The Warrior and the Trickster
Chapter Fourteen:

It was the second day following Loki being placed into a healing coma by the Goddess of Healing. Eir had decided it was necessary if she were to speed along his healing process. The knitting together of splintered bone and severed muscle and flesh would cause the nerves to burn like billions of volts of lighting coursing through him. Only Thor, God of Thunder, would have been able to survive her treatment without either healing elixir or a protective coma.

"You do not need to stand guard," Thor said.

Sif glanced up from her position on the wall standing beside Loki's bedside. "Someone must stand guard. Do you trust another not to plunge a dagger into Loki's heart as he is so weak and unable to defend himself?"

"You can trust me," Thor suggested.

"Do you not want to spend every moment with Jane Foster?" Sif asked. She wanted to spend her waking hours watching over Loki to ensure his well-being. Did Thor not worry about his frail human's health? What if she tripped and hit her head? She could die! "And aren't you ruling the kingdom right now?"

"First of all, if there is a problem Heimdall knows where to find me. Though Balder is eager to claim the throne I do not believe it is wise until Odin approves of it. And as far as Jane is concerned she is not as fragile as you think," Thor said with a laugh. He reached out and took Sif's hand, the one with the green ring on it. "You do realize what this is, don't you?"

Sif snatched her hand back. "It is my promise to not allow tragedy to befall my friend and his to do the same for me."

"I see," Thor said. "Go, Sif. That is an order. Come back after you've at least slumbered for six hours, had a nice bath, and enjoyed a meal with Volstagg. He wishes to give you thanks for the gift of Jarnbjorn in replacement of his battle axe."

"It suits him," Sif said with a shrug. With reluctance, but unable to refuse Thor's strongly suggested orders, she obeyed. "I will be back in a few hours."

"I know you will be and we will both be waiting for you. Though," Thor paused and scratched his golden beard. "Perhaps, you could tell Jane where I am. She was sleeping when I left."

A knowing smile spread across Sif's face. "You didn't break her this time did you?"

A fierce blush stole across Thor's neck. "Of course not!" He stared down at his feet carefully avoiding her eyes. "Though the bed is another matter."

Sif laughed, her belly aching from the depth of her mirth. Shaking her head she left behind Thor and Loki.

She had gone not fifty meters before she ran into Valkryie. "Finally, I've been pacing these halls waiting for your vigil to end. Come!" Valkryie took Sif's arm and began to run down the hall and up the stairs with Sif in tow.

They were greeted at Vostagg's family home. His wife and daughters had prepared a great feast. Balder, Fandral, and Hogun were already sitting at the table by the time Sif arrived. Vostagg's three eldest daughters were also at the table, his other children two more girls and his one son were already asleep for the evening.

"Thor had given his word that he would send you here!" Vostagg said with a wide smile. He threw his empty stein of ale on the ground and it shattered on the stone floor. "Another!"

With a lovely smile, his wife brought him another drink, leaning over to kiss him briefly on the lips before taking her seat at the table.

Sif took the seat between Fandral and Hogun. "Hello boys," Sif greeted. She helped herself to a generous portion of the rich spread before her.

Hogan scowled at her — his dark features twisted in annoyance. "You leave me on the throne to run our kingdom while we rebuild after a war while you go on an adventure to the underworld? You have no idea how stressful it is dealing with architects, construction managers, and treasurers!"

"Many men would kill to sit on the throne," Sif pointed out. She stabbed a steak knife through a slab of roasted dragon meat. "Which is why it was in the best interests of Asgard to place an honest man of Vanaheim as steward."

"I'm just glad Thor is back so he can deal with those vultures," Hogun said with a sigh. He reached up and rubbed the area of his forehead between his eyes "Maybe this migraine will finally go away."

"I have the perfect cure," Fandral said slamming a stein of ale in front of Hogun. "Drink up!"

"Your quest was a success. You brought back the crown prince from the depths of death and survived fighting alongside the trickster," Hogun said. He drained his alcohol in one long draught. He slammed his stein on the stone floor. "You truly are a brave warrior!"

Sif glanced across the table to see Valkryie raising her eyebrow in amusement. The blonde was sitting beside Balder and Sif remembered that many centuries ago the two of them had been romantically involved. "How is Loki?" Valkryie asked. Sif didn't miss the dark look that flashed through Balder's normally kind eyes.

"He is still in a healing coma. I expect he will recover physically with a few scars and mentally with many wounds," Sif answered. She drank slowly from her stein of mead. It was a strong blend. She was impressed by how quickly Hogun and Vostagg had consumed their shares.

Balder narrowed his pale eyes and attacked his dragon steak with a forceful strike of his knife. "With the number of crimes that one is responsible for you are treating him with too much sympathy," Balder said ripping a chunk of steak with his teeth.

Sif remembered Balder as a kind god. In the past many of the citizens of Asgard would come to him for his kind and encouraging words. They would approach Thor for battle. And Loki was the son of Odin that was best avoided. Balder's untimely death, often blamed on Loki revealing Balder's one weakness seemed to have driven Balder to hatred in the realm of the dead. She caught Valkryie's eyes and could see similar thoughts were crossing her friend's mind.

"All living creatures are afforded some sympathy," Valkryie said.

"And that's how you get yourself killed by mistletoe," Balder mumbled.

"That was a long time ago," Fandral said quietly.

"And he's been an upstanding citizen of Asgard in my absence?" Balder asked.

"He has proven himself useful," Sif said.

"You are biased," Balder said pointing the tip of his knife at her.

Sif pushed away from the table and approached Vostagg and his wife. "Thank you for having me and for this wonderful meal. I promised Thor that I would check on Jane."

Volstagg's wife threw her arms around Sif. "Thank you so much for taking such good care of my husband. He loves that axe! Let me give you a plate for Lady Jane," she said with a big smile. Sif studiously ignored Balder's stare, she could feel his gaze on her. Fandral was valiantly sharing stories of their battle in Muspelheim.

Sif was glad to escape the feast at Volstagg's home. Normally, she enjoyed taking part in the celebrations after a successful fight. Currently, her worry for Loki outweighed her desired to celebrate. Now, she understood Thor's behavior over the past two years while he was separated from Jane.

Jane answered Thor's door with a friendly smile that grew wider upon spying the food that Sif had brought. "Oh thank God! I'm starved!" Jane cried taking the plate and setting it on the little table in the corner of the room.

Sif grinned. She was familiar with that ravenous hunger that Jane surely felt at being the paramour of Thor. Jane sat in one of the two chairs at the table and Sif took the second chair. "The meal is courtesy of Vostagg and his wife. Your company was missed at the feast."

Jane pointed a piece at bread at Sif. "But if I had been there you wouldn't have had an excuse to leave early."

Sif leaned her elbows on the table and propped her chin her hands. "You truly are wise, Jane Foster."

"So, do you know how long I can expect to be here?" Jane asked.

"Thor will be pleased to use the Convergence as an excuse to keep you here indefinitely. He did miss you while you were separated. He constantly moped about the palace," Sif explained. "It was pathetic. Even a good fight and strong ale could not cheer him."

"How do you feel about my being here?" Jane asked quietly.

Sif thought about the question. Three weeks ago she would have struggled against her berserker rage at Jane's extended presence in Asgard. Now she was grateful for the woman's presence to escape banquets. "You make Thor happy. If Thor is happy, I am happy."

Jane wiped her face and hands with her napkin while watching Sif closely. "You're different."

"I have been to Hel and back," Sif said with a shrug. "Dragon poison is also a bit exhausting."

"I'm talking about you and Loki."

Sif shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know what you mean. I am the same."

"The last time I saw Loki on earth he murdered nearly a hundred people, opened a gate to another universe to allow an alien army to invade, and was defeated by the Avengers. Hulk smashed him to the ground a few times," Jane remembered with a smile. Natasha had described the scene to her as Banner had described it to her. "Hulk called him a puny god. Afterwards, Loki asked Iron Man for a drink."

"Alcohol is often enjoyed in many Asgardian victories and defeats," Sif admitted. The picture that Jane had painted of Loki wasn't pleasant. The Trickster had a dark malicious side.

"I'm sure it is," Jane agreed. "The last time I saw Loki he helped Thor save me from the dark elves and the ether. He died heroically. Thor was devastated."

"And yet that was an illusion and Thor was actually masquerading as King Odin," Sif said.

"My point is, he does terrible things and he does very wonderful things. Loki is capable of greatness. Though great evil or great good are equally possible with him," Jane said. "However, his staying behind on the fiery realm shows he is capable of heroics. Thor told me that he was able to lift Mjolnir."

"There is worth in Loki," Sif said.

"You and Thor gave him chances to redeem himself when no one else would. Thor thought him dead this past time, his sorrow was great. Thor has always wanted to be able to fight alongside Loki with trust between them."

"He can be trusted if his motives match your own. He is a great ally, but an even more fearsome enemy."

"I wouldn't want to be your enemy, Sif," Jane said holding her cup out to Sif.

Sif lifted her cup and knocked it against Jane's. She had a little time left to spare before she would take a relaxing bath, enjoy a few hours of sleep, and then returned to guard duty.

OoO

Loki recognized that he was in a dream — everything about him was fuzzy. The goddess Eir had forced his body into a healing coma. In spite of her powers he knew that he rested in limbo between life and death. He was in a place of gray and shadows. Ellemaidens lurked within his gray prison. They were creatures that smiled brightly like caring women, but they were hollow. They had no hearts and should they turn their back on you a gaping hole would be seen. They had no sympathy for their charges.

If he didn't wake up soon they'd consume his heart to try to fill the void within their hollow chests. Their smiles didn't hide their fangs. Loki's illusions wouldn't work against such single-minded creatures.

Hela appeared before him in a twirl of her emerald cape breaking up the monotone of the gray landscape. The hollow Ellemaidens vanished. She was riding the horse Sleipnir. "Look who I found wandering about the deserts of Muspelheim." She patted the horse on the side of his neck. "I couldn't let my brother perish in that land."

"But you could let your father? Assuming that my previous incarnation was truly your father," Loki scoffed. He wore his green robes and armor, golden horned crown, and had his scepter in his hands. It was certainly an improvement over the gray blah that he donned moments before.

"In another life you were my father and Sif in another life was my mother. I can see that you have feelings for her. If the two of you reconnect she will die again. History will repeat," Hela warned. She tapped her fingernail against her temple. "I know."

"Did the goddesses of fate tell you this?" Loki asked. He didn't bother to deny that he might have feelings for Sif. "And you seem to enjoy spending time with Sif. Wouldn't you want her to die and enter your realm?"

"The goddesses of fate speak in riddles and show you confusing, non-sensible visions." Hela slid off Sleipnir's back. "She will not be part of Niffleheim. She is not of the dishonored dead. As before, her place will be Valhalla."

"But you were willing to let me die on Muspelheim," Loki reasoned.

Hela didn't answer.

"I see." Loki twirled his scepter. "Is there a reason you're haunting my dreams? Am I about to die and you wanted to prepare me?"

"I have no idea where you will go when you finally die. You are confusing," Hela said, a puzzled expression upon her face. "I have seen the jealousy in Balder's eyes. I do not think you will live long with that one as your king. You have helped him back to life and secured his throne, but for centuries he thought of nothing but revenge against you for your hand in his death. The crown prince of Asgard died in dishonor. He was a captive of Nifleheim when he thought he deserved Valhalla." Hela walked near Loki and slid her fingers across his cheek and gripped his jaw bruisingly and forced him to meet her eyes. "Why would you think that placing a dishonored prince on the throne of Asgard would be a good idea?"

Loki could hear soft words being sung near his ear.

"The king may sing in his bitter flight,

The pine may croon to the vine to-night,

But the little snowflake at my breast

Liketh the song I sing best, —

Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;

Weary thou art, anext my heart;

Sleep, little one, sleep."

The misty scene with Hela began to fade and he could no longer feel her grip upon his jaw. Consciousness was returning to him. He recognized the words as an old Nordic lullaby popular a few hundred years ago on Midgard—back when he was a welcome guest to the humans. He recognized the voice, but never would have imagined Lady Sif singing. Her voice was clear and pretty.

"Maybe I'm still dreaming," Loki said. "Surely, the Lady Sif would not be singing at my death bed the Norse Lullaby by Eugene Field."

"You're awake!" Sif cried out, gently grasping his hand wary of his recent injuries. "It's a sweet song," she said. "Best thing to come out of Midgard in the last couple of centuries."

Loki opened his eyes slowly and could see long dark hair cascading near his face. He blew a breath and the strands nearest his mouth fluttered. "Help me sit up."

Sif settled beside Loki on the bed and her arm went behind his back and helped him into a sitting position. His flesh was covered in linen bandages like a mummy. His hands appeared twice as big with a splint on each and every finger. He could see only a little amount of exposed flesh and he was still blue. He concentrated and the illusion he normally carried of pale skin superimposed over his Frost Giant flesh.

"That was unnecessary," Sif said. She supported most of his weight. "You are weak as a kitten and you waste your power on your skin color?"

"My illusion magic and my physical strength are not directly correlated," Loki explained. He turned to Sif, his body stiff with even the slightest of movements. She wasn't in armor. She wore a simple dress of crimson and gold. Her feet were bare and stretched out with her legs crossed at the ankles on his bed. "So, what did I miss?"

"I'm not sure how much you remember. We brought you back from Muspelheim. It might be best to avoid that realm for the next few hundred years," Sif advised with a grin. "Surtur's ankles will be giving him trouble for some time."

"Why?" Loki asked, his voice cracked.

Sif reached for a cup of water and held it to Loki's lips. He sipped from it slowly. "Why?" he repeated, his voice deeper and stronger. "For all my crimes on Midgard alone I deserved what was happening to me on that fiery realm."

"No, you killed, but you did not torture. I have killed in battle. There is a difference. You deserved either swift execution or imprisonment for many centuries to repent upon your crimes," Sif said.

"Thanks for your generous assessment," Loki muttered.

"I only speak the truth," Sif said. "However, I feel that after your recent actions Asgard must realize the good that you can serve. I will stand by your side to petition for — what do the humans call it?" Sif turned to him.

"Parole?" Loki guessed.

Sif nodded. "Yes, exactly. Parole." She shifted her right leg and grimaced slightly.

Loki's attention immediately drew to her leg. He remembered how she had favored it when she rescued him. "You're bleeding!" he cried out. His bandaged hand reached for her leg.

"That's the reason I wore crimson," Sif explained. She reached down and pulled up her skirt above the bandaged wound. She had a linen wrap similar to Loki's bandages. "Poisonous dragon fang."

"When did that happen?" Loki asked. He settled his hand on her thigh, slightly above her wound, though with all his bandages and splints he couldn't feel her. He was more concerned about her one wound than the countless lacerations across his torso and his broken fingers. What did that mean?

"We had to face the dragon that lives under the roots of Yggdrasil in order to acquire Thor's old battle axe Jarnbjorn to fight Surtur," Sif said.

"The dragon under the World Tree?" Loki sat up straighter the skin of his back muscles stretching uncomfortably. "You mean Nidhoggr? The devourer of souls?"

"That's the one. Then the Convergence sent us to the Norn goddesses of fate and then to Jane Foster's kitchen," Sif said.

Loki held up his free hand. "Wait. You visited with the three fates? What did you see?"

Sif turned to him, her blue eyes bright in the darkness of the room. She pressed her lips together in a thin line as she struggled for the right words. "You were being tortured by Surtur's daughters. They had cut out your tongue and stripped the flesh from your body. They would not allow you to die. I couldn't let that happen," Sif whispered.

"Why not? You owe me nothing, Sif. Your obligation to me ended when we saved Balder from death's clutches," Loki argued.

"The fates also reminded me of our past. As children we were friends. I had forgotten." She reached up and touched her dark hair. "Perhaps I am still bitter about the loss of my golden hair."

"Ah," Loki said with a sigh. "Still sour about the hair color."

"Perhaps I can gain approval to use a healing elixir on you," Sif said.

"I'm surprised it was't used earlier," Loki confessed. "Though perhaps I deserve to feel these wounds."

Sif stared down at her lap. "There is a shortage."

"Because of the dark elf invasion," Loki said. The invasion that he facilitated. "I will have plenty of time in my cell to recover. I assume I'll be put back into confinement soon enough."

"Technically, I am your guard," Sif said. She laid her hand over his and he could see the gleam of her enchanted emerald ring. "Though I do not think you will go far."

"So what else did you see at the well of the three fates?" Loki asked. He thought about his strange dream conversation with Hela. Did Sif perchance see that vision?

"I saw a vision of Hela's past. We witnessed her birth. Apparently, in a previous incarnation we were her parents," Sif said. She glanced at Loki briefly before focusing her gaze on their joined hands. "Ridiculous, right?"

"I believe it's possible," Loki confessed. "We have always had strong emotions for one another. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin. And if I were to settle down with an Asgardian you would certainly be preferable to Amora the Enchantress or Lorelei."

Sif scowled at the mention of the later. "I remember Lorelei. The two of you tricked me."

"Yes, I impersonated Thor so that you would kiss me. You seemed to enjoy it." Loki looked away, the memory painful. He'd been enamored by Sif, but she only had eyes for Thor. Lorelei had offered to help him as her powers of illusion and coercion were on par with his own. It would take both of their talents to fool the renown sensibilities of Lady Sif.

"I did," Sif confessed. "Until I realized I was lied to and then I was overcome with rage. I am a berserker just beneath the surface."

"Of that I am aware," Loki said with an amused smile. The bruises upon his face ached. Having been beaten by Midgard's Hulk he'd felt similar pain before to his current state. At least he didn't seem to suffer any internal bleeding. He stared down at their hands and steeled his resolve. "If I were to try to kiss you again without deception, what would happen?"

Sif turned to him. "It might hurt. Are you willing to risk pain?"

"Without risk there is no gain," Loki answered. He lifted his hand to touch Sif's cheek. He brushed aside her dark hair awkwardly trying to shift it behind her ear as best as his bandages would allow. He leaned toward her, eyes closing, and met her lips. The kiss was soft at first. But things with Lady Sif were never soft and sweet.

Her arm supporting his weight tightened, pulling him closer against her. He could feel the firm press of her chest against his. She shifted their weight, practically picking him off the bed and laying him stretched out on his back. She had her hands on either side of his face and her body lay just above his, brushing against his bandages but not actually putting any of her weight upon him.

Sif's kiss was demanding, bruising, impatient. It was nothing like the kiss he stole from her under the guise of Thor. She pulled back and he could feel her warm breaths falling across his neck. He opened his eyes in a daze and stared up at her. "That was, worth the pain."

Sif rose from the bed and went toward the far corner of the room. Her satchel bag was waiting there. She shifted through the contents and pulled out a vial. She made her way back to the bed and offered it to Loki.

He held up his bandaged hands. "I"m afraid I'll need assistance."

"Of course," Sif said, uncharacteristically shy. She focused on opening the topper for the vial. "It's not much for my wound was minor. It is my healing elixir ration," she explained. "Technically by offering this to you I am committing treason."

"I prefer to ask for forgiveness instead of permission," Loki confessed with a wry smile. Sif held the vial to his lips and with their eyes locked he drank the healing potion. After it was empty Sif set the vial on a side table.

He closed his eyes as sensations returned to his hands. He wiggled his bandaged fingers. He was honored to have caused Sif to commit treason though he wondered why the king of Asgard would deny him a small amount of elixir.

Sif began to unwrap his hands, removing the bandages and splints on each of his fingers. A small pile of wrappings formed on the side of the bed. Loki experimented by curling his hands into fists. With his hands free and with a little more energy thanks to the healing elixir he reached out and touched Sif's face again. Her skin was surprisingly soft, her hair felt like silk.

"Am I still dreaming?"Loki asked, not believing his luck to bring Sif to his bedside willingly.

"It's no trick this time," Sif said. She turned her face and kissed the inside of his palm. "Tomorrow my brother will need you to show him King Odin. We will hope he awakens so that he may decide your judgement. Thor would grant you leniency. Odin would weigh the benefits versus the consequences. I fear Balder will not be forgiving."

"Did we do right by bringing him back?" His troubling conversation with Hela came to mind.

"It is done. It seemed a noble cause at the time and we must abide by our choices," Sif said. "I will stand up for you in the trial. As will Thor no doubt. Your actions these past few weeks will look favorable, Loki. Be brave." She leaned down, brushed aside the hair that had fallen across his forehead and kissed him there softly. "Rest now, Loki. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

Loki reached for her hand and held it tight. "Are you leaving?"

"No," Sif said. She moved to sit in the chair next to his bed and kept holding his hand. "I will be here standing guard." She glanced down at the chair. "Sitting guard."

"I suppose guarding me from the bed would be out of the question?" Loki asked, a hopeful note in his voice.

Sif smiled slowly. "It would compromise my defense of you tomorrow."

"We could compromise some other things while we're at it," Loki suggested with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Sif laughed, the sound a delightful treat coming from the stoic woman. "Not tonight."

"But later?" he persisted.

Sif smiled, but didn't answer. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in her chair and propped up her feet on the side of his bed.

A/N: I just re-watched the Avengers, again, last night. Seriously, that movie is so amazing. I never seem to get bored of it. I'm not sure how the sequel will add up since Loki won't be in it though. One more chapter! Thanks guys and gals for sticking with me through this journey! 3/31/14