Of Golden Thread and Ivory Claws

• Four: Of Sneaks and Godly Patrons •

"It seems so," was his response. It was dull - almost bored.

Oh, so the other's name was Loki was it? She rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly, an incredulous smile of her own breaching her face. Thor? Loki? What kind of fool did they take her to be?

Perhaps, she should play along? "Oh? Well, if he is Loki and you are Thor, then I must be Frigg - goddess of marriage and queen of the Æsir?"

His face froze for a moment, his smile becoming pensive and he glanced at 'Loki', and Sifrina looked to see Loki shrugging his shoulders, concealing the smile on his face with his hand.

Some sort of realization of lit up inside Thor's eyes then and a chuckle left his mouth as he focused his gaze back on her, practically glowing with that previous humor. A humor that she could better deal with. "Oh, really? Mother is it?" His hand lifted and she nearly jumped with recoil as it cupped her cheek. As he held it there and made her look at him, she faintly noticed how it, even just being one hand, curved around the entire left side of her face. It was very warm, hot even, against her chin and cheek.

"Funny. You do not look much like Frigg did when I seen her a fortnight ago. Perhaps it tis the hair." His other hand lifted to finger her locks and he pulled lightly at the tips, "That was a quick change. Never thought you would hate your hair enough to change it to this golden color... Hmm.." He continued to fondle it lightly, gazing at it between his fingertips - as if transfixed.

"Pretty, isn't it Loki?" This time he spoke to him without looking, his eyes moving slowly from Sifrina's hair to her face. Thor did not respond when Loki muttered an answer, and he had somehow gotten much closer than before. "Why not cast us a spell? Or shall I fetch a spinning wheel? Your clothworks are the finest in Yggdrasil, after all."

Regardless of how his appearance strangely appealed to her, he was getting much too close. As his hand went to turn and lift her face, her hand flew to grip his wrist - of which was harder to do than she had thought it would be. "You overstep. Let go of my face, if you still enjoy using the bones in your hand." She yanked his hand from her face and stepped back, "I am not Frigg, but neither are you Thor, nor you Loki." She gave 'Loki' a brief glance, before setting her gaze on the softening smile decorating this faux Thor's face.

"Truly?" He asked, the look appearing more and more condescending as she stood there.

"Truly. No god of mine would be as disrespectful and callous as you 'ave been to the great Otsmen of Midgard. My people live and die for their gods every time they pick up an axe. For Odin. For Thor. So, no, I do not believe you." Her hands shook with emotion, but she would not weep. Warriors did not weep when defending their honor.

At her words, he gazed at her thoughtfully, their eyes locked - a storm of blue and the deepest of greens - before he spoke. "I apologize if I misspoke earlier. I am used to hunting and fighting jotnar. It was not a slight, lass - more fun happens in Jötunheimr, is all." He grinned widely and openly. So much so, that it made her mouth stretch into a small smile. Perhaps it was his expression or the fact that he was so beautiful, or maybe the lingering wine, but for whatever reason, his apology did make the tension in her muscles loosen a bit. 

As looks never really swayed her decision-making, she believed it was more so the apology than the excuse. She knew he was lying about fighting the giants, but it was still an apology all the same. And this role playing of his was somehow amusing.

"I see." That was all she said, but her giving in and smiling lightened the atmosphere significantly.

"Regardless of whether you believe him, what he says is true. However," Loki tapped a slender fingertip against the table, "what is intriguing is how you were able to notice us here." He spoke up after the longest time of mostly observing. "Aside from the owner of this tavern, no one should be able to. Especially not a mere bar wench." His attitude was neutral, but also biting at the same time. Her smile fell.