Over the Edge – Chapter 1
Despite what many may have thought, the library was not Loki's favourite place. Oh, he enjoyed reading, be it great tales of valour or in-depth notes on magic and history, but there was something unpleasant about reading there. The scholars and librarians were old, stuffy and treated others with contempt and suspicion. Young princes were no exception. For what prince would possibly want to go to a library when he could be in the training field like the respectable warrior he should be aiming to be? So if Loki chose to go there, it must mean that he was up to no good. Though, he would reluctantly admit that the little joke he'd played a year ago hadn't helped. How was he to know that the ink wouldn't reappear? Besides, even if it wasn't for the occupants, he would find the grand, tall room overbearing.
No, Loki preferred to read in the sanctuary of his room, the Queen's Garden, or one of the many observation platforms of Asgard. Each had its own advantages according to what mood he was in. His favourite, and the one where he currently sat, was connected to the Banqueting Hall. It provided two things: a remarkable view of the city as well as the realm beyond, and privacy. When there was no formal feast being held, there was no reason for anyone to come here, and so he was able to find himself undisturbed for as long as he wished.
"Here you are, brother!"
Most of the time, anyway.
Loki turned to see Thor striding confidently towards him along the open walkway, a huge grin plastered across his face and as effervescent as ever. He raised an eyebrow, curiosity overcoming any annoyance he felt at his sibling's intrusion.
"Greetings, brother," he imitated the other's address, "To what do I owe this great pleasure?" His reply was smooth and friendly, but he didn't move from where he sat against the pillar, one leg dangling over the side and down the sheer drop of the tower face. Thor stood over him, eyes bright and grinning like a fool. Oh dear. Loki knew that look, and it rarely boded well. The last time he'd been approached like this had led to one of Thor's "ingenious" ideas, which had, of course, gotten them both into a lot of trouble with Father. It had been doubly frustrating because if Thor had just listened to him on that occasion and followed his ideas, then not a soul would have known about it.
"I believe it is high time, my dearest little brother, that you joined me on an adventure."
"Really," he replied, no small part of him amused by the statement. "And what has brought on this sudden decision?"
"You are fourteen and have never stepped outside the city walls without a nurse or guards. Would you not like to be able to move more freely?"
That was not strictly true, but there was no need to tell Thor about his own little private adventures though hidden passages that he had discovered while his elder sibling was out with his friends. He had, over the last couple of years, discovered the joy of small secrets. It was the thrill of knowing something that no one else did and the small delight in mischief. He was doing something he shouldn't, and not a soul could stop him because he was far too cunning to let them find out about it.
Yes, he'd had his own ventures beyond the wall, some more fruitful than others. However, he couldn't deny that there was a certain appeal to traveling with his brother, even if accompanied by his friends as well. If he was with Thor and his gang of followers, Mother would let him leave the city without guards. As long as they weren't going far, that is, and kept to the main roads which were regularly patrolled. It had been a while since the brethren had really done something substantial together, finding their interests increasingly shifting in different directions. Gone were the days when Thor's first act of the day was to find Loki.
However, Loki wasn't a fool. "And where would we be going?"
"Oh, we will ride and see where we come to." Loki did not believe that for one moment, no matter how off-hand Thor tried to sound.
He laughed. "Leave the lying to me brother; it suits you ill." Thor looked rather embarrassed at the comment, and the dark haired prince continued. "Now, why do you really want me to join you?"
His brother quickly sat opposite Loki, leaning forward eagerly. "We need a sorcerer to complete our party for this quest."
Loki's amusement never faded. "I see. I am the sorcerer, you the warrior. Do we already have a healer and a dwarf to make our party complete?"
Thor blinked at him in confusion, the joke flying straight over his head. "Why would we need those? We have my friends."
Loki shook his head, a light smile on his lips. "Pay no mind to my comment; I merely jest. You sound much like the beginning of an adventure tale." Albeit a bad one. It reminded him strongly of the stories by Lord Gransaw, a man who fancied himself a great weaver of words when in reality he could hardly string together a sentence. He was the living proof that money could not buy everything. Each saga, and he used that word charitably, was the same, and for some reason a dwarf was always needed to complete the party. Why on Asgard was a dwarf so vitally important?
His older brother beamed at him again. "Well, this will be an adventure worthy of many tales and songs for generations to come."
Loki raised his eyebrows. "So, you do not know where we will go, but that you will need a sorcerer, which I am far from, and it will be worthy of legend."
Thor faltered, realising that he had been well and truly caught out. "Yes," he replied hesitantly.
Loki sighed and closed his book, careful not lose his place. "Why do you really require a 'sorcerer'?"
His brother threw caution to the wind. "We need someone to wield the Sorcerer's Eye. I cannot, and we believe it requires someone with magic to use it."
"The Sorcerer's Eye? Father let you take it?" Loki frowned a little. That was an oddity and more than a little suspicious.
Once again Thor paused. "Not…exactly," he tentatively replied.
Loki nearly burst out laughing. This made everything more interesting. His brother must really want whatever he thought he would get from this 'quest' to risk their father's anger. The book in his lap seemed positively tedious in comparison now.
"I see. Where are you planning on going that requires the Eye?"
No doubt encouraged by the lack of outright rejection, Thor ploughed on. "To the Mist Valley."
Loki's eyes widened. "And what, pray tell, are you hoping to find there?"
"Honour and Glory."
Mmmmph. How dull. "How exactly do you plan on achieving that?"
"By slaying a Sky Serpent."
For the first time in years, the eloquent prince was speechless. He knew his brother was foolish, but this went above and beyond anything he'd suspected.
"That must be the most foolhardy plan I have ever had the misfortune to hear."
Thor's face fell. "It is?"
"Yes," he said, stating what he felt should be obvious. "I understand your desire, but warriors a hundred times your age, strength and experience have met their demise against the beasts."
"But they did not have the Eye," Thor grinned, "It can see through the unseeable. There will also be six of us against one creature. My friends, you and I against one Sky Serpent. Outnumbered and out-skilled! We shall set off, slay the monster and return before nightfall tomorrow. It will be easy with us all there, but we need you, brother. You need to show us the way with the Eye."
The younger prince sighed. It was really quite remarkable how naïve his brother could be. Sometimes he swore that he was sixteen and Thor was fourteen, not the other way round. However, Thor genuinely seemed to think this would be quick and easy, which meant that he would most likely quickly grow bored of this new game. An hour or two of wandering and he would lose his patience and interest. They would be back before dinner with an exaggerated tale of their escapade and it would remain as a rebellious, but ultimately unsuccessful, folly into the world. He seriously doubted that they would have the misfortune of coming across a Sky Serpent in a couple hours when it took other warriors days to stumble across one of the creatures. That was if they even made it down to the ravine. His brother and friends had notoriously short attention spans, and the Mist Valley was several hours' ride away—it was entirely possible they wouldn't make it halfway.
There was also that familiar little spark that ignited at the prospect of doing something they all knew they shouldn't be doing with a good chance of getting away with it. If it also meant him escaping the city, his parents' reach and spending a free day with his brother for the first time in months, then so much the better. This could be a great deal of fun, as long as he could make sure his brother didn't do anything too stupid.
He gracefully rose to his feet. "You have convinced me," he smiled. "You have your 'sorcerer.'"
Thor beamed at him in a manner that would put the sun to shame. For a moment Loki thought his brother would fall into old habits and pull him into a tight embrace and bounce about. "Thank you, Loki. You will not regret this."
Now that would be a first.
A/N:
Tada! I hope you enjoyed the beginning there. For anyone who read 'Fragile', this was the fic I mentioned at the end of that (though the two are unconnected). It's been a long time in coming, but I hope everyone enjoyed the beginning.
Shout out to my beta reader for this fic, the wonderful Natural Logarhythem.