~THE SILVER FOREST BORDER, ASGARD~

Loki turned at the sound of nearing horses’ hooves and rolled his eyes, scowling at his own recklessness.  He’d been in an absolute panic when he’d called for the Hawks’ aid in finding Sigyn.  As though he hadn’t already known where to find her!  It was unwise, no, it was downright idiotic to make portals between realms other than the bifrost public knowledge, and twenty Crimson Hawks (thank the Norns it wasn’t all two hundred of them) could make the portal to Vanaheim very public indeed.

He was in no mood to deal with the soldiers, but it would’ve been most odd for the king to have called for a search party and not inform them that he and Sigyn had returned unharmed.  He was also far too exhausted to conjure an invisibility cloak in order to avoid the situation altogether, so when he caught sight of the Hawks, Loki waved for the company of soldiers to follow him to the stables.  When they arrived at the stables, Loki helped Sigyn down from Sinir and kept hold of her as Theoric approached them, concerned and somewhat confused. 

“My king, you discovered the Lady Sigyn on your own?  We searched for you for a day with no word!”

Loki, as usual, lied easily. “Yes, I found Sigyn deep in the forest,” he said, draping an arm over her shoulder. “Apparently, she had accompanied Fenrir on one of his hunting expeditions since I’d been quite busy with my new duties and had little opportunity to entertain her.”   

Sigyn bristled at his insinuation that she required entertaining.  She was perfectly capable of spending time away from Loki.  It was only after Freya had shown up that things went downhill.  Brushing off his words, she slid a hand around his waist.  In all likelihood, the lie he’d just spun would ease Theoric’s suspicions.  

Theoric continued to stare, not believing. “Hunting, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, hunting,” Sigyn replied, and thinking quickly on her feet, she stepped in front of Loki and held up one of Fenrir’s rabbits. “I suppose I was bored and following the wolf around was more interesting than shooting arrows on the training grounds or reading in the library.”

Eyebrows raising, Theoric tilted his head at the rabbit, then her, then Loki.  Sighing, he nodded, seemingly convinced.

“And what of your injuries?  You are both positively covered in bruises and cuts.  If there is a threat to Asgard, it is absolutely vital that we know of it.”  

Lowering his head, the captain’s voice was laced with genuine worry for their well-being.  Loki furrowed his brow, confused by both Theoric’s tone and his penitent action.  Was the hawk actually showing him respect?  Reverence?  Sigyn smiled at the captain, appreciating his concern, as she added another layer to their story.

“As you can see from this marvelous pelt, we had a run in with a bear.  We were quite exhausted and fell asleep.  You did not worry too much, I hope?  You must forgive us for not notifying you and your company sooner.”   

Theoric was keeping his word.  He was letting her choose Loki.  He truly was a good man.  Hearing her complimentary thoughts about Theoric, Loki leered at her, and she rolled her eyes.  Oh keep your shirt on, she snapped silently.

Shaking his head, full of shame for his perceived failure, Theoric frowned. “The king does not need forgiveness, my lady.  It is we who need forgiveness for our inability to find you.  Did you make a fire to keep warm?  We did not see smoke.”

Unsettled by Theoric’s newly warm behavior, Loki pulled Sigyn tighter against him. 

“The pelts were warm enough,” he said, keeping his tone as light as possible.

Frowning still, Theoric nodded. “Very well, Your Majesty.  We are relieved to see you and the lady safe,” he said and turned to his lieutenant. “Gylfi, take your company and escort the lady to her chambers.  I shall see that the king reaches his safely.”

Eyebrow raised, Loki looked questioningly at Sigyn.  Through their bond, they had a short conversation.

Loki shifted his eyes to the captain who was aiding his soldiers in returning their horses to their stallsーWhy is he not being more confrontational?  He is usually more protective of you, Sig.  

Sigyn pushed on her toes and kissed his cheekーHe told me that he would leave me alone because I told him that I was in love with you.  Simple as that.  

Loki scoffed silently, still disbelieving, but he turned to Theoric and smiled anyway.

“Thank you, Captain.  Lead on.”

---

~THE BIFROST OBSERVATORY~

Sif walked around the Bifrost’s observatory, and Heimdall suppressed the desire to roll his golden eyes.  The war goddess had been visiting him daily (and they were lengthy visits) since Thor’s banishment.  He sympathized with her concern for Thor, but it was becoming a bit much to have someone constantly making conversation with him when he was trying to do his job.  Watching over Thor wasn’t his only duty after all.

Sif hung her head as she continued around the circle. “Is he happy?” she asked, not caring in the slightest that she sounded sad and desperate.

Heimdall glanced in her direction but kept his head forward. “Lady Sif, nothing has changed in the last day.  Yes, he is.”  

She flushed at his tone, feeling scolded somehow by his tone.  It wasn’t enough to stop her from further questioning him though, because ever since Loki had told her of this Jane Foster person, Sif had become increasingly neurotic, unconcerned with how she came across.  And hearing Heimdall say that Thor was happy in Midgard didn’t make her happy at all.  Did that mortal have more of an effect on him than Sif had?  Had he just completely forgotten about her?

“Does he not wish to return to Asgard?” She felt positively sick with anxiety.

“He has no reason to think that he can return, my lady,” Heimdall said, setting his jaw, “so he is making the best of the circumstances he currently finds himself in.” It wasn’t often that Heimdall was phased emotionally, but he couldn’t help the slightly exasperated sigh that escaped his mouth.

Biting her lip, Sif furrowed her brow.  Making the best of his circumstances?  So now Thor was just going to set up shop on Earth, happily getting a piece of human tail until Odin said he could return?  No.  Thor wouldn’t do that to her.  He wouldn’t start a romance with Sif only to turn around and take off with another woman, and a pathetic mortal one at that.  Surely, Loki had been exaggerating, trying to get under her skin.  Heimdall had to mean something else entirely about ‘making the best of his circumstances’.  Maybe a new friend or two?  Discovering which foods he liked?

“Perhaps I could visit him…” she trailed off as she peered nervously at the regal gatekeeper.  

When he didn’t answer, she resumed her pacing but stopped abruptly as her vision went black.  Cringing in horror, she watched Thor kiss a tiny woman, who she could only assume was Jane Foster.  No no no no no….!—shaking her head, she tried to clear her sight.  Heimdall was sharing his sight with her, and it was the worst thing she could have seen in that moment.

“I wish to see no more!” she shouted, and turning on her heels, she ran back down the bridge and jumped on her horse.

She needed the warriors to agree that it was best to go to Thor and bring him back.  He couldn’t stay on Midgard.  She wouldn’t allow it.  Riding straight to the palace stables, she dismounted and handed the reins over to a young stable hand, not bothering to thank the girl for her service or give her instructions of any sort.  She had far more important things on her mind to bother with propriety.

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~FANDRAL’S CHAMBERS, THE UPPER COURT SOUTH WING OF THE PALACE~

Running straight to Fandral’s chambers, Sif burst through his doors, thinking only in hindsight how awful it would have been if he’d been in a … ahem … compromising position.

Ugh, disgusting—She cringed at the thought.  Thankfully, he was just sitting at the small dining table along with Hogun and Volstagg, playing a game.  They looked up, shock coloring their faces, at her abrupt entry.  Coming to a halt, Sif put her hands on her hips.

“Cards, really?” she scoffed. “That’s what you block headed morons are doing with your time?  When Thor is still stuck on Earth?” 

Fandral dropped his hand on the table, scowling at the cards.  They had been good ones, too.  They’d already played four times, and he’d lost every round.  Leaning back in his chair, he glared up at Sif.

“First off, the only block headed moron is Volstagg,” he said gesturing to their rotund friend who was chewing on a leftover dinner pastry noisily, crumbs getting caught in his beard.

“Secondly,” Fandral continued before Volstagg could respond, “we always play cards in the evening.  Every.  Day.  It’s one of the ways we decompress.”

“Fandral,” she growled, taking a step toward him.

“And thirdly,” he said, raising his voice as he stood from his seat, “I was about to win, damn you!”

Eyes flashing, Sif threw her hands up. “We have far more pressing problems than whether or not you win a silly game of cards!” 

“Sif, please,” Hogun said, rolling his eyes as he stood up, “you need to calm down,” he eyed Fandral, “and so do you for that matter.”

Fandral scoffed. “But she-“

“Tell us what you need, Sif,” Hogun continued, cutting off Fandral who had crossed his arms and was looking longingly at his cards on the table.

Sif straightened her shoulders. “We must bring Thor home,” she said plainly, as though such a task would be easy as pie.  The men looked at her with varying degrees of exasperation.

“Should’ve guessed that one,” Volstagg said under his breath, looking sideways at Hogun.

Fandral rubbed a hand down his face and walked over to the tray of fruit on his sofa table.

“We cannot disobey Loki’s orders, Sif.  He is our king now.  You have got to drop this,” he said, rolling his eyes as he popped a berry in his mouth.

Gritting her teeth, Sif pushed Fandral against the table, knocking into the tray of fruit, which then fell to the ground with a loud crash. 

“So what, we are just going to abandon Thor?  He is our friend!” she shouted, angrily holding him by his collar.

Volstagg hurried over and picked up an apple and brushed it off before biting into it. 

“Oh come now, Sif!  That was a perfectly good snack you just knocked over.  Now I have to eat it dirty.”

Fandral slid his eyes to him. “You don’t have to eat it at all,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Sif,” Fandral continued, shoving her away from him and rubbing his eyes. “Loki wields Gungnir.  Sigyn wields fire, for Hel’s sake.  Thor is mortal.  He would not stand a chance in a fight with either of them, and if we bring Thor home against Loki’s orders, you can expect a fight.  Gods, Sif, that Vanir sorceress is the most dangerous woman I’ve ever met!”

Sif shot him an angry look over her shoulder. “You’ve met other far more dangerous women.”

Fandral smirked. “Have you lit a body on fire with only your mind?” he asked, but held up his hand to stop her rebuttal, and she closed her mouth.  “It is of no consequence, Sif.  We are absolutely not going to commit treason again.”  

Sif scoffed, looking at Hogun questioningly. “Hogun?” When he simply shook his head, she threw her hands up. “Truly?”

“I disobeyed a king’s orders once,” Hogun said firmly. “I will not do it again.” 

“What if we could convince Loki to let him come home?” she asked, desperate.

Exasperated, Fandral glared at her from the corner of his eye. “I do believe we tried that once already.” 

Eyes narrowed, she crossed her arms. “I am aware of that, Fandral, but I have reason to think he would change his mind.  I think Sigyn has made him soft.”

Fandral looked askance, fairly certain Sigyn was doing the exact opposite.  Gorgeous woman.  He exchanged glances with his friends, and they sighed simultaneously.  In a hushed whisper, he spoke finally.  

“If Loki agrees, then of course we will bring him home.  Satisfied?”

“We’ll see,” she said, raising an eyebrow and left the room.

---

~SIGYN’S CHAMBERS, THE GUEST WING OF THE PALACE~

Sigyn thanked Lieutenant Gylfi for seeing her safely to her chambers, and quietly closing the doors, she walked to the washroom to examine her injuries.  She’d not seen her appearance in days.  Looking in the mirror, she wished suddenly that she hadn’t.

“Oh shit,” shaking her head, she cringed as she examined the yellowing bruises stretched across nearly the entire surface of her skin.  Considering every bone had been broken in the fall, she could’ve looked far worse.  Always a silver lining, wasn’t there.

Deciding a quick wash was the best course of action, she pulled her hair up into a loose bun, and went into the free standing shower inset into the marble tiled wall.  Of all the benefits of living in Asgard’s palace, the showers were at the top of the list.  Okay well, no, Loki was at the top, but these instantly hot showers were phenomenal.  She’d only ever had baths in Vanaheim.  Talk about royal treatment.  She smirked as she ran the citrus soap over her skin.  As though she wasn’t already receiving the ultimate royal treatment from Loki.

Snorting quietly at her pun, she toweled off quickly.  Letting her hair back down, she pulled a thin grey dressing gown and sheer black robe on and hurried to her chamber doors.  Eyes wide, she let out a shocked gasp, and stopped abruptly at the sight of Gylfi and two other soldiers standing in her way.  

“Oh Lady Sigyn,” Gylfi said, bowing quickly, “so sorry for startling you, but Captain Theoric ordered us to stand guard outside your chambers.”

Sighing, she pulled the ties of her robe tighter around her waist. “I’m grateful for your service, gentlemen,” she said with a tight smile, feeling put off by her lack of privacy. “However, I will not be sleeping in my chambers tonight, so I suppose you are … dismissed?”

She wasn’t entirely sure that she had the authority to dismiss them, but she certainly didn’t need them, so it seemed logical enough.  With a nervous chuckle, she stepped around them.  Gylfi put a hand on her shoulder lightly, and she turned back to him, eyebrows raised in question.  Looking left and right, he leaned down and lowered his voice.

“If you wish to visit his majesty, my lady, it is my duty to escort you,” he whispered, blushing with embarrassment.

Rolling her eyes, Sigyn bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing at how red his cheeks had gone.  She almost teased him for it, asking him to further clarify what he meant by ‘visiting’ his majesty.  It certainly would’ve been entertaining to watch him fumble around his words like a virginal seminary student.  She decided to take pity on him though.

“That would be most welcome, Lieutenant,” she said with a toothy grin, unable to hide her amusement now that she wasn’t biting the insides of her cheeks.

Gylfi laughed a bit himself and led her to the royal corridor.  They stopped short of Loki’s chambers, and Sigyn thanked him, waving him off before knocking softly and peeking her head inside.  Though she could feel him through the bond, she didn’t see him anywhere.

“Loki?” she whispered.

When he didn’t answer, she stepped inside and closed the doors quietly behind her.  Turning in a circle, she bit her lip and smiled at her surroundings.  It was good to be back in his room.  The dim lighting from his bedside lanterns and desk lamp and the chandelier over his bed(wow, they replaced that fast), the dark cherry furniture, the smell of hundreds of books and leather, the moons shining on his balcony and casting shadows into the room, the tall drapes blowing in from the wind outside, all of it was so good.  She spotted Fenrir in front of the fireplace and walked to him.  His tail wagged as she approached, and he stood and stretched out his legs.  

“Hi there,” she whispered, kneeling down to scratch behind his ears.

“I thought I heard you come in,” Loki said quietly from behind her.

Startled by his voice, she shrieked, her hands flying to her mouth.  Once she’d caught her breath, she twisted her body to face him.  He was leaning shirtless (bruises already nearly gone), against the doorframe of his washroom, hands in the side pockets of his black sleeping pants, ankles crossed, one dark eyebrow raised.  Eyeing him up and down, she sighed.  How she had managed to gain the affections of such an otherworldly beautiful man, she had no idea.  She could tell he’d just had a shower.  His hair was wet, his face freshly shaven, and he smelled like soap.  His soap—the one that made her want to melt into a puddle at his feet.

“Funny,” he said, squinting at her, “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Thinking what?” she asked, pushing to her feet as he walked to her.

Grabbing the back of her head gently with one hand, he dragged her face up to his for a kiss.

“That I could melt into a puddle at your feet,” he murmured against her lips.

She smiled and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. “Oh I could melt you alright,” she said with a wink.

Laughing quietly, he nodded. “That you could, but please don’t.”

Sighing heavily, Loki stepped back to lie down on his hearth sofa.  After the past two days, he was exhausted.  He stretched out longways across the cushions and leaned his head back on the arm.  Pulling her down to lay across him, he played with her hair which was splayed across his chest.  He winced when her fingers traced the outline of his ribs.  She quickly pulled her hand away, sitting up a touch to examine what little was left of the bruises that had formed around the healed over gashes in his side. 

“Sorry, love,” she whispered.  

“It’s alright, Sig.  Just stings a bit.”

Groaning unintentionally, he squeezed her shoulder, shifting uncomfortably under her weight.  Taking the hint, she sat up and slid down to the hearth rug.  

“How?” she asked, snuggling into Fenrir’s warm fur and pulling her feet up underneath her.  

Brow furrowed, Loki peeked through slits of eyes, pursing his lips in confusion at her vague question.

“How what?” He stretched his leg out to poke her shoulder with his toe, and she grabbed his foot, massaging the arch.  Moaning at the sensation, he melted further into the sofa.  

“How did you survive?” she clarified, admiring his long narrow foot.

Loki slid off the sofa and joined her on the floor, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “What are you talking about?”

Staring into the flames, she leaned into him. “I know that you are stronger than me, but that waterfall should have broken you just as it did me.”  

“Oh, I um,” he mumbled, tripping over his words a bit and rolled his eyes, “I froze the falls.” He’d almost forgotten what he’d done, unaware, to survive.

With wide eyes, she turned to face him. “You mean to say you turned Jotun?”

He nodded slowly, avoiding her eyes, hating the way it turned his stomach to picture his Jotun form.

“I know not how,” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “but I changed during my descent.  I’d thought I could only change if I was touching the casket or another Jotun.  Evidently, that is not the case.”

Curiosity peaked, she pulled on his chin so that he would face her. “So then, turn now.”

Surprised at her interest rather than disgust, he chuckled. “Truly, love, I do not know how to.”

“Oh, well, that’s unfortunate,” she mumbled and returned her gaze to the fire.

Loki tilted his head, eyeing her in confusion.  Was that disappointment in her expression?  Why?  Through the bond, he became distinctly aware of why she was disappointed, and he couldn’t help but smirk.  Moving his mouth close to her ear, he deepened his voice.

“Sig, do you find the thought of me blue arousing?” he teased, squeezing her tighter against him.

She knew the heat spreading across her face had nothing to do with the close proximity of the fire.  Clearing her throat, she turned her neck to look at him.

“I’ve yet to actually see you in Jotun form, so I couldn’t say.  But, if you will recall,” she whispered, blushing hotly, “I did find that double of yours interesting.”  

Loki laughed out loud then, pleased with the new direction of their conversation.  Like magic, he was no longer tired.

“I’d quite forgotten that actually, but now that you mention it…” trailing off, he flicked his wrist and watched with a fiendish grin as Sigyn jumped at the feel of another pair of arms around her.  

“I have one request, Loki,” she whispered, breathless as she toyed with his double’s long fingers that were digging into her hips. 

Both Loki and his double responded in unison. “Yes?”  

Shaking her head, she laughed nervously. “Oh dear.  That is going to be terribly confusing.  I will call your handsome copy ‘Two’.  Are we understood?”  

Both nodded, and Loki, biting his lip, moved to his knees in front of her as the double pushed up closer behind her.  The double leaned down, planting kisses along her shoulder, and spoke. 

“What is your request?”

Sigyn had not yet heard him speak, and she couldn’t believe the perfect tone that matched Loki’s.  She leaned back into him and reached her hand up to twist in his hair, excited at the thought of the events that were about to occur.  Loki’s talents in bed were astounding.  She could only imagine what two of him could do.

“Well, I’ve never done anything like this before, so my request is that you both bear with me.  I’m not even sure how this is supposed to work.” She couldn’t believe the dark blush that was spreading across her cheeks.  She felt like a woman untouched all over again.  Loki leaned forward then and kissed her slowly.

“Of course, Sig.  Remember,” he said between heavy breaths that made her want to rip his pants off and lick every inch of him, “that I once told you that I’d yet to experiment with him.  Let’s just see how this plays out, shall we?”  

He then pulled her to her feet and walked her to the bed, beckoning for “Two” to follow them.  Two hugged her from behind, pushing his hips into her backside, dragging a moan from her.  He really was an exact copy of Loki, and he was hard as a rock.  Oh this was good.  This was going to be really good.

No doubt aware of the effect he was having on her, Two whispered against her neck, “Don’t be nervous.”  

He planted soft kisses just below her ear as Loki untied the front strings of her dressing gown, letting the fabric fall to her feet.  She turned her head up and to the side to look at Two who was smiling at her and reached behind his neck pulling his mouth to hers.  Loki knelt before her, rubbing his hands up her thighs, his mouth dangerously close to the ache between her legs.  

Oh gods, just a bit closer.

He smirked up at her through long black eyelashes as Two moved his mouth down her jaw and neck.  Eyes wide, she looked down at Loki as his mouth closed the distance, and at the same time felt Two’s mouth come back to hers.

“This is so…weird,” she gasped around his tongue.

And deviant.  And she loved it.  One mouth on hers, the other between her legs (good gods), her knees were already buckling, and she had to use Loki’s head to keep from falling over.  Brilliant.  She was going to pass out when they’d barely started.  Needing to lie down, she shimmied out from their grips and sat down on the bed, scooting backwards toward the headboard.  Loki and Two stared heatedly as she slid back on the furs and laid back onto the lush pillows.  Confidence building, she bit her lip and curled a finger at them.  Loki exchanged glances with Two, and at the flick of his wrist, they both descended on her.

FALLEN CONTINUES IN CHAPTER FOUR: WHEN DID I GET SO SOFT?

Visit the Trilogy main page HERE.

Fallen Chapters: ¹ Come Back to Me, Sig. ² I’ll Protect You From Everything ³ Let’s Just See How This Plays Out ⁴ When Did I Get So Soft? ⁵ Bring Me Home (But Not to This) ⁶ Death is Everywhere ⁷ The Bridge ⁸ The Desert ⁹ Remember Remember (It Hurts Like Hel) ¹⁰ Green is for Life ¹¹ I Don’t Make Deals With Monsters ¹² Rain Rain, Go Away ¹³ Are You Ready? ¹⁴ I Will Find You

CHAPTER THREE THEME SONG:

“Breathe” by Of Verona

What Readers Have Said

About CH 3 “Let’s Just See How This Plays Out.”

“Damn! Why is it so hot in here all of a sudden?”

-Macrossfan89, on CH 3 “Let’s Just See How This Plays Out.” , 27 Oct 2017 (AO3)

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