Captured in the Midst

Chapter 4

I groaned, feeling a massive stomach ache in my lower abdomen. I was rounding the twenty first of the month, and my days were numbered. I slowly pulled myself out of bed, and wandered to the bathroom. As I was gulping down a glass of water, I heard a soft rapping at my door.

"Hey, Astrid," Thor whispered, closing my door as I walked back out to the bedroom.

"Thor, it's three in the morning! What do you want?"

He grinned. "Ast, you know exactly why I'm here."

I smiled. A couple times a month, Thor would come into my room, and we'd just talk. Not about anything in particular, but just to hang out and be together. Usually it happened in the middle of the night when we both were wide awake and tonight was no exception.

"Are you feeling okay?" Thor sat down on my bed and I plopped down next to him. "You look kind of crappy."

I rolled my eyes. "You know just how to charm a woman, don't you, Thor?"

He laughed. "You know I didn't mean it that way."

"Whatever you say," I leaned against his shoulder, laughing softly. "And to answer your question, it's that time of the month."

He hmmed acknowledgingly. "How long do your bad moods usually last for?"

I sat up straight. "Bad moods?"

He chuckled. "Oh, come on, Astrid. Whenever it's 'that time of the month'," he made air quotes, "you almost always are crabby. But I'm not saying that it's a bad thing."

"You're such a dick." I shoved him playfully, laughing at his efforts to not offend me.

"I try." He gently placed an arm around my shoulders.

I leaned into him, feeling comfort. It was never awkward with Thor. He was like my brother in a way, and hugging and showing affection was just a way that we interacted. We were always like that as children, playing together every moment of the day. Well... if Loki hadn't ruined most of the good times we had. I started to think back to when I had encountered Loki in the kitchen. He had acted sort of different. More civil.

"Thor?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Fire away."

"I've been noticing a difference in Loki."

"How so?"

"He's not as hostile towards me anymore. It's more of a joke to him than trying to outdo me."

Thor nodded. "I've been noticing that as well. Honestly, I just think he's finally learning to accept you."

"I just feel like there's more to it than just the jokes and the teasing. I just despise him too much to want to find out."

"Loki's a complicated creature. He's always sort of been independent, and his way of fitting in was to play pranks, or tease others. I just think that he's jealous that you've never lived in the palace before, yet you get more recognition that he does."

I thought through this slowly. "I guess I can see that."

"Don't worry about him, Astrid. He will find his way in this world."

We sat quietly for a few moments. I just couldn't get what Thor had said about Loki off my mind. As much as I wanted to believe that what he said for the reason of Loki's teasing was the truth, I just felt there was more to the story.

I woke up in the morning feeling refreshed after last night's talk with Thor. He had left my room to get some rest before leaving with Odin and his army to go and check on some of the other realms. I was left alone in the castle with Frigga and Loki.

I had met Frigga in the morning to practice sorcery, and I learned how to get better control of my powers. After losing to Loki, I knew that a day would come where I would have to fight him again, but this time, I would be ready. After that, I spent most of the day in the training arena, practicing new moves. I was in the middle of hacking the shit out of a enchanted makeshift soldier that my father had created for me when his men were gone, when I heard the latch of the arena gate being opened.

"Don't stop on my account." Loki swiftly stepped into the ring.

I groaned, placing my sword on the ground, and turning to face him. "What do you want?"

"Is that any way to speak to a prince?" He was taunting me again.

"Get to the point Pocahontas."

"I thought we agreed that you and Thor were to stop calling me that."

I smirked, remembering the nickname we had given him as children. "Yeah and that'll happen as soon as we stop calling Thor, Barbie."

He laughed. "Yeah that was a good one."

We both smiled for a moment, actually enjoying each other's presence.

"So what did you need?" I asked picking up the soldier, and placing it back in the shed.

"My mother wanted us to go and run some errands for her in the village."

"Oh, okay." I was a little weary being alone with Loki after last night's encounter. "Let me freshen up, and then we can go."

He nodded, and followed me inside. When I reached my room, Loki politely stood outside. I turned and gave him a weird look.

"You can come inside, you know."

He cocked his head. "Are you sure? Mother always taught us to never go inside a woman's chambers without her permission."

Wow he was an actual gentleman! "I just did. Just hang out on my bed or something while I get ready."

He smiled, and followed me into my room. As I was freshening up, I heard soft voices coming from my bedroom. Running one last brush through my hair before pinning it up in a long braid, I entered the room, seeing Frigga talking to Loki.

She smiled as I walked in. "Oh, hello, dear. I was just here to tell you two what to get."

I nodded, walking over. I was about to sit on the bed beside Loki, but thought better and plopped down in my desk chair.

"So first of all, I need you to pick up some supplies from the market, and then you need to buy some items for the upcoming ball in a week."

I sat up. "The ball's in a week?"

"Yes, darling? Your mother did not tell you?"

I sighed, my head turning towards the floor. "My mother isn't around much anymore. She's busy with healing."

"I understand. So I take it you haven't gotten a dress, or a date?"

"The dress, no, and I didn't know we needed a date."

"Well, being second in command to the royal family, yes."

I groaned, leaning back in my chair. I wouldn't even know where to start.

"Speaking of which, Loki, you still need a date, my darling."

"Thor has a date?"

"Yes, of course."

"Who?" I looked at her in shock. Please be me. Please be me. He hadn't asked me yet, but I hoped he was going to take me.

"Lady Sif," Frigga looked at me in shock. "Why, dear, was he going to ask you?"

"I guess I just thought since he was like my brother that he would've."

"I'm sorry. You could always go with Loki."

"Mother!" Loki barked, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Oh, no. That's okay, I'll just go alone." I breathed in agony.

"Astrid, you need a date to attend as part of the royal court. You and Loki are going together and that's final. You'll thank me later."

We looked at her, dumbfounded. "Please, Frigga, I love you like a mother, but this is a big mistake! Loki and I just can't go to a ball together! We barely even know each other!"

"Darling, you've known each other for eighteen years. You can manage." And with that, she left the room.