"Help me with my dress?" I asked pulling my hair over my shoulders.
Loki met my back with kisses that trailed up my sign as he pulled my corset around me.
"You are divine, my love," he breathed as he began to lace up my garments.
I rolled my eyes, "Six years of marriage and you're still so..."
"Infatuated?" he finished, "Oh yes, very much so."
I laughed lightly. If he could, Loki would have me every day at any hour I so pleased. Unfortunately, he was quite a busy man and with Hela, we simply took every opportunity we had. Not that I minded.
"We're going to be late," I said as I watched the clock tick on by.
"No matter," he said as he shrugged on an orange tunic to add to his Odin disguise, "It's not as if they can start the festivities without me."
"Right," I said with a nod, "You should make sure Hela knows of the situation tonight, she can't be calling you papa in front of everyone."
He nodded, "I'll make sure she understands, shall I send her in here for you to braid her hair after I chat with her?"
"Yes, please," I said, kissing his cheek and tying his complex Asgardian belt around his waist, "Just make sure no one sees you. Remember, you're supposed to be terribly ill."
"Right," he said as he adorned himself with a leather vest to complete his look as the Allfather, "How do I look?"
I rolled my eyes as I put on a scarlet-colored skirt, "You always ask me this, darling. You look like an old man."
He smiled, "Perfect, exactly what I was going for."
Loki kissed me softly and winked at me before saying, "I'll see you in a bit."
Soon he was off, disguised as Odin to go fetch our daughter. This left me to get ready in peace. I wore a dark wine-colored gown that left part of my midriff partially bare and draped delicately around my shoulders. A braided piece of leather belted my waist and trailed down the skirt. Yet another gown complements of my aesthetically inclined husband. I twisted my long hair into braids that piled atop my head in a delicate fashion, just in the way Loki liked it.
"Momma," Hela called, peeking her head through the door.
"Come in, dear," I replied, watching through the mirror as she ran into our chambers.
Hela looked genuinely like a doll. She was wearing a pretty green dress, the same iconic shade as much of her father's clothing. It hung loosely off her tall frame and was embroidered with tiny golden leaves. Loki no doubt had the dress commissioned for her, he loved dressing her up in the best clothes he could get her hands on. His princess deserved the best he would say.
"Do you like my dress?' she asked, twirling around.
"You look lovely," I said, opening my arms for her.
She ran over to me, sitting on my lap. She pulled up the skirt of her gown where she wore a tiny dagger holster.
"Look what papa got me," Hela said excitedly, her eyes glowing as she pulled out a tiny knife.
"Oh god," I said, quickly taking it from her, "Papa got this for you?"
"He did! He told me he got it made for me," she said, trying to grab the dagger back.
Taking the dagger away from her reach, I said, "Let's leave it here tonight, alright? Just so you don't lose it?"
"Okay, momma," she said with a sigh.
"Go on, sit down so I can do your hair."
Before long, as she talked on and on about her day I was able to twist her dark hair into a cute little braid with a ribbon tied within it.
"There we go," I said, turning her around to face me, "Did papa tell you about tonight?"
She nodded, "Yes. I can't call him papa because he's pretending to be Odin, I have to call him grandfather."
"Precisely," I said pressing a kiss to her forehead, "You're such a smart little girl."
She grinned from ear to ear. Words of affirmation always made her just glow.
Holding her on my hip, we walked to the palace porch where this little play and festival was to be held. There we found Odin, lounging so effortlessly on a chaise and being fed grapes. I almost laughed when I saw him, he was such a pig for attention.
"Behold," he said, making a wide gesture at the two of us, "We have been blessed with the presence of Lady Sigyn and Princess Hela of Asgard! The play may begin."
Sitting at his side with Hela in my lap, I leaned over and asked in a whisper, "Why the hell did you give our daughter a dagger? She's five."
"I got my first dagger when I was five," he whispered in reply.
"Yes but you can't simply hand her a dagger and move on, what if she hurt herself?"
"She's smart, I thought she'd be fine," he replied with a shrug.
I placed the tiny dagger in his hand and sighed.
"Make sure she doesn't get ahold of it again, please."
"As you wish," he said with a chuckle, pocketing the knife.
Hela was slumped on my lap, trying to be polite and not fall asleep as she watched the show. Her emerald green eyes seemed glazed with boredom. The poor things knew that because she was a princess she had to put on a good face and pretend to be interested. She was always so polite.
She stuck through it all, somehow managing to not fall asleep. A feat I was even struggling with myself. Loki, of course, was completely enthralled by it being that the play was completely about him.
At it's end, he shot up from his seat, "Bravo! Bravo! Well done. Bravo."
Hela, rubbing away the sleep from her eyes said, "Papa, don't be so loud."
I quickly covered her mouth, hoping to god nobody heard her. As I looked up, I met Thor's eyes. His eyes were narrowed with anger as he walked towards the three of us.
I tugged at "Odin"'s robes and hissed, "Look."
As Loki turned and saw his brother, his single eye went wide and he seemed to immediately pale.
"Oh, shit."