"Close your eyes, take a breath... count to three."

Gathering her poise, Shyael took long graceful strides into the grand hall of Asgard's stunning fortress. The room was engulfed with the laughter and loud bantering of Thor and his followers. They sat among cherry-wood tables layered with food and gold.

With clenched fists clutching the soft fabric of her white gown. Shyael walked the outskirts of the room in hopes of going unnoticed. Taking in the party through the crystal of her mask, she avoided mingling with the festive crowd.

Odin set near the balcony decorated with golden drapes, his wife Frigga forever at his side. Noticing Shyael, she gave her the softest smile. Her role as Mother of the Valkyries wasn't unknown. Although it was Odin who commanded them, they belonged to Asgard's Queen.

The bored sigh of her sister pulled Shyael's focus from the lively event. Twirling her golden curls, Tira watched the feast under her mask of a green vale. Her heart was young and filled with so much curiosity, it wounded her to be separate from such energy.

"Why do you do that?" Shyael asked, irritated. "You know we must--"

"I know." Tira pouted. "We must keep our distance from the mortality of men or else suffer the outcome."

"I know how your heart sings to be with them, but this is for the best," Shyael lectured her youngest sister. "If we lower to such level, we could lose our grace or worse. They depend on us to ascend them from pain to the white walls of Valhalla, we must not falter."

There was a long silence between them; conversations with her only kin were so hard to come by. It was one of the things Tira hated the most about their relationship. "Well, I'm going to look around."

"I do not think that's a good-"

"Don't fret dear sister, I'm not going to serenade anyone."

Walking around the room Shyael watched her sister as she left the banquet, vanishing in the shadows of the palace. She felt a small sense of relief knowing that she wouldn't be in the center of the party full of loud men. Unfortunately, Shyael had forgotten where she stood as a large hand found her dress. With a swift yank, she found herself tossed in a pile of pillows by the dining table.

"Here she is!" Thor burst, his eyes glistened, and his breath smelt of wine "The woman who took my glory today."

Shyael snatched her dress from his hand and climbed to her feet. Thor's hand caught her golden wristlet, her heart almost dropped when she realized just how close he had gotten to her skin.

"Where are you going?" Thor's words slurred. "I'm not finished yet."

"You're drunk," Shyael scolded

"Actually, my eyes are a natural blue, but I appreciate the compliment."

She forced herself from his grip only to find him clinging to her dress once more.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier today and I thank you for ending the war I could have done by myself."

"You are very welcome." Shyael smiled wryly as she brushed off the drunk prince. "I accept your useless apology."

"Come!" Thor beamed with satisfaction. "Have a drink with me."

"I'd rather not."

Like a child, he wrapped the loose sheer of her dress over his head and laid at her feet, batting his eyelashes "Please, my lady"

There is no remedy for dealing with a drunk prince, Shyael regretfully slumped back down into the pillow next to the prince and the men cheered. Perhaps he could amuse her, if only for a moment.

Tira explored the most peaceful parts of the Asgardian palace, admiring its every elegant angle. It was much like her home among the farplane. The only difference was the amount of life and light it engulfed. The hall came to an end and Tira found herself facing down two enormous doors with one opened just slightly.

Peeking inside she only found darkness. Testing her curiosity, she pushed the door a little further and slipped inside. It wasn't a good thing for a Valkyrie of the kingdom to wander from such a banquet, but it wasn't forbidden either.

She gasped when she found herself in the library. Shelves filled with literature towered above her, every organized turn introduced her to more wonder. Biting her lip, she smiled as her fingertips grazed across the spines of books. They were sleeping in the lantern light, waiting to be touched by curious eyes.

The dying sunset cascaded the most beautiful glow, enchanting the stained-glass windows like magic. Turning the dim room into an aurora of colors. Her excitement boiled over as she reached for her first book.

"Well, this is a most amusing surprise."

Startled, Tira quickly snatched her hand back and spun away. She spotted a shadowy figure in the corner of the room, well hidden from the suns dying light. "Why do you lay among the shadows?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. "Come out and show yourself."

The closing of a book echoed as the figure stood up and emerged into the light. Tira stiffened as she prepared for whatever this stranger may attempt. Her hand gripped the small dagger hidden in her gown.

"Easy my feral goddess." The young man grinned. "No need to raise up arms."

His raven-black hair, blue eyes, and green attire stood very familiar to her. "Loki Laufeyson," Tira acknowledged. "Quite the surprise indeed. Why are you not with the others, devouring on this glorious victory?"

"I could be asking you the same thing." Loki chuckled, his smile held its devious reputation and his voice was as fine as silk. "I do not find their way of celebrating delightful."

"Nor do I."

"I find that hard to believe, a Valkyrie? A servant of war doesn't enjoy the thrill of a good party?"

Tira scoffed at his remark. "What do you know of us Valkyries?"

"Oh, I know more than you realize." Loki took in the depth this conversation would go and decided to enlighten the beauty before him. "You are Angels of death, sending souls to the farther realms. Your beauty is beyond compare yet you wander the world in disguise. Mortals adore your company, but you are incapable of love. You are cold creatures of war"

Tiras cheeks burned in his response, what nerve he had, attacking her personally like that. This prince knew nothing of their kind or the darkness they were forced to face. They only pry on the stories of drunken mortals boasting tall tales. She turned her heel to leave, he wasn't even worth her reply.

Loki said ever so calmly, "Did I not speak the truth?"

"You speak of us as if we are nothing but fiends to man, an object." Tira snapped around to face him. "Yes, we do deliver souls to the next plane, but we do so because we are chosen to, it is our duty. You say our beauty is beyond compare but you never take the time to look beneath our masks. You say we are unable to love yet men do not love us, they desire our beauty, our bodies, and our power nothing more. It is you men that are cold creatures."

Tira took a breath and calmed her racing heart, almost forgetting that she was taking to royalty and the son of Frigga. "You may not see bars, but we are caged birds. We cannot love because we are forbidden to and breaking our laws would result in unspeakable consequences."

"Forbidden?" Loki asked, confused. "I have seen Valkyries all throughout history become wives of mortal warriors. Yet they received no such punishment."

Tira lowered her head. "If those warriors are favored to Odin and if he so requests a Valkyrie wife then he should have her to bed him... without choice. Even if we do not love that person, we must do what we are told to by the King and Queen."

"And if a favored Valkyrie of Odin wanted to choose a mortal husband?"

Tira shook her head. "We cannot bear strong emotions such as love, it is what separates our kind. If we were to feel emotions, then we would fall from our grace. It is weakness."

Tira felt silly and almost in pain speaking those words. She dreamed of love yet standing there in front of him she realized she was starting to sound like her sister and that alone left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Sounds a bit unstable," Loki replied placing his book on a nearby table.

"The other Valkyries take to it so easily, but I still dream that things can change, although I could never tell my sister that. She's so-" Tira made a shivering gestured.

"Your sister does not believe in love?"

"No, and she's not easy to talk with. As one of the strongest Valkyries of the Light realm, and most favored by Odin, she enforces his law. While I am just a figure hiding in her shadow."

Loki smile, this time was different. he almost looked sincere. "I know the feeling of living in the shadows of a higher sibling all too well."

Horns echoed in the distant signaling it was time for the Valkyries to ascend.

"I must go," Tira said.

She turned to dart out for the room at full speed but was pulled back by Loki's hand grabbing hers. Her heart skipped a beat by his sudden cold touch.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, placing a small leather book in her hands. "Take this, it always enlightened me."

"What is it?"

"A book of poems."

"No!" she gasped, shoving the book away like it would cause her some deadly disease. "We are forbidden to have such literature"

Rolling his eyes, Loki refused rejection and shoved the book back in her hands. "It is my favorite so if you lose it you will suffer my wrath."

Tira took a moment and looked down at the book, opening it she gazed at its soft worn pages. "Thank you." She finally sighed. "I'll care for it deeply."

His hand slipped from hers and he watched as she disappeared, taking regret that he never got her name.

======================

Author's Note.

Sorry, there seems to be a lot of dialogue in this chapter and I do hope I executed my punctuation correctly. Feel free to throw in any feedback!

Apart from that, what did you guys think about the first encounter of Loki and Tira and where do you think it will go from here?

Valkyrie name pronounced: Tira (Tear-a)