Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 14 - Frostborn Against Sylvansdottir

Sansa knew she would have to interact with Sif at some point or other. The Asgardian warrior was going to be helping them do battle with the demon, Surtur, and she was going to join them. She was not about to let Outlanders save her world and not take part in that. And, if she was to trust them to have her back in combat, she had to get to know them. That (unfortunately) meant that she would have to fight with them. Sansa had sent her maid, a lovely girl named Shae, to inform Sif that she desired her to join the Lady Frostborn for little party. "She refused, my lady," Shae said to Sansa when she returned. Sansa was sitting at her vanity, braiding her hair intricately. She paused for two seconds as she contemplated this before she finished what she was doing.

"What did you say, Shae?" Sansa asked as she stood up and held out her arms. Shae grabbed an outer dress, put it on her mistress, and cinched it in the front.

"I told her that you would not take kindly to the rejection of so kind an offer," the maid answered.

"And her retort?"

"That she does not scrape for empty-headed petticoats," Shae mumbled quietly, clearly hoping Sansa would not catch the insulting words. Sansa snickered as she strapped the dagger to her thigh.

Empty-headed petticoat, huh? Sansa thought to herself as she allowed Shae to twist her braid on top of her head. "She clearly has not heard the stories of my intervention during the war," Sansa said as she lightly brushed her cheeks with a hint of rouge. "Shae?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"If Lady Sif will not meet me for a small party, then trick her into the arena. Use that prince of hers as a draw. She's a damsel for him, even if she doesn't want to admit it," Sansa informed her maid. She turned around and walked to where her rapier was mounted on the wall. Sansa pulled it down, unsheathed it, and flexed the Valerian steel. She swung it a couple of times and listened to it sing. "Oh! My beauty! You are only ever put to good use."

Sif wondered why Thor wanted to practice with her in the training yards. She thought that he had said he was going to study up on the history of Westeros in the Great Library. Loki, Daenerys, and Tyrion had worked hard to restore the great building and had even opened it to the public. The common man was allowed to learn, but he had to treat the texts and books with great respect. Any disrespect was treated with quick punishment: banishment from the library. So... what had made him change his mind? Sif cautiously entered the round, sandy training ground. Benches were lined against one wall, and there were shaded porticos where nobles could observe those training. "Hello? Thor?" Sif called. No answering call in return. Sif had to thank her centuries of warrior training in order to duck the knife that came flying down from overhead. She watched as the knife was embedded in a pillar a few feet away from her and she spun around, her sword in her hand. Unfortunately, there was no one behind her at all. "Come out! Or are Westerosi cowards?"

"It would be very unwise of you to insult us. We're very proud and territorial. But then... I think we can make the same assumption about Asgardians," a voice said and Sif narrowed her eyes.

"I guess I should have known that serpents only mix with other serpents," Sif commented. Sansa, from her vantage point behind a dragon statue, smirked as she admired her rapier.

"Did you know that I was a lamb when he met me? But, he made me into a wolf." Sif turned and around and had to draw her weapon to block Sansa's as the former Stark did a jump from overhead. Their weapons clashed and the Asgardian was surprised when the Westerosi's blade did not shatter. "Like it? It's made of Valerian steel."

"I don't care what it's made of. I'm still going to defeat you!" Sif declared. Sansa just grinned and her tongue flicked out and touched the blade of her sword. She's definitely been with Loki for too long, Sif thought to herself. They parried each other, equally playing both the offensive and defensive. Sif found herself seeing some Asgardian moves and figured that Loki had been her instructor in swordplay. Sansa brought her back by slashing out and taking strands of hair. Sif blocked her next attempted strike and aimed to punch her in the face. Sansa twisted out of her clutches and climbed up her back. She wrapped her legs around Sif's neck and brought them both down to the ground. A small knife was placed over Sif's neck, pressing firmly against her pulse point.

"Stop!" called Thor as he suddenly appeared, running towards them. Sansa looked up and grinned at Thor. She rolled off the Asgardian and stood up in one smooth motion. Thor went to Sif and helped her to her feet.

"That was for so rudely refusing my invitation for a quiet party. Despite what you might think, not all of us are empty-headed petticoats," Sansa said as she sheathed her blade.

"Were you trying to kill her?" Thor asked indignantly. Sif wanted to speak for herself, but Thor was monopolizing the conversation.

"Kill her? No! Why would I kill one of the people who is supposed to aid us in defeating Surtur? Rough her up...? Maybe...?" Sansa admitted.

"All because I refused to come and gossip with you?" Sif challenged.

"Gossip? My dear, do I look like the type of person who enjoys 'gossip'?" Sansa queried as she unlaced the straps of her vambraces.

"I wouldn't know," Sif countered.

"Exactly!" Sansa pointed out before Loki suddenly appeared from behind a pillar a few feet away from her.
"My dear. I heard from Shae that you were engaging Lady Sif here in the training grounds. Did I miss the fun?" Loki asked as he sidled up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, darling. I had her on the ropes," Sansa said with a wide grin. Loki looked disappointed before he nibbled on her ear.

"Ragna!" somebody shouted and both Loki and Sansa rolled their eyes. Arya appeared a second later, her arms swinging at her sides and her cheeks ruddy. "Have you seen your daughter?" Arya asked.

"I thought she was supposed to be training with you?" Sansa reminded and her younger sister shrugged her shoulders.

"I lost her."

"Well, that much is clear," Loki commented as his green eyes flashed around. They narrowed after a second and he simply said, "Move." All three of them split and Ragna landed on the ground where they had been standing a second ago. Her head snapped up and her eyes flicked from right to left.

"You could sense me," she said. Loki was standing behind his daughter and he nodded his head.

"Yes, little one. I sensed you. You have my blood, and I'll always be able to sense you," Loki answered. Ragna glared at him over her shoulder, several locks of her red hair falling into her face.

"Well, that's inconvenient," Ragna remarked. She grinned and suddenly turned on Loki. The god was rather surprised that his daughter was trying to take him down. She was only six. But, Ragna's apparent lack of abilities made her ambitious and driven to prove herself. She did not need to. Loki blocked her jab and pushed her back. Ragna fell into Sansa's arms, but she immediately turned around and grabbed hold of her ear.

"Ouch! I'm your mother!" Sansa hissed as she disengaged Ragna's fingers from her lobe. Ragna stuck her tongue out at her and Sansa let out a long sigh. "Did you leave Rhaenar with Sandor?" Arya glared at Ragna for a second before her eyes flicked back to her sister.

"I certainly wasn't about to take the both of them on!" Arya said with an air of incredulity.

"What do you think I did when I was pregnant with them?!" Sansa snapped back. Ragna covered her ears before she leaned over and held out her arms to Loki.

Loki took her and whispered in her ear, "She kind of had no choice." Ragna smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck. That was when they all remembered that the Asgardians were there. Both Thor and Sif looked rather hurt that they had been forgotten in the first place. "Sorry. Ragna can be such a show snatcher," Loki said as he pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek. Sansa walked up to Sif and the two women looked each other in the eyes.

"Next time I invite you for a little meet and greet, accept it. You might learn something," Sansa informed the Asgardian. Sif felt like she was outside her body when she nodded her head in affirmation. Sansa smiled and that was when they walked away. Sif shook her head and glanced at Thor.

"What just happened?" she asked. Hidden from view in the vines that bordered the training arena, Rhaenar Frostborn's eyes stopped glowing green and went back to being sapphire blue. He smirked.

"Rhaenar!"