I've wanted to do this for awhile. The story has a vague shape, so we'll see how it progresses. I dip into comic/movie/and Norse-folklore canon, and then there are a writer's personal liberties. XD I'm a little torn for how to portray them, it's a little on the cusp. Loki still adores Thor, but he's right at hitting the bitterness over his brother. Thor is devoted to Loki, but hitting right where his arrogance is leading him astray. I think it'll make for good angst though. XD Enjoy! P.S. I'm sure they have canon ages somewhere, but for this story, Thor will be two years older than Loki.

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The metallic clang of sword-on-sword rang through the air to the cheers of onlookers as the match between the fair-faced young Fandral and the grinning prince of Asgard, Thor, progressed. At twenty, Fandral had a slight advantage, but his swordplay was already some of the best Asgard had seen. Thor at eighteen, although proving to be talented, wasn't nearly so well-matched. Still, to see the popular young prince in combat proved a much-enjoyed spectacle, and certainly there were a few maidens well-pleased to see the golden-haired prince glistening in the sun.

"Get him, Prince Thor! Teach that scoundrel a lesson!"

"Here's to the prince!"

"You've met your match, Fandral!"

From his vantage a bit away from the crowd, Loki could hear the cheers perfectly well, but he could he also hear the whispers.

"Fandral's going to win for sure."

"Thor's not much of a swordsman, is he?"

"Fandral's toying with him."

They were right of course, Thor was hardly a swordsman, but it wouldn't do for Fandral to beat him easily. That would humiliate the young prince's pride and teach him nothing, it might even incite his temper despite his opponent being Fandral.

"Prince Thor!" Came another cheer, and Fandral didn't miss a beat as he kept up his own smile. He understood the game, understood that cheers were in his favor although it seemed otherwise.

If his brother had had any wisdom, he would have known as much, but Thor had never been one to think things through.

The raven-haired youngest prince of Asgard leaned against the tree with a faint smirk at the thought that quickly gave way to a sigh and a slight scrunch of his nose at such a ungenerous thought on his part. The truth of it was that he loved his brother dearly, but the blind adoration he'd once bestowed on the other had begun to slip in lieu of his own budding talents and realization that his brother was a boy full of flaws. He didn't know why he was the way he was. Other sixteen-year olds seemed more concerned with battles and cute girls than in studies and contemplation. And certainly, he was the only one learning magic, which was at his mother Frigga's insistence and to his delight. A fact which often put him further left out, since magic was considered a woman's tool and for the weak. Which was foolish, because what good would a sword do if Loki could simply transform it into a snake, for example?

"He's got him on the ropes!"

Loki's gaze flicked back towards the fight, to where Thor had actually landed a decent parry and blow to Fandral's sword. Thor had improved, he would grant, but it was Thor who was on the ropes and not Fandral. A true swordsman needed more than blunt strength or skill, swordplay took cunning, which truly was not his brother's strong suit. They were opposites, he and Thor. While Thor was fair and bright, strong and bold, slow-witted and boisterous...Loki was dark and reserved, strong in spirit but not in body, clever and manipulative. He almost wondered how they could be brothers at all, and it simaltaneously brought them closer together and further apart.

"Prince Thor!" This time the cheer held a different note, and Loki returned his attentions to the fight yet again in mild alarm. The fight had stopped, and it seemed that Thor had taken a fierce cut to the shoulder. Blood poured from the wound and trickled down the prince's arm. In truth, it wasn't all that serious, but it was treated like a mortal injury by all around since Thor was the crown prince after all.

Fandral was apologizing for his carelessness when Loki approached, although Loki doubted it was Fandral's error. He pushed past those who did not move, though at the sight of him, several people moved almost eagerly out of the way. Unlike his brother, Loki was not so very well-loved. "Must you always make a scene, brother?" he said as he reached Thor, and he smirked faintly at the other as he teased him.

Thor, who rubbed his arm with a scowl, shook his head. "It is not my fault."

Loki fought the urge to roll his eyes, Thor was in one of his moods. It seemed that Thor had grown more arrogant lately than ever before, almost sullen in his suddenly superior nature. It wasn't a quality that Loki liked. "Then it is your sword's fault that you lack skill?" he replied archly, and Thor's eyes narrowed even as Loki reached his hand out and placed it over Thor's wound. The warm blood on his hand soon stilled as he used his magic to repair the damage, and Thor's arm was healed as though no wound had ever been.

Things were silent for a moment, and Thor seemed surprised before people began to speak again and start speaking of what a good match it had been. Loki fought his own annoyance. As usual, his use of magic was seen as something abnormal, and although he'd done a good deed, Thor did not look grateful.

Fandral broke the uncomfortable silence with another apology. "Forgive me, Thor, I misstepped-"

"-You did nothing wrong." Loki interjected, annoyed at being treated like a villain for healing his brother and not pandering to him. "You cannot be held responsible if Thor cannot hold his own against you. Especially when you were taking it easy on him."

Silence broke out again, and Thor's nostrils flared at that. Loki regretted his words almost instantly, worse than poking at his already injured pride, he'd done it in front of a crowd. Thor would not like that at all.

Thor stepped closer to Loki, to glare down at him from the height difference he held between them. "What do you know of swordplay? You're too scrawny to lift a sword, much less wield one."

The uncomfortable silence was broken by snickers and some dirty looks in Loki's direction. He could see that he would have no allies here. But now that the fight had begun, Loki wasn't going to back down, he would never yield to his brother the way the fools surrounding them would. "At least I can properly use the weapons I do possess." Loki retorted.

Thor's teeth gritted as his younger brother continued to attempt to humiliate him in front of his friends and peers. He sneered as his temper rose and then gave his brother a mocking smile as he laughed aloud. "And what weapon is that? The twig that passes for your manhood, or perhaps your precious books? All tremble before the might of...a papercut!"

The insults were childish, really, and poorly delivered. But sure enough, the crowd laughed and seemed delighted at Thor's poor attempt to humiliate him. And while the words were foolish, the reaction irked him and Loki glared at his brother. "My magic could stop you long before you could even lift your sword." he hissed.

"He boasts about fighting like a woman! Unbelievable!" Thor laughed, again joined by a chorus of others.

And this was the brother that Loki couldn't stand, the one whom he'd begun becoming unenamored of. When they were children, Thor was bright and strong, and Loki had followed him like a moth to flame, entranced. And despite that, Thor had treated him like an equal and partner, his gaze rarely strayed from Loki whom he protected fiercely. Even as his arrogance began to bud and bloom, Loki was still his partner. And then he'd begun to make other friends, began to have ridiculous ideas of his own self-worth, and developed a cruel streak. "Is that what you think? I'd be beating you with a woman's powers?" Loki retorted.

Thor's smile became a sneer again as he gave Loki a sharp poke in the chest. "There will never come a time when you could beat me, brother."

Aside from his offense at those words, it sickened him that Thor could use the word 'brother' in such a callous way. Rather than affection, it was intended to mock and belittle Loki. He would not continue this any further. "There may come a time when you eat those words, brother." he replied in kind, and with that, Loki gracefully exited the crowd, refusing to show any weakness even as the others laughed at his retreating back. His fists clenched as rage blossomed in him, at the brother he loved so dearly...and could not stand.

...

How many hours passed after the incident, Loki was not certain. He'd taken the opportunity to pay a visit to a more comforting presence. The one known as The Enchantress, Amora.

The voluptuous blonde had been in the middle of crafting a potion, and she didn't turn as he approached. "My darling Loki, come to pay me a visit, have you?"

Loki didn't know if it was her powers, or simple logic that led her to know that it was him without a glance, and he took a seat in her range of vision with a faint smile. "I wanted to see you."

Amora threw in a powder of some kind and finally glanced up at Loki. She studied him for a moment before she declared. "You've had a fight with Thor again, haven't you?"

Loki's smile slipped as he finally allowed himself to openly scowl. "The oaf was injured in a sword fight with Fandral. I healed him, and called him out on his behavior, he didn't take it well."

"I expect not." she said with knowing amusement. Loki had no idea how old Amora truly was, she had seemed the same age for all the years he'd known her. She was an outcast, much like him, someone feared and whispered about although her presence in Asgard was tolerated. He was still not sure why she held such a poor reputation, but ever since she'd taken up assisting him with his magic in secret several years back, she'd become perhaps his closest and only friend outside of Thor. "He grows more cruel to you of late." she noted.

"I think it is a thorn in his side, that I will not bow to him as others will. And that I will not engage in his foolishness."

"I cannot blame you for that." she murmured as she mixed a few more ingredients. "Have you tried speaking with him directly? To find a root for his behavior, perhaps?"

Loki scoffed. "I know the cause. He is an arrogant oaf, far too full of himself and too little learned. It would be easier to speak to a wall than to him."

Amora chuckled. "That may be true." she finally set aside her work to sit on the arm of Loki's chair as she draped an arm around him and stroked his hair lazily. Loki leaned against her and allowed her touch with relief. Amora brought him strange comfort, like an older sister. "He is lucky to have a brother such as you. He will see it one day."

Loki snorted. "I doubt that."

Amora forced Loki to look at her suddenly, a green-nailed finger tilted his chin up towards her. "Then you must make him see, Loki. If he is to one day be king, you must stand by his side. You must make up for his failures, you must show him that you are no puppet. If he does not value you, then he does not deserve you."

Loki took the words like a balm to his raging soul. "Why must I support him?" he grumbled. "Let him be king and ruin Asgard."

"No." Amora said sternly. "You must not think that way. You are destined for greater things, Loki...in truth, you would make the better king."

Loki blinked at that. For all that he thought Thor was heading down a fool's path, it was only natural to think of him as king. He had never coveted the throne himself, or thought he would be better placed upon it. "Thor will be king." That much he knew with certainty.

"Which is almost a shame." she said with a sigh. "For I would much rather serve you..." she trailed a finger against his cheek and he shivered. He, as king? Such a thing would never pass...but really...wouldn't he do better by Asgard than Thor? Still, it was Thor who would be king, Thor who was his brother, and despite his anger and misgivings...he did want to be beside him. It was only that he wanted Thor to recognize him. To appreciate Loki and his value, his talents.

"I must go." he said suddenly, with a glance outside. "Mother is expecting me for a lesson."

As always, Amora's lips turned with the slightest distaste that she veiled quickly at the mention of Frigga. She pressed a light kiss to his head and ran her fingers through his hair once more. "Go then, my cute little Loki. Do not keep the Queen waiting."

Loki started to rise but Amora caught him by the arm. "Think about what I've said, Loki. If you cannot be the king yourself, then at least make sure your brother doesn't destroy this kingdom...is that not your duty as a prince of Asgard?"

He hadn't thought of it that way before, but she was right, wasn't she? Although Thor was his older brother, Loki was by far the wiser...wasn't it his duty to take repsonsibility and guide his brother through his shortcomings? "You are wise as ever, Lady Amora...thank you."

She smiled slyly. "Visit again soon, I have a new spell to show you."

A thread of excitement ran through him at that as he kissed her cheek in a brotherly way, and then left to meet his mother. Amora was the only one who truly understood him, and she was right. Thor was a fool, but he was Loki's fool. In time, he could make Thor see, couldn't he? That he needed Loki, and that Loki was not nearly the weakling he thought him to be.

...

The lesson with Frigga went well, his magic had come a long way although he was careful to hide things he had learned from Amora. Her style of magic was different than his mother's, darker, and Frigga in general would not like to know of how much time he spent with the enchantress. Even so, she could tell that her beloved son was distracted, for she missed little.

"That will be all for today." she announced as she took a seat and beckoned Loki to join her. "But for a bit, will you talk with your mother?"

Loki blinked and then smiled warmly, his earlier rage forgotten in the face of his beautiful, loving mother. "Of course...what would you have me speak of?"

Frigga was silent a moment before she said lightly. "I have heard of what took place today..."

Loki's smiled slipped as he looked down and then shrugged. "A minor fight...nothing of note."

Frigga frowned then and shook her head as for the second time, Loki was forced to face some one with a hand on his cheek. "I have spoken with Thor, he knows of my disapproval."

"Mother, you didn't!" Loki said quickly. Thor would not take kindly to that at all, and he would surely blame Loki.

Frigga lifted a stern brow and he fell silent. "You are brothers, and you are my sons. I do as I must...he was wrong to treat you that way, and I am sorry for it."

"It is not your fault, Mother..."

"Is it not? If he grows too arrogant or cruel, then isn't it that I have not been raising him well?"

"No!" Loki said vehemently, as he gazed earnestly at his mother. "You have done nothing wrong. It is Thor who is being a fool!"

Frigga's brow was still lifted sternly, but her lips quirked a bit. "Do not call your brother thus, Loki...like you, he is learning his own lessons...if you continue to think of him as a fool, it is all you will ever see him as."

Loki frowned, not sure how to reply to that. "I...do not try to think unkindly of him...but lately he has been so...so..."

"Unlike himself." Frigga finished, and although that hadn't been where Loki was headed, he could not disagree. "Odin, bless his heart, fills his head with glorious battles and promises of rule. Those around him cater to him and feed his arrogance. All humility and kindness is pushed aside in favor of being a warrior and future king...he is taught to favor war over knowledge...it is not entirely Thor's fault that he is becoming as he is."

Loki hadn't considered that, and it lessened the anger in his heart a bit. Thor truly was pressured to behave as he was, although he seemed to relish it. Didn't it just go back to what Amora had said, that Loki who knew better, should attempt to guide Thor to be better?

"Speak with him, Loki." Frigga said, mirroring Amora's advice in that as well. "Tell him your feelings, remind him that you are brothers and that you are your own person as well."

"He will not like that, Mother."

"But he will at least hear the words, and be forced to think on them." At Loki's doubtful glance, she chuckled and hugged him warmly as she pressed a kiss to his head. "Give your brother some credit, he is not the fool you take him for. You are just entirely too wise, my son."

Loki felt a spark of pride at that, and a rush of love and affection for his mother whom he hugged back. "Thank you, Mother...truly. I love you."

"And I love you, Loki." Frigga held him a moment before she released him, and Loki left with renewed purpose.

Rather than being bitter over Thor, Loki should use knowledge to help him grow and overcome his less desirable traits. That made sense...it might take time, but surely he could force reason into Thor.

...

The moon was high in the sky when Loki finally found Thor, and he was surrounded by several of those from the crowd earlier. They seemed to be well in their cups, and he could tell Thor was inebriated from the slight slur and drawl of his words.

"Speaking of m'swordplay...like h'knows anything.." Thor growled. Unbeknownst to Loki, his companions had been goading him most of the day, filling his ears with poison about how rude and foolish Loki had been. In fact, Thor had been inclined to reconcile with Loki, and thank him for healing the wound until they'd gotten their hooks in him. But to Loki, it seemed as if Thor had likely just been nursing injured pride all day, and was still speaking poorly of him even now.

Anger flared up in Loki again in an instant as he listened to the conversation from the shadows.

"That girlish brat...speaking to you, the crown prince of Asgard like that! He cannot even fight! How dare he!" One of his companions said in outrage.

"You are too kind to put up with the likes of him." Another said sympathetically.

"He is so...unpleasant. He skulks about like a thief, sullen and cold." said another with distaste.

Loki's fists clenched, and he watched Thor carefully, some part of him wanting desperately for his brother to defend him as he would have once done.

But Thor just scowled. "Exactly! Everythin' I do for him...ungrateful pest..." he slurred.

What? Loki raged in his mind as his fists clenched at his sides. What exactly did Thor do for him anymore, besides to mock him?

"You should teach him a lesson." Someone said, and all eyes turned that way. "Humiliate him as he tried to do to you." A chorus of agreement went around the table. Thor's head was turned, and Loki could not see the sudden frown that curved his lips at that. For all his anger at Loki, to go out of his way to harm or humiliate his brother did not sit well with him. But before he could reply, another spoke up.

"I know of a way!" Said another. "I have a special herb...it's effects are short but powerful...he'll be as if he'd drunk his weight in ale, he'll be no silvertongue then...in that state, we can do as we like with him...if he wishes to be a woman, let's make one of him. Dress him up and paint him up as one!" An excited chorus of agreement echoed at that.

"No!" Thor's sudden objection was loud as he slammed a fist on the table, startling those around him. "He's'm brother...whatever'lse he is..."

Loki was surprised by Thor's defense of him, but he wondered if that response wasn't just that Thor didn't want the shame of a brother who'd been thus treated, rather than actual concern for him.

"He mocks you, Thor...openly. He seeks to humiliate you, he does not respect you."

"Not true.." Thor said slowly, but his face was scrunched with confusion. He was more intoxicated than he appeared.

"Isn't it? He laughs at you, talks behind your back of you...he thinks he is better than you! Even today, he claimed he could defeat you! Perhaps he seeks to be king in your place!"

Thor's eyes widened at that as his fists clenched. "He would not dare." he growled.

"Teach him a lesson...remind him who his king is...who is superior."

Loki wanted to strangle each and every one of them. Power brimmed at his fingertips, he could not recall the last time he'd been so angry. Was this a king? This drunken, easily led fool?

"No harm done, just a prank, to remind him of his place beneath you."

"Beneath me..." Thor repeated slowly.

Twelve-year old Thor smiled warmly at his ten-year old brother. He had been being made fun of by a few errant youths, Thor had sent them forcibly packing and sought to comfort Loki against their mocking words. Words about Loki not belonging and having no place. "Someday, when I am king, we will rule together! Nothing will stand in our way!"

"But, Thor...there can only be one king."

"You'll be beside me always, brother...it's the same thing! We are equals. You must always remember that."

"Do you promise?"

Thor smiled warmly as gave Loki a one-armed hug. "I swear it, brother. We will always be together. I love you most of all."

"And I you, brother." Loki replied gratefully as he returned the hug eagerly, pleased as always for the affection and favor of his beloved older brother.

"You're'right." The words came out as one. "We'll teach'im a lesson...he is beneath me, I stand above'im."

Loki took the words like daggers to his heart. We shall see, Thor. He hissed in his mind, and he took his leave. Two could play at that game. When Thor came to 'teach him a lesson', he would be in for a rude awakening indeed.

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This is not how I expected. Loki was going to thirteen, and Thor fifteen. They would have some bitter feelings budding, have a fight that leads to what's going to happen, mostly due to a misunderstanding and Thor posturing...but then this all came out. I kept having to change their ages to suit it. I kind of liked the way I'd intended it, but I like this too and it's how it's been written so...hopefully you all enjoy it too. Certainly it's upped the angst factor, since they aren't so much innocent children now as was originally intended. Which would have been cute too...gah! But now it can be a little darker and such. And they're more bitter at their ages than I'd intended. I dunno! Reviews and thoughts are like verbal hugs. Enjoy!~Witchy~