"He has such tiny toes." Kari was all a beam having returned from yet another visit with Prue and Stenvar Vidrald Egillson – at least some of her earthling culture of middle names had proven useful to the on the rocks marriage. "I can't believe how strong he is too. He managed to grab hold of my little finger and…" She stared in a mixture of pride and anguish at her bandaged pinky. "Well… the break should heal at some point I guess. I don't suppose you have a healing spell for this?"

"Motter." Loki pursed his lips, weighing a book in one hand before nodding his approval as he prepared himself to take aim.
"He's so quiet though. I thought babies were supposed to cry and be noisy all the time? Maybe he takes after his father but… he definitely has Prue's glare."

"Prepare yourself to cast, at your convenience." The toxic level of sarcasm in his tone did not go unnoticed.

"Ooh, you sound just like my grandfather." She rolled her eyes at the innocence-feigning trickster, standing across from her half way down an aisle of books, and casually brought to life a sickly looking shield spell that politely reflected a hurled pocket sized oxford dictionary. "Anyway, do you think we're born with personalities or do we develop them? Nature versus nurture? Because I think Stenvar definitely has a-"

"Spell up." Loki continued to ignore her cooing aunty-Kari prattle as he tossed a larger paperback at the distracted simpleton – at least he could enjoy the anger management aspect of this lesson.

"Argh, stop that already I have it down!" Kari whined, having become skittish at the close proximity – and near failing shield – of such a forcibly thrown projectile. He was enjoying this a little too much if his continued innocence feigning was anything to go by. "I bet you were one of those horrible fussy babies that threw his toys out the cot and cried until a servant put them back in again. Your mother might think you were a little angel but it was probably all the hormones clouding her memories."

"Are you quite finished?"

"When am I ever finished anything?"

"Exactly." He sighed.
"Eh, you were probably a lucky bastard born with a head full of hair. I was two before I had much of anything going on upstairs and even then it was all weird with white blond streaks in it. I looked like I belonged to the Addams family and oof-"

"Spell up, Motter." He parroted his mantra of the afternoon, this time, however, after the fact he had thrown the soiled hardback book of dumpling making. "Motter?" He quirked an eyebrow at her latest fiasco – lying in a tangled heap on the floor with a cookery book sprawled uncomfortably over her chest. "Motter?" He sucked in a calming breath, arms folding to hold in the annoyance that was his burdensome, offspring obsessed, pupil continuing her attempt of out tricking a trickster – and not even well, he had performed this very same act on her not so long ago. "Motter, there is no time for such trifling games this day. Do you desire the great honor of doing my laundry as well as your other tasks?" Her lack of answer succeeded in its perceived endeavor of infuriating the pushed for time god of mischief and delivered his footfalls on a quick paced interception of the motionless body now under his prodding boot. Still, the lack of activity warranted a minute dose of worry that brought him sharply to his knees in order to reach her throat for a shake. "Karian Motter, open your eyes."

"Ermm." She groaned at the sensation of dueling anxious and angry throttling her upper body was receiving in copious amounts. The world was swimming around her head like a trail of birds when finally she managed to crack open her illusive eyelids and get a confusing focus on pretty green orbs floating around several pale-faced Loki's. "You are beautiful."

He snorted at her delirious truth telling – not the first time he had heard such a statement from her own lips – but coming swiftly to the conclusion this was a concussed midgardian rather than a playful irritant. If only she would stay so flattering at all times. With hardly any effort at all he reached underneath his damsel in distress like a good prince of asgard and lifted her up into his arms for easy transport to see a healer. He had to smile at the way she caressed his cheek in a dream like state, mesmerized by his flawless complexion as he carried her but perhaps he should have been more wary of her state of mind.

There was a happy sort of 'mmm'ing sound reverberating through her chest and into his which reaffirmed to him he most certainly got under her skin more than she would ever admit to. He smiled in a feline manner as her hand slid across his cheek once again, turning his focus back down towards the dilated pupils of the package in his arms. Feral and stupid was certainly a good pair of words to describe her at that moment but the thought needed to get to the back of the queue whilst he considered how to respond to a concussed woman forcing him into a kiss. Really, what was he supposed to do? His arms were otherwise engaged with holding her aloft and it would be dreadfully insensitive and rude not to join in so adamant a game of lip twister.

As fun as it was to tease her with tongue wrestling at any other time, being the submissive for once brought with it a new exhilaration and gratification – though the pleasure tingle of 'this is naughty' still rang clear at the borderline advantage taking of a debilitated female. She was certainly enjoying mapping out his cave system if all the 'please sir can I have some more' moans were anything to go by. With an anti-climatic gasp, however, their faces became un-suctioned from one another as lungs burned to refill the depleted oxygen levels within and Kari promptly went dead weight in the prince's arms with the added bonus of head lulling.

Loki sighed, licking his lips not so much for tasting but rather to clear the excess of mixed saliva around his mouth before continuing on his way to the healers. She was certainly going to be in a mood later when she recalled their little moment in the library and what fun would be had in reminding her of delirious words spoken.

Of course, being the mind boggling, brainless, bundle of idiot that Karian Motter could only achieve, upon waking in a much to bright room with a old man hovering over her and a horrendous headache of the book to the head kind she was unsure of anything much.

"Where am I?" She spoke quietly, a hand braced against her brow to hold back the onslaught of brilliant brightness blinding her eyes.

"You are in the care of healers." The grey bearded healer responded with a level of gentleness only medical care could teach. "I am informed you were involved in a magical accident and took a blow to the head before collapsing."

"I was?" She blinked several times trying to stop focusing on her nose. "I don't remember that."

"That is as you told the several times previous you awoke."

"What? Several what?"

"Are you able to recall your name this time?" He waved a finger in front of her face that she felt compelled to follow out of instinctual caution.

"Of course I can!" She tried to sit, indignant at his silly question but at least finding the room a little less on the alien abduction dazzling side.

"And your name is?"

"Uh… not Fandralkin." Kari scowled, testing a lump on the side of her head that throbbed angrily at some event she could not recall.
"That is not as I was told."

"Well… you were told lies."

"Still in a bad temper I see." The old man was either a mutant without emotions or so elderly he simply could not care about anything anymore. "But no longer biting others, and your vision seems to be much improved."

"What?"

"Still asking inane questions. Your master informed us this was normal behavior."

"Wait, wait, wait! Master?" Of course he was referring to Loki. "What's he been saying about me?"

"No behavior that was not noted during your time in our care."

"Did he do this to me?"

"According to your master, he blamed the injury on your incompetents."

"Of course he would!" She was not even sure why she was angry with Loki but experience told her it was definitely his fault. "How long have I even been here? I mean, what date is it?"
"We are but twelve days from Jul, the New Year. You have been in our care since yesterday afternoon."

"Right, ok so, it's still December, I've been here all night and… isn't Balder coming back today?"

"I know not of the warrior's whereabouts."

"Hmmm, well uh, can I go I have, you know, stuff to do and whatever?"

"You seem greatly improved." The old healer shrugged, non-committal to the diagnosis either way but eager to return to a life of naps and quiet contemplation. "Return to your duties."
"Right..." She elongated the word in the manner of a teenager agreeing verbally but hinting at reality being somewhat rebellious to the adult's desire. "I'll get right back to work now, for my master."

Really, the sarcasm was not needed, it was not as if the grey beard was even listening to her but in honesty the exchange had been more for her benefit than anyone else's. With a great deal of eye-rolling and a stop off at her room for a fresh pair of clothes, Kari made her way out of the palace and onto the rainbow bridge. It certainly had been a long time since she had taken this particular route. At least a year since she had last gone to visit Heimdall, perhaps longer but she could hardly recall with the amount of fuzziness wrapped around her long-term memory. Maybe it was not a good idea to hangout around the bi-frost and wait for her sort of boyfriend to come home whilst her sort of ex-love interest manned the spinny science fiction teleporter. Balder might get lost in something complex and geeky sounding like a reverse polar tachyon dimensional array if Heimdall got in a mood or something. Not that he would get in a mood, what was she worried about? Heimdall was never interested in her in that way anyway, just sort of pitied her.

"Why have you come?" The guardian questioned the approaching midgardian whilst he devoured what looked to be a ham sandwich.

"Hey… Heimdall." Well this was not awkward. "You, actually eat out here?" She had to ask; it was too much of an epiphany moment not to require answers, though he seemed to let his chewing speak for itself. "Of course you do, I mean, you're always here being meticulous and stuff. Err, been a while hasn't it? I mean, yeah, a year or something and um, so, how you been?" She nodded to herself as Heimdall took another bite of his sandwich and turned his head to admire something nobody else could see among a patchwork of red stuff in the starry sky. "Yeah, me too I guess, though I have this crazy headache from a concussion or something. Can't remember how I got it though."

"Loki."
"What?"

"And a book of dumplings."

"I uh, yeah ok." She bit her lip, looking to the side as if hoping someone would be standing there to tell her what he was talking about. "So… is Balder, uh and Thor coming back anytime soon?"

"Yes."

"That's good, hate to walk all this way for nothing." She chuckled nervously then paled as she heard her last remark on mental playback. "Oh god, not that you're nothing, I mean it's good to see you again and uh, you should come to the palace more often and… whatever… you know?"

Another wave of silent awkwardness fell over the pair, though Heimdall looked to be more in the throws of business than taking any interest in her presence. At least he was not mad about her slip of the tongue and on some level she had to wonder if he even recalled who she was. He did stare at an awful lot of stuff and people all day – an undertaking that required way too much memory and concentration to recall every face he had ever seen. Maybe he did not remember her getting kissy faced with his doppelganger either. That was certainly a nice thought to have but soon irritated into junk mail by the pain in her stomach.

When had she eaten last? Yesterday at some point, though by now after weeks with the trickster her eating schedule had not been so much a three square meals a day type of ordeal but rather a 'snack and run' affair. By the gods did that ham sandwich mostly occupying Heimdall's mouth look good right about now. Her stomach growled loud enough to cause the guardian to turn and give her a questioning look, much to her embarrassed horror.

"Ehehehe… I uh, haven't eaten today." She shrugged looking away as the golden goliath took another bite of his sandwich. "So… you gonna eat all that?"

Heimdall paused his re-examining of constellations, his eyes fixating on a point before his arm swung outward holding the last quarter of his afternoon meal under the nose of his mortal companion. She stared at the offering for a matter of seconds before carefully taking it from his grip and having a long mouth watering sniff. Definitely the gourmet stuff, the ham alone was as thick as her hand with that yummy honey crackling on the edges. How long had it been? Since she was wearing her short childish form definitely – an occurrence she almost wished would happen again from just how well treated she was back in those days.

Biting into the afternoon delight, Kari gave a little foot stomp and turned her head to face the galaxy in 'mmm'ing prayer. She had not had the chance to eat anything this good or not squished from being in her pockets in too long. Demanding Balder marry her right away so she could ascend the social hierarchy like Prue certainly seemed like a reasonable proposal at that moment. Speaking of Balder the brave, Heimdall was no longer standing where he usually liked to loiter but instead was within the bi-frost starting the engine up – the noise of the machine was almost enough to completely distract her from her food.

Crackling lights streaked inside the dome at the end of the bridge, a swirling portal opening at the farthest side as Kari filled her mouth for a second time and admired the prettiness with the added knowledge she would not be riding the puke rollercoaster. With a sound that made her ears pop and ring, two new bodies atop horses appeared in the centre of the dome unphased by their travel and laughing at some joke told before departure. Kari cringed at the neighing beasts ahead of her, scowling heartedly until distracted by her name on the lips of a too happy for his own good blond.

"Fandralkin!"
"Maa 'ame mis Mmari!" She rolled her eyes, hastily trying to swallow the remnant of bread in her mouth as Thor only continued to smile and shake his head in ignorance.
"Kari." Balder dismounted his pebble grey mare, distracting his munching greeter from her glaring with the prince with a pearly grin.

She did not need calling twice. The final bite of the sandwich was hastily given back to the guardian – a metaphor about leftovers probably in the exchange somewhere – as she skipped across the rainbow bridge and threw herself at the not-too-surprised-by-the-gesture warrior.

"I've missed you!" She giggled as her noble warrior joined her hugging of arms with squeezing limbs of his own.
"As I told you, friend." Thor was beside himself with pride and swagger – a private conversation obviously finding its way into his favor. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"What?"

"Ignore his teasing words." Balder suggested, returning her attention back to his eyes once again with the touch of her cheek.

"Let us return, I am famished!" Bimbo was off, dismissing everyone around him as if he were a king, and feeling the breeze fingering his luscious golden locks whilst trotting his horse towards the palace.
"Come, ride with I."

"Eh." Kari froze, lower lip braced nervously between her teeth as she looked from Balder to his patiently waiting steed. "No I… think I'd much rather walk."
"You will be quite safe I assure."

"Yeah, I heard that from you before involving a horse."

"The circumstances are dissimilar, I will be riding with you this time and we have a saddle." He was so sure about everything as if he held the power of divinity.

"Oh, I am so reassured that your my little pony won't freak out and throw me off the side of the universe." She sure as hell knew better than to trust anything, especially cocky warriors, when a horse was involved.

"You do not trust I?" He looked hurt, faltering internally at her lack of belief in his resolve to protect her from danger.

"No I…" Kari swallowed hard, hating the disparaging look in her man friend's eyes. "I don't trust the horse."

"I give you my word, on my honor, I will not allow you to be thrown."

"But… oh…" She squirmed much like a small child in need of the potty. "Alright but… if something does go wrong, promise you won't let Loki save me from it. I don't think I can live down anymore of his crap."
"I do not think it would be wise to agree to such terms." Balder shook his head in a determined, yet scolding, sort of way. "Your life is more important than your pride. To myself at least."
"Oh god, don't lecture me right now. I'm happy to see you so let's not ruin it. Just help me up onto this… monster of yours."
"As you wish."

Though she could not see him, her back turned to him as he helped her up into the saddle, she could psychically feel the satisfied grin plastered on his face. Stupid horse, stupid Balder bringing a horse and stupid her for letting him convince her to get on his stupid horse.

"Woah horsie, good horsie, ok…" She was shaking, unsteady on the complacent and hardly moving mare but soon reassured by the presence climbing into the space behind her.

Her cheeks flushed lightly, the desire to ask if it was his armor or whether he was just happy to see her flashing through her mind as a good conversation starter. Still, Heimdall was only a few feet away, star gazing in his usual manner and really that sort of talk could wait until Balder was a little less 'proper' around her. Actually, being a good boy was most likely his actual personality rather than a façade – he was not the mask type of fellow. Maybe he could be perverted at least.