His Queen | Book 1

Forty: A Thousand Colours

Hulda's strong breath blows over Sigyn's face. She hushes the large mare with soft whispers of her sweet voice. She changed into her riding attire. White jocks, long leather boots. A tight bodice with boning and light gold armour with Asgardian patterns. Running gentle hands down her shoulder. Hulda grazes on the fresh hay of her stable as the stable boy saddles up her horse. She brushes a wide combed brush through Hulda's white unruly mane. She does not mind Sigyn in her company.

Vali comes to stand at the stable doors. He leans against the post and tucked his hands into his belt. He admired the mare. "Mother." he said. Sigyn turned her attention to her son, but continued to brush Hulda. "Tell me," he began. "Jotunheim. What is it like? I know you and father have travelled every corner of the Nine Realms before my time."

She motioned at his attire with the brush. "You will need much warmer clothes than that."

"Are the stories of the Jotnar true?"

"Most." she replied. "The Jotun's were once a great race. Entities to torment the mortals and the gods. Giants true by their name. Before your father was born. I think your uncle Thor was just a mere boy - not only a few years of age. Asgard had a balanced but cautious friendship with Jotunheim. Until one day the Giants decided they wanted to enslave Midgard and in turn tried to freeze their realm."

"They started the ice age?" Vali enquired. "I have read their history books."

"They did." said Sigyn. "But this led to bloodshed that lasted no more than a day. Odin and his army pushed back the Jotnar into their realm, defeated them, took their source of power. He left their world in ruins."

"That would explain why they hate us."

Sigyn let out a breath. "Jotunheim is now a dark, cold, barren ice land. Left in ruins. Where once it was a great city. Do yourself a favour, my son. Go to the library, there you will find the books on Jotunheim and I want you to see the illustrations before Asgard laid waste to their home."

Vali pushed off the post. "Do you know what I would do if I was king?" he stepped closer to the horse.

"What would that be?"

"I would restore all the Nine Realms back to their former glory. Starting with Jotunheim."

Sigyn smiled. "Then you would make a great king." she dismissed the stable boy, and took Hulda by her reins. "What is wrong?" she asked when Vali didn't move.

He whispered. "Do you think Heimdall knows we're coming?"

She nodded. "Legend has it Heimdall can see a blade of grass. He knows." then she told him. "Collect your horse, let us be on our way." Sigyn left her stable guiding her mare. Her heavy hooves pounding the pavement behind her. Strutting gracefully.

She see's Lady Sif mounting her horse along side the Warriors Three. She see's Thor on his horse and Vali approaching with his. She does not see her husband.

Sigyn makes her way out of the stables and across the way she spot's her husband speaking urgently with an Einherjar. She called for him. "Loki!" he turned his head upon hearing her voice. He waved at her, said something final to the guard and hurried over.

"I am coming." he jogged by her to his black stallion, where a stable boy waited with the reins.

"What were you saying?" Sigyn hooked her foot into the stirrup and hauled herself onto the white pearl saddle. She slipped on black gloves with white fur rimming at her elbows.

Loki swiftly mounted his horse. "Oh, nothing." he chirped, smiling.

Sigyn did not pursue for she knew he would not say.