Here's the second chapter for this story, I hope everyone has liked the beginning so far so please review to let me know. Enjoy this chapter :)
Ten midgardian years later he stood by her side and noticed how she had grown into a young woman. The asgardian blood that ran in her veins had made her look like a nineteen year old. Loki was at first curious as to how she was to age, but as the years passed he figured that she would age at least until looking like a twenty two year old and then her long asgardian years would begin. She had curly brown hair long to her waist, and stood a tall 5'11. Her eyes seemed to be one of the most captivating things about her, they held a blue color as beautiful as a sapphire and brown in the middle of the iris. She was a lot like her mother, she had a great hunger for knowledge, a fascinating way to see the world, and too much curiosity for her own good. On the other hand, she was just as stubborn as both of her parents. He had seen her grown so beautiful and strong, but he kept his promise not too tell the girl of her parentage. When it came to questions about her parents he would always answer without really giving her any of the answers she looked for, she would just roll her eyes since she grew used to it.
He smiled as he saw her frown in deep concentration;"Breathe, concentrate on your target, and then you know what to do." he told her in a hushed voice.
She closed her eyes and after taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and the arrow went flying straight to the target. A smirk grew on her face as she lowered her bow to inspect her job.
"That wasn't so hard now, was it?"
Althea smiled widely at Loki and nodded, "Let's say I had a good teacher."
"You could certainly say that."
She smiled taking another arrow in her hand and inspecting it. She had a shy personality, even though she didn't actually know many people other than Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three. They had learned about her when he was still a child, but they kept their mouth shut about it. They often trained with her close to the small cottage where Loki and she lived. Althea took a deep breath remembering the main reason why she had asked Loki to go to the forest with her to help her practice.
"Loki", she said clearing her throat to have his attention, "you know how the warriors usually go to the arena and train. And many people go there to watch them and-"
"Get to the point, Althea." He said raising an eyebrow at her, she was never one to stutter; "What do you want?"
"I would like to train with Sif and the warriors three, but close to the palace." She said hesitantly.
"And from where has this sudden desire to train there come from?"
"Well, Sif told me I have the perfect age to start and that she would like to train me in sword fighting. She says that the training arena of the palace is a great place to do so." She explained looking down at her bow instead of Loki's gaze.
He thought about it for a long moment. Sif had learned about Althea's parentage a while ago when she had seen her being just a child. The warriors three didn't hold a threat as far as he was concerned, except Frandral's flirtatious nature, but Althea would be able to take care of herself. He had at first hated the idea of Sif knowing about her, but she had helped them both a lot when she started to trust him.
"I will speak with Sif, and then I'll take my decision. Deal?"
She smiled triumphantly and nodded, "Deal." She embraced him and he smiled fondly. He had to admit he had grown way too soft when it came to her. There was a great possibility that he could even say she had become a weakness. She let go of him and he noticed that she was looking at something a bit far in the distance.
"Loki?"
He turned noticing a worried look on Althea's delicate features. Just some feet away from them King Thor walked towards the area of the forrest where they were both standing. He had always told Althea not to speak with Thor, his reasons where obvious, but not for her.
"Go back home, Althea." He told her in a low voice so that only she would hear. Silently, she walked further into the darkness of the forrest before the King would notice.
"Loki." Thor said in his usual booming voice.
"Thor. To what do I owe the pleasure of the King himself coming to visit me?" He replied
"I am not in a gaming mood."
Loki made a mocking hurt expression; "I beg your forgiveness, my King."
Thor ignore the sarcastic comment and continued. "Who's the girl?"
"The one who left? She's just a student." He lied easily as always with a confident look.
"A student? And since when are you a mentor?"
"Since when are you so curious about my life?" Loki had a wicked grin as he stepped forward, "Is it that the King misses my presence in the palace?"
The King scoffed.
"Missing you would be like missing the battle of Jotunheim."
"Then, I don't see why my well being concerns you. I would believe that a King has better things to do."
Thor stepped closer to Loki at a very threatening distance.
"If I start hearing about sudden "incidents", don't doubt that I will come back." As he spat those words, Loki noticed Althea peeking from one of the trees, thankfully she was using the blood red hood he had given her. She looked concerned, and even when she had disobeyed his orders Loki saw it as an opportunity.
"Thor, I believe you are doing a scene in front of my student." Thor looked back and Althea froze in her place.
"Come out, child. There's nothing wrong." He answered making some distance between the trickster and himself.
Althea came out from behind the tree hesitantly and thanked silently Loki for giving her the hood she had on that covered most of her face.
"I am no child." She replied bravely.
Thor tried to inspect the girl's features, but they weren't visible.
"I beg your forgiveness." Thor said inclining his head in respect; "It's not respectful to sneak on people."
"It's not respectful to threaten someone who has done nothing." She replied with his same tone. For a moment she could have sworn she saw Loki grin at her comment.
Something in her voice reminded the King of someone, but he couldn't actually tell who. She stood proudly in front of her King and a trickster, and yet she did not seem intimidated. Even when he couldn't see her clearly, it was obvious that not even a hint of fear or nervousness clouded her features.
"I see you have taught her manners." Thor told Loki somewhat sarcastically.
"Only the best would come from a student of mine." Loki said looking back at Althea.
Thor eyed both of them suspiciously, but didn't say anything about the strange feeling he had felt as soon as she spoke to him.
"I shall leave for now. Be careful of your master's teachings." He said looking at Althea, perhaps expecting a reply or a name.
Instead she just bowed and walked closer to Loki. She watched him leave with a deep frown on her young face. There had been some strange familiarity when she had first seen him personally, but she could only guess it has been her fear taking over her senses.
"That was unsafely close." Loki spoke after a while.
Althea stayed silent as he grabbed most of the arrows and other things they had brought to work and walked silently back to where they both stayed in the forrest. For the first time she felt that walk back as an eternity. Loki's silence didn't help much either. She had learned not to ask too many questions when he acted that way, or any questions at all for that matter. As they both came in the humble home where they stayed she noticed how stressed he looked. His movements seemed clumsy as he placed everything down on the floor.
"Why is it that I'm forbidden from talking to the King?" She asked suddenly taking off her hood.
"Not now, Althea." Loki answered looking annoyed.
"Loki, why wont you tell me?" She insisted laying a hand on his shoulder, which he shook off.
He turned around grabbing her by the shoulders and looking straight at her eyes. "There are many things you don't know about Thor, and you don't need to learn those things. I don't want you to trust the wrong people." He used a very gentle voice, so that she would not get suspicious.
She looked down and just nodded. She had trusted Loki for a long while now, and there was no reason why she would stop now. He had after all been the only one who was always there for her.
Althea didn't need to hear any words to know Loki needed some time alone. Silently she walked up the staircase to her room and locked the door behind her. After taking off her boots she just laid on her bed looking at the ceiling. Her mind started to took off to her most troubled thoughts until she fell asleep, still wandering the reason of Loki's worries.