Loki woke slowly. It was day again, and soft light streamed in from the open windows, taunting Loki through her eyelids. When she finally gave in, the warm glow made her smile. It really was pretty, the way the sun made the golden surfaces in the room gleam. Too pretty to rush through, she decided, and she laid there quietly for a few blissful moments, just observing. Enjoying.

The image of Thor flitted behind Loki's eyes, and she sat up quickly. Had he come back last night? If he had, he had left again, for he wasn't in the room anymore. But there, by the small sitting area, Loki spied a tray. She wandered over to it. On it was an array of fruits, some yellowish squares that she thought may have been called cheese, and a few slices of bread. Her stomach rumbled loudly. Starting with the fruits, Loki ate nearly everything on the tray, with the exception of the cheese, which she was surprised to find out she didn't care for. No matter, her appetite was sated enough for now.

The round red fruits, with the white flesh underneath, were her favorites. She'd eaten both of them, and now her hands and chin were sticky with the juices. Perhaps it was time to make use of the washroom. She hadn't liked it last night, but in the glow of the morning sun, it wasn't all that bad. The white marble seemed less cold, though when she ran her hand across the smooth surfaces, they were indeed chilly. No time for complaining though, she thought as she stared at the large bathtub. It took a few tries, but she managed to figure out the faucets and soon the tub was filling with hot water.

Baths had been another subject for fancy tales back home, and Loki was rather looking forward to trying it out for herself. Already the room was filling with the warm vapors, which billowed up from the tub and delighted Loki. They very much resembled the frosty breaths she exhaled back home, but they were warm instead of icy and they caressed her skin in the most wonderful way. She waved her hand through the steam and watched as it swirled in the air, like tiny snowflakes. Fascinating.

So focused was Loki on the steam, that she did not notice the small bottles lining the edge of the tub until it was too late, and one was knocked into the water. She fretted over it, but soon a pleasing aroma reached her nose and she figured maybe this bottle was full of something that belonged in the tub. It smelled sweet, fragrant, like honey, which she had tasted before when one of her clansmen had returned with some. It had probably been stolen, but Loki and the other children did not care, and they clamored for more of the sticky sweetness. Now, the scent of it enveloped her along with the steam, and made her smile.

Loki shut off the water when the tub was mostly full, then stood to disrobe. As she did, she caught her reflection in a mirror and startled. Oh this skin, she thought, so wrong! It was unfair. The bath forgotten temporarily, Loki stepped closer to the mirror to inspect herself. She'd never seen her entire body all at once before. The mirrors on Jotunheim were small, mostly broken, shards that the men had scavenged. And while a part of her despaired that the skin she knew was missing, the rest of her was again fascinated.

She stood up straight and let her eyes wander first. The alabaster hue of her skin was unblemished, from head to her toes, which she wiggled against the cool marble floor. She leaned closer and made faces at herself, inspecting how her features looked now. Her green eyes were completely foreign, but she could not deny the beauty in them. Besides her face, only her breasts showed any color, tipped in pink around each nipple. She had been hairless in her Jotun form, and she still was for the most part. Only a few soft, downy patches of nearly translucent hair covered her arms, legs and her sex. She stroked the skin on her arms slowly, petting herself for a few moments before letting her hands explore the rest of her body. It was slender, yet soft, lithe. And, she supposed, attractive enough for Asgardian standards. It would serve her well here, though she doubted she'd ever feel truly at home in it. With a sigh, she stepped away from the mirror and into the bath.

Oh, the bath! From the first dip of her toe into the scented warm water, Loki was enraptured. As she sunk down into it, the liquid embraced her and flowed freely around her. Marvelous! When she was fully reclined, it reached her chin, and she giggled at how buoyant her limbs felt under the surface. Inspecting the other items lining the tub, she discovered an array of soaps, a few in bottles and some in the shape of small square cakes. Loki wasn't sure which she was supposed to use, but she discovered one that smelled similar to the fruits she'd been eating, so she picked that one. Once clean, she indulged by soaking for a good long while. The warm water was finished long before she was, but it finally became too chilly for her liking, forcing her out. Chilliness was the stuff of Jotunheim. Loki was in Asgard now, and she was so very done with being cold.

The towel was another marvel, thick and fluffy and Loki began to feel a little guilty for enjoying the amenities of this realm so freely. It was hard for her not to, when they felt so good to wrap around herself. Still, it felt too good to be true, and she frowned once more as she rubbed the towel against her limbs, wicking away the water droplets that made the air feel cold. This was no luxury vacation, she told herself. Thor had plans for her, and while she didn't know exactly what they were, she figured she wouldn't be amenable to all of them. Probably very few of them.

Loki hung her towel on a small hook to allow it to dry, and walked, nude, into the bedroom. From the wardrobe, she selected a deep green gown, made from a lightweight, smooth, silky fabric. It draped nicely from her shoulders, sleeveless, and gathered at the waist with a braided gold belt. She was looking in the mirror, trying to appreciate this strange beauty she now possessed when she heard a soft knock on the door. Curious, as it sounded much gentler a rap than she'd expect from Thor, she went over and peeked out.

Standing outside her door was a very regal looking woman. Definitely not a servant. she was dressed in a high-collared, olive green gown, lavishly detailed with gold accents. Her auburn hair was mostly upswept, and piled elegantly on the top of her head, but part of it hung loose, behind her back in soft waves. She regarded Loki with a kind face, and Loki thought she was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.

"Loki?" the woman asked, and Loki nodded and stepped aside so she could enter the room. She did and Loki's eyes followed her.

"Who are you?" Loki asked softly.

"I am Frigga, the Queen." she said, and Loki's eyes widened. What was the queen doing here? Loki's heart began to race a bit. Her panic must have showed on her face, because Frigga walked over and placed her hands on Loki's shoulders and smiled at her.

"Relax, child. You are in no trouble, no danger." Frigga's voice resonated with authority and compassion. Loki relaxed, but she continued to stare with wide eyes. The queen looked Loki over, then asked, "How are you feeling?"

Loki took a step back, uncomfortable with the closeness. "I am fine," she answered, bewildered still. She stood, feeling awkward and unsure of herself. Another new sensation, one she did not like. She'd held her own with Thor. Easily. But Loki did not think she could bring herself to throw snark at this woman. The queen of Asgard carried herself as if she demanded respect, and Loki was in no position to ignore that demand, no matter how much she did with Thor. The queen seemed to take no notice of Loki's inner turmoil and strode across the room, talking as if they were old friends.

"You must not remember our first meeting, Loki," Frigga said, walking to the vanity and pulling out a brush from one of the drawers. She turned and indicated with her hand that she wanted Loki to sit on the small seat, which Loki did. Standing behind her, Frigga now addressed Loki's reflection in the mirror.

"I imagine it was a shock, seeing yourself like this. You were so sick. The healers just about exhausted our entire ice stock trying to cool you down, and it still barely kept you alive." The All-Mother spoke in soothing tones and began to run the brush gently through Loki's black hair. Her hair had always been a source of fascination, and often ridicule, back home. Frost Giants rarely grew hair, and none ever grew as much as Loki had. She'd learned to ignore the ridicule and her hair, and had never thought to do anything with it before. Now, under the queen's hand, she relaxed even more and very much enjoyed the way the brush felt against her scalp.

"I am terribly sorry," the queen continued, "that there wasn't any other way to save you. Other than bringing you back, which Thor said you wouldn't have wanted."

"No." said Loki quietly, and Frigga paused. "I would not have been welcomed, had I been returned. I would have been called a failure and banished or executed."

Frigga frowned, but resumed brushing. "Then it is good that I was able to save you."

Loki's head spun up to face Frigga. "You did this? This was your magic?" she demanded.

"Yes. As far as I know, I am the only one in this realm capable of performing such a spell," Frigga answered. "And as I've said, I am sorry it had to be done."

The All-Mother continued speaking as Loki turned back around, though Loki was not quite listening anymore. She watched as her hair went from messy, wet tendrils that hung limp against her scalp, to thick, smooth blue-black locks that shone and framed her face beautifully. She's using magic again, Loki realized, for her hair was dry now and looked healthier than it ever had before. Loki longed to pick her brain about her magic knowledge, to beg the queen to teach her, but she knew it was not her place to do so. All she could do was pay attention and glean whatever information she could while in the queen's presence.

"There!" Frigga announced, with a wide smile. She placed the brush back in the drawer and smiled at Loki once more. "You are beautiful, Loki. You may not feel it yet, but I hope you can accept it soon enough." At the queen's words, Loki felt a heat rise in her cheeks. She looked away and mumbled a thank you.

"Thor is going to show you around, today, yes?" Frigga stepped back so Loki could stand.

"Yes, although I am not sure when," Loki answered. She wasn't sure what the protocol was. Could she go knock on Thor's door whenever she wanted, or was she to wait until she was summoned?

"If I know my son, and I do," she grinned, "he won't be away much longer. I believe he may be smitten." Unsure the meaning of the word, Loki only nodded in return.

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. This one was much heavier than the queen's had been, leaving no doubt as to who was calling. Sure enough, without waiting for an answer, Thor opened the door and peeked his blond head around it. Meeting Loki's eyes, he grinned wide and stepped into the room. When he noticed Frigga, he halted.

"Mother? What are you doing here? Is Loki alright?" he asked, concern hitting him immediately.

"Yes, my son, she is fine. I merely came to check in on her." She turned and smiled once more at Loki. "I will take my leave now. Loki, it is nice to see you well. I hope you enjoy discovering Asgard."

"Thank you," Loki replied, truly grateful for the All-Mother's kindness.

The queen gave her son a brief hug, stopping to whisper something in his ear, then gave him a nod and a knowing smile before leaving the room. Thor returned his gaze and his grin to Loki. He feasted his eyes on her for a few moments, until Loki began to grow uncomfortable under his scrutiny and frowned.

"You look at me as if you've never seen a woman before, yet I know you've seen plenty," she admonished him.

Thor laughed. "True, I have seen countless women. Though none are quite as enchanting as you."

Loki rolled her eyes derisively, clearly scoffing at Thor's words. "I am a novelty. Nothing else." Thor's face fell, but Loki paid no attention this time. "Now, shall we take this grand tour, so that I may learn to find my way around?"

The prince opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if he were trying to voice something, but gave up with a sigh. He put his smile back in place. "Of course, Loki. Let us go."

Just a note, I changed Loki's eyes to green, to match the typical "Loki" eyes. Makes for more fun photo editing when they're green.

As always, comments and constructive criticism are welcome! Thank you for reading and for favoriting/following!