This will take place before the events of the first Thor film.
I will try incorporate as much accuracy to Norse mythology and MCU canon-ness (is that a word?) as much as i can.
Please read and enjoy and comment :)
Sunlight seeped through the leaves for the fully grown forest trees. Birds chirped and critters scurried about the ground and through the foliage. A little girl ran through the trees, narrowly avoiding them, dirtying her pale pink dress and shoes. Here chestnut brown curls bouncing as she ran.
She giggled as she reached a clearing which revealed a river bank; the cool running water giving her the opportunity to stop and refresh herself.
She dipped her hands down and cupped them, collecting water and splashing it on her reddened face. She had been running for a good 5 minutes and was quite tired, yet still full of childish energy.
From behind her she could her two sets of voices, shouting and panting.
"Illyana! Where are you?"
The little girl laughed at the panting noises coming through the trees. "Come along boys! Who knew two princes could be so slow!"
"Hey!" It's not our fault you had a head start!" the other voice shouted back and two boys came into the clearing. The two boys, brothers, leant on their knees trying to catch their breaths. "It's not funny."
"Honestly Thor, Loki, I outran you both, and I am the one in a dress! Its very funny!"
Thor, the eldest brother seems to have regained his stamina and sprinted to the water, inhaling the cool liquid as if he had been deprived for longer than he had.
Loki rolled his eyes and joined his brother at his side and used one hand to relay water into his mouth.
Illyana shook her head as she watched the two brothers. She spotted a large boulder and sat atop of it, crossing her legs and fixing the skirt of her dress. She stared off into the clearing past the trees and her soft smile seemed to fade.
Loki noticed this and scrunched his brows. "Illyana? What's the matter? You're suddenly quiet."
"Very out of character." Thor said in between slurps of water and Loki kicked him slightly.
Illyana gave them a sad smile. " There is a reason I brought you two out here away from the palace. To our favourite spot. It is because….. It will be the last time we come here together,"
The brothers tilted their heads in unison, expressing their confusion. "I am to leave for Vanaheim tomorrow, to be with my aunt and uncle."
"But… but why?" Thor voiced their objection, while Loki stood in silence and shock.
Illyana huffed. "Father wishes for me to be with a more 'feminine' role model. To teach me the ways of the court, singing, dancing, proper conduct, I don't know I stopped listening because I was too angry." she laughed the last part but the brothers were still too shocked to return her laughter. Illiana's mother died not too long ago and it was her father's decision to send her to her mother's native land of Vanaheim to stay with her aunt to teach her to become a 'proper lady'.
"But we will still see each other right? Still play as we do?" Loki finally asked. She shrugged.
"I do not know. All I know is this is the last time I can do this." Illyana leaped onto Thor and brought him into a choke hold. She knew she was not hurting him but he struggled and laughed boisterously under her grasp. Loki, forgetting the nature of why she brought them there. laughed at his brother getting taken down by his oldest friend.
"Do you yield my prince?" she asked in playful tone.
"Never!" Thor yelled and continued to struggle under her grasp.
"Okay Illyana I think you've truly shown us who is the stronger of the two of you." Loki chided, trying to break up the fake fight.
Illyana released the older prince who tried not to look too defeated. "Brother I can handle myself against a girl!"
"Watch how much emphasis you're putting on girl!" she scolded and smacked him on the arm. Thor rubbed his arm in submission while Loki continued to smirk and chuckle under his breath.
"Now, with that out of the way, I wish to play a game."
The brothers looked at each other. "What game?"
"It's one I learned when reading a book on Midgardian children. Its called 'It'."
"What do you have to do?"
Illyana smiled and poked Loki on the forehead. "Tag! You're it!" and she ran towards the trees, and only stopped to see the confused faces of the two princes. "Come on then! You have to chase me!"
There was a pause for a moment when Thor began running away from his brother and Loki seemed to catch on and ran after Thor and Illyana.
~Many centuries later~
Loki sat in his chambers, reading from a book he he once knew a friend had spoken of centuries ago and tossed it to one side. He truly found it rather dull but the memory of his childhood friend spurred him to seek it out just to get into her mind set.
It had been many years since Loki not Thor had laid eyes on Illyana and while he was close to forgetting about her, he found the memory of his last proper day with her very persistent as of late.
a knocking at his door drew him from his thoughts and he sighed in relief. "Enter." he said standing from the desk he was sat at and walked towards the door.
His mother's hand maiden, Sága, he believed her name was entered and bowed in respect. "My prince, the queen and the all-father require your presence in the king's study."
Loki inwardly sighed in annoyance. He did not have anything better to do that day so agreed to meet with his parents. "Very well, tell them I shall be there shortly."
When Loki was making his way to his father's study, he bumped into his brother, who at that moment was turning a sharp corner.
"Brother! Has father requested an audience with you as well."
"So it seems Thor, your ability to grasp the obvious never seems to astound me." he said in a bored tone. He had no reason to be so blunt with his brother that day but Loki had a feeling his father was to be making a decision to who was going to succeed his throne. Odin's time as king was weining and he seemed to be eager to announce the next heir.
Loki was not stupid. Thor was the eldest and his father's evident favourite and he just knew his brother way to be chosen. In all honesty had known for a very long time he was not to be chosen, but from a very young age he was told they both had the chance to be king, yet growing up he had yet to see evidence of that.
"So blunt today Loki. What do you suppose father wants." he asked him falling into step with loki as they walked together.
As if he didn't know.
"Well brother, I-" before Loki was able to continue, Frigga appeared in front of her two sons, slightly starling them.
"Ah boys, there you are. Come, you're father has been waiting. Come, come!"
She grabbed their arms and led them through their magnificent castle halls towards Odin's study where he was sat behind his rather large desk, waiting for them to arrive.
"My sons. Finally you have decided to grace me with your presence."
Frigga released Thor and loki from her grasp and joined her husband at his side. "Oh now dear, be nice."
While the all father was starting off explaining to why he summoned the two of them there today, he lapsed, as he usually did, into one of his many stories of his pasts. Usually it would have been one about the time he defeated Laufey and secured the treated of Jotunheim or the time he exiled the dark elves. This time it was a far more 'romantic story'. On of how he and Frigga had met.
Or rather their arranged marriage. Odin was promised Frigga's hand in marriage when they were very young to secure the relations with Vanaheim. Their marriage had been from a political stand but they had eventually grown to love one another and Frigga was possibly the all-father's greatest advisor and friend in addition to being his wife.
Loki did not like the sound of where things were going and inwardly groaned.
"You both remember when you buy less than a century old, we discussed the possibility of an arranged marriage did we not?"
The two princes did nothing but stare blankly at their father, and he took it to mean 'yes we do'.
"While it was not our intention to keep these arrangements a secret from you two but it was a request by the girls' guardians to allow them to come of age before anything had begun."
Thor was the first to speak up. "So wait, what are you trying to say father?"
"He is saying we are to be wed to some strangers to ensure some sort of foreign relations. Really thor you must listen." Sometimes his brother could be truly dense. Thor did not hesitate to send a glare his way.
"This is a serious matter." Odin stated "And you aren't engaged as of yet. As it is custom of Vanir tradition as well as it is of Aesir, you will have to court these women. Of course this is but a formality but it is required."
Thor and Loki gawked at their parents with blank expressions. Loki had no intention of being tied down to some woman he barely knew and he was fairly sure his brother felt the same.
"But father we have no need to-"
"Nonsense boy, it has been decided. Every King needs a Queen by his side." Odin's wife placed a hand upon his shoulder which he covered with his own. "Valhalla knows where I would be without your mother."
Frigga smiled. "You flatter me my king."
Thor was scratching his head in this revelation. He and his brother were to court and eventually marry these mystery girls. As if noticing Thors confusion, Loki tried to voice their bewilderment.
"Father, I must protest-"
Odin was to interrupt his son again when a knock at the door did it for him. A guard entered and bowed to the royal family before him.
"Your highnesses." he spoke, "The princesses have arrived and are awaiting your welcome."
"So soon." Frigga's eyes widened. "My my, they are eager."
"We will be there to greet them shortly. You may go." Odin ordered and the guard bowed once more and retreated out of the room.
Odin seemed to have been satisfied with informing Thor and Loki and made preparations to greet the two women who were arranged to wed his sons.
Odin and Frigga walked hand in hand to the front gates of the palace with Thor and Loki trailing behind.
"Father you have yet to tell us the identities of these woman we are to 'court'" Loki said, his one dripping with disdain.
"You will find out quite soon."
Loki was growing tired of his vague answers and just wished to know exactly who it was he was meant to court. Only so he could drive her away and be left without a fiance just as it were and the way he liked it. He definitely had no desire to be tied down in matrimony
Thor, Loki, Odin and Frigga arrived at the front gate to find a marvelous white and blue carriage pulled by equally beautiful white horses. Two guards stood either side of the carriage while another opened the door to the vehicle and the first of their betrothed exited.
Loki sighed taking in her appearance. She was rather beautiful, golden, almost white strands of hair fell perfectly around her heart shaped face and landed just below her breast. Her eyes were a piercing blue and quite transfixing. She wore a rather tight dark maroon dress and fitted her rather well. She held herself with an air of vanity that seemed borderline narcissistic. Not that you could really tell by just looking at her but Loki had a way of reading people.
He did consider her quite lovely but nothing seemed to draw his attention to her. He was rather bored, that is until the carriage dipped and someone else stepped out next.
Thor as well as Loki's mouth fell slightly at the woman before them.
Her soft lips and gentle hazel eyes were the same as they were near a millenia ago. Her curly brown hair was fastened into tight neat braids and she donned a light purple dress which matched her delicate tanned skin perfectly. She was just as they remembered but much more mature.
"Illyana?" the princess whispered in unison.
"Hello Thor, Loki." She smiled. "It's is so good to see you again."