Loki trained with his brothers, not thinking of anything except how to get past their defences. His lesser height had its disadvantages, but with it, were also some abilities they could not wish to possess. The long-range weapons of their ice swords posed an issue for him getting close to them, but once he got past that, then he was impossible for them to stop. He was working up a sweat, something only he was able to do by Jotnar standards due to his mixed heritage when he realised that his brothers were no longer looking at him, but across the arena.

"That is different," Helbindi commented.

Loki looked to see Heriff, his father's oldest general walking by. He was loathed by most everyone. A stoic, gruff and cantankerous being that growled or barked orders at his men. There he walked with his mate, the only one that ever seemed able to bear him, beside him and in the middle, far shorter than her companions, was Ella, speaking animatedly with them. When they heard peels of laughter, the three brothers looked at one another in shock. They never even thought Heriff or his mate to be capable of such a sound. He watched as Ella's hands moved as she spoke, her face filled with animation as she described something to the older Jotnar, both of whom seemed to listen with keen interest.

"Maybe she is not insufferable," Byleistr commented. "Perhaps she is interesting?"

"Loke's?" Helbindi looked to his brother for confirmation.

"Just get back to duelling, or else you will slip further back and be forced to return to beginners training," He growled in response, noting that others seemed to be looking at Ella in intrigue also around the arena.

His brothers scoffed but did as he suggested, ignoring their now sister-in-law as she continued to speak with the general.

Ella registered who was training in the arena, but said nothing of it as she continued to regale Heriff and his mate of the Elvish customs of the autumn festival, and of how she, as a youth, accidentally caused a terribly funny accident to occur at one such festival which led to laughter any time she told the story, this time wielding the same results. She was elated that most Jotnar seemed to immediately accept her apology for her distant demeanour before and those who were more sceptical seemed to realise after mere moments of talking to her that she was not as stuck-up as her past behaviour had led them to believe and that she was more amiable than they thought, that it was simply a misunderstanding.

That evening, with a single use of her seidr, Ella had her rooms tidied, not wanting to bother those working in the palace. She looked around the room for a moment before looking sadly at her flowers, noting that they were beginning to melt, their manner of dying. She tidied up a little more and thought over everything she learnt that day from speaking to others, smiling at being able to speak with others and spend time feeling less alone. She learnt a lot from listening to them speak, from hearing their thoughts. It taught her a lot with regards to her surrounds and allowed her to learn more. She was thinking through this when she heard a knock on her door. Curious, she went over to it and opened it. "Prince Loki." She bowed slightly on seeing him standing there. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I just…I was wondering if I could ask you to join me for dinner?"

Ella eyed him carefully, not knowing what to say, highly suspicious of why he would make such a request.

Seeing her uncertainty, Loki felt a little insulted but forced himself to refrain from making comments with regards her reluctance. "I think, if we are to try and work at this, that perhaps we should attempt to have some meals together, it will allow us to get to know one another."

The awkwardness with which he spoke caused Ella to suspect that there was no ulterior motive to his suggestion and it was as he stated. "Actually, I think that a good idea."

Loki did not know if she was being sarcastic for a moment. " Yes?" She nodded. "Good, well, I…" He paused and recalled his earlier thoughts. "Is there a time that is more preferable to you? I know Aesir prefer to eat into the late evening."

"No, many simply prefer to pretend to eat late so to give an excuse for drinking like fish at an earlier time than is deemed acceptable. Six is a good eating time, ten is a good drinking one, meeting at eight and doing both is seem as something of a compromise. I personally prefer to eat sometime within the next hour or so. If this is not agreeable with you, then, of course, we should compromise on a time between our preferred times."

"No, that would suit me also. I would ask that we do so in my rooms, they are somewhat larger."

"That sounds like a good idea. I had best ready myself for such if we are to do so."

Taking the hint, Loki nodded slightly. "Yes, of course." His eyes scanned around the room for a moment before he noted a petal dissolve from one of the flowers he had given her which still stood in the case that seemed to be pride of place on the table, his arms that she had designed in her boredom still very much on the vase, though altered to that of the one he had made suggestions of alteration to. Thinking to himself for a moment, he got another idea. With a smile that showed far greater confidence than he showed mere moments before, he gave a slight bow. "I will go and allow you the time to do as you require."

Noting his sudden change in demeanour, Ella eyed him warily. "Yes, thank you. And thank you for your suggestion, My Prince."

Loki stared silently at her for a moment at such a reference. He cleared his throat and nodded before rushing out of the room.

Ella, who did not realise the reason for his erratic behaviour wondered if there was, in fact, something more occurring that evening or if indeed, he did simply just want to dine with her to try and thaw their less than ideal situation. She could only way and see. Going for a bath, she prepared for the evening ahead.

"What in the realms are you doing?"

Loki, though rarely startled, jumped slightly when he heard his father behind him. "Getting some flowers."

"I established that much by myself, but why?"

"The last ones I collected are dying, it's time for fresh ones." He answered, using a small ice blade to slice off some more.

"For what purpose?"

"I just stated, the last ones I gave Ella have died, she will require more."

Laufey expected one of a few answers to his question, but that answer startled him. "Ella?"

"Yes. You stated these were something of a hit with her, so I thought them a good idea to give to her as a small gift. She accepted them and when I was in her rooms earlier, I noted that the last ones are dying so I thought perhaps to give her some fresh ones."

Again, Laufey was shocked by his son's admission. "I see, and I assume there was some reason you were in her rooms? I don't mean to pry but conceiving a child at the end of an illness is rarely recommended."

Loki shook his head. "No, it's nothing like that. She…she fought to fix things, things she did not break."

"She supports you, as a mate is supposed to do. Even when you do not wish for her to, she does so willingly, for so long, you pushed her away, yet she still stands with you. She stood against her father in front of us and fought to remain. Odin may have become more benevolent with age, but to stand up to him, in front of those he has little to no care for the opinion of but wishes for them to see him as strong, that is noteworthy." Loki nodded slightly at his father's words. "I am only glad you see this now, even if you were blind before. Perhaps there is still hope."

Loki looked at the flowers again, wondering if they were enough.