(Author's Notes: My first fanfiction, so please go easy on me. xD Just to be clear: Loki's thoughts are in bold italics. Elina's thoughts are in plain italics. At the beginning (and maybe sometimes end) of each chapter, there's probably going to be a line or two of poetry. I did not write this beautiful poem. Credit goes to Kaekaza Areivas on .)

I curl up in my realm of shadows with the same dark look I wear each day.

I walk along the path of life, yet parts of me remain dead inside.

You can do this.

Just breathe, Elina. Breathe.

You are an Asgardian. A fearsome, powerful Asgardian.

She tries to silence her echoing steps as much as possible as she briskly darts in and out of the ostentatious hallways she's come to be so familiar and (ugh) so bored with.

Big changes are coming, Miss Elina Argaeldsen.

And they are coming today. Yes, TODAY.

…Just as long as you don't screw this up.

Oh, shut it.

…Or get caught.

UGH.

She jumps at the abrupt sound of voices rounding the nearest corner, traveling in right her direction. Elina flattens herself against the wall as two figures saunter past. Thankfully they're making quite the noise, because so is Elina's erratic breathing. One of the men she unmistakably identifies as Odin's son, Thor. The handsome, well-built blonde is conversing with a large, red-headed man that she recognizes but does not know the name of. It's difficult for Elina to make out what they're saying… Something about taking the Aether to some collector guy… And something else about Thor's brother, Loki.

Elina recalls when she'd first heard the news about the prince. Honestly, she hadn't known whether to cheer or cry. He was a criminal, she knew that. And she's not sure she could forgive him for what he almost did to those poor Midgardians. But she remembered the days when Loki roamed the palace alongside his brother, rapidly excelling in the art of illusion. She had always secretly watched him, hoping one day she would be as brilliant as him.

And she knows they weren't very close, but Odin just hasn't been the same ever since he was informed of his adopted son's death.

Momentarily forgetting the two men right in front of her, she sighs and then instantly claps a hand over her mouth, silently cursing herself. But still the two men hadn't seemed to notice, and continue on. She attempts to hold her breath until they're almost past her.

Don't worry, no one will catch you.

Well, SHE might.

Just keep your focus, and no one will be able to see you.

…But they might be able to hear me; I really need to work on that.

She waits until they're completely out of sight before continuing once more through the palace corridors, slipping closer and closer to the palace throne room. Inside the room, there sits the mighty, powerful, and terribly bored King of Asgard. He lounges on the golden throne, his mind wandering as the dashing and fair-haired Fandral rambles on about new designs for the guard's armor or something along those lines.

Good gods.

How nice it would be to rip that golden hair from that useless head…

How is he still even talking about this? Is he still going on about the armor?

Yes, he is. And it's still just as uninteresting as it was ten minutes ago.

Externally, Odin was nodding his head. But internally, Loki was rolling his eyes.

How did Odin ever put up with all of this?

Especially this armor, it's so heavy…and itchy.

I'm the one that needs the new design, not the guards.

Right outside the throne room, Elina reaches the large and grandiose set of golden double-doors that may very well contain her ticket to freedom, her ticket to a life much more than the one she barely tolerates now. But there's just one slight obstacle. Two guards stand on either side of the door with rather large and intimidating spears, ready to attack any unwanted intruder lurking nearby. Elina suppresses a frustrated sigh and makes a face at the two men.

Am I crazy?

Or just stupid?

Slowly and with the softest of footsteps, Elina proceeds forward, her eyes fixed on the threatening weapons and the men gripping them tight.

Yep, both. I am definitely both.

She approaches the doors, careful not to break focus. She was not about to slip up and give herself away, not when she was so close. After reaching the doors, she gives a long, wary look at the guards. One of them is rather handsome, with sharp features and deep brown eyes. The other is a different story: his almost black hair sticks out from underneath his helmet in all sorts of funny directions and his face is stuck an expression that gives the impression that he smells something foul. But both seem completely oblivious to the fact that there is a young female Asgardian a mere few steps away. A small smirk begins to play on her face. These guards are known for their loyal and excellent service in protecting the king, nothing should get past them. But she did.

Don't get too cocky.

You're not quite past them just yet.

Cursing herself for not being able to travel through walls, she readies her invisible hand on the golden surface of the doors. After a silent moment of prayer to the gods, she gives a great push (maybe a little greater than she had meant to), and the immense doors give way with a thunderous crrreeaaaakkk. Elina, still invisible, sprints through the doors as quickly as she can, leaving two immensely bewildered guards gaping at the opened doorway. As she reaches the end of the room, she comes to a halt and allows herself to fade into visibility right in front of the great throne and right in front of a rather amused Odin and a rather annoyed younger blonde man with a matching beard and moustache. He waves his hand in dismissal towards the man before regarding Elina with a slight smirk and a dark glittering in his one, uncovered eye.

Well, well…What's this?

It certainly seems more intriguing than whatever Fandral was going on about…

Wait…

I remember her.

She still works in this miserable place?

Dazedly (and stupidly), Elina stands there for a time, gazing at the mighty king before the two guards grab her from behind and start to drag her backwards towards the golden doors.

No.

"My King, please! Forgive me for bursting in on you like this—Ow!—But I would just like a few moments of your time to show you what I—"

"Don't you have some tables to dust or something, servant girl? The All-Father is a busy man. He's got no time for any of your petty concerns, so why don't we just escort you—AGH." The handsome guard stumbles backwards and grabs the foot that Elina had just brutally stomped on. She takes the opportunity to struggle back in the direction of the great throne. "Please, I think I could be a valuable asset to you. I have noticed that not many of your adventurers or warriors wield magic and I have been practicing—"

The ugly guard tightens his grip on Elina as his partner attempts to regain his composure, "That's quite the promotion you're after, girl. Come on, we already told you the All-Father doesn't have time for you. Besides, you can't afford a proper teacher. How good can you possibly be?"

"Apparently good enough to slip past two of my best guardsmen," the room goes silent as the king lazily leans forward on his golden seat.

The two guards open their mouths to protest, but then immediately shut them when Odin raises a hand in warning.

"Step forward," the All-Father gestures for Elina to come closer, and she tentatively takes a few steps away from the shocked guardsmen. He gives an exasperated sigh, "Come now, a little more haste would be nice. They weren't lying about me being a busy man."

Elina hurries the few remaining steps forward and clears her throat, "Thank you, All-Father."

"You are a servant?"

Elina flinches, "I am."

And we're off to a wonderful start.

"You practice magic, yes?"

"Yes, that is correct, sir."

"Ah, you seek more riveting ways to put your abilities to good use."

"Y-yes, that's right."

"And who is your teacher?"

Elina lifts her chin and looks intently into the All-Father's eyes, "I do not have one, my king."

Well this was a terrible waste of my time.

"No teacher?" Odin raises an eyebrow. "No proper training, no fighting experience, you've folded clothes and cleaned floors your whole life. And you come waltzing in here, asking to be one of my warriors?"

The tone in Odin's voice is that of absolute condescension. The two guards begin to uncontrollably snort. It becomes all too much for Elina.

Every object in the room is blasted backwards, and the room goes black.