Revna had directed Loki down the same path he had taken earlier that day into the forest and then down another branching off from it that he had not followed during his ruminations. Asgardian eyes were better able than those of the mortals of Midgard and other races similar to them in the universe to see in the darkness, yet Revna had been correct that the way could be treacherous. Loki thought it somewhat of a blessing that the storm had arrived when it did before he and Revna had imbibed more than two glasses of wine along with the fact that as the lightning strikes grew more frequent, even through the canopy of the trees stretched out above them, it lent more light to assist them to make their way to their destination.

Along with lightning however, storms generally come with another feature less of a boon. After Revna had informed him they were slightly more than halfway to her home, she and Loki felt the first raindrops just as they reached an area less populated with trees to shield them. The sprinkling quickly converted to a downpour, as if the clouds above them had burst open like an overinflated balloon.

Thunder crashing and rumbling, wind whipping around them and becoming increasingly soaked by the rain, the two Asgardians rushed along the path towards the structure that had just come into view as they exited the far edge of the forest. The dirt path to Revna's cottage had quickly become slick with mud as Revna soon discovered, Loki feeling her arm slip from around his as she lost her footing. Reaching out and taking hold of her upper arm as she fell to her knees, he soon found himself falling forward as his feet lost traction, both he and Revna ultimately sprawling in the cool goo. After a moment of stunned silence, the laughter of both commenced almost simultaneously.

Loki knew he should apologize for having failed to fulfil his pledge to see her home unscathed, but found he was suddenly filled with a sensation he had not felt in quite a long while...a sense of lightness, of mirth, childlike joy along with a sense of release, as if the frustration and darkness that had been pent up within him had flown, at least for the moment. Perhaps it was due to the effects of the wine or merely the absurdity of the situation itself, Loki wasn't certain, he only knew that it felt good. His laughter continued to bubble up out of him like a fount, as did Revna's own.

"I'm sorry..." Loki finally managed to say though there was still laughter apparent in his voice. Cautiously pulling himself up out of the mud, he extended his hand to Revna, assisting her to rise alongside him. "So much for seeing you home safely."

"It's alright, really." Revna assured him, her voice merry with the lingering effects of her laughter as well.

Moving more cautiously along the more grassy side of the pathway and as quickly as they dared in the driving rain, they reached the entrance of Revna's small stone dwelling, the rain having already washed the majority of the mud from their hair and exposed skin. Revna opened the door, stepping inside. Loki remained outside the door. Revna, initially unaware he had not entered after her, lit the cauldron along the wall, bathing the room in flickering firelight before turning towards him.

"Come in...please." Revna said as he remained standing in the rain.

"I should return…" Loki replied.

"Wait until the storm has passed." Revna said, stepping back to the door, extending her hand. Loki continued to remain where he stood for a moment, gazing down at it contemplatively before reaching out and taking it, allowing her to lead him inside. Turning, he closed the door behind him.

Revna lit a lamp atop a long, thin table on the other side of the room. Both she and Loki stood soaked, dripping water onto the floor, the front of Revna's dress splotched with mud as was Loki's clothing. Revna walked through a doorway into another room before reemerging with a stack of a few worn and folded towels. Approaching Loki, she held them out towards him, he taking one from the top.

"Thank you." Loki said before unfolding it and rubbing it over his hair and face.

"Just a moment…" Revna said. She made her way across the room to a trunk in the corner and knelt down, opening it. Loki watched her as she rifled through it. Closing it she rose and walked back to Loki, holding out what appeared to be folded articles of clothing.

"They were my father's. He was of a similar size to yourself."

"Is there somewhere…?" Loki asked, perusing the small cottage and the room in which they stood, which was somewhat large, but appeared to be the only living area and also doubling as a bedroom, Revna's bed along the far wall, a chest of drawers along the same wall nearby.

"In there…" Revna said, pointing towards the room from which she'd emerged with the towels. Loki made his way across the room towards the doorway and entered into what appeared to be a small washroom. It was unlit but the light from the cauldron and the lamp in the adjoining room lent just enough light for him to see by.

Revna opened a drawer of her dresser, retrieving a long simple gown, sitting it atop it along with the remainder of the towels. Looking towards the doorway of the washroom she removed the wet and muddy gown she wore, lifting it from the floor and tossing it into a woven rope hamper and dried herself before slipping the dress over her head. Looking into the mirror over the dresser, she unplaited her hair before rubbing the wavy locks with the towel and running a brush through them. Turning, she walked across the room to a standing cabinet and opened it, reaching to the back of a shelf and pulling out a tall blue bottle and two glasses and sat them on the same table upon which sat the lamp.

Lightning continued to flash periodically through the one window of the room, though more infrequent. The sound of the rain could be heard on the roof, though its intensity had lessened since their arrival. As Loki finished changing into the dry clothing Revna had procured for him, a long rumble of thunder reached his ears from outside. Once again, Loki felt the darkness creeping back over him as he thought of his brother. He attempted to push the thought away, to retain the feeling of lightness and mirth that had overtaken him shortly before. Gathering his rain soaked clothing, he turned to exit back into the front room.

Standing in the doorway, he spied Revna across the room, her back to him, as she removed the cork from the blue bottle and poured a clear, bubbling liquid into a glass. A thought crossed his mind, something that she had mentioned in passing in their earlier conversation that evening not long before they had left his grandmother's cottage. The simple gown Revna had donned transformed as he looked to her into a formal Asgardian gown of rich fabric with a slightly trained skirt.

Revna stood unmoving for a moment, staring in disbelief at the gown that had replaced the simple one she had been wearing. She turned to see Loki looking back at her.

"It's not real..." she said.

"Does it matter?" Loki replied. Revna crossed the room to Loki, reaching out and taking his wet clothing from him.

"I'll take care of them and return them to you." she said, walking them over to the hamper and setting them on top of her own discarded gown before returning to the table and pouring a second glass of the bottle's champagne-like contents. Taking a glass in each hand, she again approached Loki, holding one of them out to him.

"Vingueze?" Loki asked.

"Yes, though I fear it's likely not the quality you're accustomed to. I have had it stored away for some time as I've had no occasion...it's unlikely I will have another as I'm alone here...as I said, our evening need not end quite yet. Please, sit." Revna said, gesturing to the two chairs near the table where the bottle sat. Loki began to make his way to it when he felt an object under his boot. Stopping and moving his foot back, he looked to the floor to see a small colored glass vial-like bottle. Stooping down, he lifted it from the floor. Quickly upon noticing the object in his hand, Revna took it from him.

"It's only a mild sedative. It assists Frida to sleep. It's also useful when she has episodes as she did yesterday morning. I make sure to always have it with me. It must have fallen from the pocket of my skirt as I was changing." Revna told him as she carried it over to the dresser and opened a box, placing it inside.

"I could have perhaps used that myself my first night here." Loki said as he crossed the rest of the way to one of the chairs and seated himself, Revna moving from the dresser over to the table and seating herself in the other across from him.

"What did she manifest?" Revna asked. Loki looked at his glass, watching the bubbles rise, his expression one of disquiet.

"I was in the midst of a dream...I was in my father's vault among the relics there...I awakened from it to find a Jotun beside my bed…" Loki answered. Revna quickly looked up at him from her own glass where she had also been watching the bubbles rise.

"A Jotun?"

"Yes...I found it strange as the relic in the vault I sought in my dream is also of Jotunheim."

"As I've told you, she has spoken of Jotunheim quite often recently. You said that she and your mother are able to see glimpses of the future...do you think….perhaps it could be a premonition...a warning?" Revna asked. Loki looked thoughtful, pondering the question. He was surprised he hadn't thought of the possibility himself, but then his mind had been occupied with other thoughts.

"Possibly. I'm sure Laufey would like nothing more than to-" Loki went silent. Revna looked at him with concern.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." Loki answered. It was true, Laufey would like nothing more than to once again gain control of the Casket, the source of Jotunheim's previous power and greatness. His grandmother had spoken of a darkness falling over Asgard, during her episodes she had spoken both to Revna and himself of Jotunheim. Perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone. If there was a plot in the works by the Jotuns, if he could preempt it...even if there was not, surely Laufey wouldn't turn down the opportunity...if they thought the way had been made clear for them...and on one specific day, during one occasion in particular….

Revna refilled her glass from the bottle as Loki took another drink from his and though it was not quite empty, refilled his own after she had replaced it on the table, his epiphany along with the alcohol he had imbibed that evening putting him into a celebratory mood.

"This is quite good…" Loki said as he lifted his glass for another drink.

"It was a gift…" Revna said. She suddenly grew somber. "There's something I must tell you. I was not always the woman I am today."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked, curiously.

"There was a time….after my parents….I had no one...I didn't discriminate when it came to with whom I spent my time...or to whom I gave my affections. I came here to escape that life. I am far from worthy to be in the presence of one such as yourself." Revna said, looking forlorn.

"I know too well what it is to be alone. I'm more than capable of determining for myself who is worthy to be in my presence." Loki said. He thought now of what he owed to the woman who sat across from him. No, she had not consciously given him the idea that now swirled in his head, but she had led him along the path to it nonetheless. He rose from the chair in which he was seated and lifting his glass, downed the last of his drink before stepping towards her, holding his hand out to her. Looking up at him, she placed hers into it and rose. "Would you care to accompany me...a month from now...the coronation…"

"But I'm no one….what would I wear?" Revna asked, aghast, clearly having not expected his question.

"Leave that to me." Loki said as he put a hand to her cheek, looking into her eyes before moving his lips to hers. Returning his kiss, followed by another, then more after, each deeper, more passionate, Revna felt herself lifted from the floor to soon after find herself in her bed.

To his gratification and satisfaction, Loki found her to be more than willing, in fact enthusiastically amenable to his every request and whim, she seeming to derive equal pleasure. He relished her cries of ecstasy, the sound of his name as he commanded her to say it again and again. He had not intended to be as aggressive as he now found himself to be as he released all his frustrations, his vexation at his father's choice that had been pent up within him upon her, though it only seemed to please her more for him to do so.

Both he and Revna finally spent, she lay blissfully relaxed, her head resting on his chest. He felt Revna raise her head and press her lips to his once more.

"Let no one ever tell you that you are not a king."