Chapter IV: Chance of a Lifetime

A/N: What a fun story. I'm enjoying this one a lot! Thank you to theicemenace and MsMarvel21 for their beta work. Also could you check out Kingdom of Crowns by xxNickieHolmes221bxx. It's in the Tudor fandom. Enjoy the chapter! SSD

As soon as she was done with her bath, Hanna decided that she would go to the library. She'd quickly dismissed the servants after giving them orders to burn the clothes she'd been wearing. Hanna wanted to bathe in private.

She felt drained, yet strangely energized. Never before had using magic made her feel like this. Maybe because for the first time in her life, her magic had obeyed what she'd wanted it to do.

After scrubbing for roughly fifteen minutes, Hanna was satisfied with how much better she smelled. But now she was just satisfied to soak. Her mind started to wander.

Why had the prince done what he did? Surely he was more than capable of lighting the candle himself. Hanna had seen the smirk on his face as she panicked to get the fire back under control.

But once she'd gotten it under control, which was a miracle in of itself, both he and candle had disappeared quickly. So quickly in fact, Hanna wasn't even sure that he'd been there at all. Or if he had been there, whether he was truly gone.

Stopping this train of thought, Hanna closed her eyes and savored the feeling of the steaming hot water on her skin. All she wanted to do was relax.

###

Hanna woke up with a shiver. Apparently she'd fallen asleep in the bathtub, since the water was now ice cold. Then again, she'd had a lot on her mind.

Scrambling out of the tub, Hanna yanked her robe on. Judging by the position of the sun, it appeared to be about 2 hours later!

"I can't believe I fell asleep in the bathtub!" Hanna berated herself.

Since there were no servants around, and she didn't feel like calling for any, Hanna took out a dress that she could manage without assistance. As it would turn out, it was a green dress.

###

As Hanna made her way to the library, she heard a snuffling noise her knees. Looking down, she saw that it was Draugur, her brother's wolf.

"That's another thing I should've noticed last night. Ragnar has acquired the faint smell of wet dog ever since he got him no matter what he does!"

Scratching behind the wolf's ears, Hanna said, "Why don't you come with me to library? Ragnar is outside sparring. You can keep me company."

The wolf happily followed her. She was one of the few people the animal really paid attention to. Her brother and father were also among those few.

Once she opened the door to the library, Hanna took a deep breath. She had always loved the smell of books. Going straight to where a book she wanted to find on magic was, she got it, and sat in the window seat, with Draugur curled below her.

###

About fifteen minutes later, Draugur perked up and began growling. Dragging her attention from what she was reading, Hanna asked, "What is it, boy? Calm down, there is not anything there!"

Ignoring her, the silver wolf continued growling, his hackles rising. Putting the book down on the window seat, Hanna knelt on the floor trying to calm Draugur down by petting behind his ears.

"Mhmm… Green is definitely your color!"

Hanna didn't even look up. To be honest, she was not entirely surprised that the prince had gone looking for her. And as much as it galled her to owe him something, she supposed that she should thank him since…

"I suppose hearing a "thank you, your highness" is too much to ask of you," Loki smirked.

Taking a deep breath and smiling sweetly, Hanna said, "I was about to thank you, your highness. But you took the words right out of my mouth. However, I would have preferred that you were not so near to my rooms. There are those that would get the wrong idea." As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted it. Draugur was staying quiet for the moment as Loki had not come any closer

Deciding to play with her a bit, "And just what those people might have to say?" His smirk had gotten even wider.

Hanna could feel herself blush to the roots of her hair. Had he seriously just said that?!

Before she could get another word in, he continued with, "As for that show you gave in the great hall, if you wanted someone to cool you off, all you had to do was ask!"

He had been moving slowly closer, ignoring Draugur's growls. With a motion of his hand, the wolf stopped growling. He'd been muzzled. Once he got within arm's reach, Hanna decided to try and slap him again.

This time, Loki was expecting her to try something like that so he caught her left hand at the wrist, and when she tried to use her off hand to slap him, Loki caught it easily. With a thought, Loki locked Hanna's legs to the ground in a preventative strike to keep her from kneeing him.

Keeping his grip on her hands, Loki whispered in her ear with that sleek baritone of his,

"Where I'm from, there are punishments for slapping the prince." As Hanna tried (and failed miserably) to use her magic to burn his hands so he'd let her go, Loki just laughed at that feeble attempt saying, "And they are much worse than getting your hair set on fire."

Through gritted teeth, Hanna asked, "Why are you here? Don't you have better things to do than terrorize me and my brother's wolf?"

"Not at the moment. But I'm really enjoying you standing this close to me."

Hanna kept her eyes on his face, determined to keep them from going any lower; but was having a difficult time doing just that. She really wanted to get out of the library and quick before she made a fool of herself. "Will you let me go now? I give you my word I will not slap you."

Shockingly, he let her go without an argument. The man really was infuriating!

As she turned around he suddenly said, "I think you'd make a good apprentice...Good job I need one!"

"You're joking...What makes you think I would even want to be your apprentice?"

"You are in desperate need of control…" Loki started but Hanna interrupted him with a laugh, ""And you're going to teach me about control...God of Mischief?"

Deciding to try a different tactic, Loki asked in a casual tone, "I'm sure you have heard of what is done to people when their magic is out of their control."

Hanna's face turned ashen. She had heard of what was done to people in that situation. And it terrified her. Loki smirked before continuing,

"Now that I have your attention, your magic is out of control and you can barely get it to do what you want. I can give you all of that and more. All you have to do is say yes."

Hanna had to think fast. He would likely only make this offer once, and as much as she did not like him, Loki was the best available teacher.

Thinking carefully, she began with, "There's a very old saying: When the student is ready, the master will appear." Taking another deep breath, "I would very much like to become your apprentice."

At her consent, Loki teleported out with a smirk and a glimmer of green energy. A short time later, Draugur began whining again. He was now unmuzzled.

After soothing him for a while, Hanna silently thought to herself,

"What the devil have I just gotten myself into?"

###

"He did What?" Ragnar's eyes darkened to black with his anger. Draugur also shared his master's anger with a growl.

"You agreed to become his apprentice?" Her father also was not amused, but had years of experience to hide it. Then again, Sven also wasn't too surprised at how Loki asked his daughter.

Hanna had just finished telling the two most important men in her life what she had just agreed to doing. They were understandably perturbed.

Ragnar got up and was walking towards the open door, when it slammed shut, getting the attention of his two youngest children rather quickly. Sven didn't use his telekinesis often.

"Where do you think you are headed, Ragnar?" Sven had a pretty good idea where his son was headed, he just needed to hear his heir say it.

"I am going to go find that scoundrel of a prince. And educate him about how he treats my sister."

This time Ragnar got yanked back into his seat. Hanna kept her mouth shut, as she could tell that her father was going to be making a point.

"You cannot just go off and give someone a beating. Yes, there are better ways that Prince Loki could have asked Hanna to become his apprentice." Taking a deep breath, Sven continued, "I cannot say that I am surprised that he went that route. Ragnar, you have got to learn how to pick your battles. I am sure that there is a way for you to make it clear, without using your fists."

During the course of that conversation, Ragnar had calmed down, though he was still obviously irked.

Now that his son was not about to go off and try to give Loki a beating, Sven turned back to his youngest daughter, "Hanna, if you were offended in any way, I am sure I could figure out a way for you to not be his apprentice without there being any repercussions."

Hanna was not too surprised. But her mind was made up as she spoke clearly, "No father. I was not offended. It was awkward, and there is a part of me that would rather not be his apprentice…" taking one more breath finishing, "He is the best available. I want to control my magic, and not have my magic control me."

Sven had watched his daughter as she said all of this. And Hanna had meant every word of it!

"So be it, Hanna. I just hope that you know what you may be getting yourself into."

###

The next few days were particularly quiet. No incidents of any kind. Though Ragnar always left the room whenever Loki entered it, not trusting himself to not give Loki the beating he felt the prince deserved.

As Hanna was getting ready to leave with the group from Asgard, Ragnar went to give his favorite sister a hug.

"If Loki does anything foolish, all you have to do is let me know like this, and I'll come."

"I am not sure that my limited telepathy with you Ragnar is strong enough to reach across realms. Besides, I do not think he will try anything. At least nothing beyond what he has done already." Hanna thought back with a smile.

"Since your mind is made up, let me give you this." When Hanna felt something cool in her hands, she looked down. It was a dagger that was thin closer to the hilt, and curved towards the top.

"I am sure that you could find someone to teach you how to use it properly on Asgard." Ragnar thought with a slight smile on his face.

Hanna gave her brother a tight hug. As she let go, her father came in and said with barely controlled emotion,

"It's time for you to take your leave. Your belongings will follow you within the next few days."

Hanna nodded at her father. And gave him a tight hug. After they let go, Sven said, "Good luck Hanna. I love you."

As she was about to take her step towards the door, Hanna turned and replied, "I love you too Father."

Then she said telepathically to Ragnar, "Put the dagger in one of my trunks."

With that she left, to face her destiny.

###

Sif finally got her first good look at Loki's new apprentice. The thought that entered her mind as the Bifrost was activated, was

"Size is no definition of power."

###

Hanna regretted having eating earlier. Nothing could have prepared her for travelling in that manner. Once she got her bearings, she looked around with wide eyes.

She was in Asgard, the Realm Eternal.

A/N 2: Please tell me what you all think! There will be more interaction with the others in the following chapters.