Ch. 7

"We should never have let him go." Volstagg announced from his seat on the couch. There was a maid next to him rubbing some kind of healing ointment onto his arm. Apparently while they were in Jotunheim a Frost Giant had touched his arm, burning his skin in the process.

Sif looked over at Volstagg from the couch on the opposite side of the fire, "There was no stopping him." After Loki had told me what happened, I'd insisted on going to check on the others, to make sure they were safe. That was how we'd gotten here.

"At least he's only banished and not dead. Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone." Fandral spoke this time, looking around. He was trying to lighten the mood, to see a good side to Thor's banishment.

I looked at Loki, who was standing off to the side. He watched the maid, still massaging Volstagg's arm. He looked down at his own and turned it over, examining it. "How did the guard even know?" The curiosity in Volstagg's voice worried me. Would they be upset with Loki?

"I told him." And there it was.

"What?" Fandral sounded stunned. He turned and looked at Loki, as if not really believing what he'd just said.

"I told him to go to Odin after we left. He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim."

Volstagg was outraged, "You told the guard?!"

Loki's response was calm. "I saved our lives. And Thor's. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did."

Sif shot up almost immediately, looking at Loki desperately. "Loki, you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind."

"And if I do, then what? I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant. He's reckless. He's dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its King?" When Loki was finished, he stormed out angrily. His eyes were clouded and stormy.

I was about to get up to go after him and see if he was okay when Sif spoke up. "He may speak for the good of Asgard, but he's always been jealous of Thor."

Before I could ask what she was implying Volstagg defended him. "We should be grateful to him, he saved our lives."

"Laufey said," Hogun speaking for the first time looked at each of us. "That there were traitors in the House of Odin. A master of magic can bring three Jotuns into Asgard."

Fandral looked at me, the only one that thought about the accusations being made. "Loki has always been one for mischief, but your talking about something else entirely."

I stood up, not being able to handle it anymore. "How can you even say that?! Loki is as much your friend as Thor, is he not?" None of them would look me in the eye. "And you guys are blaming him for betraying his family because he told a guard where you went? He saved your lives! Can't you just be grateful to him?"

"Don't you think your opinion is biased? We all know how you feel about Loki. You love him. Your judgment and ability to tell right from wrong is clouded." Hogun hadn't meant to sound rude, but what he said upset me.

"So what your telling me is that none of you guys love Loki? It's all Thor? He's the only one you care about? Loki is hurting too. He just lost his brother for crying out loud! Show a little more respect than that. So you want to know what I think? I think that you all need someone to blame for Thor being banished. And you saw an opening and took it. You want someone to blame? Blame Thor. He's the one that acted so impulsively. Don't want to blame Thor? Blame yourselves. You guys never should've gone." I turned on my heel and left the room before anyone could say anything back to me.

I was in my room again, sitting on my bed when Loki came in. He looked scared and lost, with tears gathered in his eyes. I immediately jumped up and ran to him, pulling him inside gently. "Loki, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Father has fallen into the Odin Sleep and I fear he may never wake up." I gasped, horrified by the idea. I sat down on my bed, pulling Loki with me.

"What- Why? Do you know how it happened?"

"Yes, I was... I was there."

"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Let me start from the beginning. In Jotunheim, you know how Volstagg's arm was burned? Well, I too, was touched by a Jotun. Except, my skin didn't burn. Instead it turned blue as well. As if I was one of them." That would explain why he kept looking at his hand since he returned. "So I went to the casket. I was holding it in my hands when he walked in. I asked him about it. Asked him why it happened. He explained to me that after the battle he had gone into the temple and had found a baby. It was Laufey's son. He stole the baby and raised him as his own."

I reached out and pulled him in for a hug, knowing nothing I would say could make him feel better. "I asked him why he took me and he said it was because he was hoping the war could end permanently through me. Obviously that didn't happen. But it finally all makes sense, doesn't it? Why Thor was always more important? Why he always came before me? It's because I'm different. Because I'm a Frost Giant. A monster. Horrible. Dangerous. Unworthy of the throne."

I pulled back and looked at him. "Is that really what you think, Loki? That you're a monster?"

"I am." He stated. I watched as he made himself turn blue. His gorgeous green eyes turning red. His warm skin suddenly turning ice cold. I reached out my hand and touched his face.

"Loki, you are the same boy I met all those years ago. You're the same person who became my best friend. The same one who listened to me talk about my mother. The same person who let me go on and on about how much she hurt me. You are the person I spend pointless hours with, laughing and having fun. Loki, you are the man I fell in love with. The man I am in love with." Even with my confession, I still gazed into his eyes.

"What?" He sounded breathless, as he looked at me in awe. "You'd still accept me? You'd still love me? Even when I'm like this?"

I nodded, "Especially like this. How could you think that I wouldn't? What kind of friend would I be if I abandoned you now? When you need me most? You finally know everything about yourself, and I love you no matter what you are. I don't love you for being a Prince. I love you for who you are. I love you." It felt good saying those words. Finally. I smiled at him.

He smiled back, "You have absolutely no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that. I love you too." He leaned toward me, his green eyes staring into mine. The intensity made me shiver. I could feel his breathe tingling my skin as he lowered his face to mine. His arms slid around my waist and pulled me closer. It was like a dream when his lips connected with mine. I felt like everything else disappeared while I was here with him. Time stopped. The kiss itself was slow and soft. His lips moving in sync with mine. I moved my hands up feeing his hard abdomen and chest. My arms moved over his shoulders and up to his face. I felt his smooth, cool skin slowly. We pulled back, breathless and looked into each others eyes.

"I love you, Loki." I whispered, my breathing coming back.

"I love you too, Sigyn."

I moved my armed behind his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him again. My hands got tangled in his hair and he moaned as I played with it. I giggled into the kiss and moved my lips against his. I had been waiting to do this for years.