Mischief and Enchantments

Prologue

Loki was dead.

Or at least he would be if this were an actual fight.

Fandral had knocked him to the ground once again, his training sword pointed at Loki's throat as he sat in the dirt. Loki huffed out a sigh. Even though they were young, his brother Thor and his friends were exceptional with swords and other deadly weapons. He wasn't terrible either, though he'd choose daggers over swords any day. However, many adults around him, including his father, had criticized his weapons of choice, calling them impractical for war and too small to be effective against something like a sword. So people pushed him to practice with larger weapons whenever they got the chance.

Ironically, the size of daggers was one of the many reasons why Loki was drawn to them. They fit easily in your hand and were small, so hardly anyone could see them coming. Plus, you could throw them at your opponents, which could catch them off guard in a battle. But alas, swords and other normal-sized weapons were seen as proper for someone of his status. More befitting of a warrior. Or so the people around him claimed.

But a warrior he was not. Not anything exceptional in that field like his brother or his friends. Anyone with good eyes could see it. Then again, their father was half blind, so maybe that was why he pushed him to keep up this training.

"Bested again." Fandral grinned. "Honestly Loki, do you think you could at least try to challenge us?"

Loki didn't answer. In truth, he would be spending much less time training with them once his mother started his sorcery training in a few weeks. Once he got proficient enough, he was sure they were going to be eating their words.

"You just had to end on a victory, had you?" Volstagg, another one of Thor's lackeys, laughed.

"I had to after Lady Sif's performance." Fandral tilted his chin in the warrior's direction. "I could barely get a hit in."

"You just picked him because he's an easy win," Sif replied, to which all of them, save for Loki, burst out laughing, none of them denying her accusation. Loki bristled, still on the ground.

"Loki, we jest!" Fandral chuckled. "Stop sulking in the dirt and let me help you up."

He reached out for Loki, but as Loki clasped his forearm, something green and covered with scales slithered up his arm. Fandral cried out as he staggered back and shook his arm rapidly. Eventually, he flung the snake onto the ground, glaring at it, and then at Loki as he cackled, snorting loudly as he helped himself up.

"Vile creature." Fandral spat, and Loki couldn't tell if the insult was directed at him or the snake.

"Amazing," Thor said, bending down to get a closer look at the reptile. He smiled up at Loki. "Where did you find it?"

Loki shrugged dismissively. "It's just a garden snake." He replied. "It's harmless."

"You'd better not get your hands on it again," Sif warned. "We don't want you antagonizing anyone tonight. Speaking of which, we're going to be late if we stand here any longer."

"Late for what?" Loki asked Thor as the others started to walk away.

"Father's hosting a gathering at the palace tonight," Thor answered. "Didn't you hear?"

Loki suppressed a groan. These parties were just an excuse for their father and the members of his court to flaunt their wealth and drink the night away. However, these gatherings did give Loki an audience for his mischief, he couldn't complain about that.

"By the way," said Thor. "Don't go around causing trouble tonight."

And just like that, Thor swooped in and ruined it for him. This time, Loki didn't try to hide his annoyance.