Loki pulled his horse to a stop and Sigyn was forced to follow suit. The two of them were at the back of the group, so it took Thor and his idiot friends a few paces to realize they'd stopped. They slowed their horses, to wait for Sig and Loki to catch up. Somehow the morons seemed to realize that they were in the middle of an important conversation and didn't come interrupt or eavesdrop. Which was frankly amazing.

Loki had a serious look on his face when he turned to Sig. "Explain," he ordered her firmly, his voice nearly icy. He softened a little when he added "Please." He did try to remember that he was talking with his soulmate.

Sig didn't quickly know what explanation he was asking for, but she started talking anyway. She didn't want to upset him, and he really did deserve the truth. "I told you the Gray Lords are the most powerful of the fae. I have the magical power and physical fighting ability to qualify. I was 'awarded' the title when I came of age..." she was leaving a lot out, but that was the bare bones of it. Loki reevaluated the scars she hadn't been coherent enough to hide back behind her illusions after closing the doorway. She wondered what he was looking at and blushed when she saw her arms and realized her scars were visible. She quickly threw her illusions back into place. She looked exactly the same, but minus the old battle scars from her fighting for her life for her entire life.

Loki didn't comment, though she knew he'd question her about the scars later. Instead he asked: "So you technically have a noble standing among the fae?" he was trying to get his head around what a Gray Lord was.

She nodded her agreement. "I do. I was the first new Gray Lord in at least 500 years," she added as if that mattered.

Loki looked impressed anyway, though he didn't really understand. He considered more implications of Sig being among the Gray Lords. "Will they try and bring you back to Underhill?" he asked. That was the biggest concern at the moment.

Sig considered, then nodded again. "It looks really bad on the court that one of the Gray Lords abandoned Underhill in preference of the mortal realms..." she explained. It really did look bad on them that she'd left. They'd been searching for her since she had, which is why she'd had to hide on Midgard. The court also wanted her powers and skills for themselves. They weren't going to let her stay free easily.

"When, in reality, they know you aren't truly fae? That you were born an Asgardian goddess?"

"I don't think they realized that I'm an Asgardian goddess. They don't know much about Asgard. And probably assumed only the royal family receives godhead," she explained with a shrug. She hadn't known until Odin had announced hers that she was a goddess. She owed Loki another explanation, though. "Also the Gray Lords are higher ranked than simple nobility," she told him. "We're the princes and princesses of the fae, at least in terms as you would understand them,"

Loki nodded, accepting her explanation. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Probably a lot of things, but none urgent," she replied with a smirk. Of course there were tons more things he probably needed to know. She just couldn't think what they were at the moment.

"Will you tell me when we get back to the palace?" he asked, misunderstanding what she meant.

"I just meant that I'm sure there are things I'm not thinking of that you ought to know or would want to know. I'll tell you if or when they become important or come to me," she told him warmly.

"Alright. I can agree to that,"

"Did she just say she's a fairy princess?" Fandral demanded loudly. Apparently they'd wandered back close enough to eavesdrop. Sig blushed and got shy again, curling in on herself.

Loki glared at Fandral. "Would you shut up, you imbecile?" he snarled, jumping to defend his soulbond.

"But she's a fairy princess!!" Fandral protested loudly as if it really mattered what her rank was. Or that she was half fae.

"She is of nobility in two different realms. What of it?" he asked Fandral as if Fandral was stupid. He was correct of course. Thor's moronic friends were morons. Fandral most especially.

Sig groaned since she saw the childlike glee on Fandral's face. He was annoying and obsessed with the fact that he thought this was some kind of fairy tale. "The courts of the fae are nothing like the fairy stories we were told as children, you moron," she glared at him. She had to get this point across to him now before he did something stupid. "Do you really think I would have gone through so much to escape if they were? Now kindly shut up about it before I let Loki stab you," she growled. She was uncomfortable drawing so much attention or being so firm, but he had to know. It was important.

Loki smirked, looking proud of Sig. "You should listen to her, Fandral. I'm about ready to stab you anyway," he added the last nonchalantly. He was just so casual about the prospect of stabbing his brother's moronic friend. Sig didn't blame him. At all.

Fandral wisely shut up.

The group rode for awhile longer and reached the area of the fourth gate midmorning. Sig put her book away as she got near, since she could sense potential danger from the fae better than any of the others. She noted that Loki was sticking close to her. He was worried after the previous day and how drained she'd been after the last gate.

"There's nothing waiting for us," she told the party as they approached. She was still nervous. She didn't trust the apparent safety of this gate. After the last two were so well protected, it seemed strange that this one was unguarded. Just because Tilly was allowing her to close the gates, it didn't mean she was going to be making it easy on Sig. That wasn't how Tilly did things. It also didn't mean the fae were going to let her, or would make it easy on her if they did.

Loki noticed her nerves and gave her a reassuring smile. "We will remain on guard, don't worry, Sig,"

"I don't like this, not after the last two doorways being so well guarded," she confessed as she dismounted. They were close enough to the doorway that she needed to walk the rest of the way. The group dismounted to walk with her.

Loki stuck close to her side. "I'll be right beside you the whole time," he promised. Sig could tell that he understood her worry. He would do anything and everything to keep her safe while she dealt with the doorways.

The whole group stood around her and the doorway, weapons drawn and alert for danger as she sliced her palm open, summoning the power she needed to close the doorway. She spread her blood across both of her palms and gripped the edges of the doorway and tried to pull it closed. It wouldn't budge no matter how much she tugged on it. She cursed loudly and in multiple languages as she let the power fade. It wouldn't close and wasting power wouldn't fix anything.

She turned to the group. "I have to go through. There's something on the other side holding the door open," she told them while they were all staring in awe at her ability to curse like a sailor. That wasn't something typical of Asgardian ladies.

Loki looked nervous. He did not want her going into Underhill when the fae were desperate to get her back to rule in the seelie court. "Can anyone go with you?" he asked her gently. He wouldn't let she face the danger along, not if there was anything he could do about it.

Sig considered that and finally nodded. "I can take two through with me safely," she told Loki. She also knew that he needed to determine who was coming with her. "Whoever trusts me the most, or whoever you want to come with us, Trickster," she told Loki. He would feel better being able to choose who came with the pair of them. Of course, he was going to be one of the two she brought through with her. Thor would be the other one he trusted.

They were also much too close to Underhill and the creatures living on the other side to use his name or any variation of it. Or any of their names.

Loki nodded and didn't even consider before he turned to Thor. "Brother, would you be willing to come with us?" he trusted Thor with his life, and more importantly, with Sig's and her safety. He had fought side by side with Thor for centuries and while they didn't always get along, the two fought well together.

Thor nodded immediately. "Of course," he replied automatically. He seemed offended that Loki had even thought he had to ask. Thor looked to his friends. "Guard the gate on this end," he told them firmly as he gripped Mjolnir more securely in his hand.

Sig looked them both over. She hesitated a moment for what she needed to do next to protect the three of them, but she steeled herself to get it done. "I don't know what's waiting for us on the other side. I can give us some additional safeguards, if you trust me," she told them both. She turned her attention to Loki "and if you don't mind if I borrow a little power," she could use Asgardian magic for what she needed to and she knew Loki would rather she use his magic than drain herself more trying to use her own.

Loki offered her his hand without any hesitation. "Take what you need," he seemed relieved to be able to help her in any way, shape, or form.

She took his hand and after a small nod of thanks, used his power to cast illusions on the boys. It took a surprisingly little amount of power, mostly due to her own skill and experience. She lengthened their hair braided down past their shoulders, pointed their ears, changed their eye colors to tri-colored. She let the feel of fae magic surround them, disguising them as fae. "That should help at least until we know what we're dealing with," she told them. She couldn't help appreciate how handsome they looked, disguised as fae. She was so used to being surrounded by handsome fae men and this felt familiar to her. "Remember, don't use any of our names while we're there. Not even nicknames. It's too dangerous when they're looking for me," she reminded them firmly. When they nodded their agreement, she took Thor's hand too. She had to have physical contact with them to escort them safely through the doorway. "Ready?" she asked them. They both nodded and let her take the lead.

Sig kept a firm grip on both of their hands to lead them through the doorway. She couldn't let them go until they were all safely through. Time and locations could get a little wibbly-wobbly when non-fae traveled through the doorways. It was best to have a fae escort.

Sig hoped whatever was waiting for them on the other side wasn't too awful for the three of she to handle and was beyond grateful that she didn't have to face this challenge alone.

She never had to be alone anymore.