Tell No Lies - Chapter 5 - Loki/OC fic

The first part of the training day had started with throwing daggers, Loki's favorite. Throwing daggers gave him the fighting distance with which he felt safe and comfortable. Plus his aim with the daggers was straight and exact, so it made him feel good to practice with them.
Loki could acknowledge the differences between his brother and himself. Thor was tall and thick-muscled where Loki was shorter, thin and lanky. His mother said Loki was all "knees and elbows" while Thor was "big fists and even bigger feet." Loki knew that she was making the comparison to make him feel better about him-self but he didn't feel better.  
After practicing with daggers for a while, Loki then turned to watch as Thor attacked a straw-stuffed dummy with a full-sized broadsword. It seemed as if he wielding the sword as easily with one hand as he did with two. Loki had to admire as Thor slashed away at his "opponent" with the heavy blade.
"Au guarde, brother!" Loki yelled from across the training room to Thor, and then let fly two daggers at once. Thor turned to see the daggers coming at him but couldn't move fast enough to avoid them. The look on Thor's face when the knives vanished before impact was, to Loki, delightful and he threw back his head and laughed. Thor was not as amused. Loki was set to avoid his brother's vengeance and Thor was preparing to pounce when they both heard their father's booming voice.
"Stop! Both of you! Loki…?" and both boys stopped immediately.
Upon hearing Odin call his name, Loki turned. He hoped to see his father's face beaming with pride. Surely, he had seen his son's skill with the daggers and with his magic as well. But Odin did not smile, thin lips forming a frown. Loki felt his spirits drop, but he pushed the feeling away. "No magic in training, Loki. Especially not when you're to be learning self-defence."

At midday, Loki he was so tired, his body was screaming at him to stop. The staff he was training with, rested loosely in his hands, his muscles shuddered, protesting every movement now. He was hungry and thirsty, and he was beyond exhausted. But Loki would not be the first to give in. He couldn't change the fact that he was smaller and physically weaker than Thor, but he was determined that he would not act as such. He would rather die from starvation and thirst; or fall down dead from exhaustion before he would be the first to ask for anything.
"Ahhh! I need food and drink!" Thor bellowed to the ceiling, and then looked at the guard who was training them and then to the house servant standing near the door. The suddenous of his outburst seemed to have silenced everyone. "Now!" he bellowed, "or I shall expire for it!" He let his weapon fall at his feet dramatically. The sound of the heavy wooden staff hitting the stone floor was enough to get the servants moving. Loki could hear dishware being set out on a table in the mezzanine and soon after, they could smell the food that was being served there. The house servant returned, and with a slight bow, announced, "My lords, your meal is served." It was all Loki and Thor could do not to bowl the poor man over as they made for the door.
The mezzanine that overlooked the first floor was the perfect place to take the afternoon meal and was a welcomed break from the overheated, stuffy room where their training took place. It was small, more of a walkway or gallery between the larger rooms. It was airy and pleasant. There was a small table set with breads, cheeses, cold meats, and fruit, as well as large steins filled with cold mead.
Loki was not only hungry but he wanted to get through with the training and get back to his research, so he was eating faster than he normally would. Thor saw Loki's hurried behavior as a challenge to who could finish faster. With an arrogant smile at his brother, Thor began to wolf down his food. Everything was a competition with Thor. It irritated Loki, and yet, it seemed he would always be caught up in the rivalry anyway.

Afterwards they went straight back to training, picking up their weapons they faced each other. Another warrior stood nearby calling out instruction, noting mistakes and suggesting improvements to be made.
With Loki's tall, slender frame, he was more agile, allowing him to move quickly. Even once using his staff as a pole vault, enabling him to jump beyond his brother's reach. His ability to evade was his greatest defense against his brother's far superior strength. It was his forte, so they were both astonished when Thor was able to knock Loki's staff out from under him during one of his leaps and landed painfully on his back. Thor let out an enthusiastic cheer, to which Loki responded almost silently. Thor shrieked at the snake in his hand where his sword had just been. When he dropped it, it was a sword again.
"Loki!" Thor yelled as his younger brother laughed. "You think your tricks amusing?" At Loki's smirk, "Oh? You do? Then I shall give you something worth your laughter!" The warrior watching over the two boys sighed and shook his head. He looked to Odin, who only waved a dismissive hand, so he stepped back.
Loki eyed Thor warily and immediately tried to scramble away. He watched as Thor wiggled his fingers. He knew what was coming.
"No, no, no-" Loki went straight to pleading but the blonde paid him no mind. "Thor, don't…" but he was caught, his laughter rang through the halls of the castle, a rare and pleasant sound.
A booted foot to the face barely fazed Thor as he continued tickling Loki without mercy. "I yield!" Loki pleaded through choking laughter. "I yield!" but the assault didn't end.
"If that's the way he's going to be…"
Loki reached up with his long fingers and grabbed two handfuls of blonde hair. Then he pulled. Hard. Thor cried aloud as his head was jerked forward. They both looked each other in the eyes while they yelled and threatened.
"Let go of my hair Loki, I swear I'll…"
"Stop tickling me Thor or I'm going…"
Neither one would give..
Loki suggested, "You first." But Thor shook his head, the movement brought tears to his eyes.
"No, you first, brother. I do not trust that you won't trick me." Loki faked a pout but soon they were back to wrestling. Odin sighed as he stepped forward and grabbed both boys by the back of their shirts, pulling them up. Loki knew he would have bruises but he managed to pull some of Thor's hair out, as they were forced apart.
"Are you two done acting like children?" when they both nodded, Odin let them go. Loki was holding his sides as Thor was rubbing his scalp, checking for blood, and grumbling. "He was cheating…" Thor complained. But before Odin could speak, Loki held up his fist, blonde hair hung between his fingers. Honestly, it couldn't have been more than ten strands but the taunt was enough. An angry Thor let loose with a warrior yell and launched himself at Loki before Odin could react. Loki's image grinned before vanishing and Thor went straight through.
Odin and Thor looked around but the real Loki was nowhere to be seen, until supper was served.
By then Thor, no longer angry was patting his brother's back, praising his skills. Loki drank in the praises warm like wine; he even lingered after dinner to spend time with his family. Still, he retired to bed early. Tomorrow would be an even longer day than today. But it held the promise of new mysteries, and Loki loved a mystery.