Book One: Worlds Apart (Loki)

Chapter Three

996AD: Loki stands behind Katri as they practice magic, he's trying to teach her to cast without moving her hands, if her hands are ever full, or bound, how is she to cast if she has to use her hands. She reaches forward and he tuts.

"Not with your hands" Loki scolds pulling her hands behind her back. "Like I showed you" he clasps her hands in his and smirks.

"I can not" she argues.

"You can" he pushes and kisses her neck. "I know you can" he breaths against her skin, he brushes his nose along the line of her neck and smirks as she shudders.

"Stop it" she scolds. "You are distracting me" he chuckles and pulls her closer. This last year, the year since he admitted to wanting her, a year since their first kiss, and he honestly has never been happier. He's only been back to Asgard five times since, refusing to leave her. Frigga even visits Midgard to continue Loki's own lessons. She always tries and persuade him to return home with her, but in the end she allowed it. She's never seen Loki this happy, or relaxed. And it's all because of this one Midgardian girl. So she leaves them be. Loki will come home when he is good and ready. "Loki" she whines a little.

"Concentrate" he scolds nudging her jaw, she sighs and looks at the flower in front of her. "You know this spell" he releases her hands and wraps his arms around her waist instead. "We've been over it and over it and over it" she nods and concentrates on the flower. "You can do this" the plant bursts into flames, she gasps in alarm as Loki hurries to the plant.

"I told you I could not do it" she tells him as he stomps out the flaming plant. "And I killed it" Loki turns to her once the fire it out and clasps her face in his hands.

"Some times you have to let something die" he starts. "For something more beautiful to grow from it's ashes" she lifts her eyes to his.

"Like the birds in your books?" she asks, he smiles and nods.

"The Phoenix, yes" he agrees and smiles warmly at her. "I did not know you read that one" he offers.

"I could not sleep" she whispers. "And I borrowed it from you" he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer.

"You mean you stole it from me" he corrects amused, she smirks a little.

"Henrik likes the pictures" she offers.

"Oh well then" Loki softens. Henrik he's met, Henrik he likes. "Take as many as you want" he tells her kissing her nose, she chuckles.

"I should be getting back before father comes looking for me" she offers pulling away. "The sun is starting to set" Loki takes her wrist and pulls her back to kiss her before releasing her.

"Tomorrow, my heart and soul" he whispers against her lips, she smiles and then turns running back towards the village.

.......................

997AD: Katri lays back in her and Loki's grass clearing, he lays at her side, one arm around her, the other casting magic for her. He's thoughtful. She turns on her side and looks to him.

"What is it?" she asks him, he looks to her and strokes his fingers down her arm.

"Do you remember when we met?" Loki asks, she nods and looks up at him. "Do you remember when you joked that I was named after Loki?" he asks.

"Of course I remember" she assures him.

"Well....the truth is" he starts and then closes his eyes, his mother had persuaded him to tell her the truth, 'Tis not real love with secrets', that's what she had told him. "I am the God Loki" he admits, she frowns at him. "I am from Asgard...." he takes her hands in his and pulls them closer to him. "My mother is Frigga, my father Odin, and my brother is Thor" he admits watching her face, gauging her reaction.

"What?" she asks him frowning at him. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"I did not keep this from you to be...." he sighs. "I liked the way you looked at me" he whispers. "As if I was just another boy from the village" Katri pulls a hand from his and reaches up to touch his cheek, he closes his eyes. She strokes the lines of his face, thinking, adjusting. She sighs a little.

"You are just another boy from the village" she whispers fondly. "If that is what you wish to be" he opens his eyes to look at her. "You are still my Loki" he smiles at her and pulls her closer to kiss her. She smiles and kisses him back. He smirks against her lips and rolls them both over, she laughs as he kisses along her jaw.

"I love you" he admits softly.

"As I love you" she assures him, they share a look, he smiles. "Tell me about Asgard" she asks of him. "Is it just like the stories?" he smiles and strokes her cheek.

"Oh so much better" he answers. "You will love it"

"I will?" she asks, he nods.

"One day I will take you" he promises her. "And you will be treated like a goddess" he kisses the corner of her lips before looking down at her, he smiles warmly. "You are more beautiful then any girl on Asgard" he tells her softly, she smiles and pulls him closer. "And any treasure in the vaults" he whispers against her lips.

"Kat!" Katri pushes Loki from her and sits upright looking across the clearing, Loki smirks at her side chuckling a little. Elijah and Niklaus are on the other side. "Mother is looking for you" Elijah warns. Loki strokes her back and sighs.

"I hate that she despises me so" Loki admits. "And I have not even met her yet" Katri looks to him. "It's been three years"

"Mother is just protective of us" he sits up and nuzzles into her neck.

"But you would think she would want you to be happy" he whispers.

"She does not lock me inside" she tells him. "She does not make my brothers watch me" she adds. "She could do those things, but she does not" Loki lifts his head to glance to her. "She just voices her opinion that she does not approve"

"Maybe if you told her I am a Prince" he offers, she smiles a little.

"I do not care for title, my Lord" she teases, he chuckles and kisses her again.

"Kat!" Elijah shouts again.

"I must go" Katri whispers against Loki's lips, they share a look and he nods pulling back. "Tonight" she whispers to him. "I shall come to you" he smiles and strokes her cheek before she stands and hurries towards her brothers. Loki lays back to look at the sky.