I say this a lot because it's true: I'm excited for this arc.

Chapter 208: Asgard Business Part One

Nearly 20 Years Ago - Asgard's Marketplace

When Freya's mother was alive, she encouraged her daughter to be friendly to the castle staff. Of course, her mother said that as a courtesy, not only because she and her father worked in different sectors of the palace. She was a maternity nurse and he was a palace guard, two roles devoted to the castle. But little did her parents know she would abruptly be raised by them after their unfortunate passing a year ago. Freya's mother died in childbirth alongside her baby brother and her father died in battle, all on the same day. She had no other family, no distant relatives in the kingdom or other realms.

And on that same day, she met Thor, King of Asgard.

The Strongest Avenger that she's only heard stories about despite being in close proximity. Sometimes, she's seen him at the end of hallways or walking on the Bifrost, cave flapping in the wind behind him. Her father's told her stories of King Thor in battle, calling his mighty hammer and a storm to follow, decimating everything in his path.

But she didn't see the Strongest Avengers the day she met him. She was small, young for her years as an Asgardian, but she didn't see the pity in his eyes for her until he knelt down to be at her height. Freya's seen how years on the battlefield have aged even the best warriors. Lines on their faces after the consequences of fights and wars have settled in after the seemingly fun fight at the time. It's a a part of the reason why she wanted to be a warrior and train along the best, to one day serve the palace like her father.

"Your parents were good people," Thor whispered to her, "some of the best." He pauses, choking on his words and looking at her. "You're the same age as my boy. I won't have you wander."

Freya wasn't sure what to say so she just nodded and held Thor's hand as he led her down the palace to the staff quarters. It was a thanks for her parents' service to the palace and to Asgard. They took care of her down there: gave her a room, fed her, tended her wounds when she got injured in sparring, helped her with her homework from The Learning Hall.

So on days like today, when she wasn't in the Learning Hall or training, she accompanied some staff members on a spontaneous trip to the marketplace because The Queen and Prince unexpectedly showed up to Asgard (as they usually did from Midgard). They always told her to stay close but that didn't stop her.

Freya loves the marketplace. The crowds, the stalls, the carts, the animals. All the food and jewelry, carpets and dancing. It's lively, with a different rhythm than the palace which was more stoic. A different tempo from sparring as well.

A glint of light catches her eye and Freya looks ahead to see a cart with swords hanging from the top and rows of daggers and sheaths below. All different lengths, blades, colours, and curves. They're nothing like the weapons she and the other warriors her age used to train. She's mesmerized, seeing her reflection in all the sharp edges.

"Which one do you like?"

Freya sees someone beside her reflection, turning to see a little blond boy wearing a green and gold scarf over his head, wrapped over his shoulders. Like her, he's looking up at the swords and daggers.

"All of them," Freya says.

"Me too," he responds.

Freya looks at him for a moment longer because she feels like she should know him as if she's seen him around. He wasn't a classmate at the Learning Hall nor someone with whom she sparred.

"I don't have a sword," he tells her, "or at least not yet. I don't know what weapon I like best yet."

Freya smiles. "I like swords. My father fought with one all the time."

"My father's not that cool."

"What's his weapon?"

Before he could respond, Freya hears her name being yelled from many carts away. She mumbles an apology to the boy before scurrying over, being scolded on sight for always wandering off. To her surprise, the boy followed her and her caretakers are taken aback by his appearance because he's taken his scarf off. It drapes at his shoulder, revealing golden locks and bright blue eyes. They bow their heads for him and Freya looks at him confused.

"Your parents must be looking for you," they tell him.

He shrugs, grinning. "I ran off with her. We were looking at swords and daggers."

"You'd better be getting back."

"Lead the way and I shall follow."

They nod, looking at Freya sternly before turning around. She walks a few steps behind them with the boy beside her. He doesn't put his scarf back over his head which Freya is happy with since he has a cute face that she can now see better.

"Are you heading the same way?" Freya asks him.

"The palace," he says. So, he is. "Is that where you're going?"

"Yes…" Freya says skeptically. She glares when she notices him narrowing his eyes at her. "Who are you?"

"I didn't answer your first question," he whispers, stopping them both as Freya's caretakers walk ahead. "My father's weapon is a hammer."

Freya's lips form a circle as she connects the dots. How didn't she recognize him? He has his father's face and hair, and the only reason she was at the marketplace was that The Queen and The Prince were visiting from Midgard. He beams at her; Prince Apollo bows his head to her. The mysterious prince who only existed in stories and mentions because he was being raised in Midgard was right in front of her. Freya's cheeks burn as people passing by them wave and bow to him.

Once the crowds settle, Apollo and Freya continue their way. They run a bit until her caretakers are back in view. He puts his scarf back on and Freya can still see his whole face, unsure how it's supposed to work.

"It's a terrible disguise," Freya admits.

Apollo shrugs. "Worked on you. What's your name?"

Freya purses her lips. "I asked for yours first."

"But you know."

"I do but it's a formality. My mother raised me with manners and I assume yours did the same."

"She did." Apollo smiles at her. "Apollo."

"Freya."

-o-

Present Day - Xavier (and Sigyn's) Apartment - 4:16 AM

Sigyn wasn't sure what time she was supposed to go to Asgard but she ended up waking and dressing up when Xavier awoke. She went on a jog with him around the neighbourhood till sunrise, both racing across town and stopping to get the earliest breakfast possible. The only people around were those leaving their night shifts or heading into their early ones.

They ate on the way back, showered and got dressed. Well, he put on his uniform and she phased on her Asgardian battle uniform. She isn't sure what Asgard Business entails but she knows Apollo well enough to know there's probably a fight involved. She brushes off her dark green corset and sleeves, changing her black boots into black converses. They're easier to run in.

"Fair warning, I don't know what I'm doing or when I'll be back," Sigyn warns as she sips her iced coffee.

"Me too," Xavier responds.

She smiles. "Have a fun day at work."

"Have fun with your Asgard Business."

He kisses her before she takes her iced coffee to Asgard.

-o-

Asgard

Apollo didn't think he fell asleep but turns out that he slept long enough to have a nightmare. At least he didn't wake up screaming to start the day. He didn't want a bad omen. Apollo got the message a few days ago and Sigyn was supposed to be coming by today for Official Asgard Business.

Maybe that's why he couldn't sleep … or at least he thought.

So he showered, shaved, and put on his armour. He didn't want to leave his room and risk running into his parents, attendants who will tell his parents he's off, or Freya. It's better if he stayed here and have everyone assumed he was still asleep.

He calls his axe just as Sigyn arrives, appearing in the middle of his room in a poof of her magic. She looks at him and smiles as she sips her iced coffee.

Sigyn claps her lips. "Let's go."

"Take us there," Apollo says.

Sigyn gives him a face. "You have to tell me where and how to get there."

Apollo clears his throat. "Right, um … it's classified Asgard business."

Sigyn rolls her eyes as Apollo takes her iced coffee. He pops off the lips and downs the rest, even the ice cubes that he swallows whole. She doesn't even bother to argue.

Sigyn lights up her hand. "Don't pull that shit with me anymore. The coffee and Asgard business bullshit."

-o-

Nidavellir

Sigyn didn't know what Nidavellir was except that it was one of the Nine Realms. If she were to list all the realms from memory, this would be the last after recalling all the others and thinking for moments more. Midgard, Asgard, Hel, Jotunheim, Alfheim, Vanaheim ... some other ones, and Nidavellir.

It's an eerily beautiful planet. It's dark and distant from Asgard composed of a bright and glowing star in the centre. Surrounding the light is a ring of mines with dwarfs working with minerals, forging weapons and materials. Glints of flames and gems sparkle in the light they catch, drawing Sigyn's attention every time. It brings back memories of Alfheim.

"Is that where you're taking us? Couldn't it be somewhere more fun?" Sigyn asks as she walks next to Apollo, her tone light and jovial.

Apollo doesn't even smile. His focus is straight ahead. "We won't be here long."

"Then why did I have to come? You could've taken Freya." Sigyn should've asked why Freya wasn't even here. It felt odd not to have her around and reminded her of how he didn't want to bring her to Hel. She didn't want to be suspicious about her cousin, especially since he was just starting to get better from his madness for many years.

"Maybe I wanted you here."

"Just maybe? That's fucking rude."

They approach a tall and broad gate-keeping dwarf who secured the mine like a custom's agent. If Sigyn had to guess, he was made of rocks and was double her and Apollo's sizes. They could take him down without even blinking.

"And what is your reason for coming here today?" The dwarf asks, voice gravely as if there were rocks in its throat.

Sigyn shrugs. "Beats me."

"Official Asgard business," Apollo responds as if that answered every question.

The dwarf doesn't budge. "What does that mean?"

Sigyn shrugs again, resisting the urge to laugh. "Beats me."

Apollo clears his throat and steps in front of Sigyn. "May I speak to someone else for help, preferably the one who sent me a direct message and spoke with me the last time I was here? We won't be here long and then we'll be on our way. We may be lost."

"Is it a crime to be lost?" Sigyn asks, batting her lashes and twirling her hair. Apollo's face spurs as he looks away from her.

"I don't recall seeing you here. Surely, word would've gone around given who you are. Is it a crime to wander my realm without leave? Especially after all the disturbances that you two caused. I ought to arrest you both," the dwarf snarls.

Sigyn opens her hands. "What disturbances?"

Apollo brushes off some dust gathering on his armour from the rocks. "Fair warning, we've escaped prison a while back."

The dwarf glares down at them and cracks its boulder-like knuckles. "You two leave me no choice."

Sigyn scoffs. "Yeah, okay, show us what you got."

-o-

Apollo and Sigyn hang upside down in the forge right above an open flame. They face each other, ankles and wrists bound. Her right hand is connected to his left ankle and her left hand to his right ankle. The same schema applies to him. It brings back memories of the contraption she and Communications created for Xavier and James in the pine tree.

His axe is somewhere in the forge. He lost track of it after engaging in battle with the dwarf who rudely greeted them. Sigyn was supposed to handle the backup of a dwarf army but vanished up until they ended up chained and bound above a forge. The dwarfs continue to work below as if their "disturbance" was a simple rock slide.

"Feisty dwarfs," Apollo says with a grin. "I knew to trust them with my Asgard business."

Sigyn groans, craning her neck up so all her blood doesn't flow to her brain. "Oh, for fuck's sake."

"Don't say that, this was my plan."

"I highly doubt that."

"No, you see that dwarf wasn't wrong about not knowing that I was here before. I came covertly and now caused a scene to get inside. Well, that one assumed it was a scene but I thought we were being polite. I doubt they'll inform the palace."

Sigyn groans. "You're the prince! You could've easily walked in."

"And take advantage of my status and privilege? Gods, Sigyn…"

Sigyn rolls her eyes, which is more painful to do when upside down. This weird field trip to Nidavellir was becoming more confusing every time Apollo opened his stupid mouth.