This is my first time attempting the Thor movie-verse, so if I get something wrong, please correct me! I'd appreciate it as I obsessively watch the movie. This is set before Thor, but I've twisted it a little so that Loki has a suspicion of his true bloodline. As always, I do not own anything but my OC, Sera. Thank you. :)

My mission was simple. Create peace within Asgard or die trying. My father and Odin had been discussing peace for weeks, trying to reach a suitable conclusion that benefited both kingdoms. When they had appeared at a dead-end, my father offered me and Odin had strangely accepted. What I possessed that no other option had baffled me, but I accepted my fate without argument. In two weeks' time, I will be sent to Asgard as a gift of peace to the Asgardian people. May I not fail my dear father.

Sera breathed in the warm Asgardian air, the scent of the sea mixing with the humidity that the warm season brought on the tide. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides as the warm air lapped at her face. The atmosphere here was so different from her home back on... Father said not to mention it, not even in your thoughts. Sorcerers here could read the innermost thoughts of anyone around them. Sera's eyes lowered to the rainbow bridge she now strode on. Years ago, she had been here. She had been small, but she remembered. The air still smelled the same and the golden aura of Asgard had never dimmed. As her feet carried her closer to the end of the Bifrost, her heart began to thud within her chest. She was a peace offering from her father and her people, enemies of Odin and Asgard. If she failed, death would surely befall her as well as dishonor on her people.

Her father's instructions had been clear. She was to travel through Heimdall alone to Asgard and go directly to the palace. There, she would have a formal hearing at noon with Odin and Frigga to decide her duties within their kingdom. Once they decided her fate, Sera would be at Odin's beck-and-call for the rest of her life.

Crossing the end of the Bifrost onto the first street, Sera's pace quickened. Her handmaiden, Leya, had sorted her minimal belongings that she had brought with her. Her necklace, an enchanted ice shard from Jotunheim, was tucked away in a bag that hung on her right shoulder. Sera had gotten the necklace from her great-grandmother, who would not disclose the direct origin of the mysterious shard. She kept it hidden, knowing that the Jotuns had a particularly bloody past with the Asgardians. A simple trinket might not spark another war, but it was possible that it might infuriate Odin.

Turning down street after street, she forced herself to keep her pace swift yet calm. She was not pleased to be here, but if it meant keeping peace between the Asgardians and her people, she would grin and bear it. She finally came to the grand entrance to the palace, her eyes becoming large with astonishment. Her home had been grand, yes; her father being the ambassador had given her many perks to the finer things in life. However, Sera was taken back by the grandeur of the home of Odin and the royal family. It was golden and polished, shining in the light of the two suns that met above the tallest tower. The structure reminded her of organ's pipes from Midgard, the towers reaching for the skies above. She entered through a massive door, which opened before she could muster the composure to rap upon its wooden surface. She nodded to the armored guard who had courteously opened the door for her and asked, "May I inquire as to the whereabouts of Odin's throne room?"

"'Tis that way, miss," the guard answered, gesturing down the hallway. Sera nodded her thanks and trotted in the direction he had indicated.

A few moments later, she could feel the sweat pooling at the small of her back. Her nerves were slowly getting the best of her, and she'd only been waiting for a few minutes. She knew that the rest of her life here depended on this interview – or hearing, whichever you prefer – that she now awaited. Sera glanced in a window to her right, seeing her vague reflection peering back at her. Dark hair fell down her shoulders, ending at her breasts. Dark eyes blinked quickly with nervous anticipation, framed by thick black eyelashes. Pale skin, as pale as alabaster, was set against a dark navy dress to match her enigmatic iris color.

Soon, she noticed a guard in identical armor to the first opening the golden door for her. Her time had come. She took a deep breath and entered the throne room.

Loki had never really enjoyed sessions of the royal court. He was rarely in attendance at the pesky things. However, Odin had been rather adamant that he attend this particular hearing. Why was still a question he intended to have answers to. As he sat stock still in his chair to Odin's left, his emerald eyes watched as a guard reached for the monstrous handle of the door to the room. He felt his face tense as a young woman strode into the room. Her shoulders, thin yet well-formed, were held back as she demonstrated perfect posture. She carried herself proudly, her lithe form marching to a spot toward the front of Odin's throne. He placed her age to be around nineteen, maybe twenty. She curtsied, her long navy dress pooling on the ground below her. She kept her head slightly lowered as a sign of respect until she was addressed.

Odin addressed her, his eye inspecting her. "Are you the daughter I was promised?"

"Yes, my King. My father sends his deepest sympathies that I had not arrived sooner." Her voice was melodious, yet had a twinge of roughness to it as if she had been yelling. Loki raised a single, ebony eyebrow as he studied her closer. She had raised her head as Odin had spoken to her, her pale chin jutting up as she gazed up toward her new ruler. Her jaw was set, he noticed. Attitude. What a fine peace offering this girl makes, Loki mused, grinning on the inside. He placed his right index finger horizontally to his lips as he leaned on his right elbow. His head cocked lazily to the right as his emerald eyes ran over the set of her jaw, her almond shaped eyes, her thin figure, and stopping on her eyes. They were a mysterious shade of midnight blue, as deep and as dark as the Asgardian night sky. He let his eyebrow fall as he tuned into her voice again.

Odin nodded. "And your name?"

"Sera." Her reply was short, and Loki noted that she had not mentioned her family name. He paused, waiting for his father to point out her identification flaw. Odin simply smiled, his eye crinkling at the corners.

"My dear, you do not need to be tense. You are in good hands, even with the unfortunate events happening that have brought you here," Odin stated, leaning forward in his chair. "Your father tells me you have extraordinary talent in a certain field of interest."

Probably healing or fertility, Loki mused, his eyes taking another once-over of her.

"Yes. My father speaks very highly of my... talent."

"And pray tell what this may be?" Odin prodded, a silver eyebrow raising in curiosity. Loki leaned forward, catching a glimpse of his muscular brother out of the side of his eye. Thor had been strangely silent as he sat on the right side of Odin, studying their new peace token. The girl below, smirking with secret delight at their sudden interest in her, nodded.

"I have the ability to bend men and matter to my will," she calmly replied. Odin took a slight pleasure in this.

"Has this talent been of any use to you against adversaries?" he asked.

"Quite possibly, my King. My father decided to keep me out of battle for reasons unknown to myself." She clasped her hands behind her back, her shoulders curving slightly backward. Her collarbone stood in great contrast to her pale skin, showing slight muscular curves that came from battle. She had battled, Loki noticed, but it had been training. She had been trained as a warrior and kept from the field.

Odin seemed slightly uneasy to Loki's right as he shifted in his chair. "I see. Sera, I can tell you have talent. It oozes from you like the confidence your father exhibits at every meeting. However, he has told me that you still need training in your art, and as part of the agreement he and I made, you will receive training from a master of the same art." Odin's left hand stretched to Loki, breaking him out of his studious spell that had been cast over him as he heard her utter the words of her trade.

Loki barely heard his father announce that he would train the girl before he felt irritation. How was he supposed to be bundled down with this... serf? He felt a wave of disgust wash over him as the girl smiled darkly at him. She did not seem to like the idea either, but knew that refusal could mean death and disgrace. She murmured her consent to his training and Odin dismissed her. Loki glanced at his father as she traipsed out of the room, her shoulders firm and held back with pride.

"Father, I refuse to train her."

"You are to train her and that is final. She is our only hope to keep her kingdom at bay. I will not have Asgard fall to those brutes. Am I clear?" Odin's booming voice would carry to the hallway, but Loki had no care for the girl's delicate feelings if she did overhear his distaste with being her teacher. But he was not to argue with his father... if he did, he would never have a chance at the throne. Loki nodded quietly.

"Yes, father." He bowed and swept from the throne room, retreating to his chambers. Thor glanced after the dark prince as he stormed from the room. He chuckled.

"Well, he's just a big ball o' sunshine, isn't he?"