Loyalty and Mischief (WIP)

Chapter 12 - Things are not what they appear, but what is real will be revealed

The Queen had been inexplicably absent that week. She did not leave her private rooms for mealtimes, nor did she sit with Odin during audiences or walk in her garden. Neither the Allfather and Thor seemed concerned by Frigga's absence, despite commenting on it once or twice, but Loki did not share their sentiment. 
The Prince found his mother's behaviour odd and worried for her. He tried several times to see her, but Frigga sealed her doors well, and eventually, he asked for Sigyn's help. When Loki stepped out of the mirror, he found his mother seated at her writing table. The desk lay covered with books, scrolls and documents, much like his own sometimes was (most of the time, really). Was it some new magic she was attempting? A spell she was creating? What could it possibly be that she had to shut herself away from her family? From him?

"Hello, Loki." Frigga greeted him without looking up from her work.

"Mother," Loki approached cautiously, "are you well? We have not seen you all week. What are you doing?"

"Oh, this and that." She glanced up through her lashes. "You aren't an illusion, so I'm assuming Sigyn helped you in my chamber?"

Loki stiffened, but gradually relaxed when he recalled the Queen already knew about Sigyn's mirror-scaping. He exhaled, hoping his mother hadn't caught his brief anxiety, and said, "We're concerned for you."

Frigga finally looked up from her work with a smile. "You needn't worry. But you have my thanks. I appreciate you and Sigyn... came together for my sake."

Something about the way she said that made Loki's heart stop. He tried to come up with something to say, but nothing decent came out. Frigga sat back in her seat, beckoning for Loki to sit in the chair opposite her, and asked, "How is she?"

His mother was the only one Loki ever confided in, but not even she knew all his secrets. Not because he feared her reaction was she to learn of his inclinations or of some things he'd done to gain Odin's favour, but because he simply didn't trust her. She was, after all, the one who taught him everything he knew about magic, illusions, deception, and mischief. Her evasiveness about her absence and that subtle hint about him and Sigyn made Loki believe Frigga had a more prominent hand in the game they were apparently playing. Perhaps best to start with a secret they both shared already and go on from there.

"Her magic has improved considerably," he said, registering his mother's reactions. "Conjuring proved no difficulty. She can maintain a concrete illusion for almost two hours, after which they become intangible."

"And what of her natural abilities? Has she learned control over those yet?"

"She has an anchor to help her focus, and there have been no outbursts since..."

Frigga raised her brow at his hesitance. "Since?"

"Since last time," finished Loki diplomatically.

The Queen tilted her head slightly, eyes never leaving Loki's face. The longer her gaze lingered, the more his unease grew. Then a smirk appeared on Frigga's lips.

"You know, I never believed Sigyn was taken to Svartalfheim by Dark Elves," she said. "The only thing I couldn't quite figure out back then was where she would run. From what I observed when I first met with them, her family seemed out of the question, and the mirror-world gives Sigyn access to all Nine Realms. She could have gone anywhere. Yet she preferred to go somewhere she knew. Perhaps to someone she knew?"

Loki swallowed at the suggestion. He dug his nails into his knee, and sweaty palms pushing against his pants. But the insistence in his mother's gaze — even more potent than back when she'd forced him to confess he turned Thor into a frog — dragged the words from his mouth.