Thank you so much, everyone, for your reviews! ;-D
Just to let you know, even though the competition isn't until- in their world- August 23rd, it won't be posted for quite a while. Sorry, but there are a few things I have to finalise at the moment with this competition, such as how many songs will be sung, who will sing them, etc... I have quite a lot of songs at the moment on my list from various decades and different genres, but if you want to suggest any in the comments, that would be a great help. You could even suggest whose voice would be the best pictured singing it if you like!
Until the list and the competition chapter is completed- it will most likely be a LONG chapter or split up into a two or more-parter bunch of chapters- I will be writing a three or so parter explaining exactly how Thor & Loki and the others were exiled to Midgard. I will also try to focus on some of the original characters as well, as I know that you have all been waiting for more updates on them for a while now.
Thanks for being so patient and I hope that you like this long awaited chapter. Enjoy everyone! ;-D
Loki watched as Odin banged his spear against the floor, the sound echoing across the grand hall as people waited to hear what his announcement would be.
"I, Odin Allfather, Ruler of the nine realms and beyond, do hereby announce the betrothal of Sigyn, daughter of the dwarf Idwaldi, and Freya, Goddess of love and beauty, to Theroic of the Crimson Hawks. They are to be married within the month of October- nine months hence from now. May the Norns bless this union."
The crowd cheered and Odin banged his spear on the floor again. "May you all go and make merry of this grand announcement."
He turned to leave as the crowds dispersed, Loki scowling fiercely at him as he went. The younger prince let out a heavy sigh and turned to leave. He did not want to hear the jeers from foolish, drunken idiots because he was upset at losing his friend.
Thor placed a hand on his shoulder from behind him. "Loki, where are you going? The feast has just started."
Loki stood still, his head bowed. "I would not want to be here, Thor. Leave me be."
"Brother, you know that this was going to happen-"
"That doesn't make it any better, brother. Leave me be." He shrugged his shoulder free and stormed out. He did not want to be near anyone right now.
"Loki, my son."
Loki turned at the voice. His father stood there, an unreadable expression in his one visible eye. Loki bowed.
"Father. What do you need of me?"
"I only wish to speak to you, my son."
"What do you wish to talk about, father?"
"Not here. Come. Follow me."
Loki raised an eyebrow, but nevertheless followed his father into his room that he shared with Frigga- Loki's mother. Loki stood there in front of the big, imposing bed, and waited for his father to begin speaking.
"It is to no surprise for anyone that you are upset today, Loki."
"I do not understand, father," Loki replied, his voice monotone and calm.
"You do not wish for your friend to be married to the captain of the guard, do you?"
Loki shrugged his shoulders. "She is of marrying age. It is no surprise that she would marry an ideal warrior of your choosing."
Odin gave a small smile. "You may be the God of Lies, my son, but you are not fooling me today. I know a man in love when I see one."
"Why do you care?" Loki suddenly snapped. "You've never paid this much attention to me before. Are you ill or something?"
His eyes widened, and he bowed quickly. "My apologises, father. I did not mean to be rude, I-"
Odin waved a dismissed hand. "You are upset, tis expected for you to lash out, my son. I came here to talk to you about this because I am concerned for your wellbeing."
Loki laughed. "Tis the first time I have heard those words utter from your lips. Just tell me what it is you have to tell me, please. I cannot bear to me around anyone, today."
"Loki, though you love your friend- Sigyn- you must let her go. You will be married to a noble woman, and she will be married to her noble man."
"But why can I not marry her?" Loki cried. "I am a prince, I am above noble!"
"You cannot-"
"WHY?!" Loki's eyes had widened in anger and frustration, tears starting to pour down his highly defined cheeks. "Why can't I have what I want? FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, WHY CAN'T I HAVE SOMETHING THAT I WANT?!"
His fists clenched and he stood there, staring hopefully, desperately, pleadingly at the man who he called father. "Why can't I have something I want? Thor always gets what he wants- why can't I? Is it not too much to ask? Is it not-"
His large, emerald green eyes narrowed and his face began to seethe in anger and realisation. "OH- I get it now," he hissed. "If it was Thor who wanted to marry her, you'd agree and let him have her- but if it was me… You'd never let me have anything I want; you've never paid any attention to me over the years, have you? It's always been Thor, Thor, Thor! My beautiful golden-haired, perfectly athletic, superior-in-everyway brother! For once in my miserable life, I've found someone who loves me and not him, and you don't let me have her! What kind of father are you?! Tell me- what is wrong with me? Why don't you love me as much as you do Thor? Why don't you pay as much attention to me as you do Thor? Is it because I don't look like you? Is it my black hair? My green eyes? The fact that I prefer to use brain over brawn? Sorcery and stealth over physical fighting? WHY? TELL ME! PLEASE- I HAVE TO KNOW WHY!"
Throughout Loki's long-awaited outburst, the Allfather simply watched with a raised eyebrow and glimmers of something unknown in his only visible eye gazed upon his younger son. When Loki had finished ranting at him, his breath shaky and his chest pounding as he tried to catch his breath, Odin took a step forward and cautiously placed a hand on the tall man's shoulder.
"You are as dear to me as Thor is," he said. "You are my son, nothing will change that. Loki," he turned to walk up the steps nearing his bed before turning round to face him again, "you are valuable to me. You are very important to Asgard's future and its prosperity- never forget that."
"You haven't answered my question? Why do you favour Thor over me?"
The Allfather waved a dismissive hand. "I do not favour your brother over you, Loki-"
"Oh really?" the dark prince sneered. "Because from where I'm standing it doesn't look like that. Let me give you an example: I saved Thor once from a particularly nasty looking Beigelsnap when we went out hunting. I used stealth to save him, took out the beast, yet when we got home and celebrated at another grand feast, it was Thor who was praised and fawned over. No one noticed my efforts, nor took me seriously. The only exception was Sigyn, and now you're taking her away from me."
"I have always been grateful for your efforts in protecting our realm-"
"No," Loki laughed. "You haven't. Now, if you'll excuse me, father, I'm off."
"Where are you going, my son?"
"Oh, so now I'm 'your son', am I? Well, father, I'm off to my room. I trust you know where that is. Good day."
He bowed and turned around to leave when Odin stopped him.
"Loki, understand this. When Sigyn and you were infants, I proposed to her grandfather and mother that you two should be wed, but they did not want that to happen."
"Because I'm the lesser dud, I get it," Loki sighed.
"No, Loki. They had already arranged for her to betrothed to Theroic, and refused to change their mind."
"I bet if it had been Thor you were planning to betroth her to, they would have jumped at the chance."
"That is why you cannot have her," Odin finished, ignoring his son's comment. "She has long been betrothed to Theoric, no matter how much I tried-"
"You didn't try at all. You should have tried harder."
"And because of this, you have to let her go. You will be married off soon anyway, so this should be of no concern to you."
"It is of every concern to me!" Loki yelled back. "I love her! You can't stop me from loving her! Not even you with your 'almighty' powers can do that!"
"ENOUGH!" the Allfather roared back, causing Loki to jump back from surprise. He took a breath and continued: "Sigyn will be married to Theoric nine months hence from now. You will be married to a noble woman of my choosing, and you will forget about her completely. Is that clear?"
Loki stiffly nodded.
"Good. You may leave, my son."
"Gladly," Loki spat back, "I hope you sleep well in your bed, tonight, father. Good day."
He pushed past and stormed out, slamming the door behind him as he went.
He didn't come out of his room for many days, and when he did, he made sure not to go anywhere near his old friend. Although he had snapped at his father and mocked him, Loki still feared his punishments, and decided not to disobey him- for a little while, at least.
Sigyn had of course been hurt that her friend was distancing himself from her, but knew- and hoped- that it would pass within a few days. However, Loki refused to go anywhere near her, and Sigyn knew that this was more than just one of his silly temper outbursts: he'd been deeply upset my something, or someone, and she decided to find him and sort out whatever was going on.
As she was walking into the library one morning, she noticed that Loki was already there. That, of course, was no great surprise, for Loki had always been an early riser and an avid book reader, so she was not shocked when she had walked in that morning.
The library was also completely bare, which was also no great surprise, for it was very early in the morning, and the librarian had obviously gone to fetch something- for they were not there- and so, again, she was not shocked at the sights that met her that morning, for they were often expected and a natural occurrence in her and Loki's routines.
At the sight of her entering the room, Loki scowled and lowered his eyesight to the book he clenched tightly in his hands, his green eyes furrowed in desperate concentration as he tried to distract himself from looking or communicating with her. Sigyn pulled back a chair from a table on the other side of the room nearest the door, and sat down and started to read her book.
The silent sound of a ticking clock on the wall was the only thing that could be heard in that large, spacious room, and the room was so thick with tension that it was almost suffocating.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sigyn could see Loki starting to climb up a ladder to reach a book. She knew which book he was after, for she had seen him go up that ladder to get it many times. She gave herself an internal grin of satisfaction, as he would not find that book there today. No, she had hidden it somewhere that even Loki did not know about, and was hiding a grin behind her book as she waited for him to discover that it was not there.
She saw Loki's mouth open in a confused "Oh" shape when he found that his book was not there, and soon his expression changed to one of definite fury. Sigyn had been concentrating as best as she could in her book when he approached her.
"Where is it?" was all he said, his voice was trying to be monotone, but there was definite hint of anger in it. "Where is my book?"
Sigyn looked up and placed a look of feigned innocence on her features. "Good morning to you, Prince Loki," she could see his jaw clench; he hated being called that around her, "and how are you this fine morning?"
Loki's eyes narrowed and his placed a hand on the table. "My book," he repeated again, more stiffly this time, "where is it?"
"Surely it is in the place you keep it in, Your Highness," was all Sigyn replied as she looked at her book. "For I have been here, at this table, all morning, and therefore do not know where your book is. You have seen me enter and sit here, so why would I know where your book is?"
Loki growled and pushed himself away from the table, his god-like, perfectly chiselled features curling up into a ferocious snarl of frustration and rising anger. He spun round and walked away from the table, but then spun round again. He did not move back to the table yet.
"Finding this funny, are you?" he snarled.
Sigyn didn't look up at all. "I will only find it funny if you wish me to find it so, Your Highness."
"You think you can anger me and get away with it?" he hissed, his emerald green eyes wide and ablaze with certain fury.
"You are only angering yourself, Prince Loki. After all, you have foolishly misplaced your book, the only person who is only angering anyone here is you."
A sharp intake of breath was heard; quick, furious footsteps were quickly heard before, in a matter of seconds, his hand was pressed against the top of her back and his hissing breath could be heard menacingly in her ear.
"Think twice about what you say, Lady, for such words could be taken and used as treason. Now, I will let this go for now, but if you so EVER," his grip tightened, "try to fool me again, or slander me such, then I will have no choice but to act against it- for Asgard's safety and for PERSONAL," his voice was louder and his grip was getting tighter, "reasons. Understood?"
Sigyn nodded, but then said, "You only slander yourself, Prince Loki. The words of treason you accuse me of are being spun from your own actions. Think carefully about them if I were you."
Loki's hiss of breath increased, and in one moment he had slammed his hand down on the table. He muttered something, and then, within seconds, both of them suddenly disappeared.
Sigyn found herself in his room, the door, as far as she could see, had been locked and a sound proof spell had been placed around the room. Her eyes widened. Whatever he was planning to do, he obviously did not want anyone else to hear.
She whirled around just as she felt a pair of hands wrench her backwards. She collapsed against him as he collapsed against the wall, and his hands clamped themselves over her mouth to stop her from crying out- even though the room itself was soundproof and no one would hear them at all.
"Sshhh," he purred, pressing her tightly to himself, "sshhhh, my dear."
Sigyn was truly scared. Why was he acting so strange? So cruel? She immensely regretted taking his book. She'd only taken it so that he'd have to speak to her, and then she could have found out what was wrong with him. But it was going all wrong. So incredibly wrong…
Loki lifted his hands off of her mouth. "Now," he purred again, his voice slick and all over slippery, "Where is my book, dear Sigyn? Hmmm?"
Sigyn refused to answer, truly and deeply scared of her dear childhood friend. Loki sighed.
"Tell me," his embrace tightened, "NOW."
Still, she gave him no response.
"Why are you being so meek?" he sighed. "You are too stubborn at times for my liking, you know." He said it eerily casually for someone in this situation, and it greatly unnerved her. "Now," he shifted his position slightly so that she nestled perfectly against him- like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle- "tell me, you little minx, where my book is. NOW, if you please."
Silence again.
Loki sighed again and climbed to his feet, leaving her on the floor. Sigyn pulled herself against the wall and pulled her knees up so that she could rest her chin on top of them. She muttered something under her breath, and a book appeared out of thin air and materialised in Loki's hands.
"Ah, yes," he hummed with satisfaction as he flicked through the pages, "this is the one."
He snapped the book shut with fulfilment and gave a toothy grin. "It is wonderful when you co-operate with me, my dear. I do suggest that you do it more often, for your sake."
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I cannot believe that I was fooled by a mere woman… That shall never happen again."
"Is that all I've become to you, then?" Sigyn finally spoke, lifting her head up to look at him. "A mere woman?"
Loki gave a glance in her direction. "Well, of course. That is what you are, is it not?" He placed the book back on the shelf where he kept it when he borrowed it from the library. "You are a woman as much as I am a man."
"You are not a very noble one,"
He spun round and leered right into her face, his face alight with overwhelming fury contorting his features
"And WHAT do YOU know about being noble?" he spat. "Your grandfather used to be the great King of Vanaheim, now he is an exiled prisoner in MY father's realm! You should have been a princess in your own right, but you're not! I, on the other hand, AM a prince in my own right, so don't you DARE lecture me on what is noble! You are but a woman."
"…What on Midgard has happened to you, Loki? Why are you being so-"
"Cruel? Mean? Well, maybe it's because the people who I'm supposed to trust and hold dear have been so to me!"
"I haven't done anything to hurt you!"
"No?" he snarled. "NO? Yes, you have. You," he placed several fingers underneath her chin so that he could tilt up her face and place a hand around her neck. His grip wasn't hard, but Sigyn now feared for her life. "YOU have hurt me in so many ways possible. For YOU," he stared deeply into her eyes, "have wormed your way into my heart. You have taken the one thing I thought I could always protect. You have taken my sanity and now you dance with it in front of me so bewitchingly. You have bewitched me for YEARS, and now you are to be taken from me by the very man who I was always told had my best interests at heart. I am so DESPERATELY in love with you that I am cursed for eternity. I ACHE with longing for you and only you that I go wild. I am a love-crazed fool, because of you, and THAT, my dear," he tightened his grip, "is why you, out of everyone I hold dear, have hurt me the most."
He let go and walked over to the window, leaving the smaller girl alone by the wall. Her mind was reeling. THAT was why he was so worked up? His father must have said something to him to get him so upset. He was already upset because she was going to move away once she'd married Theoric, but she never knew that he loved her this intensely.
"Your father said something that's hurt you, hasn't he, Loki?" she finally said after a few minutes of awkward silence that felt like eternity.
Loki didn't turn his head at the sound of her voice. He continued to stare out of the window. "It doesn't concern you," he said stiffly.
"Of course it does!" she exclaimed, climbing to her feet. "You're my closest friend- my dearest friend. You're everything to me, Loki Odinson!"
He turned to look at her, his face dark and cold. "Then why are you marrying him?"
She sighed. "Loki, you know that I cannot escape from this. I have been betrothed to Theoric for many years, and that is what will happen, whether I want it or not."
The dark prince strolled up to her in short strides and grabbed hold of her by the shoulders, his eyes piercing hers with such intensity that she turned to look away to catch her breath for a moment. She turned back to face him, carefully raising a hand to affectionately stroke his cheek.
"You are my dearest friend-"
"What else?" he interrupted harshly. "What ELSE?"
"A mere man?" she suggested, raising an eyebrow at him, a grin gracing her features.
Loki couldn't help but chuckle. "Clever minx," he smirked. However, his face then became serious again. "I love you, minx. Tell me that you love me."
"You know full well that I love you, Loki."
"No, I don't, Sigyn. How do I know that you aren't looking forward to having him fuck you?" As he said this, his face had contorted into a vicious snarl, and he was pointing with rage at the door continuously as he spoke.
"LOKI!" Sigyn literally shrieked. "How can you ask me such a thing?!"
"Why not?!" he replied, "Ehehehehe. How do I know that you aren't going to enjoy him touching you? Or, even better yet, you sucking on him?"
Sigyn slapped him hard around the face. Loki reeled back and hissed like a snake: "How DARE you?!" and launched himself at her, pinning her to the ground.
"You've just assaulted a member of the royal family!" he growled. "You should be thrown in the stocks- no, the cells- for this!"
"Do it, then," Sigyn replied, not moving her own fierce eyes away from his gaze.
"You don't deserve it," he spat, but then his gaze softened and he pulled back from her, allowing her to sit up. He pulled his knees up and started to weep into them, his face now one of anguish and fear.
Sigyn was totally off guard for his sudden mood change. She cautiously inched herself closer to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Loki, please, tell me what happened," she pleaded. "I cannot help you if you do not tell me."
Loki wiped his tears away harshly with the back of his hand and lifted his head up with is back still turned to her. "Father told me to forget all about you," he said as if he was discussing the weather. "He told me that I had to let you go, for my own well-being. I will be married to some noble woman, and you will be married to your noble man, that's what he said. He tried to tell me how he had tried to betroth me to you when we were infants, but then said that he wasn't able to because your mother and grandfather would not allow it. I stormed out. There, that is all you need to know."
"Oh, Loki…" Sigyn felt her heart break for his agony. "That is why you've been distant and behaving like this towards me, isn't it?"
He stiffly nodded.
"And what did you say in response to his demands?"
"I threw them back in his face. I told him that I would never let you go," he turned to face her, his face so full of grief, "and I never will. You belong to me. You have ALWAYS belonged to me, and you ALWAYS will."
Sigyn nodded. "I'm sorry that I took your book, Loki," she took his hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. "I took it because I knew that you'd come to me to find it, and I so desperately wanted to speak to you to know why you were avoiding me lately."
Loki's features softened, and he reached up to place a hand on her cheek. "I forgive you," he whispered, "and I'm so, SO sorry for how I behaved just now and in the past few days. Please understand that I thought that you were going to leave me on your own accord. I've never loved anyone in the way I love you, not even in the way I love and adore Thor. Please, please forgive me, Sigyn. I just don't want to loose you! Please forgive me!"
Sigyn cupped his tear-stricken face in her hands, and wiped a lone tear away from his right cheek.
"I'll always forgive you, Loki. I'll never, ever leave you on my own accord. I love you, too."
Loki gave a tear stricken smile, and Sigyn wrapped her arms around him to pull him into a fierce embrace.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, clutching her tightly to him.
"I am too," she replied. "I guess we are both in the wrong this time."
"I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you," he determinedly vowed.
"You don't need to," she replied. "I forgive you."
"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you, Sigyn. For everything…"