Choices

Chapter 4
Loki woke early and dressed. He joined his family for breakfast and found the twins there as well. He said nothing to them and was still not sure how to take what he had seen the night before. It was the most idiotic, dangerous, confusing, and absurd display he had ever witnessed. In fact, when he woke he thought he might have dreamt it. He couldn't figure out how they had managed to tame an entire room of horny, drunk, rowdy men without getting raped or worse. He didn't even know if anyone would believe him if he said anything, but clearly the younger of the two was worried. She was glancing at Loki never actually looking his way as if she was trying to gage his mood.
Loki set a passive 'don't give a shit' face for her to look at. Two days was all they had spent there and already they were proving to be trouble. They could have gotten into so much trouble the night before and his father would have been held accountable for it. They had no respect for the realm they were in and it angered Loki. Sure he wasn't the golden child between himself and Thor. He enjoyed his mischief which sometimes caused strife among people, but he was their prince. These girls were nothing in this kingdom.
"I promised you girls we could visit the beaches today, would that please you?" Thor asked them beaming a bright smile.
"Sounds good. Anywhere would be fine with me." Cephera replied taking her glances from Loki to look at Thor.
"I'd be happy with going home." Seraphina mumbled, but everyone still heard her. The older one was quite rude and honest, in an almost insulting kind of way.
"Sera!" Cephera exclaimed glaring at her sister.
"Sorry I don't like new places," She said sitting back and crossing her arms.
"It is your duty to learn about other people and cultures. For once can you please remember who will take the throne when father steps down." Cephera pleaded.
"I wish you could take the damn thing. You're already good with people." Seraphina told her pursing her lips together.
"And what about if I died, you'd still need to learn these things." Cephera pointed out. Loki watched Seraphina's face pale.
"Don't talk about dying. You know I hate that." Seraphina growled. Apparently it was a touchy subject. Loki found this interesting considering she took her sister to a tavern full of burly, horny, intimidating men, but yet feared for her safety.
"Well if you'll all excuse me I have lessons to attend to this morning. Have fun at the beach." Loki told them standing from his chair. He gave a polite bow before departed. He had no time for them this morning. He had studies he needed to get to in the library followed by hands on practice with Amora.
He could hear the talking still being had as he left and found solace in the silence of the hallway. He followed the long halls deep into the palace util he hit the massive library. Himself and Thor had been given a key to its most sacred rooms when they were younger, but only Loki ever put use to his. He was sure Thor had either forgotten about his or threw it aside on purpose. Thor was not a scholar. He was not the ever dutiful student Loki was. Loki was always striving to make himself better in everything he did where as Thor was just stumbling through life.
Thor would always be outside as a child playing sword fighting with sticks while Loki would sit in the grass and read. Loki only trained how to fight to calm the whispers of his sorcery. There was a lot of honor in becoming a great warrior, it was something all Asgardian men were born for. Those who chose to stick to books instead of the battlefield were looked down upon and saw as weak. Those who practiced sorcery, better thought of as a woman's profession, were seen even lower. The fact that Loki was a prodigy in the art of magic caused him a reputation to be feared. Loki had to work hard to get his respect, but his came from mostly fear for his brilliant mind and his mischief where as everyone practically kissed Thor's feet.
It had always been that way growing up. Thor would do something, no matter how stupid, and everyone was amazed by it and Loki would do something not normally done by a male and it was frowned on. Frigga was the only one to understand that Loki was just different. She always encouraged him to follow his heart and Loki loved magic and studies of the intellectual kind. He loved her more than life itself for her faith in his abilities. She was what gave him the courage to continue on the path when he was but a small boy. She showed him the first of his magic.
Loki found his favourite spot perched on a wide ledge meant to hold plants near the windows, but he preferred to sit there instead. His slim frame making it easy to fit. He had filled his arms full of books along the way to the back of room. He settled himself on the ledge his legs stretched out in front of him and his back nestled to the wall. He opened a massive book of spell theory he had been meaning to read since last year, but hadn't gotten around to it.
(Thor)
Thor rode to the beach with not just the two princess's, but also his three best friends and the Lady Sif, who Seraphina had spotted in the garden and invited along. It seemed Seraphina had a certain respect for Sif after their first meeting. Thor was a little unsettled with the situation of Sif and her passion to learn to fight. He had known Sif for quite some time and when he recently found out about her attraction to him it had been strange and flattering.
Sif herself belonged to a pristine noble family of great note so her dreams of being a warrior were not a happy one for anyone involved. Thor was not sure how he felt about her enthusiasm for the art. She was a beautiful woman and he hated to see her hands become hard and calloused from holding a weapon. He hated to see her face grow weary and battle-worn. He may not hold the same affection for her as she did him, but he liked her. Loki, he knew, had secret affection for her, but Sif never gave Loki so much as a glance in Thor's presence.
Thor felt bad for Loki on this. There were two women Thor knew loki to hold greater affections for and that was Sif and the temptress Amora. Both women not willing to give Loki any amount of their time aside from what they needed to. Sif only greeted Loki because he was a prince and Amora because she taught him. He had heard Loki speak of many frustrating tales of Amora's flirty, teasing ways and warned Loki many times to move on. Alas, Loki was determined to have one of them by his side.
Thor watched the females as they separated away from the guys to run down the sands. Cephera twirling and laughing as she went. Her sister was just trying to keep up with her while Sif seemed to be trying to talk to Seraphina. "Nothing like a nice day on the beach with three beautiful women," Fandral said smiling wide. His eyes sparkling as he watched the females.
"Take care how you treat the princess's. We do not want to insult them." Thor cautioned. Fandral had a way with words, but he also tried too hard to impress sometimes.
"They are very pretty." Volstagg added fondly. Of the three he was the least likely to insult anyone, he was gentle of heart and of voice. He enjoyed food above most things and was not a man to seek pleasure with just any woman. Hogun was the quietness of them all, but he was also big on observing. When he wasn't speaking he was watching closely. He was also very polite to women, but he also came off as cold because of his quiet demeanour. Thor agreed with them. The girls were very pleasing to the eye, Sif included.
Thor hadn't paid much mind to Sif before. Yes; he knew her, had grown up around her as her family was close to his own, but he'd never really taken the time to really look at her. Now he did. Her long blond hair was being blown in the wind and the angle her face was on made it difficult to see her eyes, but she was talking excitedly with the elder princess and somehow he just knew it was about fighting.
Thor couldn't help but smile as he now thought of the rumours of Sif's attraction to him. He had noticed her hanging around more often and had pushed the rumours away as she started to insist she wanted to be trained as a warrior. Now he wondered if they were actually true. Thor had never tired courting a woman. He dallied with many women in his rooms, but never had he connected with anyone on a more serious level. It was all just for fun. He looked to Sif again and considered what it might be like to have her at his side. Surely he could convince her to give up the path she was trying to travel. After all, he would not be so closely associated with a woman who broke traditions, still it could not hurt to have her as a friend.
Thor and the warriors three had nearly caught up to the girls now. Sif and Seraphina talking and Cephera had disappeared. Thor looked about concerned a moment only to see her waist deep, clothes and all, in the waters splashing about in laughter. She was easily amused that one. "Come on the water's so nice on such a hot day!" She called to everyone. Seraphina was now looking out at her sister and to Thor's immediate shock her sister pulled her simple dress over her head to stand in nothing more than her underwear. Her breasts free for viewing and she didn't seem to care.
"Come on," She said to Sif. Sif's face flushed and she shook her head. Seraphina didn't take her rejection of the offer. She took hold of Sif and began forcing the girl out of her dress. "Come on. You can leave on your underdress," She said. "There is nothing more refreshing then letting loose once and awhile."
"Perhaps we should ..." Thor began.
"You too. Undress, all of you. Live a little, it's just a swim. If you're too shy you can always be like my sister and go in with all your clothes on." Seraphina challenged and the boys exchanged glances. None of them looked to want to back down and so they stripped down to absolutely nothing. Sif had been wormed out of her dress and was left in a white silk underdress. She covered herself her face burning.
It wasn't until Thor held out his hand to her. "Perhaps a little fun is not a bad thing. I promise we will behave accordingly." He assured her. He watched her think about it and looked to the other two female's who were now joined by the other males. Finally, she nodded.
"This is something they seem used to doing," Sif said trying to ease the tension.
"So it would seem." Thor agreed. He was not ashamed of his body and was amused to see Sif glancing at him from time to time and he helped her into the gentle waves.
"I am glad you joined us Lady Sif. Though I had not expected to be in such a state of undress I must admit it is a little freeing." Thor couldn't help but laugh almost boyishly.
"It is." She agreed and smiled at him.

Notes