The Witch's Familiar

Chapter 50

You woke early the next morning and broke your fast in the tavern attached to the inn. You'd spent the night curled in Loki's arms. You were beyond grateful that he was on this quest with you and you didn't have to face it alone. Especially without a familiar.

You felt Sera's loss in your soul. You tried to ignore the hole she'd left, but it was hard. Hard wasn't a strong enough word. There were no words for the devastation of losing part of your soul. It was beyond losing a loved one, beyond losing your mother, beyond anything someone who had never had a familiar could understand. You had lost a part of yourself.

The wound was wide open and gaping, dripping emotions.

You were only coping as well as you were because you had things you had to do. You had things to focus on, like getting the stupid mark and compulsion spells off your hand. You had to focus on the world and your tasks until then.

After that?

You had a sinking suspicions that once the emergencies were all handled that you were going to crash. The depression and darkness were already sneaking up on you, and it was only a matter of time before it overwhelmed you.

The wreckage was going to be terrible when it did.

You hoped you and the team would all be able to survive the devastation. You hoped they would be able to understand that you'd lost a piece of your soul in losing your familiar. Especially in losing as strong of a familiar as Sera. There was a reason that witches generally bonded with cats, owls, crows, and very occasionally canines. Definitely not dragons.

You were pulled from your morose thoughts by Sif coming downstairs and joining you and Loki at the table. She appeared to be in a good mood, so you risked a bit of teasing after the serving girl brought her breakfast. "So, did you make Thor sleep on the floor last night?" You asked her with a smirk while Loki groaned. He didn't want to hear what his brother may or may not have been up to the previous evening.

Sif laughed. "No, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse," she replied with a wink to you and a bigger laugh at the groaning Loki. You couldn't help laughing too, especially at Loki's discomfort.

"Please, spare me the details," Loki groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Where is my idiot brother. I hope you didn't kill him, that is my job," Loki teased her.

Sif laughed again. "I didn't kill him. I did wear him out last night. He was still getting dressed. He should be down any moment." Loki turned purple and grumbled something under his breath about how he shouldn't have asked and returned to his breakfast. Thor came down a couple minutes later and looked far too happy for the early hour. Plus he had that sated look that meant you knew exactly what he had been up to the night before.

At least Frigga would be pleased with the development.

Sex counted as them getting together, right?

Right?

You hoped there was more to the relationship than just sex. There seemed to be as Thor and Sif were laughing and joking together over breakfast. Maybe Frigga had been right to ship them after all. You saw how they'd make a good couple. Hopefully they'd see it too. You didn't want Frigga to be disappointed.

After breakfast and after the boys paid for everything, you mounted your horses again to continue your trip to the cursemonger's. You chatted with the others along the way, though you found yourself getting more and more nervous as you approached.

What if he refused to help you?

What if the cost was too high and you couldn't pay it?

What if the cost was too high and Loki insisted on paying it anyway?

You could see Loki insisting the cost was paid no matter what it might cost him. You didn't expect that the cursemonger would make it easy on the prince of Asgard to get his later healed. He could insist on an inordinate cost and Loki would have to pay it, or the crown would, or you would.

You had no idea what he would request for his aid.

"Stop brooding so hard, magelet," Loki told you from his horse. He was concerned over your emotional state without Sera and with the stupid mark and compulsion spells on your skin. You knew if he had his way, you'd be riding double with him just so he could make sure you were ok.

You gave him a small smile. "I'm alright, princeling," you teased gently. He relaxed at your teasing, accepting you were at least mostly alright for now. "Do you think your mother will be happy with their progress?" you gestured to where Thor and Sif were riding ahead of you talking.

Loki groaned. "Unfortunately. I just hope we do not have to spend the rest of the trip putting up with them being... intimate where we can hear and see them," he made a face at that prospect.

"Shut up, Loki!" Thor called back to him. You couldn't help giggling at that prospect.

"This is not the first time Thor and Sif have attempted relations," Loki started while Thor turned back in his saddle to glare at his brother.

"Loki..." he said warningly.

Loki smirked and continued. "There was one time when we were scarcely older than teenagers when he somehow convinced the much more sensible Lady Sif to have sex with him on the Allfather's throne,"

"Shut up, Loki. No one needs to hear this story," Thor growled the warning.

You were too busy laughing, so Loki continued. "They were caught mid act by Odin and a group of foreign dignitaries. And were both grounded for a year for that stunt," Loki laughed while Thor turned beet red.

You nearly fell off your horse you were laughing so hard.

"Loki, remind me to kill you when we next stop," Sif said too pleasantly, though you could tell she wasn't really upset with Loki telling the story.

"Will do, Lady," Loki smirked and you realized then just how long they'd known each other and just how close they were, even if Loki claimed he had no friends.

You laughed right along with them

The laughter and jokes and conversation continued until you arrived at the cursemonger's mansion.

It was time to make a deal with the devil.

You just hoped the price wasn't too steep.