The first night had been a challenge for Astra. She did not fair well sleeping in the Queen's sitting room. More than once did the thought cross her mind to sneak out to Loki's chamber, however she did not want to risk angering Frigga. She laid on her back, looking up at the ceiling, though they had played all day, Frigga had warned that their coming days would be hard on them. They would be tired and would require as much rest as they could.
She heard the door creak open and shut. She sat up looking around the room though it were poorly lit in the dead of night. "Who is there?" She whispered.
"Shh. It is only me." Loki's voice came from a few feet away.
"Why must you frighten me so?" She asked, anger nipping at her voice.
"I came because I knew you would be frightened. Is it much different than your home?" He asked. He was ignorant to the way she and her mother lived. That was not something that concerned him, nothing of importance. As far as he was concerned her life was much the same as his.
She slid to the arm of the couch, allowing him more room than necessary to join her. "Very much so." She answered. "It is much too quiet here. Everything works as it should. I do not know how I would ever get used to this."
"I should think that it may be a welcome change." He said placing himself on the couch beside her. His hand extended to grab hers. "I can stay with you, if it would make you feel more comfortable, though nothing bad is going to happen to you here."
She shook her head and pulled her hand away before he could touch it. "I don't want to get in trouble. You should just go back to bed." Her words were sharp.
"Why are you angry with me?" He turned to her, his legs coming up on the seat. She shifted to move further away.
"I know that my home is not fancy. It is still my home, Loki. You would not sit in silence if I spoke ill of the palace." She sniffled, holding back the tears that threatened to loosen. "I have not been away from my mother for so long."
His face fell, though she could not see it. "Forgive me, I did not mean to offend." He tested the distance between them by sliding his leg closer to her until he could feel hers. When she did not tense he knew he could move closer. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her close to him. "You can go home if you want. I can ask mother to take you back in the morning."
She shook her head again, "I want to learn. I want to make mother proud. Will you stay? Just tonight. I can do better alone tomorrow. I am sorry for being angry."
He released her and sat back down. "I will stay tonight, and tomorrow, and the next day. As long as you need." He pulled her blanket from the arm of the couch and wrapped it around them. In moments she was asleep. He did the same. Happy to have helped his friend even if it did seem small to him.
"Come children. We should break our fast and begin our work. Today will be long." Frigga said as she entered the room. She had known that Loki would come to her. She told the Einherjar to allow him to make his passage without interference.
Sleepy eyes met her as their heads popped up one after the other. She pulled their blanket from them and folded it over the arm of the couch. She smiled at them, "I trust you found comfort enough to sleep. I am in the process of having a room made up for you, by next week your stay should be more pleasant. Come on now, up. The both of you."
They both stood before her. She turned to make their exit. She brought the children to the private dining hall she and Odin used. Odin already there along with Thor, having their share of feast before them. Astra's eyes widened. The first meal never had this much food, honestly none of their meals had this much food.
She could hear Thor groan at her presence. She could not understand why he had such a problem with her. She had always tried to be kind to him even when he was rude to her. She had never said a cross word to him. "Good morning Prince Thor," she nodded to him with a small smile and turned her attention to Odin, "Good morning All Father." Her smile widened as his single eye fell on her.
"Ah, good morning Lady Astra. I hope your rest was well. Your room is well underway." He turned his gaze to his wife, exchanging his greetings with her.
Loki pulled her hand, "You can sit with me." He took her to the seats across from Thor. They all spoke rarely during the meal.
Frigga garnered the attention of the table without words, her eyes on Loki and Astra "It is time for us to begin your lessons." She rose from her seat nodding with a smile to Odin and Thor. Loki and Astra followed behind her, almost stepping on her heels many time.
They retreated to a balcony in the East Wing. It was rarely visited. Frigga sat the children down before her and began to explain to them the art of meditation. She bid the children to follow in her lead, having them reach deep within themselves to access the magic locked inside of them. She explained that they must access the core of themselves in order to pull what they needed for their magic to bloom.
It felt as though they had been silent for hours. Perhaps that was because they had. The sun set higher in the sky than when they had first arrived. Several hours had passed them by.
Most of their days moved much like the first. Over time Loki had began to perform small feats of magic, while Astra still struggled to reach so far within herself. She and Loki would sit at night and practice. He would move a glass on the table and tell her the way he moved it hoping that it would help her. It seemed as though nothing were working.
Several months had passed. She was able to produce a small spark from her hands. Loki had become able to make an illusion of himself. Frigga worked a bit closer with Astra than with Loki. He did not mind. He was able to teach himself much of what he needed to know. He would never admit it, but he enjoyed the time he was able to spend with Astra and his mother. It felt as though he had finally won against Thor. Frigga was not spending as much time with him these days.
It was the last day that Astra would be in the palace for a few weeks. She and her mother were to travel to Midgard to procure more fabrics and wares for their shop.
"Why must you go?" Loki asked as they played near the stables. Frigga had allowed them a day to spend together before Astra made her leave.
"Because mother said I must." Astra answered. Her face was solemn. She did not like traveling by the Bifrost and she did not care for the ways of the humans on Midgard.
"Just ask my mother to stay here while yours is away. You know she will say yes." He twisted a piece of hay between his fingers.
"My mother will say no. We visit my grandmother on these trips and she says it is important that I spend time with her." She looked over to him, "Show me the colors Loki. I know you can do it." She smiled.
He shook his head, "No. I cannot." He knew that she was not advancing as much as his mother had hoped she would. He heard her talking to Odin about it one night. She told him how well Loki had been doing. She was worried that Astra would be discouraged by how far Loki had come while she was still struggling. "I have not been able to make them work yet." He lied. He did not want Astra to be angry with him.
She pursed her lips, "I know you are lying." She said confidently.
His shoulders fell and he sighed deeply. He stretched his hand out, palm side up, allowing colors to shoot from his hand. He saw her face light up and allowed them to continue for several minutes before closing his hand. "Why do you think you struggle with magic?"
She shrugged, "Maybe I am not meant to do magic. Maybe I should be a warrior." She laughed.
Loki let out a breathy chuckle. "Sif would really dislike you then. She wants to be the best woman warrior in all of Asgard. I heard her telling Thor. I think she just wants to impress him. She tries too hard."
"You do not know that she is trying to impress him. Perhaps she would simply like to be his equal." Astra had her eyes only on Loki now.
He made a face, one of disgust maybe, she could not tell. "She cannot be his equal."
Astra's face fell, "Why not?"
"Because she is not. She does not come from where he comes from. She is not as strong or as skilled as he is. She cannot best him nor match his abilities." He looked into Astra's eyes. They glistened in the light, tears threatening to spill over them. "Why are you crying?"
She stood, "I will never be your equal. Would you say such mean things of me as well? Do you already?" She turned from him, running toward the palace gates.
He did not have time to react before she was gone. At first, he did not understand why what he said about Sif had bothered her so. He had never seen her as less than his equal. He was silent through dinner and retreated to his chambers earlier than usual.
An unexpected knock came at his door before Frigga found her way inside. "Loki, are you alright? You have been awfully quiet since Astra took her leave this afternoon." She sat on the bed next to him.
His head hung down, "I think I may have hurt her feelings today." He whispered.
Frigga placed a gentle hand below his chin and lifted his face to her, "Would you like to tell me what happened?"
He nodded slowly beginning his recounting of the afternoon's conversation. When he had finished he just looked at his mother, hoping she would be able to make him feel better. Hoping she would say that he had not been at fault.
Frigga sat with the new knowledge for a moment. "Do you understand how you hurt her feelings?" she asked. Her tone remaining soft.
Loki shook his head, "I have thought about it, mother. I do not see where I was wrong. I do not know why she was so upset about Sif."
Frigga took his hand in hers, "Darling, she was not upset about Sif."
Loki scoffed, "If not Sif, then what, mother? What could make her so upset with me? She did not even say goodbye before she left and now I will not see her for weeks."
Frigga sighed giving her son a light smile, "Astra is not your equal, Loki. Not in her magical abilities, not in her lineage, and not in her status. Astra is upset with you because you would scoff at the things Sif would like to accomplish. Yet you tell Astra she is no different than you when she knows that not to be true. Do you see?"
Loki's eyes widened. He had not thought of it in that manner. He sprung from his bed, "Mother, you must take me to her. I must apologize now. Before she leaves."
Frigga took in a deep breath, "Loki, I dare not imagine that Grendi would appreciate a visit from us so late. Especially when she leaves early on the morrow. Perhaps you could pen a letter for Astra. I will ensure that it is delivered to her tonight."
Loki stood in thought for a moment before running to his desk. "I will bring it once it is finished," he said. He turned to Frigga again for a moment, "Thank you, mother."
An hour passed before he had finished his apology to Astra. He wanted to ensure that it was perfect. Once he was happy with it, he sealed the envelope and delivered it to his mother. She did as she had promised and entrusted one of the Einherjar to deliver it.