A/N: A little short, but highly amusing chapter!

Loki caught up to Lydia, as she fiddled with her Vortex Manipulator. Her energy was heavy with confusion. "I could always try and get us inside, but, there's something blocking it... I can't work it out." She sighed, as she met Loki's eyes with a twinkle of excitement. "A fire fight might be in order.." She patted the pistol hanging off the holster on her hip fondly.

Loki noted her enthusiasm, but shook his head. "I have a better method." He steered her away from the entrance of the castle, as their forms shimmered into the peasants they had previously encountered. "We will enter from the rear."

Lydia grinned. "Oh, I do like that method."

"I assumed you might..." The pair scuttled along the outskirts of the castle, gathering whatever they could in terms of loose objects such as a chicken or a sack of potatoes to gain entrance to the kitchens. Loki had picked up the prized cock, the feathered creature squawking in his hands. "Be quiet!"

Lydia watched on, hurling that sack of potatoes over her shoulder. "I could always provide advice when it comes to handling a cock."

Loki said nothing, for he was too busy controlling the bird. Eventually, the bird became silent. "I believe I know how to handle my own cock."

Lydia knocked on the door of the kitchen with a large grin. "You're ridiculous." The wooden door swung open, the pair keeping in character of peasants as they were greeted by an old crone. "Greetings, old woman!" Lydia began. "We return with er... good tidings of potatoes and a cock."

The elderly woman sniffed. "Get the fuck inside you pricks. The old bastard wants his fucking soup."

"Charming..." grumbled Loki, as he continued to struggle with the bird in his hands. "Language..." grunt "...clearly seems to be an issue of this realm..."

Lydia made a quick motion with her index finger across her throat in hope that Loki noticed to cut the conversation, but, with effort she managed to disguise her motion with dumping the potatoes into a pail as the old crone watched on. "Will the Queen be dining tonight?" Lydia asked, the old crone quirking a brow.

"Why the fuck shouldn't she be?"

Loki had suffered enough under the power of this bird. The cock was clearly too hard for him, and with a grunt the bird escaped his fingers. The old crone was quick to scoop it up in her fat arms and sliced off its head with a knife. Loki attempted to hide his amusement.

"...was that the main course?" Lydia asked, as the bird was thrown at her chest. "I take that as a yes."

"Don't forget the fucking spices." The old crone staggered out of the kitchen with a limp, as Lydia threw the dead bird to the ground.

"What the HELL did you drag me into?" Lydia's peasant form was shimmering away as she stood over Loki – who appeared to be quite amused regarding the situation.

"She really has admiration for spices." Loki laughed, gathering the emotions Lydia was expressing in regards to the situation.