"Is that the best you can do?" Loki's feminine voice heckled from the stands.
Sif grit her teeth as she pressed her blade harder against her opponents. Loki had some nerve to heckle her when he was sitting on the stands like a mere observer. Or rather, she did. Ever since Loki had given his support to Sif being a warrior, she had begun taking a female form more often in public. Lady Loki had also began practicing her magic in public more often. Sif would say that Loki was acting more maidenly, watching Sif spar and giving her a green token to show favor, but Loki was being rather outspoken as a maiden.
"Fandral's sword arm is more skilled than yours," Loki yelled again.
Sif growled. She finally broke through her opponent's guard and charged forward, striking with rapid blows that were barely dodged. One of her strikes knocked her opponent's sword out of his hand, her next caused him to fall as he dodged, and the third came to rest in the hollow of his neck as she stepped on his chest.
"Yield," She commanded.
He did. Sif wished that she could take his head anyway just to vent her frustration, but she took a step back and off of him. She turned sharply to face Loki, who sat grinning widely at her from the stands.
Was it treason to decapitate a member of the Royal House of Asgard if he was being a little shit?
Yes, of course it was. And she tried to keep that thought firmly in her mind as she approached. She took to one knee and kissed her lady's hand.
"That victory was for you," She told her. It was between a threat and an affectionate confession. Sometimes Sif forgot if she and Loki were courting for pleasure or in some twisted plan to make the other miserable.
"Thank you, my warrior." Loki replied formally. They had been playing at this for a while now. Loki acting as the maiden and Sif as her champion. It was one of the ways that Loki had chosen to support her endeavor, though Sif was certain that it an attempt to make people more accepting toward Loki's own proclivities. There was far more push back to Sif becoming a warrior than Loki becoming a mage.
Loki stood and surveyed the battle ground. "Who else will dare to challenge my champion?"
This was how Sif had been gaining notoriety. Loki had been provoking people more and more, redirecting the fights toward Sif as her champion. It was true that most people considered Loki's feminine form to be some manner of trick and refused to respect it, but Loki was still a "prince" and had the right to choose a champion in this manner. Sif fought and won the battles on her own merit and that couldn't be ignored forever. Very people had accused her of cheating or being aided by Loki. Most claimed to have gone easy on her after the fact.
"No challengers?" Loki asked again, looking around. She smiled widely and looked down at Sif where she was still kneeling. "It seems you have won the day, my champion."
"For you, my lady," Sif said, raising her head.
Loki smiled at her, more softly than the look she'd directly at the crowd. She extended a hand to Sif. Sif rose and took Loki's hand, then escorted her away from the battlefield.
"You are enjoying this far too much," Sif whispered.
"I have to," Loki replied just as quietly. "Or else I would not enjoy it at all."
"Loki, what have you done?" Sif asked, staring at Loki in abject horror. He had been working very hard to attempt to force himself into the mold that was require of him for the past few years and Sif had known that it was stressing him out. She thought that he could withstand the pressure, like he always seemed to before.
What she was seeing now looked like a person that had cracked under expectations.
Loki had curves. Curves that 'he' was not suppose to be in possession of. More curves than Sif herself, if she were honest. He, or more accurately she, had her hands on her hips as she stared Sif down defiantly, eyes red rimmed from crying.
Sif was quick to shut the door behind her, least anyone see Loki's insanity.
"I'm done," Loki announced.
"What?" Sif moved closer. She could see a table cluttered with emptied and half full bottles and the smell of alcohol clung to Loki strongly.
"I'm done pretending to be what they want!" Loki yelled. "If I cannot be good enough for them, then I refuse to try any longer! Let them sneer. Let them laugh their fill if they must. If I cannot earn their respect as a warrior, I will have my own as a mage."
Sif recoiled as if she'd been slapped. They had spent many a night together commiserating over the uncertainly of their place in Asgard. Sif hated learning magic and did not excel in it because of that, and Loki had his taste spurned almost no matter what he did. They had always tried together, though! Loki spared with her, Sif talked to him about magic. They had found a friendship in their compromises and now Loki was just going to give up?
"You can't!" The words were tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"I can!" Loki replied defiantly. "I will!"
Sif was shaking her head, disbelief as much as denial.
"I am Lady Loki and I won't let anyone take this from me." Loki approached her, red rimmed eyes still full of defiance. She took Sif's hands in her own. "Do you want to know why they will not accept you as a warrior?" Loki asked her. "It is because you do not look like one."
Sif recoiled from Loki once more, but did not release her hands. "I won't do as you have done," She insisted. Part of her resented that Loki could do this at all, could force his acceptance into his desired role by way of magic. That could weave a spell or change his body and just be what he needed to be, who he wanted be. She didn't want to admit that she was jealous...
The rest of her did not want the path Loki had taken. Loki had had feminine traits and behaviors even before this, before wanting to be a mage. This almost made sense for Loki. Sif didn't want to be a man. As much as she wanted to be a warrior, she didn't want to have to change or deny herself to do it. She wanted to a warrior just as she was, to prove that she could do so, and to prove to everyone else that it was a possible.
Loki didn't show any sign that she was hurt by Sif's reaction. That didn't mean that Loki wasn't, only that Sif had no way of knowing.
Loki stroked Sif's face, eyes softening slightly. "Sif, you are beautiful."
Loki was very good as throwing Sif off her guard today and her head spun at the turn of conversation. "What?"
"You are among the fairest ladies Asgard has to offer," Loki continued. "How could anyone wish to lose the chance to have you as a maiden by allowing you to become a warrior." She twirled a finger around Sif's hair. "How could anyone take a woman as beautiful as you serious on the battlefield?"
Sif's eyes hardened as she knocked Loki's hand away, wrenching herself out of Loki's grasp. "I cannot help-" She began, but Loki moved forward again, into her space.
"But you can," Loki insisted. "And it would not take anything so dramatic as becoming a man."
Sif glared at him suspiciously. "What then?"
Loki's hand went to her hair again. "You are a model example of the perfect maiden, Sif. You must smear that mold. Bend it, break it, shatter it into a million pieces and they will be forced to see you as what you truly are." Loki grabbed hold of her hair, yanking it so that he could hold a fist of it before her eyes. She couldn't tell if that was because Loki was angry or just drunk. "You have to change. Trying to be both won't work and it won't force anyone to accept who you are!"
"What are you saying that I should do, Loki?" Sif yelled. She hated when Loki spoke in riddles. Sometimes she could unraveling his meaning with a little a thought, but she didn't always want to. She didn't always want to have to!
"Mark yourself an outcast," Loki told her. "Look like me."
It had been as Lady Loki and Warrior Sif that they had stood in front of the All-father and requested that Sif train as warrior.
Loki had not gone so far as to dress as a maiden, but she did wear a robe that emphasized her change. Something that clung to her curves and displayed them with pride and modesty.
Sif wore armor that Loki had gotten custom made for her and her once golden hair was now as dark as night. As dark as Loki himself.
"I would have Sif as my champion," Loki said. "To do battle on my behalf, win honor in my name, and bring glory to Asgard on a battlefield."
Odin had narrowed his eyes. "You are playing a dangerous game, boy."
"Tis no game, father," Loki replied. "I am a mage. I have been a mage for long enough that it is disrespectful that it is not recognized and I intend to have my position acknowledged by all." Loki nodded in her direction. "My champion will fight all that do not acknowledge my claim. Her wins should be proof enough that she is worthy to be a warrior of Asgard, do you not think?"
The All-father stared them down for a long time. They both met his gaze and refused to waver.
"This will not be an easy path," He told them, a kinder lilt to his voice than Sid was expecting.
"I know," Loki answered softly. "I am prepared for that. If I must fight no matter what I do, then I would fight to be the way that I wish."
The All-father nodded and turned to face Sif. "And you, my dear?"
"I will fight for my place in Asgard," She told him. Her desires were simple and straightforward. She had thrown her lot in with Loki long ago, but her desires were still her own. If he decided to back down or play this all like a trick later, it would not impact what she had decided.
Odin nodded, raised Gungnir and slammed it to the ground. "So be it," He said. "Do not expect that I will stand up on your behalf." The warning was to the both of them, but he was looking at Loki. "You be prepared to do this alone if you will do it at all."
"We understand," Loki answered.
Sif nodded in agreement. "We accept."
He held Loki's gaze for a few more moment, eyes filled with sorrow. She wondered if Odin was saddened by what his son had chosen to be or by what his daughter was now going to endure.
"I accept and acknowledge your choice of champion, Lady Loki." His gaze turned next to Sif. "Warrior Sif, I wish you luck in winning the honor the wish."
Sif took a knee and held a fist to her chest. "Thank you, my king."
"Loki!" Thor's voice boomed as he ran toward them.
Loki's smile wavered, but did not vanish as she turned to face her brother. Thor had been very supportive of their choices, to a degree. He cheered Sif on in her endeavors to become a warrior and supported Loki's choice to be a mage. But Thor, like everyone else, assumed that Loki's gender change was a trick and he didn't understand the purpose of it. Especially when it was known that Loki was courting Sif.
"What is it, brother?" Loki asked.
"I would challenge your champion!" Thor said brightly.
Loki's smile slipped. "What for?"
"I want to see how good she has gotten! I hear that she has been wiping the floor with every challenger to meet her on the fighting grounds. I wish to see for myself!" Thor's enthusiasm was in good faith. He didn't understand the position that both she and Loki were in. One loss could very well discredit their efforts entirely.
Sif had been waiting for and training for this day a long time, now. Loki had told her that Thor would not understand and would eventually challenge Sif simply for sport. Sif hadn't quite believed it. She'd sparred with Loki, listened to his advice on fighting against Thor for the experience it gave her, never entirely believing she'd have to use it.
Sif had been wrong.
"Of course, brother," Loki said. Refusing wouldn't help them at all, but winning would. "When would you like to start?"
Loki's smile was as fake as she could have possibly made it as she affixed a green pin to Sif's armor using magic, a token of favor, both because they were courting as because Sif was her champion. Loki was probably as nervous as Sif felt. This battle would likely determine if all their hard work would go undone or not.
"Remember what I told you," Loki whispered.
"I do," Sif answered. "I will not fail."
Loki's smile became a bit more genuine as she met Sif's eyes. "Show him who is the better warrior."
Sif's grin was a match for one of his own. "Of course."
Sif was breathing hard as she stood over Thor, sword pointed to his throat. Fighting the crown prince was no easy feat, but now she stood over him, finally, and demanded, "Yield!"
Thor looked as if he would try again to fight and she pressed he sword a little closer to his skin. But then he broke out into a wide grin and pronounced, "I yield!"
The murmurs began immediately. Thor simply laughed as Sif slowly, almost in disbelief, lowered her sword. "A grand battle, my friend!" Thor congratulated.
"Sif!" She turned around to see Loki's wide grin and that was when it finally set in for her. She'd won! She beat Thor! No one could say she wasn't a warrior now and Thor wouldn't try to deny her her victory.
Loki ran toward her and Sif caught her and spun her around in joy. Loki laughed, then she leaned forward to claim Sif's lips in a kiss. It was the first of such intimate gestures they had shared in public, but Sif was immediately caught up in it. She returned Loki's affection with ample amounts of her own.
Thor's laugh was what eventually pulled them out of it. "You two are a well matched pair," He told them.
Loki smiled at him, at everyone, as she answered. "Yes, we most certainly are."
Sif couldn't have agreed more.