Yup, I took the Avengers out... They weren't working for me, but they might come back at some plot point. I still have no idea what these characters are doing, but I guess I'll go along for the ride.

###########A woman knows the face of the man she loves, like a sailor knows the open sea.###########

Sigyn sat on the balcony of the royal quarters, looking over the gardens. Sigyn had called an audience with Odin to speak with him of her husband. But instead of seeing her, he had her installed in Loki's former quarters. She had been there a week with Odin avoiding her. But it gave her time to observe the court and become reacquainted with the court politics.

Not much had changed. Some new faces, some new fashions, but the core of the Norse Court worked the same as it had for hundreds of years. If Theoric had lived, they would have been part of the same traditions of arranged marriages, carefully played court games, and a specific lifestyle. She hadn't loved Theoric, their marriage had been arranged since childhood, but they were were suited for each other. Sigyn's father was one of Odin's generals, Theoric was a great warrior. She enjoyed taking care of others, children and family, as well as caring for a home while he had enjoyed being cared for.

He had never thought her diminished because she had no desire to be a great warrior. Theoric had often said that her ability to care for a home would allow him to leave to battle with confidence, knowing he would return to a well run home. Not of great intelligence and knowing that about himself, he none-the-less encouraged her to read, write, and learn. They often had discussions that he admitted to not understanding, but was willing to talk with her anyway. They had been good friends and companions, and would have been well married.

"What has you so deep in thought?"

Odin's voice shocked her and she swiftly came out of her chair and dropped into an appropriate curtsy. "Please, Sigyn, you are family and we are alone here. You need not stand on formality."

"Yes, My King." She rose slowly, backing away and allowing him access to any chair of his choosing. Loki wondered if she had always done that. Her deference to her king was so ingrained that she did it without thought.

Glancing around, he chose the largest seat available and motioned for her to sit as well. When she did, he repeated his question.

"I was thinking of Theoric, My Lord."

Loki hid his shock well, thankful for his Odin-disguise. He hesitated, thoughts whirling as he decided on a question. "The young man you were betrothed to before my son?"

She nodded. "Yes, My Lord."

He couldn't hide the darkness in his voice when he spoke next. "Why?"

Her face immediately showed that she regretted saying anything. "I mean no offense to you or your son, My Lord."

Realizing that she had detected his irritation with her thinking of her previous betrothed, he concentrated to gentle his tone. "I will take no offense. I would know what you were thinking of him."

She seemed hesitant, settling into a smaller chair with a basket of knitting next to it. "I was only thinking of how my life might be had he lived."

Steepling his fingers in front of him, he nodded. "And what are your conclusions? Would you have been better served to wed other than my son?"

"Yes." Sigyn watched his reaction, wondering. "I would have been better served to wed another." She paused, watching his face but seeing no change. Beneath the facade, Loki struggled for control, reminding himself not to show his anger. She sighed, picking up the basket and removing the project she had been working on. As she began working she spoke. "Better served, My Lord, more content perhaps, but... for so short a time, I could not have been happier or more loved."

Forcing himself to nod, Loki stared out over the balcony. For long minutes they sat in silence, Loki/Odin in thought and Sigyn with her knitting. Their relationship had not always been easy.

###############################################

Loki stood in a corner, shrouded in darkness, while many celebrated around him. The hunting party had returned, with Thor at the lead, with both game and tale of adventure. That was enough for many to stay up into the night, and possibly the next few days, drinking and dancing.

"You have not yet asked me to dance, My Loki." Sigyn's voice whispered from behind him, and he turned slowly. Also tucked into the shadows, she would be barely visible to those around the bonfire, and neither of them would be identified.

"Would that I could dance with you and not receive the inevitable mockery of my brother." He sipped his warm wine, knowing that taking her into his arms in public would cause more than his brother to comment.

"Am I so embarrassing to you?" Her voice was level, but he immediately knew that he had said something wrong. "No, of course not. I simply meant that... Our association would bring commentary. You know I do not dance at events such as these. To do so would draw unwanted attention."

Loki's green eyes were locked on her golden ones, a hand on her shoulder, so he easily saw that he had not repaired the damage. Her eyes had flickered away and she shifted out of the weight of his hand. "As you wish, My Lord. I shall associate with another in the future." She slipped out of the shadows and he was unable to chase her through the crowds without causing a scene.

He settled back into the corner he had been leaning in, taking a deeper draw on his goblet. Watching through hooded eyes, he tracked her progress around the room. She stopped at the table where a red-bearded warrior offered her a goblet of wine. She declined but spoke with him for a few moments. He leaned over the table filling another goblet with an amber colored liquid, and handed it to her.

She smiled, speaking with him for a few minutes longer... During which Loki's grip on his own glass became tight. Sigyn then moved to a group of lords and ladies of similar age and standing, speaking with them animatedly. She remained there until she finished her drink, at which point a blonde warrior held out his hand to her. They danced.

Loki shifted his stance. No longer leaning against the corner, he stood in a wide stance. His legs spread, arms crossed over his chest, and head tilted down it was obvious to any who looked that he was angry. Luckily, he still remained in darkness and no one noticed his threat display.

Sigyn danced with him again, before being handed off to a delighted looking man Loki knew as one of his father's favored commanders. Pushing out of his corner, he followed them, circling the dance floor as they moved in the middle of it.

When the dance ended, Loki swooped down, offering her his arm, with a causal smile for her partner. "I'm afraid I must steal her away for a few moments. The Queen asked that I speak with Lady Sigyn in her stead."

The man nodded understandingly, kissing Sigyn's hand and offering himself if she ever needed a dance partner, before striding back to his comrades. She didn't argue, knowing that to do so would only draw attention, and waited for Loki to speak his mind, obvious to her that Queen Frigga had not made any such request of Loki.

Loki led Sigyn through the crowd and then out an arch to a quieter area. Looking around before he spoke, Loki met her eyes and spoke in a rough whisper. "If you think to make me jealous, you have only made me angry."

Her silver eyes were guileless as they looked up into his green ones. "Your pardon, My Prince, I did not think to cause any emotion in you."

"Did you not dance with those men, knowing that I watched you?!" Loki's glare was unforgiving, but his touch was as gentle as ever.

"I did not."

"The truth, Sigyn." He bared his teeth angrily, "You think to play tricks... on ME?!"

"I thought only to enjoy myself, My Lord. My apologies if I drew your... attention." The way she said attention reminded him that they were still on a public street, and he took a step back, tugging his tunic to straighten it.

"You are angry." His voice was back in control now, composure like a cloak around him.

"You are dim-witted." She spoke with an unusual cold calm, one that should have warned him. She only spoke like that when she was furious, a state he had not often seen he in but should have taken heed of.

"I find that hard to believe." Loki smirked, thinking they would have a verbal duel as they often enjoyed.

"As I find your behavior." Her face was still and hard. "Now that I know your true intentions toward me, I find I no longer desire your company. If you will excuse me... My Prince." Adding insult to the fact that she was rejecting him, she tossed his title out, rather than his name, as he had become accustomed to hearing from her.

"What has angered you, sweet Sigyn." He stepped in front of her when she would have left to return to the feast. "This anger is out of proportion to my refusal to dance."

"By the All-Father, you are slow tonight." Her eyes were flashing fire and anger. "It is not the dance I am angered over. It is your reason for refusal."

"I was under the impression that we were keeping our relationship secret... out of court gossip."

"Out of court gossip, yes. But not a secret."Her face finally showed anger as she hissed her next words. "One dance is not inappropriate for two of our station, and hardly likely to send others shouting of a torrid affair." She paused, her expression clearing for a moment as something occurred to her. "You have told no one... It is quite clear you do not intend to pursue me as far as you have claimed."

"And you have told someone?" He scoffed.

"Of course, someone I trust not to gossip." She flinched away from him. "I would share my happiness with them. It is clear you have no happiness to share."

Suddenly, her anger became clear. By refusing to dance with her, she concluded that he was not as serious about their relationship as he had led her to believe. That she was a temporary liaison. He took her hand, swiftly walking back to the festivities, essentially dragging her along. "Come then. I will show everyone my intentions."

"Do not start something you will later regret. I would rather break our bond now, than have you change your mind later."

With a wave of his hand, the music changed as they walked to the dance floor, suddenly the raucous sounds settled into a slow melody. Pulling her into his arms, they began to dance, following steps they both had learned as children. The sudden change drew attention, and Loki's spine snapped even straighter when he caught sight of Thor standing at the edge of the group of dancers, wearing a goofy smile.

When the music ended, Thor strode over with a few friends in tow. "It appears my brother's feet are as smooth as his tongue!" His voice boomed, and several people in the crowd laughed, though many took no notice.

The young warrior that Sigyn had danced with previously offered her his hand. "My Lady, might I free you from the chore of making the Prince look good?"

Loki's entire body was tight and rigid, his pride brittle and hard around him, refusing to look at Sigyn. Apparently she was tired of hiding their relationship, as he had realized his recent dark mood was caused by. Her small hand tucked around his elbow, and she gently dismissed the warrior. "I apologize, Sir. The Prince is currently in negotiations for the rest of my dances this evening."

The blonde nearly choked and Thor's face fell into shock as Loki's head whipped down to stare at her. Her polite words not only dismissed the man, but indicated that she and Loki were more than acquaintances. It also presented Loki with a choice. He could claim the rest of her dances for the evening, and declare his intention to court her, or he could hand her off, effectively saying that he was not interested in pursuing her. His response would be clear to anyone in their social circles and neither of them would be socially harmed by either choice. But both choices would have far reaching effects on their relationship.

Once again he was struck by her intelligence, and ability to prompt others to action with little effort. For a moment, it seemed as if everyone in the room had frozen and all were silently staring at them. Then the split second was gone, and he smiled at the young man, a sarcastic triumph in his expression.

"I have claimed Lady Sigyn's dances for the..." He paused. She had thrown him several times tonight. It was his turn to throw her. "For the foreseeable future." Now she looked at him in shock. He grinned, and with little care for the gossip he had tried so hard to avoid, lifted her chin to plant a short kiss on her lips.

###############################################

Sigyn looked at Odin through her lashes. Something was wrong. She didn't know him well despite being his daughter by marriage. They had never spent much time together, but... With Loki somewhere in Asgard with plans for the throne, she was on watch for anything suspicious. And something about Odin was... off.

"What did you want to speak with me about?"

Odin's voice reminded her that she was not just observing him, she was sitting across from him. "I... I wondered if you had any news of my husband."

"I put Heimdall on the task. He has found evidence that Loki is alive, but cannot locate him." Odin's eye sharpened on her. "Do you know anything of his whereabouts?"

She hesitated. Loki wondered who would invoke more loyalty from her, the king or the husband. "I had a dream. He visited me."

"Mmmm... And?" Loki hide behind the facade of his father, smirking. Waiting for her to say something he could hold over her. "Where is he?"

"I do not know his exact location, My King. He is a god of lies and it was a dream. Nothing he said or did could be trusted as the truth." She was avoiding the question, quite adeptly. Not for the first time, Loki wondered who had taught her deception while he had been away. She had not been as good when he had left.

"Alright. Where do you THINK he is?" Odin's voice was smooth and coaxing, almost too silken, and Sigyn wondered if her husband was closer than anyone thought.

Perhaps sitting across from her. She reached for her magic, slowly gathering a tendril of it to reach out to him while she spoke. "I would not betray you, My King, but I would not want to betray my husband either."

Odin smiled. "I will not imprison Loki. Only restore him as my son. Give him a chance to redeem himself for the throne." He paused. "If you tell me where he is I can help him."

Her magic touched him, letting her see past the illusion for a moment. To see the man she loved, who loved a title more. She pulled her magic back, her mind whirling.

"I have a feeling you know more than anyone, My Lord. Surely my dreams are of little consequence in the grand scheme." She gathered her things, standing gracefully. "Please pardon me, My Lord, but I must pack."

"Do you return to Bredablik?" Odin stood with her, walking next to her as they moved through the halls to Loki's former quarters.

"Yes." Her answer was quick. Almost desperate, and she forced herself to slow down. "Yes. I have been away too long."

"Yes, I suppose you want to prepare Bredablik for your husband's return." Odin smiled moving swiftly down the halls of the Palace.

Sigyn nodded until he was out of sight, whispering softly. "I don't think he will return to Bredablik when he lives in the King's Quarters..."

################################

Sigyn did not return to Bredablik. She went into hiding. Loki could still see her in his gazing bowl, but her magic hid her location from him. And it angered him. He set his plans in motion, having an illusion of Loki return in humility while he stayed on Odin form, working to earn enough of the people's trust, and begin transferring the throne to him.

Loki commanded Heimdall to find his wife, but even he could not see her.