Cat and mouse (part 1) Revised version!

Chapter 39

I was the last one to arrive at the stables.
It had been a chore to find riding gear in my size but the maids had managed to fit together an appropriate ensemble.
Brown leather pants paired with a loose tan tunic that billowed at the wrists. A black leather corset was fitted over the plain shirt, matching my riding boots.
They'd pulled my hair back into a braid and intertwined it with a few smaller pleats that resembled pictures of viking women I'd seen in storybooks on earth.
I tried to ignore the pinch of the boots as I joined the group that was waiting for me.
Odin went straight into giving us our orders, letting us know that a dark skinned man named Javeah, he had the map that would lead us to the town of Takxs.
We were to stay behind two guards and in front of two guards at all times. The wagon with supplies was to be pulled by the two horses behind the caravan.
A stable boy walked up to me and held out the reins to a beautiful chestnut horse.
I gulped..I'd never ridden a horse in my life.
My hand hesitated over the leather straps.
"Don't tell me you don't know how to ride a horse." Loki said sounding annoyed.
The entire party turned their eyes to me.
"People don't really ride horses in the city." I defended looking at the huge horse in front of me.
Loki looked at his father and gestured to me.
"She should stay here."
Odin laughed.
I'd never heard the man so much as chuckle and here he was laughing at my expense.
"She'll ride with you."
Loki glared at me and I crossed my arms, refusing to let him make me feel inferior just because I couldn't ride a damn horse.
"Come here then." He sighed taking his horses reins.
I gave the king a farewell nod and walked to Loki, giving my best indifferent look as he told me how to mount.
I chewed on my bottom lip nervously knowing I was about to embarrass the shit out of myself.
I stuck my foot in the stirrups and tried to step up and swing my leg over like he instructed but the horse was much larger than I'd anticipated and I had to throw my arms over its back to keep from falling.
Laughter echoed around me and I gritted my teeth.
Loki rolled his eyes and his hand cupped my ass as he went to shove me onto the horse.
"Get your hand off my ass." I hissed but he ignored me shoving me up.
"I don't need your help."
His lips twitched up in a smile and I wanted to kick him.
I gripped the reins so hard my knuckles turned white.
It was much higher off the ground than I'd thought and it felt like I could just slide right off the saddle.
Loki slid into place behind me gracefully and I muttered under my breath in annoyance.
His arms slide over mine and took the reins from my hands, telling me to hold onto the horn of the saddle.
I tensed and tried to ignore that my back was pressed into his chest and his legs were straddling my ass in the shared saddle.
He clicked his tongue and the horse started into a brisk walk.
We rode for what seemed like hours and my thighs ached to stop and get off this damn horse.
The sun was high in the sky and didn't seem to care that it was cooking me alive.
"We'll stop up here and rest." One of the guards called back to Loki.
"We should stay on the road."
"The horses need a break your highness."
Loki sighed but I felt him nod.
My legs wobbled as I hopped down and my knees refused to hold me up.
Strong arms wrapped around me and kept me from face planting into the grass.
Loki helped me right myself  and then walked away without a word.
This was torture, being around him.
He wore black as usual, but his shirt was short sleeve and his pants were a thicker leather.
His hair was pulled back by a small green tie and I hated that I wanted to rip it out so my fingers could rake through it.
I eyed him as he drank from some sort of water bottle made from animal hide.
Since his attention was elsewhere I allowed my eyes to travel down his exposed arms, tracing the lines of the muscles. Water drizzled from the side of the bottle sending a small stream down the side of his jaw and neck.
I could have groaned with how cruel the universe was being to me right now.
I walked to the where the horses were watering, not wanting to stick around and be caught watching him. The horse snorted a little as I ran my hand along it's flank.
They were drinking from a crystal blue pond and my overheated body was delighted by the sight of it.
I quickly kicked my boots off and stripped my corset and leather pants leaving me in panties and my tunic.
If I had it my way I'd be completely naked but being surrounded by men I decided to leave some clothing on.
I took a few steps into the water and felt my body relax as the refreshing water lapped at my calves.
"What do you think your doing?"
I turned half around to see Loki.
"Cooling off." I said taking a few more steps into the water
"Get back over here, this isn't a vacation, And put your damn clothes on." He snapped grabbing them off the ground.
"Why don't you come in and make me?"
His eyes were on fire, he was so quick to anger the last two days.
"Anna get over here, now."
I smirked and went to dive into the water but Loki's voice stopped me
"Don't you dare." He seethed.
I glanced over my shoulder and decided angry Loki was something I'd have to deal with when I was out of the water.
I dove in and relished in the water surrounding me, the calming quiet.
I stayed under as long as I could but my lungs started to burn for air.
I broke back through the surface and smiled at the angry god on shore.
"You shouldn't swim in odd bodies of water." He called across the water to me.
"Afraid of fish?" I asked floating along the surface and kicking myself farther out.
"Seriously, get out." He said extending my clothes to me.
"Not until you get in." I challenged looking at him upside down.
"It's time to go" He said getting even more frustrated.
I gave him a shrug.
"If I have to get in there, you're going to regret it." He warned.
"Oh no, I'm so scared." I mocked floating away from him.
His eyes flashed and he threw down my clothes.
He aggressively pulled off his sword, shoes and pants and glanced back the way we came but waded into the water after me.
"This isn't funny." He snapped when I doggy paddled away from to avoid him grabbing me and pulling me out.
I bit my lip and before I could think better of it, splashed him
"Stop!"
I couldn't help the laughter that ripped itself from my mouth. He was so pissed but water was dripping down his hair and face, his expression so serious. He looked like a mad little boy. 
I swam farther into the pond still giggling but it died off when he dove down into the water.
The last thing I saw was his green eyes before he went under.
I treaded water suddenly nervous.
He hadn't resurfaced and I swam in a small circle looking for him.
"Boo."
His arm wrapped around my waist pulling me back into his chest tightly while his other hand treaded water.
"I warned you you'd regret making me come in after you." He whispered into my ear.
I shivered when his hand splayed across my stomach under my shirt.
"Do you want to know what I'm going to do?" He asked turning his face into my neck.
I nodded, biting the insides of my cheeks as I felt him hardening against my ass with every passing second.
I guess I could cross unattracted to me, from my list of possible things wrong with Loki the last forty eight hours.
Voices echoed off the water making Loki grip me tighter. They didn't sound like they belonged to the guards.
Loki quickly swam us to the deepest part of the pond and pushed me against one of the large rocks next to the waterfall, covering me with his body.
I opened my mouth to asked him what was happening but he covered my mouth shaking his head in warning.
He whispered something and I saw what looked like a shimmer pass over us just as two small green men walked up to the bank from the forest.
They were repulsive with multi-layered growths all over their faces and black beady eyes.
"I swore I heard a woman." One of them spoke in a voice that cracked every other syllable.
"I think your stomach is hearing things again." The other said shoving him.
"I smell a woman." The first insisted.
Loki stiffened and seemed to press closer into me. His green eyes telling me not to make a move.
Their eyes went right over us and I realized Loki had cloaked us. As long we we stayed silent and didn't make any waves in the water they wouldn't know we were here.
"You're wrong."
"I'm telling you, there's a woman around!"
They grumbled to each other but kept walking, their noses in the air.
Loki didn't release me until they were out of sight.
He eased away from me and I saw his magic drop.
"What the fuck were those?"
"Goblins. They usually travel in groups larger than two though." He said in disgust.
"I don't understand, you're way more powerful than them right?" I asked
"Goblins have strong magic." Was the only explanation I got.
He placed his hand on my back and pushed me towards shore.
"Time to go."
I climbed onto shore and just as I was picking up my clothes the guard came into the clearing.
"There you are, what the hell are you doing?" One of them barked at me.
"Swimming?"
The other guard that was with him eyed me and I pulled my shirt down over my thighs.
Loki climbed out of the water and stood in front of me, blocking me from their view.
"We'll meet you back at the horses. Be ready to mount when we get there."
The guard looked pissed but did as he was told, muttering to his comrade the whole way back.
Loki turned around and picked up his own clothes, ripping them on his still dripping body.
"Do you have to cause problems wherever you go?" He snapped.
"You're one to talk." I muttered following his lead and pulling on my pants to find it much more difficult than he made it look.
"You're half naked. " He snapped. 
"I was swimming." I said wildly gesturing to the pond.
He caught my arm as I almost tripped over a stuck leg in my pants.
"Just do me a favor and keep your clothes on." He growled.
He waited for me to get fully dressed and we walked back to his horse.
I allowed him to help me up and he clicked his tongue before he was even fully saddled.
"We'll be to the town by nightfall." The lead guard said as he took his spot in front of our horse.
The rest of the ride was done in silence.