Author's Note: Hi there! This chapter is pretty short, but the next two are rather long so don't be too disappointed. JaviMason19691 was Theoric lying or was Loki deceiving himself? Good question. I won't answer it here since the answer is coming up in the next chapter. :) all of your observations are quite correct. Anonymous1662 Haha yes, it is tough to not want to give Loki a second chance in the context of fiction isn't it? I just know that if I were Sigyn it would take a heck of a lot of convincing to win me back over. He would basically have to prostrate himself and beg my forgiveness, and even then it would be questionable whether or not I would take him back XD Reteka Hyuuga I have a feeling Frigga would be exceedingly annoyed with most of the things he does regarding this relationship.
Sigyn stood outside the door to the Queen's chambers with a smile. It had been a couple of days since Lithasblot, and Sigyn had taken a break from wedding preparations to visit with Frigga. It felt just like old times again… well almost like old times. Sigyn couldn't imagine that Loki would be here, but you never really knew with him. The Queen herself answered Sigyn's knock with a warm smile.
"Now here is a sight for sore eyes, welcome back to the palace dear." Frigga welcomed.
"It is good to be here." Sigyn admitted.
"Well come in child."
Sigyn entered the chamber, and the Queen led her over to their usual sitting area.
"It has been far too long since I have seen you." Frigga commented. "Loki tells me that you have had some rather exciting developments in your life lately."
"I have, My Queen. I am not sure if you are aware of the fact that Lord Theoric has, for no small amount of time, been courting me."
"I had heard that." Frigga confirmed.
"Well a few evenings ago he asked my father for my hand in marriage."
"And I am assuming that your father approved of the match."
"Indeed, he seemed to be very pleased with it."
"Well I am very happy for you Sigyn. I hope Lord Theoric is deserving of you, if he is not I fear he will have to answer to me." The Queen teased.
"I believe he is, but I will pass along your warning all the same." Sigyn replied with a smile.
"Good, now tell me, how is your sister and her family? Your niece must be nearly four by now."
"They are well, though Sigrún is only three and a half. It is still difficult to believe how fast she has grown."
"Children always grow up so quickly." Frigga reminisced.
"Does it ever get easier? Watching them grow up I mean."
Frigga shook her head.
"Not really. I still sometimes see my two little boys standing in front of me instead of the men they have become. There are times when I wish I could go back and relive their childhood, but then I remember what mischief they managed to get themselves into, and I am glad they are somewhat past that stage."
"Somewhat past that stage?" Sigyn asked in amusement.
"You know how Thor and Loki are. I suppose they will never truly be past the stage of causing trouble, now will they." Frigga answered with a grin.
"No, I suppose not…"
"Speaking of trouble, I know I have little to no right to ask you this, but what happened between you and Loki? He has told me that you discovered him cheating on you with Amora, but that was all he would say on the matter. I didn't press him for the details, but I know he was hiding something from me. What was it?"
"Loki was telling the truth, My Queen. He was sleeping with Amora, and I discovered it. We had a quarrel over the matter, and that was the end of our relationship."
"So you are determined to lie to me as well?"
"I assure you, My Queen, neither Loki nor I have lied to you."
"Yet neither of you have told me the full truth either."
"The full truth hardly matters anymore. It has been over three years. Loki has moved on, and so have I."
"Yet again that is not the full truth, is it?"
"I am afraid I don't understand your meaning." Sigyn replied while shifting slightly in her seat.
"Neither of you have fully moved on, have you?"
Sigyn let out a little sigh.
"There will always be a small part of me that cares, even loves, Loki, and I imagine there will always be a small part of him that feels the same way towards me. Regardless of what deep-rooted affection we still share however, I am ready to move on with my life. Theoric is the man who now holds my heart, and I have no doubt that I will be extremely happy with him."
"I don't doubt that you will be Sigyn, but answer me this. Why do both you and Loki refuse to tell me what really happened the day you two separated? Is it to protect you, or is it to protect him?"
Sigyn pondered the Queen's question for a moment, but in the end there was only one suitable answer to her query.
"Both."
The Queen raised an eyebrow at Sigyn's answer. Frigga had probably expected Sigyn to respond that it was merely Loki she was protecting. How odd that the Queen had thought all the blame would be laid at Loki's feet, and yet how natural a solution it seemed to be. Sigyn had seen Loki bear the fault for the actions of others, mainly Thor, time and time again, and rarely did he protest the blame. It was one of Loki's traits that Sigyn had never been able to understand.
"Loki wronged me, there is no question about that, but I in turn wronged him. When I admitted my fault to Loki he took it rather hard. Our spat turned into a quarrel, and it just escalated out of control from there I fear."
Frigga was about to respond but she was interrupted by a quick knock, and her chamber door being flung open.
"Is he hiding in here?" Thor asked in his usual enthusiastic tone.
Sigyn gave a little jump at the sudden intrusion, but the Queen remained poised as ever. Something told Sigyn that Frigga was quite used to this sort of thing happening.
"I assume you are referring to Loki?" Frigga asked her eldest.
"Of course… Why Lady Sigyn, I didn't know you were here!"
Sigyn smiled.
"Your mother suggested a visit would be a nice reprieve from all the wedding planning."
"Yes, I had heard that you are engaged, to Lord Theoric no less. I hear a fair number of warriors lost a good deal of money on that wager."
"Wager, My Prince?"
"Apparently there had been a running bet on whether Theoric would ever marry or not, but it would seem that even he couldn't resist your charms. He must truly be taken in with you indeed to be giving up his post with the Crimson Hawks." Thor noted.
"He certainly seems to be, My Prince, though I hardly deserve him."
"You don't give yourself enough credit Lady Sigyn… oh yes, Loki. Have the two of you happened to see him? He was supposed to meet me for training half an hour ago, but he didn't show up."
"Well he is not here darling. Did you check the library? It is likely he went to hide from you in there."
Thor nodded his head.
"That was the first place I went, and unless he has learned to turn himself invisible, he was not there."
Frigga furrowed her brow.
"And you checked his chambers?"
"Of course."
"When did you set your meeting time?"
"Last evening after supper."
"And you haven't seen him since?"
"No. If I had I wouldn't be here." Thor pointed out.
Thor didn't seem to notice his mother's concealed worry, but it was unmistakable to Sigyn. The Queen was concerned about something regarding Loki, but she gave her eldest a little shrug.
"I am not sure where you will find him then. Perhaps you should go speak to your father, there is a chance he might have seen him."
Thor agreed with the idea, and gave the women a slight bow before leaving the room. Only once Sigyn was completely sure that Thor was gone did she speak.
"What is wrong?" She asked.
The Queen faked a smile, but her suddenly pale complexion was enough to give her away.
"It is nothing Sigyn, I feel a little light-headed is all."
"Forgive me, My Queen, but that is not all. You are concerned for Loki…why?"
"It really is nothing dear, I am sure Loki is fine."
Sigyn got the feeling that the Queen was trying to convince herself of this fact more than her.
"I know he has been working alongside the Crimson Hawks." Sigyn admitted in an attempt to get the Queen to open up to her.
Frigga sighed.
"Then there should be no need for me to explain my concern."
"You believe that he is on some sort of mission with them and has gotten himself into trouble? I will not say that it could not happen, but Theoric isn't on any sort of mission at the moment, so surely Loki is not either." Sigyn argued.
"He works alongside the Crimson Hawks, not with them, and that is a significant difference. They are a team, he is alone."
"If your concern for him is that great, then perhaps I should leave you so that you may go to the AllFather." Sigyn suggested.
"And cut our conversation so short?"
"It is hardly likely that any conversation we have while you are in such a state will be beneficial. I could always come back tomorrow, or the day after, when you feel more inclined to conversation." Sigyn offered.
The Queen took Sigyn's hand in gratitude.
"Tomorrow then." Frigga stated.
Sigyn smiled and rose to head towards the door, but paused before she opened it. She wasn't sure why, but as she looked back over at the Queen a thought popped into her head. A ridiculous outlandish thought, but a thought that she knew she had to voice.
"Loki isn't really your son, is he?"
Frigga looked more than a little taken aback by the unanticipated comment. Either she was offended by the question, or stunned that Sigyn had discovered what would have to be the best kept secret in Asgard were it true. As the thought of Loki's red eyes resurfaced in Sigyn's mind, she decided that it was the latter option. She didn't wait for a reply to her query before walking out the door because deep down Sigyn knew she was right.
