sigynofasgard:
Sigyn awoke gasping, almost every muscle in her body twitching from remembered pain. It was far from the first time it had happened, and she was becoming more and more frightened, and more suspicious that it had to do with where Loki kept disappearing to. He would stay gone for days, sometimes weeks, and then come back looking pale and tired. Her attempts to find out where he had been or what he had been doing were met with prevarication or vague, unenlightening answers.
The little inn outside London was only supposed to be a stop on their travels around Midgard, then Loki simply vanished with nary a word, leaving Sigyn mostly alone with the silent pity of the mortal innkeeper and her granddaughter. She had almost convinced herself that he had left her permanently when again he appeared, as if her loss of hope had been some signal that brought him back to her. Most of her belongings still sat packed in the suitcase in the corner, ready to go as she had been planning to before he appeared. Although a part of her craved to refuse him, to hurl accusations and demand answers, the greater part had been relieved to see him. She had tried to shut out the softness of his apologies, to remain cold to his touches, but in the end she had found herself once again in bed holding him as he slept, his arms holding her close as if even in sleep he did not want to let her go.
Of course the thought had crossed her mind that he might be going to another lover, but she thought not; when he did appear, he still behaved like her ardent lover, holding her hand, pulling her into his lap when they were alone, making love with her as thoroughly and enthusiastically as ever. His affection and desire for her seemed if anything to have increased by his absence.
It worried Sigyn as much as it relieved her, for if he were with a lover it would at least explain where he was and that the secret probably wasn’t too dangerous. But if there were not another lover, then what could he be doing for so much time that he would not tell her about? What could leave her strong, proud prince looking so worn and weary?
With a sigh she sat down at the desk and conjured some Asgardian paper and a quill.
My dear Jofast,
I hope this letter finds you well and that our parents are in good health. I am afraid that I have little news to share since last I wrote, but
She paused, considering whether to tell Jofast about the dreams, the nightmares, but no. Since Jofast did not know Loki was alive, the significance would be lost upon her and she would only worry more.
I have not done very much since coming here. I met some of the Olympian gods briefly, which was surprisingly pleasant. They still quarrel amongst themselves but were kind to me. I have to wonder what it must be like to be part of a pantheon so scarce that every one of them born is deified. I still smile when I recall Hephaestus’s reaction on my first visit when I told him I was not a goddess.
Is there any news from Asgard? I had heard some rumours of Thor returning to Midgard, or have I been misled?
Thank you and please give my love to Mother and Father.
Your sister,
Sigyn
Sigyn read over it once and nodded in satisfaction. She enchanted another sheet of paper to return to her when Jofast had finished replying, then she folded up both sheets, sealed them with sealing wax, and sent them on their way. She could only hope that Jofast would write back soon even though Sigyn had been careful not to communicate her anxiety.
To Sigyn’s surprise, a reply appeared only a few minutes later.
Sigyn,
LOKI IS ALIVE. Thor brought him back a prisoner, and they are saying that he led an alien army to invade Midgard. You must come back as soon as you can, sister, I know not what is happening at the palace - Thor will not tell me - but I had to tell you what I knew. There are rumours of a trial for Loki in the next short while. If there is any way you can come back, please do.
Love,
Jofast
Sigyn was white to the lips by the time she finished reading the letter. Loki’s secret was blown, and he was a prisoner in Asgard. But why? Thor had been one of the few to truly mourn when they thought Loki dead, so why would he bring back his brother like a prisoner?
She had to tell someone where she was going. After a few moments’ thought she sat down again and jotted a letter, sending it on its way before dashing out of the room to tell an astonished Ruby that she was leaving.
“Brother, I brought you some mead… And an assortment of food for you.” An unusually timid looking god of Thunder stepped into the room with a platter in one hand, piled high with food clearly chosen by the bearer of the gift himself. It was the only time Loki was permitted to have the muzzle removed; when he ate.
The tight metal clasped to his jaw relaxed, peeling from his skin reluctantly before being brought to rest on the bed between him and Thor. “Why the muzzle, brother?”
“I do not…” A thick, strong hand through his hair, and Thor pulled a face; “It is to stop you.”
“To stop me?”
A nod; “you manipulate with your words. We have taken that ability from you… Albeit in a terrible manner, my brother. I am sorry for the pain I have caused you. You should know, I wished for you to rule alongside me on the throne, as equal to me in our share over Asgard. I do not care for your heritage. I was wrong to fight against Jotunheim; I should have listened to reason.”
Almost engulfed once more with his fury, the trickster tore into his food without delay, making sure he cleared up every last morsel of meat that Thor had brought to him. It was not his usual diet, but he no longer cared; he was only given food once each day. Too much work on a silver tongue would leave Asgard at risk to another betrayal.
“Thor… All I ever wished was to be your equal in a sort, but you had always been favoured over me, the stronger of us. The less icy hearted.” Loki’s bitterness dripped with venom from the end of his sharp tongue, “you were always the better brother. The Asgardian prince everyone adored beyond comparison. The Midgardian’s hero, while I was cast as villain in each scenario. If I am such a terrible villain, what does it say of those who are so newly worshipping me on Midgard. You act as though I am Mephisto, but we both know it not to be so. We both know the man, of course.”
Blue eyes scanning over his smaller, slimmer brother, Thor hesitated a moment, thinking desperately for what to say next. It was Loki’s way to leave him lost for words, even though it should not have been the case in most scenarios. His dirty blond hair fell before him, shrouding his features from the rest of the realm and mostly from Loki, in fear of the trickster god having the ability to read him so clearly, “I never regarded you as a Mephisto. You are no demon or devil that I know of. You are my brother, Loki. We grew up together and we were both raised to be kings. You are my superior in intelligence, and I yours in strength…”
A sigh. Loki hurriedly ate his meal, and pushed the platter across the bed toward Thor, indicating that he had finished; “grant me this favour, brother?”
“If it is reasonable, of course.”
“Leave my gag, allow me to move my jaws for a few hours?”
Hesitantly, the to-be-king Asgardian replaced his brother’s muzzle, wishing that there was another way to prevent Loki from attempting to commit genocide. There was no struggle or further argument behind it, merely a slightly distressed Loki as his jaws were clamped shut and together again, with his brother fleeing with the platter shortly afterwards.
Odin must have scared him into doing this. That Labrador of a being knows no more sense than a hyperactive puppy… One Eye is the only one to have the ability to scare him as such, and so it must be him…
Loki took a pause as he thought he felt something change in the atmosphere; as though an Asgardian had just passed into the realm near to his prison.
No doubt more to return to Asgard after their futile searches for me.
