Chapter 1

Laughter boomed out over the vast lake, the two drunken Princes of Asgard staggering along its coast under the shadow of the city's great palace. Their home. The moon hung delicately in the sky, reflecting off the still waters surface with picturesque perfection, not a ripple to be seen.

"Truly, Thor," the younger laughed, clapping his tall, hulking brother on the back. "This battle has a special place in the history books! That was glorious!"

"I am glad you enjoyed it, brother." Thor boomed, brandishing his hammer proudly in his hand. "It would not have been as fun without you."

They'd slipped away from the tavern not long ago, leaving their friends behind to drink on and celebrate their most recent victory, but were reluctant to call the night over yet. They hovered outside the palace by the lake, feeling home, but not quite caged for bed yet.

Loki glazed his eyes, crinkled in the corners with laugher, over the city. Yes, he felt good. Not especially about the battle, though. Fighting was Thor's element, not his, though not once had he turned down a venture with his brother and the warriors. He wasn't planning on missing out. At first, it was to equal Thor, so they both stood equal chance of being chosen as heir to the throne. But as time wore on and Thor became the more obvious choice of the pair (their father craftily not revealing anything definately, however), Loki turned to more personal amusements in the ventures.

Battle was a good place to practise his magic. Teleporting and cloning were becoming favourite tricks of his, and ones he was getting quite skilled at.

He smirked at the thought, proud at how much he'd progressed since he'd let go of pretending to be someone he wasn't.

The two princes dropped down to the soft grass and stared out over the city, each revelling in their own sense of pride and accomplishment. Loki wasn't even that drunk. Thor had had more than he had but even he was not fully senseless. They'd have to drink on for days to achieve that!

Besides, Loki was happy as he was. Happy to go over the details of the battle he was most proud of, reliving the flick of the wrist that sealed the mastery of his latest spell.

His gaze scoured over the lake. Beautiful, he thought. He didn't want to be king; not being king left him more time to admire the kingdom if nothing else. He was happy how he was.

Until he saw the ripple.

His brow furrowed instantly as he caught the faint ripple trace over the waters surface. There's no wind, he noted suspiciosuly in his head, so what...

He wasn't the only one to notice it. "Loki..."

Both brothers stared as the rippled deepened and mulitplied, floating into the moonlit waters from space too dark to make out. Identical frowns etched on their faces, the prince's slowly rose to their feet, waiting for the explanation of the phenomenon to reveal itself..

Then the body floated into the moonlight and they flew into action.

Loki's heart plummeted the moment he caught sight of faced down feminine figure floating softly towards the coast line, just seconds before the splash of his brothers dive hit his ears. The sharp sound brought him back to his senses.

The young prince peeled his jacket hurriedly from his body, his mind racing for what to do. Was she dead? Was she drowned? What did he do if he did find her alive? Thor had no experience of life saving techniques: he was always on the recieving end of them if they were ever required! It was down to Loki.

The alcohol clouded his mind as he thought, remembering the process a healer had once explained to him. Chest compressions and breaths, his mind answered finally.

The splashing of the water as Thor waded from the lake snapped Loki back to the present again, and his gaze shot to the figure in his brothers arms. Limp, long hair flowing from her hanging head, her arm flooping unresposively at her side. The pale wet skin of her face seemed to glisten in the moonlight as Thor set her down heavily on the grass. Loki leaned over her, breath hitching in his throat.

"She's not breathing." his brother gasped darkly over the girl's body. "But she's still alive."

Still alive - Loki had to act.

He laced his fingers together, one hand over the other and positioned the heel of his lower hand in the centre of her chest, shivering against the feeling of the sodden white material of her dress against his skin. He pressed down firmly, keeping beat in his head. One, two, three... he counted to thirty, then straightened up looking across to his brother for help.

Thor leaned over the girl, ear over her open mouth. "Still not breathing." he confirmed Loki's worst fears, drawing back.

Right, Loki thought in his head, trying to recover his composure. What was next? He struggled to remember, the alcohol slugging his mind. He screwed his eyes shut - after thirty compressions came...

Loki's eyes snapped open.

Leaning over the girl's unconscious form, he pinched her nose shut with one hand, and held steady at her jaw with the other. He smothered her open mouth with his and blew in a deep breath, her chest inflating with the air. Breaking away, he inhaled and did the same again.

Her lips were icy cold, her skin holding an almost blue tinge to it.

He'd just restarted the chest compressions when her chest heaved against him, and a splutter snapped him out of his methodical trance. Both princes eyes flew to the girl's face as her back and neck arched, couging and spluttering the water out of her lungs as her body rolled. Thor leapt clear, but Loki was frozen on the spot as the female writhed on the grass before him.

He was in shock.

Only when she stilled, lying on her side facing the young prince, her eyes slipping shut as she drew back into the realms of unconsciousness, did he look up and meet his brothers frowning gaze.

Loki drew in a shaky breath.