Sigyn hadn't been to a celebration in the main palace since she was a small girl. It had been that first time she met Loki and the rest of the royal family, and she had been incredibly shy back then. For the most part, she clung to her father's side, her little hand clutching the hem of his shirt, and smiled only when someone spoke directly to her. Otherwise, she had something of a terrified look on her face the entire time. Luckily enough, people found a small girl with dimples charming when she was too shy to say more than two words to them.
Unfortunately for her, that courtesy did not extend into her adult life, and if she wanted people to accept her, they needed to know that she wasn't terrified to be there. Now, it wasn't as though her terror had followed her into adulthood; this wasn't the first social gathering she had attended with Theoric, but she was on edge regardless. He held her to impossibly high standards at home, but when they were in front of other people, he was under some deluded assumption that everyone had an eye on her, and through her they would make judgements of him. So, if he expected her to be at her best whenever they were sharing a meal alone, he expected her to be at his best whenever they were in public together, and that was enough to raise her anxiety to peak levels. He had already spent the last week irritated with every little thing she did, and she suspected it was because he always noticed her lack of an engagement ring. Therefore, if one little thing went poorly tonight, she was sure he would be very upset with her, and the anger might carry on for another week.
She knew the loss of the ring had been her fault, and she beat herself up for it daily. However, she found that her nerves were always shot when they went through spells in which he saw fit to punish her daily too. Snotty remarks, annoyed sighs, and stunted answers to tentative questions waited for her every day after work, and no amount of good cooking, cleaning, or love-making was going to soothe that. He would come to terms with her stupid mistakes – he always did – but Sigyn knew it simply took him a little time to calm his temper and forget her faults once more.
So, when they arrived at the heart of Odin's palace, Sigyn made sure she was the image of perfection. Her bright blonde hair was swept up in an elegant hairstyle, one that was both fashionable and classical, with a few spare curls here and there. She chose a dress that was a soft purple, a colour that complimented Theoric's gold and red dress uniform from the Hawks. It was a modest garment in the front, hanging a little loose over her chest and stomach, and then cinched momentarily at her hips before the skirt trailed down to her manicured feet. The back was completely open, and she knew Theoric appreciated it; he had lingered a moment behind her while she finished her make-up, eyes scanning her back, before he carried on without a word.
He enjoyed it when other men desired her, but only to some degree. She knew he liked it when men envied him, and that was why she needed to look the part of the perfect woman for her intended. So, she was perfectly styled, right down to the way she curled her eyelashes out to make her eyes look a little bigger. It took hours to get it right, and she knew she had done it when she was given a once over and a nod from Theoric as they were leaving their home.
Some women were too much when they attended gatherings; there was too much cleavage popped up on display, or dresses with slits that traveled all the way up one's thigh. It was certainly a way to make men desire those certain women, but Sigyn and Theoric agreed that it was quite unattractive to be so brazen with one's body in public. So, she felt perfectly fine to show off the curve of her back and the skin that she had scrubbed to a sparkle that morning in the bath. She had made herself attractive in a way that did not bring her the wrong type of attention; men could appreciate her this way, and Theoric would be able to proudly wrap his arm around her to show his possession. She liked when he could be proud of her.
Before they entered the palace, the Crimson Hawks assembled with their families in tow. Sigyn stood close to Theoric's side, though she did drift off for a few moments to greet some of the wives. By now, she knew most of them by name, but not enough to call them friends. They were always at the same dinner parties or ceremonies for their men, but Sigyn made a habit of sticking close to Theoric in case he needed a drink or a diversion from a boring conversation. So, even though their smiles were friendly enough, Sigyn moved back to Theoric quickly, looping her arm around his as she feigned an interest in his conversation with a Hawk of lower ranking.
There weren't many Hawks in Odin's service, but a few who had retired within the last year were invited to Asgard's military appreciation feast, and in total there were about forty men plus their families. Once everyone had arrived, they moved in tandem into the grand hall that she had seen once before as that terribly shy little girl. It was still just as overwhelming now as it had been then, but Sigyn no longer wore her emotions plastered across her face. Instead, she portrayed a calm serenity that many of the women around her lacked; she looked comfortable yet humble, not blabbing on noisily or pointing rudely at the architecture and people.
Each kind of military service had their own introduction by Odin; the All-Father stood atop a make-shift stage – or she assumed it was that, as she couldn't recall it being there last time she was lucky enough to attend a gala, and it seemed as though little else had changed in the main decor of the room. The sea forces were introduced first, the ones who monitored shipping and trade skirmishes in foreign realms of the Asgardian continent. The air servicemen came next, praised for their success with foes that sought to invade through the stars. The land troops were the largest of all the fleets, and it was only the men who stood in front of the Asgardian king, their families watching happily from the side. Finally, the Crimson Hawks were brought forth for the first time in years and recognized publically for their service for Odin and his family.
Theoric was all smiles then, and why shouldn't he be? The compliments for he and his squadron rained from the All-Father, and she smiled knowing that it would put him in an exceptionally good mood for quite some time. With all eyes on the men and their families, Sigyn was careful to keep her shoulders back, her stomach tucked in, and her chin high. However, despite her attempts not to stare, she couldn't help but let her eyes skim over the royal family.
First, there was the All-Father. Odin reminded her of a bear, a Midgardian creature that always seemed to have a place in her father's stories of that realm; he was tall, broad, and a little woolly with his white hair and beard. Large hands, a strong stance: Odin made it clear that, despite his age, he still deserved to be their king. His wife, Frigga, had always been Sigyn's favourite to watch from beneath her eyelashes. She was such an elegant woman, and if Odin was a bear, then Frigga was a graceful bird with her long limbs and light hair. Always dressed in the best, Frigga was the epitome of what Sigyn thought she should be as a wife. Then there was their oldest, Thor, who was the best known of Odin's sons. He was to be king some time ago, perhaps a few years ago, yet when that drama happened with Loki, Odin remained in power a little while longer. No one knew what had happened within the family; there were speculations, of course, but for the most part people tended to comment on the change in a once showy, arrogant man.
Then there was Loki, and she knew precisely how she felt about him. However, her eyes widened a little when she spied him standing next to his brother atop the stage, hands clasped behind his back. She hadn't expected him to be at a public event; most knew he had become a bit of a hermit after his scandal, and while it might not have been such an odd thing to run into him out in some deserted pathway, it was much stranger seeing him surrounded by all these people. He looked as handsome as ever up there, and her gaze lingered a little longer than it should have. Before she knew it, he had picked her out of the small crowd, their eyes meeting across the short distance, and he grinned. Her stomach knotted uncomfortably, and she licked her lips before glancing up at Theoric. Her intended hadn't seen the exchange, and she planned to keep it that way.
Theoric may have enjoyed when other men envied him for his luck with a beautiful woman, but she knew he could also get remarkably jealous once the envy really got to him. She had no intention of ruining his blossoming good mood by seeing her and an Asgardian prince exchange looks from across the hall, even if they were innocent on her behalf.
When Odin's praises finally stopped, the Hawks were dismissed, and for one night they were all equal across the military playing field. Those who normally worked at sea mingled with those who preferred the air, and the rarely seen Hawks were the interest of just about everyone. It made Sigyn happy to see Theoric so proud of his position, so eager to show himself off. He had worked hard over the years to get to where he was now, and if he wanted to bask in the attentions of his superiors, Sigyn would never dare stop him. Instead, she remained at his side as any loyal woman ought to, smiling and nodding and laughing at all the appropriate moments. No one asked her anything after they had exchanged pleasantries, and like always, after some time it was as if she wasn't even there. Sigyn had become accustomed to this style of socializing long ago; if she wasn't on a one-on-one outing with another person, she had a tendency to fade to the background. Perhaps it was a character flaw, but Theoric never seemed to mind. In fact, she was quite sure he preferred this to her speaking up and making a fool of herself.
"Darling?"
His voice trickled into her ear over the rather noisy hum of the room about an hour into the gala. At this point, Sigyn had tuned out his conversation just as the others had tuned out her very appearance. She looked up at her intended, smiling happily at the pet name – he hadn't given her that much affection this entire week. Perhaps he was finally passed his frustration over the missing engagement ring!
"Would you be so lovely as to fetch me a drink?" he inquired lightly, patting her arm as she nodded, "Good. You know what I'd like."
He'd want an ale for now, and later in the night something a little harder, but watered down so that he wouldn't lose his wits in front of his superiors. Sigyn wanted to lean up and plant a kiss on his cheek before departing, but he had already turned back to his conversation. The dismissal rolled off her regardless, and she took no real offense to it as she navigated her way through the crowd. He was quite capable of getting his own drink, yes, but what sort of woman would she be if she let that happen?
Now, all she needed to do was find a servant, or find the bar. She nibbled on her lower lip as she surveyed the room, but she was a little too short to see over the mass of people, and there was certainly no way of seeing through them. So, she gathered up her skirts in one hand and moved through the crowd, careful not to knock into anyone. Eventually, she managed to get to higher ground in the form of a staircase that appeared to lead to a lounge on another floor. Now that she was elevated, it was much easier to scan the room. The hall was absolutely enormous, but on the far side near several large windows – all open – she spied a lengthy table lined with bowls of coloured liquids, along with an assortment of bottles. Excellent.
She smiled slightly, but before she could make her way down the staircase, a warm hand pressed against the small of her back. It startled her enough to make her flinch, and she stumbled a little down a stair. The hand curved around her slightly to steady her, and she heard a familiar chuckle at her left side.
"Now," Loki began, head dipped down so that he could speak softly to her, "is it all staircases you struggle with, or only when I happen to be nearby?"
"You startled me," Sigyn remarked quickly.
"Oh," he grinned, "you must accept a sincere apology then. I shall try to be louder next time."
Her eyes darted around to see who was watching, but they were already at the bottom of the staircase by now, and he led her into the crowd without a second thought. If someone had been spying, they would have lost the pair amongst the people.
"My, what is this?"
She took a sharp intake of breath when he lifted her left hand up to his face to examine, and her cheeks tinted when he kissed the top of it.
"You seem to be missing a ring," Loki observed as she tugged her hand away. "Would you be missing a man now too?"
"No," she said sharply, her voice catching in her throat for a moment. "No, no, I lost it… It… slipped off in the bath."
The woman dared to glance up at him, anticipating some forthcoming remark about her foolishness of wearing something so fine in the bath, but nothing came. Instead, he merely smirked down at her. The look made her stomach knot again, but that seemed quickly overshadowed with the fear that Theoric might come looking for her and find her wrapped up in another man's arm. She really just needed to slip loose and go fetch her intended his drink. It was flattering that Loki had picked her out of the crowd, though she assumed it was more of a happenstance than anything else.
Why would an Asgardian prince seek her out otherwise?
Regardless of his intentions, she knew that she was walking on very thin ice with her intended, and she ought to be quick with his drink or he would be very annoyed with her.
"I should go," she murmured as she tried to slip her hand under his to pry it loose. "I need to… get a drink for-"
"You know, this is my favourite song," Loki said suddenly. "Do me the honour of one dance? You can fetch your beloved a drink after."
"I…" she trailed off, straining to hear the music. She then realized it would have been terribly rude to refuse a royal request, so she nodded hastily, "Of course… Yes, this is a very nice song."
In all actuality, she couldn't even hear what was playing, so she was a little baffled that Loki had detected a tune over the roar of all the nearby conversations. However, once she had consented, he took charge and steered them through the crowd with much greater ease than she had. Apparently he had no issues with nudging people out of the way, whereas Sigyn always found an alternative route around rather than bother someone.
When they arrived at the large dance floor, she finally heard some semblance of a song, but it was hardly one that seemed to stand out from all the rest. He placed her hand on his shoulder, the metal of his formal wear cool beneath her slightly sweaty palm, and then took her other and gripped it, the first hand returning to the small of her back.
"This is a lovely dress," he murmured as they fell into an easy three-step routine.
"Thank you."
They integrated into the swirl of other couples, and despite the fact that there were many pairs on the floor, Sigyn could feel eyes burning into the back of her head. She glanced over her shoulder anxiously, and then spotted a few women turning away hastily at a table near the outskirts of the dance floor. They must have known she was engaged, and surely the gossip would fly if they saw her dancing with another man, particularly without her ring. She ought to get back to Theoric…
"Easy," Loki chuckled when she stumbled over the hem of her dress. "They're looking at me, not you. This is my first social occasion since…" He trailed off, and then smirked a little again, "Well, in quite some time."
"Why?" she inquired shyly. She knew it had to do with the fact that he was being punished for the crimes he had committed elsewhere – everyone knew that. However, she certainly didn't want to pry into such a person affair, and then quickly clarified, "Why did you come out tonight?"
"Perhaps because I knew I would have a partner."
She looked up into a mischievous pair of green eyes, and then cleared her throat, immediately uncomfortable with the way he was studying her: uncomfortable and, in a way, flattered.
"The man you were standing with," he murmured, his mouth next to her ear as he pulled her a little closer, "was that your man?"
"That's Theoric, yes," she replied as she scanned the crowd over his shoulder. The last thing she needed to see was her fiancé's irritated scowl on the outer rim of the dance floor. However, all this time had passed and he had yet to come looking for her; his conversation must have gotten quite interesting.
"He's short."
Her jaw dropped a little, and for a moment she wanted to laugh; what an absurd observation.
"He isn't short," Sigyn told him faintly. She found she had to gaze up at him to look into his eyes properly, and she shrugged a little, "Well, perhaps when you make that comparison, I suppose… he might… be shorter, yes."
"You are so very diplomatic, my dear," he mused, an eyebrow quirked. "Do you always think about everything you're going to say before you say it?"
She flushed a little, "No… I wish I did more of that."
"Don't," Loki said plainly. "I wouldn't change a thing."
What a wonderful lie. She opened her mouth to comment on it, to tell him that every man would change something about every woman if they could, and by denying it he was simply producing false compliments. However, the music finished suddenly, and they released one another to applaud the band with the rest of the dancers. The hall was only music-less for a moment, and Loki reached for her once more to pick up where they left off. Sigyn sidestepped his hand and backed away, a polite smile on her lips.
"Thank you for the dance," she told him, dipping her head a little as one should with royalty. He simply stared at her in return, thin lips curved into a frown, and she quickly turned away. It wasn't until she was just about at the drink table that she felt a hand curve around her bare back once more and direct her away.
He kept her in front of him as he steered her toward one of the windows, and she held her hands up as they moved through a thin curtain. Sigyn soon found herself on a balcony, the crisp night air plucking at her flushed skin. The noise was quite contained by the hall, despite the fact only a piece of fabric now divided them. It was only a small rounded balcony, and she slipped out of his grasp easily once they were alone.
"This is highly inappropriate," she said firmly.
All hope of sounding serious seemed gone with her blushing cheeks and the shake in her voice, no doubt brought on by the way he followed closely behind with that same look in his eye, the one that brought discomfort and flattery.
Sigyn clenched the smooth balcony's ledge behind her, back pressed against the cool surface in a way that made her skin prickle, "You can't just… take me away like this. You don't even know me or anything about my relationship. This… This is impolite and not proper for a… a woman of my position! I'm sure it's just fine for you."
She took a breath, forgetting to breathe properly during her rant, "I'm sure you can find any woman at any time… I'm sure it's just a bit of sport, but it's not sport to me. I doubt you even remember my name, let alone-"
And then, without warning, he kissed her. Her eyes widened, hands flew up to push at his chest, and she groaned softly. Yet, despite the predicament she found herself in, Sigyn felt her stomach furl in the way it did whenever she was particularly excited with Theoric's affections. The reaction was immediate, and for the briefest of moments, she let herself kiss back. She had always enjoyed kissing – it was her favourite thing about intimacy thus far – and she had never been kissed like this before. There was no stiffness to his movements, but rather a commanding need that demanded reciprocation. His large hand cupped her cheek, fingers nestling up in her hair, and she felt his body press firmly against hers. It was wonderful and exciting, but when a hand slipped behind to her back, she realized it was also so terribly wrong.
If she had felt guilty at the thought of Loki walking her home earlier in the week, this was sure to make her feel like the scum of this world. So, she pushed at his chest a little harder this time, and shook her head just enough to break the kiss. He kept himself near with a hand still embedded in her hair, no doubt ruining a hairstyle that took her the better part of an hour to do.
"It's Sigyn," he told her before she could say anything. It was only a whisper, his breath warm against her lips still. "I know your name."
"I'm engaged," she said weakly.
"This isn't sport to me," Loki continued. He brought his other hand up, the heat lingering on her back for a few moments, and then cupped the other half of her face, holding her head securely. He gave it a little shake, "I don't know what it is, but it isn't some sport for me. I could have sport if I really wanted it, and I don't. I want you."
"Don't be cruel," Sigyn managed. She bit the inside of her lip, and then forced a smile, "You don't know me. Don't… Don't kiss me like that and tell me these things when you know I'm spoken for."
He may have earnestly desired her physically, but he was certainly laying the rest of it on quite thick. She knew she had desirable attributes, but when men were like this, so quick to the physical, they only wanted one thing. She might have been many things, but she wasn't a complete fool all the time. It was tempting, and it had been quite thrilling to have a prince desire her so suddenly, but it was wrong. Besides, give him a week, perhaps even a day, and he would move onto a new pursuit when she proved too difficult.
Loki moved in to kiss her again, and she managed to push his hands away for good this time as she scrambled across to the other side of the balcony.
"Please don't," she murmured, watching as he gripped the ledge and gazed out toward the city's skyline. "I'm engaged."
Perhaps if she repeated it enough, the message would sink in.
"Happily engaged?" he asked as he continued to stare out ahead of him.
She faltered for a moment, and then blinked it away quickly, "Of course."
He finally turned to face her, and he wore a mask of disbelief, "Of course."
Although she knew she should have simply walked away, left him on the balcony, but she couldn't force her feet to work. Instead, they stood there in silence for some time, her staring at her feet and he back out at the skyline.
What was happening? There was certainly no need for all these befuddling feelings, especially since she barely knew him. She may have had a little crush in her youth, but there was nothing here now – well, aside from the physical attraction, the flutter of feelings, and the heat in her cheeks that lingered from the kiss. Damn. She hastily rubbed them in an attempt to smooth the red away.
This is absurd. She ought to be inside with her intended, not out here kissing a man she barely knew. He had no right to comment on her engagement, and the longer she stood there, the more she realized that she was going to hate herself tomorrow morning. Once again she had let him denigrate her intended by commenting on his stature, and then she let him kiss her… and she enjoyed it. Sigyn had always assumed that once she was engaged to the man who she would spend the rest of her life with, thoughts about all other men would simply fall by the wayside, and any attraction she felt would be fleeting. Was there something wrong with her?
She shook her head and then pushed herself off the outer ledge of the balcony. After a final look at Loki, who seemed intent on keeping his gaze out toward the city, she decided that she simply ought to leave. If they could pretend this hadn't happened, perhaps she wouldn't feel so terrible tomorrow. However, before she could push the thin curtain aside in order to rejoin the festivities, someone else barreled through the other side, making her stumble backward.
"Theoric!" she said quickly, forcing a smile onto her face as she tried to reach for his arm, "I was just-"
"Did you get lost on the way to the bar?" he demanded huffily, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, Sigyn, I…" He trailed off when he spotted Loki standing behind her, and then took her by the wrist, "What are you doing out here?"
She knew the question was directed at her, but she heard Loki scoff from behind, "Is that any way to greet your prince?"
Theoric's face paled, and she winced when his grip tightened on her. However, a small smile soon formed, and he dipped his head down as anyone ought to when it came to conversing with royalty.
"Your grace, I apologize," Theoric insisted, turning Sigyn so that she faced the Asgardian prince. "My intended is a little scatterbrained sometimes… I hadn't even noticed you, as I only had eyes for her. Please accept my apology-"
Loki snorted noisily, and Sigyn felt her tension rise with each passing uncomfortable second. Once they were alone, Theoric was, undoubtedly, going to blame her for looking stupid in front of a royal.
"I sincerely hope she wasn't bothering you," Theoric continued after a moment or so of silence.
"Not even in the slightest," Loki replied as Sigyn opened her mouth, eager to defend herself. "We were having a wonderful discussion about her possibilities in this world… what else might be out there for her."
She swallowed nervously when his eyes drifted over to her; his third lie of the night was probably the best one of them all.
"You see," Loki continued, his tone light and playful, "my mother is looking for someone to tend to our gardens, and I've heard of your intended's skills… I thought I might make her an offer of employment."
Her jaw dropped a little, but once again Theoric spoke before she could get anything out.
"She isn't looking for employment currently," he insisted as he looped her arm around his, "but we are incredibly grateful and humbled by the offer. Perhaps after we are married and before we have children she could find something to busy herself with."
"How thrilling your plans for her seem to be," the prince mused. He smirked down at her once more, "Consider the offer, my dear."
"Yes, we will have a very thorough discussion of it when we return home," Theoric remarked. He then bowed down a little again, and Sigyn quickly did the same. "They've announced dinner, your grace… Come along, Sigyn."
He tugged her away without another word, and she hurried to keep up with him as they marched along with the crowd, most of who were drifting toward the large dining tables.
"Is that really what you were doing out there?" he murmured. Sigyn felt her hands start to become clammy, her heart pounding painfully in her chest, and she had hoped she hadn't blushed too terribly at the question.
"We were only talking, Theoric-"
"Well, I know that," he scoffed, rolling his eyes a little as he gestured toward two little white cards with their names on them at the designated table. "What else could you possibly be doing? I wanted to know if he had offered you the job, or there was something else-"
"No, no," she said quickly as she settled into her high-backed chair, "that's all. He… took me outside because it was too noisy where we were to talk."
"And what did you tell him?"
She chewed on the inside of her lip; what had she told him? He hadn't even mentioned the job before, she was sure he only brought it up as a means to entice her. If he was being genuine, she would have loved to work in the palace gardens, as they held some of the most exotic and beautiful plants she had ever seen or heard of. However, there had been so many little lies tonight, and she wasn't about to get her hopes up based on a quick story that Loki had conjured to spare either of them the embarrassment of being caught in a compromising position.
"I wanted to discuss it with you first," she muttered softly, hoping that would calm any sort of ire he might feel. "Your opinion is the only one I care for."
"Hmm…" he muttered as a servant poured them a glass of red wine each. "We'll discuss it later."
Sigyn breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis averted… for now.
Loki sighed noisily; what had he done? In all honesty, he had no intentions of kissing Sigyn at this point in time. Yes, he had orchestrated the Hawks' involvement in the festivities tonight because he wanted to see her again, but he had also wanted to see who he was competing against for her affections. Tonight was supposed to be about sizing up the competition and assessing his weaknesses. At this point, he was quite sure it would be an easy victory if this Theoric fellow was worse in private than he was in public.
And he was short.
He couldn't really explain the feelings that had developed since he last saw her. She hadn't been all that charming, but there was an immediate connection that was difficult to understand. He wasn't about to question why she had been dropped into his lap, but his preoccupation with her had been a welcome distraction from the drudgery that had become his life. If he could do nothing else with his time, he would happily spend it fixated on a woman who was beautiful enough to be worth it. He had spent the entire week thinking about her, building her up in his mind, and when he finally saw her again, he couldn't help himself. He had every intention of playing the night coolly; they would dance, grab a few drinks, chat in some romantic location – hence the balcony – and Loki would then suggest she find someone who could actually give her things in this lifetime.
He knew very little about Theoric aside from his foul temper in battle and his place in the Crimson Hawks, but after seeing their interactions tonight, he was sure he could make Sigyn see his point of view. Now, if only he hadn't gone and spoiled it by kissing her. He hadn't been able to stop himself at the time… It felt imminent as soon as he had her out against the stars, moonlight dancing over her smooth skin. Loki didn't regret his actions, but wished they had happened at the end of the night; that way, she could leave with his scent on her, the last taste of the night would be him. At this point, they now had to spend the rest of the gala at a safe distance, and he was sure she would pointedly ignore him after they had been caught.
All of this was happening too soon, and he knew it. He was fully aware that it couldn't be love, but it wasn't just lust that propelled him onward. There was something more: a curiosity, a desire to find a partner to fill his loneliness, and a need to win. He could easily go after someone else, but at this point there wasn't any need to. She kissed him back. Whether she was aware of it or not, she desired him too.
For now, he ought to slow things down. The job offer had been genuine, but he hadn't discussed it with anyone, least of all his mother. In fact, it had sort of spontaneously came to mind as he stared at Theoric; the thought of Sigyn spending more time at the palace with Loki than at home with her intended was a pleasing notion indeed. He had made inquiries about her earlier in the week with a friend who also lived in the military housing complex, and the only real information he had was that Sigyn's garden was the best in the area. Loki immediately deduced that it wasn't Theoric in the dirt tending to the greenery, and decided to use that bit of knowledge to his advantage.
Well, his premature actions would force him to change his plans a little, but he had all the time in the world to think about it.
The nearly sheer curtain was pushed aside once more, and Loki turned back, eyebrows raised. His eyes narrowed a little as Thor stepped outside, and he realized that his stepbrother had become privy to his true intentions.
"Is she why you wanted the Crimson Hawks present tonight?" the blond demanded quietly as they stood next to one another under the pretense of studying the city.
"Perhaps."
"Loki, don't play this foolish game," Thor warned. "You cannot go hurt some innocent woman because you are bored-"
"Were your spying on me?" Loki inquired cheekily, eyebrows up at he glanced at the man. "Quite pervy, brother…"
He had gone back to calling Thor his brother; it was easier to get away with things under the pretense of being the man's family. It made strategic sense, you see.
"End this," Thor told him as he turned away. "You should never chase a married woman, nor is it right to flank to one that is going to be sometime soon… Everyone I know is very fond of Theoric. This will not end in your favour, I can tell you that much."
Oh, such wisdom. Loki resisted the urge to scoff and roll his eyes. Ever since he had returned from Midgard with Loki, Thor was becoming ever like Odin in his desire to dictate how everyone around him ought to act. It was as though his time with the Avengers had given him an even stronger sense of morality.
"You should be happy," Loki chuckled, nudging his arm as they both strolled back toward the main hall. "I think I've found my future wife."
That earned him a bit of a pained look, and he laughed once more, "Come now, put on a smile… You know we're being watched."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Sooo. I wrote this partially on the airplane on the way home from my vacation, and then finished it while lacking sleep and being jetlagged. It feels okay to me, but that is my reasoning if it doesn't quite work.
I think of all my Loki stories, this has the tropes of the romance genre presented most immediately. It feels painfully quick for me (I like the draw things out for usually 10-15 chapters before a genuine kiss happens), but you'll see the relationship develop slowly in the next few chapters to make up for Loki's rash decisions tonight.
I'm sure people find Sigyn's persona a little frustrating at the moment - trust me, I do too. I can't stand a woman who beats herself up because she doesn't have the self-worth to get away from a guy who makes her feel bad... She rationalizes Theoric's abuse in ways that a lot of women do. Hell, I gave my first boyfriend way too much slack because I thought he was treating me how I ought to be treated, and because I didn't know any better. Not cool.
EDIT: Allow me to clarify the sheer dumbassery that is the paragraph above. I figured I'd leave it in so people can see where some of the concerned comment in the reviews come from. I didn't mean to say that abused women bother me because they won't leave their abusive partner, etc. etc. That wasn't my intention, that isn't my opinion - the abuser is always at fault in those situations. When I say "I can't stand a woman who beats herself up", it's more like... I don't like the situation she's in, and I wish she wasn't, and I wish she would take a stapler and staple things to her abuser's head. It makes me sad, but I'm also fully aware that no one but those two people understand what goes on in that relationship. I just know that I understand feeling low and worthless, and I understand rationalizing someone's bad behaviour because you fully believe it is justified based on YOUR actions, and won't even consider that it is completely unacceptable. ... That's essentially all I meant to get across there. Hellooo jetlag and not making any real sense ever while on it.
Much love for all the reviews, supporting comments, and adds to favourite lists! Makes me quite happy indeedio!