Cat and mouse (part 1) Revised version!

Chapter 38

Anna POV

Loki appeared next to me and I wanted to just drown right here in the mucky water.
He helped me up out of the trough and I shoved my wet hair from my face.
The water smelt of grass and oats, which meant I now smelt like grass and oats.
I could hear the men laughing inside and looked anywhere but the one in front of me.
Loki snarled and disappeared leaving me alone outside the cottage.
I heard a crash followed by shouting and ran for the door around the other side of the house.
When I threw open the door, two men were laying on the ground moaning in pain. Loki had the third by his neck, blood stained the man teeth.
"Loki stop!" I said grabbing his arm.
"I'd close your eyes, because if I catch you looking at her I'll rip them from their sockets." Loki snarled.
It was unsettling seeing the large man squeeze his eyes shut in obedience.
"Apologize." The dark prince hissed.
"I'm..sorry.." The terrified man choked out.
"Do you accept his apology?"
What would he do if I said no..beat him more? Kill him?
Why was he even defending my honor anyway? And why the hell did it make my whole body flush in the worst way.
"Yes." I said feeling sorry for the grown man who was whimpering like a child, his eyes still shut for fear of loosing them.
Loki flung him away and straightened his tunic.
"Let's go." He said going for the door.
We walked out of the house and I tried to ring out my dress the best I could.
"You didn't have to do that." I said dropping the soggy mess back around my legs.
Some soldiers passed by on horseback and one nudged his buddy smirking at me.
Loki visibly tensed as they nodded in my direction and smiled like a pair school boys.
I realized that my dress was literally clinging to every part of my body. The outline of my nipples seemed to be the main attraction.
Loki grabbed my upper arm and teleported us into my room.
"Get changed." He ordered. "We can't have the whole city gawking at you."
I frowned.
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was my fault." I snapped.
"It was. You shouldn't have been on the roof anyway. I shouldn't have let you."
"Let me?"
The words were testy like I was daring him to indulge in his archaic thinking.
"Just change your damn clothes."
I crossed my arms and held my chin up.
"No."
Oh how he hated being opposed, I watched his eyes flash at the word.
"No?"
I shrugged.
"Fine stay in your wet clothes, see if I care."
"I will." I said sweetly uncrossing my arms.
His eyes flicked down to my chest and immediately looked away.
What was that?
If I had been like this in front of him two days ago I would have had to beat him back with a stick.
There was a knock on my door and a guard called through it saying that Odin was calling us to his council.
I went to open it but Loki slammed his hand on the door keeping it closed.
"Change your clothes." He growled.
"Why, I'm completely covered." I said gesturing to my body.
He grabbed me by my wrist and hauled me away from the door.
"You're hurting me." I snapped as his fingered locked around my wrist pinched the skin there.
He spun me around I saw the glint of a blade being conjured in his hands before the tip of the dagger sliced up the back of my dress with a startling rip.
"What the hell are you doing?" I yelled jerking away from him.
"Now you have to change." He said tossing the blade up and waving his hand making it disappear.
The dress hung off me loosely, I had to keep it up by holding the chest of it to me.
"You asshole! I liked this dress!" 
"You should have done what you were told the first time." He said running his hand through his hair.
His words sent a delicious tingle down my spine making me shiver just a little.
I bit my lip at the sheer authority in his voice and clutched the dress tighter to me, suddenly I felt very exposed.
"Get out." I huffed.
I felt like if he stayed any longer I was going to make a very bad decision.
"You don't get make the orders."
I growled and realized he was looking anywhere but me.
Could he find me unappealing because he'd had me? Like a discarded pizza box that no longer held any appeal?
The knock wrapped on the door again making me jump, the voice telling us that it was urgent.
"Get dressed and do it now." Loki ordered in a low voice before disappearing and leaving me alone.
I felt my face screw up in anger and I grabbed the thing closest to me and chucked it at the wall.
::
When I walked into the council room, I was surprised to find it was only Odin and Loki waiting for me.
"What's up?"
"Pardon?" Odin asked
"Why did you call us here." Loki corrected.
"There's been an attack on a village to our north, we've received a distress call for supplies and food."
"I think you meant to call Thor." Loki said with a soft snort.
"You and Anna will be going, with four guards. You leave at dawn tomorrow."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? Won't you have to take off the bracelets to let him go outside the palace grounds?" I asked
"Magic can be altered, as long as you are with him, it should be fine."
Odin touched my bracelet and it warmed under his finger. He turned to Loki and did the same to his.
"Who attacked the village?" I asked
"Elves."
Loki's head snapped in the direction of his father
"Elves?" He asked, his face growing stormy.
"Yes, my son. Elves." Odin sighed.
Elves? As in pointy eared forest dwellers?
Loki pursed his lips and I noticed he looked very far away, caught up in whatever thoughts were consuming his attention.
"You leave in the morning. Meet at the stables at dawn."
"Anna shouldn't go, if they attack again she won't last long."
I frowned at him. I might not be as good in combat as he was, and I had no magical talent but I could hold my own.
"She'll be fine, she has you."
"She should-"
"That is enough, you both go. End of discussion. You won't go by yourself because you cannot be trusted." His father said curtly.
"Why are you sending me in the first place?" Loki growled.
"It is just as much your job to protect the people as it is your brothers."
I glanced between them sensing the rising resentment.
"Fine then." Loki said sweeping away without another word.
I look to the king to see if I was dismissed as well.
He sighed but nodded at me.
I ran to catch up with Loki who was already halfway down the hall.
"Hey." I grabbed his shirt tugging on it to slow him down.
"Not now." He said brushing me off.
"What's wrong?" I asked falling into step beside him, trying to keep up with his long strides.
"Nothing."
"Obviously something."
He rolled his eyes but didn't respond.
"Are you afraid of the elves?"
He stopped in his tracks and I knew I hit a cord.
"I'm not afraid, I'm angry. Would you like me to show you the difference?"
The hostility behind his voice made goosebumps prickle my skin.
"No, but-"
"Shut up. I'm tired of answering your question. Go find someone else to bother." 
I clamped my mouth shut, surprised at the sudden regression of how he used to speak to me.
"Fine." I mumbled and stormed the other way.