A/N: Loki and Ava are going to be about the age of six in this chapter (or the Asgardian equivalent). And Thor and his friends will be around the age of eight.
Ava stood with her mother in her private chambers. Her mother had just finished teaching her a new spell. "Okay, now you try it." Frigga told her.
Ava nodded. She made a few flourishes with her hands, following the pattern her mother had taught her. A copy of herself appeared next to her. Ava looked at herself and both she and her copy smiled. She then looked back at her mother, a twinkle in her green eyes. "Oh, I can have so much fun with this, Mama."
Frigga smiled at her daughter. "Be careful how you use what I teach you, sweetheart."
Ava nodded and made the copy disappear. "I will, Mama."
Just then Odin walked in with Thor. "You did well today, my son." Odin was telling Thor. "You're going to be a very strong warrior before much longer."
"You really think so, Father?" Thor asked.
Odin nodded. "You're going to make a fine king when you grow up."
Thor beamed with pride at his father's words. He then took notice of his mother and younger sister standing in the room. He ran over to his mother. "Mother, Ava, look what I can do!" He said as he took a practice sword and then began to show his mother and sister the things he had learned.
Frigga of course smiled at her son. "Wonderful job, Dear." She said.
Ava grinned. "That's fascinating, Brother. Now you and Papa look at the trick Mama just taught me!" She then made her copy appear next to her.
Thor grinned at his little sister. "That's great!" He told her in an excited tone.
"Wonderful, Sweetheart." Odin said in an uninterested manner. He hadn't even been watching.
Ava's face fell slightly at her father's disinterest. She thought he would be excited to learn of her advancement. Frigga put a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder and fixed a glare on her husband, who wasn't even paying attention. She looked back down at Ava, her face softening into one of motherly affection. "Why don't you and Thor go play in the garden?" She suggested.
Ava nodded, still disappointed that her father didn't show any interest in her tricks. Thor knew that his sister was feeling sad. He smiled at her and took her hand. "Come on."
Ava couldn't help but to smile at her big brother. "Okay." She then allowed him to lead her from their mother's chambers and to the garden.
Once the children were gone, Frigga turned to her husband, who was now sitting at his desk. "What is wrong with you?" She asked.
Odin looked up, surprised by his wife's reaction. "What are you talking about?"
"Ava was so proud that she had learned and new trick and she was excited to show you. You didn't even pay attention. Do you have any idea how much that disappointed her?" Frigga asked.
Odin sighed. "I am sorry my dear. I have a lot on my mind." Odin replied.
"You need to pay more attention to her." Frigga chided him. "Be as excited over the things she is learning as you are about the things Thor is learning."
Odin nodded. "You are right, my dear."
Frigga smiled. "Now, go make it up to her. Family is forever after all."
Odin nodded once again. He got up and kissed his queen before heading out to the garden to find Ava.
Thor and Ava...
"What should we do, Brother?" Ava asked.
"Let's play hide and seek. You love that game, right Sister?" Thor replied.
Ava nodded. "I'll hide you come and find me."
Thor smiled as he covered his eyes and began to count. Ava couldn't help the giggle that bubbled past her lips as she turned and ran, looking for the perfect hiding spot. She finally found a tree she could climb up and hide in. She then spotted a bush not far away and a pond close by. She grinned as she got an idea.
Ava grinned as she made a few flourishes with her hand and created a copy of herself, hiding in the bush. She made sure that her copy would be easily spotted by her big brother. A few moments later, she spotted Thor walking over to the bush. He pointed. "I found you, Ava!" He shouted.
Ava's copy jumped up from the bush. "You're gonna have to come and get me, Thor!" The illusion taunted and then took off running towards the pond.
Thor let out a loud yell and then took off after Ava. "I'll get you."
The illusionary Ava came to a stop in front of the pond. She turned and giggled at Thor. Thor didn't seem to think any of this odd at all. He ran to her, arms out ready to grab her. He flew through the air and was about to close his arms around her, when the illusion disappeared and he went into the pond. He came back up out of the water with a lily pad on top of his head and completely soaked.
"Ava!" He shouted.
Ava giggled. "You fell for my new trick!" She squealed with glee.
Thor had to fight back a smile. While he wasn't fond of Ava pulling tricks on him, he did like making her smile. He did his best to fix a look of anger on his face, but it came out playful anyway. "I'm gonna get you!" He shouted at her.
Ava grinned and leaped down from the tree. She then took off running. Thor came running after her. Ava made another copy of herself and then they ran in separate directions. Thor took off after the illusionary Ava, which made Ava grin. She ran into the forest that lay just beyond the garden and decided to do some exploring, while her brother chased her illusion.
Ava found a very large tree that she figured would be fun to climb. It might be a spot she would come to later to read. She was walking towards it, when she heard her father's voice calling for her. "Ava!"
Ava called her illusion back and then ran towards the sound of her father's voice. She hoped he would be wanting to see her trick. She spotted him in the middle of the garden, just as Thor spotted her. "There you are!" Thor shouted as he ran after her.
Ava didn't have time to think about how to stop her brother. She threw her hands up and giggled as Thor talked her to the ground and began to tickle her. "No...stop...Thor!" She got out between giggles and began flailing her arms and legs to try and get him to stop.
"What's the magic word?" Thor asked with a grin as he continued to tickle his little sister.
"P...pl...please..."
"Please what?"
"Pl...please...st...stop."
Thor tickled her a few more times before stopping. He then pulled back and offered her his hand. Ava took it and allowed him to help her up. They then ran over to their father. "You called, Papa?" Ava asked.
"I wanted to see your trick again." Odin answered.
Ava grinned as she created the copy of herself once again. "What do you think?"
Odin smiled in approval. "That's my girl."
Just then Sif, Fandrall, Volstagg, and Hogan arrived to play with Thor. "Why don't you go play with them?" Odin told Ava.
Ava shook her head. She really didn't care to play with Thor's friends. They never really seemed to like her. She knew they only put up with her because of Thor. "I think...I'll go and study." She said before running to her room.
Loki on the Jotunheim...
Loki and the other Jotun children had just finished sitting through another of their combat lessons and now they were going out to play. Loki was small compared to the other children and was often made fun of by them. However, there were a few that would not make fun of him. Loki knew that this was only because he was the son of their king.
"What should we play?" Aric, another boy asked.
"Tag!" Calder, another boy answered.
Loki hated playing tag, but he wasn't about to protest. He wanted the other children to like him. "That sounds like fun." Loki spoke up, easily faking an excited smile.
"Who said you were invited to play?" Aric sneered. "I don't care who your father is, there's no room for freaks in this group."
Loki did his best not to let them see how much their insults hurt him. He didn't want them to know how he longed for their acceptance. "I wouldn't want to play with you common people anyways." He replied. He then turned and headed for the abandoned temple he had found a few weeks ago.
He walked around the temple. He could tell that it was once a large and grand place with beautiful sculptures and paintings. Loki knew the old stories behind the place. He knew that it had once been the place of a higher form of learning. It was where his people had once learned of the universe around them and how their place in it. They had once learned how they could contribute and learned magic. Of course, once his father, Laufey had ascended to the throne, he had changed everything. Laufey valued strength and brute force over knowledge. He had taken down the temple and begun a new training program. He had believed that his people were meant to rule the nine realms. He had wanted to start with Midgard, as the humans were the weakest among the nine realms.
Laufey had not counted on Asgard's intervention. He had also not counted on Asgard's forces being more powerful than his forces. Of course, the warriors of Asgard did more than just fight. They studied magic and many other forms of power. They broadened their minds as well as their bodies. Loki knew that this was the reason the Asgardians had defeated his father's army so easily. Of course he would never tell that to his father, nor would he tell his father of his own pursuits of knowledge. Laufey was already ashamed of him over his small size. Loki knew this, he could see it every time his father looked at him. He would even be more ashamed to know of his son's studies.
Loki sighed. "Is there a place where I belong?" He muttered to himself as he looked around him.