Thor and Loki have never been outside of Asgard before. Usually foreign dignitaries come to Asgard not the other way around. However, Thor and Loki are grown men now and Odin insists that it is high time that Asgard's crowned princes start learning the art of diplomacy. Thor is excited. He can't wait to impress new maidens with his power and size. Thor is the epitome of the ideal Asgardian male. Large, muscular, blonde, and golden bronzed perfection. He is a raging bull on the battlefield and at the dinner table. Frigga has washed her hands of seeing him act like the dignified prince that he should be. He acts like a common low bred soldier.

Loki is not looking forward to this trip. While he is anxious to try out his Vanir dialect and speak with Vanaheim's advisors on certain key components of a trade agreement, this trip will mostly entail babysitting Thor. Thor is like the sun. He is a bright shining beacon to which all others look. Loki lives in his shadow. He wouldn't be surprised if the people of Vanaheim forget he is there. It will be their first trip to another realm without their mother or father accompanying them.

The Bifrost touches down in the main courtyard of the Vanaheim Palace. King Frey is there to greet them and all the boring diplomatic pleasantries are made. They are shown to their rooms which are side by side. The rooms are beautiful and have a garden theme about them. Everything does in Vanaheim. The entire realm is a tropical paradise. The sound of running water is always nearby no matter where one goes here. Waterfalls big and small abound. Beautiful flowers of every size and color fill the palace. They even seem to sprout from the very walls.

Loki puts on his most beautiful green and gold dress uniform for the reception ball. It is being held in their honor and Loki has made sure to brush up on his dance steps with his mother prior to coming. Literally stepping on toes at a diplomatic gathering would be uncouth. Frigga had expressed her disappointment in Thor not doing the same.

The men walk the halls down to the ball room and get into the formal reception line to meet all the other dignitaries. Loki is effortless grace as he greets countless diplomats, knowing the names of each in advance. Thor stumbles through the introductions awkwardly, not knowing anyone's names, where they are from, or what they do. Loki is embarrassed for him. Finally the formalities are finished and Loki is seated next to Thor at the high table near King Frey. Only now is Loki able to appreciate the aesthetic of the Vanir race. Like Loki they are all tall and slender people, but like Thor they are mostly blonde and tanned. The men of Vanaheim are almost as delicate as the females in their body type. They are a very stately looking people.

The evening meal commences and Thor dives in the same way he would if he were feasting back home. He is loud, boisterous, and drinks heavily. Loki is horrified. Everyone in the room is watching Thor, not because they are admiring him, but because the ill-mannered oaf is making a spectacle of himself. Loki wishes he could disappear, or at least pretend that he and Thor are not related. Loki strikes up a conversation with a lovely lady from Svartleheim, who turns out to be a dignitary for the dwarf delegation.

"The dwarves have figured out that their social skills are lacking in the diplomacy area. It is why they employ me to negotiate contracts of service on their behalf. They are better suited to making the weapons, not the business deals to pay for the weapons." Says the Lady Amouthia. She is a Vanir noblewoman fluent in four languages.

"Your Vanir dialect is superb Prince Loki." She goes on.

"Ah thank you my lady. While the Allspeak does make communication possible, I find that much subtlety is lost in translation when it is used." Loki smiles. She is the first person besides his mother to praise his efforts to learn a foreign language.

After the meal people disperse onto the dance floor to converse, make business deals, and of course, dance. Thor looks sullen as it seems people here are avoiding his company. Aside from a handful of generals, no one seems to be interested in his many stories of triumph and battle. It isn't long before Thor finds himself drinking alone. Thor notices people dancing and curses himself for not practicing before coming here as Loki did. He doesn't dare ask a maid to dance now. He'll crush her feet.

Loki is having the time of his life. There is a crowd of maidens around him fawning over his beautiful raven hair and pale complexion. Loki is considered an exotic beauty here. Black hair is very rare. Loki uses his silver tongue to woo the ladies. He discusses the local vegetation, the constellations in Vanaheim's night sky, and the fertility festival for which Vanaheim is famous. Many of the maidens blush at the mention of this.

"Dance with me Prince Loki….No me! Prince Loki! ...I asked him first!" The ladies are starting to fight over him. Thor is pissed! What. The. Fuck! Loki decides to dance with the Lady Amouthia first. They sweep across the dance floor in fluid grace. Loki looks every inch the prince and the people gathered at the event can't help but compare him to Thor, who is drunk and pouting. These two are brothers? Really? And Thor is the favored son to become the next King of Asgard? The people of Vanaheim shake their heads. What a shame.

Loki is in such high demand as a dance partner that he decides to wow the crowd with his magic, by making clones of himself. A dozen Lokis appear out of thin air and take an awaiting maiden in hand. They sweep across the ballroom in effortless choreographed perfection. When the song concludes everyone cheers his amazing feat as all the clones disappear. Loki's dancing is still not done, however. Some of the men in attendance now make their move.

Loki blushes when a very elegant elf by the name of Alamand asks for the next dance. Loki lets the gorgeous man take the lead as they take a spin around the room. In Asgard, men don't ask other men to dance, but such a thing is not taboo here in Vanaheim. They don't call people ergi here. Loki hates to say, but he is rather smitten, if not with the man, but the idea of him. It is only when he happens to glance at Thor that Loki is reminded of the opinions of the people back home. If word of this gets out his enemies at court will use it and run with it. The song ends and the men split apart. There are others waiting but Loki claims exhaustion and doesn't dance any further.

By the end of the night Loki has dozens of ladies (and a few men's) handkerchiefs tucked in all over his body. Tokens of favor from romantic hopefuls hoping Loki will come and call upon them on the morrow. Loki has to help Thor back to his room as he is too drunk to stumble there on his own. It is the ending he expected, but all in all, the evening was…. perfect.