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Scheme

"You're in a good mood, brother," observes Thor, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why?"

Loki's slight smile shifts into a full-on grin. "What? Am I not allowed to be happy?"

Thor's eyes run over every crevice in the hall, looking for something that could pop out at any moment. Usually, Loki is only visibly pleased when planning a prank on him, and Thor is not in the mood to get stabbed today. "No," he says slowly, keeping pace with his brother. "I am merely curious."

Loki hums in complacency. "If you must know, I have something planned for this morning."

"I knew it," Thor shouts. He stops and pulls out Mjolnir, ready to fend off whatever trick Loki has prepared.

Loki gives him a mild glare, unimpressed. "It's nothing to do with you."

Shifting awkwardly on his feet, he lowers Mjolnir. "I see." They resume walking. "Who is the unfortunate soul, then?"

"It is not a prank," Loki snaps, composure dropping for half a moment. He takes a deep, calming breath. "I am going to ask Sigyn to accompany me to next weekend's festivities."

Thor raises his brow, pleasantly surprised. As they step out into the plaza beside the palace, he taunts, "I've always thought you liked her."

Ever since the two of them had first met, Loki has been enthralled by Sigyn. The entire week afterward, he had wondered how many other people in Asgard had magical abilities and why, with his great talent for observation, he had never noticed the gifted soldier who looked like their friend. Not two months later, Thor had seen them sparring together, and he had wondered why his brother would decided to torture himself by becoming close with a woman he could never have. Their father would never allow one of his sons to court, let alone marry, a bastard peasant.

From over Loki's shoulder, he can see the woman in question and her sister coming towards them. "And it appears you're in luck. She seems rather pleased to see you."

Curling his lip at him so to silently order him to be quiet, Loki turns just as Sigyn skips up to greet him. "Hello, Your Highness," she chirps, taking no notice of Thor. Idly, he wonders if she cares at all for his presence. Usually, all he receives from her is a nod and a few respectful words in greeting, if that. Today is no different. Continuing to ignore him in favor of Loki, she fingers the cape of her uniform. "Notice anything different about me?"

Before he can hear Loki's response, Haldana tugs him out of earshot. "She made captain," she tells him. "First woman in nearly three-thousand years."

Thor makes a noise of amazement. "That is quite admirable. Perhaps I should offer her my congratulations afterward."

Haldana nods absentmindedly, though her expression soon turns to one of bewilderment, her nose twitching in query. "'Afterward?'" She levels him with a wary look, one eyebrow quirked. "After what?"

Realizing his mistake, he shrugs and tries to look ignorant, not wanting to jeopardize Loki's for-once, not awful plans. "What?"

"Don't play dumb," she hisses, lips pulled into a tense scowl. She casts a distrustful eye on Loki and begins to slide her sword from its scabbard. "Does Loki have some sort of scheme?"

Fleetingly, Thor feels badly for his brother. Both he and Haldana had immediately assumed Loki had ill intentions. He grabs her wrist, halting her sword's withdrawal. "No, nothing like that."

"What, then," she demands, dropping her weapon's hilt.

He gives a resigned sigh. "Loki is going to ask your sister to the feast," he divulges, hoping to calm her.

His words have the opposite effect. Her head twists away from him, and he follows her gaze. Their siblings are standing close to each other, chatting and smiling. Loki is not usually so cheerful, so Thor finds the sight rather endearing. Glancing at Haldana, it is clear she does not share in the sentiment.

Appearing positively stricken, she insists, voice panicked, "He can't. We have to stop him!"

"Why," he asks, curious as to why she is so put out at the prospect of their siblings getting together. He knows she is not among those who believe people of different backgrounds should refrain from consorting with one another. It would hardly make sense considering she married down the social ladder herself. He has trouble thinking of any other reasonable objection that she may have to the prospective courtship.

Biting her lip and furrowing her brow, she looks to be in deep contemplation. Her eyes dart around anxiously, and something seems to dawn on her. Taking a quick breath, she asserts, "She is going to reject him."

Curious, Thor watches Sigyn laugh at something Loki has said as she twirls a strand of hair around her finger. He snorts in disbelief. "I sincerely doubt that."

"No, she is," Haldana reiterates, eyes alight with conviction. "You see, she is—Borr, forgive me, I cannot believe I am about to do this—She is a flannfluga. She likes women."

Thor turns to regard her slowly, taken aback. Though he has never claimed to know Sigyn very well, he has always thought the sisters close and not ones to turn on each other like he and Loki are wont to do. Why she would be willing to divulge such a sensitive secret about Sigyn simply to save Loki some embarrassment, he cannot fathom. Nonetheless, dread fills his chest at the thought of what is to come. For all their quibbling, he does not think he can bear to watch Loki be turned down by someone Thor is pretty sure is the girl of his dreams.

"Yes, so," Haldana continues haltingly, voice quiet to his ears, almost as though she has faded into the background, "go say something, anything, to him, but be discreet. Don't—"

Stepping away, he ignores her hushed instructions. On quick feet, he approaches his brother, who seems none too pleased to see him so close. "Thor," Loki begins resignedly, speaking as though trying to signal that he is in the middle of something of which Thor should be well aware. All the more reason for him to interfere, thinks Thor.

In an attempt to appear casual, he throws an arm over Loki's shoulders and clears his throat. "She's a flannfluga, so, uh, you should forget, uh, you know," he gets out quickly. Belatedly, he realizes that he might have spoken at too loud a volume as the people milling around them turn their heads in their direction.

Lip curling into the beginnings of a sneer, Loki starts, "What are you on abou—"

His voice dies in his throat when his eyes fall on the manifestly mortified woman beside him.

Eyes wide and mouth hanging open in consternation, Sigyn's face has drained of all its color. The relaxed smile she had been sporting has slipped from her face, her expression holding something akin to fear but looking much closer to hurt. She holds Loki's eyes for a short moment before giving an anxious gasp and turning tail. She dashes away at a pace faster than Thor has ever seen from anyone else. Haldana is quick to follow after her, shouting her name and half-formed apologies. After the sisters disappear around a corner, Thor's eyes turn back to his brother, and a part of him regrets relaying the information.

Loki looks utterly devastated.

A short chapter, but the next one is big!