Written for Sifki Week on tumblr I don't know how I feel about this, mostly I just enjoy butchering Norse mythology and was inspired by my recent trips to the ski hill.
They had made the plans long before her belly had grown so round. Sif insisted that they go through with it, knowing how much Loki was looking forward to the short vacation. And since she couldn't fit into any of her custom made armor anyway, it was not as if she was truly missing out on any duties back home. She was starting to feel restless, and that typically lead to trouble and inter-Realm wars. They could all use a break.
So they found themselves on the realm of Midgard, in a rather snowy place, walking along the base of a ski hill. Sif thought it was possibly a bit mad to try to introduce the sport to Ullr when he was barely more than a toddler. But then again the child of War and Mischief was bound to grow up with a certain amount of audaciousness. And truly Ullr enjoyed the winter months as much as the summer, spending hours playing in the snow of the courtyard before being dragged inside for supper. And at least Loki had agreed to take the family to the much milder snows of Midgard, where they walked now, than any of the likes on Niflheim.
Loki had a short set of skis slung over his shoulder, his other hand holding onto the toddler's. Ullr's other hand held Sif's as they strolled through the snow to an area referred to as the "bunny hill", though the woman who provided them with the borrowed skis assured her with a strange look that no vermin were to be found in that particular area.
Ullr skipped excitedly between the two of them, gazing with wide eyes at the other children making their messy way down the nearly flat slope, his gloved hands tugging them forward. He was dressed warmly, layered in soft fabrics under a sleek coat and pants. His raven hair poked out from under the hat fashioned after the head of a wolf he had begged for in the ski shop. Sif peered down at him, glad he did not appear fearful, instead his eyes were bright and his face eager, though she still questioned the reasonableness of this whole ordeal.
"Are you sure it wouldn't be more practical to send him with one of these professionals?" Sif gestured towards the group of adults in red ski uniforms herding preschoolers towards the small hill. Loki had turned his nose up at the idea of enrolling Ullr in lessons with the other Midgardian children when Sif had first suggested it.
"Professionals? They've been skiing for what, 30, maybe 40 years?" his eyebrows raised haughtily. "I have more experience accumulated just from the few vacations Mother took us on when I was a child. He will be under the care of the most practiced instructor on this entire realm."
"Do be patient with him," Sif sighed, lifting her free hand to the upturned collar of his dark coat, tugging him towards her. Ullr still clutched to both of their hands, jumping up and down in the fluffy snow impatiently while his parents kissed. "And take lots of hot chocolate breaks to come visit me and warm up, yes?" She crouched down to take Ullr's face into her hands.
"Yes, Mama," Ullr bounced as she pressed her lips to his cheek. "Go tee now?"
"Yes yes, go ski." She adjusted his collar and straightened his wolf hat, then stood and made a shooing motion. "Off with the two of you."
Loki walked Ullr up the incline a short way before helping him step into the bindings on the skis. She lingered for a while, laughing fondly behind a gloved hand at the determined look on her son's face as Loki walked in front of Ullr, holding his hands and gently steering him on his small skis. She could hear Loki gently encouraging him, instructing in a calm but firm voice. The toddler plowed down the small hill, the tips of his skis pointed together. The wolf ears on top of his head bounced as he nodded seriously at Loki's questions. "Oh-tay, Dada."
Apparently pleased with his progression after a few runs holding onto his small hands, Loki opted to walk behind his child to allow a bit more independence. Sif was about to turn towards the warmth of the lodge when Ullr pointed his skis to the bottom of the hill, taking off at a much faster speed than before, careening away from Loki.
"Skis together, Ullr!" Loki shouted as he ran after him, his dark hair whipping in the cold air. Heading towards a mound of white snow piled a few feet high, Ullr appeared destined to crash into it.
Sif's heart skipped a beat, dreading the inevitable ugly end to this, likely squashing Ullr's innocent excitement for the new sport. She held her breath, contemplating calling out to Loki to use his magic to stop him, secrecy be damned.
Apparently heeding Loki's words after all, Ullr formed his skis into a V-shape, slowing his momentum and turning into a shaky stop inches in front of the mound. He teetered for a moment before collapsing face-first into the snow pile. Loki sprinted over to pick him up, setting him back on his skis, brushing snow from his jacket and wiping it from his beaming face.
"Again, Dada!"
Sif laughed in relief as Loki pressed his lips together and looked long sufferingly towards the sky.
"This is all your fault you know," he called out to her. "Blood of a warrior. All of this foolhardy daring is your doing."
Sif rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning and waved a hand towards them as she turned towards the ski lodge.
Inside the warmth of the quaint building, the shieldmaiden picked a table near a window, laying her pack on top of it and lowering herself into the chair. The Asgardian enjoyed watching the humans bustling around the ski lodge and gracefully gliding down the impressive mountain face.
Their cultures moved so rapidly, forced forward by such short lifetimes. Things had to be accomplished quickly or they would never be done at all in this realm. But things seemed a bit slower here and she enjoyed the comfort of the familiar. Skiing was a sport that had hardly changed over thousands of years. Although Sif did find herself interested in trying this newfangled snowboarding; as such a thing had not even existed the last time she visited a Midgardian ski hill some century or two before.
She sighed and rested one hand atop her stomach, the other reaching into her pack to touch the soft fabric of Ullr's royal blue blanket. She'd tucked it into the bag this morning, hoping he wouldn't need the comfort but not wanting to risk its absence. Despite all his huffing and show, Loki cared deeply for the child and was adored likewise by Ullr. Absentmindedly rubbing a hand along her belly, Sif shook her head, thinking upon how parenthood and softened them both. And made them all the more ferocious in many regards. They may not be perfect people, nor perfect parents but she was confident that any child of theirs would always be loved fiercely.
After a few hours spent alone, reading a book and drinking tea, Sif began to grow restless. She had expected to see them sooner, knowing an exhausted Ullr was a cranky Ullr, much like his father. If Loki tried to push the toddler farther than he was equipped to handle, they would all suffer for it. Drumming her fingers on the table for a few more minutes, she pushed away from it and made her way back into the cold.
As Sif walked towards the bunny hill, she thought that perhaps it was a smart idea after all to keep Ullr out of the lessons, watching as wailing children toppled to the soft snow under the watch of the harried instructors. One such child was sprawled on her back, unmoving at the bottom of the hill, skis still attached to her boots as Sif approached.
"Are you alright, child?" Sif stopped to peer down. The girl glanced at Sif and nodded solemnly before turning her eyes back towards the grey skies. Sif pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and scanned the small hill for Loki's tall form. He was no where to be seen, nor was the fur of Ullr's hat.
Thinking that perhaps she missed them on their way to meet her, the warrior circled back towards the lodge.
"Mama!" It was then that she saw Ullr hurtling down the face of the mountain, Loki with his skis on following behind, calling out instructions.
"Mama look!" Ullr shouted with a beaming face to her again. He pointed his skis towards her, moving faster than a thrown Mjolnir before turning to the side and sliding to an abrupt stop at her feet, spraying snow up around them. "Go fast!"
He threw his arms around her legs in a happy embrace and Sif placed one hand on the back of his head, glaring daggers at her sheepish looking husband.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes, well he grasped the basics of form quite quickly so I took him on the rope tow," although his voice was placating, Loki's eyes glinted with pride and devilry. "And he mastered that hill in about 30 minutes. So I inferred that it would be appropriate to introduce him to the small chairlift. And I could hardly keep up with him. I've never seen a child pick up on skiing so fast, Sif. Any child in any realm."
Sif sighed. "We're in trouble, aren't we?"
Loki couldn't stop the smirk from consuming his face at that. "I'm afraid we never had a chance, my dear."
She crouched down slowly, feeling encumbered by the size of her belly, to lay a hand on Ullr's cheek. "Are you having fun?"
"Go again!"
"I think we'd better eat," she moved to pop his boots free from his skis but his tiny hands pushed at her.
"No! Go again! Go fast!" She could feel a tantrum looming and glanced at Loki who had the gall to grin at her.
"This is all your fault, you know," she hissed. "Blood of royalty. All of the dramatics and entitlement is your doing." Loki bowed before her with a flourish. Sif shook her and head turned back towards her son, whose arms had folded against his chest.
"No. Wanna tee," tears began to well up in his eyes.
"You need to eat to keep your strength up, Ullr," she soothed. "And if you get too cold or too tired you won't be able to ski anymore. So let's all go have some nice hot chocolate, what do you say?"
"Hot choca!" he cheered.
The rest of the day was spent much the same as the morning. Sif watched from the balcony of the lodge as Ullr tore fearlessly and adeptly down the side of the snowy mountain, Loki chasing down his tiny form. Her heart swelled with pride at the sight of her brave, happy son. And only slight concern lingered at his recklessness. She saw so much of herself in him, stubborn and fearless. And so much of Loki, bright and quick and curious. She prayed to Yggradsil that his path would be at least slightly easier than ones cut for his parents.
Ullr did not stop until the chairlifts no longer ran, and the sun had dipped low in the sky. After slight persuasion that they would return in the morning, the Asgardians made their way to return the gear to the small shop in the lodge. Ullr held onto his father's hand, bouncing happily as Sif laid the skis upon the counter. The woman behind the work table greeted the sight with a smile.
"So how'd your day go? Do you have a little Olympian on your hands?"
"Wrong pantheon," Sif stated and the woman's smile falter slightly, "but he is indeed quite powerful and skilled for such a young age."
"Good," she sounded unsure but smiled at Ullr again. "And how old are you, handsome?"
"Twenee-two," Ullr bobbed two small fingers at her before Loki began to lead them towards the door. The woman's confused laughter followed them out into the snow. Sif laughed too, watching the toddler's wide, adoring eyes gazing back towards the ski hill with longing and wonder as Loki carried him to their rented vehicle. Loki placed the smiling Ullr in the back seat, fastening the safety belt securely before walking around the car to slide into the passengers seat.
Sif navigated the SUV through the snow, delighted by the ingenuity of these giant metal contraptions. She'd spent some time reading up on how to operate the horse-less sleigh, and maneuvered it easily along the wooded road, the yellow glow of the small mountain village illuminating softly against the white of the snowy peaks.
She glanced at Ullr's enchanted face in the rearview mirror as he babbled happily, clutching his blanket and looking out the window. She glanced at Loki "mmhmm-ing" at the appropriate intervals to the toddler's speech. Perhaps motherhood had made her a bit soft, but she found she didn't mind the warmth she felt in that moment. She reached across the space of the vehicle and slid her hand into his. He grinned over at her, raising their entwined hands to press her knuckles to his lips.
The snow was falling in big fluffy flakes in the fading daylight as Sif pulled up to the winter cabin Loki arranged for them to rent for the week. Inside the door, Loki helped Ullr shed his ski clothes while Sif moved into the small kitchen of the wooden house. Filling a pot with water, she set it upon the contraption meant to act as a fire pit.
They bustled around the small cabin, Loki taking Ullr to bathe and change as Sf stood guardian over the boiling water cooking long noodles. Perhaps, she thought, she would have been more inclined to go after culinary pursuits at home if such convenience could be found in the market of Asgard, unscrewing a jar of spaghetti sauce.
Feeling a lean form press to her back, Loki wound his arms around her to smooth his long hands across her swollen stomach. His forehead pressed against her temple before his voice crept into her ear.
"There's a joke to be made about the sight of the mighty shieldmaiden Sif standing pregnant in the kitchen, I'm sure." She could practically feel the smirk.
"You would be less clever and charming than they say if you chose to make it," she threatened.
"Always so quick to pick a fight," he complained.
"Goddess of War," she reminded him, "pregnant or not."
"No less fearsome one way or another, I assure you."
"You like making war with me," she murmured confidently, reaching up to slide a hand into his hair as he kissed her neck, palming her belly.
"Obviously," his inflection was obscene.
She smacked the back of his head. They swayed together for a moment, Sif stirring the noodles and bubbling red sauce.
"I'm sorry we left you behind today. Perhaps we should have vacationed somewhere a bit more inclusive and relaxing..."
"As long as he's happy, I'm happy." She slid her hands on top of his. "Although I wouldn't mind going snowshoeing while we're here. That seems tame enough for this stomach. Or perhaps cross country skiing- "
"Go tee!" Ullr shouted from the other room, dragging his blanket behind him as he slid into the kitchen wearing his warm pajamas.
"Obsessed," Loki snorted into her shoulder before turning around.
Gathered around the small wooden table, they ate in the warm kitchen. Ullr swung his feet happily, munching on the fare of messy pasta. Slowly, his persistent questioning of "Do it again? Go tee-ing?" became further and further apart, his head tipping backwards, the noodles slipping off of his small fork as he fought through his apparent exhaustion from the long day.
The red sauce covering his cheeks, Sif's shoulders shook as his head snapped back up only to roll forward onto his chest. Loki simply covered his face at the sight of Ullr falling asleep at the table. "I see he's inherited your appalling table manners."
"C'mon, your highness," Sif pushed heavily up from her seat. "Let's get him to bed."
"No! Tory time!" Ullr's head snapped back up, his eyes flying open. "Mama book!"
Sif nodded calmly, handing him his blue blanket. "Alright, one story before bed."
Loki hauled him out of his chair, wiping at his face to magic the mess away and carried his loose form to the cozy master bedroom. With a sigh, Sif lumbered slowly up onto the soft covers of the bed. She would be happy for this pregnancy to be over, if only so she could move freely again.
Loki flicked a wrist to fill the fireplace with dancing light and then let his fingers glide along the spines of the Midgardian books lining the full shelves. He pulled one free and then crossed back to the bed. The book was colorful, adorned with drawn pictures of a blonde little girl and a family of furry beasts. Loki passed it to her and settled next to the warrior with Ullr curled in his lap.
Perhaps not as talented a storyteller as Loki, Sif still had much practice reciting rousing yarns, detailing her fair share of tales of glory in dark taverns and feasting halls. And she had a captive audience with Ullr who squealed with delight and clutched his blanket to his chest when she changed her voice to imitate the characters. He placed his small feet in her lap, turned towards her to listen from where he curled against Loki.
Becoming more engrossed in the absurd tale of the trespassing girl, Sif wondered absently where such talking beast could be found on this realm, perhaps for their next vacation. When she raised her head next, closing the book on the final page, she sighed fondly at the sight.
Loki's head lolled back against the headboard, holding Ullr's slumped form to him with one arm. Apparently chasing after a mischievous little boy was just as exhausting as causing the mayhem.
Setting the book aside, she ran a hand against Ullr's dark hair and gently lifted him out of his father's lap to lie against the pillows, still clutching his blanket. Loki stirred slightly, cracking his eyes open to gaze warmly at Sif as she pushed her body to lay next to the slumbering child. He slipped down too, curling behind Ullr's small back and reached his top arm over his small form to rest atop Sif's stomach. Sif folded her own arm up, placing a hand over his and sighed contently, warm and happy in the arms of her family.
