fossilised | I come from a land of ice and snow

Love was a dangerous thing, it was a knife that could cut just as easily the wielder as it could the intended recipient. For Thor to think himself in love with his Midgardian, it was a truly shocking thing. He did not know whether to believe it true, for this could be the result of grief for James, who he truly did believe he loved.

"Should I keep him, you may not visit him to take to your furs. You are the All-Father, Thor, and will be again one day, this must not ruin you and take Asgard with it. You are strong enough to conquer yourself for duty."

He did not always believe Thor would be suitable for the throne, in many ways he was not, but he could not stand aside and let his brother topple Asgard. For if their crown prince loved a slave, the scandal and shame of it would rock them all, undermine the very foundation of all they had built.

"I will keep him, but if I believe you are not exorcising this passion, I will have him sent away. Should you learn to control yourself, you may take him back."

Thor nodded. Nothing Loki said was unwise and his anger was inward, not outward. Having this hang over his head would not kill him and he would not let a slave allow him to cause ruin to the kingdom. At least he and Loki both agreed to that, no matter how hurt Thor felt himself to be.

"I do not want this infliction, brother. I do not want to be tied to a mortal in any way. It would dissolve who I am and who I am forced to become and I can not-- But Steven is innocent in all of this. I believe I have already harmed him enough by sending him from my sight. He is like family to your slave, is he not? He will find happiness serving you."

But Thor knew that would only be true after a long while. Midgardians were fickle, or so he thought. They imprinted easily on their masters and loved them, but they could imprint again and love another if need be. Aesir, Vanir and those like them, however? Their feelings lasted eternities.

And this was a new feeling. Easily put aside.

"I ask that if you choose to dismiss him, you will give him an easy life," Thor insisted. "The fault is mine, Loki. Is that understood?" Only Thor could be so noble.

Idiotic Thor. Stupidly loyal, generous, noble Thor. Loki would never be so selfless if this had been his dilemma. He would have weighed what meant more to him, Asgard or his slave, and then pursued that without caring what happened to the other. To leave Steven in reach of Thor, in sight of him, was a recipe for disaster.

"I will take Steven and Anthony to Midgard. You may sanction me, as All-Father, to begin a new raid. It will take him from your presence, from temptation, and we will diversify the stock at the same time."

Perhaps the few months that such a campaign would last would be what they needed. Loki to distance himself from the disaster in Jotunheim and prove himself on Asgard once more, and Thor to forget Steven and find other pursuits to occupy his time.

Taken aback, Thor frowned. "You would go without me?" But the reasoning was sound. Loki needed a win and Thor needed to be out of sight of Steven for at least a generation of Midgardian natural life. A raid upon Midgard and the initial training of impliable slaves would take forty years or so. Steven would grow away from him and be a different man than he who had left. Thor would be able to have him again, bed him again if he wanted, and enjoy him without feeling this crushing need for him. There would be others in the meantime. They would both forget--

He held u a hand before Loki could argue or offer counsel.

"No. You are correct. You will take Fandral and the Lady Sif as your captains along with their armies. That will leave the bulk of our forces upon Asgard if needed and Heimdall can recall all of you should we need more warriors for any reason. Bring back the best Midgard has to offer, my brother. I shall speak with the Great Council and begin preparations. I will expect the raiding ship to be ready by tomorrow evening. I know it is not much time to gather what is needed but.... I shall miss you while you are gone. But I will have sport of my own to tell you tales of when you return."

In this moment, Thor made a decision worthy of rule and Loki looked on him with more approval than he had before. He crossed to the broken table and bent to collect a silver tray from the splintered ruins, a sheen of green light enveloped it for a few seconds before he handed it over to his brother, using his other hand to cup the back of Thor's neck affectionately.

"You may use this to speak with me even between realms. I will enchant a mirror of my own, and you may speak with me so that neither of our hearts grow too sore with another separation so soon after reuniting."

Though, of course, it went without saying that he would not allow Thor to speak to Steven.

"Now I must prepare, you have given me little enough time to do it."

"I know you have done much more with far less time in some of your schemes," Thor said, clutching the tray so that it nearly bent in his grasp. He embraced his brother fully then before he stepped away and watched Loki go. Thor waited for nearly an hour before he called his slaves back to him to clean up the mess and named Samuel temporary personal slave until he could travel to the unclaimed village and choose another, younger, moldable Midgardian to take over. There was no talk of Steven. No questions asked or gossip to be had. Thor adored his slaves, appreciated them, and the meal he had prepared for them for when their labours were over proved as much.

When Loki returned, he would find Anthony waiting for him, questioning the way that no other slave would dare. "I've sent him off to get some rubes and tunics made in your colors," he said, arms crossed over Loki's symbol on his chest. He tilted his head ever so slightly. Loki always seemed to like it when he looked up at him through his eyelashes like that. "I've pretty much put two and two together, but Steven's not saying a word and I'm not going to insult you, my prince, by saying anything out loud. I just... I kind of think we don't really need him, though."

There was Anthony's jealousy peeking out again.

"Maybe he could teach me to defend myself or fight a little better but...." Anthony frowned. "I want to be enough for you. Tell me how I can make it so that I am." He loved Steven....but he loved Loki far more.

"Do not act the fool, it doesn't become you."

Loki's words were chiding, though not harsh. He understood Anthony's jealousy for he had it in himself for many things also, but he knew that his property possessed far more intelligence than to think that he would have taken on Steven because Anthony did not fulfil everything that Loki needed.

"I have taken him as obligation to my brother on a loan only, for we shall be travelling to Midgard upon the morrow to raid for new stock, and Thor cannot accompany us while sitting as All-Father. He wishes for me to take Steven as my own until we return for he fusses ridiculously over my safety."

A lie that would save face for both Thor and Steven, and which would give the moping slave hope that he would return to his true master one day. Loki needed him to have that hope, even if it proved false, or getting anything approaching actual work out of him would be near impossible.

"He will be mine in name alone, fear not that any comes to supplant your place."

Anthony had known all of this, and he could even tell that Loki was lying because he himself had seen many, many couplings between Steven and Thor while Loki was away and he had seen many, many kisses passed between the two. He knew that Thor was in love with Steven the same way Steven loved Thor...and the same way too that Anthony loved Loki. But Loki had never kissed him, never drank his lips in, and so Anthony did need that verbal assurance that Steven was just to act as bodyguard and be returned to Thor.

One day.

"He's just a better catch than I am," Anthony said, arms moving to his side. "I mean, if you like dumb meatheads with too many ideals and no capacity for mischief." Anthony grinned and bent to kiss the hem of Loki's tunic in thanks and in apology before he stepped back and set his hands on his hips. "I've never gotten to boss him around before. So a trip to Midgard? Really? Should I pack the usual or is this an extended stay, enchanted trunk and all of your books sort of visit?"

He could be excited now that he knew his place with Loki was secure. Serving his Prince was all he needed in this life.

Loki did not need to kiss Anthony to understand the depth of his own feeling. He would be lost without his slave, but he was far too selfish, self aware, and intelligent to jeopardise all he had for the sake of an illicit romance. Anthony would understand and feel his worth in other ways, becoming the most trusted and constant of Loki's companions without ever overstepping the mark into unacceptable territory.

It was a balance that Thor failed to maintain.

"We shall need enough for an extended campaign, six months to a year. Weapons, armour, clothing, and books. Run now to the kitchens and have them prepare the salted meats and enchanted casks for fresh food, then find Steven and any other running slaves without current task. Send some to the shipyard to have the fleet readied, others to the generals of the armies. We sail in the morning, this night will be a busy one. Go, Anthony. Run."

When your master told you to run, you ran. Asgard was filled with new activity and the whispers were off of Thor All-Father and onto the idea of the new. It would be some time before any of the new blood was ready for ownership and the unclaimed Village would have to be expanded to hold the vast majority of the culled. Sorcerers would need to be prepared to find good genetic matches between existing slaves and new slaves. Compliance and beauty would be bred into the new stock and in sixty or seventy years, a century at most, the status quo would resume. There were many Advisors who spent the evening at the shipyard and roaming the courtyards recounting the tale of the first culling they took part in. The atmosphere around the kingdom, despite Odin's and Frigga's absence, was jovial.

Come the following evening, Thor made himself known in full armour, shining like the sun though it had long since hidden. Heimdall had arrived to gift Loki with the ability to guide their ship and those chosen for the task were already on board and looking out at those that would bid them a safe and successful journey.

Loki and his two slaves were joined by a regal looking crowned Prince, whose eyes did not stay to Steven, stood just behind the shorter Anthony.

"Bring me home someone strong and beautiful," Thor said, hand clasping Loki's forearm. "And someone clever for yourself." The Aesir on board hit their weapons against their shields and called their captain and commander onto the deck so that they could shove off. Only when Thor was away enough that his gaze might not be registered did he finally gaze upon his heartbroken lover.

And, selfishly, he hoped that Steven looked upon him too. Fondly. And without hate. He wished for understanding.

As the ship broke free from the ground, Thor lifted his hand. All of Asgard cheered that night with him and all would wait for Loki's return as well, already guessing the sorts of wonders that will be brought to them when next they saw the ship.

Steven could not hate his master... former master.

He had gone through the night as if in a dream, performing his duties swiftly and obediently but without passion. He wore Loki's colours and they startled him each time he passed a reflective surface, the green making his skin crawl. It was not the younger prince's fault; Steven did not hate Loki, he was even fond of him partially because of how much his master loved his brother. But he was not Thor, and that made him an undesirable master.

He watched his prince fade away as the boat began to sail into the Void, even the amazing sight of the branches of Yggdrasil laid out before him not garnering much more than a passing glance.

Anthony stood in pride of place at Loki's right shoulder as he commanded the fleet away from Asgard, his battle regalia shining and perfect. He glanced down, words soft. "Take Steven and advise him of his future, he must not look so sorrowful or talk will begin. My slave for long or not, I will not have it said that my property despises working for me."

Hand over his heart, Anthony bowed and glanced back at Steven. It took a moment to get his attention since he was still watching the little ball of darkness fade from them. He ended up having to tug at the familiar tunic. The black with green trim was one he often wore in summers or lazy days with Loki inside the library. He knew that Steven longed to feel the red, feel the burnished gold, against his skin.

And perhaps he would again. If Loki didn't harm him for moping around. "With me."

Below deck, Loki had sprawling chambers for a vessel of this size, three rooms strung together. His things were not yet unpacked and so Anthony used this as pretense for a discussion with his oldest friend.

"The tale Loki is telling is that Thor gifted you to him for this mission. It is evidently not unheard of. Oft times he would gift Loki James whenever Thor felt he was in need of protection. Our Master," he paused then because he did not like the word 'our' to describe Loki, "will return you to Prince Thor if his brother proves he can withstand temptation. This is temporary. Stop looking so heart sick. The crew already talks about the Prince's.... Uh. There's no other way to describe it, Steven. They think the crowned prince has an illness. His fixation on you might cost him everything. So this is just a little trip to keep that from happening. Stop being so charming and likable. You can learn a little something from me. No one likes me at the palace. Except you. Which is your problem again, see?"

He didn't include Bruce for a reason. He was still hurt by the rejection, even if it had simply been words.

"Besides. I've been reading up on how these raids go. You're going to have a lot of reaponsibility with initial breeding. You're beautiful and strong and Loki will likely name you to the task. So cheer up and shape up and you'll be back to wearing reds in a few years."

Even though Steven would likely never be loyal to Loki properly, except as the beloved brother of his true master, he could not help a twinge of grateful respect for the lie told. It was convincing and, best of all, it turned what could have been great shame for Thor and himself into honour and nobility, into self sacrifice in the name of protecting someone dear to the crown prince.

He knew, of course, that he was here to stop Thor pining for him. And he knew that this was how it had to be, he wanted to serve his master and he didn't want to ruin things, and so he would bear this. He would take this on as though this had been the task actually given to him, standing up straighter.

"I will protect Prince Loki to my last breath, then. He will not come to harm under my guard and watch."

Steven didn't think about how this might usurp a little of Anthony's position or make him jealous. Personal slave he might be, but Anthony wasn't the warrior of the pair of them, surely he would see that protection rights should go to Steven.

"I will sire as many new babes as he wants me to, and I will return to my master with honour."

Treasonous talk, especially as Loki was his master now. To say otherwise was such an insult.

The pair of them were idiots. Anthony stared at Steven as if he had grown two heads and one was mustached and shouting obscenities in a long dead language. Since he could, and since he was angry at Steven for the liberties he was taking and the disrespect he was showing to Prince Loki, Anthony grabbed hold of Steven’s tunic and hauled him down. “Listen to me carefully here or you’re going to find yourself abandoned on Midgard no matter how many pretty blond and blue eyed babies you produce for Asgard. Loki is your master. Loki is the one you will devote yourself entirely to. Anything he wishes, you’re going to do. You’re going to learn to anticipate everything he wants…. You’re going to be perfect or you’ll dishonor him. I can’t have that, do you understand me?”

He refrained from boxing the blond’s ears, though he really wanted to.

“And I’m the Prince’s primary. I know you’ve gotten used to ruling your little clan and I know Thor’s shown you favor that’s gotten him in more trouble than he ought to be in right now, and you and I both know that we love each other intensely, Steven, but I come first. Understand? I come first and you take direction only from me.”

He was nipping this traitorous talk in the bud. Now.

The last thing that Steven expected was for Anthony to try to go toe-to-toe with him physically, not when they both knew that he was by far the better warrior of the pair of them. Instinct almost had him tossing Anthony off, but affection held him still and made him listen to what his friend had to say.

He half bristled in return, because he would never be Loki's, not truly. He was Prince Thor's in his heart and he always would be, even if he were forced to wear another's colours and call another master verbally. He scowled up at Anthony.

"I know that you come first, and I'll take direction from you, but surely even you can see that I'm a better choice of bodyguard than you."

Perhaps his time with Thor had given him just a touch of arrogance.

“What do I care if you go marching off into battle? You just have to watch yourself, Steven. What how you speak and what how you treat our Master. Prince Thor is our Master’s brother and current All-Father…and that is all. Are you following me? Loki will and must always come first. And if you can’t at least figure out how to pretend that you love him, there’s going to be a huge problem here.” Anthony had no interest in battle. He liked souping up the aerial chariots and he liked designing weaponry, but he wasn’t much of a user of the technology he came up with. It was all for Loki’s glory anyway.

He didn’t want to go prematurely to Valhalla. Those few nights with the bandits where he surely thought he would die in disgrace left him clinging ever more tightly to life. Steven’s prowess didn’t affect him…mostly because he knew that Loki did not need a bodyguard. He was formidable, especially now that he possessed the casket.

Anthony had seen what he had been able to do and he didn’t fear for him in the slightest.

“Take a vow of silence if you need it, Steven. Because the next time you say that Thor is your master, I’ll have your lips sewn shut.” Anthony gave him a little shove, which didn’t do much, and then pointed at the chests. “All of Prince Loki’s books are in order. They’re to go on the shelves in the same order they’re laid out in the trunk. Don’t open any of them. He hates fingerprints on the pages.”

The very strange thing here was that he believed every word that Anthony said, and yet he knew his friend still loved him dearly. He would sew up his lips and still want to stand by his side all at once, and all because of Loki. He would need to be careful - not because he was scared of the threat, but because he didn't want to bring more dishonour down on Thor by not behaving as a proper slave should.

"Odin's ravens, Anthony," he murmured, immediately heading over to open up the first chest and see the stacks of books inside the carefully enchanted interior. This would take hours!

He took out the first ones and carefully put them onto the low shelves running around the cabin, each with a small lip to keep anything on them from falling off should the ship begin to rock.

"So tell me what I need to know about serving our master."

As discussing Loki was by far one of Anthony’s favorite pastimes, he found himself absolutely falling into his long-term discussion of what Loki did not like. He figured that would give Steven a good base for how to deal with Thor’s brother. It was not going to be easy, since Steven was used to a lot of personal freedom in public…and though Anthony had a lot of personal freedom in private, he wasn’t sure how that would work now that there would be an audience.

As they put things away, Anthony’s words became less heartfelt, less frequent. It could simply be that he was running out of Don’ts for Steve, but it was just as likely that he was starting to worry again about how his life with change now that Steven was in it. The blond always found a way to garner the most favor and sure, Loki liked the clever and the cunning….but he also liked being worshiped.

And Steven would be better at that.

Anthony left the main chamber and found the single room where he and Steven would sleep. It was a matchbox, two pairs of bunks sunken into the wall on either side of the door. “Reminds me a little of the village,” Anthony said as he fingered the fine fabric curtain that could be drawn across the coffin-like space where he would sleep. It was their only privacy. He chose the lower bunk on the right hand side, sitting on the fine mattress with his head ducked so he wouldn’t hit his head. He couldn’t straighten up on the sleep shelf so Steven would feel even more claustrophobic, surely.

So many don'ts.

Prince Thor commanded respect in public, of course, but his was a mostly straightforward temperament, it was easy to tell what would be acceptable with him and what wouldn't. But Anthony was listing different scenarios to tell whether Prince Loki would find certain behaviour welcome or completely unacceptable, and he listed them all as if they were obvious and completely without care to navigate.

He was glad for the thin curtain of privacy, it allowed him to sink his head down into his hands and cry silently.

Not that Anthony would be allowed much solitude. The little rudimentary communicators that he had rugged up so that Loki could command him from a distance lit up twice, then vibraed twice in case he had not been within visual range, to alert him that his master would be returning imminently and wished for both a bath and food to be prepared.

The crying was unfortunate and though Anthony would have left Steven to it, he wasn’t exactly sure how to navigate this world with additional ‘help.’ To have Steven anything but attentive, for Loki to dismiss or command at will, would be unacceptable. So he knocked a little on the bunk opposite his own, knuckles on burnished wood, and cleared his throat. “Hey. No idea where the kitchens are here. Err. Guess it’s a galley on a ship. Anyway, get some fish and roasted vegetables and some hard bread, enough for three… He eats half of what his brother does so don’t request too much. Waste on a trip like this is bad fortune.”

It would get Steven out of the cabin, and also let him clean himself up a little since that was the most important thing. Anthony would draw the bath in the chamber next door and by the time that Steven returned with his food, they could serve him in the water or once he had cleansed himself, whatever he wished.

The water was steaming when Loki returned, looking commanding with his hair braided and green eyes flashing. It didn't matter if Thor was the favored son. Anthony thought his master was the best.

“He understands. A little weepy but he’s been perfect since we were children together and he’ll get over it,” Anthony reported. “I threatened to sew his mouth up,” he added with a little grin.

"If such is required to keep him in line, you may have the authority to do so. He is under your command, you may designate tasks to him as you see fit."

This was a structure often used, but usually in large households with many slaves where it would make sense to not have to bother the master with every single one of them. There the personal slave was risen above the others, given access and given the orders and then the authority to dish those orders out. It would be highly unusual to do that in a two slave system, but Loki did not care. He would keep Steven for his brother, but Anthony was his personal slave and he had desire for no other.

This should also keep Anthony from becoming insecure of his position or favour.

Loki peeled off his clothing rather than allowing it to vanish, a silent sign that he wished them washed and polished. He must be perfect for his armies the whole campaign, it was his first in command. Naked, he stepped into the steaming water and allowed himself to relax.

"Join me, wash and rebraid my hair."

A highly personal task, a gift of sorts to reward Anthony for his handling of the situation and discretion so far.

“It shouldn’t come to that,” Anthony said, setting about his task, obviously soothed. He unbraided Loki’s hair with care, noting the plaits that he would put back in once the shining locks of unruly black were washed and dried. “He’s sad. If I was separated from you…whenever I have been separated from you…I’ve never really been myself. But he’s strong. He’ll fall in line. I don’t think I’ll need to bust out the needle and thread after all.”

Bathing was relaxing. In the water, he couldn’t feel the slight vibrations of the ship through the Void. He couldn’t hear the low hum of the crew moving about as they prepared themselves for landfall sometime in the next few days.

“I set the tales of the last culling out on your desk if you wanted to review them, but it looks like it was written by a kid. Mostly pictures and stories of valor,” Anthony laughed. “There’s really not that much on current Midgardian culture, though. I can’t wait to see it.”

He imagined a society a little like what the tale mentioned…a little like what Asgard or Vanaheim was. Just more rustic. People huddled around fires, no knowledge of magic or technology, of other worlds and races… This felt like they were bringing a revelation to his people.

He was proud of that.

"I know a little of Midgard now, but only from my observations while learning to walk between the branches of Yggdrasil, it was a safe destination to travel to."

He had not seen much of it, not nearly enough to understand how the culture had grown and changed, but enough to have seen a few buildings and know that it had changed. He wasn't surprised, such was the mercurial nature of mortals, an interesting and yet flawed way to live.

"Their buildings have changed, their technology has grown more advanced, yet they are still as mayflies. Such short lives, unable to change anything of their own, trapped in an endless cycle of war between their own kind. They lack leadership, they lack purpose. It is for us to provide that purpose."

“I know why Midgard exists, I know it is important to allow for a wild cultivation of genetic diversity, but I feel a little sad for them,” Anthony said. “They’re as much my people as they aren’t. Not all Midgardians on Asgard get the benefit to serve like I do, but at least they had a chance at something meaningful. The wild ones we’re going to take our pick from… The ones we’re going to leave behind… I just feel bad for them.” Anthony almost never made mention of anyone other than himself. He was a selfish creature and the plight of others didn’t concern him. And yet, he made great, sweeping outreaches too, making sure every Midgardian in the bandit camp had a job at the palace, for instance, or protecting those that worked in the kitchen from a wrath they did not deserve. It showed more forethought than most thought Midgardians capable of.

Then again, Loki did too, now that it was known who was his genetic kin, even if he was still considered to have the blood of the Aesir with his lineage being that of his adopted parents.

Anthony took his time in the bath. He gave Loki everything he might want, always waiting for him to initiate anything no matter his current feelings or wishes. He didn’t care if Steven was fast or slow with his own task. He wanted every moment alone with Loki that he could get.

"Do not sorrow for them. Unlike many races who cannot hope to achieve the life that we hold on Asgard, those of Midgard are ignorant of their plight. Their short lives breed even shorter memories, and though the last raid was only fifteen hundred years before, their race may not recall it at all."

Even though Anthony was a Midgardian and knew how little mortals lived without an infusion of apples, it must seem very bizarre and disgustingly lax to forget so soon. He had spent his time being taught lessons from books many hundreds of thousands of years old.

Loki waited patiently while Anthony finished washing, drying, and braiding his hair once more, before pulling him down into his lap in the bath and taking him in a leisurely way. Only just finishing when Steven appeared with food on a tray, more than Loki would eat, though much less than Thor would, and a variety for he hadn't yet learned which foods Loki liked the most.

"There is too much here," said Loki, disapproving. "You and Anthony may assist in eating it today, but bring wasteful amounts again and I will have you punished."

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