A/N: Just wanted to add that I am mixing stories from both traditional Norse mythology and the Marvel comics. Some of the events that are described in the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, the comics and the Thor movies may be altered in this story and are not officially canon. I'm just having fun mixing and matching (and also making things up). Please write a review if you'd like! It gives me extra motivation and if you notice any spelling errors or grammar issues please let me know! I also welcome any constructive criticism. Anyways, enjoy!

Music for writing Aeron's POV in this chapter: Fairy Tale (Bonus Track) by Abel Korzeniowski

Music used for Loki's POV: The Trial of Loki by Brian Tyler

Chapter Two

There had been no warning. Only a blast of cold as the seas had turned to ice and the wind to shards. It froze everything in its path: trees, boats, animals, and villages.

Aeron had been in the forest when they came. She remembered it well because the horses had begun to scream and the sound echoed in the trees. She'd never heard an animal scream before, like it was in pain, like it was dying.

When she returned, the village was coated in frost, a beautiful delicate layer of glittering jewels. It was like walking into a strange dream or a fairy tale. Her footsteps fell deep into the soft snow, leaving a trail of prints behind her.

Then, she saw them.

Statues of ice frozen in time, in a moment of terror. Inside, there were people. Their mouths were open in silent screams. Mothers shielded their children, old men cowered under a crushing weight, men reached for weapons they would never wield.

There was only one creature she knew that could do such a thing, that could turn people into ice statues. She'd thought they were just stories, just monsters her father had told her and her brother about on cold winter nights when the embers in the fireplace were dying and their bellies full of hot chocolate.

That night the monsters were real.

She ran home. Home for safety, home for her father and brother. Her heart was pounding like a drum in her chest. Were they home? Were they safe?

The door was open, the frost trailing inside. It was quiet.

Then, she was in a pair of warm arms. Her brother sobbed softly in her hair, his body trembling.

"Little sunna!" He cried. "I thought you were gone…like Father,"

Their reunion was short-lived. More screams pierced the winter night. Her brother shut the door and pushed her into the wooden closet their father's father had built a long time ago.

"Don't come out," He told her. "no matter what you hear."

In his hand, he held a spear. Their father's spear. The spear he'd said could kill anything. Her brother latched the closet door shut and she was left in the dark.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been in the closet. It could have been seconds or hours. Either way, the spell was broken when she heard heavy footsteps. They shook the house and rattled the windows.

Her brother screamed. Something heavy slammed against the floor. Aeron didn't say anything. She kept her promise. But, as the closet shook, the tools her father kept on the top shelf fell and hit her head. She cried out. The footsteps paused, then came closer.

Splinters of wood flew in the air as the door was wrenched open.

It was a Frost Giant with skin as blue as the icy bay and eyes as orange as the blood moon. It grabbed her and held her in the air, disgusted. It spoke to her but she couldn't remember what it had said, only that its teeth were pointed and blindingly white. Then, it threw her to the floor beside her brother.

His eyes were still open. Still frozen in fear.

Aeron could hear the Frost Giant unsheathing his crystal sword. In that moment, she didn't know what had overcome her or why she had even thought of it at that time but she grabbed the spear lying by her brother's body. As it lunged towards her, she held out the spear in defense. At the same time, something sharp pierced her chest but she'd barely felt it.

All she could see were its eyes, wide with rage. It died slowly on the end of the spear. Blood dripped from his wound and onto her face. She let the spear and the Frost Giant fall sideways, away from her body.

From exhaustion or shock or from wishing it was all a nightmare, Aeron rested her head against the floorboard and closed her eyes. Buried deep in her heart was a shard of ice. Though she'd killed the monster, it had taken her life.

She sighed and let death take her.

Aeron cried out and awoke with a start. She grabbed for the spear she kept by her bedside. It was her brother's spear, her father's spear. Now, it was her spear.

Sweat beaded across her forehead and she could feel the longing, the shards of ice in her heart, the grief, the terrible, terrible grief.

She hadn't dreamed of that night when she had died in a long time. In fact, it had been hundreds of years since she'd thought of her family at all. Time had almost erased their faces from her memories. Now, all she remembered were her brother's hazel eyes staring into hers, frozen in fear.

Her father and brother had both gone to Freyja. They were happy now. They were at peace. So, she had moved on. She'd forgotten them and come to terms with their loss. Though, she'd never fully healed from the grief. It was still there, a scar that would never go away no matter how much time had passed.

Fire ran through her veins as century's old anger resurfaced. The Joutens were no longer a threat, the source of their power had been taken from them by Odin a long time ago and was safely locked away in the Allfather's vault. Still, killing one hadn't been enough. If they ever did anything to threaten the peace of the Nine Realms again, Aeron would be the first to deliver justice. She'd be the first to taste their blood.

Aeron threw the covers off. The light of dawn stretched across the darkened skies of Asgard, staining the clouds with a shy amber glow.

It was only a dream, she told herself, what's done was done.

She couldn't fall back asleep now no matter if she tried. Better to start the day productive, better to go down to the arena and channel the anger surging through her into her training.

This evening, after all, was the Ceremony of the Einherjar. All the souls who had been selected by her and her Sisters and who had accepted entry into Valhalla would be reviewed by the Allfather today before they swore the oath to forever protect Asgard and serve the king to maintain peace in the Nine Realms. Although it would be the First Crowned Prince of Asgard that would take his father's place this evening while Odin left for Alfheim with the Queen.

Aeron would have all day to train before the Ceremony. Even time to train the young girls off the streets who came to watch her practice. Aeron liked them best. Better than the little boys. There was a time when she'd once watched her brother practice with swords and bows while she watched on enviously, forced to sew and cook.

Aeron smirked. Oh, how the times have changed, she wanted to laugh.

XXXX

"There are many ways into and out of Asgard, Loki," The sorcerer Eldred told the youngest Prince of Asgard.

Loki stood facing his tutor. The sorcerer looked young. He had long, neatly tied back golden hair and an ageless, fair face. One Loki might have once envied. Only Eldred's glittering sapphire eyes held the truth of his true age: that he was nearer in years to the Allfather than he was to Loki. Every now and then, the sorcerer's outline would shimmer and remind Loki that Eldred wasn't truly here in the tower with him. Eldred was probably worlds away, hidden from Asgard after his banishment for practicing dark magic.

Only Loki knew Eldred still existed, still lived. While Loki's mother taught him parlor tricks and illusions, Eldred taught him power. Power even great enough to defeat Thor in a skirmish. Power to cast curses and even end lives if need be.

"The Bifrost is the only way in and out of Asgard," Loki wanted so say confidently but it didn't seem to come out that way.

His heartbeat quickened. How could there possibly be other ways off Asgard? He wanted to ask his tutor but he knew Eldred would tell him anyways. Delicious excitement took a hold of his body. The older Prince of Asgard may be strong but the youngest was the wisest. In the end, Loki believed that it would be knowledge that would always trump strength.

A smile spread across Eldred's young face. "That's what the Gate Keeper would have you believe, but there are other ways if you know where to look and if you know how to open them. Ways that would shield you from Heimdall's watchful gaze,"

Loki leaned forward with a grin to match his tutor's. Eldred told him. Then, taught him how to practice the incantations that would open the cracks between worlds. Magic coursed through Loki's veins and electricity crackled on the ends of his fingers and off the tip of his tongue.

By the end of the lesson, the Asgardian sun was just beginning to make its descent from its apex in the sky. Though, Loki would love to stay and continue, he had been gone for nearly three hours. Normally, no one seemed too concerned as to inquire where Loki stalked off to except perhaps Queen Frigga. Yet, in an hour or so, Loki would need to get ready for the ceremony Thor had asked him to take part in.

"Before you go, Loki," Eldred said to him. Merely by the tone in his tutor's voice, Loki already knew what Eldred would ask him. It had been left unsaid since the beginning of their meeting and Loki had thought his tutor wouldn't mention it this time, wouldn't push. "Did you complete the assignment I gave you at our last session?" The sorcerer's violet eyes were knowing and set.

"I did," Loki said lightly, gauging his tutor's reaction. The golden statue of Sol and Mani came to the forefront of his mind.

"How did it say they died?" Eldred asked, clasping his hands together.

"By the hands of Skoll and Hati, two great wolves who roam the shadows of Yggdrasil," Loki said, watching Eldred intently. "Hati, they say, brought down the great chariot of the moon god, Mani while Skoll sought out and destroyed the sun goddess, Sol,"

Eldred's eyes slipped past Loki's and darted out towards the windows. Sometimes, Loki had difficulty reading Eldred. Perhaps, it had to do with his ageless face or the almost mechanical manner he held his body but it troubled Loki. Perhaps, it was just another one of Eldred's defense mechanisms, one that Loki had begun to use himself quite successfully. Either way, Eldred was a very secretive sorcerer.

"I see," Eldred said. Then, he turned towards Loki and his eyes refocused. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"I have," Loki straightened his back and shot his tutor a warning look.

Eldred had cast a powerful concealing charm to hide them from prying eyes but it did not mean that Heimdall couldn't still hear them. What Eldred was talking about was dangerous. In fact, it was more than dangerous. It was treason.

"Have you come to a decision?"

"I have," Loki replied, his voice tight.

"And?" Eldred pushed.

"You help me and I'll help you" Loki said.

The God of Mischief and the Sorcerer of Discord shook hands.

Eldred nodded. "I'll begin the preparations right away. I'll contact you again soon once the spell is complete. Then, you will need to come to me through the gateway I told you about,"

Then, Eldred's illusion vanished leaving Loki alone in the tower.

It was real. It was happening. Loki's palms were clammy. He felt giddy and sick, gleeful and terrified. He didn't know if he had made the worst mistake in his life or the best decision he'd ever made. Either way, when he looked back on this day, he would remember it as the day he had decided to do anything and everything in his power to keep his brother, Thor, from becoming King of Asgard.

On this day, Loki had agreed to raise the wolves Hati and Skoll from the dead. Eldred had done it for revenge: to end the surviving bloodline of Sol he'd discovered still existed. Loki had done it for another reason.

When Eldred had killed the descendents of Sol, Loki would set it on his brother next. The wolves wouldn't kill Thor but they could show the world that Thor wasn't as strong as he let on. On that day, Loki, himself would slay Hati and Skoll. Then, they would all see him in a different light. They'd never know that Loki could control the beasts, that he'd had his hand on their collar.

For once, Thor and Odin would see Loki the Brave. Not Loki the Trickster.

Thanks for reading! :)