Ebony and Gold (Loki fanfic/prequel)

Chapter 2

"Prince...Loki?"

"Um, yes. I'm terribly sorry about my current lack of clothing, but do you happen to have a hidden place I could stay? Just until I heal enough to return to the palace?"

"Wh-what? Oh, yes, I do have a small one-room cabin a little ways northeast of here."

"Could I-"

"Oh of course, My lord. Here, let me help you." Keya leaned down and helped the disheveled prince to his feet. She whistled for Vilkaf to come and he helped support Loki as she led them to the small cabin.

It was very small, only enough room for a single bed, a table and one chair, a small fireplace, a dresser, and a wash bin. The outside was well camouflaged in the speckled design of yellows and browns that copied that of the sun peeking through the trees.

When she opened the door, she helped Loki inside and laid him on the bed. She grabbed a cloth and wetted it and returned to him. She began to clean off some of the dirt on his chest and arms.

"Miss, what is your name?" He asked.

"Keya, my lord."

"You're the Goddess of horses, correct?" she nodded. "Ah, I remember you now. The only one that lives with her servants."

"Those men are not my servants. They are my stable hands. Royal stable hands, might I add. And I only stay there because I wish to be close to the horses whom I care for dearly. So don't assume." The raven haired prince chuckled.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that. Talking to me that way."

"Pardon me, but I could have just left you out there all by yourself."

"I wasn't by myself, I had-" Loki's eyes shot open and he tried to sit up. Keya put her hand on his shoulder to make him lay back down.

"What is it? Who was with you?"

"My- A baby horse I- found."

"Found? What does it look like?"

"It's grey and black with eight legs, and it's a boy."

"What? Eight legs?" Loki nodded at her. She walked to the door and opened it. She ordered Vilkaf to find the colt and bring him safely back to the cabin. She returned to Loki's side. "Where did you 'find' such a colt?"

"I just found him. He was wandering and I thought that he had lost his parents so I helped him."

"Uhhuh. And why are you covered in blood and bare-arsed?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time." Keya crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. Loki sighed.

"I'll save it for later. I don't have the energy to tell it now." Keya rolled her eyes and continued to clean the prince's chest, leading up to his neck, then to his face. Her brown eyes suddenly locked with his emerald eyes. They sat like that for the longest moment before Vilkaf whinnied from outside. Keya shook her head before she stood and opened the door and a dapple grey colt with eight black legs stumbled inside and made his way towards Loki's bedside.

"Momma!" Keya heard him say. Being the goddess of horses, she can speak with them. Keya laughed when she put the strings together.

"So, you 'found' this colt? How long ago did you 'come by' such a creature?" Loki looked at her curiously.

"How did you manage to distract the giant's loyal steed? By tempting it away? I'm surely positive that getting caught wasn't part of the plan. Ashamed, you left Thor to finish it and that's why you were gone."