Loki had never felt so underappreciated in his entire life. He had just done probably the most dangerous thing he had ever done and he was being berated for it. He should have just stayed home like he had originally planned.

"Do you realize what could have happened to you?!" Odin thundered from the other side of the table. He had intervened the little hunting party as it was passing through the Great Hall. Thor sat on Loki's other side. The others had been sent away with nothing more than a stern look. Odin was more furious at Loki than he was at Thor, as was typical of late. "You do realize correct?"

Thor slid a look towards Loki. Thor was the only one who sympathized with Loki. Ever since they were children Thor was the only one who sympathized with Loki with the exception of their mother.

"Father, it really was not as bad as it seems," Thor stated.

"NOT as bad as it SEEMS?!" Odin thundered as he gestured towards Loki.

Loki had to admit it may have seemed a little bad. He still had the nasty gash gracing the side of his face and down his neck, but it was healing nicely even as they spoke.

"Father, he was just protecting the rest of us and he did it quite well!" Thor was now standing with both hands on the table leaning towards Odin.

"Really, Thor, can we just drop it?" Loki said from the seat next to him.

"Drop it!?" Thor was now looking down at Loki. "Loki you were almost killed protecting us and you just want me to drop it?"

"It's not as bad as you make it. Father, really, I have learned my lesson. Can I go now?" Loki now stood from the table.

"I'm done with both of you for now."

Loki quickly turned and strode from the Great Hall. Thor glared once more at Odin and was soon at Loki's heels.

"Brother, I am sorry."

"No need to be sorry, Thor. It has always been clear who father favors. If it had been you in there with the nasty gash he would be handing you a medal."

"You need to go to the Healing Room."

"No thank you I can heal myself." Loki kept walking as Thor stopped outside of his chambers without a single word back to him. He had never understood why he got blamed every time something had gone wrong. Yes, maybe he was usually involved in the worst of things Thor and the Warriors had done, but he shouldn't always be put to blame. He had told himself twice he was not going to follow them into Vanaheim today, even when they asked him to come. The kicker had been Thor asking for his "magical" skills in case they ran into any "strange creatures". The guilt he would have felt if any of them had been hurt would have been unbearable, not to mention Odin would ask why he did not go with them. But of course, he was drug into this, came out with the worst wounds and still got put to blame.

Once Loki was well into his chambers her heard a soft knocking at his door.

"I said NO healers!" His voice echoed throughout the chamber and seemed to bounce off of every bookcase that flanked the room.

"Dear," he could hear Frigga on the other side of the door. "I wanted to speak with you earlier, but you're father forbad me." Much to her surprise the door jerked open suddenly in her face.

"Why?" he asked angrily. "Did he think I would go soft at the sight of you?"

"I would have taken up for you. He is the disciplinarian, not me. He would have been angry at me for trying to soften the blows."

"It does not matter in the slightest. He still said what he had to say, Thor has always been his favorite."
"That is not true and you know it, Loki." Frigga's expression was almost pleading now and it amused Loki.

"Did you know that I saved every single one of them today? That giant horned creature would have eviscerated all of us if it weren't for me!" Loki was truly angry now. "Do you see mother? Do you see all that I do and for what? Even if I saved the entire realm from an invasion of the dark elves, father would still find some fault in it to blame me for everything!"

Tears shone in Frigga's eyes now. "Loki, your father cares for you. He knows Thor can take care of himself, he has proven that ever since he was a child. You have your magic, which does at time, out brute Thor, but you are not like him. There are times when magic will not help you and that frightens your father terribly. He has feared for you every day since you were born!"

"I can very well take care of myself," he sneered. "Now please leave me to my thoughts, mother."

Frigga watched him as he turned away from her. "My dear, there will be a family from another realm visiting in one week's time. Your father wishes to make peace with them and we will be having dinner. Of course, your presence will be mandatory."

Loki stopped and without turning looked at his mother. "As has always been the case, mother. Good night." And with that he stepped out of the antechamber of his quarters and into his bedroom.

He threw himself unceremoniously onto his large poster bed and tried to remember how to breathe. He is the God of Lies and yet, he was finding it hard to keep up this façade of being utterly complacent about things. There was something different about him that kept his father in unease, but what it could be he had no idea. There was no secret that Thor and he were polar opposites, but how opposite were they really? Loki pondered these thoughts into the early hours of the morning until he swiftly drifted off to sleep without even realizing he had.

Loki woke up with a start. He was still lying very near the edge and still wore his full armor from earlier that day. A quick glance out of the window told him it must still be very early in the morning. What caught his interest and woke him so suddenly, though, was a very beautiful lilting voice coming from somewhere in the palace. He slowly made his way out of his chambers and followed the voice until it became louder and louder. Upon glancing into the courtyard he noticed all the night flowers were in full bloom and every star in the sky was visible. The aurora was strikingly beautiful tonight with hues of pink, yellow and green. But what caught his attention almost immediately was the figure of a woman sitting on a bench not far from the small lake. Even with her back to him, he could still hear her voice quite perfectly and she was singing a familiar song from his childhood. He crept noiselessly towards her and when he was almost upon her she stopped singing. Spilling down her back was long, curly black hair and when she turned to face him he was taken aback at her beauty. Her hair framed a perfectly oval face with the brightest green eyes he had ever seen. She smiled up at him as he knelt beside the bench.

"Loki, I've waited so long to talk to you," she said reaching up for his face.

Loki woke with a start in his chambers. He was still near the edge of the bed and in full armor much like earlier. This time, however, he knew he was awake. The light spilling in through the windows told him it was late morning. The stiffness in his bones gave him the idea that he had not moved all night. Who was that woman in his dream? Loki could not remember the last time he had dreamed and he didn't want this one to be the last.