Loki read aloud from the book Frigga had selected for him. She wanted to hear how well he could actually read. So far he was doing better than she anticipated. Aside from the occasional long word with a string of vowels that made a simple sound, Loki by and large had gotten it right. She corrected him when needed and Loki smiled, knowing that he was mastering something that his parents had never learned.

"That's enough. You did very well. I am amazed by the lack of errors given your lack of education. I'm going to assign to you a couple of books to read. They are rather dry and boring and full of big complicated words, but they will expand your vocabulary and prepare you for the curriculum that I will be teaching you."

"I look forward to it. Thank you for doing this for me. I know you must be a very busy lady." He said.

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste, especially one as sharp as yours. I can't wait to see you blossom."

"My mother tried to teach me what she knew, but her knowledge was so limited. I know everything there is to know about farming. I even know the ins and outs of women's work. My father had been embarrassed that she was teaching me those things when I was young. I was so curious about everything. Even if she hadn't actively instructed me I still would have picked it up. I learned how to sew, knit, cook, make soap and candles. They were skills my father and I needed when my mother passed away. She got the fever on a Tuesday and died on a Friday." Loki said.

"Did you not try to take her to a healer?"

"We were so poor we couldn't really afford it. We waited too long and by the time it became apparent that she was in serious trouble it was too late."

"I am so sorry to hear that."

"My Queen, I must ask, how am I to earn money? I am a guest here in the palace. All of my food, and clothes have been provided for me. I don't need to worry about shelter. I feel like I am not earning my keep."

"You are a National Treasure Loki. Since you are abstaining from the path that is usually encouraged for omegas, you will have to figure that out." Frigga said. "But in the meantime, if there is something you are needing, take this." Frigga reached into her purse and pulled out a gold coin and placed it in his hand.

"I can't take your money." Loki said. It was a point of pride for him. He hadn't earned it.

"Yes you can. No one will think you a lazy mooch Loki. I certainly don't. Hold on to it. Save it for a rainy day. Once you find your feet you will figure out what you will do with your days here at the palace."

"Thank My Queen."

"Here, take these books with you. This concludes our lessons for today. I want you to go and explore the palace. This is your home now. You should get to know it well."

"Thank you my Queen." Loki said. He took his books to his room and then set out to explore the endless halls and corridors. Several times he got lost and had to ask a servant for directions. At one point the palace guards stopped him and barred him from continuing. He was getting a little too close to the weapons vault for their liking. He turned back the way he came and turned left instead of right. This hallway had portraits of the royal family in it, with Thor as the main focus. He surmised his chambers must be down this way. He was proven correct when Thor emerged from his room, stopped, and starred at him.

"Hello. What brings you down this way?"

"I'm exploring the palace."

"Oh, well I'll leave you to it then." Thor said.

"It occurred to me that we might have gotten off on the wrong foot yesterday."

"Yes, we did." Thor said. He was scowling. Loki smelled so god damn wonderful and all he could think of was how he wanted to bend him over and fuck him to death. He hated that this rude little man had such an effect on him. There was a long awkward pause and Loki put a scowl his face to match Thor's.

"Forget it." Loki turned and walked away. Thor snorted in derision and headed off to the training fields to bash in the head of a mannequin. Loki was just an ungrateful little shit who was using his new position to act like a child. He'd been gifted with a wonderful ability and all he wanted to do is sneer at his countrymen that showered him with wealth and comfort. If he doesn't like it here he can go back to plowing the fields and starve.

Loki's scowl only deepened the more he explored. That man was so insufferable. With his perfect blond hair, and perfect warrior physique, and perfect fucking teeth. Maidens probably drop to their knees to suck his dick on daily basis. But not him. He'll never do that. Thor is a spoiled prince.

Loki continued on until he hit a set of great doors. Excitement burst into his chest when he looked up and read the lettering above the door: Library. He opened the doors and walked in. The room was large with endless shelves full of tombs. There were people in here, mostly scribes by the look of them. But the room was so vast it was easy to feel like it was devoid of other people. Loki felt like he did when he was a boy. He walked the aisles of books, looking at the spines, yanking one after another from the shelves. He would read them all. It would take a lifetime, but he would. He would read every single one. He grabbed a book of bard's tales and settled into a large comfortable overstuffed chair. It was full of intricately drawn pictures and gory tales of battle and love. It was an adult fairytale book, at least that was what Loki thought. He spent the whole day there, missing lunch and finally dosing off with the book open on his chest somewhere around dinnertime.

Loki awoke to a squawk. Two ravens were perched on the table right next to him, peering at him with curiosity.

"Well hello, how did you get inside the building? You better go before some servant swats you with a broom or something." Loki reached out and pet one of them, enchanted that the animal would let him touch it.

"There you are. You're late." Thor frowned. "Dinner has started and you are not there. It is rude to be late to the high table."

"Oh! I hadn't realized how late it was." Loki scrambled to get up. "These birds got into the palace somehow. I'm just going to release them into the garden." Loki put his forearm out and both of them hopped up onto it. Thor looked at the birds and then at Loki. The man was clueless.

"That will not be necessary. Huginn and Muninn are fixtures here in the palace." Thor said. He didn't let on that they were his father's eyes and ears.

"Oh, would they be allowed in the feasting hall?"

"Yes." Thor said curtly. Loki scowled again. Insufferable prick. They walked in silence until they reached the main hall. Everyone gave Loki a look and Loki blushed at his impropriety.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I fell asleep in the library." Loki said to Frigga.

"It is alright dear. We were worried that you might have gotten lost."

"I did get lost several times today actually."

"How was the library?"

"It was wonderful, and I made some new friends." He said smiling at the ravens. Frigga chuckled but did not let Loki in on the joke. Odin had a small smile on his face as he sipped his ale.

"That's wonderful Loki. Speaking of which, I want you to go to weapons training tomorrow. A fit young man like you needs to stay active, and every gentleman worth his salt can at least wield a dagger. Thor will teach you."

"Thor?" Loki asked. His look of hesitation got Frigga's attention.

"Is something wrong Loki?"

"No my Queen. I look forward to the lesson."

XxXxXxXx

Loki arrived at weapons training the following morning promptly at 8:00am. He did not want to give Thor further reason to think ill of him. Thor was with four other people Loki did not know. Three men and a woman. They all turned and saw him and their faces fell. Great. So Thor had told them what he thought of him. So be it.

"Good. You're here on time."

"I'm used to rising with the sun. Not all of us were raised with servants to care for our every whim." Loki said. Thor's frown returned.

"What experience do you have with weapons?"

"None."

"Then today shall be very educational for you." Thor smirked a shit eating grin and Loki knew he was in for a rough day. They started with basic wrestling moves. Of course Thor was having the time of his life putting the smug little omega on his back over and over again. Around about the fifteen time Thor slammed Loki onto his back in the dirt, Loki lost his temper.

"Enjoying yourself?" Snipped.

"Immensely." Thor said. He was, just a little too much. More than once Thor had inhaled deeply of Loki's amazing scent. He could just imagine the little bastard moaning his name as he plowed into him.

"Well enjoy touching me while you can out here. You'll never get to know the pleasure anywhere else." Loki said.

"What makes you think I even find you attractive?"

"Oh please, I can see your hard dick pressed to the side of your leg."

"Fighting excites me."

"Yeah I bet you like holding people down." Loki said. That comment made Thor livid.

"I would never!" Thor charged at Loki, ready to cold cock him. Sif jumped in between.

"Thor, calm down." She said.

"He makes assumptions about me that are dishonorable and untrue!"

"He said it to get a rise out of you and it's working. Back down." Sif shoved Thor back slightly to increase the distance between the two men before turning round on Loki.

"That's enough wrestling for today. Let's move on to daggers." She took Loki a few feet away to the throwing posts. There was a table full of throwing daggers, dozens of them. The posts were set at different distances of 10, 15, and 20 feet away. The closest post had the most marks on it.

Sif instructed him on proper form and handling of the knives. She threw several example throws, some good, some intentionally wrong to show Loki the difference. Loki took up his first dagger and got into position. He threw it at the target.

"It's okay. A lot of people miss on their first throw." She said.

"I didn't miss." He said. Sif looked further down the field. He hadn't aimed at the first post but the last. It had hit perfectly center on the 20 post.

"Well done!"

"I used to throw rocks at the children that bullied me. I got really good at it."

"Do that a few more times and we'll move on to swords." Sif said. Loki did. He threw every dagger on the table until they were all gone. Save for a couple of daggers that bounced and landed on the ground due to the posts being overcrowded, Loki had hit his mark every single time. Loki looked over and noticed that Thor and the three other men all had a look of respect for him. It disappeared the moment they noticed him looking at them.

"Very good! Here, let's teach you how to wield something a little bigger." Sif said. It was slower going with the sword. Again Sif had to teach him proper stance and basic moves. They put on body armor and practiced with the wooden substitutes. For what Loki lacked in skill and experience he made up for in grace and fluidity. He was fast in his movements and could probably out run most people. He had the body for it. Though Sif stuck him time and again, correcting Loki's mistakes it was hard not to see the potential there. Loki would become a deadly adversary in no time. He smiled as his hair whipped around his head. It wasn't just Thor and his friends watching. Everyone was watching. Every warrior had stopped what they were doing to take in the sight and smell of the lovely omega. Sif finally stopped the lesson when Loki showed signs of exhaustion.

"That's enough for today. It was a good start. I'm impressed." She said.

"Thank you…um…"

"Sif. I am the Lady Sif. Thor was never very good with introductions. Our companions over there are Volstagg the Large, Fandral the Rake, and Hogun the Grim. They call themselves the Warriors Three."

"Ah yes, I have heard of them. They're quite famous. The bard's love telling stories of their exploits and yours my lady."

"Don't believe everything you hear." Sif said and then looked at Thor. "You and Thor do not see eye to eye."

"No, we do not."

"Is there a reason?"

"Personality clash I think." Loki said.

"That's a shame. I think you would do well in a combat setting. Tomorrow I'll go over close quarters hand to hand combat, something you will need to learn. Most hold you in reverence but there are those that might try to take advantage of you. You'll need to learn how to defend yourself against a personal attack." Sif said as she looked around at all the hungry gazes.

"Aye. Thank you my lady. I'll see you tomorrow." Loki said. A familiar squawk got his attention and Loki looked up and noticed the ravens again. They'd been spying on him for a while.

"Well hello there little friends. Did you enjoy the show?" Loki smiled and put his arm out. Muninn leapt right down onto his arm and Loki stroked his head. Sif gave him a curious look.

"They like me." He said. Sif didn't say anything but nodded politely and headed to the bathhouse. Loki headed back towards the palace to shower in his room with Muninn still on his shoulder as Huginn circled overhead. On the way there he noticed a little beggar girl selling flowers. Loki patted his pocket where the gold coin Frigga gave him was housed and walked over to her.

"Hello there. How much for a flower?" Loki asked.

"A copper sir." She said. She couldn't have been more than six years old. Her dress was stained all along the hem with mud that would never wash out and her headscarf had holes in it. Her shoes were also too small for her poor little feet.

"Only a copper, but it is such an exquisite flower." He pulled the gold coin from his pocket and handed it to her. Her face lit up at the sight of it. "I'll take one flower please."

"But I don't have change sir."

"You keep the change sweet girl. I didn't earn this money and you need it more than I do."

"Thank you sir!" She hugged Loki and gave him her entire bouquet before running off to give the money to her mother. Loki strolled back to the palace sniffing the roses with a big smile on his face, feeling warm inside. The raven took off and flew away with its friend. Life at the palace was going to be wonderful.