The first time she met him, was at the celebration for Thor Odinson's birthday. It was the first time she and her mother had been invited, and to say she was in awe of all the grandeur would be an understatement.

She was quite young, then. At least, by godly standards. If she had to be specific, she was somewhere around sixteen or seventeen, a mere child, many would consider.

Her dark hair was pulled back from her face, clasped at the back of her head with a simple ornament, allowing the rest of her hair to fall down her back in inky waves, a few strands falling out to frame her delicate features. This had the desired effect of revealing her hazel eyes, but it also brought everyone's attention to her pointed ears, an indication of her paternal heritage.

Clad in a simple, elegant dress that covered her arms and fell down to her ankles, she found that though she seemed rather underdressed compared to the other guests, she was perhaps the most comfortable. She wasn't much of a beauty, but there was a certain charm behind those gleaming eyes and playful smile.

Aerin, her mother had named her. As the half breed child of an elf and its mother, it was a miracle they were even invited. It didn't matter Asgard had no conflict with Alfheim of Light Elves, they still saw the child as an outsider.

And maybe that is why the grandeur soon lost its impressiveness to her. It enraged to see the other gods and goddesses speak about them in hushed tones, pretending to be discreet but very aware that they knew.

But to her surprise, Frigga came forward, clasping her mother's hands as if they were long lost friends. Then she found out, that they were indeed friends who had known each other a long time.

"This must be your Aerin." Frigga smiled down on her.

Aerin curtsied low, murmuring her greetings to the Queen. Frigga knelt down to her height, startling the girl, but she pressed a finger to her lips, winking. "I have a feeling you and my son will get along famously."

Aerin glanced at Thor, trying hard not to grimace as he roared and cheered among his comrades. She had heard there was a second son, could that be the one Frigga was talking about?

"Thank you, your highness, for inviting my mother and I to celebrate this wonderful occasion," Aerin said, enunciating it carefully just as her mother had trained her to an hour before they arrived. Although why they had to celebrate a simple birthday in such an extravagant manner was beyond her, it wasn't as if Thor had done anything particularly useful in his life so far, wouldn't a more private celebration within family and close relations be more meaningful?

"Please, call me Frigga."

Aerin slowly smiled at her. She bowed once more and took her leave, making a beeline to the food laden tables. Licking her lips, she piled the food onto plate, only to have it snatched away by one of the children of the more powerful Asgardians.

"Who invited the riff raff? Did you get lost on your way to the servant's quarters?" The boy sneered.

She stared at him for a long second, then rolled her eyes with a sigh, turning back to the table and summoning a new plate.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you-"

"I'm curious, how much must your parents have ignored you that you crave so much attention?" She asked sweetly.

"What?" The boy demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'll use smaller words: go bother someone else."

Grabbing her hand in a vice-like hold, he jerked her towards him with a snarl.

"Let go of me before you lose your hand." Her voice was low, dangerously so.

"What's a lowly bastard like you going to do if I don't? Learn your place, quim."

In a flash, she held a dagger, swinging towards his face. He yelped and dodged, missing it by an inch. She pulled away from him with a snarl, eyes burning like wildfire.

"How dare you, you filthy-"

"I warned you." She bared her teeth.

"Must you make such a fuss? As if my brother isn't loud enough." A bored voice interrupted them.

Fiery eyes turned to meet calm, green ones. His long raven hair was sleeked back, and he was dressed in an impeccably neat green tunic with golden embroidery. He exerted an air of charm and grace, his voice a soothing baritone. She didn't know how, but she knew instinctively as she caught the sparkling mischief in those eyes, that she was standing before the second prince of Asgard.

She knelt on one knee, a hand over her heart as she said her greeting.

"Your highness, Prince Loki." She bowed her head. He seemed momentarily taken aback by the gesture, especially considering it was one that was customarily done by men, or more specifically, a warrior.

But that's when the young prince realised, that at some point during his encounter, he had become a male. His hair and features remained the same, but there was a distinct discomfort in his posture, like he felt uncomfortable in his skin.

The boys however, decided to mock him. "Just because you can use a dagger, it doesn't make a half breed like you a warrior-"

Aerin got up and faced the boys, his features set like stone. "But even a half breed like me knows to greet someone of the royal family."

The boy scoffed. "Like he can even be considered-" before he can finish, Aerin had him bent backwards against the table, his dagger pressed against his throat.

"Speak carefully. What you say next decides whether you get to keep your tongue or not," he hissed.

"Aerin!" His mother exclaimed from the other end of the table, rushing towards him. "Stop that this instant."

"I am simply teaching him some basic manners, mother." Aerin shrugged, his grip unrelenting. "Now, stop wriggling, you're only going to hurt yourself," he chided the thrashing boy.

"You may stop now. I'm flattered that you sought to protect my honour, but there's no need to go to such lengths." Loki assured him hurriedly, wincing as Odin came closer.

The moment he spoke, the blade vanished and Aerin stepped back, smoothening his dress. "As you wish, your highness."

"What is the meaning of this?" Odin demanded of Aerin's mother.

"Forgive me-"

"No." Aerin snapped. "Why should my mother apologise? If anybody should be apologising to anybody, he should be apologising to the prince." He gestured to the trembling boy behind him.

Odin ignored him. "I agreed to invite you at my wife's insistence, and yet you allow this to happen? Have you taught your daughter nothing?"

Aerin made to argue again, presumably about his gender, but silenced himself under his mother's glare. Loki didn't miss the blood seeping out of his tight fists.

"I'm sorry, father. It was my fault Aerin got involved." Loki stepped forward, wincing under his father's glare.

Aerin looked away, gritting his teeth. In the blink of an eye, he changed, his features turning sharper, his dress replaced by a dark grey tunic. "Stop apologising for me," he hissed, fists clenching harder.

Feeling everyone's stared on him he shrugged, his gaze challenging. "I felt a bit uncomfortable, so I changed to fix that."

He risked a glance at Loki, a little surprised to see humour sparkling in his eyes. Thankfully, before Odin could burst a godly vein, Frigga intervened.

"My, Marienne, you didn't tell me about Aerin's talents. Odin, remember how I was looking for an apprentice? I think I just found the perfect one."

Odin's fury immediately subsided into shock. "You want her- I mean, him as your apprentice?"

Frigga circled the boy, taking in the details of the changes. "Why not? He changed the his entire biology perfectly, and not to mention the clothes- he's actually transformed his dress into a tunic. It's the same cloth, but a completely different design. Tell me Aerin, are you a shapeshifter?"

Still dazed by the queen's announcement, Aerin nodded.

Frigga clapped her hands delightedly. "Marienne, I am so glad you brought him. Marvellous, absolutely splendid." Then, as if suddenly remembering the fuss that had been taking place prior to her intervention, she turned on the boys who'd been picking on Aerin. "And you must learn to be polite and friendly. I dare say Aerin's reaction may have been a bit exaggerated, but it is not completely without reason."

"She means you need to apologise. To me," Aerin provided helpfully.

The main culprit flushed, muttering his apology as the others followed suite. Turning to the adults in the room, Kaen bowed to Frigga. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your graciousness. May I please be excused? I wished to discuss something with Prince Loki."

Odin dismissed them offhandedly. Aerin grabbed Loki's hand and dragged him away into the garden.

"Finally, some peace and quiet." Aerin sighed, plopping down on the ground.

Loki stared, unsure of what to do, until Aerin looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you going to stand there all night, prince?"

"You said you had something you wished to discuss with me," Loki reminded him as he slowly placed himself next to shapeshifter.

"Well, it would seem I may have lied to the All-Father. I assumed that you weren't all that comfortable with the attention, and strived to remove you from the unfavourable environment. You are very welcome, by the way." He grinned shamelessly.

"Why are you helping me? We haven't even met before today."

Aerin shrugged, a small smile pulling at his lips. "You seemed a little similar to myself, I suppose. I'm sorry if I went too far, it's just... I'm not overly fond of people who enjoy making other people miserable."

Loki was quiet for a long while, before finally speaking. "You were the first to address me as 'Prince Loki'."

"I was only addressing you as I should."

"You may call me Loki, from now. If you are to be my mother's apprentice, we shall be studying together often." He smiled, holding out a hand.

Looking confused, Aerin took it, holding gently in his own hand as he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of the prince's hand. Loki flushed, startled at the gesture but didn't pull back.

He noticed the small smears of blood on his hand from Aerin's fingers, which immediately brought to mind of his injury. Loki summoned a wet cloth out of thin air, taking Aerin's hands in his and wiping them gently. Aerin watched him intently, but made no sound or movement. When he was done, he looked at the crescent shaped scars across his palms.

"It doesn't make sense for you to hurt yourself when other people are unfair to you." His voice was soft, gentle.

Aerin shrugged. "The pain keeps me from lashing out. If I hadn't grounded myself, the servants would have had to scrape that whelp off the floor."

"Still, don't do that to yourself," Loki insisted.

Aerin grinned. "Is his highness worried about me?"

Loki coughed, turning away to hide his burning cheeks. "So you are a genderfluid," he said, desperate to change the subject.

Aerin nodded, leaning back on his elbows. "Most of the time, I ignore it, I didn't want anyone to say that my mother was raising a freak on top of a half breed. But tonight... I was sick of it. People keep going on and on about how Asgard is the best of all nine realms, of its greatness and peace and prosperity. But what use is all that, when people like me still have to hide and cower before those better privileged? People don't usually care about one's gender or sexuality here, unless it's someone like me."

"I don't care," Loki said.

Aerin smiled. "About my gender or my troubles?"

Loki panicked. "Your gender. I meant your gender."

Aerin laughed, loud and crystal clear, without restraint. Loki seemed bewildered, as he had often found himself to be that night.

"I apologise, it's just that your face-" he gasped for breath. After a second, Loki started chuckling as well.

And under the night sky, two kindred souls became bound with a bond that would grow to be stronger than all others.