Twice more in the night Loki made her cry out in pleasure. One time lifting her to straddle his hips, laughing in delight as she took her pleasure before rolling her over to take his own.
When the dawn was just lighting the tops of Asgard's towers, he rose and dressed, without magic this time. "I'm sorry, my love, I must go or I will be missed by the servants. And I would not besmirch your honor." He smirked and kissed her hand. "By the end of the day we will be betrothed and none will dare call me from your bed before time."
"So quickly?"
He tilted his head to the side, "Do you wish to delay?"
"No, no! I just…I thought you might."
He kissed her hand again. "Not one minute. I meant what I said; I want you to be my wife."
As he bent to put on his boots, she cried, "Oh, I've scratched you!"
He peered over his shoulder. "So you have!" He leant in to kiss her lightly before pulling on his tunic. "I knew you would be a demon once unleashed."
She laughed, "If I am a demon, it is you who has called me forth."
She woke again later, when the sun was full in the sky, and her servant was puttering about. She stretched, feeling newly worked muscles ache, and sighed happily.
Naer, a motherly woman who had been with Sigyn since childhood, paused and looked at her shrewdly for a moment, at her tousled, unbraided hair, the rumpled bed. "You have taken a lover!" she exclaimed. "Well, it is about time. I would not wish you to be alone. Is he or she a noble as you? Or some commoner from the city? Not that I judge, I only wish you to be happy."
"Naer!" she exclaimed, mildly shocked. "I am not so old for you to be despairing."
Naer came to sit on the edge of the bed, and took her hand, "You were always such a quiet child, and so alone. With your father dying and your mother returning to her people in Vanaheimr, I worried that there was no one to speak for you.
"Now tell me all. Has this been long in the making, or a quick passion?"
"B…both, I think, I mean…oh, Naer. I can't tell you. I can't tell you yet. By the end of the day, he promises that by the end of the day we will be betrothed and all will know, but I cannot…if you knew who he was…" she put her face in her hands.
"But you cannot tell me. He is noble then? And marriage, so soon. I would warn of marrying your first love, but you would not listen. And sometimes first love is the truest. I will wait to hear.
"Now, if you are to be betrothed, we must pick out a very fine dress for you to wear, and perhaps we should rewash and style your hair."
Sigyn rose and went to her wardrobe, leaving Naer to change the sheets.
"My," said Naer, "he is…enthusiastic, at any rate."
Sigyn blushed red to the roots of her hair.
As the day drew on, she wondered about Loki's words. They could not be betrothed without the blessing of the All-Father. Would Odin permit Loki to marry before Thor? At last she was sent for, not by Loki or Odin, but by Frigga, the Queen.
Sigyn smoothed her dress, and knocked on the door of the Queen's sitting room.
"Enter."
Queen Firgga was just putting away her embroidery. She rose gracefully, her moss green gown, rustling as she moved, and crossed to Sigyn. "Let us walk in the garden."
"Yes, your Majesty."
They walked down the same path that Sigyn had walked the day before, when everything had been different.
After several minutes of pleasant silence, the Queen turned to her and said, "I suppose you know why I've called for you?"
"I believe so, your Majesty," Sigyn replied.
"Please, my dear, call me Frigga."
Sigyn could not imagine calling the queen Frigga, so kept silent.
"My son Loki tells me that he wishes to marry you. Do you wish to marry him?"
"Oh yes, your Majesty. Very much."
Frigga smiled, ignoring the honorific. "Good, that is good. Both of my sons have, on occasion, believed that the fact they want something is enough to make it true. Perhaps we have overindulged them. I worried that he had perhaps convinced himself of your willingness, and I would not see you toyed with.
"I must admit that I was surprised when he told me, but pleased. But I worried too. Do not misunderstand me, I believe that you are an excellent choice and will make him the best of wives, far better than possibly he knows," she paused, "but I fear that marriage to Loki will not be easy. He has…a wanderlust, a longing for things beyond what they are, a restlessness of spirit, and a dissatisfaction with life as it is, perhaps with himself most of all. Are you prepared to love him though all of that?"
"Yes. I believe so. I know…" Sigyn swallowed, "…I know that he will still disappear for long periods of time, as he does now. I hope that he will allow me to travel with him, but I am prepared to wait for him here in Asgard. And I…," she swallowed again, "…I do not expect fidelity."
Frigga's serene smile turned rueful, and she turned away to pluck dead blossoms from a nearby flowerbed.
Sigyn regretted her words. Everyone knew that Odin had left a trail of bastards through the civilized realms, maybe even the lesser ones like Johtunheimr and Midgard. It had been thoughtless of her to refer to what must be a painful for the Queen.
Frigga turned back, her composure regained. "Yes, that is wise. And do not think that you must of needs be alone when he travels. As long as you are discreet, you need not be lonely."
Was the Queen saying that she had taken lovers? If so she had been more than discreet for Sigyn had never heard a word of it in court. For herself, she could not imagine another touching her. She had only ever wanted Loki, and to him she would be faithful unto death.
Perhaps sensing what Sigyn was feeling, Frigga said, "You are in the first throes of love. You cannot imagine such desires, but the nights can be very long and very cold in Asgard when the warriors are away.
"But now, let us speak of the immediate. I have told Loki that you may marry in a month's time. He chaffed at the delay, but it is the very earliest that a royal wedding can be arranged. We must have your wedding gown made, and new armor for Loki. Your mother will be sent for, and dignitaries from the nine realms invited."
"And the All-Father?" asked Sigyn. "He has given his blessing?"
Frigga smiled, "He will. I will speak to him when he joins me here for his evening walk. He will be well pleased. He thought very highly of your father. Then we will announce your betrothal at dinner in the Great Hall. I must warn you, there are some who…will be very surprised at the news. Do not let it bother you. Those whom Loki loves, he loves completely. He has never asked to marry any other. But remember, when he is hurt, his love can become hate, and you may have need to love him through that as well."
"And there is my husband now. Do not feel you need to rush away. The garden can be very pleasant, can it not?" There was a twinkle in Frigga's eye as she said this, and Sigyn realized that they had come even with the wall where Loki had proposed the day before. She blushed, but the Queen had already started down the path towards the All-Father.
(One hour earlier)
Loki entered his mother's rooms. He did not knock or announce himself. She always knew he was coming. For awhile he simply watched her embroider. He had always loved that there could be silence between them, without the noise and chaos of Thor and Odin.
At last she slipped a needle into the cloth to hold it and lifted her head to look at him. "Yes, my son?"
He sat down by her feet where he had always sat as a child. "Mother, I wish to marry."
"In general, or someone specific?" She knew about both of her son's bedroom exploits. The court of Asgard was small. It had troubled her that Loki chose women who were older. And married. She knew, even if he did not, that in part it was because he feared he would lose in a competition with Thor, yet again.
And what did age matter really, to the Aesir? Once one reached maturity there was little difference between one hundred years and one thousand. But none of the women he had been with were women he could marry—not without starting a war.
Loki smiled, "Someone specific. Lady Sigyn Sigardsdaughter."
Now, that was a surprise. She had never heard anyone's name connected with Lady Sigyn's. Sigyn was quiet and scholarly. Beautiful and intelligent, if a little aloof and odd. But then, so was Loki. But perhaps…
"Lady Sigyn? That is sudden. I did not know that you were courting her."
"I have loved her from afar. It feels as if I have loved her all of my life. I don't know why. But she feels the same, I know it."
Frigga smiled, "Perhaps I do know why. You and she shared a cradle once."
"WHAT?" He looked genuinely aghast, as if she was suggesting that he was committing incest. That was not possible, of course, but he could not know that.
"Just for a day, my love. When her father was dying. Her mother was so disconsolate that she could not care for Sigyn for a time. We lay her with you until we could find a suitable nurse. You were such a fussy baby. You hated so to be alone, and Thor was not of an age to be of comfort. And yet, for the day she was with you, you were at peace." She gazed into the distance, lost for the moment in memory. "Perhaps there, in the language of babies, you joined your souls."
Loki looked thoughtful. "It is a romantic thought, Mother. I will have to tell her."
"I take it you have spoken to her already?"
He laughed, "Of course, Mother. And I have not bewitched her in any way." Then serious, "Will Father approve? I want to be married right away."
"Of course he will! He valued her father greatly as a warrior, though he probably does not remember her at all. He is like that. Never fear, I will convince him. And you will be married within the month."
"No, no! A month is too long. Say less than a week, and we shall announce the betrothal tonight."
"Loki, a royal wedding cannot be arranged in a week. We will barely have time to prepare in a month."
"Augghh, Mother." He leapt to his feet to pace the room. "What care I for such things? What can it matter? I am not Thor, not the Crown Prince. It need not be a grand affair. If it would not hurt you, I would elope with her tonight."
"Loki, you are still a prince of Asgard. It would be shocking for you not to have a grand wedding. For one thing, her mother must be notified and given time to return from Vanheimr. To marry her in haste and secrecy would be an insult to her distinguished line from both the Aesir and Vanir. You do not want your marriage to be tainted by suspicion.
"And anyway, what hardship can there be? If she is still a maid, I cannot think that you will leave her one much longer. You will escort her to dinner, be with her as much as you like. You can plan your marriage suite. It will give you time to learn one another as adults. Be content, Loki. Be happy."
She paused, "Loki, I would speak to her. I will send for her now. Do not seek her out until I have seen her and spoken to your father. And at dinner she will sit in her usual place and you in yours until Odin makes the announcement. Do this for your mother."
She saw the defiance leave his shoulders. "Alright, Mother. For you I will wait, although I cannot promise that I will be content." He kissed her cheek. "And I will leave father to your capable hands."
She picked up her embroidery hoop again as he turned to go, but before he reached the door, she added, "Loki, we have not spoken of such things, you are a grown man after all, but you might warn her that due to your…various indiscretions, she may face some hostility."
He nodded, "I had not thought of that, Mother. I will see that it does not touch her."
