Luckily, some of the younger male courtiers were among the group, but Loki was still not looking forward to having his attention quibbled over like a child's favorite plaything.

At least the whole situation should show Thor exactly how superficial and fickle some of the high nobles could be.

"King Loki," Lady Hnoss led the charge, taking the prized seat directly across the long table from him. "And Prince Thor, I had not heard you had regained your powers."

"Ah, I... have not, my Lady," Thor stammered out, uncharacteristically somber.

"Oh, I see."

Loki could already see her focus shifting back to him, when one of her companions burst out with her own question to draw his attention towards her.

There was no way to know for certain how long he was stuck there, but it felt like an eternity before Loki heard a throat being cleared from just over his left shoulder, followed by a polite:

"Ah, Your Majesty?"

He turned around in surprise to check that, aye, 'twas actually Lord Kvasir's voice.

"Lord Kvasir," Loki said, rising to his feet.

Despite how desperately he wanted to escape his situation, Loki actually rose more out of respect for the other man than anything else. Lord Kvasir had been one of his tutors and, more importantly, was the father of his longest lover; Lady Sigyn. Indeed, if the family had not all moved to Álfheimr, Loki would not be surprised at all if he and Sigyn would still be together, even now.

"Could I beg just a moment of your time, my King?" Lord Kvasir asked, glancing at the table behind Loki.

"Certainly," Loki replied, motioning towards the area a little further back, where the servants who waited on the head table often stood. "I had not known you were back," he continued, seeing the man was still wearing Álfheimrian clothing, though suited for the occasion.

"We only came back earlier today," Lord Kvasir explained. "I am currently here at the behest of Queen Sága."

"Oh?" Loki questioned, his gaze shifting back to the man from where he had started to scan the hall to see if 'they' included Sigyn.

"Aye, she had a message to pass on and asked for me to bring it, rather than one of her own diplomats," Lord Kvasir expanded. "She did not say why."

Nay, she would not. Not for the first time, Loki wondered if that was because Queen Sága knew more than she could say, or whether 'twas because she liked to keep an air of mystery about her. With the ljósálfar, you could never quite be certain.

"I understand," Loki replied.

Though he was a little annoyed, 'twas not Kvasir's fault and besides, he liked the man too much to take out his frustration on him. Unlike many others, Kvasir had never judged him unfairly based on the rumors which flew about court. Nor had he tried to interfere when Loki and Sigyn had started seeing each other and, for that alone, he would always be thankful.

From his robes, Kvasir pulled a small, sealed package and Loki quickly ran his seiðr over it before accepting. Although 'twas purported to come from the queen of one of Ásgarðr's closest allies, he would not take any chances.

"Thank you," Loki said once he had taken it and secreted it away in his pocket dimension. "I will look at it this evening."

"We will be here until tomorrow afternoon, Your Majesty."

"There you are, Kvasir, we had wondered where you had wandered off to."

Instantly recognizing the voice of Lord Kvasir's wife, Lady Snotra, Loki turned towards it with a smile. It only widened as he caught sight of her and saw Sigyn was with her.

"Lady Snotra, Lady Sigyn," Loki greeted. "'Tis good to see you both again."

His hand twitched with the urge to reach out and take each of theirs in turn, and kiss them as he normally would, but Loki was all too aware of the multitude of eyes on them. If he did that with them, he would have to either do it with all of the ladies or have them marked out as special, and, with Lord Kvasir's position, that could be dangerous, politically.

"King Loki," Lady Snotra replied, warmly. "I hope you are well."

"As well as can be, given the circumstances."

"Ah, aye, we have heard of your negotiations on Álfheimr," Lady Sigyn said, returning his smile. "How ever did you manage to bring Laufey-King to the table?"

"I believe he has less appetite for war than he has let on, and he has naught to lose," Loki replied. "He might also have seen me as less experienced than I am."

Lord Kvasir chuckled at that. "Do they still believe so?"

"Alas, I fear that illusion has been thoroughly shattered by now."

Sigyn laughed. "I am certain you made the best use of it."

"Not as much as I could have given the circumstances, but, aye," Loki replied.

"Queen Sága told me that if things work out, we might see more jötnar on Álfheimr soon," Lord Kvasir said.

"Aye, we had hoped she might be willing to host some of their merchants during the Harvest Festival," Loki explained, before he frowned. "More jötnar?"

"Oh, aye, I had been unaware of this before moving there, but it turns out there are two or three small jötnar communities in the north of Álfheimr," Sigyn explained. "They fled Laufey-King's reign before the war and thus were not on Jötunheimr when it ended and travel to and from the Realm was forbidden."

"I did not know of that," Loki admitted. "Are they looking forward to being able to see others, do you know? Or would they rather remain isolated from them?"

"Though they ran from Laufey and their rule, I believe they may look forward to a chance to see friends and family again," Lady Snotra said. "They speak of those they have left behind when they fled."

"You have spoken with them?" Loki was surprised, he of all people knew well of how the æsir hated the jötnar.

"Aye," Lady Sigyn began.

"Sorry," Lord Kvasir interrupted. "If you will excuse me, Your Majesty, I see that Lord Aðalgrímr has arrived and I must speak with him."

"Naturally," Loki replied, nodding his head when the man bowed, and then again when Lady Snotra curtsied and took her husband's arm to be led away.

Loki's lips twitched as he watched them go, wondering if he and Sigyn had been purposefully left alone. Turning back to his old lover, he could tell from her smile and the way she shook her head Sigyn thought the same.

"I think they still feel somewhat guilty for inadvertently breaking us up," Lady Sigyn told him.

"'Twas not their fault, your father was assigned to Álfheimr," Loki replied.

"I know, but I do not think either of them ever saw anyone else for as long as we did, except for each other."

"Ah."

"Aye."

"Speaking of which, how are your studies going?" Loki asked.

"Good, very good, actually," Lady Sigyn replied, her whole face lighting up.

It made her blue eyes sparkle and Loki would have asked simply for that, even if he was not also interested in the answer. Sigyn's own ready use of seiðr had been what had first drawn his attention, and all of their early interactions had revolved around the topic. Their strengths lay in different areas, but they both loved learning and so had spent countless hours on the topic discussing theory and how best to utilize the different types to achieve what they wanted to do.

"Where are you at?" Loki asked.

"I have now finished learning about the other species."

Loki's eyebrow rose. "You did not have any of that here?"

"Only vaguely and absolutely nothing on the jötnar."

Luckily for Loki, Sigyn had glanced away at the right moment to miss his flinch. He sent a silent thank you to whoever had caused the well-timed burst of laughter.

"Nay, I would imagine not," Loki said. "Is that why you were visiting the jötnar settlement?"

"Aye," Lady Sigyn confirmed, brushing a stray lock of blond hair behind her ear. "They... They are not at all like what I had thought."

"Nay," Loki agreed, feeling something ease deep within him at the complete lack of judgment in her voice. "It seems we were not very well informed when it came to the jötnar."

"I..." Lady Sigyn hesitated. "I did not know about Queen Bestla."

Loki laughed. "Would you believe that I did not either?"

"Truly?"

"Hmm. Father never mentioned it, nor did Uncles Vili and Vé."

"Well, that explains your brother's attitude towards them."

"Aye. I have not yet had time to tell him of my discovery."

Sigyn winced. "That will not be pretty."

Loki grimaced at the mere thought, but he knew it must be done. Not only was ignorance never helpful, but the way Thor took the news would also help Loki estimate how his adoptive brother might react tohimwhen Thor learned the truth of what he was.

The thought had Loki looking back over to the head table and he had to hide a wince as he saw Lady Hnoss rising to her feet and looking his way. Clearly, their privacy was about to be invaded and he was not yet ready to give it up.

"May I have the honor of a dance, Lady Sigyn?" Loki asked, holding up a hand.

Sigyn blinked, obviously startled by the sudden offer, before a happy smile crossed her face. "I would love to."

'Twas something they had both always enjoyed and been quite good at. Indeed, Loki had never enjoyed attending feasts more than when they had been together, as they had always spent a large portion of it on the dance floor.

By leading Sigyn left around the table, they were able to avoid Lady Hnoss altogether, though Loki was already aware of all of the eyes which shifted towards them as he led Lady Sigyn onto the dance floor. Acutely aware of the attention, Loki kept more distance between them than he otherwise would have.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"'Tis hardly your fault," Lady Sigyn replied, easily adjusting to the slightly more formal position.

She had always been both a beautiful and elegant dancer.

"So what are you studying now?" Loki asked.

She had always excelled most with the living and healing magicks, but Sigyn had never quite been content with the idea of simply being another of Ásgarðr's healing seiðkonur. When her father had been assigned to Álfheimr, she had used the opportunity to study from the ljósálfar healers, who took a far broader and more encompassing approach to healing than did even Lady Eir.

When Sigyn had reached her majority and would thus have been able to come back to Ásgarðr on her own, Loki had actively encouraged her to accept the prestigious apprenticeship she had been offered with one of the ljósálfar's more renowned healers. 'Twas a rare opportunity and, much as he missed her, Loki did not want her giving it up on account of him. He was certain she would come to regret it if she did.

The smile that graced her face made Loki want to lean forward and kiss her, but he resisted the impulse.

"I have finally been able to start my core healing training!"

"Oh?" Loki questioned, feeling the pain radiating all the more from his core at the mention of healing. "Have you been able to do any practical work yet?"

"Norns, nay!" Sigyn laughed. "It will be at least a few years before I am allowed near anyone with an injured core."

The brief, stupid hope that had flared within Loki died back out just as rapidly. It would have been far too good luck, but Sigyn was someone whom he would have trusted to heal him if she had possessed the right training to do so. Not that his parents had full, formal training (no one on Ásgarðr had, hence the importance of Sigyn's training), but his mother had trained as a healer as part of her shield-maiden training, plus she knew his magical core better than anyone else, and his father had more knowledge and experience with core seiðr than anyone else on Ásgarðr. Thus, while not perfect, they were the best Ásgarðr could currently offer.

"But you are still enjoying it," Loki said as he twirled her around.

"Oh, aye, definitely," Sigyn agreed. "In fact, I believe some of my books may fascinate you, even if the healing itself may not be your strength."

"I shall have a look at them then when you come back," Loki paused. "If you still plan to?"

"Aye!" Sigyn shot back, looking right up at him, before her eyes darted around to their surroundings and her voice lowered. "Aye, I do, Loki. That has not changed."

Relief and joy rushed through Loki and 'twas all he could do to keep his smile from growing too large.

"Oh, no ljósálfr have tempted you?" Loki teased.

They had, after all, officially separated due to the length of their parting, but Loki had not seriously considered another. Not for more than a few nights.

"Not for anything but short-term curiosity," Sigyn admitted, looking back up at him. "It did show me where you learned a trick or two."

Loki could only chuckle softly. 'Twas true, his visits to Álfheimr and the time with various lovers there had taught him a lot. Especially when compared to the far more reserved æsir and vanir.

His eyes snapped back to Sigyn as another thought occurred to him. "Never when we were together. 'Twas all before we started seeing each other."

"Of that I never had any doubt," Sigyn reassured him.

"Good."

He might never match her level of faithfulness (unlike others he was not arrogant enough to think he could match the goddess named for it), but even the mere thought of stepping out on her was abhorrent to him. God of lies and chaos he may be, but he had learned long ago the value of having someone who knew they could trust him absolutely, and whom he could trust in turn.

"Join me tonight," Loki asked, realizing the song was drawing to a close and not yet ready to separate from her.

"Why, Your Majesty," Sigyn teased lightly, before becoming more serious. "The guards you came in with..."

Loki instantly realized what she meant as she trailed off. 'Twas so easy to forget his current situation with how familiar and right it all felt having Sigyn in his arms again.

"I could come collect you from your chambers later," Loki offered.

Though there were some like Lady Hnoss who did not care, and indeed preferred, for all to know where they spent the night, he and Lady Sigyn had always been far more circumspect until they had been together for long enough to realize this was no short fling. Her reputation deserved nothing less.

Sigyn's smile was both suggestive and coy as Loki twirled her one last time before the song ended.

"Aye," Sigyn replied, looking up at him through her lashes as she curtsied.

'Twas all Loki could do not to whisk her away then and there, appearances and politics be damned, but he resisted.

Later, later...

"My Lady," Loki said formally, once he had escorted her off the dance floor.

He had done so deliberately near Lord Aðalgrímr, so the diplomat could easily snag him once he stepped away from Lady Sigyn, and his fellow council member did not disappoint.

"Your Majesty," Lord Aðalgrímr greeted.

"Lord Aðalgrímr," Loki replied, before looking at the two men who accompanied the man. "Lords Birgir and Kvasir."

"Loki," Thor said, suddenly appearing at his side and handing him Gungnir as the other two men greeted him.

Loki accepted the King's Spear even as he wondered at his brother's sudden appearance. Normally by this point during a feast, Thor would be well into his cups and raucously enjoying himself. Instead, his brother seemed almost desperate in a way now, crowding closer to Loki, whereas before Thor would have fled the company he currently kept, especially at a feast.

"I have completed the scenarios we discussed and had them delivered to your study," Lord Aðalgrímr informed him.

"Thank you," Loki replied, glancing towards Lord Birgir. "And how are the negotiations with Niðavellir coming along?"

"Slowly," Lord Birgir frowned. "They seem to wish to dispute each and every point we raise."

Loki's brow furrowed. "Is that normal?"

"Nay," Lord Birgir replied. "I believe they may be trying to utilize Ásgarðr's need to their advantage."

"Do not tell me we are going to allow them to get away with that!" Thor scowled. "We should be dictating the terms, not them."

"Alas, we cannot when our need is greater," Lord Aðalgrímr explained, calmly. "But this may be used to our advantage."

"How?" Thor demanded surly.

"By extending the discussions," Loki stated. "Normally, that would be to our disadvantage during times of war but, with Laufey currently negotiating with us, we may have no need for the additional weapons and shields at all."

"In which case it would be helpful if we have not yet finalized anything," Lord Birgir finished.

"Oh, aye, I see," Thor stated with a frown.

Loki had to bite his tongue not to make a sarcastic comment. With any luck, they would neither require the weapons nor be locked into an agreement to acquire them. The dökkálfar would not be very pleased, but 'twas merely a bonus to Loki.

The next two hours were spent dealing with various courtiers and diplomates, and Loki managed to successfully arrange things so he was not drawn back onto the dance floor without obviously avoiding any of the ladies. He simply managed to ensure he provided the necessary opening to another supplicant whenever it looked like someone might try to draw him away. Thor, surprisingly, remained close and while 'twas familiar in one sense, 'twas also utterly alien as well ashewas the one whose attention was being sought and whose good opinion was being curried rather than his brother's.

It made Loki feel like he was in some surreal dream, and he could only imagine how Thor felt.

"Done?" Thor asked wearily, when there finally seemed to be a lull in the number of people wishing to see them.

"Norns, aye!" Loki hissed under his breath. "Quick, least someone change their mind."

Thor chuckled but immediately moved towards the closest exit.

Loki made a small gesture with his fingers and, instantly, Einherjar around the hall shifted and moved. 'Twas by no means subtle, but 'twas final, and anyone who might have thought to detain him at the last minute would be far less likely to do so now 'twas obvious to all he was leaving.

"I cannot recall the last time I found a feast so boring and tedious," Thor said as they waited in the corridor for Loki's guard to reform.

"You did not have to stay with me," Loki pointed out.

Despite the complaint, he found his mood lifting at finally being out of the Great Hall, and the knowledge Sigyn had agreed to see him.

"I can hardly eat and drink as before," Thor explained as he pouted, looking deeply disturbed. "And I saw what you meant about the ladies, or some of them anyway. Lady Hnoss would hardly take her eyes off you the entire time you were with Lord Kvasir and Ladies Snotra and Sigyn."

Ah, Loki could see how this realization would make Thor nauseous.

"Brother, tell me truthfully," Thor began. "Have they all been thus?"

"What, the women you slept with?" Loki asked, and then continued at his brother's nod. "Nay, I am certain 'twas not all, but your crown and title will have been an incentive for some of them."

'Twas probably more truthful than Thor had wanted, but his brother had asked and if it made Thorthinkin the future, then Loki saw no harm in it.

"Then how will I know?"

"By being more careful and seeing what they truly seem interested in," Loki replied, moving as soon as Lieutenant-General Yngvarr seemed happy his guard was complete.

"Will you help me, Brother?" Thor asked. "I do not wish to... and especially not later..."

"Later?"

"Well, when I marry... eventually."

Loki nearly laughed at the look that crossed Thor's face at the word.

"You assume you will have a choice in the matter," Loki said.

It had always been one of his greatest fears; that Óðinn would arrange a political marriage for him and that he would be stuck with whomever provided Ásgarðr with the greatest advantage. And perhaps even that he would have to leave Ásgarðr as a result, though it might be a lesser concern depending on where he would end up.

Thor threw him an odd look. "Why would I not?"

"Why would you..." Loki began. "Thor, if Father decided a political marriage were prudent, do you truly think either of us would be able to say nay?"

"A political marriage?" Thor blinked in horror. "Nay, he would not!"

"Why not? His is."

And clearly Thor had not known that based on the look of shock which crossed his brother's face.

"Mother and Father's marriage was arranged?" Thor demanded, incredulously.

"Hmm, as part of the Æsir-Vanir Peace Treaty," Loki replied. "Do you not remember from our politics lessons?"

"Nay!"

Loki could not think of a good way to answer that, so he did not.

"Can you not simply outlaw all such marriages now?" Thor asked a moment later.

Loki laughed. "Nay."

"But-"

"As if Father would not simply be able to overrule it later if he wished to."

Thor scowled. "Tonight's feast was horrible. We need more feasts like the one over half a millennium ago, where the flock of geese somehow made it into the Great Hall, do you remember it?"

"Remember it?" Loki asked, incredulously, even as he laughed. "Who do you think let them in?"

"Wait,thatwas you?"

"Of course."

Thor's booming laugh only set Loki off once more, even as he caught sight of Lieutenant-General Yngvarr's frown.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant-General, surely even you could see the amusement in the way some of the courtiers reacted," Loki teased.

"I am more concerned with how you managed to achieve it," Lieutenant-General Yngvarr replied. "We never were able to determine how 'twas done."

"Loki, stumping the Einherjar at such a young age!" Thor laughed. "Only you, Brother."

"Precisely, only me," Loki replied. "Surely you do not expect me to reveal all of my secrets, Yngvarr."

"If there is a gap in Iðavöllr's security, Your Majesty..."

"There is not, or at least not one anyone else could exploit," Loki reassured him. "Not only is it very complex seiðr, but it requires the wards to recognize and accept the seiðmadr, which are only set as such for Father, Mother and I."

"You mean to use it again, do you not, Brother?" Thor questioned.

Loki glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe."

Thor, clearly forgetting about his reduced condition, tried to bump their shoulders companionably, but only succeeded in bouncing off of Loki's shoulder, causing Thor to stagger in the opposite direction. Loki could not help himself and laughed as one of the Einherjar had to steady his brother.

"Ow, 'tis not funny," Thor protested, glaring at him as he rubbed his shoulder. "My other arm still has a tri-colored bruise from where you poked me!"

That only served to increase Loki's mirth. "Take it as payback for all of those times you either knocked me off my feet or made me have to brace myself when you were overly enthusiastic and forgot to modulate your strength."

"That has not happened in centuries!"

"The former, perhaps, but not the latter," Loki shot back. "That can happen whenever you drink too much or become overly excited."

A pause. "Truly, Brother?"

Loki merely sighed at the small tone of Thor's voice. He was not necessarily trying to show his brother all of his faults at once, 'twas simply he was so used to being either ignored or having his words dismissed out of hand, that Loki did not fully realize how often he said certain things until now. Or how fully unaware of various realities his brother was. It merely served to show how completely Thor normally disregarded him.

Mayhap 'twas for the better his brother had settled on having someone else as his advisor, regardless of what Lord Ragnvaldr thought. An advisor who was so easily and readily ignored was not worth having at all.

"I am sorry, Loki," Thor continued, without waiting for an answer.

Thor always was if he realized that he had done something wrong, which unfortunately was not often. But Loki was in far too good a mood right now to care, so he quirked his lips up.

"I know," Loki replied, simply.

"Good," Thor stated as he crowded close once more, flinging an arm over Loki's shoulders, leaning close and, for once, lowering his voice dramatically so even the Einherjar could not overhear them over all of the noise their little procession made. "So, why are you heading back to your chambers alone?"

"Thor!" Loki protested, though he could not help but laugh.

His brother was quite predictable at times.

"What?" Thor asked. "Even ignoring those who clearly had other intentions, there were several maidens with whom you have slipped away with before."

Loki blinked, surprised his brother had noticed those instances. Not that he had tried to hide it from Thor, but still. Perhaps he was not always completely ignored or unseen.

"Not to mention Lady Sigyn," Thor added. "Whose presence you clearly noticed. Why did you not invite her back to your chambers?"

"Goodnight, Thor," Loki said, making his brother realize they were near said chambers.

"Loki," Thor pressed.

He shook his head and slipped free from his brother's hold.

"Goodnight, Brother," Thor conceded.

Just because of how quickly and graciously his brother did that, Loki turned back around after he had taken a few more steps. "Oh, and Thor?" he called out. "I did."

Loki accompanied the words with a little hand gesture they had worked out long ago to indicate teleportation, either that he was going to do it or that Thor thought he should. Loki knew his brother would understand what he meant given the circumstances. The way Thor threw his head back and laughed, told Loki he had been right.