if you must; loki

01

The buzz of the Bifrost seems to cling to her even now, between his little ears, and having her attempt to correct her wobbly gait. Never has she traveled like that before, never has she needed to. Her life on Ceintari has been confined within the space of her family's palace, with her sister and the books her governess has given her to read about the Nine Realms and beyond. She is just a girl, small and fragile, when her father tells her she will be leaving for the long summer, just as her sister did at her age.

Asherah finds that she does not like the Bifrost, or the guards that meet her and her parents when they come through it. They escort them down the rainbow bridge to a carriage where one of the men places the small bag she was permitted to bring across the back. Everything else she could need will be provided to her by the Asgardian royal family, as is custom, so she fits into their court.

The city of Asgard is also just as displeasing. Despite its beauty, nothing can appease a child so young as her quite like being in the security of her home. This is all new, strange, and uncomfortable. It feels as if she is being thrown to the wolves, and even though she knows that she will return home after the long summer has ended, she still fears greatly.

Her mother chastises her over these silly fears. They are childish, unbecoming. The Asgardian royal family will find her incredibly rude if she were to voice them, and so, Asherah closes her mouth and does not speak again as they enter the palace.

Across the throne room, as the doors open, she sees the Allfather and Allmother, and their two young sons. Her mother fixes her with a look and Asherah finds herself again, poised and delicate as all good princesses should be. When presented before such important beings, she should remind herself of the strictness her parents and governess imposed upon her. She may be little, only just a handful of years old, but she remembers the feeling of her governesses switch against her hands and she holds herself as she's been taught to.

The two princes are older than her, she can tell, though not by more than a couple of years. They are taller, and wily, but their soft voices give way to the innocence they still possess. Her father had said Asgard produces warriors, and while she had never seen such a thing, she understands what he must mean.

When they are fully presented in front of the family she takes her time to look over all the strangeness of the place and the people. Asgardians, as she's come to discover, are a different race entirely from her home. With warmer skin and colored hair, they resemble nothing she has seen before and certainly, do not resemble her own kind.

Even their clothing is strange. The color of metals and the land, soft fabrics mixed with strong armor. Her people have never dressed like that, even now, she does not. Her dress is bright, like the sunset and layered with fabrics until her skirt is haloed around her, decked with pink lyra gemstones that are also clipped into her hair.

The Asgardians terrify her, with their large frames and booming voices. The Allfather speaks, and she fights the urge to take her mother's hand into hers as he welcomes them.

"These are my boys," the Allfather nods to the two children and they present themselves. "Thor, my firstborn, and Loki."

Her father looks at her now and Asherah blinks, her large golden eyes flicking between the two. "Hello," she curtsies like she has practiced. "It's an honor to meet you."

It is not an honor though, far from it. Thor, the oldest of the two boys before her, smiles wide and toothless. He beams, with his chubby face and blonde hair, and his brother, Loki, hardly spares her a look. Dark and pale, brooding. The two seem opposite one another but when she looks at them, she feels a great twist of unease in her stomach.

As soon as the moment has passed, the Allfather waves the two boys back to where they were standing and then waves the small girl toward him.

She freezes, for only a moment, and then slowly creeps toward him.