And at once I knew I was not magnificent
Strayed above the highway aisle
(Jagged vacance, thick with ice)
I could see for miles, miles, miles

Bon Iver - "Holocene"

"Today's the day then?" Loki barges into Sigrun's room, already dressed in his ceremonial garb.

"I suppose it is. He has been awfully full of himself lately, which is saying something for Thor." She said half interested in joining Loki in his pity party, something rather frequent as of late, as she looked helplessly in the mirror trying to do something to her hair fitting the occasion: the ceremony declaring Thor as king of Asgard. The day he had been groomed for. She watched Loki cross the room and throw himself into a chair.

"It would be a shame if the day were to be postponed or something." He said in a low voice, settling himself lower in the chair, "I don't quite think I am ready to be under Thor's rule officially."

"I really hope you aren't planning anything foolish. I don't think even your mother could keep you safe if you did." Turning to face him she could feel the indignation radiating off of him like a furnace. Loki was always overlooked, always by his father in favor of Thor. Odin always seemed to forget he had a second son, even though he claimed to love them both equally, especially when it came to matters of leadership and command.

"What about the surprise announcement? I think we all know what is being planned with that!" he spat bitterly.

"If you are speaking of Thor's betrothal I think you are getting a head of yourself. It will not be me."

"Who else would it be, if that is indeed the announcement?"

"If anything Odin will leave it up to Thor to choose, and he would be a fool to not choose Lady Sif. There's a match for you. And there would be no hard feelings if I wasn't chosen, believe me on that. It's the last thing in the world I would want." She said turning back with an air of finality about the subject. Of course, they wouldn't pick her, Sigrun wasn't even Asgardian. She had little to no memory of her home and her family, and did not know the how or why of how she came to Asgard. All she knew was Frigga treated her no differently than her sons, and Odin treated her more like a ward than a daughter, which was fine by her on all accounts. She would hate to have the pressure he put on his sons, especially Thor. And she would have hated feeling the disappointment Loki felt every day of being second best. Her "brothers" were old enough when she was brought into their home to know she wasn't one of them, but as with Frigga, that didn't stop Thor from treating her as a sister.

With Loki however...

Sigrun heard movement behind her and looked at his reflection as Loki moved to get up and watched as he walked across the room to where she was standing in front of the mirror. Felt his hands caress her shoulders as he pulled her to lean back into him. With Sigrun's head against his chest and his long arms wrapped around her, she felt every vibration in his body, every breath, felt his unusual coolness through the thin gown. Goose bumps sprang up on Sigrun's arms.

"You will be queen one day; I have no doubt of it." He pressed his lips against her hair and breathed in deeply. "My love," He murmured, "My beautiful one."

"You talk as if you have a plan." Sigrun said as she turned around and nestled back into his chest.

"I always have a plan

"Nothing too crazy I hope?" She said worriedly as she pulled back to look up at him, and saw his eyes dancing mischievously. He blinked, still staring off, and bent his head down and pressed his lips against her forehead. His eyes now dancing with some emotion Sigrun couldn't read.

A knock on my door broke them apart.

"Sigrun? May I come in?" Frigga called through the door.

"Yes." She called back and Frigga entered wearing her best gown for the occasion.

"I figured Loki would be in here with you," she smiled warmly, "Are the two of you ready?"

"As ready as I can be." Loki mumbled, unable to hide his displeasure. Frigga crossed over to him and took his face in her hands.

"Your time will come. Surely, it will. You are a prince of Asgard." Sigrun could tell Loki wanted to pull away and argue with his mother, but his regard and love for her kept him from it. He closed his eyes and merely nodded.

The noise coming from the hall below told them it was time to head down to the ceremony. Frigga left urging her children not to take too long and to head down quickly. Once she left the room Loki quickly took Sigrun in his arms again, kissed her. Something in the kiss seemed desperate, yet excitable. Again there was something in him she could not read. Slowly, he let her go.

"Shall we head down?"

The ceremony hall was incredibly crowded and full of noise as Sigrun and Loki took their places at the end of the aisle and began to wait for their brother. All at once the sound of loud chatter turned into a mighty roar of applause as Thor began to make his way down the aisle. Swaggering was more like it, drinking in every second of being the center of attention.

Stealing a glance at Odin, Sigrun wasn't sure if he was all too confident in his choice of making Thor king that day. Looking at Loki showed him becoming more and more like a stone statue. Catching her glance he smirked, something that normally would melt her into a puddle, but it didnt quite reach his eyes.

Finally Thor knelt before his father. Odin stood, and began talking of kings of Asgard, and the usual, or so Sigrun assumed was the usual, speech for these types of things. When suddenly he stopped, and soon it was clear why, as the alarm sounded deep within the palace.

"The vault!" Odin yelled, as the guards began to move down the stairs to protect a vast collection of weapons Odin had required through his time as king.

All at once, Sigrun could have sworn she felt Loki's entire energy change at the sight of everything Thor wanted being halted, just a few words short.

Several moments later in the vault itself Odin and his children surveyed the damage caused by the intruders.

"Frost giants." Odin muttered. Sigrun hung back by the stairs but the tension in the air was thick.

"They will be punished for this." Thor said in a low voice, glaring about the room.

"They have been," Odin replied simply, checking to make sure the item which was the target was unharmed, "It has been done, and unsuccessfully. They will not try again."

"We must show them that this is not tolerated! We have a truce with the giants and they very obviously broke that truce!"

"I said it is finished! Nothing more is to be done! Besides checking our defenses to see how they entered the vault, let alone the realm. You will let this go and be done with it." Odin finished his surveying of the room. Gave his children another look and swept from the room.

Thor's rage of how is day was supposed to go and how it went led him to destroy the gathering hall. Sigrun stood far enough away as to not get pelted by whatever was closest for Thor to throw. He finally sat down on the steps and put his head in his hands defeated. Loki, watching all this from a corner went to sit by his brother.

"What are you doing?" Thor mumbled. Loki sat in silence.

"This was my day." Thor said, much like a spoiled child, "My day."

"If it makes you feel any better I agree with you. About punishing the frost giants I mean." Loki said quietly, as Sigrun moved closer to listen.

"Father is wrong about that." Thor agreed begining to get aggitated again.

"Whats to say they would try again and this time with an army?!"

"Exactly!"

"Unfortunetly there is nothing you can do without going agaisnt father" Loki said in a defeated tone. Thor jumped up suddenly.

"No, whatever you are thinking Thor forget it!" Sigrun said glancing over at Loki, knowing he had set Thor up for this brilliant idea. Just at that moment Thor's four closest friends and Asgards best warriors Volstagg, Hogrun, Fandral, and Lady Sif walked into the hall.

"Thinking about what?" Sif demanded.

"We are going to Jotunheim." Thor said proudly of his idea.

"Thor, you are mad, it is forbidden!" Sigrun said taking a few steps closer, taking another glance at Loki, who had put his head in his hands in a brilliant performance of looking exasperated.

"Why not?" He demanded, "Father is obviously wrong about this. It is for the good of Asgard that other worlds know we shall not sit idely by when we are provoked."

"Hear hear!" His friends said in unison.

"Will you join me brother?" Thor said turning to Loki, who, still had is head in his hands.