AN: Thank you for the reviews! Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Over the next few years, Sigyn and Loki became more familiar with one another. They spoke at banquets as she poured his wine, and discussed favourite songs or stories as she cleaned the throne room. On one occasion, she had giggled with the other maids when Loki cast an enchantment on The Warriors Three, turning them into a trio of goats that scampered about the courtyard. She had blushed when she saw Loki half dressed one night, after he angrily burst out of his room when Thor awoke him in a drunken stupor. He had felt his heart rate quicken when he saw her during the jubilee of Odin's reign, dressed in a lilac gown with a deep back. She had even accepted a dance with him, but requested that they stay off to the side ("I'm such a terrible dancer," she exaggerated). Their brief interactions certainly made them more familiar and friendly towards one another, but they still kept an appropriate relationship, for a maid and a prince.

It wasn't until the month of Thor's 25th year that things changed. Loki was called to Odin's chambers, along with his brother. It was there that he learned that Thor would be Odin's heir, and would take his place as king once he was gone. Outwardly, Loki congratulated his brother, praising that the 9 Realms were lucky to have such a king in their future. But inside, he was furious.

He could barely process his thoughts. All his hard work… his training and studying. All the times he listened to his father drone on and on about what it meant to be a good king. And in the end, it came down to the fact that Thor was born first.

Rage boiled inside him. When he had finally returned to his quarters, he turned his sitting room into an unrecognizable mound of furniture and torn silks. But even that did not douse the scorching feeling of betrayal in his heart.

I shall drown it then, he thought, storming over to the decanter beside his balcony. He poured himself a glass of wine so full that it spilled over the top, and with no hesitation, poured it down his throat. He repeated the process until the decanter was empty.

With a disappointed groan, he tossed the bronze chalice on the floor and his empty goblet over his balcony. Now unsure of what to do, he made his way over to the edge of the doorway, and slid down against the wall. Facing out over the sea, with the Bifrost stretching out to Himinbjorg the edge, Loki began to plot. How could he prove to his father that he would be a much better king than Thor?

"Thor is a brute," he grumbled aloud, taking his dagger out from its sheath and flipping it about between his hands. "The 9 Realms don't want to be ruled by a brute like him… they need order and leadership, not arrogance and beatings."

For the better part of an hour, he stared out at the edge of the sea as he twirled his knife between his fingers, thinking of what he could do. Eventually though, the wine caught up to him, and he sliced his middle finger. He stared at the wound for what seemed like eternity, until his eyes focused on the mountains beyond. In the dark, they appeared as only black peaks, blocking the light of the stars, faintly lit by the sheen of the Bifrost. A thought came into his head at that moment. Loki tilted his head as he considered the idea, thinking of the details and what he had to do next. Then, he smiled and chuckled to himself, glancing back at his cut finger once more. He had a plan…

"Sigyn!"

From the scullery room, Sigyn heard Tove, the Head of the House Keeping, call her. She quickly pulled her hands out of the hot water and dried them on the towel beside her. Then, she walking down the hall to the kitchens.

"Yes, Tove?"

"I need you to take this wine up to Lord Loki's room," without looking up from her work, she pointed to the full decanter of wine that sat on the counter.

"At this hour?" Sigyn mumbled curiously. Tove just shrugged.

"It's easier if you don't ask questions," she mused as she pulled a knife down from the rack above. "All I know is that he needs more wine."

"Yes, Tove," Sigyn answered obediently, and picked up the heavy decanter. She made sure she had a good grip, with one hand underneath and the other on the handle, before she made her way from the basement of the palace, all the way up to the Royal Quarters at the top.

There weren't a lot of people moving about at this time of night. She did hear a lot of commotion and jubilation coming from the hallway that lead to Thor's quarters, though. But as she made her way down the hallways that lead to Loki's rooms, it was eerily silent. Finally, she arrived at the heavy wooden door of the prince's room. She knocked four times, then waited to be summoned inside. Oddly though, she heard nothing. She knocked again, this time a little louder. The effort was so much that she nearly dropped the wine. But when she waited again to be called, she heard nothing. Cautiously, she opened the door.

"My lord?" she called meekly, worried he may be asleep. They had been friendly in the past, but she didn't think he would appreciate it if she woke him up. She looked around the room, which looked just as it always did, but with no sign of the prince.

Perhaps he is down in Thor's rooms… she thought to herself. Quietly, she crossed the sitting room towards the wine station, and noticed that it was oddly missing a goblet. She placed the new wine down, and then from the corner of her eye, noticed the other empty vessel on the floor. She thought that was strange, too, but moved forward to pick it up.

"Oh, it's you," a voice mumbled. Sigyn jumped, startled by the voice. When she looked up, she saw Loki, slumped against the wall outside on his balcony. "I was worried they would have sent one of those clumsy guards at this hour."

"Forgive me, my Lord," Sigyn curtsied. "I knocked, but I did not hear you, so I let myself in. I hope that's alright."

Loki turned his head and gave her a small smile. "I doubt I would have heard anything over that racket…" he nodded his head towards Thor's balcony, from which a continuous sound of cheers, music, and laughter came. "Odin has named him his heir."

Sigyn turned and peered at the balcony, where she could see shadows of movement behind the curtains. There had to be at least 50 people in there, she thought. She turned back to Loki, about to ask why he was not there with him, but from the look on his face, she knew why.

"I'm sorry, my Lord…" she offered quietly. He didn't even appear to hear her; he just continued to stare out at the sea. "For what it's worth," she offered with a hopeful smile, "I think you would have been a great king."

"I know I would have," Loki snapped. Sigyn sucked in a quick breath, afraid that she had said the wrong thing. She took a step back instinctively and prepared to be dismissed. But instead, she noticed something odd from the corner of her eyes. The furniture appeared to now be destroyed, smashed and ripped apart and left in ruin. She realized that Loki had concealed it, but now either forgot or no longer cared. Sigyn felt a pang of sadness for him flow to her heart.

"Is there anything I can do for you, my Lord?" she offered, crossing over in front of his gaze so she could capture his attention. It worked, and his gaze slowly rose from her feet to her face.

"Sit with me," he offered. "I need something to distract me, and I don't have anyone else I can talk to at the moment."

Sigyn hesitated for a moment, before taking a seat across from him on the polished, marble floor. They sat together in silence until a small tap on the marble got her attention. She looked towards the source and saw a small dab of blood pooling.

"My lord, you're bleeding!" Sigyn gasped. Loki looked down at his hand and saw that it was, indeed, still gushing blood.

"Oh… Indeed I am," he mumbled.

"I'll get a bandage," she fretted, climbing to her feet and dashing away into his room.

He rolled his eye and tried to follow her, wanting to tell her it was not something that needed attention, but he had underestimated how much wine he had had, and found his balance completely off-kilter. He took only a couple steps before he had to reach out for the wall to stead himself, and in the process, smeared his blood on the golden stones. He searched for somewhere to rest, now cursing the fact that he had destroyed all his benches and stools. But, he had been fortunate enough to miss one chair, across the room in the corner. Taking a deep inhale through his nose, he pushed off the wall and stumbled over to the wooden chair, collapsing into it. His head was spinning; he hadn't been this drunk in a long time!

How reckless and pathetic, he thought, Getting this drunk…

His door then opened a crack, and Sigyn slipped back inside. In her hands were a roll of white linen and a bowl of water. She first looked to the balcony, expecting him to still be there, but was surprised to now find him inside and sitting in a chair.

"There really is no need to fuss," Loki protested with an amused smile.

"Nonsense, my Lord," she persisted, crossing the room and knelling beside him on a torn-open floor pillow. "It's no trouble at all, really. I've done it a thousand times for my father and brothers." She placed the bowl on the floor beside her, then tore a piece of the cloth to dip in the water.

Loki signed and decided there was no point in protesting. Besides, as she worked, she would be too preoccupied to notice him staring at her. She wrung out the cloth and then held out her hand, waiting for him to give his injury over to her. Begrudgingly he did, and winced as she placed the warm cloth over his cut.

"Your father and brothers, do they injure themselves often?" he asked, trying to ensure that she really did know what she was doing. She smiled and continued to work as she answered.

"They are fishermen, my Lord," she dabbed the wound clean and dipped the cloth back into the water. "Hooks and knives are tools of the trade. They seem to cut themselves on a daily basis."

"So, you're from the Winter Lands?"

Sigyn glanced up and nodded. "Before that, my father was one of Odin's guards. He worked here at the palace until he became too injured to fight."

Loki leaned his chin on his uninjured hand as he listened. The Winter Lands were a harsh place, where only a few Asgardians lived. It was no wonder that she left. When he visited with Odin and Thor, they found little more than wood structures with moss roofs. The people there were used to hardship, but it certainly was not a life for everyone.

She is far too beautiful to live in a hut by the sea…

Having now cleaned the wound, Sigyn pulled his hand a little closer to examine it. He winced as she did, for which she gave an apologetic smile.

"A clean slice," she remarked. "No need for sutures, thankfully." Satisfied, she began to wipe off the rest of the blood from his hand with the wet cloth. "What were you doing?"

"Playing with my dagger."

Sigyn chuckled. "That would explain it…" she said softly.

Loki watched in silence as she finished cleaning the blood off his hand, then reached for the clean cloth and began to wound it around his finger. His stomach began to flutter a bit as her delicate fingers moved expertly around his hand. For a moment he thought he might be sick because of it (and the wine), but he managed to keep himself composed.

He continued to watch her closely as she worked. She really was beautiful. And kind. He had a suspicion that even if he were not a prince, she would help him the same.

It was uncommon for Loki to ask for help. He never wanted anyone to think he needed them. After all, a strong king needed no one but himself. But, on the rare occasion that Loki did need help, it was not often granted to him. The only person who had ever helped him in his life was his mother. She would have treated him the same as Sigyn was right now. His father would have told him it was a weakness to allow yourself to be injured like that. His brother probably would have told him to rub some dirt in it to make it stop bleeding. Both were tremendously unhelpful.

With a small knot tied at the end, Sigyn finished wrapping his wound. She looked up to let him know only to find him staring at her once again. She felt her chest tighten at the sight; those eyes were enough to freeze blood, they were so blue…

"Finished," she said softly.

Loki lifted his hand from her palm and looked at the work she had done. He suddenly felt embarrassed; needing a maid to bandage his hand like this… it was pathetic! He drew his arm closer to him and tucked it close to his side.

"Thank you," he said in a low voice. She nodded in response, and rose with the bloody bowl and cloth. At that moment, he thought she might be leaving, so he called out "Just leave it, I will take care of it."

Sigyn paused, but did as she was told, setting the bowl back on the floor, a little further away now, and sat back on the floor cushion. "Anything else I can do for you, my Lord?" she asked, her green eyes looking up with a soft and comforting expression. Loki wasn't sure if he had ever seen that look before… well, maybe once; from his mother.

He pondered for a moment. He didn't want her to leave just yet, but also needed an excuse for her to stay. So, he decided to interview her a little more. "How are you finding life at the palace?"

Sigyn gave a small smile and looked at her hands as she answered. "Oh, it's amazing…" she paused, lacing her fingers together absently as she gathered her thoughts. "I'm studying to be a lady-in-waiting now."

"What, for my mother?" Loki asked. Stupid question… who else would it be for?

She nodded. "Yes, or for a future princess or queen." Sigyn examined her nails and fingers now and noticed they were quite pink, most likely from the hot water of the kitchens. It was precisely this reason that she wanted to leave the kitchens; she was tired of her hands and fingers aching in the night as she slept. "To be a lady-in-waiting," she continued, "You have to be cultured. You have to understand what ruling the 9 Realms entails, and how to be diplomatic to visitors. But you also have to be entertaining and useful to your Queen."

"And you believe you can fulfill that role?" Loki pressed. There was a small pause, and he thought that he might have offended her, so he added "What is there for you to study?"

Sigyn let out a small sign. "Well, my mother and father taught me all they knew about the 9 Realms, but I have to admit I do not know much beyond the names…"

Loki smiled. "I'm sure I can help you with that," he chuckled a bit. "I've been learning about the 9 Realms since I could talk."

She smiled and nodded graciously. "Then that leaves me with finding a way to be entertaining…" she sighed again. "You already know I'm not a great dancer."

Without even thinking, Loki recalled that night they danced. That dress she wore…being able to take her hand in his… putting his other hand on her waist…

"Sewing, perhaps?" he said, gritting his teeth after the words left his lips to drive the thoughts out of his head. She appeared to consider it. "I imagine you do a lot of sewing in the Winter Lands… not many dress makers out there."

"Indeed there are not," she agreed. "I am a fair seamstress. But I'm afraid that my stitching is not up to the standards of a queen."

"Well, I don't know about future queens, but my mother and her ladies all sew together." Loki had been present at many a Woman's Circle when he was growing up. He would normally be off to the side, reading or playing with toys. But he still heard the women talk… sometimes it was gossip, sometimes it was venting. But often, they would share their skills with one another. "They give each other advice all the time. So I would think as long as you know the basics, and are willing to learn, you should be a welcomed addition."

Sigyn looked up for a moment, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. But as soon as she caught Loki's eyes, she snapped her gaze back to the floor, remembering her place.

We really need to do something about that… Loki thought.

"I can recommend you," he offered, leaning back in his chair as if it was a casual thing. He wanted to give the air that it was something that was common for him. But in reality, he knew that if he recommended her to his mother, she would ask a lot of questions. She would accept, of course, but she would know in an instant why he chose her. "Mother listens to my advice from time to time…"

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do such a thing, my Lord-"

"Loki," he interrupted. Her eyes snapped up and paused, as if wanting reassurance that it wasn't a mistake that he corrected her.

"Loki…" she said quietly. The feeling he got from hearing her say his name. No doubt in his mind that he liked that immensely. "Please do not think that you have to do that. I am fine if I have to make my own way-"

"Nonsense!" he gave a hearty laugh that made her flinch in surprise. "What is that saying from Midgard?" he pondered aloud to himself. Then, with a snap of his fingers (on his good hand), he recalled, and recited "'It's not about what you know, it's who you know!'"

She sat in silence, once again staring at her fingers, considering the offer. She knew that it would certainly accelerate her advancement in the royal court… but did she want to know that Loki was the reason she was there?

Well… how else do people get ahead?

"Thank you, Loki," she said gently. "I would be honoured if you thought I would be a welcomed addition to your mother's court."

"Excellent! I will speak to my mother at her first convenience," he said with a smile. Sigyn blushed a little bit, but gave him a sweet smile in return. Then she appeared much more serious.

The spoke for another hour or so. As promised, Loki explained a little about each of the 9 Realms. He told her about what it was like to travel using the Bifrost. He told her about the races that were allies and the races that were enemies to Asgard and the throne. And, he told her about a few of the battles he and his brother had fought in over the year. She listened intently as he spoke, nodding her head and asking questions when she did not understand. Loki enjoyed having someone actually listen to him like this.

I might want to keep her around… making her a lady-in-waiting isn't such a bad idea.

"My lord-" she paused then corrected herself. "I mean… Loki, you can barely keep your eyes open. I should not be keeping you up this late. So I think I must be going…" She slowly rose from her place on the floor and took a step back obediently, waiting to be dismissed. He thought about telling her to sit once more, but had to agree with her; he was quite tired now.

"As you wish!" he said, clamping his hands on the arms of the chair and thrusting himself up and out of the chair. Although it did not go as smoothly as he planned. Not only did he slam his newly bandaged finger on the ornate wooden arms, but he also was forced to remember that he had ingested a lot of wine. He stumbled forward a step as he shook his hand in pain. Without thinking, Sigyn stepped forward to stop him from falling. Loki steadied himself, and gave her a beaming smile.

"I might need assistance getting to bed, though"

Sigyn nodded her head slowly and placed her hand on his arm, gently guiding him to the solid wood door that lead to his bed chambers.

"I trust you are able to get yourself prepared for bed, though?" she asked with a chuckle, as though she thought it was rhetorical to even ask. Loki knew he would be able to stumble and tumble his way out of his clothes, but he couldn't resist flirting with her a little more.

"Well, I suppose that depends if you're going to join me or not."

From the corner of his eye, he could see her turn a bright shade of pink; he was really starting to enjoy that colour on her. They had reached the door, so together they pushed it open. Sigyn (still processing his proposition) felt a tiny sigh escape her when she saw the distance they still had to go to the bed.

My family's entire home could fit in this room alone

She had to admire the room. It had a wall full of windows, facing out over the sea and the Bifrost. Thick, velvet curtains hung around them in a dark crimson red. On one wall was a huge fireplace, built into the polished stone of the chamber walls. On the other wall, a gigantic gout-post bed with those same crimson curtains dominated the space. Compared to her room in the staff quarters, this was the definition of paradise. She imagine that if she had a bed like that, she would sleep sounder than ever before!

As she guided the now almost-independently walking Loki towards his bed, she realized she had yet to give him an answer. Sigyn was ashamed to admit that she had, for a brief moment, considered the offer. She was no doubt attracted to him, as he was a charming, handsome and kind prince. But, she knew better than to let her desires get the best of her…yet. She swallowed down the nerves that were clamped around her throat and croaked an answer as they finally reached Loki's ornate and massive bed.

"I believe your night would be better spent resting," she smiled shyly as she answered. "Besides, I also have an early morning tomorrow; I have to help prepare for your brother's coronation. Lots of cleaning to be done…"

Loki made a face like he drank sour milk and let out a groan. For a while, when she was here listening to him, he had actually forgotten about his brother and his new position. But now, it was back in the forefront of his mind.

"What if I promised that you would be relieved of your duties tomorrow?" he countered, tumbling backwards onto the bed like a corpse. Sigyn sniffed a laugh.

"'A promise made laying down never stands on its own,'" she remarked quietly. Loki raised one eyebrow in confusion. "It's something my mother used to say, to warn me about the promises of men."

Loki chuckled. "A wise woman…" he mumbled, propping himself up on his elbows so he could see her. "Fair enough. As it is, I think you may be right; I am far too tired to ravish you as well as I'd want to."

Sigyn could feel her ears burning. She had no doubt she was blushing. The lump in her throat was so big that she thought no sound would escape her mouth. And yet, she was able to squeak out a reply.

"Very good, my lord," she replied obediently. She gave him a small yet awkward curtsey and waited to be dismissed. But instead, Loki leaned back and laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Concerned that he had forgot she was still here, she added "Should I let the kitchens know you will want a late breakfast?"

Loki pondered for a moment. Now that she had reminded him of his father's betrayal, his mind had switched gears. If he was going to make his plan work, he would need to get started right away. There was no time to waste, even if he did feel like the whole room was spinning at the moment. "No, I will take it at my usual time," he groaned.

"Very well, my lord," she curtsied again. "I'll be going then…"

"I thought I told you to call me Loki?" he smirked, even though he could not see her now that she had started to take a few steps away. He heard her pause her retreat, so he looked up from his prone position.

"You did," she gave a meek smile. "It will take some getting used to, I'm afraid."

"Very well," Loki amended, putting his head back down on the bed to try and stop the spinning. "Goodnight, Sigyn."

To hear him call her name made her stomach flip and her heart race all at the same moment. For a second, she reconsidered his offer, and thought about jumping onto that plush bed with him. But, knew that would be an unwise decision; maids who dallied with the princes often didn't stay employed at the palace for too long. Not to mention, she was very tired, too.

"Goodnight, Loki," she said quietly, thinking that perhaps he may have already fallen asleep. She gently shuffled out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her and leaning against it on the other side. Her heart was still racing, and she needed to calm down.

He can have anyone he wants… he probably says this to every pretty girl that he finds in his room… she told herself, placing her hand on her chest to see if her heart was slowing. As she rested, she let out a sigh and heard some movement in the room behind the door. No doubt, Loki was preparing for bed. In an instant, she pushed herself off the door and scampered out of the room, desperate to put as much distance between her and this room as possible. Not because she was afraid, but because she was intrigued…