the cuckoo's child, by invitation

[purposeful_glory]

It is obvious from the time Loki learns to walk that she is not going to be very good at it. Normal toddlers fall, and often; she does it more, and longer. She has been practicing at walking for years before she can cross a floor smoothly nine times of ten, even if she does not sprawl completely every time she missteps.

She winces when she trips, not so much out of embarrassment or because she's hurt herself, but because the reactions are never good.

Falling is not a princessly thing to do.

Comments

[pythbox]

Her mother Odin, Queen of Asgard and famed through all the Nine Realms as a wise ruler fierce in battle, growls when she sees her daughter fall flat on her face for the hundredth time.

Her father Frigg, a gentle lord known for his exquisite manners and calm demeanour, sighs and retires to his chambers to begin weaving a new spell. It takes time and time to complete, and works slowly - Loki has grown a few inches by the time she would notice a change. But her bumps and scrapes are now not quite so painful, and she never again falls in such a way as to injure herself significantly.

Odin is unsatisfied. A princess of Asgard must be a fearsome warrior, and the only one who fears Loki is the floor.

[purposeful_glory]

Loki walks more slowly, more carefully - she looks at her feet.

It doesn't help.

She finds a scepter that goes with her usual colors, in a treasure hall, and pretends she's carrying it for its beauty or maybe to hit people, and uses it as a sort of a cane.

[pythbox]

Loki's older sister, golden-haired Thor of the loud voice and clomping feet, teases her incessantly for all the tripping. The teasing does not noticeably diminish when Loki begins carrying a scepter.

[purposeful_glory]

Loki tries to figure out what is meant by the teasing. It is repetitive; it is not meant to make her feel easier about her difficulties or if it is it is not effective; and surely even Thor should have seen that it does not cause her to trip any less. One day she opts to ask.

"Sister, why do you so often poke fun at me for falling? I don't do it to be funny."

[pythbox]

"...But it is funny," says Thor, puzzled.

[purposeful_glory]

"Over and over and over?" asks Loki. "How is that funny?"

[pythbox]

"I don't know, sister, it just is."

[purposeful_glory]

"But I don't like it when you tease me."

[pythbox]

Thor just blinks at her.

[purposeful_glory]

"And I can't stop tripping even though I'm trying really hard so I can't stop you teasing me that way. So you should stop."

[pythbox]

"Oh," says Thor. She frowns in thought.

[alicornucopia]

"If you tripped I wouldn't laugh at you."

[pythbox]

"Why not?"

[alicornucopia]

"Well, I don't think tripping is funny anyway, but even if I did I wouldn't want to make you feel bad."

[pythbox]

Thor frowns some more.

[alicornucopia]

"You don't understand, do you? No one ever laughs at you about anything."

[pythbox]

"I don't know," she says slowly. "I don't think I do anything worth laughing at."

[alicornucopia]

"You don't," agrees Loki. "You have it much easier than me, you see? I'd much sooner not do anything to laugh at, only I can't."

[pythbox]

"But you're a princess of Asgard," says Thor. "You have to."

[alicornucopia]

"I know, I'm trying," says Loki. "It just doesn't work. And teasing me doesn't help."

[pythbox]

"It isn't meant to," says Thor, still with that puzzled frown.

[alicornucopia]

"Is it meant to do anything?" asks Loki.

[pythbox]

"I don't know," Thor admits, scrunching up her face. "I just do it, I don't think about why."

[alicornucopia]

"Can you stop if you want to?"

[pythbox]

Thor contemplates this question.