PSL for throneenvy

[nippinatyournose]

Colorful. That was the first word that came to Jack's mind as the delegation from Jotunheim stepped into the golden observatory after their trip through the Bifrost.

Asgard was unbelievably colorful.

Perhaps he should have been more concerned about the cautious looks and glares he and the others received from the 'greeting' party of guards, and he might have been if his eyes hadn't caught on the sunny blue sky and the beauty of the Rainbow Bridge up ahead.

This was the first time most of them had ever left Jotunheim for any reason. Thanks to the ancient war between the ice realm and the one which controlled the Bifrost, inter-dimensional travel had been effectively cut off for hundreds of years. None of Jotunheim's princes had ever stepped foot on another planet, and the only contact they had with outsiders came from those who chose to visit them.

Jack himself was the result of one of those rare visits, so he'd been told all of his life. The King had relations with a woman visiting from another realm, and months later the delegation returned with a baby and the sad news that the mother had not survived its birth. The baby clearly inherited its appearance from its mother, though it could also claim cold resistance and a natural affinity for ice magic from its father. Laufey had no choice but to keep this child, unlike the other runt he'd given up for dead many years back. He could risk trouble with the other realm if he did not.

And so Jack grew up in a world of giants.

Although he never reached 6' tall, nor did he have any chance at becoming a warrior, Jack proved he had some worth in the magical arts. With a wooden crook he'd claimed as a staff, he was able to work wonders with ice that other Jotuns found impressive in its own right. These powers, as well as his vastly different appearance, helped gain him a spot in the party sent to Asgard for the next few weeks.

He was absolutely thrilled to learn he'd be accompanying his father and a few of his brothers on the trip to help negotiate better terms with the golden realm. Not because he had any interest in sitting in on long, boring discussions, but because he might be able to meet the Jotun prince who was taken away to Asgard as a baby.

Sure, most people said it was just a legend. Don't listen to that nonsense, they would say. But was there really no truth to the matter? Jack began to believe with greater certainty when he found an old journal of his father's, sneakily flipping through the pages. There was mention of an abandoned baby, and also a note that the body had not been found. Jotuns who took part in the war spread old rumors that they'd seen the baby taken away by Odin Allfather himself.

Jack had to know if the stories were true. Did he really have an older brother who was small like him? Who didn't even know his true family? As difficult as it was to contain his excitement, Jack had no choice but to be patient as the guards led the delegation down the Rainbow Bridge and toward the palace. There would be a welcome feast that evening, and they would be able to meet the King, Queen, and both of the royal princes. Soon, very soon, he could set to work playing detective.

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[throneenvy]

Loki Odinson had just endured some of the most tedious months in his life.

Ever since the All-Father had announced that his unofficial truce with Jotunheim and King Laufey may be re-written into something more permanent, Thor had not stopped alternately muttering in dark whispers about how the Jotuns could not be trusted or loudly declaiming Odin's judgement. He could not see past the prejudices of centuries and could not understand why Asgard would treat with Jotunheim when it had the power to crush their old enemies once and for all. Surely making truce with them sent a message of weakness?

These arguments and many more had been Loki's constant companion for months now. No matter where he attempted to escape from his boorish brother, still Thor managed to track him down and continue bending his ear.

It made no difference that Loki could understand the wisdom behind Odin's decision. He could see that treating with the Jotuns may bring no advantage immediately, but the yield in the future could be substantial. This was a political move, and quite an ingenious one. That he did understand made it all the more infuriating when Thor did not. For it reminded him with rising bitter envy that this oaf, this fool who did not understand the first thing about subtlety, was apparently more favoured for rule than himself.

Yet he could not bring himself to properly hate Thor. He resented him, he envied him, sometimes he wished to be him with all his heart; but he could not hate him. For Thor had no deception in him, and no malice either. Whatever he did was whole-hearted and earnest, he shone like the sun and that was why everyone loved him. It was why Loki loved and hated him in equal measure. He tried to push those feelings down and away, for he was sure he need only prove himself as worthy to be seen as such by Odin.

He hoped this visit would be his chance.

Loki had argued well for his position as one of the liaisons for the ambassadorial visitors. It had been initially thought of as too great a show of respect to allow them to be escorted by one of the princes, but Loki had ever been able to get his own way when he truly put his mind to it. They did not call him the Silver Tongue for nothing.

And so it would be before the feast that Jack would get his first glimpse of the younger prince of Asgard, though he may not know it to be him. For even though he was dressed in fine soft cloth and supple aurochs leather, he had no guards tailing him and he did not possess the proud warrior's bearing of Odin's line. His muscles were lithe and lean rather than the bulk that Thor was famous for.

"Welcome." Loki's voice cut through the silence at entrance to the palace. He inclined his head the barest fraction, a measure of politeness rather than deference, and smiled. "I will be your escort and liaison during this visit, which I trust will be fruitful for both our realms. Come, I shall show you to your chambers and answer any questions you may have."

The delegation interested him, specifically the odd one out. There were five Jotun, blue-skinned and tall, towering over him. Then one just a little shorter than himself, pale skinned and white haired. A half breed, perhaps? Odd that he would be included when most half-breeds or runts were put out to die from what he had read.