Empress of Yggdrasil

A trip to Jotunheim

All her daughters were remarkably beautiful. Three of them were too old to be companions to Thor and Loki, while the last two were still in their crib. Which left three possible choices: Hnossa, Gersemi and Sigyn. The first one was more or less Thor's age, and looked a lot like her boy, which made Frigga a little uneasy, as she remembered rumors of her husband visiting Vanaheim quite frequently while she was pregnant. The second had light brown hair and violet eyes, a true beauty, the age of Loki, and was the apple of her mother's eye. The third one was the youngest and the shortest, her ginger curls were a mess most of the time, but she had sparkling blue eyes, already filled with intelligence, and a cheerful disposition. The little Sigyn, it seemed, was laughing all the time. Frigga wondered which one her children would pick as their companion, but she did not have to wait for long.

The moment Loki laid eyes on Sigyn, a smile came to her face and she went directly to her, grabbing the red-head's hand. Without a word, the two started running, giggling, planning whatever mischief they had in mind.

Well, it was decided then. Sigyn would stay, even if the choice seemed to displease Freya. Sigyn had been Loki's choice, not Thor's, and as Loki could not marry Sigyn, well, this all ruined her plans.

At least, her husband would be satisfied.

Or so she thought.

From then on, the two girls spent all of their time together, to Odin's dismay. More centuries passed, the children grew up, and while Thor, Sif and their friends went on adventures, Loki and Sigyn had their own, learning magic tricks, pretending to be Valkyries, rescuing fair maidens and slaying monsters.

One day, Loki was reading a book in her mother's gardens, when she saw Sigyn approaching with a map in her hands, a huge smile on her face.

"Oh", Loki said, intrigued, "are we going on a trip?"

Sigyn nodded and sat next to her friend.

"Yes, we are!", she replied, her voice full of mischief, "but your parents and Heimdall can't know where. It's a secret!"

Loki raised her eyebrows in surprise. Had her loyal companion found the passages leading to the other realms, allowing them not to rely on the Bifrost?

"I know you've been feeling sad lately, Loki", Sigyn continued, reaching for her friend's hand, "because you don't know much about your homeland. So how about a little visit?"

Loki laughed and offered Sigyn her most wicked smile.

"Why, my dear Sigyn, a trip to Jotunheim! Isn't this clearly forbidden by the All-Father himself?"

"Why, my dear Loki, if you don't tell him, I won't", Sigyn smiled and winked at her beloved princess.

She did love her, terribly, and would have done anything for her. What was disobeying a silly rule if it meant her being happy again?

Through Sigyn's passages, they both arrived on the frozen land. The icy wind made Sigyn shiver, even though she was wearing warm clothes, while Loki seemed perfectly fine. Ah, the Jotun blood. How lucky she was indeed!

"The cold never bothers you", Sigyn stated, as Loki put her own cape on her friend's shoulders.

"Never, but you, on the other hand, I wouldn't want you to catch your death on our little escapade"

Sigyn blushed at her princess's kind words and gallant gesture. She was pretty sure Loki knew what she was doing, and what kind of response all of this had on her, heart, body and soul. A single touch, a single smile, and Sigyn felt a fire inside of her, growing slowly, but burning her already in a steady fashion. She wondered if her friend felt the same, or if it was just meaningless flirting for her.