His Dove (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 79 (Necklace)

Almost a week later I was in the healing wing when Sigyn asked me to walk with her back to the family wing, where both our suites were. The night had already settled on the sky, the rain clouds dimming any light that could shine from the moon.

I agreed and walked arm and arm with her, discussing the wide array of changes she could make to fit the healing wing to her own style of working. I quickly learned she and Freya were the ones in charge of it completely, though Freya was busy enough with other tasks for the Vanir crown.

"Would you like to come in? I have a bottle of wine we could split." She said with a grin.

I thought I should say no, knowing I'd have to get up early tomorrow to greet Loki and Frigga, but I actually enjoyed Sigyn's presence. It seemed she, like Fjolnir, found it difficult to make friends between her duties and being essential royalty. I nodded as I stepped inside her sitting room and took a seat on the plush purple couch.

I was looking around when my eyes settled on the corner of the room. Inside a case was a necklace hanging on a statuesque neck, the copperish, cinnamon orange spiraling and moving along the mahogany shades. I was so frozen as I stared, that I hadn't noticed Sigyn holding out a glass of wine to me. I quickly took it, but couldn't force my eyes to stay off of the silver metal.

"What is it?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, though my tone came off hostile.

"The... Oh, that! Uncle gave it to me for my 1000th nameday." She said with a shrug. "It's too nice to wear, so I keep it on display."

I tried to hear for a lie, but there was none.

"Your... Freyr gave that to you?"

Sigyn's eyebrows knitted together, but she nodded. "Yes, why?"

"That..." I took a long pause, trying to find words. "Can I see it out of the case, please?"

She shrugged, walking over and grabbing the necklace off of it's stand. She held it out for me with a smile. "Have a try. According to uncle, it's enchanted."

I took the necklace with a shaking hand, holding it in my palm as I stared at the swirling jewel at the end. Suddenly, a sharp pain in my head made me close my eyes tightly.

"The people have spoken, Freyr." A large man stated in a growl. "You've played your games long enough now."

His hands were clenched tightly at his sides, his eyes on the king that stood feet away from him. Freyr looked the same, not a day younger as he rolled his eyes.

"They're my subjects, Fafnir. You'd do well to remember that you are, too."

"Your subjects are starving and dying, all the while you feast with your few and flaunt your riches to the realms. The people grow tired of your neglect, as do I."

The next moments flew by swiftly. Freyr grabbed a sword, swinging it towards my father with a loud ear cry. It met nothing as Fafnir became smoke, only to reform behind him.

Fighting. Such gory, swift fighting that left no room for mercy. It lasted only minutes before Fafnir began using magic, leaving nothing but smoldering bones in the wake of his touches. His eyes glowed a familiar ember bronze with flickers of black and gold, his palms holding bronze swirls that engulfed the entirety of his hands while black flecks swam throughout it.

How Freyr had managed to survive the battle left me dumbfounded. For every swing, shot, or draw Fafnir pulled, Freyr simply ran farther, grabbing more men and throwing them between he and Fafnir.

How the many men managed to subdue the dragon I'd never quite understand. A rope was held to his neck by a man on his back, and suddenly his magic vanished. They tied him up quickly, that same man acting as a permanent placeholder.

The last thing I heard was Freyr's voice, ordering the men to take my father to the dungeons.

I came back to Sigyn's panicked voice, her hands grasping my arms tightly as she shook me.

"Are you alright? What'd you see?" She asked quickly.

"W-what?"

"Your eyes. Fjolnir and my mother both have the same issue every time they have a vision."

She handed me a cloth and I held it to my face, breathing out a laugh as it turned crimson with blood.

"Fuck, not again."

"This has happened before? Neither of your parents, I didn't think... The necklace?"

I nodded. "That." I pointed to the necklace in one hand with my other, "Was my mother's."

"Oh, Norns." Sigyn breathed. "Keep it. Take it." She said quickly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, wiping my face some more. "I'm... I'm gonna head to my chambers." I tried to say through a cough. "Please, don't mention this to Freyr... or anyone."

"Of course."

Sigyn walked me to the door. Luckily, my suite was only down the hall just a bit so I was quick to get into my room, holding the necklace tightly in my grip.

When I sat on the bed, my mind was racing. I had laid, or more so tossed, the necklace on my bed and stared at it for I wasn't sure how long.

I knew that necklace was on Eir's neck when she died. I remembered it so vividly from the dream, the way it almost acted as it's own light source.

I wasn't sure what I was doing when my trembling hand went to touch the necklace again, feeling the cool metal on my fingertips as it threw me into another vision.

I was sitting by the dock. It was me, though nothing more than a toddler, I knew.

"Hold on tight!" Fafnir grinned as he picked me up, twirling me around in the air. He chuckled as giggles escaped my lips.

"Daddy, higher!" I squealed.

It was as if Fafnir looked directly at me, in the vision, but he didn't. He was looking at what I knew was Eir, wearing the necklace.

"You heard my girl. She wants to fly." He said through a mischievous smirk.

In seconds, he was no longer in his body. He wasn't scaled and rough like you would expect a dragon to be, no. He was fluffy, his skin becoming engulfed in long, burnt orange fur. He more resembled a fox with large wings than any depiction of a dragon I had seen.

"Be careful with her!" I heard Eir's voice, loud and demanding.

Neither of us listened, though. I leapt onto his back and held on tightly around his neck as he took to the sky, flying several feet into the air above the water.

A barrel of fire spit from his mouth, that he then flew through with the sound of my screaming delight.

"I said be careful!" Eir scolded loudly, shouting up to Fafnir. "Fireballs are not careful!"

He landed a few minutes later, transforming back so quickly that it was almost undetectable. I still clung to his back, my arms still wrapped around his neck.

"Again! Again, Daddy!"

"Shhh, my little firefly." He softly warned, still grinning at me. "Mummy isn't pleased with us."

When the vision ended I wipe my face again, more bloody tears streaming fresh off my cheeks at a faster pace now. It still wasn't as bad as the day Frigga broke into my mind, making me wonder how many more visions I could see without looking terrible in the morning. Loki would lose his mind if he saw me hurt, and I did still have a duty to Frigga. However, I wanted to know what happened to my family. I needed to know, especially if Freyr was involved.

I took a deep breath before I grabbed the necklace again.