We're Running Up Hill
Summary: The events following his chosen exile from Asgard, Loki has become self-assured and aware himself. His playful mischief is beginning to change as he too grows even more comfortable with the idea that he no longer needs a mask to hide his true, malicious self from curious eyes. Though he toys with his the Midgardians, they are but warnings to Odin that he shall never achieve the peace among the realms he foresaw so long ago as long as Loki lives. But to meddle with Odin, Allfather, God of Deceit and Wisdom, and Father of Slaying, will yield its own deadly consequences, opening the realms to war and deadly alliances founded on both truths and lies.
Rating: R for violence, naughty language, and adult content.
Warning: Not a happy go-lucky redemption story. This is actually not even a redemption story. Expect character deaths to occur.
Main Characters: Loki Odinson, Thor Odinson, Odin, Sigyn Njordson, Byleistr Laufeyson, Fárbauti (Laufey's Wife), Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Erik Selvig, and Om the Kitten.
Special Appearances: The Avengers and their favorite government babysitters.
Pairings: Loki/Sigyn, Thor/Jane, Thor/Sif (one-sided?), Fárbauti/Laufey, Odin/Frigga, Fandral/Darcy (maybe?), Byleistr/Sigyn, and Stark/All Females.
Setting: Post-Thor and Captain America
Special Thanks: Byebye-babeh and Alterik for referring me to the Book of Jotun for all things Jotun.
EDIT: Changed the rating because I would rather be safe than sorry.
Also, byebye-babeh made me fanart! Go check it out!
scrimpytheshrimp. deviantart . com/art/Here-Kitty-Kitty-252484756
She stood on the bifrost, looking towards the dome that loomed over the edge, seeming to titter and taunt fate again. Before the gateway, a shadow stood; the hint of gold on his person blinded her from seeing his face. He clearly saw her. His graceful footsteps were bringing him to closer to her. The ocean breeze pushed the flaps of his tunic towards her. The wind ruffled his loose, ebon' pants. Between the brown and grassy stripes, there was a glint of silver. His leather shoulders with gold trimming squared off his skimpy shoulders and filled out his scrawny, flimsy frame. The figure's olive sleeves had brown straps over them; the upper arms' were parallel wit the ground, while the lower arms were at diagonal weaves. Carefully he pried away the leather gloves and held them in his left hand. His knee-high, gold kneecap embodied boots gently patted against the glassy case that contained the magic inside the bridge.
There was no need for words as Loki stopped. He bowed before her like in the ol' days. Her reflection lingered on his the rim of his dubious, jade eyes. The girl's forehead came to the bottom of his sharp nose. Her face was soft and oval shape, making his inverted triangle-like face miles sharper. Those golden locks cascaded around her face, brushed against her bare shoulders, and tickled the small of her back. Loose, shear blue loops came from underneath her breastplate to bind her upper arms to her dress. Sigyn pursed her cupid lips at him. She slid her large honey eyes over him with a mixed array of emotions—the most prominent emotion being irritation.
He offered his hand to her, where she placed her nimble fingers on his scratched palm. Loki curled his fingers around hers with a mischievous smile leaking onto his face. Sigyn swung her hourglass body towards him. The trail of her long, pastel blue dress swung with her. The sunlight glinted off of her silver chest plate. His lust filled eyes traced the curves of her body, savoring the sand tan straps that wrapped around the waist and headed diagonally down to her hips. From underneath straps was a shear blue fabric that floated downwards to the ground like a feather. The silver scales on her tight leggings vibrated like the ocean waves. To match the rest of her attire, the woman's flat boots clung to her legs; the very front of them were coated in a silver plate with remnants of her father's magic deeply woven into the fine metal.
"What, Prince Loki?" Sigyn chided; the anger hit him faster than Thor's hammer.
He wrapped his arm around hers. With a lift of his leg, Loki led Sigyn down the bridge made of melted bullion. Loki licks his dry lips, tasting the salt from the ocean on them. The sky-traveler matched her quick, furious step. "Oh, the women of Midgard are nothing but sticks and bones, Lady Sigyn," Loki explained. "They believe beauty is starving yourself." He fondly glanced her way; maybe a hint of teasing lingered there. She looked unimpressed at him, which, to her dismay, made his grin grow infinitely. "Clearly they have never seen you. If they did, they would soon understand that beauty has curves."
She scrunched her button nose as she huffed at his compliment. He did not seemed phase or even surprised by the young woman's reaction. As forgiving as Sigyn could be, her forgiveness did not come without earning. Walking beside her, him a Jotun, a monster, felt out of place. Something that had been so natural for him was now an effort. It left him with a bitter taste burning in the back of his throat. "Is this is how our meeting is to proceed?" he inquired.
The markets were empty. The golden bricks were glittering; for once there was no dust to obscure their beauty. As Asgard was that golden city, the buildings too were made of the rare substance. Every door had intricate designed engraved upon them; many of which relayed the history of the common folk who made their livings in the market. In the ceramic, rich chocolate pots sprouted miniature trees to praise the World Tree. On many of them, little children hung their woodcarvings of the hawk and eagle that watched over them. A select few of the trees had all nine realms represented upon their blooming branches. The ash from their fireplaces blanketed the trees' roots.
"I am angry with you, Prince Loki" Sigyn admitted.
"Tell me something I do not know already," Loki replied curtly. Quickly enough he regretted the words. She stole her hand back from his. Sigyn, still so childish, curled her hands into tiny fists at the sides of her well-rounded hips. He stood erect; head held arrogantly high in her presence. The trickster's unkempt hair was curling at the bottom, seeming to grab onto his high collar.
"If you are to have the tongue of a snake, then leave my dream," she demanded. "I refuse to be treated poorly; even if the accused is only an apparition of my dreams."
A string pulled at the left side of his lips into a sly smirk—a know-it-all smirk in her opinion. "But how do you know this is a dream?" Loki mused too happily. Hesitation kissed Sigyn's lips, leaving them parted. He approached; every step he took, she took backwards. Another strike had been dealt to his heart. Never had Sigyn repelled his presence. He caught himself glancing at his skin to reassure himself his skin was still alabaster. Loki flicked his glistening eyes to her. Sigyn turned her head away and shut her eyes from him. Her actions kicked the breath out of him. He looked away to search for the words in the streets.
"Sigyn—"
"It is Lady Sigyn," she corrected.
Loki stared at her, wide-eyed and unbelieving. "I have never called you Lady Sigyn in my life; just as you have never referred to me as Prince Loki until this day," he reminded brutally. The trickster snaked his way to her and placed his slimy hand upon her arm. The fabric was soft to the touch much like her skin. "I have left you many times and never once were you uncouth with me. You always understood. Why will you not understand this time?"
She was silent.
He sighed into the wind; the wind pushed his hot breath back into his face. "I expect you are familiar with the happenings," Loki stated for the record; his voice was dreary and acidic. The words tasted of tart on his tongue. Like so many times before in her presence, the metal on his chest felt heavy and kept him from breathing properly. If it weren't his breathing, then his words would be heavy on his silver tongue. The trickster longingly looked to her, an Aesir. Wonder swam in his eyes, and his curiosity had him wondering how much she knew. He hesitantly pulled back his hand—a monster's hand. "I brought you a gift," he spoke out of the blue.
"Oh?" she played. "What could you give me that you have not already given me?" Sigyn turned to him, arms crossed, button nose scrunched, and her thin brows raised in suspicion. "I hold your wine blossom that never fails to bloom. You gave me two lovely sons, Narfi and Váli, when my father's careless wolf ate my favorite doll. They rest upon the pillows of my bed. I wear—" She lifted her left hand to reveal the intricate bands of burning diamonds woven carefully into a Celtic knot to represent the tree. A different color was placed inside the clear tree to represent the nine realms. Hidden within the trunk of the tree was Loki's clan symbol. "The double ring you gave me for my fifteen birthday." Loki came closer as he felt the warmth in her voice beckon him. "Tied around your waist, kept hidden from the rest of Asgard's eyes, is the toasted gold ring that you swore upon—the oath that as much as you stray, you shall answer to only one woman at the end of Ragnarok. There is not much more you can give me, Prince Loki."
He chuckled like she knew no better—she didn't. "Yes, I have indeed given you items that have made my own mother jealous of you," Loki countered smoothly. "I have committed acts with dwarves that have made me respectful of a woman." The laughter leaked through her lips. "For you only will I ever return to, she who is my king." Her golden cheeks flushed with cherry hues. The dimples from her smile brought a young look to her already childish appearance. "You claim there is nothing I can give you since everything I have given you is grand—the finest in all of the World Tree. But ah, I have travelled very far to find a gift no one here in Asgard has." From behind his back, Loki pulled out his pair of leather gloves. With a strike of his hand, the gloves faded into a young, tar-colored kitten that fit snugly in the palm of his hand.
Sigyn covered her astonished mouth. Quickly she outstretched her hand to stroke the kitten. "What creature is this?" she inquired curiously. "I have never laid eyes upon a creature this endearing." Loki passed the young life into her cupped palms. Her happiness was reflected in his eyes with pride that he had managed to once again astound her with an even better gift. A small squeal came from her as the kitten opened his apple green eyes to her.
"This is a cat," he explained. "They come from Midgard. This one is young, a babe. I know you have a fondness for broken things, so I took this young orphan and brought him to you. As you have done such a good task of raising our sons, I assume raising another son will be no hassle." With his thumb, Loki lightly stroked the underside of the kitten's supple neck. A charming laugh came from his Sigyn when she heard the kitten's purr. "This one, Om, will need goat's milk for a few more weeks."
"Of course," she complied. "I will only use the most luxurious goat's milk in Asgard."
"I have some on my person," Loki offered. "Allow me to take you back to your room so you may nurse your new son." He placed his arm around her shoulders. The world around her became her bedroom. There was no fancy transition; simply, they had arrived. Sigyn ruffled the beige and tarnished gold sheets as she sat down with her new darling. She watched as Loki casted his eyes around the room, trying to understand the strangeness of the golden walls.
"This is not your room," Loki stated. He placed a hand on the tapestry that hung on the wall; the scenery was one of Njord's ships sailing through the morning waters on a cloudless day. He looked to the large bed and took notice of how smooth the fabric was smooth compared to the rough work of the Vanir. Beside the bed burned a candle on top of the wooden dresser. More gold was trimmed into wood and guided into the Celtic knots of their—her people. He gazed out through the window that was the gateway to the city. "We are in Odin's hall," he added. "Why?"
"I live here," she answered simply.
"Since when?" the sky-traveler asked quickly.
The sadness bubbled up from the bottom of her heart to her skin. The glow that she radiated evaporated. Sigyn's heavy eyes fell to Om. "Since Pa's passing," she whispered mournfully.
Loki stood still as the words slowly sank into his skull. "Hostage King Njord," he spoke; though more like asking. "I—" The words flopped off his snake tongue. Sigyn ran a finger along the wet ridges of her eyelids. He came beside her; however, Loki was torn between sitting next to her in a heartbeat or standing before her as a fading friend. "I did not know." This was his apology. Another tear from her eyes brought him to sit beside her, arm around her shoulder, and his thumb rubbing her warm skin. "When did he pass?"
"Some weeks before the Bifrost was restored," Sigyn spoke. There was the slightest strain in her voice, a combination of tiredness, sorrow, and regret. "He was a great sorcerer like you. His mastery of the magic made him valuable in repairing the broken bridge. One day he retired early and came home before noon. I helped him to bed; I thought he needed rest and some hearty soup. After his meal, he told me how much I had grown from the shy girl he found in the woods. My pa, he placed a kiss upon my lips before saying he loved me and to not forget. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep." Sigyn leaned into Loki as the memories began to tighten a noose around her neck. "Pa never woke. He died in my arms some days later, just before the climbing of the sun."
"That would have been around your twenty-second day," he commented.
"You still remember my day?" Sigyn inquired; a bit of happiness was soaking back into her words, softening them up like dough.
"Have I ever?" Loki replied.
"I thought with your absence—"
He shook his head. "I may not be present here, but that has not kept my mind from wondering to you," the slender Jotun man said. "I did plan on visiting you on your day, but Lady Potts recognized me when I went to retrieve you a cake. Needless to state, Tony Stark the Ironman with his henchmen and Thor sought to end my peaceful transaction of goods, and in the process, the Hulk squashed your cake. As punishment, I turned him into a frog. None of them knew how to change him back—"
"Except for Thor!" Sigyn interrupted. "He knew how because you placed the very same spell upon him on his day so Sif would be forced to kiss him. This was the gift you gave him." The sullenness on her face altered into laughter and smiles. Loki chuckled in fond memory of that particular prank. "Thor was the only Avenger brave enough to kiss the Hulk."
"How do you know?"
"Thor told us, Allfather and Lady Frigga," she answered. "The whole hall burst with laughter, save from Allfather. He was concerned from Thor's stories by the rapid growth of your magic." Sigyn placed the small kitten on the bed and watched as he pawed and jumped at the ruffles in the sheet. "I must say your magic has grown much. Pa would be most impressed by your skills. He always took pleasure in your gift." She took Loki's hand and stood. "He had a gift for you."
Loki followed her out of the room into the open space. In middle of the wall sat a fire that crackled madly. On either side of the fire were matching tapestries of the same scene, each only part of the whole. Underneath the closest tapestry was a rough, Vanir-crafted chest left partially open to expose Sigyn's tailoring. To his right was the open balcony. A stray vine with orange blossoms crawled along the door's frame. To his left, where Sigyn was headed, were two more doors. One obviously led to the corridor, and the other to the dressers that held her belongings. He stepped inside this room. His eyes warmed upped to the sight of the plum flower setting on top of the far table with a bowl of fruit and Aesir papers.
Sigyn returned to him with a bundle wrapped in paper and goat's thread. "This," she spoke. "Pa meant to give this to you on Thor's coronation day. He never received the chance because of the Jotuns invading Allfather's treasure room." She placed it in his hand. The woman bent down as the small kitten came prancing through Loki's legs to join them. She raced her fingers over his slick fur while Loki unwound the thread.
From underneath the wrappings, Loki pulled out a tiny, glass bottle the side of his thumb's nail. A crude cork kept the milky red substance inside the capsule. A leathery rope was threaded around the top of the bottle so one could wear the trinket as a necklace. He let the bottle swing in the air while watching with transfixed eyes, as the blood became a deeper color when in the presence of life. "What is this?" Loki inquired.
"The last drops of blood from Ymir," Sigyn explained. Carefully she untangled Loki's nimble fingers from the leather string and placed the necklace around him. The bottle fell to the middle of his chest, where, if he so chose, no one could see the gift. "Pa received this as a wedding gift from Fárbauti, Laufey's wife. She was a great sorcerer. When Pa went with Skadi to the mountains, she gave him this because he too was a greater sorcerer of his time. Pa—" She looked up to Loki. He caught her tender gaze on his sharp irises. "Felt you should be the next to have this since you are the greatest sorcerer of the present time. Pa thought of you as a son since you are kindred spirits in the art of the unexplained." There was tight smile on her face from the memory of Pa. Loki lifted a thumb to dry her leaking eyes.
"You are a child," he muttered. Loki wrapped his arms protectively around her. Her chest was shacking from the struggle to contain the sobs coming from her lonely heart. The trickster ran his hand up and down her like he was trying to sooth a baby with an aching tummy. He breathed in her lavender scent. A deep ache from his chest came alive. Loki looked outwards to the window, watching as the high sun began to descend rapidly to the ground. A despair look settled on his high cheek and lively eyes. Loki did not believe their time was ending so quickly when it had just begun. "I will make Thor return to Asgard with another story; one about how I will turn New York City's cars to ice cream."
Sigyn beamed at him through her red eyes. "I am sure that will be a wonderful laugh," she said. "But, what are cars? And ice cream? The cake you spoke of earlier? What are these foreign creatures?"
He chuckled. "Well," the god mused. "None of those are actually creatures but items. Cake and ice cream are delightful sweets; the first is a bread-like substance and the other flavored, frozen goat's milk. A car is an armor steed but without the steed. Imagine a cart that could pulled itself." Loki was leading her back to her bed, keeping his arm around her for as long as possible. She matched his pace so naturally; even their breaths were in tuned with each other. He found himself slipping back into the ol' steps. "Midgard is home to many a strange artifacts and creatures. They have the most diverse realm. If you are unprepared, you can become easily lost in their complex society."
"They sound very strange," she commented. Sigyn lied down on her bed and pulled Loki next to her. Their forelegs draped over the edge of the bed. "You have always been fond of the strange," the woman stated rhetorically. "You find beauty in the strangest of places."
"You are not so strange," he corrected. Loki rolled on top of her and kept himself braced with his hands on either side of her head. The trickster let his lips graze hers and teasingly pulled away. A strange taste lingered on his lips, a taste she could not place, coffee. Sigyn curled a hand in his clammy hair. She raised her lips to him, and he responded with a gentle nibble on her lower lip. Sigyn giggled, but she was quickly silenced as he deepened the kiss. Loki hungered for more as her taste filled him. He became aggressive and ravenous.
With great balance, Loki took a hand and began to unravel the bindings of her chest piece. With a click, the metal split in two. He weaved his fingers underneath the metal to grasp her breast. Massaging her breast brought a moan from her lips. Sigyn's grip tightened as she pulled him closer. Her felt the desperation in her grip and the need on her fingertips. She was aching for him, as much as he was for her.
From beneath, she moved her legs apart while he moved his inside of hers in a fluid motion. Sigyn slid her hands underneath his clothing. Her fingers ran like fire across his skin and a left a blaze in their trail. She grazed them over his chest and abdomen, their destination lower. "Sigyn," he breathed, half want and despair. She curiously opened her eyes to him. A bitter pang rang through Loki; half of it was pity for him, and the other half was anger directed towards him. "I'll be back soon to finish this." Loki rolled onto the edge of the bed hunched over.
"No," came a small plea. "P-p-pl-please do not." She sat upwards and wrapped her arms pathetically around her chest. "Make this last longer. I-I-I do not wish to wake, Loki." Sigyn shrunk; an act she did every time when he bid her a temporary farewell. There was an added misery to her quivering lips that he had never seen. "Please," she whispered but to his ears, she might as well have screamed.
"This is not goodbye," Loki reassured. She didn't buy his words. He 'sposed that she no longer trusted his words, just as the rest of the Avengers did. He forced himself off the bed. With a troubled sigh and knowing better, the sky-traveler glanced back at Sigyn. The strife on her face flushed her puffy cheeks red. The guilt sat like a rock in his gut and weighed as much as a Mjollnir on either shoulder. "Do not be difficult now, Sigyn," he said with little patience in his voice. "Have patience and wait, and I shall return in due time." He began to walk once again.
She found the floor moving beneath her feet. "Loki!" she shouted in a raw and bleeding voice. Sigyn wrapped her fingers around his forearm. "Listen—"
"No," the trickster cut off harshly. He spitefully shook his arm free of her grasp. He annoyingly eyed her, but she did not back down and shuffle back to her bed. "Listen," Loki said in a more controlled, easier on the ears voice. "I shall return to Asgard. When I do, I shall marry you. So wait, and you shall have me as you have always yearned." His eyes looked to her, sparkling with good intention.
"I am not a loose harlot, Loki," Sigyn said with spite in her voice. "Most women are married by their fifteenth day. I am seven days older than that and with my eighth soon approaching—"
"I have always made myself clear that we shall be together," he chided nonchalantly.
"When?" she bit back. "In Valhalla?"
He spun around with gasoline ready to ignite in his blood. "Watch your words," Loki hissed. "You are as insolent as Sif today."
"You would be insolent too if you were trapped here in Asgard as I am," she retorted. Sigyn straightened out the kinks in her back and squared her shoulders. Despite the clear anger in her voice and fire in her eyes, she looked as poised as young lady or possibly his queen as ever. Something snapped inside her; he saw the ripples in her eyes. Loki steadied himself for what was to come. "As my father's blood mark upon my head ended with his last breath, I became free of that blasphemous accord. Allfather, he knew of my intentions to leave this realm. He offered me two options: lose my citizenship and have liquid gold poured down my throat or become his new daughter."
"Daughter?" The word escaped his mouth before he could even register her confession.
"Loki, you know not of anything in Asgard these days." She licked her lip; a nervous habit she had picked up from Loki as a child. It was habit he had long ago broken. "I am acquainted with the conversation between you and Allfather," Sigyn explained. Loki's attention became sharp and focused like a blade. His stare was anything but kind. Not that she had expected him to be relieved that she knew, but the harsh, bitter glare in his eyes went too far. She took a step back away from his cold presence. "I-I know of what you are, Loki."
"He told you," Loki growled.
"Allfather had no choice but to tell me," Sigyn continued. He was silent; not lost for words but letting her speak and answer the questions he had running through his head. "I need to clarify and say to you that I have always been aware of why I am here in Asgard. As I was much older than you when Pa marked me as his own kin, I could recall my home and people before Asgard and the Aesir. I had to earn my citizenship to stay in Asgard with Pa. Allfather made known to me that I would be blessed with citizenship if I would speak well on the behalf of the people of Asgard. Pa thought of this pact for my citizenship to be quite simple."
"Odin gives not a gift for free," he commented rhetorically.
"As Pa and I know as well, Loki," she replied. "Neither of us knew the true intentions of Allfather until not long later. I perhaps would not have learned of them myself had I not happened onto their meeting one day. I heard Allfather state that I would be given away to Byleistr as a new bride. In return, Byleistr would solidify a treaty with Asgard; the Jotun would be granted the casket and allowed to rebuild their fallen world if they acknowledged Asgard as the ruling realm. As the Jotun are the only two realms that have not acknowledged Allfather as their reigning king, if Byleistr agreed to the treaty, then Asgard would have absolute power.
"Pa became enraged and claimed he would not sell me, even if by doing so meant peace across all the realms from here until Ragnarok. I came beside Pa, where Pa wrapped me into his arms. Pa told Allfather that as long as he lived that he would not allow Allfather to sell me. Pa threatened Allfather with war if he dare to attempt," she confessed. "Pa condemned Allfather for wanting to treat me as a pawn in his game of power. Pa let slip his tongue that he thought Allfather vile for taking the son of Laufey and filling him with false ambitions of being king when to be king was never his purpose to Allfather to begin.
"Allfather was angered by the statement of Pa. He—" She glanced unsurely to Loki. He stood like statue; his face was unreadable. "Allfather said he would be able to spare himself of losing another son if I were given to Byleistr. While he might not have taken that son out of pity but for the good of Asgard, Allfather stated he was as much a son to him as his other sons. In other words—"
"I know what he was saying," Loki spat bitterly. Suddenly the large room was too small. The air was heavy and hot. He made his way to the balcony, needing to rid himself of the claustrophobia and panic rising inside of him. The trickster placed both his hands on the rail while looking out to the starry horizon. Sigyn came beside him and placed her hand over his. He closed his eyes, all too aware of the situation. Loki felt sympathy for Sigyn. To know of one's fate had to be worse than not knowing—though by no means did he justify the lies Odin had told him over a lifetime. He didn't need to speak to finish the puzzle and see that with Njord's passing, Odin finally had the opportunity to go through with his plan.
The raw wound in his heart from Odin was bleeding at the seams time had tried to sew. A mixture of comfort bubbled from the knowledge that Odin spared him because he was his son, as much as Thor. All the same, an acidic hurt ate away at him that with Sigyn in the picture, his purpose to Asgard was next to none. Again, he found himself compared to another treasure Odin had taken. He slowly blinked as the weight of the words began to sink to his bones. Loki would be in Thor's shadows, just as Odin's two brothers had been in his. His stomach rolled over with disgust at how his father's love worked. He sighed, but the pressure in his chest continued to mount.
"Go pack your possessions, Sigyn," he spoke neutrally. She beamed at him brighter than the sun. Loki felt the warmth she radiated on his skin. Her squeezing of his hand brought a temporary numbness to the pulsing anguish behind his ribs. Her touch could clear his mind and bring a subtle smile to his thin lips. "Do not forget about Om. He is a small kitten and can be easily lost."
"I shall not," she swore merrily. Sigyn disappeared from his view. Her footsteps were loud and quick and full of excitement. He chuckled as she called out, "Om! Here, kitty kitty."
To be continued … ?
Borrowed Mythology:
* Not really mythology, but back in ol' days, women were considered beautiful if they had an hourglass body with large curves to them. Greek artists through even the 50's painted women that had curves. To some extent, the bigger the curves were on a woman, particularly the hips, the better she would be at bearing children. To be skinny or thin was considered ugly and sickly. I assume the same ideology would be present in Asgard.
* Sigyn's blue and silver colors are meant to represent her father Njord. As he was God of the seas, I assumed she would dress in more blues and silvers than golds and browns.
* The ash is placed around the trees in the market to represent how Ymir's ashes fed the World Tree.
* According to a scripture in the book of Jotun, Sigyn is the only person to understand Loki and his actions. It is said to understand Loki, you must look at him through Sigyn's eyes.
* Sigyn is the goddess of loyalty and victory. To those who worship the Rokkor (Twilight Gods like the Jotun), she is also the god of forgiveness and the inner child. To pay tribute, she is said to be more childish in her face, ergo her large eyes, button nose, and cupid lips.
* Oh, and in the book, Sigyn is said to like the broken things and repair them.
* Loki gave Sigyn a purple flower when they first met.
* Sigyn bore him two sons, Narfi and Váli. Váli was turned into a wolf and killed Narfi. To tie this in to the story, I had one of Njord's wolves eat Sigyn's doll. Loki gave her two new dolls, Narfi and Váli. As she was still young, she claimed she could be their mother and Loki their father.
* On her fifteenth birthday, Loki proposed and wedded Sigyn with a ring. I twisted this and had him give her a ring without proposing.
* Oh yes, that ring? Loki had to become a woman for a dwarf while the dwarf forged the ring.
* According to some practices of Norse mythology, if a man wore a key on his person, that represented a woman's authority in their life. In the Book of Jotun, a shaman says he pays tribute to Sigyn by wearing one of these rings.
* Loki is a playboy and likes to screw around with other women, but the shamans claim Loki's heart only belongs to one woman, Sigyn.
* Hostage King Njord is indeed a hostage. After the Vanir-Aesir war, he and his blood relatives are to stay in Asgard for the rest of their lives. As Sigyn is adopted, I figure Njord would have placed a blood mark on her to show that she is his kin; however, when he dies, that blood mark would fade. She then would no longer be bound by the treaty.
* Sigyn was adopted by Njord when she was around 5 or 6, but her heritage is never explained. She was said to be very shy as child.
* Njord was a master of witchcraft and fond of Loki in mythology.
* Ymir was the first person and Jotun created in the World Tree. He gave rise to the Vanir and Aesir. The Aesir would later slay him. To punish the Jotun, the Aesir drowned all but two in Ymir's blood.
* Aesir architecture is suppose to be very complicated and organized.
* Njord was married to Skadi, a Jotun, for a brief time. He had to spend 9 nights there before they got a divorce.
* Byleistr is a Jotun, first son to Laufey. Helblindi is thought to be either another son of Laufey or the Jotun name for Odin. Scholars are still debating over it. One of the reasons they believe Helblindi is another name for Odin is because Odin and Loki considered each other blood brothers-not father-son relationship.
* Yes, when the Vanir-Aesir war began, Odin poured gold down a poor Vanir maiden's throat.
* Yes, quite a bit of mythology jammed into one chapter. I am sorry for the overload.
Borrowed Marvel Information:
* In the comics, Loki and Sigyn were married; though, it was not a happy relationship.
* In the movie, Thor barges into a pet shop wanting a horse. The clerk, if you remember, says they only have birds, cats, and dogs. Thor demands he gives him one of those that is big enough to ride. I am going to assume then that people in Asgard have no idea about a cat, dog, or bird.
* Oh, Thor didn't know of some of the beverages in Midgard either. I am going to assume that Asgard does not have coffee, cake, ice cream, etc... like we do here. I feel sorry for them...
* In the comics, Loki turned Thor into a frog at one point.
* In another comic, Loki turned several things (people, animals, and items) into ice cream for the fun of it. He may be the God of Evil in the comics, but he is also the God of Mischief. I figure if he's going to evil, he's going to have some fun with it.
* Fárbauti is the wife of Laufey and mother to Loki. It is never stated whether she died in battle or not.
* In the comics, Odin had some other sons by Frigga; however, Frigga did not want them to be killed, so Odin gave them up to other families in Asgard. He was left with only Thor and Loki to raise.
* In the comics, Sigyn is not so shy as she is in mythology. I figure she has out grown her shyness.