Readers Assemble!

Swan Princess -pt. 1 (Loki x fem!reader) Movie-based AU

Loki groaned as yet another summer approached. He had absolutely no desire to waste another beautiful season following you around. But there was no changing it. It had been the same since you were children. Since your families had arranged your marriage that neither of you wanted. Growing up, you hated each other. You thought Loki was conceited and rude and Loki thought you were awkward and far too flirty with the guards. Only Thor saw through Loki's protests as you grew older.

Now the fateful summer had come. The last you would spend together before the marriage ceremony. And Loki was dreading it completely. Luckily for him, your meeting would be postponed until the feast that night celebrating your engagement. As soon as you had arrived on Asgard, you were immediately escorted to your room. You claimed to be weary after such a long journey. Thor and Frigga had been the only ones to see you.

"Princess Y/N is no longer the gangly girl you remember Loki. She is much changed," Thor told Loki after coming into his rooms uninvited and unannounced yet again. "I don't care, Brother. She could not have possibly changed enough to tempt me or capture my fancy." Thor shrugged and left, leaving Loki alone with his magic again until supper.

Loki arrived first, as always. He wore his very best as was expected of him, including his horned helmet. He stood next to Thor while he waited for you to appear. The door opened and Loki stiffened slightly. He wasn't ready for this. You stepped through the door. Your (e/c) eyes immediately found Loki. He was stunned into silence for once. Thor had been right. You really weren't the same girl who had been in the palace the summers before.

You had grown into your gangly limbs. Your curves had filled out nicely and your face had a beautiful shape. Your skin looked smooth and soft from where Loki was standing. Your eyes shone brightly and your hair framed your face. You moved with the grace and poise of princess. Only Loki caught the slight stumble you made when you stepped on the front of your dress. You giggled lightly to yourself and continued on. Loki was in complete and utter shock at how stunning you were. A real swan.

You stopped in front of Odin and Frigga first, curtsying low. Then, you turned to the princes. "Prince Thor. A pleasure to see you again. Prince Loki," you greeted politely, with a demure smile. Loki finally snapped out of it. "Princess Y/N. Welcome back to Asgard." He stepped closer to you and took your hand in his. His lips barely touched the back of your hand, but he felt you shiver all the same.

At the feast, Loki couldn't keep his eyes off you. You caught him staring every single time and, when you did, you would smile demurely and look away. But Loki caught the glimpses of mischief in your eyes. He needed to see it far more often.

When he finished eating, Loki asked you to dance. As you danced, the two of you had the first real conversation you'd ever had. The insults had all but disappeared. The ones that were passed between you were playful. Suddenly, marriage to you didn't seem so bad. Loki thought he could come to enjoy it, actually. Unfortunately for him, you weren't going to give in so easily.

"Why, Prince Loki?" Loki glanced down at you in confusion. "Why are you suddenly being so kind to me? Why now do you seem less opposed to our marriage?" You asked, batting your eyelashes up at him. "Why not? You are beautiful?. You frowned a little. "Thank you...but what else?" Loki seemed even more confused by the question. Was it not enough for you? "What else is there? What other reason could there be?"

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. You dropped your arms and stepped away from him. "You're an idiot, Loki," you whispered before darting from the room. Loki just stood there in shock. You had left him standing in the middle of the room by himself. Everyone was staring at him now and he had never felt more embarrassed. He turned on his heel and left the room in the opposite direction you did.

Later that night, Thor and Frigga had joined Loki in his chambers. "Brother, even I must admit that you did not choose your words carefully in this instance. A lady wants to be wanted for more than her outwardly appearance." Frigga smiled at her sons and nodded. Loki groaned as he sank down in his chair. Every once in a while, Thor hit the nail on the head.

Before Loki could respond, the door to his chambers flew open and his father walked in, followed by yours. Both men looked distressed. "Father?" Your father looked completely shaken. Odin turned to Loki, his one eye boring into his raven-haired son's. "It's Y/N...she's be taken."

*time skip*

Four months. That's how long you'd been missing. There had been few clues. Only a necklace you'd been wearing around your neck at the feast. That didn't stop Loki from searching for you day and night. He drove himself near insane with worry and guilt. If only he hadn't insulted you the way he had, you wouldn't have run and wouldn't have been taken. He only wished he had more to go on. You could be anywhere by now.

Loki couldn't help but think back to the feast. Why had he said what he did? He didn't just want to marry you because you were beautiful. In the moment, that was all he was focused on, but there was so much more. You were witty and charming. You had a side of mischief that you hid under a mask of sweet demureness. Like Loki, you loved to read and you enjoyed your solitude where you could get it. And Loki loved getting into heated debates with you. They showed a passion just bubbling under the surface that he wanted to see more of. And now he'd lost you.

"Loki, you will drive yourself to madness," Frigga told him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I have to find her, Mother," he muttered without looking up from his book, "This is my fault and I have to fix it." Frigga gave him a smile. "You could not have predicted this. We will find Y/N, but you will be of no use to her if you do not rest."

The prince finally glanced up from his book. His eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill. "I love her," he whispered, "I never thought I would, but I do. Now she's been taken from me and I may never see her again." Frigga wrapped her arms around him, letting him sob. "I know, my son. Your father and I both knew you would come to love her. It is why I agreed to the arranged marriage in the first place. And because of this, I know you will succeed in finding her."

Frigga let her son cry until the door was flung open. Thor was panting, but wore a huge smile. "Loki! I have discovered a way to find Y/N. Though I am surprised you didn't think of it first." Loki pulled away from Frigga. "You have Y/N's necklace, do you not?" Loki nodded and let his mind work. It hit him like a freight train. Of course. "A tracking spell. I can use the necklace and track her!" Loki jumped up from his chair, nearly knocking Frigga down. In a moment of uncharacteristic joy, Loki ran up to Thor and hugged him close. "Thank you, Brother." He let go and ran from the room. "I will find you, my love," he muttered as he ran through the corridors.