The weather was absolutely atrocious today. The sun was unrelenting as it bore down on her normally pale skin, no clouds to hinder its rays. Sigyn felt uncomfortably hot on her walk back from the training arena after dropping Theoric's clean helmet and wrist guards off for him, and she wanted nothing more than to slip into her cool home and have a tall glass of frigid water.

It wasn't as though she had dressed poorly for the conditions; when she woke that morning, the air certainly felt much more humid than it had recently, and she wore a dress that was lightweight with thin fabric, and it was a white gown with very noticeable pink tinges. In theory, she ought to have been quite comfortable for the heat, but she quickly realized that it was the sun that destroyed her. Sigyn spent the majority of her walk back with her hands shielding her eyes from the sun's glare. The walk there hadn't been as bad, considering she had her back to the sun, but the frontal assault barely let up for even a moment, and she found her mood quickly souring in the heat.

It had been a long week since the gala at Odin's palace, and it has passed without much excitement. Sigyn felt incredibly guilty for her behaviour with Loki, and she had worked extra hard lately to prove her worth to Theoric in every area that mattered. The house was spotless, his meals were cooked to perfection, and she initiated sexual activity frequently – though he had only taken up her offer twice, much to her dismay. It wasn't right that she kissed Loki, but she knew accidents happened, and as long as Theoric didn't find out, she could possibly pretend it had never happened. However, the kiss lingered on her lips for several days after, and after dreams she woke up still feeling Loki's touch along her back, on her neck, against her cheek. All things considered, Sigyn realized much of her guilt stemmed from the fact that she thought Loki was a better kisser than Theoric, even though she had only experienced it briefly.

Sigyn berated herself continuously for her lack of loyalty toward Theoric, and even on the night where she had kissed Loki, she went out of her way to keep herself toned down and mute. She clung to Theoric for fear that she might wander off and do something stupid once more, and did her best to avoid any sort of eye contact with the Asgardian prince. Sometimes she felt him looking at her, but she ignored the feeling and instead focused on keeping a drink in Theoric's hand, and laughing supportively along with his jokes. They had left in a splendid mood that night; Theoric was a little intoxicated, but mostly from the compliments he had received from his superiors. When they returned home, he took her over the arm of the couch in the living room – a first – and Sigyn hoped that would cleanse her of her transgression.

Theoric had been on a high ever since, and Sigyn did not want to ruin it by asking if he might consider letting her investigate Loki's job offer a little more. After all, Sigyn wasn't entirely sure if he had said it at the time because they needed a lie, or if he was being genuine with the proposition. If he actually meant what he suggested, she would have jumped at the chance to work in the palace gardens, but it would certainly take a lot of careful persuading to get Theoric onboard with the idea. After all, their wedding was only just over two months away, and he surely would have preferred her spending her free time focused on wedding plans with his mother rather than working on something unrelated.

Gardening was good for the soul, you see. Sigyn couldn't imagine a more relaxing hobby, and she loved that it gave her a chance to get back into nature. It was peaceful, calming, and her garden was the only place in this world that she ever felt truly safe. She suspected she would feel the same in any garden, and the notion that she could work in a place so exquisite and fine as that of Odin's palace seemed far too good to be true. However, she couldn't drop everything and go to work there without Theoric's permission, and she had very little confidence that she could persuade him to see the positive side of her having a job away from the home. So, as much as it saddened her, Sigyn pushed the opportunity out of her mind, and tried to focus on becoming the best homemaker she could be; sometime in the very near future, it would become her fulltime job to be a homemaker and a mother, and she would have to get at least one of them perfected before she could tackle both.

She wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead as she tackled the small sloped pathway along the lake. If she followed it, she would be home in about twenty minutes. It curved around the hill where she first met Loki, and since then she had avoided it on the off chance that she might see him. A part of her definitely wanted to speak with him again, but the majority of her inner conscience knew that was a terrible idea, and it forced her to walk the long way home in order to keep her from making another mistake.

Unfortunately, today seemed to be the day that her plan crumbled from beneath her, and Sigyn came to an abrupt halt when she spotted Loki lounging against the ledge of the path, arms folded across his chest, eyes squinted as he gazed at her from a distance. She still had the opportunity to take the hill, which might have been steeper, but it was faster, and definitely the preferred route if Loki lingered along the waterside path. So, she made a sudden left turn, crossed a patch of grass, and then hurried along up the hill's uneven path in order to avoid him. She heard him shout her name, but she carried on as though she hadn't. It wasn't until she heard footsteps hurrying after her that she finally turned back, but she was determined to make her point quickly and firmly before continuing on the way home.

"I do not wish to speak with you," she told him when he finally stopped in front of her. "Please leave me alone."

There. Her point came across as firm, yet there wasn't anything rude about it. With a nod, she tried to turn away, but stopped when he grabbed her by the arm, his grasp surprisingly gentle, and kept her from going anywhere.

"I came to apologize," he told her softly, and she felt her resistance weaken when he produced something of a genuine smile. "I was completely out of order when we last saw one another…"

Sigyn blinked back her surprise, and she cleared her throat awkwardly under his gaze, "I… accept your apology."

What else was there to say? She nibbled on her lower lip, and then tried to slip away once more. However, this time Loki looped her arm around his, and they moved in tandem along the hillside path beneath the blazing sun.

"I realized that I might have made you uncomfortable," he continued after a moment or so. Her hand gripped his arm, the skin warm atop his black attire, but she was careful to keep the rest of her body at a more respectful distance. "My brother says I can be a little… impulsive sometimes. I promise to behave if you stop trying to avoid me."

"I haven't been avoiding you," she said quickly, shaking her head a little when she glanced up at him briefly: his handsome features were a little distracting. "I've been… busy."

"Yes, I imagine all that cooking and cleaning can keep one a little preoccupied," Loki muttered. She heard him sigh noisily when she looked away, and he tugged her a little closer, "I'm sorry. I seem to say the wrong things when we're together."

Sigyn said nothing in response, and tried to concentrate on not stumbling over any of the loose rocks along the dirt path. She wasn't used to someone apologizing to her; it felt strange to hear a man admit he was wrong about something, that he had made a mistake, and she wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to respond to it.

"I have been avoiding you," she admitted finally. She wiped a bit of sweat off the back of her exposed neck, thankful that she had the good sense to twirl her hair up in a bun before she left the house. "I'm engaged. I can't… I can't kiss another man-"

"I know," he said sharply, cutting her off as he stepped out in front of her. "I know you can't, and I certainly did not want you to feel pressured to do something with me that… Look, I would prefer it if we could move on and pretend it didn't happen."

She felt her nerves squirm a little. This was what she had wanted, after all – she wanted them to act as though the kiss had never happened. However, after hearing the request come from him, she almost felt a little hurt, a little deflated, and the slight warm feelings that were associated with the event dissipated immediately. She nodded her head and produced a bit of a smile finally, which he seemed quite pleased to see.

"Good," he said decidedly, taking her arm once more around his as they carried on up the hill. "Excellent."

The sun was completely intolerable the higher they climbed, and Sigyn wished she had just breezed by him along the path so that she could have at least gotten the cool lakeside breeze as they talked. Up on the hill, there was very little protection from the sun's onslaught, and she felt her face straining under her continuous squint. How Loki could be outside in his usual black apparel was completely beyond her, but he seemed to handle himself well; she assumed she was a bit of a sweaty mess, but a quick look up at his face showed no signs of strain under the Asgardian sun.

"Now that that's out of the way," he murmured, clearing his throat as the tension eased out of his arm. "I actually wished to discuss the offer I mentioned when… when your… Theoric found us. It was a genuine offer."

"To work in the royal gardens?" she clarified, her spirits suddenly rising. She tried not to look too hopeful.

"Yes," he chuckled softly. "We usually have two gardeners to manage the size of my mother's flowers, but one retired recently, and I suspect the other will follow shortly…"

"How did you know I liked to garden?" she inquired suddenly, her curiosity getting the better of her. "We've never talked about that before."

In fact, they had barely talked about anything, let alone her affinity for gardening. This was the second of two conversations they had had that did not involve her falling over her feet and then rushing off awkwardly; yet there was an ease to their speaking that was almost unnerving.

"Come now, everyone knows you for your skills in the garden-"

"No, no they don't," she insisted, eyes narrowing even further when she stared up at him. "Maybe my neighbours do, but I'm not like you... The whole of Asgard doesn't hear my name and think of me."

He pressed his lips together tightly and looked away, and Sigyn realized she shouldn't accuse him of something so ridiculous. As if he would go out of his way to look into her – Loki must have heard about her skills from someone and it was a mere coincidence that they became acquainted sometime later.

"I'm sorry, I sound ungrateful," she told him, letting out a puff of air softly when they finally made it to the top of the hill. "I would love to spend… even a day in the royal gardens. I'm sure it would be the most incredible experience, but…"

"What?" he asked carefully, "You cannot tell me you won't take the offer because Theoric won't let you. Sigyn, you aren't even married-"

"No, no, it isn't that," she remarked quickly, hoping to keep him from further criticizing her relationship. It wasn't like he was in it, so really he ought to keep those opinions to himself. "I haven't actually… talked with Theoric about it."

"Are you worried he will not give you permission?"

She swallowed thickly when she realized he had guessed her fears without much probing, but for some reason, she felt a defensive need to keep protecting her current relationship from the Asgardian prince. So, she shook her head and tried to keep her voice steady, "No, he's been very busy lately, and I haven't wanted to bother him."

"Ah."

A silence settled over the pair as they continued down the hill, and Loki's grip tightened on her when a loose bit of stone made her slip. The trip down the hill felt much shorter than the one up it, and Sigyn almost thought he would veer off once the military housing complex was in sight. However, he remained at her side, intent on walking her the entire way. Her body stiffened at the thought, and she finally came to a stop before they arrived at the gates.

"I will consider the offer," Sigyn told him earnestly. "I can't think of a better position for me… It's an honour that you might have thought of me."

"I thought I made my intentions with you fairly clear," Loki mused. "Yet you seem so surprised that I would bring this to you… You deserve good things, Sigyn."

She sighed in exasperation, and then took a bit of a step back to give them some space, "I don't understand why you think you know me. This is the third time we've spoken in our entire lives."

"Sometimes you know," was his response, along with a casual shrug. Sigyn pursed her lips and then looked away, her arms folding across her chest.

Never in her life had a man actively pursued her so quickly. In fact, Theoric hadn't even gone after her like this – their relationship had been arranged, which meant neither of them had to work especially hard to find the minimal attraction required to kick-start things. However, Loki had been quite plain about his intentions; he claimed to be there for her.

She wasn't a simpleton. Sigyn realized that men would become attracted to her while her physical beauty remained, but she had always thought that once a man was rebuffed, he would take whatever pride he had left and move on to an easier target. Therefore, she was confused and a little frustrated with Loki's presence. She couldn't understand why he said the things he said – there was nothing special about her that would warrant the attention of a prince, and the fact that she was engaged meant there could be no real future for them. So, why did he even bother at this point? It certainly couldn't be out of the goodness of his heart, because there was no need for the reclusive Asgardian prince to give her any sort of charity. She certainly hadn't earned it, anyway.

"You seem flustered."

"Confused," she clarified. She swallowed thickly and let her arms fall to her side, "I don't understand this."

"I don't either," he told her. "Honestly, I don't even know what I'm doing. Why don't we see what happens?"

"No!" she protested, throwing her hands up in surrender and marching off toward the gate. However, he caught up to her quickly and took her by the arm again; she felt her skin prickle at the contact. Sigyn turned back quickly and placed a hand on his chest, forcing herself to keep her voice steady.

"You can't come in with me," she informed him. The gates of the complex were always open during the day, and the officers who patrolled the entrance usually didn't show up until the sun had set. However, once they were in, she was sure neighbours would catch sight of her strolling through the lush streets with another man, and that would somehow get back to Theoric. Once again, it would have been innocent, but Theoric would never believe that she had brought a man back to their home with innocent intentions.

"I may be a disgraced prince in this realm, but I am a prince all the same," Loki told her stiffly, "and if I want to go somewhere, there are very few people who can stop me. As I see none of them here, we shall proceed."

He had to pull at her a little, but eventually Sigyn fell back in step with Loki as they marched smoothly toward the gate. She could feel the tension seeping into her shoulders, and when she crossed the threshold, she immediately glanced back and forth between the darkened windows on either side of the street. They were very narrow, those streets, which meant there was no room for a sidewalk of any sort. Loki and Sigyn strolled along the middle, lines of the same domed houses peering out at them, and thus far they hadn't actually seen anyone outside yet. In this heat, it wasn't surprising they were the only ones foolish enough to go for a walk when the sun was high in the afternoon; Sigyn saw it as a small mercy. People may have been watching her from the inside, but there was an even greater chance those with basement levels were enjoying the cool air underground rather than staring out their windows like busybodies.

"Everything looks the same," Loki commented as they strolled along, his expression quite relaxed as he surveyed the homes.

"I think they look different," Sigyn remarked softly, careful not to look too happy with the prince's presence – despite the fact her insides squirmed happily whenever he chuckled or held her a little tighter. "Everyone does their own gardens… So really, everything looks remarkably dissimilar."

"What an interesting observation," he mused. "I suppose I would have to live here in order to see the real differences… Everything looks so… small."

"Well, we cannot all be fortunate enough to live in a palace," she muttered. As soon as the words left her lips, she immediately came to regret it – she sounded petulant, and she certainly didn't want to embarrass herself. Not in front of a royal, anyway.

"Yes, I have lived quite a privileged existence," Loki laughed. "I would be more than willing to show you how the other side lives one of these days."

"I hardly think we're completely opposite," Sigyn insisted quietly. She certainly wasn't the poorest of the poor in Asgard; she liked to think that she and Theoric lived comfortably in the upper-middle class, and might go higher if her intended was to get promoted.

"I think I should simply like an opportunity to spoil you."

She felt her cheeks flame at the comment, but she looked away so that he wouldn't grin that satisfied grin she had seen several times today already.

When they finally arrived at her little domed house, Sigyn stood at the front gate, her hand resting on it precariously as she did a quick take on all of her neighbours. There were no faces in the windows, no rustling of curtains, but that certainly didn't mean she was safe. He couldn't come inside, that much was for sure, as Sigyn worried she might not be able to control herself should he make a move again. Yes, she was terribly guilty for what had happened with the kiss, but it had felt good, good enough that she might not protest strongly if he tried again. Unfortunately, those sorts of thoughts also ate away at her, and she loathed herself for her treacherous brain's disloyalty for Theoric.

"May I have a look at your work?"

"Sorry?" she repeated, the colour on her cheeks darkening when she realized she had slipped into her own little daydream regarding her problems, which meant Loki had simply been standing there staring at her.

"I'd like to see your garden," he clarified with a smile, nodding toward a row of beautiful flowering vines that twisted along the black metal fence along her front lawn. "These are lovely."

"Notoriously finicky plants," she told him as she opened the gate. Surely he could have a look at her garden – it was almost as though he was viewing her resume. "I've found that the fence is in the perfect position to get the sun directly when it's brightest, but only for a few hours."

He stepped in and approached the vines, running his long fingers over the delicate leaves, pausing only to examine the beautiful purple petals on the happy buds. From there, he moved on to peruse the rest of the showy, bright flower she kept in the front garden, and Sigyn followed at a respectful distance, arms crossed as she explained the different sorts of flowers to him. She was fairly sure he didn't actually care about the life cycles of the organisms, but he certainly put on a good show for her, asking all the right questions and nodding appreciatively whenever she produced some useless tidbit about gardening.

Eventually, the pair ended up in the back portion of the garden, hidden from any potential prying eyes. There was no real division between the front and back yard, only the house resting in the middle, which meant that it was only a natural progression to end up there at some point. Sigyn ended up plucking a few of her good herbs for Loki to take back with him, insisting that they could be used for a variety of purposes, from their ability to perk up a downtrodden mood to seasoning a bit of meat. Most men would have turned them away, or asked that she wrapped the leaves up so that no one would see them with cooking supplies, but Loki merely smoothed them out and tucked them into the inner pocket of his lengthy jacket, seemingly pleased with the gift.

When they had gone through absolutely every inch of her garden, and Sigyn had no new information to give him, she decided it was time she ushered him out.

"I need to get started on dinner," she told him. "Roast tonight… It usually takes a few hours to cook."

"Is that your polite way of telling me it's time for me to depart?"

"No, it's the truth!" she insisted, unable to resist smiling at him when he quirked a playful eyebrow. "You clearly have never cooked before if you don't believe me."

"Perhaps you could teach me," he suggested, bending over to scoop up a flower that must have fallen from one of the trees. "You were very informative today."

"It's easy when it's one's passion," Sigyn remarked honestly.

She nibbled on her lower lip as he approached, and she felt her breathing slow as he reached up and placed the flower in her hair. It was a bright pink one, one that was known to attract little birds, and Sigyn loved that they grew in her trees. Now she had one in her hair, nestled into the thick mass of tresses woven up at the back of her head.

"Bring your passion to the royal gardens," he told her softly. "Don't conceal it here."

He held her chin suddenly, tilting her head up so that her eyes could meet his. She could keep his gaze for only a moment before she was forced to look away, and she let out a small puff of air when he stepped back without her asking him to do so. However, she did force herself to turn away as Loki tried to move in once more, perhaps to kiss her, or perhaps just to touch her. Regardless of his intentions, she wanted to avoid another foolish mistake, because at this point, with the way he had humoured her about the flowers and his charming smile, she knew her resolve was weak.

"I shall speak with Theoric tonight," she told him decidedly, "and you shall have my answer tomorrow."

"I'll find you and hold you to that."

Sigyn held back an excited grin as she nodded, eyes cast down demurely. He remained there for only a moment before marching off toward the side of the house, not looking back once as Sigyn watched his retreating figure.

"I thought you had no interest in working for the royal family," Theoric mused from the dinner table, the daily newspaper splayed out in front of him.

He had arrived home a little later than usual that night, but Sigyn had dinner mostly ready for his return. She merely needed to finish adding a glaze to the roast, and then they could eat. Her intended seemed in an amiable mood, but she was fully aware that the topic of this conversation might change that.

"No, I still have an interest," Sigyn told him, hoping she did not sound too eager. "I simply haven't brought it up because I know this week has been quite busy for you."

"Ah."

She nibbled her lower lip anxiously, eyeing him in the reflection of a hanging pan nearby, and then carried on.

"I think it would be an excellent way to make some money for the wedding," she told him. "Besides, the gardens belong to the queen. You might have influence with the All-Father, but how wonderful would it be for our family if the Lady Frigga was also favourable toward us?"

It was a compelling argument, surely.

"I suppose."

Sigyn finally looked back at him and saw that he wasn't even looking at her; instead, he leaned in toward the paper, his eyes narrowed as they scanned the words. Sighing, she used a pair of tongs to lift the roast out of its pot and set it down on the serving plate. She added a few strategically placed herbs, followed shortly by a little bit more of the glaze that Theoric liked, and then delivered the creation to the dining table. Theoric only put the paper away when she finally sat down, and she watched him slice up the meat, checking to see if there was any pink in the middle.

"Cooked through," he told her, as though she wasn't aware that she had properly cooked a meat she had been cooking for him for nearly two years now. Sigyn commenced scooping out some vegetables onto his plate, and then poured him a glass of wine.

"I'd like to take the job," she said finally, and she heard Theoric sigh. "I think it would be good for me… but I won't do anything without your support."

"I merely worry that you will not have time to do all the rest of your chores," Theoric admitted as he added a second helping of roast to his plate. "How will you cook the meals I need to stay in my peak physical range if you spend all day working somewhere else?"

"But I can be very good with time management," Sigyn insisted faintly, nibbling on a piece of carrot. "I may have momentary lapses in punctuality-"

"Momentary?" he scoffed, shooting her a look.

"However, all that aside, I think… I think I can take on a little more responsibility," she finally got out. "It will give us connections, money, and… well, I think I should work at least once in my life before I become a wife and mother."

"Why?"

"Experience," she listed, tapping her plate lightly with her fork. "A chance to meet new people, make some friends… I can promise you that none of my housework will slack."

"Can you?"

"Yes! You will still have meals like this, and your helmet will be delivered after training, and the house will stay as clean as you like…"

He fell silent for a little while, and Sigyn stopped pushing. If she went too far, asked for too much, she was sure he would shut down and give her nothing. Instead, she continued to eat her meal as though the conversation had been light and meaningless. Sometime later, he finally spoke again, and she tensed, fingers crossing hopefully on her lap.

"You may work at the palace," Theoric started, "only if you can keep your promise. The house will stay pristine, my meals will be waiting for me when I return, and you will not be tardy to deliver my helmet. If you can find a schedule that will fit, and it works for us… There should not be a problem if you wish to work until the wedding."

"Really?" She nearly squealed, but managed to contain her enthusiasm, "Oh, thank you! You'll see… I can… I can handle everything."

"You can thank me upstairs."

She nodded quickly, thrilled with the way the conversation had gone. She hadn't expected it in the slightest bit, and was actually fairly surprised that he could see her point of view. As she stabbed away at a few vegetables, her mind raced with the possibilities that lay ahead.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I think Sigyn's reservations about Loki's feelings for her come from my own wariness of the immediate obsession Loki could develop for a woman like Sigyn in the myth/comic universes. Regardless, both sides are interesting to explore for me, so you can expect to see a little more musing in the upcoming chapters.

So, hurr is what is happening with me. I found a romance publishing company that takes unsolicited works, and they have a prompt for a short novel due by October 15th on their website. It's super exciting, and I've already started it and got a pretty sizeable chunk done. It's a nifty opportunity, and I'm really keen on it. However, that means updates may slow in the process. Not stopping, just slow… Gotta think of my wrists with all this typing. Plus my fourth year at uni starts next week (guhh), so that will take away my free time for sure.

Again – updates will happen, just a little on the slower side.

Much love to all who leave their thoughts on the chapters! I think I'm least confident about this story of all my Loki fics, so it is always nice to see that people appreciate the work. Much love!