Loki shoveled another scoop of muck onto the ever-growing pile. He stuck the shovel in the ground and swiped his forehead with his arm. He let out a heavy sigh, then chuckled as he saw a shadow cross the floor.

"You know you can't sneak up on me."

"I wasn't trying." Sigyn replied in her honeyed tone.

Loki laughed as he turned to meet her clear blue eyes. 'Eyes like the ocean...' He caught himself thinking. Sigyn handed him a cool mug of ale.

"Time for a break?" She asked with a smile.

"For me for sure... but what have you been doing?" Loki smirked. 

"Weaving and stitching. As well as cooking our Nattmal. I haven't been idle~" She replied as she swanned into the barn. Her dark braid swaying with her every step. "If that is what you were getting at." She replied with a pointed smile.

"I'm sure weaving and cooking is very hard." Loki sassed.

"I'd like to see you try it." Sigyn frowned. 

"Perhaps tomorrow. By then I'll have my magic back." Loki boasted.

"You wish." She smirked. 

Loki smiled at her.

Sigyn smiled as she stole a sip from his mug of ale.

"Hey!" Loki gasped, pulling the cup away from her. 

She laughed and Loki felt his stomach flip. 

She looked out the door and off into the distance, the rolling hills suddenly claiming her attention. 

"What's Asgard like?" She asked suddenly, leaning against the wall of the  stable. 

"Well, much different from here." Loki replied. 

"Obviously~" Sigyn replied rolling her eyes. 

"For starters its not like this planet..." 

"How so?" Sigyn asked, her blue eyes fixed on Loki. 

"It sits above what we call the sea of space held up by crystals that are ages old. Our palace is made of gold, and our gardens are in constant bloom as the palace sits in a land that is eternally set in spring. But personally." Loki said, a passionate look on his face, "My favorite place in all of Asgard is the Library!"

"The what-brary?" Sigyn asked, her brow furrowing. 

"The library. It's a room stocked with books from floor to ceiling." Loki explained, looking keenly at Sigyn for her reaction. 

"I don't understand... what are 'books'?" Sigyn asked quietly, feeling quite stupid indeed. 

"My dearest Sigyn, books are stories! Tales that our ancestors knew written down on paper - That's a sort of fabric we make from trees-" He clarified. 

"Why would you need to write them down?"

"So you don't forget anything! Besides there are other things written down. For example how to do magic. Science, Math, Language, stories from other worlds."

"That sounds almost overwhelming."

"It's lovely." Loki sighed, taking a sip of mead as he looked dreamily at the horizon. 

"Who else is up there?" Sigyn asked quietly with a furtive look around. "Are the other gods..."

"Are they real?" Loki asked.

"Yes." Sigyn replied. 

"My father is, and my mother and brother..."

"Do you miss them?"

"I hardly think they'd miss me. I've only been gone a few days."

"But do you, miss them?"

"My mother maybe." Loki admitted.

"Awe." Sigyn replied mockingly. 

"What?"

"You're a mama's boy."

"Hey!" Loki replied shoving her into a pile of clean hay. She giggled, pulling him down with her.

Very suddenly the air around them changed. They stared wide eyed at each-other. Frozen.

Sigyn recovered first, shoving him off of her and standing quickly.

"You nearly done here?" She asked, flicking a piece of straw off her gown.

Loki cleared his throat. "Thankfully yes."

Sigyn laughed. "Good supper is almost ready." 

"Sigyn?" Loki asked from his seat on the floor.

"Yes?" Sigyn replied, her eyes looking almost hopeful. 

Loki stood suddenly.

"It's nothing." Loki replied, his heart beating rapidly as he finished shoveling the manure out of the stalls.

"Okay then." Sigyn muttered to herself as she strode back toward the house.