Deep underground, in a metallic bunker that hadn't been made specifically for this sort of occurrence, the once Avengers, protectors of the world stood around a newspaper, it was tattered and the ink had run from being left in the weather for so long. It wasn't even called a newspaper anymore, it was just a vessel for propaganda. Natasha clicked her tongue, her hands on her hips as she stared down at it.

Propaganda.

Natasha, being Russian, was used to that sort of thing. She'd learned, unlike so many millions of others, to ignore the words of the press, the words of the leaders, to trust the small people and seek the truth - it's why she had become such an excellent worker in her field. But even now, as she looked upon the paper, she realized that even she believed it - even if only a little bit.

"His royal Highness Loki Laufeyson, heir to Asgard and Jotunheim, and his Queen, Lady Sigyn of Vanaheim to expect the first heir of Midgard."

"Didn't I say this would happen?" Tony muttered to no one but himself, Natasha had no use for cynicism and so chose to ignore him and the others followed suit, "Didn't I say that she couldn't be trusted? I mean, she's MRS Loki, why did we- no wait, you, think for one second she'd actually help us out?"

"She is helping, Tony." Natasha said quietly, the cogs in her mind were working overtime and she felt as if she stopped, it meant she would come crashing down. "She's pregnant, it's natural. It doesn't mean she isn't doing what we asked her to."

"No, it means we willingly gave over the only thing that could have possibly stopped the Mad King's reign of terror... Right into his hands!" Tony's voice raised and Natasha sighed, her hand travelling up to her forehead where she placed it as she looked on at the meltdown of the Stark man. "We literally gave him our pawn, actually gave it to him-"

"She's not a pawn, Tony." Steve said, breaking his silence.

"Well not always but she was!"

"And who is 'she'? The cat's mother?" Natasha snapped, her cool demeanour fading for one moment before she coughed and regained her once ice cool posture, the placid calm wave washed over her once more, and her eyes returned to their natural state of being almost like a cat in the way she saw things, understood how everything worked. Something she had inherited, and something that she had learned to do from years of hardness.

"We should go there." Steve said, and she couldn't help but arch one perfect eyebrow in his direction. Now Natasha knew he had a soft spot for her, but it had been almost a year since they had last seen each other - coupled with the fact that Sigyn, his lovely Sigyn, was married, expecting a child and if they were to step foot out of the wastelands then they would surely be shot on sight.

"No, we can't." Natasha breathed, "It's out of the question. We can't jeopardize each other's safety for this, we need to keep a balance."

"A balance?" Tony said calmly, almost too calmly. "A balance, of what exactly? Her out there, living the life of luxury whilst we live underground and are pretty much - no definitely going to die here?"

"Life of luxury..." Bruce trailed off, and Natasha sighed in relief at the fact that he spoke again. Silence had taken over Bruce for the longest time, and Natasha was shrouded in weariness for him. The man was ill, though getting better, still their voice of reason when even she wasn't able to rationalize.

"Yes, obviously." Tony said with less venom, it was a crime among their small circle to treat Bruce with anything other than respect.

"No, look here." Bruce dragged his chair forward and pointed towards the exact fourth page of the paper, it read almost like a scroll - Natasha felt like they were living in the middle ages, or some terrible HBO show. She wondered if HBO even existed, and if it did what they aired now. "Under the royal decree of her Ladyship, Princess Sigyn Freyjasdottir of Vanaheim declares, with the support of his Royal Highness Loki of Asgard, Jotunheim and Midgard, that anyone who is to harm a woman, whether they be his ladywife or kin, friend or foe, is to be punished for their crimes of treason against the Queen."

"Treason?" Steve whispered, "It's disgusting, yes... Anyone who hurts a lady is no man in my book, but how is it treason?"

"Because she's got a superiority complex like her husband." Tony stated nonchalantly.

"Or just exercising her power to the limit." Steve said, his voice horrified, all affection gone as the thought of Sigyn being a murderous tyrant, just as her husband was, flashed across his mind.

"No." Natasha whispered, her voice becoming strong as her sentences went on. It all made sense now, why Sigyn had been so quiet, she was doing exactly what she had sad - or at least she hoped. 'A better place for generations down the line' echoed in her mind, the near exact words she had said to Sigyn all those months ago, and by George, she was trying. She really was. It was just a pity that she couldn't do something that would be effective soon. "She's making the world equal, she's making everyone the same. She's making it... safe."

"If the world's equal then we should be able to come out and kick Mommy's Boy out of our world, Natasha." Tony said, his voice raising a little bit.

"No, we need to wait."

"Oh? And how long exactly?"

"Until it's time." Bruce replied for her, easily, his words coming out were now less painful to hear and more like that of a friend who had had a bad night. "Look, wait until the baby's born, then we can rise up or do whatever it is you think, Tony, but until then - let her do her work."

"Any more requests?" Tony drawled sarcastically.

"Yes, we need to keep an eye out. I feel like there's something big on the horizon."

"I think we all do." Steve agreed, and they each except for Tony nodded their heads.

"Lord Eisenhardt will return in good time, my love." Loki whispered as Sigyn blew out the flame of the candle. Their bedchambers had been restored to their former green and snake-covered glory, and she could not have been happier. Sliding in between the sheets for the first time in days had been refreshing, and what was even more refreshing was knowing that she had no more responsibility. Just the ones she had given herself, and would never give up.

"I do hope so, he's the only one I can tolerate." She muttered, turning her face into Loki's shoulder blade.

"Oh? Do I have any reason to be jealous?"

"Loki, I am the size of a whale without the child in my stomach, I have little knowledge and I scare easily, I do not think any other man in the kingdom would look twice at me, or woman for that matter."

Loki scoffed in amusement as he adjusted the blankets, pulling up the furs so both were completely covered. His nightshirt was itchy against Sigyn's skin but she didn't move, her day had been too tiring. She had no idea how hard it would actually be maneuvering around with a baby in her belly, and she found herself getting out of breathe easily. However she loved it, she loved her child more than anything in the world and it had not even been born. Sometimes she would sit for hours on end with a hand on her stomach and the other on a dagger, incase someone was to approach her and kill them both. It sounded stupid, incredibly so, but since she had been left as Regent, if only for a week, she had begun to understand Loki's paranoia. That and the fact that one Lord in particular seemed to look upon her with venom and as if he had a plan in his mind that involved her demise. Most likely so he could marry one of his daughters or his sisters to the King and thus take her place and seat of power. And earn yet another place in the Midgardian Court. Baron Strucker was a despicable man and each time Sigyn thought of him a new way of torturing him entered her once relatively innocent mind. By the gods, she hated him.

"Something else troubles you." He muttered against her cheek, before pressing a soft kiss to her temple, "What is it?"

"Strucker." She answered immediately, and even though it was dark, Sigyn could have sworn she saw him roll his eyes.

"Gods, not again." He groaned, his hands covering his face for a brief moment, "What could possibly bother you now?" In regards to him."

"Why does he stare at me as if he is more important? Why does he think I am weak just because I'm a woman?"

"Because it's the way they are bred, my dearest."

"No." Sigyn replied harshly, "No that is not good enough. What is the true reason?"

"That is the true reason, now hush and get some sleep."

"I won't 'hush' until you tell me." She said in a childish tone, but didn't let up. Loki groaned, sighed and turned to face her, laying on his left side.

"What makes you think he is not more important than you?" He asked, and Sigyn didn't know if he wanted to make her feel small, and insignificant. If it was his intention to put her back into her place, which was apparently lower than everyone else in the kingdom.

"Well, because..."

"Because what?" He asked, in what seemed to be a genuinely questioning tone.

"Because..." She trailed, unable to find the words, before they struck her like a lightning bolt and she knew in her heart exactly what she was, exactly who she was and exactly why she could never allow someone to walk over her and dispute her beliefs again, her true heritage shined through in a feat that would have made her ancestors proud, her once bad way with words was long forgotten, even if it was for only a split moment in the bedchambers enraptured in the arms of Loki Laufeyson.

"Because I am Sigyn Freyjasdottir, I am Queen of Midgard, I am Princess of Asgard. I am the rightful heir to Vanaheim." She began, her voice raising as she grew more confident, "I am a Goddess, Loki. I'm a Princess, I deserve more than any man. I have lived through more than any man, I have sacrificed my life for men. I am not indebted to the opposite sex, quite the contrary! They are indebted to me. They should be thankful that me, and other women of course, even exist. They should be ecstatic that the Norns created such creatures, for we are delicate and gentle and despite all the pain and hardships you put as through, we still accept you into our lives!"

Loki stared, a bemused smile on his face as Sigyn rose to sit up, her hands folded in her lap as she stared ahead of her with a newfound sense of purpose, as if a shroud that covered her vision had finally been lifted. She cocked her head to the side slightly before turning to face him, her finger pointing at him as her face gave away a new air of majesty and power.

"He should bow down to me, Loki, they should all bow down to me. And I in turn to them, since they are my people. I give them my life, and they give me theirs. I learn to protect them and love them, treat them as though they are my equals, they are not my slaves, Loki. They are my people, and I will love and protect them until the day I die. But a man like Strucker? No, he is not my people. He is foul, he is vile. I cannot tolerate a man who would deny my people their basic rights, a man who would look down upon me because I am a mere woman. Perhaps because I am weak, yes. Timid, also yes, but a woman? Never."

Loki's eyes sparkled as he looked upon his wife, a cheerful laugh escaping his lips for the first time in quite a while. She seemed genuinely frustrated, no doubt the cause of the baby. For some peculiar reason the child seemed to be taking a toll on her psyche, but then Loki remembered that this child was a source of unimaginable power - hopefully, due to being mixed of all kinds of races, having the pure blood of the Vanir and Jotunn royal family, both renowned for their skills in the art of sorcery and spells. The child would be a testament to him as a father, so he hoped. And hopefully a testament to Sigyn, too but he knew though only thought that occupied her mind about the baby was how she would coddle it when it arrived and be proud to just hold it in her arms. Motherhood would hopefully be becoming of her, and maybe help her back into her shell. Not to say that he didn't enjoy the new found fire in her belly, but he found himself missing the comfort of the insecure girl he had loved in the beginning, the safety he felt in knowing that she would never leave him, that she too had her own worries and thoughts that kept her up at night, it made her all the more perfect in his mind. And all the more like him, finally he had met someone whom he could identify with, though he would never tell her. That would give her power over him, and he preferred no one to have power over him. But that was besides the point, Sigyn already knew he loved her and that was enough.

"You certainly feel strongly about this, don't you?" He asked quietly, his eyebrow arching as he pulled her into his arms, "I truly had no clue as to how much all this could mean to you."

"Truly?" She asked quietly, adjusting the furs so once again they covered both their bodies completely.

"Yes, and I also had no idea how suited you were to being a Queen. Leading was born into you, my love, you are the shining example of what the Vanir Queens were once renowned for. It's a pity that the kingdom no longer stands, because I have no qualms in believing that you would easily restore it to its former glory." He said, all the while in his mind he believed his words. It was true, she was strong underneath all the quietness she had developed in her years. "And tomorrow once I sit back on my throne, I shall do everything in my power to make sure what you wish comes true."

"I do not rely on you, Loki, but let it be known - if that doesn't happen, then I shall make sure it does myself. With or without your help."

And with that, she collapsed onto his chest and fell into a deep sleep, allowing him to paw his hands through her icy white hair and stare at the ceiling. Perhaps her ambition would aid in his downfall. Where was the mousey little girl who followed him around like a lost puppy? How could he find her again?

"Your father is to arrive soon, my lady!" Sigyn's handmaiden called out as she wandered about her rooms, a new living area complete with a crackling fire and seats made out of the finest feathers and fur, large bookcases complete with every book imaginable and a desk which currently held various slices of poetry she had written in a stupor as she rose that morning to find her husband already doing his duties once more.

"I know!" She cried in reply, sliding on a decidedly green dress with a cloak over the top, brushing her hair back into a rather messy and slightly sloppy looking braid in an attempt to appear finished. "But we have another week for that, do we not? Now come on, Anita, I have to find Amora before the middle of the day arrives..."

"I don't understand why you are so Hel-bent on this, my lady." Anita sighed, she had reached a level of friendliness with the Queen that no one else had, aside from the mysterious flamed-haired woman named Jean, Anita was fastly becoming her only friend. She was already much more than a maid to Sigyn, she was now a confidant and a trusted person to keep close by. But due to her training and years of service, Anita had learned that addressing her by her rightful title was only proper and a habit she would not drop.

"Because I realize now that in order to be equal with my people, I first need to amend my wrongs. I need to give Amora her livelihood back. She was merely doing what she could to secure a place of safety and power for herself, something that I can't hold grudges for. Only admire her dedication and will power." Sigyn muttered, nearly all to herself as she swiped the glass vial-cum-jar filled with the beautiful looking purple liquid and held it tightly in her hand. "Now come on, Anita, we've got other things to do too."

"Yes, My Lady." Anita sighed, her disdain for the task obvious in her voice and Sigyn's face softened considerably at her tone.

"Oh, Anita, I am sorry. I've been treating you like a carthorse, it's unfair of me. You don't have to come if you don't wish, it's just I think I'd quite... well, I think I need the company. If I'm honest," Sigyn's voice lowered as she leaned closer, "I'm positively terrified of Amora. I think that if I'm there on my own I'll burst into tears at the very sight of her!"

"Oh, my Queen! Don't be so silly, you are a strong woman, Amora is simply another of your kind."

"Oh she's not, she truly isn't, she was born strong... I was born a weak little child, I still am at heart, I just learned how to lie." Sigyn smiled sadly, wrapping her arms around herself before she shook her head and swept out of the door, calling behind her, "Follow me if you wish!"

Anita stared at the whirl of skirts that was once her lady, who now travelled down the hall all by her lonesome on a very own self-appointed quest.

"Skurge." Sigyn said quietly, approaching the man at his office, as the primary advisor to the King he of course was kept living in luxury, but his office left much to be desired. "May I ask you a question."

"Of course, my Queen, you may ask whatever it is that takes your fancy." He said, bowing his head slightly. Sigyn blushed wildly in embarrassment.

"Do you know the whereabouts of Lady Amora? I wish to speak with her-"

"Alas she cannot do much speaking, my Queen." Skurge said with a hint of venom, causing Sigyn's heartbeat to rush and a pit to open up in her stomach. Oh how she felt so bad for the months, nearly a year, of pain she had put Amora through.

"That is why I want to see her, I have a gift to give... Well it is not so much a gift but something I feel she deserves, and would like to give myself."

"In that case she will be in the gardens towards the west wing, she spends most of her time there these days. It is quiet, no one visits, she can be alone and free to shed her tears." He said solemnly and Sigyn found herself at a loss for words, nodding her head three times before she breathed in deeply and left the room, allowing Skurge to sit back at his desk and revise the documents that Loki had handed him this morning.

It was true, the gardens of the west wing were absolutely beautiful, a true sight to behold. Sigyn looked above and saw the tower which she once attempted to fling herself off in a fit of madness, and then looked down upon the rose bush that she would have landed in, her body beautifully broken lying in a patch of flora that would contrast with the viciousness of her death. The whole garden was covered in flowers, mostly blue, some dark and some light, though all icy and distant. She adjusted her cloak around her, her fingers feeling their way against the walls of the palace as she took small and slow steps towards the marble bench in the middle of the garden on which a solitary blonde figure sat, Sigyn could only see the back of her head but she knew it to be Amora, the once dignified stance had slumped and now she looked as though she was a withered old woman waiting for death, as though all that had been her reason for living had been snatched from her.

Sigyn felt tears rise in her eyes.

"Amora?" She asked, relatively loudly as she broke the equilibrium of the wind rustling the leaves and few birds chirping. The woman turned around, her once sharp eyes now dulled with sadness landed upon Sigyn, "Amora."

The blonde lady cocked her head to the side as if to regard her.

"I understand, deep in my heart, that I never had any reason to be jealous of you. And I'm not sure that it even was jealousy, purely fear..." Sigyn began, her eyes dropping to her hands multiple times before she finally lifted her blue orbs to stare into the eyes of the woman she wished so much to see as her equal, "I was terrified of you, of your beauty and power. Of how you were so much more than me, and still are! You did inexcusable things to me, but I can understand why. I don't wish to hold grudges, I wish only to be the same as you."

Amora blinked, a tear forming in her left eye as she looked down at Sigyn's hands, who had now drawn the glass jar out of her sleeve.

"I know I am doing the right thing, to deny you your voice is to deny you your life. And you truly do deserve life, for if I am to go on living in harmony I cannot let a foolish mistake made by the mind of a little girl still continue to linger." Sigyn whispered the last part, drawing the cork out of the top of the jar, "And so I wish to give you back the thing you deserve, and I hope you can accept it and forgive me."

And with that, the purple liquid vapours into a mist that floated towards its rightful owner, whom closed her eyes and opened her mouth, accepting the magic into her body once more. Sigyn saw the purple light go down her throat and settle in her chest, and Amora shook her head as she pressed her fingers to her lips.

"Sigyn..." She said quietly, her voice hoarse from lack of use, "I cannot thank you enough. You have shown mercy today, I do not know mercy. Nor do I ever wish to experience it again, but I thank you."

"Please don't." Sigyn said with a sad smile before she rose to her feet, and left without a word. She hoped in her heart that she had made the right decision, and that there would be no more animosity between the two.

Inside the throne room sat Loki with a decidedly bored expression on his face. One of the farmers from the Southern Countries had come to express his inability to grow crops, blaming it on insufferable heat that seemed to be affecting only the farming land down south. Loki had a rough idea of what it could be, either the Asgardians trying to corrupt his reign by not allowing some source of food to be grown, or Thanos had grown angry with him and was showing him a warning sign. He decided to take no chances, and decided he would talk with Thanos once Iwaldi had been and gone.

"Thank you, milord, thank you for being so gracious and understanding, we are forever-" The farmer said, on his eyes as he spoke with his face tilted towards the ground in fear of ever setting eyes upon his sovereign.

"That's quite enough, you may go. I will see to it that your farm land prospers in the next season." Loki drawled out, waving his hand as the guards grabbed the farmer by his shoulders and took him from the throne room.

"Messrs Lawrence and Howlett, milord." The Knight said who had been given the task of reading out those who were to visit Loki on that day to pledge their problems. In walked one tall man and one short one, both resembling wolves slightly in the way they carried themselves and the way their hair was styled. But as soon as they reached the center of the room, the door once again creaked open, rather quickly despite its massive size and a cornet sounded.

"The Lord Eisenhardt of the Deutsch country presents himself to King Loki of Midgard." The announcer stated suddenly, and Messrs Lawrence and Howlett were extracted from the middle of the room by the guards and shown off to the side door, whilst Max Eisenhardt, in all his Lordship, walked to the middle of the room and knelt down on one knee just before the dais.

"My King."

"My lord, what is it? You have returned from your travels early." Loki stated, rising from his throne to walk down the dais and offer his hand to Eisenhardt, who accepted with a gracious 'thank you'.

"There are whisperings, even more so, about the outcasts who live on Bjod Morna. " Wasteland. The word of the old tongue. Loki had chosen it as no memories could ever be thought of if the place was called a wasteland, as it truly was in his mind.

"Well, parts of Bjod Morna are to be given to my Father-In-Law, he can deal with them. And if they prove too much trouble, I shall ride in with the Drengrs" Warriors, "And smite them."

"Very well, my King, I simply felt as though as I must tell you as soon as I could. And also I was instructed that I must return back to the my Lands, or I fear I may never regain control of the villagers." He smirked, his eyebrow quirking as Loki let out a laugh.

"Yes, you serve your purpose well. Make sure there is not further uproar over little petty things, because I see that Lord Dalle cannot look after his own post in my kingdom, it may serve me well to rid myself of him and place you in his place."

"And have twice as many lands?" Eisenhardt smirked, and Loki nodded.

"Of course, a few people will have to be silenced, Dalle in particular, but I can make amends for someone so loyal as you."

"That you can, my King, that you can."

The door once again creaked open, and the guards rushed forward as the small figure of Sigyn, pushing all her weight against the heavy dark doors came into view and Loki groaned. How embarrassing! It was rather sweet, in its own way, too, to see her struggle to do things and have others appear to help her because her own stubbornness had landed her in such an awkward situation in the first place.

"If you'll excuse me, I believe I have a visitor in the form of a Queen." he muttered to himself, gracefully stepping off the daïs and making his way towards Sigyn. Eisenhardt followed behind him, before he dropped to his knees in front of the Queen.

"My Lady, I pledge fealty to you and your child." As he spoke his words, the rest of the people in the great throne room dropped to their feet, except Loki who merely stood with his hands clasped behind his back and the looked which Sigyn had dubbed as 'the king face' upon his features.

"Oh, goodness, I thank you..." She said quietly, not quite knowing what to do as every person in the room repeated his words of 'fealty' and 'child'. Eisenhardt lifted his head and saw that Sigyn look terrified, and rose to his feet his a hearty chuckle, taking once last bow towards Loki as the rest of the men in the room rose to their feet.

"I shall be seeing you shortly, my King." He said with a smirk and began to walk the length of the room, leaving Loki to drag Sigyn along by the forearm back to the throne which sat at the back of the room, her seat also by the side, though nowhere near as extravagant as his.

"What is it that brings you to me today?" He asked as he sat down on his Throne, leaving Sigyn to sit the edge of her own chair.

"I did something today." She said quietly, "I gave Amora back her voice."

"You... Why?" He asked simply, confused for the first time in an age. "Why would you possibly do that?"

"Because she deserved it. She needed it. I couldn't keep it away from her." She replied quietly, shrugging her shoulders.

"But, Sigyn, of all she did to you-"

"Please leave it there." She said suddenly, though still in her quiet voice, "I believe there are more important things to discuss."

"Oh?" He asked, his interest peaking as he leaned back, both hands on each rest and one leg draped over the other, gratuitously showing himself off to her no doubt as she rolled her eyes.

"The name."

"The name?" He arched his eyebrow.

"What the name shall be!" She cried, pointing at her stomach which earned a great laugh from him.

"You believe that's the most important thing?" He asked in disbelief.

"Of course." She replied stubbornly, but before he could reply Sigyn had already gone off on a tirade, "I was thinking that for a boy Narfi would be perfect, don't you agree? Like the little boy we once met so many years ago, he was so innocent and sweet and I hope my baby will be like that-"

'My baby', just the way she said it made it known to him that this was her child. He may be the father, but the child was hers and would never truly be completely his. She would stand over his dead body for that baby, it meant everything to her, perhaps holding on to it was the only thing that kept her sane.

"And I think that Dagný would be perfect for my little girl, since she was the mother of Thorstein."

She had been consulting her story books, she was trying to weave what the Midgardians called a fairytale.

"I do hope it's a girl, Loki, I'd love it to be a little girl. I could name her Mardöll, after my mother..."

"Ah yes, one of the many names the humans once gave to her." He spat, bearing his dislike for her mother plain to which she merely waved a hand in his face. "We could name her Signý, after her own mother."

Sigyn's eyes travelled up to his face, impressed by the affection he showed for her in such a public place, and placed her hand in his own as he smiled gently at her, overcome with sudden emotion that she seemed to radiate.

"As I was saying, Unna, since it means joy..."

"And she surely shall be a source of joy." He said sarcastically, but Sigyn did not pick up on his words, besides he was far too much enjoying the impressive amount of passion she was putting into this. Names were transcendent to him and they hadn't even crossed his mind, if he was honest.

"Eilína as well since she was Queen..." Sigyn's speech went on and on, and Loki's interest waned considerably as time went on but he still listened to every name she had to offer, all of course from the old language, or all from the old stories and tales from before even they were born. But one thing that did not wane was the enjoyment he seemed to get out of listening to her speak for hours on end that would make the average man bored out of his wits

If there was one thing he could be certain of was that her joy and blatant love for the baby and somehow him would never grow boring. In a strange turn of events, the frost giant found his heart warmed by the prospect of a family that he could truly call his own.

So sorry for the long wait! Again, I'll reply to the reviews in the next chapter - which won't be too far away I hope as I've got my muse back!

Thank you all so very very much for the kind words you've said to me regarding the predicament I found myself in, and I'm proud to say that this story is now going to be my vessel for my recovery. So when I say to my children about how I got over Bulimia and Depression, I'll be able to say "There was once a website called and it was filled with kind people who's passion for my writing made me want to live..."

So thank you all so very, VERY much! You've effectively saved me by reading my work!

Also, I have one more request, I think it'll also involve you all the story a little bit too, but of the names Sigyn has listed, which do you prefer? As you can tell I'm going for a slightly different route the myth (But all shall be revealed why in good time)

Thank you all so much again, and don't forget to review etc! xxx