Children will be children, isn't that what they say? They chuckle and roll their eyes, and provide that very simple excuse for inexcusable intolerance.

Cruelty, it is not something we are born with, but something we learn. We watch the strong defy the weak; the great overshadow the small, and the intellectual scar the ignorant. From childhood it is played out before us, our roles are pre-destined by what we are told we are.

You are the hero, the one that fights for the good of all...but do you really fight for all or just for those you deem worthy? You are the strong warrior, able to beat down all aggressors and fear no pain...but what if the aggressor acted out of fear or confusion of you, did they then deserve your wrath? You are the wise one, gifted to know what is logical and best for all...but yet you ignore the illogical babblings of someone beneath you because they are not intelligent enough to understand, how are you so sure?

Maybe good is not completely incorruptible by evil? Maybe in every hero, or warrior, or wise counsellor there is a little darkness. Born from the simple lies we are told as children, by our doting parents or loved ones. It cannot be helped, those who love us see only the good in us - it is the nature of love. But then, if this is so, then maybe all that is evil is not beyond the ability to love? Maybe in the darkest of souls there is a light? Born from the simple truth that the first and only real thing we experience in life is innocence. We may not be born cruel, but we are all born innocent and capable of love.

xXx

"Sigyn...Sigyn...Ugly little Sigyn!"

The children hollered gleefully at the sprawled out form of the young child. Her wide grey eyes swam with bewildered tears, as she hurried to fix the hems of her velvet dress so that it covered her bruised shins. They had kicked her there, just a game - a horrible torturous game to prove little Sigyn was not strong like her Asgardian peers. She had not been able to escape their clutches and thus received the punishment of three kicks to each shin, if she had of been strong enough she would have been able to fight them off...but she was not.

"Go away," She sobbed pitifully, as she attempted to pick up her books. "I do not like this game, I don't want to play."

"It is just a game," The boisterous Sif mocked with an uncaring giggle. "You are no fun at all Sigyn, all you do is read boring books!" And with that the young Sif knocked the gathered books from Sigyn's hands, little leaves of paper swirling about the marbled hallways.

"Aw leave her be Sif, she is going to cry again...Sigyn the baby," A fair haired boy with a roguish smile, gently chastised the thoughtless girl who merely shrugged and skipped away.

"I am not a baby," Sigyn defiantly reminded the boy, her little upturned nose rising haughtily in the air as she rose to her feet.

"Yes you are," The boy sniggered, "You are crying like a baby...boohoo."

Enraged by the insinuation, Sigyn threw herself at the boy who stood a head and shoulders above her and twice her breadth. She didn't care that he was the son of Odin, he was rude and loud, and he could never just be quiet.

With all her strength she shoved the boy, and surprisingly she made him topple back. With a shocked, but delighted grin she stood back and observed her handiwork, giving a curt nod. But her victory was short lived, Odin's son glared defiantly back, his pride obviously stung and in one sharp shove, Sigyn found herself flat on her back on the stone floor again. With a sneer the boy lifted her carefully stacked books and threw them about the hallways, callously ripping the pages from some of the older volumes in petty revenge.

Sigyn cried and begged him not to be so crass, for these were not her books, but ones borrowed from the great archives and libraries of Asgard. Yet he did not stop, and the teasing resumed in full force. Sigyn was sure she was in for an afternoon of bitter teasing, but thankfully a raised voice of an unhappy adult was heard. The clack of heels on polished floors, and the rustle of fine silk alerted the children to cease their torment, much to Sigyn's relief.

"It is Mother!" The boy gasped aloud and signalled for his band of little bandits to retreat. The look in his eyes told Sigyn that he truly feared his mother, that surely Frigga would be greatly disappointed in knowing of his actions here. Quick as a flash the children scampered off, but before he could join them he looked pleadingly to Sigyn; "It was only a game Sigyn, we meant no harm, do not tell Mother, she will not allow me to go hunting with father if you do!"

"Why should I, maybe you shouldn't go hunting!" Sigyn growled, but the tears in her eyes made her much less threatening than she felt she was.

"I am sorry," The boy gave her a heartfelt look, "I didn't mean to be so mean Sigyn; I didn't realize you were so hurt. Please, I promise I will not push you again...please Sigyn."

"Thor, is that you?"

Frigga's voice sounded in the distance, all clear and commanding, and the boy paled significantly. Thor mouthed another "Please," and yet another "Sorry." Now Sigyn wanted to protest, she wanted to have Thor punished but experience had taught her that life could be made a lot more difficult if she chose to get him in trouble. So, choosing a quiet life, she nodded and watched in frustration as he scampered off without a second thought.

Would he ever learn the consequences to his reckless actions?

Sighing quietly, the child gathered up some of her books, and hauled herself to her feet to face the approaching Queen of Asgard. If asked, she would just say she fell and a great wind blew the pages down the hallway. It was an unbelievable excuse but she was just a child, and an imaginative one at that. Her little shoulders hunched when the clacking sounded a few feet behind her, and expecting the worse she swivelled to face the elder Asgardian with an apologetic expression.

"I'm so-"

A shrill, childlike giggle was what stopped Sigyn in articulating any further apology. For as she looked up she found the form of the adult woman flitter and disintegrate before her eyes, leaving behind a dark haired youngster, with intelligent eyes and mischievous grin. The child stood a few feet behind the now evaporated projection of what had appeared like the Queen of Asgard, and he looked absolutely delighted with himself.

"Did you see Thor's face?" The boy continued to snicker. "He always falls for that."

"Loki? H-how...but I thought?" Sigyn began, softening at the relief of finding Loki before her and not a parent or another of Sif's buddies.

"Magic," The young Loki grinned mysteriously before lopping past Sigyn, and helpfully picking up some of the loose papers. "I wouldn't worry about them coming back; Thor has been sorely looking forward to this hunting trip. He won't bother you again, he wouldn't risk it. He is stupid, but not that stupid."

"Th-thank you," Sigyn replied shyly as she took the paper from Loki's outstretched hand.

"No problem," Loki shrugged nonchalantly, he understood what it was like to be on the receiving end of Thor's "games" and frankly it irked him greatly. However, where Loki had learned to use his own little tricks and illusions to pay his brother back, he was well aware others were not so fortunate. Also he felt Sigyn was just a tad too weak and naive to be picked on, it seemed unfair, like a bull bating a helpless lamb.

"If I had of known it was just you, I would have told him I was going to tell on him! Make him cry for a change," Sigyn suppressed a wicked grin, and then felt her eyes pop at the mere thought, she really should not be plotting the downfall of Thor with his younger brother. "Oh, I didn't...I didn't mean that, please don't tell him I said that!"

"Why would I tell him?" Loki questioned, raising a bemused eyebrow as he continued to pick up the disarray books and clippings. "I would quite like to see him cry too, sometimes he deserves it you know...just don't tell him I said that?"

"I won't," Sigyn giggled at the wide eyed look of urgency in the other child's face. The answering smirk of approval she received made her blush, and she was quite unsure why?

"These are not your books," Loki made the comment like a question, but it sounded very much like a statement, and her grin vanished and she nodded guilty. "It is not right to steal Sigyn; you must not leave the libraries with so many books."

"I was on my way to return them," She piped up, "I only borrowed them, there were so many I liked I couldn't choose just one."

"You have read them all?" Loki asked in slight shock, he hadn't expected that. He had never met anyone that was an avid reader such as himself, and one so interested in books of histories and science. Maybe Sigyn was not so pathetic after all.

"Yes," was all she managed to answer with, as she fidgeted with a lock of her rich auburn hair; "I really was going to return them."

"I believe you," Loki chuckled, "But you cannot return them in this condition."

Sigyn deflated at the very true statement, and considered the long hours she was going to have to put in to restoring these books to their former glory. Loki regarded the girl with a rare compassion, it was not her fault and the crime was unjust, she shouldn't be punished;

"Well I can help," He offered gallantly, "I've read most of these, it won't take me long to figure out what pages are missing."

"Really, you would do that?" Sigyn's eyes practically boggled out of her head in gratitude, when Loki nodded sympathetically.

"Sure, it is the least I could do to make up for my brother's idiocy," Loki grinned, pleased with the adoring look the young girl was gracing him with. After all, there was nothing Loki loved more than to be adored and admired for being the better brother.