The three princes stood in a neat line.
Thor shifted restlessly.
Loki stood straight—but only because he chose to.
Alexander sat perfectly still, hands folded, eyes attentive.
Frigga circled them slowly.
"Today," she said calmly, "you begin your lessons in etiquette, history, and magic. You are princes of Asgard before you are warriors."
Thor groaned.
Loki smirked.
Alexander nodded seriously.
Etiquette and History
Frigga began with court etiquette.
How to stand.
How to address nobles.
How to mask emotion without losing oneself.
Thor struggled.
Loki learned selectively.
Alexander—
Alexander absorbed everything.
Not memorizing.
Understanding.
Raphael, Lord of Wisdom:
Information intake optimized.
Cultural logic, hierarchy patterns, and behavioral algorithms integrated.
Alexander asked thoughtful questions.
Not childish ones.
Frigga paused more than once, surprised by the depth behind his words.
By the end of the lesson—
She smiled softly.
"Well done, Alexander."
Thor blinked. "Already?"
Loki glanced at his younger brother, eyes narrowing just a little.
Magic Under the Queen
Magic lessons followed.
Frigga demonstrated basic spell structure—runes, intent, balance.
Loki leaned forward, fascinated.
Thor watched politely… mostly.
Alexander's eyes gleamed.
He replicated the rune patterns flawlessly.
Then adjusted them.
Subtly.
Raphael:
Correction: Rune alignment efficiency improved by 11%.
Frigga felt it.
She turned, watching Alexander's spell stabilize effortlessly.
"…You learn very quickly," she said gently.
Alexander smiled. "You explain very well, Mother."
Her heart melted.
Loki Notices
Loki watched closely.
Too closely.
Alexander wasn't just copying.
He was skipping steps.
Understanding the why, not the how.
That's not normal, Loki thought.
Even for Asgardians.
But he said nothing.
Yet.
The Illusion
The prank happened later.
During a break.
Thor was practicing a simple spell.
Proud. Focused.
Alexander glanced at Loki.
Loki raised an eyebrow.
Alexander smiled sweetly.
Then—
Thor's reflection in the polished floor changed.
Not monstrous.
Not scary.
Just—
Majestic golden antlers.
Large. Regal. Perfect.
Thor froze.
"…Why does everyone keep staring at me?"
The palace went silent.
Then—
Laughter exploded.
Servants tried—and failed—to hide their smiles.
Valkyries turned away, shoulders shaking.
Frigga covered her mouth.
Odin stared—
Then laughed.
A deep, booming laugh rarely heard.
"HAHAHA—by the Nine Realms!"
Thor looked around, confused.
Loki lost it.
Alexander laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
Aftermath
Thor finally noticed his reflection.
"…I look like a deer."
Loki collapsed. "A royal deer."
Frigga shook her head, smiling.
"Odin," she said softly, "your sons are impossible."
Odin wiped a tear of laughter.
"And brilliant."
His gaze lingered on Alexander just a moment longer.
A Queen's Pride
That night, Frigga tucked Alexander in.
"You did wonderfully today," she whispered.
Alexander smiled sleepily.
"Thank you, Mother."
She brushed his hair back.
"I am very proud of you."
Alexander fell asleep instantly.
And somewhere in the palace—
Loki lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
He's learning faster than he should, he thought.
And one day… that will matter.