A couple days passed while Loki trained me in magic. Without the blocker, I had yet to find something I didn't take to rather quickly.
He had taught me more illusions, including creating one of myself, though it was nowhere near as good as his, more healing magic, and even some basic self defense.
I could pick and choose when I wanted my magic to damage rather than heal, but it was a conscious decision, a forced one almost. Using magic to hurt someone felt more strenuous to me than healing magic, it felt like a different magic all together, but Loki said it'd be better with practice.
On that specific day Loki took me to the healing wing after his mother wasn't in her chambers. He went inside to speak with her while I waited in the hall, leaned against the wall with my book in my hand. I was flipping through the pages when I heard rushing, and looked up to see an older woman tugging a child alongside her. I recognized Gerda immediately, but hadn't seen the boy previously.
He cried, screaming about not wanting to be touched while she scolded him in a whisper.
"You two okay?" I asked, closing my book and leaning off the wall. The boy turned to face me, and that's when I saw the large gash spreading across his nose.
"Hello, Lady Eirdottir. We are alright; my son had an accident while training."
Training? He seemed young to be training in anything, hardly of school age to Earth's standards. Thor did say he started warrior training as a child, though. I guess I just hadn't realized how early that truly meant.
"Mother, please leave it. She's going to touch it!" The boy cried again, attempting to tug back his arm in a frenzy. He succeeded, making me frown before I knelt down.
"Hey, little one. I won't touch anything." I said with a smile. "Just calm down... Do you want to see a trick?"
Gerda didn't interfere as I spoke with the boy, but I couldn't tell if it was because of who I was, or if it was because the boy had calmed as I spoke to him, nodding slightly at my question.
I held out my palm, allowing the illusion of a gorgeous gold dove to take form in my hand. The boy smiled at the image, before I made it fly around a second.
"Hold out your hand." I whispered with a grin. The boy happily did so, watching in awe as the dove landed on his hand. "Now, hold him close to your face."
The boy seemed confused though the smile stayed on his face and he followed instructions, bringing his hand close enough to his face that a simple lean of the dove pressed it to his nose. A couple seconds of nuzzling later, the boy's nose was free of the gash, only having blood left to be cleaned off.
"Feel better?" I asked, dissolving the illusion.
The boy grinned, and Gerda profusely began to thank me, likely having been afraid her son was going to embarrass her in front of the queen.
"Gerald, tell her thank you." Gerda demanded of her son.
"Thank you, lady." He said shyly now. "My sincerest apologies for my outburst." He seemed embarrassed himself, likely being taught that such emotions weren't acceptable where others could view them.
"You are very welcome, Gerald." I said with a bit of a laugh, before kneeling down and whispering just loud enough for him to hear. "And if it makes you feel better, I've seen Prince Thor have several similar outbursts. No warrior likes being injured in battle, and that's nothing to be ashamed of."
He giggled at that, his grin not leaving his face even after Gerda put her hands on his shoulders, preparing to take him back.
"Thank you again... Dani."
"I'm glad I could help, really."
As they walked away I went back towards the wall, picking my book back up off the floor to begin reading once again, but a throat clearing in the corridor forced my attention.
Frigga's smile was large, her happiness filling the hallway as Loki stood behind her, his own smirk full of pride.
"Come, dear." Frigga motioned for me to follow the two of them, which I happily did.
The palace's healing wing was large, but it was uncommon for many people to be there. Warriors were the most common visitors, for obvious reasons, but large battles were few and far between in the realm anymore from what I had heard. So that left training accidents and the occasional incident with looters in the village.
"This was your mother's study." Frigga stated, leading me into a room in the wing that full of bookcases and plants. A desk sat in the middle, a couch not far from it with a window overlooking part of the gardens. The room was filled with white and gold decor, the occasional bit of burgundy and maroons added. "She chose to keep hers on the healing wing, since it's where she was most."
"It's gorgeous." I mumbled as I looked around.
"You can feel free to do your studying here. Little has been changed since your mother left."
I smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Frigga."
"In exchange for such things.. I would love some help in the healing wing from time to time. It would be good practice for you."
"I would love that!" I perked, grinning now.
Frigga spent the rest of the day showing me around the wing, where I could find any and everything I'd need, and explained how things are usually run. It was similar to a hospital, other than the obvious use of magic.
Frigga let me go get changed for dinner, a rather large feast in celebration of some peace treaty within the realm. It was pretty select, even then, with the warriors and the court being the only people invited. Somehow I was included in that list, though I assumed Thor or Frigga had a hand in that.
Ingrid once again came to 'prepare me', which was annoying, but I did enjoy her company. She liked to ask me questions about Earth and what it was like to grow up there, taking interest in even the most mundane things like cars. I did the same to her with Asgard, asking questions I wasn't particularly fond of asking the boys just for them to make fun of.
"All done." Ingrid said with a smile, admiring her work on my hair.
"Thank you, beautiful." I huffed as I stood, flattening my dress in the front.
Frigga had insisted I wear the gold ensemble and 'simple makeup', which consisted of a simple nude colored eye, some mascara, and some lipstick. The entire look felt a bit too dressy considering I wasn't actually a member of the court or royal family, but as 'a daughter of Eir' I was supposed to uphold some weird standard.
It was a bit annoying to me, having to put on some facade for people I don't even know or care about, but I did it with a smile. That's what Frigga wanted, and what I was sure Thor and Loki wanted as well.
Ingrid and I walked out of my room together and both princes were in the hallway, discussing something serious I'd assume because the conversation was dropped mid-sentence when my door opened.
"Your highnesses." Ingrid curtsied, before hurriedly going off to other tasks.
"Alright, let's get this over with, yeah?" I asked with a huff. Both boys seemed tense, making me raise my eyebrows. "Everything alright?"
"Perfect, little sister." Thor said with a feigned smile. "You look mesmerizing."
"Painfully divine as always, love." Loki added.
I rolled my eyes, beginning to walk ahead of them towards the banquet hall. "Yeah, alright."
The hall was filled to the brim with people, talking and mingling. It reminded me far too much of Tony's parties at home. I put on my usual facade, the one Tony always called my 'pretty princess' mask, which was sort of like running on autopilot after years of doing it.
Thor stood with me for quite awhile, watching and talking with people who approached me. I pulled the usual charms, one of the few pros to being a psych major was knowing how the brain works, knowing how to give people the impression you want. Standing straight, a warm smile, a moment of undivided attention, and remembering a person's name can have long lasting impacts on the impression they have of you.
"I knew you'd do well at this." Thor said through a grin, walking me towards a table when the mingling began to die down. "I didn't know you'd do that well, though. You've charmed your way to the entire courts' hearts by now."
"That was the goal." I huffed through a smile. "Charm, eat, leave."
A chuckle escaped Thor's throat, "You're far too much like Loki in that regard."
I pulled out a seat between Fandral and Sif, sitting down before Thor went to the royalty table. Moments later, everyone stood for Frigga and Odin, who gave a short speech I paid absolutely no mind to, then food was finally served.
"The noblemen are quite taken by you." Fandral commented with a smile, "Many are expressing desire for their sons to woo you."
"Woo me." I said with a laugh, rolling my eyes. "How misogynistic."
Fandral grinned at this, "Yes, here that's quite normal for the Nobel ladies. Wait until they realize you're a warrior on Midgard. They'll be stunned, I'm sure."
"Good, I do enjoy leaving people speechless."
"That doesn't surprise me one bit, goddess. You do a wonderful job of it." Fandral commented back.
"If Loki is smart, he'll have the Allfather announce your courtship quickly before the men bust down the palace with offers of marriage." Volstagg added with a smirk.
"I do believe being in a betrothal with two women simultaneously is frowned upon." Fandral responded between bites.
When my head shot towards him, he seemed taken aback.
He paused for a minute, his eyes growing wide. "Oh... I was being a biglesnipe... Wait. They didn't..." He rambled, before pausing as he huffed aloud. "Curse my loose tongue... I'm sorry."
What the actual hell? They didn't tell me, no. Not a word, actually. I felt my stare still on Fandral for a moment longer, before I actually laughed. I wasn't sure what for, I didn't necessarily feel like laughing. Nonetheless, I laughed, taking another bite of my food.
"Quite alright, Charming." I said, once again falling into autopilot. "That's some baggage that will have to be unpacked later."
Fuming, no. Well, maybe. I was a bit numb as I picked at my food, suddenly incredibly nauseous. I wasn't quite sure what I planned to do with Fandral's words. It made sense, now, why Loki was so nervous to seem endearing to me in front of people outside his and Thor's small circle, why Thor was coincidentally always the one accompanying me during dinners, like earlier on before the feast had begun. But engaged? Why would neither of them even bother to say something?
Thor was Loki's brother. To expect his loyalty to me over Loki was unfair, I knew, but it didn't mean his lack of loyalty was any less painful. I suppose it now made sense why he was so frustrated over catching us together.
And as for Loki, I didn't even want to look at him. My brain switched repeatedly between wanting to beat him over the head with my suit's sword and wanting to ask him for an explanation, part of me feeling certain there had to be more to the situation...
But maybe there wasn't. Maybe he truly was just living up to his name, the god of lies.
What a fucking idiot. He's the god of lies and you chose him to trust?
I scolded myself repeatedly, but smiled and laughed with the warriors through my facade, keeping up with their conversation rather seamlessly. I knew I had them fooled, because the air at the table was once again light and happy only minutes after Fandral and I's awkward interaction.
After Odin and Frigga exited, Thor and Loki both began talking with a couple of the courts men, and I took this as a good time to exit before having to interact with either of them. I walked towards the already open corridors, through the crowds of people mingling, until I felt a hand on my shoulder as I reached the hall.
"Allow me to escort you, please. It is my fault you're leaving alone." Fandral said, a sorrow-filled smile on his face.
I rolled my eyes, "I'm an adult. I don't need a babysitter."
"I'm not sure what a 'babysitter' is, but, if you say no, I'm going to follow behind anyway. There are far too many guests here for you to go alone."
At that I actually laughed, "Alright, charming. Escort me."