The next morning brought news from the palace in the form of a letter. Sigyn stared at the paper in her hand that had appeared while she'd been reading. It was invitation, or rather, another summons from Loki that requested her presence at the palace.

She found it strange that he would return to such formality when he'd already popped into her room for a kiss. With the fact that he could do that established, she wondered again about the formality. It was strange. But Sigyn went to the palace at his request anyway. And the guards she had only recently become properly acquainted with let her pass without complaint. The only thing that she found out of the ordinary was when Njal wished her good luck as she passed.

"What do you mean?" Sigyn asked, pausing.

Njal looked as if he was about to say something, but a look from Halvar silenced him.

"Just... good luck," he said, instead of whatever he had been about to say.

She walked away, wondering what was going on. She found the summons and now Njal's behaviour all rather odd; but Sigyn just couldn't quite figure out why... again. This feeling of not knowing was coming over her all too frequently lately and she wasn't fond of it.

Sigyn noticed Loki from a while away, standing beside a huge open doorway, waiting for her. He was leaning against one of the stone pillars that framed the door, but even then, she could tell that something was wrong. As she got closer to him, her feeling of unease grew. Loki looked almost uncertain, and that hard edge had returned to his expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked, confused as she came to a stop beside him.

He stared at her for a while as if she had said something that she shouldn't have.

"Why would you think that something is wrong?" he answered, his voice pointedly level.

"Your expression..." she answered, tilting her head to the side. "I only ever see it when there's something bothering you."

He continued to stare at her at her for some time, a flicker of surprise crossing his expression.

"Perhaps I'm not the only observant one," he said, one brow raising as a tiny smirk played on his lips.

"So what is it?" she asked, refusing to allow him to distract her from finding out what was going on.

Eventually, Loki sighed and conceded in giving her an answer. He had to, after all.

"My mother wants to meet you."

"Your mother?" Sigyn blinked.

Loki nodded once.

"As in the Queen?"

"Yes, she would be my mother..." he said as she stated the obvious.

"And... you're worried because... that's a bad thing?" she started uncertainly.

He looked to his right, into the corridor stretching out beside them.

"Well, that depends if she likes you or not," he answered, looking back at her with a sideways glance.

"Oh alright, that makes me feel so much better about this..." Sigyn said sarcastically.

A small and fleeting smile crossed his expression as Loki took her hand and kissed it gently. But almost hurriedly.

"You will be fine."

"Wait a second- I'm meeting her now?"

"Yes," he answered, pulling her along down a corridor.

Oh brilliant, she thought as she trailed after Loki. She didn't know where in the palace he was taking her, but she knew that whenever they stopped, he would be leaving her to meet his mother. And that unnerved her. Sigyn spent the whole time Loki tugged her through the palace fretting about this upcoming meeting. What would she say to Lokis mother? Hello, I'm the girl your son is courting. Yes, that wasn't going to be awkward at all...

Eventually, after many corridors and turns, Loki stop before an ornate door that was edged by a golden frame. He left her outside the door, once again pressing a kiss to her hand before swiftly departing. Sigyn frowned. At least this explained what the formality was for. And why Njal and Halvar had acted so strangely. Well, Halvar hadn't acted strangely- he'd been as surly as usual- but it explained Njal's abnormal behaviour anyway.

This had better go well, she told herself. Loki may have liked the different and unusual things about her, but would his mother? Sigyn hoped so. What bothered her was why Loki seemed so worried. And why Njal had bid her good luck. Was everyone expecting this meeting to go badly or something? I guess I'll have to find out... So Sigyn knocked reluctantly and waited for a reply.

"Come," she heard a woman's voce say through the door.

She pushed open the door and walked in slowly. Looking up, Sigyn saw that the adjoining room was a sort of conservatory, a wall and its ceiling made of glass that allowed for perfect observation of the city beyond. She saw the Queen sat at a small metal table, two goblets placed before her. Sigyn could see the Queen looking her up and down slowly and she started to feel self-conscious again.

"Close the door, dear."

She did, and then just stood awkwardly beside it.

"Do come and take a seat, I didn't ask you here just to have you stand in a doorway."

Slowly, Sigyn approached the Queen, finally taking a seat opposite to her.

"So you're the one that my son is courting then?"

Not knowing what else to do, she just nodded dumbly.

"Well, say something dear, I didn't ask you here so that you could just stare at me in silence either."

Blinking, Sigyn stirred herself into motion abruptly, "Forgive me, my queen, I'm just... wondering why it is that you asked me here?"

Frigga looked at her, considering her for a minute or so.

"I wanted to meet the woman that has managed to capture my son's attention; that is a rare achievement, you know," she added quietly.

Sigyn looked at her lap for a moment, attempting to think on the Queen's words. She didn't get much of a chance before she was blindsided by a question though.

"Do you like him?"

She looked back up, surprised by the queen's boldness. Well, that was certainly blunt. But Sigyn saw a curiosity, and an affection in the older woman's eyes that made her think better of it. That made her remember that this was a mother enquiring about her son's... relationship? Was that the right word?

"I... I think, I do..." she said shyly.

"You think, my dear?"

"Well..."

Slightly nervous, she really had to think of her reply. She'd spent so much time thinking lately; and it was all because of Loki. And it made sense now. She'd only been obsessing over the things that had happened because she did like him.

"Yes; I do," Sigyn answered eventually.

To that the Queen smiled at her.

"Good. I am glad; because my son certainly likes you. I've not seen him act so affectionately... ever, I think."

"You think he does truly like me then?" Sigyn questioned, leaning forward in her chair slightly.

Frigga's smile became sad for a moment.

"I know my son lies and he plays tricks; but I also know that this is not one of them."

"It's not?"

"I wondered if I might have to clarify this, you know," Frigga confirmed.

"I'm sorry if it seems that I am doubting your son-" Sigyn started to apologise.

"No, you are right to."

She blinked at the Queen's words.

"Loki does lie. He's the God of Lying; it is expected and only natural that you should. I might think you a little strange should you not be questioning such things."

"But... you're saying that he's not lying about this...?" Sigyn enquired, just to confirm.

Frigga nodded, an attempt to wave away the uncertainty in the woman his son was courting.

"Wow..." Sigyn replied, sighing the word. "I must thank you for asking me here; you've made things far easier for me to understand."

"I had a feeling I might," Frigga reasoned. "I want my son to be happy, and if you can bring him that then you will have a friend, and a mother-in-law in me."

The queen took her hand, a slight smile on her lips. Sigyn blinked at that. She didn't know what to say, so she just smiled back.

Author's Note: So, once again, second chapter of the day. :) Hope you guys like it! :)

Just wondering if anyone wants to do all my revision for the exam I have on Friday? No? No takers? Why does that not surprise me? Oh, I know, because it is the most sinfully boring thing that I have ever done in my life. Don't let me drag you guys in. I'm just ranting... ;P

Kit xx