Tournament of Thieves

6

Loki regarded Skadi suspiciously. "Why do you want to know where I'm going?" he asked.

"Because I'm coming with you," Skadi said determinedly. "That's why."

Loki was flabbergasted. "You're coming with me?" he echoed. "But you don't need a pardon from Asgard. You're almost one of them."

Skadi scowled. "I'm not doing it for a pardon!" she snapped.

"Then why are you doing it?" Loki asked, furrowing his brow.

Skadi rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. "Do you not remember anything? I'm married to Njord, Freya's father! He asked me to keep an eye out for the necklace in Jotunheim."

"What makes him believe that the thief came here?" Loki inquired interestedly. When Skadi looked at him out of the corner of her eye, he added quickly, "I'm just curious as to how he arrived at that conclusion."

"In the history of Asgard, Freya has been sought out the most by jotuns," Skadi pointed out. "And Njord, being her father, keeps track of things like that. So it was a logical guess to assume the thief came from Jotunheim."

Loki nodded. "Ah," he said. "Makes sense. So, you're doing this for Njord?"

"Pretty much," Skadi affirmed. "Just because we're separated, doesn't mean we don't still have a relationship."

"Not a very good one, apparently," Loki muttered.

Skadi slapped him in the back of the head. "It may not be perfect, but at least we don't go gallivanting around with other partners when our spouse's back is turned."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "That's not me, that's Odin."

"Angrboda," Skadi reminded him, eyebrows raised.

"She was before Sigyn," Loki murmured. "And technically, she doesn't count. She's just, uh, an ex-girlfriend."

Skadi snorted. "Whatever."

"And for your information, Njord was married before he came to Asgard," Loki pointed out. "But his wife didn't come with him. The Aesir didn't like her much."

"Like you and Angrboda?" Skadi snickered.

Loki punched her in the shoulder, but the giantess just took the blow with a grin. "Okay, so will you now tell me where you're going?"

"What if I want to go alone?" Loki grumbled.

Skadi laughed hard, doubling over. Loki regarded her suspiciously as she took some deep, gasping breaths. "You, alone, in Jotunheim? That always ends badly for you, doesn't it?"

"I don't appreciate that," Loki said with a roll of his eyes.

"It's true," Skadi retorted. "You and Jotunheim don't get along, and honestly, I don't understand why. Aren't you jotun?"

"Yes," Loki answered. "But I haven't lived here since I was young. I know Asgard better."

"You never did get along with us," Skadi observed. "After all, you did kill my father."

"Oh, not that again."

"The point is, I don't think you'll get anywhere by yourself," Skadi said. "You aren't familiar with Jotunheim, its people, or its customs. If we work together, we'd have an edge. The self-proclaimed best thief in the Nine Worlds working with Skadi Thiazidottir, hunting and tracking ace. We'd be sure to steal back that necklace before the thief is able to force Asgard to give him Freya."

"What's in it for you?" Loki asked.

"Pleasing Njord," Skadi shrugged. "Keeping the balance among the Nine Worlds from being jeopardized."

Loki narrowed his eyes. "Heroic, eh? What's the catch, Skadi?"

"Tell me where you're going," she shot back, edging around his query.

Loki and the giantess stared each other down. The ice blue of the frost giantess' eyes glared into the poison green of the trickster god's. Loki was weighing his choices. He could accept Skadi as a partner by telling her about his destination. Or, he could not tell her, and run the risks of Jotunheim alone. And Skadi was right: Loki and Jotunheim did not get along well.

Loki made his choice. He had always liked having a partner better than going solo, anyway.

"I'm going to Utgard," Loki informed her.

Skadi leaned back, surprise flashing in her eyes. "Utgard? How are you going to find Utgard?"

Loki scowled. "I've been there before. I can find it again."

Skadi snorted in disbelief. "You don't just find Utgard, Loki. A deep magic conceals that place. It can vanish at the will of its king. And nobody is even really sure who that king is."

"Skrymir," Loki asserted authoritatively. "Thor and I met him."

Skadi made a face. "Could be. I've heard the Skrymir theory, but I've heard several others as well that also sound plausible. No one knows who it is for sure. He uses different appearances, different names for the different people he appears to." She shook her head. "Utgard is the lost city of the Nine Worlds. You can't just waltz into Jotunheim and expect to find it."

"But if anyone could find it, it would be me," Loki argued. "I am jotun, after all."

"And so is everyone else who lives here," Skadi pointed out. "And you have less of a chance of finding it than everyone else here."

"And why's that?" Loki demanded.

"Because you weren't raised here," Skadi said. "And your father's jotun, but your mother's not."

Loki scowled. "Look, Thor and I found it once before. I'm sure I could find it again."

Skadi stared into the fire. She was silent for so long that Loki was starting to think that she was going to refuse to accompany him when suddenly, she spoke.

"Then I'll help you."

Loki looked at her. "A team?"

Skadi nodded. "I know I'm going to regret this, but yes. A team."

Loki smiled and licked his lips. "Good, that's settled. Now, can you let the food cook so we can eat?"

The corner of Skadi's mouth quirked up. "Sure, Loki, we can eat."

"Fine! But I get to choose first."