He lived with her for ten days.

During the day as befitted a newly married noble couple, they held court for their friends and family and arranged their household. She was paid visits by Odin and Frigga and Thor as well as the minor nobility from all the houses, and they were gifted with fine silks and strong steeds and good wishes until her heart ached as much as her cheeks from smiling.

When the guests departed Loki returned to himself and they made love to the point of exhaustion. It was surreal and bizarre to turn from closing the door on her final well wishers, to see his black hair and bright eyes in place of Theoric, surprising enough that she could mistake the rush of feeling she felt as relief at being able to drop the pretense and not something stronger, more tied to wishing she could see his face and not Theoric's whenever she glanced his way for support during the endless visitors.

"You're enjoying this," she accused him one night, before he fell into his customary deep slumber. He chuckled.

"Oh, it's been a delicious exercise in deception," he said. "I shall never grow tired of Thor calling me Theoric and wishing me well. Or of him telling me how jealous his brother would be if he could see me now."

"Thor loves you," she said. "All of us can see that."

"Oh I know," he replied, turning to her and propping his head up on one hand. "He was ever the protective, dutiful brother to me. So very tiresome after a time."

She herself had no siblings, part of the reason her family had been so keen on her marrying Theoric. "Do you not value it — having a brother?"

Loki frowned. "Of course," he said, then shrugged. "But he can be painfully stupid at times. Perhaps had I a sister as well, I would not…"

"Not what?"

He shook his head and turned from her. "Nothing."

She wished she could take the words back because she could feel the time ticking down to when he would not be there next to her and…

"I've said something wrong," she said.

She could see him shake his head, but he didn't turn back towards her, and it took her just a moment to realise that he was asleep.

The next morning he was gone from their bed before she woke. She dressed slowly, wondering if it was the end of their uneasy alliance — it was not necessary for them to be together, he could carry out their pretense without sharing her bed. She had convinced herself that he had chosen to leave her by the time she stepped into the garden, and seeing his tall frame standing in the sunlight among the cyprus made the breath rush out of her in relief.

"You're angry with me," he said, without turning. She had never been able to sneak up on him, not even as children.

"Why would I be angry with you?" she asked, stepping close behind him and reaching out to touch his back. Her hand rested there, cloth over skin and hard muscle, muscle that she knew better now than she ever had her would be husband's…

"Because I fall short," he said.

She frowned, genuinely puzzled. "You do not," she said softly. He turned and looked down at her.

He opened his mouth as though to say more, but stopped, eyes dark for a second, before his face creased in a smile. "Well then," he said. "I'm glad."

"Loki…"

"The hunt is tomorrow, no? I shall need… time to prepare."

She had not realised it was so close. "Perhaps you can claim indisposition today?" she said. "It would not be the first time Theoric has stayed abed…"

"No indeed." He nodded firmly and patted her hand. "I shall go and organise things then. It's lucky Thor is so predictably boring when he plans the best route for the hunt." He flashed a grin at her. She tried to smile back, but the coil of tension in her belly made it into more of a grimace. As she watched him walk away she felt like the thin thread that bound them was becoming stretched. It was only when she remembered that she owed him that she felt less frightened.

Later that day, Thor visited.

"Your husband is unwell?" he asked as she served him fine tea. She inclined her head, noting a certain shrewd calculation in Thor's eyes that she would not have noticed before. Loki thought him dull witted, but Sigyn revised her opinion of him in that one moment, and wondered at it.

If he knew what Theoric was there was a chance the rest of the court had also. She tucked that thought away to ponder for the future, sucking at her teeth before she sipped her tea.

"Theoric over-indulges occasionally," she said. As you well know, my prince, she added to herself.

Thor nodded. "The Allfather requested that I come to you and offer you any help you may need."

She narrowed her eyes. "He did, did he?"

"Your family and your skills are valuable to him. He wishes to know you have his support."

Sigyn got to her feet in one movement. "You can let him know it's appreciated, Thor."

Thor stood, the forms too well drilled in him to do otherwise. "I shall, Sigyn," he said. His long arms moved restlessly at his sides for a few seconds and she had time to think how different he was to his brother — there was wasted movement where in Loki there was none, awkwardness where in Loki there would be smooth acquiescence. "Well then. I will take my leave," he said finally, inclining his head to her. At the door he stopped, one hand on its wood. "Oh, you may be interested to know my brother has returned."

"Loki?" Sigyn could not keep the shock out of her voice. Thor chuckled.

"Indeed. After a few days of sulking over your marriage it seems he has come back to himself and will join the hunt tomorrow."

She blinked. "He will be on the hunt?"

"He says he does not wish to miss it!" Thor grinned. "Loki is quite adept at the hunt, m'lady, I think you would be surprised."

She didn't.

"I understand he is quite skilled with magic," she said.

Thor shrugged. "As far as I can understand it. He also uses daggers. Quite interesting to watch, although I fail to see how he can bring down a bear with such puny weapons. In any case he wished me to inform you that he will look forward to greeting you and your new husband, and hopes there are no hard feelings on your part for his.. " Thor chuckled, "somewhat clumsy efforts to court you before your wedding."

"Do you love your brother, Thor?" Sigyn wanted to clap her hands over her mouth, but the words were said, and Thor, bless his noble heart, simply stood, confused.

"I beg your pardon, Lady Sigyn?"

"Never mind," she muttered, ushering him out her door.

"What sort of a question was that?" Loki's voice came from directly behind her and she jumped, turning, and suddenly furious.

"Loki what are you doing?" she hissed. "You cannot come to the hunt tomorrow. You must pose as Theoric!"

He laughed and stepped forward, cupping her cheek in one hand and dipping his head down to kiss her. His open affection was enough to disarm her for a second and she let herself melt into his arms, the feel of him around her comfortable and so right for a few moments, before she realised the urgency of their situation and pushed him back. "Loki! I… This is too hard for me, please…"

His face fell and he stepped back. "You need to trust me Sigyn," he said. "I will be at the hunt tomorrow. So will Theoric."

"Loki for all your boasting I know it is not possible to be in more than one place…"

He let his fingers brush along her cheek again, tipping his head on one side. "Sigyn. My magic is unknown across the nine realms. Believe me when I say I will not betray your trust, nor give you reason to worry. I have more skills than simple shapeshifting. All will be well."

"I want it over," she said suddenly and forcefully. "I cannot live like this, Loki… I feel as if… every second… every person that looks at me… that they will know."

He took her upper arms and shook her gently until she looked up at him. There was a fierce smile on his face and she was afraid of him, then, in a way she had not been before, in a way that reminded her, unpleasantly, of Theoric.

"They will not know, Sigyn," he said, and one hand lifted to smooth over her hair. "You are magnificent in your lies, skillful and beautiful, and you will never have to pay the price for doing what was right. I promise you that."

She pulled herself out of his grasp. "And what happens after tomorrow, Loki? Do you go back to your princely ways and leave me to be a widow, mourning a man I never loved and never even married while you… wait to collect on a debt I can never hope to properly repay…" His eyebrows pulled together in genuine hurt, for just a second, before she felt the tear fall from her eye and splash on the back of her hand.

"Sigyn…" he said. "I… " he reached out with one hand and caught another tear that she could not have stopped had she tried. He shook his head. "What do you want of me?"

She slumped. "I do not know," she said. He looked genuinely confused and the feeling was entirely mutual.

He sighed. "Prepare yourself for the hunt. Theoric will join you in the morning and I will see you after that. I promise, Sigyn, all will be well." He turned to go. She caught his arm and he looked back, still frowning.

"I'm sorry," she said, "and… I trust you."

He stared at her for a long moment. "Thank you," he said simply, then was gone.