Chapter Thirty Six
I grew up twice. Actually, check that. I've grown up several times. Actually, I don't think that I've grown up at all.
But my family? It's huge. My family includes everyone from the Doctor, to Asgardians.
I've lived more in several years then people do in two lifetimes.
...
I grew up in Asgard. With two amazing boys as my brothers. We played together. Would stay up at night and tell stories.
The stories were amazing. Thor would tell us stories of battle, and heroics.
I would tell them all of the stories I knew. Everything from Greek legends, to the television videos I watch.
Each night, I would tell them the story of another episode, and we would just continue, on and on. I would tell them stories of two brothers, named Sam and Dean, tell them stories of a demigod named Percy Jackson, of a wizard named Harry Potter. I scratched the edges of my minds for stories.
The boys hung on to my every word. They breathed in my stories; lived off these tales and legends.
"I would like to meet these heroes one day," Thor mused.
"Who knows?" I asked. "Maybe someday you might."
We were in our teens now. I was the Asgardian equivalent of sixteen, Loki; eighteen, and Thor; nineteen.
I was a bright young girl now, but I had turned sixteen while in Asgard. Over a year had passed since I met the Doctor. It was the break I needed, but it was still doing what I wanted.
"How would we meet these heroes?" Thor asked. "They must be long since dead."
"Oh, I wouldn't count on it," I said. "They're still breathing. Just you wait and see. Someday, I'll introduce you."
Loki and Thor were now trained in combat. And when the three of us were alone in the combat room, Thor and Loki would teach me.
And then, they grew up. And it was time for Thor to be king.
...
It was the day of his brother's coronation.
Loki knew the truth. His brother might be a warrior, but Loki had all the wisdom. And Loki would make a better king.
He stood on the steps, proud for his brother. Well, that's what he should have felt. But, truthfully, he was full of jealousy and rage.
Loki felt a hand touch his. He looked down and saw Rissa, who gave him a sad smile. Then she turned and watched Thor.
Even Rissa. She turned to Thor in these moments.
Loki was happy that he didn't tell her what he did. She wouldn't be happy that he let in Frost Giants anyway.
Everyone always preferred Thor over him.
Rissa squeezed his hand. He looked down at her again.
"You should be king," she whispered. She was looking straight again, at Thor. "Thor is too foolish. He is too eager for battle."
Loki's world froze. Rissa…was on his side?
"But you should be careful," she said, turning to him. "Don't let jealousy get in the way. You should still be proud of your brother."
What if he had made a mistake, letting the Frost Giants in?
...
Right as Odin was going to make Thor king, he sensed it; Frost Giants.
Odin, Thor, and Loki rushed down to the weapons fault. Rissa tagged along behind them.
Loki looked at what he'd done. At the destruction he caused.
And then Thor and Odin started bickering.
Loki started to change his mind. Maybe…his plan worked. Maybe Odin would sense Thor's impulsiveness, arrogance, and foolishness.
"BUT YOU'RE NOT KING!" Odin roared at Thor.
Oh, yes, maybe his plan worked very well indeed.
...
Thor was very, very angry.
He even flipped the entire banquet table. Then, after getting out that burst of anger, he sighed and sat down.
Loki walked around from one of the beams (the same one that Rissa had originally hid behind, in fact) and came next to his brother.
Rissa sat down on the other side.
"It is unwise to be in my company now," Thor said.
As it became clear that neither of us were leaving, Thor started talking.
"This was to be my day of triumph," he said angrily.
"It'll come," Loki said. "In time."
Seeing how it had affected Thor, he almost got upset about letting the Frost Giants in again.
Almost.
"What's this?" asked his friends as they entered the room.
"If it's any consolation, I think you're right," Loki said quickly. "About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything."
On the other side of Thor, he saw Rissa's odd look at him. She could always tell when they were lying.
But Loki kept pushing anyway.
"If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses just once, who's to say they won't try again? Next time, with an army!"
"Exactly!"
"There's nothing you can do, without defying father," Loki warned.
On the other side of Thor, Rissa's frown deepened, watching as Loki pushed Thor into foolish action.
But once Thor looked over at Loki, it was time for Loki to get rid of Rissa's seed of doubt.
"No, nononononono, I know that look," Loki said.
Everything was perfect from there on out.
Well, almost.
...
Thor, Loki, Sif, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun all prepared for the journey to Jotunheim.
"No," Loki said, the minute he saw the look on Rissa face. "This is too dangerous. You're not coming."
She glared at him. "Then why did you instigate it?"
Rissa had noticed. Now Loki knew that he was in trouble.
"I – just – listen to me. You're not coming," Loki said.
"What's the trouble, brother?" Thor asked, slipping into our little hideout.
"She wants to come," Loki said, gesturing to me exasperatedly.
"Absolutely not," Thor said immediately.
"Sif gets to come!" she protested.
"Yes, but Sif is Sif," Loki pointed out. "You're not coming."
"What is the point of training me if I'm not allowed to come?" she asked.
"In case you need it," Loki said. "Like if someone breaks into Asgard and attacks you."
"It is not for you to come with us," Thor finished.
"Are you coming?" Sif asked, peeking her head back here.
"Yes," Thor said.
"Give me a minute," Loki said.
Rissa realized what he was going to do too late. "No! Don't you dare!"
Using magic, Loki pinned her arms to her side and bound her legs together. "I'll be right back," he told Thor. Then, using magic, he pulled Rissa towards his room, laid her on the bed (so she'd be comfortable) and left.
"I'm going to kill you!" she screeched, wriggling around.
"Not right now, you're not," Loki said, closing the door behind him.