Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to post! I should be able to post 2 times a week again if I write really quickly. I own my OC's and the plot. all other characters are Marvel's. Caitreylove, awwww! That really could be my entire reply to your comment, but fear not I will expand on that! I am elated that Sigyn has started to become a fully three-dimensional character to my readers, and that she is reaching a point where I must be careful not to write her out of character. A wonderful complement and a new challenge! I, like you, feel the need to explore the strange combination of magic and science of this world in my own writing and love to see it in the writing of others. Sometimes people come up with wonderful explanations that I never would have thought of! Awww I am so happy that you love the story, and I love my readers in return. I never say that enough!
Loki let Sigyn observe the interactions of the market without interruption. Instead, he wandered a little ways away from her. He didn't go far, but far enough so as not to be a distraction. He was looking amongst the wares of the dwarves for something he could buy his wife when a familiar figure in the crowd caught his attention. Without fully thinking through what he was doing, Loki took off in the direction of the cloaked woman. Her form darted in and out of the crowd, and no one seemed to pay her any heed. The woman slipped behind a column, and Loki rounded behind it as well. He wasn't too surprised not to find her there, but he was disappointed none-the-less. He wasn't sure why, but Loki had a strong feeling that she had wanted him to follow her. Why he felt that way, he couldn't say, but he sensed it all the same. He was glancing around the area to see if the woman had left any sort of clue behind when it struck him…
Sigyn was alone.
He made a motion to return to the bustle of the main market and his wife, but was stopped by a blade being placed against his throat.
"Sigyn is safe." A somber woman's voice assured.
Hel.
Loki now understood what Sigyn had meant in her description of Hel's voice. It was a rather difficult thing to describe. The only word Loki could think of was fatalistic.
"I have no reason to trust your word, Hel."
"So Sigyn has finally been able to convince you of my identity?"
"We haven't found any other alternatives so, as unlikely as it is, I have no choice but to believe you are Hel." He replied.
"It is amazing how quickly your wife can come to conclusions with such little information, yet still be so sure of herself." The woman remarked.
"Despite her quick judgement, she is still often completely right." Loki defended, recalling Sigyn's very first assessment of him.
"Too true, and your confidence in her intuition is to be commended. Yes, I am Hel."
Loki considered turning on his captor to try and seize her, but decided against it. Hel seemed to have a unique ability to avoid capture, and if she escaped him he wouldn't get the answers he sought.
"So what do you want from me? I had been under the impression that your interests had been in Sigyn."
"Who said that I do want anything from you? Perhaps I have just brought you here to kill you and take Sigyn."
"Unlikely. If you had wanted to kill me you would have already done it. I also find it highly unlikely that you wish to take Sigyn. You have had multiple opportunities to do so, and you still have not." Loki pointed out.
"As sharp as ever I can see. No, I don't intend to kill you. Given our ties I cannot really bring myself to. As for Sigyn… I don't plan on taking her, at least not now."
Their ties? What ties could they possibly have? He wasn't her father that much was for sure.
"What do you want with her? You once told her that she would suit your plans, but what sort of purpose could she possibly serve to you?"
A low and quiet laugh echoed through the woman behind him.
"I am not so gullible as to lay my intentions bare for you. I have simply come with a warning. Sigyn is in danger."
"It would appear that she has been in danger for quite some time." Loki remarked.
"Not from me. Don't be foolish. You have said yourself that I have already had opportunities to harm her, and I haven't taken advantage of them. Besides why would I wish harm upon the person I need to achieve my freedom?"
"Freedom?"
Hel refused to acknowledge that obvious slip up and moved on with her purpose for detaining him.
"Sigyn knows your secret, and there are people who would go to any lengths to ensure her silence should they come to fear her speaking out."
Knew his secret? Which one? Loki had plenty of them, and if Sigyn did know one why would anyone fear her speaking out? Sigyn tended to be faithful to a fault, she wouldn't betray any secret she knew concerning him unless she thought it was for his benefit.
The blade was removed from Loki's throat and he turned to face Hel, but, not surprisingly, she was gone. He didn't linger behind the pillar, but instead headed brusquely back to the market to confirm that Sigyn was fine. He managed to spot her small figure, and her eyes quickly met his. He cringed inwardly as the worry in her gaze turned to fury. She made a beeline towards him, and Loki prepared himself for a well-deserved scolding.
"Where were you!?" She hissed.
"I went to check on something." He excused.
"To check on something? You honestly couldn't inform me that you were going to check on something?"
"I'm sorry Sigyn, I didn't intend to frighten you. I promise I won't leave you alone like that again."
"I could care less if you wander off on your own as long as you inform me before you disappear completely! You said yourself that there were places you needed to avoid here, and I assume that means there are also people you need to avoid as well."
"Sigyn, I don't understand…"
"I thought you were in danger, Loki, and I thought I was the one who brought you into it!"
Loki placed a hand on Sigyn's cheek as her words sunk in.
Theoric.
She was still haunted by her part in his death, even if it was only unconsciously. Watching the ghost of guilt flit across her face enforced his decision to avoid telling her about his conversation with Hel. He could tell her once she had calmed down a little, so instead of sharing his story he kissed her on the forehead.
"Don't worry about me Sigyn, I have not gotten into so much trouble here that I need to fear for my life." He assured.
Sigyn let out a huff before letting her scowl fade away.
"You certainly make it difficult for me to stay angry with you when you look at me like that." She conceded.
"Good, because I fear your rage. Have you made your selection yet?"
Sigyn grinned and pulled out a small package from under her cloak. She opened the cloth revealing a small golden hair ornament. Loki gave her a look that asked if he may take a closer look, and Sigyn placed the small hairpiece in his open palm. He studied it carefully and determined that it was well crafted. It appeared to be in the shape of an 'o' with some sort of pointed slash through it. It was rather simple and Loki guessed it would probably be worn during Sigyn's day-to-day activities.
"It is quite lovely." He complimented before handing it back to her.
"And deadly." Sigyn added.
"Deadly?"
Sigyn answered by pulling one end of the pointed slash out, revealing that it was the handle of a small throwing dagger. She pulled the dirk enthusiastically from its sheath on the hairpiece and handed it to Loki so he could inspect it. It was not very large, and probably wouldn't do all that much damage to an attacker unless she managed to pierce a rather sensitive area of the body, but it made Loki happy to know that she would always have one extra form of protection should she need it. He slipped the dagger back into its resting place and Sigyn wrapped the hairpiece again.
"Now tell me, what were you checking on?" Sigyn inquired as she placed the small parcel in her handbag.
"It was nothing. I was merely inspecting the carvings on some of the columns."
Sigyn raised a disbelieving eyebrow.
"That is the best excuse you can come up with? You were admiring the architecture…"
"It is no excuse, come have a look for yourself."
Loki took Sigyn by the hand and pulled her over towards the columns that she had seen him walking away from. He earnestly hoped that Sigyn would buy this extremely flimsy lie, but he doubted she would.
"Loki, this might possibly be the plainest column in the hall." Sigyn pointed out when they arrived at the column where Loki had just had his first confrontation with Hel.
"That is what makes it so remarkable." He excused. "Its lack of ornamentation causes it to stand out."
Sigyn gave him yet another doubting look, but took a turn around the column, as Loki stood motionless, pretending to really admire the rather uninteresting pillar. Sigyn gave out an excited 'oh' once she was out of view behind the column, and Loki's heartbeat began to hasten.
Had Hel come back for Sigyn?
He swiftly rounded the pillar to see Sigyn alone and unharmed kneeling at the base of the pillar.
"It is beautiful Loki!" She whispered in awe.
It was beautiful… what was beautiful?
Sigyn's face lit up as she smiled at Loki.
"It is just like you to play such a trick." She added before standing and wrapping her arms around him in one fluid motion.
While Loki certainly appreciated her actions, he desperately wanted to know what he had done to deserve them.
"Will you help me put it on?" She asked before handing him a necklace and turning around.
His hands went through the motions of clasping the gold chain around her neck, but his mind was spinning. This necklace had not been there when he spoke with Hel earlier. Had someone walked by and accidentally dropped it while he spoke with Sigyn? Sigyn turned around once the necklace was securely on and placed her hands on her hips.
"So how does it look?" She inquired.
Loki smiled despite his misgivings. The necklace was truly beautiful with a gold chain and a deep green mogul cut gemstone of some type. He would have thought it was an emerald, but there was something about this gem that didn't seem right. Loki sensed that it was emanating some sort of power, but he was fairly certain that he knew of every magical gem the Nine Realms had to offer and none of them matched this description.
"Does it look bad?" Sigyn pressed when Loki didn't answer her question.
"No, it looks beautiful." He covered.
"Are you certain because you don't sound very convinced."
"It does, it just can't compete with your natural beauty."
"Now you are just trying to flatter me in hopes of diverting my attention from your obvious concern. What's wrong Loki? You are acting strange, and I deserve to know why."
"And if anything were wrong I would tell you, My Love. Now, have you finished your shopping?"
Sigyn gave a little sigh, but decided to let the topic drop.
"Yes."
"Wonderful, then it is time we paid a visit to Brogar."
"Brogar?"
"He is a dwarf."
"Yes, I had assumed as much. Why do we need to pay him a visit?"
"You said that you wished to visit the forges, and he is the only person that I know who can get us in."
Sigyn's features lit up with excitement again and Loki took her by the hand.
"So how much convincing will this Brogar need to let us in to the forges?"
"Probably more than we can give, but I thought we could at least try."
"And what did you do to make him distrust you?"
"Who says I did anything?"
"You say he needs convincing, which means he might go along with it. He wouldn't even consider allowing us in if he hadn't trusted you before, but since he does need convincing he has obviously lost faith in your integrity at some point."
Loki smirked. Yet again Sigyn was right on the mark.
"My dealings with Brogar are, as you might have guessed, confidential. I can tell you however, that several important items in his care may or may not have gone missing for a time."
Sigyn looked interested to hear more, but that truly was all Loki could say on the matter. If Hel was correct, it would seem that he needed to keep his secrets not only for the sake of Asgard's safety, but Sigyn's as well.
"Very well, what can you tell me about him?"
"He is a highly skilled metal worker who specializes in mixing magic with metal."
"He is a metallurgist magician?"
"I suppose that is not a bad way to say it. Brogar has created several extremely powerful magical items. Some in the form of weapons, others are decorative furnishings, but the vast majority of his work is jewelry."
His eyes flitted down to the necklace that sat on Sigyn's sternum. Perhaps Brogar would recognize it... that was assuming he would refrain from slamming his door in their faces long enough to spot the pendant. Surely he was finally over that last little incident… it had been a couple of years now, Brogar would be crazy to still hold that against him. He and Sigyn finally reached the entryway to Brogar's home and Loki gave the brass bell outside of his door a jingle. The metallic sound echoed along the cavern walls, and began to commence a rather annoying pinging sound inside Loki's brain. Brogar himself opened the heavy door, which was not surprising to Loki since he knew the dwarf lived alone. Brogar's dark obsidian eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Loki, but his surprise was quickly overshadowed by anger. His cheeks began to flush a bright shade of red, and his facial features took on a slightly constipated look. Apparently he was still a little upset. The enraged look on the dwarf's face inspired more amusement in Loki than fear, which probably angered Brogar even further.
"How dare you come here Loki Odin's son!" The dwarf seethed. "Begone immediately before I behead you like the snake that you are!"
He attempted to close the door, but Loki stopped him.
"Now, now, I hardly believe I have done anything to warrant such a cruel statement, and, even if I had, do you think it proper to say in front of my wife?"
The red of Brogar's cheeks dampened a shade, and he opened his door the rest of the way to reveal Sigyn. His dark eyes scanned her for a moment before landing on her necklace. He didn't say anything about the gem, but Loki could see that it interested him.
"And what sort of sorcery did he use to coerce you to accept his offer of marriage?" The dwarf asked Sigyn tersely.
Sigyn smiled despite Brogar's foul mood.
"None that I know of, Master Dwarf, though his proposal of marriage was presented to my father not me. If any sorcery was used, it must have been on him."
Sigyn's teasing brought the slightest of grins to Brogar's countenance, but it was swiftly replaced with a grimace.
"Sorcery aside, why have you come here Loki? Surely you don't desire to have your wife bear witness to your death?"
Sigyn looked up at Loki obviously alarmed by the statement.
"He exaggerates." Loki assured. "He wouldn't want the death of a Prince of Asgard at his own doorstep. It would be more than a little bad for business."
"But no less than you deserve…" Brogar muttered.
"Come now Brogar, do not act so cross with me. Everything I borrowed..."
"Stole!" Brogar interjected.
"was returned." Loki finished, ignoring the dwarf's interjection.
Brogar seemed ready to reply with some acerbic retort, but Sigyn spoke before he had the opportunity to vent his feelings.
"Wait… you are Brogar? The Lord Brogar?"
"Yes, I am the Lord Brogar…"
Sigyn ignored his condescending tone and clapped her hands together excitedly.
"I am Princess Sigyn. It is such an honor to finally meet you!"
A confused look crossed the dwarf's face.
"To finally meet me?"
"Yes, of course! My husband has told me all about you… well all he is allowed to tell me that is. He said that you were the most skilled craftsman he knew."
"Did he now?" Brogar inquired with a disbelieving look in Loki's direction.
"On more than one occasion. He spoke so highly of your work, and your skill with fusing metals with magic that I insisted he introduce me when we came here."
Brogar's expression softened a little. If he had known Sigyn as Loki did however, he would have seen straight through her act. Fortunately, he didn't.
"Well now you have met me you can be on your merry way. I want no more to do with your husband. The only thing he brings is trouble."
Sigyn's face fell.
"I have come all this way, and you will not even allow me to see your beautiful handiwork? Were my husband's past sins so unforgivable that you must punish me also?"
"Yes, they were so unforgivable." Brogar insisted, though his resolve seemed not nearly as strong as the front he was putting up.
Loki slipped his arm around Sigyn's waist. He could help her little act along.
"I warned you that it was likely he would refuse Sigyn."
"I know, I just thought perhaps…"
Loki pulled her a little ways away from Brogar's door.
"He won't even allow you to see his creations, do you really believe he would allow you to see the forges?"
"A silly hope, I know." Sigyn admitted.
The sense that Sigyn's hopes and dreams had just been shattered seemed to grow as Loki led her further away, and apparently Brogar was not immune to it.
"Wait a moment, Princess."
Sigyn turned to look over her shoulder, hope rekindling in her gaze.
"I will show you my work, but I will not show you the forges!"
The latter part of his statement seemed to have been added as an afterthought.
Sigyn quickly pulled Loki back towards Brogar and entered the door.
"You best keep your hands where I can see them, Loki." The dwarf warned.
Loki broke into a naughty grin and placed his on his wife's hip bones.
"Is here satisfactory?" He inquired while massaging the protruding area seductively.
"Satisfactory enough…" Brogar mumbled while rolling his eyes at Loki's playful display of affection.
Loki was really beginning to enjoy these games, and he couldn't help but note how convincing Sigyn's performance was. Perhaps he would have to consider bringing her along on missions for the War Council when he began to take them again. It seemed she had an ability to get him into places that might otherwise be closed off to him.
Brogar led Sigyn and he to where he kept his finished creations, and he began to show Sigyn around them. Sigyn 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over the rather impressive collection. Some of it was flattery, but the conversation that developed truly did spring up from Sigyn's genuine interest in Brogar's work. The longer he talked with her, the more her sincere interest shone through, and the more he warmed up to her. Loki watched in pleasant silence. Sigyn loved to learn, and Loki loved to watch her learn. She would take on a look of childish wonder that reminded Loki of the earlier years of their relationship. He admittedly liked the expression more when he was the cause behind it, but he could still enjoy it when it was others who instructed her.
Every so often Brogar's eyes would flit to Loki to ensure that his hands were still visible. His eyes narrowed a few times in suspicion and Loki waved his hands, which were resting on Sigyn's shoulders, to prove that he wasn't concealing anything in them.
"Did Loki say that you desired to see the forges?" Brogar inquired upon the conclusion of the tour of his storeroom.
"I do, but I understand that you cannot show them to me." Sigyn replied in a sad, but understanding tone.
Brogar pondered her words for a moment, and then nodded his head towards the exit of the storeroom.
"Follow me." He instructed.
She and Loki followed his command without question, and he began to lead them down deeper into his home. They descended a flight of stairs and Loki began to feel the temperature rise. He had been this way before so he knew their intended destination, but it did not help ease his discomfort. The forges were extremely hot to begin with, and he was wearing a heavy cloak and leather and metal garments. He was practically being baked alive. Sigyn looked warm, but comfortably so. She had always been more tolerant to the heat than him.
When they finally entered the giant chambers Sigyn gasped in awe. Even Loki had to admit it was an impressive sight, and he had seen it on many other occasions. The furnaces sent off a visible heat wave and the shine of melted precious metals caught the eye of anyone who entered. Some were being poured into molds to create new and beautiful works of art while some of the unmelted metals were being pounded into shapes or being used to repair older items. Brogar toured them through the forges explaining the process and trying to answer as many questions as he could for the ever-inquisitive Sigyn. Loki was more than a little relieved when they finally made their way back up to Brogar's living chambers. Sigyn talked non-stop on the way back towards the front door, and Brogar listened attentively and Loki wondered how she could be so unaffected by the heat while he felt like his skin was melting off of his very body.
"Thank you so much for your kindness, Lord Brogar, I truly appreciate you putting up with me." Sigyn thanked.
"It was no trouble, Princess. You are always more than welcome in my halls, though preferably without your husband…"
"I was on my best behavior today!" Loki protested.
"I will determine that once you have left and I have surveyed my inventory."
Loki shrugged his shoulders in disinterest before going to push the door open.
"One moment." Brogar insisted. "I wish for Sigyn to go pick out something for herself from my storeroom. A little trinket to remember her visit."
"I am unlikely to forget it even without such a kind gift." Sigyn protested.
"Then consider it a late wedding present." The dwarf insisted.
Sigyn smiled brightly before skipping off towards the storeroom and Brogar turned a serious gaze on Loki.
"Where did you wife come across that jewel?"
"I bought it for her in the marketplace this morning." Loki partially lied. "Why? Do you recognize it?"
"No, I do not, but I know you can sense the magic coming from it… unless your magical awareness has dulled since we last met."
"My magical awareness has far from dulled since our last meeting, and yes, I did recognize its magical properties. I had hoped you might be able to identify the necklace since it does fall so closely in line with your field of expertise." Loki admitted.
"It doesn't match the description of any magical necklace I am aware of, but I will look into it. Something about it…"
"Doesn't seem right." Loki finished.
Brogar nodded.
"Watch Sigyn carefully. If there is dark magic surrounding that necklace she could be in danger. I am surprised you even gave it to her."
"I didn't have much choice but to give it to her, but I don't think there is dark magic involved. I have been around that enough to know the feeling of it. No, this power seems different. It is almost as if the gem is exerting a consciousness of its own."
"That it is sentient?"
"Yes, it is not impossible." Loki pointed out.
"No, it is not. As I said, I will look into it and I will get in touch with you should I find anything."
There was silence for a moment before Loki broached a different topic.
"Have you ever heard of a woman who looks half fair and half foul?"
"Foul? As in ugly?"
"Foul as in sickly, or even deathly looking."
"I have never heard of a woman who matches that description."
"And what of a woman named Hel? Have you ever heard of a woman with that name?"
Brogar's mouth set into a grim line.
"Not a woman named Hel, no, but I have heard of a place referred to by that name."
"What sort of place?" Loki pressed.
"A place of death. It is said that it exists in nether regions of Niflheim as a city for the undeserving dead."
Loki pondered Brogar's words for a moment. He of course knew of Niflheim, the Realm of the dead, but never had he heard of a city existing in the Realm reserved for the lowest and basest of departed souls. It was information worth looking into if for no other reason than to disprove it.
"Thank you, for your help. I am surprised you are easily swayed to offer it though. The smiles of a woman, and you are more than willing to forgive my past indiscretions."
"She is a charming girl, and you yourself are not without use." Brogar argued.
It was as kind of a compliment as the dwarf was capable of so Loki accepted it graciously. Sigyn returned not long after and showed the two men the object of her chosing. It was a small golden vase with intricate scrollwork. Her decision made, she thanked Brogar once again for his kindness and Loki led her out of the dwarf's home and back towards their hidden vessel. It was time they returned home for a little adventure of a different nature.
