To Melt the Cold

Loki withdrew from Sigyn's lips, his eyes sliding open. His hands still cupped her neck. His insides quivered as he searched Sigyn's face. She gazed up at him, her lips parted and her eyes wide. Loki waited for her to speak.

"Erm…" Sigyn dragged her teeth across her lip. "That wasn't platonic, was it?"

Loki breathed a laugh. "I did not intend that platonically, no."

Sigyn's lips twitched. "Good." She smiled up at him, and Loki felt his frozen bones melt a little. He returned her smile with a softer one. Sigyn lowered her gaze. "What… What does this mean?"

Loki's stomach churned. "I…" He looked toward the glowing lights of Asgard. In truth, he was not certain what the kiss meant. He hoped it expressed his affection for and attraction to Sigyn. He knew Sigyn spoke of long-term meaning, though. He faced her, his brow pinching as she lowered her head, focusing on the canal below. She traced glowing images into the bannister of the bridge with her fingertips. Her magic gleamed blue before fading away, leaving the bannister clean of any marks. Loki placed his hand over hers. She tilted her head up to look at him. "Sigyn Freyadottir, may I have the honor of courting you?" Loki's lips twitched. "Properly, this time."

Sigyn smirked at him. "Must you always be so dramatic?"

Loki managed to smile, though his chest tightened. "You know that theatre holds a special place in my heart."

"I do," said Sigyn. The apples of her cheeks popped as she tried to restrain her smile. "I accept your courtship proposal, my prince."

Loki relaxed and leaned down to kiss her again. Sigyn tilted her head back to meet Loki halfway. He kissed her for the second time that evening. He kept it chaste, though he was sure the feel of her lips would haunt his for the next few days.

Sigyn pulled her fur collar around her more tightly as she walked through the markets of Asgard. The winter wind breathed through the open market, nipping at Sigyn's nose and cheeks. She smiled, despite the sharpness of the cold.

"You seem happy," commented Freya as they walked together.

"I am," Sigyn replied.

Freya hummed in reply. She looked around and shivered as another gasp of wind swept through the area. "Why do you need cocoa powder again?"

"I'm going to show Loki my favorite drink."

"Ah," said Freya as they reached the spice vendor. "How are things between the two of you? I sense something has changed."

Sigyn searched through the crates and baskets on display at the spice vendor. "We kissed." She picked up a package of cocoa and purchased it. She placed it in her basket and walked with her mother, back in the direction of the palace.

"You did?" Freya queried. "Oh, Sig – er, Gyn –that's wonderful!"

Sigyn glanced at her mother. "You can call me Sigyn."

Freya beamed. "Sigyn," she said, "I'm very proud of you."

Sigyn lifted a brow. "For my name or for kissing Loki?"

"Both," said Freya with a soft laugh. Her humor sobered. "You have endured much since your exile, and you are a far better woman than I could ever hope to be."

"Oh," Sigyn replied, her cheek reddening. "I don't know. I can be a bit of a brat when I want to be."

"Yes," Freya agreed, "but I believe that is possible in everyone."

"Well, thank you."

"You're very welcome," said Freya. "So, you and Loki kissed."

"Oh. Yes, we did."

"And?"

"And… He said he is going to court me properly."

"Oh, Frigga will be so pleased," said Freya, beaming. "And you, daughter? You are pleased?"

"Yes," said Sigyn, smiling. "I'm very relieved to know that he doesn't hate me anymore."

"Oh, Sigyn. He never hated you."

"It sure seemed like it."

"Yes," said Freya, "but you and I are both incredibly intuitive and empathetic. It is in our nature. Do you really think he hated you?"

Sigyn lowered her gaze as she pondered her mother's words. "No," she decided, "I don't think he did."

Freya hummed her approval. "When do you think you will feel ready to resume our lessons?"

"By tomorrow," said Sigyn. "I will resume yours first and then implement all the others. Although Frigga healed my wound, my body is still trying to catch up to the healing."

"If you are in frequent need of magical healing, your body will take less time to adjust to it. However, do try and not make it a habit to need such serious healing."

"I don't intend to, Mother."

"That's all I can ask."

Loki twisted out Sif's reach. Her blade missed him by mere inches. Loki slashed with his daggers. He deflected Sif's sword and ducked to avoid a slash from her. He hit her in the gut. She smacked him in the side of the head with butt of her sword. He tried to kick her feet out from under her, but she dodged. Their duel grew into a series of fast punches, stabs and dodges that, had the encounter been unfriendly, could prove harmful.

They finally agreed to call a truce and bowed to each other. Loki panted as he sheathed his daggers. He wiped his brow and drew back blood. He smirked to himself and rolled his shoulders, which were already sore. He rinsed off his face in the arena fountain before joining Thor, the Warriors Three and Sif on the sidelines.

Thor grinned at Loki, who promptly ignored his brother. Thor's smile faltered. The Warriors Three and Sif bid their farewells for the day and departed. Loki turned on his heel and headed toward the palace. Thor thudded after him. "Loki, do not ignore me."

Loki considered ignoring Thor further, but slowed his pace. Thor caught up to him, though Loki waited for his brother to speak first. Thor cleared his throat. "I do not understand why you are still angry with me. Lady Gyn is fine. She was healed quickly."

Loki clenched his teeth. He stopped in his tracks and glared at his brother. "Sigyn could have died, Thor. She was very close to death. If we had been but a few minutes later, she…"

Thor frowned. "But we were not late."

"Because I chose not to wait for you. You and the others joined me in our retreat, but I would have left all of you there to save Sigyn. It should not have even happened, Thor. But you did not listen to any of us! You charged into battle to obtain the stupid antlers, which you failed to even retrieve! You put all of our lives at stake." Loki hissed.

Thor folded his arms. "No lives were lost, Loki."

"But they could have been," Loki snapped.

"I don't know what you want me to say, brother."

Loki's jaw ached from gritting his teeth. He forced himself to relax and jutted his jaw forward. "You're not understanding that there could have been serious consequences to your actions. There were consequences."

"I apologized to Sigyn," said Thor, "and she assured me that she was not angry. So why are you so angry? You were not the one wounded."

"Because I will never be able to un-see Sigyn so close to death!" Loki snarled. The heavy silence that met Loki's words seemed to press upon the two brothers.

Thor shifted. "You blame yourself."

Loki's neck warmed. "What? No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. You're angry with me because you blame yourself."

"No, I'm angry with you because your recklessness put us in danger and you don't seem sorry for it." Loki snapped.

"I am sorry for it, brother," said Thor, "but no true harm was done. You can't deny that you harbor guilt, Loki. I see it all over your face."

"I should have tried harder to make you listen," said Loki. "I should have realized that the first bilgesnipe was in its late adolescence. I should have realized that there would be parents nearby."

"It was the heat of the battle, Loki."

"That does not excuse my lack of thinking."

Thor placed a hand on Loki's shoulder. "I am sorry, brother. Sigyn assured me that she is alright, and that her health fares well. She assured me that she is not angry with anyone."

Loki's eyes flitted away from Thor's. "Sigyn is forgiving."

"You should learn from her, then," said Thor.

"Sigyn is too forgiving."

"You might appreciate that trait of hers one day," replied Thor. Loki resumed his trek into the palace. Thor matched Loki's pace. "In truth, your despair over Sigyn's injuries surprised me. I did not think you cared so much for her."

Loki stared straight ahead, ignoring Thor's pointed look. "I was not in despair, and I do not care so much for her."

"Well, you fooled me, brother."

Loki sighed. "We can speak of this another time. I am needed elsewhere."

"Where?"

"The kitchen," said Loki, pressing his lips together for a moment. "Sigyn requested my company for the evening."

A broad grinned fanned across Thor's face. "I knew it! There's something brewing between the two of you."

"She's my wife," Loki stated dryly.

"More than that," said Thor. "I do not want you to be late for your courtship, brother. We will resume our talk another time."

Loki rolled his eyes as Thor walked away. Loki entered his quarters to change into clothes that did not reek of sweat and iron. Then, he trekked toward the kitchen. He paused in the doorway, watching Sigyn lay out the ingredients and tools she needed. Her red hair danced into waves down her back. The red of her hair contrasted with the forest of her dress. He leaned against the doorframe and smirked to himself. He licked his lips as his heart panged.

Sigyn did not hear him approach. He touched the small of her back lightly. She jumped and whirled around, a knife in hand. Loki drew back, chin and eyebrows raised. Sigyn widened her eyes. "Loki! Norns, don't sneak up on me like that! I could have stabbed you."

Loki snorted. "I don't think so." He tugged the knife from Sigyn's hand and laid it on the counter. "What are we cooking tonight?"

"We are making a roast with vegetables. For desert, we're having hot cocoa," said Sigyn, turning away to chop carrots. Loki lifted a brow and rolled up his sleeves.

"How may I help?"

"Put the meat in that pot," said Sigyn, pointing across the counter with the knife. Loki obeyed. He used magic to speed along the cooking process. Sigyn added carrots, potatoes and corn to the meat. She showed Loki how to make the sauce using red wine. They poured the leftover wine into glasses and drank it while they waited for the roast to cook.

"So, hot cocoa is just… melted chocolate that you drink?"

"Well, with added sugar, milk and butter."

"That sounds extremely… fattening."

"That's what makes it so delicious."

"And why do you love this beverage so much? Other than the fact that you seem to have an insatiable sweet tooth," Loki smirked as Sigyn nibbled off a piece of chocolate that she had set aside.

"Well, on Midgard, I lived with a family who would make hot cocoa and then we would sing carols." Sigyn smiled, a dreamy glaze fogging her eyes.

Loki's eyes softened as he gazed at her. "Do you remember any of the carols?"

Sigyn looked at him, her cheeks turning pink. "Yes, but I'm not singing them for you."

"Why not?" Loki grinned.

"You'd make fun of me."

"All of my jests come from a sincere heart." Loki placed a hand over his chest.

Sigyn snorted. "Right." She swept over to the pot roast and motioned for Loki to grab plates. He did as she asked. She spooned the meal onto their plates. It looked deliciously messy. Loki leaned over the corner and shoveled a bit of the shredded meat, corn, potatoes and carrots into his mouth. He melted at the savory flavor.

Sigyn grinned. "Do you like it?"

Loki nodded. "Very much."

Sigyn bounced her shoulders in triumph as she ate her own meal. They fell silent as they enjoyed the meal. After they finished eating, Loki helped Sigyn clean. He had never cleaned the dishes in the palace before. He felt oddly domesticate, though there was a certain peacefulness to it. They returned to the counter, where Sigyn heated a large pot. She put butter in first, followed by cocoa powder. Then she added milk and sugar. Loki retrieved a spoon for her to taste it. She wrinkled her nose.

"It needs a bit more sugar." She added the sugar, stirred, and then tasted the concoction again. She nodded. They let the mixture heat some more before Sigyn spooned out the hot cocoa into mugs. "Oh, do you think there is any cream?"

Loki frowned. "What kind of cream?"

"A light, fluffy kind. It's called whipped cream on Midgard."

Loki searched for cream. He returned with a of the right cream. "It's called whipped cream here, too. The whipped describes the airiness of it, you know."

Sigyn squeezed the container, oozing cream on top of their cocoa. "It comes in a can on Midgard. I once had a whipped cream fight in the kitchen with my friend Wallace." Sigyn stilled. Loki frowned at her. It seemed she was lost in memories of Midgard again.

"A whipped cream fight?" he prompted.

Sigyn jerked out of her daze and smiled. "Yes. We both had cans and sprayed whipped cream at each other. It was childish, but… It was the most fun I'd had in many years."

Loki smirked and dolloped some of the cream out of one of the mugs and dabbed it on Sigyn's nose. She giggled as Loki smiled down at her. Sigyn wiped the cream off her nose and offered Loki the mug from which he had stolen cream.

"Careful, it's hot." Sigyn warned.

Loki rolled his eyes at her. "I gathered that from 'hot' cocoa, Sig." He brought the mug to his lips and drank the mixture. Warmth flooded his insides. The sweetness washed over his tongue. He raised a brow when he caught Sigyn staring up at him. "What?"

"You called me 'Sig.'"

Loki lowered his mug. "Did I?"

"Mhm."

"My apologies."

"No, I… I liked it." Sigyn sipped from her hot cocoa.

Loki smiled at her. She lowered her mug. The cream left a mustache on her lip. He chuckled at it. "You have cream on your lip."

"So do you," Sigyn said, wiping the cream away from her mouth.

Loki chuckled. "Well, a mustache is less unnatural on me than it is on you."

"Can you even grow a mustache?" Sigyn teased. "I've never seen you with facial hair."

"Because I shave."

"Hmm," said Sigyn, "I think it's because your beard is patchy."

"It is not."

"Have you ever let it grow out enough to know that for sure?"

"I have, actually. You were on Midgard."

"You grew a beard to mourn my absence?"

"No."

"I think you did."

"I grew a beard because I was on a hunting trip and was away from my shaving tools."

"Tools? As in, more than one?" Sigyn laughed.

"You are insufferable," said Loki as he sipped from his hot cocoa, leaning against the counter.

"Only because you're rubbing off on me."

"Am I?"

"Perhaps a little."

Loki set his mug down and pressed his lips to Sigyn's. He cupped her neck and drew his body closer to hers. He parted his lips and sucked on her bottom lip. His tongue flicked out to taste her mouth. She tasted of sugar and chocolate. Their breath mingled as their kiss intensified. Loki pushed Sigyn against the wall, feeling her small body against his. One hand remained on her neck while the other dragged down her body to rest at her waist.

Sigyn broke off the kiss first. They panted together. Loki breathed a smile. Sigyn placed a hand on his chest. "Could we slow our pace? I'm afraid that if we jump into sex without understanding what this is between us, it could confuse us and cause harm."

Loki lifted his eyes. "You doubt my self-control, dear Sigyn. I am a proper gentleman and intend to court you as such."

Sigyn relaxed against him. "You nearly had me fooled."

"Fooling is my specialty, Sig."

They cleaned the dishes before Loki offered his arm to Sigyn. She looped her arm through his. Together, they walked through the palace, heading back toward their quarters. Loki and Sigyn paused in one of the corridors when they spotted Frigga leading a familiar woman to a guest room. Loki recognized the woman as Lady Hertha. Her cheeks were wet with tears. She avoided looking at Loki and Sigyn, who watched as Frigga assured Hertha that should she need anything, to just ask one of the servants. Hertha thanked Frigga and closed herself in the guest room. Frigga turned and stopped when she noticed Loki and Sigyn. She smirked at their locked arms and approached Loki.

"Good evening, my son," said Frigga. She looked at Sigyn. "Good evening, Sigyn."

"Good evening, my queen."

"Mother," said Loki, dipping his head to her. He frowned past her. "What is Lady Hertha doing here?"

"Ah," said Frigga with an air of ruefulness, "she and Lord Endre are having marital issues. She is staying here for the time being."

"How unfortunate," said Sigyn.

"It is," agreed Frigga. "I hope that they will resolve their problems, though not all marriages last forever."

Loki's mouth dried. He glanced down at Sigyn but looked away quickly. "Well, we are retiring for the evening. Goodnight, Mother."

"Goodnight."

Loki and Sigyn left Frigga and returned to their chamber. Loki dressed for bed while Sigyn readied in the bathroom. Loki crawled into bed and thumbed through one of the tomes his mother had given him. Sigyn joined him in the bed. Loki shrouded the room in darkness after setting his book on the bedside table. He rested in the pillows and fell asleep.

"You will long for something as sweet as pain…"

Loki looked around. He spotted Sigyn. Tears streamed down her face. A large figure stood behind her, holding her by her hair. She mouthed something to Loki, but he could not read her lips.

"Failure will not go unpunished."

The figure held a dagger in its free hand and dragged it across Sigyn's throat. Blood spurted over Loki. He screamed, though no noise came out. He dropped to his knees and crawled toward Sigyn's body. He cradled her in his arms and rocked back and forth with her, sobbing. Their surrounding exploded in a purple flash, and suddenly Loki was drifting through the cosmos.

He was falling through the stars, drifting into the void. He fell, but there was no ground to catch him.

Loki gasped awake. Sweat glued his clothes to his skin. He sat up and buried his face in his hands. It was just a dream. A nightmare. No, it felt more real than that. He knew his mother sometimes dreamt the future. He wondered if this was what he had dreamed. Sigyn stirred beside him. He glanced down at her. Her brow pinched in her sleep. He wondered if nightmares plagued her this night as well.

Her eyes fluttered open. She glanced toward Loki. "Are you alright?"

"It was just a bad dream."

Sigyn pushed herself up. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Loki opened his mouth to tell her, then clamped his jaw shut. He shook his head and forced a smile. "I'm alright, Sig."

Sigyn frowned. She looked as though she did not believe him. She pulled him toward her. He rested his head on her chest and she stroked his hair. Loki remained tense, unaccustomed to such an action. He soon relaxed as the tingles running through his scalp and down his spine grew enjoyable. His eyes slid shut, and he fell asleep in Sigyn's arms.

"Loki agreed to join us for our lesson later," said Freya, "but for now I want to make sure you understand the theory behind our amokinesis. We can command anyone to obey our will, except those of exceptional power and strong will. We are also unable to command those who are in true love. Now, true love is not the same as the fairytales, of course. It merely means that the person is committed to their significant other, whether consciously or not."

Sigyn nodded slowly. "So, for instance, I could not command the Allfather, but I could command someone like Fandral?"

"If you put enough energy and power into the command, yes. Amokinesis is difficult to master, though I expect you will excel most in this area of magic than in any other."

"Why is Loki joining?" Sigyn queried.

"You are going to attempt to command him."

"But…" Sigyn bit her lip. "He's powerful."

"As are you."

"I don't know if I have the power to command him, Mother."

"You do," insisted Freya. "You are comfortable with Loki, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then it will be easier for you to summon the energy and strength to command Loki. I can transfer energy to you if need be."

"What… What will I be commanding him to do?"

"Well, because Loki is powerful, you need to do small, sensible commands. Commands that involve sitting down or standing up. Simple things like that. You won't be able to command him to tap dance around the room, though I would find that most amusing." Freya smirked to herself.

Sigyn shifted. "I still do not believe I will have the power to do this. I used my amokinetic powers on Midgard, but those were mortals, and I did not know I was using my magic."

"Loki has agreed to help you, therefore he is meditating to allow vulnerability. He won't fight your magic."

Sigyn picked at her nails. "I am not so sure I like the thought of commanding someone to do things against their will, particularly Loki."

"It is not against my will."

Sigyn turned to see Loki, who had entered the room. Dark circles ringed his eyes, evidencing his restless night. Sigyn's heart panged for him. She wished he would talk to her, but she would not pressure him to speak of his nightmare. Loki offered her a small smile.

"I have agreed to help you in this endeavor. Your mother is right; this is the area of magic you will excel the most in, therefore it is crucial you master it. To be able to command someone as powerful as I am would mean you are a formidable sorceress." Loki said.

Freya nodded. "Well spoken, my prince. Sigyn, take your time."

Sigyn faced Loki, biting her lip. Loki stared at her, expressionless. Sigyn closed her eyes and focused on her energy. She reached for Loki's and connected them. She opened her eyes. "Sit down." She poured her amokinetic magic into the words. Any normal man would have bruised his rear to obey the order. But Loki did not flinch.

"Allow me to transfer some energy to you," said Freya. She placed a hand on Sigyn's shoulder. Energy flooded through Sigyn.

She pulled at her magic, feeling its energy swirl within her. "Sit down."

Freya jerked beside Sigyn. Still, Loki did not budge. His brow furrowed. "That should have been enough."

"Yes, it should have." Freya agreed, drifting away from Sigyn for a moment.

"Or, I am just not as powerful as you both think," said Sigyn, shrugging.

Loki shook his head. "I am rarely wrong."

"Here," said Freya, clasping a necklace around Sigyn's neck. "This should help."

Sigyn glanced down. Her stomach twisted. It was Brisingamen. She looked up at Loki, whose lips parted. His posture went rigid. Sigyn trembled. "Mother, I am not so certain this is a good idea."

"Sig," said Loki stiffly, "it's alright. You need to do this."

Sigyn drew in a shaky breath. The last time Loki had been under Brisingamen's influence, he had tried to kill her. Sigyn was not going to command him to do anything like that, but she did not like the thought of Loki under the necklace's influence. She drew from Brisingamen's power and her own. She met Loki's gaze. "Sit down."

Freya sat on the floor, hard. Loki did not move. Sigyn glanced down at her mother, her heart thudding heavily. She helped her mother stand. "I did not mean to make you sit."

"It's quite all right," said Freya. She withdrew Brisingamen. "Perhaps Loki is immune."

Sigyn met Loki's gaze. They both knew he was not. Loki pressed his lips together and bowed his head. "If that is all, I must see my mother." He left the room swiftly.

Sigyn watched him go, chills rippling down her spine. She looked at her mother, whose brow furrowed. Freya offered Sigyn a small smile. "Do not fret, my daughter. I believe you are powerful enough."

Sigyn looked away. She no longer had doubts that she was powerful enough. She had commanded her mother –the goddess of love –to sit on the floor. Why had Loki been immune? Freya had said that only beings of immense power and those in true love were immune to their amokinetic magic. So, which was Loki?

Another chapter! Thank you for all of the reviews! Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter.

For the guest who reviewed the last chapter, thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope this chapter lived up to expectations.