Disclaimer: Well, it happened; I started school. I warned you all it could take a while, so thanks for being patient and sticking it out! I'm braindead a lot for writing since my studies take most of my concentration, but hopefully you won't find my quality suffering too much.
I'm also going to point out here that the Vanir mentioned are not the Asian people depicted in the Thor 2 movie. In this story, Frigga is Vanir and Hogun is an Einherjar. The only difference here between Vanir and Aesir is Vanir tend to be brown or black haired, while Aesir tend more toward blond or red. With intermarrying however, it's all become a matter of self identifcation.

It was longer than days, longer than weeks and into months. Loki's memories returned, though he still refused to tell Thor his motivation for Ragnarok. His vision returned as well, but no one in Asgard was aware of that fact. Being the observant person he had always been, Loki had watched Hodr in the past and while his memories of certain things might be more vague than others by virtue of time, his act didn't need to be perfect when no one but Balder would know the truth. Hodr had made people uncomfortable, so all Loki had to do was cause the same response.

So, with an illusion for his eyes so it seemed as if they never focused, stumbling and groping or poking things with the white cane Thor had thoughtfully gotten from Earth for him, he made his way around Asgard.

With Loki's act in full and Asgard now believing he had been rendered mostly harmless, life returned somewhat to normal, though what 'normal' was of course varied from person to person.

"Thor!" Sif called to her husband where she sat on their bed, staring down at her swollen belly and trying to lift her legs. "Thor!"

"I'm coming, beloved!" Thor called back and shortly thereafter emerged from the bathing room, wearing nothing but a pair of pants. "What is it?"

Sif sulked at him, though the expression was ruined by the twinkle in her eye that exposed her playful mood. "I can't find my feet."

Thor arched a brow at her, then dutifully stepped over and knelt. He pondered her feet for a few moments and then took hold of one to pinch a toe. "I found them!" He got kicked in the chest for his trouble and tumbled back, laughing.

"You are terrible!" She huffed. "I expected mayhaps a massage."

"As much as it pains me to admit it, Sif." Thor said with a light smile. "I still cannot mind read. That, I am told, is only a skill between Jötnar mates and twins, of which we are neither." He rolled back to his feet to step back over, kneel again and give his wife the foot massage she so wanted.

She wiggled her toes and sighed. "We're due for another diplomat visit, aren't we?"

"Balder is going to them again." Thor replied. "I think he enjoys Jötunheim, but considering the wealth of information he's been able to provide us as a result of first hand experience, I cannot say that I'm complaining about that. Besides, it is safer for him there than it is for one of their kind here."

"I cannot say I blame them." Sif said and sighed for a less pain-relief based reason. "I get nervous having one of them here, especially the half-bloods that can look like us. You don't have to tell me it's a terrible thing, but I still think of Loki and his deceptions when I look at one of them."

Thor said nothing for several moments, concentrating on relieving her immediate discomfort. When he was done with her feet he moved to sit down beside her on the bed. "Loki was raised among us, not them. The majority of Jötnar are even more terrible liars than you are, my love. The only one I would say is purposefully deceitful is Angrboda, but I haven't seen her since her marriage with Loki dissolved, and in recent years I've oft wondered if he didn't embellish events based solely upon discovery of what she is."

Sif shook her head slightly. "Regardless. The half-bloods who can look Vanir...what if there are some living among us already and we don't know it?"

"So what if there are, Sif? They have their Casket and we're allied. They have no reason to-"

"Reasoning be damned!" Sif slammed her hand down on the bed. "Why do your humans go to war with one another, Thor? Resources! They're still suffering in spite of our provisions. If they decide that Asgard has everything they want and-" She cut off to put a hand to her stomach.

"Sif?" Thor looked at her in concern.

"I'm fine. The baby must not like my yelling." She rubbed her stomach soothingly. "In any event..."

"Asgard has been no better than that in the past, Sif." Thor said gently and put his hand to her abdomen as well, smiling when he felt the baby kick. "We are building a new future. If there is an attack, then it will be by a few dissents, not the Frost Giants at large. They cannot afford a war. Please trust in me."

"I trust you, Thor. It's them I don't trust."

"Only because you refuse to meet with any of them. Helblindi finds that strange. We should go there before the baby's born. They honor pregnant women, Sif. It would be an excellent time."

"They put their infants on altars and leave them to the whims of their god." Sif groused. "I want nothing to do with it."

"Elves strap their infants into swaddlers that restrain their movement and hang them up in trees." Thor pointed out.

"But at least they don't leave them there!" Sif replied. "A family member is always nearby."

"It isn't for us to judge them."

"Isn't it? They're our allies and it's barbaric to leave an infant like that!" She wrapped her arms around herself protectively.

Thor pursed his lips and nodded. "Then I'll ask Balder to bring it up to their priests, and if they refuse to change their methods, then Balder can ask them if they would protest someone speaking to Ymir on their behalf. We know ourselves how things can get twisted when you lose communication with your followers. Why, some of the things the humans believe about us borders on ridiculous sometimes!"

"Indeed." Sif snorted. "I'm no harvest goddess, unless you count of warriors."

"Indeed." Thor agreed and moved to stand to head over to a table where paperwork he had to look over sat. "Take the morning off, Sif. Balder should be here in the afternoon."

"I'm not an invalid just because I'm pregnant, Thor!"

"I know, but Eir told you to take it easy and Loki told you the same. They both evidently know what they're talking about, so...go spend time with my brother." He picked up one and partially unrolled it to see if it was looking for, then turned back to her. "You've been saying how he has good advice."

"Mayhaps I will then." Sif sighed. "I suppose it's to the good. At least when the topic is my pregnancy he's more like the friend I remember growing up."

Thor smiled to her. "He loves children almost as much as Volstagg does. For all that he is blind, becoming an uncle will hopefully bring him cheer." He held out the paper. "Here. Look over this and if you feel it's appropriate, read it to Loki." He leaned over to kiss her, and then left to go begin court for the day.

"Are you up, Loki?" Sif called out to him as she entered his rooms to let him know she was there, though she was making no real effort to be quiet, nor could with her gravid state.

"Aye, Lady Sif." Loki called back, quickly vanishing the book he'd been reading by morning light and calling up the illusion to make his eyes appear unseeing. He turned toward her and fought a smirk at her waddling.

He wasn't quite successful however as she scowled. "What are you smiling about, trickster?" She asked. "Have you gotten up to mischief?"

He laughed. "Oh no no, Lady Sif. It's just the sound of your walk. Reaching the final months, are we?"

Sif made an annoyed noise and then levered herself down to sit by him, though she immediately regretted doing so, knowing she would have trouble getting back up again. "Aye, and I'm glad for it. Then Thor will cease pestering me about its gender, and I shall be able to return to the training fields."

Loki clucked his tongue. "Still hiding the gender of his child from him, Sif? How cruel of you."

"It's healthy. That's all that matters." Sif replied stubbornly.

"Does it? Or are you afraid it will be a girl?"

She glared at him, even thinking he couldn't see it. "Why would I be afraid of that?" She growled menacingly.

Loki snorted lightly. "I'm sorry. A feminine girl. A girl who loves dresses and likes being pretty. Or what about a boy so much like his uncle? It could happen. Odin has seidr, and Thor's true mother certainly had enough of her own to seed a planet...oh, and you were meant to be a Harvest Goddess. There's plenty of legacy there to end up with a greenwitch of either gender."

"Frigga is 'feminine'." Sif replied. "It doesn't mean my daughter would be unable to rule just because she likes dresses."

"But we don't want another Karnilla either, now do we? A tyrant Queen? She would need a good husband."

"Loki, for Norn's sake, the baby isn't even born yet!"

Loki gave a toothy smile. "But it is a girl, isn't it?"

"...I don't know that." Sif said and eyed him warily. "Unless your lack of physical sight has given you other insights."

"Wouldn't that be a treat?" Loki absently touched his still short hair. "I could see the souls of the dead, just as any necromancer can, but that still relied on my eyes." He smirked. "A shame you're telling the truth. You really are afraid of the child's gender."

Sif growled at him and forced herself back to her feet, though she quickly sought a chair to sit in instead. "I have something to read to you. I'm honestly not sure of it, but Thor thinks it would give you something to help occupy your days."

"What is it?" Loki tilted his head, burning with sudden curiosity and wishing for a moment that he wasn't pretending still to be blind.

In reply Sif took out the paper Thor had handed her. "By the request of King Thor to his brother Prince Loki, the monarch of Asgard does request that the Prince take his place at the side of the throne as adviser to the King and Queen."

Loki nearly choked. "...Wait, I'm sorry. Thor wants me to be his adviser?"

"That's what this says, yes." Sif replied dryly.

"Has he taken leave of his sense? Forgotten perhaps what I've done, what I am?"

"You are a liar and a troublemaker, a murderer, a god, a Frost Giant and-in spite of it all-a son of Odin. You were also raised with the idea that you would one day advise Thor."

Loki snarled wordlessly. "It's the Frost Giant part, I refer to. Oh yes, you're allied." He snorted. "What is it? Fifteen years? Barely scratching over a decade. My memories aren't what they used to be to be certain, but I well remember the scorn I received once it was discovered where my true birth lie. I-"

"But you've received none of that since your return, have you?" Sif interrupted.

Loki didn't reply, and when she prompted him, he only grunted.

"You aren't even trying to lie." She said. "Isn't that enough proof? If you don't want to advise, then just say so, but don't insult the position by throwing flimsy excuses at it."

Loki made another non-committal noise. "...Very well, I accept. I'll need a few days to mentally prepare however."

"I'll let Thor know. He'll be thrilled, to be certain."

Loki quirked a slight, sardonic smile. "And how do you feel about this Frost Giant murderer advising you and Thor?"

"I feel that giving you a reason to care about Asgard will give you less reason to try and burn it down again." She replied, hefting herself to her feet and groaning a bit. Since she had the morning to do as she liked, she thought soaking her feet might be a nice way to spend her time until she sat beside Thor in court later.

Loki let her leave without speaking or correcting her. No one knew why he had committed to Ragnarok, and if he had his way, no one would. Once he was certain he was alone in his room again, he stood to go to his dust-illusioned books and take out one that he admittedly hadn't cracked open for a while. He would have a lot of reading to do in preparing for this role, which he had to admit to himself was one he was glad to fill. As tedious as court could be, it would at least give him something to do.