Sigyn was nearly to her room when she heard the front door shut, and Edmund's heavy footsteps approaching her.

"Is this some sort of jest?" he asked.

She turned to face him. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked. "Do you not think your sister capable of catching the eye of a prince?"

"Of course I do, Sigyn," he said, running his hand through his hair. He didn't appear to have slept all night. "I'm just surprised, that's all. When you didn't return last night, I got worried."

"I'm sorry, Edmund," said Sigyn. "Loki and I-"

"Loki?" said Edmund, incredulous. "That's awfully familiar, don't you think?"

"He asked me to call him that, Edmund," said Sigyn with a sigh. "I'm not as impudent as you think."

Edmund paced the hallway, his hands on his hips. "And this…courtship…how long has it been going on?

"He approached me just this morning," said Sigyn. "Well, I guess it would be yesterday morning by now." It already seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Did you say anything to Mother when she was here?" asked Edmund.

"Of course not!" said Sigyn. "If she knew, all of Asgard would know before the end of the day." She walked up to Edmund, her finger in his chest. "I'm not going to tell her just yet - and neither are you."

"Sigyn, she is going to want to know how the celebration went, if you attracted the attention of a possible suitor. What am I to say if she asks?"

"You will say nothing more than that it went well," said Sigyn.

"Sigyn-"

She cut off his protestation. "If she finds out about this before I'm ready, I will know who told her." She plucked a stray rose petal from Edmund's tunic. "I know you love your position as a Royal Guard - I would hate to see you lose it."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Don't test me," said Sigyn. "I'll not have you ruin this for me Edmund." She turned to walk toward her room.

She only managed a few steps before she felt Edmund's hand on her shoulder, turning her around. "Sigyn, you were gone all night. Did he force himself on you?"

"Not that it's any of your business," she said, shrugging his hand away, "but no." She opened the door to her room, walking in before turning back to Edmund once more. "I promise you when it comes to it, he won't need to." She slammed the door to her room before Edmund could reply.

Sigyn had never been so bold with her brother in her life. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but not out of fear - out of exhilaration. Something had changed in her overnight. She had a new ferocity about her, something she was determined to keep.

She shrugged off her dress before collapsing onto the bed. She knew she had no hope of falling asleep, and she had to report back to the palace shortly anyway, but she had to settle herself first. She covered herself with the shawl Loki had given her. It smelled like him, and she breathed in deep, allowing her mind to wander to the evening's events.

She was surprised at how quickly she had been able to calm herself around him. He had a way of putting her at ease, allowing her to open up and relax. Unlike other men she had spent time with, Loki had seemed genuinely interested in her, in her life, in the things she had to say.

He'd also made it clear that he hadn't expected anything more than talking from her. He clearly enjoyed using provocative language on her, but he hadn't made any physical advances that she'd had to rebuff - not that she would have.

She couldn't remember having ever been so thoroughly kissed in her life. She could clearly remember the feeling of his hands on her face, how soft his lips had been. She smiled like a schoolgirl at the memory, her fingers tracing her lips and a giggle escaping her throat. She was going to be useless to the Queen today if she didn't get herself under control.

Sigyn gasped, her smile evaporating from her face. The Queen.

How much did the Queen know about the night's events? Sigyn felt her nerves blossom up in the pit of her stomach all over again. She and Loki had not spoken of his mother or how much she knew about his intentions. Sigyn highly valued the opinion of the Queen, and would be devastated if her budding relationship with Loki was met with disapproval.

If it was, Sigyn would have to call on some of her newfound strength to face the consequences.

She lay in bed for some time, tossing and turning, until she finally gave up trying to get any rest. She got up, bathed quickly, and ate a small breakfast to settle her stomach.

She had intended to talk to Edmund before she left, to apologize for speaking to him so harshly. In her heart, she knew he only had her best interests in mind, but he needed to understand that she was no longer a child. She was a grown woman, with all the needs and desires of an adult. Edmund, of all people, should understand that.

But he was already gone, having reported to the palace himself. It would have to wait.

Loki did not sleep upon his return to the palace, choosing instead to go to the training room and practice his fighting skills.

As it was so early, he had the entire room to himself. He often preferred it that way, as it allowed him to conjure clones of himself to fight. They fought exactly as he did, and it helped him learn quickly from his own mistakes.

The previous night had left him on edge, and every moment he spent in movement, casting spells and landing blows on his duplicates, helped to calm him. He worked hard, pushing his mind and body to their limits, until he was breathless and exhausted.

But still, he knew sleep would elude him if he returned to his chambers. He briefly considered finding Thor, but he knew that his brother would only be interested in whether or not Sigyn had spent the night in Loki's bed or her own.

There had been a time when Loki would have been eager to share the details of his conquests with Thor, to prove to him that his little brother was equally capable of great feats in the bedroom. But those days were long past.

Whatever his relationship was with Sigyn - whatever it was going to be - Loki felt the need to keep it close to his chest. To protect it. To not defile it with a loose tongue.

There was only one person with whom he wished to discuss the previous night's events.

He made a quick trip to his chambers to wash up, and headed directly to his mother's rooms. It was still too early for Sigyn to have returned, and he found his mother alone, just as he had hoped.

"You don't appear to have slept," said the queen, appraising him. "Am I to assume things went well for you last night?"

Loki couldn't help but blush at the implications of her words. She was one of the only people in Asgard who could elicit that kind of reaction in him. It was one thing for Thor to tease him, but this was his mother.

"Things went very well," he said. He walked to her bookshelf, leaning upon it with one hand. "I will have you know, my behavior was as befits a prince and a gentleman," he continued over his shoulder, trying not to sound defensive. "Sigyn and I spent all night together…merely talking."

"And do you find her company pleasant?"

"More than pleasant," he said, running his hand over the spines of her books. He felt his mother's hand on his back and he turned to face her. "With your blessing, I would continue to court her."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "You are certainly free to make your own decisions, Loki," said the queen, smiling at him. "But if you require my blessing, then consider it given."

"Thank you, Mother-" he began.

"However," she continued, grasping him by the shoulders and looking him in the eye. "You cannot linger here while she is working. I need to be able to keep her attention. She will be here soon, and you need to be gone when she arrives."

Loki nodded, unable to argue the point with her. "Yes, Mother," he said, turning to leave.

He was down the corridor, nearly to the stairs, when Sigyn turned the corner and ran right into him.

Her face lit up at the sight of him. It had only been a few hours, but he realized that he had already missed her. He could already feel her worming her way into his heart, and he realized he was going to have to be careful if he wanted to stay in control.

"Sigyn, I was hoping to see you this morning," he said. "My mother has insisted that I find something else to occupy my time today. She says I would be too much of a distraction to you."

"She is probably right," said Sigyn, looking past him at the queen's chamber doors. "She is not angry at me, then?"

"What? Of course not," said Loki. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't want to jeopardize my position with her," said Sigyn. "I'm so afraid she will disapprove."

"Oh, Sigyn," he said, taking her into his arms. "Talk to her yourself. You will find she's not only approving, but encouraging." He looked around, checking for anyone who may have been watching. "Now, come here."

He pulled her back into an alcove at the side of the hallway. "If I must wait all day to spend time with you again, I need a reminder of what I'm looking forward to." He threaded his fingers into her hair, pulling her in for a lingering kiss.

Far too soon, Sigyn reluctantly broke from him, leaning her forehead to his. "I must go. Your mother will be expecting me."

Groaning in frustration, he kept his arm around her waist, his fingers stroking her cheek. "Will you come find me the moment your duties are finished?"

"The very moment," she said with a grin. "Where should I look?"

"The palace library," he said. "Please, come as soon as you are able."

They exited the alcove, and Sigyn watched as he bounded down the stairs, turning back at the landing to smile at her once more. It took every ounce of willpower she could muster to not run after him.

Instead, she turned and continued down the hallway to the gilt doors of the queen's chambers. She took a deep breath before letting herself in.

"Sigyn, good morning," said the Queen. She was sitting at her dressing table. She held her hairbrush out to Sigyn. "Come help me with my hair. It will give us a chance to talk."

"Of course," said Sigyn, taking the brush and running it through the Queen's hair. "I do hope you enjoyed the festivities last night, Your Majesty."

"It was quite spectacular," she replied, watching Sigyn in the mirror. "What about you, dear? Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

Sigyn swallowed hard. Her hands were shaking as she lifted a lock of the Queen's hair and pinned it into place. "Yes, Your Majesty. I enjoyed myself very much."

"So I heard," said the Queen, smiling at her. "There is no reason to be nervous with me, Sigyn. I am not opposed to Loki courting you. In fact, quite the opposite."

Sigyn drew in a deep breath. "Your Majesty, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that from you."

"I have known of his interest in you for quite some time. A mother knows these things, sometimes even before her child knows," she said. "I was also quite aware of your feelings for him."

Sigyn brushed another section of hair, pinning it up around the Queen's face. "Was I that obvious?"

The Queen smiled broadly at Sigyn. "My dear, it is plainly written on your face every time you look at him."

Sigyn blushed furiously at this admission, and the Queen turned to her. "In truth, Sigyn, that is part of why I was so willing to approve of his courtship of you. Knowing his feelings for you were returned."

Sigyn lowered her eyes. "They are, Your Majesty. He is quite unlike any other man I've ever met."

"Sigyn, you don't strike me as naive," said the Queen. "As a mother, I don't wish to dwell on the details, but I know my sons are virile young men, and I am certain you understand that Loki is not…inexperienced." Sigyn's eyes widened at the Queen's candidness, but remained downcast.

"However," continued the Queen, "he has never asked my permission to court a woman - not until yesterday. That he would seek my approval of you tells me that he thinks very highly of you. Perhaps more highly than anyone he has been interested in before."

"This is all still such a shock to me, Your Majesty," said Sigyn. "In all honesty, I was surprised that he felt the same way. Until yesterday, I would not have guessed he had ever looked twice at me."

"Loki is quite good at hiding his emotions from those he does not yet trust, but they are just under the surface - as they have been his entire life," said the Queen, placing her hand over Sigyn's. "He is a very passionate man, Sigyn. When his heart is set on something, he will allow nothing to stand in his way."

Sigyn knelt next to the Queen, looking up at her where she sat. "I feel I must know - His Majesty, the King? Does he approve as well?"

"My husband is quite content to leave matters such as these to me," said the Queen. "He only wishes happiness for both of his sons. I would not concern yourself about him."

"Thank you for your candor, Your Majesty," said Sigyn as she stood and brushed the last of the Queen's hair around her shoulders. "And please be assured, I will not allow these new developments to hinder my service to you."

"I am sure you won't," said the Queen. "But just to be certain, I have requested that Loki occupy himself elsewhere today."

"He told me," said Sigyn. "I saw him in the corridor just now."

"And he didn't convince you to avoid your duties and spend the day with him?" The Queen laughed. "He may be a grown man, but he still knows to obey his mother."

She handed Sigyn a sheet of parchment, her duties for the day listed on it. Sigyn looked at it, puzzled. It was much shorter than usual.

"I know you are anxious to see him again," said the Queen. "For today, I will not keep you from him longer than necessary."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Sigyn with a grin, her stomach fluttering. She went about her duties as quickly as possible, anxiously counting the moments until she could see Loki once more.