A/N: Hi everyone! I know, I wasn't there on Monday. Truth is, I spent the weekend and part of the week at my parents, taking the opportunity of some days off work to go shop for Christmas gifts. Anyway, I'm here now, and since I was late, you are treated with two chapters today! Enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein mentioned who belong to Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics. I only own Krista Eriksdottir, a few minor OCs, and the main plot.

Face-claims for this chapter:

Syr [siʀ]: Ollie Alexander;

Sigyn [sigin]: January Jones.

11. Jealousy

When she did find Fyrien and they went back to the Haven, Krista had sobered up a little from the party's excitement, and realised that she had been having a moment with none other than her tutor, Prince Loki, God of many bad things.

Next to that revelation, the next she had was less of a blow really.

She had liked it. A lot.

"Did you see Lady Sif getting angry at Prince Loki?" Krista shook off her disturbing thoughts, only to be swallowed back by them when Fyrien carried on with her innocent questions. "Actually where had you been? I'd been looking for you for a while when it happened, and you found me right after…"

Fyrien sent Krista a suspicious look, and the blonde felt herself blush a bit, although she didn't answer.

Apparently her silence was enough.

"You know," Fyrien sighed, "I should have seen it coming." Krista sent her a quizzical look. "You are one of the few to prefer his company to that of his brothers. It was just a question of time before you fell for him. Although honestly, I don't think he's the one for you."

"Who are you talking about Fy?" Krista feigned ignorance and knew that her bluff was going to be called. But really, how could Fyrien have thought that she'd like Loki? She herself had just realised it when dancing with the man, and even then, 'fell for him' wasn't the term she'd use!

"Don't play dumb."

"Fyrien, Loki is a Prince. He's a God. He's immortal and more than three centuries older than me. I really don't see how any of that means I have a chance with him."

"That's not what I said. I said you liked him. Not that he liked you back."

Krista felt her heart skip a beat. Oh, so her delusions really were as stupid as she thought. Great. "Thank you. That's exactly what I've been trying to convince myself of for the past twenty minutes."

Fyrien sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder as they climbed the stairs to the Haven. "You know, if tall, dark and handsome is your thing, you may want to check out Vanaheim."

"I don't want to check anything out, Fy. I want to carry on with my studies, become a warrior, and make the All-Mother proud."

"And ogle Prince Loki during your training sessions."

"Shut it or I'll drown you."

Fyrien laughed and the friends said their goodbyes when they reached their rooms.

Although Krista understandably didn't sleep a wink that night…

The following day, word had spread throughout all of Asgard that Prince Loki had pulled a prank on Lady Sif during his brother's feast.

By noon, the sanction had gone from a punch to the face to a ripped arm to a forced trip to Jötunheim. Krista had rolled her eyes as she made her way to the training grounds. These gossips really were the worst.

As for the reason for her training, it was easy really: Hogun, one of the Warrior Three, had agreed to help her with knives-throwing, which would in turn help her better aim her water bolts. Of course, the idea had initially been Thor's, for she would never have sought out one of the most well-known warriors in Asgard.

Krista surprised herself wishing she'd asked Loki to help her instead. Countless times before that, she had seen him throwing his own curved knives with an accuracy that was both frightening and impressive. But, with the revelation of her infatuation, had also come a need to steer away from the tall prince. No need to stir a fire meant to die out.

Actually, she didn't see Loki for another three months. And by that, she didn't even spot him anywhere in the city. Not in the stables – for he was fond of horse-riding, she had found – nor in the training grounds, nor even in the Library. It was as if he'd really vanished or as if Sif had really sent him to the world of eternal winters.

So, the day she found herself back in 'their' training room, thinking it was time she faced her fears and started trying to phase through objects again, Krista started dreading the reason for the prince's absence. After all, she could only use this room with his approval, so the guards had to run it past him that she could train today. In all certainty, she'd have expected him to show up.

Of course, after weeks of moping and managing quite well to ignore any budding feelings during the day – for there was no stopping dreams – Krista's thought had drifted from 'dead' to 'avoiding the puny mortal who dares find him handsome'.

Both assertions proved wrong a second after, though.

The door flung open and Loki strode in, a huge grin on his face that had nothing to do with Krista and everything to do with the young blonde woman who followed him in with a giggle. If Krista wasn't mistaken, she had seen her at Baldr's engagement party. The serpent-faced woman, the one who had been lurking around, calculating and poisonous. Tall, lean with enticing curves, golden locks falling past her hips, and eyes of different colours: the right, blue; the left, hazel.

"Oh," Loki said as he spotted her, "I didn't think you'd be here…"

His companion smiled and passed him with a hand to his arm, a gesture that was far too intimate. "I'm ever so sorry, but his Highness and I…got lost…" She chuckled, and Loki did too.

That is, until he noticed the look of shock and, well, more shock, that was plastered on Krista's face. She could feel that she had lost all colour in her cheeks, and that she probably looked about to cry.

But then, as if a mask had been placed on her features, she caught herself, and smiled at the other woman. "No worries my Lady. I do not even know why I'm still bothering His Highness with these lessons. I hardly need them anymore…" She turned to Loki, who had frowned, looking as though there was something he couldn't understand right in front of him. "I thank you for your teachings, my Lord. I don't require them anymore."

With those words, she strode out, tears angrily pricking her eyes. To her disappointment, Loki did not stop her.

She didn't even catch the woman's name…

"Lady Sigyn," Fyrien said at dinner that night. Or rather, as she ate and Krista didn't. "She's from Alfheim but she's not an Elf. Her father is our ambassador there."

Leda and her friend Syr (who identified as a woman despite the light stubble on her cheeks) snorted. "She thinks too much of herself too. She's been all over Prince Loki since after the feast. Fawning all over him and following him around."

Krista sighed. "No matter. She's still with him and I quit from our practicing."

Leda exchanged a glance with Fyrien, who smirked. "Krista is soft on our dark Prince."

Syr's eyes widened. "Well, you'd be the first."

Krista groaned. "I'm not soft on him. I just…like his company…"

"…his eyes, his voice, his body…" Fyrien continued with a mocking grin and tone.

Krista elbowed her. "Oh come on, how old are you?"

"Older than you by quite a bit," Fyrien answered with a stuck-out tongue. "And don't change the subject."

Dear All-Father, she'd never hear the end of it…

For days Krista would wake to the sight of Lady Sigyn holding onto Loki like a leech; for weeks she'd imagine them in each other's arms, laughing, kissing, sometimes more; for months she'd dread the moment that their engagement would be announced; for years, she was heartbroken.

And in the meantime, always, trying to forget by training again and again, until muscles hurt and breaths caught. She was getting quite good at this soldiering thing, but what use was it when her heart was hollow?

It was one day, about sixteen years after Baldr's own engagement, that Krista found herself asking Fyrien for help.

"You want me to what?" her friend was asking, eyes wide and slightly scared.

"I want you to just stand there and let me try to phase through you. It shouldn't hurt, but the only time I've tried, it was painful. For me. At the time, I thought it was the magic in the person's blood that fought against me, so there shouldn't be any problem with you."

They were standing in a small carpeted room that Krista had asked the All-Mother to use for her personal practice. She was the only one allowed in, unless she brought another person herself. Sometimes, Frigga would pop up and check on her progress, often if not always praising her studious ways.

Fyrien sighed and looked down. As usual, she was wearing the mandatory white gown of the Queen's wards. The sole addition to the garb was her newly-acquired Healer sash. It was a deep blue and hung from shoulder to hip. Everyone in Asgard knew what it meant.

"Alright then, if you promise I won't feel it."

"I didn't promise that. Normally, it shouldn't be unpleasant. I can bend water after all, not nettles."

The girls chuckled, and Fyrien planted herself more firmly on the worn carpet, arms loosely at her sides, eyes closing so that she wasn't too disturbed by the whole affair.

Krista concentrated. She hadn't tried to phase through someone in more than thirty years, and although she now could phase through water-based objects and plants such as trees, flowers or food – although none of those things was rather pleasant to experience – she was a little nervous.

Part of her nerves resided in the fact that she had asked her best friend for help. Had it been anyone else than Fyrien, she surely wouldn't have felt this scared. But part of why she had asked Fyrien and no one else was that the brunette was a Healer, and if anything went wrong, Fy would fix it.

"Stop overthinking this, Kris," her friend said after a moment. "Just do it."

Krista phased within seconds, her shimmering form just like a statue made of ice. She had found herself liking being in this state, as it provided her with a good hiding solution, especially when a pool or basin was nearby. She could 'pour' herself into it, and still be conscious of what happened around her.

It was a neat trick when she wanted to avoid people. Namely, the Prince that plagued her nights.

Krista concentrated on not shifting back to solid form, and approached her friend, who still stood immobile. She raised a hand and touched it to Fyrien's chest. Fy shivered, a small tug at the corner of her lips signifying that she knew what was happening.

And then, just like that, Krista poured herself into her friend's body, filling every corner of it as if it was her own. She tried to move Fyrien's hand, but felt her own rise above it, sign that even if she could occupy a body, she couldn't control it.

She got out, and turned back into her solid self, smiling. "It worked."

Fyrien opened her eyes and smiled back. "It wasn't entirely unpleasant. It was just like taking a shower in the summer. Slightly cold, but rather…refreshing."

Both chuckled in good humour.

And Krista was content. At least that had worked…