The Catch

"Are you happy now?" Anina returned her vitriol to Loki.

"Of course not!"

"Lady Anina,"

She turned and quickly sank into a deep curtsey, "Your Majesty."

"I believe you have made your point. You may leave now." He motioned her toward a guard waiting to accompany her off the palace grounds.

With one last wistful look at Loki, she handed him her sister's bouquet, "Your Highness." She curtsied to Odin once more, "My King." Then strode quickly out of the courtyard with the guard trailing close behind.

"Everyone please," Odin waved his hand toward the tables set up with the buffet, "enjoy the lovely spread we have prepared for you."

The guests made their way to the food and drink, whispering to each other and casting sidelong glances in Loki's direction.

"You two," the King called over two of his Einherjar, "find the Princess and escort her home. Loki," he leveled Loki with a stern look, "a word."

Loki followed him back inside the chapel, a knot forming in his stomach.

The doors closed behind them with an ominous thud. Loki took the opportunity to sit down at the end of a pew and drop his head into his hands.

"That was quite the scene."

"What did you expect? You lit the fuse and are surprised by the explosion that followed? If you think Anina's reaction was dramatic, wait until Viggo finds out."

"Let me worry about Viggo. You need to concern yourself with earning your wife's good graces."

Loki looked at him aghast, "And why would I do that? I held up my end of the bargain. I married the girl, didn't I?"

"That is not where your obligation ends."

Loki shook his head, "No. I will not do it."

"The girl knows what is expected of her. She is eager to be a proper wife to you."

"I do not choose her. I will not do it," Loki reiterated.

"And why not? She is a striking beauty and a virgin to boot. A rare combination these days. Many would kill to be in your position."

"She is a child!"

"She is young, but she is of age."

"Really? By how many weeks?" Loki asked sarcastically. "Has she even finished school yet?"

"It may surprise you to know that she finished her secondary and post-secondary education in less than half the time, earning her the new record for the youngest person to graduate from the university. The record previously held by you."

Loki's eyebrows shot up briefly before he tweaked his expression. He held that record for centuries.

"Good for her."

"Loki, the kingdom needs an heir. I believe the two of you will produce extraordinary children."

He shook his head again, "Never. I will never lay a hand on her. I will not risk getting her with a child. The resulting offspring would be abominations. A curse I will not bestow on anyone, much less an innocent girl. It is a depraved notion. This is not what I agreed to."

"This is better. This is your chance to have a family of your own with a doting wife and a son set to inherit the throne. You and I together can start his tutelage as soon as he starts schooling. When his time comes, he will be ready to lead our people and keep peace in these Nine Realms. With our combined knowledge, he will be a wise and good king."

Loki pressed his palms to his eyes, trying to banish the pretty picture Odin had painted in his mind.

"I cannot."

"This is your chance to have a fresh start."

"This was an underhanded trick!"

Odin spread his hands wide, "My methods may have been questionable, but my motives are not."

"Your motivations do not change what I am. What I am under this." Loki gestured to his body. "What I started as. You were right, my birthright was to die. You should have left me to freeze to death as the Norns intended."

"Was it not the Nornir who led me to you that day? Was it not the will of the Gods to have me save you? To bring you here, to the warm arms of your mother?"

"Do not bring her up now." Loki choked back a sob as he remembered the last time he saw her in person, resting his head on her shoulder as she hugged him close in his lonely cell.

"I was unaware you and the sister had a romantic relationship," Odin said, taking a seat at the end of the pew across from Loki.

He rolled his eyes, "We were kids. It was not romance. It was... practice. A bit of fun. It never went all the way. She was determined to remain a virgin until she wed." Loki shook his head, "Pity." He briefly looked at Odin then dropped his eyes again. "When she returned from Vanaheim, our friendship flourished. We confided a great deal in one another." He took a shaky breath, "I would have broken much sooner if I did not have her to think about. Her friendship, her humor, her warm hands, and soft kisses."

"Now you can take comfort from your wife."

Loki scoffed.

"I do not see what the problem is here. She is pretty, she is young and vibrant, she is pure, she is smarter than you are," Loki gave him a disbelieving look, "I know you desire her; I saw the way you looked at her."

Loki went to protest but stopped himself. He might have had an impure thought or two about her body before he knew who she was.

"She is too young for me."

"There are men older than I am trying to win her hand."

Loki pulled a disgusted face, "That is... disturbing." He shook off that unsettling image, "When you said you were keeping your promise to Viggo, I assumed you meant because Thor broke off his betrothal to Finna. I thought you were offering me up in Thor's place to her."

"I felt you would need a softer touch. You would have preferred the girl your brother deflowered? The mean one?"

"I would have preferred to remain unmarried. But Finna is older than I am and would not expect me to be a real husband to her. She would be out from under her father's roof, and I would be out of my cell. She could live how she pleased for once. She could have a horde of lovers and I would not mind in the slightest. She could give birth to a thousand bastards and give every one of them the name Lokison. I would not care."

"And what of you?"

"What of me?"

"Do you not want someone to call your own? Someone you know will always be at your side when you need them?"

Loki stared at him in disbelief, shouting in his head that of course he wanted that. It is all he's ever wanted. The things he will never have because of what he is.

He ran his hand over his face, "Did you really believe I would want the girl?"

"She is the most sought-after maiden in the realm."

"That does not change the fact that I do not want her."

Odin stood and let out a frustrated sigh, "Do you want that cuff off?"

"More than I have ever wanted anything." Loki gave him a beseeching look.

"I told you if you provide me what I want, we could discuss giving your magic back."

"I never once considered you would want a Jötun atrocity to groom to take your seat. Or to sacrifice an innocent girl to carry a beast in her belly." He looked at his hands and was startled when he saw the golden band on his finger, momentarily forgetting the events of the doomed ceremony.

"I was hoping you would comply willingly."

"Sorry to disappoint." He twisted the ring on his finger.

"There are worse punishments than bedding a beautiful maiden. You would do well to remember that."

Loki let out a forlorn sigh, "Am I to return to the dungeon then?"

"You married the girl as I asked. You will be confined to your chambers until circumstances change."

Loki shook his head, "I suppose you will not be sending me any more companions."

"You have a wife now. Take your pleasure from her. You have no need for whores."

He looked to the front of the chapel where the altar stood. I have gone without before. I can do it again. He reminded himself. I will enjoy other delights. Perhaps I will drink ale until I have a big, round belly so I will not have to see my cock ever again. He laughed to himself at the thought of it.

"Do I have to keep performing in this puppet show? Or can I retire to my chambers now?"

"I will go entertain our guests, myself. If anyone asks, I will tell them you were eager to go consummate your union." Odin opened the sanctuary doors and motioned for Loki's guards, "Return the Prince to his rooms. He is to stay there on my order until I send for him."

The guards bowed and waited for Loki just outside the doors.

"Congratulations on your nuptials." Odin gave Loki a sly smile as he put a hand on his shoulder, "I hope you enjoy your evening. Good night, my son."

Loki watched him leave with a flourish, pasting a fake smile on his face as he went out to mingle with the guests.

Not my father.

He dropped his head in his hands before taking a deep breath and standing up to his full height. Looking down, he saw Eisa's abandoned bouquet on the bench. Anger, guilt, and pity were in a futile three-way tug-of-war inside of him. Softening briefly, he picked up the bound roses and brought them up to his nose, inhaling deeply. Pity for the poor child took a temporary victory. He would bring these back to his chambers and have his maid return them to the girl. If she did not want them, she could throw them out herself.

Loki walked confidently back to his chambers, the guards staying a respectful distance behind him, but not far enough for him to evade them on foot if he tried to get away. To a passerby, it would look like the Einherjar were on protection detail for the Prince, in reality, Loki was still serving out his sentence and the guards were escorting him back to his opulent and spacious cell.

oOXOo

Loki strode through the front doors of his chambers, desperate for a drink and to get out of his princely attire. The maid, Greta, was there to greet him and offered him a deep curtsey before he handed her the bouquet.

"See that this finds its way back to Lady Eisa Viggodottir." He took off his heavy crown and set it on the bar top with a thud.

"Your Highness-"

"Apologies, Princess Eisa as I am sure she will now wish to be called." He started to hastily unbutton his coat.

"Your Highness-"

"Can you please help me out of this ridiculous thing? I would like to forget that this day ever happened."

"Your Highness,"

"What is it?" he snapped.

She tipped her head in the direction of the balcony.

Eisa was standing on the threshold, silhouetted in the setting sun. She was still wearing her wedding gown, but her crown had been removed and her hair was unbound, cascading down to her elbows in big, billowy waves.

"What are you doing here? These are my private chambers."

"I was taking a walk to clear my head when two brutes seized me and delivered me here. By order of the King, they said." She wrung her hands together in front of herself, "Your maid was kind enough to let my hair down and give me something for my headache."

Loki looked back to Greta, "Please see that she makes it safely back to her father's chambers." He unstopped a bottle of whiskey and gave himself a long pour into a short crystal glass.

"Your Highness," Greta leaned in closer to Loki's ear, "her belongings started arriving shortly after you left for the chapel."

Loki's jaw clenched as fury threatened to erupt from him. He squeezed the glass in his hand before turning his back to both women and knocked back the drink he had been planning to sip. A trail of fire burned its way down to his stomach. He slammed the empty glass back onto the bar top loudly as he turned to the girl.

"Collect your things and leave," he said calmly, but the look on his face was pure indignation.

"Your Highness-"

Loki held up his hand to Greta to silence her.

"Now! Before I lose my temper, little girl."

She took a nervous step toward him, "It seems I am not permitted to go."

"I am ordering you to leave!"

She walked quickly over to the front doors and flung them open wide. Two Einherjar crossed their spears to block her exit. She waved her hand in their direction before placing both of her hands on her hips.

Loki exhaled slowly and ran both of his hands down his face. "Let her pass!" he yelled to the guards, ready to be done with her and this day.

"By order of the King, Your Highness, the princess cannot leave these chambers until His Majesty summons her."

"See?" She took a few tentative steps toward him. "Can we please just sit down and talk about this like adults?"

That smug bastard!

'I hope you enjoy your evening...'

Did he honestly believe I would find her here and not be able to resist her? Bring her to my bed without a second thought?

'You will be confined to your chambers until circumstances change...'

He felt like he was going to be sick.

He made his way to his bedroom, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Eisa took a deep breath. "I guess that means 'no'." She placed a hand on her stomach and paced around the sitting room, wondering how things had gotten so off course and how she would ever be able to mend this rift.

"May I bring you some dinner, Princess?"

"Thank you, but I will eat when my husband eats."

"Perhaps a glass of wine to help you relax while you wait?"

"I need to keep my wits about me while I think. May I have water?"

"Of course, Your Highness." Greta brought her a tall glass of water and Eisa accepted it with an unsteady hand.

"My belongings? Did they deliver me any clothes to change into?"

"Your trunks are in there," she motioned toward the bedroom, "I did not unpack them. The Prince did not tell me his bride would be moving in with him..."

"It seems our King failed to mention quite a few details to his son." She drummed her fingers nervously on her glass.

"I will just pop in there and bring you something to wear."

"No, thank you, Greta. He needs his space. I will relax on the sofa until he calms."

Greta told her to ring for her if she needed anything and made her way back to the servant's quarters. Eisa pulled a fluffy blanket from the basket near the fireplace and reclined on the couch. She stuffed a pillow under her head and waited for her husband to come out of his room.

Every sound had her jumping, the anticipation of the door opening had set her nerves on edge. Unable to sleep, she replayed the events of the day in her mind, it had so many highs and lows. She had awoken this day so happy and excited, then guilt and sadness overtook her as she wrote letters to Finna and Berta, telling them that she was leaving to get married and not to expect her home this evening. Butterflies took flight inside her when she was summoned to the rooms where she would be dressed and prepared for the ceremony.

As she sat to have her hair braided, she thought about coming back here to be with the prince. Alone. She wondered what the consummation would be like; if it would hurt, and what all it entailed. She had seen animals procreating before but earned pitied looks and giggles when she asked her sisters if people bred the same way. Brita had been the most forthcoming with her and told her to expect to be on her back most of the time. When she pressed her for more information, she was quickly scolded by her sister, Willa, reminding her that ladies did not discuss such things and that Eisa should enter the marriage bed just as ignorant as they had been. She assured her that one day her husband would take great pride in teaching her everything she needed to know about sex.

Then her mind took an immediate turn to Anina.

'We were much more than friends, Eisa...'

Loki and Anina? She shook her head as tears threatened to fill her eyes. Anina and Loki?

Her Loki?

The thought of him kissing her sister started her blood to boil. She sat up and simmered trying to push the image from her mind. It must have been a very long time ago, she told herself. Anina was away on Vanaheim for many years and betrothed and married after her return.

She knew they were close. She had always been jealous of the repertoire he had with her two oldest sisters. The banter and the inside jokes, the casual touching of their arms and hands, the warm smiles, and affectionate looks always sparked her possessiveness and envy.

She wasn't fool enough to believe Loki was a virgin, but the thought of him with someone she knew? She let out an angry huff.

There was just something about him. The way he walked and talked and smiled and gazed just oozed sexuality. Men and women alike would solicit him for his attention. She would watch the way he would hold his wine at cocktail parties; his large, masculine hands with the delicate stem of the glass between his fingers. The way he ate his pudding, licking the spoon in a manner that made Eisa's belly ache in a way she didn't understand.

She only knew she wanted him to be hers and hers alone. And now she knew for certain, just like she had always feared, he did not want her. He wanted Anina. Or Finna. Or he had already slept with Anina? And Finna?

She groaned as she stood up and made her way to the washroom in the hallway. It was difficult for her to use the bathroom in her wedding dress, but she had held it as long as she could.

Why did I not change clothes when I was first delivered here?

She turned off the tap and looked at her reflection in the mirror as she dried her hands. Because my husband is supposed to be the one to undress me tonight. Even she knew that much. This was not the way she pictured her wedding night going.

She took a deep breath and nodded to herself in the mirror. Loki was recently released from a long prison sentence. He was purposefully misled by the King and kept in the dark about Odin's true intentions. He was not informed he would be sharing his chambers with anyone. She could forgive him for being upset. She would forgive him for all the things he had done before yesterday. She owed it to him to let her frustration about Anina go. He was not obligated to reciprocate her feelings without getting to know her first.

She took another cleansing breath.

She would give him his space and let him get used to people again. She had vowed to comfort him and ease his burdens, to be faithful and obedient, and that is what she must do. When he decides he is ready to talk, I will be there to listen.

When she came back to the sitting room, she found Greta there setting a small tray on the sofa table.

"In case you get hungry. It is getting late, are you sure I shouldn't just..." she motioned toward the bed chamber door.

"No, Greta. Thank you. I will be fine. You should get some sleep."

She curtsied and went back to her room.

Eisa lay down on the couch and tried to get comfortable. The boning in her corset made it almost impossible. She kicked off her shoes and snuggled down under the blanket. Eventually, exhaustion won out and she drifted off to sleep.

oOXOo

A bad dream had Loki sitting up abruptly. He was lying on top of his duvet, still wearing his dress shirt, trousers, and boots. The room was fully dark now. He was disoriented. It was never completely dark in the dungeon. The guards needed to keep an eye on the prisoners, even at night.

No, his eyes were adjusting to the darkness, this is my bed chamber. This is my third night out of prison. Odin released me. I, he groaned internally, I got married.

He sat up fully on the edge of his bed and pulled his boots off. Quietly, he opened his door and slipped out of his room. The girl was sleeping on one of the sofas. As he got closer, he realized she was still in her wedding gown. A tray of food remained untouched on the table in front of her.

He stood in front of the couch across from her, "What am I going to do with you?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked at him a few times to determine if he was real. She winced and held her side as she sat up gingerly. "Loki?"

"Who else?"

She stood carefully, "I... I am sorry I am not the sister you were expecting. It seems we were both misled. Or perhaps I just assumed His Majesty would have had the decency to inform you of his plans ahead of time."

"I will forgive you for being naïve about your King; it is to be expected from someone so young."

She let the jibe pass, "You must be feeling betrayed."

"I am feeling annoyed."

She dropped her gaze to the floor, "It was not my intention to annoy you."

"And yet, here you are."

She brought her eyes up to his again. Loki felt the slightest pang of guilt as he saw the hurt on her face.

He looked down at her tray, "You have not eaten."

"It did not feel proper to eat without you. Besides, I can barely breathe in this thing, let alone eat." She ran her hands down the sides of her dress.

Loki kept his eyes on her face.

"You must be hungry. I know it is not a warm meal, but you are welcome to the food Greta brought for me."

"How generous of you to offer me my own food in my own home."

"Oh, no, that's not what I-"

"You may sleep in the bed until Odin allows you to go home. I will take the sofa. I ask that you do not touch my things and keep in mind I am an early riser. I do not plan on adjusting my routine just because you are here."

She stared at him in disbelief, "You would have me live here like a house guest?"

"That is what you are. An uninvited house guest. I think I am being most hospitable considering the circumstances."

"We... w-we are wed. I am supposed to... y-you... you are supposed to..." she trailed off, embarrassed.

"Supposed to what, child?" Loki smirked.

"Consummate."

"Do you even know what that means?"

"Not... fully." Her cheeks flushed and she wrung her hands in front of herself.

"It is not going to happen."

"But I have a duty."

"Consider yourself relieved of duty. Come. I will show you where they left your trunks. You can change out of that costume and get some sleep." Loki turned and made his way to his bedroom. Eisa followed obediently.

"It is not what I would have chosen for myself, but I did not get a say in the matter. It is a little obvious for my taste." She covered her cleavage with her hand self-consciously.

She stopped and gaped as she came through the door.

"This is... this room is larger than the room I shared with three of my sisters." She walked up to the foot of the bed, "This bed could have slept all of us."

Loki smirked as he opened the door to the ensuite. "Bathroom is here. The closet is over there," he pointed to the closet door. "You will find your things in there."

"Very kind of you, but futile I'm afraid. I will have to make do as best I can in this."

"Why is that? You do not look very comfortable."

"I am not at all. But I do not wish to wake Greta and there is no possibility of me getting out of this on my own."

He watched her as she looked about the room and he marveled at the fact that she would rather suffer in that dress than wake a servant to get her out of it.

"I can help you," Loki volunteered, surprising himself. He did not recall coming to that decision.

"You wouldn't mind?"

He didn't answer her, he just walked quickly to her side. "It opens in the back, I'm assuming?"

"Yes." She turned her back to him and gathered her hair over one shoulder.

A long row of tiny buttons trailed down her back to the curve of her bottom. Loki started at the top and struggled with the first few until he discovered the best way to maneuver them through their tiny loops.

"If I could access my seiðr, I would have these all undone with a snap of my fingers."

"Oh, my. That sounds wonderfully convenient."

"You have no idea."

He slowed down as he got closer to the bottom; the sight of her white silk and lace panties came into view. His traitorous eyes dropped lower. So soft...

Loki cleared his throat, "Well, there you go."

"Could you... I hate to be a bother, but could you unlace the corset too? It is extremely tight." She was holding the front of her dress to herself, staring at her feet, flush with embarrassment. "I assume you are familiar with undoing one of these?"

"I could do it blindfolded," Loki smirked as he deftly unlaced the corset. She let out an almost obscene moan and braced herself on the foot of the bed as it finally loosened. Guilt overcame him when he saw the skin of her back, red and irritated. The hard boning caused deep indentations on her tender flesh. It looked quite painful. He could not image enduring that for as many hours as she had. He had to strongly resist the overwhelming urge to soothe her sore skin by running his cool hands over her back.

Loki stole one more quick glimpse at the top of her panties peeking out of the open back of her gown before she turned around to face him.

"Thank you." She was holding her dress to her chest, not meeting his eyes, her cheeks flushed.

'You have a wife now. Take your pleasure from her...' Odin's words echoed in his head. His heart rate picked up as he ran his eyes over her, she looked so soft and warm. His hands itched to touch her.

Eisa raised her eyes to him expectantly, waiting with bated breath to see if he showed any indication that he was going to change his mind. If he would pull her close and kiss her and bring her into the marriage bed and finalize their union.

Those eyes.

That was all it took to pull Loki back into the present. The eyes of the baby he had taught to blow raspberries. The eyes of the toddler that took his hand so he could lead her safely back to her mother.

'Hi Woki...'

Loki flinched and recoiled away from her, a look of disgust on his face. He let out a frustrated huff and turned abruptly to leave the room without another word.

Shutting the door loudly behind him, he quickly made his way to the balcony for fresh air. He placed both hands on the balustrade and hung his head in front of himself.

Monster! What the fuck is wrong with you? She is just a girl!

Unsure how long Odin would let him stay here, he took a deep breath and looked out over the city. Vowing to himself he would stay far away from her. He would busy himself in his library or gym and sleep on the sofa for the duration of his confinement here. Odin will lose patience and annul the marriage when he does not produce an heir. He had to. Then the girl would be free to marry someone she loves, and he would...

What would become of him? If he could somehow get the golden cuff off his ankle, he would escape, travel to some faraway place where no one had ever heard of Asgard or Odin or Jötenheim or Frost Giants. Would such a place even exist?

Loki made his way inside and sprawled out on one of the sofas, pulled the blanket over himself, and tried to think of what his mind healer would tell him if he were here now to talk with him.

He would stop chastising himself for not asking Odin more questions before he agreed to his offer. The King would probably not have been forthcoming with his answers anyway. He had been encouraged repeatedly to stop calling himself a monster and a beast, but the idea was so ingrained in his subconscious, that the notion was hard to break; Loki didn't always notice when he did it.

Eventually, his mind quieted enough for him to drift off to sleep. But it wasn't long after he succumbed when the dream he had had earlier that night started again.

The golden doors to the throne room opened and Loki started walking tentatively toward Odin sitting upon his throne, dressed in his gold armor and helmet, Gungnir securely in hand. The entirety of Asgard's elite were standing on either side of the vast room, clapping and cheering as he made his entrance. Confused and disoriented, he started making his way toward the King. Two rows of Einherjar made a center aisle, just like on the day of Thor's ill-fated coronation.

Loki looked to the ceiling; the banners that hung there were gray and carried an insignia he did not recognize. He looked behind himself, but the doors were closed, and no one was behind him. He looked about again; the people were cheering and waving at him. His memory was failing him. He could not recall preparing for this event.

As he reached the foot of the dais, Odin stood and motioned for him to approach the throne. Loki climbed the steps slowly trying to remember, sifting through his mind. How come he could not remember why he was supposed to be here?

Odin held out his hands to Loki, expecting to be handed something. He looked down and realized he was carrying a bundle of swaddling with both hands close to his chest. He did not know why, but he did not want Odin to take it from him. The King narrowed his eyes to him as a searing pain radiated from Loki's right ankle up through his body until he passed the bundle over out of fear of dropping it.

Odin smiled widely and the pain ceased. Loki's inhibitor cuff broke into two pieces, slid from his ankle, and hit the marble floor with an audible clang.

'Rejoice, Asgard, for today a King was born!' Odin held the baby up for the crowd. 'The new beginning. The future. My grandchild. The Lokison!"

The baby squirmed and his blankets fell away. Shrieks of horror and discontent echoed through the large chamber as the people panicked and rushed toward the exits. The baby's skin was an icy shade of blue and his tiny eyes shone bright red as he peeped them open and closed.

Loki stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and landing heavily on his backside. As he looked down to examine himself, he realized his hands were stained with dried blood. His clothes too, were covered in sticky gore.

Horror filled him and panic set in. He bolted upright off the sofa, heart pounding and breathing heavily.

The sun had just started to break on the horizon. Loki inspected his hands and breathed a sigh of relief to find them clean.

Just a dream. Just a nightmare. One he was determined would never come true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note: In the next chapter, Eisa's father returns to Asgard and confronts Odin. Loki tries to adapt to living with a roommate.