Frigga waited impatiently and gracefully by the platform as Heimdall was zoned out, focused on opening the portal. The blue and white tunnel of spiraling light gave way to a rainbow of colors as the traveler neared. Then came a black boot, followed by black leather pants with gold on the sides. They became hidden beneath the green and brown trimmed black coat, and finally, Loki stepped completely through the portal and it closed behind him.

The queen paced towards him and quickly caught her son in a tight embrace.

"Oh Loki! You have been separated from me longer than I from you. Do not punish your mother so, again."

"Forgive me, mother. Truly, though I have desperately missed you, I needed the reclusion."

Frigga clasped her hands over his.
"But Heimdall tells me you weren't alone long?" She edged her brow up, pestering him to explain.

Loki looked to the floor and chuckled an embarrassed, boyish laugh.
"Nor have I returned alone, mother." He released his hands from his mother's and walked over to the observing platform. He stopped, apparently random, but Frigga finally noticed the thin, filmy presence, wavering like a cloak in the wind. And a cloak it was indeed. Loki motioned his hands to remove the hood, and from beneath it appeared the disembodied head of a girl. A pretty girl, brown hair that was tightly made into a braid fell over her shoulder, and her gray eyes and perfect tan skin made Frigga question if the girl indeed was from Midgard.

The girl quickly shrugged off the invisible cloak no doubt Loki had given her. Beneath it she wore a purple and white ombré high low dress that thinned as it descended her body, just hinting at her thin legs, standing on feet covered in white wedges.

"Mother if I may introduce to you, Sigyn of Norway." Loki held her fingers in one hand and lead her closer to his mother. His love interest curtseyed in front of the Queen.

"It is nice to finally meet you. To, actually, meet you, I suppose." Sigyn said as she straightened.

"You must believe I am more honored and delighted to see you, lady Sigyn. It isn't often my son courts." She tilted her head to the boy and he shot her an almost death glare, begging her to not embarrass him.

"You are so elegant and beautiful. Your depictions in art and books do you no justice."
"I should suppose not! I find no elegance in being obese and naked!"

Sigyn stifled a chuckle.

"And you yourself I see are quite a beauty!"
"Thank you, my queen." Sigyn curtseyed a short curtsey.

Frigga quickly realized they had just been standing in the stargate and hurried her guests to her home.

"Well I certainly shan't keep you all standing here! Let us ride back to the palace. Everyone will be surprised."

As the queen rushed out, her earthly guest stuttered a bit, and Loki noticed her nervousness. He smiled down at her and offered her his arm, which she quickly slid her hand onto.

"Everything alright?" Frigga asked when she had turned and noticed her guest's unease.

"Sigyn unfortunately doesn't have happy recollections of being in castles."
Loki told his mother, and gestured for her to not poke the matter further.

"I see. I suppose we can take you to meet Jane first, she happens to be from Midgard as well. I must warn you, her children will jump you without indication."

"Oh that's all right, I adore children. I have a better history with children than I do with people my age, I suppose."

"And I'm sure it's no fault of your own. But you must tell me, how you met my troubling son?"

"Well, he literally crash landed from the sky. Then he, having just gotten out of the crater, started a bar fight. And I ended up taking him home."

"You didn't judge?"

"I've been through life's rollercoaster myself, so I'm usually the last person to judge."

"I see."

"That doesn't mean he never made me regret housing him."

They both laughed.

"Ah, but I have made up for it. Had it not been for me, Sigyn wouldn't be here."

"Loki!"

"No, it's true. If he hadn't come back, I would have bled to death."

"I'm glad to hear my son's started again to help people that aren't him. Here's to hoping it stays that way."

"I'm here to ensure it." Sigyn looked up sideways at Loki

"Grandma! You're back!"

A little blonde girl in a little, updated medieval dress ran up out of the bushes towards her grandmother.

Frigga swooped her up as quickly and easily as if she had been a baby. The queen placed a kiss on the girl's head before she talked.

"Grandma, I made tea! And mommy made cookies! But now everything is cold. Maybe you can-" she stopped mid sentence as her eyes fell on the visitor in the purple dress.

She jumped from her grandma's hug and went towards Sigyn.

"Wow! Are you a princess? Would you like to come to my garden castle?" Without waiting for an answer, the little blonde girl took Sigyn's hand and began dragging her towards the garden. She would have been successful too, if Loki hadn't apparated in front of them and scooped his niece up in the air.

"Tori, love. Where are your manners? You didn't even exchange introductions with her." Loki reprimanded her as he tickled her sides.

After a fit of giggles, Tori placed her hands on her uncle's shoulders and with an 'oh', looked at his friend.

"Torin, this is my friend, Sigyn." Loki introduced as he let the girl slip from his arms.

"You're pretty. Are you Loki's girlfriend?" Tori boldly asked and both Loki and Frigga exchanged glances.

"I don't know about that, but I think you're definitely Loki's niece." Sigyn laughed.

"Yuhun! Wanna see my garden? Loki and me made it."

"I would love to see your castle! Lead the way." Sigyn offered Tori her hand and the little girl gave quite the strong grip and took off running for her little castle.

Loki and Frigga walked slowly behind, their hands clasped behind their backs. If it weren't for the physical appearances, Loki would definitely have been Frigga's son.

"I'm not so sure about you, but I think everyone will like her."

"Thank you, for that vote of confidence, mother."

"Your sarcasm wasn't missed, but it's wonderful to hear you call me mother again."

"Oh you know I've had nothing against you, mother. Neither did you lie to me, nor did you-"

"Loki!"

"Mommy look! I made a new friend!"
Tori's mother, who had been hidden from view behind some flower bushes, swiftly rose to greet the new guest.

"Okay! Well, hello. I'm Tori's mother, Jane." She extended her hand.
"Nice to meet you. Sigyn." The newer human introduced herself.
"Oh, you're from Asgard?" Jane asked, given Sigyn's heavy name.
"No! I'm from Earth too! Norway." Sigyn laughed.
"Virginia, America." Jane replied as she cleaned up Tori's mess.

"Mom, Sigyn is Loki's girlfriend!" Tori announced out loud, and Sigyn noticed the stiffness in Jane when his name was said.

And right on cue, the devil walked up, Frigga right behind him.

"Loki." Jane nodded her head in a cold greet.
"Jane. I see you've met Sigyn." Loki waived his hand towards the lady in purple.

"Tori tells me she's your girlfriend. I'm surprised you haven't made an attempt to kill her."
"Not to worry. I've seen his hostility. Although it wasn't as bad as he was in New York or Germany." Sigyn teased.

"And here's to hoping he stays this way for the better." Jane laughed, but was apparently reprimanded by a baby's wail. The mother sighed.

"Well, duty calls. Welcome to Asgard, Sigyn." Jane hugged Sigyn and started ahead to the palace.
"Come on Tori, let's go bath time." Jane called behind her.

"But I don't wanna! Daddy's not here yet even." Tori whined as she raced after her mom.

"Daddy will be back before dinner. But you have homework to do till then."

"Can I sit with Sigyn at the table?"
Tori said looking hopefully at her new friend.

"If she comes, you may. And Loki, Thor and Odin are gone for tours. They'll be back tonight. Try to," she glanced at Sigyn who was walking closer to Loki, "behave."

"Yes, mother," Loki retorted as he raised his brows at his niece, who laughed.

As Jane and Tori walked away, Loki took a deep breath and his color faded. Sigyn grabbed his hand, rubbing his arm with her other as Frigga came up and placed an assuring hand on her son's shoulder.

"Ah, the inevitable confrontation."