Aislinn walked into to the feast hall with the royal family, all the other guests already seated. She wore a simple dress in the color of her mother's amulet, which was the only piece of jewelry she wore. Her only other decoration was the lily in her hair. The dress was form fitting as she preferred, and this time had a low scooping style that left much of her well-muscled back bare. It was also slit up the side to just above her knee, and had a fetching ruffled edge. Thor and Loki both were clad in attractive but simple garments, not wearing armor to the feast. One brother wearing black and green, the other wearing crimson and gold as was their custom.

Odin led his Lady into the room first, and sat at a high table set aside for the two of them. Thor offered Aislinn her arm, but she walked into the room alone with both princes in her wake, one slightly affronted, the other slightly amused.

They began to walk to a large table set in a place of honor under the dais of the king and queen, Aislinn looking forward to taking her seat. As they progressed across the room, Loki turned and started to go elsewhere, out of habit avoiding the table where his brother and his friends would sit. Aislinn, however, called to him and asked if he would sit beside her. Loki looked mildly surprised, but nodded and followed. In the end, Aislinn sat with one prince on either side of her.

Odin opened the feast, and everyone began the business of eating, drinking, and talking. Aislinn enjoyed herself at first, although it troubled her that Loki said nothing. Thor and his friends were friendly and cheerful, and Aislinn found herself liking them very much. Sif and Hogun were a bit more reserved, but Fandral was as charming as he was handsome, and Volstagg was jovial and funny, telling many tales of delicious feasts eaten.

The night wore on, and the food on the plates began to dwindle. Some guests had started to dance and sing, although no one from Aislinn's table had stood yet. She wanted to explore the room and meet new people, but sensed that Thor and his friends were waiting for something.

When everyone had finished their food, excepting Volstagg, the groups' conversations faded away. It was then that Thor started telling a boasting tale. He described some of the battles the warriors assembled at the table had taken part in, with great embellishments. He bragged of their prowess and strength, about the many beasts and armies they had defeated. As the tale was told, the others around the table would interject some accounts of their own, enemies bravely slain and treasures won.

They began to act out the movements of the battles where they sat; Sif miming stabbing an unseen enemy below her with a spear and twisting, Thor smashing a plate with a drumstick Mjolnir, Volstagg twisting his hands in the air in a gesture that suggested the snapping of necks. Aislinn began to feel a bit sick.

When the story concluded, Thor was about to launch into another, when he turned to look at Aislinn and saw her face. "Why, Aislinn. You do not look impressed or pleased! Did you not like the story? It was a glorious day!"

"No. I did not like the story." She said in a low voice that betrayed her feelings. Her jaw worked for a moment, and her eyes stared out passed the table at nothingness, as she continued, "War is desolation, and terror, and anguish. There is nothing glorious about battle."

"What do you mean?" Asked Thor in an affronted voice.

"Thor, are you loved?" Aislinn asked. He looked confused again, so she said, "Do you have a mother and father who love you?" Thor nodded slowly, still looking perplexed. "Would they mourn you, if you were to come to harm?"

"Of course!" Thor said, as though it was an obvious and stupid question.

"So tell me again, Prince," Aislinn said in a dark and dangerous voice, "How many sons did you take from their mothers? And worse still, have you ever wondered how many children are without fathers by your hand? How glorious and fun is battle, tell me again."

A silence covered the table like a cold blanket as they all stared at Aislinn.

"I have killed before, and am like to kill again. But do not ask me to delight in suffering, or find pleasure in the pain of others."

Still they stared at her, or blankly off into the room with fixed expressions of annoyance or anger. Loki, surprised by the wisdom of her words and stunned by her temerity in speaking to his older brother thus decided he would give her an out. He rose to his feet and said, "Let us not dwell on such unpleasant thoughts. I think it is time some of us joined the dance. My Lady Aislinn?" He said, offering his hand to her.

She froze for a fraction of a second, not expecting this move at all. After her hesitation, Loki's hand seemed to waiver. Terrified, but determined to not allow him to believe she was rejecting him; she took his hand and let him pull her up from her chair.

It was the first time they had touched skin to skin as far as she could remember, and she felt her hand tingle where they met. His hands were so unlike Thor's, not the thick, calloused and clumsy hands of a warrior. No, Loki's hands were delicate and precise, the skin soft and cool. A scholar's hands powerful in a way beyond brute strength.

She lifted her gaze from his hand to his face, and found herself getting lost in his pale green eyes as they walked away from the table and towards the dancers. So much so that the pair of them had made it half way across the room before Aislinn shyly tugged on his hand to stop him and admitted quietly, "I have never learned how to dance…"

"It will be alright." Loki said. "I will lead, and you will learn quickly." The dance was a merry one, wherein each couple spun about together, and then the man would lift the woman into the air, spinning to the side and placing her down again in time to the music. Loki led her into the dance and they began his skill and grace directing her until they had completed the many steps enough times for her to memorize it. While she learned they did not speak, as her concentration was evident.

The minds of both were ablaze in those first few minutes, with surprisingly similar thoughts. Both were afraid of looking foolish, elated to be close to the other and desperately calculating what their next moves should be. Both Aislinn and Loki's attentions were focused on the place where his cool hand met the bare skin of her back. Aislinn felt tingles run up and down her spine.

When Aislinn had settled into the dance, Loki said, "I hope that your night is not ruined. I know my brother is a fool…"

"I do not want to think about it." Aislinn said as she twirled under his arm, "It is over now. I just hope I have not given too much offense."

"Knowing my brother," Loki said, his usual biting tone sneaking into his voice on the word, "He will not remain troubled by it long, provided he understood it well enough to become angry in the first place."

Aislinn laughed, and Loki caught her up in his arms, lifting her feet from the ground and spinning her about. She was surprised how effortless he made it look; being so much slighter in build then the other men she had seen in Asgard.

Loki was watching her face, eyes sparkling bright and happy now. There was a flush to her cheeks from the dance, and he hoped deep within himself that it might have the tiniest something to do with his closeness. It did, but he would not learn that for some time yet.

Back at the table, Sif and Fandral whispered to each other quiet suspicions.

"Loki never dances."

"I did not even know he could."

"What trick is he up to now?"

"Has anyone told her?"

Their conversation was interrupted when Thor offered his arm to Sif, asking if she wanted to dance. Fandral got up from the table to choose a partner also, refusing to be left out of the fun.

Loki watched their table thin out, until only Volstagg remained at one far end, still eating. He took the opportunity to draw Aislinn out of the dance and go sit down, dropping her hand as soon as he could. They sat down, and Loki offered Aislinn a glass of wine. She accepted, and they both began to sip at the dark red liquid.

"Thank you," Aislinn said. "I realize that I should not have spoken to your brother that way, and I know what you were doing; helping me get out from under their stares."

Loki waved her thanks aside, saying, "My brother is a warmonger and a fool. It would do him good if more people were willing to say such things to him."

Aislinn was thirsty from the dancing, and drank the wine quickly. It took only a few moments for a flush to come over her face, and she began to feel hot and dizzy. She put the glass down on the table with a clunk that betrayed her lack of coordination as she covered her eyes with her hand. A strange tight ache was already forming there, and she found herself trying to shield herself from it with her fingers.

"Aislinn? Are you alright?" Loki asked with a concerned voice. He reached out towards her to touch her arm, only to pull his hand away at the last moment, afraid to touch her again, now that there was no good cause.

"I felt strange as soon as I drank this," Aislinn gestured to the glass, "What is it?"

"It is only wine, surely you have had wine before."

"No," Aislinn said, "We did not have anything like that."

"You have never had alcohol before? Not wine or mead or beer?"

"No, we drank mostly spring water."

"You will not find much in the feast halls of Asgard that is not intoxicating." Said Loki. "Let me find you a drink to clear your head."

Aislinn nodded and smiled up at him, although the noise and light of the feast hall obviously still bothered her. Loki rose to walk to the servants entrance of the hall, and request a pitcher of a warm honey drink, usually only served to children. The crowd was dense and riddled with dancers and drunks, and after a few minutes of trying to weave in and out of the crowd, Loki gave up and teleported to a small alcove by the servants entrance on the far side of the hall. The alcove opened up into a small balcony outside the feast hall, where partygoers could get some fresh air. Loki was about to walk away towards the servants entrance when he heard voices outside.

Thor and Odin were standing outside in the air, talking together in confidential tones. Loki could not overcome the need to know what was being said, and faded into invisibility as he stepped closer to hear better.

"Have you been considering what I said to you, my son?"

"I have father, and I think you are right. If I am to earn the throne, I agree that it is time to make some changes in my life."

"I think I should take a wife." Said Thor. Those were the last words Loki ever thought his brother would willingly say.

"And who have you been considering?"

"There are many beautiful women at court, and you know I have always been close to Sif, but- "

"Lady Sif is a brave warrior, but she would do little to rectify the failings of your character. You are too much brother and sister, too much the same. You would do better to pursue Aislinn."

"She is very beautiful." Said Thor, "and I have thought of her often of late."

"Aislinn is the daughter of my dearest friend. It would make me happier than I can say to see her become your wife. She would be a great Queen, and a good balance for you. Do not think her reaction to your 'tale of glory' went unnoticed by me. She is wise beyond her years. Earn her love, build a future with her, and I will know it is time for you to take your rightful place as King."

They began to walk inside, and Loki had to press against the wall to avoid detection, watching Thor promise his father to romance and wed the woman he desired. He felt so angry and so jealous he thought he might be sick. It would have tortured him to know that Thor had bedded Aislinn, but the idea of seeing them wed made Loki feel like a gutted fish.

Loki returned to Aislinn's side a few minutes later, handing her a glass of soothing drink. He then sat sullenly in his chair, and remained distant and cold for the rest of the night.