Work Text:
Loki was bored.
He was still but a child, and yet he already knew he disliked extravagant festivities. Particularly the ones as the huge banquet his family was attending. It was a feast reuniting Asgard's and Alfheim's royal families and courts, celebrating their durable alliance, and was therefore - of course - one of the biggest and more beautiful banquet one could dream of. Valhalla's ones might much likely look the same, Loki guessed.
He sighed, his head resting on his arms. For how long have they even been here? A few hours, not so much in fact, but he felt like he had spent the entire day seated on this chair.
But at least he could admire the nature around him, for the festivities were happening just outside of the palace, within a large courtyard. As it was already night, orange and bright lanterns, along with innumerable candles, decorated and illuminated the place. There were, in fact, more candles that any foods or drinks on the long and white tables. Loki contemplated the flame of one of them.
He stayed like this a little moment, before glancing at his parents, who were a bit farther away, on the principal table. He had wanted to be settled there too, but it was only reserved for the king and queen of the two realms. They had assured his brother and him it was only to let them discuss about serious political matters, but he was sceptical. If the two realms were at peace, what serious matter could they be discussing? Loki figured out, as he had heard them laugh out loud and be served mead way too frequently, that it was only a poor excuse to keep them apart from their adult ways of feasting.
Sighing again, Loki laid his eyes on his brother, seated next to him and devoring a huge piece of sauced meat that seemed way to large for him. He himself had already settled for a little part of meat and a bit of vegetables, and he didn't want any more. So he didn't understand that appetite.
"My, prince Thor, is looks like you haven't eaten in ten days!" laughed a servant while pouring water in the two boys' cups. "Do they not serve you enough food on Asgard?" she joked gently.
"They do, but it is not as good as the one you have on Alfheim!" the boy responded with a bright smile.
"A prince shouldn't speak with his mouth full," she scolded him a bit, but still smiling. "Although I am deeply honoured by your compliment on our realm's cuisine."
He smiled at her. He couldn't be happier.
Loki, on the other side, wanted to be out of here. He waited for the servant to go away and for his brother to finish his plate to convince him to join him.
"Thor, I don't want to stay here... let's go play somewhere."
"But I'm still hungry."
"You already ate a lot! Come on," he insisted while pulling his sleeve.
"I don't know if we have the right to leave the table."
"Father and mother are busy, and no one is minding us."
Thor looked at the main table, the one that was in the center and had a view on all the others. Their parents were effectively laughing with Alfheim's monarchs, and absolutely not looking at them.
"All right," Thor finally complied. "But we must be back for the dessert."
Loki smiled and got out of his chair. Finally he was free! He looked rapidly around him. The few servants were far away, fortunately.
The boy left the tables and began to walk to one of the trees that surrounded the courtyard.
"Where are you going?" Thor asked, and Loki didn't get if it was annoyance or curiosity.
"I don't now. I want to explore."
"They'll notice us if we go inside. There may be more servants running everywhere there."
"Then let's continue outside!" Loki exclaimed as he was passing next to the trees. "I want to be an explorer! We don't often see other places than the palace or Asgard. This is an other realm, it is so great!"
"It's true", Thor admitted while following him, not thinking a lot of it. In fact he was still hungry and he didn't want to get lost.
"Here is our first obstacle!" Loki exclaimed as pointing the two guards in front of the courtyard's entrance.
They were discussing and laughing, distracted from their task, and the two boys could have easily passed through them in verity. But it was less fun.
Loki sat behind the closest tree to the wall, eyeing the two guards. His brother imitated him, beginning to get into the game too.
"What should we do?" Loki asked his older brother. "They do not know us like the ones in the palace. It won't work if we make puppy faces."
"Could we try 'get help'?"
"Not this time. It's too loud, it will bring attention to us. Maybe we can distract them with food? But we both have to get out... no, it won't work because if one of us propose them food, only the other can get out. No, we have to proceed in an other way. I have an idea. Wait here."
Before his brother could say anything, Loki got up and went straight to the two guards. He told them something - Thor wondered what - and pointed a direction with his finger. To his surprise, the two men went away in the same direction soon after.
Loki came back, looking proud of himself.
"What did you tell them?"
"I told them that a beautiful and shy maiden had asked for their help to carry more mead barrels for the feast."
Thor looked at him with admiration. "It was a perfect idea! You're so intelligent!"
"Now let's get out," Loki said without answering his praise, too eager to discover what was out there. It seemed to be gardens, but immenses ones. In fact he didn't see the end of them from where he was.
He ran through the open entrance gate and found himself in the middle of green fields. It was strange, on Asgard the palace's gardens where highly decorated, with various flowers and furniture. There were alleys of brushes. But here, it was a vast stretch of grass. Of course there were trees and flowers but it was absolutely not decorated in a regular way.
Curious, Loki began to walk forward. The gigantic palace was right before them, facing a endless field he wanted to explore.
"We shouldn't deviate from the walls too much..."
It was strange for Thor to be the wise one for once, he who usually was so impulsive and foolish, but he was feeling responsible for his brother and he feared a little their parents' reprimands.
The night was also completely down now, and as they continued walking, the noise and the light from the feast got farther apart. The only other source of light was the shining stars in the sky that illuminated their path.
But something caught the boys' eyes. It was also light, but it seemed more like something glowing.
As they approached it, they found themselves in front of a pond, with hundred of glowing lights above it.
"Look!" Loki exclaimed. "There are fireflies! They're beautiful!"
"Indeed," Thor agreed as he looked at them, quite stunned. He didn't even recall ever seeing some.
"That exploration is great! We already found a treasure."
"Maybe it is a magic pond."
"You think so?" Loki exclaimed with a smile.
"I don't know. But in the books, where there is a beautiful place like this one, it is always magical."
"Then we must find what it does."
Loki seated on the grass, attentively inspecting the pond. It had flowers around and on it, that seemed to grow in the water.
Out of curiosity, he plunged his hand into it. It wasn't even cold. When he pulled his hand out, his opened wide his eyes. It was blue, a bright blue under the fireflies' lighting.
As his brother witnessed it too, it disappeared quickly after.
"What did that mean?" Thor asked.
"It really is magic! Put your hand into it too."
He obeyed and did the same. But as he pulled it out of the water, nothing had changed. His hand was the same colour.
"It didn't work for me..."
"Maybe you're not as sensitive to magic as me. That's why mother wanted to teach me hers."
"You might be right..." Thor admitted, disappointed. "But why did it made your skin blue? What did that mean?"
"I don't know. Maybe it just does that to people sensitive to magic. It designes them. Nothing else."
"Or maybe it tells something about you that is not the case for me."
Loki looked at him silently, thinking. But at the end he only shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, good luck finding out what. As long as we know that water could do that to the younger brothers or the people with black hair," he said jokingly.
"It is a strange use for a magical pond," Thor admitted, not getting the joke and taking it seriously.
"Maybe it does other things."
"Maybe it realises wishes! That's what beautiful and magical things do."
"Then we have to make a wish?"
"Indeed. I'll began," Thor said. He put his hands on his knees and began thinking. Then he declared with assurance, "I want to be a good king later and have Loki by my side as my king or queen when we'll have to rule Asgard! And be a great warrior and succeed to protect everyone. And make my people happy. And make a lot of feasts when I'll be king."
"You made too many wishes..." Loki said, his cheeks a bit red.
"Too much is better than not enough! Your turn," he said with a smile.
Loki laid his eyes on the pond. "I wish... I wish to be the king or queen of Thor and of Asgard when we'll be older, and to be a good ruler. I would like to make my brother and my people happy too. And also learn to be a great and powerful sorcerer."
"I'm sure those wishes will come true."
An other silent went by. Then Loki laid his eyes on his brother again.
"You really want me to be your king or queen?" He asked, really touched.
"Of course! I want to always have you by my side. And you are so clever and you know me so well. Nobody else could suit the place."
Those words made Loki's heart flutter. Without responding, he straightened up a bit to take him in his arms. He tightened the embrace as Thor did the same, reassured by its warmth. It's true he didn't want to ever leave his brother neither.
"There you are, you naughty little princes! Could you tell me what you were doing all the way up there?"
They both got startled as a young woman approach them with a lantern. It was the same servant as before. She seemed more angry than worried.
The two boys didn't even move immediately. Loki finally let go, already regretting it. He loved cuddling with his brother. He promised himself to do it more frequently.
"We were visiting," Loki began.
"By night, where there isn't even a lot of light, and in a place you don't know well? This is some brave idea. After all you really are princes of Asgard. Come with me now. Your parents had asked me too look after you, little ones. You didn't think everyone at the feast would really ignore you, did you?"
"Then why did you not followed us and came to bring us back as soon as with left the table?" Loki asked as he stood up and saw Thor imitated him.
"It seems you both are more discreet than you seem," the young women responded with her pride a bit hurt, sighing. "And that I was not as attentive as I should have been. But I also had to serve everyone, so it was justified. At least some people at the end of the table saw where you were heading and I could find you easily."
Loki looked up at the woman. She was young but she already seemed mature, and it didn't look like she had panicked. He was impressed. He always saw his mother or the servants panicking when he disappeared.
"Now come," she said as she dragged him along. "And take each other's hand. I do not wish to lose one of you in the night."
Loki was more than willing to do so. He smiled when he felt Thor's warm hand grip and squeeze his own, and did the same in return.
As they were leaving their new spot, Loki looked back, a bit saddened. He would have wanted to stay more at the magic pond. Maybe he could see it more one day.
He looked at his brother, who was silent, which was quite unusual. Maybe he was thinking. He then looked up at the young woman again.
"Say, is this pond magic?" he asked her.
The servant first looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and then she chuckled, a bit amused. "Why would you think so?"
"Because it is really pretty."
"So everything pretty is magic?"
"You didn't answer my question!" Loki pouted, not wanting to have his logic challenged.
"I'll answer it. I don't know if it really is magic. But a legend says that if you make use of the water, it will show you who you really are, and display your true nature."
"Metaphorically? Like on your reflection? If you have a tainted heart, it will show you an ugly face?"
"I don't know. Perhaps it is up to you to find the way and the answer. What did you see in it?"
"Well... only our true reflection. As we are now."
"Then you two have a pure heart."
"And it made my hand blue when I put it in the water, but not Thor's," he added, wanting a response. "Could it be linked?"
The woman stopped walking, and turn to him. They were near the door of the courtyard.
"You know what I think, little prince? That you and your brother are tired, and that the poor light and your imagination had confused you."
"But I swear...! He saw it two!"
"And I see that you need to go to bed. Come on. It is already very late. You'll go to sleep, I will bring you to a guest chamber. Your parents will feast all night until morning comes anyway."
Loki just pouted. He was sure his hand had change colors. But maybe the lady was right. Maybe he was tired or something, or that the water showed him he was sensitive to magic this way, as he had thought.
"But I don't want to go to bed!" Thor complained. "I'm not tired, and I didn't even have dessert!"
"After your little escape? Surely not. You may be princes, but I was put in charge of you. And by leaving like this, you wasted the time I needed in participating in the feast's service. So this is your punishment."
"Then I'll tell everyone you're a bad servant for letting us escape and you'll be fired!" Thor exclaimed.
He may have only said this from frustration, but surprisingly, the woman really got scared.
"All right. Then we'll make a deal. You won't tell anyone about this, and in exchange I'll bring you both a slice of tart."
"Accepted," Loki said first, because he was sure his brother would still complain.
"Then let's go. I don't have all time. I have to continue my work."
They followed the woman as she went on the side of the courtyard and entered the palace. Loki wanted to see the throne room, by curiosity, but instead the servant brought them to some stairs that were followed by narrowed corridors. And at least, they arrived to a their new room.
Loki took a look inside before entering. It was small compared to the one they had at their palace, but it was richly decorated and the bed was large and seemed really comfy. It had a ton of cushions.
As the two boys stood there, the woman went to open the window for fresh air. She then proceed to light up a candle and approach the bed to pull off the covers a bit as for someone to settle. After this, she opened a wardrobe to take a night shirt that she put on the bed. Then she went back at them.
"This bedroom is for you, Thor. Now I'll prepare a room for you," she said while looking at Loki.
"Don't bother yourself. I'll sleep with my brother," he assured her.
He wanted to stay with him. He didn't want to be alone. And he always had sweet dreams and slept so well when we was with his brother.
She just sighed again. "Do as you wish. I have other work to be busy with."
She said nothing more and left. She didn't even help them to settle in the bed. Well, they didn't care. They didn't care neither to change into night clothes. They were already confortable and warm in the ones they were wearing.
As Thor settled himself, Loki climb on the bed next to him, putting the covers on them both.
"She said she would bring us slices of tart," Thor recalled.
Loki didn't share his frustration. He didn't care about the tarts. He was in a comfy bed with the person he loved the most and he couldn't be more happier. He took his hand into his own, his heart racing, and looked at him with glowing eyes.
"I don't think she'll come back. She seemed pretty annoyed and busy. Maybe we'll have them tomorrow."
"It's so unfair. I want them now."
Loki didn't like to see his brother annoyed or sad. As an instinct, like they already did since they were even younger, he let go of his hand to take him into his arms.
"It's okay, I'll try to get you that tart tomorrow, I promise, so please don't be sad. Even if I have to sneak out into the kitchens!"
"That could be fun! Thank you, Loki," he smiled as tightening the embrace as much as he could. He didn't want to let him go. Neither of them did. "And thank you for staying with me."
"I did not want to sleep alone. And a king and his king or queen always sleep together, look at father and mother. So if I'll be yours one day and you'll be mine, then we have to become accustomed to it."
"That's right," Thor laughed.
"Do you want to stay by my side forever?" Loki asked him with so much innocence in his gaze. "Because it is what I want with you."
"Of course... I already said it to you. You are so clever and you always reassure me. I couldn't imagine living without you. I am going to marry you!"
Loki's smile widened even more. "And the wishes we did will realise themselves?"
"Of course they will."
"I love you," Loki admitted, his gaze plunged into his.
"I... I love you too."
"People who love each other kiss," Loki reminded him, in a still so innocent way.
Thor smiled and gave him a quick and yet tender kiss on the lips. It last only a second but Loki loved it.
"It's sweet!"
"Then I'll give you as much as you want," Thor assured and gift him the same chaste kiss again, making Loki chuckle.
"I never want to leave you," Loki repeated as he cuddled with him under the blankets. "And I want to explore more places with you to find more magical ones."
"We'll do that. I promise," Thor assured him while stroking his hair.
Loki stayed against his brother as he was feeling himself falling asleep.
He admitted he had disliked the beginning of this feast, but he had loved a lot its end.