Loki smiled fondly after his mother as she left. When she was out of sight, he finally closed the door behind her. He was far too overprotective with those he cared for, especially his beloved mother.

Loki turned back to Sig and gave her a warm smile as he bent to kiss her cheek. "Your maids will be here to help you in a moment, darling," he told her gently, knowing that she desperately wanted a nice hot bath.

Sig nodded, but she was concerned and couldn't help the sorrow in her eyes. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you..." she told him softly. She hadn't meant to embarrass him, or make him uncomfortable. She'd just gotten close to him again over their journey and hadn't thought anything of kissing his cheek.

"You didn't, love. I was just surprised is all. I wasn't sure how my mother would react," he explained. He wouldn't lie to Sig. "I care a great deal about you, Sig. I would never be embarrassed of you," Loki reassured her quickly, cupping her cheek with his hand.

"Your mother just wants you happy," she reminded him softly.

Loki gave her an adoring smile that was absolutely adorable on him. He looked so much younger and so much more carefree. "And you make me happy, Sig. Honest,"

Sig gave him a small tentative smile in return, but looked away shyly. "I'm also sorry that I used your power without asking during the battle. That was rude..." it was beyond rude, actually, unheard of. The only reason she'd been able to was the soulbond.

He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Sig, don't go all shy on me now. I'm alright with you taking my power. I gladly offered it to you a million times during our mission," he reminded her. He would have done anything in his power to help her and they both knew it.

"It was the fastest way to get him to put me down. You couldn't kill him easily until he had. He didn't have the power of truenaming, and I do..." she explained softly. Jareth had been a Gray Lord, but even he couldn't fight the power of using his truename against him.

Loki pulled her into a hug. "I understand, darling. I'm just relieved you're alright,"

"I'm alright. Or I will be soon," she reassured him as she hugged him back.

The maids came to collect her soon and led her across the hall to her own suite and her waiting bath. While she was gone, Loki picked up one of the books Frigga had sent up and began to read. The books were about the fae and he was extremely curious about them now, for some strange reason, and wanted to learn more about them. About Sig.

She returned to his suite again a long while later, looking and feeling so much better for being clean and dressed in warm pajamas and a robe that had gone suspiciously missing from Loki's wardrobe. It was huge on her and ridiculously adorable, but that was part of what had made it so perfect to steal.

Loki smiled up at her when she returned, setting the book he was reading aside. "You look refreshed," he told her warmly from his comfy chair. He didn't mind at all that his clothes had gotten stolen.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind the chair he was sitting on, laying her chin on his shoulder in a comfortable familiar gesture. "I am, and feeling much better for the hot bath. What are you reading?" she asked him curiously. He was always up to discuss the books he was reading.

Loki lifted the book to show her the cover. "Mother knows me so well. I've been curious about the fae since you returned. I'd like to understand them so that I don't make more mistakes," he told her and she heard the fear and guilt in his voice.

"Your mother does know you well. Though you know that all you have to do is ask," she reminded him warmly. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know. And I already forgave you for Underhill," she reminded him firmly.

Loki gave her a small smile. "I know. I just didn't wish to appear like I was prying too hard,"

"You aren't," she reassured him quickly. "I don't mind answering your questions," she'd placed a slight emphasis on 'your'. She was still shy around the others and didn't feel comfortable telling them everything she'd been through. Loki though? Loki was different. She'd tell him anything.

Loki nodded. "Alright. Then may I ask you a few questions?"

She nodded and settled back on the couch to be comfortable while they talked, wrapping her heated blanket back around herself when she did.

"What are some things I should avoid doing? You mentioned not to speak names and not to thank a fae. Is there anything else?"

"Names are dangerous unless you're absolutely sure of the trust of the company you're in," she agreed. "You saw what I could do to the Gray Lord, and you..." she added that part sheepishly since she'd demonstrated her truenaming ability on him when she first met him again. "But non-name terms of address are fine. And outside of Underhill nicknames are fine too. Don't thank other fae. You know I'm not going to hurt you," she corrected. She wouldn't hurt anyone for thanking her, though it was a bad habit to get into with fae around. "And the fae are deathly weak against iron," she added, which he knew from her iron sword.

Loki nodded. "Is that all?" he asked.

"All the major rules," she agreed. "You're a prince, so I don't have to warn you to be polite if you meet another fae. Plus it's unlikely you'd meet another one without me there anyway,"

Loki nodded in understanding. "What does it mean to be a Gray Lord?" he asked curiously, now that he knew she was one of them.

"They're among the most powerful of the fae. Second in power only to the Queens. But each of them hold dominion over some aspect. The queens rule over darkness and light. The gray lords rule over things like the sea, tides, breezes, forests, etc," she explained.

Loki listened raptly to her explanation as she told him of the world she'd had to grow up in. "What do she rule over?" he asked astutely. If the Gray Lords ruled over things, then so did she.

She smirked, proud of him for making the connection. "The Names of Things, Bindings, and Oaths,"