"Loki." Her voice was only a whisper. "Loki, you promised."

Loki woke with a start in a cold sweat. He had dreamt of her nightly when he was in the belly of the palace in the dungeons, wishing for her safety, but since his little trick to ensure he would not be dragged back there again, he had not, until that night.

Pretending to be Odin had meant that he had been able to find a lot about Thanos, the majority of which he knew was not good. There was no way to take on the being without risking war, something he knew that Thor would return from Midgard regarding, and what the people of Asgard would most certainly not endorse. But he needed to save her.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he cursed having never spoken to Frigga with regards the matter during his incarceration in the palace, she would have listened, but at the same time, he had never told her, because he knew Thor and Odin would not care, and if there ever was chance of Sigyn surviving, they would not risk anything for her. But he would.

Taking a drink from a water goblet he kept near his bed, he sighed. He felt drained of late. It was difficult enough ruling a realm, but to also be pretending to be Odin, it was exhausting. At night, with his chambers doors locked by seidr and his guards standing at their posts outside, he could let the veil of which he was hiding behind fall, and be himself again.

He glanced around the room and swallowed hard when he saw his reflection in the mirror. For only a bare moment, it was not him that was looking back at him, but the beautiful and tearful face of the woman he had learned to love. When he blinked again, it was not her, but himself that was staring back at him. "Sigyn." His voice was close to breaking. "I'm sorry."

When he awoke from the fall from the Bifrost, he was shocked to say the least. He had not expected to survive. As children they were told explicitly that none could. Even Heimdall apparently feared the edges of the great bridge. When he had let go of Gungnir, he did so to die, not escape. But when he did awaken, it was to cold, pain and darkness. And in that, he found her, humming to him an Aesir lullaby as she cleaned off his face and hair. He would never forget her eyes, kind and warm, and her caresses as she moved his hair from his face.

"Where…?"

"You need to rest now My Prince." She smiled.

"But where…?"

"In a dark place, the likes of which we should never be." She explained sadly. "You were near death, but you are healing. I do not think that he yet knows who you are."

"He?"

"Thanos."

That moment, when she showed him kindness, he felt unworthy, and during their imprisonment after he told her of his misdeeds, to Thor and to Jötunheim, he felt even less worthy, for she still bestowed kindness upon him.

"I am not worthy, I never was." He rubbed his face in his hands.

"Says who my son?" Loki froze for a moment, recognising Frigga's voice immediately. Looking up, there was a pale, translucent form of his mother nearby. "She thought you so."

"She showed me such kindness, for no good reason, even after all I had done."

"Because it is her nature. Sigyn is loyal, faithful and as her name suggests, the Victory Bringer."

"Is? She lives still?"

"And prays daily to Valhalla for your safety."

"She saved me."

"As you saved her. She was on the verge of taking her own life when you were thrown in that cell with her Loki, you gave her hope. She loves you as dearly as you are frightened to admit to loving her." His mother smiled. "You should have told us."

"It would have made no difference."

"It would have made all the difference Loki, can you not see?"

"Odin would have done nothing, or worse, he would have sent word to Thanos to torture her for my actions."

Your father would not have done such a thing, he loves you."

"Loved, that man does not love me. He wanted me dead for my actions."

"Oh my poor, sweet Loki, do you not see something so clear? If Odin wished someone dead, they die, there is no stopping it."

"I was only allowed live because of you."

"I was just an excuse, he wished for your life just as much, but being a man, he could not just admit something so simple."

"No." Loki shook his head.

"Yes Loki. We love you, so very much, I wish you could see. They will help you. You have to save her."

"I can't, there is no known way."

Frigga's image chuckled fondly. "My dear Loki, when in the past, you found yourself unable find a way to do something, you have always made one yourself. Now hurry."

With that, the image of his mother dissolved, leaving Loki with his thoughts once more, though also slightly confused as to what he had just witnessed.

She had told him to tell Thor and Odin, there were a few issues with that advice. Thor was off realm, with those who had stopped the attack on Midgard, he had also falsified his death, meaning any attempts to reveal himself to Thor would end up with the other God being infuriated with him, and more than likely attacking him, and of course very worryingly, Odin was in a deep Odinsleep, of which Loki personally caused with the stress he had placed the man under, but still technically not his fault. There was little he could do. He could hardly march to Midgard, land on that hideous building and ask Thor's aid. The other issue being he did not expect Thor to give his assistance after all he had put the Thunderer through.

But Sigyn was depending on him, and from what the spectre had stated, she needed him urgently. It had been the first time he had heard her voice in such a dream, and it seemed so weak and fearful. He walked to the chambers door, putting on his disguise of the Allfather once more and demanded a messenger be sent to Midgard for Thor at once and for him to go straight to his mother's part of their rooms when he returned. With the order given, he could only wait. He watched as the Bifrost lit up telling him that someone had indeed gone in search of the Golden Prince.

When the light of the Bifrost glowed around the realm a second time, he began to get angsty. He knew Thor would use his beloved Mjolnir to get back to the palace swiftly, so he walked, still in disguise to the other part of the great chambers that had housed his adoptive parents for the length of the marriage. There, Odin lay on his mother's bed, sleeping and protected by Loki's seidr and hopefully aid his healing.

Not a moment later, he heard a deep and angry voice behind him. "What is the meaning of this?" He turned to see Thor looking between him and the sleeping king in the bed. "Who are you imposter?" Thor demanded, Mjolnir raised in his hand, aiming towards him.

"Thor, I need your help." He begged, not bothering to disguise his voice.

The hand holding Mjolnir fell to his side as Thor stared at him. "Loki?"