Hardest of Hearts (Thor/Avengers: Loki/OC )

Chapter 1

A/N: Everyone might be a little OOC for the first few chapters, but this is set very pre Thor, and when I say very I mean think of everyone around 16-17 in human terms, like teenagers. But eventually it will catch up to the movie Thor and Avengers and probably Thor 2 as well and then everyone will be their normal selves we know and love! 

Anyways enjoy! 

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A young maiden named Althea lay beside her sister watching the clouds go by on a beautiful day in Asgard, like all days were. They lay on the softest patch of grass just outside their large home, which by coincidence was close to the palace. 

Althea saw two clouds drifting by that had completely different shapes from one another, but were still clouds. That got her thinking. She and her sister were twins, fraternal, but sisters as different as night and day, as her sister favored battle, Althea loved the art of healing and hoped to one day serve in the healing ward of the palace. 

She knew her sister was more like their father, if not because he was a warrior but because they shared the same traits in personality. Althea on the other hand, while just as determined about things at they were, usually stayed passive in a lot of things and hated arguments or for people to be hurt or upset. 

She thought maybe it was because she had seen something Sif had not, for Althea had watched their mother die. The two of them had been waiting as their mother gave birth to their sibling, and it seemed to be going on forever and her sister had fallen asleep while Althea stayed awake and eventually ran into the healing room where her mother was, just in time to catch her gaze and watch the life leave her. 

And on top of that, their sibling, a baby boy had not survived as he had come five months too early, it was a terrible day for the entire family and occasionally Althea still had nightmares reliving the entire memory. But she wished such a horrible scene was not the cause of her being wary of battle and bloodshed, which she did not see as a bad thing, but nothing good could come from her mothers death, her brothers death, and so must have another cause.

"Sister, why are we so different from each other?" Althea asked turning her head to look over at her sister.

They were twins, but fraternal, although they did share golden locks and sapphire blue eyes and were similar in stature, but still different in many ways.

"Because sweet sister, no one is the same as another, even twins," She replied her eyes twinkling as she smiled.

"I see," Althea replied before staring back up at the clouds.

Her sister did the same and they continued to have a peaceful afternoon, and soon they both fell asleep. The golden strands of their shining hair spread around them on the grass.

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Loki walked around the outskirts of the palace, trying to get away from Thor's boasting again. He could only listen to him talk for so long before he had to leave, in fear of using one of his spells to get him to shut up. Then he'd be in trouble with the All-Father, again. 

This time Thor was going on and on about the newest maiden who had captured his attention, there was a new one every week. And they were all glad to return Thor's attention of them. Except this time it seemed the Lady Sif was playing hard to get, she seemed to be smarter than most women and did not so easily fall under Thor's spell. At least to the public it appeared that way, but Loki knew inside Sif was leaping for joy or whatever it is women do when they're happy, because Thor was finally paying attention to her.

Now, Loki couldn't deny Sif was a very beautiful woman, and he to had taken a shine to her at one point, but she was Thor crazed like all the others. And so he stepped back and let Thor have his fun, the usual way things worked in the royal household. Thor was the Golden Son, and he Loki, the Silvertongue. 

It was only luck that he would come upon the lady Sif laying on the grass with her sister watching the clouds. He was going to turn back and leave them be, but then an idea struck him. Before he could change his mind, he sent a small enchantment over to the two youths, casting them asleep. 

He waited a moment to make sure they would not stir before walking over to Sif to look upon her. 

Pulling his dagger from its sheath, he kneeled down and grasped some of her golden locks in his hand. He knew this was what Thor admired most, and what drew him to her, her golden locks, and indeed they did look spun from gold. 

Before he could blink he had cut a large chunk off, and then another, and then another. Before he knew it he had cut all the hair from her head, and it now lay around her on the grass. 

He smirked; let's see Thor look upon her now that his favorite aspect was gone. For Loki, it had been Sif's drive and determination that drew him to her but that was before she had rejected him, quite cruelly he might add. So he felt no remorse for taking away her prized possession. 

A mumble and movement stilled his actions, causing him to look over and watch as her sister rolled and turned to face him, though her eyes remained closed. He noticed that she was beautiful, maybe more so than Sif herself. And the same golden locks ran from her head. He moved over towards her, grabbed a lock of her hair and prepared to sever it, but he stopped. 

He had no quarrel with this girl, and something about her made him feel at peace and healed. Besides, he had gotten into enough trouble for today, and was it fun. He was a youth still, only around 400 or so and knew his father would punish him, if he were caught. But he'd think about that later, and it would probably be worth it to watch his scheme unfold.

So Loki stood back up and returned his dagger to its sheath, then left the meadow and returned to the cover of the trees and out of site.

It seemed Loki had been forgetful in his time of mischief, because he hadn't realized Heimdall had watched the entire scene.


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Althea woke to the sound of her sisters scream, immediately she leapt to her feat, as she had never heard Sif scream, except when they were children. As she set her eyes on her sobbing sister she couldn’t believe what she was seeing and a startled gasp escaped her mouth.

“Don’t look upon me sister, I’m hideous!” Sif said in her cries, before she got up and ran into the house they shared with their father.

Althea quickly followed, right on her sister’s heels as she ran to her chambers and threw herself on her bed and sobbed into the blankets.

“Oh Sif,” Althea muttered, climbing onto the bed and hugging her sister tightly, her heart aching seeing her twin in such pain.

“Your hair was not the only thing beautiful about you! Can’t you see it’s what’s inside that matters, I know it’s hard to understand, but it’s true!” Althea said in an attempt to comfort her, but truly she had no idea what to say.

“You’re wrong! I can never show my face again!” Sif cried, turning her bloodshot eyes to her sister.

“Think of it this way, now that it’s shorter,” Althea started, and indeed it was, she still had hair, but it was now to her shoulders and crudely cut, “Now that it’s shorter,” She started again, “It will be easier to battle with, you won’t have to worry about it getting in the way,” Althea told her, and although her words were true, they had no effect on her sister.

Knowing she couldn’t think of anything else Althea pulled her sister up and put her hands on both her cheeks, closing her eyes and concentrating… now how did that spell go again? She had read it in a book somewhere, and had only tried it on a wild horse, not that Sif was a horse.. But, she hadn’t tried it on an Asgardian yet, but always a first time for everything. Reaching down within her, she found the warmth that resided in all Asgardians, it was just a matter of tapping into that power and harnessing it like she was doing now. The warmth spread up and out her arms, a golden light emitting from her fingertips and absorbing into Sif’s cheeks, instantly calming her as the sobs subsided.

Pulling back, Althea blinked open her eyes fighting off the dizziness she felt from sending her energy into her sister to calm her down, “Better?” She asked.

“Yes,” Sif replied nodding her head, “I may be calm now, dear sister, but that doesn’t mean I will be showing my face again. What’s the point in being a woman warrior, and one of the best, if I look like a man?”

“You look the farthest thing from a man!” Althea replied looking at her sister, even if her hair was shorter now and uneven, she still looked like a beautiful woman.

“You lie! You’re family so you have to say that!” Sif yelled back getting upset again.

“Fine! Don’t believe me then wait here and don’t move!” Althea yelled right back before jumping off the bed and running over to a drawer, pulling out a pair of shears then returning to the bed.

Horrified, Sif retreated away from her sister, “What are you doing! You’ll only make it worse!” She yelled backing away, thinking they were for her.

“They aren’t for you,” Althea replied calmly, “They’re for me, I will cut my hair off just like yours so you will see even without it we can be beautiful,” She said pulling a long lock forward, preparing to cut. Though she was a little hesitant, like Sif she did treasure her hair but she loved her sister more.

Just as she was about to make the first cut, the shears were pulled from her hands, “No!” Sif yelled at her, “Don’t you dare! I shall not have you be shamed like myself, it will only make the pain worse,” Sif explained her reasoning, though it wasn’t a very good one.

Althea sighed, she really had no idea what to do then, so she decided to change the topic, “Well, what do you suppose happened?”

“I… I don’t know,” Sif replied before laying back down on her bed and pulling the blankets over her, “Please just leave me sister, I wish to be alone…”

Althea didn’t want to leave her sister’s side, but she did as asked and left the room, but not before hugging her sister then walked away shutting the door behind her.


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For three days and three nights, Sif had not left her chambers; Althea brought her food and water, and even crafted a beautiful veil for her to wear if she were to go out into the public. It had backfired on her unfortunately, as Sif never took it off even when she slept. Their father was away on business for the All-Father, and wouldn’t be returning for another week, so they had been alone. Sif had also made Althea cast the servants out of their house, which she did, promising they could return eventually, she wasn’t that heartless to leave them unemployed forever. 

Althea was trying to read a book in the sitting room as she had been kicked out of Sif’s chambers, again when she heard pounding on the door, which startled her. Standing up she quickly walked over to the door, pulling the heavy wood open, which was usually done by two of their servants, but she managed.
Quickly she bowed her head for who was at the door, “My prince, Thor, what brings you here?” She asked him pleasantly.

“Ah! Lady Althea! How have you fared?” Thor asked her in his loud and booming voice, she was sure Sif could hear in her chambers.

“I am well, and yourself?” She asked him giving him a small smile, hating to lie.

“I am well just as you are, my friend! However, I have come here in search of the Lady Sif, it seems no one has seen her in three days and nights, is she here?” He asked her hopefully.

“Uh… yes, she is, but she’s… she’s taken ill and is resting in bed,” Althea quickly lied, to protect her sister.

“I see, well wish her well for me and tell her I came by, I shall return tomorrow to see if she feels any better!” Thor said taking her hand, kissing the back of it and then leaving.

Althea watched him go before quickly closing the door and bolting it, she knew it would be a problem, but what was she going to say? He was the prince, she had already lied to him enough, well partially, Sif was truly not feeling well.

Thor came again the next day, and Althea answered the door, telling him Sif was still ill and coming up with excuses as to why she was not with the healers.

He came again, and then again, and then again.

Until one day, as she opened the door, Thor came charging past her and into their home, “Sif! Sif come out! Why do you hide from me?” He yelled into the house.

Althea thought his attempts would be futile but the next thing she heard was whimpering from the top of the stairs, “Stay where you are Thor, do not look upon me. I am ashamed for you to see me. I must leave Asgard, and go to Svartheim to live with the dwarves, as I am as ugly as they are now!” Sif called down hiding behind a column.

Althea almost snorted, now that was an exaggeration, nothing could be as ugly as the dwarves from Svartheim, especially her beautiful sister.

“Sif, my friend, what has happened to change you so?” Thor asked walking closer to the stairs, but taking heed to Sif’s request and not looking at her.

“I have lost all the hair from my head, the golden locks you so admired, and I so treasured,” Sif said to him walking from outside of the pillar, into their view before gaining courage and pulling off the veil from her head, revealing her very short hair.

“Who was it that did this to you Sif? I am Thor, prince of Asgard, and the mightiest of all Asgardians! They shall pay for taking your golden tresses!” Thor said running up the stairs to join her.

“I know not who did this! Or I would tell you!” Sif replied looking away from his gaze in shame.

“Come with me!” Thor said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along behind him.

As they passed Althea, Sif grabbed her hand pulling her after them and to the Council House where all the Gods and Goddesses were, and all could see the rage in Thor’s eyes, and knew the grievance against the Lady Sif was grave indeed.

Thor told them of the cutting of her beautiful hair, and as everyone looked upon Sif, trying to see behind her veil, Althea came beside her and held her as they all stared at her.

Soon whispers were going around the hall, “It was Loki,” Was what they said, “Only he could do a deed so shameful.”

“Loki!” Thor yelled in anger, “I’ll kill him!”

“Silence!” The All-Father called out silencing the entire hall, “No dweller of Asgard may kill another, I will summon him here before us,” He said to Thor, leaving no room for argument, “It is up to you to make him bring Sif back her hair.”

The All-Father called Loki before him, and soon Loki was walking into the chambers calmly as Thor yelled the accusations against him.

“Where is your proof that I am the culprit?” Loki replied after Thor was done, smirking.

“Do not lie, brother!” Thor yelled in anger.

“Loki,” The All-Father called out to him, “You have done Sif a great wrong this day, and you must fix what you destroyed.”

“I cannot grow hair, and if I did, it would not be on her head,” Loki replied calmly glancing over at Sif as she trembled in her sister’s arms.

“I have proof,” A voice called entering the hall.

All eyes turned to the entrance, where they watched the dark skinned God Heimdall enter with golden eyes, which saw and heard, everything.

“I saw Loki take his dagger and cut the Lady Sif’s golden hair from her head, and even he cannot appose my eyes,” Heimdall said to the assembled council. 

“There’s our proof!” Thor yelled out taking steps towards Loki, “You will fix the mischief you have spun!”

“Do as he says,” The All-Father commanded of Loki, and he knew he had no choice.

“Very well,” Loki said leaving the council to fix his scheme, a rare thing to behold, because Loki never, if ever undid his deeds.


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Loki thought of how he could restore to Sif the beauty of her hair, and while he did know there was no such enchantment, and he honestly didn’t want to spend his time learning it if there was, and so decided to see the dwarves, the master’s of forging.

He traveled to Svartheim, where the dwarves lived and were most friendly to him worked in their forges. He praised their work and promised them things only those in Asgrad could give them, which they longed to posses, he talked to them until they believed they would posses Asgard and all that was in it, they didn’t call him The Silvertongue for nothing.

Eventually after he had done al the praising and “admiring” he could stand he asked them, "Have you got a bar of fine gold that you can hammer into threads? Threads so fine that they will be like the hair of the Lady Sif? Only the Dwarves could make a thing so wonderful,” Loki praised again, for a final time looking around the room they were in, “There is a bar of gold. Hammer it into fine threads, and the Gods and Goddesses themselves will be eternally jealous of your work."

Flattered by Loki's words, the dwarves took the bar of gold and flung it into the fire. Then took it out and put it upon their anvil’s they worked on the bar with tiny hammers until they beat it into threads that were as fine as the hair of an Asgardian’s head. They worked on the hair like threads, over and over again, until they were as fine as the hairs on the Lady Sif's head, if not finer. The threads were as bright as the golden sun, and when Loki picked up the finished cap it flowed from his hand so fine and so light, he would have thought it was truly real hair, if he hadn’t seen it being crafted. 

He thanked the dwarves, and praised there work before leaving, and still the dwarves did not know why they had forged him such fine work, and as he left, they realized they had received nothing in return. And so in spite they altered there work, such was there magic.

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Loki returned to Asgard a day after he had left and made his way to the Lady Sif’s home, where he knocked still holding the work of the dwarves in his hand.

Who opened the door was not Sif, nor Thor or any other that he knew, but it was Sif’s sister, Althea he believed her name to be, though they had never formally met.

The look she gave him was completely passive, he expected her to be like Sif, they were twins after all, and be quick to anger and have a fire in her eyes, but while she has no fire, he did not think she was as weak as she seemed, he felt something strong and powerful inside of her, like that of his own magic.

“Good day, Lady… Althea? Is it?” He asked giving her a cheerful Loki smile.

“Yes, that is my name, I see you are here to correct your mistake am I right my prince?” Althea asked glancing at the shimmering gold in Loki’s hands.

While Loki thought what he did was hardly a mistake, and while he did get caught, it was funny to see the rage on Thor’s face.

“Indeed I am, would you be so kind as to show me where the Lady Sif is?” He asked and she gestured for him to come inside.

Althea closed the door behind the prince, then lead him up the stairs to Sif’s chambers where she sat on a stool staring out the window.

“Remove the veil, Lady Sif,” Loki called out to her stepping trough the doorway.

Sif turned her angry eyes on the prince, but remained silent and removed the veil, revealing her lack of hair.

Loki walked forwards and set the golden threads upon her head, the strands took root the moment they were placed on Sif's head, and then began to grow out. Beautiful fine, golden hair fell over her shoulders and as Sif turned to admire her hair once again in the mirror she had avoided for the past few days she smiled, for the first time in a long time and joy shone in her eyes. But then the hair began to turn black, like they were made from the shadows themselves, and indeed tey were.

Loki had been unable, or unwilling, to pay the dwarves for creating the golden hair. So they decided that for the price of nothing, they would make strands of nothing. The dwarves instead tricked Loki into thinking they were making golden tresses out of gold but instead making black tresses from the blackness of the night and the moment they were placed on Sif’s head the illusion had been broken.

Both women were to shocked to speak so Loki spoke instead, “I personally think it looks better this way,” But it seems Loki should have kept his mouth shut for once as Sif had grabbed her sword and was attacking him angrily.

Althea was quick to step in front of her sister, pushing her away and with some careful and familiar maneuvering able to get the sword away from her sister, ‘I agree with him Sif! You look more intimidating this way! Like a beautiful storm coming after an enemy! It suits you better than your golden hair!”

And as Althea touched Sif’s arms, Loki did not miss the golden light flowing from her hands and into Sif, who instantly calmed down.

She removed her arms, and set Sif back on the chair facing her towards the mirror so she could admire the hair, which she immediately started to do.

Althea stepped back and turned to the prince, “I’ll walk you out,” She said to him with a small smile.

As Althea walked Loki to the door she turned to him, “Thank you for giving my sister back her hair, even if it isn’t gold,” She said smiling at him in gratitude.

This confused Loki, he expected Althea to be angry for what he did to her sister, and to treat him the way everyone else did, like an outcast, but she didn’t, “You are not angry?” He couldn’t resist asking her.

“I rarely get angry, Sif and I differ in that way, and other’s…” She trailed off, “I do think it was wrong of you, but Sif has a tendency to overreact about things, and while I hate to see her so upset it is funny to see her so angry over her hair,” She said with a little laugh at the end, “And I also think this was a crime of opportunity, not planned,” She said with a smirk.

“Oh, and what makes you think that?” Loki asked curious.

Silently, Althea reached up to her 
hair, and pulled out a small chunk from the bottom, which was severed, just like Sif’s had been. Then Loki realized he hadn’t changed his mind about cutting her hair as quick as he thought.

Loki sighed, getting ready to go back to the dwarves, this time with money to pay for more golden strands that would stay gold, when she laughed, “Don’t look so put out, my prince, I think it gives it character, I like it this way now, and it’s hardly visible,” Althea said smiling.

“Very well, but there will be no changing your mind, I doubt the dwarves would be glad to see me quite so soon,” Loki said before turning away from her to make his way back to the palace.

“What? No apology?” Althea called after him.

“I don’t apologize!” Loki called back, “But, I can give you some magic lessons!”

Althea gasped, her eyes widening, wondering how he knew, “You.. but how?” She asked him.

“I am a magic user myself as I’m sure you know, and therefor can sense when others have magic like myself, and you Lady Althea have strong magic, meet me in the grand library tomorrow at noon, I will tell the guard to allow you entry,” Loki said and then disappeared from her sight in the blink of an eye.

Althea was nervous about magic, the most she had learned was from a small book she had found in the back of a bookstore, and it had hardly amounted to anything except a few simple tricks. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to learn more, but decided she would not pass up the chance to do so. While Sif had her growing battle skills, Althea decided she would have her magic skills.


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That's the end of chapter 1! Like I said at the begging everyone was a bit OOC and they will not be like that forever, especially Sif, but this chapter takes place like 2000 Asgardian years before Thor where we meet the Sif I am sure would never cry and get so upset over her hair. 

And I incorporated some mythology into this first chapter, with the tale of Loki cutting Sif's hair and why she has black hair instead of blonde! 

Anyways thanks for reading, and if you could drop a review letting me know what you think I would greatly appreciate it! Not that you have too.. But it would be nice! :)