Chapter 4
Thor had missed Loki terribly when he was younger, but puberty and being allowed to train as a warrior had brought a numbing effect to his pains. Rarely was the Prince alone, between the noblemen’s daughter’s insistent flirtations, the warriors three and Sif, and his immerse family.
Frigga gave birth to her eighth child on the day of her 2100th birthday. She had quickly placed a spell on herself ensuring she would bear no more children. The king had chuckled at his wife as he stared at his newborn seventh son, Meili. “We shall see.”
“NO ODIN!, If you even try to convince me to lift the spell I will take Gungnir and turn you into a gelding.” Odin, Thor, Tyr, Balder, and Njord all blanched at that prospect and swift left their Queen to rest.
That was almost 250 years ago and Frigga and Meili’s birthdays’ were going to be rather special this year. Frigga had put together a Queen’s Ball, a grand Aesir tradition that allowed the dignitaries and nobility of the nine realms to congregate and socialize in peace.
The halls of Asgard were filled. Thor was yet to spot the guest of honor however-his mother. Abandoning his friends at the ale table he went in search of her. All he found was himself captured and forced to dance with two forward noblemen’s daughters. They had had the gall to ask him if he would like to place a bastard in them. Odin’s beard he was glad to spot Balder and make his escape. “Excuse me, my brother needs me.” Thor all but ran from the two women.
“Balder, where is mother?”
The younger Odinson took a sip of his mead. “You hadn’t heard?”
“Heard what? The only thing Tyr or I have heard all day are orders from Aunt Freya. I haven’t seen mother or Grandmother all day.”
“Ambassador Loki, arrived early this morning. Apparently they had urgent things to discuss.”
“Loki? Wee little thing, way to much interest in being Queen?” Thor held his hand to show Loki’s last known height.
Balder smiled. “Yes, your little shadow has come of age on Jotunheim. Though his desire for the title of Queen, I do not know of its condition. But if what I’ve heard is true you may want him as your Queen now.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“I’ve heard many people speak of him. Every people has a different name for him. Grandfather called him the Jewel of Jotunheim; I overheard the dwarves call him Lie-smith. The few fire demon’s here have referred to him as something that translates to Icy Passion- I believe that to have a double meaning; His own call him Black Fox, which is strange. But the light-elves I find most interesting. They call him ‘All-Beauty.”
“All-Beauty? In the same manner, they call me All-Thunder?”
Balder laughed and waved at Tyr, whom the same girls Thor now trapped had previously escaped. “The same. As if to say his power is his beauty.”
“And what of our foes the Dark Elves?”
“Our friends the Dark Elves call him something that roughly translates to Prince’s Desired One. Prince Algrim is quite smitten with Loki. So you’ll have competition for someone’s affections for once.” Balder snickered into his glass as they watched Tyr struggle with the maidens.
Thor clasped his brother’s shoulder with a laugh. “’tis not but brotherly attention I wish from Loki. While he may have held a childish crush on me, he was still like a younger brother.” Thor sipped his mead. “Speaking of brothers, how do you propose we save Tyr?”
“I fear it can not be done without sacrificing either ourselves or another of our brothers.”
Thor chuckled. “Verily.”
Tyr shot Thor and Balder a look. The two other princes merely smiled at their brother’s misfortune, before calling over to assist him. “Excuse us ladies, we need to speak to our brother in private.”
The girls pouted but let the princes walk away together. Tyr breathed a sigh of relieve as they walked over to a secluded corner. “I offer my thanks for the rescue. I did not think I was going to escape with my life much less my bachelorhood.”
Thor hid his smile behind a sip of alcohol. “I fear I should remain close to you two as they appear to be working through the succession.” Balder said.
Thor nodded. “Prehaps they will give up if they can not catch you since Hermond is so much younger than they.”
“Nay, Thor, those Nixies only wish to sink their claws into the sons of Odin. They care little for looks or age.” Tyr shuttered.
“I hope my sons would not say such things to noble woman’s faces.” The three young men turned to face their mother, whom was dressed in a sparkling golden gown.
“I would not call them noble, mother.” Mumbled Tyr, earning him a scolding glare from Frigga.
Thor smiled kissing her cheek. “Mother, you look radiant.”
“It’s all the gold, Thor.”
“Even still without the gold, But where have you been?” Balder asked sweetly.
Thor took a sip of mead and regretted it instantly. “Preparing my successor.” Frigga smiled rubbing her oldest son’s shoulder as he coughed.
“Mother, I am not getting married and neither am I courting anyone, who could you name as your successor without my knowledge.”
“Thor, darling, I do not mean my title successor I mean my successor of power. Until you get married, your chief advisor, Loki willtake over many of my uties and the duties of Angrboda, now that he has come of age in Jotunheim. His position with you and marital match will strengthen many alliances Thor, he must look more radiant I.”
“That is quite impossible Lady Frigga, though I do try.” Frigga turned and smiled. “Loki, you flatter me.”
The three Odinsons turned and stood in shock. The androgynous creature that stood before was most definitely not the innocent little child that had trailed after Thor. Loki had grown into a willow figure only slightly shorter than Thor. His black hair had grown out and flowed like black silk to the floor. Down his back in stark contrast to his hair a massive expanse of a white bear pelt trailed behind him. A collar woven with gold and dotted with rubies covered his whole chest and shoulders. A golden belt held a shimmering silver shirt that was split above both sides of Loki’s hips.
Frigga watched Thor, Tyr, and Balder almost in unison slowly work their eyes over Loki’s body, looking for any trace of familiarity. She smiled. “Boys, you remember Loki. He and Thor used to be practically joined at the hip.
“Oh we remember, we just don’t remember Loki quite like this.” Tyr mumbled.
Loki smirked. “Puberty does tend to change one's looks, Tyr.”
Balder the beautiful was sheepish for once in his life as he spoke. “Though not usually with the grace that you have Loki.”
Loki drew his sweet mouth into a dazzling smile. “Thank you, its nice to know one of Odin’s sons inherited his mother’s wit and charm.”
Thor was still to dumbfound to speak. Loki was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. He wondered if Loki still fancied the position of Queen. Thor was very inclined to drop to his knees and offer it to him in full.
The prince wasn’t broken from his trance until his mother scolded him. “Thor!”
“My apologies, you were saying?” Thor finally met Loki’s ruby eyes.
Loki smirked knowing he was the cause of Thor’s faux pas. “Perhaps you should ask me to dance later, so that we might reacquaint ourselves, since we will be seeing a lot of one another.”
“Err… yes… fine idea.”
Both the Queen and the foreign prince gave him knowing looks. “Splendid, in the meantime, I shall return towards the dark elves delegation. Algrim made me promise my first dance of the evening to him.” He gathered his massive cloak.
Frigga spoke. “I shall accompany you. I have yet to greet their royal delegation and what kind of a host would I be if I didn’t?” she took his arm.
He smirked. “Have I told you about the incident at their party last summer…”
Once the pair was out of earshot, Balder leaned in next to Thor. “’tis not but brotherly attention I wish from him.” Balder mocked. “If that is what you call brotherly attention, I am going to start warding my door against you.”
Thor finished the rest of his mead in one drink, never taking his eyes off of the Jotun prince. “Still your tongue, you may be called Balder the Beautiful, but you do not have beauty of that caliber.” He said following after Loki.
Balder sipped his own drink watching his brother glare jealously at prince Algrim who was dance with Loki. “Thirty gold pieces Thor beds him tonight.”
Tyr snorted. “I’ll take that bet Thor can’t even ask him to dance.”
Thor could hardly believe his Loki had turned into this androgynous beauty. He watched as Algrim, heir to the throne of Svartalfheim, and Faradei, heir to the throne of Aflheim, begrudgingly took turns dancing with Loki.
As the night wore on Thor’s addled brain could not for the life of him figure out how to ask Loki to dance or to cut in. Women practically fell at his feet, but Loki was a prideful being that made him feel like an adolescent asking his first girl to dance again. By the later hours of the evening, most of the elderly nobles and young adolescence had gone to bed. Thor was the only one of his brothers-old enough to still be awake- who was not dancing.
Eventually as the midnight hour approached, Frigga made her way over to her sons to say that she was retiring for the evening.
Thor in his inebriated state watched his mother sweep towards Loki. They embraced and kissed each other’s cheeks. Queen Frigga eyed Thor before coming over to talk to her firstborn.
As she kissed his cheek she spoke. “Do not be jealous over other princes’ flirtation and advances when you cannot even talk to him to ask him to dance.”
“I am not jealous. Loki is my future advisor. I don’t want him caught in a war between Asgard and Svaltheim.”
Frigga smiled. “Thor, I am your mother. You may be able to lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to me. No one will stop you if you wish to court him.”
Thor sipped more mead. “A great deal of what the advisors discuss is the importance of the allies Loki’s marriage will being and father would not approve of such a wasted marriage contract.”
“Do not let your father’s judgment of your past courtship cloud your feelings of another one. Not to speak ill of our family, but the throne of Asgard is greatly swayed by the whims of the Queen Mother.”
Thor looked away from Loki, finally. “And what does political aspirations does my grandmother have for my relationships?”
Frigga laughed. “Thor, if Bestla had her way, Loki would have birthed you an heir and a spare sometime ago. From the day he arrived she pushed for your marriage. If Loki agrees, he would be yours. Provided he is, of course, untouched until your wedding day. Goodnight, Darling.”
Thor stared after his mother before turning back to where Loki was, only to find the other prince was gone. He looked over the party scanning for Loki. He managed to catch a glimpse of that Jotun royal cloak sweeping out the door.
The crown Prince slammed his goblet down on the nearest table and hurried after Loki. Always a step behind, Thor followed glimpses of that cloak around the twisting corridors of the palace, until they reached the private royal wing.
Rounding the corner, Thor stopped dead in his tracks- a guard had Loki pinned against the wall. The prince’s long smooth blue legs were wrapped around the guards waist as the guard fervently kissed along his neck. Loki moaned and clawed at the armor to encourage him further.
Before Thor realized what he was doing, thunder rattled the golden Asgardian sky and Mjolnir flew from his hand. Then hammer slammed into the guards shoulder. He exploded in green smoke, causing Loki to fall to the floor with a yelp.
“What are you doing, you great oaf?” He sneered as he picked himself up. Thor stormed towards him.
“I ask you the same question!”
“Clearly, living out a fantasy to which you’ve just ruined.” The adolescent huffed.
Thor growled and advanced on him coming to stop with his nose almost touching Loki’s. “Ruined! What would have happened had any other seen your little fantasy? It looked quite real! Every guard would coming knocking at your door for a tryst!”
He licked his blue lips. “Are you truly concerned for my honor?” Loki traced a blue finger down Thor’s chest plate before grabbing his belt and pulling the thunder against him. “Or are you jealous it was not you my fantasy was of?”
“I…You…” Thor stammered. Loki moved in for a kiss, which snapped Thor out of his haze. He pushed the Jotun away from him. Loki dissolved into green smoke in the same way the guard had. Thor stood ridged and perplexed as a soft chuckling came from behind him.
“Loki…” Thor whispered. Staring at the wall in front of him, he realized what hallway he was in. Behind him was the entrance to Loki’s new personal chambers. Slowly, Thor turned to see Loki leaned against the open doorway. A self-satisfied smirk stretched across his androgynous blue face.
Thor squared his shoulders. “Has your trickery brought you amusement?”
Loki smiled. “Immensely, despite it not being the deed’s intended purpose.”
“To what end was this mischief a means?” The Asgardian sighed.
Loki examined his nails. “To get you alone, of course.”
“We are different people than when we were children. I do not know you anymore, nor do I trust you.”
“Ah. You do not trust me or do you not trust yourself?” Loki’s red eyes looked up at him through his lashes.
“Both.” Thor whispered. “How can I trust you if I can not even be sure that you are not another apparition?”
The Jotun prince stepped forward offering his hand to the blond. “You won’t ‘til you touch me.”
Thor hesitated before reaching out and taking Loki’s hand. It was cold and soft like snow in Thor’s warm palm as the real Loki ushered Thor Odinson into his chambers.
Balder whispered to Tyr from their hiding spot behind one of the column. “I believe you lost the bet brother.” “Just because he entered his chambers does not mean Thor has bedded him.” the elder snapped as he walked off.
Loki dropped Thor’s hand and closed the door behind them. Loki’s rooms were an interesting mixture of the different realms. Much like Thor’s chambers the entryway was raised a few steps above the floor. To the left was a wall of ice that Thor was sure was not original. To the right was a closet that had been left in the usual Asgardian style of décor. Loki steered him away from these instead, he headed straight ahead towards the silk draped archways across from the door to the hallway. The miles of champagne colored silk cascading over from ceiling to floor effectively divided the vast room into two smaller more intimate ones.
Thor followed. Beyond the archways was a sitting area that reminded Thor of the palaces of the light elves. A hearth burned in the corner between the doorway to the washroom and the one to Loki’s private balcony.
The Prince took in the changes to the room once identical to his own. Loki purred his name. Thor’s head snapped in the direction of Loki’s voice, which lay behind another curtained archway. He placed Mojnir on a table next to one of the lounges before heading to where his advisor had called him.
Behind this second set of red silk, sat Loki perched on the edge of his bed looking over his shoulder at the elder prince. He had removed his fur cloak that he had spread atop the bed.
Thor knew this to be a precarious situation. Were Loki a purely male this would be nothing but comradely, were he a purely female Thor would be running in fear for his father’s warning to him about bastard, but Loki- damn him- was that gray area in between. He made Thor feel as if he was balancing on the edge of a cliff.
“I need assistance. I cannot remove this blasted collar by myself.” Loki pulled his hair out of the way to allow Thor more access. Thor moved to kneel on the bed next to him.
Thor was possibly the worst person Loki could have asked for help with this. His fingers were too big and lacked the dexterity needed to undo the small knotted-laces. The Prince, for a moment, thought of going and getting Balder to help, but he quickly banishing that remembering how Balder had looked at Loki. He needed to protect his advisor.
“By the Nords! Why are these so tight?” growled Thor in frustration.
Loki chuckled. “You see why I need help. Eventually I will be able to summon a solid copy of myself to help, but I’m not that skilled yet.”
“I am amazed you did not ask Algrim to help you. The way you two were dancing it looked like you really enjoyed yourself.” Thor finally managed to untie the last knot.
The younger prince sighed as he pulled the collar from his shoulders and handed it to Thor. “Algrim would be far too interested in his own needs to help me with mine. And I find his interest in me rather unappealing.”
Thor removed Loki’s crown. It was then that he noticed Loki was finally developing horns. “Then why do you return his affection?”
“I must ensure peace. Were I to outright reject him, the Dark Elves would likely take that as an act of war.
“Then how do you intend to make Algrim no longer desire for your hand without causing a war?” Thor retreated from the bed through the silk and back towards the entrance where the closet was to put away the crown and collar.
Loki smiled to himself. “By marrying a Prince other than Algrim.”
Thor wetted his lips as he looked back towards the curtains that Loki lay just beyond. “Anyone that you are particularly hoping for?”
Loki paused before he spoke, his voice harsh. “My feelings matter not. I’ve known for many years now, I will not marry for feeling but rather for peace.”
“You deserve to marry someone you love.” Thor returned through the arches only for Loki to stop him short by meeting him halfway. They both stood staring wide-eyed at each other, Thor parting the first set of curtains and Loki parting the second.
Jotun puberty had granted the young prince not only small budding horns but petite breasts, which were on full display for Thor to see.