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Fic: Hamartia 4/? (Sif/Loki)
After their lunch and retrieving Sif’s new gown, the pair of them split ways, Sif going to stow her new dress in her travelling bag and Loki returning to the palace to be certain everything was in order for his absence. There was really no way of knowing how long he would be gone. A few days was the minimum, but the last time his father had gone to Alfheim, he had stayed for two weeks. Loki carefully rearranged his scheduled meetings, made certain the stable master would slip his horse an extra lump or two of sugar, put warding spells on his chambers to keep them safe from intrusion, and teleported himself to the edge of the Bifrost. Sif was waiting for him already, her armor sparkling in the glow from the rainbow bridge. Her posture was at attention, but he caught the slightest hint of nervousness in the furrowing of her brows.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I’ve been ready for half an hour,” she said, giving him an exasperated glare.
He shrugged, then began the long walk across the bridge, Sif following two paces behind him and slightly to his left, the usual spot for a bodyguard. They were on full display here, visible to all of Asgard, so appearances had to be kept according to tradition. Still, he would have rather walked beside her. He felt eerily alone surrounded by the stars and the void, Sif out of his range of vision. It was as though he had lost her. He lifted his right hand to his throat, allowing his fingers to glide gently over the necklace that hung there, the coolness of the stone reassuring him and reminding him of the happy day she had given it to him so long ago. Snorting quietly at the folly of his worries, and he let the moment of foreboding pass.
Heimdall soon came into view under the golden dome of the Bifrost, and then they took up their places.
“Farewell, my prince and my sister,” he said, his gaze as unreadable as ever. “May Asgard reap the benefits of your endeavor.”
Loki nodded, and then the sword was lowered, the lights began to whirl, and they were rocketing across the universe at unimaginable speed. No matter how many times he did this, it never ceased to make him tingle with anticipation. He looked over his shoulder and found a similar expression on Sif’s face, excitement and wonder, making him grin.
And then, they were there.
Alfheim was beautiful in a completely different way than Asgard. While the Golden Realm lived up to its name, Alfheim instead had the soft, green-blue hue of sunlight filtered through the leaves of a deep forest. It was well past midday on this world, the birds singing joyfully in spite of the Bifrost’s loud interruption. Loki felt rather than saw Sif behind him, and in a moment, their hosts stepped forward to greet them: three men and three women.
“Welcome to Alfheim, Prince Loki,” the first woman, the queen, said. “We are very pleased to have the honor of your presence.”
“And I am honored at your invitation,” he said, grasping her hand firmly in the traditional gesture.
“You have traveled far and swiftly, and I am sure you must be anxious to rest,” she said.
“Not at all,” Loki said. “I am refreshed and ready to wait upon your wishes.”
The queen smiled politely and said, “If that is the case, then let us retire to the palace and begin our work in earnest before tonight’s meal.”
“Splendid,” Loki replied.
The queen nodded to two of the men, one of whom stepped forward and offered to take Sif’s bag while the other looked perplexed over Loki’s lack of any luggage.
“Did you not bring a bag?” the queen asked.
“I did,” Loki replied, making a graceful gesture in the open air and suddenly grasping his traveling bag. “The Bifrost tends to play havoc with such things.”
He handed the bag to one man, while Sif, who had been told to expect this as part of protocol, did the same with her own. Loki noticed that she kept one hand on her sword, though, obviously drawing the line at parting with it. The queen noticed as well.
“I am pleased your mother conveyed my request about your guard,” she said. “Since the fall of the Valkyries, the armies of Asgard have been composed only of men, and I do tend to find they are a bit too emotional for such responsibilities.”
“Indeed,” Loki agreed at once, managing not to react beyond that. He was certain that behind Sif’s professionally blank expression, she was stunned. She might also be planning to move to Alfheim permanently.
They were led through the palace, a remarkably beautiful pink and green building shaped like a lotus blossom, and into a conference room with a glass table that rested upon a koi pond built into the floor, the light radiating in soft waves along the walls. Loki was very pleased to find the queen was fully prepared to discuss the trade agreements. Her requests were entirely reasonable, and Asgard was assured a fair and sizeable profit, as were the citizens of Alfheim. In less than two hours, just as the sun was dipping to the horizon, they had concluded almost all of their business to the full satisfaction of both sides.
“There now,” the queen said, putting her pen back into its inkpot. “We need only wait for the ink to dry, go through a few more formalities tomorrow in terms of cultural exchanges, and the matter is settled. Are you well pleased, Prince Loki?”
“Most definitely,” he said. “This has been one of the smoothest deliberations it has ever been my pleasure to attend.”
Over a century ago, he had been sent to the tiny realm of Taphon to conduct a deal that was far less important, and it had taken three months. In comparison, this had been as simple as plucking a flower.
“Then if you wish to refresh yourself, my staff will lead you to your chambers, and we will begin the feast whenever you are ready,” the queen said, rising from her seat.
Loki bowed low, and, closely followed by Sif, they were led down a corridor to a door that was only a short walk away. When the maid opened it, a lovely suite was revealed, complete with a bathing chamber and a balcony that overlooked a garden with a small waterfall and clouds of pale yellow and white flowers. One large bed took up most of one wall, and a smaller one was in the corner.
“If you have need of anything, you have only to ask at it will be gladly done,” said the maid, curtseying in the Asgardian fashion before leaving, closing the door behind her.
“That couldn’t possibly have gone any better,” Loki said, flopping down on the bed. “We might be home by tomorrow night at this rate, not that I would mind spending a bit of time here. What do you think of it?”
“It’s beautiful,” Sif said, walking over to the balcony. “And so peaceful. Frankly, I feel pointless here.”
“You could never be pointless, my love, but Alfheim is probably the safest of the Nine Realms,” he said. “Its only crime is being a bit boring, but the feast tonight will probably be lively enough.”
He glanced over at their bags, which were sitting on a table near the bath.
“So we are expected to dress for dinner?” Sif said.
“Yes, it’s assumed,” he said. “Would you care to use the bath and I’ll change here or—”
“That will be fine,” she said, flushing slightly and taking her bag in hand.
She hadn’t even gotten to the bath when a loud pounding came from the door leading to the hallway. Sif at once drew her sword and was at the door in two strides.
“Who is there?” she said, her voice sounding like a threat.
To Loki’s surprise, the queen’s urgent voice answered.
“Open the door!”
Sif glanced back to Loki, who nodded but was utterly baffled. The queen strode quickly to Loki, already shaking her head.
“I am deeply embarrassed, but we are going to have to remove you from here,” she said. “Take your bags and walk with me.”
“What’s happened?” Loki asked, throwing his bag back into its pocket dimension as Sif grabbed her own.
“There has been an attack by a rival faction from Nifelheim,” she said, leading them at a quick pace through a maze of corridors.
“Have you need of my sword?” Sif asked.
“No, it’s not that sort of attack,” the queen said. “It’s environmental. We just learned that one of their ships quietly released several hundred tons of stripe blotch spores into the atmosphere. It’s harmless to Aesir and Elves, but it’s lethal to crops, especially silver wheat and bullekh grain.”
Sif exchanged a glance with Loki. Those had been the two largest components of the trade agreement they had just reached. Silver wheat was grown on Alfheim while bullekh grain was native to Asgard.
“I am unfamiliar with this crop disease,” Loki said, still following the queen at close to a run.
“There is no reason you should be. We thought we had eliminated it three millennia ago,” she said. “If we don’t act quickly, the entire crop will be killed, prompting a famine.”
“What needs to be done?” Loki asked.
“We still have a supply of the ingredients necessary to kill the spores, but they have to be put into the atmosphere as soon as possible,” she said.
“Can we help in some way?”
“No, and I’m afraid you’re both already contaminated with the spores yourselves,” the queen said.
“Contaminated?” Sif said, her tone suggesting she was angry that this wasn’t a foe she could defeat in battle.
“It will die off on its own in about two weeks, and you should have no adverse side effects, but until it does, you cannot leave or else you risk bringing the disease back to Asgard’s crops,” she said.
“I can understand that, but why are we leaving the palace?” Loki asked.
“While the fungicide we need to use is safe for Elves, it would be toxic for the Aesir,” she explained. “We cannot begin releasing it into our atmosphere until you are safe.”
“And we can’t go home,” Loki said, following her line of thought. “Where are we being moved?”
“A small uninhabited island off the coast,” she said. “It has a protective dome around it, and we can send food, drink, and anything else you may need via decontaminated drones. I am deeply sorry about this, but I’m afraid the two of you will have to remain our guests until any spores you have picked up are dead and the fungicide clears the atmosphere. I offer you my very deepest apologies.”
By now, the three of them had exited the palace and were jogging towards a dock that jutted out into the water. A small boat, much smaller than one of the Asgardian longboats, was waiting for them. No captain was aboard.
“The boat will take you there on its own,” the queen said. “Once you reach the island, the dome will go up, protecting you. Again, I am so very sorry to show you such inhospitality. Your mother will be vexed.”
“Not at all. You had no hand in this and have done nothing but assure our safety. We will go at once so you can begin your countermeasures. I wish you good fortune and look forward to seeing you again soon when everything is calm once more,” Loki said, bowing.
“Your patience and understanding do your realm credit,” the queen said as she helped them onto the boat herself. “The journey isn’t long. If you need anything, attach a note to a drone and it will be seen to at once. Farewell.”
Loki sat down in the boat with Sif standing behind him, her hand still on her sword. The queen stepped back onto the dock, and the moment she had disembarked, the vessel shot forward with stunning speed. Loki almost felt as though he were back on the Bifrost. In only a few seconds, the soaring towers of the palace were out of sight, and a mere few heartbeats later, an island came into view on the horizon. When the boat passed an invisible marker, they heard a loud click, the air shimmered for a moment, and they knew they were inside the dome. The boat slowed down as it approached the shore and gently docked itself at a small quay.
“Well,” Loki said, turning around to look at Sif, “by this point, I really should have learned not to tempt fate. What was it I called Alfheim? ‘Boring,’ wasn’t it?”
“And safe,” Sif snorted, shaking her head.
“Two weeks stuck alone on a deserted island,” Loki said, stepping off the boat. “Boring might have been the right word to use after all. I suppose we should go exploring, though. The queen didn’t mention whether there is any shelter on this Norns forsaken rock.”
In front of them was a thick stand of trees, their dangling green and blue leaves dancing gently in a mild breeze off the water. Large pink flowers dappled their branches, giving off a pleasant, fresh scent like springtime. Sif had sheathed her sword and followed behind him, bag on her shoulder again. A path of grey and green flagstones wound from the shore into the woods, and they took it. It wound between the trees lazily, going deeper into the forest and curving around several larger trees, providing them with a series of picturesque views of meadows, forest pools, and hidden valleys studded with wildflowers. Unseen birds were nesting in the branches, calling to one another in sweetly plaintive tones. One fluttered into view and looked down at them curiously, its golden plumage glowing softly in the evening twilight of the forest.
At one point the path took a sudden turn to the right, and without warning, a charming cottage greeted them. It wasn’t a grand affair, but it had a friendly look to its delicately pink walls, yellow thatched roof, and sea-blue shutters. The path they had followed led through a garden spilling over with abundant flowers in every shade and trees laden with shimmering, ripe, golden fruits. A double door studded with green and yellow vines wrought from metal and glinting in the sunlight seemed to beckon them closer. Sif glanced at Loki.
“It’ll do,” he said with a shrug, “as long as we don’t need to pick the lock.”
“Which you could do blindfolded before you were half your current height, you reprobate” Sif said with a grin.
The door proved to be unlatched, though. Out of habit, Sif insisted on going in first to check for anything dangerous.
“Darling,” he said, “I have the distinct impression the most dangerous thing on this island is us.”
“Probably, but then for use that’s true almost anywhere,” she said, but she still entered before him.
A series of illumination panels silently lit the room. Sumptuous and comfortable furniture with gently curving lines filled a living room and a small kitchen, complete with a fireplace stocked with wood. One door on the left led to a bathroom with an open ceiling that showed the sky above. One of its walls was a rocky ledge that formed part of a hill behind the cottage, and a small waterfall flowed down it continuous into a large white marble tub. As Sif explored the different bottles and potions sitting on that bath’s edge, Loki wandered back into the kitchen. A second door to the right revealed a bedroom that had big windows overlooking a pretty beach, sparkling white sand and the green-blue sea stretching as far as could be seen, the waves gently lapping against the shore. A large bed draped in pale green velvet dominated the room. Loki’s heart sped up.
There was only one bed.
Sif joined him a moment later, seeming strangely relieved.
“Oh, good. I was wondering where you were going to sleep,” she said. “There’s a small bedroom hidden in a cavern behind the waterfall. It’s really quite cunningly concealed. I only found it because I wanted to make sure we were secure.”
There was not only one bed.
“And are we?” Loki asked, almost managing to keep the disappointment from his voice.
“It certainly seems so,” Sif said. “The kitchen is stocked with food as well, so we should be fine.”
“Good,” Loki said grumpily, turning around and leaving the damnably seductive bedroom. “I’m ravenous.”
“Ready?” he asked.
“I’ve been ready for half an hour,” she said, giving him an exasperated glare.
He shrugged, then began the long walk across the bridge, Sif following two paces behind him and slightly to his left, the usual spot for a bodyguard. They were on full display here, visible to all of Asgard, so appearances had to be kept according to tradition. Still, he would have rather walked beside her. He felt eerily alone surrounded by the stars and the void, Sif out of his range of vision. It was as though he had lost her. He lifted his right hand to his throat, allowing his fingers to glide gently over the necklace that hung there, the coolness of the stone reassuring him and reminding him of the happy day she had given it to him so long ago. Snorting quietly at the folly of his worries, and he let the moment of foreboding pass.
Heimdall soon came into view under the golden dome of the Bifrost, and then they took up their places.
“Farewell, my prince and my sister,” he said, his gaze as unreadable as ever. “May Asgard reap the benefits of your endeavor.”
Loki nodded, and then the sword was lowered, the lights began to whirl, and they were rocketing across the universe at unimaginable speed. No matter how many times he did this, it never ceased to make him tingle with anticipation. He looked over his shoulder and found a similar expression on Sif’s face, excitement and wonder, making him grin.
And then, they were there.
Alfheim was beautiful in a completely different way than Asgard. While the Golden Realm lived up to its name, Alfheim instead had the soft, green-blue hue of sunlight filtered through the leaves of a deep forest. It was well past midday on this world, the birds singing joyfully in spite of the Bifrost’s loud interruption. Loki felt rather than saw Sif behind him, and in a moment, their hosts stepped forward to greet them: three men and three women.
“Welcome to Alfheim, Prince Loki,” the first woman, the queen, said. “We are very pleased to have the honor of your presence.”
“And I am honored at your invitation,” he said, grasping her hand firmly in the traditional gesture.
“You have traveled far and swiftly, and I am sure you must be anxious to rest,” she said.
“Not at all,” Loki said. “I am refreshed and ready to wait upon your wishes.”
The queen smiled politely and said, “If that is the case, then let us retire to the palace and begin our work in earnest before tonight’s meal.”
“Splendid,” Loki replied.
The queen nodded to two of the men, one of whom stepped forward and offered to take Sif’s bag while the other looked perplexed over Loki’s lack of any luggage.
“Did you not bring a bag?” the queen asked.
“I did,” Loki replied, making a graceful gesture in the open air and suddenly grasping his traveling bag. “The Bifrost tends to play havoc with such things.”
He handed the bag to one man, while Sif, who had been told to expect this as part of protocol, did the same with her own. Loki noticed that she kept one hand on her sword, though, obviously drawing the line at parting with it. The queen noticed as well.
“I am pleased your mother conveyed my request about your guard,” she said. “Since the fall of the Valkyries, the armies of Asgard have been composed only of men, and I do tend to find they are a bit too emotional for such responsibilities.”
“Indeed,” Loki agreed at once, managing not to react beyond that. He was certain that behind Sif’s professionally blank expression, she was stunned. She might also be planning to move to Alfheim permanently.
They were led through the palace, a remarkably beautiful pink and green building shaped like a lotus blossom, and into a conference room with a glass table that rested upon a koi pond built into the floor, the light radiating in soft waves along the walls. Loki was very pleased to find the queen was fully prepared to discuss the trade agreements. Her requests were entirely reasonable, and Asgard was assured a fair and sizeable profit, as were the citizens of Alfheim. In less than two hours, just as the sun was dipping to the horizon, they had concluded almost all of their business to the full satisfaction of both sides.
“There now,” the queen said, putting her pen back into its inkpot. “We need only wait for the ink to dry, go through a few more formalities tomorrow in terms of cultural exchanges, and the matter is settled. Are you well pleased, Prince Loki?”
“Most definitely,” he said. “This has been one of the smoothest deliberations it has ever been my pleasure to attend.”
Over a century ago, he had been sent to the tiny realm of Taphon to conduct a deal that was far less important, and it had taken three months. In comparison, this had been as simple as plucking a flower.
“Then if you wish to refresh yourself, my staff will lead you to your chambers, and we will begin the feast whenever you are ready,” the queen said, rising from her seat.
Loki bowed low, and, closely followed by Sif, they were led down a corridor to a door that was only a short walk away. When the maid opened it, a lovely suite was revealed, complete with a bathing chamber and a balcony that overlooked a garden with a small waterfall and clouds of pale yellow and white flowers. One large bed took up most of one wall, and a smaller one was in the corner.
“If you have need of anything, you have only to ask at it will be gladly done,” said the maid, curtseying in the Asgardian fashion before leaving, closing the door behind her.
“That couldn’t possibly have gone any better,” Loki said, flopping down on the bed. “We might be home by tomorrow night at this rate, not that I would mind spending a bit of time here. What do you think of it?”
“It’s beautiful,” Sif said, walking over to the balcony. “And so peaceful. Frankly, I feel pointless here.”
“You could never be pointless, my love, but Alfheim is probably the safest of the Nine Realms,” he said. “Its only crime is being a bit boring, but the feast tonight will probably be lively enough.”
He glanced over at their bags, which were sitting on a table near the bath.
“So we are expected to dress for dinner?” Sif said.
“Yes, it’s assumed,” he said. “Would you care to use the bath and I’ll change here or—”
“That will be fine,” she said, flushing slightly and taking her bag in hand.
She hadn’t even gotten to the bath when a loud pounding came from the door leading to the hallway. Sif at once drew her sword and was at the door in two strides.
“Who is there?” she said, her voice sounding like a threat.
To Loki’s surprise, the queen’s urgent voice answered.
“Open the door!”
Sif glanced back to Loki, who nodded but was utterly baffled. The queen strode quickly to Loki, already shaking her head.
“I am deeply embarrassed, but we are going to have to remove you from here,” she said. “Take your bags and walk with me.”
“What’s happened?” Loki asked, throwing his bag back into its pocket dimension as Sif grabbed her own.
“There has been an attack by a rival faction from Nifelheim,” she said, leading them at a quick pace through a maze of corridors.
“Have you need of my sword?” Sif asked.
“No, it’s not that sort of attack,” the queen said. “It’s environmental. We just learned that one of their ships quietly released several hundred tons of stripe blotch spores into the atmosphere. It’s harmless to Aesir and Elves, but it’s lethal to crops, especially silver wheat and bullekh grain.”
Sif exchanged a glance with Loki. Those had been the two largest components of the trade agreement they had just reached. Silver wheat was grown on Alfheim while bullekh grain was native to Asgard.
“I am unfamiliar with this crop disease,” Loki said, still following the queen at close to a run.
“There is no reason you should be. We thought we had eliminated it three millennia ago,” she said. “If we don’t act quickly, the entire crop will be killed, prompting a famine.”
“What needs to be done?” Loki asked.
“We still have a supply of the ingredients necessary to kill the spores, but they have to be put into the atmosphere as soon as possible,” she said.
“Can we help in some way?”
“No, and I’m afraid you’re both already contaminated with the spores yourselves,” the queen said.
“Contaminated?” Sif said, her tone suggesting she was angry that this wasn’t a foe she could defeat in battle.
“It will die off on its own in about two weeks, and you should have no adverse side effects, but until it does, you cannot leave or else you risk bringing the disease back to Asgard’s crops,” she said.
“I can understand that, but why are we leaving the palace?” Loki asked.
“While the fungicide we need to use is safe for Elves, it would be toxic for the Aesir,” she explained. “We cannot begin releasing it into our atmosphere until you are safe.”
“And we can’t go home,” Loki said, following her line of thought. “Where are we being moved?”
“A small uninhabited island off the coast,” she said. “It has a protective dome around it, and we can send food, drink, and anything else you may need via decontaminated drones. I am deeply sorry about this, but I’m afraid the two of you will have to remain our guests until any spores you have picked up are dead and the fungicide clears the atmosphere. I offer you my very deepest apologies.”
By now, the three of them had exited the palace and were jogging towards a dock that jutted out into the water. A small boat, much smaller than one of the Asgardian longboats, was waiting for them. No captain was aboard.
“The boat will take you there on its own,” the queen said. “Once you reach the island, the dome will go up, protecting you. Again, I am so very sorry to show you such inhospitality. Your mother will be vexed.”
“Not at all. You had no hand in this and have done nothing but assure our safety. We will go at once so you can begin your countermeasures. I wish you good fortune and look forward to seeing you again soon when everything is calm once more,” Loki said, bowing.
“Your patience and understanding do your realm credit,” the queen said as she helped them onto the boat herself. “The journey isn’t long. If you need anything, attach a note to a drone and it will be seen to at once. Farewell.”
Loki sat down in the boat with Sif standing behind him, her hand still on her sword. The queen stepped back onto the dock, and the moment she had disembarked, the vessel shot forward with stunning speed. Loki almost felt as though he were back on the Bifrost. In only a few seconds, the soaring towers of the palace were out of sight, and a mere few heartbeats later, an island came into view on the horizon. When the boat passed an invisible marker, they heard a loud click, the air shimmered for a moment, and they knew they were inside the dome. The boat slowed down as it approached the shore and gently docked itself at a small quay.
“Well,” Loki said, turning around to look at Sif, “by this point, I really should have learned not to tempt fate. What was it I called Alfheim? ‘Boring,’ wasn’t it?”
“And safe,” Sif snorted, shaking her head.
“Two weeks stuck alone on a deserted island,” Loki said, stepping off the boat. “Boring might have been the right word to use after all. I suppose we should go exploring, though. The queen didn’t mention whether there is any shelter on this Norns forsaken rock.”
In front of them was a thick stand of trees, their dangling green and blue leaves dancing gently in a mild breeze off the water. Large pink flowers dappled their branches, giving off a pleasant, fresh scent like springtime. Sif had sheathed her sword and followed behind him, bag on her shoulder again. A path of grey and green flagstones wound from the shore into the woods, and they took it. It wound between the trees lazily, going deeper into the forest and curving around several larger trees, providing them with a series of picturesque views of meadows, forest pools, and hidden valleys studded with wildflowers. Unseen birds were nesting in the branches, calling to one another in sweetly plaintive tones. One fluttered into view and looked down at them curiously, its golden plumage glowing softly in the evening twilight of the forest.
At one point the path took a sudden turn to the right, and without warning, a charming cottage greeted them. It wasn’t a grand affair, but it had a friendly look to its delicately pink walls, yellow thatched roof, and sea-blue shutters. The path they had followed led through a garden spilling over with abundant flowers in every shade and trees laden with shimmering, ripe, golden fruits. A double door studded with green and yellow vines wrought from metal and glinting in the sunlight seemed to beckon them closer. Sif glanced at Loki.
“It’ll do,” he said with a shrug, “as long as we don’t need to pick the lock.”
“Which you could do blindfolded before you were half your current height, you reprobate” Sif said with a grin.
The door proved to be unlatched, though. Out of habit, Sif insisted on going in first to check for anything dangerous.
“Darling,” he said, “I have the distinct impression the most dangerous thing on this island is us.”
“Probably, but then for use that’s true almost anywhere,” she said, but she still entered before him.
A series of illumination panels silently lit the room. Sumptuous and comfortable furniture with gently curving lines filled a living room and a small kitchen, complete with a fireplace stocked with wood. One door on the left led to a bathroom with an open ceiling that showed the sky above. One of its walls was a rocky ledge that formed part of a hill behind the cottage, and a small waterfall flowed down it continuous into a large white marble tub. As Sif explored the different bottles and potions sitting on that bath’s edge, Loki wandered back into the kitchen. A second door to the right revealed a bedroom that had big windows overlooking a pretty beach, sparkling white sand and the green-blue sea stretching as far as could be seen, the waves gently lapping against the shore. A large bed draped in pale green velvet dominated the room. Loki’s heart sped up.
There was only one bed.
Sif joined him a moment later, seeming strangely relieved.
“Oh, good. I was wondering where you were going to sleep,” she said. “There’s a small bedroom hidden in a cavern behind the waterfall. It’s really quite cunningly concealed. I only found it because I wanted to make sure we were secure.”
There was not only one bed.
“And are we?” Loki asked, almost managing to keep the disappointment from his voice.
“It certainly seems so,” Sif said. “The kitchen is stocked with food as well, so we should be fine.”
“Good,” Loki said grumpily, turning around and leaving the damnably seductive bedroom. “I’m ravenous.”
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Fic: Fireside Chat (Sif/Loki)
( Thor's birthday is coming up, and he's chosen to spend it on a quest with his brother and friends. Loki is less than thrilled. )Written for Sifki Week 2025, challenge 5: Quest
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Oscar Nominaitons 2025
I have seen literally nothing at this point.
( list beneath )
So, 51 movies, 100 nominations, by total number of nominations:
13 Emilia Pérez - Netflix
10 Wicked - VOD
10 The Brutalist
8 Conclave - Peacock
8 A Complete Unknown
6 Anora - VOD
5 The Substance - Mubi
5 Dune: Part 2 - Max
4 Nosferatu - VOD
3 The Wild Robot - Peacock
3 Sing Sing - VOD
3 I'm Still Here
2 The Apprentice - VOD
2 Nickel Boys
2 Flow - VOD, Disney+ (on 2-14 only?)
2 A Real Pain - Hulu
1 Yuck!
1 Wander to Wonder
1 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - Netflix
1 The Six Triple Eight - Netflix
1 The Seed of the Sacred Fig - VOD
1 The Only Girl in the Orchestra
1 The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
1 The Last Ranger
1 The Girl with the Needle - Mubi
1 Sugarcane - Disney+
1 Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat - VOD
1 Porcelain War
1 No Other Land
1 Memoir of a Snail - AMC+
1 Maria - Netflix
1 Magic Candies
1 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Hulu
1 Instruments of a Beating Heart
1 Inside Out 2 - Disney+
1 Incident
1 In the Shadow of the Cypress
1 I Am Ready, Warden
1 I Am Not a Robot
1 Gladiator II - Paramount
1 Film September 5 - VOD
1 Elton John: Never Too Late - Disney+
1 Death by Numbers
1 Black Box Diaries - Paramount
1 Better Man
1 Beautiful Men
1 Anuja
1 Alien: Romulus - Hulu
1 A Lien
1 A Different Man - Max
24 1-nomination films
( list beneath )So, 51 movies, 100 nominations, by total number of nominations:
13 Emilia Pérez - Netflix
10 Wicked - VOD
10 The Brutalist
8 Conclave - Peacock
8 A Complete Unknown
6 Anora - VOD
5 The Substance - Mubi
5 Dune: Part 2 - Max
4 Nosferatu - VOD
3 The Wild Robot - Peacock
3 Sing Sing - VOD
3 I'm Still Here
2 The Apprentice - VOD
2 Nickel Boys
2 Flow - VOD, Disney+ (on 2-14 only?)
2 A Real Pain - Hulu
1 Yuck!
1 Wander to Wonder
1 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - Netflix
1 The Six Triple Eight - Netflix
1 The Seed of the Sacred Fig - VOD
1 The Only Girl in the Orchestra
1 The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
1 The Last Ranger
1 The Girl with the Needle - Mubi
1 Sugarcane - Disney+
1 Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat - VOD
1 Porcelain War
1 No Other Land
1 Memoir of a Snail - AMC+
1 Maria - Netflix
1 Magic Candies
1 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Hulu
1 Instruments of a Beating Heart
1 Inside Out 2 - Disney+
1 Incident
1 In the Shadow of the Cypress
1 I Am Ready, Warden
1 I Am Not a Robot
1 Gladiator II - Paramount
1 Film September 5 - VOD
1 Elton John: Never Too Late - Disney+
1 Death by Numbers
1 Black Box Diaries - Paramount
1 Better Man
1 Beautiful Men
1 Anuja
1 Alien: Romulus - Hulu
1 A Lien
1 A Different Man - Max
24 1-nomination films
Movies and Books Year in Review
A truly pathetic number here.
The Marvels - I liked it. It's not a tier 1 Marvel classic, but I still basically liked it. And the Streisand scene was hilarious.
Mary - Mostly okay, but a little odd. Joseph appeared to be wearing trousers at one point.
That's it. I did rewatch some classics: Singin' in the Rain, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly. I also started the second season of What If . . . ?, which I liked, but I haven't wrapped it up. I need to get back up to speed with the MCU.
As far as books, I warned you about the pathetic number. There were four. I started reading several other books, most of them re-reads (Jane Eyre, The Phantom Tollbooth) and some new ones (Wind in the Willows, Mysterious Benedict Society). My attention span was rotten.
The Life of Rosa Parks - Kathleen Connors - This was banned in Florida. It took all of five minutes or so to read and had nothing a sane person could possibly find objectionable.
And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie - I listened to this as an audiobook while doing physical therapy. It was an excellent mystery.
The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation - Rosemary Sullivan - Another audiobook, and a good thing because I would never have known how to pronounce all the Dutch words in this. They make a very strong case for one person. This gave me a sense of closure.
The Cat Who Had 14 Tales - Lillian Jackson Braun - A short story collection, all of them involving cats. I have a very low tolerance for sad animal stories, so some of these were too much for me, but several of them were good reads.
The Marvels - I liked it. It's not a tier 1 Marvel classic, but I still basically liked it. And the Streisand scene was hilarious.
Mary - Mostly okay, but a little odd. Joseph appeared to be wearing trousers at one point.
That's it. I did rewatch some classics: Singin' in the Rain, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly. I also started the second season of What If . . . ?, which I liked, but I haven't wrapped it up. I need to get back up to speed with the MCU.
As far as books, I warned you about the pathetic number. There were four. I started reading several other books, most of them re-reads (Jane Eyre, The Phantom Tollbooth) and some new ones (Wind in the Willows, Mysterious Benedict Society). My attention span was rotten.
The Life of Rosa Parks - Kathleen Connors - This was banned in Florida. It took all of five minutes or so to read and had nothing a sane person could possibly find objectionable.
And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie - I listened to this as an audiobook while doing physical therapy. It was an excellent mystery.
The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation - Rosemary Sullivan - Another audiobook, and a good thing because I would never have known how to pronounce all the Dutch words in this. They make a very strong case for one person. This gave me a sense of closure.
The Cat Who Had 14 Tales - Lillian Jackson Braun - A short story collection, all of them involving cats. I have a very low tolerance for sad animal stories, so some of these were too much for me, but several of them were good reads.
2024 Fic Year in Review
This year I wrote 27 fics or chapters total, several crossovers, one triple crossover. That's more than last year's total of 22 but nowhere near 2022 bizarre 87.
Fandoms
Marvel (including the series Loki) 20
Harry Potter 7
Lord of the Rings 1
Wuthering Heights 1
The Tempest 1
Midsummer Night's Dream 1
February
The Most Important Meal of the Day - Frostiron - Loki, sent to Earth to clean up his mess, is begrudgingly working with his brother and the rest of the Avengers and making every effort to annoy them as much as possible. So why has he started leaving Tony breakfast in his lab every morning?
March
Visiting Time's End - mentions of Lokius - I am not letting them leave him out there alone for eternity, damn it!
April
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 1 - Marvel, in Team Bonding at Tony's Place - As a Christmas present, Peter received an invitation from Frigga to visit Asgard. However, nothing in Peter's life ever goes quite according to plan.
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 2
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 3
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 4
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 5
May
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 6
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 7
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 8
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 9
June
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 10
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 11
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 12
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 13
July
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 14
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Pony - Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and Wuthering Heights - When one of Gandalf's spells calls out to Loki, he intervenes on behalf of Sam's friend, Bill the pony. Now he just needs to find a safe spot to board him. (I have threatened to write this story for years.)
Les pensées mélancoliques - Harry Potter - Après la fin de la guerre, Fleur regarde la mer et se laisse réfléchir. (My first fic in French)
Boring Can Be Sexy - Marvel, Sifki - Thor and Loki have been dispatched as ambassadors to a world noted for its mind-numbing levels of boredom, with Sif and Volstagg as their bodyguards. Loki decides to liven things up with a little bet. Written for Sifki week.
August
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 24 - Harry Potter, pre-relationship Dramione - Draco Malfoy, like any wizarding boy about to start his first year at Hogwarts, was excited and nervous, wondering what the future will hold for him. He ends up learning far more than he ever could have guessed, changing his life forever.
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 25
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 26
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 27
September
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 28
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 29 - And so Draco's first year at Hogwarts ends. I started it in 2008. Just happy it's actually complete.
December
See You Later . . . - Marvel, Loki series reference - Sif has just returned from a mission and is exhausted when Loki shows up at her door with a highly unusual problem.
Mortal Immortality - The Tempest, Midsummer Night's Dream - Ariel decides it is time to tell his tale of the island, the witch, the wizard, and his own folly.
I hit a wall and hit it hard in September, or really in August. I had written Shadowed Lives in a burst earlier and then posted it bit by bit, but any inspiration I had completely dried up. I couldn't write anything until Yuletide and Mischief & Mistletoe came around, and even then I had a hard time of it. I'm hoping that's not so much a problem this year.
I did like finishing writing something completely before I started posting it by chapter. I'm also beyond thrilled to have finished Shadowed Lives (not that anybody was still reading it, but I feel better). I may or may not write year two, but if I do, I'm finishing it before I start posting it.
I do have some ideas bouncing around my head: Marvel, four other pieces of Worlds of Chaos including possibly a fairly long one again, several crossovers, etc. My problem is a complete lack of time, getting motivated, and exhaustion. But I miss writing more.
Fandoms
Marvel (including the series Loki) 20
Harry Potter 7
Lord of the Rings 1
Wuthering Heights 1
The Tempest 1
Midsummer Night's Dream 1
February
The Most Important Meal of the Day - Frostiron - Loki, sent to Earth to clean up his mess, is begrudgingly working with his brother and the rest of the Avengers and making every effort to annoy them as much as possible. So why has he started leaving Tony breakfast in his lab every morning?
March
Visiting Time's End - mentions of Lokius - I am not letting them leave him out there alone for eternity, damn it!
April
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 1 - Marvel, in Team Bonding at Tony's Place - As a Christmas present, Peter received an invitation from Frigga to visit Asgard. However, nothing in Peter's life ever goes quite according to plan.
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 2
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 3
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 4
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 5
May
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 6
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 7
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 8
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 9
June
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 10
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 11
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 12
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 13
July
A Traitor in the House of Odin Chapter 14
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Pony - Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and Wuthering Heights - When one of Gandalf's spells calls out to Loki, he intervenes on behalf of Sam's friend, Bill the pony. Now he just needs to find a safe spot to board him. (I have threatened to write this story for years.)
Les pensées mélancoliques - Harry Potter - Après la fin de la guerre, Fleur regarde la mer et se laisse réfléchir. (My first fic in French)
Boring Can Be Sexy - Marvel, Sifki - Thor and Loki have been dispatched as ambassadors to a world noted for its mind-numbing levels of boredom, with Sif and Volstagg as their bodyguards. Loki decides to liven things up with a little bet. Written for Sifki week.
August
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 24 - Harry Potter, pre-relationship Dramione - Draco Malfoy, like any wizarding boy about to start his first year at Hogwarts, was excited and nervous, wondering what the future will hold for him. He ends up learning far more than he ever could have guessed, changing his life forever.
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 25
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 26
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 27
September
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 28
Shadowed Lives: Year One Chap. 29 - And so Draco's first year at Hogwarts ends. I started it in 2008. Just happy it's actually complete.
December
See You Later . . . - Marvel, Loki series reference - Sif has just returned from a mission and is exhausted when Loki shows up at her door with a highly unusual problem.
Mortal Immortality - The Tempest, Midsummer Night's Dream - Ariel decides it is time to tell his tale of the island, the witch, the wizard, and his own folly.
I hit a wall and hit it hard in September, or really in August. I had written Shadowed Lives in a burst earlier and then posted it bit by bit, but any inspiration I had completely dried up. I couldn't write anything until Yuletide and Mischief & Mistletoe came around, and even then I had a hard time of it. I'm hoping that's not so much a problem this year.
I did like finishing writing something completely before I started posting it by chapter. I'm also beyond thrilled to have finished Shadowed Lives (not that anybody was still reading it, but I feel better). I may or may not write year two, but if I do, I'm finishing it before I start posting it.
I do have some ideas bouncing around my head: Marvel, four other pieces of Worlds of Chaos including possibly a fairly long one again, several crossovers, etc. My problem is a complete lack of time, getting motivated, and exhaustion. But I miss writing more.