It was a normal day in the palace as Kára sat in the antechamber to the boy's rooms, eyes casting over the latest set of orders from the All-Father.
The doors off to her right suddenly burst open, and a young blond and brunette came barreling out of the rooms beyond, their expressions grim.
"Kára!" Thor's voice carried through the gilt room. "We have something to ask of you!"
A small, secretive smile tugged at the corners of the Valkyries mouth. "Anything for you, my princes."
Thor gave Loki a suspicious look that the younger returned. "I awoke this morning and decided that I had to ask… Which do you prefer, blonds or brunettes?"
Kára's gaze flicked between the two of them, amusement evident in her eyes. "What prompted such a strange question?"
Thor pointedly avoided his brother's gaze. "It matters not the source, merely that you answer it truthfully."
The Valkyrie chuckled. "Well, truthfully," she leaned towards them more and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "I've always preferred redheads."
It was Loki who laughed at that, Thor's head suddenly hanging low against his chest. "I see." The elder boy mumbled.
Kára gently reached out and tilted his head back up, her smile much softer now. "That is not to say that I find blond hair unattractive," she winked at Loki when his laugh pattered out into silence, "or think any less of raven locks."
The boys under her care had just started to learn the ways of battle, slowly becoming more adept with practice, and Kára watched with interest as they went through the motions of their most recent practice routine.
Thor moved in much the way she had imagined he would, utilizing his physical strength to overpower any opponent.
Loki was faster, flitting in and out of range in order to deliver fast, hard strikes when need be. He chose to outwit his opponent instead of outmatch him in strength.
A loud bell rang through the training grounds, and the two brothers stopped their work in order to catch their breath, moving over to where the Valkyrie sat, their movements weary.
"I wish to know something, Kára," Thor panted as he plopped into the seat next to her, "which do you prefer, hammer or staff?"
Loki gave him a mildly reproving look and sat on Kára's other side, reaching for the glass of water that awaited him on a nearby table.
Kára turned to look at the elder boy, an eyebrow raised. "What might cause you to ask such a question, prince?"
Thor shrugged, leaning his elbows on his knees and dipping his head to hide his face behind a curtain of hair. "Merely curious."
She attempted to hide her smirk as she handed him a glass of water and then sat back in her seat again, folding her arms over her armor. "I've always used a sword."
On her left, she heard Loki softly snort into his glass, and Thor's red face might not have been caused entirely from the exercise.
"Oh come now, you have to have a favorite!" The look on the young man's face was priceless, but now was not the time to point out how endearingly absurd he looked as they sat in their usual places around the fire.
Kára rolled her eyes at Thor's persistence, trying not to laugh him as he slumped in the seat beside her. "I don't see the point in having a favorite. Metal is metal is metal, prince, there is not much more to it than that."
He looked like he might start pouting for real, which would probably end in upturned furniture and broken objects, when Loki gently intervened. "I believe what my brother is trying to ask is, which you find the most useful. Metals do have different densities, after all," he flicked his gaze onto his brother for a fraction of a second before looking back at her, "different breaking points."
The Valkyrie did her utmost to hold in her laughter at that, instead merely nodding and trying to find a proper way to answer. "I believe, if I were forced to choose, I would most likely choose gold."
A tiny smirk flitted over Loki's lips for a moment before he tilted his head off to one side. "And why would that be?"
Kára smiled. "It is the metal your father wears into battle. It is woven into my own armor. It graces the walls of this palace and gleams brightly even in the dead of night."
Thor was slowly beginning to come out of his sulk, and turned to look at her. "I suppose that is a good answer, then."
She smiled back, lightly resting a hand on his shoulder before she left to go to her own room. "I certainly believe so."
"Green or red?"
Kára looked up from her work, blinking in surprise at the suddenness of Thor's question. "What?"
"Green or red, which do you prefer?" His arms were folded across his chest, a scowl in evidence as he waited for her answer.
Just behind him, leaning casually against the door into her rooms, Loki was smiling slightly, eyes telling all too clearly the reason behind Thor's question.
It had been like this for years, ever since they were little children. Something would come up, some seemingly innocuous question, and hidden behind it was a need for both boys to know if they were her favorite or not.
Kára had been avoiding any direct response ever since the competition had started, and whenever a question was put to her that would implicate one brother or the other, she would choose the answer that didn't hint in either direction. "Thor, you know I like blue best of…"
"I am aware," was the short reply, "but I asked which you prefer of the two."
Kára sighed internally and tried not to notice the way Loki's lips were quirking up at the corners. Undoubtedly this whole fiasco was somehow his doing just so that she would have to admit to liking one or the other. "Thor, now really is not…"
"Kára, you will answer me." His voice was low, and so much more menacing then it was when he shouted. "And you will do so quickly."
"I am not partial to either color over the other." She spat out, a frown tugging her lips downwards. "Now will you please stop acting like a child and simply ask me if I prefer your brother over you. I grow weary of these silly games."
Thor looked a bit surprised at the outburst, but a small smirk suddenly overtook his features. "And I would prefer if you did not lie. It does not suit you." He leant forward and pressed a light kiss to her forehead before he was off and away, merely a red splash slipping out of her chamber door.
The Valkyrie looked at Loki for answers, and the Liesmith smiled sweetly at her. "I told him your favorite color had changed. He, of course, required an explanation."
She glared at him. "You had no right to go tell your brother without warning me first."
He slipped over to her, smile still intact. "Ah, but would you care for me half so much as you do if I were anything other than what I am?"
"I would care for you a great deal more if you did not go about telling people things that are best left silent."
"Then perhaps you should persuade me to keep my tongue from telling such tall tales." He said with a sly smirk.
She gave him a flat look, but leant over far enough to brush her shoulder against his. "Later. I hardly think it would do for us to be late to dinner with your father."
"Indeed… And, to put your mind at ease, I did not tell Thor everything."
"I should hope not. There would have been a terrible storm if you had."
"Quite right…" His eyes flashed with laughter. "I believe he would have been most jealous to learn that your favorite color has always been Green."
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