Author's Note: Sorry this took a little longer to post than I had intended it to, but better late then never! I own nothing, read, review, etc. etc. etc. MithrilEvanesco welcome to the party! Isn't it nice to know that Loki was actually able to make a friend of his own :) Forbidden Moons I agree that Sigyn's story is one of the most touching in the Norse Mythology, but I always feel like she never gets enough recognition. She is known as the 'goddess of Fidelity,' but if you look deeper she is a heck of a lot more than that. She suffers so much (between the deaths of her sons and the punishment of her husband), yet none of the other gods or goddesses seem to give her the time of day. She is shunned based on the actions of her husband, what cruel treatment. Obviously I am going a different route than the mythology. Snow White Queen I agree completely with you. Loki is just such a fascinating character study, and it does seem the more you dissect him, the more we are left to wonder. I am so glad that my update came at a good time for you! I will say that those moments when you begin to struggle and doubt the integrity of your art (and I truly believe this applies to all art forms) are those moments when you are about to make your biggest breakthrough. Soldier on as they say! Oh yes, Frigga will put two and two together. The question is what will she do with the answer once she has it? Will she interfere or will she let it run its course? I was quite happy with the outcome of Sigyn's prank as well. I didn't want it to be dark, and I didn't feel the necessity of it being so. Loki had no real personal connection to Amora so it wasn't like he was really losing anything, and I think he couldn't help but be at least a little impressed with Sigyn. I don't think he thought she had the capacity of pulling a stunt like that off. There will come a time for turbulence in Sigyn and Loki's relationship, but that time is not now. A Nice Person I am glad that the prank played out to your liking :) hopefully there is more playful banter in store!
Sigyn was more than a little drowsy when she went to visit the Queen, but she perked up a little when she saw that Loki was already with his mother in her sitting room. The Queen took a more active role in the discussion regarding the books Sigyn had read than she had during their last visit, but the conversation was still dominated by Loki and Sigyn. As before, Frigga invited Sigyn to take lunch with the Royal family, and Sigyn accepted without hesitation this time. Odin was not present for lunch, but Thor managed to show up on time. Sigyn noted that Loki had learned his lesson and made no attempt to eat as much as Thor. The conversation at the table started with Frigga inquiring after Thor's training, which Thor turned into…
"Loki should train with us more."
… to which Loki replied
"Why would I train with you when I can spend time with a pretty girl?"
Thor countered Loki's argument with the fact that Lady Sif was a pretty girl, and Loki nodded his head in agreement.
"Yes, pretty vain."
Thor laughed at the comment as if Loki simply meant it as a joke, but something about Loki's tone of voice caused Sigyn to think that he wasn't merely jesting. Once Thor finished laughing he poured himself another goblet of wine and looked towards Sigyn.
"So Loki tells me that you are a proficient rider…"
Sigyn quirked an eyebrow. Was he really going to try this again, and in front of his mother?
"…on horseback that is." He hastily added.
"Ahh… yes, I am a fairly proficient rider." She replied.
"So would you be interested in joining us tomorrow for a ride out into the country?" Thor asked.
"Of course!" She replied excitedly.
"Wonderful! We will meet at the Royal stables tomorrow morning at sunrise."
The arrangements made, the topic was dropped. Overall the meal had been quite pleasant, but Sigyn was glad when she found herself in the Queen's sitting room once more.
"I was thinking that perhaps you would like to choose your own book today." Frigga noted to Sigyn.
"I am certainly not opposed to that suggestion." Sigyn agreed.
"Loki would you mind terribly showing her to the library?" The Queen requested.
Loki answered that he would not mind, and Sigyn soon found herself following him down the complex corridors of the palace.
"It's a wonder you don't get lost in this place…" She mused aloud.
"We sometimes did when we were younger." Loki admitted.
"By 'we' I assume you mean Thor and yourself."
"Yes, though I am fairly certain he got lost more often than I did. Paying attention is not really his strong suit."
"So who is the 'us' that will be going riding tomorrow?"
"You, Thor, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and myself."
"The Warriors Three?"
"Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral. It is an annoying name they have gotten into the habit of calling themselves. You have met them haven't you?"
Sigyn shook her head 'no.'
"Well don't let Hogun intimidate you… I am fairly certain he never smiles. He probably won't like you, but in all honesty I am not sure he likes anyone."
Sigyn was slightly bothered by this, but didn't interrupt Loki to voice her worry.
"Volstagg is pleasant enough I suppose. He is rather large, and is fonder of food than anything else. If you are a good cook you will easily win your way into his heart."
Sigyn made a mental note of that as Loki continued talking.
"Fandral is probably the only boy close to our age that can rival Thor in the number of women he has slept with, so don't be surprised if he tries to charm his way into bed with you…"
"Like you did?"
Loki ignored her comment.
"If he does try, you have my full permission to slap him."
"I hardly need permission to slap anyone, but thank you for the warning." Sigyn replied with a gleam in her eye.
Loki pulled up in front of a pair of large doors. He glanced down to Sigyn, and that is when she noticed that he had most certainly grown taller during the past few months of their acquaintance.
"You better brace yourself." He warned.
Sigyn wasn't really sure why he was telling her to brace herself, but the second he opened the doors she understood. The Royal library was overwhelming. It was a rather large room with shelves cram packed with books and manuscripts lining the walls. There was a large circular table in the center of the room with chairs circling it. Loki motioned for her to go in first, and she shamelessly staggered into the room. Loki had brought the books back that Sigyn had previously read, and he went to place them back in their appropriate homes while Sigyn studied the cases in front of her. She extended her hand out to touch one of the spines, but thought better of it at the last moment. Surely there was some sort of protective spell over these beautiful tomes and treasures. Loki must have been watching her fight the urge to reach out and grab the first book she saw because he began to chuckle. Sigyn looked over her shoulder to where he stood leaning against the case he had just placed one of Sigyn's books in. She couldn't stop from thinking how handsome he looked like that. His green eyes shining with amusement, and his façade of rigid formality nowhere to be found as his lithe body leaned against the bookcase. She could feel a guilty blush begin to form as thoughts of the Prince's attractiveness danced through her head, but she wasn't sure why she felt guilty. She had already admitted to herself that Loki was handsome, and now that she wasn't worried about one-upping him it was perfectly fine for her to appreciate that fact.
"Its ok, you can touch them." Loki encouraged.
Sigyn secretly hoped he wasn't pulling some kind of stunt as she reached out for the tome nearest her, but luckily she had nothing to fear. The book she pulled out was a book on famous Asgardian artists. She took the tome over to the table and sat down to read it while Loki put away the second book she had borrowed. Once he had completed that task, he came to sit beside her.
"Interesting choice." Loki noted as he studied the book in front of Sigyn.
"I just picked the first one I saw." She admitted. "It is a wonder you ever leave this room, I know that if I lived here I wouldn't."
"I am quite fond of this particular room, but unfortunately being a Prince of Asgard has its responsibilities that require me to leave it."
"Show me your favorite books." Sigyn requested.
"Very well." He replied with a smile.
Sigyn followed him around the library as he pulled out about a dozen books. The pair didn't bother to return to the table. Instead, they took a seat on the ground and spread the books out over the floor. Sigyn wasn't sure how long they spent looking over the books, but she didn't care. Never in her life had she had anyone that she could talk so freely and comfortable with aside from her sisters. When it became apparent that she was having difficulty choosing which one to take home Loki picked out three and handed them to her.
"I can take all three home with me!?" She asked in excitement.
"No one aside from me will even notice their absence. It is not like the Royal library is a popular spot for Thor and his friends to visit." Loki pointed out.
"Speaking of Thor's friends, you have yet to tell me about Lady Sif. From what you said at lunch I assume that you are not exactly fond of her."
"More like she is not exactly fond of me. Her dislike of me is quite the mystery, it's not as if I have done anything to her…yet."
Sigyn smirked.
"Yet?"
"Have you so quickly forgotten that I have a little trick in mind?" Loki asked.
"No, I had not forgotten, but I assumed you would bring it up when the time was right."
"Well now is as good a time as any. I want to turn Sif's hair black, temporarily that is." Loki explained.
"Why would you want to do that?" Sigyn queried.
"I wasn't jesting at lunch when I stated that Sif is vain. She is so proud of her long blonde hair that I thought it would be a good thing to remind her that a serious warrior doesn't flaunt that type of thing."
"Ahh, and where do I come in?"
"I know a spell that can change her hair color, but it requires the use of an item to transfer it. As you have probably already assumed, Sif doesn't trust me so I will never be able to get close enough."
"So let me make sure I understand you correctly. You want me to get close enough to Sif to give her this cursed item?"
"Yes, I could also use some help in determining what item to place the spell on."
Sigyn thought about Loki's proposal for a moment, and then nodded.
"Very well, I'll help you."
Loki looked at her a bit surprised.
"That took less convincing then I thought you would need." He remarked.
Sigyn shrugged.
"Just a friend helping out a friend." She replied. "Speaking of help, would you like help putting these other books back?" She asked.
"If you don't mind…" He answered while picking up a few of the leather tomes.
Sigyn grabbed the ones he had left and began to look for their homes. The organizational system of the library was simple enough. Each row had a designated Realm of origin for the literature, and the books were catalogued in alphabetical order by the author in their respective row. The final book she had to replace needed to go on one of the top shelves, so Sigyn got on her tipy-toes in order to reach it. She huffed in frustration as she still came up short, but another hand placed itself over hers and helped to push the book into its slot.
"Thank you My Prince." She said while turning to face Loki.
"and here I was thinking that you were past calling me that."
"Well what else would you have me call you? My Lord?"
Loki scrunched his nose up at that.
"Most decidedly not."
He picked up the three books that Sigyn was taking home with her and began to walk her to the stables.
"How about… 'Your Majesty'?" She offered with a flourish of her hand.
"How about no."
"Perhaps you prefer something a bit more dramatic?"
Sigyn skipped ahead a few paces and turned to face him.
"My most gracious and esteemed Crown Prince Loki."
She said with a smile and an awkward bow/curtsy thing.
"If you are going to keep calling me ridiculous things like that I am taking these books back." He threatened.
"Eeek no!" Sigyn shouted while throwing herself at Loki and snatching the books from his arms.
Loki smiled and continued down the corridor with her.
"You should just call me Loki." He determined.
"That is hardly proper." Sigyn pointed out.
"Thor's friends hardly refer to us with our titles." He countered.
"But they are also your comrades in arms." She argued.
"And are you not my comrade in arms? I have already admitted to you that I cannot trick Lady Sif without your assistance."
Sigyn contemplated that for a moment before sighing.
"I suppose you are correct My Lor..oki" She corrected at the last moment.
"My, my aren't we possessive. Perhaps we should stick to Loki instead of 'My Loki,' unless of course I may call you 'My Sigyn'?"
Sigyn laughed. "No, I believe Loki and Sigyn will suffice."
The two talked pleasantly the rest of the way to the stables. When they finally reached them Sigyn placed the books in the bag attached to her side-saddle. She allowed Loki to assist her up onto Roan even though she was fully capable of doing so herself.
"I shall see you tomorrow morning, Sigyn." He said in farewell.
"I look forward to it, Loki." She replied before signaling Roan to head back home.
She was going to have to go to bed early in preparation for her dawn ride, but she would take the time to talk to Frida about the latest development in her relationship with Loki. It was likely that Frida would disapprove her newfound friendship with the Prince, but in the end she would be happy that Sigyn had a companion.
