Even though Thor had missed breakfast he was not hungry. His hangover from last night's feast had not been so severe that he couldn't move, but he had stayed in there all day simply because of how embarrassed he was. Frigga had roused him anyway and shooed him down to the dining hall for lunch. She had said that Loki wasn't sulking in his room, but Thor knew that was because Loki hadn't been the one to call the princess of Alfheim a servant. Only Thor had done that.

Now he grumbled to himself about how unfair everything was as he stomped down the hall to the dining hall, unaware of how black the clouds outside Gladsheimr were. Thor glanced up from his walk just in time to see a black-haired figure turn the corner ahead of him. Sif had blackish hair because of Loki's curse, but it was artificial. Loki was the only Æsir to ever be born with black hair.

There was no sign of his brother he reached the place he had seen Loki and Thor glowered as he stalked down the hallway to the doors of the dining hall. He opened the doors quietly for once instead of slamming them open as he usually did a miracle in itself.

There were about a dozen Star Guard eating, but they were more or less the only ones there. The Star Guard had their off, and their swords were slung over the back of their chairs as they were off duty. All they wore were cloth tunics.

Thor was relieved that his quiet entry hadn't be noticed, and walked silently over to where his friends were sitting and eating. The only one missing from his clique was Loki, and he appeared a moment later, the shadows parting to reveal his presence. Loki was eating the last bites of an apple, and smiling as if smugly thrilled about something.

Loki's pleased expression made Thor wary, certain that his brother was in a mischievous mood. When Loki looked that pleased, wariness was wise. It was almost as dangerous as him becoming bored.

"Brother, what did you do now?" Thor asked, deciding to keep away from his seat just in case.

Those who heard his question looked up, fully aware of Loki's reputation as the prince of mischief.

Loki was saved from answering by a painfully familiar voice that almost made Thor cringe. "There are less people here then there was last night."

"That's because it's not such a formal meal," Loki replied calmly. "Everyone isn't required to eat at the same time so they come here when they get hungry. It spreads out the crowd. After what happened last night, I'm sure many are hiding in their rooms."

Loki walked away from Tilaria who had also stepped out of the shadows behind him and to his seat with an almost feral stride. Although Tilaria nodded and accepted his explanation she didn't move from the doorway. For some reason she looked wary.

While Loki walked smoothly to his seat, Thor stood midway between the doorway and the table like a moron. He could think clearly since the wine had worn off, but he had no idea what to do after making such a fool of himself last night. Anything he said would likely only backfire.

"We don't bite." Loki called out again when he realized Tilaria wasn't moving. "You might get a bit of thunder from the Godling on my right if he gets mad, but that's all."

He waved his hand in Thor's direction when he said that and took a strawberry from a bowl. Strawberries were Loki's favorite, and the servants had learned by now to make sure there were always strawberries at the table where Thor and his friends sat for Loki. These were good strawberries.

Thor forgot Tilaria was there and glared at his brother instead, retorting in a sharp voice. "I do not make it thunder when I get mad."

"No," Loki admitted, and his surrender made Thor start to smile until Loki finished his thought. "You usually make it rain to."

Thor's smile dropped to a scowl, "do not."

"Do to." Loki replied smugly and took another bite.

"Do not!" Thor retorted in a louder voice.

"Do to." Loki repeated in the same calm voice.

"I DO NOT!" Thor shouted and stomped his foot in a childish manor.

His temper finally reached the point where the diners could hear the rumble of thunder from outside. Fandral groaned and slouched in his chair as he hung his head, distraught at the idea of having to walk from Gladsheimr back to his own home in the town in the rain.

"Thunder," Loki replied smugly as he was proven right and set the strawberry stem on the edge of his plate before reaching for another. "Give him a minute more and it will be raining."

"Loki," Thor warned in an irritated voice that was accented by another rumble of thunder.

"Yes brother?" Loki asked innocently, making his eyes get all big as he faced off against his glowering brother.

Thor's reply was cut off by Tilaria's laugh. It was a beautiful musical laugh reminiscent of a wind chime. She smothered her laugh when everyone glanced away and looked down the hallway while the tips of her ears turned red. Was that how Ljósálfr blushed, with their ears turning red instead of their cheeks? Loki thought curiously, not all that surprised by Tilaria's reaction based on what she had said earlier. It wasn't bad that she had two parents from two different realms.

"Do you intend to eat over there?" Loki asked her patiently, readily ignoring his brother as he finished his second sweettart and offered it to her. "Do you want one?"

"No," Tilaria whispered.

"No to the first question or the second?" Loki pushed.

Sif kicked him under the table uncharacteristically, not appreciating Loki's mannerisms. Loki jumped a bit at the kick, not expecting it.

He muttered "ow" softly and glanced back at her.

"Stop," Sif warned verbally as if her kick wasn't determent enough.

Loki muttered something about scissors again, and pulled his feet under his chair to avoid Sif's next kick.

"No to both," Tilaria finally answered Loki's question and walked over to the table, not intending to stay by the doorway after all.

Tilaria now approached, and both Thor and Fandral took advantage of the chance to get a better look at Alfheim's princess. Fandral hadn't gotten a good look because he had been sitting with Volstagg and the other commoners on the other side of the hall from the head table, and Thor had been too drunk to see her clearly. Now that they could see her, they agreed that the stories of her being the most beautiful on Alfheim were not exaggerated.

Ljósálfr typically dressed in clothes of varying shades of green, white, gray, and khaki. Even though the colors were bright and rich they somehow allowed the Ljósálfr to fade into the shadows of Alfheim's forest. They never wore shades of red or black as those were a Dökkálfr's favorite colors, but it was not uncommon for them to wear shades of blue or other colors that resembled flowers. Tilaria's outfit was in the latter category and in shades of magenta and rose pink the color of flowers, decorated with white vine-like swirls.

All of her clothing had the same color scheme and pattern, and like many Ljósálfr she wasn't wearing very much. Her clothing was comprised of a sleeveless tunic with a high collar cut to show her midriff, skort that came down to mid-knee, a pair of cloth bracers that went from elbow to wrist, and a pair slipper like shoes.

Ljósálfr had no concept of dresses, skirts, or anything of the like so it was a little surprising that she was wearing a skort like an Æsir. She was half-Æsir though, so perhaps it wasn't so odd that her clothing had a few Æsir attributes. What also surprised the gathered Æsir was how little she was wearing.

She had a pair of black boots and a skirt that came down mid-thigh. There was a pair of cloth vanguards that went from elbow to wrist. Her sleeveless tunic had a high neck line with an intricate collar, but it was cut off to expose her midriff. That was all.

Neither teen had seen a girl wearing so little, but she did come from a realm that lacked winter. Along with her clothes she wore a dirk on her left hip, and Loki thought from the way the cloth of her bracers moved that she had weapons hidden in them like Loki had dagger hidden in his. There were no other weapons in sight, but she might have some hidden in a subspace fold.

Loki held out the sweettart to Tilaria again, but Tilaria shook her head at the pastry. "I already had some or one at least. The rest fell on the floor."

"So it was you!" Volstagg interrupted her suddenly and stopped eating. "You were the one who got me chased out of the kitchen yesterday! You ruined all those perfectly good sweettarts."

Tilaria fidgeted nervously, aware that all of the Æsir present were looking at her. She would normally snip back at whoever was taking such a brisk tone with her, but she didn't want the Æsir to despise her. Everyone on Alfheim hated her because she was a halfbreed, but it might be different on Asgard. She didn't want to alienate them if there was a chance they might like her.

Volstagg shrugged to her surprise, and said cheerfully. "Oh well, I'm always getting chased out of the kitchen. I'm Volstagg Bisison."

Once Volstagg introduced himself the rest of Thor's friends did the same. Fandral was the first to stand from his seat.

"I am Fandral Emundrson, milady," Fandral introduced eloquently, and bowed so low he almost hit his head on the table's edge. "I am at the beck and call of one as dazzling as yourself."

Sif rolled her eyes at his flattery, but Tilaria only looked more confused as the Ljósálfr had no concept of flattery. Hogun was the next to speak and he stood as Fandral did although he did not attempt flattery.

"Prince Hogun Kyison of Vanaheim," Hogun introduced stiffly, using his mother's name as his surname rather than his father's as was the custom of Vanaheim.

"Ah," Fandral interrupted teasingly as both boys sat down beside each other, "A rare sentence from our silent swordsman."

Hogun glanced at him but went back to eating without saying anything, as usual.

"Since we're doing introductions," Sif interrupted, "I am Sif Hamarrdottir, milady."

Sif remembered to mind her manners even through the casual tone of voice.

"You were the one sparring with Thor," Tilaria nodded.

"And winning," Sif replied instinctively though she was surprised.

This girl had been spying on them and wandering Asgard's kitchen as if she owned Gladsheimr? It made Sif a little wary, and Tilaria's obvious arrogance put her off a little. She was the first girl Sif had seen besides herself to be wielding a blade, but she suddenly wondered if they would get along.

"She already knows me," Loki said softly once the quiet resumed with a purr to her voice. "She almost fell out of the apple tree as I was walking by."

Loki's comment made Fandral frown, so the fencer spoke up again with flattery in his words. "What was a fair maid as yourself doing in the apple tree?"

"I wanted an apple," Tilaria explained simply, "since the sweetest apples are usually at the top of the tree where they're hard to reach I had to climb."

Her wording put Sif off again although Sif hid it well. She was used to hiding her annoyance since she was told so often to stop playing with dangerous items like swords and to behave as a woman should. Tilaria was also stealing apples from the tree as if it was hers?

"Loki was walking by when the branch I was on broke," Tilaria finished, deciding the answer was close enough to the truth to be accepted.

Thor suddenly realized that not only was he still standing like an idiot, but he was the only one who hadn't introduced himself. He figured that after last night he didn't really have to, but it might be a good idea to repair the damage done by calling her a servant. In a manner that might be called shy, a word never used to describe Thor before, the elder prince stepped forward.

"I was drunk," Thor said before introducing himself, using an excuse for defense as he was not used to apologizing, "and an oaf. Sorry."

Was that how an apology was supposed to go? Thor wasn't sure.

Tilaria really hadn't been offended last night although she'd acted as much to try and satisfy Arlen's new personality. "Perhaps a reintroduction?"

That satisfied Thor and he nodded. "Thor Odinson, crown prince of Asgard."

"Heiress Tilaria of Alfheim," Tilaria dipped her head while Thor bowed slightly to her.

"Good," Volstagg interrupted yet again as he continued eating. "Now will you eat?"

Tilaria stepped towards the table as Thor took his seat besides Loki, but she hadn't gone two steps before Loki saw something glimmer by the doorway as if the light was reflecting off the blade. Loki realized in horror that was exactly what it was and he called out a warning to Tilaria, jumping out of his seat as someone threw the blade straight at her.

Here comes Arlen, and after everything Crow's done he's hardly stable anymore. I am glad that Tilaria is getting along with Thor and his friends after that disaster last night, but depending on how much success Arlen has in killing Tilaria and Odin's sons it could be a very short lived friendship.

Will Loki's warning be enough? Read on and find out.