Hello again, my loves! Here is the latest chapter. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited; it means a lot to me. Enjoy x

Chapter 4

Sigyn sat hunched on the edge of her bed the next morning, powerlessly waiting for Prince Loki to arrive.

Her father and Lord Theoric were waiting just outside the door, prepared to enter as soon as there was any sign of the prince.

Soon enough, as Sigyn stared down at her lap, the sound of boots softly hitting the wooden floor came from over by her window.

She gripped her hands together tightly as Prince Loki approached her.

"My lady, are you ready?"

Sigyn felt tears well up in her eyes as she slowly raised her head to look at him. "I am so sorry." Her voice was barely a whisper.

His dark brows frowned as he opened his mouth to question her words, but before he could make a sound the wooden door flew open.

Theoric barged in with her father close behind. "Good morrow, my prince, how fair you this fine morning?"

Loki remained silent for a few moments, taking in the situation before speaking in a low voice. "What are you doing here, Theoric?"

"I could ask the same of you." He smirked. "I asked for Lord Hugin's permission to see his daughter and when he obliged he, of course, accompanied me in doing so. Sigyn is a lady after all, and deserves to be treated as such." It was painfully obvious he was referring to the fact that Loki had been in Sigyn's room alone with her.

The prince appeared unfazed. "How good of you."

Theoric's eyes narrowed when his jibe failed. "I shall have to inform the king of this indiscretion."

"I am sure my father has much more pressing matters to attend to other than an insignificant scandal."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Theoric's voice matched Loki's patronising tone, "I also mean to tell him of the lady's powers. I think he'll want to look into them, very unusual."

Loki's eyes flashed to Sigyn who was looking down at her lap once more, the way she held herself rang with agitation. It was rather heart-breaking to look at her.

"What could you possibly gain from all of this?" His gaze returned to Theoric. "I doubt you would care unless there was something in it for you."

"Well, I will marry the poor girl, of course."

The words were said so suddenly that Sigyn compared the feeling to being slapped by her father. Her head snapped up, blue eyes wide and full of panic as she whispered, "What?"

As if she hadn't made a sound, her father spoke. "You would truly do that, my lord?" His voice sounded hopeful, the exact opposite to Sigyn's.

Theoric turned to face Hugin. "It is the least I can do, my lord. My loyalty to our king obliges me to inform him of these matters, though it pains me to do so. In retribution for letting this news known I will marry your daughter and overlook her strange powers and... ruined reputation."

Sigyn couldn't help herself from letting out a small and shaky, "No," in her desperation.

Hugin's eyes snapped to his daughter. "I find it laughable that you presume to have a say in the matter."

She once again lowered her head, dread washing over her even more thickly than before.

There was a moment of silence before Theoric broke it. "I think it best we venture to the palace now."

After staring at Theoric with challenging eyes for a few seconds, Loki eventually turned towards the window to take his leave.

"We shall meet you there then." Theoric called after him as he reached the window.

Loki turned his head to look at Theoric out of the corner of his eye and nodded sharply.

Before he turned away his green eyes met Sigyn's. The crystal blue was filled with sorrow and complete and utter terror. Loki felt his heart twinge in his chest.

His green gaze was unreadable as he eventually leapt out through Sigyn's window.

She couldn't take her eyes off the spot where he had been. She kept staring, hoping something, anything would happen to put a stop to this mess.

She barely heard her father leading Theoric out of her room before the door slammed shut.

Not a moment later it reopened when one of the maids entered. She had vibrant red hair and large brown eyes with a smattering of freckles across her pale nose.

Sigyn hadn't seen this particular one before; she must have been new. Her father made sure to change the staff regularly so that none of them could get too close to Sigyn in the risk of her powers being discovered. That didn't seem to matter anymore.

It was only when the maid brought out a lilac dress with silver trim from her wardrobe that Sigyn realised her father must have sent her to make his daughter look presentable for the king and queen.

After the maid had tied up the back of the dress, Sigyn found herself sitting at her dressing table having her hair gently combed.

It was only when Sigyn's shoulders started to shake from all of the pent up emotion that the maid put the hair brush down and spoke in a comforting tone. "Oh, my lady, what is wrong? Perhaps if you tell me I can help or at least make you feel better."

Sigyn looked up at the brown-eyed girl in the mirror with watery eyes. There was no point in hiding it from her; soon enough everyone would know, and Sigyn wanted to be able to tell at least one person because she chose to, not because they found out. She wiped her eyes and sniffed before telling the maid everything. All about her powers, how she had been cooped up her entire life, how Loki had helped her when she was a child but she hadn't known it was him, the party the other night, the feeling of being in her brother's shadow, meeting Loki again in the gardens, their arrangement for him to come and teach her, Theoric finding out, and all that had happened just that morning.

Sigyn had kept her eyes averted the entire time, not wanting to see the looks of horror and disgust that were surely to show on the maid's face.

Due to this expectation, Sigyn was deeply surprised when she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to look at the maid to only see kindness and pity etched in her features.

"I am sorry for all that has befallen you, my lady."

"You… you do not find me repulsive?"

The maid's eyebrows rose up her forehead. "Of course not. Your powers are an… unusual gift, but they do not make you a monster. You are not a frost giant, my lady."

Sigyn wiped at the tears trailing down her face and sniffed. "Thank you," she whispered.

The dark-eyed girl gave a kind smile.

"What is your name?"

"Amma, my lady."

Sigyn managed a small smile before Amma carried on braiding her hair.

Not long after, her father entered her room, not even bothering to knock this time.

Sigyn didn't speak as she followed her father outside of her house where Theoric was waiting by a carriage ready to take them to the palace.

The lord bowed his head and held out his hand, offering to help her into the carriage.

She tried to ignore it and climb into the carriage on her own, but apparently the lord wasn't having any of that. He roughly grabbed her wrist and lifted it towards the carriage.

When Sigyn was sat down she made sure to clasp her hands together and stare at them, effectively cutting herself of from her father and Theoric. She didn't want to speak to either of them.

The carriage lurched suddenly as it started moving. With each step the horses took, Sigyn could feel her heart sinking lower and lower inside her chest as her emotions darkened.

Sorry, I know it's only short, but it's more of a filler really. Please let me know if you spot any mistakes and just say what you think in general. Thanks for reading xxx