This story takes place shortly before the first "Thor" movie. Thor is about to be proclaimed king and brimming over with self-confidence. Loki does not look forward to that change, but so far he's "known his place" and accepted Thor's promotion as the way life is for a second-born son.

Meanwhile, guests arrive from all the realms... and Thor is thinking of ways to pass the time until the start of the festivities...

(I understand that Angrboda has appeared in Marvel, but I have not read the comic books. I chose her as the female part in this story because of her role in the original Edda. Please don't flame me, if this story isn't consistent with how she's used in the comics.)

Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, Loki, Odin or any other characters in this story. This fanfic is done for the love of trickster deities, and I do not make money from it.

+++ Chapter 1: Have Fun, my Soon-to-be-King +++

'Loki? Are you in?'

Loki raised his head and shouted, 'No!' Sometimes it helped.

But not today.

'Very funny.' Knocking at the door. 'Come on. Open.'

'I've got work to do, Thor.'

'So you said yesterday.'

'I have a lot of work to do.'

'So you said this morning. Brother. I require your presence.'

'I am sure you already have the undivided attention of the Lady Sif and the warriors Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun.'

As so often, the irony was lost on the warrior.

'Er – no,' said Thor. 'Hogun is not with us this time.'

'Ah. May I inquire what argument he is excused on?'

There was a short silence. 'Promise you won't tell anybody?'

'I promise. Now, what is – '

'He's afraid of heights,' Thor shouted through the massive door. His voice probably echoed through half Asgard.

'I am afraid of heights,' Loki shouted back.

'No, you're not.' Thor's voice assumed a tone of command that indicated he was through with bickering and wanted to be on his way. On their way. 'Now, open that door, little brother.'

Loki used his magic to move the door bolt. Thor entered.

His brother sat at his desk, as he usually did. There were books in front of him, as there usually were. Only, there were more.

'No way you can read all this until tonight's festivities,' Thor pointed at the stack of books and scrolls that seemed remarkably high even for Loki's standards.

'Thor,' said Loki. He sounded resigned. 'I thought they'd told you. I'm not supposed to join the celebration.'

'You're – ' Thor stared, eyes bulging. 'You're joking, right?'

Loki shook his head, 'No joke. Not this time.'

Thor blustered, 'But this is my day of honor! How could you miss it?'

'Go ahead. Talk to father. I understand it was his decision.'

'But why, brother? Why would he do such a thing and exclude you, of all people.'

'The official argument is that I've become too versed in some spells. The king's council says there are guests who might feel uncomfortable in my presence.' There was little irony in Loki's tone of voice this time.

Thor stroked his beard with one finger, thoughtful, 'And you believe that?!'

'At least it's not too unusual.' Loki's resigned tone of voice turned into defiance. 'You go and join the others, brother. I'd expect you to be the only one to regret my absence.'

'You know that's not true!'

'You really believe that, don't you?' The sarcasm was back. 'Just go and have fun, my soon-to-be-king. I'll stay here and – do my homework.' He actually made an effort to physically move Thor toward the door. Thor was too stunned by what he had learned to resist the push of his brother's hand on his back. He took a couple of hesitating steps.

Sif, Fandral and Volstagg left their cover around the door frame and blocked the way.

'Is he coming, Thor?' Fandral was carrying several large metal hooks.

'That's quite a lot of books to read,' boomed Volstagg, whom some oaf had entrusted with the mead supply.

'I am glad you noticed, Volstagg.' Loki undertook one final effort to avoid this lunacy, 'These books are exactly the reason why I am not coming – '

'But Loki,' said Sif, showing him a length of hemp rope. 'We need you. Do you want one of us to fall to their death?'

'Of course, he doesn't.' Thor was back to his cocksure self. He slammed his hand on his brother's back.

'Let me get my coat,' Loki said, once he could breathe again.

Ten minutes later, under a starlit sky and suspended over an equally vast and wild water, the young Asgardians were busy on the rainbow bridge. Thor had been present in the throne room when Odin Allfather summoned Asgard's guardian Heimdall to discuss with him security precautions for the upcoming events. This left the gang with about half an hour, and they meant to make the most of it.

Sif rolled out the length of rope, while Volstagg set up a circle of goblets and filled them with mead. Thor was using the Mjolnir to drive the hooks into the Bifrost's iridescent surface. It was probably sacrilege to use the hammer for such mundane work. But this was a matter of "safety first", and there was no tool more suited for entrusting their lives to than the God of Thunder's mighty hammer.

Loki eyed the preparations warily, 'Spur my memory, good Fandral. There must have been a time when I already expressed my opinion on this kind of past-time.'

Fandral accepted his goblet from Volstagg's hand, 'Time and again you did, my prince. You usually start by calling me "good Fandral".'

'Loki?' Sif came over, trailing rope behind her. 'We're all set. Will you weave the spell?'

'And weave it well!' Thor boomed with grandeur. He put his arm around the valkyre's shoulders and hugged her against himself. 'For our lovely Sif will be the first to challenge the great falls.'

Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's boisterous demeanor. But he went down on his haunches and touched the rope on Sif's ankle. He touched the knots, too.

Fandral looked disappointed, 'Sif? But I wanted to go first.'

Volstagg grumbled, 'Where's your manners, Fandral? She's a lady.'

'Yes, but she was first to start, last time.'

'There. That should easily hold a valkyre and her horse,' announced Loki, getting up.

'I'll tell the void "hello" for you, Fandral.' Sif drank from her goblet, then thrust it at Thor and set off. Uttering a shrill war cry, she raced toward the Bifrost's rim, pushed off and leapt as high and far as she could. The warriors cheered, as her arc reached its pinnacle and started to descend. Sif turned in mid-air, bringing her arms over her head, and dived. There was a brief flash of gold, the light of Asgard reflected from her armour, as she fell past.

As always, there was a short moment of breathless suspense – would the hooks take the weight? Would the rope break her fall, was it attached safely or would the knots slip?

But, just as always, Thor's strength and Loki's magic were an unparalleled combination, and the only inconvenience Sif had to endure was the rough jerking to a halt when the rope was at its limits. She bounced up, once, twice – three times, cheering wildly: She had no idea, never been able to find out, what Loki did to the ropes to get them elastic like that. But it was not the least part of the fun.

When the momentum was finally used up, her body started to swing. She craned her head to look at the churning, gushing waters below and laughed.

'Pull her up.' On Thor's command, Fandral and Volstagg grabbed the rope and pulled the valkyre back to safe ground. She rolled herself on to the Bifrost and sat up, 'By Odin's good eye, I could do this all day.'

'Speaking of time: Who's next?' Volstagg held up the rope, bending it into the shape of a horse shoe.

'My brother.' Thor clapped his hand on Loki's shoulder.

'Oh no.' Loki shook his head. 'No, no, no, leave me out of this one.'

'Why he?' asked Fandral.

'Because he's missing most of the fun scheduled for tonight,' said Thor. 'Our father excluded him from the celebration. And the queen showered him with homework instead.'

This took the warriors be surprise.

'What?' they asked. 'Why?'

Their consternation seemed so genuine Loki almost forgot he had never really felt he belonged.

Thor silenced them with raised hands, 'I promise you. I will put these questions before our father. For the time's being – Loki's turn. Volstagg. Fasten the rope.'

Volstagg knelt at Loki's feet and looped the rope around his ankle. He really meant his prince to be safe. Loki realized it as he magically secured the knots. They didn't require his spells to hold a man three times his weight. Naturally, he neverthelass applied his own best effort.

And then, he stood on the edge of the Bifrost, and all hopes of Heimdall noticing in time to save him diminished. Better get this over with.

But he just couldn't get his feet to move.

He was not afraid of heights, not really. But this was madness. No sentient being in their right mind would risk falling into those deadly waters and, ultimately, the bottomless void. It was said to be a gateway into far regions of space, but no one had ever lived to tell -

'Come on, Loki. There's some of us waiting their turn,' Fandral shouted.

'Come on, Loki,' shouted Sif.

'He won't do it,' said Volstagg to Thor. Thor frowned: Even suggesting that his brother might back down rubbed him the wrong way. Loki was not chicken. He just needed... brotherly encouragement.

'Hoy! Loki!' Thor called out, and tossed Loki a metal object. Loki gasped and so did the others, assuming from habit that it was the Mjolnir. But it wasn't. Loki realized it the instant he caught the thing rather painlessly against his stomach. Still, with Thor's great strength behind the throw, he lost balance and tumbled over the edge. The boiling, black water rushed up at sickening speed. His inner ear which was finely tuned for speeds and directions tumbled topsy-turvy. A hard jerk broke his fall. Directions switched in an instant, and – Odin's mercy, the knots? Were the knots holding?

Hanging upside down, his body started swinging like a pendulum. He swallowed hard to keep his lunch down (or wasn't it "up", rather?, his inner ear whispered to him, desperate).

Thor, Fandral and Volstagg appeared on the edge of the rainbow bridge, looking down at him dangling.

Even from Loki's awkward angle, Thor looked maddeningly pleased with himself, 'Brother? Hold on to my helmet, will you?'

Loki found that he was clutching his brother's winged helmet. For one instant, he considered letting go of it, just from malice. He could always claim that he had done so involuntarily...

'Did you enjoy your jump?' asked Volstagg, genuinely interested.

Loki shut his eyes. 'Just pull me up, will you?' He tried hard not to sound begging. After all, he was a prince of Asgard. And Thor's brother. 'Now.'

'Thor,' called Sif. 'Look!'

Thor followed her gaze and saw a group of five riders trot along the bridge toward them. (The horses, of course, were Asgardian, as that was a problem with the Bifrost: You had to find mounts that were not scared to death by how the rainbow bridge transported its charge. The fairyphant had done rather well, earlier that day, while the harpies, although not strictly speaking animals, had arrived a fluttering, exited mess.) - The visitors were dressed like Asgardian nobles, clad in gala armors of silver and gold. Instead of helmets, they wore bands of metal that wound tightly around their shaved heads and came down over their temples and jaws to protect their faces. The two women appeared to be a fair-haired lady in ice-blue silk and furs, and her maid.

Thor called out to them, 'Rein in your mounts, strangers. Relate your names and business in the realm of Asgard.'

'Who wants to know?' answered one of the men.

'Volstagg?' called Loki from below. 'Are you there?'

'I am Thor, Prince of Asgard,' shouted Thor. 'And I am not used to being answered in such manner.'

'Nor are we used to being welcomed to Odin Allfather's realm,' the man said. 'But, alas, a hospitable welcome was what we expected when we followed his invitation.'

'Help? Anyone?'

The visitors looked about, 'Where's that voice coming from?' one asked.

'Where do you come from?' asked Thor. 'There lies no realm of men in that direction!'

('Every realm lies in the line of the Bifrost,' mumbled Fandral. – 'Aye,' mumbled Volstagg, 'But I think he's making a point.')

A desperate hand came up over the Bifrost and flung a winged helmet on to the bridge. The thing clattered away, drawing everyone's attention, as the hand probed for and found purchase.

'There is no realm whats-o-ever in that direction either.' The lady pointed at Loki, who struggled to get his leg over the Bifrost's edge.

'A hand would be nice,' Loki said between gritted teeth. He meant to address his brother and his friends, of course. But to everyone's surprise, it was the lady herself who quickly dismounted and stooped by the edge. Loki looked at her white fingers closing around his wrist. 'A stronger hand would be ni – hah!'

Mustering unexpected strength, she pulled him up so he could put his knee on the Bifrost. Even though Volstagg and Fandral hurried to help, the lady and Loki got up together. Her hand still clasped his wrist, and they continued to stand very close.

Sif went to collect Thor's helmet.

'Alright?' The lady searched Loki's face attentively.

'Alright,' Loki confirmed. It took him no effort to block the small impulse of magic she sent out to back up her observation. At least, that was what he thought her probing was for. 'Thank you, Lady Angrboda.'

'Angrboda? Of Jotunheim?' Thor put on his helmet and turned at the three men. 'Frost giants!' The Mjolnir started spinning, picking up momentum.

'Thor, wait!' screamed Loki and continued to scream, because, without much ado, the Jotun lady pushed him over the edge again. Volstagg and Fandral went with him. Which was a problem, because unlike him they were not attached to ropes that his magic had secured two- and three-fold to their bodies.

Loki managed to grab Fandral's hand as the warrior fell past, and Volstagg clutched Loki's leg. As the rope reached its limit, the deceleration of so much additional weight forced a groan of pain from the slender sorcerer. And another gasp, as they started to bounce.

'L- Loki?' Fandral had to shout to be heard over the noise of the water. 'Can you manage?'

'Do I – have a – choice?' Loki focused on a spell that would help him bear two men's weight. 'Volstagg, you big ox! You intend to break my knee?'

'It's the bridge,' Volstagg protested as he reinforced his two-armed choke hold on Loki's leg. 'The Bifrost is shaking.'

'Brother? My friends?' Thor appeared on the edge. 'Can you hold out for a little while longer? Heimdall has stepped out of the observatory, and father is arriving.'

Volstagg and Fandral fell silent. Loki found the confusing signals from his inner ear to be true: They were turning softly, left to right and back again.

On the bridge above, Odin Allfather declared in a loud, stern voice that the Lady Angrboda and her company were here on his invitation, just as they had claimed. Even King Laufey of Jotunheim wished to send ambassadors, when Thor, Prince of Asgard, was to succeed Odin Allfather to the throne. So, welcome to Asgard, Lady Angrboda...

A nice welcome, indeed.

Loki wished Sleipnir would keep his eight hooves still so the sickening vibrations would stop.

He wished the buckle of Volstagg's belt would not press into his face the way it did. He wished his hands would not turn slippery with sweat, and that he could muster enough concentration to turn Fandral into something much, much lighter. A guinea-pig would be nice.

They were also said to taste good when roasted on a spit...

'One penny for your thoughts,' shouted Fandral, peering upward, uneasy.

'No one,' screamed Loki, speaking around Volstagg's massive stomach, 'will deny that I am the least suited of the Warriors Three to carry about four times my own weight. Now, why is it that most of the times something goes horribly wrong with you strong guys' adventures it is I that ends up burdened with saving your necks?'

'You don't want to discuss that now, do you?' yelled Fandral.

'Oh yes,' snapped Loki. 'Now. When I can drop you, if I don't like your answers.'

'Guys, stop bickering,' called Volstagg. 'I think someone's pulling us – aaah!'

By now, with all his blood sunk into his head, Loki felt too dizzy to give a scream when the sudden upward haul set in. But the other two filled in nicely.

Heimdall dropped the rope on the shifting, moving tangle of bodies, limbs and nerves on edge.

'Here they are, my king,' he said.

'Aye, but what made them go in the first place?' asked Odin. He looked at Thor, but it was the Jotun lady who replied.

'The Prince Thor thought us intruders,' Lady Angrboda said, shrugging. 'I hoped to buy us time, if he were required to go and rescue his friends.' She shrugged again. 'He's supposed to feel responsible for them. I'm not.'

'One of these "friends" is my other son, Prince Loki,' said Odin.

'Indeed.' Angrboda looked over to where Loki was sitting on the rainbow bridge and sullenly trying to get the rope off his ankle. He countered her inquisitive look with a glance of cool, almost professional interest. Still, Odin Allfather felt things of the past raise their head and open their ugly mouth to breathe fire and venom.

'Thor! Loki!' The king called his sons to his side.

'Excuse me, gentlefolk. But the rainbow bridge is for travellers between realms, not an area for recreation.' Heimdall started to steer everyone in the direction of the city of Asgard. Sif and Fandral grabbed a few hooks, Volstagg saved as many goblets as he could, then trudged behind. The Jotuns re-mounted and, accompanied by the king's guards, continued on their way to the palace.

Thor and Loki stepped up to Sleipnir.

'I am sorry, father,' said Thor, sounding defiant. 'But I wasn't aware we were expecting frost giants.'

'I would expect you to read the list of invitations to your own celebration,' Loki said sardonically. But he was looking after the visitors, and his heart did not seem to be in his words, 'I mean, I am not even admitted, and even I knew that Lady Angrboda of Jotunheim – '

'I,' interrupted their father, 'need to talk to the queen.'

He spurred Sleipnir so the mount reared over the two princes's heads. Sleipnir would not hurt any of them. But they still did their best to get out of the way.

Queen Frigga was in her dressing room, getting ready for the reception scheduled for the evening. Odin Allfather entered without knocking. It was his privilege, but one he seldom made use of. Frigga stood up from her chair and gestured at the maids to leave.

Odin stomped past and stood by the window, looking out.

'My king?' Frigga approached him, but he did not wait for her to put her hand on his shoulder.

He turned on his heel and started to cross the room again. 'Disaster, my queen! Disaster!'

'I hear the Jotun delegation has been received.'

'Received you say? They nearly got slaughtered by your son.'

'Which one?' Raising two demi-god sons from the crib had given the queen a certain "first-sort-it-out, then-scream-if-it's-worth-it" attitude.

'Thor, of course. Who else would strike before asking?'

'But he didn't. So, what's the disaster?' Frigga hardly ever thought a situation worth screaming. It seemed that whenever you thought things couldn't possibly get worse, your two demi-god sons were already busy, working on some new endeavour that would prove you wrong.

'The Lady Angrboda threw your other son into an abyss to give Thor something to do instead of slaughtering her company.'

This finally caused a wrinkle to appear on the queen's forehead, 'Is Loki alright?'

'Aye, he is. He had a rope fastened to his leg.'

'A rope? Why would he do that, except - ' Frigga turned her head as if she'd heard a noise in the corridor. 'Thor!' she said threateningly.

'Mother!' Odin said. 'I understand the Jotun touched Loki's hand.'

Frigga spun back to him, 'What, his unprotected skin?'

'Aye. Unprotected.' Odin Allfather sat on a chair like an old mortal man.

'Is he al– ?'

'Alright, of course,' shouted Odin. 'Uninjured. Not a blister of frost bite! Ah, but how she looked at him!'

'The frost giants most widespread talent is that of shape shifting,' Frigga said reasonably. 'You would think they had developed some means of recognizing each other.'

'The action of one second has betrayed what we have so carefully kept a secret for centuries,' said Odin, 'What are we going to do, my wife?

'Well, first of all, we can allow Loki to join the celebration.'

'Join? But – '

'The idea - your idea - was to keep him away from the Jotuns, lest something might happen. Well, it seems that something's already happened anyway. There's no point in denying him the honor now.'

'There's all the more reason, now,' Odin protested. 'Though we must assume the Lady Angrboda has learned our secret, Loki is still clueless. We must keep that female away from our son.'

'That "female" is an emissary of her realm, and on a peace mission. She'll heed protocol at the reception,' Frigga said. 'Loki will, at any rate. He's been so eager to prove himself reliant and responsible, lately. He's always been more reserved than his brother, but it's gotten worse. I think he wants to dissociate himself from Thor's impulsiveness.'eah...but -

'Excellent,' said Odin, choosing to hear only the part of the message that pleased him.

'You will have to talk to Loki,' Frigga said. 'You cannot put it off much longer.'

Her husband's face fell.

+++ End of Chapter 1+++