Passionate Misfortune

Chapter Fifteen

Loki had gathered all the guards in the castle and rode on horseback with Thor, Fandral, Volstagg, and Sif by his sides.

"There are so many brothels in the village. How will we know where to look?" Thor asked.

"You go into every brothel in this realm and ask if an elf was sold to her or not. Do you understand?" Loki told him.

"We cannot search all night." Fandral said.

Loki gripped Fandral's collar and his eyes widened in fear as Loki glared at him.

"I don't care how long this takes us. All that matter's is we find Delysia before anything happens to her." Loki told him.

He pushed Fandral away and he nodded his head as Loki began the search to find Delysia. Loki went with Thor and Fandral around one part of the village and checked every brothel they could. The night was going by very quickly and Loki feared that so many different men may have already taken advantage of Delysia. It sickened his to his very core just to think of it. Guards reported back to him saying that Delysia was not found but Loki kept going on his search. No matter how many times Thor and Fandral told him it was pointless and she was most likely used by men already, Loki didn't give up. He had to find her. He promised he would keep her safe from the men of the council and that is what he intended to do. The hours passed and Loki came across a very popular brothel he heard many men speak about in the palace. He, Fandral, and Thor stepped inside and looked around. The main floor was very busy with drunk men singing and groping the women who served them more drinks. By the bar was the mistress taking care of everything. He saw the stairway to the top floor where he could hear women and men engaging in their sexual acts. Thor and Fandral looked around for Delysia and Loki made his way over to the mistress.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, cleaning a glass.

Loki pulled his hood back to reveal who he was and he watched as the mistress's eyes widened with recognition.

"Oh, dear me. First, an amazing buy and now a royal prince in my house. What a lucky woman I am, huh?" She laughed.

"Amazing buy? What amazing buy?" Loki asked.

"It doesn't matter. So, what lady are you interested in here?" She retorted.

"I am interested in your buy. Where is she?" Loki demanded.

"I can't say unless you pay first." The woman told him.

"Who sold her to you?" Loki asked.

"It's confidential." The woman replied.

"Damn it, woman! Answer me! A woman's pride is at stake!" Loki exclaimed as he slammed his fist against the table.

The men in the tavern didn't seem to care and kept on going with their drunken singing and groping but Fandral and Thor walked cautiously towards the two.

"Who sold her to you?" Loki asked again.

"All I can see is two rich men." The woman replied.

"Has she been paid for at all after she was bought?" Loki asked.

"No. Not until now. Some man a few moments ago heard of her being here and paid for her. Some other rich guy from the palace. The two men who sold her to me told me to put her on a waiting list. Soon, more rich men'll show up to have their way with her." The woman explained.

"Which room?" Loki asked.

"She's with a client, my prince." The woman chuckled.

Loki groaned as he ran towards the stairs and the woman followed after him along with Thor and Fandral.

"You can't go up there!" The woman exclaimed.

As soon as Loki reached the floor, he looked at all the doors and sighed.

"Delysia!" Loki shouted.

He listened carefully for any signs or sounds that she was in one of the rooms.

"Delysia!" Loki yelled.

"You're disturbing my clients, my prince. You need to go back down and wait to pay for her. I have a waiting list." The woman told her.

"I don't give a damn about your fucking waiting list, mistress. This woman was never meant to be bought for the men who sold her to you are fucking animals who are doing this just to have a few extra fucking coins in their bags. This woman is my wife. If you don't tell me which fucking room she's in right this fucking minute, I swear I will kill someone in this building." Loki seethed.

The woman gulped as she pointed to the room at the end of the hall. Loki thanked her and sprinted to the door. He went to open it and groaned went he found it was locked.

"Wait, your turn!" A man's voice exclaimed.

"Stop! Get off of me!" Delysia cried out.

"Oh, come on." The man chuckled.

Delysia gasped as she heard someone banging on the door.

"I said you have to wait your turn!" The man shouted.

Delysia tried her best to push him away but her ankle being chained to the bed post and the fact that the man was a lot stronger than her did not help.

"Oh, I know what it is with you. You're a virgin aren't ya? That's why you had yourself a pretty little waiting list. Well, looks like I get to set the path for all the others, don't I?" The man told her.

"No! No, no!" Delysia screamed.

Delysia tried to run away but exclaimed in pain as the chains around her ankle dug into her skin.

"Where do you think you're going? I paid good money for you and I'm going to use in any way I please." The man growled.

The man gripped her waist and Delysia cried out until finally, Loki broke down the door and stalked inside. The man pulled away from Delysia and his eyes widened upon seeing Loki. The man stuttered to say something and Loki punched the man across the face, not caring if he was a council member or not. Delysia gasped as he was knocked to the ground and her body trembled as her chest heaved with her cries. Fandral and Thor stood in the doorway as they watched the altercation. Loki saw the chains around her ankle and how she rubbed her arms together, reminding him of how she looked when he first saw her. He quickly used his magic on the chain to unlock it and wrapped his arms around Delysia tightly and cradled her head to his chest as she sobbed loudly.

"It's alright, Delysia. I'm here now. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you. No one ever will. I promise." Loki whispered in her ear.

The woman entered the room and gasped upon seeing the man knocked out onto the floor. As Loki caressed her face, he pushed some hair back to reveal her ear.

"An elf? No wonder they gave me a waiting list." The woman commented.

"I want that man arrested." Loki said.

"He's a council member, Loki." Fandral said.

"I don't give a damn about that. You tell Odin what he's done and what the other council members had planned. I want him to question every council member to find out who sold her to this brothel." Loki demanded.

Thor and Fandral nodded before walking down the stairs to alert the guards to stop the search. Loki pulled Delysia back and gripped her arms tightly as he looked down at her.

"Did he do anything?" Loki inquired.

Delysia shook her head.

"Anything at all? He didn't hit you?" Loki asked.

Delysia shook her head once more and Loki sighed with relief as he pulled her back into his arms. Delysia panted heavily as she grabbed onto Loki's shirt, never wanting to let go. Loki kissed the top of her head and held her tightly as he closed his eyes and laid his cheek against her head.

"You're alright now, Delysia. You're safe. I said I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. Never will you live like you did before." Loki whispered.

Delysia held Loki's hand tightly in hers as they walked down the stairs. He walked in front of her and made sure she didn't trip or fall. Her body was still shaking as she took her time going down the stairs. She looked around the room to find all the men and women staring at the two. She then glanced back over at Loki and he nodded his head to tell her it was alright. Delysia rushed towards his side and he wrapped his cloak around her to try and combat her shaking. Once they stepped outside, a guard handed Loki his horse and he helped Delysia onto the animal. He got on after her and he wrapped one arm around her as the other took the reins. He looked down at her as her hands gripped his hand that lay on her belly.

"We will deal with this matter more tomorrow." Loki told them.

Upon entering the palace, Loki glared down at Odin as he helped Delysia down from the horse.

"Loki?" Odin asked.

"You will hold an investigation to find out who kidnapped Delysia and sold her to a brothel. You will do it tomorrow after breakfast. You will interrogate every council member, one by one, until one cracks and gives you the information. The man who tried to harm Delysia in the brothel will be arrested and stripped of being a council member. Do you understand me, father?" Loki explained calmly.

Odin nodded his head and Loki walked with Delysia back to their chambers. There, he found Frigga inside waiting for him.

"Was she..." Frigga trailed off.

"Nothing happened to her." Loki replied.

"She needs a bath." Frigga commented.

Loki walked Delysia towards Frigga and Frigga smiled at her.

"Come on. I'll help you." Frigga said.

She held her hand out to Delysia and she smiled faintly. Delysia took her hand in hers and Frigga wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she walked her into the bathroom. Loki took a step forward and Frigga shook her head at him. Loki sat anxiously on the edge of his bed waiting for Frigga and Delysia to walk back into the room. Minutes passed before the two entered the room and Loki stood up quickly. He smiled weakly as Delysia looked up at him. She walked toward the bed and Frigga pulled Loki away.

"I didn't see any bruises, Loki, or cuts. She's completely fine, except for the fact that she's shaken about the events that happened tonight. I suggest you give her some space for a few days." Frigga whispered.

"Isn't there anything else I can do?" Loki asked.

"Just make her feel safe and obey her wishes." Frigga replied.

Frigga kissed his cheek before exiting the room. Loki turned around to find Delysia standing at the side of the bed, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Do you need anything?" Loki asked.

"Can you lock the door?" Delysia whispered.

"Of course." Loki said.

He walked towards the door and Delysia watched him as he locked it, making sure he did.

"And the doors to the balcony as well?" She asked.

"Yes." Loki replied.

She watched as he locked them as well and he walked towards her, stopping a few inches away from her face.

"Um, is there anything else?" Loki asked.

Delysia shook her head as she stared down at the floor. She gasped softly as Loki took her chin between his fingers and titled her head up to look at him.

"Do not be afraid, Delysia. Do not shy away from me like you did before. I love listening to you speak. I would hate for this one event to turn you back to the way you were before. Everything is fine now. I know you are still shaken up and may not believe that but, I am here for you. Always remember that." Loki told her.

Loki put his hand down and furrowed his brow as Delysia broke down crying. He wrapped his arms around her and hushed her as he cradled her head to his chest. He swayed her softly as he kissed the top of her head and smiled down at her.

"Let it out, Delysia. Just let it out. I'm here now and no one will harm you while I'm here." Loki told her.

Moments later, Loki watched Delysia as she slept in their bed. She looked to be finally at peace. The following morning, Delysia was asked to speak about what happened to her, but she refused to leave her rooms. So, as a compromise, Loki told the investigators to enter his rooms where they could speak to Delysia while he was there with them.

"It is better if we speak to her alone." The man said.

"I don't care. She wants me here and I'm staying." Loki told him.

The man nodded his head and stood before Delysia as she sat in the chair by the writing desk with Loki at her side.

"Did you see any member of the council as they tried to take you?" He asked.

"It was not a council member. Whoever they were who tried were very clever to make sure it couldn't trace back to them." Delysia replied.

"What do you mean?" The man inquired.

"They sent a guard to tell me that someone wished to speak with me in the throne room. As I entered, no one was there but the guard followed and chained my hands together." Delysia explained.

"And what happened after? Did any council member show themselves?" The man asked.

"No. The guard, he...he led me out of the palace without being seen and he threw me into the back of a wagon where he proceeded to hide me in some sort of cage. Soon after, I found myself being dragged into the brothel. I had no idea where I was or what was going on. I was so confused. But upon seeing some of the women walking by, I realized where I was and I started to scream. But the guard as quick yo cover my mouth to make sure I didn't draw any attention. And then he...he left and I...she showed me a list and...I was so..." Delysia trailed off as her voice wavered.

"As you can see, she does not know which council member it was. And now you've upset her. Leave." Loki ordered.

"Yes my prince." The man said as he hurried out the door.

Loki knelt down next to Delysia and laid his hand on her shoulder as she bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

"It's alright. You don't have to think about it anymore. Is there anything you'd like to do?" Loki asked.

"No. I just want to stay here...with you." Delysia replied.

"Alright. I can do that." Loki smiled weakly.

Delysia's lips curled into a small smile as she took Loki's hand in hers. She brought it to her lips and kissed the knuckles softly before placing his hand on her knee and letting it go. Loki stared at his hand and he chuckled softly as he stood up and licked his lips.

"Are you hungry?" Loki asked.

"No." Delysia replied.

"Um...is there anything I can get you?" Loki asked.

"No. I just want to stay here and enjoy your company." Delysia replied.

"Would you care if I happened to read to you?" Loki inquired.

"That would be lovely." Delysia said.

Loki smiled as he grabbed a book and sat on the bed as Delysia listened to him read.