A/N The italic parts represent Sigyn and Loki's dream

The shimmering white moon above was the only light illuminating Thor's way as he came upon the stone circle and the entrance to Folkvang. A fog rose from the nearby lake. Its sepulchral arms cloaked the brave son of Odin, causing a shiver to run up his spine. He wished he hadn't left his cape with Sif, but at least she would be warm. One less reason for her to kill him when she awoke. 
Thor descended from his horse. Habit moved him to secure the reins to a low-hanging branch, but if he was successful... he would have no need of his faithful steed ever again. He patted its neck and left the stallion grazing, continuing the winding path to the stones on foot. 
Though he had never been there before, Thor had heard enough from his parents to know it was a place even the most powerful and bravest of beings wouldn't consider going. Not unless they had nothing left to lose.  

He treaded cautiously upon the moss-covered slope, the frost on top crunching underneath his boots. His eyes roamed over the stones, searching for the falcon effigy. Absentmindedly, he touched the cuff on his wrist, wanting to draw his dagger. Then he remembered he had brought no weapons. Perhaps he should have, but Thor hadn't wanted to risk Freya believing he had come intending to force her to help him. Every rumour, every story, and even those few times he met the Goddess confirmed one thing — if anyone dared provoke her, it would be the last thing they ever did. 

When Thor's fingers again stroked the bronze cuff, he halted over the symbol etched into it. He looked down at the engraving of Mjölnir and pressed his lips together. Sigyn had done everything in her power to mend the bond between them after their explosive fight at the training ground, gifting him the cuff during a feast in his honour. He hadn't taken it off once since. It was his strength. And a constant reminder of the only woman who had ever managed to capture his heart... and who had then chosen his brother over him. 
Part of Thor hated Sigyn for that. The same part that hated Loki so very much for taking her from him. But the jealousy and hurt didn't outweigh the love he bore them both. Had Thor not witnessed the state of them when they were forcefully separated after being caught in Frigga's garden thirty years ago, he would never have schemed to bring them together. He would never have allowed Sigyn to marry Loki. But to this day, it was so clear Loki Odinson was the only man she would ever truly hold in her heart.  

Yet, despite that, Thor held off from accepting any marriage candidates his mother offered. Because he wanted to be there for her in case Loki was stripped from her arms, be it from a disease, an accident, a war, or even the Trickster's own undoing. Even if she would never love him the way she did Loki, Thor was determined to remain close to Sigyn for every second of every day and to wait until she saw he, too, loved her beyond measure. 
But she would never turn to him again, now that he had caused such pain and suffering. The bond that had been so carefully mended in the past was broken with no hope of repair. This was the only thing he could do for her now. 

Thor took a deep breath and tore his eyes away from the cuff. The mist dissipated. A moonbeam caught the gravelled surface of the stone in front of him, casting it in a mystifying glow. Upon noting a drawing of a falcon, Thor threw all caution to the wind and ran toward it. 
But when he got to the stone, his mind again screamed at him to think this through. What if this was a trap? What if, in trying to help, he would only make matters worse? His actions had already caused such grief. Could he really take the risk?
The weight of the cuff on his wrist made Thor glance down. His fist clenched. There was no question — Sigyn was worth every risk, as was Loki. 

Following his heart, Thor mustered his courage and knocked the stone three times. He waited with bated breath, but all remained eerily silent. Looking about him, he furrowed his brow. Perhaps he hadn't knocked hard enough. He tried again, this time pounding his fist against the gravel. Once more, he waited. Once more, nothing.
Thor grew anxious then. Had he missed something from the stories about Folkvang? Was there something else he was supposed to do? He heard Loki's annoyed voice in his head, reprimanding him for being a fool and not doing his research. Freya was mentioned in several books at the library; he should have checked them before —

"Hello."

Thor whirled around. He fervidly searched for whoever had spoken, expecting the creature known as the gatekeeper, but he only found a little girl smiling shyly at him. She couldn't be more than a few Summers old, yet there was something strangely familiar about her. 

"Um... hello," he replied hesitantly. "What are you doing out here by yourself, little one? Are you lost?"

"No, I live here."

Thor cocked his head. She lived here? With hardly any farmland and with beasts threatening to attack livestock and people, no one would dare. There were a few well-protected settlements beyond the city, but none so close to the mountain. The only remotely habitable place was the refuge, but it lay in a chasm and was only ever used during an attack on Asgard. Someone could have stumbled upon it, but the weekly patrol sent to ensure everything was well-stocked would've certainly reported any outsiders were living there. 
As he knelt down to the child's height (she only just reached his knee), Thor casually glanced around to see if the girl's guardians were nearby, but it seemed she was on her own. When his eyes fell on her again, Thor was overcome with the same familiar sensation as before, and he took her in more closely. She wore a dark green frock, too rich to have been bought or made for the child of a simple family. Her skin was porcelain except for her blushing cherry cheeks. Short but wavy red hair with a peculiar golden shine framed her heart-shaped face.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Brisi," she answered, swaying on her feet a little.

"Where are your parents, Brisi?"

"Home. Father was hurt by a bad man."

"Can you take me to them?"

"Milady said I was not to let you go."

"Milady?"

The girl pointed at the stone behind him. Sudden dread grasped the former Crown Prince of Asgard. The cold of the mist and night air was nothing compared to the chill that invaded his body then. This child... Was she the gatekeeper? Was this his test?

"Brisi, how did you get here?" Thor inquired. 

"Milady brought me," said the girl. "She said I could live with her now."

"Where did you used to live?" 

A shiver ran up his spine as Brisi giggled. It was an unholy sound, vibrant and clear yet devoid of any true emotion. "What a silly question, Uncle Thor."

Thor's eyes widened. Uncle? But that meant... this child was... No, that was impossible! But as he gaped into Brisi's blue eyes, he saw them. He saw the same eyes he grew up with. Icy blue eyes that so often sparkled with mischief but which had been filled with tears and the sting of betrayal but a few days ago. 
Thor stumbled back, falling to the frost and moss-covered ground. He stared wildly at the girl before him, shaking his head in disbelief. Whatever she was, she couldn't be Loki's daughter. She had to be an illusion brought forth by the mystical powers of the stone circle and Freya.
Brisi stepped up to him, almost floating over the ground like a spectre. Overcome by a sudden panic, he shuffled away until his back touched the stone behind him. No weapons, no magical powers, no friends to aid him... Thor was trapped. 

***

For a second, Sigyn believed she was blind, only perceiving darkness. Carefully, she pushed herself up from the hard floor. Her body protested loudly, straining against every little move she made. She managed to sit and tried to summon a flame. Her hand trembled in the effort. It was so long since she had used her fire. She took a deep breath and focused, just like Loki had taught her. A tiny flare sparked in her palm, slowly growing into an unsteady light source that burned just enough to illuminate her surroundings.
Wherever she was, it was clear she was no longer in the healing room at the palace in Asgard. A slightly inebriating scent of lavender reached her. She sighed in relief as she took the aroma in. This was nothing to fear. It simply meant her spell was working. As long as she smelled the lavender, the magic would remain in effect. But she still wouldn't waste any time.

"Loki?" she called, praying he would respond. 

All remained silent. Fighting against the pain in her body, Sigyn forced herself to her feet and stretched her arm as far as she could. The flame in her hand flickered but didn't extinguish. Once more, she looked around her and gasped at realising she was in her mirror world. Or what used to be the mirror world.
Every pool of water was frozen solid, the icy surface shimmering like onyx. Every mirror that hung or stood in the void was empty. The worlds that usually filled each of them were gone. It was as if someone painted over the looking glasses with a black brush, wanting to hide the wonderful views that had so often offered an escape to her. 

Sigyn walked up to the closest one and touched the surface. Nothing happened. The warm magic that usually embraced and pulled her through was missing. All she felt was a murky cold. And despair. Such despair. 
Had she fumbled her spell? No, she was certain she had recalled every word of Loki's instructions correctly. True, she wasn't as skilled as him and Freya, but she was hardly a novice anymore. There had to be a reason she was here in her mirror world instead of with him.
Perhaps he was in a place that could only be reached through a mirror? But if so, which one? And how could she possibly get to him when it seemed the magic itself had trapped her here?

"My love, I'm here." Sigyn's fingers closed around her pendant. "Loki, please, hear my voice. Let me know where you are."

Suddenly, she heard the heartrending cry of a baby. It sounded so far and yet so very close. The echoes bounced off the black mirrors until they reached and invaded Sigyn's heart. She knew that cry. Somehow...
She listened closely, hoping to find where the crying came from. A glistening caught her eye. The noise rang clearer as she turned around and saw the shimmer jump from one blackened mirror to the next. Not losing another moment, Sigyn ran after it, deeper and deeper into the darkness. 

***

"S-Stay away." Thor stammered warningly as the child reached him. "Stay away!"

He shut his eyes, certain that this was it. This was the day he died. The ancestors had deemed him unworthy and had sent his niece back to the land of the living to exact vengeance on him and claim his life and soul. 
But nothing of the sort happened. Instead, the girl gingerly touched his cheek. Thor froze at the icy caress of her little fingers. He dared to peek through his lashes and found Brisi smiling sadly at him. She leaned in. Thor shrank back against the stone, wishing it would swallow him into Folkvang. He would rather face all the fallen warriors residing there than stay in the presence of this apparition for one second longer. 

The soft, comforting kiss on his scruffy, bearded jawline took Thor completely by surprise. He forgot his fear and stared down at the little girl sitting on her knees beside him. She just managed to wrap her arms around his biceps and then put her head against his shoulder. Slowly, her porcelain skin turned a hue of light sapphire.
Thor didn't dare move. He barely dared to breathe. The cold radiating from Brisi was seeping through, threatening to take hold of him. Was he to let it happen? To sit with his niece and allow her to kill him quietly and with no pain? Or was he to fight this? 

"Naw, how adorable you two are."

An ethereal female voice cut through the silence. Thor glimpsed to his right and caught a white skirt, glistening as if made in stardust. He recalled seeing such a dress before. And that honeyed playful tone in the voice... 

"Freya?"

"Hello, Thor. Miss me?"

***

Panting, Sigyn stumbled further into the void. The flame she'd summoned before had already died, and she couldn't concentrate long enough to conjure a new one. Without light to guide her, she was left to rely on her other senses. The odour of the lavender was strong, so this was still her dream (or nightmare). It was but a small silver lining, though. 
The mirrors refused to allow Sigyn passage. She slipped whenever she dared to step into a pool, trembling at the solid frozen surface underneath her bare feet. The baby's cries never ceased, only growing in volume. It was how she knew she was on the right path. That, and the pendant at her bosom, glowing brighter with magic with every step she took. 

Suddenly, a light appeared ahead of her. Not wanting to take any chances, Sigyn reached deep into herself, summoning her fire to her hand again. The flame appeared almost instantly. Its warmth spread through Sigyn, fuelling her desire and determination. Her feet carried her onward to the light ahead. Was that...? Yes!
Sigyn leapt forward, rushing toward the reflection of the Urdarbrunn. It was the only surface that wasn't cast into darkness or frost but yet showed the beautiful glen on the other side. As soon as she reached the water, the crying stopped. Keeping her flame literally at hand, prepared for anything that may jump at her, she edged closer. 

There he was. Her love. Her husband. Her Loki. Sigyn's fingers reached out to the cool water. The ripples rushed over the clear surface in ever-growing circles, and the powers of the mirror world melted with her own and those of the sacred Urdarbrunn. Her flame extinguished, and she closed her eyes to surrender herself to the water. Her heart raced with excitement and happiness. Finally, after so long, she would... 
She froze. In the middle of the home she had made for them all those months ago stood Loki, wearing a loose white shirt and black pants, a lock of raven hair hanging in front of his piercing icy eyes. Snow fell around him, covering the ground and all the furniture in a downy white blanket. And perched in his arms...

"Sigyn!" Loki flashed her a grin. "What took you so long? We were waiting for you."

... a small child, older than a newborn, but still a baby — her baby.

***

Even though it had been centuries since he last saw Freya, Thor still believed her the most enchanting woman he had ever encountered. Unlike Sigyn's fiery beauty, the Mistress of Folkvang possessed a certain ferocity. And she used it to get her way at every turn.
Her white dress clad her perfectly curved body and tied around her neck, revealing the bare alabaster skin of her arms. A golden cincture hugged her waistline, adding warm colour to the star-like shimmer of the cloth. Sunflower hair cascaded in wavy ringlets over her back. Pink full lips begged to be kissed, and violet eyes invited any to do just that and so much more. This Goddess was the very definition of temptation. One Thor had long ago indulged in. 

"I take it you're not here because you wish to resume our fleeting liaison?" asked Freya in amusement. 

"N-No," Thor uttered with difficulty. 

 "Pity. I've had my fair share of lovers, but you, Thor Odinson, were certainly the most vigorous ones." She chuckled and then sat in a perfect pose next to him. Her eyes travelled from him to the child still holding his arm. Brisi didn't move and remained silent as Freya cupped her face with a dainty hand. "Such a sweet girl. Hard to believe she was truly conceived by the Trickster."

The little hope Thor held that all of this was merely an illusion was shattered by those words. He was crushed by the realisation that his brother and sister's baby had been claimed by Freya instead of by the ancestors in Valhalla. But what reason could she possibly have for collecting a stillborn's soul? 

"Wh-Why is... she here?" he asked.

"Loki once took what was mine," replied Freya. "I am merely returning the favour."

Thor's eyes fell upon the amber-decorated gold necklace Freya so proudly wore. Brisingamen had been forged by the dwarves of Nidavellir and coveted by the Goddess as soon as she noted the yet-raw material at the great forge. The dwarves had agreed to gift her the precious jewel, but only if she spent the night with each of its forgers and imbued the necklace with her seidr. Loki, having been sent by Odin to collect Brisingamen for Frigga, had witnessed this and informed the Allfather, who had then ordered him to take it from her.
It had been a test of both Loki and Freya's loyalty and skills as one was forced to use magic to steal for his king and father, whilst the other was forced to bend to Odin's will and do his bidding. Of course, Freya would hold resentment over this. It was a cruel joke on her part to share the jewel's name with Loki's child, too.

"Please... let her go," pleaded Thor in a weak voice. "Sh-She is... innocent."

"Oh, I am well aware," said Freya. "That makes her so special. A truly innocent soul, unspoiled by life and nurture, is the most precious. As soon as Sigyn made the deal with Mephisto, I knew what the price would be."

"Th-Then... you... did this? Y-Your magic... killed their child?"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Freya snapped at him. "I am völva, the most sacred of all magic wielders! I hold life in the highest regard and claim only what is already dead!"

Stricken by her rage, Thor meant to apologise, but all that came out was a struggling gasp as his breath hitched. His heart rate slowed drastically and his blood coursed through his veins like an icy river. 

"Oh, for the love of... Brisi, sweetling, that's enough now. You're going to kill Uncle Thor if you keep hugging him like that."

The girl moved away at Freya's behest. In the second she locked eyes with at Thor, he believed to perceive a sanguine shade withing the blue, but it was gone when she blinked. The sapphire glow faded until her skin was porcelain once again. Brisi was no longer a spectre sent to kill him, but a little girl with blushing cheeks staring curiously at the pair seated against the enormous stone.
Feeling himself slip away from death's clutches, Thor managed to focus on Freya. She sat closer to him, her body slightly pressing against his, and leaned in. Her lips brushed against his. Warmth instantly filled his entire being. Freya's fingers slid under his cobalt shirt. Her palm rested against his chest, right over his heart. It beat stronger and more regularly. Thor inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air. 

"Sigyn's bargain with Mephisto sealed her baby's fate," whispered Freya. "I know this is not what you want to hear, but it is the truth. Return to Sigyn and Loki and tell them their daughter is safe at Sessrumnir. Her spirit will never leave my side, and they mustn't fear for her well-being. You have my word."

"I cannot go back." Thor's brittle voice broke. 

"Afraid to face them?"

"No. For the rest of my life, I'll have to face the part I played, I know that. But I cannot return empty-handed with just a message. Not if there may be another way for me to make things right."

Freya sighed and shook her head as she turned her attention to Brisi. The girl had stopped looking at them and was instead gazing up at the sky. The tip of her tongue pushed through her lips. Thor raised his head, groaning as his body refused to cooperate with even this simple movement. To his amazement, it started snowing. How? It was not yet winter, and even though they were on higher ground, they certainly weren't high enough for such a phenomenon. 

"She can't be revived," he heard Freya say then. "The baby was the prize the ancient magic claimed in exchange for Loki. A life for a life; that is how it is and how it will always be. And nothing should undo that transaction, not even my powers, or you offering your life for hers. This cannot become a cycle of loved ones sacrificing themselves or others to bring back who they lost. It must be once and never again."

Thor didn't fight the tears. There was no point in it. Freya had already seen him at his most vulnerable when he was a youth, so he did not have to pretend with her. In an impulse driven by despair, Thor grabbed her hand. She did not even flinch at his touch.

"Freya, I beg of you; I will do whatever you want. Just please tell me how I can help Sigyn and Loki."

Upon seeing the sudden flirtatious and wicked glint appearing in Freya's violet eyes, Thor knew he had said what she wanted to hear. "I may know of someone willing to offer aid," she said. "But Sigyn and Loki will need to prove their love and loyalty toward each other is true."

"You have my word that it is." 

"Your word means nothing. You may have brought Sigyn and Loki together, but there is doubt in your heart. Delude yourself and those around you all you like, but you cannot fool völva. Nor can you conceal the part of you that wants your siblings to break apart, so you may have another chance with Sigyn. I warn you now; that will never happen. The sooner you come to terms with that, the better."

Thor hung his head. She was right, of course. But forgoing even the mere thought of that one person who made his heart quicken was much easier said than done. Only death would ever release him from that plight. 

"You are not yet for Valhalla, Thor Odinson," said Freya with a chuckle. "Nor for my sacred halls. I see much ahead for you. New enemies and new allies. You must meet each of them if you are to fulfil your role in this universe. What you decide to do next will be your first step toward great peril and further anguish... but also glorious victory and joy."

It was rare that völva were so straightforward in their predictions. To hear Freya, who matched Loki in his mischief and did not shy away from hiding behind her words, speak this frankly to him was all Thor needed. After looking one last time at his niece, he straightened himself and met Freya's expectant gaze. He knew only one reply to her unspoken question was acceptable.

"What must I do?"

***

Loki cocked his head at Sigyn. "Sigyn? Are you all right?"

Her lip trembled as she nodded slowly. All her attention was on the baby sitting on his arm, babbling and cooing at him. Finally, she approached, but there was something amiss about the way she walked. As if she were in pain.
The closer his wife got, the more Loki noticed about her. There were dark circles under Sigyn's eyes, and her beautiful hair missed all its shine. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. The baby wasn't keeping them up at night, Norns be thanked, so it wasn't because of Little Miss Mischief.

"Are you all right?" he asked Sigyn again as she halted in front of him and looked up. Loki gasped at the sight of her tears. "What happened? My heart, why are you crying?"

"I... I am faltering in my mission."

"Your mission? What are you talking about?"

"Loki, what is the last thing you remember?"

He furrowed his brow at her. What a strange thing to ask. "Sigyn, you're not making much sense. Let me put Brisi to bed so we can talk in peace."

But before Loki could move away, his wife's hand gripped his wrist. "Loki, listen to me. This is not real. We aren't truly at the Urdarbrunn. Our... Our daughter isn't here with us."

"Then who or what am I holding?" questioned Loki, putting the baby between them. 

"An illusion," replied Sigyn. "Conjured from your own mind, I fear."

He snorted at her response. "Well, that is one I haven't heard yet. Did my mother put you up to this to get me to do something for her? I swear she is even more of a Trickster than I am."

"No, that is not —"

"Whatever she wants, it will have to wait. Ever since I became Crown Prince, my duties have tripled, and I barely have any time for you and our girl. I know you do not blame me for that, but I still feel —"

"Loki, enough!"

The baby whimpered and cried at Sigyn's outburst. Loki groaned. Fantastic. He only just got her to quiet down. 

"Now you've done it." He turned away, bouncing and swaying her as he walked. "Ssh, it's all right, Brisi. Mother didn't mean to shout. Calm down now, ssh."

Brisi stuck her lower lip out as he sat her down in her crib. Loki smiled at her. She was going to be such a handful when she grew up. It would be impossible to say no or be strict if she perfected that pout. 
Content that his daughter was no longer in distress, he turned to face Sigyn once again. The sooner he dealt with whatever had got into her, the better. But she stood with her back to him. Loki reached for her hips and pulled her close. He was surprised to find her body warm to the touch. When had her fire returned?

"My heart, please speak to me," he begged. "I know there is something you're not telling me. Have I done something to upset you? Or are my brothers to blame? I will rip them apart if that is the case."

"You've done nothing," sobbed Sigyn. "You stand innocent in all of this."

"I don't understand."

She sighed and turned in his arms. "I know you don't. So please, indulge me a moment and try to answer my questions as best you can."

Loki raised a brow at her odd request but eventually nodded. Anything to get to the bottom of this.

"Do you recall the circumstances of our daughter's birth?" asked Sigyn.

"Yes, of course, it was... um..." But as he tried to answer, Loki realised he couldn't. 

"Do you remember when she was born?"

His mind raced to recall the date, but it was completely blank. Why? 

"Do you remember naming our daughter Brisi at the ceremony?"

Loki stepped back, his hand going up to his head as if that would make him remember. What was happening to him? Why couldn't he place the most joyous event of his life, the birth of his own child, and anything related to it?

Sigyn reached for him and cupped his face. The heat immersing his pendant then nearly swept Loki away. "You died." Her voice quivered as she spoke. "You were taken from me by Mephisto. And not only you. Your brothers were already in his clutches for over a month, their identities stolen by beasts so they could walk among us, waiting to do their master's bidding and kill you. I couldn't sit by. I travelled to Mephisto's realm and bargained for your freedom, but... the only way to do that was to promise another's life for yours."

Loki stiffened. What she spoke of... a life for a life? "N-No, that... that's not..."

"I didn't know the prize would be our daughter, I swear it." His wife wept. "You have none but me to blame for the stillbirth of our Lagertha."

Lagertha... He knew that name. It was what he and Sigyn had agreed to call their daughter. But then, why was the baby currently in the crib named Brisi? He looked down at the child, who stared right back at him. 

"She's right here," he tried. 

"It's not winter, Loki. The snow hasn't fallen. Nor was our baby this grown when she died."

"No, you lie! You are the trick, not her! You're not my wife!"

He tried to pull away and fight whoever stood before him. His hands grabbed hold of the woman's wrists, but before he could pry them off, she pushed her mouth against his. Every single memory he held of Sigyn rushed before his mind's eye then.
Their meeting in Frigga's garden, their first kiss, the first time he brought her to the Urdarbrunn, all the times they nearly gave in to each other and then the first time they actually did. Losing her, marrying her, losing her again because of what her family did to her, the years spent on Midgard, finding out she was with child, her vision of the three Odinsons in danger...
Mephisto... Sigyn bleeding and crying... His brothers... The baby, dead in his arms... 

As Sigyn's lips left him, Loki glanced into the crib. Brisi was still there. But instead of the cheerful baby he'd held just moments ago, she was a swaddled newborn — dead.
He fell to his knees, overcome with the sorrow and grief he had locked deep inside of him in order to be strong for his wife's sake. Sigyn knelt beside him and leaned her head against his. 

"I know you want to stay here," she said. "Dreams and illusions are much better than the painful reality we are forced to face. But face it, we must. You have to wake up."

Loki shut his eyes and pressed his lips together. 

"My love, do not ask me to leave you here and return alone. I will not abandon you. So don't you abandon me. Wake up, please."

He reached for her, but his fingers grasped nothing but air. His eyes shot open. Sigyn was gone, as were the crib and the entire Urdarbrunn. All he saw in the dark void were gleaming yellow eyes, laughing at him, threatening to consume him once again.

"No, let me go! Loki, please wake up!" 

The sudden echoes of Sigyn's pleading, desperate voice pulled him from the abyss until he was embraced by the light that lived in his heart. A shape appeared before him. He reached out. 

"Loki, wake up!"

His heart threatened to burst out of his chest as he awoke with a loud gasp, desperate for air. A haze clouded his vision. Blurred figures around him recoiled, safe for one who jumped at him. Cracked lips kissed him fervently. The veil of mist yet gripping him dissipated. Red hair, emerald eyes...

"S-Sigyn?"

"Yes," she cried. "Yes, I'm here. I never left, Loki. Never. You're safe now. You're safe with me."

It wasn't until Loki's arms closed around Sigyn in an embrace and their pendants surged with their bond of love and magic that he believed it.