Part One.
It was a beautiful day, and I was bored. Thor and Loki left earlier that day for Vanenheim on a diplomatic mission, and I was left to my own devices. Probably not exactly a good thing, but at least I could catch up on some reading. I had found a really old text in the back of the library, and I was dying to read through it. Loki warned me against trying any of the spells in it, calling them "silly conjurations and flights of fancy." I still wanted to try them though, besides I may find a few new skills to use if I ever got cornered again by another big bad.
What was the harm in reading a book anyways, I never had anything bad happen.
I sat on my bed with my legs crossed, flipping one page after another as I ate an apple. Chewing thoughtfully as I read a spell that was meant to make you taller, I smiled to myself and thought about how nice it would be to grow a couple inches. I was five foot nothing and shorter than everyone else, a couple inches would give me a confidence boost. Maybe even get people to stop patting the top of my head, I really hated that with a passion.
I read the spell carefully, memorizing every word before closing my eyes, focusing on my energies and hoping for the best. I concentrated and focused on what I wanted to manifest, and grinned. However, I felt that two inches were too few, so I decided on six inches. Picturing the inches on myself and smiling wider. Those wonderful inches of tall, making me equal to everyone else. I hated being short, and any bit taller would be an improvement. I pinched my eyes shut, focusing my energies and sitting on the bed. I could feel a change and I grinned to myself, but focused on the spell.
I giggled to myself opening my eyes, licking my lips, and looking down at my hands. My dress and corset loose around me, and I panicked. I did not make myself taller, I made myself shorter. I moaned and climbed down from my bed, tripping over my skirts and hurrying over to the mirror to see the damage done. I looked in it and slapped a hand over my mouth to hide the horrified shriek, I was not just shorter. I was a child, and not just any child.
I was six years old again.
I immediately began concentrating again, trying to undo the spell. Frustrated that it did not work, I chewed at my thumb and paced. Slipping my new, child like body out of the dress, I padded around naked and cried. I tried making an illusion or even jumping from one point to the other, but I could not do anything. The realization crashing down on me as I thought, my powers and gifts as the Illendrial came when I turned twenty. I was now six, I had to grow back up before any of my abilities returned. I had a sudden urge, and I did not know where it came from but stomping my feet and crying felt good. I came back to myself eventually, and realized that I had thrown a tantrum. Why did I even want to do that, I am an adult and I grew out of those things. I looked around me, and rubbed my face.
I had to do something and I needed help doing it. I grabbed the book and closed it, setting it on the desk. I needed clothes too, a naked little girl running around the castle was going to cause a panic. I dug through a trunk of clothes and toiletries that Loki left in my rooms, finding a tunic that he had left for a change of clothes. I also found a belt, and a set of bracers setting those aside. I pulled the tunic over my head, groaning about how the shirt fell to my ankles. Fully grown, it would have been a knee-length garment on me. As a child, I was swimming in his clothes and the sleeves had to be rolled up to give me access to my hands. I wanted to cry again, but plucked up my resolve and wrapped the belt around my waist twice and buckled it. I put the bracers back, and buried the heavy book under the other clothes in the trunk. I closed the lid, latching it when I heard someone coming.
I couldn't face anyone seeing me like this, so I ran and crawled under my bed. Hiding and hoping I would not get caught, this was all too embarrassing as it was and I did not need a teasing to make matters worse. Instead, I watched the door, waiting for my chance to make a run for it.
I saw Sif's boots walk in, she looked around and lifted the dress and corset off the floor where I left them. From my angle, I could see her grow worried at the clothing. She probably thought I went insane, stripped off all my clothes, and was running around the castle naked. I heard someone else enter my room and saw Fandral's boots pause, the sound he made was of complete shock.
"Why would she remove her clothes and run about the castle?" Sif said and Fandral stopped near the bed.
"A very good question, but she would have been seen by now. It is most likely she was taken, perhaps for a ransom." Fandral said and Sif touched the clothes, dropping them and running.
"They are still warm, if we hurry, we can stop them before they get too far!" Sif shouted, Fandral following her out the doors. I rolled my eyes and put my forehead on the marble floor, obviously I would have been taken fully clothed. But the thought made sense, they would have disguised me to sneak me out of the castle.
"Idiots." I said and scooted out of my hiding spot, crawling over to the edge of the bed and standing up. I ran to the door and had to stand on my toes to open it, stretching my fingers and twisting the handle. I began wishing I was five foot nothing again, I couldn't reach everything, but at least I could open a damn door.
I walked out into the hallway, realizing I had not even formed a plan of what to do. I needed someone to help me, but who should I go to? Odin was in Council, and would be royally pissed when he found out what I did to myself. Sif and Fandral were looking for kidnapped adult me, Volstagg would probably try to raise me as his daughter. The only option I has was Loki, and he would not be back until late tonight. He was the only other sorcerer I had available, and I couldn't hide in the castle until I grew up again. I turned and ran for Loki's rooms, hurrying as fast as my shorter legs could carry me.
It took me longer but I eventually arrived at his door, having to reach up to twist the handle again and let myself in. Everything inside it seemed larger and more frightening, his things situated the way he wanted them. I was so small as well, I knew nothing would hurt me in here, but I wanted to cry and hide. I settled the next best thing, I crawled up onto his bed and sat on it. My situation really hitting me again as I sat in the middle of the mattress, I was six again and an orphan. The same age as when my father died, leaving me alone in the universe. Tears burned my eyes and I cried, I was sacred and alone again. So very small and lost, no one knew what happened, and Loki would tease me unmercifully for this stunt. I cried into his blankets, eventually crying myself out, worried he would not be able to help me.
Who would take care of me then?
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He returned to a castle in chaos, Guards were rushing to and fro, something was horribly amiss. Lanterns lit as people searched and prepared to ride out into the woods and city, looking for something or someone. Sif saw Thor and he walk along the road from the Bifrost, her face filled with worry.
"Thank the Fates you are both back." She said, walking with them both.
"What has happened Sif, is Father well?" Thor asked, she pulled the both of them aside. She looked at Loki, making him worry that he was about to be accused of something awful. He had reasons to keep himself out of trouble, the greatest one was somewhere in the castle now and needing his protection.
"Lilly is missing. She was in he chambers alone this afternoon, Fandral and I went to see if she wanted to walk in the gardens with us. She was gone, vanished from her rooms without a trace." Sif said and Loki looked down, he blinked in shock and worry.
"She has a terrible sense of direction, could she have gone out on her own and gotten lost?" Loki said, hoping she was in another part of the castle. Stomping her foot and annoyed at her clumsiness, that was most likely the case after all.
"We found her clothes in her chambers, it looks as if someone took her. Forcing her into a disguise, secreting her away." Sif replied. Loki stumbled back, Thor put out his hand and grabbed his arm. He could not believe it, she was somewhere in the castle and would be found. Thor looked at him, riders on their mounts and rushing past to join the search.
"We will find her brother. Go to your chambers, see if they left demands or something indicating that they seek a ransom for her there. I will fetch you and we will ride out together to search for her, I count her as my sister and wish to see her safe as much as you." Thor said, Loki nodding and wasting no time running the halls for his chambers. He seethed with anger as he reached his door, thoughts and silent vows of violence against whoever took her on his mind.
He burst through the door, not seeing the sleeping child curled on his bed. Her black hair cascading across his blankets and her thumb in her mouth, he waved his hand to illuminate the chambers and pushed a chair over. It crashed against the floor as he searched the papers on his desk, his thoughts occupied as the startled girl shook off sleep and sat up. She rubbed her violet eyes and scooted over to the edge of the bed, crawling off it. He did not see her as he moved, walking to get a pair of riding gloves and a shorter coat. A tug at his leather coattails and a small voice startled him from his thoughts, making him turn and look down at a child of approximately five to six years of age.
"Loki?" The black haired child said to him, her voice small and looking up at him with violet eyes. The girl was wearing one of his tunics and belts, her feet bare and face puffy from crying. She put a hand up to reach for him and he crouched in front of her, lifting her hair to see Lilliana's birthmark below her ear. His anger flared at the ruse, he took hold of her small shoulders and she cried out in fear of him.
"I have no time for this game child, Lady Lilliana Rose is missing. Who are you?" Loki growled, he would not harm the girl but her would intimidate her into speaking. If this girl knew anything of the kidnapping, then he would make her speak. The child shook, her eyes wide as she struggled against him. She would speak however, or he would be rougher with her.
"Stop it! You are hurting me! Who the hell do you think I am asshole, I came here because I need your help!" Lilliana shouted at him, pushing away from him with small hands. Loki studied her in shock, unable to believe that his lover was a child once again.
"What happened to you?" Loki said, watching her pace and wring her hands.
"I tried a spell from the book I was reading, it went wrong." She answered, letting out a breath. Loki grinned, falling back into a sitting position and began laughing. He covered his face, trying to hide his amusement. Lilliana kicked at him with her bare foot, throwing in some open handed slaps at his arm.
"Stop laughing! This is not funny." She said, her face turning red as she stomped her bare feet. The display made him laugh harder, and he had to lean back as she kicked at him and groaned.
"Stop acting this way or I shall be forced to put you in restriction, the castle is in chaos looking for you. Sif and Fandral believe you taken." Loki said, collecting himself and holding up a warning finger. He stood back up, smoothing his clothes and fighting back more laughter.
"I know all of that, and I officially hate you for laughing. That is a real jerk move Loki." She said, clenching her fists at him. Was she on the verge of throwing a tantrum?
"Why in the name of the Nine Realms would you make yourself a child?" He said, crossing his arms and she paced, she was hiding something and she looked at her feet.
"That is not important. Are you going to help me or what?" Lilliana said, glaring back up at him. She was fighting more tears and he crouched down before her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her and stood, lifting her off the ground. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she cried into his chest. He rubbed her back, seeing a child as lovely as her weep was heartbreaking. She shifted and sobbed into his neck, holding onto the edge of his armor as she clung to him.
"Of course Little Mouse. I will consult the book and see how to reverse this spell." Loki said, holding her small frame and wiping her tears. She smiled, hugging him around his neck and Thor appeared in his doorway. He studied the scene, his face openly shocked.
"Loki, who is this child? Her parents must be sick with worry, we must return her and begin our search for Lady Lilliana." Thor said, crossing his arms.
"Thor, this is Lilliana. We can call off the search." Loki said, Thor jerking back and glaring at Loki in open anger.
"What did you do to her Loki?" Thor demanded, Lilliana pushed off his chest and twisted around to face Thor. Loki put a hand on her back to keep her from crashing to the ground, worried that she would fall and hurt herself.
"Stop assuming Loki did this you jerk, I had an accident trying out some magic." She said, bracing her small hands on his chest. Thor studied her, putting a hand to her small face and looking shocked at the sight.
"Odin's Beard! She is so small, she is but a child of..." Thor began, thinking what age she could be.
"Six." Lilliana choked out, beginning to sob again. She turned back into his neck and cried more. Sniffling and weeping, her hands curling between them.
"Little Mouse, don't cry. We will find a way to help you. Stop weeping now, Thor is not teasing you. He is merely surprised by your condition." He said, comforting Lilliana as she whimpered into his shoulder. Sif appeared in his doorway not long after, staring in surprise at the three of them. She tilted her head to the side, concern crossing her face as her feet carried her forward.
"Loki, who is this child?" Sif asked and Lilliana turned in his arms, moaning in exasperation at Sif seeing her plight.
"It seems that the Lady Lilliana has somehow had an accident with her gifts. She has turned herself into a child." Thor said, shaking his head and looking somewhat amused. Sif walked over to them, putting her hands out to embrace Lilliana. The girl shifted and accepted the comfort, sliding over to her friend.
"We have to fix this, if she was not safe before. She is most vulnerable now." Sif said, rocking the child in her arms, back and forth as she shifted from foot to foot. Loki noticed a yawn escape Lilliana, her eyes closing from the gentle motion.
"It may have to wait until morning. It seems you are putting her to sleep with whatever spell you are working on her." Loki mused and Sif looked down at the girl.
"Perhaps Father will be able to shed a solution on this matter as well. We will consult him in the morning, we will leave her with you for now Loki." Thor said, passing the limp girl from Sif to him. Lilliana protesting being moved as she yawned again and reached out for Loki, he took her and Sif turned down the bed.
"I need rest myself, I will collect this book in the morning and find the reversal. It is not good to try anything so complex with exhaustion being a factor, it may make matters worse. May I suggest calling off the search, discretely?" Loki said, laying the sleeping girl down and pulling the blankets over her.
"Can this spell be reversed at all?" Sif asked. Loki nodded at her and smiled, raising an eyebrow.
"A spells can be undone, that is the secret of magic." Loki said, looking down at the child in his bed. Sif laughed to herself, making Loki and Thor both regard her. She choked back laughter, staring down at Lilliana.
"Sorry, I just was unaware that she could possibly be any smaller than she already was. This is an awful state however, it should be fixed immediately." Sif said. Thor chuckled to himself, Loki shook his head and tried not to be exasperated.