Love, Magic and Lies (COMPLETE)

Chapter Two; The Dream

Sif could scarcely remember how she'd made it back to her chambers in the palace that night. It was all a blur. Her head ached and spun, making any coherent though impossible for her.

Collapsing onto her bed, she even lacked the strength to remove her clothing.
No sooner had she rested her pounding head, when she fell into a deep sleep that she did not wake from until almost 24 hours later.

And as she slept she dreamed. The dream was vivid and real, because it was no ordinary dream. It was in fact not actually a dream at all, but memories. Memories that Sif had long since forgotten, buried deep within her mind.
Like the other Gods and Goddesses of Asgard, her life had already spanned many centuries. Though her physical form was that of a woman in her early thirties, by mortal standards, memories from when she was still a young girl were far back in the mists of time. Yet in the dream here she was again, on the verge of womanhood, about to leave her teen years behind her..

The warm sunlight in the palace gardens caressed her skin as she wandered along the pathway. Her fingers reaching out to brush against the colourful flowers as she walked by. The sound of birds singing high up in the trees filled her ears and a soft breeze tousled her golden hair.
Then she saw him. Lounging lazily on the grass, his head propped up by his elbow, a pile of books beside him.

Just at that moment he looked up, suddenly aware of her presence,
"Good day to you my Lady"
He said politely, smiling the most heart warming of smiles, genuine and pleasant.

Sif approached him, not returning the smile,
"So you still prefer to shun sparring practice in favour of your old texts Loki?"
Her question was clearly more of a statement.

Loki, the smile never leaving his young face, closed the book he was reading and sat up,
"Do not mistake my absence for ignorance Sif. My beliefs are that a strong mind is as equally important as a strong body, would you not agree?"

Sif glanced pointedly at his long, gangly legs stretched out before him and his narrow frame,
"So, what you lack in body strength you hope to gain more in the way of knowledge?"

Loki's usually pale cheeks coloured slightly at this,
"I have not yet finished growing, however the mind never ceases to."
He replied quietly.

His keen eyes observed her with interest, as without ceremony,  she flopped down heavily beside him. Her  face wore a grim expression.

"Am I wrong to presume my brother is responsible for putting you in this glum mood?"
He ventured knowingly.

Sif visibly bristled, she hated being predictable. She should not be so transparent and easy to read.
"He appears to have lost all interest in me Loki...."
She admitted sadly, without thinking,
"Your father has stated that we are to be married once we come of age fully, yet Thor does not seem to care for me anymore."

Loki appeared fidgety at her speaking to him so openly. He hesitated a while, not knowing what to say.
"Ahh, well...I suppose you cannot expect he would be overjoyed at the prospect of marriage with him being so young."

Sif frowned,
"He is older than yourself Loki, and I for that matter...and besides, our marriage will not yet be for many years."

Loki lay back onto the grass idly, his arms behind his head, narrowed eyes firmly fixed on the sky,
"That may be so, but you know Thor as do I. He does not always think clearly, he wishes to prove himself first as a capable warrior, so his mind is distracted by thoughts of war at present...not love."
He looked up at Sif and seemed surprised to find she was smiling at him now,
"What amuses you so?"
He demanded somewhat self consciously.

"You do Loki"
She was giggling now,
"It seems no one knows Thor quite as well as you do."

Loki shrugged and closed his eyes against the glare of the sunlight,
"That may be so, he is my brother after all."