Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 18 - A New Caretaker

Sif did not know what to expect from the young children of House Frostborn. She guessed that she should anticipate something similar to Loki when he was a child: nervous energy, troublemaker, and yet anxious to please. Loki would cause mischief and then turn around and demonstrate the new magic he had used to pull it off. It had been annoyingly endearing. At least to her. Frigga had still doted on him in order to make up for the neglect of Odin. However, it seemed like neither children were starved for affection, and their individual skills were praised in equal part. So, she was not quite sure why she was terrified as she stood before the door that led to the Frostborn suite of chambers within in the palace. She raised her hand to knock when the door opened and Sansa was standing there. "Ah! Lady Sif! A pleasure, I am sure," Sansa said with a smile on her face. And, it did not seem evil. It was genuine.

"Lady Frostborn, I have come to offer my services to the overwrought Ser Clegane," Sif said and Sansa nodded.

"He will probably accept your offer gladly. And when I say 'gladly' I mean 'with a growl and a surly nod'," Sansa explained as she allowed Sif to enter. The Asgardian smiled slightly before she studied the lady of House Frostborn. She was clearly fit in combat, with the agility and cunning that put in her Loki's league. Her skill with the rapier rivaled Fandral and Sif could sense something else about her. She had been untouched by the smoke when it took over the dais. Loki had been too, but his magic was an easy explanation for that. "Please forgive me for my behavior earlier, Lady Sif," Sansa suddenly said and Sif glanced at her. "I was thinking about what my husband has told me of your encounters and relationship in the past. It clouded my judgement," Sansa told her. Sif bit her lip, knowing that Loki would not have showered her with glowing praise.

"And I allowed your current relationship with him to blind me. Forgive me as well, Lady Frostborn," Sif said and Sansa smiled.

"Of course. I must admit, Lady Sif, it would be nice to have you as a companion during this crisis," Sansa said and Sif raised her eyebrow. "I have no one I can really call a warrior friend. Daenerys led her armies from the back of a dragon. Arya (although she is loath to confess it) did not actively participate in the war. I was, if I do say so myself, rather instrumental," Sansa told the Asgardian as they approached childish laughter.

"Instrumental?" Sif queried as they rounded a corner and caught sight of Sandor Clegane wrestling with Rhaenar and Ragna on the floor.

"I saved Loki's life when he was injured. His mother, Frigga, guided me through it. She still talks to me sometimes," Sansa said wistfully. Sif felt her heartstrings get pulled at this. The beloved Queen of Asgard and Mother of Thor spoke to the wife of Loki. The entire realm still missed her. "If I hadn't saved him, the war probably would not have been won. And, I wouldn't be blessed with his love and two beautiful children," Sansa said as she sat on a step and sighed. Sif joined her and watched as Sandor interacted with them. Ragna was attempting to put him into a choke hold, but her limbs were still too short to wrap around his neck. Rhaenar was having a little more success in using his magic to pinion the knight's arms and legs with vines. Sandor dispelled the vines by distracting Rhaenar. He tossed Ragna into her brother.

"Ouch! Sandor!" Rhaenar whined as he pushed Ragna off of him. She glared at her brother before turning on Sandor. She did a running jump and kicked the big man in the stomach. Sandor was knocked back a pace or two. Sif gasped while Sansa laughed.

"This is for fun!" Sandor reminded his young charge.

"It's fun for Rhaenar. It's training for me," Ragna stated and she swung her arm, chopping at Sandor's knee.

"How could she do that? He's a giant of a man!" Sif whispered to Sansa.

"She's half Jotun, and her father's daughter. Loki is a god, is he not?" Sansa pointed out. Sif had to agree with her on that. "My daughter possesses some kind of power, and we don't know what it is yet. Frigga explained to me that we have all have the potential for magic, but only some of us actually discover it. We have auras that give off a color and that denotes our magic. Loki's aura is green: a thirst for knowledge and growth. That's why he always played tricks as a child. He was learning," Sansa enlightened. Sif did not know about that, but then, she did not believe that Sansa would lie about anything that Frigga told her. "Rhaenar possesses a green aura as well, so he will be just like his father. I have no doubt," Sansa said.

"And what about Ragna?" Sif queried. Sansa tilted her head as she eyed her daughter. Over the years, she had tried to find her daughter's aura again and again, and she always came up empty.

"I do not know the answer to that. She has unique aspects about her that make her different from other children. Loki said she is starting to exhibit signs of having hyperthymesia, which is a memory condition. She will remember anyone she's ever met in her entire life, from the littlest detail. She remembers what she's read down to the finest facets. She even surprised us one day by picking up her father's spear and knowing exactly how to use it. Ragna is a gifted child, despite her lack of obvious powers. Neither I nor Loki hold it against her. She's our little girl, and that's all that matters," Sansa answered. Sif nodded, curious about their policy. In Asgard, girls were always second to boys, but it would seem that Loki and Sansa were taking a more liberal view. Just because Rhaenar was a boy and the heir of the house, that did not give him a position of power over Ragna because she was a girl. She was not being limited and was allowed to train and fight.

"Mother?" asked a voice and both women glanced up. Both Rhaenar and Ragna were raising their eyebrows at the two women. "Why is the female Asgardian here?" Rhaenar queried.

"Because she is going to help Sandor Clegane take care of you. While this threat lasts, I don't want to take any chances with the lives of my children," Sansa responded. Both Rhaenar and Ragna rolled their eyes.

"You're assuming that we can't take care of ourselves should a threat arise," Ragna commented and Sif choked. Sansa grinned.

"I'm not taking a chance. You are my beloved children, and if anything happened to you, I would never forgive myself," Sansa whispered as she stood up and looked at them. Rhaenar made a 'pfft' sound and Ragna gave her a serious frown (for a six-year-old).

"You and Father have the nasty habit of underestimating your own offspring. I'm sure if you simply allowed us to team up, we could handle anything," Ragna stated firmly.

"Oh, like the Great Kitchen Raid?" Sansa asked and both children grinned.

"Do I want to know?" Sif asked Sandor Clegane and the Hound snorted.

"They had their minds set on the roast that we were to eat that evening at the familial feast. It is a private dinner for the royal family and the Frostborns, along with Robb and Jon Stark if they are visiting. They did a two-pronged attack, as Loki put it: Rhaenar distracted the cooks with a magic show, and Ragna snuck into the kitchens via a refuse chute, shimmied up it like a little monkey. She stole the meat and her and Rhaenar were in the middle of eating it when Ser Loki, Lady Sansa, and I walked in on them. Needless to say, they were in trouble, and missed out on dessert that evening," Sandor answered and Sif snickered. It reminded her of when Thor and Loki were doing things like that when they were children. However, Loki seemed to encourage it to a certain degree, unlike Odin, who punished it with finality. Loki and Thor had always been given the switch and sent to bed without any food whatsoever.

"You think too much. I can feel it," Rhaenar suddenly piped up and Sif frowned.

"I thought you would like that. Your father is all about thinking," Sif countered.

"He's all about people thinking who can," Rhaenar said.

"Rhaenar! Apologize to Lady Sif! She's already had her brow beaten by me; she doesn't need you to add to it!" Sansa scolded, sounding genuinely angry. Sif opened and closed her mouth, contemplating what had just been said by both Rhaenar and Sansa.

"She must prove herself to us, Mother," Rhaenar said and Ragna stood by his side. "Isn't that what Father believes in? Proof of loyalty."