Author's Note: Wow guys, that last chapter got a ton of positive feedback! I am glad that you enjoyed it! I had been seriously concerned when I published it, but I guess my fears were unnecessary. Before I get to replying to your reviews I am going to warn all of you that Sigyn does not get her revenge in this chapter (or the next one). It is coming though I promise, just be patient. I own nothing except for Sigyn and her family. Read, rate, review, follow, etc. or don't whatever floats your boat (I don't know why I always repeat this, it's not like everyone doesn't already know that stuff…) Anyway, on to responding to the reviews! Snow White Queen your reviews are wonderful. I love and appreciate how much thought you put into them! I am really glad that I am not the only one who can see Loki as someone who can not only create a convincing lie, but as someone who can just misrepresent the truth as well (which is sometimes harder than just telling a lie). Sigyn and Frida's relationship will be strained at times (just as any sibling relationship can be), but I like the idea that the two girls have someone who at the end of the day will always be there for them (especially since their mother is so distant). I can definitely see Thor as being a bit of a player in his younger years, but I also think that he is probably still very good-natured and likable despite that fact. Hopefully Sigyn's warning shot will be enough to keep his hands off of her from now on. If not, poor Loki might just show us why green is his color. I am very glad that you are enjoying the story so much, and I hope I can keep you entertained and always guessing! Sorry Sigyn isn't taking her revenge just yet, but never fear she is not going to let Loki off the hook. A Nice Person you certainly do live up to your name :) I was all smiles reading your review! I love when I can make people smile, and I am delighted that I was able to make you laugh (though your cat might have been a little less delighted). I do try to update fairly frequently so check back once or twice a week. I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Reteka Hyuuga in my opinion you can never enjoy a good slap too much (especially when said slap is deserved)! I love that you are enjoying the story so far, and I hope to continue to amuse you. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews, they really do help me write!
"You're in extreme trouble…" blah, blah, blah.
"You are grounded for a century…" etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Sigyn got an earful on the way home, but she merely pretended to pay attention. It was likely that her parent's would not allow her to go to the next few banquets as punishment for slapping Prince Thor in plain sight of everyone, but it was a small price to pay in defense of her honor. Loki had certainly told Thor something of their meetings, but it was obvious that his story, while akin to the truth, had not been the full truth.
The next morning found Sigyn standing outside the Queen's sitting room with her borrowed book in tow. Her parents had relented to letting her return the book and spending time with the Queen despite her "Lack of decorum" since Frigga had personally insisted on it, and she was about to knock on the door when footsteps to her right caught her attention.
"Good morning Prince Loki, it is good to see you have come fully dressed this time." She welcomed.
Loki clasped his hands behind his back and smiled.
"I wanted to spare you the temptation of staring." He retorted.
"Is it safe to assume that you have come here to gloat over your little trick last evening?"
"Not really. While your reaction to Thor's ill thought out advances was more than humorous, I feel compelled to inform you that they were not entirely my doing."
"How can they not be entirely your doing, and why this sudden compulsion to tell the truth? That seems an odd sentiment for the 'god of lies'." Sigyn pried.
"I might have taken a few events out of context while speaking to my brother of them, but I certainly never expected to do anything save shock him. Thor had mentioned trying to woo you himself, but I honestly had no idea that he was serious about it."
Sigyn smiled.
"I thought those innuendos were too clever for your brother… I mean no offense to him of course, but he does not strike me as the kind to dabble in word play."
"A true enough observation. When did you finally accredit his words to me?" Loki questioned.
"When I saw the immense laughter in your eyes. Intentional or not, last night's fiasco was of your doing." Sigyn answered.
"Ahhh I see, well you seem to be taking the entire thing very well. When I witnessed you slapping Thor I half expected you to turn and throttle me next, but instead you seemed rather calm about the whole incident..."
"Which is why you are here." Sigyn interjected.
Loki gave her a puzzled look and Sigyn rolled her eyes.
"I know full well that you are not here because you enjoyed our last chat with your mother. You are here because you wanted to see how I was reacting to the events of last evening. Given such a public display, you probably assumed that I would either be furious with you or off hiding in a corner somewhere out of shame, yet here I stand level headed as ever. What do you make of that My Prince?"
Loki didn't reply, and his face didn't betray what was going on in his mind.
"Admit it Loki, I intrigue you." She stated before turning and knocking on the Queen's door.
She looked back at Loki, and his eyes were wide.
"What are you gawking at My Lord?" She asked a tad worried by his expression.
"You said my name, without any title…"
Sigyn thought about that a second and gripped the book in her hands tighter.
"So I did…"
The door to the Queen's chamber opened before Sigyn could make up some excuse, revealing Frigga herself.
"Good morning Sigyn… and Loki? Have you come to join us once again darling?"
Sigyn tried to hide her smile at Loki's frustration with Frigga's motherly pet name.
"It would be a welcomed break from training." Loki admitted.
Frigga smiled and wrapped her arm around Sigyn and led her into the room. Loki's measured footsteps trailed behind them.
"I hope that your parents have not scolded you too harshly for slapping Thor." The Queen stated.
Sigyn unconsciously bit her bottom lip.
"I suppose they were not too harsh, though I have been prohibited from attending any banquets for the foreseeable future." Sigyn explained while sitting down in the same chair she had occupied the last time she had come to visit the Queen.
Loki sat directly across from her, and gave a start at her pronouncement.
"Hmm that is really quite unnecessary." Frigga determined. "I can only assume that your actions were provoked. Thor can be a bit too forward with young Ladies…"
"My Queen, I am sure Prince Thor had no…"
Frigga began to laugh at the beginning of what would be a lie on Sigyn's part.
"My dear Sigyn, a mother always knows her sons better than they think she does. I am well aware of Thor's…enterprises where young women are concerned. If Thor made advances towards you that you did not appreciate, then your actions were entirely justified."
"Well my punishment is not so terrible." Sigyn determined. "It is likely that my parents will relent after the first few banquets since Frida will begin to complain about having to attend by herself."
Frigga smiled kindly at Sigyn, and Sigyn couldn't help but shift a little uncomfortably at what she was going to reveal next.
"In all honesty… I am somewhat encouraged by my parent's reaction, especially my mother's. It has just been so long since she has shown any signs of unbridled emotion about…well about anything…" Sigyn trailed off.
She wasn't sure why she felt so comfortable revealing this to the Queen after such a short acquaintance, and with Loki in the room no less. All she knew was that Frigga emitted a presence that invited others to be open and honest with her. She seemed both caring and understanding, even to those that were not her own flesh and blood.
"Your mother is much changed since I knew her as a girl." The Queen acknowledged.
"She is much changed since Iounn's death." Sigyn clarified.
The Queen reached out to Sigyn and grasped her hand.
"I cannot imagine the pain of losing one child Sigyn, let alone three children and a grandchild. I imagine the agony is unspeakable. In time your mother will heal, though you can hardly expect her to be the same woman you remember." Frigga heartened.
Loki sat respectfully silent at this exchange, and Sigyn was grateful. She doubted the young Prince knew anything about her family's losses, and she hardly wished to become an object of his pity. Frigga must have sensed the sensitivity Sigyn felt to the current subject because she quickly changed it.
"Now tell me what you thought of the book." She said in a lighter tone.
Sigyn wasted no time in singing its praises. It didn't take long for her to begin recounting her favorite stories, and the Queen sat back and listened with a contented smile to Sigyn's speeches. It was not long before Loki began interjecting his own thoughts, and the two soon found themselves in a heated discussion about the tales. Their opinions were not too differing, but there were several legends that they could not seem to agree on the motivations of those mentioned in the stories. The Queen never interjected, and Sigyn assumed that it was because she was too amused by Loki and her. They probably did seem a little silly debating over children's bedtime stories. The morning hours passed quickly, and Frigga invited Sigyn to stay and take lunch with the Royal family.
"I appreciate the offer My Queen, but I am not sure that is such a wise idea…" Sigyn pointed out.
"Do not let Thor's presence deter you Sigyn, I promise he will behave himself." The Queen assured.
Sigyn thought for a moment, and finally accepted the Queen's invitation. Frigga led the way to the dining hall with Loki and Sigyn close behind her on either side. Sigyn took the time to really study their surroundings. She had only seen the beautiful open air corridors at night, but the daylight revealed all the details that night's shadows hid. Odin was already present when the three of them entered the dining hall.
"I see we have a guest." He remarked with a smile.
Sigyn quickly dropped into a curtsy in front of the AllFather.
"The Queen was kind enough to invite me." She replied.
Odin approached Sigyn and lifted her chin with his hand.
"And I am glad she did."
He pulled a seat out for Sigyn, and she sat down with a nod of appreciation. Odin then pulled out a chair for his wife so she could sit next to Sigyn. He finally took a seat at the head of the table, and Loki made his way around to the seat opposite Sigyn's. They began the meal without Thor, and the AllFather made a few polite inquiries into Sigyn's family to put her at ease. Thor finally arrived to the meal, and took the seat between Odin and Loki. He threw Sigyn a few disapproving glances while filling up his plate.
"What a child!" Sigyn huffed inwardly.
The eldest Prince of Asgard was seriously going to pout over a little public humiliation and not getting his way? At least Loki had the sense to laugh off her rejection. Still, she didn't desire any bad blood between Thor and herself, so she decided that she would try to soothe his ruffled feathers.
"I am pleased to see that you don't suffer any ill effects from my outburst last night, Prince Thor."
It wasn't an apology, simply a statement. Sigyn might be willing to make amends, but she had no intention of apologizing.
"And I am pleased to see that you seem to be so amused by it Lady Sigyn." Thor pouted.
Sigyn coughed to cover up her laugh, and then tried a different tactic.
"I never got the chance to tell you what a good dancer you are, I honestly hadn't expected you to be that good." She admitted truthfully.
Thor looked up from his plate pleasantly surprised.
"You really think so?" He asked with a hint of disbelief.
Sigyn smiled. She supposed that she would be skeptical of flattery as well if Loki was her brother.
"Yes, I do My Prince. You are very self-aware with your body. I can only assume that comes from your extensive physical training." She noted.
Thor brightened up considerably and Loki rolled his eyes. Sigyn smiled at the former and ignored the latter. She was not simply sucking up to Thor, he was very self-aware physically so his dancing instincts were rather good.
"Frigga tells me that you are quite the reader Sigyn." Odin interjected.
"I do enjoy reading. It gives me something peaceful to do since I am terrible at weaving and embroidering." Sigyn replied.
Odin began to enquire into her personal studies only to discover that she was mainly self-taught. As a woman she was expected to know a few domestic duties, but as a noblewoman those duties were few. Her knowledge of history, diplomacy, and literature came from her own desire to read and learn. Her parents had not discouraged her inquisitive mind, but they had never hired a private tutor to instruct her.
Sigyn couldn't help but marvel at how much Thor could eat as the conversation carried on. She was full after one plate, but he had to be on his third by this point, and he didn't show any signs of slowing down when dessert was placed in front of them. What stunned her even more though was how much Loki could eat. He was significantly smaller than Thor, and Sigyn didn't remember him eating a great deal at the first banquet she had attended. Perhaps she just hadn't been paying attention, or perhaps Loki was going to be suffering from a serious stomach-ache later on. Something inside Sigyn told her that the second option was the more likely of the two.
