Astrid took a deep breath as she made her way to Loki's chambers. She needed to be sure she wasn't followed, or rather Sigyn since she had shifted her appearance into the blonde and green eyed maiden for added security. She would undo the spell once she was in his chambers since Loki truly loved her natural self. Astrid welcomed in some ways the excitement of using her magic to hide in plain sight and no one truly being the wiser of her ways. It amazed her that she was truly a kindred spirit to Loki when it came to sneaking around and having a bit of a mischievous streak. Perhaps it was the fact she had been lied to or perhaps knowing her mother's unhappiness, but she wanted Loki and that meant sneaking around and using magic as an edge to get what she wanted.

She finally reached his bed chambers and made sure no one was looking. A faint blush was on her cheeks but she shouldn't feel so guilty or embarrassed about seeing her dearest friend and lover. Someday they would be closer in their passions to a point where they will share a bed but this would not be the day. Still, she wanted alone time with the man she loved. Astrid smiled and knocked 6 times to alert Loki she was waiting. She didn't wait long as his chamber door opened and was greeted by a smirking Loki. He cupped her face tenderly with his hand and had his eyes linger on her delicate lips.

"Hello my dear, I've been waiting for you. Do come in."

He made sure to put a spell on his room to avoid interruptions and eavesdropping while Astrid was with him. Astrid pecked his lips and walked into his room. She removed the spell and made herself comfortable on his sofa and felt the warmth of his fireplace. Gently, she moved a loose pink curl behind her ear and softly looked towards Loki.

"How have the whisperings been about us Loki, or rather you and Sigyn? I do hope they have been boosting your morale." she asked kindly.

Loki chuckled softly since words have been going around, most of them pleasant but still ones of shock.

" Well Thor has been happy, when he isn't being annoying and asking me if we have shared a bed yet. Others I'm not sure if they are happy or looking down on me, since they still have a hard time believing someone like 'your alter ego' is with me." Loki expressed.

Astrid playfully scoffed at that notion and motioned him to sit with her. Loki smiled as he took his seat beside her and shared some rather tender kisses.

"Who are having a hard time understanding; the 'Warriors Three?' as Hogun, Vlostagg, and Fandral are calling themselves? They are ones to judge since despite their warrior prowess they are not exactly striking in appeal. Hogun I can see he has a charm to him but is very stiff and sometimes unapproachable. He can be intimidating and think very harshly of people. Fandral is a skirt chaser so his opinion means nothing if he's never known love. Don't even get me started on Volstagg is a bottomless pit when it comes to meals. He eats so much that I can't tell if he's truly muscular or fat? If they are the finest Asgard will have, they should prove their worth on the battlefield instead of judging you." she mused jokingly.

Loki laughed at that.

" Well as people they don't really have much but they fight alongside Thor and I at times so I guess their combat skills are the only valuable thing about them." Loki noted.

"Sif blows all three of them away. I've been learning her moves in case I need to take up a sword."

That caught Loki's ear since Astrid had never shown interest in swords before. What was getting into her he thought quizzically.

" I am sure that you can beat her in a sword fight if you tried, though that may deal a huge blow to her self esteem." Loki mused lightly.

Astrid shook her head.

"I'm not the sword wielding type. I mean I only use magically conjured spears because I know it's one of your weapons of choice. Bows are good for distance and I like that a lot. There is a reason I have been recently taking more of an interest in the sword but you may find it weird."

" Oh do tell." Loki asked.

He was intrigued where Astrid' mind was with this pursuit. She always loved learning and expanding her mind to different studies and topics. Swords however were an unlikely focus of hers.

Astrid laughed a bit.

"Well...my magic is a dead give away since it still leaves an aura signature, like yours has a green tint to it. If I were in other forms with my shape shifting disguises, I need ways to fight that's not magic to keep up the personas and acts."

Loki listened and wondered something.

" Has someone been giving you trouble in your other form? If they have I will take care of them." he asked

Astrid looked confused.

"Oh no not at all and I wasn't talking about Sigyn'."

Loki raised an eyebrow since Astrid only had two personas she crafted with her magic. If it wasn't for Sigyn, it had to Allister, a form he thought Astrid wouldn't have liked but apparently she did in some capacity .

"You want to learn sword fighting so you can fight as Allister and not give away he's you? Smart but why go to such lengths and why a sword, there are other weapons you can learn?" Loki asked

Astrid sighed slightly.

"You know despite how Thor values my magic, he still compares me to Sif. He goes on about how fierce and strong Sif is with a sword that he makes me think my own magic is just parlor tricks. Meanwhile my magic will end up saving all of us and is both defensive and offensive. I know there are other weapons, but a sword is unlike me. You need to be very close to cut enemies down to size...tactics I don't like in fighting. Plus if I use daggers, they might think you're using magic to shift into an alter ego, something I wish to avoid. So swords would be the best to throw off people if I were to become Allister again."

Loki sighed and nodded. Thor had been spending more time with Sif and in their talks he has been comparing Sif and Astrid. He needed to understand everyone had their talents. While Astrid would be decent with a sword, her true power was with her bow and magic.

"Thor is very dense. He claims to show respect for women yet unknowingly puts you and Sif against each other. Your magic is amazing and very deadly if need be, you should not let what Thor thinks make you feel like your magic is parlor tricks. I understand needing to learn weapons, but don't do it because you think your magic is useless, because it is not. I care for Thor but his opinions aren't always right.. If rarely." Loki said with a soft gaze toward Astrid.

Astrid nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Still if I am to do some recon or just experiment, Allister can't be in Asgard and not fight...it is strange though I am even having that idea that I would want to be Allister again. If anything I could just be disguised as other women or change my appearance in feminine ways if I need to lurk around or do anything a bit sneaky or tactical."

Loki placed his arm around Astrid's waist and smiled softly.

" What brought this on Astrid, you are not exactly comfortable being Allister yet, however it sounds like you want to be him?" Loki wondered.

Astrid grew a bit red as her aunt's words rang back in her head. She felt a growing need and desire the past few weeks of wanting Loki in a more...physical way. However, the male anatomy was still foreign to her and wondered if she would be comfortable with it. From what her aunt had taught her, the male sex organ intimated her in some ways. She wondered if using her magic to become a male again would make her more comfortable or help her when the time came for her and Loki to share a bed.

"Blame my aunt's vulgar words about gender swaps being an exercise of exploring the other gender before moments of intimacy...physical intimacy."

Astrid loved the romance she had with Loki but she did worry about their relationship perhaps changing yet again. They were still like friends in a way that just shared romantic kisses and gentle caresses...but she worried slightly about the day Loki would take her and bed her. She wanted it but there was still a sense of worry about when that time would be and how it was going to be. Loki nodded and hugged Astrid close. He then got an idea.

" Well I think we can definitely put the exercise to use." Loki noted with a smirk.

Astrid knew that smirk and it wasn't a flirtatious one either. This was his 'wanting to cause trouble' smirk and Astrid raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly is on your mind Loki since I don't think it's pleasant is it?"

Loki feigned hurt and placed a hand on his chest.

" Astrid, have a little faith in me please. I have fun and harmless idea that can help us, and maybe tests dense of the warriors three and Thor" Loki mused

"How would performing this exercise help you?" she accused.

He chuckled then gave a soft smile.

" It can help us both seeing how strongly we love each other but worry about the other's sex at times. You make a very charming and elegant man, and you're very intelligent and eloquent. I think you would be able to deceive my brother and his friends, also it will give you a chance to practice your charms on a lady." Loki noted

Astrid scoffed but slowly realized that if she intended to use her magic to be undercover, Loki did have a point in some aspects.

"We aren't talking about a normal maiden but Sif who is my best female friend. I don't know how I would feel tricking her." Astrid expressed.

Loki took Astrid's hands gently to comfort her.

" I know it seems awful, but think of it as practice. Sif is a hard woman to impress so you will be practicing your charms on her, that way we can maybe get her to lighten up a bit and also have you get better at being another gender. Plus being the other gender will help bridge our gap closer and make us comfortable when we share a bed Astrid. Plus think about how fun it would be for 'Allister' to fight and beat some of Thor's friends and make Sif like a typical docile maiden with Allister's charming tongue and looks."

Astrid should have expected this from Loki. He was the god of mischief and he knew this would cause a bit of chaos, if minor. She wasn't convinced and it would be her neck if things didn't go well. Loki made it sound easy but it wasn't to her as sighed.

"I assume you've been practicing your magic to become other women or Lyra in your spare times Loki? I wouldn't put it past you if you have while I spent time with Sif."

Loki smiled softly and nodded. He wanted to see how it was like being a female in order to understand how Astrid lived and felt as one. It also helped him to understand what Astrid could want when they would be physical but he wouldn't tell her that.

" I have to get practice being the other gender, it's a useful skill to have. Have you been masquerading as Allister to avoid Egil and to get a better sense of the male form." Loki noted.

Astrid shook her head. Despite what her aunt told her, she only had used her magic to shapeshift into animals and her alter ego as Sigyn. That one time as Allister was just too much and the only enjoyment she had in that brief moment was when Loki used his magic to become a woman.

"I haven't done that since the first time weeks ago, Loki. While it was interesting, it was just too weird."

Loki sighed. It was part of her skill set and like her other magic skills, it needed to be practiced.

"Astrid, how will you get better at being others if you don't practice, besides think back on what your aunt said. It will help you be comfortable and it will be a good skill for you in the future to help Thor and myself." Loki expressed

Astrid sighed.

"I'm not going to do it Loki, forget it." Astrid adamantly told him.

"It's not like I'm asking you to live as him or become him full time, just a small moment in time to fool people who know us."

"I said no Loki. Nothing you say is going to change my mind. If I become Allister, it will be on my own terms and not to deceive our friends." Astrid affirmed to him.

Loki saw Astrid was determined not to do it...however he did know Astrid's wants and perhaps he could incentivize her to try altering her appearance to become Allister again.

"What if we make it into a bet?" Loki asked with a playful smirk.

Astrid was rather curious about what Loki had in mind. She knew Loki wouldn't be as malicious with her as he was with Thor with bets and she wondered what she could get out of this.

"What could I get if I am able to convince the Warriors Three and Thor that I am a male and if I am able to be charming to Sif?" Astrid questioned.

Loki smiled softly and trailed his eyes to her feet. She enjoyed his foot rubs and in a way it would be satisfying to them both, win or lose.

" Well should you succeed, I will give you a foot rub." Loki offered.

Astrid smiled softly but she wanted a bit more.

"Make it both feet and you will have something tempting. Should I fail on either count?"

Loki thought for a moment and smirked.

"Should you fail, you will give me a back massage. Sounds fair?"

Astrid chuckled softly.

"That's quite tame of you. I was imagining something a little more devious or more erotic for you." Astrid mused as she trailed her arm with her finger.

Loki chuckled and placed a soft kiss on Astrid's lips.

" We will have our whole life for that and this is new for you, so this will be tame. If in future you want to make bets again we can discuss it then." Loki said.

He knew Astrid was uncomfortable with gender shifting, he did not want to make her feel more pressure.

Astrid deepened the kiss a smidge and let her hand trail lower down to Loki's thigh, hearing Loki moan. "Knowing you, I wouldn't expect anything less. I will let you pick the hair and eye color for Allister since my pink hair and amber eyes will give me away before it starts."

A day passed and Astrid was pacing in her room. Loki and her agreed that 'Allister' would show up to the training grounds for a spar with Thor, his friends, and Sif. She couldn't believed she agreed to parade her magic to just change her sex and appearance for a bet. A part of her just didn't want to show up and just give Loki his reward, but she knew it would not be a good thing. Astrid looked back at her reflection and sighed.

"Come on Astrid, think of it as a practical." Astrid told herself.

If she was going to use all of her magic to help Loki and Thor in their lives, this skill was sadly one of them. Slowly Astrid used her magic to change her appearance to her male persona of sorts, Allister. She made him have strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes as per Loki's suggestion, which did make her look a bit more like an Asier male. The body wasn't overly muscular but she did make her body have some toned body features. Lastly, she conjured a blue tunic with white sleeves, brown trousers, and comfortable boots. Looking into her mirror, she was still amazed if not still a bit weirded out on the transformation she performed on herself. The sensation down between her legs wasn't as painful or prominent, but it was still a new feeling to her. She supposed it would be a bit of time before she got used to this, but Loki was right in a way. She wanted to try new things with her magic and that included seeing how well her Allister persona can be his own person. She grabbed a sword from Egil's storage and went to the training grounds where the warriors and Thor were. It was not hard to find them, as well as Loki and Sif. Loki spotted her while everyone was still distracted and shot a small smirk at her. Astrid sighed but knew she couldn't back out. She took a deep breath before she unsheathed her sword and whistled to Thor, Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg.

" Hello, I am looking for a place to train, can one of you fellas point me in the right direction?"

Loki had to suppress a chuckle since Astrid was being cute in ways. It was like she was trying to blend his and Fandral's speech patterns into her own for her Allister persona. It wasn't overtly an act but Loki knew Astrid was trying to form a persona on the spot. Thor and the other guys looked to see a rather peculiar man with strawberry blonde locks, a toned yet lanky build, and clean shaven face. He seemed to be an Asier in looks but Thor couldn't shake something that was off yet familiar.

"You're speaking to a future king of Asgard so any place I am would be a pretty good start."

Astrid chuckled lightly and nodded in agreement.

"Are you Thor Odinson?" Astrid asked.

"The one and only. Where have you been if you are not yet familiar with me?" Thor questioned.

Loki too wanted to hear what Astrid would come up with. It would amuse him if she's become an eloquent liar like he has.

"Alfheim, I have been training there the past few years, afraid I haven't had the chance to catch up with royalty. I'm always on the move to train and hone my skills." Astrid lied calmly.

Loki looked at the warriors and Sif and they looked a bit curious. Alfheim with the elves wasn't too convincing a place for a warrior so that might have been a mistake. Maybe they weren't so dense after all Loki thought. Thor however just chucked and shook his head. He liked the spirit of this one and offered his hand.

"Well you will have that chance now stranger. Speak your name and maybe we will see if your time in Alfheim and the other realms was well spent."

Astrid smiled lightly and shook Thor's hand firmly.

" Allister Vorkson" Astrid spoke feeling bit more confident

Fandral approached him and glanced over his features. Truly a good looking guy and truly carried such a large sword. He chuckled lightly as he playfully placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well you are in some fierce company Allister. Don't feel discouraged if your face is eating a whole dirt course meal when we get through with you."

Loki didn't know whether to be impressed Astrid was fooling them or if this was truly sad. Anyone with magic at this point could swindle them and it would be their own fault Loki mused. Astrid scoffed and brushed Fandral's hand off her.

" You seem pretty confident you can beat me, are you truly skilled or did your looks go to your head?" Astrid asked.

"Best choose your words carefully, Fandral is pretty good with his sword. Plus as far as we know, you probably never fought before." Thor observed the interaction between the two and couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

" Well Allister may have a point, but I think this should be settled with testing your skill of swordsmanship against each other." Hogun said.

Volstagg chuckled.

"Hogun, Fandral is swift with his sword. Allister would be left bleeding within a few minutes."

Astrid was always annoyed by Volstagg.

"Don't be too sure about that. I'm pretty swift on my feet and decent with my sword."

Astrid didn't know why she was lying since she's only learned by watching Sif and not by doing. Fandral unsheathed his sword and Astrid got into a stable fight stance. Astrid mentally cursed herself but gripped her sword tightly.

"Ladies first." Fandral mocked slightly.

" Don't talk so much and just fight." Astrid stated

Fandral avoided the swing Astrid swung and quickly tried to parry him. Astrid avoided his swings and clashed swords with him several times. Astrid has learned from Sif to always watch for an opening while being graceful on your feet. Fandral was caught off guard by the young man's movements and could feel his breathing getting a bit labored.

"Are we dancing or fighting Allister?"

"Bit of both since fighting is a dance where only one will come on top." Astrid told him cheekily.

Fandral liked the man's attitude and lunged his sword at him, only to strike a training dummy. He quickly got himself stable and pursued 'Allister'.

Loki watched as did the rest of them and couldn't help but wondered how long Astrid was studying sword fighting. He looked to Sif and asked,

"What do you think of Allister?" Sif looked to Loki then back at Allister.

" Well he fights pretty well, he is not arrogant like Fandral which is honestly refreshing." Sif said.

Loki chuckled as he studied Astrid's moves. He was amazed at how graceful she was even when pretending to be a man. Loki could see Astrid thriving and taking up the persona quite nicely. He glanced at Sif and she seemed very focused on the two of them, which really intrigued Loki. Perhaps he had rubbed off on Astrid on being a convincing liar.

Fandral thought he had things handled until he felt his sword slip from his grasp. Astrid saw this as an opening and used her force to knock the sword out of his hand. Astrid did a high kick to Fandral's chest and he was on his butt. Thor was impressed and whistled slightly.

"Nicely done….you sure we haven't met? You seem very familiar to me...especially when you smile. Kind of playful yet soft." Thor asked, staring closely in her eyes.

Astrid gulped a bit but Thor would believe a lot of what he's told. Astrid stroked the back of her neck and shook her head.

" I don't see how we could have met, as I said I have been in Alfheim for the past few years." Astrid lied.

Volstagg chuckled and couldn't help but shake his head at the display he saw. This nobody was able to disarm Fandral like he was nothing. Something was off about him or he just got lucky.

"This scamp is even less built than Loki and you still got your ass handed to you Fandral. I don't see how you learned from those elves in Alfheim in the sword nor do I think you actually know who you're training with." Volstagg spoke as he was polishing his ax.

" You shouldn't underestimate your opponents based on how they look, most fearsome are those you never expect." Astrid spoke.

Volstagg looked to Loki since it seemed he and this Allister fellow would get along.

"Speaks kind of like you Loki. Maybe he would be more suited with your magic than actual combat."

Sif rolled her eyes.

"Clearly Allister was able to take down Fandral so there is talent...still it is rather familiar." Sif spoke somewhat firmly.

" Oh how so madam?" Astrid spoke, offering a warm smile.

Sif shook her head and wanted to see more before calling him out on his style. Volstagg got up and stared down Allister, laughing heartily.

"How about going a round with me? I'm no lightweight and it's clear you actually are here to train."

Astrid smirked and nodded.

" Alright, let's see if you will be more of a challenge than your friend." Astrid spoke.

Astrid felt bolder and kind of was getting into a groove in this form. She felt blood and charisma coursing in her veins, almost like this form was taking a life of its own, which is what Astrid had somewhat in mind. This was fun, if not a bit risky and unorthodox.

"Before you have a bout, why not share a bit more about yourself Allister. Like why you left here and what you're after." Thor asked warmly.

Astrid thought a bit and focused attention on Thor.

" I trained with the elves and I suppose I want to train with someone stronger to improve my skills and challenge myself." Astrid lied

Hogun raised an eyebrow.

"You sound like you want to be a nomad, traveling among the realms." Hogun spoke calmly.

" Maybe I am, is that a crime?" Astrid asked, looking at Hogun.

Thor shook his head.

"My friend means no disrespect, it's just I couldn't imagine being away from my home or my friends, my brother or even Astrid. It just sounds like you'd rather live for yourself than for others." Astrid scoffed.

" We all live our own lives Thor, my family circumstances are complicated to say the least. Let's just say my life is my own and leave it at that, now are we going to fight?" Astrid asked.

Volstagg laughed at the scrampy man's gumption.

"My thoughts exactly. Let's see what we are truly working with and maybe we might have another warrior if you can take more of us down."

Hogun looked to her and simply said,

"Good luck."

"The Norns will smile on me and I will see this match through." Astrid smirked lightly.

This made Volstagg roar in laughter.

"You keep on dreaming, you scamp. Now let's see what you really got."

Volstagg and 'Allister' clashed weapons and Sif studied Allister closely. He was very different but she noticed something striking about him. His footwork, his sword combos, even how he was leveraging his opponents strength and skills against them...her eyes widened slightly.

" You seem surprised or impressed by Allister. Loki expressed curiously.

Sif scoffed and shook her head.

"I'm not since he's clearly studied my tactics. How is it that he was able to essentially mimic my own style and fight with such ease like I do." Sif questioned, staring carefully at Allister's form.

" Perhaps Astrid told him about you, and even trained with him. She has told me she met him during her stay in Vanaheim. He visited briefly and they got along well. I swear sometimes when I look at him I see a male version of Astrid." Loki noted

Sif raised an eyebrow at Loki since he was clearly speaking out of his ass.

"You really think you can lie to me, Loki?" Sif accused him sternly. Loki raised an eyebrow

"What do you mean Sif?" Loki asked confused

Sif chuckled lightly.

"Astrid never told me about this guy so clearly he's never met her. Besides, just look at him. He thinks he's so cool and smug that he took down Fandral. Volstagg is holding his own better but Allister is clearly using Volstagg's bulk against him." Sif expressed.

Loki chuckled a bit looking at Sif who was studying 'Allister' with intensity.

" Well well, with how well you observe him I think maybe he intrigues you. Is the fierce lady Sif developing a crush on a new coming warrior?" Loki asked.

He looked at Allister and was impressed but also a bit concerned. Astrid was only Allister twice as he saw but it seems the men and even Sif could not tell it was Astrid shape shifting. It was subtle, but some of Astrid's mannerisms remained even as Allister and not even Thor could pick it up. Some friend he was but Astrid must be that much of a marvel and it amazed Loki just how deceptive his love could be. Even using her magic to look like a man, Astrid was very charming and alluring.

Sif grew annoyed but she did see a lot of Allister that was pleasant but she wouldn't tell Loki that.

"Do you really want me to punch you Loki? I'm not impressed with him in the slightest."

Sif looked towards Allister and Volstagg and Allister shot her a warm grin. Of all things, Sif smiled back and was curious if slightly. Volstagg swung his ax downward with his might but Astrid avoided the blow and Volstagg got his ax caught on a training dummy. He struggled to free his ax because Astrid was using mental magic to hold the ax in place. If one thing she's learned from Loki is to cheat and hopes Loki would notice. She used this chance to low sweep Volstagg and he staggered to the ground with his lost balance. She placed the sword near his neck, smiling playfully.

" You hold your own quite well." Astrid said, reaching a hand out for Volstagg.

Loki smirked as he looked at Sif it was clear she was impressed even if she was not willing to admit it. Loki knew Astrid used her magic to gain an upper hand and grew a bit aroused by how mischievous she was being. No one knew Astrid like he did and she was truly a magnificent being.

Volstagg was wary of Allister and he didn't like the glint in the man's eyes as he took Allister's hand and got up from the ground.

"What did you do? You clearly did something to my ax!" he accused slightly.

Hogun sighed and shook his head.

"Allister fought with honor, you just didn't act fast enough." Hogun defended.

" It's true, I can't do magic well if it all. Besides, if I am in combat I prefer not to use it at all. It doesn't seem right." Astrid lied.

She knew she used magic, but lying and saying Allister wasn't magical could further distance him from her. However, seeing how none of the guys or Thor were calling her out or could see through her disguise, she nailed this part of the bet. There will need to be more practice to be a much more convincing man, but this was a good start Astrid thought. She still rather take on different womanly guises and be herself, but this was shaping up to be an interesting experience.

Volstagg was still wary but decided not to cause a commotion and be a sore loser. Loki was proud of Astrid for making good strides, however he was getting an itch to do something a bit chaotic. He saw Sif's gaze softening slightly and he knew just how to do it...he just hoped Astrid wouldn't be too mad. He slipped away from the training grounds while the other guys started to bombard 'Allister' with questions. Sif saw Allister was getting overwhelmed and groaned at the men's prodding.

" Lets not bombard Allister with so many questions. I get you two of you are upset you lost, but that's your own fault. Now give him a breather since he fought valiantly." Sif stated calmly.

Thor chuckled lightly at the spectacle as he was seeing.

"What to take your turn with him Sif? It would be a treat for him to spar with a female warrior with your strength." Thor encouraged.

" No need, I saw him fight Fandral and Volstagg, he is clearly skilled, but he will need training. I will fight him another day." Sif stated

Astrid raised an eyebrow since this was out of character for her, her refusing to spar at least. The four other men trained while Sif and her watched. She had to admit to herself that she was starting to lose her on edge feeling about using her magic to be this form. It didn't feel completely right but it wasn't unbearable. Astrid looked to Sif and asked,

"Why didn't you want to fight me? I've heard nothing but praises and accolades about the female warrior of Asgard." Sif scoffed at the flattering, but couldn't deny he was handsome. It was odd since she would want to fight, but she didn't feel like fighting him.

" I'm doing you a favor, if I fight you, you will be sore for weeks." Sif whispered.

Doubtful since at most it would be for one week but she wanted to play up her ego to see if she would make a convincing man in charming her.

"Bet you say that to any man who either wants to court or spar you. I don't blame them since you do seem fierce yet beautiful." Astrid spoke in an eloquent tone.

Sif looked at Allister's unreadable expression. Was he being smug or sincere, she couldn't tell

" If a man cannot beat me, he cannot court me. I take my combats seriously, so don't think you can be so cocky and think you are better." Sif explained.

Astrid chuckled and shook his head.

"I don't think I am better than anyone in this room. Sometimes the fun of sparring is just learning how the other man fights and picking up on a few things. Fandral focuses on theatrics and flashy moves while Volstagg wants to put his bulk and raw power in his swings. You know that, it's easy to fight against them even though I've only picked up the sword a few years ago." Astrid lied convincingly with a soft husk to her magically altered vocals.

Sif cleared her throat and looked away. Unlike herself she felt her cheeks a bit hot and a slight fluttering feeling. She then remembered something and turn to face Allister crossing her arms

" You and I never sparred, yet you know my type of technique and your footwork is also similar to mine. Care to explain that?' Sif asked.

Astrid mentally cursed herself since only ones who would know her fighting style best would be Thor, herself, Loki, and the warriors. She thought of a lie quickly though and hoped Sif would buy it.

"Well like I said, I am from here but kept to myself. I would come by here but just passing through. You were the only maiden here that trained and I might have stolen glances. Do forgive me for that, but it's rare to see a maiden to fight with grace and I wanted that in my own style. I trained hard to match your style since it is truly both a feat of strength yet an epitome of elegance."

Sif blushed a bit but accepted the answer albeit reluctantly.

"Flattery won't get you far with me Allister, but your skills are competent enough." Sif stated.

Astrid felt weird trying to flirt and deceive Sif. It wasn't like her to relish in lies, yet lies kept rolling off her tongue effortlessly.

"I beg your pardon Lady Sif was it, but I am truthful in my words. I do admire your skills and I do hope perhaps you don't see me like the other men you know."

Loki entered the training grounds but he had used his magic to turn himself as a woman with flowing black hair and blue eyes in a flowing silver gown. The warriors and Thor looked in awe and clearly they were dense as to not see this was Loki using his magic to change his gender. His focus shifted to Astrid and it seemed that he was in fact convincing to her too. Loki cracked a small smile but he knew it was all a ruse sadly. He was humored that Astrid was flirting with Sif as Allister, but she did want to see how she would act in this case. Time to act as an upset lover Loki thought as he stormed angrily towards her.

" Allister, just what are you doing? We were supposed to have a date today or have you forgotten already?"

Astrid looked up and saw Loki, or rather Loki used his magic to shapeshift into a woman to trip up 'Allister'. How dare he Astrid thought, and this was cheating. Sif was probably charmed by her but now Loki came and ruined it.

"I haven't forgotten Lyra but I did say I wanted to test my abilities here and that I would be awhile." Astrid charmed lightly.

" Clearly training was a ruse so you can try and court another woman, what so special about this one that you stood me up?" Loki asked, crossing his arms.

Astrid got up and forced a smile, stroking his cheek.

"I didn't stand you up and you know I care about you. You mean the world to me precious."

Astrid leaned in closer and whispered in a low tone,

"How dare you cheat, you know Sif is going to be pissed and not take this lightly. Couldn't stand to let me build confidence and win?"

Loki smirked and leaned in.

" When you lie you should expect twists and turns. Besides, your flirting was not going to lead anywhere anyway." Loki whispered back.

Astrid wasn't amused and could feel Sif glaring at her, or rather Allister. She pulled away from Lyra and faced Sif with a very sorry look.

"Now Sif, don't get too mad...I was just being friendly...nothing to be all angry about." Astrid defended. Sif scoffed.

" So you were trying to win me over so you can have your fun. Let me guess you weren't planning on telling me about your lady friend?" Sif asked.

Astrid sighed.

"I was in fact since...Lyra does mean the world to me even if at times she does get jealous and does stupid things. Truly I am a man of honor and perhaps we can have a spar so you can formally kick my ass for this misunderstanding." Astrid spoke calmly , hoping the worst Sif would do is punch her and leave.

Loki scoffed.

"Give it up Allister, it's not like you had a shot with her anyway. From what I hear she can wipe the floor with you anyway."

There was Loki causing mischief and there was him just being mean for the sake of it.

"Must you have done this?" Astrid whispered.

Loki saw Astrid was upset and he sighed.

"Darling it's just a harmless prank and this a fun bet." spoke in a low voice.

"One you couldn't honor and that you made me with, someone I thought you loved." Astrid whispered bitterly.

Loki felt bad and realized this was a mistake. He did cause mischief, but it was at his love's expense and so he could win a part of the bet.

"I'm sorry Sif. Do your worst since I know you're pissed at me. Just go ahead." Sif glared at Allister and shook her head.

" Just leave Allister, something about you is off. I feel like I know you, but not sure where from. Don't try this in the future or I will show you no mercy." Sif stated before storming off.

Astrid just looked at Loki and left him without a word. She didn't want to get into this now and just wanted to put this day behind her as she left the training grounds. When she got close enough to her home, she used her magic to become herself again and entered her home.

The day shifted to night as Astrid spent the rest of her day thinking about the stunt he pulled. Her mother was in Vanaheim and Egil being the ass he was was getting drunk again. Astrid had the day's events run through her head and scoffed. She thought Loki would not pull a stunt like this but she knew better since he was God of Mischief. That was always going to be a part of him, she just thought she would be immune but she guessed wrong.

Loki felt bad about what he did and he had to see Astrid. She was probably still pissed at him after today's stunt. He knew she would be yelling at him, nonetheless he wanted to see her. He knew Egil was away so it was safe to just approach her house. Loki arrived at her house and walked to where her window was. He threw stones at it to get her attention.

Astrid heard rocks at her window and got up to see Loki was throwing them. She opened her window and questioned,

"You didn't just use your magic to come in or was this more fun for you?" Astrid questioned bitterly.

Loki cringed since she was still mad at him. Loki should have known better to cheat and worse still, it was the woman he loved, one of the only few who loved him.

" Well seeing how you are still very angry I didn't want to risk getting blasted out of the window." Loki said sheepishly

Astrid shook her head softly since she couldn't bear to hurt him like that.

"Don't you know that's just reserved for my enemies or Egil and Thor if they annoy me? Besides, I'm not angry...just hurt as to why you couldn't just behave yourself. I know you like mischief but I just thought you loved me more than that."

Loki's gaze softened.

" I do love you Astrid, never doubt that, I just thought it would be fun, and part of me was curious to see how Lady Sif would react." Loki explained.

Astrid wasn't moved nor had she forgiven Loki yet. However this was a rare moment where both her parents were gone and she sighed.

"Just get up here before I change my mind. Today just turned out to be a real mess but maybe we can salvage it." Loki smirked and teleported into Astrid's room.

"I suppose that's true, I do owe you a foot rub after all" Loki smirked. He wanted to charm Astrid so she wouldn't be too angry at him.

Astrid shook her head.

"It was both my feet you needed to rub but that's not going to cut it." Astrid told him firmly with her arms crossed.

His charm wasn't going to work and he needed to understand why what he did was wrong. Loki frowned.

" What else can I do Astrid?" Loki asked. He would do anything to make her not angry with him.

"You figure it out since this was all your idea." Astrid sighed, rubbing her neck in annoyance. Loki smiled softly and pulled Astrid into a hug gently stroking her hair. He wanted to hold her just for a bit.

Astrid averted his gaze stubbornly and stated,

"You're impossible sometimes."

Loki chuckled and kissed Astrid's forehead before pulling away and sitting on her bed motioning her to join.

" I know I am, but I do keep my word." Loki noted.

"Loki, this can't just be sweet talked away. Now why put me through this if you were just going to screw me." Astrid asked.

She wasn't going to let this go and wanted the truth. It was hard for her in the beginning to lie and be someone else, specifically a man. There had to be more than just a bet as to why Loki would do this.

" I told you, it was just for fun. I wanted to see Lady Sif's reaction. It was not meant to harm you." Loki defended.

"It was bad enough I was lying to her, Loki, why make things worse and awkward. I didn't like leading her on or anything that I did...Okay beating Volstagg and Fandral was good but not me being a sweet talking liar. I thought you would have supported me and not tear me down."

Loki sighed since he did support her and found her act amazing.

" I never wanted to tear you down Astrid. I was very impressed with how well you fooled everyone, maybe it scared me a bit at how good you were, showing up as Lyra was sort of a half baked idea, I am sorry. I really thought you would have played along but I know how good of a person you are." Loki apologized.

Astrid saw his eyes were sincere and she finally sat down with him. She looked at him with soft eyes and nodded.

"Maybe I was a little glad you showed up as Lyra….I didn't know what would happen if I was too good at swooning Sif and won that part of the bet. Honestly, it felt like I was talking through her and not at her...You really thought I was convincing?" Loki nodded,

" Considering how well you fought and spoke. No one had even the slightest idea it could be you, maybe Thor but he's not that clever. I did notice the subtle things that told me it was you Astrid, but that's because I know you too well. But the others think Allister is a real man." Loki complimented

Astrid smiled lightly and laced her hand in his.

"You still need work, Lyra still has your mannerisms and tone. Thankfully Sif was too angry to notice and the guys were either ogling you or too dense to figure it was you. You did seem comfortable as a woman and you were beautiful."

" I suppose I do have to work on myself, I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable. You are amazing, '' Loki said softly rubbing his thumbs on the back of Astrid's hands.

"If I am amazing, put your hands to good use. My feet needed help me to avoid Volstagg and he's kind of swift for a big guy."

Loki nodded and took Astrid's feet, putting them on his lap. He began rubbing them gently but firmly. Astrid smiled lightly and loved just how Loki was taking care of her. His long elegant fingers were gentle and her skin tingled slightly. He truly knew how to please her and she enjoyed his touch. Astrid had a tiny thought and she wanted a bit more from him.

"You can go a bit higher if you like." she asked with blush forming on her cheeks.

Loki smirked and chuckled softly.

"Someone's naughty tonight. Very well, I will oblige my love." Loki mused as his hands went higher, gradually grazing her legs tenderly.

Astrid hung her head back a bit as Loki let his hands wander her thighs, massaging them tenderly. She moaned and felt a pleasant sensation through her body as he massaged her thighs. He truly knew how to make her feel so good. Loki smirked and massaged a bit more roughly but not hard. His hands slid a smidge bit higher and he caressed her inner thighs. She was beautiful, she felt amazing, and Loki knew someday they would ravish each other in bed.

After a while he stopped, not wanting to cross her again or cross any lines they weren't ready for. Astrid was feeling a lot better and was in a much loving mood. She wanted to make Loki feel as she felt and smiled lightly.

"Your turn...I did technically lose as well. I might have fooled everyone but Sif wasn't moved by my charms as Allister. I couldn't since I only love you and can only flirt honestly and sweetly with you."

Loki smirked and kissed Astrid.

"I feel the same about you, no matter what gender or form you take, you are only mine." Loki said.

Loki rested on her bed and Astrid smiled lightly. Astrid carefully stripped off Loki's shirt and couldn't help but feel a burning desire looking at Loki's bare chest. He was almost like a statue in how pale and sculpted his body was and Astrid was allowed to massage him. She got out a small bottle from her desk and lathered the contents on her hands. He got himself settled on Astrid's bed and soon felt Astrid's hand on his back. Loki enjoyed the sensation and moaned as he felt shivers through his body. The oils she lathered on her hands had a soothing and sensual effect on him and he almost felt like he didn't deserve it.

"I'm truly sorry Astrid and I love you." Loki professed.

Astrid smiled as she kissed his neck and continued to massage his back tenderly.

"I can't stay mad at you and at least I am getting more comfortable with that aspect of my magic. Now please don't ruin the mood Loki, I want to touch you a bit more."

Loki felt himself smile warmly as nodded. Astrid continued to tenderly stroke and massage Loki's firm and strong back. She loved the feeling of pleasing Loki and showing him her love and devotion. Soon Astrid stopped to kiss Loki's shoulder blades and felt lust building inside her.

"Astrid." Loki called her name softly, almost pleading. He felt aroused by her touch and didn't want her to stop.

She stopped and Loki was starting to get up from her bed, but Astrid stopped him. A mischievous giggle escaped her as she lingered on his chest. Loki grinned lightly as he laid his back on her bed and she massaged and trailed his chest with her fingers. Loki groaned in pleasure and pulled Astrid close to him. He gently switched places with her so she would be on her back and him on top of her. They kissed tenderly and passionately, all traces of their hurt feelings and mischief were gone and Loki and Astrid were just enjoying each other. Loki was indulging in Astrid's touches on his bare chest and Astrid enjoyed how gentle yet passionate Loki kissed from her lips, to her neck, and down to her chest. Both of them had to stop though before they would end up having their moment in a heat of passion stemming from forgiveness rather than a pure romantic moment. Plus if Loki spent the night and Egil came home, both would be royally screwed. They did however romantically cuddle in Astrid's bed once Loki put his shirt back on. He stroked her hand tenderly and looked softly in her eyes.

"I realized what a mistake it was to do that Astrid. You've done nothing but loved me and taken my side when most wouldn't. I was foolish to let my thirst for mischief take over just to score in a bet."

Astrid nodded, stroking his face.

"I'm not condoning it because you are 'the God of Mischief' but maybe in some ways I was a bit over emotional and sensitive."

Loki shook his head.

"No you had the right to be. Out of all people, you should be the last one I would ever break my word to and to hurt in any way. You loving me is a gift and I should still value you as such." Loki mused.

Astrid cuddled closer to him and really wished he didn't have to go. However, who knows when her father would come back and she didn't want a headache or heartbreak.

"I will admit, being Allister was a little less weird and I kind of liked the acting and theatrics minus flirting with Sif."

Loki chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"I know I had a similar feeling minus being an ass to you. Hm...maybe next time we try this, we should do something together with them. It would give us more practice and in some sense extend our love."

Astrid laughed softly at the idea but she wasn't against it, nodding softly.

"You better return home Loki."

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Always Loki." she spoke softly.

Loki gave her one last kiss before using his magic to return to his bedchambers. He risked their love for something so meaningless as wanting to cause the smallest of problems and conflicts. Astrid was far too kind to forgive him so easily and Loki knew that as such. She was the woman he loved and he was the man Astrid loved. Sometimes mischief isn't a good thing and Loki had learned that lesson on this day. He was just thankful Astrid truly saw the good in him and was still going to put her trust in love in him. Astrid knew the person Loki could be and wasn't going to hold his mistakes or negative traits against him. She loved him and they truly desired one another with all of their being and souls.

I never want to have something introduced and have it not be a bigger part, hence this sort of fluffy gender bet with her and Loki. Astrid will use her magic to become Allister at parts in the story and I'm thinking when she speaks while looking as Allister, she would be called Astrid when I have her speak but others will call her Allister or think of her as a man. (ex: Astrid said) Now to address some thing that I saw in comments. Odin isn't showing up as much for two reasons; One: He's the king and he probably has a lot of duties to uphold that wouldn't cross paths with Astrid as much. Two, since this is still pre-movie time he's not a key aspect as of yet so he doesn't need to be prominent like Aunt Thyra is being. I'm continuing to improve as the story goes on and I read every piece of feedback I get in reviews. If something ever crosses your mind when reading, you can always message or leave comments on the story. More to come soon.