"Chapter 14

Sigyn walked back to Sif's. She walked inside, but instead of seeing Sif there she saw someone she had not seen in a long time.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Freya, smiled, "It's good to see you again, Sigyn. I heard you were back in Asgard. I've been wondering when you were going to visit me."

"Visit you? Why would I visit you? We have not gotten along in years. "Not since you told Odin, Loki stole your necklace, the brisingamen. Odin had my husband chained to a boulder. He then placed a poisonous snake above Loki and the snake dripped venom into his mouth. If it were not for Frigga talking Odin into letting me hold a bowl under the snake so it would collect the poison, Loki may have died. So, no mother I had no desire to visit you."Not since your illicit affaire with Ottar."

Sif walked into the living room from the kitchen. "Well, I guess I do not need to introduce you two.

"No, you don't," Sigyn said in an unhappy tone.

"Sigyn, honey, I know it's been a long time, but I thought by now bygones would be bygones," Freya said. Besides Loki did steal the necklace. I didn't know Odin was going to do that to your husband.

"Y e a h,"Yeah, Sigyn said. She walked past her mother and plopped down on the couch.

Freya looked at her daughter disappointed. "Please, by the Gods sit up! I raised you a lady."

Sigyn sat up straight, "Yes, Mother," she said feeling like a young girl again. Her mother always seemed to have that effect on her.

Freya walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. She held herself up as the Noble she was.

"Sif and I have been talking. I understand Loki wants you for his Queen."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I mean yes ma'am," Sigyn said sarcastically.

"Please clarify, are you not already Queen? After all you are married to him, if I recall correctly."

"Mother, do you not keep up with current information? Loki and I have not been married for a long time," Sigyn informed her.

"I see, so am I to understand this correctly, he wants to remarry you?" Freya asked. "Why is that a problem? Do you not want to be Queen?"

"Not if it means marrying Loki, no I don't." Sigyn said tartly.

"What is wrong with marrying Loki," Freya asked.

"I am not in love with him," Sigyn protested.

"That does cause a problem. Please explain why you are not in love with him. I thought that you were," Freya said.

"We had a falling out, years ago. He told me he wanted nothing more to do with me. I was hurt and angry and eventually left Asgard. Since then I discovered I no longer loved him."

"But you are here and he, I assume, he has changed his mind and wants you back. If you don't love him, why not leave?" Freya asked.

"I did not come here of my own free will. He tricked me. He told Heimdall not to let me leave. So I was stuck here. It has been a month and I have gotten used to living here. I had forgotten what it was like, and I do like living here. If I could live on Asgard and not have to deal with Loki, it would be perfect."

Freya sat quietly while she thought for a minute. "As you know, I am very much for love, but if you want to stay on Asgard, marry the man, be Queen, have a say on what happens here. If love is what you seek, than have an affaire," she suggested.

Sigyn shook her head, "No, I can't do that. I'm not like you, mother, I want to be in love with the man I marry.

"What is there about Loki that you do not love?" Freya asked.

"Do you want a list?" Sigyn asked. "He's stubborn, argumentative, abrasive, and arrogant."

"Sounds like a match made in Valhalla," Freya chuckled. "You two should get along splendidly."

Sigyn's eyes narrowed, "We are nothing alike," she said annoyed.

"Oh, darling, I'm your mother, no one knows you better than I. Go take a good hard look at yourself. You will see the two of you couldn't be more suited for each other."

"I resent that," Sigyn said angrily. "We are not alike and I do not have to look at myself to know that!"

"Do not raise your voice at me. Listen to yourself; you are being stubborn and argumentative right now. You get that from me."

"Mother, I do not wish to continue this conversation. I told you how I felt and that is the end of it," Sigyn said.

Freya arched her brows, "No! It is not the end of it. This conversation ends when I say."

"I am not a child, I am an adult, and not everything goes according to Freya!" Sigyn yelled.

"That does not sound adult like to me. You sound very childish. I did not come here to be spoken to in that matter," Freya replied.

"Why did you come, Mother? To see how the pathetic girl turned out? What do you want anyway? Let me guess, if I became Queen then you would be mother of the Queen. Was that it, Mother?"

"I never once said you were pathetic. That is something you put on your self. As for you becoming Queen, it goes without saying if you are Queen; I am mother of the Queen. I am your mother. No, that is not why I am here. I heard you were back in Asgard and wanted to see you. Now you answer me, why are you here? Sif told me you are living here with her. Why are you not living in the palace? After all you were once a princess." Freya looked at Sif. "No offense Sif, if she wants to live here than she should. She then looked back at Sigyn and waited for an answer.

"Because Mother, Loki lives in the palace and I do not want to be near him," Sigyn answered.

"Who says you have to be near him. It is a big place certainly you can live there without being near him," Freya said.

"He told me I had to live in chambers next to his. I told him no," Sigyn explained.

"When you told him no, did he throw you out?" Freya asked.

"No, I walked out to prove my point," Sigyn said.

"Oh, Sigyn when you did that you gave him the upper hand. Now he can say, if you don't want to do it my way, go back to Sif's. Honey you were once a Princess. Be a Princess. Move back in. Act as if you own the place. Even give orders to the servants. If he wants you back he will not tell you to leave. And honey, if he does, then he did not really want you," Freya said, advising her daughter.

Freya rose from the chair and walked over to the couch. She sat next to her daughter, "Listen to your mother. You know Loki better than anyone. You know what he is like and you know how he does things. Do not let him get away with anything. Stand up to him, but do not allow him to goad you into an argument. No matter how tempting it may seem, you control your temper, and speak in a calm and controlled voice," she said and then went on. "And if he does trick you into arguing with him, be sure you are not the one who walks away. You hold your ground and make him walk away. Also if you use your powers, use them wisely. Don't get involved in a childish game of throwing things back and forth. It will get you nowhere and no one ever wins at those." she added and leaned forward, "But do it like a princess and not like a spoiled child." Freya sat up straight again when finished speaking.

Sigyn sat there deep in thought. It was almost as if her mother had known what had been happening between her and Loki. But of course she couldn't have, she had only just arrived. She stood and paced the living room. After several minutes she sat down again. "Mother, I never thought I would ever say this to you, but you are right. I am going to move into the palace and take what ever rooms I want and live like a princess."

She looked over at Sif. "Sif, I appreciate you allowing me to live with you. I have enjoyed getting to know you and our talks. Please forgive me, but I do think I should do as Mother has suggested."

Sif smiled and nodded her head, "Of course Sigyn, I understand. I too, have enjoyed having you here, but I also agree with your mother."

Freya stood, "Come, let us go up there and find you your chamber's. And do not worry, you can live any where in the palace you want."

Sigyn stood and she and Freya exited the house and walked to the palace. They entered and Freya called a servant over them. "Can you assist in finding suitable chambers?" She ordered.

The woman nodded, "Come with me, my Lady," she said. Sigyn looked at her mother, who nodded her head, urging Sigyn on. Sigyn then followed the servant.

"Do you wish to be near the King?" The woman asked, knowing this was Sigyn.

"No, please I want to be as far away as possible."

The woman led Sigyn to chambers on the far side of the palace. She opened the door, "Will this do?" She asked.

Sigyn entered the rooms and looked around. She smiled at the servant. "Yes, this will do nicely.

The woman curtsied and started to leave when Sigyn stopped her. "Wait, please find a few servants who can bring up my things. They will have to be taken from Lady Sif's and brought here."

"Yes, my Lady," the woman said and walked away.

Freya

Freya did not wait for Sigyn's return. She walked through the palace to the throne room. Loki stood in the middle of the room talking to a guard. As soon as the man moved on, Freya walked up to him. "Hello, Loki," she said.

Loki turned and stared at her. "Freya, I did not know you were back in Asgard. When did you arrive? I should have been informed so I could have greeted you properly."

Freya smiled, "Do not concern your self. I came to visit Sigyn and did not expect to be greeted by you."

Loki smiled and walked closer to Freya. "Have you seen her?" he asked politely.

"Yes, I have, in fact she is in the palace as we speak."

"Really? Where is she? No, let me guess, she is in the garden," Loki said.

"No, I suspect by now she is in her chambers," Freya said as a matter of fact.

Loki blinked, "In her chambers, I think you are mistaken. Sigyn lives with Sif."

"No longer, she now lives in the palace," Freya informed him.

Loki grinned, "However did you manage that? I tried to talk her into living here and she said no."

"I am her mother. I simply told her she should be here. She was a princess and the palace was and should be her home."

"That is all it took?" Loki asked in disbelief. "I should have called on you a month ago."

"Perhaps so," Freya said smiling. "Loki, I understand you want my daughter as your Queen."

Loki nodding his head, "Yes, I do. I have tried to convince her of this, but she will not listen."

"She is as stubborn as she is beautiful," Freya laughed. "She told me she does not love you. That is why she refuses to be your Queen. Do honestly believe you can change her heart?"

Loki nodded, "Yes I do," he said somberly.

"Why?" Freya simply asked.

"Because, I know her. I believe deep in her heart she still loves me. I simply need to find a way to bring that love to the surface," Loki said.

"I see, now tell me, do you love her, or is this just one of your games?" Freya asked.

His expression became serious. "Yes, I do. And no this is not a game," Loki told her.

Freya studied Loki's face. She had known him for a very long time and knew he was speaking the truth. "I love my daughter and I only want happiness for her. If you truly think you can make her happy, and as your wife and not just your Queen, then I say, do what you think will win her over. However, I warn you, she is a very strong, formidable, and stubborn woman."

Loki chuckled, "Yes, I am well aware of that."

"Good luck to you then," Freya said and strolled out of the throne room. She went back to they entrance hall of the palace.

Sigyn

Sigyn returned with two male servants in tow. "Mother, these men are going to help us bring my things up to the palace," she announced.

Freya smiled at her daughter and gave a nod to the men. The men followed the two women down to Sif's. A half hour later everything Sigyn had acquired during her month was in her new chambers.

"Mother, are you going to stay for a few days?" Sigyn asked.

"I will stay for two days and then I must leave. Could I possible stay with you while here?" Freya asked.

Sigyn nodded, "Yes of course you can. And I will endeavor not to argue with you."

"That will be quite a task, I imagine," Freya teased.

"Mother I want you to meet a friend of mine. Her name is Mandy," Sigyn said.

"I would love to meet any friend of yours," Freya said.

Sigyn led the way to Mandy's chambers. She knocked on the door as soon as they got there, but Mandy didn't answer. "Hmm, I wonder where she is?" Sigyn asked no one in particular. Sigyn and Freya headed for a sitting room. Along the way they met up with a servant. "Have you seen Mandy?" Sigyn asked.

The servant curtsied, "Yes my Lady, she is in the garden."

"Thank you," Sigyn said. Freya and Sigyn went to the garden. As soon as they entered it, Sigyn saw Mandy standing next to a rose bush sniffing one of the flowers.

"Hello," Sigyn called out and walked over to Mandy. Mandy turned and smiled at Sigyn. "Hello, your self. You look happier than when I saw you last."

"I am," Sigyn said. "This is my mother, Freya, Mother this is Mandy," Sigyn introduced the two women.

"Hello, Mrs.?" Mandy asked not sure what to call her.

"Freya, call me Freya," Sigyn's mother said.

"All right Freya it is," Mandy said and smiled again.

"Please tell me, Mandy, how did you meet my daughter?"

"I met her when she opened her comic book store. I was her first customer," Mandy answered.

Freya looked over at Sigyn, "A comic book store, what is a comic book store?"

Sigyn explained to her mother what that was and that the store was in New York.

Freya nodded, "Ah, I see, so you met Mandy on Earth." She looked back at Mandy, "Then am I to gather, you are not Asgardian?"

"No, I am not. I am human," Mandy told Freya.

"Well, what do you think of Asgard?" Freya asked Mandy.

"I love it here. I've never seen any place so beautiful. Believe me this is nothing like New York and I am in no hurry to return there," Mandy said.

"Yes, Asgard is beautiful," Freya, agreed.

"Indeed it is," said a new voice. The women looked in the direction it came from.

"Loki, how long have you been there?" Freya asked.

"I arrived just in time to hear Asgard is beautiful," he answered her. "Ladies I want to speak to Sigyn, in private if you do not mind."

"Anything you have to say to me, they can hear," Sigyn said.

"I am certain they will hear all about it later, but for now I want only you to listen," Loki said

"Come, Mandy, let us give these two privacy," Freya said. She placed her hand on Sigyn's shoulder, "Remember what I told you," she said in a low voice. "Nice to see you again, Loki," Freya added before entering the palace.

"Good luck, honey," Mandy said to Sigyn before following Freya out of the garden.

"Well, they are gone, what did you want me to hear?" Sigyn asked Loki.

"I know you say you don't love me. Have you heard me say, I do love you? I was a fool for letting you go out of my life. And yes I know I should have said this long ago, but much has happened in my life since you walked out of it. I cannot promise you life with me will be tranquil or that we will not argue. That is a fools promise. We will argue. Answer me this, do you want to live a life of tranquility with a man who works all day only to come home at night exhausted. Who never argues with you and gives you everything you want?" He asked.

Sigyn started to answer him, but he stopped her, "Wait, do not answer yet," he told her. "Or do you want a man who may not give you everything you want, but will give you everything you need? Someone who will speak softly to you of love he holds for you," he said in a soft voice. "On the other hand he will argue with you in harsh tones," he said loudly. "He will take you into his arms and tenderly kiss you," he said and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Then again, maybe he will just grab you, throw you on the bed and make love to you until your body aches from it," he said and grabbed her by the shoulders. He let go of her and stepped back a bit. "I am that man. I will love you, I will hate you, and there will be roughness and tenderness. It is a life of passion," he said in his normal voice. "And I think that is what you want."

"What makes you think I want any of it? You think you know me so well, but I am not the same person you knew so long ago. I have grown into an independent woman who does not need any man to fulfill her. My life no longer centers on being married and doting on my husband. I like who I am and I no longer have to wonder where is my husband and what trouble has he gotten into that I will have to get him out of. The truth is, it is not just you, and I don't want to marry anyone. My life does not depend on some man fulfilling it," she said and remained in front of him. She intended to do what her mother had said and make Loki leave first.

"Sigyn, I never said I would fulfill your life. Only you can do that. Certainly, you want love in your life though. We will not be two people who depend on each other for everything, some things perhaps but not all things. I do not expect you to dote on me. I will not dote on you. But there will be a mutual respect for each other. And I know I spoke of what I might be with you, but certainly you are able to be the same with me. You not only are strong of mind, but you have the strength to push me down and do to me what ever you like," he said and grinned.

"You hurt me, and I can not get past that," Sigyn simply replied. She turned to leave.

Loki grabbed her arm and swung her around facing him again. "You hurt me too! I was not the only one shouting that day." He relaxed his hold on her. "I want a strong formidable woman, who will stand with me and against me. You are that woman."

Sigyn pulled her arm out of his hand, "Stop it!"

"That's the Sigyn I know, fierce and full of spirit. When you were a girl you would do anything for me. Now you stand up for your self and I like that much more," he said grinning.

"Grin at this," she said and swung her arm back. But this time he caught it before it made contact with his face. He lifted her into his arms.

"Put me down!" she said and squirmed.

"No," he said and carried into the palace. He headed them for his chambers. Sigyn balled up her fist and pounded on him, but he would not put her down. He spotted a servant along the way, "Follow me," Loki told him. "Open the door," Loki told the man when they reached his chambers. The man did as he was told then walked away.

Loki kicked the door shut with the back of his foot and carried Sigyn the rest of the way inside.