When the princes of Asgard were still young, a new council advisor to the king moved into the palace. Gosta was a single father who had a daughter almost the same age as Loki and the two became fast friends. Asta and Loki would often be found in the gardens talking and playing games of their own invention while Thor and his friends would be off in pretend battles.
One day, a few years into their friendship, the two were laughing under their favorite tree in the garden. Its branches hung low, making it a perfect hiding spot.
Asta had thrown her head back in giggles. "Loki! Stop! My stomach hurts!" she said through her laughs.
"Well, it's true! And then I jumped up, turned back into me, stabbed him, and yelled, 'Ha! It's me!' and I ran off!" he replied, the smile on his face as big as could be for impressing her.
"Good joke turning into a snake, but did you have to stab him, though?"
"Oh, it wasn't deep and he's big enough to take it."
Asta shook her head. "Oh, Loki. What would life be like without you?"
"Dreadfully dull, I suppose."
"I suppose," she agreed. "And I hope I never find out."
"Me too." He paused thoughtfully. "You know, I think I'm going to marry you some day."
The young girl crossed her arms defiantly. "Oh do you now?"
Loki repeated the action. "Yes. Don't you think we would make a fantastic couple?"
"If I say no, will you have me tossed in the dungeons?"
"Of course not. But still, you may be the only one in all of Asgard that truly understands me. The only one that isn't annoyed or terrified of me."
"You're wrong there. I'm often annoyed by you," she said, poking his shoulder.
"Ah, but yet you remain."
Asta rolled her eyes. "And that is marriage? Staying with the person who annoys you best?"
"No… well, yes… partly? I'm not sure. That's how Thor seems to describe it, at least."
"And since when do we listen to anything that Thor says? You know perfectly well that most of the time he's speaking out of his ass."
Now it was Loki's turn to laugh heartily. "Well, you're certainly not wrong there, my dear. But still, I think, one day…"
"Ok, your highness. Remind me later."
Asta changed the subject. Until a few years later, Loki broached the subject again.
"I still think I'm going to marry you one day," he said as they ate sandwiches in the garden. Loki couldn't even say what was in his sandwich. He was too captivated by her beauty.
Asta sighed. "Loki, think about it. Just because I live in the palace doesn't mean I'm worthy of marriage to you. You're a prince and a god."
"So?"
"You'll need to marry someone of much higher social standing than me."
"Your father is on the council. I believe that's enough."
"Perhaps not for Odin's standards. You might, for once in your life, be wrong. I don't see us being able to get married."
"We shall see, Asta. We shall see."
"Ok, your highness. You remind me of that later."
Loki smirked. 'No worries there, love,' he thought to himself.
About a decade later, Asta's father passed away, leaving her devastated. The only one who could comfort her was Loki. And he saw to it that no one disturbed her during her grieving, to the point of scaring some of the staff of the palace. His snarls were enough to keep everyone away from the poor girl and her sadness. The only one that he would allow to see her was Frigga, but only because Asta never had a mother of her own and the queen was a welcome comfort to the devastated young woman.
After Asta was able to leave her room and enjoy company again, Loki went to his mother and asked about Asta's.
"She didn't come to the palace with a mother, did she?" he questioned. "I don't recall ever seeing a woman with them."
"No, my son. It was only Gosta and Asta," Frigga replied.
"And where was her mother? Did she pass away?"
Frigga took a deep breath. "She abandoned them once Asta was born. To this day, they don't know what happened, but she only left a note saying that she didn't want to stay anymore and live that life. She asked Gosta to not follow her, so he honored her wishes."
"He never asked Heimdall to find her?"
"No. He thought that if she didn't want to be found, then he did not want to find her."
Loki put his head down. "How sad to be left like that, as a baby. And to not know who you come from."
With his face lowered, he missed Frigga's expression of sadness that went beyond sympathy for her son's best friend, but was laced with guilt as well. She wondered if Loki would ever feel like that and if Asta would be able to relate and comfort him.
"Yes, it is sad," she said, putting a hand under his chin to make him look up. "But Asta has you! And what a wonderful friend you've been to her! You mean the world to her, my sweet boy."
"She means the world to me too, Mother. I keep telling her that we'll be married someday."
Frigga laughed. "Is that so? Well, I don't know that I'm ready for a girl to take you from us just yet. But someday, we shall see."
"Asta keeps telling me to remind her. So I do."
"Careful what you ask for, I suppose," Frigga said as she ruffled his curly hair lovingly. "Now, perhaps you should run to your Asta before she thinks you are lost. Isn't it time for tea?"
"Oh, I suppose it is. Thank you, Mother. I appreciate talking with you."
She hugged him tightly. "I love it as well. Tell Asta I said hello."
"I will!" Loki called as he ran off.
Frigga clasped her hands and smiled as her son ran off. She felt that, yes, someday those two would wed, but there was to be a hard road to get there. However, she knew the determination of Loki and the patience of Asta would serve them well and eventually their relationship would only be stronger from it all.
Years later, it was discovered that Asta had a gift. She was able to heal herself and others. And she was quite powerful with it. Because of this, Odin bestowed upon her the title of the goddess of healing.
At the ball after the ceremony, Loki ran up to her. "Well?" he said with a cocky smile.
"Well what?" Asta replied with a raised eyebrow.
"You are now a goddess."
"Indeed."
"Wouldn't that make you of a higher station? Perhaps worthy of marriage to a god?"
Asta rolled her eyes. "Still on that, are you?"
"Yes, afraid so. You can't get rid of me that easily."
Asta put a gentle hand on Loki's cheek. "Nor would I ever want to."
As Loki placed his hand over hers and prepared to lean in for a kiss, Odin's voice boomed across the ballroom.
"As an addition to today's announcement, I am also sending Asta to Midgard! She will assist Thor and his Avenger friends as they work to protect the realm!"
"What?" Loki yelled, spinning to face the throne.
Odin turned to his youngest. "You heard me."
"But—"
"My decision is final, Loki." And with that, he returned his attention back to the party.
Loki turned back to Asta. "Surely, you aren't going along with this."
"What choice do I have?" she asked. "The king has bid me go."
Loki's hands flailed as he desperately tried to fix this. "What if I talk to him? Convince him that your gifts are better suited here?"
Asta smiled sadly. "Do you really think anyone has the ability to change the Allfather's mind? Not even your mother could talk him out of this, Loki. Besides, you can come visit me, right? And I can only hope that I'll be able to come back here to visit."
"I… I don't want you to go," he said, hanging his head in defeat.
She tenderly put her hand under his chin to raise his eyes. "My prince, you'll be fine."
"But who else here sees me as you do?"
"Show them. Show them you. The real you."
She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before the palace guards led her away then to prepare for her journey. Loki didn't even get to say goodbye.
He sighed. Oh, he'd show them the real Loki.
