After a night of very little sleep, you grumble at the sun shining through your curtains, stretching your unusually stiff muscles with a groan.
You drag yourself out of bed to your private bath, a luxury few in the palace are fortunate enough to have, and one you are especially grateful for. You mindlessly unlace the back of your dress, disgusted with yourself that you were in such a state yesterday, you hadn't even taken the time to change into proper sleepwear before hiding away under the covers of your bed. When you pull it over your head, the intoxicating smell of the prince, left behind on your dress, wafts through your nostrils. The scent of him alone brings back that unfamiliar warmth in your core, and then the memories of yesterday bring back the throbbing between your legs.
Oh no!
You toss the dress away from you as if it were a snake about to bite.
Forcing yourself to keep it together, you reach for your hairbrush and turn to the mirror.
Oh, gods!
Your hair is an absolute wreck, tossed in nearly every direction. There are grass stains on both of your elbows, and on your neck... three small purplish marks lie just below your ear, above your collarbone, and near the center of your throat.
Horrified at the sight of yourself, you turn away from the mirror, throw yourself into the warm bath water, and sink down until it is over your head, washing away the sins of yesterday.
It's just a little dirt, it will be gone once I've bathed.
After far more time soaking than necessary, you force yourself out of the bath, turning to the mirror once again. To your dismay, the three little spots that you now know without a doubt were made by the teeth and lips of the dark prince, are still there. In fact, the warm bath water may have made them look even worse.
For shame!
You hurriedly brush through your hair and change into a blush pink dress. When you look at your reflection again, you mentally kick yourself for not bringing just a little bit of makeup along with you.
Well, I certainly cannot leave my chambers until this has cle-
A sound just outside of your door pulls you from your thoughts. You rush over to it, not exactly sure what you're thinking, and rip the door open.
Your breath catches when you find Prince Loki on the other side of your door, with a single golden rose in one hand, and what appears to be a letter in the other.
"Apologies for my rudeness, my prince, but what are you doing at my door?" You keep what you hope is the most stoic expression you can possibly muster on your face.
"I'm sorry, my lady, I just wished to dr-" He fails to continue his sentence as he runs his eyes all over you. His cheeks turn a soft shade of pink just before he takes notice of the marks on your neck. His eyes widen at the sight of you, and he swiftly checks down the hallway before pushing past you into your room.
"What are you doing!?" You startle yourself with your feisty tone. "You cannot be in here!"
He presses a finger to your lips, silencing your protests immediately. "I know, I'm terribly sorry. I feel that I must at least attempt to make up for yesterday, and then I will quickly be on my way."
He places a chilly hand on your chest, causing butterflies in your stomach to explode in every direction, crashing against one another and making your head spin. When a cool sensation begins to wrap around your throat, you know that you're a goner.
Galdraormur.
The sensation dissipates as quickly as it came, and you simply remain frozen in place, eyes widened to an almost painful degree.
"Take a look." He whispers, gesturing toward your vanity mirror.
When you step to the mirror, you find that he's used his magic to add an absolutely gorgeous lace collar to the neckline of your dress. It is intricate and beautiful, blending in with the style of the garment so well that it appears as though the dress was designed with it originally. Most importantly, it covers up the three little marks on your neck.
"Oh." You look to the prince, at a loss for words- a state you seem to be finding yourself in surprisingly often lately. "Thank you." You smile.
"It is quite literally the least I could do, my lady." He nods his head.
"Now, that's not true at all." You smirk, a strange wave of confidence flowing through you. "Why did you come to my door this morning, my prince?"
"Please, just Loki is fine." He takes a step closer to you. "I came this morning, to bring you this." He offers you the large golden rose.
"You certainly know the way to this botanist's heart." You beam. "I've never seen a variation like this before. It's gorgeous." You spin the flower around between your fingers to examine it. "And what of the letter?" You raise a single, questioning brow.
"The letter... I think I'd like to hold on to." He searches your gaze.
"Very well then, I'll be- "
"Lady Gersemi-" He cuts you off. "I would very much enjoy accompanying you to the library this afternoon if you would permit me to do so."
———————-
You have absolutely no idea why you agreed to go to the library with Loki, but since you did, you're determined to keep the upper hand with him today.
"What were you reading yesterday?"
"Hm?" He turns to look at you, seemingly taken off guard by you breaking the silence.
"In the library yesterday, I saw you with a stack of books. You know- before I knocked the shelf over." You feel your cheeks grow warm at the very recent embarrassing memory.
"They were books on the history of Jotunheim." He tips his head to the side, a single laugh escaping him. "I'm not sure why I just told you that."
Is he feeling the same unusual sense of comfort with me as I am with him? Perhaps it's not a spell!
"Why were you studying their history?"
"I- heh." He shakes his head as if he is already in disbelief regarding what he is about to say to you. "I recently discovered that I was actually adopted. My true parentage is not of Asgard."
Oh. OH.
You respond casually, not wanting to hurt his feelings by being thrown off by the knowledge that the young Prince of Asgard is actually a frost giant. "Do you have a desire to find your biological parents?"
"They're dead." He turns his face from yours, quickening his pace to the library doors.
With that, you realize he is done discussing that particular subject.
The two of you enter the library, and you casually stroll over to the 'Horticulture' section. You've read practically every book in that section already, but you're suddenly way too self-conscious to pick out your next fantasy or romance novel in the presence of the prince.
You begin to run your fingers along the spines of the books, an odd little habit you've developed since moving to Asgard, stopping when something about one of them feels particularly different under your fingertips. The spine isn't worn like most of the others, prompting you to stop and check if you've read it already. You slide it off of the shelf, and just as the feeling of disappointment that yes- you've already read this one washes over you; Loki begins to speak from right beside you, seemingly appearing from nowhere. "This is what I wanted to show you yesterday." He holds up a large, visibly old, but extremely well cared for book, open to a page with a picture of a purple flower.
"Yesterday?"
"Yes, before we- before I got distracted." His cheeks turn bright pink.
Oh
You grab hold of the book to analyze the mysterious flower more closely. It is yet another species you have never seen before.
"There is an entire field of these, deep in the woods north of the palace. They seem to be able to grow with little or no sunlight." His spellbinding green eyes search yours.
"I have scoured this entire section of literature... where did you find this book?" Your eyes grow wide with an excited sense of curiosity.
"This is a book of enchantments. I came across it while studying magic."
"Gods! Loki- this could be exactly what I'm looking for! I've been reading about plants that thrive in non-traditional environments, and their unique benefits. I could-" You look up at him, your cheeks catching fire.
"You could... what? Kiss me?" He takes a step closer to you, that wonderful scent of him clouding your mind.
Well, yes. I suppose I could.
And so, you do.
Loki lets out a surprised little grunt when your lips connect, not hesitating for a moment before deepening the kiss. He takes the book you're still holding from your hand and drops it to the floor, immediately sliding one large hand onto the small of your back, pressing you firmly against him. He tangles the fingers of his other hand into your hair, ever-so-gently grasping a handful at the base of your neck and tipping your head back to expose your neck.
The now familiar cool feeling of his magic wraps around your throat, removing the lace collar in its wake. He takes immediate advantage of the access to your sensitive skin once again.
He murmurs something to himself as he traces his lips along your neck, each tender kiss a love poem, each little nip a ballad.
The raging fire in your core roars back to life, having never been fully extinguished. The flames feel as though they may consume your entire mind as Loki works his way down your body, just barely grazing his lips across your breast as he makes his way lower, placing more kisses through the fabric of your dress.
The throbbing between your thighs returns when his hand makes contact with the skin under your dress, eliciting a little gasp to escape from your lips.
He pauses what he's doing to meet your gaze, his now desire-filled eyes seeming to glow an even more brilliant shade of green than usual. "May I continue?"
You stare at him irresolutely, your mind having a ruthless battle between what you know you should say- what you know you have to do, and what you truly want.
"Please..." You whimper.
"Please what, Gersemi?" He lowers his voice, its velvet-like sound causing goosebumps to run down your spine.
"Please, don't stop." You feel your face flush crimson at your own words, at your wanton behavior, and just as you begin to tell yourself you must stop this right now, that this is not at all decent, Loki presses you into the shelf at your back, sending several books sailing to the floor.
With you now in an almost seated position, he drops to his knees between your legs, kissing his way down to your ankle.
You'd been so engrossed in the flood of mixed feelings surging inside of you, that you somehow hadn't noticed that he'd masterfully slid your panties down with him, until he removes them from around your ankles.
"Is this what you are worried about me discovering yesterday?" He holds up your dampened panties as if they are some sort of prize. "Darling, this makes me very happy."
You don't really understand what he means, but the slightly more animalistic grin that he's now donning both excites and terrifies you.
And when he places your panties into the pocket of his trousers, you are certainly too intrigued to feel embarrassed.
He begins to kiss his way back up your leg, delicately sliding the skirt of your dress up with him.
When you begin to close your legs, in an attempt to protect what little modesty you have left- he halts your movement with two powerful hands pressed outward on the insides of your thighs, stretching your legs even wider for him.
A lump you cannot swallow forms in the back of your throat, knowing that you are completely on display for him now.
Once again you consider protesting. It's not too late to stop, not too late to prevent the disappointment of your parents, but when he runs his tongue, gentle, slow, and flat, against your most sensitive spot, your entire body reacts with vibrations of hot, tingling waves of pleasure unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Perhaps I won't tell my parents about this.
You cry out as he continues on. Loki makes you feel like molten lava, burning at his touch, out of control, dangerous.
You shriek again, the pleasure consuming you, making you completely forget who you are and any reservations you may have had about engaging with the dark prince.
Without looking up from what he's doing, he places a hand over your mouth, pulling back just enough to mutter "library" before diving back into you.
With his free hand, he slides one, and then two, fingers inside of you.
You scream against his hand, first in shock, and then in absolute pleasure as the hot, tingling waves change into a pulling, throbbing tightness in your very core. The new sensations are so overwhelming that you lose your footing and begin to slip off of the shelf. He removes his hand from your mouth, placing it under your buttocks to support you as he lowers you to the floor.
"My prince!" You cry out, at a complete disregard for who could possibly overhear. The tightness in your core feels as though it's going to tear you apart if he does not stop.
He removes his mouth from you to look you in the eyes, continuing to pump his fingers in and out of you. He leans in close to your ear so that he may speak as quietly as possible. "Gersemi- I am your equal. I beg that you address me as such."
"Loki... something's happening. I-" You cry out as another wave of pleasure washes over you.
"Let it happen, darling. Lean into that feeling." The tingling sensation the warmth of his breath against your ear causes is all the more it takes to send you flying over the edge. The tightness in your core erupts into surges of unbearable pleasure. Your entire body contracts, contorting and shaking underneath the prince.
"Gods... yes." He pants against your ear, your pleasure seeming to give him a sort of release of his own.
The two of you share several moments of near silence, the only sounds in the library the two of you panting while regaining your breath. He shifts his weight to his elbows, so that he is still very much on top of you, but you are no longer taking his full weight.
"Are you alright?"
You giggle, the idea that you could possibly be feeling anything other than utterly incredible in this very moment seems silly. "Loki... that was the most wonderful thing I have ever felt."
His emerald eyes grow dark as a wolfish grin stretches across his face. "Oh Gersemi, there is so much more."
Your heart flutters at the thought, and just as you're about to respond, an einherjar pushes through the library doors.
"Lady Gersemi, your parents await you in the communications room."
Your face catches fire at the possibility of being caught in this state. You respond as quickly as possible, both immensely grateful for the coverage the shelves are providing, and desperately hoping to prevent the guard from stepping into the library any farther. "Thank you! I'll come straight away." You look to Loki, who gives you an understanding nod as you compose yourself and follow the einherjar out of the room.
————————-
The glow of the hologram lights up the otherwise empty communications room as the image of your parents comes into focus.
"Oh, my dear! How we've missed you so!" Your mothers' words cause a burning in the back of your throat, and when your dad speaks, "Are you well, little bird?" Tears cloud your vision.
Gods, I miss them.
"I'm doing wonderfully. I do miss you both terribly though."
"Are you quite well, darling? You look flushed." Your mothers' words cause your face to burn even hotter, and in a panic, you reach to your throat, shocked to find that Loki must've returned the collar to your dress before you left the library. You also can't help but notice you still aren't wearing any underwear, which means your panties must still be in the prince's pocket.
"Oh- yes, it's just a warm day here. I'm... just a bit overdressed." You feel your face slowly cool after getting out what you're pretty sure is a convincing lie.
"That's my girl, always putting her modesty before everything else." Your father beams with pride.
His words hit you like a kick to the gut. If only he knew what you've gotten yourself into these past couple days.
"How is Hnoss? Is she handling the pregnancy well?" You change the subject.
"Oh yes. She is welcoming motherhood beautifully." Your mother grins. "We have some very exciting news for you, Gersemi."
You're shocked by how quickly she's willing to change the subject from her future grandchild, and a twinge of fear prickles at the back of your mind as to what sort of news this could be.
"Oh?" You gape.
"Prince Aster will be coming of age this spring and is to promptly begin petitioning for a wife. His father's health is declining."
"The king is not well?" Your eyes widen.
"No, my dear, he is not. While I do not mean to brush off the well-being of our patriarch, Prince Aster is next in line to the throne, and my dear, he has asked for you by name."
"Wh-what? Asked for me? For what? I don't-" Your entire body catches fire.
"Don't be silly, my child- the prince has called on you, as a suitor!" Your father shouts with glee.
"But..."
"But what, silly girl? This is the most wonderful news our family has ever had!" Your mother wraps her arms around your father.
"But what of our relations with Asgard? I could perhaps find a suitable match here and-"
"Forget that silliness child, Prince Aster is next in line to be king. A marriage with him would secure your place as Queen of Vanaheim." She shakes her head as if she's in utter disbelief that the news doesn't seem to be properly sinking into your head.
"If I am to return home for his first season... that is several months earlier than my intended time to be here studying." You plead.
"It is your duty to ensure the future of your family line. Do not squander that privilege." Your father announces with a scowl. "Your subject of interest will have to change greatly once you become the queen of our realm."
"I see." You know you should be beyond thrilled, jumping for joy and filled with pride for what this means for your family, and for your future. However, you can't seem to divert your thoughts from one thing, and one thing only.
Loki.