A/N: Not sure where this one will go. I rewatched Thor over the weekend and noticed that Loki gets really upset about Thor going "soft" because of "that woman". I thought wow, interesting choice to cry while saying that. So, due to Tom Hiddleston's interesting acting choices, this plot bunny was born tonight. It basically gives reason to why that tear was there and why Loki was so upset. I hope you enjoy it. Beginning's a little clunky but it'll get rolling next chapter.

"Shut up! I cannot hear them!" Loki hissed at his brother and leaned against the door, "if you hadn't wanted to train in the fields all day—"

"What are they saying?" Thor demanded, "It is unlike Father to call such an unexpected meeting."

"Be silent and I will let you know," Loki held out his hand to his brother and listened.

"Freyr," Odin addressed the God of Fertility, "we need your assistance in securing the alliance with the Aelfir of Alfheim. In spite of years of peace, the Jotunn present a threat to Asgard and its inhabitants."

"It would be my honor, Allfather." Freyr nodded his head in reverence, "How shall we proceed?"

"There have not been Aelfir in Asgard for generations," Odin thought for a moment, "the younger Aesir have never seen an elf at all. I feel if we send an Aesir to Alfheim to spread our culture and invite an elf here to stay it would be beneficial in reforging our strong bond."

"I agree," Freyr held his goblet up, "that is a splendid idea. I shall return to Alfheim in the morning and bring back the best elf to guide you in this alliance."

The group of gods at the table toasted to the agreement.

"I suggest you choose an elf that is not prone to fickleness." Odin pointed out, "I remember the Light-Elves being as such."

"No, no," Freya, the goddess of Love intercepted the tone of the conversation, "Allfather, the elves are good and powerful creatures. If you are to seek their help, you must regard them as formidable allies."

"Quite right," Odin admitted gruffly. The Goddess of Love had a way of convincing people, "So, Frigga, I trust you to be the most gracious of hostesses for our guests. Ensure that the kitchens have ten times as much food for the feasts and twenty times as much mead."

"Yes, Odin."

"Light elves also enjoy dew and honey." Freya suggested, "Perhaps you could have founts of those in their chambers. A nice welcome gesture."

"Of course!" Odin agreed, "We should want them to feel at home here. Especially for the ambassador who is to lodge with us."

"The Jotun will never know what hit them," Freyr raised his cup again and all of the gods cheered.

"Father means to forge an alliance with the Aelfir." Loki reported back to Thor after the meeting came to an end.

"With the Aelfir?" Thor questioned, "But what use are they to us?"

"From what I gathered," Loki and Thor walked back to their chambers for a supper together, "they might prove to be valuable allies against the Jotun."

"Elves cannot help us fight!" Thor insisted loudly as they entered their chambers, "Light-elves? From Alfheim?"

"Yes. Obviously." Loki took his place at the table across from his brother, "And they can help us fight. They have very powerful magic—I remember Mother telling me about it. Each elf specializes in their own brand of the craft. They are experts in the art—and they are immortal. Conditionally, I believe. They don't die of old age or sickness, they heal as well as we do, if not better, but they can be killed. Only rarely."

"Well, I suppose they do have value, then," Thor tore into a turkey leg and sighed at its deliciousness, "ah, after a full day of training I'm famished."

"Ah, yes, well, I'm not as starved—"

Thor reached across the table and, with a greasy hand, slapped his brother on the shoulder good-naturedly, "ah, well, if you had spent the entire with your spells perhaps you'd be hungry, too. You did not train as hard as I."

Loki ground his teeth and Thor threw the stripped bone onto the floor.

The next morning, Odin had called his sons into the throne room to deliver the news of the new possible alliance.

"As sons of Asgard," he sat upon his throne and had Frigga at his side, "we expect you to treat our guests with the utmost hospitality and warmth reflective of Asgardian values. Their ways differ from ours—it is important that differences do not stand in the way of this alliance."

Thor and Loki nodded and were dismissed.

"Do you think Loki will prove to be a liability?" Odin asked Frigga as he watched them leave, "He is not as outgoing as his brother—it could be misconstrued."

"Loki is vastly observant. His shall be fine as long as his sensitivities do not obstruct him."

"He needs to build up a thicker skin." Was all Odin said.

Overnight, Asgard became abuzz with excitement and gossip. Half of the population had never even seen an elf and were so anxious to catch a glimpse of one. The whole land plunged deeply into a preparation mode: the towers were polished with gold cloths, the streets were cleaned with cool rainwater, the palace kitchens were stocked with enough food and drink to last for years and the royal seamstresses were commissioned in creating the finest examples of Aesir attire if the elves wished to dress as they did.

Thor had his helmet shined. He wore it around the palace like a proud peacock.

"Shall the Aelfir be impressed?" Thor stood in the full mirror in the salon he shared with his brother, "what am I saying? Of course they'll be impressed! A helmet—the best the gnomes could forge!"

"Of course," Loki pointed out, "the elves have elven-hewn items that some say are twice as strong as gnomes'."

"Are you saying that they are superior to us?" Thor whirled from his reflection and eyed Loki incredulously.

"Not at all," Loki huffed, "but, as Father said, we must acknowledge their strengths in order to see what may be of use to us. Now I am going to talk to Freyr before he leaves."

Loki slipped down to the guest chambers. Freyr greeted him with a broad, if not puzzled smile.

"Loki," the god rumbled, "what brings you here?"

"Have you chosen an Aesir ambassador yet?"

"Good to see you too, my prince," Freyr turned back to packing his trunk, "Well, the ambassador must have a vast knowledge of Aesir culture—"

"I can—"

"—and fighting styles." Freyr finished and threw a tunic into the trunk before locking is with a wave of his hand. "I'm sorry, Loki, but we must send someone with more experience. You've spent more time studying your magic than training. And that is useful when the time comes! But we need a warrior to go."

"Thor?" Loki spat.

"No, not your brother," Freyr laid a gentle hand on the young man's shoulder, "he is young, as well. I am sending Hodr."

"I see."

"I should like to think that you can demonstrate some Aesir magic to the elves?"

"Oh, of course." Loki brightened.

Freyr nodded and turned back to his things. "Then I shall introduce you as—"

He turned to face the prince but he had vanished.

Loki counted the days until Freyr returned with the visitors. He walked down the Bifrost everyday for weeks to check in with Heimdall. The gatekeeper, patient at first, gave him the same speech everyday:

"All is as it should be," he would drone, "and the nine realms are peaceful today. Go home, prince. I will send word to you when Freyr returns."

And everyday Loki would journey back, disappointed. He was so anxious to be able to demonstrate his skills. His mother had taught him and he had trained with a few sorcerers but whenever he wanted to show his father, the time never seemed to be right.

Loki had started with magic as a young boy. Frigga saw an enormous amount of talent in him from a very early age. Loki could not understand why his father (or his brother, for that matter) did not acknowledge his skills as being impressive. He was very excited to speak with someone who appreciated magic. He could show the entire visiting elven army how skilled he truly was.

Three weeks from the day Freyr had left, a guard appeared at Loki's chamber door at dawn with the news that Freyr's ship had been spotted by Heimdall. Loki dressed quickly as Thor rose.

"Where are you going, Brother?"

"To the Bifrost—the visitors from Alfheim are here."

"Let's go then!"

They raced down to the bridge and placed themselves behind a pillar, out of sight.

"Why—why are we hiding?" Thor asked in what was, to him, a whisper.

"We're getting the upper hand," Loki explained as they watched Freyr's boat land on the Bifrost. The god emerged with two elves and not the Aelfir army he'd imagined.

"It's always beneficial," Loki explained, "to scope out those unknown to you. Now we know—"

"Look at that—"

"—how to proceed." Loki finished his sentence in a hushed voice, barely audible.

"Who is that?" Thor asked.

The brothers gaped at the sight before them: Freyr and a male elf stepped out of his mighty ship. A third elf, a girl, emerged and Freyr lifted her into his arms. Instead of setting her down onto the Bifrost, the god held onto the elf. With a small flick of his wrist, the mighty ship shrunk and found its way into his pocket.

With a wave to Heimdall and a nod, Freyr and his small party proceeded toward Asgard. He did not put down the elf in his arms but carried her the whole length of the bridge. Loki and Thor watched quietly as they passed. The girl was shielded from sight by a long, wavy curtain of light blonde hair and therefore Loki could not see her face.

"A strange group." Thor commented as they watched them go, "Would it not be wise to send a vast army to demonstrate wealth and power?"

"Their wealth and power lies elsewhere." Loki whispered as the corners of his mouth threatened to rise.

A/N: If you've gotten this far, thank you. Thank you so much for reading and the second chapter will be up soon. Please review/favorite/follow!