Hello there folks :)
This is my first ever M rated plus my first foray into the Thor/Avengers scene but after reading so much of the lovely stuff on here I couldn't resist!
This story follows Loki and my OC in a kind of AU which starts in Loki's 'teenage' years to well after the Avengers so be prepared for a long-haul story :D
On some chapters there will be a prompt to go to Photobucket to look at pictures linked with what I'm wittering on about. For this chapter there's just a painting of what I feel my OC would look like and a lovely sketch done by a lady I met on Twitter called Pyton (that's all I know her as :P)
Go to my profile for the link.
Thanks to KeeperoftheNine for beta-ing this chapter for me & giving such great feedback. If you haven't already check out her story called With All Vice Tainted then do so. Pure gold.
I own nothing here but my OC.
Let us begin!
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Asgard was quiet once again. The party had ended, everyone had gone home or to one of the alehouses in the lower parts of the city while others were content to spend the rest of the night in someone else's bed. Bethan, on the other hand, sat on the polished stone ledge of her bedroom window, her legs dangling over the edge, enjoying the feeling of being so far above the ground. As if she were flying.
It was the height of the warm season, which meant the air was thick and heavy even when the sun went down. Bethan was only able to stand it by taking off the outer layer of her sleeping robes, leaving her arms bare to what little air there was as she took in the cold of the window ledge, sheets of parchment on her lap while she sketched the view before her with a piece of charcoal.
Nights often went like this as Bethan wasn't really one for sleeping. She would sometimes dress in breeches and a tunic to walk around the city, parchment and charcoal pouch in-hand, to draw whatever was in front of her when she happened to finally stop. Tonight, though, her legs were too tired to take her anywhere further than the window.
Her long wavy brown hair hung loosely in a knot on the top of her head though much of it had managed to escape, falling down her back or in front of her eyes, meaning she kept having to brush it away with fingers stained from her charcoal, leaving dark smudges on her nose, brow, cheek, chin and lip, only to have it fall in the way again.
Bethan was so engrossed in her sketching that she almost failed to notice the figure slowly appearing at her side.
"What a strange looking creature you are when no one is around."
The voice was so playful and teasing that without having to look up she could have told straight away who it was, no one had the ability to sneak up like that but for one person.
"This coming from someone who likes to wear a ridiculously huge horned helmet as part of his smart attire. And that's in public."
Bethan's eyes never left the page as she spoke, concentrating on using the very tips of her fingers to smudge some areas of her picture. Even though she couldn't see Loki she knew he'd have that smirk on his face and could almost physically hear it when he spoke again, seemingly choosing to ignore that she had spoken at all.
"And for someone who is seemingly meant to be dressed and ready for slumber, you appear to be extremely grubby. Don't you ever bathe?"
Bethan finally looked up to find him leaning against the window frame to her left with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed at the ankle. Typical mischief maker stance, Bethan called it. She couldn't help but smile, shaking her head at him, "Charming as ever, I see. If you could call a worm charming, that is."
Loki clutched at his heart in mock-horror. "They may be mere words, dear Lady, but they still cut deep."
His face reverted back to his wide smile as he crossed his arms again, looking too much like he was enjoying their little exchange of innocent insults.
"Oh, I highly doubt there's anything I, or anyone else for that matter, could do to hurt you right now," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Her pale friend leaned in slightly with cocky mirth all over his face. She simply couldn't wait to make it disappear.
"And what, pray tell me, brings you to that conclusion?"
Bethan leaned in towards him so that their faces were only a few inches apart with a knowing smile, her voice dropping down to a whisper.
"Because you're not the real Loki."
The Loki-Double rested against the frame again, it's cockiness gone to be replaced at first by disbelief then a broad smile that reached up to its eyes spread across its face. It looked towards the chamber door behind her before vanishing in a green haze.
"How is it you are the only person I know of who can tell me apart from my doubles? What sort of witchcraft is this?"
Her smile widened at the sound of his voice, twisting round on the ledge to find the real Loki standing in her doorway, his expression a cross between amused, amazed and annoyed.
"I assure you there is no witchcraft of any kind involved. Simply, in a word, sweat."
Loki's eyebrows shot up as he crossed over the threshold, closing the door behind him.
"What?"
"Honestly Loki look at me. I have this night gown on, sitting in an open window, on cold marble and I still have beads forming upon my brow. Yet this double of yours was in your full, thick armor minus your helmet and yet it was as dry as Heimdall's humor!"
Loki chuckled to himself as he almost prowled over towards her, swinging his legs slightly with each step. He moved like this whenever he was bored or tired. Bethan suspected he was most likely the former at this moment.
"I'm surprised you didn't go with Thor and Fandral on their jaunt into the lower city if you're as bored as you seem." Bethan watched as he finally reached her to swing a long leg over the ledge, falling back against the frame. His hands rested limply on his thighs with one foot planted firmly on the floor while the other swung idly back and forth on the other side. It wasn't a particularly large window which meant that Loki's knee rested against Bethan's right leg. Unlike the double earlier, the heat was evident all over his face.
Loki let out an exasperated sigh, sitting up again to look over the ledge to the gardens far below. "Fandral is so drunk he's trying to take home almost every girl he sees, no matter what her state be, and I don't think Thor actually knows what's going on anymore. Mother had to get one of the guards to place Mjolnir in the vault till he came to his senses…which may be never. Why Father gave him that thing early only to give it to him again during his aging ceremony, I will never understand."
Bethan laughed to herself at the image as she looked at her parchment again. She gave a growl of disappointment at her efforts suddenly, going to throw it out in front of her in frustration but Loki grabbed at her wrist before she could let go.
"What are you doing you crazy girl?"
"The heat is making my hands sweaty so the charcoal has become damp. It has rendered this picture as a complete disaster!"
Her dark haired friend plucked the picture from her hand but kept a gentle hold of her wrist as he examined her work, "I don't know what you're twittering on about. You're much better than you think. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."
"Look who's talking."
Loki looked up at Bethan's charcoal covered face and smiled somewhat sadly at his childhood playmate. He only noticed now that their hands had shifted so that their palms rested against the inside of the others wrist. She was moving the fingers of her small grubby hand in small, whisper gentle, absent minded circles that left black marks on his skin and caused goose bumps to travel up his arm. Looking at her now it was astounding to him how much she had changed since he had first seen her when they were small children.
xXxXxXxXx
Frigga watched her two sons as they ran around the courtyard fountain each trying to splash the other. In this game it seemed that Loki's small, slight frame was working in his favor. Loki was able to get Thor to stretch just a little bit too far, so that his brother fell face first into the fountain. The queen laughed as she picked her eldest up and out of the water, not caring about the damp patches down the front of her gown it created and sent him off with one of her ladies in waiting to have him dried off.
Loki was still giggling when she turned to him but instantly stopped when he realized he might be in trouble.
"Thor started it." the little prince said very matter-of-factly as if this could magically plead his case.
"Yes Loki I did see," Frigga's expression melted into a warm smile as she knelt on one knee to look into her son's face, which was looking decidedly less worried now, "and well done for winning. Never mind what the Master at Arms sometimes says to you in your sparring lessons Loki. Sometimes brute strength and over confidence can be a warrior's folly."
The queen lifted him up into a hug as he wrapped his arms around her neck, though she was not able to sit him on her hip as she once did. They settled now a days for embraces that left Loki's growing legs dangling as Frigga held him flat against her.
"Oh you're getting to be so big now! Soon I won't be able to lift you at all."
Loki felt reluctant to let go of his mother when she set him back down on his feet again, though loved the warmth of her hand as she ran her fingers through the clean black hair on the top of his head, playing with it absentmindedly, "You're growing so fast that you're even taller than Thor now."
"Not by much mother."
"Well I'm sure he'll catch up sooner or later and before we know it you'll both be fine, tall, handsome young men." Frigga took her hand from his hair to take a gentle hold of his chin, stroking it with her thumb. She hoped both her sons took their time in growing up, to stay her little boys for as long as possible. "Now let's see if we can't get through some of the work your tutor of letters has given you, hm?"
The little prince ran off to where his books where lying and sat crossed legged at his mother's feet as she rested into her chair. They sat there happily for a while while Loki worked from his book until the lady in waiting that had left with Thor returned and bowed her head in front of them.
"My Queen, I helped Prince Thor with his change of clothes but, as we left his room, his arithmetic tutor appeared saying that the prince had work still to complete from earlier today so he is with him now endeavoring to finish."
"Thank you, Terna. You may go now if you wish. I feel Prince Loki and I will be quite alright for now."
Frigga shone her attention once more on her youngest son's book as the Lady Terna gave a small sharp curtsey before continuing.
"My Queen I have been asked to tell you that his majesty, The Allfather, has requested your presence in the meeting hall on a matter of the utmost urgency."
Loki looked up back at his mother to find her lips pressed to a thin line of worry.
"Very well. Thank you Terna. Please stay here with Loki until my return."
It was a command more than a request to which the young girl gave another small curtsey and stepped aside when Frigga rose from her chair, her gown sweeping behind her as she left the courtyard, leaving Loki with the Lady of the Court alone for some time.
By the time Frigga returned Loki had long since finished his work, amusing himself now by drawing patterns with wetted fingers from the fountain onto the warm courtyard floor and watching them fade away slowly in the heat.
Terna rose from her chair and bowed deeply as Frigga and Odin approached. Loki got to his feet and stared curiously at what appeared to be a small person in his father's large arms, which in turn had its arms wrapped around his neck.
"Thank you Lady Terna, you can go now." said the queen, nodding gratefully.
"Your Majesties." squeaked Terna, straightening up and retreating from the courtyard. Frigga moved gracefully like always, crossing the stone tiled floor to sit on the edge of the fountain, putting her arm around Loki, drawing him in close to her.
"Loki, my sweet, we're going to be having someone else live here with us from now on. You and Thor are to treat her like she were your very own blood sister and are to help her, teach her and protect her like big brothers should. Do you think you could do that for us? Do you think you could be a good big brother?"
Loki gave his parents a nervous smile and nodded his agreement. He was grateful to feel his mothers arm tighten slightly around him when Odin stepped forward with the little girl still clinging on for dear life.
"You have to let go now little one," said the giant of a man that was Odin, as he held her tenderly in his arms. He lowered her gently down till her bare feet touched the ground, which she seemed to allow, but she then refused to let go of his hand while her other clutched at his robe. All the while not a sound was made by her.
The Allfather spoke comfortingly as the girl pressed her back into his legs. "Loki this is Bethan, daughter of Adraser. Bethan this is my youngest son, Loki. You will meet our eldest, Thor, later."
"Hello." The boy gave her a small wave as he spoke, but she never said a word. Wide brown eyes stared at him, as though she were some terrified creature that would bite his hand if he dared to put it near her.
Loki knew from his studies that Adraser had once been his fathers chief advisor and a mighty warrior during the war with Jotunheim, but after it's end had taken his wife and baby, with Odin's blessing, to Vanaheim. What didn't make sense to Loki was how this scrawny little thing in dirty ragged clothes, cuts all over her legs and fingers, dirt sticking to a tear stained face and with masses of untamed brown hair knotted into two tangled braids, could possibly be a noble mans daughter. She looked as if she belonged in the lowest places of the city.
"Bethan has lost her mother and father in a recent skirmish and has no living family left, even on Asgard. Therefore we will become her family."
Frigga rose to her feet, keeping her hand on clasped around Loki's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze, smiling down at him."Loki you are going to help me get Bethan settled in her chambers. I was hoping you would read some of your stories to her."
Before he knew it they were making their way towards what would now be Bethan's room, but only after Frigga had managed to get the little girl to release her death grip on Odin and carried her to their destination, setting her down outside the large, imposing door. Frigga marveled at how light the girl was, she was so thin and tiny. Like a little bird. The queen squeezed the little hand now clasped in hers gently, noticing as well how Bethan's other hand reached out for Loki's. He had no choice but to let her grubby fingers cling onto his, satisfied that she wouldn't attempt to bite them.
"Bethan this is the door to your very own chambers so I want you to have a good look so you remember where it is." explained the queen. "The door on the left of yours is where Thor sleeps and this one on the right is Loki's, so my boys will never be too far away."
Loki, even though he was still very young, could see how his mother was trying to be as comforting as possible with her gentle gaze and soothing tone of voice. Frigga just hoped that having an Odinson on either side would help this tiny bird feel safe. The royal sons being protected by two guards on either end of the corridor.
"What I think we need to go with Bethan's bath time is some of those stories of yours, Loki. Why don't you go and choose some books you think she may like now and you can read them to her?"
Her black haired boy gave a wide smile. Ever since Loki had been able to talk and read at the same time he had loved to read out loud to anyone and everyone who would listen, "Yes mother!" he said, running to his room and disappearing from Bethan's view, leaving her other hand very empty all of a sudden.
The queen moved forward to open the door but was tugged gently back by the girl, refusing to budge, "What is the matter little one? I assure you there is nothing to be afraid of in your new room. You are perfectly safe."
Bethan turned her dusty head to the right and Frigga couldn't hold back the smile when she realized where the girl was looking.
"Your quite right, Bethan, we should wait for Loki to return before we go in."
In a matter of minutes Loki was running through his door again, this time with three leather bound books under his arm, the smile on his face still wide as he skidded to a stop beside them. Almost immediately Bethan's hand found Loki's and grubby little fingers curled around his again.
Frigga was now finally able to move forward, the two children following single file behind her into a room filled with the afternoon sun, streaming in through the window.
There were a few servants milling around, preparing the room that had been empty since before Loki could remember. One was putting away an array of different clothes into a large chest of drawers while two others were making up the bed which seemed couldn't be big enough for two adults to lie comfortably on it but may be big enough for two or three children to lay side by side. Steam could be seen coming from the wash room at the other end of the chambers while the last servant prepared the bath.
Loki felt the grip on his hand grow tighter and was pulled towards Bethan slightly, as if she was using him like some sort of fleshy shield. He gave the hand a quick, reassuring, squeeze back.
The queen dismissed all the servants apart from the woman that was filling the bath who she then charged with getting Bethan undressed and in the tub. The poor little thing grasped tighter at their hands as the chamber maid walked towards her.
"It's alright Bethan, this is Lina. She helps me with my baths sometimes to and she's very nice. Don't be afraid." Those big brown eyes studied Loki's face as he spoke, trying to offer her more reassurance not to be afraid. After a few moments she let go of Frigga's hand to offer it to Lina before finally letting go of Loki's and allowing herself to be led away.
His mother knelt down beside Loki and gave him a warm smile. "You're a wonderful big brother already my son. Now Lina is getting Bethan into the bath and once she's ready, Lina will leave and I will bath her while you settle down to your reading."
"But mother why are you bathing her and not Lina?" His dark little eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
She playfully poked his nose, "So she isn't overwhelmed by too many new faces. Also so I can bond with her, in a way, and you too."
He still didn't seem to understand why.
"When you were just a little babe Loki, I was the one to bathe you every night and ready you for bed."
Loki turned that over in him mind a few times. "So cleaning her is a way of making her into your baby?"
"Almost," laughed the queen. "It's more about comforting, soothing Bethan and distracting her with your stories. You must understand Loki that she was survived a horrific ordeal in which she has lost her parents. We must do what we can to help her feel secure again. To let her know she is with people who can care for her and love her."
All seemed a bit clearer now that she had explained but the boy didn't dwell on it for too much longer. The thought troubled him as he didn't know what he would do if he lost his parents...
"My Queen, she is ready for you now."
Lina gave a little bow while she clutched at the bundle of soiled rags that were Bethan's clothes in her arms. Frigga nodded to the woman, taking her son's hand again and leading him towards the sound of water, like it was being played with by a hand.
Had it not been a somewhat solemn situation, Loki was sure he would have laughed at the sight that was revealed.
The massive copper, roll top tub was filled to the brim with steaming hot water that filled the room with a moist haze. What had made him want to laugh though was that Bethan was too small to sit in the tub and not be chin deep, making her head seem to be bobbing along in the water, roped plaits floating around her. The overly serious look on her face, as if she were not impressed to be where she was, was also comical in itself.
In the end Loki couldn't help it and a spluttering laugh escaped him, though he quelled it after a look from his mother.
Frigga had rolled up the long sleeves of her dress as she set to work cleaning every inch of Bethan's little frame, being careful with the cuts around her legs.
The queen had ended up having to empty and refill the bath three times.
First to remove the layers of filth from Bethan's skin. Second, the longest one in which Loki ended up helping with, to untangle her long hair but only after having to cut at least 20 centimetres off the ends where it was too knotted up to ever unravel. Frigga had been saddened to cut it for she was sure Bethan was truly a beautiful sight with hair as long as it was, flying loose around her. Loki had even helped to wash her hair until it squeaked beneath his fingers before watching his mother roll it into a bun on top of the girls head.
Then to the third and final bath, Frigga added a crumbling red powder that crackled and fizzed with the water before settling, turning the water murky white that Frigga explained could help ease any aches or pains that Bethan was suffering from as she lifted the girl up and placed her in the water once more.
The whole time Loki had sat on a stool beside the bath reading story after story, tale upon tale, to his very captive audience.
You would think a young boy like Loki would have chosen to read of battles and monsters but he had, on purpose, chosen stories that were funny. Bethan never so much as tittered, despite his best efforts, but he was certain of seeing a fleeting smile when he got to a bit about a court jester falling right into a queen's lap.
All were glad when the bathing was over and Bethan was dressed in a warm cotton nightgown of a deep purple hue, hair drying in the air to reveal soft waves that reached the backs of her knees, face clean enough to unveil doll-like features with rosy little cheeks. Frigga had marvelled at what a pretty little thing she was under all that built up dirt. Then again, the queen did remember her being a beautiful little baby.
While Frigga arranged the bed ready for sleep, Loki sat on a plump sofa near the door with Bethan beside him. The girl was trying to brush her long hair with an ornately enamelled brush Frigga had handed her, finding it rather difficult and ending up with the bristles becoming lodged with strands of hair.
This first sound that Loki ever heard from her was a huff of frustration before he felt a tug on his shirt sleeve. He smiled at the sight of the brush dangling at the side of Bethan's head, big brown eyes pleading for help.
"Gotten yourself into a bit of a muddle haven't you? This might hurt a little, but try to keep still."
Loki felt her twitch a few times as he removed the brush from the bird's nest of hair before gently running the bristles through it till the nest was all gone.
Handing the brush back to Bethan with a quick smile, he went back to reading his book only to have the brush suddenly thrust under his nose, blocking his view.
"What are you doing? I got it out for you didn't I?"
Bethan said nothing and merely waggled the object in front of his face, scratching his nose with the bristles.
"What Bethan, what do you want?" Loki couldn't help the annoyance that seeped into his voice, he was only a child after all.
"Loki, I think she wants you to brush her hair through for her." Frigga was now by the window, closing it against the wind that had picked up as the sun began to set.
"Oh...sorry Bethan." The little prince took the brush from her grasp but held out his other to stop her when she went to sit on the floor at his feet.
"You need to ask first before I'll do it Bethan. It's only polite."
To anyone who didn't know Loki as well as Frigga then they would think he was being rude, but his mother smiled to herself at his attempt to get Bethan to speak. She could tell he was curious to hear what she sounded like and the queen watched closely in case he started to push too hard before the little girl was ready. There was no way of telling how long Bethan had been on her own with no one to talk to meaning that any words she spoke now would be strained and sore. She would need to be eased, slowly, back into speaking normally.
Bethan was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she looked from the brush to Loki, to Frigga then back to Loki and the brush again. A moment or two passed as the little girl shifted in her seat before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
"Please."
The word was small, crackled and raspy as it left her but Loki's face lit up at the fact she had actually spoken and his little trick had worked. He unknowingly rewarded her with a dazzling smile that Frigga had the suspicion would make him very popular with the ladies one day.
"Alright little Bethy, seeing as you asked so nicely."
Frigga simply marvelled at the smile Bethan gave Loki in return as she sat on the floor in front of him, loving this little term of endearment he had called her by. The queen felt any worry about Bethan's state of mind slip away as the girl sat there, quite the thing, while Loki ran the brush through her hair over and over.
It was now getting on into the evening and Frigga was very aware that Loki needed to be fed and put to bed soon and Bethan needed to rest.
The girl was sitting up in her new bed with one of Loki's picture books in her lap while the boy was sprawled out on his stomach, another book open in front of him.
"Come now Loki, it's time for your supper and then to bed with you."
Loki got up from the bed to get ready to leave, eager at the thought of food.
"No!"
Both mother and son were startled when Bethan tried to cry out in her raspy underused voice.
"I don't think she wants us to leave, mother."
Frigga could see the panic of being left alone all over the little birds face and she couldn't blame her if what Odin had told her was true. She needed to attend to the needs of her son but couldn't very well leave the child alone and terrified in this unfamiliar place. Frigga sighed deeply, at a loss as to what to do.
"Stay...please."
Bethan's voice was ever so slightly less crackled now but there was desperation there that made Loki's skin crawl.
An idea flashed through his thoughts.
"Mother, would it be alright if I slept here tonight?"
Frigga's brows raised in a mixture of amusement, amazement and relief.
"I could have my supper here, share it with Bethan and then read to her till she fell asleep. If I slept here as well she wouldn't be alone if she woke up in the night."
The queen went over to her black haired boy and kissed the top of his head, "Wonderful idea. What a smart boy you are. Go to the wash room and use one the flannels to have a wash with instead of a bath and I'll have some food sent along with your night things."
Loki kissed his mother good night before she did the same with Bethan, who seemed happier again, leaving them with a fire now burning in the grate.
Food was sent up from the kitchen as Loki dressed for bed but Bethan didn't start till he was ready.
It was just a simple vegetable broth, bread that had all the crust removed so Bethan would find it easy to eat while the warm soup in her belly made her feel sleepy and relaxed like all comforting food does.
Loki had been true to his word, reading to her again the stories she pointed to, not asking her to speak anymore this time to allow her voice to rest. She had been happy enough to point at what she wanted to hear.
He wasn't sure if it was himself or Bethan who fell asleep first, but when he woke again it was dark, the fire having burned itself out. The book he had been reading aloud was lying open on his chest, his left arm resting on his belly while his right was flung out towards the sleeping girl beside him.
Loki was aware of a faint tickling sensation on the upturned wrist nearest Bethan and the weight of a delicate forearm resting in his hand. When he opened his eyes he wasn't surprised to find the, altogether not unpleasant, tickling sensation was caused by Bethan's slim fingers moving in small circles over the soft skin on the underside of his wrist.
Bethan was deeply asleep but she must have reached out in the night for comfort and found his arm there. Loki suspected that she must have had a doll or some sort of security blanket where she lived before, which was lost in all that had happened to her and so was now using him as some kind of anchor for her night time safety.
The prince began to drift back to sleep again, his thumb tracing a soft line back and forth along her skin. His eyes sprang open through when he heard Bethan mumble.
"Loki."
He checked and she hadn't woken but had merely shifted slightly in her sleep as she spoke before settling down again.
Loki put up a good fight but sleep won in the end as his eyes became heavy, drifting to a close.
"Night night Bethy."
xXxXxXxXx
The grubby fingers that had been tracing the veins on his wrist a moment ago were now wrapped around it, shaking roughly.
"Loki! Have you suddenly been struck dumb or something?"
Loki blinked a few times at Bethan's bemused face before smiling at her, pulling his arm from her grasp so it was free to work with the other in freeing up his collar a bit. The heat was really starting to get to him.
"Sorry Bethy. Went into a bit of a daydream there."
"To be perfectly honest I'm surprised you haven't passed out from the heat and so many layers. Loki your face is bright red."
He gave in and opened his heavy leather top coat all the way so air could get through his under shirt to reach his over heated skin.
"Well I don't have the luxury of being able to wear thin, flouncy dresses like some that I know."
Bethan laughed to herself as she swung her legs over his, removing herself from the lovely coolness of her window ledge to lay her wad of parchments down on the desk.
"It's your own fault if you insist on wearing most of a cow carcass during the warmest part of the year."
She poured some water into a glass tumbler then handed it to Loki. "Here. Out of the goodness of my heart, have a drink."
"Very kind of you, I'm sure."
Bethan ignored his sarcastic tone and poured a glass for herself, her nose crinkled after taking a drink to find the water had gone horribly warm.
"Well this is no good at all."
Looking at the water in his own glass, a sly smirk slid its way onto his features.
"What Loki? What are you scheming in that head of yours?"
"Fancy a swim little Bethy?"
"What? Where?"
The sly smirk grew wider, mischief appeared in his eye and Bethan knew there was something going through his head that was bound to land them both in a lot of trouble.
"The Hanging High Gardens."
"You mean the Hanging High Gardens that are used for the High Summer celebrations and are barred for the rest of the year? The ones that were only just barred off again last month?"
"The very same."
"Are you mad?"
"Quite possibly."
Bethan couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Hanging High Gardens were next to the orchard where the Idunn apples grew and in fact the pool she knew he was thinking of, fed water directly to those very trees.
"Loki why there? It wouldn't take us very long to simply walk to the bath houses pool where we would be in no danger of being skinned alive. I don't think Odin has quite forgiven us just yet for making it snow in the throne room."
The mischief maker threw the contents of his glass out the window and watched it fall through the air for a moment.
"Acht! Where's your sense of adventure Bethy!? After the feast tonight the bath house will be swamped with hordes of the inebriated and I have no wish to share myself with anyone else but your lovely personage tonight, dear friend."
Bethan rested her hip against the desk as she pondered his words, studying the unappetizing water in her hand.
"Fine! You win!" Her face cracked into a begrudged smile as she headed towards the small side room which held the bulk of her clothes.
"What are you doing Bethy, just come as you are for Bor's sake."
Loki gave his companion a look of bizarre amusement as he swung his leg over the ledge of the window, making his way to the desk, setting his empty glass down.
"Loki if I was to get this shift wet then it would become completely transparent and I don't know about your feelings on the matter, but I would rather not be ogled as I walked back to my chambers afterwards."
An eyebrow raised as the indulgent smirk came back; his gaze unable to resist travelling to Bethan's rather ample chest for one so young. Her own eyes went wide and laughed as she watched him do it.
"Excuse me, you Highness, but do you mind not behaving like a pervert in front of your subject?"
The prince's smirk widened as he simply pointed to himself, finally making eye contact with Bethan again. "Man."
Bethan raised her own dark eyebrow at his weak 'excuse' and pointed at him to. "Technically really still just a boy. Now leave while I get ready."
His smirk finally became a warm smile as he chuckled again at her smudged face and moved towards the door. "I'll meet you at the gates."
Why he didn't just wait for her outside the door, she didn't know as she didn't take long to change from the remainder of her sleeping robes to a light cotton dress that tied round the neck, brush her hair through quickly and wipe the charcoal from her face so she could catch up with Loki.
Even with his long legs he hadn't gotten very far and Bethan was soon walking along side him.
They reached the gates for the gardens in no time, Bethan kept a look out while Loki worked on the lock with a mixture of magic and manual lock picking. The prince beamed smugly as the metal gate opened to him. Bowing slightly, gesturing to Bethan, "Ladies first."
She shoved him lightly on the shoulder, making her way past into the thick jungle of the High Gardens, hearing Loki step in behind and locking the gate again before catching up.
There were no lamps or fire pits anywhere to light their way but both knew the paths between the bushes and flower beds well enough. Soon they found themselves at the pool of water they came for.
It wasn't very large. Bethan mused that she could go from one end to the other in about 4 or 5 strokes and it was deep enough to just cover her shoulders if she stood on her tiptoes while in it. Same could be said for Loki though she suspected, he still had maybe another growth spurt to go through and he was roughly the same height as her right now of about 5'6 to 5'8.
The pools edge was almost flush with the tiled floor and the water shone with a bright, shimmering, pale blue light as if lit from within, shedding a silvery glow on the trees and bushes that surrounded it.
At the far end of the clearing there was a gap in the trees where the edge of the pool wall met with nothing but air and a sheer drop.
The Hanging High Gardens were called such because they grew on the edge of the cliff near the palace and were only used during the celebration each year to welcome the height of summer.
Loki was already working at removing the layers of cloth and leather that made up the top half of his armour as Bethan kicked of her shoes to take a running jump straight in, sending up sprays of water high into the air as she shrieked with laughter.
With his hair now damp from a face full of water, Loki had managed to free himself of his boots, leaving on his under shirt and trousers, to follow by example and jump in after her.
Bethan spluttered as the wave he caused hit her right in the face and laughed as she tried to remove the hair sticking across it. Loki surfaced with his head tilted back, hair slicking back against his head, looking blacker than ever. A thought at the back of her mind cropped up stating that he rather suited it slicked back.
"Very graceful Loki. About as much poise as Sif when she's forced to wear a dress."
"Says the person wearing the dress, who did the exact same thing and screamed while doing it."
"Ha ha, smart arse."
Humming in appreciation Loki laid his head back into the water again, closing his eyes at the simple joy of feeling cool.
Bethan floated on the sport nearby and smiled at the bliss written all over his face now it returned to its normal pale hue.
"How goes the preparations for Thor's coming of age?"
He sighed, keeping his eyes close, "As well as could be expected. His new armour is being made, the entertainment has been arranged, the kitchens are already working on the food and Fandral is organizing a night of drinking and debauchery in Thor's honour seemingly after the main event."
"Thank the Gods I won't be invited to that little gathering."
Loki opened one eye to peer at Bethan. "When it comes to Fandral, I wouldn't be too sure."
Both sniggered at the idea as they drifted about in the water, floating on their backs to look up at the stars.
Bethan was the one to break the silence again, speaking softly as if to herself. "I wonder how many of those stars up there are actually worlds."
Loki brought himself upright and looked at her in a way that, if she been looking at him, would have made Bethan feel like she had said something completely insane and stupid like left is right, up is down or Thor is a genius compared to you.
"What in the Hel makes you think of that?"
The girl continued to float by him, her eyes never leaving the heavens. "Haven't you ever wondered what's out there in the cosmos Loki? We hear snaps and snippets about all the known places to Asgard in our lessons but we're never given the chance to see it for ourselves."
Loki swam to the water's edge in a few easy strokes and pulled his sodden undershirt from him as he spoke, throwing it away towards his boots with a wet thwack. "The thought to travel anywhere never really occurred to me. Why would I when everything I could want is already here?" Loki leaned back against the pool wall as he studied his little Bethy's face, trying to fight that niggling want to look at the swell of her chest again and failing. She was going to be surprised when she got out of the water. That dress certainly didn't hide as much as she had hoped now the cotton was soaked completely through.
"I live in a glorious palace, I am a prince of Asgard, I may well be king of it one day. I have my books, my mother and father, Thor and you. I have everything right here in the Realm Eternal. Nothing out there is of much interest to me. The night sky is nothing more than just a prettily painted canvas."
Bethan heaved a sigh. "Maybe your right."
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R & R please :)
