Aldrif made her way to a healing room, a place she knew her brothers could find her if they wished to check on her, and collapsed onto a long sofa. Her ribs ached where the Frost Giant had frozen her chest plate and after finally ripping the cursed armor off and tossing it to the floor, she wasn't sure what she could do but wait for it to feel better. Sif found the princess like that, and went immediately to speak to a servant. She returned to spend five minutes pleasantly discussing what Aldrif could have done better and reassuring the younger Asgardian that a first fight was always like that.

"And most of us had another warrior at our side," Sif finished. Her eyes crinkled in a smile. "Usually Thor."

"Bad luck I chose the one time when he was distracted." Aldrif kept her voice light... If she'd managed just a bit longer, would her brother be king now? What had she cost him? But Sif was laughing.

"By something other than battle. Who would have thought? Ah, Hogun."

"Hogun?" Aldrif looked up in surprise. He stood in the doorway for a moment, looking back and forth between the two of them, slightly out of breath and looking more grim than usual. His eyes finally found where her hand awkwardly held her side and he strode quickly across the room to join her on the sofa.

"What happened?"

"Jotun brushed my armor." Aldrif shifted her hands and he leaned over her, lightly brushing the aching cold with the tip of his fingers. "I can't feel that at all." She managed not to let her voice waver.

Hogun nodded and began an explanation of what he was looking for, of what she should be wary of during a fight and after. Aldrif nodded along their intellectual discussions tradition enough that she could make a slightly strained sound and he knew what she was asking.

"I'm going to need to--" He was finishing when a voice interrupted.

"Princess is finally all grown up and risking her life," Loki teased as he appeared, seemingly from nowhere. He watched Hogun for a moment, looking concerned as his sister was examined. "What are you thinking, sister?"

How did he do that? Watch her when she thought he wasn't looking?

"I want to know what the Jotun are up to." Aldrif stared down at her hand and let the shadow appear, curling around it. She caught Hogun's eye on it but he didn't even blink. Had she really gotten so casual with magic around him that he was used to it? Or was that just Hogun?

"Will you fetch me one of the healing stones, Aldrif?" He said as he looked back to her side. He held out a hand as the shadow reached out, sneaking a stone from the fire a few feet away. It stung Aldrif's fingers as she caught it first but the warrior didn't wince as she dropped it into his hand. "Thank you."

"I just... I don't think-the Jotun, I mean-I don't think it was the plan of but a few."

Sif began to comment but Loki had stepped forward, interrupting. "Father does."

Aldrif sighed, half from the muddle in her brain and half from the return of feeling as Hogun touched the healing stone to her side, the warmth bleeding through the fabric of her dress. "I know."

"Thor doesn't."

"I know."

"So what are you going to do?" Loki moved to lounge on the couch beside Sif. She spared him a glance and then sent Aldrif a questioning look as well.

"What do you plan, Aldrif?"

Aldrif looked to Hogun for help but he looked away when she met his eyes. The princess cast a glance around the room and found nothing to help her. Only three warriors watching her. Only her useless armor on the floor. Only the ashes that still stung to look at.

"Even if I had a plan, I don't think I would be the right one to carry it out."

Curses, it burned even worse to admit that.

"Yes, I can't quite picture you marching into Jotunheim and returning with a Frost Giant's head on a platter," Loki smirked at the thought.

"That's what Thor wants?" Hogun said quietly.

Sif winced.

Of course, it was.

"He and the rest of your warriors three are designing a plan as we speak." Loki leaned back his head and closed his eyes, propping up his feet by the fire. "That or finishing off the canceled banquet. Volstagg is with them, after all." The prince opened one eye to look from Sif to Hogun. "You two might want to go speak with him as well."

They each gave Aldrif a questioning glance, Hogun still holding the stone to her side. She nodded her head toward the door and replaced Hogun's hand on the stone as he pulled away, almost jerking away to keep their fingers from touching. Aldrif watched the two warriors hurry away, her eyes puzzled as they studied Hogun. Then Sif and Hogun were gone and she could turn back to her brother. He was back to pretending to be asleep but she could feel him waiting for her to say something. Do something. For her to be Thor's sister.

"It's too risky," she said finally. "It's not what I want."

"Of course not," Loki shrugged. "It's madness. But how are you going to stop him?"

His sister stared at him. "I can't. It's Thor."

Loki opened one eye yet again. He studied her for a long moment, what felt like forever.

"Is that what you think?" He asked finally, stretching as he stood to leave. "Alright."

Aldrif wrinkled her nose as he left, trying not to look grumpy.

It was just like Loki to know the best words to torture her.