About an hour later, my friend Cas Michaelsdottir and I were walking down the town square, gossiping and laughing. She didn't understand me as well as my best friend did, but she understood me well enough.

"So... when's that wedding?" Cas asked giddily, nudging my arm.

"After Thor's coronation," I replied, "Which is approximately 4 days away, counting today," 

"Are you excited?" she prodded.

"Yes, I suppose,"

"I would be! I swear, you're so odd, why aren't you swooning over him yet?!"

"Because he's my friend,"

"Not anymore!"

"That I was aware of,"

"So why aren't you head over heels yet?!"

"Because it's hard to make the transition, you know? Going from friends to engaged to spouses... to think that I'll become the queen of Asgard... it's all very strange,"

"Alright, I get that. Sorry. I can help you get through it if you'd like,"

"That would be great, thanks,"

"Oh, yeah, no problem! I think your manners are fine, you probably aren't even capable of slouching or bad posture because of your sword fighting... on that same topic, you don't even need him to defend you, you can fend for your own..." 

Cas went off with her rambling, but I couldn't focus on what she was saying. My eyes snagged on a blacksmith selling his weapons. There was one particular sword that I was eyeing, one with a flat, silver blade and a terribly regal looking black handle with lines of emerald green. It was stunning and brilliant, and I wanted it terribly badly.

Of course, I couldn't buy it on my own, they would scoff at me and laugh. 

Then again, I could use it to slice their shirt clean down the middle... 

No, I would get my father to buy it for me later. He would buy me anything I could ever want unless it's a stupid whim or it has anything to do with men.

"Whatcha lookin' at, El?" Cas teased. "D'you see Thor walking down the street or something?"

"I wonder how much that sword costs," I replied, trying to get a better look at the hilt. "It's terribly magnificent and probably well-balanced, too,"

Cas was mute for a second before she burst out into laughter. 

"El, you could be in a room full of hot men and be attracted to the nearest sword," she joked.

"I don't doubt it, hot men are usually full of themselves," I responded passively.

Cas burst out laughing again. I stared at her like she was going crazy.

"What?" I demanded.

"Oh, nothing," she smirked.

"It is definitely not 'nothing'," I said flatly.

"Alright, fine," she gave in. "I just admire you for being so uninterested in men. Have you never loved?!"

"Yes, I have," I replied defensively.

"Are you sure?" she teased.

"Yes!"

"Are you sure you're-"

"Hey, are you that girl from the paper?" 

I turned to find two young adult looking boys approaching us, both of them grinning. I tensed up, knowing that they were probably drunk.

"Depends," I replied sternly.

"You're engaged to Odinson," slurred one of the guys.

"Ah. Yes," I did not enjoy the publicity from the news at all, and I was beginning to hate it even more.

"How'd you two meet, anyway? Your momma got a taste of prima nocta?"

Both Cas and I made a face of pure disgust at him. I turned to face him dead on.

"Ooh, is she mad?" one of them jeered.

"Oh, she's mad," replied the other one. "How cute,"

My hands curled into fists as I shot him an angry pitying look. Cas eyed me but did not stop me.

"You know... there is a reason women aren't allowed to go to war," I stated slowly. 

"Yeah. Pretty girls shouldn't have to fight," one of the guys said sneeringly. His friend grinned wider in agreement.

"...no..." I smirked. "No, they shouldn't... but surprisingly, they still have to," 

With this, I drew a pocket knife from the secret pocket of my dress and whipped it up one of the boy's shirts with lightning-fast agility. I carved the word "drunk" into his shirt faster than anyone could comprehend. He backed away from me, looking shocked and nervous. He examined his shirt as I smirked at him, his eyes growing wider. 

"How'd you do that?!" he demanded as I slyly pocketed my knife again.

"Practice, of course," I replied dismissively. "There are plenty of stupid men to go around,"

"You'll pay for that, you little b----," he growled, attempting to reach out and grab me. I backed up just as he recoiled dramatically, shaking violently as lightning crawled around and through his skin. 

Cas nudged my arm. I turned to find both Thor and Loki, both of them looking terribly irritated and enraged. 

"Call her that again, I dare you," Loki snarled at him, drawing his daggers.

The drunken guy was foolish enough to repeat, "I said she's a b-"

Loki lunged at him, ripping his daggers through the guy's belt with terrifying speed. The guy's pants dropped, leaving him in his undergarments in the middle of the town square. People around us snickered and pointed as the guy pulled up his pants, his face completely flushed. I grinned at Loki, whose face turned a light tint of pink as he smirked in return. 

Thor shifted his grip on Mjolnir, and the boys sprinted away.

Both brothers glared at them as they left. Once the other guys were out of sight, the brothers turned to me. 

"Why didn't you hit him?!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

I raised my eyebrows. "You beat me to it,"

Thor rolled his eyes. "Nobody calls you that. Not in my presence,"

"Only I get to call her that," Loki joked.

"But you won't, because then you'll get a beatdown from me," Thor informed him sternly.

"Precisely,"

Cas awkwardly glanced from me to Thor to Loki.

"Oh, yeah," I said suddenly. "You guys remember Cas?"

"Of course," Thor grinned and bowed to her. Cas curtsied in return.

"Should we find a place that's not the middle of the square?" I asked. "Unless you're busy, of course,"

"No, no, I was hoping to find you here. Just to hang out because it's been a while since we acted like normal friends," Thor replied.

"Oh, sure," I responded awkwardly. "That makes sense,"

"Let's go!" Cas grabbed my arm and lead us all out of the middle of the square.

~

We'd found a circular table to sit around and we were chatting and gossiping gladly. Everything seemed to be going as fine as could be. Thor was right- we really hadn't hung out as normal friends in quite some time.

As much as I liked hanging out with them, I couldn't help but stare at that sword that I'd been eyeing. It was so amazing- what if someone bought it before I could?

"Which one of us are you gazing at, Elin?"

I had been looking through the space between Thor and Loki to get a better look at the scabbard that the sword came with. The scabbard was even more elegant than the sword- thin and royal green, with a black strap to act as a belt.

I came back into focus. "What?"

"I asked which one of us you were gazing at," Thor repeated.

"Oh," I replied, slightly embarrassed. "Neither,"

Both of the brothers stared at me, perplexed. Thor spun around, looking for a guy that he thought I'd been gazing at.

"Who else, then?" he demanded.

Cas giggled madly beside me. Thor spun back around to face her.

"I believe the correct term you're looking for..." she said through giggles, "Is what else,"

Thor looked to Loki, who just shrugged.

"Don't look at me, I don't know!" he protested.

"What is this 'what'?" Thor asked me.

I grinned. "Are you seriously getting jealous of an inanimate object?"

"NO!" Thor argued. "No! No, I'm not jealous. What are you looking at,"

"A rather well balanced, black, silver, and emerald, sturdy and well constructed, sharp and newly made sword,"

Loki shot Thor a sideways smirk, trying as hard as actively possible to not provoke him.

"Elin is the most talented person on the face of this realm," Cas announced informatively. "In a room full of men, you can bet that she'll be most attracted to the nearest sword,"

I shot her a grin. "You aren't wrong, but you certainly aren't right,"

"No, I think she's pretty spot-on," Loki mused. "Your thing for inanimate objects has been terribly inconvenient for my brother, here-"

"Shut up," Thor grumbled. "You shut up right now,"

Loki went silent, still smirking.

"I am not attracted to swords," I stated firmly. With an afterthought, I added, "Though, at times, they can be much more appealing than men,"

"No, I think you are," Cas teased, elbowing me.

"That's... odd," I said. "I'm pretty sure that's not possible,"

"If you aren't attracted to swords, then prove it," Cas argued playfully. 

"How?" I asked incredulously.

Cas grinned evilly. "You and Thor should kiss,"

"Well, hold on, now, we haven't even-" my protests were cut off when I felt something brush against my cheek. I felt something snake around my waist as this happened, pulling me against another body. I turned my head slightly and found Thor.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cas smirk approvingly. Loki was glancing down at the table, his expression neutral. I didn't blame him, his brother marrying his best friend probably wasn't the most ideal thing, in his mind. It kinda broke the boy/girl code. By, like, a lot.

I felt his lips move down towards my lips. It felt strange, kissing my friend/betrothed for the first time, but I let it happen. His kiss was soft and savoring, and he took his time, as though he wanted to thoroughly enjoy it. He pressed a bit further, our noses sliding against each other as he faced me head-on. 

I was so lightheaded and excited that I didn't notice Cas grabbing Loki's arm and dragging him away.