The Burden Of Her Arms (Loki/Sigyn)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Loki startled awake at the sound of gravel tumbling down the slope. The footsteps coming towards him were harried and stumbling. A halo of light swayed towards him. Loki waited patiently. Was it Sigyn? Was something wrong?

"Loki." Frigga appeared over the side of the rock, lifting a lantern above her head. "Loki!"

"Mother?" He frowned.

She scrambled to the top and dropped to the ground.

"At such an hour you sneak from your husband's side to see me. What, are you guilty for waiting so-"

"Sigyn is in danger." She gasped.

His stomach coiled tightly. "What?" He pulled absently on the chains.

She fumbled with a ring of metal in her hands. It jingled loudly. He craned his neck to see what she held. A ring of keys caught the light.

"What's happened?"

"Skadi convinced Odin that we needed to be rid of you once and for all. She sent someone to poison Vali and turn him into some animal to kill his brother-"

"Vali?"

"And Odin sent soldiers to kill Fenrir and Jormungandr. Only Sleipnir is allowed to live and Hela as well so long as she never leaves Nilfheim. I've brought Sleipnir." She ripped the second shackle open. "You have to hurry, I've sent men to protect Fenrir and Jormungandr already and some to Sigyn's home but you have to go."

He sat up and waited for her to unlock the ones at his feet. "Who is Vali?"

She looked up, her eyes wide. "She didn't tell you." Standing after the second ankle restraint, she grabbed a bag she had dropped. He stood and swayed on his feet, waiting for his vision to clear and the blood to rush to his extremities. He groaned and shook his head. "You have sons, Loki. Twins. Now put this on and hurry."

"What?" He whispered. She threw a pile of clothes at him. He caught them and shrugged into the shirt. "Mother, slow down!"

"There is no time! You'll understand when you see, hurry!" He struggled into a pair of trousers and shoved his boots on. "Take Sleipnir, go!"

"Sleipnir will be too slow if she is under attack. Where is the house?"

"The house of her last master, Reifr. It's-"

"I know where it is." He closed his eyes, picturing the house, the grounds. It was a small house. He vaguely remembered where the door was.

The ground dropped from below him and his stomach followed. He grunted as it rushed back up to meet him. A scream split the cool night air, quickly drowned out by a feral snarl. He sprinted to the door, wrenching it open and searching for the source. He stopped short once he entered the hallway.

A loud whine came from the farthest room, dwindling to a soft whimper. He heard sobbing.

"Sigyn?" He called, running to the room. "Sigyn!"

"Loki?" She whimpered.

He slid to a stop beside her, his questions faltering as he saw the child laying in her lap. She was bent over the boy, sobbing silently. A bloodied sword lay at his side and a wound in his stomach spread blood across his shirt. His darkened skin, sparsely covered in thick hair began to fade to a ghostly white and the black hair disappeared. His head lay in Sigyn's lap and he stared up at her with glazed eyes.

"Mmm..." He blinked slowly. "Mama?"

"Hush." She stroked his cheek. "Hush, baby. It's okay. I'm right here, Mama's here."