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It looked like half of Asgard had shown up to watch the two of us duel in the field that day. I kicked myself at my own stupidity. I was good, sure, but good enough to beat a god who'd been practicing for centuries? Probably not. And I was about to be humiliated in front of about a hundred people.

Bodil and Sigrid escorted me from my rooms after helping me get changed. I wore a skirt that opened down the centre to reveal a pair of pants. A leather corset top and white blouse covered my torso, and a pair of leather gloves over my hands.

Thor met us at the platform that overlooked the sparring grounds. A ring of white rocks was at its centre, and in it, stood Loki, wearing a black vest that revealed corded muscles around his arms. His hair was pulled back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He grinned, and waved to the gathered crowd.

"How are this many people here?" I demanded, looking accusingly at Thor, "I thought this would be a small duel, over and done, with only a handful of people to watch me humiliate myself."

"Don't look at me," responded Thor, "My brother loves attention, and will draw it whenever he can."

"Of course," I roll my eyes, folding my arms, "Should've guessed."

"You'll do just fine."

"You're lying through your teeth."

Thor sighed. "Okay so you'll probably lose. Scratch that, you will lose. But you must apply what I've taught you to ensure that he doesn't completely humiliate you in front of this crowd."

"Loki wouldn't do that. I get it, he's a dick, but I'm gonna make an idiot out of myself on my own. He won't do anything to make that worse."

"I don't think you know my brother as well as you'd like to believe," Thor said, his mouth a thin line, "When I was a child, he grabbed me by the ponytail and held my hair to a pair of shears. He threatened to cut it off unless I kissed his boots."

"And did you?"

"That's not important," Thor said defensively, lifting a hand to his long blonde hair, "I'm only telling you that you must avoid falling on his mercy. He will humiliate you to make himself appear stronger in front of the crowd."

Like a predator, I thought to myself, as Thor gave my shoulder a bone-crushing but nonetheless comforting squeeze.

I pulled my hair into a knot at the top of my head as we strode toward the ring of stones, Thor stopped outside of it, but urged me ahead.

I stepped in, and Loki turned to face me, a smirk plastered across his face.

"Commendable effort, dear, but you won't distract your way to victory with exquisitely good looks," he winked, pointing his sword at me, "Not too late to walk away."

I looked back at Thor, raising a brow. Please, let me take the son of a bitch up on that offer, I tried to communicate to him with my eyes.

"Nope."

He offered an encouraging smile, pushing the hilt of a sword into my hand. I closed my fingers around it, lifting it just like Thor had shown me.

A man in servant's attire stepped into the centre of the circle as we turned to face each other.

"The match is finished when an opponent has stepped, or been forced, from the circle. Fighters ready? Good."

He lifted a hand, and dropped it down.

"Commence!"

Loki swung immediately. I just barely managed to duck out of the way without breaking the circle, dropping to my knees.

"My, this isn't what I'd imagined when I'd pictured you on your knees for me."

I growled, swinging up at him. He laughed, easily dodging the blow with a step back, but giving me enough time to push to my feet.

"Mad, are we?" He swung again, but this time I met him with a parry, "This wouldn't have anything to do with last night?"

"Or maybe I'm just sick of your constant back and forth. One minute you're caring, the next, cunning. One minute you're kind to me, the next, you degrade me. One minute you want me, and the next, someone else."

He seemed surprised, but his smile only grew as we traded a few more blows. I could tell he was going easy. After only a few moments my arms were aching and my breath short. He seemed hardly fazed.

"Is this about what I said to Bodil?" He raised his brows.

I didn't answer, instead swinging a few rapid blows, all of which he easily fended off.

"That really bothered you, didn't it?" He swung again at me, knocking my sword to the ground at my feet. "Well, let me warn you, darling, I'm not the man you seem to want me to be. I think your people beneath mine, I think myself above you, and I quite enjoy a good time, no matter who it's with."

I reached for my sword, but was stopped by the point of Loki's blade in my stomach. He shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"I'm afraid not," he said as he kicked the sword out of the circle.

He dug his sword into my corset, popping off two of the buttons, causing it to come a little undone. I stumbled back a little, looking around helplessly for some way to defend myself.

"Submit to me."

I bowed my head, turning to step from the ring and forfeit. I was stopped by the flat of his blade.

I turned to go the other way. He stopped me again. I moved to back out, and he only dug his sword further into my stomach, lowering it to pop the last button. The corset fell away, leaving nothing but a loose blouse beneath it. I heard a few low whistles from the crowd, and heat crawled up my face.

"Enough, brother!" Thor called from the sidelines. Loki ignored him.

"How am I supposed to submit if you won't let me leave?"

"Well, I did very much enjoy the sight of you on your knees," he said thoughtfully, "Kneel."

"What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

I looked at the sword pressed against my chest. Then at the smiling man who wielded it at me. I grimaced, then begrudgingly dropped to my knees. I heard a cheer sweep the crowd, and felt Loki use the tip of his blade to lift my chin. Our eyes locked.

"Now see, that the Asgardian people are and will always remain the superior race. Don't deign to think otherwise."

With that, he turned to address the crowd, flicking his sword with enough pressure to leave a small cut on my chin.

I wiped away the blood, pushing myself to my feet and storming for the palace, pushing past Thor, Bodil, and Sigrid. I didn't look back to watch Loki play his crowd of admirers.

I slammed the door when I arrived at my room, pulling my hair out of its bun and shucking off my gloves. I groaned in frustration, picking up a small crystal vase and hurling it across the room. Before I could do much more, the door was pushed open and Bodil and Sigrid entered.

"That was awful," Sigrid said as she came to my side, "I'm sorry he did that to you."

"I can't stand him," I cried out, failing to hide the anger in my voice, "He goes from nice, to proud, to annoying, to pompous, to gentle, to pure evil in the span of a minute. He's awful!"

"We should have warned you against him," Bodil said guiltily as she stooped to clean the glass I had broken, "I'm sorry Alivia."

"It isn't your fault. I just can't wait to get my answers and get out of this place. Get away from him."

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and in strode Frigga, her long blonde hair catching in the sunlight. She wore a look of concern across her face as she padded over to me.

"I must apologize for my son's behaviour, Alivia." She placed a hand on my shoulder, "It was entirely inappropriate, and you can be certain that I will have words with him over it."

"It's alright. I'll just do my best to avoid him from now on."

If I'd wanted to avoid Loki before, it was nothing compared to how much I wanted to avoid him now. I spent all of my days in the company of Sigrid, Bodil, Bersi, and Thor, or in the confines of my room. A day passed, and then several more, and no word came from my dad.

One evening, as the sun began to fade on the horizon, I sat at my desk composing a sketch. I wore a long pink dress, so faint it was almost white. Lace dusted my bodice and sleeves, and cream slippers covered my feet. My hair was half up half down, secured with a white ribbon. I was gonna miss dressing like this once I went back home.

There was a tap at my door, but before I could stand to answer it, a note was slipped beneath the crack. The sound of fading footsteps outside followed.

I picked up the note.

"Meet me in the servants' wing in five minutes," I read aloud, crumpling the paper up and frowning.

It was signed by Bodil. Was something the matter? I trashed the note, stepping out of my room and making my way to the servants' wing. It was pretty much deserted, which made sense at this hour, when dinner and rooms were being prepared for the night. I turned a corner and spotted Bodil at the end of the hallway. I waved to her, and she waved back.

"What is it?" I asked, approaching. She didn't answer, instead dipping into a doorway to her right. I followed her in.

It was a dark storage closet, the only light coming from the open doorway. Bodil stood at the end of it, facing me.

"Bodil? You're freaking me out—"

I paused, as the outline of Bodil's body shimmered green, then vanished.

"Shit," I said under my breath, turning for the exit.

But he was there, directly behind me. He shut the door, bathing the room in nearly complete darkness.

"What do you want, Loki?"

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