Loki and Sigyn, His Glorious Purpose

Chapter Twenty Five

"Placental Previa," the healer said firmly, "The pressure of your child on her uterine wall caused her placenta to detach, it now covers her cervix. It should be alright now, she may have some light bleeding up until her delivery. If she takes her bed rest, she'll be just fine."

I nodded. I hardly understood half of what the woman said. I wish Sigyn were able to explain it all to me, she was always so knowledgeable about these sorts of things.

"Your daughter is also completely healthy," she assured me, "Only six weeks to go, and hopefully we'll be all set to deliver. In the meantime, please make sure she stays on bed rest."

"Thank you," I said with a curt nod before she left.

Bed rest, I thought to myself. I knew that would be difficult. Sigyn always had to be moving, do something, she hated sitting still or being "lazy". Confining her to our bed-chamber was going to be a challenge. I just hoped that she would understand. I truly didn't want to argue with her or become strict, but if I had to for the sake of her health as well as our child's, I wouldn't hesitate. 

Sigyn was asleep in our bed, and finally, after what seemed like hours, she looked somewhat alive again. Some flush had returned to her cheeks and she was no longer as limp. As I watched her, waiting for her to either wake up or something to go horribly wrong, a light knock came at our door.

"Come in," I beckoned, standing up.

To my surprise, Hertha walked in. She smiled at me and said, "I thought they were lying when they said you had returned. Nice to see you again, your highness."

I struggled to smile back, "Yes, well, I can assure you I'm alive and well."

She chuckled, walking towards me, "I can see that. Is she alright?"

"She should be," I said nodding, "They told me it was placental previa? I'm not quite sure."

"I've heard Sigyn talk about that before," she said, "All of her patients that she's treated with it do fine."

"That's good to hear," I admitted.

"She's a fighter, she'll be okay," she said softly, "If I may, I'm altogether shocked that you came back, even if you weren't dead."

"And why would that be?"

"Well, most young men, such as yourself, don't want to be held down the rest of their life, either by a child or a wife like Sigyn."

I glared at her, "What is with you? All I've ever been done is love your sister and you act as if I'm some monster who would leave her. I'm not that kind of man. I think it's best you leave."

She began to laugh, "Oh yes, the God of Mischief so helplessly bound to the Goddess of Fidelity. Do you truly think you've changed? That it's that easy to make the switch to devoted husband after a millennium of one-night stands and countless orgies?"

I scoffed, "How dare you talk to me like that?"

"How dare I? Because it's true. My sister will never satisfy you. I know that. All of Asgard knows that. You've just about fucked everything that breathes and somehow you've deluded yourself that just because you knocked up a poor village girl you can change," she said harshly, stepping in front of me as to block me from Sigyn.

"Sigyn is not some poor village girl, she is my wife," I said sharply.

"She is now. But you selfishly took away her innocence, took her from her family, took her from everything she's ever known, and now have her playing a role as Asgardian breeding stock. She had a life of purpose before she met you. She was set to become a true healer, the finest this world has ever seen. She had ambition. But all she's been reduced to is your concubine. How long will it be before you test her loyalty? Before you find some stupid little girl and decide to take her out for the night?"

My heart caught in my throat. Every part of me told me she was wrong but a small voice deep down chided that Hertha was right.

"Leave," I demanded firmly, "Now."

"I'll be waiting for when you break her heart," she spat before swiftly leaving and slamming the door behind her.

My heart was beating rapidly as I tried to ease every emotion I was feeling. I was angry beyond belief. I could hardly believe Hertha to be so bold as to question my loyalty to Sigyn. Yet I was angry with myself for somewhat believing what she had said. 

No more than a year ago my life had been completely different from what it was at this moment. Even prior to my battle in Midgard, I had a different person in my bed nearly every night. I often went on escapades with multiple men and women, only allowing them around as long as I found them interesting. I hated to admit it, but even when I had first met Sigyn, I had concubines delivered to me in my cell. This all changed by her second visit to me, that day I knew had to change my ways in order to have her. I had felt about her than I had about another person I had experienced. I was drawn to her intelligence above all else and her stifling stubbornness. The enchantment I had felt for her was far more powerful and more emotional than anything I had experienced. I now wondered if this pull to Sigyn was strong enough to stifle the disloyalty that lived within me. 

As I looked at my wife, I felt nothing but love. She was truly the woman of my dreams. But her sister had a point. Did I the great betrayer truly deserve a woman so loyal and true?