la vie en rose.

Loki knew the time had actually come for him to face his punishment when Thor took the muzzle and handcuffs off so he could have a quick moment with Sigyn. And he hoped that she’d be able to visit him occasionally while he lived out whatever his father had planned for him. “I love you too,” he replied to Sigyn holding her close for the brief moment he had. Loki smiled into the short kiss they were able to share as if felt wonderful to feel her lips against his own again, even if for only a moment. He nodded when she pulled away hoping she was right, and that he’d be okay. It was hard to actually stand there and just let Thor take him to their father to be punished when he didn’t really want to be punished. He wanted to take Sigyn by the hand and run off with her. He wanted to spend all of his time with her as they had been apart for a very long time. “Well brother I suppose it’s time,” Loki said turning to Thor.

---

Ellie smiled at Thor finding it rather adorable that he’d simply thanked her for the kiss. Something she felt like most men back home wouldn’t have done. Though Ellie had always been careful about who she showed any kind of affection towards because men on earth were so sensitive and if she was too friendly to too many she’d look bad. Plus apparent being nice always meant you were interested even when she wasn’t. But the customs of Asgard already seemed so much better, though she didn’t know how it was with everyone else so maybe she was wrong, but she hoped not. “You’re very welcome, and I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Ellie told Thor almost positive that she was going to enjoy everything. “Yes let’s,” she told Sigyn knowing that Thor and Loki has business to attend to. And she was excited to get something new to wear, and about the fact that soon enough she was going to maybe look like a princess. Honestly this was easily one of the best days of her life. But she didn’t say that out loud as she didn’t want to rub it into Sigyn’s face as her day hadn’t been quite as nice.

Part of Sigyn wanted to just as her husband wanted to: run and never look back. She knew that wasn't rational or the right thing to do, but there was still part of her that wanted to do it. She wouldn't do it though. No, everything was going to be alright regardless of the fact that neither she nor her husband knew what punishment Odin was to bestow upon Loki. They would make it through this. They had made it through her death, they could make it through her husband's imprisonment. She stole one last glance at her husband before walking off with Ellie. "We spent centuries apart, and yet I don't think I've been more afraid now about what this might mean for us than I ever have before." She said with a sigh. She wanted to believe that everything would be okay, but she couldn't help worrying that it wouldn't be. That they wouldn't make it through this for one reason or another.

---

Thor smiled, watching briefly as the two women walked off before turning to his brother. "Watch what you say, and father might go easy on you, brother." He said as he started towards the throne room where Odin was waiting for them. He knew his brother, and he knew that he had developed a hatred for their father since discovering he was Laufey's son. He wouldn't put it past him to mouth off even though he was about to be punishment for his treasonous crimes. "You might have had nothing to lose before, but Sigyn is back. Just do as father says." He hoped that Odin would at least allow Sigyn to visit Loki while he lived out his punishment, and he didn't want his brother to say the wrong thing and lose out on such privileges or even possibly lengthen his sentence.

“That sounds rough,” Ellie said though she found it pretty inspiring that two people could spend time married, then that much time apart, and still love one another especially after one of them went a little insane and tried to take over another planet. “It’s amazing though that you’re trying to stick together through everything. Even if it doesn’t work out how you like at least you’re trying. Which is more than I can say for a lot of people I know anyways.” She told Sigyn not wanting her new friend to give up or lose hope. Sure it was going to be hard dealing with all of this, but they were soulmates and shouldn’t give up on one another. After all, the way Ellie saw it was you only got one soulmate, and honestly she was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she’d found hers. Because it wasn’t something she’d grown up thinking would happen. “Plus I mean you two are soulmates right? And you only get one, so being with someone else wouldn’t even make sense,” Ellie said hoping that one day she and Thor would have something as strong as Loki and Sigyn seemed to have, even if there was a little faltering. She wasn’t sure it’d be as long of course though because well Ellie was still a mortal and unless aging of slowed down a whole a lot here on Asgard eventually she’d get old and die and probably before Thor given he was already well a lot older than she was.

---

Loki wanted so badly to make a somewhat rude comment towards his brother as they started to walk towards the throne room for his punishment, but he didn’t because Thor had a point. For the best outcome for him he just needed to sit back and take whatever their father was going to give him. He shouldn’t sass off and make things worse for himself. Because he had Sigyn to lose now. And he’d already spent so much time without her that he wanted to do spend anymore time than he had to away from her. So once again Loki was going to take his punishment like a man so it would be over with soon. “Do you think father is going to be harsh?” Loki asked pretty sure he already knew the answer, but he was a little worried about what Odin was going to do. And of course, Loki knew deep down he deserved it and probably worse for what he’d done. But he did have a little hope that their father would be a little easy on him. After all, Loki had been through a lot recently, not that that made anything he did okay but still.

Sigyn mustered a small smile. "He wasn't always like this. He wasn't always so cruel and cold hearted." She told the other brunette. "He only changed after I died, and even then he didn't start with schemes like this one until very recently. I know trying to change a person isn't necessarily right, and it isn't often successful, but I'm his soulmate and I hope that at least counts for something, you know?" Loki was different with her than he'd been with others lately, but she wanted him to be the man she fell in love with all the time. "It wouldn't make any sense, I suppose you're right. I don't think we would have been given a second chance together if we weren't supposed to stay together. I just hope that we'll be strong enough to get through this."

---

Thor was somewhat surprised when his brother didn't shoot a sarcastic or rude comment his way after the suggestion he had just made. Normally, that was what Loki would have done, the version of his brother that he had become as of late would anyway. Maybe he really was trying to be a better man for Sigyn. Thor hoped that was the case. She had always brought the best out in his brother before he became the cruel, manipulative man that he was now, so if he was already trying to do better for her that was definitely a good sign. "I cannot say." Thor said as they neared the throne room. "It's quite possible that he will be after everything that you have done, but he has surprised me in the past."

"Exactly, for whatever reason, you are being given a second chance and that means something. Because most people don't get second chances like this, so I think everything's going to work out in your favor," Ellie told Sigyn hoping she was right and things did work out. Sigyn seemed like a really nice and loyal person who really loved her husband. And while all Ellie knew about Sigyn's husband wasn't exactly good, Sigyn and Thor both seemed to think Loki had good still in him somewhere so hopefully they were right. "Okay enough of that though, because you'll drive yourself mad and won't be good to anyone if you worry about it too much. What we need is to take your mind off of it for a little bit. So why don't we talk about something else, like maybe which dress I should wear to meet Thor's parents, or I know it may be weird but do you remember your time on earth as um the S.H.I.E.L.D agent? Because if so surely you watched Netflix, and we could talk about shows and movies or something," Ellie suggested wanting to liven up the conversation a bit. Plus Ellie knew what could happen if you worried too much about something, and it wasn't exactly good.

---

Of course, Thor couldn't give him answers, honestly, Loki wasn't even sure why he'd thought his brother would have an answer. Thor would run Asgard totally differently that Odin did, and even though Loki had always simply wanted to be treated as Thor's equal and for their father to see that he was just as qualified to be king, he did feel as though Thor would make a better king than him. He'd thought that more and more since Thor had returned to Asgard after being banished only months ago. And it was because earth truly had changed his brother for the better. "Can I tell you something before we go inside?" Loki asked looking over to his brother feeling like now was the best time to have a heart to heart with Thor before it was nothing but their father giving commands pretty much on how Loki was to be punished for his actions.

"I really hope that it does." Sigyn said quietly. She had no idea what Odin would decide Loki's sentence to be, she only hoped that it was not death. They had managed to survive death together once already, but she honestly didn't know what she would do if her husband was sentenced to death. "I suppose you're right. Getting my mind off of all of this will likely be for the best." She mustered a small smile. "I was hoping you would mention dresses. I believe Loki said that Thor had sent word back that we were both coming to Asgard with them, and Frigga is likely having some dresses made, but there should also be some in mine and Loki's bedchamber from before I died. I should have something you will end up finding to your liking. It's just this way." She turned down another hallway and walked a little ways down, stopping outside one of the doors. When she opened it, she couldn't help smiling when she saw the inside. It was just as she remembered it. "He kept it exactly the same..." She walked inside and motioned for Ellie to follow. "There should be some of my dresses in the wardrobe still...aha! Yes! Feel free to look through these and try whatever you'd like on." She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Qs for whether or not I remember my time on Midgard, I remember all of it. I remember what my childhood was like, when I was approached and asked to join SHIELD, and yes, I do recall watching Netflix quite a bit."

---

Thor wished he had answers for his brother, though he didn't know if they would be ones that Loki would want to hear anyway. There was no telling what their father had in-store for the younger of the two. Thor only hoped that the punishment was not death. He knew that Odin didn't take acts of treason very lightly, and Loki had partook in more than one treasonous act recently. Surely Frigga wouldn't allow their father to have Loki executed? She had always been quite fond of Loki, and if that wasn't enough, Thor hoped that Sigyn's return would be. Everyone knew that his brother had started to change and become this man once she died. Maybe her return would be the best thing that could have possibly happened for more than one reason. Maybe Odin, who had always seemed fond of his brother's wife, would be merciful because she had returned. "Of course, brother, what is it?" He asked, pausing outside the door to the throne room.

Ellie smiled and nodded in agreement that talking about anything else would be a good idea. So she followed Sigyn down a hallway and into what Ellie assumed was her old chambers from the last time she was on Asgard. "It's beautiful," Ellie said looking around at everything trying to take it all in. She was pretty sure that the small apartment she'd been living in, in New York would fit into the room at least twice if not more. "And there's so much space," she added wondering what her own chambers were going to look like now. "Is it weird that I already feel like royalty and I'm not yet?" She asked laughing a little before making her way over to the wardrobe full of dresses, and there were so many she didn't even know where to being. Honestly, it blew her mind that Sigyn had so many dresses to choose from, and that apparently there would be more to choose from later if Frigga was having more made for Sigyn's return and Ellie's arrival.

Finally after spending what felt like a good amount of time just digging through all the dressed, and trying some on of course, Ellie settled on one that she absolutely loved. "What do you think?" She asked once it was on and she'd walked more out into the open to do a twirl in a more open area. Ellie had always been a fan of the more poofy dresses than anything else for some reason and this one was just the right amount of everything really. "I've never been in a dress quite so wonderful," She added knowing she would never have been able to afford something like this growing up, and she loved that she was standing in it now and it wasn't a big deal.

---

Loki ran his fingers through his hair and sighed softly, "I know you're meant to be king once father passes and now that you've met your soulmate I assume she'll rule with you, but all I ever wanted was to be treated as your equal and I've never truly felt that way. Father has always liked you more, treated you differently, and then I found out I was adopted and it made sense why he treated me differently. I mean at the end of the day I am a frost giant, and he could never let someone like me rule Asgard. So I thought maybe if I could rule something else I could prove that I'm worthy too and I deserved a shot. And I know none of that makes what I've done right or okay, just like I know that you are a good choice for the king one day. And I guess I just wanted to let you know that I've spent a good portion of my life jealous of you and how much more father seems to like you. And I'm sorry," Loki said doubting that telling Thor how he'd been feeling lately was going to change anything about the outcome, but he'd needed to get it out into the open and now it was.

"Well I guess it's time," He said sighing again as he knew that it was finally time to walk through the doors into the throne room where he was going to stand in front of the king and queen and hope they didn't decide to put him to death for what he'd done. Though Loki did silently feel like Frigga would make sure that he wasn't put to death. He knew that his mother wouldn't approve of what he'd done just as no one else had, but she loved him and hopefully, she saw that there was still good in him. Who knew, maybe she'd be able to get him an easier sentence.

"It's just as I remember it." Sigyn told Ellie with a smile. Her husband hadn't changed a single thing about their old chambers. It made her wonder if he truly had taken her dying words to heart and had hoped she would return sooner rather than later. She honestly wished that she had returned sooner. If she had, not only would she have been reunited with him sooner, but she also believed she could have stopped her husband from going down this destructive path. She laughed at the brunette's later words. "Not at all. Just being here makes you feel that way." She couldn't imagine what she was thinking about all of this, though, as Thor had told her, she didn't seem as overwhelmed as some people might have been. She was taking all of this extremely well. "It's strange. I lived almost thirty years believing I was Stephanie Triggs. But now I have those memories and the memories of my time spent here on Asgard." She was glad that she remembered. She didn't know what she would have done if she had remembered after Loki and Thor left, or if at a much later date entirely. She grinned when she saw the dress that the brunette had decided on. "You look beautiful. I think that's more than suitable for meeting your soulmate's parents."

---

Thor had no idea what his brother was going to tell him, but the last thing he had expected was an apology. The man his brother had become as of late wasn't one to apologize. He was far too proud, and believed what he did was right regardless of what it was he had done and how wrong he might have been. If anything, this was another sign that his brother was on his way to becoming the man he once was before Sigyn had died. It was definitely a good sign to say the least. "I accept your apology, brother. I do not approve of the actions you took in the hopes of proving yourself to father, but not only are you realizing the error of your ways, but you are admitting your faults. If it's any consolation, I think that you would have been a great king had you not started down the path of destruction and vengeance. I will do what I can to lessen your sentence, whatever it may be. You deserve happiness, and now that Sigyn is back, I believe you can find it once more." He said before nodding in response to his brother's words, and leading him inside.

"He does not look much like a prisoner." Were Odin's first words. "I saw no need, father. Loki will not run now that Sigyn has returned. He is ready to take whatever sentence you have decided on for him."

"Well that's a good thing," Ellie told Sigyn knowing that the fact it still looked the same could mean a number of things. Maybe Loki had been staying somewhere else unable to touch anything or change anything because it hurt too much to even be near the room. Maybe it looked the same because he'd kept it that way in case she did ever come back, even though she had died, though granted clearly she'd come back how could he have really known she would. It made Ellie wonder more about Loki than she had before. She did wonder what had caused him to break and turn into the man she'd met only days before when he was surrendering after nearly destroying New York with his alien attack. Because Sigyn had been dead for a long time according to everyone else and he hadn't broken until recently so why? Though Ellie also knew it wasn't exactly her business to go prying into his life. She wasn't the queen of Asgard and his fate didn't rest in her hands.

"You really think so?" Ellie asked looking down at the dress once more and simply running her fingers over the wonderful fabric. Nothing had ever felt so nice against her fingertips, then she glanced up and saw herself in a mirror and smiled as she was overtaken by an almost overwhelming feeling of joy. Things were moving rather fast for her and Thor. They'd only just met days before and now here she was standing in a beautiful gown looking like a princess. And why was she wearing this dress? Because soon enough she was going to be meeting the king and queen, who were her soulmates parents, and Ellie had to look drop dead gorgeous when she met them. "This makes me both happy and nervous at the same time,"

---

Loki was glad that at least two of the three most important people in his life were able to forgive him and hope that everyone could move forward with this. He just hoped now that their mother would also be forgiving and loving towards him as she had always been when he was little and would get into trouble. Even though Loki knew that this trouble was much different than the trouble he'd gotten into then. "Thor is correct," Loki said in response to Odin. "I gave myself up willingly and have no intentions of running. I'm also here to willingly accept whatever punishment you deem necessary because Sigyn my love has returned and I wish to hopefully redeem myself in front of you and mother so that I may one day have a chance to be reunited with her fully," Loki said knowing that both of their words went above everyone else's because they were king and queen. And he had high hopes that they wouldn't be too harsh on him if they thought he was trying to change his life back. Which he was, because he truly would do whatever it took to be with Sigyn again. Especially after all the time they'd spent apart.

"It definitely is." Sigyn said with a smile. The man she had left behind just might still be in there. She hadn't seen much of the cold hearted person her husband had become, but he had still done all of these terrible things in recent years. She knew what had drove him to do it. She had always thought Odin preferred Thor, and it was clear that she had been right. That didn't mean Loki was right in doing what he had, and Odin had always shown extreme kindness towards her, but she could see what had driven her husband to such vengeful acts. She only hoped that he wouldn't continue to act so cruelly, and that he would continue to show her the man she had loved all those years ago.

"Yes, of course! The dress is beautiful, but the person wearing it makes it look even better." Sigyn said kindly. "I never did like myself in pink. Frigga has likely put the royal seamstress to work on some pieces for you, but if you would like, you can keep that dress. You pull it off better than I ever could."

---

"While you might have come here willingly to accept your punishment for your crimes, I do not think that you realize the gravity of them." Odin said. Thor knew that his brother's crimes were likely being viewed as treason. He also knew what the punishment usually was when one committed treasonous acts of any kind. He only hoped that the Allfather would choose to be merciful towards his brother. "Father--" Thor cut in, but quickly silenced himself when Odin continued to speak. "Wherever you go, there is war, ruin, and death." Thor could not argue there, as much as he wanted to for his brother's sake. He knew that Odin spoke the truth. "You believe we are gods, but we are not gods. We are born, we live, we die, just as humans do. I had hoped that Lady Sigyn's death, though she has returned to us, taught you that."

Ellie smiled towards Sigyn, "thank you," she told her unable to believe that all of this was really happening. Honestly, she still felt any second someone was going to throw water on her, or pinch her, and she was going to wake up in her bed and none of it would have happened. "I have always been able to pull pink off, even though it's not my favorite color. I've always preferred purple," she said knowing there were some colors that she liked but shouldn't wear, and then there were colors she didn't exactly like and should wear because they just looked right on her. It was weird how that worked out. "Well now that we have a dress is there anything you'd like to show me?" She asked wondering what else there was to see around Asgard. And Ellie was sure whatever else they did see would be beautiful as well given that in general, it was a beautiful place. "So what exactly do people here on Asgard do for fun?" She asked knowing her and Thor had spoken briefly about sports but nothing detailed enough for her to have any ideas.

---

"I know we are born, we live, and we die just as the humans do. Though we're not human, and the humans would view us as God's would they not? And do not speak to me of Lady Sigyn's death. I was the one there when she died, I was the one who tried to do everything I could to save her. Of course, I was reminded that death can take any of us whenever it wishes. Just as I have had to live with her death reminded every day I was here that she was no longer with us. I have spent more time without her than I have with her. But Lady Sigyn and her death have nothing do to with my actions recently. And you know that. Perhaps instead of keeping secrets from me, or instead of treating me as less than Thor simply because I'm not your actual son when you were the one who took me to being with, or instead of pretending that we both had a shot at the throne when you knew all along it would never be me because I'm a frost giant and I could never be on the throne, you should have paid attention to us both. Or maybe you could have just simply treated me as his equal. You sit on your throne and act as if it is simply me who brings about death, ruin, and war. But you've brought about the same. Or were you not the king who went to war with the frost giants then decided to just take a baby because you felt you could use him in the future," Loki said knowing he'd likely get into more trouble for what he'd said, but at the moment he couldn't be bothered by it. Loki did understand that how he'd acted recently was wrong, and he understood that nothing was ever going to justify what he'd done, and he wasn't trying to justify anything. Though Loki did feel as if things would have been different had their father actually treated him a little bit better.

"You should see if the seamstress can make you something purple then, or at least incorporate it into one of the dresses she makes for you." Sigyn said with a smile. She was glad that Thor had asked her to keep Ellie company for the time being. The other brunette was becoming a friend to her, but this was also serving as a much needed distraction. If she were alone right now, she'd be thinking solely about her husband, wondering what his fate would be. "Loki and I always enjoyed the library if that's something that might interest you?" She smiled as she thought about all of the times she and her husband had sat together in the palace library, reading half of the day away. It was simply something that they had both always enjoyed. "Much of the literature there is of Asgard, but I do believe there are some Midgardian titles as well."

---

Thor wasn't at all surprised that his brother chose to argue with their father at that point. Bringing Sigyn into this was a low-blow, and he had a feeling his brother's wife would not be happy in the slightest if she were here. It was a good thing that she wasn't actually. Thor knew her well enough to know that both out of loyalty and out of anger she likely would have spoken the moment Odin mentioned her death. "You're right, I never treated you as your brother's equal. Your birth right, was to die as a child, cast out onto a frozen rock. Your birth right was never the throne. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now." Thor was surprised that Frigga had yet to say anything. He knew why she hadn't though, but he did wish that she had. "Frigga is the only reason you are alive, and you are never to see her again. You are to spend the rest of your days in the dungeon. Cooperate, and I may grant you visitors in the future--" That was when she finally spoke. "Odin, I understand that I am out of line right now, but Sigyn has returned to us. Is it not possible to show Loki some mercy and grant him some time with his wife?" Frigga asked. "She always did bring out the best in him, after all."

"I will have to do that yes," Ellie said finding it amzing that she could talk to a seamstress about making her a dress. "Oh, I love books," Ellie said now excited about a library. "I mean I've always loved to read. Though as I got older I didn't have quite as much time to with all the other activies that I had going on. So yes I'd love to see the library," she said not really caring if it was nothing but Asgard literature or Misgardian literature. Reading was reading her mind, and honestly, Ellie would read the same books over and over if she really liked them enough. Plus if there was a lot of Asgard literature that was kind of awesome, and would give her the chance to read things she'd never read before and hopefully learn more about this place.

---

Loki couldn't help but laugh, "if you hated me that much then you never should have brought me back here to being with!" Loki said upset, and he felt he had every right to be ad well. "It wasn't my descision to come here it was yours! And you act as if you care because you saved me from dying as a child, but you don't because if you did you would have treated me like your child. But I've never truly been your child like you let me belive I was. I know what I've done recently was wrong, and I've acted in a way that I shouldn't have. But what better are you?" Loki said feeling no remorse for how he was talking to the king at the moment. Because he wasn't lying, Odin may have taken him in as a child for whatever reason, but he'd never really treated Loki as a son. And clearly the reason he'd always had a better realtionship with Frigga was because she actually cared about him the way that a mother should. "I'm never going to get anywhere with you. So if you would please, I'd like to at least see my wife one last time before you banish me to the dungeon until I die," Loki said wishing badly that he could just ignore the words of Odin as if they didn't have any control over his fate.

"If it's the same one they had when I was here last, she's fantastic." Sigyn told her with a smile. The smile widened a bit when the other brunette said that she loved books. "I think this is the start of a wonderful friendship. You definitely have to see the library now before I show you any other part of the palace." She grabbed Ellie's hand and pulled her lightly in the direction of the library. She might not have been in quite some time, but she could probably still find it with her eyes closed. "I used to spend quite a bit of time there with Loki when he and I first met. I hadn't met anyone who loved literature as much as I do until I met him. I think that discovery alone was enough for us to truly realize that our souls were somehow connected and that we were destined to be together." She smiled as she recalled her time spent there with her husband. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to talk about him so much. We were just apart for so long, and I suppose I want to remember how things used to be in case they never are that way again." She smiled sadly.

---

Thor knew that even after what he said to his brother outside the throne room that there was no way Loki would hold his tongue with what Odin had just said. He was relieved that Frigga stepped in when she did though. Although there was very little that could be done to sway the Allfather's decision, Thor knew that Frigga could convince Odin to at least allow his brother to see Sigyn one last time before he was imprisoned. "This conversation is over. You will be allowed twenty four hours with Lady Sigyn after which time you will be taken down to the dungeons. Should you cooperate, I will decide whether or not you will be allowed visitors."

Ellie nodded her head excited to see the library, where she would more than likely spend quite a bit of her time if she could. "I think it is too," she said also glad to know that she had at least one person here on Asgard aside from Thor of course who she could turn to, and who liked her. Not that she thought others wouldn't, but what if they didn't? If they didn't at least she had someone. "That sounds lovely actually. Meeting someone else who loves books as much as you and spending time getting to know one another that way would be amazing because I'm sure there are countless things to talk about. Especially if you're not both interested in the same genres," Ellie said knowing she'd love someone to talk books too. "And you're perfectly fine, I mean like you said you two were married and you've been apart for a long time, so of course you're going to want to try and remember him as he was rather than how he is. Plus it's kind of nice to hear some of your love story,"

---

Loki bit his tongue this time, simply because he didn't want Odin to take away his privilege to see Sigyn before sending him away to rot in the dungeon. Where he supposedly wasn't going to be allowed, visitors. Honestly, he could see Odin decided not to let people see him, just as he could also see Sigyn, Thor, and Frigga all finding ways to come and visit him behind Odin's back. Though Loki wouldn't tell about that and get them into trouble. He was sure that it was possible though because unless both Thor and Sigyn had forgotten, they'd all discovered a secret passageway to the dungeons when they were younger. Well, he and Thor had discovered it and then later shown Sigyn. And well Frigga was the queen, a woman whom Odin cared for deeply, at least Loki assumed, so it wasn't likely that he'd punish her, but who knew anymore. "Well, I guess we're done here then," Loki finally said turning to Thor and wishing he had words he could say at the moment without getting into more trouble. "I'm going to find Sigyn and share the news with her," he said not sure who would be taking him away the following day, but he was sure whoever it was would find him when the time came.

Sigyn was glad she could already see she had a friend in Ellie. Considering how she and Thor were like brother and sister at times, and Ellie was his soulmate, it didn't come as much of a surprise to her, truth be told. "We used to debate about different genres all the time. I always had a keen interest in novels written by Midgardian authors, he wasn't so keen on them, but I did manage to get him to read a few Shakespeare plays with me." She said. It had always been nice having an intelligent conversation with someone about literature. That was partially why they used to spend so much time in the library, they'd talk about different works of literature for hours on end. "I know that trying to change someone isn't right, they have to want to change for themselves, but I know that the man I married is still there. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have come to my aid in New York."

---

"I think that she'll still be with Ellie. If you do not mind, I will go with you." Thor said to his brother as they exited the throne room. "Do you have any idea where Sigyn might have taken her?" He knew that things could have gone a bit better, but they likely could have gone a lot worse. His brother was not sentenced to death. He was sentenced to an eternity in a prison cell, but maybe in due time Odin would change his mind. After all, Sigyn was back, and if his brother showed signs of returning to the man that he once was then maybe his sentence would be lessened. "I know that the future seems bleak right now, brother, but father likely could have done much worse than he did." The god of thunder said to his brother as they walked down the corridor and away from the throne room. "I would not put it past Sigyn to find her way to the dungeons whether she's permitted to do so or not." He and Loki had, after all, shown her a secret passageway that they had discovered as children. "And if all goes well, I do believe your sentence might eventually be lessened."

“It sounds as if you had a lovely life together,” Ellie said excited to have that herself one day. She felt awful that so much had changed in Loki apparently that he wasn’t the same man, but hopefully he would go back. “You’re right someone has to want to change to do it. No one can force them. But I mean it has to show that he wants to go back since he did stop the attack and gave himself up to protect you right?” She asked not sure what it showed exactly but it had to show something surely. “Ah Shakespeare, I enjoyed some of his works, but not all of them. Honestly, I hated learning about him in school, but that was partly because he is harder to understand and sometimes in high school you may be mature but not everyone is. So others just made it harder for me to really learn. There was a book I read though called The Kite Runner, and I did love it.”

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“I do not mind,” Loki said as he’d assumed Thor would want to go with him to find Ellie. “If I know Sigyn at all then she likely took Ellie to our chambers first, and depending on how well that went the library would be next. That has always been her favorite,” he added as he did know his wife and he was sure that Sigyn was showing Ellie her favorite places. “Please don’t refer to him as my father, because he’s no father to me,” Loki said rolling his eyes at the thought of that man. “And I know it could have went worse. At least I’m still alive. And I’m sure that Sigyn will visit me even though she’s not permitted. But that man hates me, and he’s always hated me, so if it’s his choice on if my sentence gets lessened then I’m screwed.” Loki said positive that Odin wasn’t ever going to let him out, he was even pretty sure that Odin has enjoyed finally having something to lock him up for. All Loki wanted right now was to spend his time with Sigyn while he could.

Sigyn smiled. "We did. He was everything that I could have hoped for in a soulmate and more." She said. She hoped that she soon would be able to say that again, but in the present-tense. Her husband had told her that he wanted to change. "I'm sure there will be people who think I'm insane for still loving him after all that he has done, but I refuse to believe that the man that I married isn't in there somewhere." It wasn't exactly simple to stop loving someone either, especially when they were the one person you were destined to spend your life with. "Romeo and Juliet was always one of my favorites. Loki used to tease me about it all the time and tell me I had chosen the worst one of the entire lot to be my favorite." She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head at the thought. "I know that the ending was tragic, and depressing, but their sacrifice for each other was profoundly romantic in my opinion. I've never heard of The Kite Runner. My favorite book I read in high school as Stephanie was probably The Outsiders."

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"Let's check the library first then. I do recall now that you both used to spend quite a bit of time together there." Thor said, recalling that if the pair could not be found anywhere else, that was likely where they would be. "If Frigga was able to convince him to give you time with Sigyn, I do believe that if you show that you're changing your ways, he might change his mind." He knew that his brother's sentence wouldn't be done away completely, that would only ensure an uproar amongst the common people of the city, but he did hope his brother's sentence would be lessened with time. It wasn't fair that he had lost Sigyn once, and now she was back and they would likely be spending most of their time apart. He sort of wished she had come back sooner as to stop his brother before he could partake in any of the acts of vengeance that he had partook in. "He loves Frigga, and he has always liked Sigyn. If I know them, they will likely do what they can to convince Odin to lessen your sentence."

“That’s adorable,” Ellie said happy that even though things weren’t great now they had been at one point. “I’m sure there will be, but you should just ignore them. It would be different if he was abusing you but he’s just made some bad choices and lost his way. And maybe he just needs your help finding himself again. So I don’t think it’s stupid I think it’s loyalty, which is something I admire in people.” Ellie told her hoping people wouldn’t give her a hard time, but she knew that wasn’t likely. People could be mean when they didn’t understand something. “I totally see what you mean about Romeo and Juliet. It was tragic, but at the same time it was lovely. I’ve never read The Outsiders. But I’ve always wanted to. And if you get the chance you should read it. It’s quite tragic, but lovely at the same time.”

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“I suppose you’re right and he may change his mind in the future, but I’m not going to get my hopes up, not when it comes to that man anyways,” Loki said wishing he could have a different mind set, but he simply couldn’t. And Loki did know that shockingly enough Odin did love Frigga and Sigyn, so if anyone would be able to convince him to lessen the sentence it would be the two of them. “Right now I don’t want to get my hopes up though, I just want to enjoy what time of freedom I have left,” Loki finally said just wanting to deal with one thing at a time. Plus he wasn’t worried about not seeing Sigyn once he was locked away because he knew she’d sneak in. They may not be able to touch and things, but just seeing her would hopefully be enough to keep him going.

Sigyn smiled. "You'll soon learn what it's like yourself. I know that the concept is one you weren't familiar with until Thor explained it to you, but finding your one is probably one of the best things you'll ever have happen to you." She told her. She knew that things weren't great right now with her and Loki, there was much for them to work through, but she had hope that things would get better eventually. "Thank you." She said. "For not thinking I'm insane for wanting to stay by my husband's side even though he's done a great deal of bad recently." As she had said, she knew that there would be others who would find her decision to be insane, but he was her soulmate. She was destined to be with him. If she didn't try to work through these challenges and hardships with him, what was the point? "Exactly, and although their ending was a tragic one, I find it to be profoundly romantic. And it shows their loyalty for each other. They would do just about anything to be with each other, even if it meant death. If you ever have the chance to, you should read it. Definitely one of my favorite more contemporary Midgardian novels. And if I ever get my hands on a copy of that book, I will definitely give it a go."

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Thor nodded. He understood where his brother was coming from. If it hadn't been clear before that Odin held a dislike for Loki, it was very clear now. "If it's any consolation, I'll do what I can to help as well. Despite everything that you have done recently, you're recognizing the error of your ways, and I think that says something about your character that Odin does not recognize." Thor told his brother. "Sigyn has also been returned to all of us for a reason. I do not think you two are meant to live through this second chance whilst you spend your days in a prison cell, brother. So, if there is anything I can do to convince Odin to lessen your sentence, I will." They soon approached the library and two women could be heard conversing just down the hall and around the corner. The god of thunder smiled when both brunettes came into view. "What's this talk I hear of tragedy and romance?" He asked.