Basically I started writing this because I got tired of Loki being one of two polar opposites in fic, and Sigyn...well, I had my own ideas about what exactly 'fidelity' could mean in a person. I hope I found a happy medium, and if I haven't, I welcome any constructive feedback :)
I don't own any of the characters in this fic, no matter how much I wish I did.
Dancing, Sigyn was certain, must have been originally intended as a form of torture. From her childhood she had never been very good at dancing. So, when the rude Lord who did not even bother to introduce himself grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out to the dance floor, she tried to pull away. Yet despite her protests, he would not listen. Really he had been inviting disaster.
If she were not already annoyed, perhaps she would also have been laughing when she tripped and knocked them both to the ground. Any notion of amusement, though, was crushed when the cretin got up and walked away without even looking back at her. The laughter that erupted around them only fed her irritation further.
A hand appeared to her right, shaking from the laughter seizing Lofn, her sister. Ignoring the proffered hand, she lifted herself up. "Not that I would have accepted his help, but a simple acknowledgement of my existence would have been nice. Especially after he dropped me to the ground so rudely."
"Oh, please," Lofn huffed with a roll of her eyes. "You know that was entirely your own fault. The embodiment of grace and poise you are not."
"My lack of skill on the dance floor aside, you must admit that was quite rude." With any luck the glare she offered to his retreating back would cause him to spontaneously combust.
The crowd that had formed when they fell had begun to dissipate with the exception of one or two nobles still staring at her and smirking.
"You seem to have caught someone else's attention." Lofn inclined her head toward the head of the room where both princes were looking her way, not even bothering to hide their amusement. Thor looked positively lecherous, a sure sign that the Allfather and Queen would be retiring soon. Whenever they retired, the festivities lost any pretense at formality and politeness.
"Lovely," she muttered. "He's seen up my skirt, hasn't he?"
"Half of Asgard has now," Lofn smirked. "And so what? He's the prince! If he finds you later tonight, I say accept the honour."
Sigyn cringed at the thought. Not that Thor was unattractive. And he did indeed have wealth and power. But to her mind, he had a personality she simply could not overlook. "And what? Become his concubine?" she bit back.
"That's not what I meant."
"I know it isn't," Sigyn sighed.
Casting an eye around the room, she continued, "when was the last time you even tried to find a suitor?"
"Who would have me? Look around, Lofn. Compare me to literally every other unwed woman in here. I'm not stunningly attractive," she began listing.
"You're not exactly a horror either."
"I can't be bothered to spend hours on makeup and dress every single day to be so," she continued as though Lofn had not spoken. "I'm not a passable dancer. I don't care for the affectations of court. Every time one of the Lords of court tries to spend any amount of time with me, that happens," she groused as she pointed to the dance floor. "I'm not high on the list of women to court. Five thousand years from now I'll be the insane old woman taking care of the royal stables."
A sense of dread built itself up in Sigyn's stomach as she watched Lofn worry her lip between her teeth, obviously battling over whether to say what was on her mind. Just as her sister's mouth opened, a voice called their names and they both turned to see their mother approaching. Even though she knew Lofn would try again later, Sigyn breathed a sigh of relief at the temporary reprieve.
When their father walked right past her with no acknowledgement beyond an irritated glance, it was hard not to cringe. Iwaldi had worked hard to shed the derisive comments that came with being a dwarf in Asgard. When Freya had wed him, that had helped. And his skills in the forge had earned him respect from the royal family. But there were those who still looked upon him as though he did not belong, and having Sigyn act as improperly as she did, however inadvertently, was no help. She knew all this, yet it still hurt when her father gave her that look.
Nonetheless she forced a smile as she greeted her mother. "Leaving already?"
Freya's smile was enough to lighten the mood. "You know how your father feels about the parties after the Allfather leaves." Thankfully they would not be taking the carriage and leaving her and Lofn to find their own way home to the countryside. Every banquet they stayed at the residence Iwaldi had purchased in town to trade his weapons from.
"Is it the same way he feels when I act as I just did on the dance floor?" she grimaced. At the reproachful look on her mother's face she forced a smile. "I apologize, mother."
"Enjoy the celebration." A quick embrace, a kiss on the cheek, a whispered assurance that her father did indeed love her, and Freya followed her husband out the door.
A young man carrying a tray of wine passed close by, and Sigyn grabbed two glasses from him. "Here's to enjoying the celebration," she muttered with a salute to Lofn. Quickly downing one glass and placing it back on the tray, she dismissed the servant.
"Keep that up," Lofn laughed, "and you may just end up bedding a prince with no memory of it come the morning."
An hour later, Sigyn was left standing alone at the side of the hall. Drunken revelers surrounded her, knocking into her and making lewd comments. Lofn was nowhere to be found. Last she had seen her sister, she was going to fetch more wine for the both of them. When Lofn had not returned after a quarter of an hour, Sigyn thought it safe to assume she had found company for the evening. It was not as though she had been abandoned purposely. Under normal circumstances Lofn had a horrid memory, but give her enough wine and a party, and she had the attention span of a small child.
On the plus side, this meant that come the dawn Lofn would have forgotten all about their earlier conversation and life could carry on as normal.
She cast a glance to Thor, Loki, and their companions at the table at the head of the hall. Tonight was in celebration of their return from a glorious battle in Nornheim. They would drink and dance and seek out company for the night as they did after every successful campaign. She would bet that they had seen nearly all nine realms!
Meanwhile, she had barely seen even half of Asgard.
It occurred to her that the stars would look differently on each world they had visited. How she wished to see those stars for herself.
Another servant passed her with a wine tray, and she grabbed a glass. Perhaps after this glass, she would leave. It was not as though Lofn needed her to get home. Honestly, Lofn was probably not coming home and she would once again have to lie for her sister.
As she circled around the outskirts of the hall, she caught snippets of conversation from soldiers who had gone with the princes and their companions. Some stories were plausible, some less so. By far, though, her favourite was the dimwitted Lady enthralled by the stories her soldier told of defeating the Frost Giants in Nornheim. Well-travelled she may not be, but at least she had enough sense to know Nornheim was not home to the Jotun and that the battle had been with rock trolls. Hopefully the woman was simply too drunk and would have realized her error under different circumstances. Though that would not stop Sigyn from laughing at her tonight.
"You do not fear the Frost Giants, Lady Sigyn?" Thor's amused voice sounded behind her.
Turning around, she prayed that wherever Lofn was she was not looking. "The Frost Giants in Nornheim?" She could not keep the skepticism from her features.
The prince laughed off her sarcasm. "That was quite the graceful tumble you took on the dance floor earlier," he tried another route.
"Yes, it seems to have amused all except the oaf who left me to pick myself up." Another long draught from her wine glass and her drink was gone.
The prince happily supplied another glass. "Clearly the gentleman did not know how to treat a lady."
Sigyn rolled her eyes. "And you're going to use that as an opening to tell me you do?"
Thor's grin was blindingly bright as he held out his hand to her. "Allow me to show you."
A million thoughts flooded Sigyn's mind, but first and foremost was that she was glad her father had already left and most of the revellers around her were too drunk to be paying much attention. "I am sorry, My Prince, but I don't think the amount of wine I have consumed since my last dance will have improved my coordination any."
Not missing a beat at the rejection he tried again, his smile becoming more suggestive. "Perhaps another kind of dance."
Sigyn hoped her amusement did not shine through her polite smile. Regardless of whether Lofn was watching, there was every possibility rumour would spread and come the following day she would hear no end of it no matter her decision. In her mind she heard her sister's voice encouraging her. "Again, I am sorry but I must decline."
The prince did not even bat an eyelash at the second declination. "Perhaps the Lady prefers rousing conversation over a good dance?"
"I am definitely better equipped for conversation," she agreed.
"Good." Before she could process what was happening the mischievously grinning prince had taken hold of her arm and was dragging her across the dance floor, through the couples both graceful and drunken. It was a miracle to Sigyn that she had not knocked any of them over. Perhaps Thor could have shown her how to dance better than the rude oaf.
At last they came to a stop in front of the younger prince of Asgard, who looked just as perplexed as she felt. "Thor, what have I told you about kidnapping?"
Sigyn fought to stop herself from smiling.
"You recall Freya and Iwaldi's other daughter, Lady Sigyn," he introduced her.
"Milady," Loki inclined his head in a partial bow.
"She seeks scintillating conversation over dancing," Thor continued speaking as though she somehow could not hear him.
"Lovely," the younger prince sighed.
"Lady Sigyn," Thor turned back to her, "may I present my brother Loki."
"My Prince," she courtseyed.
Turning back to Loki, Thor continued, "I told you I would find a heifer for my little cow. May she find your company more stimulating than she did mine." The crown prince threw his brother a wink and danced off to seek company with the nearest Lady.
The implication caused her cheeks to flare, embarrassment and anger flashing through her veins. As though she could simply be pawned off as a prize!
Calmly as she could, she turned to the younger prince. "My Prince, I apologize. I'm afraid your brother has misinterpreted my intentions for the evening. I must return to our residence in the city as my father will likely require assistance at his shop in the morning. It was lovely to see both you and your brother again."
Without even waiting for a reply, Sigyn beat a hasty retreat from the banquet hall. An hour later she was laying in bed with her cheeks still flushed from the encounter.