Author's Note: Hello everyone! First off I just want to thank those who have followed, favorited (yea, that is not really a word), and reviewed this story. I am glad that you are enjoying it! Secondly, this is a friendly warning that there may be content in Chapters 20 and 21 that may bother some people. In the last chapter it was revealed that Sigyn was raped, and these next two chapters will go into Loki's memory of the incident. There are no explicit details given about the rape itself, merely suggestions of it. Rape and its injustice is treated as a serious topic, as I believe it should be. If you believe that there is even a slight chance that the content of these next two chapters will trigger something disturbing for you personally then I suggest skipping them. Skipping chapters 20 and 21 will not detract from the rest of the story. The thing that is to be learned from them is the dedicated relationship between Loki and Sigyn before his fall from the Bifrost. Since i have not posted a disclaimer in ages I will do so now. I own nothing save my own personal interpretation of Sigyn.
Loki glanced around the highly decorated banqueting hall. Asgardian's loved any reason to celebrate, and the anniversary of Odin's defeat of the Jotun's was no exception. Loki assumed that the night would be filled as the celebration always was. Food, drinking, stories of the battle, and dancing. Currently however, Loki was stuck standing on the steps to the throne with Thor and Sigyn. Odin was receiving the Lords and Ladies who were in attendance, and Frigga was seated next to him. Though he appeared to be engaged in the civilities, Loki had stopped paying attention to the proceedings half-an-hour before. He caught a glimpse of Thor, who was standing on the step above him, and had to restrain himself from laughing. His brother made no attempt at pretending he was paying attention. Instead, he was sending flirty looks at practically every maid and noblewoman he made eye contact with. Loki assumed that at least one of them would warm his brother's bed that evening. Loki then eyed Sigyn who, as the youngest, was standing on the step below him. She wore a shimmering one-shouldered golden gown. Her hair had been braided to one side and she wore a small golden tiara and golden teardrop earrings. Unlike Thor, she seemed to be paying each guest the compliment of her undivided attention.
After what seemed like ages, the guests had all arrived and Thor, Loki, and Sigyn where allowed to find seats at the dinner table. Loki offered Sigyn his left arm and Thor offered her his right, which she graciously accepted. As the two boys led her to the table they began their normal teasing.
"So who are you all dressed up for this evening? Surely you cannot look this radiant for the benefit of ourselves and the Warriors Three." Loki began.
"Who says I am dressing up for anyone? Is a lady not allowed to look nice simply for her own enjoyment?" Sigyn retorted playfully.
"No, Loki is correct. You're smile is particularly enchanting this evening. Only the thought of a young man could be the cause." Thor teased while pulling a seat out for his sister.
"The cause of what?" Fandral asked curiously as Loki took the seat on Sigyn's left and Thor took the one next to Loki.
"The cause of Sigyn's particularly charming manners." Thor explained.
Sigyn rolled her eyes while Lady Sif and the Warriors Three smiled. They were all well accustomed to this game, and often partook in it.
"I see." Fandral chuckled. "So the Princess has finally bestowed her affections on a young man? Who could it be?"
"If she has fallen for someone what makes you think she would tell you?" Lady Sif countered.
"Because I am the very definition of secrecy. The young Lady could confide in me with no fear of her feelings being revealed to their recipient… unless of course she wished them to be made known." The blonde teased.
Hogun, even-keel as always, even joined in on the fun. "Since Sigyn has no intention of revealing the boy's identity we should piece together what we know of him."
"Well it must be someone we know." Loki began.
"Not necessarily." Thor contradicted. "He could be someone that she has seen in passing, or a young lad who rescued her from some wild beast before disappearing into the mist."
"Not likely." Loki interjected after taking a look at Sigyn's incredulous expression. "She is far too logical for that kind of romance. Although, there is the possibility that he could be a Light Elf in which case we would not be acquainted with him."
Volstagg took a brief moment between bites to interject his thoughts. "No, the Light Elves are too calm for Sigyn. She craves someone with a sense of adventure! He must be an Asgardian."
Sigyn raised an eyebrow at that. "Be careful how you speak Volstagg. It would be unwise to assume that every Light Elf falls into the same generic category, just as it would be unwise to assume that every Asgardain fits into the same mold."
"As Loki so adeptly proves." Sif pointed out, causing all of her companions, save Sigyn, to burst into laughter.
Loki decided to let the stinging comment slide, and instead raised his goblet in mock salute before taking a long drink. If the conversation was to continue in this same vein for the rest of the evening he was going to need a lot more wine.
"In all seriousness Sigyn, has there truly been no man worthy of your attentions?" Fandral finally asked after the laughter had died down.
Loki noticed the slightest hint of pink that graced Sigyn's cheeks at Fandral's query, and Loki began to suspect that perhaps their teasing was not so far off from the truth.
"There are plenty of men who are certainly worthy of my attentions." Sigyn replied in an elusive manner.
"Is someone avoiding the question?" Thor prompted.
"Technically she did answer it." Loki interceded. "Fandral asked if there were any men worthy of Sigyn's attentions, not if she had given them to someone." He pointed out.
Loki noticed that Sigyn seemed to relax a little, convincing him that there really was someone that she was interested in. The subject was shifted from teasing Sigyn to Thor's latest battle and Loki checked out mentally to ponder whom Sigyn might have feelings for. It was safe to assume that it was someone they were acquainted with since she refused to admit her feelings. She would have been more than happy to share the identity of the man if she was sure that no one involved in the conversation knew him. Beyond that Loki didn't have anything to go on. Their acquaintances on Asgard were numerous, giving him too many options to sort through. He decided that he would watch Sigyn carefully throughout the evening in hopes of finding a clue to her mystery man.
Odin rose to tell the first of many stories, cutting the chattering between Thor, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three short. The entire crowd grew silent as Odin began to recount the battles that occurred during the war with Jotunheim. Loki listened with some interest while the rest of the audience soaked it all in. Year after year the stories were retold, and no one was ever more engrossed in them than Thor. Loki assumed he, Sigyn, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three would have to suffer another week of Thor recounting the tales and boasting how one day when he was king he would finish the work that Odin had started by destroying Jotunheim permanently. Loki thought it was a bit unfair for Thor to automatically assume he would be the one to succeed Odin, but even he had to admit that it was probably a safe assumption. Odin and the people adored Thor, and though Loki was jealous of that fact, he couldn't begrudge his brother. It wasn't Thor's fault that his personality fell so in line with what Asgardian's desired in a king, and it wasn't his fault that Loki was so different. Loki's thoughts were drawn from the order of royal succession by nervous fidgeting from Sigyn. He looked to his right to see her staring at someone across the table. Loki quickly glanced to see who she was looking at, and cringed. The person whom Sigyn had been observing, and who was staring intently back, was none other than the self-proclaimed 'god of justice,' Forseti. Loki and the self-righteous Forseti had never been particularly close, and Loki momentarily feared that he might be the one that Sigyn was attracted to. A second glance at Sigyn's expression however, relieved Loki of this fear. Sigyn did not seem to be studying Forseti with a look of admiration, but one of confusion. Loki considered asking her what was wrong telepathically, but the end of Odin's final tale and the pronouncement that the dancing should begin forced him to postpone his query.
The first dance required Odin to dance with Frigga and Thor to dance with Sigyn leaving Loki to fend for himself in finding a dance partner. Usually he simply found a girl that looked slightly less intoxicated than the rest, and quite often she would also be the girl that he bedded that night. This evening he decided to ask one of the women that Thor had been making eyes at earlier simply to spite him. Loki was glad that the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Thor who sent a jealous look at Loki as the three couples stepped onto the dance floor. The song began, and Loki was relieved that he had picked a dance partner who seemed perfectly content to dance in silence. Thor and Sigyn on the other hand were a bit noisy. Sigyn giggled and Thor chuckled each time he dipped, lifted, or spun her around as if she weighed nothing. She was smaller than the other Asgardian women, so she was the only one to receive such special attention from Thor. After the first song was over Thor was obliged to dance with Frigga and Sigyn with Odin, leaving Loki to fend for himself yet again. To keep things simple he kept the same partner. The rest of the guests were only required to sit out the first dance, so couples began to pour onto the floor. The third dance saw Loki dancing with Frigga, Thor with the Lady Sif, and Sigyn with Fandral so it wasn't till the fourth dance that Loki could capture Sigyn's hand as a partner.
"So is it Fandral?" He asked as the opening notes of the song began to play.
"Is what Fandral?" She asked genuinely confused.
"Is he the man you have fallen for?"
Sigyn smiled. "Why are you so determined to believe that I have fallen for someone?"
"I wasn't inclined to believe it at first, but I caught your blush when Fandral asked if any man was worthy of your affections."
Sigyn's cheeks were once again flushed a light shade of pink. "Was I truly blushing?" She asked in an embarrassed tone.
"Like a bride." Loki teased.
"Well that is unfortunate…"
"So is it Fandral? You always dance your first free dance with him." Loki noted.
"Only because he does not mind." Sigyn argued.
"That does not answer my question." Loki pointed out.
"No, it is not Fandral."
"Is it safe to assume that I know him?"
Sigyn nodded, and Loki quickly spun her around.
"I see…" he replied as he brought her back in to him, "and if I am able to correctly determine his identity will you honestly own it?"
"Of course I will, though I must warn you that you could guess for millennia and never discover it."
"Then consider your challenge accepted."
The two danced in silence for a few moments when Forseti caught Loki's attention again.
"Would you like to explain to me why Forseti has been paying you so much attention this evening." Loki finally asked.
"To be honest I am just as baffled as you are. Every time I look away I seem to catch him staring at me." Sigyn admitted.
"He has never seemed that interested in you before." Loki commented.
"Not until these past few weeks." Sigyn agreed.
"These past few weeks!?" Loki asked in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"I have run into him frequently while strolling about the castle and while studying in the library."
"When were you planning on telling me this?" Loki asked in a reproachful tone.
"I didn't deem it to be that important. He usually kept his distance and he hardly ever spoke to me. I did sometimes feel that he might be watching me, but I wrote it off as paranoia. It is not as if we ever ran into each other in a place where it wouldn't make sense for him to be." She reasoned.
Loki locked eyes with Forseti, and a chill ran up his spine. This sudden interest in Sigyn didn't seem right to Loki. Something was off, and Loki intended to keep a close eye on him the rest of the evening.