Part Two – Miscommunication
There was a sound toward the far end of the room.
Loki listened.
He'd been sprawled on his bed, reading, for the better part of the past hour.
The sound came again.
Intrigued, Loki laid aside his book and went silently across the room and into the next.
Sif stood with her back to him, looking down over the edge of the balcony.
Surprised and pleased, he decided it was probably best not to show it. He folded his arms, "Well isn't this an unexpected pleasure."
She whipped around, then laughed, "They told me you'd be here."
"How did you get in?"
She grinned, "I have my tricks, too."
Loki wasn't sure what quite to make of that.
"I need your help."
"Oh?" Loki walked around her to the balcony, and peered down the way she had been looking. She was talented. There was hardly a sign she'd been there, "I must commend you. Even Thor hasn't thought to climb in."
~.~
Sif was beginning to think that she really did hate Vali. If she had to endure one more snide comment out of his ugly face she was going to….
Come to think of it, there really wasn't much she could do. She was faster, but he was much stronger, and the other boys saw nothing the matter with him. As if she'd actually ask for their help. That's just what she needed, to run off and find a champion to fight him off for her. That would really help. It wouldn't validate his comments even the tiniest little –
She stopped. She knew someone who disliked Vali every bit as much as she did.
Sif smiled.
~.~
Climbing up the wall to the balcony had been easier than she had expected. Loki's room looked out on the quietest, most abandoned section of the entire city. There was nothing but vegetation, and hardly anybody ever actually went there. There were barely any chinks or cracks in the masonry, but, fortunately, the vines had found something to hold to. And, for their efforts, so had she.
Thor and the others had been planning some game, while Sif had sat idly by, sulking – yes, she would admit that she had been sulking – after Vali's most recent attacks. Vidar had wondered aloud where Loki had taken himself off to. Vali had snorted and answered in a way Sif was ashamed to admit she'd heard, much less said , especially of his prince. Vali truly was talented. Sif didn't know how he managed it. Thor turned on him darkly and cautioned him to think carefully of whose family he spoke. Thor was every bit as big as Vali was, and besides, Thor was the first-born of the realm. Vali had been wise enough then to hold his tongue. Thor had told Vidar that, most likely, Loki was in his chambers, he'd had some work he'd wanted to finish.
That had struck a spark in Sif's mind, and it caught flame quickly. She rose and began to walk away, "Sif," Thor had caught her arm, "will you not join us?"
"I," her heart fluttered and she chided herself, "I can't. I'm needed elsewhere. I – maybe tomorrow."
"Alright," he had nodded, "tomorrow then." He'd given her his lop-sided grin, and gone back to the others.
Shaking herself, Sif had almost run. She was blushing and furiously glad that the others had been busy among themselves and wouldn't have seen. They already talked. Then she had stopped. The halls were ever-peopled. What would they say if they saw her heading toward the princes' rooms? Sif did not want to think about it.
So she had chosen a short-cut.
Finally, she swung herself up and over the balcony-ledge, slipping down onto the ground. She straightened, a little out of breath, and went to peer over the side. She hadn't dared look back as she'd climbed, and wanted to see how well she'd fared.
"Well isn't this an unexpected pleasure,"
Sif was startled, but it was only Loki, leaning against the wall that lead to the balcony. He must have heard her. She laughed, "They told me you'd be here."
"How did you get in?"
"I have my tricks too," he gave her a wry look, part-way amused, but said nothing, "I need your help."
"Oh?" he pushed away from the wall and peered over the ledge the way she'd come, "I must commend you," he drawled, turning back to face her, "even Thor hasn't thought to climb in," decidedly amused now, he spread his arms, "As I have nothing better to do presently, I am at thy disposal, Lady. How may I be of service to thee?"
"Vali."
His face darkened.
"I know that you dislike him as much as I do, and you owe me after that last incident,"
"Haven't we been through this?" he protested. She could see him laughing, "I thought we'd established –"
"That you are a proud and silly boy who needs to better control his temper? Yes. But now you can make it up to me."
He didn't bother arguing it but asked, "He's been causing you trouble again?"
"He hadn't stopped."
Loki nodded and folded his arms, green eyes glittering, "Go on."