Tartarus had always been a place of legend. To those who had not been there, and most hadn't, it was where everything that couldn't be explained culminated. The place itself was almost unexplainable, apart from the obvious word; chaos.

It was unnerving, even to Loki, as his form shimmered into existence on the barren planet. To his surprise he stood under the twisted branches of an old ash tree; this was the only life that could be seen amid the swirling dunes of Tartarus. Strong winds whipped the sand up from the ground, and he quickly raised his arm to prevent any airborne sand from entering his eyes. Peering out through half-closed lids, he could see nothing but desert, stretching out in front of him. For a brief moment he considered forgetting the whole thing and returning to Asgard there and then, but he knew the importance of this alliance, and what success it could bring him. He cautiously began to walk. Towards what, he did not know. The sand stung his face, and he wondered if this storm ever stopped. After ten minutes of traveling, the sensation dulled to a tingling. He mistook this to be the storm's fault, but it was really his senses trying to tell him he was being watched. Loki stopped abruptly, wondering if there was any way he could find his way back to where he arrived, tempted to return home after all. Taking another step forward he heard a dull tap. Looking down he saw that beneath the thin layer of sand under his boot, was stone. The stone began to shake and rise from beneath the sand, and he felt himself being lifted along with it. Large pillars rose around him, and steps began to appear, one by one. As they ended, another rock object emerged from the ground. A throne. The sand storm suddenly stopped, and Loki finally lowered his arm and looked up towards the towering stone slabs which constructed the chair of royalty.

"Discordia," he called out into the surrounding abyss of desert, "I have come to ask something of you." The silence of the desolate planet was broken by a distant laughing, which became clearer as a thin sliver of black smoke wound its way up from behind the throne. It spiraled down onto the seat, and slowly took the form of a woman. The end of her gown trailed off into mist, and her hair seemed to float in the windless air as if it were under water. Despite how well her dress fit her form, Loki couldn't help but stay focused on her eyes. The sheer intensity of them disturbed him. She was unlike anything he had encountered before, exactly like the stories they told of her. He wondered what she must think of him.

"It's been a while since someone has called me that." Her voice startled him. It wasn't the haunting, echoing, sinister voice he expected of her, but rather soft and deep. He felt it stir something inside of him which had been dormant for a long time. "'Discordia' sounds rather regal, doesn't it? Far too much for a woman who's throne room looks as such."

Her friendliness was unexpected, but Loki was careful not to drop his formal tone. "What do you wish me to call you then?" He couldn't help a smile finding its way onto his face.

"Most call me Eris," Her name hung in the air. A small crack opened up in the stone beneath Loki. He glanced at it, before cautiously stepping away. She stood, trailing her hand over the arm of her stone throne. "Though you may call me whatever you wish."

Loki wondered if she intended this to sound flirtatious. Whether she did or did not, it certainly seemed that way. Loki decided to put his most charming smile to use. "Eris, I have come to discuss a union between us."

Suddenly, Eris was no longer standing by her throne. She had collapsed into a swirling mass of smoke which shot towards him. It floated before his face before hers emerged from it. "What sort of union?" her lips inched ever closer to his, "I hope it is intimate."

If she intended to scare him with sexual advances then she was going to be disappointed. Loki was no beginner in the ways of women. He watched the rest of her body emerge from the mist. "Hopefully all your expectations of our intimacy shall come true. Though I had more of a world-conquering alliance in mind."

He watched her raise her hand and bring it up to his head. Gently, she brushed sand from his hair. "Bothersome sand gets everywhere, does it not?" She slowly brushed her fingertips against his cheek, before resting her hand on the curve of her hip. He wondered if she heard him the first time, and was about to re-state his proposal when she said, "I am quite content ruling over my own land... though one can never have too much power." her eyes trailed over him, pausing briefly on the buckle of his belt. "What exactly will I gain from this collaboration?"

He waited a moment, expecting her to look back up at his face, but her gaze lingered below his belt-line. Shifting his weight he said, "You will have the title of queen on any world you wish, save Asgard, though you would have to discuss any large decisions with myself."

"Midgard," her reply came as soon as he closed his mouth. His lips tightened into a thin smile. He was hoping she wouldn't choose Midgard; he had a fondness for the planet and was hoping to rule it himself. She finally looked away from his lower-half and locked eyes with him. It was obvious that she correctly interpreted his reaction as she added, "Though I would be willing to share Midgard's rule." She tilted her head to the side, her hair rippling in the air, "You would have the most power as king, but I would be your queen." The way she emphasized 'your' brought many imaginings of ownership over her, something he decided he liked the sound of. She moved over to one of the large stone pillars that jut out of the ground. "Obviously, I'm rather powerful." She trailed a finger down the stone, sending a crack up its length and down into the slabs beneath them. It snaked its way towards Loki, stopping as it reached his boot.

"Such modesty," he smiled coyly. She narrowed her eyes at him, the corners of her mouth twitching toward a frown. He quickly added, "Though I do realize your strength, and that is why I would value your allegiance."

"What would I have to do to you, to gain joint ownership of Midgard?" she sat on her throne, frowning ever so slightly.

Loki realized this was no time for casual frivolity, but had he heard her correctly? What would she do to him? "Please pardon me, but-"

"What would I have to do for you, to gain joint ownership of Midgard?" She interrupted him, forcefully repeating herself.

Loki took her slight word change to be a threat, and continued hastily. "I must rid Asgard of Odin. To do that, I must first take care of Thor."

She stood suddenly, taking Loki by surprise. "I would be very interested in helping you with that, and much more if need be." Her frown worsened, and she advanced towards him. "I will seek you out, after some contemplation." Even with promises of her aid, she became ever more threatening as she approached him. He took a step backwards and hit something; turning, he saw the same ash tree as before. "Wait for me." She reached out and pushed against his chest. He fell backwards, and as Eris faded to blackness, the clear blue skies of Asgard shimmered before his eyes. He fell from Tartarus and landed in the palace gardens.