Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. Obviously.

Claimer: I own Evyn Dolrson. Clearly.

Thor reached the palace just in time for dinner, slipping into his chair as Loki, being the only person at the table, glanced up. "Why, Thor," he said, a slight smirk on his face. "You're late."

Thor huffed but said nothing, recognizing the turn of words. "Fair enough," he said as he was served, picking up his fork. "Where's Mother and Father?"

"A council meeting," Loki replied, going back to pushing his food around his place. "Mother's head began to ache, so she retired early."

"Ah." Thor began to eat, noticing that though Loki was cutting up everything on his plate, he wasn't actually eating. He frowned. "Are you going to eat that?" He asked.

"No," Loki said, continuing to push it around.

"You've eaten barely anything these last few dinners," Thor pointed out, taking another bite. Loki only shrugged.

"Well, since no one else is coming," he muttered and made to stand. Thor frowned at him.

"I have something for you," Thor said. "Something from a... Oh, what was her name... Madam Irva?"

"Madame Ivra?" Loki corrected, frowning. "Why do you have something from her?"

Thor pulled the note and stone out of his pocket and pushing it across to him. Loki accepted it and opened the note, eyes flickering over it before widening. He folded it closed again and put it in his pocket. "And the stone?" He asked, picking it up.

"She said it was a heart stone," Thor shrugged. "She said it may remind you that there are those in Asgard who are loyal to you."

"I see," Loki said. He put it with the note and stood. "If that is all, then I wish you a good night, Thor."

"Good night, Loki," Thor replied with a sigh. But before Loki could leave, he swiveled around in his chair. "When did you want to go pick up the book?"

Loki didn't even look back.

"Sigyn says hello," Thor called. "You're quite popular amongst the people, you know. The madam gave you high praise."

Loki paused at the door. "What did she say?" He asked.

"She said that you'd find no better man in the Nine," Thor said. So perhaps they weren't her exact words, but he was paraphrasing. "Sigyn seemed to think so as well."

Loki hesitated a moment longer. "I'll give you an answer... tomorrow," he said. "On when we'll go back to the bookshop."

Thor grinned. "Thank you, brother."

Loki left, the door shutting quietly behind him. With a sigh, Thor returned to his meal, alone.

Loki was laying on his be, stomach up, looking at the stone Thor had brought him. It was pink and smooth and round, almost like a marble. It sat nicely in his palm and had a good weight to it. He'd seen the stones is Madam Ivra's display case, but had never bought one. He turned it over in his fingers, thinking about what Thor had said.

"I'm not a good man," he said aloud, albeit under his breath. Am I? His brain supplied. He turned the stone over again, biting at the inside of his lips.

With a sigh, he placed the stone on his bedside in a decorative dish that held bits and pieces that had no other home. He would think about it tomorrow.

He sat up and sighed, looking up at the ceiling and closing his eyes. He had a session tomorrow. Damn, he thought. The last session had been confusing. Perhaps he would talk this time, bring the stone and talk about it. He got up, changing into his nightclothes. Why not? He thought. At least I'll have something to talk about.

Because not talking didn't seem to actually spite the healer. Damn him. Loki waved a hand to turn out the lights and went to bed, head still spinning with what Thor had told him.

"Hello, Loki," Evyn said as Loki walked in. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, just plain," Loki replied, sitting down. Evyn smiled and poured him a cup, setting it on the table in front of him before serving himself and sitting down. Loki reached forward and took the cup.

"So, how are you feeling?" Evyn asked.

Loki sipped the tea, sitting back. It was nice, he thought, looking at the cup. "What sort of tea is this?" He asked.

"An herbal mix," Evyn replied. "I make it myself. It's a little different every time, though."

"Mm." Loki took another sip. "Do you think I'm ill, Healer Evyn?"

"I can't say for sure yet," Evyn replied, putting his cup down. "Do you think you are?"

Loki considered. "Well, there's definitely something wrong with me," he said. Evyn tilted his head.

"How so?" He asked. Loki shrugged.

"There has always been something wrong with me," he replied. "Everyone knows it. I'm too different."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Evyn said. Loki snorted.

"It's not a problem to me," Loki said. "It's a problem to others would would prefer it if I were normal."

"And what is 'normal?'" Evyn asked.

"A warrior," Loki asked. "Bigger, stronger." He took another sip of tea. "But I've always been different."

"And why does that make you think there's something wrong with you?"

Loki huffed. "I don't know, it just is."

"I see," Evyn said. He nodded and said "So how do you feel about that?"

"How am I supposed to feel?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. Evyn didn't reply, but picked up his tea, taking a sip. Loki huffed. "I don't know," he admitted. "I... mostly ignore it now."

"So it still bothers you?" Evyn asked. Loki took a sip of tea instead and shrugged.

"No, not really," he lied. Evyn nodded and sat back, saying nothing. Loki looked down at his tea and they sat in silence.

"Why did you play tafl with me last time?" Loki asked at last, to fill the silence.

"Why not?" Evyn shrugged. "I find it more interesting than sitting in silence for an hour and a half. You're a good opponent," he added. "I haven't had that much challenge in quite some time."

"Mm." Loki didn't know what to say to that. "No one likes to play it with me," he admitted. "They think I cheat. And when I'm not they get tired of losing."

"That must be irritating," Evyn said, nodding. Loki sighed.

"You have no idea," he muttered.

"No, I don't," Evyn agreed. Loki looked up and blinked at him. Evyn shrugged. "What else could I say? No one is privy to your thoughts, Loki, even if we have the same information."*

Loki mulled this over in his mind for a few moments, finishing his tea. "I suppose so," he said at last. He put the cup down, empty now, and reached into his pocket, fingering the spherical stone. "What are your opinion of frost giants?"

Evyn raised his eyebrows, placing his cup down. "How do you mean?"

Loki shrugged. "They aren't well-liked here," he said. "They're called monsters."

Evyn's expression cleared and he nodded, looking thoughtful. "This came from, as I understand, the war between Asgard and Jotunheim?"

"It would appear so," Loki said, taking the stone you of his pocket to pass it from hand to hand. "In all the old tales, the monsters come from somewhere else. Sometimes Vanaheim, sometimes Svartalfheim..."

"It comes with hostility," Evyn said. "Asgard was at war with both Vanaheim and Svartalfheim. The stories about the vanir have mostly died down, but the ones about the Dark World still flourish, since there aren't any dokkalfar left."

"And do you think Asgard will end up forgetting about the jotnar as well?" Loki asked. Evyn shrugged.

"It will inevitably happen," he replied. "Perhaps not in the foreseeable future, but it will happen eventually."

"How do you know?" Loki asked. Evyn refilled their cups and considered.

"Not all Realms are as hostile of Jotunheim as Asgard is," he said at last. "For instance, Alfheim has had an alliance with Jotunheim for many centuries."

"Wha— Really?" Loki said, eyes widening.

"Mm-hmm," Evyn nodded, taking a sip. "There's a rather large community of jotnar on Alfheim, usually the smaller ones."

"...Smaller ones?"

"Yes," Evyn said. "About the size of aesir and vanir. They're better with magic than other jotnar-though that's not saying very much-but not as resilient to Jotunheim's cold. So, they get sent to Alfheim instead. The weather there is almost always the same, so there's not much to worry about. They're usually just referred to as 'smalls' by the jotnar."

"You've met some?" Loki asked. Evyn smiled.

"I have indeed," he said. "I've had patients of many races."

"And were they..." Loki wasn't sure what to say. Civil? Kind? Good? He wasn't sure what to ask, but Evyn smiled nevertheless.

"They're just people," he replied. "No race is all good or all bad, Loki."

"But the war..." Loki paused. "But then how did the war start?"

"A King declared war and ordered his people to follow," Evyn said. "Laufey wasn't the greatest ruler to reign on Jotunheim, but I think it's..." He searched for a word. "I think it's inaccurate to base an entire race on the decision of one man, no matter how powerful they may be. Laufey was one out of many to rule Jotunheim, just as Odin is for Asgard, just as any ruler is with any land."

Loki looked down, clenching his jaw, the stone still clutched in his palm, the words remaining in his head for the rest of the day.

Notes:

*Paraphrased from a comment on AO3 from user Nyx_Ro, who gave me permission to use in in this fanfic. Thanks!