Destined to Be

Book one.

Iris, a seemingly normal girl in a small town finds herself in a confusing situation.
I guess I always knew I was different.  It never made sense to me until that day I was ripped away from my realm. I was having a normal day like every 19-year-old girl should, I was shopping with some friends after work, it had been a particularly horrible day in my fast food job. I had a strange tingling in my arms all day, I just chalked it up to a pinched nerve from my job. The tingling got worse when I had arrived to North Central Mall, I had honestly thought about skipping the trip. I was looking at some cute tops when I noticed my left hand had a sort of bluish tint to it. "What the hell?!" I whispered to myself.
Just then a huge crashing noise came from the middle of the mall, something had dropped through the giant glass ceilings. People were running and screaming, my friends were hiding in the back of the store but I wanted to see what that sound was. I look out the entrance of the store and see about a dozen men dressed in strange robes, who are they? They were astoundingly tall, and if I wasn't mistaken some of them had strange markings on their faces. They honestly looked like some good cosplayers, like the ones I had seen the summer before, such intricate detail almost too good to be cosplay.
I see the men turn towards the store I was standing in and run to the back of the store with my friends and push them out the emergency exit. I hear the men running to the back of the store and I duck into the changing room covering my mouth so they can't hear my panicked breathing.  As they come closer my heart pounds so loud I thought the whole mall would hear it.  Silence. Someone kicks open the door and I let out a startled scream. "Hello there, would you be so kind as to show me your arms." Demanded what seemed to be the leader of the group. "Why, what importance does my arm have to you?" He stands, he is very tall, he has jet black hair and he is a bluish tint with the same patterns I was now showing on my arms as. "I said LET ME LOOK AT YOUR ARM!" he boomed through the store, his men stand glaring behind him.
I stand shakily and show him my arm, "No the other arm." He growls angrily as he rips my sleeve off effortlessly "Well, well men looks like we have found her." Found me? What do they mean found me, what is going on? He grabs my arm, and pulls me hard into the middle of the group. He then grabs me around my waist and lights are flashing everywhere I feel dizzy and pass out briefly. When I come to we are on a different planet, we had to be the trees are like nothing I have ever seen. The moon was insanely close, I felt lightheaded and start to fall over. I am caught mid fall however by the leader, his touch was surprisingly gentle although his eyes were sharp and alarming.
This all must be a horrible dream; it must be. I come to and start swinging my fists in fear, the tall man who is now completely blue with oddly beautiful markings on his face, lifts his hands and waves the men off, "I am Loki, you are here for reasons you must not know yet." I chuckle in disbelief "Wait like Thor's brother Loki? The god?" He stops my questions abruptly with a frown, "Yes, I however am not Thor's brother, I am from Jotunheim that will be all the questions." He shows me to a chamber, I noticed that his hand was placed gently on my waist the entire time we had our encounter, "This will be your chamber. Sleep now, tomorrow you shall learn what this all means."  He gives me a strange, almost admiring look before turning and swiftly walking out. This all must be a dream, one strange dream. I put on the clothes laid out for me, and I drifted into a peaceful sleep.
I felt a presence close to me. I sensed eyes burning into me. I look to the left of my bed and I see red eyes staring at me, "Can I help you?" I ask my voice sounds super shaky. "I thought maybe I'd come and see how you are doing, and to make sure you didn't run away." I recognized his voice, it was Loki. "How long have you been standing there?" I sit up clutching the blanket to my "A few minutes." His face was now visible and he looked very intense. He slowly walked towards the bed, he was in elegant robes that barely hide his bare chest. "If you don't mind my asking" he stops me mid-sentence pushing me back on the bed and leans over me. "No questions. Understood?" He starts kissing me, intensely kissing. He pulls my hands above my head, holding them both with one of his. His kisses move from my lips to my neck, his other hand explores my body. I gasp feeling his cool fingers running up my thigh. He teases me with playful bites on my neck, I beg for more. He stops "I cannot give you more, not yet." He adjusts his robe and walks out the door. What was that all about? "I have to be dreaming. There's no way that just happened."
                I was woken up the next day by Loki and whomever the man he was with, I assumed he was the king. "Good morning child, I hope you were content with your sleeping chambers?" He looks stern but I could see a tiny bit of care in his eyes. Loki stands there, his eyes focused on my neck. What is he looking at? "Child what happened to your neck, it is red?" Shit last night wasn't a dream after all. "I have um sensitive skin, I was scratching it." I say as confident as I can, Loki didn't take his intense passionate gaze off me. I shifted uncomfortably back and forth as the king instructed the guards to go to their posts.
Loki walked over to me, flashing a wicked smile, his eyes were dark almost black now. "Don't tell a soul. It wasn't a dream and one single whisper could get you imprisoned forever." His hand finds its way to the small of my back as he leads me to the king, "Get dressed and meet in the dining hall in one hour, understood?" I nod "Yes sir." He swiftly turns, "Loki will show you around afterwards. Everyone left except Loki and I, he turns to face me "Get dressed." I turn to grab my clothes that had been laid out for me. He grabs my arm, "No strip now." I stand there shocked at what he had just demanded.  I slip off my gown and stand there, watching him admiring me "You're absolutely stunning." He breaths, "Now go get dressed" he says as he kisses my forehead and walks out the door, making it look like he was waiting for me. I felt a tingle in my belly, I couldn't explain it but I felt a strange connection with Loki.
                I walk out the door and sure enough there stands Loki, patiently waiting. As I walk to him he puts his arm in the small of my back like he did earlier. I wonder what they think of that. We walk into the giant elegant dining hall where the king sits awaiting my arrival. "Come child, sit you must be starving." I hadn't realized it but I was. I wait until I am served before I speak, keeping my eyes on my plate "Sir, if you don't mind my asking, what am I doing here?" He stopped chewing, looks at me with those piercing red eyes, "Well if you must know. You are here because you are one of us. At least you are partially one of us. You see your father was a frost giant. He took the form of a regular human being like yourself and met your mother on Earth. Obvious events happened and you were born 9 months later. Your father however was summoned back here to go into a battle. He didn't survive. We here have been watching you for 19 years. Just waiting for you to change. You are your fathers only kin. You need protection and to be taught everything about us, you. You will not be allowed back onto earth ever. If you fail to listen, we will be forced to execute you." I can't speak, is he being serious? My father is a businessman in New York, not a frost giant. I push my plate away unable to stomach the information that was just fed to me.
                Loki stands from his position across from me, "I shall see her back to her room." He motions for me to stand. "Very well then. Good day child." The king says continuing to eat. "I can never see my mother or father again?" I ask my eyes full of tears. Loki stops my right in front of the door, "I am terribly sorry my dear." He opens the door and we both walk in. I walk over and sit on the bed. "I just, I am worried about them." I burst into tears thinking about all the things my mom's thinking happened to me. Loki wraps one arm around my shoulder "I don't think it was brought to you in the most sensible of ways, but it had to be told to you somehow." He plants a kiss on my forehead, why is he so damn comforting "Do I have to leave this dungeon today?" He stands swiftly and walks three paces in front of me, just then the king comes through the door. "I realize that I could've been more, caring with the way that I told you." He then turns to walk out, "I apologize dear child, but I am not fooling you about the execution. I know you miss them, but no contact beyond this realm is allowed. I hope to see you around the castle sometime." He nods his head at Loki and me then walks out, along with the guards that follow. "So are you not allowed to show interest in women or something?" I say frankly and harshly to Loki. He snaps his head towards me "I am supposed to be marrying someone, I however find her, inadequate. She isn't the right one for me. I have been keeping an eye on a particular woman for many years my love." He walks out, like that. What is with them? Before he hits the door however he turns, "Meet me three doors down from here when the sun starts to set." He points out the window, there is that butterfly feeling again.
I decide to freshen up a bit before I am to meet Loki.  I walk into the bathing area, and strip to my undergarment, I find a dress hanging off a hook in the corner, on it is a note from the king. In the note he explains everything, he tells me that there is a closet full of dresses. Since I am in the castle I have to dress presentably, not in my 'Earthy clothes.' I find nothing wrong with my clothes. I walk back to my bed, to search my clothes. I find my IPod and headphones are still in the correct place, my phone is missing though. Of course they would take that. I put my headphones in my ears and blast some music. I start dancing, I heard a loud noise right as I'm getting into the songs, as I turn I see Loki standing by the bed. He is laughing hard, I grab a robe quickly, as I was only in my bra and underwear. "Do you mind?" I say a bit harshly, how long was he standing there? "No, not at all continue." He sits on the bed with his arms "I thought maybe you'd like to join me, seeing how you're late." He looks towards the window. Shit! I run to the bathroom and throw on a deep burgundy dress that I found in the closet, with a pair of black slip on shoes.  I walk back into the room and Loki grabs me by the hand to lead me to wherever he had planned to. We walk through the castle, "Be very quiet, everyone is sleeping." He puts is fingers to his lips. We sneak past a few guards and venture out into the woods at back of the castle.
He holds my hand as we walk down an old path through the thick forest. "I came out here a lot when I was exiled. I did not know anyone, I found that nature was the only thing one can trust in this life." I glance at him briefly, his eyes are glowing red. "Where are we going, if I may ask?" We walk through some brush and then the most beautiful clearing ever appears. There is a tiny river, trees and flowers. Very unexpected for this place. He grabs my waist "Iris, I never do this, ever." He kisses me on the lips. His lips trail to my neck, his hands running up and down my body. I wrap my arms around him and push my fingers through his hair. Slowly he unbuttons the dress I am wearing, letting it drop to the ground. He stands back admiring me in the moonlight. "You are such a beautiful woman." He steps towards me once more, eyes glowing deep red. We lay down on his jacket next to the river, kissing passionately. Loki slips his clothes of slowly in between kisses. The last thing I remember is Loki leaning back over me after removing the last of his clothing.
I wake up the next morning in my bed, Loki is nowhere to be seen. Was it all a dream? That felt so real, I look down, I am in what I assume is a nightgown. I need some air, I walk to the balcony. "It wasn't a dream love." I hear a familiar voice coming from my left. "Why are you out here Loki?" I turn wrapping my robe tighter. "The king came in early this morning and I crept out here." I roll my eyes at him. "Why don't you just tell them you do not wish to marry that woman?" He peers out into the dense forest that we came from hours earlier. "I can't decide that. As much as we do not wish to marry each other. It is beyond our control." Wait she doesn't wish to be married either? "Why not..." I start to say but Loki cuts me off. "Listen. It is beyond our control Iris. Please just leave it." He walks back into the room. He leaves my room and I hear him tell the king that I was awake and ready to be dressed and go out.
I had lots to do today, the king took me everywhere in the castle. He didn't really talk much, or at all actually. I didn't see Loki anywhere, he must be with that woman. I look down to the floor as we turn the corner not wanting to look at the king in fear that he might tell me more bad news. I run into someone, I hit the floor before I know it. I look up and sure enough it's Loki and his soon to be wife. She looks furious, "Iris, this is Nora. The woman I am to be wed to in three days." Loki says. Nora shifts uncomfortably I can tell they just had a fight. Loki helps me up, "I am sorry I was distracted." I say smoothing out my dress. The king and Nora are talking about something important and walk off with the guards, leaving Loki and me. "She is telling him she does not wish to be wed to me." He says laughing and shaking his head. "Why must you get married if you do not wish to be?" I pry for the answer once again. "It's not as simple as saying, I do not wish to be wed dear." He starts to walk, expecting me to follow. "You see, I am to be king. As you know one cannot become king without a queen." I walk in front of him a few steps then stepped in front of him, "Why not make me your queen?" I stare at his smoldering red eyes, he looks surprised, and then a smile spreads across his face. I look to the mirror, shocked at who I see. My skin was completely blue, the patterns spread, and my eyes were too smoldering red.
Loki walks towards me, grabbing my waist "Nothing would make me happier, than to have you as my Queen, Iris. How am I to make you my queen though?" I step back, "It's simple really, take me to the king with you and we will tell him together." He smiles and grabs my hand, we walk into a giant room where the King and Nora are still having a heated debate about them being wed. I hear her say multiple times that Loki is not the man she loves, she does not wish to be queen. They both stop when they see me enter the room, "Your change shouldn't have occurred this early child." He looks at Loki who simply shrugs his shoulders. He sees that we are holding hands, "What is all of this about?" he gestures at our hands. "Your highness, as you know. Nora and I do not wish to be wed, we are not meant for each other. She has love elsewhere as do I." He looks at me. "If you would please listen sir, we wish to be wed." I manage to squeak out. The king looks utterly flabbergasted, "I think it is a wonderful idea!" Nora chimes in. "We need a woman from a wealthy family, royalty. You my child are not of that." The king says harshly. I become furious, suddenly the candles start flicking from a huge wind that comes through, "You said my father was the greatest warrior this kingdom has ever seen." I hiss at him. "Your father was just that a warrior, no more, he came from a poor family. Forced to fight for us." Loki grabs my arm, "You do not want to do this love." I turn my head to Loki, "Shut up." And he flies against a wall knocked unconscious. I walk towards the king, "Why does it matter if I am from royalty, why didn't you just leave me on earth if I meant that little to you? I am here for a purpose." He steps back, a little shocked by Loki is unconscious state. "Very well, if you feel like you can handle the responsibility of running a kingdom. You can be wed." He turns to walk away, "If I were you, I'd get that power under control before it destroys you and all that you will ever love." He looks past my shoulder at Loki who is finally regaining consciousness.
I walk over to Loki and kneel beside him, "I am so sorry Loki... I didn't know that was possible." He rubs the back of his head, "It's alright love, neither did I." he chuckles as I help him up. "So, what happened while I was laying there?" I start to walk, he quickly strides beside me, and "We have his 'blessing' so to speak to be wed I say walking towards my room. "Well that is fantastic! Where are you going?" he stops by his door. "I sir, am going to bed. I like to sleep you know." I grab the door knob, "Well, technically you are my, what is it, fiancé right?" I smile and turn to him, "I am not your fiancé until you properly ask me to be, goodnight Loki." I kiss him and go to my chambers.
I had strange dreams that night, I am in the forest with Loki, instead of him kissing me and making love, his eyes turn black and he kills me. I wake with a start, drenched in sweat. I walk to the bathroom, I go to the sink and put cool water on my face. I look in the mirror at my still blue skin, my eyes have went back to brown. "Why am I here?" I say to myself. I turn away from the sink and get into the bath, I needed time to think. I sit there staring at the candle lit wall, I drift into a dream-like state. I am awakened by Loki, he is grabbing me out of the tub. "Haven't you been taught that it is not safe to sleep in water?" he says sarcastically. "Hmph" is all I can manage before I fall back into a deep sleep. I awake many hours later, Loki lying next to me stroking my skin gently. "Good morning darling." He says as he kisses my forehead. "Good morning Loki." I roll over fully and kiss him on the lips. He sits up quickly, "What's wrong?" I ask sitting up behind him, he puts his head in his hands "I, I'm scared." I pull his face up and look into his eyes, they are tearing up. "What. Why would you be afraid?" I say scared. "I've never been in love and I don't want to fuck it up." He starts shaking from the sobs he is trying to hold back. "You don't have to be afraid Loki; I can't explain it but I have fallen in love with you as if we have known each other for a lifetime."
Loki stands up and straightens his shirt. "Come with me, I want to go out and take you through your future kingdom."  I get up and go to my wardrobe I go to grab a blue dress that is rather modest. Loki stops me, "Wear this one, it's my favorite." He grabs a golden dress that I have never seen in there. The neckline is significantly deep. "Why such a fancy dress?" I look at him searching for an answer. "I just want to show my future queen off a little, is that alright?" Wow, so now the truth comes out. "Ok well I'll go get ready." I give him a quick peck on the cheek then walk into the bathroom with my new dress. I freshen up, put the dress on and I look in the mirror, I am not blue anymore, but I still see slight patterning on my face.  I put on a little make-up and pull my long brown hair into a clip.  I step out expecting to see Loki but he isn't there. I walk through my room to the door, I go down the hall a bit to Loki's room and open it. He is sitting on his bed in a new outfit. It had gold on it, that's why I am wearing this dress. I walk over to him, he doesn't hear me walk in, "Loki?" I say as I reach the bed. "Oh, hey darling." What's wrong with him? "Ready to go?" I nod, he stands and takes my hand. We walk out of his room and out through the castle.
"I hope you like the village?" He says grabbing my hand. "I'm sure I will love it." I smile up at him, he wraps his arm around me. We walk through the town together, occasionally we stop to talk to people. People were starting to follow us but Loki didn't seem to notice. "Want to go see the garden?" he looks down at me smiling like a school boy. "Yes, I would love to." I giggle at him. He nudges me slightly, and I return it laughing as we do. I turn and it seems the entire village has followed us to the garden. "Loki, why are they all following us?" He looks behind us, "Your new here, they are just curious." He turns towards me "Also I asked the town to be here for a special event." I look at him confused "It's kind of a tradition here." He smiles at me and turns towards the crowd, where the king has appeared at the front. "Thank you everyone for coming." He booms over the crowd, man he can be loud. His voice was like heaven though. The king stands up by us now, putting his arms around our shoulders. "In exactly one week's time Loki will be our next King." The crowds starts clapping and cheering. "Now Loki has an announcement." He shakes Loki's hand and walks away. "As you all know, Iris, is new. Her father was the greatest warrior to ever have lived in Jotunheim. That being said I have called you all here for an important event." He turns to me "Iris, I never thought I could feel anything for another as much as I do about you." He kneels, "Will you do me the honor in being my wife, and Queen of Jotunheim?" He pulls out a box as he asks, with the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. "Yes! Yes!" I say choking back a sob from happiness. He puts the ring on my finger and kisses me. 
Just then we hear a giant explosion, the ground shakes beneath us. Loki grabs me and runs, I see a fireball come from behind us as everyone is scrambling to find shelter, he shoves me in my room and tells three guards to watch me no matter what. They must protect the future queen. "Loki please don't leave me!" I scream as he runs out, "I will return my love." He says and runs out the door wielding his knife. I heard loud bangs and screams of the people in the village. "What is going on?!" I scream at the guard closest to me, "We are being invaded Madame, but don't worry we have enough forces to keep them away." Just as he finishes saying that a huge explosion tears through my wall sending me flying back against the opposite wall. I hear someone shouting my name as I come in and out of consciousness, "IRIS WAKE UP PLEASE WAKE UP!" its Loki, he is crying. I wake fully and I realize I am being carried through a battlefield, we are walking towards the woods where we had our first "encounter". "Ohh... my head. Where are we going?" I grab my head feeling a little woozy, "We are going where no one will find you, they want you." He said, fear in his voice. "Why do they want me?" I am starting to get scared, "Because they too have waited for this day, your father killed their king. Now they want to kill you." I swallow the lump in my throat. They want to kill me?
Loki set me down in the patch of grass next to the creek, he kisses my forehead. I rub my cheek, look down at my hand and see a lot of blood. "Loki is my face bad?" I say tearing up. "No it's a tiny scratch love." I lay my head down on Loki's overcoat, he lays behind me "I am going to have to go back Iris. I must fight for my kingdom." I nod, afraid of what might happen. "I know, I'm just afraid that you won't make it back to me." I sob uncontrollably. "Shhhh love it'll be ok. I have been through worse battles than this. I will not allow myself to be harmed, not now especially I have the best reason to live." His hand rubs my stomach. He quickly kisses me, throws a blanket that he somehow managed to grab and runs. "I will be back before dark love please don't fret." Like that he is gone. Why did he leave me alone in the woods? What if those people find me?
"Well what do we have here?" A deep voice awakens me out of a deep sleep. I look up and see a huge man standing in front of me. "Who are you?" I say sitting up slowly. "That is none of your business. The only thing you need to know is that your death is coming soon." I become furious. The wind picks up, "You seriously don't want to fuck with me." I say standing up. "Why is that?" He says sarcastically, and steps towards me with a huge knife. "Because I will kill you, and if I don't Loki will." I cross my arms. "Loki?" he snorts "That insignificant creature?" I laugh, "He isn't what you have to worry about." I see Loki kneeling in the bushes behind the oaf that is in front of me. I slightly shake my head letting Loki know I have it. He nods in understanding. The creature steps towards me, "I'm warning you sir, this is a terrible idea." He holds the knife up in the air. He quickly thrusts it down at me, I scream. The knife flies past me, the man is completely surprised. "Impressive." He grins, revealing his ugly teeth. I focus really hard, "That's not even what I planned." I say, "This is what I planned." I smile as he screams falling to the ground grabbing his stomach and ribs. Loki sits in the bushes his mouth a gap at the powers I have. After the creature dies, Loki walks over "What just happened? How was that possibly?" he cautiously walks towards me. "I'm not going to hurt you Loki. I crushed him from the inside." I walk towards him and hug him. "I will never hurt you, because I love you."
We walk back to the castle, "Don't tell a soul of the events that just happened." He whispers. The king comes running towards us, "Are you two hurt?" he sounds panicked. "No just a bit banged up from the explosion in her room." Loki says gesturing towards my now nonexistent room. "Now that you two are, engaged. Perhaps it'll be fine that she sleeps in your room." The king suggests. I know that's what Loki wants, "That would be alright with me sir." "Very well, Loki walk with me. We must discuss this since you are going to be king." Loki looks down at me, "Will you be alright?" I know what he is referencing to "I'll be just fine Loki." I say flatly. He hugs me quickly before walking off with the King. "I'm glad everything is sorted out." I hear a small scared voice behind me. Nora is standing there, cuts and scrapes everywhere. "Nora what happened??" I run towards her as she collapses. "I fought, I was cornered and it was the only thing to do." She coughs, blood coming out of her mouth and nose. "SOMEBODY HELP PLEASE!!" I scream getting many people's attention. "Nora you're going to be okay, it's alright there are people here to help." I cry a little. "There is no help from me. I'm glad Loki found happiness. Thank you." She moves her shawl to the side revealing that she had a knife through her heart, and several stab wounds in her stomach. "Just tell, Kylan I love him." She manages then I see the life leave her eyes.
"No!" I scream and cry. People pull me off of her, "Please ma'am we must take her" they all keep saying to me. I look out of the crowd crying to see the king and Loki standing there. Loki's eyes are on me, the king runs over to be with Nora. I walk over to him, covered in blood, "They...killed her..." I start weeping again. He grabs me and hugs me, "I know. She was meant to be hidden as well. They wanted to kill everyone special to the kingdom." Everyone? "She wants me to tell Kylan that she loves him." I say, he nods and walks over to a man that is weeping on the ground next to Nora. He helps him up and walks back to me, "This is Kylan." He states and walks over to the king. "Kylan, Nora wanted me to tell you...that she loves you." He nods, "Thank you, your highness." "You don't have to call me that. I'm not the queen yet..." Kylan nods once more then walks away, I see sobs slipping from him once again.
Loki walks back over, "Let's go love, we have a lot to plan." I turn, "So just like that we forget that your ex-fiance has passed away?" he looks hurt, "I will never forget, but there is too much going on to deal with a death. I know it sounds insensitive. I don't show emotion, or try not to." He is referring to his breakdown last night. I walk towards the steps, "I just need to go clean up please." I leave Loki there and walk to our room. When I get into the bathroom I start crying, harder than I have ever cried before, I tear off my clothes and sit in the tub. After sitting in there for what seems like hours I get out and throw on Loki's robe, seeing how all of my clothes are ruined.  I suddenly feel very sick to my stomach, I run to the toilet and vomit. "Are you sure that everything is alright love?" Loki says standing in the doorway. "It's been a rough day Loki."  He looks at my stomach, "Maybe you're just hungry?" he suggests. "I'll have the cook make you food right away." He walks to the door and says something to a guard then walks back to me. Come lay down and rest until your food arrives. Reluctantly I go over to the bed and lay with Loki. He strokes my stomach and arms while we wait. We barely speak, the only thing he asks is if I still want the wedding to be next week.




We eat dinner in silence as well. I bet this is the first time he has ever eaten in his room. I'm the first to break the silence, "Loki what's wrong seriously?" I put my plate down. He looks at me, not saying anything. His eyes just peering into me, for what seems like an eternity? "I, maybe we should get married sooner than we planned." He says after five minutes. "Sooner than a week?" I say stunned, I snort "Boy you must be excited huh?" I eat the last bite of my food. I stand to go wash my hands, "You've been feeling sick for a few days haven't you. Particularly in the morning?" He says staring down at his plate. "Yes, how did you know that?" I walk towards him. He does not answer me, I snatch his plate out of his hand "Loki, how did you know that?" He stands up fast his eyes burning red. "I need to go, feel free to use anything here." He kisses me on the cheek and runs out the door. How weird was that, so what I am getting sick? It's probably because I am not used to the food. "Oh well" I say out loud I go and lay on the bed, and drift off into sleep.
I wake to someone grabbing my shoulder and saying "Hey sleepyhead, I found the village doctor to see what is wrong with you. Never hurts to be sure right." He lets out an uncomfortable laugh. "Well I'll leave you to it." he says to the doctor and walks away. "So how are you feeling?" she says grabbing out some stuff. "Umm fine I guess, why?" I look at her bag, how much can she fit in there? "I was told you've been getting sick recently, in the morning especially." She looks at me as if I might understand what she is trying to say. "I figured it was because I wasn't used to the food and I go to bed right after I eat." I explain. "Yes well, your highness I am going to need a, um sample to test." She hands me a cup, and I go to the restroom to do my business. I come back with the cup and hand her it, "I will be back in a few minutes." She grabs all her things and walks away. Loki walks in a few seconds after she leaves, "Now are you going to tell me?" I cross my arms so he can't hug me. "Just a feeling I have I hope it's not, but if it is we'll be ok." He is struggling to get the words out. Wait. "I can't be." I say catching on to everything finally. "I should've been more careful about things." He said walking to the door again, sure enough the doctor comes back through the door. "Well, Loki you might as well stay. I have the results. You are indeed pregnant." And just like that I hit the floor, I can't be. I am too young.
I have full body tremors, "I knew the first time you got sick, it had to be that." I start crying again, "I can't do this Loki. I can't.." He pulls me off the floor and dismisses the doctor. "Loki how, how did this happen?" I look at him he surprises me with his new form, he is human. He is crying, "I don't know. I can't remember." I am too absorbed in him to focus, I put my hand on his cheek, "We'll get through this Loki." I kiss him. The door flies open all of a sudden and the king is standing there furious. "How can she be with child?!" He stomps towards us, "You are filth, trash." He screams at me throwing me to the guards, "Put her in the prison." "You can't do this, no one will know the difference. No one has to know." Loki grabs the kings shoulders, "I can do this, you'll be joining her down there." I get drug by guards roughly through the hall. "STOP HURTING HER" I hear a roar behind from Loki, his human form has faded and is no full blue, his eyes are terrifying. The guards that are dragging me stop and release me, they are anticipating something big. I grab the guard closest to me and squeeze his leg until it snaps in my hand. The other guard runs but Loki made it to him first with a knife shoving it through his stomach. The guard whose leg I had snapped grabbed me and held a knife to my throat, "One wrong move from either of you and I will not hesitate to kill her." The king says. "You were not supposed to be King Loki, if my son was still here, the throne, the whore everything would belong to him." Loki stands there frozen, was there something I was missing? I focus on the king very hard, he starts choking. I see him clutch his chest as he starts to fall to the floor spitting up blood, the guard releases me and rushes over there to see what has happened. "Hel.." Was all he could get out before Loki slit his throat. Wiping his knife off he slides it in his belt and picks me up carrying me to a wagon outside. We leave as fast as we can.
"I'm afraid that we must flee to a different world. Looks like you get to go back home love." Home, that sounds nice. How is my mother going to act? "We can probably stay at my house as long as we hide." "That was the plan." He said looking stern. "I just have to figure out how to get there without being noticed." I look to the side of the cart, "Loki are we going to die now?"  I turn and he is looking at me "No. I won't allow it ever. You and our child are all I have in life and I won't let my family disappear." I scoot closer to him and he wraps his right arm around me. "So we just go to my parents and say hey he kidnapped me but its ok. We are getting married and oh you're going to be grandparents?" I laugh a little. "Well, why don't we get married on Earth?" He says not looking away from the horses. "That's a thought" I say leaning on him. We slow down and pull into a patch of woods, "Here they will never be able to track us from here." He pulls me out of the wagon carefully and smacks the horses behind to send it back to the village.  "Hold on tight love, this may be a bit unpleasant." He says, suddenly we shoot up in a beam of light and land in my backyard. I see my mother sitting at the kitchen table weeping, my father is nowhere to be seen. "Loki, we can't go in there looking like this." I say, "Right" we both change our clothes to more earthy garments. I walk around the house to the front door. "What is going to happen." I say under my breath, "Anything my love but I'll always be here for you." I ring the doorbell, when my mother answers she is speechless, "Mom...I'm sorry." I say as I walk in and hug her. "Who is this?" she asks. "My name is Lok. Uhh Logan ma'am." He tries to save himself. "Mom this is Loki." I say to her, "What is going on? Is he the man that kidnapped you? Should I call the police Hun?" She walks towards the phone, "Mom no, it's not like that." "Then what is it?" I cross my arms "You tell me. You know exactly what I am talking about. You knew this would happen one day." She closes her mouth, "Yes, you're right I did know. But I hoped we had more time." She wipes her eyes. "Mother, now may not be the time but, we have some things we need to tell you that happened while we were gone. One, I am marrying Loki. Two we are having a child." She looks angry, all of a sudden she walks over and punches Loki in the face. "You bastard you were supposed to watch her not fall in love with her. And especially not get her knocked up!" Loki stands there, "I am sorry ma'am but love cannot be stopped." He says flatly, "You're kind doesn't know what love is." She hisses at him. "Do we not? How is it Iris's father loved you? I am no different, in fact I think I am more caring than him." He hands it right back to her. "He didn't love me, he left me. After I got pregnant he said he had to go to some battle. He left me alone. So I met Peter and I told him that she was his." She lied to my father to get him to marry her? "That is harsh mother." She flashes her icy stare at me, "I love Peter, but no one can ever replace your father." I walk towards her "Then you can understand my situation and help us out. Please mom I'm begging you, for me and for your grandchild." I grab her shoulders "Maybe a bit for me since I saved her many times?" Loki chimes in behind me. "Shut up Loki." My mother and I say at the same time. "Okay, I will help you out. But your father cannot know about him. Pretend he is a foreign exchange student. He will have to sleep in the guest bedroom." She looks at him with a in your face this is what you deserve look. "It's your house ma'am, I will honor what you want." Mom shifts awkwardly, then looks towards the kitchen "Good now, let me make you some food you look starved."
               
"What would you like to eat dear?" mother says to me completely ignoring Loki's presence. "Mom, please don't be rude to Loki." I point to Loki who is sitting head in hands at the breakfast nook.  "No it's really alright, I understand why she has disappointment in me." He never looks up. "I'll just make a pizza, is that alright with the both of you?" She is already walking towards the freezer. "Yes mom it's alright. Excuse us please for a moment though."  I walk over to Loki and grab his hands, "Let's get cleaned up. I need to talk to you." He nods at my mother who is still upset with him and walks with me. We go up to my room, "How long have you been watching over me?" I cross my arms after I shut the bedroom door. "For some time. I was put in charge sometime after you were born." What?! "How old are you??" I feel like we should have had this discussion before we got engaged. "Old enough, but not too old." That is all he says, "I just, I don't know what to think or do anymore." I sit on my bed whimpering slightly, "Don't cry love, the feelings I have for you are as real as anything." He sits next to me, and wraps his muscular arms around me, "Let's get married here." He says. "I'm sure no one will mind. We just have to stay kind of secret about things. Obviously." I look at him in shock, "Well...uh maybe we could do that." I smile at him. "Who do we invite though?" He kisses my forehead and stands up "Later." Not even five seconds later mom opens the door, "Dinner is almost done you two. What were you doing?" she looks like she suspects us of doing something wrong. "We weren't having sex or anything mother. We just had things to discuss mom."
"Ohh I see now. Well I'll go set the table, your father is coming home tonight by the way." She says quickly as she runs out the door. "Holy shit I can't believe she told my dad." I say laying down. "Don't worry love. Nothing bad will happen I promise." I start to laugh "You obviously have never dealt with a girls' father."  I laugh harder, "I have been in many battles, how bad could it really be?" I stop looking at him, "You have no idea Loki." I say in all seriousness. "Hey you going to come and eat?" My mother shouts from the dining room. "Coming mom." I yell back as Loki grabs me around the waist and pulls me in for a kiss. "I really love you, and I think we should tell your father the truth." He opens the door and walks downstairs. I follow close behind him.
We sit at the dinner table eating in silence, Loki is trying to figure out exactly what pizza is. "Loki, just pick it up with your hands and eat it. It's not hard." I laugh, my mother joining as well. "I just haven't seen this before." He says.  "I'm sorry for making fun of you, this is how I felt with the weird foods you ate in your realm." I apologize when my mom walks back to the kitchen. The telephone rings and my mother yells for me to get it, "Hello?" I say when I pick up, "Iris? Is that you?!?!" I hear my dad sob on the other end. "Yea dad it's me, where are you mom made pizza?" I try to keep the conversation normal. "Oh, I uh stopped at the store for a few things after I got off the plane." There is something he is hiding. "You didn't tell anyone I was home right?" I whisper so Loki can't hear me. "No, your mother already explained to me everything. When I get there though, I need to have a little talk with your friend." I laugh a little, "It's good to hear your laugh again princess." I tear up a little bit, "It's good to hear your voice dad, and I'll see you when you get home. Love you daddy." "Love you too."




I put the phone on the receiver and turn to see my mom and Loki actually having friendly conversation with each other. "What are you two so casually talking about?" I know something is definitely wrong. "Nothing love." Loki smirks and finishes his food. I turn to my mother who cannot lie to me, "what is it mom?" I walk over and sit by her, "Well, Loki just told me that you wish to get married here, and I said yes, and he asked me to plan the wedding." She starts to tear up, "Mom please don't with the water works." I start crying too, "Why all the emotions?'' Loki looks seriously confused.
"You wouldn't understand." I laugh wiping my eyes. "Well no time your father is here." He stands up holding out his hand for me to take. I walk over and stand by him, as my dad walks in, I run to him and give him a giant hug, "I missed you daddy!" he hugs me so hard I thought I might explode "I missed you too!!!" He starts crying "Daddy don't cry! There is someone I want you to meet." I walk him over to Loki, "Dad, this is Loki, my fiance. Loki this is my father Peter." I say, "Sir it's a pleasure to meet you." Loki says holding his hand out, "It's a pleasure to meet you too Loki. Now can we take a quick walk?" He says waving his hand towards the back door. Loki glances at me and I nod my head, "Yes sir, part of me feels like that wasn't a question anyway." He turns, "Iris at least you brought home a smart man." He nudges my arm and we all chuckle.  They walk out, me and mom start talking about the wedding and the baby as we clean up dinner. "So you pick out any names or?" She sticks the last plate in the dishwasher, "Um Loki and I haven't been able to discuss this. We actually just found out before we came." She nods, "I see well, perhaps I should buy you guys' baby books. The guest house is empty if you want to move in there, I can help you guys buy some stuff while you're hiding out." "Thank you mom, that's too generous of you." I hug her "I actually still have most of your baby stuff, I was saving it for when and if you had kids." She takes my hand and leads me to the basement, in the corner is a bunch of boxes with 'Iris's baby clothes' written on it, "Wow mom, why didn't you tell me?" She laughed "I didn't want to sound like a crazy person!" I laugh with her. "Girls?? Iris? Melaina?" Where are you?" I hear my dad shouting, "We are down here dad!" I shout loud. I hear two sets of feet walking down the stairs, "Oh there you are."
Dad walks over to mom and hugs her, "Come on I'm tired."  Loki walks over to me, "We better get to bed as well love." He grabs me around the waist and leads me upstairs to my room. I go into my bathroom and change into my pjs, my mom and dad let Loki borrow my dad's bottoms since he had none. "It's a good thing your father is the same size as me, otherwise I would look ridiculous." He chuckles as I walk out of the bathroom. "You look appealing. I mean it's better than what you wore...there." I was referring to the huge robes and fancy night clothes he had to wear. "You look better." He said staring at me intensely. "Loki, no we can't. My parents." I catch his drift, "I know, I know." He lays back on the bed. I take the opportunity to quickly jump on him, "But nothings stopping me from kissing you!" I pin him down with my sudden strength and give him a quick kiss. I roll over under the blanket quickly hiding from him as he starts to tickle me, "Loki! Stop please we need to go to sleep!" I say between breaths. "Fine!" He laughs and crawls under the blankets, "I love you Iris." He turns my head towards his, "I love you too Loki." He puts his arm around my stomach and we fall asleep. 




The next morning my mom comes in and gently wakes me, "Sweetie it's 10:30 time to get up." I roll over opening one eye "Where is Loki?" I ask sleepy, was it all a dream? I look over and see Loki's clothes sitting on my desk, "He is helping your father with the guest house, he figures might as well learn since you are going to be here awhile." She smiles down at me. "Come we have shopping to do for your new house and we have to go a far way to do it." I roll back over "Moooooooom please I don't want to go." I whine at her and she starts laughing, "There is my girl." She pulls the blankets of and I grab the head rails because I know what's next, "You have three seconds missy or I am pulling you out of bed!" I prepare, "One." I grip "Two." I start laughing "Three." I hear a noise, my father and Loki walk in, "Allow me!" says my dad. "THREE!" he rips me off the bed and we all erupt in laughter. I gather my blankets and put them back on the bed. "Well you want me to get ready or not??" I look at all three of them. "You guys need to leave so I can!" Dad wraps his arm around mom "Come on honey I got a list of stuff for you two to pick up." They walk out leaving me and Loki standing there, "Do you mind?" I say playfully to him. "Not at all, please continue." A smirk appearing on his face. Jeez why must he be so attractive? It's not fair really. "Whatever!" I say throwing off my shirt and shorts walking into the bathroom. He grabs me "Maybe I want to see your body." He hugs me and kisses me. "Loki, you're all nasty from working and its getting on me!" He smiles and kissed me again, "Well it looks like we both have to take a shower huh?" he winks at me and slaps my behind to get me moving. After our shower we both go downstairs where mom and dad are still arguing over what to get and where, the usual in our house. "There you two are!" mom says, "We need you opinion on what color pain the guest house should be." Dad says behind her. "Too be fair shouldn't we get to choose?" I say leaning against Loki, feeling his arm wrap around me and his chin resting on my head. "Well love it is their house technically." Loki chimes in, "Shut up." I tease him. He pinches my back. "Come on sweetie, I'm ready to go." Mom says "Ok!" I give Loki a big hug and kiss, he rubs my stomach slightly then walks back outside with my dad.

                Mom and I drove three hours away to the next town, we went into three or four different stores, grabbing random stuff left and right. We passed the baby stuff and I saw my mother stop, "Mom what are you doing? I am not even three weeks and you are already looking at baby clothes?" She picks up a cute yellow outfit, "I know, it's just. I haven't seen a baby since you were born and I am really excited." She tears up. "NO mom not in the middle of the store!" She composes herself. "Whew sorry honey I just get emotional thinking about it, you're finally grown up. It is a lot to process." We checkout and load the car. On our way home I notice a big black car following us, "Mom do you." "Yes. I texted you're father and Loki." Oh good, Loki must be freaking out. We get closer to home and dad calls us, "Hey you guys almost here?" He says trying not to sound worried. "Yes we are turning on our road now, stand out front we have a lot." I glance in the side mirror, and my heart dropped. It was one of the king's guards holding a man captive. "Loki" I say my voice trembling. "I know love I can see him."  I keep forgetting Loki can see things the rest of us cant. "Just you and you're mother pull into the garage. I'll be standing here in case." We turn in the driveway and park. Loki is hiding in the trees behind the fence. The SUV keeps driving by, slowing down as it goes by.



We wait until they turn down the street then my mother backs up and goes three houses down to our house. She pulled into the Millers old house. They moved three weeks ago. Thank goodness for that. We quickly speed back to our house and park in the garage. I leap out of the car and Loki grabs me, "I am not letting you two out of my sight until he is dead." He says through his teeth. Loki mad is really scary, yet somehow very attractive. My mother and Loki talk about what just happened and how to protect me. "Love, for the time being please do not leave the house without me. We are not using this again until the guard is dead." He takes supplies out of the car and places them on the ground out back so dad can get them. After we unload all the supplies my mom takes the rest out back to help dad. "Can we please talk about this, please?" Loki says to me, I can see fear in his eyes. "I'm not going to die am I Loki? Please. I am so scared." He grabbed me and drug me up to my room. "Don't ever say that. I will not allow anyone to die because of me." He looks intense. "Sit." He demands. "Loki why are you acting so weird?" I pull him next to me wrapping my arms around his neck. "I don't want you or the baby to get hurt. And now I have to worry about your family. It would be terrible if they got hurt." He looks down at the floor.
I get up and walk to the window, mom and dad are painting the guest house, "Well we have some alone time right now. They are painting the house again. That takes forever." I look at him, I slowly unzip the side of my dress letting it fall to the floor, I lock the bedroom door. I turn to Loki who is watching my every move. "Go on." He says. I remove the rest of my clothes and walk towards him. When we are finished I pull on a pair of old ratty jeans and a tank top. "Even in clothes that look like they are barely together you look beautiful." He smiles and grabs my face. "After we help them out we need to discuss the baby." I say wrapping my arms around his waist. "I know, I was hoping to do that before we uh, but now I can't think straight so." He runs his hands through his hair a tad bit embarrassed.
We go out and help my parents for a few hours. Every now and then Loki pulls me into the guest house, "Are they circling?" I grab him "Yes, perhaps we should do work in here." He looks worried and rubs my stomach again. "Loki is there any particular reason you rub my stomach all the time?" He looks out the window, "I've never wanted anything more in my life than to marry you, then I found out we were expecting a child and it hit me. I'm going to be a father. I don't want to mess up my bond with my own children as my father did." Oh... "Loki you will be an excellent father. I know it. I can feel it." He sits on our couch, "I'm also afraid, this is going to be a rough pregnancy love. This isn't a human child. We are going to have to call a doctor here. I don't want to risk a hospital." I look at him, "I want to see the real you Loki." He slowly fades, "Why do you like this so much?" he closes his eyes, I match his form. "Because it's who we really are Loki. It's who I fell in love with." I kiss him on the lips. This isn't a normal kiss, there is a spark. Words can't explain it. All of a sudden I get a sharp pain on my stomach and I fall on the floor crying. "Loki something is wrong!" I managed to fade back to human form before my parents came in the rush us to the hospital.
I come in and out of consciousness in the ambulance, I see Loki sitting next to me. He isn't showing any emotions, his eyes are set on me. "Ma'am can you hear me?" I hear voices. "Ma'am we are going to the hospital, you are having complications with your pregnancy, it is normal and you'll be fine." I feel pain, but I cannot grab my stomach, "Loki what is happening?" I look up at him crying. "I don't know love, I really don't know." He strokes my head and kisses me on the forehead. Then he rubs my stomach and leans back against the ambulance, I see tears coming out of his eyes. We arrive to the hospital, I fade out once more.
                 I wake up this time in a hospital bed, all these IV's are hooked to me. I have breathing tubes in my nose. I blink my eyes a few times to get the blurriness away, "Loki?" I reach my hand out expecting to feel his, instead I feel my mothers. "He is ok." She says seeing the worry on my face. "Your father and him went out to lunch, he is freaking out really bad." She looks worried. "What's wrong with me?" she looks out the window, "We don't know. No one knows honestly." I start getting a weird feeling in my arms, "Mom!?" I try to scream but it doesn't quite come out as one. I start trembling and shaking, I think it is a seizure but I'm not sure anymore. The doctor runs in and gives me a shot of something that almost immediately helps. "I know this sounds scary, but nothing is wrong with you. You are just pregnant. This is going to happen for a few more weeks. I'm going to put you on anti-seizure medicine and you can go home tonight. There isn't a point to staying here really." "Why did I have pains in my stomach?" I sit up a bit woozy, "Those are normal, if blood was present then you would have to worry. Your body is adjusting to the baby young lady." He hands my mother forms then walks out. Dad and Loki walk in the room as I finish getting dressed. "What are you doing??" Loki grabs my arm setting me back on the bed. "They are releasing me and giving me meds to help." I grab my shoes and slip them on. "So the baby is fine then right?" I look at him, "Yes the baby is going to be alright Loki." "Good, we grabbed you and your mom. These." He holds up a TB bag with some goodies inside. I rip the bag open and tear into the tacos.  "My favorite!" I look at dad, "Well of course." He smiles. "Wait how long have I been in here?" They all look at each other, "Four days." Oh...well that sucks.
Loki grabs my waist and helps me walk down to the car. I see the same black SUV sitting across the street, "Don't look at them love." He whispers, "We have a plan." He tucks me down like he is helping me into the car, and ambulance passes and we all run to the next vehicle which is actually ours. We drive away, Loki and I duck in the back seat. "This is interesting." He teases me, "Loki really?" I giggle. "Everything will be fine Iris I promise." He kisses me. "You guys can sit up now." My dad says sternly glaring at us in the mirror. "Dad, I'm 19, and engaged. I mean really what more is there to worry about?" I say sarcastically. "Well, I hope you know Loki that they just started following us again." Loki glances back and sees the SUV five spaces behind us. "Here pull up your hood." He says as he pulls his own, "Now act like a bored teenager on a family trip. Just don't make eye contact." I squeeze his hand and act like I am sleeping. "Hey we are home, boy you are good at fake sleeping huh?" Loki lifts me out of the car and takes me inside to the couch. "I will make us some dinner!" Mom says "Ohh can I choose?" Dad says following her in the kitchen. "They aren't going to stop. We have to do something." "WE don't have to do anything. I have to go kill them." He stands raising his voice a little. "I will not allow you to do anything but sit here and relax." I nod my head, "Okay I understand." Mom peaks her head in "Everything alright kids?" I rub my face, "Nothing mom its fine." "Well I am making swiss chicken for dinner, hope you're hungry." She gives us a half smile. "Loki, please don't go alone. My mother lost my father. I can't risk it." He grabs me and pulls me really close. "I'm afraid I can't let you come." He kisses me, my parents walk in and grab me. Loki walks towards the door "I love you." And he just leaves.