You made a deal, and now it seems you have to offer up

But will it ever be enough? (Raise it up, raise it up)

It's not enough (Raise it up, raise it up)

- Rabbit Heart, Florence + the Machines

Never Enough

If this had ever seemed like a good idea, it was quickly losing its appeal. The younger prince of Asgard felt unease settling into him as he glanced around the woods, keen eyes searching for something, but he wasn't quite sure what yet. There was just... a feeling. He couldn't explain it, and he didn't dare voice it in the company he kept on this journey.

"Remind me why you wanted to come here again, brother?" he grumbled.

"Better hunting," Thor said with wide grin. "Come now, Loki, surely you don't miss your library that much."

"Don't be dense," his younger brother snapped, bristling at what he knew was meant to be an insult. Thor had done everything shy of throwing the smaller prince over his shoulder and hauling him out of the palace like a prize. To save pride - as much as he could when harassed into these sorts of trips with Thor and his friends - Loki had finally agreed to go.

"Then don't be dull," the blond answered back, flinging his arm around his brother's slim shoulders. "You need to get out more. How do you ever expect to keep up with me if you're locked away in your room or the library all day, nose stuck in those books?"

"I'm studying. Granted, I know that that is a foreign concept to you..."

"I do well enough in our lessons."

"Only because I help you!"

"Not too much!"

"All the time. Name one lesson that I haven't had to give you any answers on when Master Mim's back was turned."

"On any great war that Father fought in!"

Loki rolled his eyes. "You may know what he did, but even if the whole Nine Realms were at stake you couldn't come up with where they happened or when." He paused, eyes darting to where he'd thought he'd heard movement. "Or any information about the foe defeated outside of their strength."

"What good does it do me to know all the details of-"

"Because everything's in the details. Take the Dark Elves. You might throw Mjolnir around like a child's toy, but they'd have you in pieces with their magic before it would ever leave your fingertips. But you can't tell me what kind of magic they use, because you refuse to learn of their culture."

"No one cares about the Dark Elf culture. And they don't just use magic. They use arrows too."

Loki made a show of throwing his head back dramatically as he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Ooh. The Realms are safe. The Chosen Prince knows that the Dark Elves use bows and arrows."

"Are you two done bickering yet?"

The brothers turned, Loki sighing in relief now that he had the source of the noise that he hadn't been able to place. The pretty Lady Sif was all dark hair and youthful beauty, though few were brave enough to say so. She was frowning, obviously something she had been stalking having fled at the sound of the two princes that had failed to keep their voices down.

"I believe we're just getting started," Loki answered easily. "I suppose if you must, you're welcome to join in. I'm sure Thor would do well with someone with more than half a brain to use."

"I'm not stupid!" Thor roared, blue eyes flashing angrily.

"Is that why you just yelled it out for all of Svartálfaheimr to hear?"

Thor looked ready to lunge when Sif laid a hand on his arm, a strained look across her features. "If you must pummel him, at least wait until we're out of this place. He is not wrong in saying that you've announced our presence."

The golden prince stared at her in horror. "You'll take his side then?" he demanded, but gave her no time to answer as he stormed forward, uncaring of how heavy his footsteps fell.

"Oh for the sake of..."

"I keep thinking that someday he'll learn," Loki grumbled.

"And you!" Sif spat, pulling the punch she laid into his arm only slightly. "You know that riles him up. You know how he'll react."

The dark haired prince gave a shrug, long fingers curling around the bruise that would quickly form where she'd hit him. "He'll get over it. After he pummels me, of course."

"Don't be such a baby, Loki. He won't even remember he's angry with you in an hour's time." She stopped, dark eyes watching the pouting prince up ahead. "He does adore you. I do think he's the only one amongst us that does. Why do you both fight so?"

"You have no siblings, Sif. I can't imagine you'd understand."

She smirked, but a sound above them caught both of their attention.

The dread returned deep within the trickster and his thin lips turned downward as he searched the trees. "Where at the Three?"

"Out finding something worth hunting, I'd suppose. They're not far." She stopped, keen eyes seeing something. "Thor!"

The prince turned and stepped at the sound of his name, the arrow that would have lodged itself in his chest only nicking his arm instead. His entire stance changed in an instant, Mjolnir in his hand, and he was ready for battle.

Sif lept into action, sword drawn and eyes looking intently for the now missing sniper. The forest had gone quiet again, leaving the three young Asgardians to press back to back and watch for him. "There!" Loki called and his brother let loose his hammer. Mjolnir slammed through the trees, ripping and tearing its way until it found nothing and Thor reached out for it, having to dodge another arrow from an entirely different direction.

"He's hopping branches!" Loki called, hurtling himself out of the way of a dangerously well-aimed arrow flew past him, landing deeply in a tree that he had been standing in front of.

Thor grinned at him, throwing his hammer with all speed and strength towards a tree. The millenia old giant was snapped like it had been a twig, sending one of their would-be sniper tumbling to the ground. "Told you they used arrows!"

Loki snorted, but he couldn't keep the smallest of smiles from his lips.

The Dark Elf fell from the down tree as gravity took it on its way and he hit the ground running, though Loki did not miss the flicker of his eyes to the tree tops that said he was not alone. His warning died on his lips as Thor raced after the tall creature, weaving through the trees after him with more grace than the dark haired trickster might have given him credit for.

The attacker may not have been there alone, but neither were the sons of Odin or Lady Sif. The Elf had to drop to his knees and slide against the dirt to narrowly avoid an axe where his throat had been and he rolled, finding himself flat on his back with a well-polished sword to his chest and a sparkling white smile as Fandral grinned down at him. "Going somewhere?"

"Not today," Thor cheered, taking hold of the Dark Elf's tunic in one thick hand and pulling him up by it. "Why did you attack us?"

"You're on our land."

"Do you know who I am, Elf?"

"Your title means nothing here, Asgardian."

Loki perked, green eyes flickering above, verifying what he'd suspected. The downed Elf's friends would remain still and quiet no longer. "Thor, he's not alone!"

Arrows flew through the air and the Warriors Three and Sif sprang into action immediately. Thor let out a frustrated sound, throwing his prisoner to the ground even as storm clouds gathered overhead.

Loki watched, knowing that their enemies were closing in quickly and there was no way to get to them. "There's no time," he hissed, but Thor wasn't listening. The Elves had the advantage of sight from their high perches amongst the branches. Sight. That was it. The younger prince of Asgard's lips barely moved as his words spun their way into magic and a fog spread out around them, concealing them.

While the clouds might still be gathering, Thor lost concentration and began looking around. "Loki," he growled, irritation evident.

"Keep your voice down," his brother answered from somewhere unseen. The younger Asgardian pushed through the fog. "Quiet," he whispered. "There are too many of them."

"So you'd have us run and hide?"

"We are on their land, Thor. We shouldn't even be here. Dark Elves are not known for their hospitality."

"You coward! You'd have us running."

Loki visibly stiffened at the words. "I am no coward, but I am not a fool either. We are outnumbered."

Blue eyes locked with green, even through the thick fog, and by then the others had found them. They waited as the princes battled their wills, time ticking away until the Elves simply began shooting into the fog in hopes of hitting of of them.

Thor would not budge, all of his pride worn out on his sleeve. Loki felt himself deflate, knowing that he could not out-wait his brother in stubornness . "For once in our lives, my brother, trust me."

The elder prince snorted, but he seemed to bend. "I don't like it."

"I'm not asking you to."

Thor nodded, yielding to the retreat and Loki's face broke into a grin. He turned, reaching out through the fog with his magic to find their best path to escape. He wasn't sure if the spell faltered or if they had simply made too much noise, but the arrow was too well aimed to have been a shot in the dark. He heard it, but he never saw it, even he shifted to spin around. It hit before he could and the green eyed trickster felt himself falling to the ground, his brother shouting his name.

TBC