The Lost Asgardian (Loki)

First Friendship

Sigyn sweetly smiled back. She believed Thor thought this was possible. She wanted to believe it was possible as well, even though she knew in her heart it wasn't. What the prince described sounded very incredible. But it also belonged in the realm of fairytales.

"I can see why you wouldn't make a good king," said Loki suddenly, looking at Sigyn with disdain. Sigyn looked down at the ground, her green eyes losing their brightness. Loki was right; as a member of the royal family, she shouldn't fraternize with the commoners. She kept her eyes on the ground, not wanting to offend Loki any further.

"If you stop treating our servants differently, they might not act as if they are better than everyone else," Loki said as he turned and walked away.

Sigyn felt sad as she watched Loki go. If her father had seen her talking to Prince Thor, he would have scolded her for sure. She quickly grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the straw. She didn't notice Thor was still watching her until he spoke.

"Don't take Loki's criticism personally. He doesn't like most people, including me and Balder." Twas true what he claimed. Loki and his younger brother Balder quarreled often, nearly thrice a day. However, Loki seemed to hold strong dislike for little Sigyn even though she held no idea as to why. "Why does he hate me so?" The young child asked, not being able to remember a time where Prince Loki did not watch her with distaste. Her very first memory of him consisted of Sigyn offering Loki an apple she had intended to feed to the horses. He then chucked it at her forehead. She was five while he was seven. Still, she felt he should have outgrown his immaturity by now as she had.

Thor's bushy brows softened as he seemed to be struggling to find the right words to speak. Even though the crown prince was very inadequate when it came to be consoling, he got onto to bended knee to make himself closer to the small girl's level. The young teenager seemed to be trying to choose his words carefully. "No one could ever hate a youngling such as yourself, Sigyn."

The girl could not understand how he felt this way. She tried to hide how upset she was. "You hold understanding that I jest with you often, correct?" the girl questioned, arching a blonde brow. "I insult you just as much."

Thor released a heavy snort. He nodded his copper head, smiling impishly. "Yes, miting, I do hold that understanding. However, I do not hold it against you; after all, you clean my horse's droppings." He chuckled, sparing her a wink. The prince stood up, ruffling the child's pale blonde hair as he often did.

Before he could finish leaving the stables, the child had a burning question lingering behind her pink lips. "T-Thor..?" She asked tentatively, feeling odd of saying his name without his royal title attached. The prince turned his head, smirking that the girl finally referenced him without saying prince before his name. "Will we always be acquaintances?" Sigyn asked, finding she would rather forever communicate on a friendly level with Thor than an unfriendly one with Loki.

Thor's brows raised as he appraised this question. "No," he finally admitted, causing Sigyn to look down immediately, feeling downcast. "But we shall always be friends," he said, tossing the child a playful wink as she looked back at him. "I shall see you later, little-lady Sigyn."

"I do detest when you call me that," the small girl laughed lightheartedly.

"And now you hold understanding to how I feel when you use my full title," Thor said, laughing as well. "Place a smile on that pretty porcelain face of yours, will you?"

Sigyn smiled, shaking her head at the prince's silliness. Even though the prince was older, he reminded her of her younger brothers. "Do you think..." she trailed off, thinking this through. "Do you think Loki and I shall ever be friends.?"

At this, Thor's expression morphed into a more somber one. He seemed to know the answer to this but did not look to want to offend little Sigyn's feelings. Even though he said nothing, Sigyn knew he was thinking this was not possible. Loki watched all members of the royal staff with as much dislike as his mother Frigga. He did not possess the kindness that Thor and even Balder held. Prince Thor thought this through – which Sigyn found amusing given the young prince did not usually care how he went about with one's personal feelings – and eventually nodded. "I feel if anyone has a chance of making it past my little brother's frostiness, it is the kind little sprite that resides in you," he said, sparing her a kind smile before heading out of the stables.

Sigyn smiled at the thought while happily finishing up her morning chores.

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