When Sigyn and her children arrived in the Bifrost observatory, Loki wasn't with them. He'd gone ahead, to be Odin when they showed up. Fandral had been sent to welcome them to Asgard, and he was waiting for them in the observatory.
"Hello, Princess Sigyn." He flashed her a charming smile. Sigyn pressed her lips together in frustration. She knew he was attracted to her, but she'd made it extremely clear when Loki was alive that she was not up for grabs. He probably thought things had changed, though, with Loki "dead". He sauntered over, offering her an arm. "It is good to see your face, after so long a banishment," he purred, as Sigyn ignored him, and started leading her children down the Bifrost bridge.
"I offer my greatest condolences for your loss." He continued, keeping in step with her. "I know how much he meant to you. He was one of my closest friends, as well."
Sigyn rolled her eyes. "Liar." She mumbled under her breath. Fandral had never liked Loki.
"Perhaps we could talk over our grief, sometime, over luncheon?" Fandral suggested.
"Perhaps not." Sigyn smiled icily at him.
"Princess, what do you have against me?" Fandral wondered in exasperation.
Sigyn turned to face him. "Hm. I do wonder what you've done." She growled. "It's not like never having a kind word to say about my husband would repel me from you. Not as if you'd tried to seduce me from the love of my life, and pitied me for being married to him. It's not as if you're still trying to seduce me, in front of my children, to boot. No, I can't imagine why I can't stand you."
Fandral glared at her impatiently. "You could've just said so."
"I just did." Sigyn gave him a stretched smile, and teleported herself and her children to the throne room. Odin/Loki was waiting for her on the throne. "Greetings, Princess Sigyn."
"Allfather." Sigyn inclined her head, and sank to one knee, her children following suit. "Thank you for allowing us back to your realm."
Odin/Loki nodded. "Of course, you remember Bree?"
Sigyn glanced up in excitement, scanning the throne room for the first friend she'd made in Asgard, excluding Hodir. She was standing behind a pillar, and gave Sigyn a small wave.
"She will escort you back to your chambers, if you wish it." Odin/Loki stated, a twinkle in his eye. "If not, you're free to roam around the palace grounds as you see fit, and she'll take your luggage to your chambers."
"Thank you." Sigyn grinned, and jumped to her feet, rushing over to her handmaiden. "Bree! I've missed you!" She wrapped her friend in a hug.
"You, too, Sigyn." Bree smiled. "Are these your children?"
Sigyn nodded, gesturing for them to come forward. "This is Sleipnir and Jormungandir." She introduced. "Sleepy, Gandhi, this is my friend and handmaiden, Brianna Iwaldisdotir."
"You can call me Bree." She assured them. "It's lovely to meet you. Now, Princess, would you like me to show you to your rooms, or just take your luggage?"
Sigyn glanced down at her two children. "Um… let's go to our rooms, for now. We can show them the palace tomorrow."
Bree nodded, and led them from the throne room.
"Do you know how Nanna's doing?" Sigyn asked eagerly. "Norns, I haven't heard from her in forever."
Bree nodded. "She's officially moved back to Vanaheim, but she's here on a visit to her brother."
Sigyn clapped her hands in glee. "Oh, huzzah! I can't wait to talk to her! And how have you been?"
Bree smiled brightly, and held up her wrist, a bright scarlet ribbon wrapped around it. Sigyn's jaw dropped. "You're… married? Bree, that's amazing! Who is it?"
Bree flushed slightly. "You don't know him, but his name's Hestor."
"I am going to want to hear everything." Sigyn proclaimed.
Gandhi gagged in disgust at all things related to romance. Bree held open the door for them, and, with a start, Sigyn realized Odin/Loki had commanded for them to be in the same room Sigyn and Loki had shared for the two years they'd lived together on Asgard. Walking into that room brought back a flood of memories for her.
"There's been a lot of laughter in this room. And a lot of tears." She trailed her fingers along the spines of the books on the shelf.
Bree nodded in agreement, helping the children with their baggage. "The children's rooms are just across the hall, Sigyn," she informed her, before curtsying and scurrying out of the room. Sleepy and Gandhi climbed onto the big, curtained bed, and stared around the room in detached interest.
"I'm hungry, Mother." Gandhi announced after a few minutes. Sigyn had been expecting this, and pulled two packages of animal crackers from her purse, and handed them to her children. They munched happily as she started setting her things around the room. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, accompanied by giggles and shushing. Sigyn opened it to reveal Loki and Vali, the latter laughing like a lunatic.
"Va, you've got to be quiet, or you'll blow our cover." Loki laughed softly. "Any servant could come along, right now, and see us."
"Sorry…" Vali giggled. "It's just… your own father! It's so funny!" Loki shook his head, and slipped into the room, a bright smile on his face. "Beloved."
"Melleth." Sigyn grinned, closing the door behind the two boys.
"Vali!" Sleipnir and Gandhi squealed, bolting across the floor, and wrapping their brother in a hug. "We missed you!" Gandhi declared imperiously, while holding out a handful of his animal crackers.
Vali smiled happily, accepting the snack. "Hi, guys."
"You wanna play a game with us, Vali?" Sleepy asked, bouncing excitedly on her toes.
Gandhi gently touched Sleipnir on the shoulder. "You're it." He announced, before bolting away. The three children darted around the room, until Loki opened the door, and shooed them out, closing the door behind them. Mischievously, he turned back to Sigyn. "Well… they're gone. Now what?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll come up with something…" Sigyn sighed, flopping onto the bed.
"We ought to get our things." He pointed out.
Sigyn nodded. "I was actually working on that before you showed up."
"Am I too distracting for you, Sig?" He grinned wickedly, laying down beside her.
"I think it's the other way around." Sigyn smirked, gently touching his nose. "I mean, I'm not the one who's supposed to be sitting on the throne, right now, am I?"
"Fair point." Loki nodded resting his head on her shoulder. "Do you know how utterly exhausting it is to run a realm?"
Sigyn smirked. "I know how exhausting it is to parent, so, maybe a little?"
"Maybe a little." Loki agreed. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, before Loki sat up. "I just love procrastinating, don't you?" He smiled ruefully, before slipping off the bed. "I'll see you tonight, yes?"
When Sigyn went to fetch the children, she found Vali and Gandhi in the garden, but Sleepy was nowhere to be seen.
"Boys, it's dinner time." She told them. "Do you know where your sister is?"
Vali nodded. "She's with Lady Nanna. They're singing."
Sigyn's eyebrows shot up, and she followed the sound of soft singing until she found her daughter sitting next to the Vanir woman, singing an Asgardian tune together. "Hi, Mother!" Sleepy waved. Nanna gave her a soft smile.
"Princess Sigyn." She stood up, dropping a curtsey. "I'm very sorry for your loss."
Sigyn nodded. "Thank you, Nanna. How have you been?"
"I'm… I'm alright." The smile dropped from her face. Sigyn knew she'd never really gotten over Balder's death, and nobody had heard her laugh since that fateful day. "And you?"
"About as well as can be expected." Sigyn sighed, sitting down next to her friend. "I'm expecting another child, next spring."
"Congratulations." Nanna acknowledged. "Is it… his?"
Sigyn nodded.
"I worry for Thor's beloved." Nanna sighed.
Sigyn widened her eyes. She had a point, actually. All of Odin's children died, and left the women they loved alone, besides Thor. "That was really dark, Nanna."
"Was it?" She cringed. "I'm sorry." She glanced down at her hands. "In happier topics, your daughter has amazing potential in her voice. With proper training, she could probably be a siren."
"Really?" Sigyn smiled at Sleepy, who grinned in pride. "That's great, Sleepy. I'm sorry, Nanna, I can't talk for long, dinner's waiting for them up in our rooms."
"It was nice to see you." Nanna smiled.
"You, too." Sigyn grinned, and led her daughter back toward the palace.
TheOnlyHuman.