9747/My brother's keeper

My brother's keeper
Date of Scene:	24 October 2019
Location:	Asgard
Synopsis:	Sif confirms she's being courted by Loki. Thor wishes them joy of it.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Sif

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Thor has posed:
So, Thor stopped by the training grounds...always good to check on how training is coming along. "Training coming along, I see?" Asked less of the men and women actually out their training, and more of the war goddess who is set upon, well, making sure Asgard is ready for war. Nice thing about having someone else in charge of war, it frees him up to do other things that need doing around the Kingdom.

Sif has posed:
With her arms crossed, silvery armor gleaming and battle-leathers lovingly treated -- with mystical sword at her hip and chin lifted imperiously high, Sif observes the pairings of Einherjar recruits at work with dulled metal swords. This group has proceeded beyond the hard darkwood of practice weaponry and into those that leave marks as proof of failure to parry or dodge.

"As well as can be expected," the Princess says as she glances over at the arrival of Thor. Her smile is distracted but true. "I have high hopes for this latest gathering. Many of them favor the sword over the polearms or chained weapons, but I will teach them all given war favors no particular weapon itself."

The Valkyrie pauses to bark, "Einarth! Mind your left side!" Oof -- too late. Einarth gets whacked and winces. That'll bruise. A clicking tsk from Sif before she looks over at Thor again. "What brings you to the training grounds then?"

Thor has posed:
Thor considers, maybe this conversation isn't best had with the troops around. "Leave this in the hands of your seconds for a moment, I wish to ask you about something." He seems to be moving to get away from the training grounds.

He steps off for a moment...far enough away from prying ears, at least, as he does not wish to embarass one of his oldest friends.

Thor doesn't sound like it's anything particularly serious, though, just something that perhaps isn't a good idea to broadcast around.

Sif has posed:
Sif's brows meet. "If you consider it thus, I shall believe you."

A wave towards one of the few Einherjar standing around, a man grizzled of close-cut beard and hard of eye, brings him in. "Mind the goslings, will you?"

"Yes, Princess," and the Einherjar commander enacts a crisp slam of his fist to his chest. A curt nod in reply from the dark-haired Valkyrie and she attends Thor over in the shadow of one of the many-tiered buildings surroundings the training area.

"Well?" Again, Sif folds her arms, her expression moderately dubious.

Thor has posed:
Thor was trying to keep his expression serious...but...there's only so long he can manage this under the circumstances, and his serious fades to a grin"...has my brother actually been courting you?" Because he saw evidence of that at the feast, but...he makes sure nobody's around, again, before he continues this. "...There's a different light in your eyes when you look at him then there used to be."

Thor surprisingly doesn't sound jealous here, he's just...curious. And maybe even a little hopeful in some weird way?

Sif has posed:
The question has Sif drawing up nearly an extra inch of height. Her eyes open a touch wider. Working down a swallow before she answers, the Valkyrie looks askance and laughs faintly.

"Surely you've heard the rumors at court...? I did breakfast with him yesterday morn." Silvery armor rings against itself as she shifts in place. A hand rises to tuck away a loose strand of lustrous hair slipped from her functional braided bun.

Thor has posed:
"I'm out of Asgard a lot. So it's less me hearing rumors and more me observing your behavior at the feast. Besides, I'd put little stock in rumors if I didn't witness possible results myself."

"So...it's a less a question of is he courting you...and more a question of if he's become the kind of person you can see yourself courting. Because as recently as a couple years ago, you would've been horrified by the thought." And a couple years is like a couple weeks to mortals.

Sif has posed:
For a long minute, Sif thinks, and fearlessly holds the Thunderer's eyes. She can be seen to mull the inside of her lip. Eventually, she speaks again, her voice pitched just about the clash and clatter of training arms colliding a handful of yards away. Her words remain courtly.

"I have seen great growth in your brother as of late. Time changes all things as it passes. There is a profound amount of thought put forth beyond himself. That, and I was privy to him in times of great stress during his renewal of Asgard. He was not unkind to me, as easy as it would have been at the time. He accepted my offers of aid, which is...something I thought Loki would not do," she admits. "It has changed the manner in which I see him. He has become a hero to our people. I am honored to be courted by the Homebringer." Her smile shows up again, slim as a moonbow's curve, still true.

Thor has posed:
Thor...seems relieved. "Well. Should you end up my sister, you are welcome to the family. But you knew that already. What gives me the most hope of all? You've always been a woman of integrity and honor. If he's capable of loving you, and what you represent? That benefits all of Asgard, because his heart and yours have to meet in the middle for that last. My parents, as you know, celebrated their 4,238th anniversary before tragedy struck...if you and he last as long, I wish you both joy of it."

Thor just smiles like hopes he's had for years came true. "I always hoped that the Homebringer side of Loki would come out. And now it seems to be even more real by your heart reaching out to his. This is amazing!" He's quite excited now. As if a great burden was lifted off his shoulders. "One last thing...you needn't leave that to rumors. Blaze it to the world. Neither of you have anything to hide." And that's where he'll leave it. "I'll let you get back to training. Thank you...for taking care of him on the inside."