Sigyn heard her parents entering her rooms as she sank further into the bath, she dipped her head under the water just as she heard her father demand to speak with her. She took a moment to think of what to say while under the water, only to feel herself being yanked violently through it, causing her to open her mouth in shock before reaching the surface and coughing as she tried to expel the fluid from her lungs.
'What in Hel were you doing?' Her father demanded, holding onto her.
It took Sigyn a moment to realise her father was the one holding onto her and used her seidr to cover herself with some clothing. 'What in Hel were you doing?' She retorted as she got her breath back. 'I was in here, having a bath and you come in and pull me out of it.'
'You were under the water, not sitting up in it. I knew it, I knew that hag coming here would set you back. Just her being here caused you to think to take your life.'
'What? I was not trying to drown myself, you idiot, I was just relaxing. I do that every time I bathe.'
'You submerge yourself, do you have gills you never informed us of?'
'I could have and screamed it from the rooftops and you would not have noticed.' She used her seidr to dry and dress herself and stormed out of her bathroom and into her bedroom. 'What possessed you to come into my bathroom anyway, you're my father.'
'Your maids heard nothing from you and were worried, excuse me for being concerned for my daughter.'
'Are you starting to get a conscience, or was it that you were worried I would shame you more with my doing away with myself?'
'Do not start this, you were progressing well.' Frigga pleaded.
'Because I stopped fighting and allowed myself be dictated to, I am making do.'
'Is that all Fandral is, "making do"?'
Sigyn glared at her mother, 'Fandral has been nothing short of caring and honest to me since this began. If it were not for him and Thor...' It was the truth, Fandral did not lie about his intentions from the beginning and had been supporting her even when he did not know why she was so upset. She smiled sadly as she shook her head. 'He really is a good man.'
'Not a rascal, then?'
Sigyn looked at her father. 'He had his time playing around, he admits that himself, but a rascal is not indicative of whether or not a man is truly of good or bad character when he is not wed and never attempted to tempt married women, in fact, I see that as points in his favour.'
Odin and Frigga shared a look. 'About Anastasia.' She eyed her mother carefully. 'This lunch…'
'It is not happening.' Odin stared at his wife, having not heard of the plan between his aunt and his daughter before then, 'Absolutely not.'
'Yes, it is.' Sigyn's parents looked at her. 'Fandral will be there, I just want to talk to her. We are going.'
'Fandral?' Odin turned to Frigga, who nodded. 'You never told him?'
'How can I?' She tilted her neck up, where her collar necklace remained in place. 'You have your little insurance policy on me.'
'You cannot ruin a chance of happiness for yourself, Sigyn.'
'You are shoving me to my wedding vows, why? Why are you forcing this?' She asked since her father never even explained himself.
'If you really love him, what does it matter?'
'Because you took my joy from me.' Odin scoffed. 'I was supposed to get the proposal, the moment of shocked excitement, of giving my consent to it, that was mine to have, and you took it.'
Odin seemed startled by her comment. 'I did not realise.' That startled her. 'In our role as royals, proposals are not a norm, I didn't realise it was something a Princess would want.' Sigyn said nothing. 'I apologise.' Her eyes widened. 'We just want what is best for you, for you to be happy and to act as one of your position should. I did not want you sent off realm as a bargaining piece.' Sigyn bit her tongue, she was in no mood to argue. 'I am concerned this lunch will hurt you more than be good for you.'
Sigyn frowned. 'Why?'
Her father looked into her eyes for a few moments, as though searching for something. 'You don't...you do not need Anastasia attempting to mention the past in front of Fandral.'
'I think you are underestimating Aunt Ana's intelligence, she never would say anything for fear of causing me undue stress.' Sigyn dismissed.
'Thor has not seen her in some time, it is only right he be there also.' Frigga stated.
Sigyn raised a brow before shrugging. 'Fine, I just want to spend time with her, I don't care if it is at a realm dinner or just lunch, I just want to spend time with her.'
'She is a bad influence.'
'She is nearing five thousand years old, she is hardly going to suggest we go flying on dragons.' Sigyn dismissed.
'Still, I do not want her starting anything.'
'Well, I doubt she will, but if you think Thor being there will assist your agenda, then do so.' She suggested. 'And never come into my bathroom again when I am bathing, you're my father.'
'I never planned to do so, to begin with. But when your maids said you were in here and had not made any noise in over ten minutes and you did not answer when I called you, I thought the worst. The last thing I was concerned about was your state of dress.'
Sigyn said nothing more on the matter and looked at herself to ensure she was adequately dressed before stating she had to meet Fandral before going to lunch with Anastasia.
'Enter.' Anastasia ordered as she readied to see her great niece. She had expected the knock on her door and smiled at who entered. 'Well, you could have warned me of this Fandral boy.'
Thor bowed his head slightly. 'My last correspondence was at risk of interception, I could not risk it.'
'Our hands are being forced quicker than we want, but no matter. This will be fixed soon. I need you to do something for me.'
'Of course, anything.'
Anastasia smiled. 'You have changed so much. You will be a far greater King than your father and my brother ever were. You have compassion, true empathy, something they never had.' She put her hand on his arm. 'When your father steps down, Asgard will flourish under you.'
'If he finds out….'
'Sigyn and I will never allow you suffer for this, not when she realises what you have done for her. She is as loyal to you as you are to her and her family.'
