Authors note - apologies for the missed week, had a lot of job stuff going on, and I was seeing family all of last weekend! Did anyone else go to the potter convention in Manchester? Anyway i'm working on nanowrimo this year too so it might be that I post a chapter a little late if i'm trying to crunch towards my word goal. As always, remember you can find me on twitter Oraeliaa


"Aela, the tavern I was fine with but this...this is a terrible idea"

She laughed. "It'll be fine. It'll be fun!"

"Not for my poor old heart it wont!"

The others were already outside, but Jorik had managed to catch Aela before they'd left; the two huddled in the now closed, wooden doorframe. His face was firm, stern even - an uncle chastising his niece, in heart if not in blood.

"Jorik it will be fine - I will be fine - I've done this before and it's never been a problem"

She lead him out of the tavern and the group huddled in the dark. Jorik watched, exasperated as Saf removed her leather vest - worn over her tunic - and handed it to Aela.

He and Eirik watched the perimeter as they proceeded, ensuring no-one spotted the incredibly stupid, alcohol induced activity happening behind him. He stared forward into the distance as an unfortunately familiar argument took place behind him.

Saf's voice quickly grew frustrated. "They never want to fit!"

Isla laughed, undoing the back lacing a little more and helping Aela to wiggle into the article of clothing, grunting as she tightened the straps. "That's because you've got grapes and she's got melons!"

They had to work fast, knowing each second they delayed was another second closer to the future queen of asgard being caught with her breasts out on a street corner.

"Done!'

Eirik and Jorik turned in time to see them pull the tunic back over her now much smaller chest.

They shoved a wad of fabric down her pants to form a bulge, then rapidly adjusted it so she didn't look quite so excited to be there, and wrapped her face and plaits with a black strip of cloth; glad that so many of them insisted on wearing scarves on a day to day basis.

Stepping back to observe their work, they nodded. She would always have feminine hips and a bit of a bust, but with her distinctive markings hidden and her very noticeable chest flattened...she just looked like any other resident of her homeland. She'd swapped out her leggings for Isla's looser trousers, thankfully, and luckily, cut in a far more masculine way.

"I'm with Jorik" Eirik cut in, lips a thin, tense line. "This isn't a great idea. Plus Aela, some part of you has to realise that changing your trousers in the centre of Asgard was a terrible idea. Absolutely terrible"

"Come on Eirik, no-one will know who we are!"

"Aela, you know I'm usually game for your type of fun, but...what if they do?"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes "They won't!"

"But if they do?"

"Then...then I don't know...but I need this"

He was silent, assessing the situation. "Fine, but only because I've had too much Ale and the idea of watching you destroy some uptight Asgardian pricks is too much fun to miss out on"


Of all the places he was planning to spend his evening, this was not one of them. It was dirty, it reeked of sweat, and there were flecks of blood everywhere. He grimaced as he took in a row of men, bleeding from the nose and mouth…

"Come on Loki!"

"Thor, why do you insist on bringing me to these places?"

Thor laughed, affection and humour in his eyes. "Because if I leave you perpetually in that dusty old place, you'll turn into a book"

He dragged Loki to the front, to where Volstagg was already waiting. The others had bowed out for the evening, but Volstagg wouldn't miss this for anything. They cheered as they watched the fight; and Loki side eyed the two of them. "You both know I'm not opposed to violence, but this is rather gratuitous, don't you think?"

Thor wrapped an arm around his younger brother. "Come on Loki, get into the spirit of it. Look at these two warriors!"

He did.

The warehouse was old, and he couldn't tell if it was actually abandoned or just artfully crafted to look as such. The floor was dirt; but the surfaces were just a little too clean to be truthfully old. There was a square area for the fighters to brutalise each other; and he almost hated the small part of himself that relished in the bloodshed before him. He was above it, better than this. He couldn't imagine ever taking as much pleasure as the other around him in this brutal entertainment. Of course, he enjoyed battle, he enjoyed causing carnage...but watching it? There were plenty of things he'd rather do with his time.

He took Volstagg's advice, focusing on the two men; and his eyes widened at the absolute difference between them. There was an absolute beast of a man, facing off against a much younger, smaller opponent. It was pathetic that they'd use such a whelp to warm up the fighter, warm up the crowd...if that boys mother knew where he was.

...or not.

The brute threw himself forwards, and without flinching or drawing breath the smaller man simply stepped to the side and placed a kick against the arse of the mammoth; knocking him off balance til his face ended up in the dirt. He dragged himself up, growling, and they squared off once more. The smaller man acted purely defensively; letting the larger man wear himself out til sweat shone slick on his brow.

"That little ones like a rabbit!" Volstagg laughed. "Come on little rabbit! Bite!"

Volstagg didn't have to wait for long. Quick as a flash the rabbit was on him, fists landing with precise accuracy. It was very suddenly over. A few clean hits was all it took, and the big man went down as hard as they expected.

"Fight to the newcomer!"

Okay, so perhaps Loki could understand the appeal. The 'rabbit' lifted his sweat soaked shirt, revealing a line of gentle abs, and used it to wipe his face before moving back to his friends. There were 2 women, an older man, and a younger man, who clapped him on the back before stepping into the ring themselves.

"Oy Thor!" Volstagg commented. "That little lads a Niflheimer; like Lady Aela!"

The ginger had a point, with those enormous curling horns he could practically be a relative.

"There are a few differences I can see between him and my Fiance though" Thor laughed, elbowing Volstagg. The two howled with laughter and Loki chuckled, rolling his eyes. The lad was average height, lithely built. It would be interesting to see how this went. Looking closer, now that he'd stopped moving, it looked like he'd already made his way through a few opponents - tunic splattered with blood. He took a deep, deep glug of whatever liquor the others handed him, and jogged back into the centre of the ring, where their new opponent waited.

"Now! Do we want straight up boxing, or a no holds barred hand to hand?" the ref asked, looking between the lad and the rather large, hairy opponent.

"Best we go with hand to hand Yan" the fighter laughed. "Otherwise that little girl isn't going to reach me!"

"You happy with that?" the ref asked, and the nifl nodded, rolling his shoulders and getting into position.

"Right! For this fight we have a no holds barred hand to hand for you! No weapons, no poison, no biting, and let's try not to kill each other! To my right we have blacksmith apprentice extraordinaire Pont, and to my left we have the newcomer; who surprised us all by wiping out Johan and Wift in quick succession! He's small, he's nameless, I can't figure out if he's capable of speech, but let's see if he can take on the Pont!"

Pont advanced, laying in three hits to the lads gut in quick succession.

And then it was over.

Next to Loki, Thor swore violently. The room was silent; and then erupted with an earsplitting roar.

"What the hell is that lad made of!" Volstagg laughed, downing his flask and motioning for another.

Loki...couldn't look away. The man had taken the punches, fainted two of his own, then when Pont had stepped backwards he just...ran at him. The rage in those red eyes, so similar to hers and yet so opposite. They weren't softened by lines of blue, or patterns of gold; or smiles and laughter. They burned intense, like pure lithe man had completely used his weight to barrel Pont to the ground, then finished him off with three clean hits to the face.

KO in mere minutes.

He expelled a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. That small glimmer of enjoyment grew; and he wondered if he'd come to enjoy this barbaric sport after all, or if he were just imagining what the smaller man was capable of in the bedroom, whether the fire in his eyes traversed into all his activities, because that was no child; definitely not.

That was a being of power.

They settled in, watching as other fighters took to the ring; waiting with baited breath for the rabbit to come back into the ring again. Every time he did he took their breath away; felling opponent after opponent - jumping on his enemies like a man possessed, headbutting them, winding them til they folded then finishing it mercilessly with a knee to the head...

It was poetry in motion.

Until Volstagg stepped into the ring, unable to resist any longer, and everything changed.

Loki watched as their body language went from relaxed, confident and tired to…

Afraid.

The rabbit stepped back, shaking his head and looking at their party. Their mouths were moving but he couldn't make out from here exactly what they were saying.

Volstagg stepped forward toward the huddle, clapping a hand on the lads shoulder. His voice boomed through the awkward silence of the room. "Rabbit, you just broke that soldiers arm like it was a toothpick! You can't back out now!"

Something was obviously very, very wrong, but honestly… Loki didn't particularly care. If anything it made the situation more interesting. Why was he and his group so afraid of Volstagg? They were looking at Thor and himself with the same nervous panic. Were they criminals? It would explain the fighting skills…

He pulled himself back into the situation, where the boy was fidgeting with his facial covering and getting into position. He'd assumed the covering was due to some form of scarring, but it was looking more and more likely that they were simply hiding their identity. He smirked, unable to resist picturing peeling that facial covering off, revealing the warrior within.

It had been too long...

They began circling one another, the boy dodging and landing hits, and Volstagg simply absorbing them, using his mass to his advantage.

Loki nudged Thor. "Have we ever faced anyone from Niflheim before?"

Thor dragged his attention from the fight and looked at his brother.

"I don't think so - There are a few commanders who hail from there, but they're on our side and I don't recall ever meeting them, why?"

"I think he's hiding his face from us for a reason"

Loki sighed, realising that his brothers half drunken attentions were very firmly on the violence before him and not at all on Loki's words.

Volstagg was taunting the lad as they fought, calling him scrawny, saying that he'd expected more of a fight.

He had the boy pinned, and finally, Loki saw the boys mouth move under the black cloth.


She had no choice. She'd gotten some good hits in, winded him badly with one of them, but she was thrown off. Whether it was the alcohol coursing through her system, or the fear of being caught…

Well she didn't know.

But what she did know was that if he clocked her in the face like he was about to, she'd be found out either way. His fist flew down, and she twisted her head to the side, the force causing her neck to click, strained. His fist indented the floor and she near as dammit whimpered. If that caught her, ancestors strength or not she'd be blue in the morning…

Better to try and trust one person than give herself up to all of them.

"Volstagg for the love of all of the gods, please not my face"

He stilled, and the cheering from the crowd felt so far away as he leaned back stunned, then forwards, inspecting the ruby orbs that were so pleadingly looking up at him from the grubby dirt floor.

"Heavens, it can't be" he whispered, but he saw it. The long lashes, the flecks of black and gold in her eyes - a hint of a blue tattoo peeking from under the black cloth, where it had slipped.

"I'll fight you properly, but you can't tell the others"

He was conflicted. He didn't want to lie to the others, or possibly hurt the future Queen of Asgard...although given the absolute demon he'd been watching rapidly decimate other opponents he wasn't certain he'd hurt her too badly. That he'd even...that he'd ever manage to beat her. He wanted a piece of that action; that whirlwind that had awed him the evening til now.

"...deal"

A voice from the sidelines cut through their tense interaction.

"What are you waiting for! A kiss?"

She laughed beneath him, and he very suddenly became aware that he not only had a very warm and soft woman between his thighs, but one that was his best friends fiance...who currently had her middle finger stuck valiantly and aggressively in the the air at whoever was shouting to them. Where in hell was the gentle, muted woman who he'd conversed with politely over dinner?

They'd been turning her away from training

"Ready?" she laughed, and he nodded, dragging his thoughts from the fact that she'd allowed them to reject her. What else was up her always impeccably styled sleeves?

He was shocked from his thoughts by her very sudden presence in his line of sight.

She'd sat up rapidly, slamming her forehead into his with so much force that he saw stars. She jumped backwards, palms flat against the ground and feet launching into the air and back over her head, and he stood, clutching his forehead.

"By the gods, what is your forehead made of? Marble?" he groaned, shaking off the blow.

She didn't laugh this time, but he could see her lips slightly upturn under the mask.

They came at each other, blocking and slapping away punches, and he got her right in the solar plexus, winding her for a few seconds and knocking her back down to the floor. She rolled, and he had her pinned whilst she gasped for breath, mouth in the dirt. The referee moved in, ready to call it, but before that countdown could finish, Volstagg felt her harden like iron; muscles strong beneath him. She threw her upper body backwards, palms firmly on the ground to help with the maneuver, and he rapidly vacated the space that her horns now occupied.

"Stop running away Volstagg!" Thor shouted from the side, laughing loudly.

"It hurt enough when the boy got me from the front! I'm sure as hell not sticking around to see what a face full of horn feels like!"

The crowd laughed, and the two faced each other once more. Boy. He'd kept up the rouse - and earned her trust. She darted forwards and connected a firm left hook to his cheek; attempting to distract him as she brought her leg into his side but he caught it, spinning her in the air and dropping her down once more.

He had to get her on the floor, he knew it was the only way he could win this without marking her face.

She turned on him again, and the rabid determination in her eyes was incredible. He hasn't felt this much enjoyment from a fight in a while - not one where he wasn't actively trying to kill whatever he was up against, anyway.

The speed and force behind her punches were something else, and he knew he'd be feeling this in the morning, but smirked, knowing she'd be the same, given the flurry he'd got on her moments before.

She caught his follow up punch and attempted to do the same but couldn't. "I'm a bit heavy for that I'm afraid" he laughed, jabbing her right in the side with his elbow and enjoying the snort that she gave in return.

"Wrap it up you two!" the ref called, realising that the two were having fun with one another- and she ran at him. He'd seen this tactic though, and braced himself for her body against him - he wouldn't allow himself to be knocked down.

What he didn't expect was for her to jump and wrap her hands around the chains hanging from the ceiling. She hulked her own body weight up, and ended it all with an incredibly hard kick to the chest. He flew backwards and through the low fence, landing in the crowd.

Aela strode forwards, confidence and swagger in every step. The crowd erupted, and she crouched, tapping him lightly on the face to check he was okay as he gasped for breath.

"You're alright" she muttered, rocking back on her heels.

"Come to my rooms later" Aela whispered, laughing - and he merely nodded. Jorik was on her in an instant, Eirik not far behind. Volstagg watched, interested in who these people were. He'd never met them before, but they felt familiar...

Thor's hand appeared in his peripheral and he grasped it, chuckling as he was hulked to his feet. "I'm getting too old for this"

"Did the fighter tell you his name?" Loki quizzed as the two made their way back to him at the fence.

"Nah, I'm afraid not"

"He moved like...like" Thor began

"Like a man possessed?" Volstagg suggested

"Like a warrior I need to be better acquainted with!"

Volstagg couldn't help but chuckle. If only Thor knew…


"We have to leave - now" Eirik argued, and Aela nodded, knowing it would be game over if Loki got a good look at her - he was too observant not to notice her identity. They ran from the place, Aela gasping for breath through her half battered ribs - making it to the servants entrance quickly and quietly.

They slammed her bedroom door behind them and immediately fell about laughing.

"Oh my god I thought we were done for!" Aela gasped, moving over to the chair so they could begin unlacing her makeshift disguise.

"As did I!" Jorik complained. "I told you it was a bad idea"

"I accept that you were right Jor, but I needed that. It's been so long since I was...since I was taken seriously"

"I know…" he sighed, sliding back into his bear form and resting his head on his front paws. Saf and Isla unlaced the vest, giving Aela an immediate sense of relief as her lungs were freed.

"Do you think he'll come round?" Saf asked, cracking open the large window and sighing with relief as the cool air radiated around them.

"I'm not sure…" Aela mused. "We've given him a shock tonight, blown open one of his expectations"

Eirik scoffed - "I give it an hour"

It took three.

Loki had left an hour and a half earlier, and they'd continued valiantly without him. He'd been teased by Thor til he was sure his ginger hair would turn grey, and had finally gotten to his own rooms a mere 20 minutes before.

He hadn't been followed. He couldn't tell if the younger prince had heard the invitation to her rooms, but his sly glances all night suggested he obviously suspected something was going on.

The knock was quiet, and the faces of the doorman were tense as they allowed him into the room that as far as he was aware, no-one outside of her inner circle had been granted access to.

It was spacious, circular - an almost duplicate of Loki's chamber upstairs. The floor was a rich mahogany, and she'd hung tapestries on the spacious walls, unlike any that he'd seen here in Asgard. The windows were half open, light curtains floating in the gentle breeze; and a gentle smile graced his stocky face as he caught sight of Lady Aela sleeping softly within one. She was propped up against the closed side of the window frame, face tucked against the cool glass; and as he strode forwards he truly couldn't imagine that soft face contorted in a warriors rage.

There was no mistaking her bruised hands though, the right knee where she'd slammed it into at least two men...or the scarring that travelled down her scandalously exposed thigh. The tell-tale scent of anti-bruising ointment was strong in the air, and he couldn't help but wonder how often she had used it to be so skilled in the ring.

"Water serpent"

Volstagg turned quickly towards the deep, male voice behind him. "What?"

"You were staring at her thigh. It was a water serpent"

Volstagg's voice was quiet as he turned back to the sleeping noblewoman. "Oh"

"Did she fall in?" he continued, glancing to the side.

"...Son" the man began "She just beat you in hand to hand combat, and a good dozen before you - with a bound chest and a decreased lung capacity. Why don't you guess again as to why she was in the water?"

He huffed with laughter and embarrassment. The man lead him away from her sleeping body and towards the chairs. He didn't give Volstagg a second chance to answer though, as he settled in the armchair opposite and continued his train of thought.

"I've watched over Aela since she was a child. Before she even knew that bjornlings were real or that foreign princes in Asgard existed. I knew though, that she was someone to follow, to protect - with utmost clarity. She is an incredibly well respected warrior in her homeland. She dove into the water without a second thought to protect her people- alongside her father, myself, and his best men. The beast caught her by the leg and she pulled herself up and stabbed it through the eye…"

Volstagg twisted his orange moustache, watching the man talk. He looked to be in his late 40s, with one heavily scarred, milky eye.

"We thought we'd lost her - there was blood everywhere, and it shook her like a leaf in a blizzard. But she overcame it. She took it down, returned its spirit to the waves and recovered from her injuries"

"That's incredible"

"It is, yes. I'll never forget the sight of her bleeding out on the beach. I have watched that little dragonling grow into a powerful warrior. I've watched her scale mountains and waterfalls, hunt the impossible, survive incredible feats… and now, I've watched her train in patience, as she waits for the chance to be respected. Perseverance, as she's continuously mocked"

Two eyes met his own, and he swallowed under the older man's glare.

"And silence, as she wakes, and pretends to be asleep"

She snorted and stretched, reminding Volstagg of a lioness as she climbed down and prowled towards them.

"Volstagg, not too sore, I hope?"

"On the contrary, very sore" he laughed

"I would have preferred a friendly spar, obviously" she chuckled, bending at the waist to press a chaste kiss to Jorik's temple, "why don't you try and get some sleep?"

"Are you certain?"

"Very - I know you've only been getting an hour or two a night"

He stood, chuckling as his back clicked, and nodded to Volstagg before leaving the two warriors to it. Aela slid into the newly vacated seat, crossing her ankles demurely, ignoring the fact she was only wearing a tunic and her undergarments.

"So you're a warrior?"

"I am"

"And you've been a warrior for…"

She laughed, not even attempting to hide her emotions as she looked at him like he was the biggest idiot she'd ever met.

"Most of my life?"

"You were...incredible in there"

She nodded, her face so smug and shockingly reminiscent of the younger prince.

"I am, yes"

He wasn't sure what to make of this...of any of it. He'd spend the last few months unsure what to make of the delicate, prim bride to be… the bride who had just bruised his ego as well as his face.

"Volstagg, can you swallow your pride as easily as you swallow a roast pig?

He laughed. "I apologise for underestimating you. I wish to make it up to you, my Lady"

"All I ask is that you treat me as I deserve, warrior"

He shook his head. "No. Whilst you are a warrior, you are still a lady- and gentlemen apologise to ladies with gifts"

She chuckled in response. "Alright, I give in. I enjoy many things, fine foods and wines, weaponry, armour and clothing...embroidered rugs for underfoot"

"Embroidery!" he exclaimed. "Thor said you spend a large amount of time sewing with the other ladies. Would you enjoy some new threads? Or a fine hoop?"

He didn't spot her move, and had no idea where the knives had come from whilst she lounged in a tunic, but yelped with fear as he suddenly found himself with a lap full of his future queen and a knife to his throat.

"I said to treat me with respect Volstagg. Do you consider offering me a new hoop respect?"

He couldn't shake his head, not with the point embedded in his flesh, and instead squeaked out an apology.

"I am a warrior, finer than most you will ever know. I demand to be treated as such. I would make all embroidery illegal, if i could"

She let herself linger for a moment, enjoying the way the press of the blade brought fear into his eyes.

"Do we understand each other Volstagg?"

He nodded, acknowledging the determined fire in her eyes. "Wonderful. I think we will be firm allies"