Chapter 11
ASGARD
Pepper Potts arrived by BiFrost in a sensible outfit. She had a small bag with her, with a couple of additional items depending on the occasion. She was asked to stand to one side by Heimdall and within moments she was sharing the space with two very large and very blue people.
But she wasn’t easily intimidated. She practically ran Tony’s company at this point and dealt with all manner of people. She decided to initiate contact. “Virginia Potts. But most people call me Pepper.” She kept her hands folded in front of her. Loki had previously warned her that she should allow whomever she was speaking with to initiate a handshake. She could encounter plenty of people from all sorts of places. And either because of their rank or their culture a handshake would not be offered.
The two new arrivals were from Jötunheim. The woman was shorter than the man next to her by quite a bit and she inclined her head in greeting. “Angrboda. My mate Eggpér.” A standard handshake wasn’t part of their culture. There was also a concern of frost bite. Then Angrboda frowned. “Why would people not call you by your name? To disrespect your parents?”
Years of being Tony’s assistant allowed her to maintain a straight face. “No, no, uh, on Earth having a nickname isn’t uncommon.”
Looking baffled. “Why?”
Loki, who was leaning against the observatory entrance that separated it from the rainbow bridge, answered too casually. “For some, it’s a term of endearment. For others, it helps with name confusion.” At Angrboda’s questioning look. “There are several billion humans on Midgard. Apparently name repetition is not uncommon as they do not follow patronyms.”
Abyss’ fluffy tail twitched. ‘One name. Simple.’ It’s what Vanir-cats did. And elven for that matter.
Loki pointed out, “It is not that simple for mortals.”
Reminding him, ‘No one needs to hear your patronym to know who you are.’
A slight wince too subtle for anyone present to notice flickered and was gone. “That…is not always a compliment.” He knew he was infamous, and more often not for a good reason.
The familiar complained, ‘Too complicated.’
Pepper grimaced. “Thousands of unrelated people with the same last name?”
The mage lifted an eyebrow. “Is that not common anyway?”
A blink. “That might be a valid argument if that wasn’t a common occurrence either way.” There were just as many duplications involving last names as first names.
Getting back to his reason for bringing it up. “Besides, if your society did follow patronyms you would no doubt be more inclined to strive for uniqueness. A culture tied that closely to their father’s name tends to be possessive of it.” Or in Asgard’s case, to be defined by it. Which had his mind almost venture to thoughts of his technically accurate biological last name before his thoughts shifted sharply away from Laufey. Instead, he acknowledged the sheer number of humans made such an endeavor a serious challenge. “And what she said is mostly correct. There are also people who assign nicknames as an insult.”
Pepper crossed her arms, looking stern. “Not every nickname Tony uses is an insult.”
Heimdall did a very good job of keeping his own opinion to himself. Because he had observed the mortal inventor long enough to disagree with her.
Immediately Loki retorted. “Reindeer Games? Do not think I am unfamiliar with Rudolph. I know what he meant at the time.” She grimaced. He huffed a moment later and muttered almost to himself, “…is it any wonder I tossed him out the window…”
Pepper shot him a stern frown.
Angrboda decided she was done being out of the loop of this conversation and greeted him respectfully. “Prince Loki.”
Loki turned his attention to them with a smile. “Angrboda. Eggpér. Welcome to Asgard. I will be escorting you to the palace.” He reached down and scooped up Pepper’s bag before offering her his arm. The petite human in their midst sighed and took it with a small smile in return.
Eggpér looked a bit too hopeful. “The midday meal?”
He nodded as he started to walk. “You are just in time for it. And to watch a bit of sport.”
The tall Jötunn asked, “Sport?”
Angrboda had a silent look of amusement on her face.
Loki noticed it. “I believe Angrboda is already aware. A group from court are being evicted from the palace today.”
An innocent tone in her voice, “With just cause I assume.” He smirked to himself.
Tony ran up to Pepper, excitement in his brown eyes. “Pep! Grab the popcorn. Bitches and bastards are getting the boot!”
There was a pause before Angrboda hesitantly asked, “…boot?”
Loki slapped a hand over his face.
Pepper gave Tony a patient glance even as she explained. “In this context ‘the boot’ means evicted.”
Stark shrugged. “My way is just easier to say.”
“Is it?”
Loki sighed, realizing this was his burden since he’d been stupid enough to make friends with the man. “Humans have a wide variety of quaint colloquialisms that are best understood on their planet but not translatable by AllSpeak.” Jamming a thumb at Tony. “This idiot knowingly uses them to foster confusion in a pathetic effort to amuse himself.”
“Pathetic??”
“…is he…” It was the way that Angrboda trailed off that clued Loki in to what she meant. Was his brain deficient or defective in some way? It was more common to hear of such issues with mortals than those of the long-lived races. But it wasn’t unheard of.
Loki shook his head a little. “Oh, no. He is quite intelligent. He has the maturity of a four year old.”
She nodded in understanding. “Ah.”
“HEY!” Tony was still ignored, so he naturally went whining to Pepper. “Way to defend me, Pep. Real nice.”
She just painfully sighed.
As they walked through the city, they passed by two people who were carrying their things with them, a small trolley trailing behind them. The duo were scowling at the ground because they didn’t dare look at Loki that way. Not when it was damn clear Odin wouldn’t stand for it.
Angrboda watched them curiously. “Is that…?”
Tony nodded vigorously. “Yep.”
“How many are effected?”
Loki grinned evilly. “Twenty-two.” This time.
Eggpér looked surprised at such a quantity. “What did they do?”
The prince gave them a blunt run down of exactly what happened. He wasn’t particularly quiet about it so soon the commoners would be gossiping about it. Pepper was horrified. Angrboda and Eggpér were both scowling fiercely.
Angrboda settled for snarling, “The AllFather was too soft with them.”
Tony’s eyebrows hiked up. “As opposed to what?”
She narrowed her eyes in recognition as she studied him. “You were there to witness Thanos’ demise.” Tony smiled brightly in confirmation. “You may know that I have an affinity for metal. If they reacted that way around my Queen I would have skewed them on a pike.”
He blinked. “Graphic. But not sure I disapprove.”
Loki decided to butt in. “They have their uses. Or, I should say, they are related to those that have their uses. If they go away quietly peace shall reign.”
Angrboda asked with interest, “If they do not?”
He shrugged dismissively. “I warned the pair directly responsible, but the result will apply to all of them. If any of them ever attack a child again they will not live long enough to be brought before the throne.” The AllFather had already warned everyone about honorable actions around children. He wasn’t about to go to each of them to repeat the warning they should already understand.
The quartet heard the deadly undertone, almost hidden.
The two Jötunns nodded in approval. Pepper blinked with wide eyes. Tony cleared his throat. “Okay. Now that Locks has thoroughly established he is scary, subject change. What’s for lunch?”
Loki mentally went through the menu for the week. “Game fowl, I believe.”
Tony gestured wildly. “Dude, where is all the food coming from? You guys have like three feasts every day. Asgard isn’t that big, is it?”
Humming in disagreement. “The land is bigger than you think. Besides, we regularly trade with both Vanaheim and Alfheim. Many of the lesser realms, as well.”
Husband and wife shared a look before Eggpér asked, “Are you the one we speak to regarding that, Prince Loki?”
Loki turned while keeping aware of the citizens around them. Seeing two Jötunn so casually walking the streets had caused more than a few heads to turn and stumbling steps. Children would stop and stare at them in awe. A warrior or two had stiffened, but a warning look from him and they’d gone back to minding their own business. It was certainly a more hopeful reaction than a couple of years ago. During that time they would have attacked without hesitation.
“Technically your Queen would make arrangements with our King. He could name someone to negotiate with Jötunheim on Asgard’s behalf.”
The man nodded slowly. “Mmm…I will remind her…”
***
It had started innocently as a game of hide and seek. All the kids were involved, including Rognin and Thelon. Melody was competitive enough that she didn’t want to be found. So hiding in one of the other wings was the best option.
Melody was being followed by a short-haired tabby, silver in color with white guard hairs that sparkled like fairy dust in the light. No surprise the cat had been gifted the name Sparkle. Moonlight may have told Melody this but the way that Sparkle had sat in the grass inspired the young girl to spontaneously call her Princesska. Apparently the cat had adored the nickname so much now she hissed whenever her real name was spoken.
Looking for a good place to hide, Melody froze when one of the courtiers – former courtiers – stepped out her former door and froze. She started to get a nasty look on her face and the tabby standing a few feet away tensed.
This was an instant before one of the elders stopped, having been walking briskly up the corridor on the way to an unrelated matter. He stood behind Melody. “Take your expulsion with grace. Do not make matters worse for yourself.”
The woman stabbed a finger in Melody’s direction. “The King’s command was not due to that.”
The man sighed impatiently. As if it were a great burden to even be in her presence. He turned enough to meet Melody’s eyes. “You should find your siblings, young one.”
Melody nodded and stuck her tongue out at the woman before saying, “C’mon Princesska.”
Anger flared in the woman’s eyes but before she could say anything Sparkle spat at her.
Making a face, Melody ducked away as if to leave, even if she decided to linger by a tall potted plant, hidden in the shadow of it. Sparkle moved to join her.
The elder turned and looked at the woman in amusement. Enough so that she eventually snapped impatiently, “What??”
His shoulders moved lightly in a shrugging gesture. “Political pressure can be the greatest weapon.” He’d been annoyed by this generation for quite some time. If there were a financial gain to keep them around that might be one thing. But the only power this group had was in who they were related to. There was no advantage in defending them, so he had no issue with chiding them when the opportunity presented itself.
She blinked, a frown forming. “Pol—what politics?”
His amusement faded until he was looking at her with disdain. “You think this was all due to the failure of your nasty little game?” His voice was dripping with what might be described as pity if he was the sort of man to feel such an emotion. Which he wasn’t. “Soon the heir will sit on the throne. An heir that now listens to his brother. You are all profoundly stupid to not realize Asgard’s trickster is no longer being pushed to one side.”
Shrieking, “How could matters be worse?”
Blue eyes sparkled with dark amusement. “I have heard rumor that Prince Loki now has a Grim to do his dirty work.” The rumor was actually started by Kid Loki as a disembodied whisper but word had quickly spread. “Even if it is untrue, the precedent has been set. The royal family now has a vested interest in defending one another. Your days of selfish gain without consequence are over.”
Retorting at a man who she had never liked, “As are yours, Betlyn!”
The look stayed on his face, his eyes now cold. “I do what is best for the king’s vision of Asgard. The scent of change is in the air. No matter, I was growing bored with how things had been anyway.”
He turned and left to continue on his way.
***
Over lunch, Melody shared the story with everyone. She didn’t catch a lot of the subtleties and meanings, but the adults could fill in those missing pieces. Loki grimaced at the mention of Betlyn’s name, but said nothing. It was a subtle enough of a reaction only Sigyn noticed.
After lunch she pulled him aside. “What worries you about him?”
The elders were not a small group. There were plenty of windbags. Plenty more just went with majority vote. Some were political and others were self-important. Betlyn was one of the few that Loki was legitimately wary of, who didn’t fit into any of those categories. “How am I supposed to warn my children to be wary because Betlyn is ruthless and even more morally flexible than I am?”
Sigyn looked curious. “Is he?”
A slow nod from the trickster. “Betlyn is the youngest of the elders.”
“A political reason he was chosen?”
He could see how she came to that conclusion. “Not really, no. He is very intelligent and a king would be a fool to dismiss him because he isn’t past his prime. His father abandoned his family. His mother…crawled into a tankard of mead and refused to resurface. Betlyn became a ward of the crown, raised and educated here.” Her eyebrows hiked up in surprise. It wasn’t a normal set of circumstances. It didn’t really happen in Asgard that both the mother and the father virtually abandon the child. But the uniqueness was what prompted Odin to step in. “This was well before Thor and I were born.”
She grimaced at the thought. “No true family, then.”
Loki didn’t know the name of Betlyn’s mother but he knew generally where she was. “She is still alive but he does not acknowledge her. It is no doubt why he is so ruthless. He has only two loves: himself and the throne.”
“Your father?”
He hedged a bit. It’s not like father had adopted Betlyn or anything. “His loyalty is to the desires of the throne. The throne conveys through actions and laws the vision of Asgard. Betlyn follows that. If he happens to prosper as well…bonus.” And Betlyn was smart enough to ensure that he prospered. He’d accumulated quite the respectful estate for himself over the years.
Sigyn mulled over the circumstances. “So the children are safe, but only to a point.”
Loki nodded in agreement. “A lot of my skills in politics I learned from watching him.” Skills that had inflated his own selfish practices. It was only now, that he had Sigyn and his children, that he’d cast aside the importance of selfish gain.
After weighing the words Sigyn decided upon, “Then the lesson we teach is that they cannot trust Betlyn because he is an adult that neither loves them nor is loyal to them.”
He looked hesitant. “That could be true of a lot of people here.”
That was her point. “And yet?”
Slowly Loki nodded in agreement with a sigh. “That is the lesson.”
***
A few hours later, a full feast was scheduled for the evening meal. Unlike many of the previous ones, this was not a feast that would include children. As soon as Loki had relayed the kind of feast this way most of the adults had bowed out. The Vanir family had volunteered to look after all of the children.
Faurete was attending, deciding to resume her Jötunn form. Angrboda and Eggpér were sitting with her. It was an occasion to signal the arrival of Queen Karnilla of Nornheim, one of the three providences of Vanaheim. Only higher society and the most influential people across the Nine would be attending. The redhaired Queen Karnilla was dressed in full regalia including her crown. She was followed by personal servants.
The members of the royal family of Asgard were there to greet her. Following tradition, polite words were exchanged between the two monarchs before attention turned to Thor as eldest prince. He was polite and she returned the greeting in return.
Here she broke the standard of protocol when greeting Loki with a slow move of her blue-green eyes from his feet upward. “Prince Loki.”
He smiled politely as if unaware of her perusal and dipped his head forward in greeting. “Queen Karnilla.”
Karnilla fluttered her eyelashes. “Such changes since last we spoke. I do not recall you having a familiar. Or an intended.” If Abyss had them, he would have raised an eyebrow.
A careful nod, keeping his gaze even with her own. “Abyss is a new companion. While not official until recently, Lady Sigyn has been part of my life for an extended period of time.”
“You promised to be my dining companion.” There was a hint of a little girl pouting in her voice, even though her expression was that of a woman offering chiding words.
Sigyn silently fumed.
Loki didn’t even need to see Sigyn’s face to know her reaction. Personally he felt amused by Karnilla. He wouldn’t have been taken in by her, even before he became Sigyn’s mate. Did her flirting actually work? Replying mildly in introduction, his face blank, “My intended, Et’ana Sigyn.” He was not about to continue further until Karnilla gave Sigyn her due.
Karnilla’s eyes moved in Sigyn’s direction just long enough to be polite. “Lady Sigyn.”
Sigyn, her deep blue eyes annoyed, answered in kind. “Lady Karnilla.”
Smiling now that the correct words had been exchanged, Loki commented on Karnilla’s previous observation. “And so I shall. I am a man of my word.”
Within minutes they were situated at the high table. The order of the seating followed the titles and positions of the family. Loki sat next to Veilya, who was sitting next to Thor. Karnilla was on one side of Loki…and Sigyn on the other side of her.
Karnilla felt unnerved, her eyes continuing to return in Sigyn’s direction who was eyeing her sharply. “This is not what I had in mind.”
Sigyn looked amused. “I am an elf. You believe that I would not be present?”
“I suppose not.” She murmured this but aborted the urge to pout. She was above such behavior, she reminded herself. Besides which, there was a reason she had wanted Loki’s attention. She cut into the cheese course placed before her and murmured, “We must converse.”
Loki gestured and popped a cracker in his mouth. “Then by all means…”
Karnilla almost opened her mouth, but then noted the way Angrboda was staring at her. She blinked. It was a very disconcerting look and she wondered if Jötunn hearing was hypersensitive. In the end, she shook her head stiffly. “This is not a conversation for the public eye.”
Loki nodded once and the meal progressed casually from there, course after course laid out to everyone. They each spoke of nothing important. Thor laughed at something Veilya said. Sigyn kept a firm eye on Karnilla but the Vanir Queen maintained her manners.
After the feast the three of them entered Loki’s original quarters in the royal wing, Abyss trailing. He wasn’t about to invite Karnilla to the wing that had his children. He didn’t completely distrust her, but he didn’t trust her either.
“Loki?”
Loki poked his head out into the hallway. Thor was the one who had called to him and was frowning a bit. The trickster crooked a finger and silently invited his brother to join them.
Karnilla pouted a bit at Thor’s inclusion.
He headed off the expression, familiar with it since all of his children loved to employ it on him. “You would not wish to discuss a matter between Vanaheim and Asgard without the heir to the throne present…would you?”
With a sigh Karnilla chose a seat for herself. “Of course not.”
More seats were taken, Sigyn sharing the sofa with Karnilla.
Loki got the ball rolling. “What would you like to discuss?”
Sigyn decided to be a bit more forward since Karnilla had quite blatantly tried to step on her toes where Loki was concerned. “Why are you here, Karnilla?”
Karnilla shot back, “I was invited, Sigyn.”
The elven queen smiled slightly and said nothing else. Thor shifted but froze when Loki sent him a warning look. Abyss yawned.
The silence stretched, the two queens staring at one another before Karnilla slumped and admitted. “Amora is my cousin.”
Thor scowled. “What has that—”
Loki snapped his fingers and stole Thor’s voice. The thunderer wordlessly snarled in return.
Sigyn ignored the boys and invited, “Continue, please.”
A sour expression crossed Karnilla’s face. “My uncle is rather…driven to return her to Vanaheim.”
“A particular uncle?” Karnilla pressed her lips together and slowly nodded. Loki knew which one. Amora’s father, who had tried to press Odin for Amora’s release. “No matter her crimes?”
A small shrug. “They are mortals. So what?”
Thor objected to that dismissal of the importance of human life. He leaned over and thumped Loki’s shoulder. With a sigh the mage gave him back his voice, knowing he was going to regret doing so. “They are not to be interfered with.”
Loki sighed again. Sometimes he hated being right.
Her retort was milder than it could have been, but it was not an idle question. “Like you do not interfere with them?”
“Uh…” Thor glanced at Loki. The trickster crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow. Thor could also see from Sigyn’s expression she wasn’t feeling charitable.
Well, Thor? You wanted to wade into this. Start swimming.
Swallowing but refusing to shrink back. “Midgard asked for our aid. They did not ask for your cousin to attack them.”
Karnilla’s eye twitched.
Loki internally groaned. But he was quick to head off light banter turning ugly. “Queen Karnilla. This is not just an issue of Amora attacking the humans—”
“A repeat of your own actions.” The words weren’t viciously said. But that little shot hit a nerve.
Loki paused a beat before he snapped back, “She oppressed the will of an entire species of Fae and ordered them to act against their will.” His eyes flashed emerald. “My circumstances were not the same as hers. If anything, her actions upon the Fae were a reflection of Thanos’ upon me.”
Thor gaped at him since that was not one of his brother’s typical responses.
Karnilla was a bit taken aback. Loki was the diplomatic one. He’d never lost his temper with her. Not once, no matter the topic. She mentally acknowledged that he was right, the circumstances weren’t the same. Sigyn put a feather-light but reassuring hand on his forearm and he regained control of his temper.
When Loki spoke again his tone was more neutral with a hint of frost. “Have you been down to see your cousin?”
Since he had reacted oddly before, Karnilla was a bit more cautious in her response. “Not yet. Why?”
“When you do so, you will no longer ask such questions. We all feel it. All those with seidr. In our bones and blood. With every pulse of our hearts…she is wrong.” He’d never been Amora’s biggest fan. During the battle, her very presence grated on him and at the time he’d assumed it was because she was irritating. Reflecting after the fact, realizing what she had done, he’d figured out why he could no longer stand to even be in her vicinity. “When we three returned to Asgard with Amora in tow, the other casters of the realm were only held back from tearing her apart due to my right as mage to act first.”
Karnilla blinked. “Why?”
The elven queen asked, “Do you not know what she did on Midgard?”
A helpless shrug. “Attacked them.” She could have found out, rather easily. But she’d stopped probing once she realized it involved so-called lesser beings.
Sigyn slowly shook her head, grave, “She did much more than that.”
Loki’s eyes glinted. “A mage was born on Midgard.” Karnilla froze. “Still a child. About the same physical age as my middle daughter. Amora hunted her down and killed her to bastardize her caste into becoming a mage.”
“Is she?” The question was too careful.
A grim little smile started to curl his lips. “We are what we are born to be, Lady. No mage will ever acknowledge her. Besides…what she once was no longer matters.”
Karnilla jerked in her seat. Then she gasped, “You—”
Loki was quick to interrupt, “Asgard is unaware of any actions taken.” A warning that this was not at Odin’s behest. “I did as the Norns of Fate required. Ask the Volur to verify, if you need.”
She swallowed and her shoulders slumped slightly. “Then there is nothing that can be done for her.”
"In the dungeons she has a chance to live. If she ever leaves Asgard--…”
Her gaze looked distant as she turned over a few possibilities. “And exile is the only alternative?”
Loki ignored the question and continued, “…she will be hunted down, no matter which realm she runs to. Not by me. Not by Asgard. She will be hunted by every caster that breathes.” Which included her.
Pulling in a slow breath. “Do you think your father will allow me to see her?”
He wasn’t going to overpromise, but he didn’t see a reason Odin would deny the request. “I feel certain I can arrange something.”
Karnilla looked slightly flirtatious. “The two of us?”
Sigyn made a soft sound, almost too quiet to be heard. Loki didn’t turn his head. “That is a request I cannot grant. However, the third person has recently arrived from Jötunheim and I feel would be most interested in our dungeons.” Sigyn blinked. That probably meant either Faurete or Angrboda would be with them. She felt herself relax. Neither one of them would allow Karnilla to act inappropriately.
The redhaired queen made a questioning sound.
Since Karnilla seemed to be genuinely curious as to why, Loki explained. “You will find, Lady, to respect my intended I follow elven customs. It would be quite inappropriate for I as an unmarried male to be unchaperoned in your enticing presence.”
Thor bit his fist and tried to disguise laughter for a coughing fit. Only once Karnilla had left did he ask, “You need protection from feminine attention, brother?”
Loki rolled his eyes. “I do when they throw themselves at a man who is obviously taken.”
The elder prince shook his head at the strangeness. But his amusement soon gave way to confusion. “Father ruled. Why would such warnings be necessary?”
Loki slumped and shot him a strained look. “Really, Thor?”
Sigyn decided to interfere before the squabbling she could sense lingering in the air could commence. “Loki. Go check on the children.” Grumbling the trickster got up and left. “He is not very patient with adults needing instruction.”
Thor’s eyes moved in the direction Loki had taken before reaffirming on Sigyn. “I do not think that is what upsets him.”
Sigyn conceded he might be right. But she decided not to linger. “To your question. Is your goal once you are King to go to war?”
He blinked. “No.” That is not to say his answer had not changed over time. Before his aborted coronation he would have said he was not afraid of war from any who wished to challenge Asgard. He could also admit to himself he had been looking forward to confront those like the Jötunn who would have provided the excuse.
He was still unafraid of war. But he was no longer thirsty for it.
Her blue eyes narrowed just a bit in thought. She changed her tone, her voice deepening so that she sounded like the Queen that she was. “I commanded her sentence to the dungeons.” A pause for him to hear the words. “Or. The Norns commanded her sentence.” Another pause, watching as his brow furrowed. “If this were said by Asgard’s king, which will allow Karnilla to not see Asgard as the obstacle in her way?”
Thor mulled over the two choices and shook his head. “But…placing the decision at the Norns’ feet is a weakness.”
A light shrug from Sigyn as she eased back in her seat. “There is no greater power than the Norns. Even Kings and Queens are but slaves to their will. What is weak in any of us acknowledging known fact?”
He countered, “Father does not speak this way.”
She agreed he didn’t. But then again, Odin didn’t need to. No one in Asgard was as artful with their words as Loki. But Odin was both old enough and canny enough that he could talk his way out of political messes. Thor was neither. “On the throne, perhaps not. But we were not in the midst of court. This was a private discussion with a ruling Queen, when such arrogance will only create enemies.”
He slouched and muttered almost to himself. “I will never be ready.”
“Such acknowledgements assure that yes, you shall.”
Gesturing with an open hand as if his brother was present. “But Loki—”
Sigyn cut him off before he could even truly start that complaint that was inspired by envy. “I have a theory that your brother came from the womb with knowledge of politics and persuasion. The rest of us had to learn it, usually the hard way.” She gave him a slight smile to confirm she included herself within that statement. She was older than either brother and her position as Alfheim’s Queen didn’t require her assuming a throne, so time had been a patient teacher. “Consider leadership in this way. On the throne, you are conveying a decision made in advance. Doing so allows for the words being said to mean exactly as you intend. Behind your study doors, you contemplate your decisions and seek advice for them. You consider possible implications and how such a decision impacts your people. In a setting like this, with those that are on a similar footing as you…”
He sighed. “I may be forced to compromise.”
She nodded in agreement. “Karnilla is not a subject to be intimidated or ordered. She has her own realm on Vanaheim, her own people to rule. Offend her, and she may see releasing Amora as a justification for war. But convey that Asgard is but an instrument for the Norn’s will change things. Should they attempt to free her by force, Vanaheim may suffer punishment from the Norns. It makes her hesitate to act. A hesitation she can convey to this uncle of hers.”
“We should use it as a reason for everything.”
Sigyn held up a halting finger. “Ah, but there are seers. There are members of the Volur. If we were to do so and our words were false it a reputation that will forever plague Asgard.” Then her expression turned grave. “Besides which, the Norns are very real. Misrepresent them and punishment shall swiftly follow. Politics between the realms is a very tricky business.”
“I am discovering a lot of things were much more complicated than I had thought.” Ordinarily Thor would never ask this. But Sigyn was providing an insight that his father never had. It stung his pride, but it would be foolish not to gain as much knowledge from her as possible. “What if questions are posed to the throne? Does that not require an instant response?”
Sigyn mulled over the question, knowing what it had cost him to ask it. “I suppose it depends on the question. Besides, your father has had thousands of years to get to the place he is at. There is no shame in decreeing your words require further contemplation, a decision will be made on the morrow. Or something to that effect. You could not use that phrase all the time, as repetition outside of ceremony has its own issues when it comes to your subjects perception of you as a King. Instead you could institute a precedent that all requests to the throne must be submitted a week before court.”
Grumbling. “Or Loki could just handle court.”
Immediately Sigyn stiffened. “Stop being lazy. You would never slack off learning a new fighting method, would you?”
“No—”
Cutting him off swiftly, “Your pending kingship is a new fighting method. It does not come easy to you. So, find solutions instead of dumping it in someone else's lap.”
Weakly he tried to deny before he trailed off on his own. “I would not have…”
She didn’t allow the feeble excuse. “If I let you, you would have tried. We both know it.” Slowly she shook her head. “The people above anything else, need a leader who cares about them. Show you care by listening to them.”
Thor might have just accepted her words. But what she said had also caught his attention with an observation of his own. “But…court rarely sees commoners.”
Sigyn was well aware. But she was pleased that he had noticed as well. Asking lightly, “Why is that?”
His brow furrowed in thought. “It is usually one of the aristocracy or a representative from their area of the city that steps forward.” Not that he knew why that would be. He supposed it was easier to have a few local people to represent many who understood court protocol instead of the lowborn masses.
It was a bit away from the topic, and yet she couldn’t resist planting a seed. “Huh. I have to wonder…do the people get equal representation?”
Thor shrugged.
“Perhaps you should find out.”
His furrowed brow deepened in thought. Sigyn left Thor to contemplate, knowing he would probably wander to his own room after a bit.
***
Sigyn found Loki sitting on the stone railing of a balcony in their wing, his back pressed against the outer wall and his gaze distant. She could hear the children going through their pre-bedtime rituals up and down the corridor. Focusing on him as she leaned into his side. “You are usually more patient than that.”
He frowned a little. “With Thor? Not really.”
Almost idly tracing a finger against his wrist guard. “Why is that? You are infinitely patient with the children.”
Sighing and gesture loosely with his free hand. “That is different.”
“Is it?” She wasn’t poking at him. She was genuinely curious and trying to piece together why he was reacting this way.
Loki started to say, “That…” But then he trailed off and the flinch a moment later was mostly hidden.
Sigyn blinked in realization. “This is touching a nerve.”
He moved both hands through his hair and tugged. “It is difficult to get through to him. He never responds to my explanations, only when I manipulate him into it. Anyone else can speak the same damn words and he hears them. It’s…exhausting…”
She nodded slowly, having observed that for herself. She also suspected that the reason Thor wasn’t hearing Loki was because Thor’s attention was focused on ascertaining truth from lie, and therefore missing the advice that accompanied the words. “Mhmm…and that is all?”
Squinting at her. “Why are you pursuing this?”
She countered lightly, “Why are you so upset?”
"I am not upset!” he snapped.
Sigyn raised both eyebrows at him. “Of course you are not.”
That rubbed him rawer and he growled. “I am not always a liar.”
She held up both hands in hopes of calming him down. “Loki—”
Loki shoved himself onto his feet and started to rapidly pace back and forth, quick enough he was spitting out a new sentence with each turn. “He was raised by father. Hours a day for centuries he had father’s ear. What were they doing if he learned so little?? You’ve seen it. He knows nothing of the intricacies. The subtleties. Does he even know how to sit properly on the damn throne??” He spun on his heels, furious. “What did he do? Just watch Thor train, applaud his victories, and fill his head with tales of his prior greatness? Why—”
Why couldn’t I have been included in that?
Sigyn met him and gently placed her palms on his chest, tilting her head forward. Still breathing hard, instinctively he mirrored her until their foreheads touched. The tension slowly seeped from his muscles as her scent and presence soothed him.
Some wounds didn’t heal. Some things not even time can fix. Thor receiving attention from Odin that Loki was denied was a wound on Loki’s heart. A wound that ached and reopened when speaking to Thor sometimes became a reminder. Only once he was calm did she murmur quietly, “This is a hard limit, and there is nothing wrong with that.”
He bodily slumped, depreciation filling him. “Some Viceroy I will be.”
Correcting him gently, “You will be magnificent.”
Arguing. “I am supposed to lend him my wisdom.”
She nodded in agreement. “You are. It was never supposed to be your task to instruct him in how to be a King.” That was supposed to be Odin’s job. A task the old king obviously wasn’t very skilled at completing. “Veilya and I will get Thor ready, do not concern yourself with it.”
Voice filled with light skepticism, “Can you? Will he even let you?”
Sigyn reassured him. “She is having a greater impact than you think. He listened to me earlier, so he is not dismissive of female advice.”
Smirking weakly. “Unless he was just indulging you.”
Sniffing delicately. “I will have Veilya quiz him tomorrow. If you are right, we shall flatten his head.”
Loki snorted.
Sigyn smiled at the victory of coaxing him into a better mood. “Turn your attention to the mortal mutants. Leave your brother to us.”