Loki and Ingrid 12

yay! Another kid scene! Anyway this is sorta a stopgap one. Moving into Avengers territory soon. Schwarma!!

I Wronged You—by Sarah B. Priest

I get up from the forest floor, still dazed, and collect the locket fragments. Now I have no way to speak with him unless he returns to Asgard, and I feel the tears begin to form. “No, stupid,” I tell myself, “Just three days ago you thought he was dead. You can handle not talking to him.”

          “What, Ingrid? Did you just call me stupid?” Thor is still wearing his robes, Mjolnir at his side.

          “No,” I mutter, embarrassed, “I was talking to myself.”

          “I see. Don’t beat yourself up over it. And you aren’t stupid. If anything, I am,” says Thor shaking his head.

          “Why are you stupid?”

          “I wasn’t transparent with him when I needed to be, and I turned him against me all of my life. I don’t think he took my apology seriously. He’s angry and it’s my fault.”

          “No, it isn’t. He was—Well, it was Thanos.” I sigh, remembering the dark cellar of Thanos’ realm, where he left his prisoners for torture. “I’m surprised he held out as long as he did.”

***

~Many years earlier~

Thor, now ten in Midgardian years, is training on horseback, Sif, now nine, close behind on her own steed.

          “I’m going to catch you!” yells Sif, spurring her horse onward. “I’m gonna get you, Thor!”

          “Not a chance! I am the crown prince of Asgard, and you are but a girl!” He spurs his own horse.

          “You aren’t the crown prince, you never were, says eight-year-old Loki, crossly, still trying to get his horse to behave, but the older children pay him no heed.

          “Hurry up!” Sif yells after Thor, “Hurry up or I’ll catch you!”

          “Sif, I don’t think that’s a good idea—” says the riding instructor as she spurs her horse on again, “Sif, I command you to halt!”

          The horse rears and begins bucking wildly, as Sif tries to hold in the reins with no luck. Screaming, she falls from the horse to the ground. Thor hasn’t noticed Sif and is quickly departing into the woods with his steed, trying to lose her.

          “Take my horse back, and give her some hay,” demands Loki, still cross as he walks over to Sif. “Hey. Get up. Are you okay?” he nonchalantly kicks Sif with his boot.

          “OW!” says Sif, sitting up, “Okay, I’m fine! Shut up and stop kicking me!” She looks bruised and shaken and is still crying.

          “You’re not fine. Tell me what happened. M’lady.” He leans over to reach out his hand, then jerks it away in a tease.

          “Stop! Please! Where’s Thor?”

          “I don’t think he saw you fall. He went to the forest to get away from you. You are so careless, Sif. Mother would—”

          “I don’t care what your mother would do!” sobs Sif, “Please, leave me alone or go get Thor!”

          “I’m not magic, nor can I summon people on horseback. Or on M’lady’s rudest command.”

          “Cut it out!” Sif shouts, standing up, “Say anything else or I’ll hit you.”       

          Loki pales, knowing Sif is a hard hitter and steps back. “I’m sorry you’re hurt, Sif.  I was just playing!”

          Sif flinches in pain as she tries to move her right arm. “Ow!” she exclaims, then turns to Loki, “My arm doesn’t feel so good.”

          “Can you move it?” Loki looks concerned as he kneels down beside Sif.

          A fresh batch of tears is coming on as she tries to move her arm to no avail.

          “It’s okay,” Loki awkwardly pats her shoulder, “I can call the healers if you’d like.”

          “I can walk, Loki,” snaps Sif, “And besides, you said you couldn’t summon people.”

          “What happened?” Asks Thor, sprinting into the clearing, “I lost you back there, Sif, and I didn’t—sorry I made you chase me.”

          “I think she broke her arm when she fell off her horse,” says Loki, “I never trusted horses. Mine hates me.”

          “Oh, that’s wonderful, brother! Even the horses hate you!”

          “Shut up and get the healers, Thor,” says Loki, “Or I might even use magic on you.”

          “Remind me to have mother show me that sometime,” sighs Thor, walking away towards the palace. No one’s going to like their antics when they get back. After all, they were supposed to be riding, not playing.

***

“Sif told me everything that happened and that she hated Loki and he was mean to her,” sighs Thor, “And I made sure he got punished for it. Really, I was careless for not watching Sif.”

          We’re back at the palace now, and Calder is lying on the grass with his shirt off. “Ooooh, there goes another one,” he hoots at one of the passing Asgardian maidens.

          “Knock it off, Cal,” I mutter as we approach, “Your future King is here, and I don’t suggest catcalling is the best idea.”

          “I’m just playing, Ingrid. Waiting for you. Canute put me on watch duty again. See what you’re up to. Go find him, he’s worried, and I’m too lazy.”

          “Prince Thor—” one of the guards is coming up to us now, tapping Thor on the shoulder, “Prince Thor, your Father needs to speak with you urgently.”

---

“So, what is Loki up to again.”

          “He’s trying to take over Midgard for himself—a serious problem. Killing innocents and hoping they will worship him—”

          “So, he’s on Midgard?”

          “Or as they call it Earth. Yes, he’s there. So far, he hasn’t broken the deal.”

          “Breaking the deal would mean death.” I say, “This is my fault isn’t it?”

          “Why would it be your fault?”

          “He made the deal that no harm come to me—”

          “His deal, not mine. Regardless, he must be stopped the fate of a realm—”

          “What are you going to do, kill him?” My voice is rising as I confront Thor, the man I thought to be my ally.

          “His punishment may be for Father to decide, but no, that is not my intent. But I need your help.”

          “Me?”

          “You’re his best friend. Maybe you can convince him—”

          “Fine,” I say, figuring I have nothing else to lose, “Earth it is.”