Writing my fanfics in the Marvel universe "Songs to be Sung" and "Marvelous Jobs" I often thought about how it must have been like, Thor and Loki being kids together in Asgard. I included some ideas in my fanfics, but some were too complex to be used as a character's flashback or reminiscence. This is one of them. I have no idea, how many readers a kid!Loki / kid!Thor story will attract. But I'm curious to find out. :)

(I'm sorry for all the Hogun fans out there, but he will only have the shortest appearance. It's a detail I did not check with Marvel archives, but somehow, I feel he came to Asgard and joined the Warriors Three at a later century.)

The frame story is set after "The Avengers" and some time before the main story line of "Thor II".

Feel free to review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, Loki, Fandral, Volstagg, Sif, Frigga and Odin Allfather, I hold no rights to the Marvel characterizations. This is done for fun and love of the movies, and I do not make money out of it.

+++ Chapter 1: The Monster at the Pond+++

(### Asgard, 2012 ### )

'Thor would visit you, I'm sure he would,' Frigga told Loki. 'But there are skirmishes at Asgard's borders and conflicts in the allied realms, he is called away so often...'

'A busy heir to the throne, of course. Who could expect him to think of his rogue brother?' Loki paced a few steps, hands clasped loosely behind his back. A few steps. His prison in Asgard's dungeon did not allow for more. He encompassed the narrow confinements with one lavish movement of his hand: the cot, the small table, the armchair, the pile of books. 'How long has it been? Three months? Four? Four-hundred?'

'Loki...'

'You tell me. After all, you can at least count sunsets.' He had not meant his bitterness to show. But it seemed he could not contain himself. Sentenced to life in prison. A demi-god with millennia to look forward to.

'I visit you, Loki,' Frigga said sadly. 'Does that not mean anything to you?'

'It would,' Loki said. 'If only it were true.'

He returned to her and waved his hand right where she stood in his prison. The illusion dispelled. The sad, worried face was last to vanish. He could see her blink and come back to herself in her own chambers, in the royal wing of Asgard's fortress. They communicated through the fire she kept burning in the corner of her room.

'And when you are gone for good,' Loki whispered, 'who will remember me then?'

'I will,' a cheerful voice said. 'I've hardly thought of anything else in – how many years?'

Loki froze.

'Six hundred?' said the voice happily. 'Seven hundred forty-five? More? Or less?'

Somehow, Loki managed to inhale. 'That's not possible.'

'Why not? You're quite long-lived. I'm practically immortal.'

Loki looked about his prison. 'Where are you?'

'Well, what do you think? Under your cot, naturally.'

Loki crouched beside the cot and tried to penetrate the darkness underneath. It should not be possible to have such dark corners, not in this place. But magic had its own ways, and if his guest really was who Loki thought him to be...

'Used to be more comfortable, but who am I to complain?' the voice went on.

Loki arched a perfect eyebrow, 'Am I supposed to apologize for the inconvenience?'

'You are supposed to keep your promise. We have a bargain, you and I.'

'We were children,' Loki said dismissively.

'Not "we". You were. But you do remember, how it all started?'

Loki sat as far away from the cot as possible, just behind the energy grid that served as bars. The constant golden sparkle occupied his eyes, while his mind was busy condensing centuries until it seemed only yesterday... Aye, Loki remembered that day.

(### Asgard, almost 1,000 years earlier ###)

Thor got a bag full of marbles. That was how it all started. A traveling salesman had come to Asgard, and, between a million wondrous things, he offered a bag full of glass marbles.

It was love at first sight for all boys, but especially for the sons of Odin.

They asked nicely. They begged. Thor threw a tantrum. Loki improvised a full dozen reasons, why every boy of one hundred and eight years should be entitled to call a bag of marbles his own...

But you needed forty-two marbles to play a decent game of "Catch the Wolf", and that was exactly the number the salesman had to offer.

So, Odin decided to make the matter into one of his dreaded "educational measures": He bought the marbles. And gave them to Thor. Admonishing his first-born to share with his little brother.

Loki wondered just how naive his father could get.

Thor promised. Of course, he did. He would have promised anything for the colorful, shining treasures rolling out of the bag and onto his palm. Already, he stared at them as if hypnotized by their gleaming beauty. Loki's desperate attempt to lay down his co-owners rights went unheeded. Or rather, he was out-volumed by the other boys, Volstagg and Fandral.

'Let's go play,' Fandral shouted.

'In the court?' asked Volstagg.

'Let's go to the bathing pond Fandral discovered and play there,' Thor said.

Fandral and Volstagg agreed noisily.

'I don't want to play at the pond,' Loki said softly and unheeded.

'Poor Loki.' Sif slid up beside the unhappy prince. 'You don't like swimming, do you?'

'That's not the point,' Loki said, scowling at the boys gathering round Thor to show their due admiration to the wonderful marbles. 'But there's no shade at that pond. I don't feel comfortable, if there's no shade.'

'You're just not used to it,' the young valkyre said. 'You spend too much time indoors.'

'Mostly because I don't like it outside.'

Sif regarded him with a curious look, 'You're a strange one, indeed, Loki. How can one not like the sun?'

'I like the sun,' Loki insisted. 'It's just – oh well, forget it. You don't understand.'

'Well, then we both have a secret,' Sif said. 'You don't like the sun, and I consider playing marbles tedious. Especially a boring game like "Catch the Wolf".'

'Tedious?' Fandral called to them. 'Sif, what's possibly boring about "Catch the Wolf"?'

'I usually win.' Sif put on a cool smile, the kind of smile that impressed Thor the most. She joined the boys on their way to the stables.

Loki trudged behind, still not convinced he was doing the intelligent thing, yet unwilling to leave his co-owned treasures with his brother and the other kids. There was one advantage in being the last to reach the stables: The others had his horse saddled up and ready by the time he got there.

Fandral had discovered their new bathing pond only a fortnight ago. But it had quickly advanced to be the childrens' favorite place for spending the hot Asgardian summer afternoons. The water was cool, clear and sufficiently deep, but with very few water lilies and no sea weeds to get caught up in. Reeds grew at the shores, but there were spots with sand or polished black stone that offered easy access to the water. The sun glittered like billions of tiny diamonds on the surface as the boys splashed into the water. Sif followed at a slower pace. Being a girl, she should not come here to swim with the boys in the first place. While she had decided not to care about the basic decency issue, she was usually hesitant to take off more than the upper layer of clothing and was fastidious about securing the rest.

As a result, the soaked fabric of her underskirt stuck to her body "like a wet sheep", as Fandral gallantly put it. But even that did not stop her from displaying the same odd behavior time and again.

By the time, everyone was in the water, Thor had already challenged Volstagg to a diving contest and was winning. The blonde prince was good at swimming, but then again, he was good at everything requiring physical fitness.

Fandral discovered a turtle that had been slow in retreating to safety and started throwing the poor beast around.

'Maybe you'd rather want to use this.' Sif handed him a round, straw-stuffed ball.

'What's that?'

'The head of the dummy the warriors use for joust training. A scare-crow would've done, too. But we came past this one first.'

'Sif! Over here!' Thor waved at her to throw him the makeshift ball.

Loki, like the others, engaged himself in the ensuing battle, and he enjoyed it. He was no less skilled than his peers after all; he was nimble, strong and fast like them (with even a clear tendency to outperform them in terms of speed and agility, once adolescence had levelled the few physical differences still brought about by the age gap).

But people usually compared him to his brother, so he was often considered less effective and daring than he actually was.

And of course, there was the problem with the temperature.

Loki never felt comfortable during summer. Seeing the bright sunshine dance on the rippling waves was enough to affect him with an oppressive sensation of being too warm. It tired him like he was actually down with a fever that sapped the strength from his limbs, and he was the first to return to shore. Where they had left their clothes and provisions, he sat in the sand and took a couple of marbles from the pouch, choosing them for being of about the same size and weight. He started circling them on his palm, trying to pass them on by curling and relaxing his fingers in a steady pattern. The salesman had done so at dizzying speed, and Loki was prepared to learn –

'These are pretty glass marbles you got there,' someone said. It was a gentle and pleasant voice, and it seemed to resound in Loki's head.

'They are my brother's,' Loki said, without looking up. 'Who are you?'

'I am a spirit. This lake is my realm.'

Loki could sense the presence now, with his "magical perception", as his teacher called it. It felt like a tickle, a small tension gathering in the spot just below your sternum, where you felt the joyous anticipation of a promised gift. Or the anxiety as you followed your adventurous brother down into the dark catacombs beneath Asgard's brightly lit halls...

Thor, the reckless nincompoop...

'Well, well,' the spirit said. 'I take it you're a magician?'

'And you're not particularly hospitable,' Loki said. 'You might care to grow one or two trees on your shores. A little shade would improve this place greatly, if you ask me.'

'Your friends don't complain,' the spirit said. Loki looked over to the frolicking boys and Sif, who was boldly trying to keep up while being nearly drowned by her soaked undergarments.

'A prince of Asgard does not complain,' he said. 'Consider it a suggestion.'

'Let me make a suggestion of my own, then. These are pretty glass marbles you got there. Give them to me, and you'll receive something even prettier in return.'

Loki guffawed haughtily, 'What could you possibly have to give that I cannot already have for free? Sunlight in abundance? Water? A breeze rustling the reeds? Mosquitos and leeches?'

'Secrets,' the spirit said. 'I have secrets to share, young magician. You don't exist since times unimaginable without learning a thing or two from the rustling reeds and the buzz of the mosquitos. I could share one of these things with you; these marbles are so very pretty...'

'I already told you. They belong to my brother.'

'That is just the reason why you want to give them away so badly. And you don't care whether you get punished for it, whether Thor is mad at you – '

'How do you know his name?'

The spirit made a sound like small bubbles popping at the surface of the water in a swampy place. Loki assumed the thing was laughing.

'Just one of the things the bittern already whispered to me. I hoard what I can learn from others, in all ways available: Things that scare them. Things they would not know or care to know about themselves. I make them face the reflection in the mirror they would rather shatter than recognize as their own. It is what I do. I am a malicious spirit. My beauty is make-belief. I dwell at the heart of the illusion. Do you know what I mean?'

'Not really. What happens, if someone fills up your lake?'

'No one fills up my lake. I can make it seem like the most beautiful spot you've ever been. You feel no wish to destroy such beauty. I am a locus amoenus.'

Loki stored the name for later research. 'What if you leave, and then someone fills up your lake?'

'Your friends could no longer take a bath, and wouldn't that be a pity? They are so very happy. - What about the secret, boy?'

'One for each marble,' Loki said, turning his mind from curious inquiry to business.

'One. For the entire bag.'

'Let's hear your story,' Loki demanded. 'So I can know, whether it's worth the price.'

'Oh, you're a tough negotiator.' The spirit gave his bubbling laugh again. 'Very well. You see this little fly on the blade of grass before you?'

'What about it?' Making it a point not to seem too interested, Loki studied the insect. It was thin and fragile, and its silvery body ended in a filigrane, forked tail.

'It's a mayfly. Their larvae live in the water. The summer sun kisses them awake. Thousands of them will hatch on one beautiful morning. They fly over the water surface and in the reeds, all sunny day long. But do you know, what they will do at nightfall?'

'Go to sleep?'

Again that sound of popping swamp bubbles. 'They die. With the last light of day they fly out, over the pond. Then, they spread their wings, and they let themselves sink into the water. Can you imagine why?'

Loki played his card, 'They cannot take in food. They no longer have a mouth, after they are hatched as adults. Seeking a quick death by the mouths of the fish is most likely preferable over starving.' He curled his lips, disdainfully. 'I read that in a book of mine. That's what you call a secret?'

'I do, because your book knows only half the truth,' the locus amoenus said. 'The mayflies die, because in the course of this one day they have come to believe they have seen it all. Everything there is to see and to experience. They know the pond, and they think they know the world.'

'Pretty stupid beasts, aren't they?' Loki said, bored.

'Some Asgardians think just that,' the spirit said. 'They are not likely to die of it, of course; they are no flies. But they are just as incapable of realizing that the world they live in is but a part of something so much greater.'

Loki narrowed his eyes and frowned, 'So what's that "secret" supposed to teach me?'

'Who can know for sure? Maybe, there's no moral in it for you at all. Then again, one day you might find yourself faced with the decision of jumping off the Bifrost or climbing back to safe ground. Maybe you'll remember that there's a lot more to see and to experience, beyond the limits of the nine realms. And you'll make your choice. - What about the marbles?'

'I don't know,' said Loki. 'I wanted to hear a secret, not an advice.'

'You see that little bird over there?'

'Reed warbler,' Loki said without interest.

'There's a young cuckoo in his nest. The reed warbler knows it's not his child, but he still feeds it. Do you know, why he doesn't throw the stranger out of the nest, like the cuckoo threw out and killed its foster brothers?'

'Tell me,' Loki said. 'I assume that's the secret.'

'The reed warbler loves his children. But his wife feels sorry for the cuckoo.'

Loki frowned, thinking hard. Finally, he shook his head lightly and said, 'I don't understand.'

'I didn't claim you would. Not at once, anyway. – Those were two secrets told. What about the marbles, boy?'

'Oh, well. It was not as good as I expected. But entertaining enough.' Loki emptied the pouch into his hand. One last look at the treasures that should have been his and were given to Thor...

'Loki? Whom are you talking to?' Thor waded out of the water and covered the distance at a trot. He left a dark trail of water on the dark stones he had to cross. 'What are you doing with our marbles?'

'Loki? Can I play, too?' asked Fandral. Volstagg was helping Sif with the weight of her wet clothes, so these two were a little slower to follow.

'Your cheeks are all flushed.' Thor knelt in front of his brother. 'Are you alright?'

Loki stared at the marbles in his hand. Suddenly, the colors swam before his eyes, and the whole conversation with the spirit seemed weird and fleeting like a dream at waking. 'Yes – no.' He looked at Thor, his eyes huge and blank, his lips slightly trembling. 'I just don't understand - what the cuckoo's got to do with me?'

'What cuckoo?' Thor put his hand to Loki's brow. 'But - you're burning. Loki? What is it?' Startled, the blonde boy watched a shiver run through his brother's frame at the cool touch of his hand. Loki's eyelids quivered, then he suddenly sagged forward. The marbles rolled in the sand.

Thor caught his brother by the shoulders and shook him, 'Loki? Are you alright?'

'I think he's passed out,' said Fandral, craning his neck to get a glimpse of Loki's face.

'But he was fine only ten minutes ago.' Thor tried hard not to show his fear, but it was unmistakably there, in his blue eyes, as he looked up at his friends.

'Too much sun,' Sif said reasonably. 'He told me before we took off he'd feel uncomfortable without shelter.'

'Out of the way.' Volstagg carried a soggy shirt and wrung it over Loki. Thor turned his head to avoid getting splashed.

The boy in his arms stirred sluggishly and looked about blearily, 'Thor?'

'I am here, Loki. I've got you.' Thor hugged his brother close.

'I'm sorry,' Loki mumbled. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry...'

'No reason to apologize,' Thor assured him eagerly. Boy, he was so glad, Loki was awake. 'Can you get up? We've got to take you to Eir.'

The goddess of healing had her domicile at the foot of Asgard's castle, easy to access for people of the city as well as the inhabitants of the king's stronghold. For a band of children finding themselves in the wild outside Asgard's gates, getting there still presented a challenge.

'Let's give him a drink, first.' Sif removed the stopper from a waterskin. 'Here, Loki. It will make you feel better.' She went to one knee beside Thor and supported Loki's head with one hand. With her help, he drank greedily and without spilling anything.

'Thanks,' said Thor, feeling a warm wave of gratitude - and the tiniest pang of jealousy. 'Where did you learn how to do that?'

Sif shrugged her shoulders, flattered by his appraisal but not prepared to show it. 'Valkyres need to know. It's our job to ride over the battle fields and bring refreshments to the warriors on the brink of death that Odin Allfather appointed to be taken to Valhall.'

'Loki is not "on the brink of death"!' Thor shouted.

'Nor am I going to take him to Valhall.' Sif put the stopper back in place. 'Eir's place it is. I'll get the horses.'

Volstagg and Fandral helped Loki climb to his feet. But he showed little interest in standing on his own. They had to support him, waiting for Sif to bring their mounts.

'Thor? You coming?' she called.

'Just a moment.' Thor searched the sandy ground. 'I'm missing three marbles.'

'Look for them later, will you?' Fandral had trouble holding Loki's weight. 'We could do with some help over here.'

'Fandral, you numbskull. That's not how it's done.' Thor came over. 'Watch me. His arm on your shoulder, like this. Now you can put another arm around here, and then – oh. Oops!'

'Easy!' warned Fandral.

'Can you, please, just take me home?' begged Loki. 'No lessons, no adventures? I really don't feel good...'

'Sure thing, brother. All we need to do is - oh.'

Caught out of their depth, Asgard's heir to the throne and his trusted comrades stood before the towering horses. And realized...

'How – how are we going to get him up there?' asked Fandral.

Everyone waited for a good, practical plan to be voiced. Something to do with skillfully folded hands, leverage and, possibly, creative utilization of Sif's whalebone underware. Then, they remembered that those plans usually came from Loki – and his mind right now was about as far from corset laces as Volstagg's from comb and brush.

Thor made a decision, 'Very well. Here, Fandral, hold him – ' he pushed his brother over to Fandral, who swayed under the transfered weight. 'I'm getting in the saddle. Fandral, you and Volstagg lift Loki up as far as you can – '

'Thor, there are mounted men over there,' said Sif. 'I think they are your father's guards returning from patroling the outer ranges.'

'We'll make this work,' Thor said confidently. 'I'm ready. Volstagg, Fandral, on my mark.'

'Thor, I'm serious,' Sif said over the groans of the hard-working boys. 'Those are grown-up men. They can lift Loki easily.'

'So can we.' Thor caught his brother by the back of his shirt. 'Put some heart into it, folks. You've got to push him over the saddle.'

'You want him to puke on your horse?' Sif shouted, knowing that her choice of words would get her the full attention of the boys. Thor let go and so did Fandral and Volstagg, remembering at the last moment to catch Loki and continue to support him. Suddenly, the buzz of the day flies and the song of the reed warbler seemed very loud in the silence.

'I don't want Loki to puke on my horse,' Thor finally said. 'Someone might think it was me.'

'So don't let him drain a full waterskin before placing him on his stomach upside down on a running horse,' Sif said sharply.

'Thor?' said Volstagg. 'I think the guards have spotted us. They're coming.'

'Way to go, Sif, alerting them with your shouting,' said Thor, annoyed. 'Listen up, everyone. I want to make it a point that we would've succeeded on our own... somehow...'

The boys nodded. Sif rolled her eyes. Loki had developed a hiccup and whimpered softly because every reflexive gasp gave him a sharp pain in the head.

The rider in front raised his hand in greeting, 'Hoy, Prince Thor! How fare you and your comrades?'

'My brother needs to see the healer.' Thor could see the alert in the five men's faces.

'What happened? Did he get thrown?' The guards stopped their horses. One man dismounted and hurried over to relieve Fandral and Volstagg of the prince's weight.

'He was affected by the heat.' Thor would say no more. Loki's weakness was his own, such was his idea of an older brother's loyalty.

'With your permission, Prince Thor, I would request the honor of taking Prince Loki to Eir,' the guard said. It was a diplomatic way of offering the prince a way out, which Thor gladly accepted.

'Sure,' he said with a shrug. 'Your steed is bigger and therefore runs probably faster than mine.'

'Like the wind, my lord,' the man promised. His comrade lifted Loki by the waist. The mounted guard grabbed the slender prince and pulled him across the saddle so that the boy's back rested against his arm and shoulder.

'Can you travel like that, my prince?' the guard asked. Loki nodded and hiccupped miserably.

The men's every move had been performed just as smoothly and effortlessly as Sif had said they would.

Thor avoided looking at her.

The guard made sure he had Loki in a secure grip. Then he set off at a gallop. His men gave chase, followed by Thor and Sif. Volstagg and Fandral tried in vain to keep up. Thor drove his horse as if his brother's life depended on him staying hot on his heels. Sif spurred her mare as if she was afraid to be unworthy of Thor's friendship if she fell back now.

They arrived only shortly after Loki's escort, and just in time to see their leader speak to Eir. The tall healer with the gray hair bun listened attentively, while Loki was lifted off the horse and carried inside by her assistant. The boy seemed to be unconscious, or very nearly so, again.

Thor threw Sif the reins and prepared to follow his brother inside. Eir's raised hand stopped him without actually touching him as he wanted to slip past her. 'I must ask you not to enter, Prince Thor. We have to take care of your brother first.'

'Take care of Loki?' Thor asked almost angrily. He was not used to being hindered from entering any room in this realm. And no-one could keep him away from his brother, when Loki might be in trouble.

'He needs to rest, a darkened room and plenty to drink.'

'We already took care of that,' Thor pointed out. 'Sif gave him water.'

'Cold water. I know,' said Eir patiently. 'Remedying that will be... part of the treatment. But you can wait here, if you want.'

+++ End of Chapter 1+++