her face faded to one of sympathy. He hated that look. He didn't need sympathy. He was fine.

"Of course," she said.

She set aside her embroidery and stood up to embrace him.

"I will find you the perfect partner," Frigga whispered.

Loki nodded his head. Frigga gave one more gentle squeeze before she let go. Loki stepped away and went back to his rooms.

He closed the door behind him, drew the curtains closed, and laid on the bed. Finally, in the darkened privacy of his room, he let himself cry the tears of embarrassment that he'd blinked back earlier.

He was an idiot for thinking it might have been real. He was an idiot for thinking there was anything other than resentment between them. It was over. Loki would marry and put everything behind him.

Notes:

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know by leaving me a kudos or a comment, they really make my day

Chapter 27

In addition to the guilt and shame he felt, Fandral now also had regret to add to the list of awful feelings that were building up inside him. That wasn’t true. He already regretted never telling Loki how he felt, but now he also regretted the words he had said to Loki after being surprised by his visit. He supposed that all the pain he felt made him lash out. The bruises Thor left on him were healing but the pain in his heart remained.

Things had been difficult since the wedding. He'd been trying to keep his distance from Loki where he could. He knew that if he had to spend time with Loki it would become glaringly obvious that he was still in love. So he avoided Loki. He'd leave places if Loki walked in, or if he wasn't able to leave, he would make sure to stay as far from him as possible. He told his friends it was because he was hurt by the way Loki had treated him, which if he was being honest wasn't that far from the truth. Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif were only too happy to help him stay away from Loki. They had never liked him and they voiced their opinions often.

When other people gave their condolences they were given with suggestive invitations. He was known to be flirtatious before his relationship with Loki and he knew he should try to be that way again but he didn't want any of the offers. It didn't help that he saw Loki everywhere. The upturn of a smirk, the way the sun caught one woman's raven coloured hair, a mischievous twinkle in someone's eye. The reminders were everywhere. So he found someone who was completely different to Loki. She was kind, soft, dutiful, blonde.

Bothild was refreshing. Fandral liked spending time with her. She was sometimes the only nice thing about his day. But he felt just as much like he was pretending with her as he had been with Loki. He didn't love her. He couldn't love her when his heart still firmly belonged to Loki. Not when it was being wrenched and crushed by short glances across crowded rooms.

Being tripped into a pond was unexpected. He didn't think Loki was that upset with him. Fandral suspected he was a little upset, Thor had come to rough him up after all. But Loki should be happy. He got what he wanted. The plan had worked. He wouldn't have to marry anyone and after what happened it was unlikely the All-Father would try to set up anything like that again.

Bothild thought nothing of ending up in a pond. It was merely an accident and accidents happen. She was so sweet. His clothing took the brunt of the damage in the altercation. Both of them were soaked in pond water but the back of his tunic was also covered in mud. She offered to clean it for him so when he walked her home she lent him some of her brother's clothing and he left his clothes with her.

Loki showing up the next day was a shock. He looked anxious, like he couldn't decide if he wanted to stay or run away. He was picking at his fingers the way he always did when he was nervous, ever since they were children. Fandral gripped the axe he held to stop himself from taking hold of those hands to stop their fidgeting. He saw how that made Loki more nervous though so he set the axe down and crossed his arms instead.

"I came to apologize," Loki had said.

That was a surprise. Fandral wasn’t sure he’d ever heard Loki willingly apologize to anyone. But here he was, actually apologizing for his prank the day before. Fandral wanted to believe it but he couldn’t be sure it was real. He also remembered that Bothild was still inside the house and knew things would get tense again if Loki saw her. He needed to get Loki to leave.

“Is that all?” Fandral asked.

“I also wanted to check on you. We haven’t spoken in so long and I hardly see you anymore,” Loki said.

That hurt. Fandral wanted to see Loki everyday. He wanted to rush back to those arms. But he couldn't, could he? He'd been avoiding Loki so he didn't give away how much he still loved him. But he knew he wasn't really welcome there anymore either.

"You said we'd have to avoid each other for a while after we broke up. I didn't realize you'd be so callous," Loki said.

He'd been callous? He'd been suffering the consequences of Loki's carelessness. Thor hated him, had hurt him for the hurt he'd caused his baby brother. He'd been suffering through every painful reminder of what he'd had and lost. He'd been tormenting himself over his actions and the way he'd taken advantage of Loki.

He was hurting and he took it out on Loki. The young prince didn't deserve it. He almost regretted his words but Loki had stepped into his space. He was in Fandral's face. It was the first he'd really seen Loki in a long time and Fandral longed to wrap his arms around him, to kiss him, to tell him he loved him. But that was how he got into this mess in the first place. Besides, Loki wouldn't appreciate it, especially when he was angry.

The sound of his door opening reminded him that Bothild was still there. He'd forgotten in the heat of their argument. Fandral took a step back, putting distance between them again.

Loki left quickly before Fandral could say anything. Bothild gave him a peck on the cheek which he returned with a kiss to the crown of her head. She took her leave as well after that leaving Fandral on his own.

He picked up the wood he had chopped and put it away along with the axe. He felt worse after seeing Loki. He should have just told him how he felt but instead he'd let his emotions get the better of him. He lashed out instead of reaching out and now had words he regretted to add to the list of things he would agonize over.

Fandral retreated into the house. His clothes from the day before were on the bed just as Bothild had said. He pushed them onto the floor and collapsed onto the bed. He had other things to do but couldn't get up to do them.

Loki came to apologize to him and now Fandral felt as if he were the one who should go back to apologize to Loki. He couldn't bear to face Loki again though. He'd only make an ass of himself again. He'd only hurt Loki once more like he already had over and over again.

He thought it would be easy enough to stay away from Loki but everywhere he went Loki was there too. If he wasn't, there were reminders of him. He was a crown prince. Reminders of him were everywhere in Asgard. Maybe if he left Asgard it would be easier. He would be able to move on.

Perhaps there was an off-world mission he could join. Somewhere was bound to need an extra warrior. It would likely be dangerous. Off-world placements often were but he was a good swordsman. He would probably be fine. And if he wasn't, at least that would be the end of his misery and he'd find a place in Valhalla.

Fandral made his way to the palace. He needed to find the All-Father and ask to be sent somewhere. Anywhere. He'd suffer the heat of Muspelheim or the cold of Jotunheim. Anything to be away from the constant reminders of the love he couldn't have.

Before he found Odin, he found Frigga. She was making her way through the halls as if she was looking for someone as well. Fandral stopped and bowed.

"My Queen," he said.

"Hello Fandral," she greeted warmly, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I was hoping to seek an audience with the All-Father if you know where he is," Fandral said.

"What a coincidence. I was just going to find him. Why don't you come along?" Frigga said.

Fandral agreed, offering his arm to her. She took it, intertwining her arm in his.

"Tell me, what do you need to ask of Odin?" Frigga asked.

"I was hoping he could send me off-world," Fandral admitted.

Frigga patted his hand. "I see. That's quite a decision to make. Are you certain this is what you want?"

"Are you trying to convince me otherwise, My Queen? I've made my choice," Fandral said.

Her smile was warm but sad. She stopped and took his hand in hers. Her other hand brushed his cheek. He didn't want to make eye contact but her eyes found his. He felt exposed and vulnerable , like she could see into his very soul.

"Punishing yourself isn't going to make it better, Fandral," she said.

He didn't have any words to respond. Frigga knocked on the door they stopped in front of. It opened with a creak. Frigga raised an eyebrow.

"Well? What will it be?"

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Trying something a little different this week. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a kudos or a comment if you did. :)

Chapter 28

Frigga had confirmed with Fandral that he would have an off-world mission as soon as it was available. That was several days ago. Since then, Fandral had been waiting impatiently for some news. The sooner he got his orders, the sooner he could be free of Loki. In the meantime, Fandral focused his time on training so he would be ready when the time came to leave. It also focused his mind on something other than Loki.

With a hard shove, the man Fandral was sparring with fell to the ground. He yielded and withdrew from the ring. Fandral was running out of people to practice with, most of them had been defeated already and were either resting on the side of the training ring or were getting small wounds treated by the infirmary. He’d have to retire from the training ring soon, either practicing on his own or finding something else to occupy his time. He knew Bothild would want to spend time with him too but with his upcoming assignment he’d been distancing himself from her. Goodbyes were harder than just disappearing. She’d get over him after he left.

“Loki!” Thor’s booming voice called from the side of the training ring.

Fandral saw Loki walking toward his brother, he looked unhappy to have been noticed. Fandral ignored him as another man stepped into the ring with him. He’d leave right after this last spar. The last time they saw each other had not gone well and Fandral didn’t really want a repeat of it, especially not with such an audience.

The man he was sparring with struck wide with his sword, allowing an opening for Fandral to slip past his defence. With a foot hooked around the man’s leg, Fandral tripped him. The man fell ungracefully to the ground with a thud. His sword fell from his hands and he yielded to Fandral as well. It had been a dissatisfyingly short fight but still too long. Fandral itched to leave, to escape Loki’s presence.

So when Loki’s blades carved their way through the air toward him, he was annoyed and a little surprised. Loki lunged into the training ring before the previous man had a chance to escape. The man scrambled to his feet and ran out with little more injury than that to his backside and his ego. Loki’s attacks were swift and calculated, striking when he saw cracks in Fandral’s guard. Fandral managed to get his sword between Loki’s daggers and himself but the prince was more formidable than any of his previous opponents.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to kill me,” Fandral said.

“I guess it’s a good thing you know better then,” Loki said, though his tone did nothing to reassure Fandral, “Thor convinced me you needed someone at your own skill level to practice with.”

Fandral blocked a few more quick attacks. He’d have to find a way to turn this fight from one of defence to offence and soon. Loki’s strikes were getting harder to block and he suspected he’d end up herded into some corner soon enough. Loki did enjoy trapping his opponents.

“He was right though. You need tougher practice partners,” Loki said.

Fandral blocked another couple of quick slashes.

“He wouldn't say why it was so important for you to train so diligently. Tell me, is there some secret you're keeping from me?" Loki asked.

"There's no secret. I need the extra practice because I'm leaving. I'll be going on an off-world mission,” Fandral said, trying to knock Loki off-balance. His attack was blocked by one of Loki’s daggers but it had reversed their movement. Loki was now the one backpedalling.

"When do you leave?" Loki asked. Did Fandral detect a note of distress in his voice? Perhaps it was because he was quickly losing this match.

"I'm not sure yet. I await news from the All-Father. Why? Surely you won't miss me," Fandral teased.

Loki's attacks became much more aggressive and forceful. He was putting more strength behind each one, though it did make them a little clumsier.

"No," Loki said, "I will also be leaving. I am to be married."

And just like that all the oxygen disappeared. Loki was getting married again? And he was going through with it this time?

"Enjoy your off-world mission. Perhaps the All-Father will send you to do espionage since you were so good at pretending before," Loki said.

Loki found an opening just under Fandral’s sword. His knife plunged into Fandral’s body causing pain to lance up his abdomen. Fandral let out a gasp of shock. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter. Loki was gone in an instant leaving nothing but his knife, still in Fandral's abdomen.

Thor came rushing over and supported him before he fell over. Fandral leaned on Thor, trying to take the pressure off his wound. Thor looked pretty concerned about it but didn't say anything. He helped him get to the infirmary.

It wasn't until after the knife had been removed and Fandral had been stitched up that Thor said anything.

"I'm sorry I pushed him into the ring with you," Thor said. He looked like someone kicked him. He was wringing his hands anxiously.

"You didn't know he'd actually stab me," Fandral said.

Thor nodded but didn't make eye contact. "I'm relieved that you're okay."

"It's lucky that Loki didn't pierce anything too important," said Fandral.

"And that he left the knife behind so you wouldn't bleed out," Thor pointed out.

Fandral nodded his head. It was a good thing Loki wasn't thinking the way he normally did. He might not have made it to the infirmary.

"He must really love you," Thor said.

"What do you mean?" Fandral asked. Surely the fact that he had been stabbed indicated the opposite of love.

"I've been stabbed by him countless times. I know what it means for him to stab you like this. If he wanted to really hurt you he would have but he missed all the important organs. He left his dagger behind so you'd have a better chance of making it to the infirmary. He intended for you to live. Loki may be angry with you but he loves you a lot. He doesn't stab just anyone, just the ones he loves the most. The ones he feels most comfortable with," Thor said.

Fandral remembered having a similar conversation with Loki in the dark of the farmhouse.

"It's easiest to hurt the ones we love the most," Fandral responded.

"Exactly."

Oh.

Oh.

So Loki loved him. Potentially. Maybe. Or maybe Loki just wanted to stab him. That was also a possibility. But he was getting married. So he probably moved on, otherwise why would he agree to another marriage?

"Are you going to go after him and tell him you love him too?" Thor asked.

"I- how- how did you know?" Fandral stammered.

Thor clapped Fandral on the shoulder which jarred his wound and made him wince.

"You are one of my closest friends. I know such things. And you are not as sneaky as you think you are when you steal longing glances of my brother," Thor said. The grip on Fandral’s shoulder tightened. "Remember the talk we had before though. I do not wish for you to hurt him again. If you go after him you better take greater care of his heart."

Fandral swallowed and nodded his head. He'd be much more careful this time. The look in Thor's eyes promised more pain this time if he broke Loki’s heart again.

"I will."

Thor smiled brightly. "Excellent. Good luck then."

"Thank you. I should go find him," Fandral said.

Thor gave him one more painful clap on the back as Fandral left. He was lucky that his freshly healed wound didn't open back up again but the healers had done good work.

As he ran up the stairs of the palace, toward Loki’s room, he tried to think of what he would say. All of his words jumbled together in his head. He was sorry. He was an idiot. He loved Loki. Those were the important parts, everything else he just had to hope made sense when he said them.

Loki wasn't in his room when Fandral got there. No one in the palace seemed to have seen him for hours. So he went outside and searched the grounds. Perhaps a walk in the gardens? Somewhere on the training grounds? But after checking these places there was still no sign of Loki. His horse was still in the stable so he couldn't have gone far. And then he remembered one last place that Loki liked to go. The clearing they played in as children.

The clearing was empty when he got there and he nearly turned around to head back to the palace to wait for Loki to reappear but something caught his eye. On one of the stones a spattering of blood stood out starkly against the grey. Fandral moved closer to inspect it. As he looked about the clearing he saw other signs of a struggle. Footprints marred the mud and a series of small broken branches led off in one direction. It appeared a fight had broken out. But if so, where was Loki? And who had he been fighting?

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Kudos and comments are always appreciated

Chapter 29

The evidence in the clearing painted a scene that made Fandral sick to his stomach. A fight had clearly taken place recently. When he really looked around him he could see it plain as day. The footprints suggested Loki had been outnumbered. The blood, Fandral couldn’t say for certain whether it was Loki’s or someone else’s, meant that Loki had fought back. He had struggled but been overwhelmed and eventually taken. Who would do such a thing or why Fandral had no idea. It was true that Loki wasn’t the most well liked but this was unjustified.

He followed the trail through the trees as much as he could. It led through the countryside of Asgard for a while before it disappeared again. Fandral desperately tried to pick up the trail again but there was nothing. It was like they vanished into thin air. Fandral swallowed down his panic. He needed to stay calm and level headed if he was going to find Loki. His guilt made it difficult to think clearly though. He should have just been honest with Loki, he should have told him long ago about his feelings. Now it might be too late.

It didn’t matter. He took a breath and tried to push away the guilt and the panic. The only thing that mattered was finding Loki. Until then, his feelings could wait. He looked around again, confused by the tracks he saw as they seemingly disappeared into thin air. He could not decipher what happened. Where had they gone? How would he find them?

He’d have to tell the palace. Odin would have to know about Loki’s disappearance. They’d send out a search party and bring Loki back. Thor would be furious. Fandral took off but not in the direction of the palace. He knew exactly how he would find Loki. He only hoped he wasn’t too late and Loki was alive. He had to be.

His footsteps echoed loudly as he ran into the Bifrost Chamber. Heimdall watched him silently as he approached and gave him a look up and down once he came to a stop. The Bifrost sword was resting with the point on the floor and the pommel under Heimdall’s hands. Heimdall raised an eyebrow at him.

“What brings you here, Fandral?” Heimdall asked.

Fandral hesitated for a moment before answering. He needed to find Loki though and Heimdall was likely the only one who could.

“Can you tell me where Loki is?” Fandral asked.

Heimdall let out a “hmmm” and looked out the way he did when he saw something far away. If anyone could find Loki, it was him. He could see everywhere. Mostly everywhere. Fandral tried not to think about what it would mean if Heimdall couldn’t see Loki.

“He’s in Alfheim. He appears to be in trouble,” Heimdall said with a frown.

Alfheim? But the treaty had just been settled. They would have no reason to kidnap a crown prince. Fandral swallowed back the bile in his throat. This sort of thing could easily lead to a war between the two realms.

“Yes, I need to tell the All-Father about this,” Heimdall said. He was turning to leave before Fandral could say anything.

“Wait!” Fandral called desperately. To his surprise Heimdall stopped. “At least send me to help him before you leave. I’ll be able to find him before Odin’s forces are prepared and maybe we can avoid too much more trouble.”

Heimdall gave a thoughtful look. “I won’t be able to bring you back right away. You might be there for a while before I can transport you back.”

“I understand. Please, Heimdall,” Fandral begged.

Heimdall gave a nod and stepped back onto the platform, holding the Bifrost sword ready.

“I will drop you off a small distance north from where Loki is now. I will tell the All-Father about what has happened and then return. I hope you will have found Loki by that time, otherwise the All-Father will have to decide whether to try and negotiate with Alfheim or send a larger force after Loki and void the new treaty,” Heimdall warned.

Fandral nodded. Find Loki quickly or there could be a war. “So no pressure then? I do love a time limit.”

Heimdall did not laugh at his joke, instead he activated the Bifrost and Fandral was gone. He stood in a clearing in Alfheim, the ground below him burnt by the energy of the Bifrost. He was north of Loki. Looking around, he gained his bearings and found south. He did not have very long to find Loki and free him.

He thought long and hard about what he would say when he rescued Loki. He had loved Loki for so long, he never meant to hurt him, never meant to take advantage of him. He was an idiot. He hoped Loki would forgive him. He’d do anything to earn forgiveness and gain back Loki’s trust. He would spend the rest of his days making it up to Loki for the way he treated the prince. He only prayed he would get to Loki before anything sinister happened, to be able to hold him again. If that’s what Loki wanted.

The sounds of some kind of brawl rang out in front of him. Fandral was getting closer. He was also slowing down. The wound Loki had left him was aching, making it feel like he had a stitch in his side. There wasn’t any blood leaking through, the healers having thoroughly closed up the wound, but he knew the flesh there was still tender and healing. He pushed through the pain, willing himself to run faster. He could hear voices. They sounded angry but he didn’t hear Loki. He was close.

Loki came running out of the underbrush suddenly. He was looking behind him and nearly ran directly into Fandral, who veered out of the way. Loki stopped and Fandral was able to get a good look at him. His breath escaped him. Loki looked a little worse for wear. His lip had a cut in it and he was bruised in several places. He didn’t look scared though, he looked almost smug until he ran into Fandral and now seemed surprised.

“You’re okay,” Fandral murmured.

All the speeches he had practiced on his way to find Loki flew out of his mind. There were no words to express his relief. He wanted to wrap his arms around Loki, pull him close, and promise never to let anything happen to him again. He hesitated, unsure of what to do.

“I am. Were you coming to rescue me?” Loki asked.

“Yes. I’m sorr-” Fandral began.

“Good,” Loki said. He swayed a little before stumbling. Fandral caught him before he could fall, wrapping his arms around him to keep him upright.

“Loki?” Fandral cried out.

Loki got his feet back under him but Fandral didn’t let go.

“I’m fine. Just a little overtaxed. I’ve mostly dealt with my captors, however, now would be a good time for an escape plan,” Loki said.

“Heimdall?” Fandral called. There wasn’t a response. They were on their own for a little while longer.

“Hold on, Loki,” Fandral said.

He pulled one of Loki’s arms around his neck and wrapped one of his arms around Loki’s waist for stability and the two of them set off. Heimdall might not be immediately available but he’d at least get Loki further away from his captors. Loki was uncharacteristically quiet on their journey, which worried Fandral. He didn’t know how badly Loki had been injured or just what had happened. He worried that if he didn’t get Loki back to Asgard soon, he might not make it. Fandral looked up, hoping the Bifrost would open soon.

Loki stumbled again and struggled to regain his footing. He seemed to be getting weaker as they went. Perhaps the trek was too much for him. Fandral looked around. They were in a very open area. He had not heard the people who took Loki but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anyone following them. He feared if he stopped here it would be easy to find them.

Fandral picked Loki up and continued on, carrying him in his arms. Loki protested a little but not much, which disturbed Fandral more than he liked. His stab wound screamed at him, feeling like it could rip back open despite the healing. He bit back the pain and continued on, determined to get Loki back to Asgard even if he had to walk all the way there.

Finally, the Bifrost opened and both Fandral and Loki were pulled back to Asgard. Fandral stepped into the chamber and sank to one knee, Loki still in his arms. Loki had fallen unconscious somewhere along the line in Alfheim and Fandral pressed a hand to his cheek. It was cool to the touch. Loki stirred a little but his eyes stayed shut. Fear gripped Fandral's heart and he could hardly breathe.

“It’s going to be alright, Loki. We made it,” Fandral whispered, “Stay with me. I love you, Loki.”

Loki was taken from him, carried to the healers. Fandral begrudgingly let him go and followed after. His own wound needed caring for again. Loki was home, he just hoped he wasn’t too late.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a kudos or comment if you did. They make my day

Chapter 30

Loki awoke groggily. It took him a minute to recognize where he was, though he wasn't entirely sure how he'd gotten there. He was in the infirmary, lying in one of the beds. There was no one else around with him, not even any of the healers. Something about that saddened him. Other than his mouth being dry he felt fine. He sat up in bed and tried to remember how he'd gotten there. The last thing he remembered was the mercenaries who had kidnapped him.

He'd been in the little clearing when they'd ambushed him. He had tried to fight back and had even hit one of them hard enough that their nose spurted blood. In the end it didn't matter though. He was outnumbered and caught off-guard. Eventually the group overpowered him and knocked him out.

He woke up not that long after. They were still in Asgard and he recognized the trees they were walking through as they weren't very far from the clearing. He was tied up and slung over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes and he could feel the cuts and bruises the mercenaries had given him. They stung and hurt more with every jostle.

He slowly worked to loosen his ties. He thought he might be able to find a moment to escape later when the group of mercenaries were distracted. In the meantime he kept an ear open for anything that might be of use to him. They were Elves, Ice Elves even. But from what he picked up in their conversation it sounded as though they were working independently because of some petty slight they felt after Loki's supposed rejection of Elphane.

When they went through a secret pathway that even Loki didn't know about he paid attention. He'd have to shore that up and keep it in his mind for later to make sure others didn't utilize it. It might also come in handy one day. Through the pathway they unsurprisingly ended up in Alfheim and fled into a forested area. Loki quietly struggled with his bonds more vigorously. He was alive for now but he couldn't be sure how long that would last. Besides, at least a couple of his captors were suggesting they kill him.

A couple more were insisting he should be kept alive. At least for now. There was a natural tension between these people. They didn't all have the same desires. It left a bit of division between them that Loki could squeeze himself into and wedge open further.

From what he heard he determined that the man carrying him was in charge. He also seemed to be on team "keep Loki alive" for now.

"Seems as though there's some ruffled feathers among your group," Loki said quietly.

"Shut up," the man carrying him said.

"You need to make sure they know who's in charge. They don't respect your leadership. If they won't listen, then you're better without them," Loki said.

"Hey! What's he saying?" one of the other Elves demanded. He was one of the ones who wanted Loki dead.

"Nothing. Just lies," the leader said.

It seemed to rile up the group that their leader didn't tell them what Loki said. Loki hid his grin in the back of the Elf's shirt.

"I ought to sew his filthy Asgardian mouth shut," said the Elf who wanted him dead. As much as that was a step up from dying, Loki really didn't want that to happen.

He was dropped to the ground unceremoniously. He was sure more bruises were being added to his already injured body. The leader stepped toward the other Elf and shoved a finger in his chest.

"We are not to do any permanent damage. He needs to be whole," the leader said.

That sparked off an argument between the two of them and more of the Elves jumped in to defend either side. When it started to turn violent is when Loki found his opportunity for escape. Everyone was much more involved in each other than in him so he slipped his hands out of his bonds and got to work on the rope around his feet. One of the Elves went down around him. He'd have to act fast before they turned their attention back.

With all his limbs freed, Loki sent an energy blast out at the nearest Elf, sending him flying and landing on the ground with a sickening crunch. He would have felt bad about that but that one had been firmly on team "kill Loki". With more of his Seidr he shaped the vines and branches of the surrounding forest to tie up the remaining captors. It took a toll on him though. He started running, the branches might not hold them for long and he wanted to be as far from them as possible when they escaped.

He was tired and everything hurt. He pushed himself to run as fast as he could back out of the forest. Perhaps he could find that path again. What he didn't expect to find was Fandral. It was good timing. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep going. He needed to rest.

That must have been how he got to the infirmary. Fandral carried him back to Asgard. Everything got a little fuzzy after that.

But why was Fandral out there to begin with? Perhaps he already got his off-world mission and happened to be sent to Alfheim. That was probably it. He was lucky Fandral wasn't also on team "kill Loki" after being stabbed.

The doors to the infirmary burst open and Thor rushed over to Loki's bed. He wrapped Loki in a constricting bear hug. Loki was thankful that his injuries had already been healed.

"Norns, I'm so happy you're alright. I swear the Elves will pay for this," Thor said.

"No," Loki blurted. "It wasn't Alfheim. It was only some independent group of mercenaries."

"You are certain of this?" Thor asked.

"Yes," said Loki.

Thor nodded his head. "We were so worried. We gathered forces as soon as we found out but Fandral insisted on going ahead," Thor said.

"He did?" Loki asked.

"He was the one who found out you were missing," Thor said. "I am thankful he found you when he did. I do not want to think about what could have been if he hadn't."

"Yes. I should thank him," Loki said. There were some things he wanted to talk to Fandral about.

"You should rest. The healers said they dealt with your physical wounds but you had overexerted yourself. I will send Fandral to see you before he leaves for his off-world mission," Thor said.

Right. Fandral was leaving. And Loki would too once he was married.

Loki was moved later that day back into his own room. He would be better able to rest there and since he didn't need anymore physical care he didn't need to be in the infirmary. It wasn't until the night after that Fandral came to see him.

Thyra showed him in. Loki noticed the eyes she gave both of them but she managed to hold her tongue. Fandral brought a chair over to the bed and sat down. Loki was feeling much better but wanted an early night. Fandral looked at him like he might break though, as if he hadn't just taken on several mercenaries by himself. He also looked like he might vomit. There was silence between them for a moment before both of them tried to speak at once.

"I'm sorry, could I go first?" Fandral asked. He was so earnest that Loki let him.

"I mostly just wanted to say sorry," Fandral said.

"For what? Saving me?" Loki responded.

"No. I mean for before that. I'm sorry for the way I treated you. You didn't deserve it. The truth is…" Fandral faltered and then took a deep breath, "The truth is that I love you. I love you, Loki. I have for a long time and if I had told you earlier it would have saved us both a lot of pain."

The air vanished from his lungs. There were a million questions running through his brain. He couldn't really believe what was happening.

"Since when?" Loki asked softly.

He was afraid to look up into Fandral's eyes. He was terrified that maybe it wasn't real. Like it was all some cruel joke being played on him after wanting it so much. Fandral's hand on his cheek guided his vision up. Fandral’s face had so much love in it.

"I fell in love with you in that farmhouse so long ago. I woke up and saw your eyes filled with all the stars of the sky and I knew that my life was changed," Fandral said.

"And then I had this chance with you and I took it even if I knew it wouldn't be real. I had to take it. But I ruined it all right at the end. It was selfish and hasty of me," Fandral explained.

"Fandral…" Loki murmured.

"I took advantage of you that night and I hope you can forgive me one day but even if you can't I just wanted you to know that I love you. But I'll leave. I'll go off-world and you won't ever have to see me again," Fandral said.

Loki surged forward to meet Fandral’s lips in a kiss. It was an awkward kiss, with teeth knocking together. Loki wrapped his arms around Fandral, keeping him from leaving.

"Don't go," Loki said a little breathlessly. "I love you too."

Notes:

Finally.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a kudos or a comment if you did.

Chapter 31

The kisses continued as the night darkened. They were soft and gentle, each of them taking their time. The pent up feelings had finally been released and they both had all the time in the world. Loki wanted to make the most of it, slowly exploring Fandral’s mouth; the way he gasped into the kiss, how his warm, calloused hands felt on Loki’s cheek. They'd kissed many times but it had always been for someone else. It had always been done as proof for Odin. This time it was only for them and it felt like something entirely different. It was intimate and vulnerable.

They interrupted their languid kisses several times with questions and answers. There was so much to catch up on and yet nothing at all. Everything was laid on the table. Both of them admitting their feelings, both giving explanations for their actions, both forgiving each other.

Before Loki knew it, it was late and he was pleading for Fandral to stay. He moved over in the bed for Fandral to slip under the covers. Loki curled into him. He radiated warmth like a stove and with Fandral's arm around him he felt safer than he had in a long time. They continued talking, swapping whispered stories of the things they'd missed, until Fandral’s breathing slowed and his answers became more distant and drowsy as he dozed off.

Loki laid awake though. He was sleepy and warm and felt safe and secure. He should have been able to sleep easily. As Fandral snored softly beside him, he thought about everything that had happened and what Fandral had told him. The swordsman loved him. He'd been heartbroken just as Loki had been after the wedding but both of them had been too oblivious to see it. Loki had been so relieved and shocked to find Fandral looking for him in Alfheim. It was like a dream had come true. His knight in shining armour come to rescue him.

Now that he had Fandral beside him, he didn't want to let go. The soothing sounds of Fandral’s breaths and the soft pulse of his heartbeat lulled Loki into a drowsy state but for the life of him he couldn't actually fall asleep. His own heart pounded too loudly in his chest for that. Fear had gripped him tightly and whispered in his ear. What if this had all been a dream and it would disappear once he woke up? Or some trick? What if Fandral would be taken from him? Odin might follow through on his plans to send them both from Asgard to who knew where, not caring for what they wanted. Or what if Fandral changed his mind and disappeared while Loki slept? The last one latched onto him the tightest.

He watched the sky turn from the darkness of night to the early morning greys and then to the burnt oranges of sunrise. Fandral stayed asleep through it all, his arms around Loki never wavering. It wasn't until the first pale yellow beams of early morning sunlight shone through the window that Fandral began to stir. Loki closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. Beside him, Fandral stretched and shifted. Loki braced himself for the swordsman’s departure that he was sure was coming. Instead, Fandral leaned over him and kissed his temple lightly before settling back down beside him.

Loki pretended to wake up, yawning and stretching. His eyes found Fandral’s looking back at him. In the light of early morning Fandral’s eyes, normally the colour of honey, shone like gold. Loki’s breath caught in his chest.

"Good morning," Fandral murmured, giving Loki a kiss on the forehead.

"Morning," Loki mumbled back.

"I should bid you farewell, even though I'd like nothing more than to stay here in bed with you," Fandral purred.

Loki's heart sank. He was leaving. Again.

"You don't have to go," Loki said. He cupped Fandral’s cheek.

"Not forever. I merely have business I must tend to today. Besides, you should probably get out of bed as well. The healers will insist on it," Fandral said. "I will see you later today though."

Loki knew he was right. He should be leaving bed rest and stretching his muscles. Still, he was disappointed.

"Of course," Loki said.

Fandral pulled on his boots and straightened out his clothes as much as he could. Once he looked semi-presentable, he bent down to give Loki a kiss. Loki wished it were longer but Fandral pulled away and paused, still looking at him. Loki nearly pulled Fandral back in for another kiss when the swordsman kneeled down beside the bed to face Loki at his level. He took Loki’s hand in his.

"I'd like to court you properly, if you'll allow me to," Fandral said.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep but Loki nearly burst out laughing. He suppressed it as best he could but he couldn't help the look of amused confusion on his face.

"You've already courted me. You hardly have to do it again," Loki argued.

"No. That was an act," Fandral said with a shake of his head, "I'd like to really court you."

Loki sucked in a breath. "Alright," he answered.

Fandral gave Loki a soft kiss to his wrist before he let go of Loki’s hand and got to his feet again. He looked from the balcony to the door, seemingly weighing his options. He crossed the room toward the balcony, evidently deciding that was the best way to sneak out of a young prince's room after a night together. Loki knew how he intended to climb down. Fandral had climbed up the balcony before but down would be much more dangerous.

"If you're looking for a way out that won't draw attention there's a passage through the bookshelf," Loki said.

He got out of bed as well, giving his underused muscles a stretch before padding to the bookshelf and pulling on one of the books, causing the bookshelf to swing open and reveal a passageway. Fandral came to stand next to Loki.

"I'd rather not have you break your neck trying to climb down some vines," Loki said.

"Oh Loki, you damned trickster,” Fandral purred, the words sounded sweet as honey coming from his lips. “This will make these midnight trysts of ours much easier.”

Loki rolled his eyes, "You're already making me regret telling you."

Fandral only grinned back, gave Loki’s hand a squeeze and left through the passage. Loki closed the bookshelf behind him. It hardly made a whisper as it locked back in place.

A knock on the bedroom door right after made him turn. A moment later, the serving girl Thyra announced herself and opened the door. She held a tray with breakfast on it, though there was more food on the tray than she usually brought and the sunny look on her face turned to disappointment as she looked around the room.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Good morning, Your Grace."

Loki quirked an eyebrow at her and motioned for her to come in and set the tray down. She set it on the table off to the side as usual.

"There's enough food here for two people. I don't think I'm going to be able to eat all this, Thyra," Loki said, looking at the pile of food with amusement.

"That's fine. There was some extra in the kitchens today. I thought I'd bring it in case your appetite was better today," Thyra said casually.

"Did you think there would be someone else here besides me?" Loki asked.

Thyra turned to the curtains on the windows, pulling them open and tying them off to the side to let more light in. Before she turned Loki caught sight of how her cheeks reddened.

"N-no, of course not," Thyra said.

"Liar," Loki muttered and grabbed an apple off the tray. "Well, since there was so much extra food from the kitchen and I won't be able to eat it all, you might as well help yourself to some."

Loki got dressed and ready for his day. He didn't have too much planned. He didn't feel up to much yet. So he decided to spend the day on a walk to stretch his bedridden muscles and some practice with his magic. He was still exhausted from his night without sleep but he needed to push himself to go out or the healers would be brought back to check on him.

Loki took his time on the walk he took through the gardens. As he passed through the training grounds, he looked to the targets placed nearby. He should spend some time training. It would help his muscles and keep him from getting rusty. As tired as he was, he pushed himself to at least throw a few daggers into the target dummies. Each one landed with a satisfying thunk. By the time he left and made his way to the clearing he liked to practice magic in, he felt as though his muscles had been thoroughly warmed up.

The clearing felt different. Loki stepped in, feeling the innate magic of the place but he was uneasy. He’d been ambushed here. The place seemed tainted, like it had been defiled by the intruders who had kidnapped him. The blood from one of his attackers still stained some of the stones. He kept his senses sharp. He would not be caught off-guard a second time.

He remembered the secret pathway that his captors had taken him through. It wasn’t very far from the clearing and he knew he should check on it. He needed to ensure no others would come through without anyone’s knowledge. The Seidr that hid the pathway was subtle. It was no wonder he’d never found this way before. Loki would have had to stumble upon it by accident for that. He wasn’t sure he could seal it but he did make sure to set a trap. If anyone did come through the pathway, he would be alerted and whoever it was would be snared. It was enough for now.

After he finished up his work, he practiced a little longer, creating small illusions within the clearing to build his stamina back up. As the sun began to set, he went back to his rooms. The day had disappeared on him somehow but he had pushed himself further than he had expected to. The lack of sleep and the long day was catching up with him quickly. His eyes were closing as he closed his door behind him. He yawned as he tugged off his boots and collapsed into the bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Notes:

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving to those who also celebrate it this weekend. Hope you liked the chapter!

Chapter 32

True to his word, Fandral began courting Loki. He found small gifts and notes left for him in his rooms where only he would find them. Flowers, small trinkets, and the occasional sweet greeted him each day along with some kind of poetry or sappy note.

During the day they spent more time together. It reminded Loki of how things used to be when they were friends. They trained together and spent downtime together like they had before the fake courtship. The other Warriors Three weren’t overly pleased by his presence but since Loki had both Thor’s and Fandral’s favour again, they kept their remarks to a minimum. Still, Loki preferred when they were alone together. Fandral’s hand would find its way into Loki’s. Loki found it hard to keep his eyes off of Fandral’s. Light touches over wrists, across chests, along hips pulled them together until their lips met. Each kiss was exhilarating and ended too soon when they had to come back up for air.

They spent hours talking to each other, sometimes into the night. Sleep still eluded Loki so he didn’t mind staying awake to talk. Their discussions were sometimes sweet nothings, sometimes speaking of futures they wished for but couldn’t know. The dark allowed a freedom for them to tell each other things they might not in the brazen light of day, whispering secrets and dreams to each other.

Sometimes the discussions turned to politics. Things had begun heating up between Asgard and Alfheim again. The treaty was being called into question. While Odin preached that he did not want war between their two realms, it could not be ignored that he was making preparations for such an outcome behind the scenes. Alfheim was outraged that Asgard had opened the Bifrost to their realm twice without consultation. It didn’t help that they had felt slighted when Loki turned down their marriage proposal and then called off the wedding to Fandral too.

“We need to tell the All-Father about us,” Fandral said one night. They were tangled together in bed. He squeezed Loki’s hand. “Everyday we put it off is another day closer to being separated again.”

Loki knew Fandral was right. He also knew what the reaction from Odin would be. He’d be angry. He would never believe it. Loki was certain he’d never allow it after all the trouble they caused the first time.

“I know. I’ll tell him,” Loki whispered into the dark again. He’d said it before so many times already and yet, he still hadn’t found the courage to do it.

“You don’t have to do it alone. I’ll come with you,” Fandral offered.

Loki shook his head. “No.” He wouldn’t make Fandral deal with Odin’s wrath.

“Fine. But we have to tell them soon. What if they send me away to Alfheim? What if they try to marry you off to Alfheim to keep the peace?” Fandral asked.

Loki snorted. “I think Alfheim would go to war to keep that from happening,” he said, "I didn't exactly make a good first impression."

But he had been worrying about the same thing already. If he was honest, he was surprised that it hadn’t already happened. Part of him was scared that he’d finally get the courage to tell his parents about his courtship and they’d dismiss it so he could be married to some dignitary instead.

He wished he could say that was why he still wasn’t sleeping well but he knew it wasn’t. He couldn’t tell if he slept better with or without Fandral in his bed. When Fandral wasn’t there, he couldn’t fall asleep. He’d lay in bed, trying and failing to find sleep for hours. When he did finally find it, he’d wake up much too soon to begin the day. If Fandral stayed with him, he fell into a slumber much faster but woke up with every shift in the night. Everytime Fandral moved he’d wake up, fearful that the swordsman was slipping away into the night, and when he realized Fandral was still there he’d pull himself closer to him. By the time morning came and Fandral really was slipping away, Loki was exhausted but still made sure to wake up to say goodbye. Fandral never left without a kiss but Loki was still anxious he would if Loki didn’t wake up first.

He woke up with Fandral once again. The light streamed in brightly. Loki wanted to close his eyes and go back to sleep but he forced himself up. A minor glamour spell hid the bags under his eyes before Fandral could see them and comment. He gave Fandral a kiss before the swordsman slipped into the secret passageway. He wished Fandral could just stay instead of sneaking out but then he’d definitely have to tell Odin. As it was, they’d had a few close calls with Thyra bringing breakfast. Loki was sure she was still trying to catch them together. Maybe that would be for the best. At least it would be out in the open.

A summoning came with his breakfast. Loki was to see the All-Father. If it was something so official it couldn’t be good, not that his chats with Odin were ever really good. Thoughts of what it could be about spun through his mind as he took his time eating breakfast. The All-Father could wait until he’d finished. But the longer he took, the more anxious he started to get about the summons and the wilder his theories got. Eventually, he decided it was time to just get it over with.

He made himself presentable and went to see Odin. The All-Father was waiting for him in the throne room. When Loki entered he looked up and gestured for him to come forward. Loki complied, though he was uncomfortable. He didn’t like not knowing what this summons was about.

“I have been told you believe your kidnapping to have been an independent attack,” Odin said. “Why do you think this?”

Loki nodded. “I do believe it was independent. The Elves who took me spoke to each other of their plan. It sounded to me as though they felt like Alfheim had been slighted in the treaty process when I did not marry Elphane. They intended to hurt Asgard, and in particular, me.”

So it was just about his kidnapping. He’d already given an account of what happened but apparently the All-Father wanted more details.

“Is it possible that they could have been hired by Alfheim to carry this out and make it seem as though it were only mercenaries?” Odin asked.

Loki thought about what he knew about them. He turned every detail he could remember over in his mind.

“No. I don’t believe they were. I believe they were Ice Elves who felt they were being loyal to Elphane but had no real connection to anyone official. They were very unorganized and there didn’t seem to be much plan beyond kidnapping me,” Loki explained.

Odin was silent as he processed the information before he said, “Did you recognize any of them?”

“No.”

“How did they get in and out of Asgard without being seen by Heimdall?” Odin asked.

“I can’t speak for Heimdall’s abilities but they used a secret pathway between Asgard and Alfheim. It was well hidden so I imagine Heimdall didn’t know to watch for them there,” Loki said.

“Can you show Heimdall where this pathway is?” Odin asked.

Loki tried not to roll his eyes. He didn’t really want Heimdall to know about the pathway. A way to sneak away from Asgard without drawing the guardian’s eye was a useful thing.

“It is not necessary. I have already dealt with the pathway. No one will be able to go through it without detection,” Loki said proudly.

“You will take Heimdall to the location of this pathway anyway. I do not wish to be caught off-guard by this again,” Odin declared.

“But-”

“I will not hear it. This time it was kidnapping you. Next it could be assassins or an army,” Odin said.

Loki slumped his shoulders. Fine. He would show Heimdall where the pathway was. But he wouldn’t be happy about it. Heimdall didn’t exactly like him. He never really had. It could have been for a myriad of reasons but Loki suspected it was his knowledge of ways to circumvent Heimdall’s sight that really got under the guardian’s skin.

“This is it?” Heimdall asked when Loki showed him the pathway.

There wasn’t much to look at. It was very well hidden. But Loki could see Heimdall looking at it as if there was something to see there. Loki wasn’t sure exactly what he could see, it made him uncomfortable.

“I promised I would show you, so here it is,” Loki said boredly.

“I see you’ve added your own magic to it. An alarm of some kind?” Heimdall asked.

“Yes. I didn’t much want to be caught unawares by people coming through here again,” Loki said sourly.

“Are there any other pathways like this one around here?” Heimdall asked.

“No,” Loki lied. He knew about other similar pathways.

He had to tell Heimdall about this one. He wasn’t ordered to tell Heimdall about anything else. Heimdall raised an eyebrow as though he didn’t believe Loki but he didn’t press any further. Loki watched Heimdall leave, thankful to be away from his presence.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this one. If you did, leave a kudos or a comment! They make my day

Chapter 33

Loki awoke from his dreams, gasping. He sat up in bed and looked beside him, searching frantically for Fandral. Once he saw his partner sleeping beside him, he calmed down, sinking back into the bed. Everything was okay. Fandral was fine.

He'd dreamed that war had broken out between Alfheim and Asgard and Fandral had been sent out to fight. In his dream he had followed Fandral to the battlefield but arrived too late. Just as he found Fandral, the swordsman had been run through with a blade. Loki slowed his breathing. Fandral was unharmed.

"Loki?" Fandral asked.

Fandral shifted in the bed beside him and lifted his head. He sounded so groggy, which made sense. It was the middle of the night, the sun was still hours from rising. Loki clasped Fandral's hand in his own and snuggled closer to him.

"Shhh, go back to sleep," Loki whispered.

"What was it? Are you okay?" Fandral asked. He was starting to sound a little more awake.

"I'm fine. It was just a bad dream," Loki answered.

Fandral wrapped his arms around Loki and gave him a kiss to the temple.

"Tell me about it," he urged.

Loki shook his head. "It's already faded. Go back to sleep."

Fandral gave him one more kiss before his eyelids fell closed again. It wasn’t long before the swordsman began snoring softly once more. Loki, however, was left awake in the dark. The dream didn't fade, it replayed over and over in his head. He'd tell Odin about his courtship today. He had to. He couldn't let Fandral slip away again.

He stayed awake, agonizing over how he would tell Odin the news. How would he respond? He likely wouldn't be happy about it. All those carefully laid schemes of Odin’s would come undone again. Would he even believe Loki? Or would he think it was some ploy again? Loki supposed it was what he deserved after lying about it the first time. It had been such a stupid idea, he never should have gone along with it. And yet…

Loki looked over at Fandral, resting peacefully beside him. The stupid idea had its benefits. He tried to close his eyes and get some sleep before morning. He was exhausted but sleep never came. Light peaked through the window hours later as the sun began to rise for the day. Another night with hardly any sleep. Loki wondered idly how long he could go without sleep.

Beside him, Fandral stirred. He had not let go of Loki all night, keeping him close and warm. As he woke, he still kept his hold and when he opened his eyes, he had a goofy smile on his face.

"Good morning, Your Grace," Fandral murmured.

He buried his face into the crook of Loki’s neck and breathed deeply. His beard and mustache brushed against Loki’s shoulder. Loki wanted to stay in bed with Fandral all day, but he had a mission.

"The All-Father wishes to see me this morning," Fandral said casually.

Loki’s chest tightened. He gripped on to Fandral’s shirt tightly.

"About what?" Loki asked. He tried to keep his voice light and unbothered but he was sure he didn't succeed.

"Not sure, but I shouldn't keep him waiting," Fandral said.

Fandral lifted his head and gave Loki a kiss before he rolled over to get out of bed. Loki wanted to demand he stay, Odin be damned, but he knew he couldn't. Fandral found his clothes and with another kiss, left through the secret pathway.

Loki shot out of bed. He threw on some clothes and raced out of the room. He wasn't exactly sure what Odin would want with Fandral but he was sure it wasn't good. He would have to tell Odin before Fandral got there. If Odin wanted to send Fandral away then he would only have one chance to stop it. Loki ran the whole way and used every shortcut he knew about to get to the throne room before Fandral did.

When he reached the throne room, he was drained. The exhaustion from many nights without sleep was taking its toll on him and the run had pushed him further over the edge. He felt light-headed and unsteady on his feet but he entered the room anyway.

“Loki?" Odin called out, taken aback.

"Father, I need to speak to you. It is important," Loki said as he walked toward Odin on the throne.

“What is it, my son?” Odin asked.

Loki took in a breath. It would be okay. He would explain himself and Odin would see what Loki was speaking about and understand. Fandral wouldn’t be sent off-world. They’d be able to stay together.

“I would like to marry Fandral,” Loki said.

Odin’s eye narrowed at him and he sat back on his throne. Loki swallowed the lump in his throat. Odin would say no. It was over. This was it.

“Would you?” Odin asked. It didn’t sound like a question though. “Why?”

“What?” Loki asked.

“Why would you like to marry Fandral? What do you get out of it?” Odin asked.

Loki blinked. “I love him,” he responded.

Of course Odin thought it wasn’t real. He had no reason to believe it was. It hurt though, knowing that he couldn’t be believed. Odin looked like he was thinking Loki’s words over, weighing them for his judgement. Loki hoped they measured up.

“We have had this conversation once before. You told me you loved Fandral then, but that was a lie,” Odin said.

Loki flinched. Yes, Odin was going to deny him.

“Do you remember what I asked you then?” Odin said.

Loki nodded his head. “You asked why I loved him,” Loki answered.

Odin nodded. Loki held his breath and swayed in place. He wished Odin would just get on with what he was trying to say. His hands were fidgeting, picking at his nails again.

“Well? Why do you love Fandral?” Odin asked.

Loki’s fidgeting hands stilled. He clasped them in front of him.

“I have no answer for why I love him. There are qualities I love about him but they aren’t the why so much as the how. The qualities I told you about him before still are true. He is brave and charming but also selfless and thoughtful. He has cared for me in so many ways, even when I didn’t deserve it. Perhaps especially when I didn’t. I have learned so many things about him and myself during our courtship. I wish to spend the rest of my life with him, learning more and growing together. I do not know why I love him, only that I do and that if you separate us it will devastate me,” Loki said.

"An interesting answer," Odin said, "I will need to think on it."

Loki felt his legs go out from under him. He fell to the floor. He was so tired. "Please," he begged softly.

Odin raised an eyebrow. "I will have to consider the ramifications of this marriage before I can give my blessing. Have patience. You are excused."

Loki closed his eyes and drew a breath. His head hung down. He shook his head. There was nothing he could have said that would have made a difference. He'd blown his chance when he had pretended to court Fandral. Now it was too late. He'd cried wolf and had to live with the consequences. Loki got to his feet and made his way to the exit.

"I'm sorry I lied the first time," Loki said before he exited the throne room. He didn't bother waiting for a response.

Outside the throne room, Fandral was waiting. He had a look of surprise on his face as Loki came out of the throne room. Loki drew himself up as much as he could and ensured his glamours were in place. He’d have to go find somewhere to rest soon.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Loki,” Fandral said. He looked like he wanted to step forward but he held himself back, unsure how to act in public. Loki wished he would. He wanted to sink into those arms and bury his face in Fandral’s shoulder.

“I told Odin,” Loki said.

Fandral raised his eyebrows. “How did the All-Father take the news?”

“I’m not sure,” Loki shrugged, “I hope your meeting goes better than mine did.”

He gave Fandral a peck on the cheek before leaving. Fandral went into the throne room and Loki went to find a sunny place in the library to recover from the stressful morning he’d had.

Loki had not gotten very far into one of the tomes he’d pulled off the shelf before his eyelids drooped. The words on the page started to move and he struggled to focus. A few minutes later he slipped into a dreamless sleep

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a comment or a kudos :)

Chapter 34

Notes:

A little note for anyone wanting to skip any spicy scenes. There is an asterisk * where the scene begins and it goes until the end of the chapter, in case you are wanting to avoid it.

Loki was awoken by a touch to his shoulder. He jerked up and looked around him. His eyes landed on Fandral who had a soft look on his face. Loki blinked the sleep away and straightened. Fandral pulled the book away from him and glanced at it before setting it down on the table, away from Loki’s face.

“Are you feeling alright?” Fandral asked.

“I’m fine,” Loki said quickly. He was still tired and wished he’d been able to sleep longer. He looked out one of the nearby windows and saw the light streaming through had changed from delicate morning light to the brighter afternoon sun. He’d been sleeping for a few hours.

Fandral gave him a look but shrugged anyway. “All these books and you choose the driest one. It’s no wonder you fell asleep.”

Fandral dropped into the chair beside Loki. His hand found Loki’s and gave a gentle squeeze.

“How was your meeting with the All-Father? What did he want to see you about?” Loki asked. He kept Fandral’s hand firmly in his own grasp.

Fandral grinned. “Ah, well, I think you may have disrupted the All-Father’s plans once again. I somehow doubt he summoned me to speak about you and our courtship.”

“Right. Most likely not,” Loki said. “Is that all you talked about? It’s been quite a while since I left you.”

Fandral’s eyes lit up and he sat up straight in the chair before leaning in toward Loki. He had a wide grin on his face that told Loki he had some kind of idea he was excited about. Loki was still tired but Fandral’s happy expression made him smile.

“I have a surprise for you,” Fandral said. He stood up, still holding onto Loki’s hand. He tugged on it, indicating Loki should stand up and follow him. “Come on.”

Loki nearly argued with him, trying to take the book with him, at least to be reshelved but Fandral pulled him away before he could get ahold of the book again. He quickly gave up and allowed himself to be pulled along. Fandral was excited for whatever it was he wanted to show Loki, his energy flowed off of him in waves, infecting Loki as well. The swordsman led Loki through the palace, through winding corridors and past wings that Loki seldom ventured into. Whatever it was, Fandral had found a secluded part of the palace that they were unlikely to be disturbed in. A small part of Loki was impressed that Fandral had found a place like this on his own.

Fandral led him into a large room and Loki thought that was where they would stop but Fandral turned around and bid him to close his eyes. Loki scoffed but did as he was told, even though he felt a little foolish. Fandral took hold of both of his hands and slowly led him forward, softly chiding Loki when he tried to peek. He could hear water coming from somewhere.

“Open your eyes,” Fandral murmured when they stopped.

Loki opened his eyes slowly and looked around at his new surroundings. They were on a terraced balcony, overlooking the grounds of the castle. A small fountain on one side of the balcony burbled softly and shrubs and greenery decorated the edges. Fandral slowly pulled Loki further onto the terrace. A few steps in, Loki began to hear music. He looked around but didn’t see anyone else but as he stepped forward he could see over the edge of the balcony. There were a couple of people playing a lyre and a pan flute below.

Loki couldn’t help but stare at everything around him. It was such a surprise and the place was beautiful in the golden late afternoon sun. His eyes flitted from one thing to another and then to Fandral, whose gaze had not left Loki’s face since stepping onto the balcony.

“How?” Loki asked.

“You aren’t the only one who can find secret, secluded parts of the palace,” Fandral teased.

Loki gave Fandral’s shoulder a playful push and Fandral took the opportunity to wrap his free hand around Loki’s waist and pull him in close.

“Would you share a dance with me, my prince?” Fandral murmured into Loki’s ear. A shiver went down Loki’s spine at the feeling of Fandral’s breath on his neck.

“Yes,” Loki breathed, placing his hand back on Fandral’s shoulder.

Fandral led him in an upbeat waltz in time with the music below. They glided across the floor in perfect unison. It felt effortless and reminded Loki of the times they’d danced together before, when they were merely pretending. This felt different though. There was no one to impress, no one to mislead. The pressure was off of them and they only danced for themselves. The relaxed atmosphere came out in surprising ways; the way their movements were more fluid, less stiff than before, the moments of laughter that escaped them as Fandral guided Loki into a lively spin or a deep dip. After so long, it felt like they could finally be at ease with each other in a way they never had been able to before.

The songs changed but the dancing continued until they were out of breath and took a break on the bench tucked in the corner beside the fountain. There was a pitcher of wine and some breads, cheeses, and meats for them to pick at that Fandral had obviously pilfered from the kitchens. Fandral’s arms pulled him in close and Loki leaned his head against Fandral’s chest, enjoying the rhythmic rise and fall of his breaths.

“I think the All-Father originally wanted to send me on an off-world mission. Whatever you said before I got there must have made him reconsider his plans,” Fandral said softly. “He asked me if my answer had changed since the last time we had spoken about you. When I first announced that we wanted to marry.”

“What did you say to him?” Loki asked, angling his head to get a better look at Fandral’s expression.

“I told him that my feelings about you had not wavered, that I loved you still, but that the situation had changed and I no longer thought it would end in heartbreak,” Fandral said.

He leaned down and kissed Loki. It was passionate and hungry. Loki didn’t want to stop, it was like finding water in a desert. His hand found the back of Fandral’s neck, hair twisting between fingers. He held on for dear life, deepening the kiss without hesitation. The sun had sunk below the horizon, turning the sky a multitude of oranges and pinks and casting longer shadows across the stone of the terrace.

Loki held back his whine as Fandral pulled out of the kiss.

“I’ve only got the musicians for a little longer, my prince. One more dance to finish the evening?” Fandral asked.

Loki nodded and pulled Fandral up to dance once more. The music had slowed and Fandral held Loki close as they swayed together. It was darker than it had been so Loki snapped his fingers and small lights flickered to life among the shrubs and greenery, lighting the balcony. Loki leaned his head against Fandral’s shoulder and listened to the swordsman’s heartbeat as he enjoyed the last moments of the evening Fandral had planned for him. He never wanted it to end, but as the last notes of the lyre played, Loki knew it had to.

They slowly came to a stop, still holding each other, even as the music had finished and the musicians had packed up to leave.

“Thank you,” Loki whispered, afraid his words would dispel the enchanting atmosphere.

“Anything for you,” Fandral whispered back, brushing small circles into the small of Loki’s back.

The lights faded and went out one by one until they were left in the dying light of the evening. Loki pulled away from Fandral but gripped the swordsman’s hand, pulling him along. It was his turn to lead the way, through corridors, up stairways, through pathways only he knew. Fandral followed, unsure of where he was being led until he recognized the hallway they walked through and the set of rooms he was being led to and his pace quickened.

The moment the bedroom door closed behind them, Loki and Fandral came together again in desperate kisses. Loki pulled at laces, undoing them as deftly as his impatient fingers could while stepping backward, further into the room. Fandral’s mouth moved lower, found his pulse point in his neck, sucked bruises into his neck, down to his collarbones. His hands pulled at fabric with expert precision, exposing more skin for Fandral to caress.

*

Loki twisted, turning the two of them and gave Fandral a push so he landed backwards on the bed with a small grunt. He looked surprised at first but his gaze changed to a smoldering one as he looked up at Loki. Butterflies fluttered through Loki’s stomach when he saw the look on Fandral’s face as he scanned over Loki’s half dressed body, his skin already covered in marks. He kicked off his remaining trousers as he stepped up to the bed. Fandral was already trying to shuck his own so with one fluid pull, Loki helped him out before joining him in bed.

Loki straddled Fandral’s hips, leaning down to capture his mouth once more. Fandral moaned into the kiss and pulled Loki further down on top of him, grinding them together. Lust clouded Loki’s mind as he committed himself to thanking Fandral for everything, beginning with this night. He ran his hands over bare skin, marvelling in the flesh beneath his touch. He ran his fingers over long ago healed scars, wanting to caress, kiss, taste each one. Fandral kept a firm grip on Loki’s waist and his tongue dipped past Loki’s lips when a moan spilled into the kiss.

One of Fandral’s hands left Loki’s waist as he reached into a bedside drawer, searching frantically for the oil he was sure was there. When he found it, Loki broke the kiss to sit up and pulled the vial away from Fandral’s grip.

“Loki…” Fandral groaned and he tried to sit up to chase Loki’s lips.

“Be patient,” Loki hushed back to him, pushing him back into the bed.

Loki uncorked the vial and coated his fingers liberally before reaching back to begin preparing himself. Below him, Fandral was staring up at him with absolute adoration and devotion in his eyes. Like Loki was the only person in the world. It was enough to take away his breath with a gasp.

“Gods, Loki. You’re magnificent. Like a vision come to life,” Fandral whispered.

His hands ran over Loki’s body, exploring every line and curve as Loki worked himself open. Loki tried to go slowly but found his resolve disappearing quickly to the soft touches and whispered praise. Fandral’s thumbs grazed over Loki’s pebbled nipples at the same moment that Loki slipped a second finger in. He gasped at the attention and the new stretch and worked impatiently.

“If this is a dream, I hope I never wake from it,” Fandral continued murmuring to him.

Loki leaned down to kiss Fandral again. He wanted to taste the mouth that spilled such sweet words. He wanted to slow the flow of them before they overcame Loki. Fandral was only too eager for the kiss, biting down on Loki’s bottom lip. One of his hands tangled itself in Loki’s hair, gripping tight to keep him there.

Finally, it was all too much for Loki. He broke away from the kiss. Fandral moaned below him. He let Loki go, but kept his hand in Loki’s hair as the prince kissed a trail downward. The hand in Loki’s hair clenched tightly as Loki took Fandral in his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks, swirling his tongue in circles. The strangled sounds coming from Fandral told him he was doing well.

“Loki,” Fandral gasped.

Loki hummed in satisfaction, sinking lower. Fandral’s legs were shaking beneath him. He bucked up into Loki’s mouth once before he got control over himself once again. Loki grinned as the swordsman fell apart at his touch.

“Loki,” Fandral moaned again, more desperately this time.

A gentle tug to his hair pulled Loki’s mouth off of Fandral. He took in a gasping breath before Fandral sat up and kissed him again. He guided Loki’s hips into position. Loki moaned as Fandral bit down on his bottom lip again.

“I need you, my prince,” Fandral murmured.

Loki nodded. He needed Fandral too. He lined himself up and then lowered himself, sinking down slowly until he bottomed out and was filled. Fandral nearly whimpered below him. His hands were on Loki’s hips, fingertips digging in. Surely, they would leave bruises. None of it mattered to Loki as he began rocking. Fandral gasped and moaned and cried out Loki’s name below him. Little litanies of praise fell from his mouth as he urged Loki to continue. Loki rolled his hips, finding that spot inside himself that made him see stars. Fandral’s words faltered him, coming out in choked, half-formed sounds. His hips bucked upward into Loki sporadically and Loki knew they were both close.

With a cry, Loki came untouched just moments before Fandral spilled over as well. They slowed their movements to a stop, riding through the aftershocks before Loki disentangled himself to lay next to Fandral. He cleaned them up with a flick of magic and buried his face in Fandral’s shoulder as the swordsman wrapped his arms around Loki. He breathed in Fandral’s familiar scent, now radiating with sweat and sex and mingling with his own scent. Both were breathing hard and Loki listened as Fandral’s heartbeat began to slow as they both came down.

“Thank you,” Loki murmured.

“I am the one who should be thanking you,” Fandral breathed. “You are spectacular, my love. I adore you. I strive to ever be worthy of your affection.”

Loki wished to argue but the bed was soft and warm and Fandral’s words were sweet and soothing and it had been such a long day, with very little sleep. His eyelids drooped and it wasn’t long before he was lulled to sleep by Fandral’s exaltations.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think it's one of my favourites. They're both so soft here. Let me know what you thought though. I love the comments and kudos you leave. :)

Chapter 35

Loki slept well enough but his dreams were unsettled. He dreamt he was in a maze with hedges that towered over him. They were imposing, making him feel like they were pressing in on him from both sides.

He ran through the maze, trying to find some way out of it. Each twist and turn led him to more of the maze. He couldn't tell if he was going deeper into the maze or making his way out. When he looked up to try to orient himself by the sun, all he saw was dense fog above him that blocked out any light coming in. He continued on, sure that he could find a way out if he just went a little further or around one more corner.

Ahead, he spotted Fandral. The swordsman was standing there looking at him. It seemed like he was waiting for Loki. Loki pressed on, confident that he was on the right path now that he had found Fandral. He called out to Fandral but he got no response. There wasn't even a flicker of recognition. As he got closer, Fandral turned and went around the corner of the maze. Loki pursued him around the corner but again Fandral was at the end of the maze pathway. Each time he got close to Fandral, the swordsman would go around a corner and the chase would begin anew. He never responded to anything Loki said. He called for Fandral to wait for him but each time the swordsman went around the corner before Loki could catch up. Loki began to wonder if Fandral was leading him out of the maze or further in.

When Loki turned another corner and was met with nothing he began to worry. He couldn't see Fandral, he didn't know where the swordsman had gone. There were multiple pathways that criss-crossed over the path he was on. Without seeing Fandral it was impossible to know which one he'd gone down. Loki walked up and down the path, peering into the other passages, hoping to see some glance of Fandral that would show him the way to go. There was no sign.

"Loki!" a voice called. It sounded muffled and distant.

Loki tried to follow the sound of the voice but he couldn't tell where it was coming from. It surrounded him and sounded like it was coming from all sides, or maybe from inside himself.

"Loki!" the voice called again. It was Fandral, he was sure of it.

Loki picked up the pace. He had to find Fandral. He knew he did. His heart raced as he ran through the maze.

"Loki! Wake up," Fandral called.

Loki blinked his eyes open slowly. He was in his bed. It was still dark outside so he must not have been asleep for long. Most of the blankets and the sheets were thrown aside. Beside him he could see Fandral, who looked concerned, probably because the sheet had tangled around his hands and somehow they had been pulled above his head.

When he saw that, Loki got up and began prying at the sheets. He found that they came away fairly easily, yet Fandral had surely been held firmly or he wouldn't have needed to wake him up.

"What happened?" Loki asked as he undid the last knot.

"I'm not sure. One moment I was sleeping peacefully, the next I was nearly strangled by the bedding," Fandral said, "I thought you might have more insight. Magic is more your expertise."

Loki bit his lip. He was pretty sure he knew the cause of the attack.

"You were sleeping? Were you moving? Did you see anything?" Loki asked.

Fandral was rubbing at his wrists as Loki asked the question. He gave Loki a peculiar look. His head tilted quizzically.

"I think I rolled over in my sleep but I didn't see anything. My eyes were closed until the sheets wrapped around my wrists," Fandral said. "No, I think there was a flash of light. That's what woke me up. And then my arms were pulled above my head."

With himself untangled, Fandral settled back into bed. He pulled the covers back up and laid back onto his pillow, looking at Loki. Loki was still sitting up, hugging his knees. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie to Fandral, not when something potentially dangerous had happened. But he wasn't sure what would happen if he admitted the truth. Surely, that would push him away. He wasn't safe to be with at the moment.

"Loki," Fandral said softly.

He nudged Loki’s knee. Loki picked at his nails, refusing to make eye contact. Fandral tugged on Loki’s arm, unwrapping it and coaxing him to lay down as well. Loki began to relax again into Fandral’s touch as he rubbed up and down Loki’s back.

"What's happened?" Fandral asked.

Loki still wouldn't meet Fandral’s eyes. They were face to face but Loki kept his gaze down. His eyes landed on Fandral’s neck. What if he'd accidentally wrapped the sheet around Fandral’s neck instead? He closed his eyes. He couldn't bear to think about that.

"Loki, if something is bothering you, I want to know. I could help," Fandral said.

Loki kept his eyes closed. Maybe Fandral could help. Or maybe it would make it worse. He had centuries of experience that said unloading his worries tended to make things worse. People whispered, or gave certain looks, or distanced themselves.

"Please look at me," Fandral begged.

With a sigh, Loki opened his eyes. He expected Fandral to already have that look on his face. The one filled with pity that people got before they pushed him away. Or before he pushed them away. He didn't see that though. There was concern but also an earnestness.

"Do you trust me?" Fandral asked.

Loki's heart jumped. He wasn't a trusting person. It had never come easily to him. He studied Fandral’s face in the dark, how it hid some lines while accentuating others. Did he know how to truly trust anyone? He'd kept a knife in his other hand for so long, what would it be like to put it down? To let someone in? It was terrifying.

"Yes," Loki admitted.

As frightened as he was, he felt it was true. Fandral had been there, had stood up for him, loved him, saved him. If he couldn't trust Fandral, there was no one else he could.

"Then trust me now?" Fandral requested.

"I've been afraid," Loki took a shaky breath. It was hard to admit it. He closed his eyes. "If I fall asleep, you'll disappear like you always have."

"I'm not-" Fandral argued.

"You've slipped away or at least tried to every time I fell asleep. Every morning you leave so early, even back when we were pretending you tried to slip out before I woke up. And when you rescued me in Alfheim. You said you wouldn't go anywhere but when I woke up you were gone," Loki explained. "I haven't been able to sleep since. I keep thinking you're leaving again. I think that's what happened tonight, only instead of waking up, my magic lashed out to keep you here."

Loki dropped the glamour he normally kept up. There was no point in hiding it anymore. He knew the exhaustion showed on his face. He wasn't sure how much but it must have been dramatic based on Fandral’s expression. There was the pity. He'd done it. It was too much and Fandral would disappear again. He'd pull away.

Fandral handed one end of the sheet to Loki. His expression had changed to one of determination. He had a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes.

"I swear I won't leave in the morning until you tell me to. Tie me back up so you know I'm telling the truth," Fandral offered.

Loki shook his head. "No. I'm not going to."

"I want you to sleep peacefully knowing I'm still here. I would have to be dragged from your side before I leave without your approval," Fandral continued. He had begun tying his own wrist with one end of the sheet even while Loki was laughing and trying to make him stop.

"Odin himself could not order me out of this bed," Fandral said.

"Fandral, this isn't necessary," Loki said.

Fandral’s hands stilled, the sheet was around his wrist but not secured. His jovial tone softened to a more serious one.

"I do mean it. I will not leave until you tell me to," Fandral vowed.

"You must have important things you have to do. You've always had places to go early in the morning before," Loki countered.

"Nothing as important as you," Fandral said, resting a hand on Loki’s cheek. Loki leaned into the warmth. "Besides, I haven't so much been rushing off toward things as I have been trying to leave before your servants arrive. So I suppose I have been leaving you in the morning, but I was trying to avoid the All-Father finding out about us through the servants."

That made Loki laugh again as he settled in against Fandral’s chest. Fandral wrapped his arms around him. He drifted off into sleep easily, no longer needing to keep up his glamour or worry that Fandral would disappear. Fandral’s mustache brushed against his forehead, ruffling his hair, as Fandral lightly pressed a kiss to his temple.

"Thank you for telling me, my prince," Fandral whispered.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you have enjoyed the chapter. Let me know with kudos or comments! You've been so kind with them :)

Chapter 36

It wasn’t until a knock on the door came that either Loki or Fandral awoke in the morning. The light streaming in from the window was bright, letting Loki know that he had slept in much later than usual. It had been a long time since he’d slept that long. It was nice. Fandral was still beside him, also slowly waking up. Loki smiled. The swordsman had kept his word.

“Loki?” Thyra’s muffled voice called before she opened the door.

Loki startled into action and had just enough time to ensure he and Fandral were decent but not enough to figure out what to do about Fandral being there. For his part, Fandral stayed where he was under the covers. He looked a little too content, perhaps a bit smug. The door swung open and Thyra peered around it. When she spotted Loki, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, in bed with Fandral, who was yawning and stretching, she gasped and nearly dropped the tray she held with Loki’s breakfast.

“I knew it!” Thyra cried out.

She set the tray down on the nearest surface before she dropped it. Loki noted that though Thyra may have known that Fandral and he were sleeping together, she neglected to bring more than one breakfast.

“Yes. Good instincts,” Loki said.

Thyra was not making any moves to bring breakfast closer to them so Loki got out of bed to bring the tray to them. Thyra meanwhile was fussing with the curtains, trying to open them enough to bring in some light without exposing the entire window.

“I suppose you’ll be needing a bath this morning. What have you done with your sheets? They’re a mess and all tangled up. I’ll find some new ones to replace them,” Thyra was saying, almost more to herself than to Loki. She looked over to see Loki and Fandral picking at the breakfast she brought before she gasped. “Of course, you’ll need more breakfast. I’ll do that first.”

Thyra turned to leave before pausing at the door. “Congratulations Your Grace. Sir,” she said with a curtsy before she left.

Loki could feel his face turning red, his cheeks burning lightly. Fandral chuckled and laid back in bed with his hands behind his head.

“Is she always that excitable?” Fandral asked.

Loki leaned back to get comfortable again. “She’s been trying to catch you here for quite a while. She’s finally been vindicated. We can let her have this one.”

Fandral moved the food tray to the foot of the bed and pulled Loki over to him. Loki rested his head on Fandral’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

“Did you sleep well, my prince?” Fandral murmured. His lips brushed the crown of Loki’s head.

“Yes. Thank you,” Loki said.

It had been probably the best sleep he’d had in a long time. He didn’t wake up again in the night. He felt more rested than he had in weeks. Fandral’s presence and his reassurances had helped.

Fandral stretched out in the bed, not in any hurry to go anywhere. They picked at the food on the tray and when Thyra brought more for them they finished that off as well. Loki waved her off for the rest of the day. They spent the morning lounging in bed. Fandral’s arm was draped around Loki’s shoulders, pulling him in close. He didn’t want to leave. However, a message was brought to the room in the early afternoon summoning Loki to see Odin. With a sigh, Loki got out of bed and began getting dressed and steeling himself for whatever bad news Odin had.

“Aren’t you getting up?” Loki asked Fandral.

Fandral was still laying in bed, watching Loki with interest as he dressed. The swordsman had made no moves to get dressed or leave, seemingly very comfortable in Loki’s bed.

“Are you asking me to leave your bed?” Fandral asked, raising an eyebrow.

Loki fixed him with a quizzical look.

“I promised I wouldn’t leave until you told me to,” Fandral said in a low, sultry voice. He looked up at Loki with an intensity that made Loki want to look away but that kept him frozen in place. His amber eyes were darker, taking on more of a caramel colour as they looked up at him in bed. “Or would you prefer to keep me here, warming the bed, until you return?”

The blankets draped deliciously over Fandral’s waist, exposing his chest but leaving everything else up to the imagination. Loki pried his eyes away from Fandral, pursed his lips to keep his jaw from falling, and tried to find his words while also trying and failing to get his arm into his sleeve. Fandral could be dangerous when he knew how tempting he could be. How Loki wished he didn’t have to go.

“Perhaps you could accompany me,” Loki stammered out, still searching for his sleeve.

Fandral slipped from the covers gracefully and helped Loki pull his arm through his sleeve.

“It would be my honour, my prince,” Fandral murmured.

His hands lingered over Loki’s and his lips brushed against Loki’s forehead before he began getting ready as well. Loki’s cheeks were burning. He turned away to try and get himself under control and hide the flush of his cheeks. How was he supposed to make it through the rest of the day?

~*~*~

Somehow, Loki pulled himself together enough to leave with Fandral. They walked together with arms linked together. They were finally able to be honest and out in the open about how they felt about each other now that they’d been truthful to each other and to Odin. They hadn’t been particularly subtle about their feelings but they did still acquire a few surprised looks as they passed. Loki ignored them and carried on.

Perhaps no one in the palace was as surprised that day as Loki was when he heard a familiar voice behind him. When he turned he spotted Elphane catching up to them. She somehow looked even more beautiful than she had the last time he had seen her.

“Loki, Fandral. How marvellous it is to see you both again,” she greeted happily.

Fandral took the lead in speaking with Elphane as he often had before. This time Loki felt no gnawing feelings of jealousy. He was more certain of his relationship with Fandral. He knew where he stood and that Fandral felt the same as him. It was the reverence in Fandral’s eyes as he glanced at Loki between sentences. It was the way his hand never left him, being placed delicately on the small of his back as they unlinked arms.

“Yes, I did marry. His name is Mayzen. He’s a wonderful husband. Very kind, so passionate and talented,” Elphane crooned, “He writes me poetry.”

She gestured to another Ice Elf who was making greetings down the hall. He didn’t seem anything like the friendly and bubbly woman in front of them. He had a solemn look to him. Loki would perhaps describe it as brooding. He seemed disinterested in everyone around him but when he looked at Elphane, his expression softened. He was wholly and completely smitten by her.

“I see the two of you are still together but I heard the wedding was cancelled. What happened?” Elphane asked.

Fandral’s words seemed to falter at the question and he looked to Loki. How much were they going to admit about the situation? Did they confess that it had been a sham relationship meant to keep Loki from marrying her?

“It was complicated. There was a misunderstanding that kept us from going through with the ceremony. We’ve since resolved the situation and are hopefully going to be back on course to wed soon,” Loki said, shooting Fandral a glance. Fandral gave a small approving nod.

Elphane smiled brightly. “Communication is very important. It’s probably for the best that you chose to take time to focus your efforts on that so you could come together on the same page,” Elphane said.

“Yes. I have to agree. Though I admit I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon though. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” Loki finally asked, changing the subject.

Elphane cocked her head. “Hasn’t the All-Father told you? We were summoned back because of your kidnapping and the opening of the Bifrost in Alfheim. The treaty is being pulled into question and both my people and yours wanted to discuss the situation and the ramifications of what happened. I thought you would have known that. Isn’t that why you and Fandral were summoned here too?”

“Yes. Of course, how foolish of me,” Loki said.

So they hadn’t been called down to receive the All-Father’s blessing. Though he supposed that it could still happen depending on how these discussions went. He only hoped they didn’t drag on as long as the treaty negotiations did.

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to leave a comment or a kudos!

Chapter 37

People were streaming into the room at the end of the hall. Loki recognized advisors from both Asgard and Alfheim as they passed. The looks he received from several of the Elves as they passed him were hostile. Though, at least they acknowledged him. Fandral, beside him, was entirely ignored by most of the Elvish party, even by some he had been on friendly terms with previously. Fandral was being polite and didn’t seem to notice the way he was being disregarded but Loki could see the way his jaw tightened and how the smile he had didn’t quite reach his eyes the way it normally did. He gave Fandral’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

Odin was at the entrance, greeting people as they arrived and ushering them into the room to have a seat. He was being gracious and welcoming and Loki could see how it already was putting people at ease. Diplomacy at its finest. When Odin’s eye fell upon Loki, however, the veil fell away. His expression hardened at Loki’s presence and then he cocked an eyebrow when he saw Fandral beside Loki.

“Hello Loki,” Odin said in a neutral tone.

Loki let go of Fandral and moved to stand beside Odin, leaving Fandral a few steps away. Fandral stepped back, out of the way of those trying to get into the room and gave some polite nods to those he recognized.

“Have you made your decision yet?” Loki asked Odin quietly.

“This meeting will be the decision. Why do you think I wanted you here?” Odin responded. He shook the hand of one of the Elven advisors as they passed.

“What?” Loki hissed.

“Your relationship with Fandral has already strained this alliance once and you and Fandral are the reason the treaty is once more insecure. I will make my decision once the treaty is solidified again. I will not risk war for this,” Odin said.

The hallway was much emptier than before. The only people left were a couple of stragglers and even they were making their way in. Odin gestured for Loki to enter as well. The meeting would be starting soon. Fandral left his position at the side of the hallway to join Loki in the meeting too.

“Good morning, All-Father,” Fandral said, bowing his head to Odin.

“Good morning, Fandral,” Odin said gruffly. When Fandral slid a hand to Loki’s to join him inside, Odin said, “I’m afraid you will have to wait outside.”

Loki bristled. “The outcome of this assembly will affect him just as much as it affects me. He has every right to attend and voice his opinion.”

But Fandral was already nodding and pulling away. “It’s okay Loki,” he murmured.

Loki’s heart ached. He wanted Fandral with him. He wanted that reassurance of someone in his corner. Fandral had always known how to speak to these people, to get them on his side. Loki knew diplomacy, he knew manipulation and deceit, but people had never trusted him the way they implicitly trusted Fandral. He wanted Fandral at the table, for himself, but also for Fandral. To be able to justify himself and be heard. If Fandral wasn’t there, Loki would have to work that much harder for them.

Fandral squeezed Loki’s hand gently before letting go and stepping back again. Loki was ushered inside to his seat at the table.

~*~*~

People streamed out of the room as the negotiations broke for the day. It had been menial and boring and frustrating. Everyone was so caught up in pointing fingers at each other for small slights and old grievances that they had barely even gotten to the matter at hand. Loki had hardly gotten a word in edgewise and when he had he’d been dismissed. These talks were liable to drag on as long or longer than the first treaty negotiation had.

Fandral was still waiting where Loki had left him out in the hall. It had been hours and Loki was fatigued from the day while Fandral looked to be no worse for wear. As Loki drew near, Fandral wrapped his arm around Loki’s shoulder, pulling him in close. Loki took in his comforting scent, breathing deeply.

“How did it go?” Fandral murmured.

Loki shook his head. “It’s going to be a while,” Loki grumbled.

“Sounds like we should go out to get some food. You’ve had a long day,” Fandral suggested.

Fandral took Loki out to one of the taverns nearby. It was already getting crowded and boisterous but he managed to get a table that was off to one side and out of the way. He ordered a couple of meads and some food to be brought to the table. It showed up quickly. The mead was sweet and light and the food was hot. Loki picked at it as they both sat in silence for a while.

“You should have been in there today,” Loki muttered, breaking the silence.

Fandral lowered his mug and looked at the table. “It isn’t my place,” he said.

Loki wanted to throw something. Fandral looked so forlorn. He seemed smaller. It was like a punch to the gut to see Fandral made to feel that way. He was Loki’s consort. He was more than just a warrior.

Except that he wasn’t. Not yet. Not without Odin’s approval. Loki sighed and drained the rest of his mead before tossing down his mug to call for another. It was soon replaced.

“It should be your place. It will be your place,” Loki grumbled.

Fandral smiled. Not the confident smile he normally wore but one a bit more uncertain. Perhaps self-conscious. A side Loki rarely caught a glimpse of.

“It's never been my place. I'm afraid I'd be out of my depths with it,” Fandral said.

Loki scowled. Fandral was marvelous with people. He knew how to charm people in ways Loki could only envy. His gift with words and his natural charisma made him a born statesman even if he didn't want to see it.

“May we join you?”

Elphane stood before the table with her husband in tow. He looked around, clearly uncomfortable with the loud atmosphere. He’d been fairly quiet during the earlier assembly as well. Loki got the impression the man wasn’t used to being with so many people.

Fandral gestured for them to sit, to which Elphane’s husband pulled over a couple of seats and Elphane flagged down the server to order some food and drinks as well.

“You two seem rather dispirited over here,” Elphane commented.

“You were there. You saw how well today went,” Loki responded.

“It could have been worse. They could have declared war. No one wants that though,” Elphane pointed out. “The realms weren’t built in a day. We have to start somewhere.”

“You must be Mayzen,” Fandral introduced to the quiet Elf, “I’m Fandral, and I’m sure you’ve already met Loki, prince of Asgard.”

Mayzen nodded his head. “It’s good to meet you both. Elphane has told me quite a bit about you.”

“Has she?” Fandral asked, his eyes lit up. “I hope it was flattering.”

“Of course it was. I merely told him of how welcoming the two of you were and how lovely you were as a couple,” Elphane said. The food she ordered came to the table. “So tell me, now that you’ve worked through your communication issues, will there be a wedding soon?”

Loki looked at Fandral uneasily.

“We don’t know. Whether there is a wedding or not depends on these negotiations,” Loki admitted. “If they go well the All-Father will give his approval.”

“I would think with how long the two of you have been courting, the All-Father would have already given that,” Elphane said. “You were already set to marry. Surely he wouldn’t deny you now?”

Loki and Fandral looked at each other. How much did they want to admit? Elphane had been a friend to them in the past but she was technically a dignitary from another realm. Loki considered whether she could be trying to find information to help Alfheim get an advantage in the negotiations. She could be trying to find weak spots in Asgard.

“We weren’t going to be married,” Fandral said.

Fandral called for more drinks for their table before he started in on what had happened. Loki watched the Elves’ reactions carefully. Both were surprised by what Fandral was saying, though neither of them seemed as though they were trying to find an angle. They were just listening. Elphane nodded when it was explained that Loki didn’t want to be married off in a political agreement to someone he had never met.

“I’m sorry. I know now that you’re a wonderful person, but I didn’t know that before,” Loki said to her quietly. She waved his apology away. She’d had the opportunity to meet Mayzen.

They explained how Odin didn’t believe them now and how the situation was tenuous between them being separated if the talks weren’t settled. Loki could still be married off to someone else and Fandral could be sent away. They hadn’t meant for it to turn out this way. They hadn’t meant to fall in love but they had.

"You truly didn’t think you’d fall in love with each other while pretending to be in love with each other?” Mayzen asked. It was one of the few times he’d spoken all night. He turned to Elphane, “I thought you said Loki read a lot of books.”

Elphane gave Mayzen a playful push before turning back to Loki and Fandral. “If you need these talks to go well, then I guess we will have to make them go well.”

Notes:

Thank you so much for reading! We're so close to the end now and I appreciate everyone who's read this far. I hope you've enjoyed the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Leave a kudos or a comment, I love them all!

Chapter 38

True to her word, Elphane pitched in immediately to campaign for a quick end to the talks. She worked tirelessly to clear her name of any suspicion in Loki’s kidnapping. It turned out Elphane was very persuasive. She was busy each day talking to every Elven envoy, trying to find the angle that would convince them that peace with Asgard was in everyone’s best interest. Loki was impressed at her knowledge of the leaders of Alfheim and her ability to effortlessly weave their interests into the topic of peace with Asgard.

Loki wasn’t sure how effective Elphane’s husband, Mayzen would be. He had not heard the Elf speak up much in the time he’d known him. It turned out that while Elphane was an excellent orator, her husband was an eloquent writer. He wrote several treatises on the subject and passed them around court. Somehow he managed to pass them around the general populace of Asgard, as well as back in Alfheim. And while he wasn’t much for public speaking, Loki noticed how Mayzen pushed himself to speak up more often in the debates and how thoughtful the words he spoke were.

Since Fandral was not allowed at the table, he spent his time trying to create pressure from outside to continue the peace. He spoke to soldiers and guards from both sides and was listened to eagerly since he looked and sounded like them. He wooed people with his words, sometimes playing up the more practical sides of continuing peace between the two peoples and sometimes playing up the more romantic, ill-fated love story between him and Loki. Two people fighting against the powers at be to stay together. He even managed to convince Sif and the other Warriors Three to help, which startled Loki so much that when he first heard Sif trying to convince an Asgardian lord he nearly teared up.

Perhaps what surprised Loki the most was when Thor showed up to the next meeting. He had not been explicitly invited but no one could turn away the Crown Prince of Asgard. Not even Odin could argue when Thor said he was interested in the goings on of the land he would one day rule. Thor was allowed in and took a seat between Odin and Loki, looking quite pleased with himself.

“You don’t have to do this. I know this isn’t something you’re interested in,” Loki whispered to Thor as everyone was filtering in.

Thor scrunched up his face in confusion. “Of course I’m interested. I heard about what Father said. I don’t believe that you and Fandral should be separated a second time now that you’ve both come to your senses.”

Loki opened his mouth to respond, but the meeting was starting and someone was clearing their throat to get everyone’s attention.

It turned out having Thor on his side in the meeting was very fortunate. As the next in line to the throne of Asgard, and a well-respected warrior, his thoughts on the peace treaty were highly regarded by many in the room. He was able to convey his thoughts more articulately than Loki would have given him credit for.

The talks still ran long, even with the extra help of others pushing for peace. Meeting after meeting happened and Loki felt as though they were all talking in circles most of the time without making much headway until one day he noticed less pushback than he expected. It gave him more hope and reinvigorated him. There was light at the end of the tunnel.

When the paperwork was signed and everyone was satisfied with the result, Loki approached Odin again.

“The treaty has been agreed upon again. The peace you wanted still exists,” Loki said.

“And now you want my blessing?” Odin asked. He didn’t seem particularly interested. His eye was more focused on people leaving the meeting than on his son.

The last person left the room and Odin turned away. Fandral was beside the All-Father in an instant. He’d been awaiting the end of the meeting and had apparently already heard the good news.

“Good afternoon, All-Father. Congratulations on your successful negotiation,” Fandral said, bowing in deference. “I would like to announce that I will be marrying your son, Loki, and while I hope you will bestow your blessing, it is not necessary.”

~*~*~

Loki quickly lost track of the amount of congratulations he heard. Most of them didn’t matter. When he and Fandral got to the end of the hall, Thor and the rest of their friends were there waiting for them. The other warriors surrounded Fandral, giving him their congratulations and teasing him. He was a proper Prince’s consort now, not merely some warrior.

Thor looked at Loki with admiration. His eyes were wet with tears and he pulled Loki into a tight hug. Loki doubted he could have stopped Thor if he wanted to but he found he didn’t want to. It was a happy day.

“This day has been a long time coming, Brother,” Thor murmured to him before they broke away. Thor kept his hand on the back of Loki’s neck, keeping the two of them close. “I am overjoyed to finally see the two of you married.”

“Thank you Thor,” Loki said with a grin. “It was a hard won day.”

“Yes. I did work hard to make you two recognize that you were in love. I’m pretty sure everyone except the two of you knew it,” Thor teased. “Otherwise you really might have been married away for political favour.”

Loki sputtered and shoved at Thor, breaking his grip. There was no way that Thor had figured it all out before he had. That was ridiculous.

“Perhaps you should consider your own marriage now that Odin has lost a bargaining chip. He might try to do the same to you,” Loki pointed out.

Loki looked pointedly at Sif, who had been giving Thor eyes the entire ceremony. She was hardly subtle about it but Thor was somehow still being frustratingly obtuse.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Thor chuckled.

A light touch on his shoulder drew Loki’s attention. Frigga stood beside him looking at him with all the pride in the Nine Worlds. Her eyes sparkled as she drew Loki in for another hug and kissed his forehead. Thor clapped Loki on the shoulder before moving on to congratulate Fandral as well.

 

“My son. I’m so proud of the man you’ve grown into,” she said quietly.

She withdrew from the hug but kept holding onto Loki’s hands. Hers were warm and her expression was soft.

“I wish every happiness for you and Fandral. Make sure you make space to listen to each other, be patient with each other, and don’t allow your pride and stubbornness to get in the way of what and who really matters,” said Frigga.

“I know. Thank you,” Loki responded.

He looked over to Fandral. Thor was saying something to him that looked very serious, almost threatening, and then pulled him in for a tight hug, clapping him on the back. Fandral had a nervous smile on his face as he returned the hug. Loki grinned.

Frigga let go of Loki and was about to move on, to give Fandral her congratulations as well when Loki clung to her hand to keep her there. He hesitated for a moment, unsure how to ask the question that he was pretty sure he knew the answer to.

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

Frigga stopped and gave him a knowing smile. “Yes.”

“How long?” Loki asked.

“Longer than you think,” Frigga answered.

Loki let her go and moved off to the side to wait for Fandral. To wait for his husband. He looked so handsome, all cleaned up and dressed for the occasion. The moment he’d laid eyes on Fandral at the ceremony, he’d nearly stumbled over his words and swallowed his tongue. It felt surreal that after all that time they actually had made it to the wedding. It was even more surprising to him that they both wanted it. As he’d looked into Fandral’s eyes he couldn’t believe he’d ever wanted anything else. The night before, they’d decided they would spend it apart as the tradition stated. Neither of them were willing to risk any bad luck before the second attempt at their wedding.

Loki caught a glimpse of Odin through the crowd. Odin gave a polite nod before he moved on to socialize with someone in the crowd of people.

“What shall we do now that we’re married, my prince? Should we follow the crowd to the feast?” Fandral asked, linking his arm with Loki’s. The people were beginning to thin as some moved on.

“What would you like to do? There are many more doors open to you now that you’re officially my consort, you don’t have to follow everyone else,” Loki pointed out.

His fingers slowly rubbed little circles into Fandral’s arm as he leaned into Fandral’s touch.

“Oh there are?” Fandral grinned wickedly and leaned into Loki’s ear to whisper, “Perhaps we find a door we can lock in a quiet area before we join everyone else.”

Fandral’s breath ghosted along the side of Loki’s neck as his nose brushed the shell of Loki’s ear playfully. Loki’s cheeks burned at the implication but he gripped Fandral’s hand and pulled him down a hall. “I think that could be arranged.”

Notes:

Thank you for reading. I've appreciated all the kudos and kind comments. This is it. I hope the ending was satisfying after all this time. I've loved writing these two and probably will again one day.