Summary: Genderbent. Who would the relationships between characters change if Thor had been born a girl? How would the actions of the characters change?
This idea came to me one day about of the blue, and it would not let me go. One of my dear friends, once she heard the idea, also stated that she really wished to read it, and I sat down to rough out the first chapter. I look forward to working on this story, but I count it nearly as a character exercise. Don't expect regular updates.
Lastly, the characters do not belong to me which I am extremely sad about, but I'm sure they're happy about it. I put them through all sorts of hell.
It all started when Thora and her brother, Loki, were only pre-teens. They were still learning the varies aspects of life, the basics of the universe, the details of their history. Their father had relieved from their studies for the day to spend time with him, learning how to rule from his example, and he did it often enough to not make it a surprise but rarely enough that it was a treat. She always enjoyed her father's stories as they were true hero stories, but today was an especially nice treat.
He told them the story of the downfall of Jotenhiem, the last great war, a war in which he lead and won. It was a story she wanted to tell. For the first time, she knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be a warrior, take part in great battles and come out on the other side to tell the stories. She loved her mother, but the part of the faithful wife waiting at home wasn't her part to play. She would be a warrior, though she didn't know how she would accomplish it.
Years later, she walked through the gathering of the people, and they were all cheering, but not her brother. So many years had passed, and with every step she took towards her goal, her brother got further from her. Their father dotted more and more on her as she became more and more like him, but her brother was not a warrior, couldn't be if he tried (and he did). He was a wilier person. His strength was his mind and his tongue, which he channeled into illusions. The people believed that his strength wasn't the stuff for kings, and this caused a wedge between them.
But it was going to be a good day, a day she had been waiting on for so long. Today, she would be crowned, and the issue that had been sitting between her and her brother for so long would finally be settled. After today, they could finally, completely reconcile; they could go back to how they were as children, completely inseparable.
So she lifted her hammer high and shouted triumph at the masses gathered for her coronation, but invariably her eyes moved back to her family and friends gathered on the dais. Her brother was happy for her but jealous, but he would recover in time as she hoped her willingness to listen to his advice turned his favor around to her. Sif didn't approve of the way she played to the crowd; her former lover was too serious for her own good. Her mother was simply proud, but her father was completely unreadable. That was not a good thing; it meant he was having doubts.
She had done nothing wrong so she gave her brother a wink to cheer him up, and her mother shook her head ever so slightly beside him. She smiled triumphantly to her friends, and they smiled encouragingly back. Her father stood up and began his speech, but she heard little of it. Internally, she was too excited. This was the conclusion of her entire life's work, and everything would be put to right when the matter of the throne was settled between her and her brother. Everything would be alright.
"Do you swear to guard the nine realms?" her father started, and she knew better than to day-dream though this. This was the start of her life returning to her own control. No longer would her and her brother be held apart by their ambitions; they could reconnect, perhaps even rule side-by-side, though never together. He was her brother after all, and there was nothing that could change that.
"I swear," she said with ease. Already she could see herself at the head of a large army, standing strong against some enemy intent on destroying their people. To her right would be her brother just like he always was, close enough to give advice and to be protected by her use of Mjolnir. It was the only place she ever truly believed that he was safe, and of course, Sif would be to her left. It was where Mjolnir's strength and protection was the weakest and she needed someone she trusted to pick up the slack.
"Do you swear to preserve the peace?" her father continued, his eyes sharp for any sign of deceit. She was hurt by the unvoiced accusation. Deceit was her brother's ploy; she had always prided herself on her brutal honesty, and it was this honesty that had her father doubting now. She didn't understand why he couldn't see why she was doing what she was; her mother did, as did Loki on some level.
"I swear," she promised again, and she would do the best thing for peace that she knew. She would leave it in the hands of her brother. He was the diplomat, the peacekeeper; she was the one that took up the slack when words just weren't enough. Ironically though, she was both the one people feared and people respected, and her poor brother was the one everyone laughed at. It chaffed him.
Without missing a beat, her father gathered up for the final question, but she knew she was ready for this. Even if she wasn't, it had to happen soon or she would lose her brother forever, and she would rather struggle with the throne than to lose her brother. "Do you swear to case aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the realm?" was the last question, and she knew now that time was near. Everything was going to be alright.
"I swear," she shouted in triumph. She had no ambitions except for two: to be the greatest warrior in the realm, which she already was, and to keep her brother safe and close, which would fix itself in time. Being on the throne would help with both of those.
For a moment, her father looked sad, and she was disappointed. She had always hoped he would be proud that she was succeeding him, but perhaps he did want Loki on the throne instead. Loki would make a good king, but the people didn't like or trust him. They would never bow to his rule. "Then on this day," he started despite his misgivings, and she smiled. Everything was going to be fine. "I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you..."
She did not like the look in his eyes at his pause. His focus was elsewhere, and it had nothing to do with the ceremony. Something was wrong, and everything would not be alright ever again. Her chance was over. The Frost Giants had taken it all away from her, and she would never forgive them for that.
Loki blamed that day in the Weapons Vault when their father had told them the story of the downfall of Jotunheim for ruining everything. He and Thora had been perfectly fine before then; though she was horrible at it, she hadn't fought against her role as a woman, and they were happy. She had looked to him to be her brother, to protect her, to love her, but then she started to protect herself and him. There was barely room at her side for him anymore.
She was headstrong and reckless, trying to prove herself worthy of a warrior's status. She rushed headlong into battle, completely heedless of the dangers, and their friends rushed along behind her. He was just a tolerated handicap to them. He was never a strong fighter, and though he excelled at magic, it was mostly illusions. It was only so useful in battle.
He wasn't sure why she had insisted he be there for her coronation other out of curtesy as he was her brother after all, but he couldn't think of a reason other than that. She and her friends tolerated his presence, of that he was reasonably sure, and that was what hurt the worse. He just wanted to protect her, be near her, as he could never have her. She was his sister, and they had been running from the realization of their true feelings since puberty.
He just hoped that his trick would occur in time; she was not ready for the burden of the throne, and he hated the idea that she would be broken by it. He just wanted to protect her in the ways that he could since he could no longer do it in battle or from herself. Surely the Jotuns would be in Asgard by now.
Still, she looked so happy that he almost felt guilty that he was ruining her big day. No, scratch that, he did feel guilty, even if it was for her own good. She was purposefully playing to the crowd to cover her nerves; he knew her well enough to know that. The fact that she kept looking to him and their friends told him that much.
He didn't start to get nervous until she at last kneeled in front of their father to swear her oath of allegiance. What was taking the Jutons so long to cross into Asgard? Surely, they would have made the crossing by now, and their arrival wouldn't long go outside Odin or Heimdall's notice. As Odin's speech continued on, he became more and more nervous. If they didn't arrive in time to stop the ceremony, Thora's actions as Queen would easily start a new war, a bloody one that would end in the complete destruction of the Jotuns. Oh no, what had he done?
As Thora's was sworn in, desperate thoughts started racing through his mind. Perhaps he could create a panic with his magic to disrupt the ceremony, but no, his mother, at least, would see completely through that. Perhaps he should just leave the ceremony to finish; the Jutons were monsters anyway; but no, many Asgardian lives would be lost in the process as well. Perhaps he should...
Just as his sister was about to be declared, it happened. The Jotuns had finally caught his father's notice, and Odin trialled off. But instead of ordering out the guard for the attack, his father just whispered the name of the threat and stamped his staff, and for a good while, he had no idea just where the Jotuns had made their move. But a sickening feeling started settling in his stomach.
I thank everyone who read this very humble story, and I'm always happy to see your comments and answer any questions concerning this work or any of my others.