The two young boys lept across the room, one wielding a wooden sword and one wooden staff.
"HA! Take this Villian! I'll slay the monster!" Cried the elder boy, his blond hair flying.
The younger boy dodged the protruding sword and whispered some strange words. Suddenly the rug was pulled from under the elder boy's feet, causing him to fall to the ground with a soft thump.
"That's not fair Loki!" The blond boy growled from the floor, pushing his hair from his face, "You're not allowed to use magic! I have to win the fight! I'm the king! The monsters can never win!"
The younger boy with darker hair, who had been mischievously laughing grew quiet. "You always get to be the king, Thor. Why do I always have to play the monster?"
"You're the youngest."
"So?"
"That means you're the monster."
"That's not fair!"
"Boys." Their father said warningly, stepping into the room. He surveyed the room, the rug lay crumpled behind Thor, who sat, trying to untangle himself from his self made cape. His younger son, the dark haired Loki stood over Thor, looking down on him, staff in hand. Loki turned when he heard his father's voice and dropped his staff, stepping closer to him.
"Thor won't let me be king, please tell him to let me be the king!" The dark haired boy stared up into his fathers face.
"Thor, let your brother play the King for once." Thor scowled darkly as he ripped off his cape and his father chuckled. He then turned back to Loki. "Stories always need a monster, Loki. I thought you liked being the monster?"
"I did father, but... I would like to be good. I would like to be a king." Odin paused looking down on his two sons. "How would you like me to tell you the story of the Frost Giants?"
The two boys shrieked with delight and they both ran to their father's side. Thor, all scowling forgotten cried, "Will you take us to the weapons vault?"
"Of course." Odin replied smiling, the two boys grinned at each other. This was their favorite story.
"Once," Odin began, taking his sons' hands, "mankind accepted a simple truth: that they were not alone in this universe..."