I hope everyone got through that super long flashback... I tried to cut it but it just kept coming. Weird note: I uploaded the picture to the cover of the story, hopefully everyone can see it well enough. Apparently I am not the only one who imagines Sigyn looking like Amanda Seyfreid, judging by some of the fan art I found while finding inspiration for this chapter. I also decided I don't like her eyes golden. I'm going to leave them the silvery blue-ish color in the picture. I went back and changed the color in the story, let me know if I missed a spot, and I also put in the dividers that had disappeared in the first chapter.

I was going to ask, do you guys like the flashbacks, or do you think I am relying on them too much? My personal opinion: I think the flashbacks fill everyone in on their past, since we are coming into their relationship sort-of halfway through. I really want to show how they fell in love, instead of just them fighting in the present. Otherwise, why would Sigyn have such a loyalty to Loki, right? Let me know what you think.

Thanks to OWK77 for answering the question above before I even asked it! I'm glad you like the flashbacks. I couldn't agree more about character development. I mentioned above that Sigyn must have a very good reason for staying loyal to Loki, and I'm trying to develop a healthy relationship for them that would make her hope that "Her Loki" would come back eventually. I'm going with a 'torn apart by ambition' angle, possibly a 'driven mad by imagined insults.'

Thanks Babs108, I thought about the ages for a while. I was more concerned with the age difference with Loki and Sigyn, trying to not be creepy even though they live for thousands of years and even a twenty year difference would be nothing comparatively. I ended up going with a pretty conservative age gap for them, because I wanted them to be able to interact without a father/daughter tilt. I thought about Thor for a while too. I was trying to balance remembering that his mom hadn't been pregnant and enough of an age gap that there would be a feeling of competition, I'm kind of fudging what the movie showed, them looking very close in age, with the idea that Loki is tall and somber making him seem older and Thor is stocky and wild making him seem younger.

I don't remember anything from being 4 years old, though, so I think Thor would have reacted to a blood brother the same way as an adopted brother at that age. Kind of "There was no baby, but now there is a baby... Oh well." Kids are pretty flexible, and I think if an older child came in, Thor might remember there was no baby stage, but Loki came in as a baby.

I don't know about anyone else, but I think my earliest memory was kindergarten(I think I was 5), and even that memory is foggy and I'm never sure if I only remember because of people telling me about it. I don't have any memories that I am sure are mine until about second grade, at 6.

I got a little stuck with this chapter, whether to go straight into Sigyn's plan or to let her heal a little more and let Loki get complacent. Let's see what happens...

############We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating a perfect love############

Sigyn looked over the court, feasting and dancing. Sigyn was not well enough to attend the party but she sat in a balcony overlooking the golden chamber. Dressed in a gauzy column of frothy fabric, the under layer a dark bittersweet chocolate color, the over layer the shimmering shade of the inside of an oyster shell. Catching sight of a young girl, Sigyn sighed; probably only nineteen, dressed in the latest fashion and being formally presented at court this season, if Sigyn could still judge these things correctly.

Her purple gown, with a variety of brighter purple shades accenting her, was cut in a youthful style designed to attract attention. She was following her mother, acknowledging people she knew with graceful bows of her head and looking flirtatiously at all the young warriors. She bounced around, somehow still remaining ladylike despite her enthusiasm.

"What are you smirking at, My Queen?" Loki stood behind her, dressed for his role of king, watching her.

She straightened her spine when she realized he was there, no longer leaning to look over the edge. "Was I ever so..." She waved her hand at the girl, careful not to draw attention from anyone.

"Vivacious? Charming? Lovely?" Loki moved slowly, peering at the girl she indicated. "More so."

"Naive?"

Loki blinked in surprise and looked again. This time, in his mind's eye, he saw Sigyn when she had first been presented at court. "Mmm. I don't know. I remember thinking that you were very boring when you came back to court. But, most young ladies are..."

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Loki stood to the side of the entrance, next to his mother. It was Thor's birthday celebration and all the noble families of Asgard had been invited. Nearly all the noble families were in attendance, as opposed to the number of families that attended his own birthday celebrations. Usually only the lower families, a few families looking to advance, and those looking to pair their daughters.

Odin had not arrived yet, probably wouldn't until after Thor arrived. He was very busy with kingly matters, though Loki didn't know exactly what. His mother was talking about something, but he wasn't really paying attention, his thoughts on the newest book he had found in a monastic library in the north. When she said a name he hadn't heard in years.

His head whipped around to look at her. "What did you say?"

Frigga had an innocent look on her face, but on the inside she was smirking. "Weren't you listening to your mother, Loki?"

He smiled. "Of course I was, mother, I was just surprised. Did you say Sigyn?"

Frigga smiled broadly now. "Yes, I am not surprised that you have not heard. Lord Gunnar and Lady Brynja returned from the realms with their daughter. They are staying at their estate, but it is several hours away. I invited Sigyn to stay in the palace."

"That is generous of you, Mother. The court did not riot?" Loki took his mother's arm when she offered it and they started to stroll the ball room. If the queen took an unmarried Lady under her wing, especially one that had been gone for decades, usually the court would be in an uproar; the mothers furious that their daughters had not been chosen, the daughters furious at loosing their chance of spending more time with the royal family(and gaining a royal marriage), and general upset at being passed over.

"Mmm... No." Frigga gave him a humoring look. "The court has kept their tongues civil, or behind their teeth, because of her betrothal. I also gave her the title of my apprentice, so they have little to object to."

Loki nodded. A Lady who was betrothed was no danger to the matchmaking mamas and their daughters, while being given the title of Queen's Apprentice was rare, most of the noble families knew of Sigyn's magic and that she had been trained by the queen before.

"Besides, my sons no longer spend time with me. I needed a companion." Frigga's eyes made him feel guilty that he hadn't spoken with his mother in weeks. She glanced up. "There she is now." Frigga lifted her hand, motioning her forward from where Sigyn stood at the base of the stairs at the entrance. The crowd looked then parted, allowing her through.

Sigyn's head bowed thankfully at the people she passed, her hands clasped demurely in front of her peach colored gown. When she approached the queen and the prince, she curtsied and rose without waiting for Frigga's permission. But when the Queen reached out and took her hands, Loki knew that it was not out of disrespect or boldness, only what his mother wanted and had probably told Sigyn to do. She probably only curtsied in public as well, if he knew his mother.

"Sigyn... Or is it Lady Sigyn now?" Loki smiled at her, expecting her to be as sassy as ever.

But she lowered her eyes and spoke softly. "Prince Loki, you look well your highness. I was officially presented at court several weeks ago."

Her words did not invite further discussion, and his brow creased. He glanced at his mother, but her eyes told him not to push. He would question her later, but for now, he took his leave of both women. He was disappointed in the Lady that his young friend had become.

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There was a silence, then Sigyn smiled softly. "Do you really think she is beautiful?" The girl below was blonde, slim like most of the court girls, tall, and strong. Sigyn had never been typical, though she had tried very hard to fit in. To do honor to her mother and father.

"Indisputably so. Very fair. I imagine all the men will be after her soon enough. I've heard she is quite the darling of the age. Very accomplished with a variety of skills." Loki leaned one hip casually against the wood as he looked at the girl, missing the self-deprecating grimace that crossed Sigyn's mouth.

"You should join them. A king should not abandon his own party."

Loki shook his head slightly. "No. I'll not be joining any parties until I have my queen on my arm."

"I believe she is down there." Sigyn's voice made him turn to look at her. "You had better catch her before some other man does. A queen should be very accomplished. You would have married one like her if you had been the oldest and Thor the youngest."

Loki frowned, his voice harsh when he spoke. "You are my queen, Sigyn. I'll have no other but you."

"I am not a queen. I am not a warrior or a politician." Sigyn looked over the people below, thinking Loki always forgot that he was not the only one who hadn't fit in... Hadn't had friends. In all reality, Queen Frigga had been Sigyn's only confidant. Without her, Sigyn might have never returned to court after she was presented.

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Sigyn stood next to her mother and father, head bowed and hands clasped demurely in front of her waiting to be officially presented to King Odin the All-Father and Queen Frigga the All-Mother. Though her parents had been members of the court for a few thousand years, she had trained with the queen, and had been friends with both the princes, she still needed to be officially presented.

It was as much for her official entrance to court as for her parents. Gunnar Helmsson and Brynja Annorsdottir, and Sigyn, had been away from court for little longer than two decades. Sigyn and her mother had followed Gunnar when he was sent to survey the troops across the nine realms, and had been gone since Sigyn was twelve.

Now she would take her place with her peers, as she should have done over a dozen years earlier. Though she was technically in her thirties, Sigyn looked like she was barely twenty. Asgardian heritage kicked in shortly after puberty, making sure she would look much the same for several centuries before a hint of maturity touched her face, possibly even a thousand years before she looked older than twenty-five.

"General Gunnar!" Odin's booming voice finally called them to the front of the small crowd in the throne room. The general bowed low, her mother affecting a graceful curtsy that Sigyn followed. "It is good to see you back from the front lines. Come." Odin nodded to his wife, Frigga, before he and Gunnar moved to the side, speaking of the troops.

Frigga smiled warmly. "Lady Brynja, it is a pleasure to have you back at the palace." She held out her hands to Sigyn's mother who took them, though more out of duty than any real warmth. Frigga smiled before looking on Sigyn for the first time in many years. The twelve year old girl who had left the palace, though sad the day she left, had been an energetic and rambunctious \(but polite) child.

The lady in front of her now was controlled, refined, and timid. Unassuming and solemn where the child that had played with her sons had been vibrant, outspoken, and delightful. "Young Sigyn. Come, let me look at you." Frigga held out her hands to Sigyn, much as she had to her mother.

Sigyn's eyes looked to her mother first, who nodded in permission, and took a few steps forward. Frigga took her hands, holding them close while looking at her face. Sigyn had dutifully tipped her chin up, but respectfully kept her gaze low without making eye contact.

"You have become lovely, Lady Sigyn." Frigga smiled, wondering if she could get the young woman to smile. "I'm afraid my son has run out of frogs to show you."

Sigyn's eyes finally flickered up, and Frigga was pleased to see amusement in the silver pools. "That is quite alright, My Lady, I fear I have grown out of my fascination with them." It appeared the bright young girl hadn't vanished, only lay hidden.

Sigyn's mother, though lauded as both intelligent and battle worthy, was not a particularly warm or loving individual. She had taken over Sigyn's education when they followed General Gunnar around the realms, and Frigga imagined that a great deal of effort had been put into changing a wild girl into a woman full of propriety.

Tucking Sigyn's hand into her elbow, Frigga nodded to Lady Brynja, walking with the new Lady Sigyn. "How has your magical education come along, dear?"

"I used all the books you sent, My Lady. Finished them in a few years." Frigga's eyebrows rose very slightly, controlling her facial expressions as they wandered through the others in attendance. Four other families were in attendance to present their daughters to the royal court, and most were watching the king and queen, waiting for their turn. "As you know, my mother is not gifted with magical control, and could not teach me beyond what you sent."

Frigga nodded. "It is impressive that you mastered those skills so quickly."

"I had little else to do, Your Highness. I'm afraid my magical education has been at a standstill for the past decade."

"Well, we shall have to resume your lessons then. Would you like that?" Frigga would be glad to have another student. Loki had surpassed what even she could teach him and he now studied alone, if he studied at all. No other noble children currently had enough power to need her training, when other tutors of a more appropriate skill level were available.

"Oh yes, My Lady. I would quite enjoy your tutelage." Sigyn was not skilled at controlling her features in court, and her face was lit with a small smile.

Frigga began turning them back towards Sigyn's mother. "Wonderful. Do you know where your family will be staying now that they are back in Asgard?"

Sigyn nodded. "Yes, my father has said we will be residing at his estate, only two hours or so from here, My Lady."

"That will never do. I can't have you traveling so long to your lessons and back home again. And you will have too much trouble coming to the parties you should be attending." Frigga patted Sigyn's arm. "I have a wonderful idea. How would you like to have a suite here in the palace?"

A stricken look crossed the young woman's face. "I... I believe I would love that, My Lady. But I don't think my mother..."

Frigga cut her off. "Let me handle your mother, my dear. Don't worry about a thing."

Within a month, Lady Sigyn was installed at the palace as Frigga's apprentice, with her own suite near the royal quarters. Her father had thought it a wonderful opportunity, but her mother had taken more convincing, hence the title of apprentice. Her lessons only took a few hours a week, but the Queen had been somewhat lonely since her sons had grown out of spending time with their mother. Sigyn only spent a few hours in lessons, but several hours were spent wandering the palace, shopping, or doing needle and knit work in front of the fire with the queen.

Frigga was working to bring Sigyn out of the shell, made of propriety and formality, she seemed to live inside. Every now and then Frigga could see the real Sigyn; she would laugh or tell a joke. Even a sassy comment about one of the court ladies. But only in private, only just the two of them. In public Sigyn was still the formal and straitlaced girl that her mother had raised her to be.

The unattached ladies of the court did not find her threatening to their chances with either prince, as Sigyn was already betrothed. But they made no effort to be friendly, Sigyn was too inexperienced with court games for the ladies her own age and too mature for the girls new to court, so she and the queen spent much of their time together. At parties, Sigyn danced with the married gentlemen who knew her father or socialized with the older matrons who were too old to play at flirtation, being Frigga's companion when Odin was away or socializing with his council and generals.

Thor was mostly away from the palace; fighting battles, leading troops, and engaging in revelry. Loki spent most of his time out of the palace in search of new books and new magic, traveling across the whole of Asgard at times in search of what he wanted. Sigyn didn't meet him again until Thor's birthday celebration, several weeks after she had moved into the palace.

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"I am King, and you are my wife. That makes you Queen."

"The throne is not my place." Sigyn smiled sadly. "The actions of another might dictate my title, but not my place. A rose by another name..."

"Would still be my queen..." Loki looked down at the girl again. "You think the Lady Freya would be a more suitable queen?"

"That is Freya?" Sigyn suddenly felt very small. She had heard of Freya. She was gifted in battle, said to be loved by most of the court already, and was the odds on favorite to marry well above her.

"You didn't know?"

Sigyn glanced away. "I do not know any of the new faces."

"Well," Loki sighed. "I'll still not have her as my queen." He gave her a smile that, once upon a time, had made her heart skip a beat.

Sigyn stared at the smile for a moment. Then she stood and walked out with all the grace she could muster. She couldn't look at that smile right now. She knew the time was fast approaching when she would have to act.

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

Staring at the small bracelet in her hand, Sigyn looked around her chambers. With a blink, her actions were hidden from any and all forms of vision of her. She picked up the hard bangle bracelet and, holding between the thumb and forefingers of both her hands, flexed it down. It resisted for a moment then, with a slight glow, it cracked along an invisible seal, and fell in two half moons on her palms.

She bit her lower lip, carefully placing one half to curve over the top of her wrist. Then, she slid the other half under her wrist until the hard metal circled the narrow bones. It glowed again, and was locked into place. It was oval shaped, to fit her wrist well, and was small enough that it would not slide over her hand. The hard band was silver, with out a nick or smudge in the mirror like shine.

Suddenly, as if she had donned a suit of armor, she felt calm as a sense of finality, of purpose, filled her. The bracelet's magic was not active yet, it was only a reminder of what she had decided... But it brought her a peace she hadn't known since before Loki's first attempt on the throne.

She stood, waving away the magic that hid her, patting the pocket of her dress before leaving her rooms. It was time she started playing Loki's game.

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

Loki sat in the King's quarters, long fingers tapping his chin while he waited for the servers to set his table for the evening meal. He was eating alone, as he did most nights, rarely enjoying the dinners he spent with the court.

When there was a knock at the door, he sighed, flicking his fingers in command to one of the women. She opened the door meekly, then her posture changed suddenly, opening the door wide and stepping to the side with a bow. There was a soft female voice, and the serving woman turned, hurrying to the table.

"My Lord, The Queen requests entry."

Loki straightened, his surprise in his posture but hidden from his face. "Yes, she may come in."

Rather than wait for the girl who was now bustling towards the door, Sigyn stepped through, closing it herself. She walked towards the table, something in her demeanor different as she took the chair next to him. "May I join you?"

She was already sitting or Loki would have motioned for her to take a chair. "For dinner?" Loki was not used to being taken off guard, and Sigyn was nearly the last person he expected at his door.

"Yes, if I may?" She was calm, serene even. Loki nodded, motioning for the servers to place another setting for her. They sat in silence as they did so, the meal delivered shortly after. As soon as the prying eyes left, Sigyn began placing food on her dish.

"Why are you here?"

Sigyn motioned to his setting and Loki only lifted a brow. She spoke as she placed food on his plate. "I have made a decision. It was time I joined my husband."

Loki waved her off when she began to pour him a glass of wine. He had a high tolerance for alcohol, but Asgard wines were also stronger. He wanted as clear a head as possible when dealing with his wife. He would not have a repeat of his previous offenses on her, actions that he still felt shame over.

"Why?"

She tilted her head, looking at him from the corner of her eye as she cut her meat. "It has come to my attention that I will not be free of our union. To quote 'for several more millenia.' I do not wish to spend the rest of my life unhappy, nor do I want to continue trying to arrange your death or mine." She took a delicate bite. "So, the conclusion I have reached is..." She motioned with her fork to him and then the area around both of them.

"That you must return to me."

"That I must... Hmm." She paused, chewing thoughtfully. "I must give up for the good of others."

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Ok. What are everyone's thoughts so far?