Title: It Was Always Each Other
Author: JayCee's RedGold
Genre: Angst, semi-Romance
Rating: Teen
Timeline: After Thor: Dark World and just after Guardians of the Galaxy (minor spoilers for GOTG)
Summary: Lady Sign is the Asgardian Ambassador to Xandar and has had her hands quite busy these past few years dealing with the Xandarians and the Kree. Days after Ronan's attack on the Capital, she is visited by Loki who requires her assistance because she is, and always will be, the only one he can trust.
Note: This is my first attempt at both writing Loki and writing inside the MCU so, yeah, bear with me. Also, there is a line in here that I stole from Burn Notice which if you haven't seen, you should, it's an awesome show.
Cover Art: used from Loki and Sigyn from Abriza on deviantart.
Xandar
Among the technological splendor of Xandar's landscape stood a single building of golden hues and tiered gardens. The Asgardian Embassy was built over a thousand years ago to echo that of the Great Palace of Asgard and the traditions of its proud people. Inside its walls, Asgardian diplomats and representatives handled the task of controlling the import and export of goods across the Nine Realms.
As strong as Asgard was as a military minded race, it could not sustain itself without the trade of grains, technology, and currency, among other things.
The top of the tower contained the offices and living space of the Asgardian Ambassador to Xandar. The position came with an almost severe level of power, the Ambassador able to make decisions without having consent of the King should they believe it necessary.
This was because while there were many Embassy's across the Nine Realms, Xandar was at the center of those who could truly stand on par with Asgard: the Nova Corps, the Kree, the Shi'ar.
The Ambassador had to ensure peace while reaffirming that Asgard was never to be taken lightly. It sometimes required authorizing military campaigns. Often there was delicate politicking and manipulation of the game of power.
But usually they had to listen to people whine… a lot.
"Are you saying that Asgard will not help us?" the Tegian Ambassador, a green fellow with six eyes, practically sputtered as he stood in the Asgardian Ambassador's office.
"What I'm saying, Ambassador Beavon," Sigyn sighed as she moved away from her personal balcony and back into the office proper, "is that this request is reactionary with no merit."
"No merit," Beavon's aid-de-camp, another green man though of much fuller girth, nearly shouted, "Ambassador Sigyn, the Kesians have been plotting against the Tegian for years, they constantly seek a means to destroy us, they have sided with Thanos just as Ronan had, they need to be stopped."
"Beavon," Sigyn ignored the aid to speak directly to the Ambassador, a fact not lost on the aid or the also present Nova Corps representative who wisely kept silent, "there has been no significant movement of Kesian military forces, let alone in the direction of Teg, for thirty years, and you bring no evidence save hearsay that they have had any contact with Thanos."
"Our sources are sound," the aid shouted.
"Lady," Beavon tried to maintain his dignity but at least he accepted his loss, "if the Kesians have sided with Thanos, then we will not be able to stand against them."
"I understand this," Sigyn gave him a sympathetic smile that managed to also convey that she would not be swayed, "and if you can bring me solid, verifiable evidence that the Kesians are moving against you then I will send Asgardian forces not to attack but to keep the peace, I'll even have Thor lead the way," she allowed herself to frown, "but if your aid continues to do nothing but shout rumor and conjecture that contains no probative value, then I suggest that perhaps he does not speak unless spoken to?"
The aid became flustered but Beavon put his hand on the man's shoulder and gave her a curt nod, "I understand, thank you for your time, Lady Sigyn."
There was no response that Sigyn could give that wouldn't sound antagonist, so she simply nodded politely and let Beavon drag his aid out of her office.
"He gave in easily," the Nova Corps representative, an older man with grey hair, finally spoke.
"Beavon knew coming here was a lost cause," Sigyn sighed, crossing her arms and she noted the man glancing down at her hands, "he was pressured by his military, the recent attack and the almost use of an Infinity Stone has many on edge."
"Not you, Ambassador?" he asked with a tilt of his head, realizing he had been staring at the scars on her hands for longer than was polite. Many knew the story behind them, or thought they did, and all were curious, though few had the gumption to ask about them.
"Representative Cleeg," a gave him a pity smile, "the edge is the only place I feel balanced."
"So I've heard," there was possibly a touch of fear in his voice, "your work as negotiator during the Xandar/Kree peace talks is to be commended."
"Good," she responded unabashedly, "I worked too hard and too long on that treaty to see my contributions ignored. If the Guardians hadn't have stopped Ronan, I would have strangled him with my own bare hands for nearly causing the whole thing to fall apart."
"I don't believe I doubt that," Cleeg shook his head, "but Ronan wasn't the only one unhappy with the peace treaty, nor is he the only one who has worked with Thanos, as you well know."
"Yes," she responded with annoyance, this was a sore spot that would fester if she didn't treat it properly, "Thanos is a threat that cannot be ignored, but I will not have Asgard's military abused to settle old squabbles between rival worlds."
"Nor should you," he nodded in agreement, then gained a curious tint to his eyes, "but I was under the impression that Asgardians enjoyed a good fight."
"Oh, we do indeed," she smiled fondly, "but this is no drunken brawl," she turned back serous, "Asgard is one of the most powerful forces in the Nine Realms because it knows when to pick its battles and how to test its might. Odin himself appointed me to this position near a hundred years ago to continue that tradition."
"You only pick the fights you can win?" Cleeg asked.
"We pick the ones that are right," she clarified, "winning is all well and fun but you'd be surprised what you can gain by losing sometimes."
A young lady walked through the open door of her office and bowed respectfully, "Apologies, madam, but a royal page has been sent from the King."
"I should be going," Cleeg gave Sigyn a nod of his head, momentarily bracing his arm across his chest, "thank you, Lady, for seeing Ambassador Beavon and putting the situation into perspective."
"I always have time for the Nova Corps," she returned his nod, "and please give Nova Prime my regards. We should do a meal again soon."
"I will tell her," and with that the man gave his leave, walking himself out.
"Leah, send in the page," Sigyn walked over to her desk to pick up the tablet she had been working on when she had been interrupted, "and can you contact the Shi'ar Ambassador and respectfully request a meeting regarding the aid he promised for rebuilding the Capital," she heard the page's booted feet enter swiftly and stop curtly so she gestured at him, "Speak."
"It is a private missive from the King," the page said.
This was not unheard of but it did cause Sigyn to look up, her attention now drawn to the man that stood calmly in front of her, the perfect image of an honored page of the royal court.
"Of course," Sigyn sat the tablet down and walked towards the door, passing the page and addressing Leah, "if the Shi'ar Ambassador does not accept my request, then tell him that the next request won't be so respectful. He should well remember what happened last time."
"Yes, ma'am," Leah exited the office, Sigyn closing the door behind the girl.
Waving her at the locking mechanism, Sigyn bowed her head and gave herself a moment to take in a breath, then another, before finally accepting that this was an issue she was going to have to deal with.
"What are you up to this time, you stupid boy," she did not hide her irritation as she headed to the balcony and windows.
"Lady Sigyn, I can always trust you to see through my illusions," there was a quick flash of green light as Sigyn began to darken the force fields on the windows, the voice of the page changing to one she was much more intimately familiar with, "just how do you do it?"
"Loki," she darkened the field that domed over her balcony, the man could not be seen anywhere on Xandar, let alone in her office, "you have an extraordinary lack of grace."
"Hhmm," Loki replied almost critically, then shrugged and placed his hands behind his back, smiling, "I see you're not surprised to find me alive."
"Please," she took care of the last window, ensuring their privacy, "you've only been legitimately sorry twice in your life and even then you didn't see fit to speak the words," she crossed her arms and turned to him, her voice was laced in dark emotions, "to think you'd utter them in death," she nearly laughed, "I can only assume Thor's grief over recent events blinded him to what I'm sure was a mediocre and overwrought performance."
"You know me so well," his lips slightly parted, nearly grinning, he gave her a look of casual intensity, "I need your help, Sigyn."
"My help," then she did laugh, nearly choking on it, "you came to me after you fell from the Bifrost and I did as you asked, I gave you money and means, believing Jotunheim to have been but a moment of madness," her jaw tightened as her anger boiled and he continued to look at her impassively, "but you go and get involved with Thanos. Then next I hear you've invaded Midgard!"
"To be fair," Loki held his hands out as if he was innocent, "Midgard was mostly Thanos' idea."
"What?" Sigyn blinked.
"I needed something from Thanos and he wanted the Tesseract," he spoke as if he was explaining the dinner menu, "I could have just snuck in and stole it at any time," Loki then grinned proudly, then paused, "but Thanos had other ideas," there was a slight tweak in his eye that she nearly missed and wondered if she imagined it, before he gestured widely, "and I think I did Midgard a favor, I opened their eyes to see just how insignificant they truly are, they needed to realize this if they're ever going to survive as a species," he looked as if was going to laugh and then stopped, "so if anything, they should thank me."
Sigyn could only stare at him as if he had grown a second head before shouting, "Thousands died!"
He held up one finger as if he was about to argue her point but instead shrugged, "Well, you do have me there."
"Always blaming others for your mistakes," Sigyn managed a much more moderate level of speech as she let her initial anger subside, the man had always able shatter her calm where even battalions of Kree couldn't faze her. Blood drained through her body and she said softly, "You didn't have to do it."
"No one says no to Thanos," the smile dropped from his lips and turned into a thin line.
"That's not what I meant," she caught his gaze, holding it solemnly, "none of this had to happen."
"I know what you meant," his eyes went back to cold and unemotional, always trying to hide the truth from her because he knew what she could do with it.
"I hope you got what you wanted," she said sadly as she shook her head, accepting that this is just how it was going to be, she could not force change upon him, he had to realize it for himself. Of course, that didn't mean she had to be nice about it, "I still say that you should have gone back to Asgard instead of posturing like a petulant child who couldn't admit he did wrong."
"That's not what that was," he defended himself, his temper always his least desirable trait.
"Then what was it? Cause I surely don't know," she started to seethe, "I walked out of delicate negotiations to see you when you were brought back to Asgard because I have always been there for you," she shouted, pointing at him in her frustration, and she became acutely aware of the scares on her hands, crunching her fingers into fists, "and you wouldn't even speak to me."
Loki licked his lips as he pursed them, about to speak.
"Don't," she held up her hand, "I don't want to hear any more lies."
Putting his hands behind his back he dutifully remained silent, almost mockingly so.
"I can arrange funds and transport," Sigyn sighed, resigned to the truth of the matter, she would always help him, "but please, stay away from Thanos and those like him, and for Vahalla's sake, don't invade any more planets."
"Actually, that won't be necessary," he smiled and nearly bounced in his step as he started to move across the room, "you see, I'm right where I want to be."
"Loki?" her question was more of a warning, she knew that look in his eyes.
"The thing is," he steepened his fingers and brought his hands to his lips as he tried to contain his mirth, "the good King Odin has fallen into Odinsleep, as he is ought to do this days," he tapped his index fingers against his teeth as he continued to grin widely, "and, well," he swung his arms wide, "someone has to rule while he is currently indisposed."
Lifting her hand to cover her mouth, Sigyn's eyes became unfocused as she let his words process. The game board had suddenly changed. Odin was gone and Loki had taken his place by using his illusionary skills which could fool all but two people, the other being Frigga who was felled in the Dark Elf invasion.
For all purposes rendered, Loki was King of Asgard without censor or question.
Sigyn began to pace, a string of curses spilling from her lips.
"Cursing me in, what, three languages," Loki grinned, "I feel honored."
"I find this doesn't even surprise me," she let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head in what should have been disbelief, "your lust for power has truly surpassed your ability to reason and addled your brain."
"This isn't about power," he bit back, his features suddenly turning venomous.
"Hasn't it always been?" Sigyn stalked towards him, hating his temper but never being afraid of it.
His jaw tightened, "Things change."
"Do they?" she was barely a heartbeat from him now and she would not let the fact he towered over her intimidate her, "Are you not still that little boy who always dreamed of being king, of being better than everyone else," she poked him square in the chest, "so much so that he'd run so fast he never looked down at the bodies of those he trampled, that he hurt."
Staring at her with his cold and impassive eyes, he gently took her outstretched hand in both of his. His fingers stroked her softly, tracing the lines of her scars in a manner that reminded her of the side of Loki she feared may be lost. She had to close her eyes for a moment, willing herself not to be effected by the memories, by his touch.
"You know," he spoke softly, "you really should have let the healers remove these scars."
"I wanted them left," she pulled her hand from his and turned away, she couldn't face him right now, he knew her weaknesses, "they are my reminders."
"Reminders of what?" he asked very well knowing the answer.
They reminded her of her strength, her endurance, her perseverance, her resolve… her love.
"That I am nothing but a fool," she nearly whispered.
"You're far from a fool, Sigyn," did she denote a tone of melancholy in his voice or had she imagined it? It was always so hard to tell with him when he was like this, "That's why I have need of you."
"What you ask is treason," she kept her back to him, she needed time to think.
"So is aiding an Enemy of the Crown," he pointed out with a touch of mirth she did not mistake, "which you were so prepared to do only moments ago."
"Semantics," her mind began racing, "this is different. I should call the guards but I'm afraid of the slaughter you'd cause, and I'm quite fond of my staff."
"Slaughter," he seemed offended at the word, "is that what you think of me? Am I now nothing but a monster to you as well?"
"Yes," Sigyn replied coldly, turning to face him, "but not by birth. You are an Asgardian. Odin your father, Frigga your mother, and Thor your brother," she could see the truth and rage boil inside him, "but you are also a monster… because you choose to be one."
Sigyn and Loki where a volatile mix.
He knew her weaknesses but she knew his.
They loved each other.
They hated each other.
But it was always each other.
"So much easier that way isn't it," Sigyn sighed, they were now at a stalemate, it was his move.
Loki glared at her with barely concealed rage, his jaw tightening as he frightened, tapping his hand against his side. Now it was her turn to stare at him impassively, both having proved they were well capable of hurting the other.
"Call the guards," he finally said with feigned disinterest, "I'll go quietly, no tricks."
"There's always a trick," she responded evenly.
"Yes," he admitted, "this one being that there is no one left on Asgard to stop the Royal Council from chopping off my head," he managed a chuckle, "Thor might idealistically try to stop them, but I doubt they would give him enough time to return from Midgard where he spends most his days," then added as almost an afterthought, "and you'll be found out, but of course, you'd be spared, although 'Asgard's Most Faithful' will never serve Asgard again."
This was not what she had expected, his words such a desperate and low-brow move.
"Loki," Sigyn remained impassive, "there are exactly two souls in this universe with enough love left for you to forgive you your faults," it was a guilty truth, "you make one believe you are dead and now you alienate the other with your petty emotional blackmail," she shook her head, "you are so much better than this."
He shrugged and paced slightly off to the side, "The honest truth, Sigyn, is that I have very specific goals, and I simply cannot be bothered with all the incessant quibbling and requests I have found myself inundated with."
"You wanted to be King," she rolled her eyes at him, still trying to understand his end game, he was throwing out misdirections left and right, "it's part and parcel of the job."
"This is why Kings have advisers," Loki shot back with a touch of annoyance before slowly making his way towards her, "someone who can just as easily rule in their steed should it be required, someone who will ensure that Asgard is well taken care of, someone they can trust," now directly in front of her, he took her hand in his and again stroked it gently, "and we both know, Sigyn, in the end, you will always be the only one I can truly trust."
Sigyn wanted to pull her hand away but found herself transfixed, the only thought able to get through being, "But I cannot trust you."
He let her fingers slip from his, quietly answering, "I know."
Closing her eyes, she knew she had to make a choice and deal with the consequences, so she took a breath and stood tall, "I'll need a few days."
"A few days?" he didn't seem surprised but then nor did he gloat his win.
"If I leave overnight then questions will be asked," Sigyn explained as she moved over to her desk, away from him, "I need to hand off some projects and nominate a successor to the Ambassador position."
"I have it on good authority that the King will accept whomever you nominate," now there was that glee back in his voice, "but don't take too long deciding, we have much work to do."
"Make no mistake," she turned back to him, "I don't do this for you, I do this for Asgard, to protect it, even from you if I have to."
Loki had been approaching and stopped in his tracks, "I expect as much."
"If I see one spark of evidence that you wish to do Asgard irreparable harm," she spoke warningly, "then I will use it to set you aflame and I will burn you to the ground."
His eyes were impassive but yet he smiled, "Looking forward to it."
Sigyn had no response to that and nearly collapsed against her desk as she watched him head towards the door, shifting back into his page disguise.
"Seeya soon, Sig," he grinned at her with an unfamiliar face.
He left the door wide open behind him and she made her way to her chair only to fall into it, propping her elbow on the arm rest and holding her head in her hand, utterly defeated and now a party to treason.
"Ma'am?" Leah's voice was beside her, "are you okay?"
"I need you to call a meeting," Sigyn told her aid as she rubbed her forehead, "the deputy ambassadors, the support staff, and all the representatives of the guilds."
"Of course," the girl faltered, "but is everything alright?"
"Oh, everything's fine," Sigyn looked up, letting the mask of defeat slip from her face to be replaced by the truth. Loki had set the rules and made his move, she countered, he parlayed, and she closed with her gambit. Round one was over but the game was still being played, "I was simply picking my battles."
-end
Note: In case you were wondering, the thing with the scars on her hands is an allusion to her holding the bowl over Loki, protecting him from poisonous venom. I imagine it sloshed a bit.