Loki's scarlet eyes widened in shock and horror as he tried and failed to bring his Asgardian form back. He hated seeing the sapphire skin and the markings on his body. He hated the suddenly colder room. He hated that he was a monster.

He couldn't don his illusions again, no matter how hard he tried, not while she held him in her control. She was only exerting a tiny piece of her abilities, just a small piece of her control. It was only a hint of what she could do with his truename.

She saw his eyes widen when he realized how much control she had, and how much more control she could have if she so chose. His expression still turned hard when he realized that he couldn't bring his illusion back, his eyes panicked for a moment before they turned harsh and angry. "Sigyn, enough!" He snapped at her, snarling in rage at what she'd done. He hated the proof that he was a monster and her cruelty in using it as her example.

Sig snapped her mouth shut and looked down, cringing from his anger. She'd been expecting it, but still couldn't help be frightened by the angry powerful male. She'd had true horrors in her past and had a hard time getting past those. "I'm sorry," she said softly, talking to her lap, refusing to look up at him. "I release you," she added, just to be safe after she'd released him from her power. "Your illusion will be back in a minute..." she added softly and hated that she could hear the fear in her own voice. That meant he could hear it too.

He turned away from her, turning his back to try to hide his true form until the illusion reappeared. It was no use. Though Sigyn hated that he seemed so ashamed of his beautiful sapphire skin and the raised runic markings, of his beautiful scarlet eyes.

This was Loki just as much as his Asgardian illusion was.

"There's no need to hide," Sigyn told him just as softly, her voice gentle and loving. She dared to look up at him while he focused on getting his illusion back.

It took effort, but he finally managed to summon the illusion back, finally managed to look how he wanted to again. He turned back to her as soon as he was looking Asgardian again. He was still glaring and she shrank back from him. "There is a reason I hide behind illusions, Lady," he told her firmly, anger in his voice and tone, snarling her title. The way he said it, she knew that was all he was going to say on the matter.

She nodded and looked back down at her lap. "Sorry," she said again. She really hadn't meant to upset him. "You needed to understand the power of names and this was the easiest way to show you..." her voice was soft and afraid. And she hated how fearful her words were. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

He sighed and properly looked at her, past the haze of his anger. He finally realized he didn't want to lose his best friend again, especially when he'd just gotten her back again. He took a deep breath, another, before he spoke again. "It's alright. I was just surprised. I did not expect anyone to be able to break my illusion..." he gave her an expectant look to explain herself.

Sig nodded and relaxed slightly, looking up at him again. "It's part of the power of true-naming. If a fae with sufficient power knows a being's true name they can control at least aspects of that being, or completely control them. Names are dangerous. True-naming is a rare skill among the fae, so you don't have to worry, I'm one of the very few who can do it, and none can do it like I can. But that is only a touch of what a fae can do with a being's real name, ergo why real names aren't used," she explained, thoughh she wasn't sure her explanation was clear. She were still speaking softly, cautiously, bordering on afraid. She may have known this man when they were both children, but that was centuries ago and she only barely remembered pieces of it. She really needed to take the time to undo the blocks on her memories. She just needed time to do so.

Loki nodded along in understanding, figuring out what she meant from her explanation. "Then I can live with a nickname. I actually like Lokes," he gave her a reassuring smile. He may not have liked her method, but it had been effective in explaining what she'd meant quickly.

"I can pick a different one if you'd like," she offered immediately. "I just needed one quickly for the outing. I know how it feels to be stuck with a term of address she don't care for..."

Loki gave her a real smile and shook his head. "Lokes is fine. Like I said, I actually like it, especially coming from my old friend. I'm just not used to having a...kind... nickname. Thor's moronic friends weren't kind with their nicknames and Stark is... well Stark." Sig nodded her understanding. She'd gotten the impression already that Loki and Stark hated each other. And that was enough to make her wary of Stark. "Is there anything else you wish to share?" Loki asked her gently, wanting more information, but not wanting to pressure her.

She hesitated, unsure what else he would want or need to know. "Sorry, I'm not used to anyone taking an interest. Anything else you wanted to know in particular?" she asked in reply. Fae secrets were secret for a reason, but she would be honest with Loki.

"How long have you been fae?" He asked and she saw the curiosity in his eyes. He was always desperate to be able to find out answers to any mystery that he came across.

Some things never changed.

Sigyn had to think that over. "Well, I'm not entirely fae, but I've been like this," she indicated her pointed ears, tri-colored eyes, and sidhe red hair "Since shortly after they took me. 500 or so years ago? You seem to remember when that was better than I do at the moment..." When she'd been taken all those years ago, she'd still been a child. Maybe 6 or 7 by Midgardian reckoning of years. And Loki was older than her by fifty years, she remembered. She didn't know how or why she remembered that random fact, but she knew it was true. Aging among the Asgardians happened in spikes of aging followed by long plateaus. She'd been around 500 when she had been taken.

Loki nodded, thinking over her words. "The whole kingdom was in an uproar when you vanished. Mother and the Allfather sent out the palace guards to search for you. They would have done it anyway, but it was even more urgent since you were so close to the princes, to me and Thor. They searched for at least a decade with no leads. I'm so sorry, Sigyn..." he said softly, his eyes and and tone full of centuries of old sorrow. Tears welled in his eyes, though he refused to let them fall.

"They wanted you," she told him softly, her eyes haunted with old memories "or Hammer-brain, but you were more fae like,"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. That didn't make any sense. Though he was royalty, but that didn't seem like enough of a reason to single him out. "Why me? What could I have possibly offered them?" He asked her, hoping she'd have more insight. "I was only a child too...Yes, I was a prince, but that couldn't have been enough of a reason..."

"An alliance between the fae and Asgard?" she suggested with a shrug. "They didn't tell me much of their dastardly plans. They were so angry when they realized I wasn't a princess..." she told him, remembering their anger, their hate. Those memories she hadn't been able to block out. She'd saved her family, but hadn't been able to save herself her own pain.

"You were basically royalty, just not officially. I doubt that Mother or the Allfather would have given into the fae even if they had taken me. Especially the Allfather," she noted that he didn't call Odin 'father' anymore and she wondered what happened to cause the rift. She'd missed a lot while she was gone.

"They didn't think Hammer-brain would take to the magic or transition. You and I, on the other hand, already had magic, since your mother was teaching us. Like I said, they didn't exactly share their plans with me; I've only put together a few bits and pieces over the years..." she explained as best she could.

He nodded, accepting her story. It made sense that they wanted mages, which would make Thor useless for their plans. "I'll have to let mother know. It could be important. Do you know why the fae wish for an alliance with Asgard?"

"The Asgardians are one of the long-lived races. And the seidr is compatible with fae magic. The fae aren't... dying out necessarily, but they aren't having nearly enough children and the children they are having are with the Midgardians, since the Allfather won't let them into his realm and it's hard for them to get into the realms with the other long-lived races as well. The children with the Midgardians aren't immortal and their magic is weak at best. They think the chances will be better to strengthen both the fae and the Asgardians with an alliance," she spoke quickly, trying to get all the ideas she'd been able to gather out of her mouth in a coherent thought. She wasn't entirely convinced she was being coherent.

Somehow, Loki kept up, nodding along in understanding. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you. It should not have. I wish...I wish we had done a better job protecting you. You were ours to defend, and we failed you,"

"Lokes, we were children! It wasn't you fault. We were just kids. And I've made it out of Underhill now..." she tried to reassure him. All she wanted to do was cross the distance between them and pull him into a hug, but she knew instinctively that he wouldn't appreciate it.

"I know. I just wish I could have done more to help you. Or at least let them take me over you! They should have taken me!" He sounded so frustrated and helpless and she knew he'd been chewing himself out over it for centuries. He was a prince and a warrior. It was his job to defend those in his care.

"No, Loki," she had a slight hesitation over using his name, but customs were different here and she'd seen how he didn't care for nicknames. This conversation needed his real name. "You would have fared worse there than I did, and I would not have wished that on anyone,"

"What exactly happened to you in Underhill?" His voice was full of heartbreak at her tone, her words, the past he was gleaning that she'd had.

"A lot of awful things. The fae are not kind to those who aren't fae. It's only possible to gain power there by having powerful friends or being strong enough or beautiful enough to gain power other ways. So even though I was part of the seelie court, it wasn't safe. I told you that no one goes by their real names, everyone has monickers. Mine was 'mongrel'. So believe me when I say that you would have fared worse, Prince," she told him. His title also counted as a nickname in her book and wouldn't offend him. She wasn't saying it out of cruelty, but to emphasize the seriousness of the conversation.

His expression still looked haunted, but he nodded, forced to accept her words. "My brother and I, along with this team, will do all we can to keep you safe. You have my word, Sigyn," he told her firmly. He sounded determined to keep her safe this time. He wouldn't lose his best friend again.

Sigyn gave him a small, warm smile. "I'm not exactly helpless," she reminded him as her smile turned to a smirk that so very mirrored his usual one.

He grinned back at her, feeling like old times and familiar footing. "I'm aware. You were trained by my mother. It would be an insult to her if I said she did not have the power to defend herself, or train others to do so,"

Sigyn giggled. It was a sound she hadn't heard herself make in centuries and was wonderful and melodic. Loki relaxed at the sight and sound of a happy Sigyn. "And no one would dare insult Mama Frigga," she agreed, her old form of address for the Queen of Asgard falling off her tongue automatically and it sounded perfect and like it was still correct.

His smile widened to a true smile, a smile she remembered on a much younger Loki. "Very true," he agreed warmly and she recognized the expression he wore when he thought of his beloved Mama. "Very true indeed,"