Sigyn tried not to spend too much time dwelling on her peculiar first meeting with the younger Prince of Asgard; but it was hard. She couldn't help but get an odd feeling about that encounter. Why had he spoken to her? Why had he helped her find the book she'd spent so long looking for? Why had he smirked like that and refused to reply to her question?

But the only logical explanation that she could come up with was that Loki had only done what he had, giving her no reason as to why or how he'd done it, so that she would spend her time thinking about it. Trickster God, indeed, she thought, shaking her head to try and turn herself from those thoughts.

Sigyn took the book that Loki had found for her and left the library, heading immediately for her favourite reading spot. She craved the quiet, and the self-imposed loneliness she found in her secret place. She stopped a while into a nearby forest that held no game, which meant no happy hunters riding through too jovially for Sigyn's liking. Her favourite spot was empty now, as it always was, and Sigyn paused beside an old and familiar tree.

Long ago, she'd discovered this little place, this haven from the business and tediousness of everywhere else. She'd found it so tranquil that she couldn't resist coming back every so often, whenever she wanted to get away from the trivial conversation that did not, but probably should have, concerned her.

Sigyn tucked her book under her arm and hoisted the bottom of her dress so that it only reached midway up her thighs, tying it in a knot so that it stayed up. Then she climbed. She was used to climbing this tree; she had been climbing it for years, and by now she knew every indent and handhold, so it wasn't long before she found herself resting on the large branch that she'd discovered made a perfect aerial seat.

Once there, she undid the tie in her dress, letting it slip back down to cover her legs again. It was just a precaution in case anyone, however unlikely it was, pass by her secret reading place. With a sigh, Sigyn opened her book. Leaning back against the somewhat smooth bark of the tree she'd climbed, she found herself truly content.

Until she felt something entwine itself in her hair; something that was neither blonde, nor curly, and that definitely should not have been there. Sigyn looked to her right shoulder, frowning, only to find herself staring straight at a thin, green snake. She was so startled at the sight that she lost her balance and slipped backwards from her high branch.

If she hadn't known that tree's handholds and supports then Sigyn would have fallen. It could have been quite serious, in fact. As it was though, even falling, Sigyn knew where there was a branch she could grab hold of and use to swing down to the ground, and she only just caught it to set herself right. Breathing heavily from shock and adrenaline as her feet touched the ground, she couldn't help but think about how she'd never seen any snakes in or near that tree before.

She only got to wonder about it for a moment, as another thing she'd never seen in or near the tree stepped out from behind it. Loki. Sigyn whirled around and saw him, standing there with that same smirk on his face. She stared at him, confused, as he bent to pick up her book from the grassy floor it had fallen onto.

"It seems like we've been here before," he commented, as he stood straight again.

"My prince," she exclaimed, still trying to calm her heavy breathing.

He tilted his head to the right, vivid blue eyes trained on her.

"You appear to be right," she finished, attempting, and failing at making light of the situation.

In her opinion, it was quite hard to actively and cheerfully smile after she'd just had the wits scared out of her. Sigyn looked back up at the tree as if to see where the snake had gone now. She couldn't see it, but she did notice that Loki followed her gaze.

"There was a snake," she said, by way of an attempted explanation.

At that, his already present smirk only grew wider.

"What?" she asked, confused.

The prince remained silent and Sigyn just stared at him until realisation dawned on her.

"Wait a second- you... you didn't- did you?"

Loki shrugged, his eyebrows mimicking the up and down gesture. But she didn't fail to notice the amusement in the smirk turning his lips. Sigyn scowled at him. The God of Mischief; she knew why he was called that now.

"Why on Asgard would you do that?"

"Why not?" was his simple reply.

She gaped at him, utterly astonished.

"Why- why not? You just made a snake appear and I fell out of a tree!" she said, her voice and temper rising quickly.

"Just a bit of fun really," Loki answered.

"Fun? I could have died! I mean- who does that?

His eyebrows rose again. She could have seen it as a reminder of her place, but Sigyn was just too annoyed right then to care about that. The amusement was still there, in his eyes, and it only made her more annoyed.

But just as she was about to continue, Loki said, "You are in a forest, who is to say that it wouldn't have happened anyway? Who's to say that you hadn't decided to sit in a tree full of the creatures?"

He looked up at the tree at his side. She followed his gaze and found herself staring at the same tree, the one that she'd climbed and sat in so regularly, only now, the branches and the leaves had turned to writhing snakes, all of that same green colour. Sigyn blinked in surprise, but only felt more confused when she opened her eyes again to see that the snakes had all vanished.

"I don't know how you're doing that, but I'd greatly appreciate it if you didn't."

"Or what?" Loki challenged, grinning.

"Or else I'm going to start thinking that I did not stop myself from falling, and that I did actually hit my head and am now hallucinating everything."

"That seems quite logical. Perhaps you are hallucinating this," he answered, twisting her words.

"Don't say that."

Ignoring her, he went on to say, "And perhaps this is just your subconscious mind questioning your delusions."

"Great. Thank you for making me think I'm delusional, I really appreciate that," she said dryly, rolling her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger.

Sigyn closed her eyes in frustration. She could feel a headache brewing regardless of whether she had hit her head or not.

"So, as much as I appreciate this-"

Sigyn stopped talking as she opened her eyes. Loki was gone. Looking around quickly, she could find no trace of him anywhere. Maybe it was just me... Maybe I did hit my head, she thought grimly. But there was one ironclad piece to the puzzle that refused to let her believe that. Her book was gone. And she knew exactly who had it.

Scowling, Sigyn took a seat on the grassy floor with her back to the tree she'd slipped out of. She didn't think she'd ever been so irritated in her life, not even by her twin sisters who literally came with the adjective attached to their names.

Stupid God of Mischief, she mentally cursed him. Why doesn't he pick on someone else?

Author's Note: I'm clearly having too much fun writing LokixSigyn if I've got this up in 24 hours. :P Oh welllllllll. :P Would love to know what you guys are thinking about this story, Loki, Sigyn, etc.. :)

Kit xx