In the greatest of all of the nine realms, Asgard, there lived two famous princes of King Odin, Thor and Loki. Thor, the eldest, was a handsome and strong warrior that wielded the mighty hammer Mjolnir, which had the power to command the stormy skies. The younger was an adopted Jotun Prince, who was a dark, slim young man with delicate features, but was mighty and terrible with sorcery and oft played tricks on the inhabitants of the nine realms. Despite not being related in blood, two loved one another dearly and were never in want of laughter or entertainment.

As these two princes grew older, Prince Loki grew more and more distant and no longer smiled or laughed. The change was sudden and no one thought much of it, suspicious that the trickster might be planning to play a great jest upon them all. But, when weeks passed and no tricks were ever played, Prince Thor began to worry. When Loki could only be seen briefly for meals, he would not even look up and left quickly. Seeing this change in their son, both Queen Frigga and King Odin finally began to worry and discussed within the confines of their private chambers what could've wrought such a change on their youngest.

"Our son is much changed, husband. I cannot bear to see him so sad."

"But what can we do? We are not privy to the cause of his black mood."

"Perhaps he is lonely." Her suggestion was met with a long silence that continued long after the royal pair had fallen asleep.

The next day, King Odin issued out a decree that whoever could make Prince Loki laugh once more would be given the Prince's hand in marriage and a share of all the lands of Jotunheim that was his youngest son's birthright once King Laufey was no more.