Once the demigods had won the water fight (result!), the Warriors Three went off in search of firewood, even though it was no where near dark. I suppose they had to find the wood in the light, or else they'd never find it. Lady Sif laid out the food from the hamper the palace kitchens had prepared. There were an assortment of meats, pasta and some rice dish that didn't look particularly appetising.

While we were waiting for the Warriors Three to return, we traded war stories.

"One time, when we were on Nornheim," Thor was saying, "I managed to fight my way through one hundred warriors and pull everyone out alive!"

"As I recall, brother," Loki piped up, "I was one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape."

Thor and Sif laughed. "Some do battle whilst others do tricks," Lady Sif scorned.

I felt Loki tense behind me. Gently, not to mention discreetly, I put my hand over his to calm him. Almost immediately I felt the tension leave his body.

"That's nothing," Percy said. "When I was twelve years old and had only known I was a demigod for a matter of weeks, I defeated Ares, god of war, in battle."

"And he still hates you for it," Annabeth reminded him.

Percy shrugged. "He hates everyone."

"No he doesn't," I said.

"He hates you," Percy said.

"Well, yeah," I said. "But I'm not everybody, am I? He doesn't hate Clarisse for a start."

Nico shuddered. "The Drakon slayer herself. How could Ares hate his golden daughter, even if everyone else does?"

"Clarisse is one of Ares's daughters," Thalia explained to the bemused Asgardians. "During the war she killed a creature known as a Drakon, the distant cousin of the dragon."

"And it is a fearsome beast?" Thor asked, intrigued.

"Terrifying," Annabeth agreed. "If you look into its eyes you're petrified. Plus, only a child of Ares can kill it, so it was good thing Clarisse turned up."

"Never mind her," Percy said. "I killed the Minotaur! Twice! And I haven't gotten one ounce of recognition for it."

"You're the child of the great prophecy," Thalia said slowly, "The only demigod child of Poseidon, the barer of the mark of Achilles and hero of Olympus. Do you really need another title?"

Percy looked bashfully at the sand. "I suppose not…" he mumbled.

"And anyway, killing the Minotaur is nothing on almost killing a god!" Rachel gushed.

The Asgardians eyes snapped wide open.

"You did that?" Sif asked cautiously.

Rachel shook her head. "Nah, not me - I can't fight my way out of a paper bag. That was Eden."

They looked at me accusingly.

"I got into a fight with a god once," I said self-consciously. "He was trying to kill me, so I had to fight with the same objective or else I'd have no chance. Anyway, he's a god, ya know? It's not like he can actually die."

"But the fact that you almost killed him, who ever he is, is the main thing," Thor said, one of the few times I've seen him this serious. "That makes you a very esteemed warrior."

I blushed slightly. "Thanks, I guess." I had to divert the attention away from me. "But what of your adventures?" I asked Thor. "Surely there must be more than Nornheim to tell of."

He smiled broadly and launched into some tale about a quest he went on with his companions to Alfheim but I'd zoned out by then. Subconsciously I leant back onto Loki, resting my head against his shoulder. Loki put his hand on mine as we sat listening to Thor.

When the sun was just about to set, the Warriors Three returned with the firewood. It was placed in the middle of us in a slightly organised manner and left. I looked at them suspiciously. Did they expect it to spontaneously combust just by looking at it? Then I saw Loki lazily raise his hand and, with a dismissive flick of his wrist, the branches and such burst into green flames.

"What is it with you and green?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "It matches my eyes."

I laughed slightly as the food was passed around. When we had all eaten our fill, Fandral spoke.

"We were supposed to be having a sing-song, were we not?" he asked, a pleasant smile on his face. He still wouldn't meet my eyes, though.

"Oh, yeah," Nico said, standing. "I totally forgot. I'll be back in a second." With that he disappeared into the evening shadows, only to reappear with his guitar a moment later.

"How is it you do that?" Loki asked him.

Volstagg laughed loudly. "Here we go," he said. "Loki's being all 'studious' again!"

The other Warriors, Sif and Thor laughed, while the demigods stayed silent. I supposed because we all had some degree of power, we knew the importance of both practical and theoretical study in every discipline available to us.

"It's because I'm the son of Hades," Nico explained as if Volstagg has never spoken. "I basically go down through the Underworld, or Hel as it's known here, and pop up top side where I want to be. It's a very efficient way to travel."

"I suppose it is," Loki said.

"Are you not going to entertain us, Nico?" Fandral interrupted, sounding bored.

Nico set it jaw to stop himself from saying something he'd regret. "Sure," he bit out. He looked around. "Any suggestions?"

"You two do Human Nature," Thalia said, pointing at Nico and me. "I love that song." We all stared at her. "I can like stuff other than Green Day, you know," she mumbled angrily.

Ignoring her, Nico started the song, a small guitar solo as an introduction.

"Looking out, across the night-time," I began, as the female vocalist went first on the Glee version. "The city winks a sleepless eye. Hear his voice, shake my window, sweet seducing sighs."

"Get me out," Nico picked up, his tenor voice ringing out across the beach. "Into the night-time, four walls won't hold me tonight. If this town, is just an apple, then let me take a bite."

We started to sing together. "If they say why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature. Why, why, does he do me that way? If they say why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature. Why, why, does he do me that way?"

We continued singing our appropriate parts until the song came to an end, at which point applause sprang up from the demigods, but the Asgardians didn't seem that bothered – with the exception of Loki, of course. Loki placed a supportive hand on my shoulder.

"That was amazing," Loki told me. "I had no idea you sung so beautifully."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks," I said, "But Nico's the mainly musical one here."

"I thought you were supposed to entertain us," Fandral drawled.

"What is your problem?" Thalia snapped before I had the chance to.

"Nothing," he said. "I just think that you could do better, that's all."

"Do you want to try?" Nico said, quickly loosing patience.

"Well, I could entertain you, but unfortunately I don't swing that way," he said, smiling smugly while taking a drink from his goblet.

Just before the drink met his lips, he dropped the goblet and scrambled away from it. Two twin snakes slithered out of the goblet and wound up Fandral's leg, causing Fandral to move further away from us. As distressing as it was for him, it was quite funny for me. I looked around the other demigods: they were all fighting to keep in their laughter. Having an idea, I glanced over my shoulder at Loki, his face the picture of innocence.

"Thank you," I whispered to him. He just nodded, eyes twinkling in the low light.

Once the snakes had disappeared, Fandral came stalking back up the beach towards Loki.

"Do not think I didn't know that was you," he hissed.

Loki pushed me away from him and stood, facing down Fandral. He stood half an inch taller than Fandral, looking down his nose at him.

"And I'm supposed to care because…?" he asked.

Fandral shoved his shoulders. "What was that for? Some cheap trick to impress your Midgardian whore?"

I bristled at that, as did Loki. He grabbed Fandral by the collar and hauled him off his feet.

"Don't you ever speak about her like that again," Loki snarled, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"Gentlemen," Thor said, a clear warning in his voice.

"Or what?" Fandral chocked out as if Thor had never spoken, "You'll sparkle at me?"

Loki's grip tightened on Fandral's collar, his knuckles turning white. "I will do things to you that your feeble, childish mind couldn't even dream of comprehending."

"Loki," Thor said sharply.

"Why are you with the Midgardian, anyway?" Fandral said a little more clearly. "Will no Asgardian woman take you to her bed? Or do you just crave mastering someone?"

That's when Loki snapped. Fandral went flying towards the sea at an alarming speed. Just before Loki followed him over there I stood and put my hands on his chest, stopping him.

"Don't, Loki," I said quietly. "He's not worth it."

Loki gently cupped my face. "He should not speak to you like that," he said quietly, pressing his forehead against mine. "No one should."

I smiled. "We know that, but apparently no one else does."

"Is it true?" Thor asked. "That you are… courting Lady Eden?"

Loki slung his arm around my shoulder. "It is true," Loki said. "Eden and I are an item."

Thor jumped up and hugged us simultaneously and vigorously.

"This is marvellous, brother!" Thor cried. "Why did you not tell me sooner?"
"I did not know how you would react," Loki croaked out. "Although I am grateful you're so pleased."

"Pleased?" Thor thundered, releasing us. "Lady Eden is the first woman I have known who you have announced to being in a relationship with – of sorts. And do not worry about Fandral," Thor finished darkly. "I shall deal with him."

"No need," Percy said. "He's finding it very hard to get back to shore at the minute."

We all looked out and saw Fandral floundering in the dark ocean. He wasn't drowning or anything, but he wasn't getting any closer to shore, no matter how hard he tried. I laughed and brought Loki back to the campfire, feeling truly happy in public with him for the first time.