Hi Guys!

So I'm back and with a chapter that has given me quite a few problems so I hope I've managed to get it together and give you something that you will enjoy.

When I say that this chapter has been a problem child I mean it. It got so long that I was forced to cut it in half, so hopefully I chose the right place to end, but it was getting to the point that it was 15,000 words and I just couldn't justify having the chapter that long. Don't get me wrong I like long chapters, but they can be a bit hard to read at times.

There is some heavy content in the chapter, so just a warning!

WARNING! REFERENCES TO NON CONSENSUAL SEX WITH A MINOR!

Nothing is graphically described as I don't hold with that and I don't believe it is necessary to get the point across. I have my fingers crossed that I've managed to accomplish that particular part of the story with some tact and sensitivity so please feel free to let me know what you think of it.

Anyway as always thank you for all your support! For the favs and follows and the lovely reviews, please keep sending them and asking questions I will try to respond when I can.

Now on to the story!

Cheers!

D.S x

Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, the Avengers or any other of Marvel's various properties

7

Sigyn was quick to join the boys when they were far enough away from the scene of their failed attack against Amora. Even then they retreated further, heading out of the city and into the wilds they had used the car to drive through. The darkness of the night had helped in their escape, along with the invisibility spell Sigyn had cast. Once surrounded by the comforting safety of trees Leif had let go of Loki, allowing the Prince to lean back against the trunk of a tree sliding to sit on his rump.

The Healers Apprentice was swift to turn on him, coming to kneel at his side, hands already glowing with healing Seidr.

"So, that went well," she mumbled as Loki huffed a sarcastic laugh.

"It was a disaster," he said, shaking his head as Leif crept closer, sword clutched close. "The Midgardians have Amora."

"That can't be helped," Sigyn bit her lip as she moved her hands from Loki's chest to his shoulders. "Our first attack didn't exactly work."

"I…it could have g…gone better," Leif acknowledged.

Loki growled; frustration evident as he glared angrily at nothing. "We should have stayed."

"And what would that have accomplished?" Sigyn huffed as she continued healing him. "You would have been caught, those Midgardians had you trapped, and it was only due to Leif and I that we managed to get away from them."

"I would have been fine."

"Damn noble pride, you can never admit when your wrong can you?" Loki snapped at the sneering tone. His temper, after many days of dealing with Sigyn's snide comments finally fraying and he dropped Amora's staff that he had still been clutching in his had to turn his full ire on to the Apprentice.

Smacking her hands away, Loki ignored the gasp that came from the Apprentice's lips as he snarled at her. "You shouldn't even have been here in the first place. You barged yourself into business you had no part of, practically blackmailed me in to coming and then you have the audacity to question everything I do? Who do you think you are?!"

In his rage Loki let his grip on his Seidr free, it twirled around the Young Prince like an angry storm cloud, feeding on his emotions, gaining power by the second.

"I should never have allowed you to come," Loki rocked to his feet, so he towered over the Apprentice. "I should have taken my chances and risked you screaming. Or better yet gagged and left you. This is no place for you, you're a liability and a pain in my -!"

"Prince Loki!" The hand on his shoulder wasn't enough to have the Prince calm down from his towering anger, instead it redirected it to Leif, whose face was pinched and pale.

"Leif don't get me started -"

"I'm s…sorry my Prince, b…but you r…really need to c…calm down. I believe y…your scaring Lady Sigyn."

Loki blinked, frowning. "What?"

Leif, eyes wide pointed a shaking hand over Loki's shoulder. The Prince turned, expecting to see a furious Healer's Apprentice, ready to do battle with him with words and wit that he couldn't help but find slightly intriguing even as they vexed him. But instead he found a crumpled girl, curled on the grass with her hands over her head as though to block out the world.

Loki stared, stunned, his frustrated anger ebbing at the sight of the broken form of the girl that had given him so much trouble. After a moment of silence, he stepped closer.

"Oi, are you -?"

"Please don't hurt me." The whispered sob was enough to have both boys gasp. It was nothing like the usual scathing tone Sigyn used when dressing them down, nor the kind one when she was administering healing. It was frightened, broken and frail something Loki would have never thought possible from the Apprentice.

Sharing a baffled look with Leif, Loki steeled himself an took another step, but it seemed that was the last straw as Sigyn suddenly whirled up, face a mask of terror, panic and clearly not seeing the two boys before her if Loki was right with the glazed look in her eyes. "Please go away!"

Seidr exploded from the Apprentice. Thankfully Loki was quick enough to erect a barrier so he and Leif weren't sent flying, but he was shocked at the response, Sigyn must be truly scared for her Seidr to start to respond. When the winds calmed and Loki felt safe to drop the barrier, both boys were met with the sight of the Healer, hands curled around her knees as she rocked with her head tucked in close.

"W…what's wrong w…with her?" Leif whispered. Loki didn't answer, instead taking a deep breath.

"Keep back for a moment," he said before summoning some of his Seidr. He was not the best at the Healing arts, but his Mother would have been remiss in his education if he at least wasn't taught the basics. Eir had been a hard taskmaster, but he was thankful for her drills as he finally was able to recognise the signs of a panic attack. They were not spoken of by the warriors, or common people, most preferring to live with the illusion that all Asgardians craved was war. But it was foolish to think you could send living beings into battle and they would come out unscathed.

Allowing his Seidr to take on a calming air as Eir had instructed, Loki took his time in approaching Sigyn, being careful not to startle her as that would only make things worse. Once he was close enough he kept his voice low and measured.

"Sigyn, can you hear me?"

His question was met with more furious rocking.

"I'm going to touch you now, I want you to focus on the contact, try to use it to come out of the nightmare."

With great deliberateness Loki knelt beside the Apprentice, placing his pam flat on Sigyn's back. The contact caused a gasp from the girl and Loki felt Seidr surge under his fingertips in readiness for an attack. He swiftly started a stroking motion, as well as directing his own calming Seidr to envelope the panicking girl, soothing the terrified reaction.

"That's it," Loki encouraged as the Seidr flowed away and Sigyn's breath caught. "It's alright, your safe."

Loki looked to Leif, who was havering uncertainly. "Can she borrow your coat?"

Leif frantically nodded, stripping over his outer over coat, slowing coming closer to drape it over Sigyn's shoulders. The Apprentice sobbed, hands moving from her knees to grip the coat tighter around herself. Loki let Leif hover there while he continued to sooth the girl with Seidr and words, it was one of the few ways to bring people out of panic attacks. Spells and enchantments did nothing for an illness of the mind.

They sat there for some time, until Sigyn's breathing finally evened out and she lifted her head, eyes red rimmed.

"I'm fine now," she whispered, and Loki pulled his Seidr back to give her space. The Young Prince and his Valet watched as Sigyn pulled at her hair, arranging it back into place with shaking hands.

"Are y…you well now, L…Lady Sigyn?" Leif asked quietly. Sigyn took a shuddering breath before fixing on a smile.

"Of course, don't worry about -"

"Don't say that," Loki interrupted, though he was sure to keep his tone low. "You just had a panic attack, and not a mild one." He fixed his green eyes on wide blue ones. "Did set you off?"

"I -" Sigyn tried to speak, but the words lodged. After a moment she started again, voice horse and rough. "My family used to service nobles; we were nothing important. Mother was a maid along with my older sister. Both of them worked hard to gather the funds to get me the chance to Apprentice. Apprenticeships are not cheap and its not just raw talent that earns you one."

Loki frowned a little at that. It was true that Apprenticeships were hard to come by for the common people. They were not stopped from applying, but there was a payment needed if one was accepted and most common family did not have the funds to spare for such a venture.

"I thought they were just working, they saved from their wages. I was stupid, so stupid. I should have known you can't earn that much from a simply maid salary."

Sigyn clutched at the coat, eyes starting to swim with tears. "Mother started coming back to the chambers late at night. I didn't think anything of it, until my sister started coming home late too. I thought they were overworking, that they would tire themselves out. So one night I went to find them and I saw …. I saw them, in the Master bedchamber with …"

A hand came up to cover her mouth. Leif stiffened and a hand went to his sword. Loki's fists clenched and he had to will his Seidr from flaring.

"I didn't mean to make a sound, but I just couldn't help it. I was so shocked, scared, they had been screaming but a spell on the door kept the rest of the household in ignorance, but when I touched it I could hear them and they could hear me."

She shivered and closed her eyes. "The Master just smiled at me, asked me to come in and like an idiot I did. There were more of them in there, nobles, watching, watching it all happen and laughing. I asked what was going on, he told they were working. I said they were maids and he simply said they wanted to earn the extra money that they needed it for me."

Tears started to pool from Sigyn's closed lids, falling down her cheeks. "I told them to stop, but he said they needed the money for me, that it was for my Apprenticeship. I told him I would get the money and he should leave them alone. The Master went quiet, then came and stood before me … he was … he didn't have … I didn't know where else to look but at his face, but I wished I could have as he was smirking at me. He told me he knew a way I could earn money and he would leave my Mother and Sister alone. I … I didn't know what to do. I couldn't have told him no, no matter what I wanted, if I needed money or not. He's a noble, I'm not. So I … so I said I'd do anything."

The cry had both boys paling. Loki took a breath of his own before asking gently. "Sigyn, did he touch -"

"No! No not him," Sigyn shook her head viciously. "His son was only a few years older than I. He said I would be great practise for when he takes a wife."

Loki felt rage boil is stomach, along with revulsion and the need to be sick. Sigyn sobbed once then pulled herself into a dignified pose. "We only did it twice, that was all I needed to do to get the money they promised. But he would shout at me, when we … when we did things. Call me names, pull my hair, stand over me. I just, you just -"

She trailed off but Loki didn't need any more though, shame curling in his chest. He couldn't believe that a noble, one possibly granted lands and a title by his family, as well as the responsibility of caring for the people had Asgard had … had done such a thing. The more analytical of Loki's mind whispered that it made Sigyn's behaviour towards himself make more sense. If he had gone through such an ordeal, he would probably hate nobles too and Loki was the highest of nobility. That being said, being of the nobility Loki was not going to let the matter go unpunished, he would have this noble and all his friends suffer, he would vow to that. But he also had to include himself in that regard. Shuffling he took to one knee, his back twinging as he bowed his own head in supplication.

"My deepest and sincerest apologies to you, Lady Sigyn," he said. "I should never have behaved in such a way to cause you distress like that. Please ask anything of me and I will do as you wish, even take my own life."

"Prince Loki!" Leif gasped but Loki did not move. This was the right thing to do. Sure, the girl irked him and was hardly respectful of his position, but after hearing what he had, he could not blame her. He condescension was justified, and though Loki was an innocent party he wasn't exactly not guilty of projecting his own fears and hate onto others who did not deserve it. Besides he was a Prince, he had standards of behaviour he had to adhere to, and he had crossed the line.

There was an intake of breath and Loki closed his eyes in preparation.

"Lift your head, it looks strange for you to bow to me."

Loki paused, but did as asked. Sigyn was watching him, face pale with blue eyes bright as she studied him with awed thoughtfulness.

"You really would do it wouldn't you? Whatever I asked, even if it was your life, you would do it?"

Loki bowed again. "My behaviour was incorrigible, no matter how provoked some may say it could have been. Plus, I am a Prince, it is my sworn duty to protect Asgard and you are Asgardian, and therefore mine to protect."

Sigyn gasped and even Leif seemed startled. After a moment more of silence, Sigyn spoke.

"Your apology is enough, please don't bow to me anymore, Prince Loki."

Loki lifted his head, opening his mouth to argue, but clicked it shut at the sight of the soft genuine smile that graced Sigyn's face.

"I've caused quiet a commotion," Sigyn continued before Loki could protest, pulling Leif's coat from around her and handing it back to the Valet. "We shouldn't be wasting time on things such as this when the Midgardians could be coming. Prince Loki, please allow me to continue looking at your back."

Loki was startled by the polite demand, but the small smile that still graced Sigyn's lips had his own twitching in response. It may not have been pretty by maybe the two of them could finally understand one another. Nodding, Loki slumped as Sigyn crawled closer and began her healing once more.

They stayed in silence as Loki felt the aches in his back start to recede. Leif watched the area carefully in case the scene from earlier had attracted any notice. It was as Loki's mind wandered that he felt a tug on his Seidr. Surprised he reached out, only to have Amora's staff come to his hand as thought summoned. Shocked a little by the display Loki took the time to finally studied the thing. Up close he could make out the smooth design. There were no markings, or inscriptions, just the glowing blue stone in the tip of the blade which seemed to flare as Loki stared at it. But as it did however, he felt something brush his mind, it slithered across his Seidr like a cunning snake, trying to coil around his own, claiming it, owning it.

Loki yelped, dropping the staff as though it burned him, scrambling back away from it.

"Oi, be careful, your wounds haven't -"

"Don't touch it!" Loki shouted as Leif went to pick up the staff. The Valet jumped, startled as he took a hasty step back in shocked fear.

"M…my Prince?"

"That's Amora's staff," Loki explained, brushing off Sigyn's hands. His wounds had been healed enough; the pain had lessoned and his own Seidr would take care of the rest in no time.

"You took her staff?" Sigyn asked in surprise.

"Unintentionally," Loki said which didn't stop Sigyn from raising an eyebrow at him. "I felt something coming from it just now. A power."

"Seidr?" Loki shook his head.

"No, I'm not sure, but it tried to wrap around my Seidr, as though it was trying to take it."

Sigyn gasped thought Leif frowned.

"What d…does that m…mean?"

"Seidr is an energy," Sigyn said before Loki could open his mouth. "It's inside everyone and everything, and in doing so can have a personality in conjunction to whoever or whatever it originates from." Sigyn shivered. "That staff was wielded by Amora, so it is possible that the Seidr within it retains some of her personality and if so, it can act of its own will."

"And it tried to take my Seidr," Loki finished as Leif stared wide eyed. "Or corrupt it to some degree. That could explain the mind control she exhibited over the Midgardians in Heimdall's report."

"M…Mind control!" Leif exclaimed while Loki waved him off.

"I thought it was strange when I picked it up," he glanced at the staff mistrustfully. "Almost as if I didn't want to let go of it."

"At least we're aware of the consequences of holding it now," Sigyn said, ripping off part of her robe to drape it over the staff before swiftly wrapping it up. "It's better if we avoid skin contact."

"W…what are going t…to do n…now?" Leif stuttered, which had both Sigyn and Loki sharing a look of concern.

"I'm pretty sure we've lost the Midgardians," Loki stated to which Sigyn agreed.

"We have, I can't sense them."

"It would probably be best if we tried to avoid any further confrontations with them."

"It didn't help that you attacked Amora in front of them," Sigyn huffed which had Loki scowling.

"They got in the way."

"D…do you think t…the Mid…Midgardians will hurt us?" Leif asked.

Loki snorted, "I doubt they could do us much damage."

"Tell that to the red armour," Sigyn nodded at Loki's chest. "It may not have broken any bones, but the bruising was substantial. Another hit could have caused a fracture."

Loki bit his lip, that was worrying. It was true that the power of the red armour, Stark, was concerning, it had taken him clean off his feet and could have caused some damage if he'd been hit again.

"All the more reason to keep away, though that will be difficult since the Midgardians have Amora."

Leif and Sigyn drooped, both unsure of how to continue. Loki ran a hand over his face, his mind working furiously in what to do.

Think of it like a training exercise, he thought, what would the Master be saying? What's the next logical step in this campaign?

"I…I wish we kn…knew more about M…Midgard?" Leif moaned as he fingered his sword worriedly. "For a pr…primitive Realm i…it's kind of s…scary."

"It is rather different than I was led to believe," Sigyn muttered as she shuffled closer to Leif to offer a comforting smile. "But let's not -"

"Leif!" Loki suddenly exclaimed, leaping to his feet to embrace the startled Valet in a tight hug that Sigyn squawked in protest over. "You're a genius!"

"M…my P…P…Prince?" Leif squeaked a red blush rushing to his cheeks which Loki ignored as he continued to grin widely. Finally, he let go, much to Leif's relief as it appeared as though the poor Valet was about to hyperventilate.

"I've got a plan," Loki announced.

"Does it include terrifying servants to death," Sigyn snipped as she checked on Leif who tried to wave her of.

Loki smirked, heading over to pick up the covered staff before banishing it to his pocket dimension. When he felt no interference with his Seidr he turned back to his companions. "We need to head back into town."

They didn't wait for the sun to raise, after a few hours of rest they trekked to the nearest Midgardian dwelling on the outskirts of the city. It was a simple thing to cast a sleep spell, rendering all inside in a deep slumber so the three children could sneak in undetected. Which was a good thing as once inside things quickly descended into confusion.

"Are you sure this is right?" Sigyn asked as the three, sat on the long sofa in what Loki assumed was the main room of the dwelling, crowded around a slim rectangular metal and glass stone which Loki had taken from the bedroom of the young Midgardian girl whose sleeping quarters were a ghastly shade of bright pink.

"Thor told me about them," Loki said as he fiddled with the stone, running his hands down the sides until he felt the slight indent which he pressed in, allowing the screen to finally light up. "He said the Midgardians call them tablets."

"T…tablets?" Leif asked, sounding more frightened then curious.

"How is that a tablet?" Sigyn gestured at the object which now had a brightly coloured surface that was asking for a password. "I thought the Midgardians had surpassed the time they carved things into stone?"

"Perhaps it's a play on words," Loki shrugged, allowing his Seidr access to the device, bypassing the password controls to gain what Loki wanted. The screen changed, bringing up a picture of a posing male Midgardian, Loki couldn't help but wrinkle his nose, what was with Midgardians and admiring themselves? Loki swiftly let his Seidr take control, bringing up another screen with a box saying search along with a keyboard.

"They s…still use th…those?" Leif wrinkled his nose as Sigyn snickered.

"Don't forget they're primitive," Loki said as he tapped at the keyboard. "We'll have to use it to search for the information we need."

"And what is that?"

"Who those Midgardians were for one," Loki grunted as he finished typing out the name he desired. AllSpeak was fine for the spoken language but the written was much more difficult to decipher. "We need all the information we can get if we're going to get Amora."

Leif and Sigyn stiffened but nodded in agreement. Loki eyed the word in the search box critically, it looked right so hopefully it would come up with something. Tapping the search button Loki let out a bark of victory as a familiar picture came up.

"That's him!"

Sigyn frowned as she leaned closer. "Tony Stark, or Iron Man as he's known when in the armour. He's a Midgardian."

"Obviously."

Sigyn scowled at Loki's comment before fixing her eyes back on the tablet. "He owns a company called Stark Industries, who used to deal in arms."

"A…Arms?" Leif asked.

"Weapons," Loki answered, frown marring his brow. "It means they make weapons, but what's a weapons dealer doing fighting Amora."

"I think this might explain it," Sigyn said. "Two years ago, Stark was kidnapped and was held by terrorists."

"What's a t…terrorist?"

Sigyn shrugged turning to Loki who glared, "why would I know?"

"You said Prince Thor has been to Midgard before, didn't he tell you about everything he saw."

"He never mentioned anything called a terrorist."

"I…It sounds t…terrifying," Leif shuddered. Loki sighed, reaching out to place a hand on his Valet's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I doubt there will be any around here. Besides they're mortal, they wouldn't be able to damage an Asgardian."

Leif sent a grateful smile at the Young Prince, causing Sigyn to roll her eyes, but she didn't contradict Loki's statement instead turning back to the tablet. "Stark escaped but he was injured. Metal shrapnel got buried in his chest, close to his heart, its only due to the technology he created while in captivity that he still lives."

Loki hummed, thinking back to the red and gold armour which Stark wore and the glowing device at the centre of his chest. "No wonder it felt strange, how could a mortal have created such a thing?"

"Well whatever it is there's not much information available on it."

"It's not that important," Loki waved away the issue for now, to which Sigyn agreed, continuing her account.

"It was after his escape that he announced his company would stop making weapons. From reading between the lines though there must have been a dispute of some sort as a man called Stain was revealed as a traitor to the company and his country."

"How?" Loki demanded.

"It seems he was selling the weapons to enemies of his homeland," Sigyn said. "He turned against Stark when he returned, and he was also the one who arranged for the kidnapping."

Loki growled, fists clenching, traitors left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Iron Man made his first appearance in that time," Sigyn went on. "There was great speculation as to what it was, but Stark revealed it was himself in the armour not long after the dispute was resolved. He's been considered a hero ever since."

"H…Hero?" Leif sounded amazed.

"The Midgardians are easily impressed it seems," Loki scoffed.

"I wouldn't be too sure, there was another incident with Iron Man about a year later," Sigyn explained. "The information is vague, but the main report shows that Iron Man saved several people at a Stark expo that was attacked by a man called Vanko, who was using technology from another weapons designer named Hammer. An agency named Shield seems to have been responsible for the lack of information."

"Shield!" Loki exclaimed tugging the tablet to himself to peer at it. Sigyn had opened many articles in her search for information on Stark and at the top of the current one was a familiar name. Shield or S.H.I.E.L.D the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directive. There wasn't much information apart from the name and that it was a secretive organisation that had only recently come out of the shadows. But even then, it was difficult to say if they were real or simply a branch of one of the many militaries of Midgard. Even clicking off it to put the name in the search engine only came up with limited results. Mostly conspiracy theories by teenage Midgardians whose reports were unreliable and at times farfetched.

"What's the interest?" Sigyn asked when Loki cursed.

"Stark and the warrior mentioned them," Loki said. "I assume they are working together."

"T…that would be b…bad," Leif agreed. "They would o…out number us gr…greatly if they h…had such a … an organisation."

Loki sighed, "with such little information, we don't know what kind of security we will be up against."

"I know one thing we'll be up against," Sigyn interjected, the tablet held in her hand which she thrust out for the two boys to see.

"Shield warrior," Loki hissed, surprised at seeing the man in the black and white image that lit up the tablet.

"He's Captain America, or Steve Rogers."

"W…why do Mi…Midgardians have s…so many names?" Leif groaned.

"He was a super solider, who fought in World War Two."

"World War Two?"

"It was a Midgardian war," Sigyn said, having pulled the tablet back towards her, tapping at it with her fingers as she read the information. "Many countries were fighting against one particular group called Nazi's."

"Are t…they terrorists?"

"It doesn't matter who they are," Loki dismissed the question. "When was this, Thor didn't mention anything about a war going on during his visit to Midgard and that was only one of their years ago."

"That's because it wasn't happening last year, World War Two ended sixty-seven Midgardian years ago."

Leif gasped and even Loki couldn't help but gape in shock. "B…but that's impossible, that would make that Captain America far older, even dead by mortal standards."

"He was reported to have died in battle," Sigyn frowned at the tablet. "But he matches the description of the Midgardian you saw."

"I don't like the sound of this." Loki muttered.

"It does raise some questions and worries," Sigyn agreed, placing the tablet aside to give her whole attention to the Young Prince. "If this organisation is so secret, are we going to be able to find Amora before they either do something to her or she escapes."

"Y…You think she c…can?"

"Of course she can," Loki snorted. "The Midgardians would be fools to believe they could hold a Seidr user for any length of time. Plus, there was the way she surrendered."

"It was rather sudden," Sigyn nodded.

"She has an agender," Loki muttered, biting his lip as his mind worked furiously. "She surrendered for a reason."

"But w…what?"

None of the three could come up with an answer, but it was not the crux of their problem. The main issue they had was finding the Witch.

"Could you track her with her Seidr again?" Loki asked Sigyn who shook her head.

"Now that she's aware we're here she's masked her presence."

Cursing Loki slumped back on the cushions, defeated. "We can't track Amora with her Seidr, we can't use information from the Midgardians, by the time we do anything Thor might have come down and sent us all back to Asgard."

"Would t…that be such a b…bad thing?"

Loki sent a withering glare Leif's way, who quailed under the onslaught, though Loki couldn't help but think that maybe he had a point. The thirst for his revenge had waned since his defeat by Amora and the interference of the Midgardians. Nothing had gone according to Loki's plan, by now he'd thought he would be returning to Asgard, victorious against the Witch having dealt Asgardian justice. But instead they were in a Midgardian dwelling, a strange tablet that didn't really give them the answers they needed and with no idea how they could get home, or how they could even begin to find Amora again.

"We might not need Amora's Seidr to track her."

Loki turned his head from where he had leaned it against the cushions, eyebrow twitching as Sigyn twirled a piece of her blonde hair in thought. "What are you talking about, you just said -"

"I said I couldn't track Amora's Seidr, but you don't need to track Seidr in order to find someone."

"That's not -"

"Most of the criminals of Asgard don't use Seidr," Sigyn continued, a gleam of excitement in her eyes. "They have hardly a drop of it in their veins, yet they can still be tracked. How do you think they do that?"

Realisation hit Loki in the chest, he lurched forward, hands snapping out to pull Sigyn in a strong hug. "Of course, of course you don't need Seidr. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Get off me!"

"P…Prince Loki!"

Loki released the Apprentice, unknowing of the blush that painted her cheeks. He leapt to his feet, summoning his pocket dimension and extracting Amora's staff.

"What a…are you d…doing?!" Leif yelped, as Loki began to undo the wrapping around the blade, stumbling to his own feet, yet hesitating in stopping Loki from freeing the top part if the staff so the blue glow of the gem in the blade lit up the room. "I th…thought that thing w…was dangerous?!"

"And it is," Loki said, a smirk on his lips. "If I allowed it, I have no doubt that it would suck the Seidr right out of me, but that's not going to happen."

"How?"

"Because I'm not going to interact with its Seidr at all," Loki explained. "I just need the staff." Leif still appeared puzzled, so Loki went on. "Amora wielded the staff, so with the right spell I can use it to find her location."

"Locator spells are run of the mill," Sigyn added. "Used by most Seidr uses to find … well anything really. Lost keys, clothes but most importantly people."

"The spell locks onto the physical essence of the owner."

"Physical e…essence?"

"Skin, blood," Loki shrugged. "We leave small pieces of our skin behind on nearly everything we touch, it's impossible not to." Loki shook the staff, one end still covered in the ripped robe which protected Loki from the staffs malicious Seidr. "I can use my own Seidr fixing the locator spell onto the small samples Amora left behind to track her. She probably never thought she would be separated from her weapon so didn't plan accordingly."

Leif still appeared confused, but Loki didn't need his understanding to get things into motion.

They decided it was best to leave the Midgardian dwelling before casting the spell, mainly because the sun was starting to raise and the three didn't want to be caught by any neighbours that may be lurking. The sleeping spell was dismissed and as the three Asgardians headed for the woods the Midgardians arose, completely unaware of their nightly visitors.

Though they barely got into the woods when Loki's impatience got the best of him. Sitting crossed legged on the grass, Loki was careful to not let the staff touch his bare skin. Even though he wouldn't be interacting with the Seidr of the staff, that didn't mean he wanted to expose himself more than he had to.

"You'll monitor the spell," Loki said to Sigyn, who huffed in annoyance.

"Don't tell me how to spot."

"W…what should I d…do?" Leif asked nervously.

"Watch the perimeter, we don't want any Midgardians stumbling across us." Leif nodded seriously, the sword that it seemed he had become rather attached to, was pulled from his belt where he had stowed it after their flight from the Midgardian dwelling. He stalked a little further away, checking between the trees, though keeping one eye on the Prince and Sigyn, who had come to stand at Loki's shoulder, Seidr flaring as she readied herself to monitor the spell work, along with the staff just in case.

Satisfied, Loki fixed his attention on the staff. Even holding it with a covering Loki could feel the Seidr. It shifted and pulled, enticing Loki to ignore his logical sense and use it to get what he wanted. Shaking his head, Loki placed the staff length ways across his lap, closing his eyes he reached out to his Seidr, before muttering the words that would direct it how he wished.

"Vitútr staðr ór Amora."

His Seidr swelled at the command, fixing around the staff in search of the small samples of physical matter it could find to begin the location spell. Normally Loki wouldn't need the use of words to direct his Seidr, but he wasn't willing to take any chances and a spoken as well as mental direction allowed for less room for error.

A flare in his Seidr and Loki felt it latch on to something. He gritted his teeth as his Seidr suddenly flew from him, his vision shifting as the locator spell kicked in, allowing the caster to see where the object of their search dwelled. Blur soon condensed into an image, one that Loki couldn't help but curse at.

"W…what is it?" Leif asked, concerned.

"I don't know, the spell is working fine," Sigyn said, leaning closer though being sure not to touch Loki. "Oi, what's happening, I can't feel anything from the staff."

"Those damn Midgardians," Loki muttered, as he took in the image the locator spell embedded into his mind, along with co-ordinates that were less than useful due to the location itself. "Why can't they just keep their feet on the ground."

"My P…Prince?"

"I have her," Loki dismissed the spell, re-wrapping the staff before stowing it in his pocket dimension once again. "But the Midgardian seem to enjoy flying, they have her in some sort of machine that is in the air."

Leif and Sigyn gaped and Loki allowed himself to enjoy the reactions.

"H…how?"

"I didn't know Midgardians could fly."

"Things change, but it makes our mission a little more difficult."

"Indeed," Sigyn mused. "None of us can fly, and the idea that the machine in which they are housing Amora will descend is low. We could maybe trick it into landing."

"I have a better plan," Loki stepped forward and deftly took Sigyn's hand, pulling her so that they were chest to chest.

"W…What do you think you're doing?" Sigyn spluttered indignantly. "Unhand me!"

"Leif, come here," Loki ordered, and Leif was quick to follow. "Hold on."

Once Leif had gripped his shoulder, Loki summoned his Seidr again. This was a trick he'd been working on with his Mother, he'd had minor success with it, managing to make it to the locations his Mother set up, but he was nervous without her guidance.

"Seidr is a living energy my son, if asked it will do what it can for you."

"Please don't let us appear in mid-air," Loki begged before wrapping his Seidr around himself, Sigyn and Leif, pushing the image and co-ordinates from the locator spell into the working so that with a puff of green smoke all three vanished from the woods.