Loki lay on his stomach on the bed, head resting on his hands, feet kicking in the air idly as he read. He had managed to get to the library after Thor's confrontation and had found a book about Slítas in the last place he expected – the section on Jötunnheim. It had been an accident really; the book had been tugged down when he had been reaching for another one and had almost landed on his head.

His snake was a drifter from Jötunnheim called a Whipsnapper Cobra. Although the only stable way to travel between realms was the Bifrost, occasionally two realms orbited close enough that a temporary portal opened. During the time that they were open plants and animals could stray from one realm to the other. They were called drifters.

The crystals by his eyes were apparently a trait exclusive to Jötunnheim creatures. How it had ended up on Asgard was still a mystery to Loki. Well, I get why it likes me, my ice magic is probably the closest thing that he has to Jötunnheim.

"I suppose the real question is how I'm going to get you back home," Loki glanced over at his desk where the snake was lounging.

It opened one of its eyes, looked at him, and then closed the eye again.

"It won't be easy with the treaty between Jötunnheim and Asgard banning contact but I can't just leave you here," Loki sighed. "This isn't your home after all. I wonder who I'd get in more trouble with if they found me, Laufey or Odin." He smiled, "I'm not sure which one I'm more scared of."

The snake gave him a look best described as amused.

Loki turned the page of the book he had found. Most of the runes were Asgardian but some were in the Jötunn script and those he couldn't make sense of. Maybe I should teach myself Jötunn, at least how to read the script.

One of Asgard's Healers in training was a girl named Sigyn. She had been on Alfheim of late but should be returning home soon. Sig can read Jötunn I think, maybe I can talk her into teaching me. Thinking of Sigyn made him smile.

He brushed the thoughts of his friend aside and focused on his snake. "You are one weird snake."

The cobra turned its head away from Loki and tucked it under a loop of his body much like a bird would tuck its beak under its wing.

"There's that," Loki pointed out. "But you eat by tearing things up and eating strips like a crocodile so you can scavenge. You're omnivorous to and like to eat fruit. You don't like vegetables and I don't blame you for that one, and even eat some leaves. Hmm, those crystals by your eyes change color with depending on your mood. Wow, that's a weird one."

Loki took a bite out of a strawberry in the bowl beside him, glad he had some in his room. He loved strawberries. "You are the only snake I have heard of that can be either warm-blooded or cold-blooded depending on which would be better. A warm-blooded reptile," he shook his head. "Well, it also says that you can understand speech, rare for an animal."

The cobra puffed slightly at the implied insult.

"I'm going to take that as a yes," Loki smiled. "Did you wander through a portal?"

The snake bobbed his head in what Loki was sure was a nod.

"Do you want me to try and get you back home?" Loki asked finally.

The cobra looked at him in an expression that Loki was sure was a no and shook its tail, accidently knocking a pair of scissors off Loki's desk with it. Loki set his book aside so he could stand and get the scissors when someone knocked on his door. His senseline warned him it was Odin but his father opened the door before Loki could tell him to hold on a moment.

"Loki, why are you in your room?" Odin asked.

Loki held up his sore hands. "Fey told me to take it easy until I get these unbandaged. They should be healed by tomorrow."

Odin frowned, he always frowned. Why can't you smile at me father?

Odin looked over at the table and Loki braced to be shouted at but no shout came. His cobra had disappeared. Where did it go? Loki thought warily. The throwing blade was gone as well.

Odin was looking at his book when Loki glanced back at him. It was open to a page with Jötunn runes. Oh no, now he was in trouble.

"What is that?"

"A book?" Loki asked. He thought he had better elaborate. "Um, I saw a weird snake out in the forest. It's from Jötunnheim turns out. A drifter…"

Odin's glare deepened.

There was no way Loki could recover from mentioning Jötunnheim. He looked down. No wait, he told himself, I don't need to justify myself, what I just said is the truth. I am no coward and I am not scared of.

He looked back up and sat straighter. "As for my magic, I'll be able to start practicing tomorrow. Thor said he'd help me with my ice magic. Nira proved its lethality and since I'm using my normal magic I should learn how to use my ice as well."

Odin's wasn't used to Loki being sure enough of himself to look him in the eye and answer him. He had thought that after Nira holding him hostage that he would be even more timid... "No ice magic and no Jötunnheim." He took the book from Loki's bed.

For the first time ever, Loki refused to flinch under Odin's glare.

"Enough with that silly magic of yours." Odin continued. "It is a woman's art and not fit for a Prince. You should act your rank and focus on your swordwork instead of such foolishness."

"If I had more magic," Loki sharply replied. "I wouldn't have almost drowned and I would have been able to do more against Nira." He expects me to flinch, Loki realized, just like Sif. I stood up to Sif and I'm done with you father.

Odin read as much in Loki's eyes, steeled with a courage he had always lacked before. With a huff he left from Loki's room with the book.

Loki waited until Odin was gone before relaxing. He and Sif were all the same, just a bunch of big bullies that taunted those they saw as weak. Well, I'm not weak, not anymore and I'll learn just fine. Odin wants me to be a swordsman does he? Then I'll work with Eirill and fine tune my dagger work. He wants me to forget all this foolishness of magic, so I'll speak to mother and Freyja and learn. I told Nira that I do not need to prove myself to anyone. It's about time I started acting like it and stopped living in Thor's shadow... or... Odin's. If Odin does not approve of me then that is his loss.

No one else has ever tamed the Tesseract. I did. That's proof enough for me that despite whatever Odin thinks, I am not a waste. I am a Prince of Asgard.

A soft hissing noise drew Loki's attention from glaring at his door. It was the cobra. He had managed to drop from the desk to the chair under it to stay out of sight. In his jaws was Loki's throwing dagger. It held the bare blade carefully between its teeth and set it in Loki's hand when the Prince walked over.

"You hid my dagger?"

The snake looked at him levelly and Loki smiled, reaching over to scratch him between his eyes. He leaned into Loki's hand, purring almost, crystals a dark blue. "Thank you. You never answered me, do you want to go back to Jötunnheim?" he asked as he reached under his desk for those scissors that had been knocked off earlier.

The snake looked at him levelly and very clearly shook his head no.

"Well, then you need a name," Loki paused in his search and looked at the cobra. "How about Slítas?"

The snake tilted is head in curiosity then bobbed it in what Loki took to be a yes.

Smiling again, Loki ducked under the desk so he could see the scissors and held them up as he sat back, the light catching on them. Loki stopped. An idea formed.

"Can you pick up a pair of scissors Slítas?" Loki asked him, holding out his hand. In response the snake reached over and easily picked up the scissors from Loki's hand with its very strong jaws.

Perfect. He knew how to get Sif back. First, he'd have to get to the library and take one of the forbidden magic books with vengeance curses in it. He'd get back at Sif first, and then, then he'd see.

A trickster's knife like smile appeared briefly as he held the scissors in his hand.

To Be Continued…

Nightmares

Ever since Loki used the Tesseract he has been having nightmares. Since Chthon cannot reach Loki directly, he conditions the child's mind as it sleeps. Oblivious to what it happening, Loki decides to get even with Sif by cutting off her hair. This is the real story of the famous myth.

How's that for courage? What Loki feared more then anything was his father's disdain and now he's finally starting to realize that he doesn't need Odin's approval. Now, do you recognize this Loki a little more?

Yep, Loki's story continues and Sigyn appears in my next story. It gets even more interesting in the next story. And yes, guess what Loki's going to do with those scissors.