A/N: I love my reviewers! Probably going to set up some sort of poll on here to decide who Sif should be with. I honestly have no idea.
Loki/Sif - 1 (Nightcrane Storm)
Thor/Sif - 0
Fandral/Sif - 0
Hogun/Sif - 0
Volstagg/Sif - 0
Random boy from barracks/Sif - 0
Other/Sif - 0
The next day.
After a fitful night of sleep, Sif awoke to the pounding on their door, groaning.
"Thor," she called wearily, looking up at the top bunk. "Who on Asgard is knocking at this early in the morning?"
Thor turned on his stomach, his face in his pillow. "How should I know?" He asked, his voice muffled from lack of sleep and the pillow.
"Just get it!" An irritated Fandral called from his cot in the corner of the room and Sif obeyed, getting out of her bed slowly.
"Whoever is there is going to die." Sif muttered through clenched teeth.
"Probably just the training master," murmured Loki. "No need to get angry."
"But it is so early!" Sif protested as she swung open the door.
It was not the training master.
It was her mother.
"Sif!" roared her mother. "Get back from her, you insolent boys!" She ran to Sif to hug her, while Sif slowly backed away, weary.
"Mother, I am fine." She said, a tiny bit annoyed with this sudden appearance.
"Let us go then. Do not worry, I shall beat the man that kidnapped you and put you here." Her mother promised.
Sif's face flushed, while Thor and the other boys covered their mouths to contain their laughter.
"She thinks you have been kidnapped." Thor choked, confirming it. Her mother looked at him, puzzled.
"She has, has she not?" Her mother asked, raising a lone eyebrow towards Sif.
Sif glared at Thor, with a look that said, Could you have not gone with it? And turned to her mother. "Mother, I, erm, came here out of my own free will."
Her mother looked at her, aghast, her face pale. "Sif, I knew you wanted to be a warrior, but. . I did not know you were serious."
"I am." Sif said firmly. "I'm not leaving here now."
"No." Her mother said, equally firm. "You are not leaving here now. You need your things. I will give you five minutes to pack your things."
"What?" Sif asked her, confused. "I am already here, so why bother leaving?"
"It will do you good to walk from her back to our lodgings. Besides, this is no place for a woman. I have already planned dancing, sewing, weaving, beauty, manners, dining, washing, and walking lessons for when you get home. It will be wonderful." Her mother swooned.
Sif looked at her as if she had two heads. "I have a couple reasons to question you, Mother. One: I don't need all of those lessons. Isn't one enough?"
"Well, you have to be educated in all lady-like arts so Odin will have an easier time choosing what goddess you will become."
"Two: Why do I need weaving and sewing lessons? Are they not the same thing?"
Her mother laughed. "Sif dear, they are quite different."
"Sure," mumbled Sif. "Three: Why do I need walking lessons? I have known how to since I was a mere babe."
"You have no idea how to walk like a lady. Small strides, my dear."
"Oh, so like this?" Sif mimicked her mother's walking in an outrageous way, with tiny short steps along the room.
"No!" Her mother wailed. "All wrong!"
"And four: Is staying here so wrong?"
"Actually, it is. I have Odin coming here in a few minutes to order you home." Her mother added with a triumphant smile.
Sif's shoulders sagged. "I cannot stay, then?"
"No."
The boys, who were laughing once, were now feeling her sadness. "Now you don't have to tell Odin, Loki." Thor whispered to his brother. Even Fandral felt sorrow for the strange girl, although he had no idea why.
"Odin," she bowed.
"Sif." He looked at her. She was dressed like a boy would, although her hair was the same length as a lady's.
This is going to end badly. She thought to herself as she stood up straighter and folded her hands behind her back.
"Please sit," Odin told her, gesturing to a chair. "Now, I know you might be nervous-"
Sif interrupted him. "For what?" For him being a King?
Odin smiled. "Do not mind me, then. Now, why are you here?"
Sif wanted to tell him that it did not matter why she was here, just that she wanted to be the best she could be. Instead, her traitor mouth replied, "The same reason as all of the other boys. To become a warrior."
Odin laughed and Sif clenched her fists. "That is not the reason why. I know your family, Sif. The women have always been feminine and lady-like and you come here. You must be here for a more reasonable reason. . . Perhaps to get a man?"
Anger flashed in Sif's face. "No!" She almost shouted. "I just want to be a warrior." She struggled to push the anger down, back into her body with her usual calm appearance.
"No? Just a warrior?"
"Yes. Is that not what I said?"
"Sif, we both know that you will never be a warrior."
"I refuse to believe that horrid thought."
"I will never make you a warrior."
Sif gasped inwardly and took a deep breath. "Your choice is not the only thing that affects god and goddess choosing. It is what the person does, and how well they do it that matter."
"Ah, yes, but I do have a say in this, as well as the council of Asgard."
"Not as much as the what I do for life."
"I can stop that." Odin reminded her. "I can ban you from coming here."
Sif snorted. "You cannot stop someone once they are determined."
"But I can make them loose all hope."
Odin's words stung. Why is he being so unfair and unjust? He should give me a chance, Asgard needs more able warriors.
Odin must of seen her face fall and added in a more gentle tone, "Perhaps I should give you a chance."
Her mother, who was in the back of the chamber the whole time with a huge grin plastered on her face, turned pale. "Not my daughter." She shrieked, running forward.
She needs to loosen up. Sif thought as she tried to dodge her mother's hold.
"Mariel." Odin said in a warning tone and her mother backed up a tiny bit, but was still in view of her daughter. *
The King of the Gods turned back to Sif. "A test, perhaps?"
Sif nodded hesitantly. Odin said her hesitate. "Why not?"
"None of the boys had to prove their skills." She muttered. Odin shrugged. "It is either that or death."
"Death?" Sif said, aghast and paling. "Why death? The rules say that women can be warriors and there is nothing about death."
Odin shrugged. "Since I am King, I shall make my own rules. If you are not good enough, you are a disgrace for wanting to be a warrior and being bad at it, so you must be killed and erased from history. And if you back out, then you are declared a coward and killed."
"Harsh." Sif muttered. "Fine, I shall take the stupid test and if I die, it shall be with honor." Sif stormed out of the room, chin raised in pride.
Outside the door, a group of boys were standing there, Fandral and his two friends, eavesdropping. "What are you doing?" Sif screeched.
Fandral smirked. "You are dead, girl." One of the boys, a plump one, nodded. The other one just shrugged. "Perhaps she can do it."
"What did you say, Hogun?" Fandral turned on the boy who stuck up for her.
"She can do it." The boy, Hogun, repeated again.
"Did you hear that, Volstagg?" The fat boy nodded.
"Yes, I can. Stop talking like I am not there." Sif snapped. "All of you are a disgrace. Well," Sif looked at Hogun. "Perhaps you seem like the decent sort."
"I am not a disgrace." Volstagg protested.
"Yes you are."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"I have had enough of you two!" Sif roared, angry now. She could let it all out. "I will show you tomorrow. Girls can be warriors. Who do you think fights off raiders or something when all of the boys are training here at the barracks?"
"The pigs?" Volstagg guessed.
"The boys?" Fandral asked.
"You are such an idiot," Sif informed Fandral. "The boys are away."
"Oh. What about the hunting dogs?"
"The women!" Sif bellowed and stormed off. They will end up getting themselves killed, those idiots.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it!
* - Does anyone know what Sif's mother's name is? I tried looking it up, and couldn't find anything. If anyone has any idea what it is, please tell me!
