The next morning, Rayne and Loki rose early. Odin greeted them in the great hall. "Safe journey my friends," he embraced Rayne in a tight hug. "You are always welcome in this hall, Lady Rayne." He turned to Loki and embraced him as well, "I look forward to your wedding. You have found your sjelevenn, my brother. I am truly happy for you!" He walked them to the Bifröst and watched as Heimdallr twisted the sword. Loki held Rayne close as the kaleidoscope lights engulfed them once more.
When Rayne opened her eyes, it seemed dark and cloudy, the sky had a ruddy glow to it. Loki quickly led her to a large stone entryway. They began to descend into the caverns. "The dwarves live underground in Nidavellir, the dark elves live on the surface in the realm of Svartalfheim. We do not want to cross them." She could hear the concern in his voice. "The realm is a divided place and almost always at war." Rayne struggled to keep pace with his long steps and stumbled a couple of times. Loki realized her difficulty and slowed his pace a bit, "Sorry, ástvinur. This place makes me nervous."
She took his hand tighter in hers, "It's okay. Um, can I ask a question?" He nodded. "Odin said you found your sjelevenn. What does that mean?"
Loki chuckled, "Soulmate. He says you are my soulmate, darling." He gave her a quick smile, "And I personally think he's absolutely correct." He stopped when the stairway came to a large ornate wooden door. "Well, we're here," he took a deep breath and knocked on the heavy door. It slowly swung inward and they stepped through.
They found themselves surrounded by four dwarves with swords drawn and leveled at their necks. Loki pulled Rayne behind him, holding his other hand out to show he carried no weapon. "Wait, Alfrigg, Berling, Dvalin and Grer, we mean no harm. Rayne has been sent to seek your training, and I am her escort. She is an elemental. "
The brothers looked to one another and back to Loki. Alfrigg spoke first, "How do we know we can trust you, Trickster?"
"We need proof," Grer demanded.
Rayne thought quickly, "If you have some water, I can show you my skills." Again the dwarves regarded her with doubt, but one of them brought forth a cup of water. Rayne pulled the water into the air, creating small flowers that danced around each other. She then froze each of them and dropped them back into the cup. Eyes wide, the brothers lowered their swords.
Grer motioned for them to follow. He led them to a large room with a simple wooden table littered with magnificent tools and other items made of precious metals and gems. They still regarded Loki with suspicious eyes. "Who sent you?" Grer asked Rayne directly.
"I was sent by Gaoth an Iarthair from Tír na nÓg," she replied.
The dwarf's eyes went wide as he looked at his brothers. "What other elements do you control?" asked Alfrigg.
Rayne paused, looking at Loki for reassurance. He nodded. She cleared her throat, "Water, air, fire, spirit, and earth if you will help me to master it." They were all silent as she waited for someone to say something.
"It's her." The voice was soft, almost a whisper. Dvalin stepped from the shadows where he had been watching and listening. "She's the one from the prophecy." His voice was more confident this time. His brothers looked at him with doubt, shaking their heads. They argued between themselves, but Dvalin said nothing more. He simply continued to stare at Rayne with a mix of awe, fear, and even adoration.
As the brothers argued, she heard Dvalin's voice in her mind, Call to the gold on the table. Ask it to come to you - show them.
Rayne was shocked to hear him inside her head. Liam and her grandmother were the only ones who had ever done that before. She paused for a moment, but when she saw him look down at the golden cup before him, she nodded and did as he asked. She focused on the cup, on the gold that it was made of, realizing it and the jewels came from the earth. She asked it to come to her hands, beseeched it for help. When she held out her hand, it flew from the table and fell into the palm of her hand.
Dvalin began to laugh softly. He looked at his brothers, "Told you so," he said and walked into the next room, leaving them all speechless, staring at Rayne.
***
Despite Dvalin's faith in Rayne, and her ability to manipulate the cup, the remaining three brothers were still suspicious of her and even more suspicious of Loki. Currently, they sat, locked in a large bed chamber listening to the brothers argue about what to do next. "By the Goddess, will you sit down already!" Rayne glared at Loki, "Your constant pacing is driving me insane." He stopped in front of her, frustrated.
"I knew this wasn't a good idea," Loki complained. "Those idiots will argue for a decade or more."
Rayne stood quickly, "Well those 'idiots' are the only ones who can help me, so I suggest you get yourself under control." There was a slight threat in her voice. She didn't like being underground. It made her feel trapped and angry.
The door opened slightly and Berling stepped in. "Dvalin, Grer, and I have decided to train you, but Loki must remain locked within this room. He cannot be part of your training. Alfrigg will not help, but he will not hinder your training either." He turned to leave, then paused, "We will begin soon. I will bring food and drink. Again, we insist Loki must stay in this chamber while you train." Then the door closed behind him, locking again.
She heard the growl come from Loki's chest and quickly embraced him. "Stop. I will be fine. I've done other training on my own and have been safe." She placed her head against his chest and continued to speak softly, trying to calm him. "We are never more than a thought apart, my love." Rayne felt his body relax just a bit at the mention of their telepathic link.
Berling did as he said and brought them dinner. Shortly after they had finished eating, he returned to take Rayne to her training. Loki grimaced as she left and she could hear him roaring through the door and something crashed. She realized that in his God form, he was much more prone to extreme emotions, somehow he was more feral.
They traveled down a maze of hallways and tunnels until they came to a large underground area. It was open like a field in the middle of a mountain, and for the first time since arriving, Rayne didn't feel like she was in a box. Berling told her to wait, while he joined Dvalin and Grer on the far side of the clearing. She looked around and realized there was water running somewhere out of her view, and the air was humming with fireflies. The ground was covered in a fine layer of moss and she felt the sudden urge to take off her boots. As she felt her toes squish into the cool moss, she giggled. She didn't realize the brothers were carefully watching her the entire time.
She sat on the ground with her legs stretched before her, then flipped over on her stomach and breathed in the smell of the moist dirt. She could hear vibrations in the ground but didn't know what they were. It made her think of the fields from her childhood. She loved running around barefoot as a child. She and her grandmother would walk outside sometimes in the soft rain and just stand in the grass, feeling the earth re-center them. Rayne had that same sensation now.
"You've felt the earth call to you before," Dvalin said as he sat near her. "It makes you feel safe and grounded, doesn't it?" He laid on his stomach next to her, turning his head to meet her gaze.
Rayne smiled. "I guess I have, I just never realized that's what it was." She leaned up on her elbows, "Dvalin, why do I feel a connection to you?"
He grinned, "I'm not sure yet, my lady, but I feel it as well. I think we were meant to meet." He stood up and reached his hand down to help her up. "Let's see what you can do, elementær." His grip was stronger than she anticipated. He led her towards his brothers. "So what do you hear?"
She closed her eyes and listened. "I hear the bugs, water, and," she strained trying to discern the sounds below the ground, "there's movement below, but I don't know what is making it." She opened her eyes to see Berling and Grer staring, wide-eyed. Dvalin smiled, looking proud. "So what's under here other than the river?" Rayne asked.
"Lava, fire demons, and who knows what else," Dvalin laughed. "Do you think you could make the ground shift into a different shape like this?" He passed his hand over a pile of dirt, making it rise into the air. He manipulated it the way she had done with the water. Then he formed the dirt into a swirling terrace with delicate lines. Rayne gasped. It was graceful to watch his work. He motioned to another pile of dirt.
Rayne created an image in her mind of what she wanted to create. The soil shifted but not in graceful movements like Dvalin's did. Build the shape, talk to it, will it into existence, she heard his voice in her mind again. It was gentle and reassuring.
How are you doing that? Rayne held his gaze, but he just smiled. She closed her eyes again and pictured the ancient structures she had seen on her high school trip to Mexico. The dirt began to layer into a miniature version of Machu Picchu. She giggled when she opened her eyes and saw it. Again the brothers seemed pleased.
"I think that's enough for tonight, Dvalin said. "Tomorrow Grer will work with you on calling metals and gems, and Berling will show you how to work with sand and glass." He led her back to the chamber where Loki was waiting. He took her hand, kissed her knuckles, and bowed to her, "Good night, elementær." He turned leaving her to enter the room alone.
Rayne could feel Loki's anger through the door. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. The room was a disaster. Furniture was strewn across the floors, some broken, some overturned. Loki was slumped against the end of the bed, holding his head in his hands. He did not notice her entry. "Loki," she said softly, but he didn't respond. "Liam, please look at me," she tried again.
When he heard her call him Liam, he immediately looked up. At first, his expression was rage, but quickly shifted when he realized she was there. He crossed the room in just a few strides and crushed her against him. His arms wrapped around her and he crashed against her mouth, pressing his tongue between her lips. Rayne was breathless, caught off guard by his reaction. Her hands flew to his hair and face, kissing him again hungrily. She looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what emotion she was seeing - fear, anger, sadness - she couldn't tell. "Why didn't you answer me?" He held her face in his hands, "I was scared you were hurt or had been taken. I kept calling for you, but you never answered." Tears ran down his face and he crushed her against him again.
"What are you talking about?" Rayne tried to pull back from him, but he held tight. "Liam! I never heard you speak to me. When did you try?" He had finally released her enough to look into her eyes.
"I was trying from the moment Berling closed the door, until just before you came back." He had a scowl on his face. "What the hell is going on?" Can you hear me now?
Yes, but I promise you I never heard your voice while I was with the dwarves. She held her hand against his cheek, wiping his tears. She took his hand and led him to sit with her on the bed. "Could the room be spelled? I could step out in the hall and test it." Loki nodded and she stepped out into the hall, shutting the door. Can you hear me, my love? There was no response. She opened the door and sat back down on the bed. "Anything?"
"No. Apparently, they don't need to sew my lips shut to silence me this time." he grimaced. Rayne's eyes went wide. Loki sighed, "Yes ástvinur, the myth is true, but it wasn't the brothers who did it, it was Brokk and Eitri whom I had tricked to save my head." He fell back on the bed. She laid down, wrapping her arms around his chest and nuzzling against his neck. "This is my punishment. I must sit here in a deafening silence while you are training."
He pulled her closer, clinging to her as if he thought she would disappear if he let go. "I'm sorry I can't be there with you, my love," he whispered.
Rayne kissed his neck, and snuggled into his chest and side, "Even if I can't see or hear you, I know you're with me. I wasn't in any danger, I promise. I just played with dirt basically," she giggled. Loki laughed and turned to kiss her deeply.
"I'm sorry I took out my anger on you, and...the room," he rolled over on top of her, "It drives me crazy when we're apart. I guess I've taken the telepathic link for granted. It's been a long time since we've been separated completely." He leaned down and kissed her neck, biting her lightly. "I'll try to be more patient," he murmured as his hands cupped the warmth between her legs. Rayne let out a low moan. "At least I know you missed me, ástvinur."
****Mature Content Warning: M/F
With a flick of his wrist, their clothes were gone and his fingers had slipped between her folds. Rayne's hips raised against his fingers as she gasped. She ran her fingers through his hair pulling his mouth down to hers. Loki's fingers pressed against her walls and he ran his thumb over her throbbing clit. Her orgasm came fast and made her arch high off the bed as she sobbed in release. In a single fluid motion, he pulled her leg over his hip and slipped inside her, groaning as he felt her slick warmth surround him. "You are mine, love. I will never let you go," Loki growled in her ear, biting her neck.
Rayne ran her nails down his back and wrapped her legs around his waist tighter. Her hands trailed down to his ass and she pulled, pressing him deeper against him. She bit at his lips and neck, her body felt like it was on fire and she couldn't get enough of him. Her moans filled the chamber as he thrust into her. She felt her second climax wash over her, making her body shudder, but Loki still ground against her hips. His expression was animalistic and his pace became harder, instinctive as if he was truly claiming every inch of her body. He quickly flipped her over and leaned up to take her breasts in his mouth, biting and sucking on them. He never stopped his rhythm as he felt her walls clamp around him, then shuddering as a third orgasm overtook her. She was beyond words now, moaning and sobbing with desire, the tears flowed down her cheeks.
As Loki ran his hands across her cheeks wiping her tears, she turned her face into the palm of his hand and then caught his fingers in her mouth, biting and sucking them hard. His moan turned to a low growl as he bucked hard against her, filling her completely. Her eyes were like green flames as she flicked her hips faster against him. He felt her pace quicken and he matched it. She placed her hands on his chest, steadying herself as she rose up and down on his length. He moaned again and wrapped his arms around her, he flipped her onto her back again. He rammed into her and saw the green glow engulf them flickering like flames. It climbed around them and engulfed the bed. He felt his orgasm build low in his stomach. He buried his head in her neck and bit hard as he felt her climax yet again, clamping down on him. Loki cried out her name as he came deep within her, making the green flame explode across the room, shaking the floor and walls. He collapsed on top of her, gasping for air.
Loki rolled over when he heard Rayne giggle, "That was fucking amazing!"
"You're fucking amazing," he kissed her forehead and chuckled.
***
Author's Notes: What do you think of the connection between Rayne and Dvalin?
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