A/N: Here's the second installment! Hope you enjoy! :)
Sigyn met Loki's long silent gaze with the quiet intensity of a regal cat who unflinchingly observes someone new.
Long moments passed, yet Loki still did not move or finish his sentence.
"I believe you were about to say something, Prince Loki?" Sigyn broke the silence.
Still Loki stood frozen, speechless.
He blinked rapidly and with a deep breath in, tried to answer, "I…I have no intention of… missing a tour of your magnificent land. Perhaps you could give me a tour?"
Loki could recover from anything with charm.
Sigyn raised one eyebrow, a smile curling her lips, "Really? You want a tour, is it? All in good time."
"First, we must discuss why the All Father has sent you here. Please join me in the Sun Room so we may have refreshments while talking. We will dine in a little over an hour."
Her tone was not of a request, but held the polite command of one who knew she was the Queen.
Loki was mesmerized by the beautiful Queen. As they walked into one of the sitting rooms of the palace overlooking the mountains in the distance, he thought, 'Accepting this match would be the first thing he ever agreed with the All Father on!'
A table filled with refreshments and wine were set for them next to one of the grand windows.
Loki graciously complimented the Queen on the magnificent palace and land of Atheria. Then with all the charm and eloquence which usually made the women swoon, he raised his glass of wine, "To our prodigious union of marriage and the alliance of our great kingdoms, Asgard and Atheria!"
Sigyn stared back at Loki thinking, 'The outrageous audacity of this man! How could he just assume the land of Atheria and SHE were his as a conquest?'
The Queen didn't reach for her glass of wine, instead steadily looking back at him. Loki put down the glass of wine and looked at Sigyn as confusion started to cloud his gaze.
"Well? That WAS the plan wasn't it!?" Loki's anger had started to simmer deep inside him. He was losing patience with the situation, with the All Father and even with this beautiful creature in front of him!
The Queen said nothing, still steadily looking back at him... now with one eyebrow raised.
Loki's anger reached a full boil. "Would someone please tell me what is going on!? "
"I wake up this morning and am... just thrown out of my home and sent to this... kingdom to meet the woman that others have simply decided I am to marry!" He rose to his feet with his arms wildly waving to an imaginary audience.
"I thought... fine! Let me be accommodating and see this... this... new kingdom and it's Queen." Loki strode back and forth on his imaginary stage gesturing elaborately to his audience.
He stopped dramatically at the center of his mental stage, "After seeing you, Sigyn, I am happy to report that I am completely... uuhhh... that is to say, I have no foreseeable objections to the plan and… even go as far as to boldly anticipate... great results from the... union!"
Sigyn slowly placed one elbow on the table and gracefully reached forward to balance her chin on one hand. A smile slowly curled up one corner of her mouth and her eyebrow raised a bit more, "Really. Boldly. You don't say."
Loki continued quite smugly now. After all, he had shown her what true regal strength looked like. He was certain that he had impressed her!
"Absolutely! Why, with my vast knowledge of the universe, my wisdom and... and well... strength as a true king! I daresay... this land could very well grow to be a formidable power in this or any galaxy!"
The prince continued commanding the stage of his own world, "Sigyn, don't you see that you would benefit immensely from this union and from my guidance! You no longer have to fear the possibility of being a woman alone, trying to rule and achieve what is - to be quite fair - beyond your experience, intelligence and... capabilities to do!"
Loki now faced the Queen, "Yes! You should raise your glass with me Sigyn because fear not, I HAVE accepted you to be my..."
Sigyn stood up with such abruptness that Loki was startled to silence. Indeed, even the audience in his head all turned away from him to stare at this surprise guest.
The fire and intensity burning inside the Queen seemed to be emanating through her entire self. Her hands slowly clenched into fists and her eyes were two gazes of fire.
"Prince Loki. Enough. I will not listen to this foolish tirade of ridiculous fabrication and lies any longer." As Loki opened his mouth to speak again, she interjected, "No. You will now be silent and listen to the true reasons for bringing you here today.
"The reason you were invited to my kingdom was to fulfill a request from the All Father to meet you and consider a union... As a favor to the All Father. He is very worried about your, shall we say, choices in life?"
Sigyn started slowly walking towards Loki. "Let's take a look at your accomplishments so far. Your complete disregard for the value of life and all other kingdoms have earned you the reputation of being mindlessly dangerous. Your numerous attempts to conquer nations without any sound judgement or logical reason has proven your lack of maturity and intellect. Oh - and this is my favorite - your numerous attempts on friends, alliances and Family have most definitely branded you completely untrustworthy."
The Queen stopped three feet in front of Loki and looked straight into his eyes. "The question is not of whether or not you choose to marry me, Prince Loki.
"It is I and I alone who shall decide whether to accept the All Father's offer of an union between the kingdoms." There was the slightest smile on her face even as her eyes continued to blaze fire.
"Before you march into another's kingdom, start insulting them and assume that everything is yours for the taking, I suggest you attempt to have a civil conversation and find out the facts."
She slowly turned and walked to the windows. "I am not a heartless woman. If I decide to move forward with this, you will then be given a choice to stay or go back to Asgard. I have agreed to an initial two month trial period... this may be lessened if you try my patience beyond repair."
The Queen paused as Loki stood planted in the same spot, staring out of the window with the look of utter confusion. It was as if her words had dealt his face a mind numbing slap across the face. Loki could feel all his plans to conquer kingdoms slipping away... again. He faintly recalled another time he had felt this kind of pain. He shuddered... the HULK had thrashed him on the Stark Tower floor several times. Her words seem to have a worse effect.
There was a knock on the door before an assistant entered to remind the Queen of her council meeting in 15 minutes. "Tell the council I shall be attending shortly." She said.
She turned back to Loki. "I must attend this Council meeting, but it shouldn't be very long as we are just starting to talk about the issue with... at hand." Sigyn thought it best not to share details with Loki until she was sure he was going to stay.
Loki turned slowly toward her and shrugged, "So, what now? Am I to be locked in one of the chambers within your grand palace and brought out for Show and Tell until you deem me appropriate to keep?!"
The Queen put a confident smile on her face, "The All Father does not care how I carry out my agreement for the union so if I wished, I could just keep you in that way, well... forever.
"That is not, however, what I wish my future King to be. I expect much more than that" She said.
Sigyn glanced at her watch, "So... I will give you the next one hour to think what I have said. If you agree to staying the two months as a trial period, then we shall begin... If not, I shall send you back to Asgard today."
"Oh, how kind. I have a choice?" Loki answered with a buttery sarcastic tone.
Sigyn ignored the jab of his tone, she didn't have time for a lengthy argument. "If you agree to stay, there's a few things I will need you to remember.
"Firstly, you will only address me in a manner appropriate for a Queen. I have not given you leave to address me in a... personal manner. Next, if the two month period goes miraculously well - believe me, I wouldn't wager anything of value on it - you will become my King Consort."
She gave a slow smile. "There will, of course, never be a time when you are ruling Atheria by yourself."
Loki shook his head, gesturing to the heavens, "That's preposterous! A strong kingdom needs a strong King! I have never seen a land ruled well by a woman and-"
The Queen cut him off, "You haven't seen a kingdom run well by a woman, hmm? Well, that is surely due to your inexperience with the Universe and other Worlds! If you haven't seen a strong, independent Queen who is capable of ruling her kingdom well, Prince Loki... You are about to see one now.
"You will see how it takes strength, intelligence, courage as well as empathy and humility to truly be a good leader. These are the same qualities that I see profoundly lacking in you."
The Queen rose to her feet, "I'll give you two months to show me you can embody these qualities. I will return in about one hour."
Loki, once again stood rooted to the floor staring after the Queen. The things she said outraged him! How could she and even his father fail to see his greatness? How could they treat him so unfairly?
He wanted to simply walk away from the Queen and this abundantly rich kingdom! Yet... her mesmerizing beauty and regal intensity stopped him. He couldn't stop watching her. And listening to her voice...
.
Sigyn walked briskly toward the Council meeting room accompanied by her Assistant, Ori, who now addressed her. "Your Highness, we have received a communication from Asgard."
The Queen asked, "Can this wait until after the Council meeting, Ori?"
"I'm afraid not, your Highness. The message is from the All Father," Ori answered.
"Oh? What does he say?" She asked, never slowing her pace.
"He would like to know 'how everything is progressing'?"
Sigyn smiled, " Tell him, everything is progressing just fine. Ori, send this communication back to the All Father immediately. I'll send him another message tonight. After things have settled."
"Of course, Your Highness."
Sigyn glided through the gold double doors which were opened by two guards as she approached the sprawling Council Chambers.
"My Lords," she nodded to all Council members before taking her seat at the head of the table. "I understand we are here to discuss the present situation in Corinthea, is that correct?"
A senior Council member, Rorik, spoke up, "Yes."
"Have we been able to uncover the truth of the situation in Corinthea?"
"Yes, Your Highness" Rorik started to explain, "I'm afraid it is much worse than we had originally anticipated."
Rorik paused and took a deep breath as if to gather strength, his brows furrowed, "The Atherians are being lured to Corinthea with promises of unimaginable wealth, luxuries and lives of complete leisure."
The Queen looked concerned, "Do the Atherians feel they are not treated fairly here? We have always ensured they are provided with a balanced, fair means of living. There is no poverty in Atheria. Why are these people going and are they getting what they're promised?"
"The people of Atheria do not know hunger, poverty or want of any necessity of life. You have ensured that, Your Highness. In truth, they would be considered well to do in any other kingdom." Rorik answered.
"Then what drives them to blindly go to Corinthea for luxuries?" the Queen asked.
"Greed, my Queen. The promises made by Corinthea are beyond imagination and disillusion some into believing they do not have enough." answered Rorik.
"Are they getting all that they are promised?" the Queen asked.
"No." Rorik's eyes flashed with unmasked anger. "They are being captured as soon as they land on Corinthea and sold as slaves!"
"This would be a serious offense indeed. Are you certain, do you have proof?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Over the last month, a hundred Atherians have gone to Corinthea, but never heard from again. When their relatives reported them missing, we sent one of our spies to investigate. We thought this would be the least disruptive to our already strained relationship with Corinthea." Rorik paused.
"Did the spy find anything?" Sigyn asked.
"When they arrived at Corinthea, a man came on board the vessel and called out names of the Atherians who had signed up for their 'invitation'. They were gathered, taken to a building, and robbed of their possessions. After that they were promptly taken to another building where there was an auction in progress for them!" Rorik stopped here as his voice shook with anger.
He steadied his voice and continued, "Our spy is on his way back right now and will be able to present us with proof... and images tomorrow morning."
The Queen's hands clenched into fists but her voice remained calm, "We must reconvene tomorrow morning as soon as your spy is here to plan our next steps. My Lords, I believe you would all agree, this must be addressed immediately with whatever action is necessary!"
The Council members nodded their agreement.
"Now, if there are no other matters for today, we will meet tomorrow morning." The Queen rose, nodded to the bowing Council members and briskly walked back to the sitting room where she had left Prince Loki.
.
Sigyn found Loki standing with his hands clasped in back staring out the window at the dazzling night sky of Atheria. Both the moon were at their full today and the stars surrounding them were brilliant. Without turning around at the sound of the opening door, he said, "You're back."
Sigyn slowly walked toward Loki, 'He looks and carries himself as a King should. If only he was trustworthy!' "Yes, have you given some thought to our conversation? "
"What else did I have to do, waiting so long in this room?" Loki's sarcastic tone reminded Sigyn of how much work lay ahead if he did agree to stay.
"And your decision?"
Loki turned toward Sigyn leisurely. His eyes had a mischievous sparkle and his mouth curled up at one corner in a slow smile. "I have decided to accept your offer and stay."
"Very well, I'm certain that we will be able to work together to..." Sigyn's voice trailed off as Loki had slowly walked towards her and was now very close to her.
Loki's eyes held Sigyn's and despite her self control, she felt captive in his gaze.
Sigyn was trying to gather strength to move away from Loki, when he suddenly took her hand and brought it to his lips.
"Your Majesty," his mesmerizing eyes looking up at her, "Perhaps we can discuss my living arrangements in your kingdom over dinner?"
A/N: Thanks for reading! I would greatly appreciate any reviews or comments!