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Now, back to the story~ please note me or PM me if you see something wrong. Or say it in a review. I'm human, I make mistakes, just say it nicely. I'm fragile on critiques.
Me no own. If I owned this shit, I'd be out of college and have some super smart math dude managing it for me… and go on vacation a lot. Meh. Daydreaming while I should be studying~
Loki awoke to a headache trying to pound its way through his skull with a dwarf's pick ax.
Thor was kind enough to stay with him after his outburst, and currently occupied the area next to the trickster on his bed. Loki's eyes were still closed and his back was turned towards Thor because the thunderer had been kind enough to rub tender circles on the sorcerer's back. It comforted Loki, and managed to disarm the ticking time bomb that resided in Loki's heart. Thor could tell by the muscles clenching and unclenching that Loki was battling his inner self over their conversation from the garden. Loki was never much for words unless he was really pissed off. Even then, Loki would pull his punches so he could have some trump card later. Thor had to admire that patience in battle, something that he had never really mastered.
"Thor…" Loki murmured, voice tired and waning from the screaming fight earlier. Well, given it was a very one sided screaming fight, that was understandable.
"Yes, Loki?" Thor replied, his voice as gentle and steadfast as it had remained in the last few hours. Previous years of fighting had never proved fertile when he and Loki had fought, so gaining a bark against the sorcerer never made the situation better. But coming to Loki bearing a gift of pudding or chocolates usually calmed the growling beast that had replaced the sweet sorcerer in Loki's room.
"I… I want… a fair fight for my hand." Loki mumbled. Thor felt like he was crushed under Mjolnir's weight. Loki wanted someone other than Thor to compete for his hand? In a critical time like this? Was he not enough? Had he done something that offended the second prince?
"My- Loki. Have I done something to make myself unworthy of your hand?" Thor pleaded, trying to hide his personal disappointment behind a strong voice. Loki sprung from his position on the bed, hauling himself up on his right arm while turning to see Thor's face. The thunderer looked so pained.
"No! No… Thor, I meant that we should make it a fair fight so that anyone can 'try' to claim my hand." Loki replied. Thor still looked confused. Why would Loki want anyone else to try for his hand? Had he not wanted to be wed to a powerful Asgardian? Royalty no less? What more could he carve that Thor couldn't give him?
"Loki… please. Reconsider me. I can be a worthy husband. You don't need to waste your time with others. Have I not been good to you?" Thor whispered as he pulled Loki close to him, holding the younger prince to his broad chest. Loki sighed roughly.
"Thor… I know you can be a worthy husband. And, one day, a worthy king. But think of the people. Won't they think it's unfair for you to monopolize me? I'm saying have a tournament. Prove your strength, have some fun, and no one can question who you should marry." Loki offered back to the thunderer. Thor pulled back, still slightly confused about the whole situation. Loki smiled at him and placed a gentle kiss on the side of his cheek.
"Loki, they won't say anything against you. The people of Asgard love you. Even through the roughest moments, they loved you as much as they loved me. Besides, if you don't like something they say, we can have the guards take them out back and beat them like a dirty rug." Thor replied, a brilliant smile gracing his façade. Loki had to let a small smirk through his depressing mist.
"True." Loki replied. The trickster let the buffoon hold him for a few minutes before familiar footsteps approached his room. Odin knocked on the door before entering, knowing that his second son greatly valued his privacy and preferred a warning before anyone entered his private chambers. Thor and Loki detached the second the first knock repelled off the thick wood.
Odin entered the room, his regal presence filling the paper strewn and book piled room. His eye glanced to Thor and Loki, both sitting with blank stares on the younger brother's bed.
"I have heard that you two had a quarrel today." Odin said, a stern look falling Thor's way. The thunderer shrug.
"I lost my temper when Thor told me what needed to be done. It wasn't so much a fight as it was a minor stress on my part." Loki admitted. Odin took the information in, sighing as he looked back to Thor.
"How do you think we should improve this situation?" Odin asked the green clad sorcerer, who donned a surprised look.
"A tournament." Loki threw out. Odin was shocked at the decision. Loki hated tournaments. He never attended and more often than not even acknowledged the competitions. Was this Thor's idea? It must have been…
"Loki, did he put you up to this?" Odin asked, glaring at Thor. Thor gave an offended glance to his father, rather ruffled about being accused.
"No father…" Loki still held Odin in a father ideal. Sure, he was adopted, but Odin wouldn't have brought him to Asgard if he didn't want Loki as part of his family. It took the over thinking sorcerer to stop fretting for three days with the crown prince practically pawing at his door every hour in an attempt to bring his little Loki back.
"*sigh* Fine. A fair tournament for Loki's hand. I will make the announcement tomorrow morning." Odin announced as took his seat. Loki gave a small smile, and Thor… just looked blank. Well, how many facial expressions could you expect the boy to make in less than an hour?
"Really? You're good with this?" Thor blurted out. Odin chuckled at the thought of Thor questioning a tournament. He'd pretend like he didn't hear that for his first borns' sake. Thor the thunder god, king of the Asgardian tournaments and still undefeated after 4000 years, would not have opposed a tournament for his brother's hand.
"Of course I am. It would be a good distraction for realm in light of the recent battles." Odin said as he leaned back, making himself look like their father for the first time in years, rather than a king they had to bow to.
"And what of Jotenheim?" Thor demanded. Loki gave a concerned look to the elder god.
"We will not tell Jotenheim of the tournament. If they argue, we can always sight the attacks as reason to keep them from Loki. All considered, I take it you don't want to be offered to a Frost Giant, my son?" Odin offered to Loki. Loki nodded with a smile slinking it's way into his face.
"Then a tournament it is." Thor relented. Odin swore, there must have been spots on the stars for Thor to not want a tournament. That would take all day just to take in.
Hours later, Thor had gone to speak with his friends after Loki had kicked him out of his room. Loki had been 'Thored' out of his mind, and needed some time alone with his quiet room and his silent books. He was happily reading until an unwelcomed knock came to his door. He sighed heavily, trying not to let his exhaustion overcome his temper.
Loki hauled himself from the soft cushions to tend to the annoyance. Whoever was on the other side of that door had better have a damn good reason interrupt his reading. To his surprise, Fandral was on the other side of the door, smirking like a fool who had just hit the jackpot in a card game.
"Loki~" Fandral cooed. Loki swore he could feel the bile rising to the back of his throat. He had always hated when Fandral used that sickening cooing with the fair ladies of the court. It just felt fake and forced. Loki couldn't stand that kind of treatment. Especially now that he was probably going to be a target-
…a target for the same kinds of men.
…fuck.
"Fandral. What do I owe this visit?" Loki scrambled together. He was expecting a maid who had forgotten his laundry or a guard who insisted Odin needed to see him for a moment regarding a trick he'd placed months ago that was finally triggered. Loki had gotten used to the fact that it would take some time before his tricks got tripped. Each time he'd put one out, someone would trip it quickly, and be wary of the palace for the next few months. They would tell their friends, and no one would fall for his traps until weeks later.
"Well, Thor told us of the upcoming tournament, and I was hoping to see how you felt about it." Fandral replied, his grin growing like a hungry tiger's.
"I was the one who asked for the tournament, Fandral." Loki kindly reminded, holding his irritation back in his stomach. Even though he was tired of everyone and everything around him today, he assumed this would be a quick conversation. Then he could go back to pouring over his books.
"Well, in that case, what would you say if I competed for your hand?" Fandral dared. Loki was taken aback by the offer. Fandral wanted to fight for his hand? Against Thor? Was he insane?
"Well, I can't take sides as a royal. It would be fine with me." Loki blurted out, trying to half hide himself behind the door. He still felt vulnerable to attacks, and thankfully the guards were still there. Not that he couldn't defend himself, but Loki doubted he would hold his growing weariness back from destroying anyone who really ticked him off today. Call it irritation, but exhaustion plus access to magic powers equals destruction in Loki's case.
"Loki, my dear Loki- Please consider me as a worthy suitor." Fandral said as he took Loki's hand and kneeled at his feet. Loki felt disgusting with a man- a former friend of all things- kneeling at his feet and asking for permission to fight for his hand. Odin, this was awful. He thought that offering himself as a prize to eight of the nine realms was bad enough, but Fandral, Mr. Fucks anything with a pretty enough face, was trying to gain his blessing for the upcoming battles! Oh, he should of-
"I accept you as a suitor, Fandral." His mouth betrayed him. How dare it betray him? Not cool mouth. Not cool. But the beaming smile that cracked on Fandral's seduction look was more than enough to let Loki relax a little. The blonde man kissed his hand and quickly hugged the prince before the guards had taken enough of his behavior. They pulled him off the sorcerer and started to drag the Casanova away.
"I shall see you in the royal's box, my dear!" Loki heard the man cry after they took him to the end of the hall. He shut the door behind him, and let out a huge sigh. He couldn't help but wonder how many more would ask for his blessing… and prayed they would at least ask him outside in the public areas instead of cornering him in his own chambers.
Unfortunately, Loki's luck wasn't with him this day. When dinner rolled around, the second prince thought he'd be clear to head for the library to get some more books. He'd managed to make it through most of palace before he managed to nearly slam right into an old 'friend'.
"Loki! I'm surprised to see you here, my dear prince!" Epsilon said, holding out his hand to the prince. Loki was wary of this guard. He'd made it all the way to Captain before Odin had to scold him for trying to seduce Loki while on duty. Frigga warned him on numerous occasions to stop following Loki when he wasn't ordered to, but the man couldn't take a hint. He was deeply enthralled with Loki, and had even tried to court him before without permission of his parents. Boxes of confections and rare books given, without passing through his parent's approval, was considered cute by most of the court. Normally, this would have been seen as a childish puppy love of sorts, but that wasn't the case this time. He'd been trying too hard for years, often cornering Loki in the most remote places in the palace to save his own hide from Odin's wrath. One particular case had Loki trapped in his room while Epsilon waited for him outside his door. He was supposed to take an entourage with him to visit the light elves and strengthen relations, but Epsilon hurriedly assigned himself to the duty instead. Loki was lucky enough that Thor and his friends returned a day early from another relations trip to the dwarves (and drank them under the table). Thor insisted that he be allowed to accompany Loki to his destination, and saved his younger brother a long trip full of groping.
"Oh… Epsilon. I didn't realize you'd returned from the walls." Loki replied, trying to hide his fear of being uncomfortably cornered by this man. Epsilon took the moment to place his hands strategically flagging Loki's body, making sure that it would be difficult for Loki to run. Odin help him, if Loki didn't want to remain in his good standing with the realm, he'd deck this bastard as hard as he could. But he was a prince, and more importantly, he'd just been placed as the prize in the tournament. He couldn't risk making himself look bad and rising questions about the royal family's policy towards suitors…
"Well, when I heard that your lovely hand was the prize in the upcoming tournament, I couldn't resist coming to see you." Epsilon said as he closed the space a little more, making Loki that much more uncomfortable.
"Epsilon, I really need to get to the library." Loki stated. He wasn't enjoying this treatment, and silently prayed that Thor or Frigga would wander his way. Even Odin would be better than no one. The guards and maids wouldn't help him against the Captain of the guards.
"But my prince, won't you grant me your blessing for the upcoming tournament?" Epsilon asked as he rose Loki's hand to his lips, kissing it to Loki's silent disgust. He hated this man's presence, much less his touch.
"…Good luck to you in the tournament, Sir Epsilon…" Loki spoke, trying to keep his voice level and fair. He had to give his blessing to each competitor that asked for it. It was tradition after all. And he had to keep the royal household shiny as could be in the public's eyes. Sir Epsilon must have thought too much of his blessing though, as he pulled his arms inward and captured the young prince in a hug, bringing his lips to kiss the sorcerer's. Loki felt the vomit rising in his throat, acid stinging as it met a reluctant barrier at the back of his mouth. All muscles clenched, preventing embarrassing motions as he held himself stiffly. When Epsilon released him, he quickly darted away into the stairwell. He still couldn't teleport, but his strength had returned to him enough to summon a small flame to his finger. That was a good, albeit late, start to recovery.
This was going to be a very long preparations week…
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