Chapter 1

Loki Odinson had returned to Asgard. Now, naturally, I knew that he would be different. He wouldn't be the Loki that I knew before. I hoped he was, but I couldn't be sure until I'd seen him. There had been terrible rumours about what he'd done on Midgard, but the facts had been carefully concealed and guarded. Loki was, after all, a Prince. It wouldn't do to have the truth out there for the 'common people' to have. Truth was a valuable object and we wouldn't know what to do with it.

We all mourned when Loki fell from the Bifrost, but none more than his family. Thor locked himself away for a fortnight and when he finally emerged, he was changed. He was subdued, more introspective. But he'd come to terms with the fact that Loki was lost. I never could. My life seemed to stop and my heart seemed to shut off. I went back to see Thor once, but the truth was that we never really got along well. He was very sweet and generous since his experience on Midgard, but he knew who I was. I was just a reminder of his lost brother.

"Sigyn, how are you faring?" I looked up from the novel I wasn't really reading in the garden to see my good friend, Mayln, striding purposefully towards me.

"I am well, how are you?" I closed my book gently and laid it aside.

"I saw him, Sigyn. Prince Loki. There was a great commotion at the Bifrost and I went to see and I saw him!" She told me excitedly and sat on the bench beside me.

"Really? Was he well?" I tried to sound only mildly interested.

"No, not at all! He was thin and had this hunted sort of expression. He was bound and gagged, but his eyes were so dark, Sigyn. He looked so sad." She seemed only inclined to give me that much information, and settled back in her seat.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"I don't know. They took him into the Palace and probably to a cell somewhere. I hope it'll hold him." She replied.

"I'm sure it will, Marlyn. He won't escape and murder you while you sleep, if that's what you're worried about." I rolled my eyes and stood.

"He could do it." She sniffed and tossed her hair. She was my exact opposite in appearance, while I had a peachy sort of complexion, she had pale porcelain skin. I had long, golden curls, and she had inky black locks. My eyes were a deep, ocean blue, and hers were a dark violet shade that was incredibly rare to Asgard. She was a sensation, I was tolerably pretty. I didn't like to dwell on those sorts of things, though. It could hardly encourage friendly affection.

"Are you going to go see him?" I inquired casually.

"And risk him using his magic to possess me? I think not." She scoffed half-heartedly.

"I've never known him to use magic to possess anybody." I reasoned.

"He's different now, Sigyn. Don't forget that." She looked at me soberly.

"I understand. I merely want to see him one last time. I need that closure." I stood straight and walked closer to her. "Just one last time." She sighed and stood, also.

"Would you like me to go with you, or distract your mother?" She smirked.

"Whatever you wish, mother won't notice I'm gone, she's used to me going out riding for hours at a time." I grinned and turned to leave.

"Be careful, Sigyn." Marlyn warned me. I turned and walked backwards, facing her.

"I always am!" I laughed and left the garden with a giddy, anxious feeling.

I walked around the front of our ostentatious house and towards the stables. We - my mother and I - were of the upper-crust in Asgardian society. As such, we were allowed perks, like a magnificent house and grounds, stables, our own lake, and enough servants to care for it all. My mother was just about a princess, without the official title. I adored our own little secluded land, I needn't socialize or be around people. It was like Valhalla.

The stable was very small and homely compared to the ornate Palace stables, but I preferred the cozy, musty smelling wood building. I had my own horse, Firefoot, whom I'd had since I was child. He was a light dun with dark points and a wild look. He was beautiful, and looked like a horse figurine, but he was also sturdy and sure. He had seen me through countless adventures and hijinks. He was one of my best friends. I entered the stable and smiled at the groom. He was an old man, but his son was working to take over the job. They both knew I preferred to tack Firefoot myself and so let me be. He was snorting impatiently when I entered his stall; he despised being cooped up. I slipped his halter over his nose and tied him up. There wasn't a tack room exactly, there were racks all across a wall with saddles and blankets. Tables were underneath for anything else. I grabbed a saddle pad, put it on top of a saddle, and took them both to Firefoot. I flung the pad on his back and set the saddle over that. After adjusting the fit and cinching I grabbed a bridle and walked him outside. After putting the bit in his mouth I swung onto his back and rode off toward the palace.

I arrived sooner than I thought, or maybe it just felt sooner, given that my thoughts had been swirling around in a great cacophony in my head. I dismounted and handed Firefoot off to a groom that had hastened toward me. Climbing the opulent stairs to the Palace seemed to take a lifetime. Loki was in there. My heart raced. He was so close.

I entered the Palace, but didn't go to the Throne room or any populated area. I didn't want to explain myself to the family. I couldn't explain myself, anyway. I walked silently down hallways and passages that I hadn't been in since my youth. There was a door ahead that had a staircase leading downwards. I could start there. Everything was so golden, so rich and polished, It was like looking at the sun. I hurried to the corner that boasted the door and tried the handle. It swung open and I looked down the stairs with trepidation. It smelled dank as I walked in and shut the door behind me. The floor and walls were made of stone that seemed to be perpetually wet. Mold grew in patches and I'm sure some was transferred to the hem of my sky blue dress.

I emerged in a large room. There was another door across from me which must have been the more conventional, clean entrance. There was nothing but a wall to my left, and to my right was a huge, glass-encased cell. It appeared homey enough. There was a bed and reading material. But it was not the décor that caught my attention. It was the caged animal inside.

"I see you've not changed." It spoke from it's dark recesses.

"I'm sure you have." I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Indeed. Some must change." It spoke as an enigma.

"Must they? Is change involuntary, then?" I remembered the old Loki, and how he'd be amused by that.

"Nothing is voluntary." The voice was empty, hollow. "Are you here to mock me? Thor is undoubtedly at some feast or other, he'd surely be a much better target for your wit."

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my mouth. That was the Loki I remembered. I walked forward and didn't stop until I was very close to the glass.

"But you and I both know that you were always more fun to mock. At least you understood when someone was making fun of you."

"You will not address me in such a way." He sounded bitter and angry.

"I understand, Prince. Accept my humblest of apologies." I tried to not sound completely hurt by his abrasiveness. But what had I expected?

"You have no need to be here, Lady." He waved me away and turned to pick up and read a book.

"Why are you acting like this? You are not the Prince I knew before." I knew those were the wrong words as soon as they left my mouth.

"I am not acting as anything. You should not question your Prince." He spat. "You are not the girl you were before. So quick to judge my indiscretions and yet so loathe to remember your own. I have not forgotten you, nor have I forgotten your ways. You would do anything to keep my 'family' from hearing of the shameful things you've done." He smirked as though he'd already won.

"You never understood me, Prince. It was not what it seemed. But you don't care about that, do you? What matters is that you have some sort of leverage against me, to use me as your puppet. I don't care what you tell the King and Queen. I know that I am not a shameful creature. If you ever cared enough to listen to what I had to say, you'd know that. If you knew me at all, you'd know that." I glared at him, angry that he was digging up an old fight when he was the one who'd just killed countless people, if the rumours proved true.

"The people that have to explain the most have the most to hide." He answered sagely.

"Then you must have to explain yourself all the time." I bit back.

"Not to people like you." He turned away from me. It was over. He wouldn't speak to me again.

"You're not that different now, Loki. I mean, My Prince. You don't mean what you're saying." I said softly. I could only hear his dark, sadistic chuckles. I hung my head sadly and slowly turned to leave the way I came. The large doors behind me creaked open and, knowing that I absolutely did not wish to be caught here, I hurried to my small doorway, glanced back at Loki one more time, and shut the door behind me. I didn't realize until I was halfway up the staircase that I hadn't seen his face once. He'd never stepped into the light. Instinctively, he didn't want me to see him, what he had become. I shivered and continued on.

A/N: I really shouldn't be writing this, considering I haven't finished my Les Mis fic, but I really wanted to do it. I hope you all like it! I was browsing through and noticed there wasn't much for Sigyn in here and decided I wanted to change that. :)

I hope it's good so far! Please review if you like! I'd love that. :)