Sif's cheeks had flushed a deep red when the princes' toasted her, feeling unaccountably awkward at having such attention dropped on her at Thor's side, though she hid it behind a blank expression and a cool smile. At her side, her father seemed to puff with pleasure at this and it made her want to kick him, but she restrained herself, taking this for the boon it was. She caught Loki's gaze for one brief moment when he sat, but he spent the rest of the night studiously avoiding looking at her again.
Luckily, Thor at her side maintained an avid conversation, both with her and their fathers, although she slipped more and more into silence as the evening progressed, a small frown marring her brow as she watched Loki with increasing concern. When he excused himself early, it took all her will not to go after him, but she bided her time instead, especially when the Queen and none of the others seemed to notice anything amiss.
The rest of dinner was torture, but she survived it. There was no chance to slip away from her parents afterwards, and her father's firm hand on her shoulder as he steered her out left no room for discussion. She suspected she was in for it the moment they returned home but somehow her luck held and her mother stepped in, interfering long enough for Sif to flee to her room once more.
She feigned sleep when her mother came to check on her, and from there it was only a tense impatient wait for the household to settle into sleep. On silent feet, she scrambled from her bed and dressed in her training clothes once more, dark leggings and simple tunic. She'd snuck in and out of the palace for years now, ever since she'd befriended the princes. Her fingers absently touched the ends of her hair with a crooked smile. She wouldn't need to worry about this giving her away this night.
Then it was a simple task of scuttling down the tree outside her window, creeping her through the long shadows back to the palace and slipping once more along the back corridors where no one wandered at this late hour.
She didn't bother knocking at Loki's door, slipping inside on silent feet. There were still lamps lit, although they were dim, just enough to illuminate her way and show his form on the bed.
"Loki?" she called out to him softly, her voice a whisper. Had he already fallen asleep?
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Luckily, Thor at her side maintained an avid conversation, both with her and their fathers, although she slipped more and more into silence as the evening progressed, a small frown marring her brow as she watched Loki with increasing concern. When he excused himself early, it took all her will not to go after him, but she bided her time instead, especially when the Queen and none of the others seemed to notice anything amiss.
The rest of dinner was torture, but she survived it. There was no chance to slip away from her parents afterwards, and her father's firm hand on her shoulder as he steered her out left no room for discussion. She suspected she was in for it the moment they returned home but somehow her luck held and her mother stepped in, interfering long enough for Sif to flee to her room once more.
She feigned sleep when her mother came to check on her, and from there it was only a tense impatient wait for the household to settle into sleep. On silent feet, she scrambled from her bed and dressed in her training clothes once more, dark leggings and simple tunic. She'd snuck in and out of the palace for years now, ever since she'd befriended the princes. Her fingers absently touched the ends of her hair with a crooked smile. She wouldn't need to worry about this giving her away this night.
Then it was a simple task of scuttling down the tree outside her window, creeping her through the long shadows back to the palace and slipping once more along the back corridors where no one wandered at this late hour.
She didn't bother knocking at Loki's door, slipping inside on silent feet. There were still lamps lit, although they were dim, just enough to illuminate her way and show his form on the bed.
"Loki?" she called out to him softly, her voice a whisper. Had he already fallen asleep?