A week later everyone seems to have forgotten about that disturbing day the second prince had received his judgement. The late spring didn´t leave anyone to troublesome thoughts and the court of Asgard was humming with delighted business like a bees hive. When Eir came forth during counseling time and bowed down before Odins throne Sif was sure it would be on behalf of the new healing room and to report how that came forth.
Instead an uneasy Eir states „Your son has been taken ill, my Lord." „Oh dear, since I saw him having a healthy appetite this morning, I know that it cannot be as bad as your troubled face suggests." he chuckles „tell me, dear Eir, what is really on your mind." „Allfather, I did talk about your other son. He is not well at all, struck with an heavy fever and the injuries of his punishment are highly infected. I thought about moving him to the healing rooms, but in his halluzinations he is a danger to the healers."
A heavy pause is filling the throneroom. A deep wrinkle of concern forms on Odin´s forhead, and Frigga beside him fidgets with the hem of her sleeve. „Go on." Eir clears her throat and tells the court about Lokis condition. About strange dark blue markings that crawl over the skin of the prince as the fever peaks and how he slips in and out of conciousness but when concious is shaken by strange halluzinations. „When we tried to change the bandages he would kick and scream. Five guards had to hold him down so I could procede my work. The burning wounds are highly infected but it is the old injuries that really worry me. I think we should reopen these and revision the scars. There is just something not right with those. But I can tell you more as soon as I had a look. But at this moment there is no treating him, the fever is too high when he is unconcious and when awake it is not possible to get near him."
„Is he aggressive?" „No, my Lord, he is afraid." „Well I didn´t spare his live, so he is to perish of an infection." „Respectfully, Allfather, you might not have done him a favor doing so."
Silence filled the throneroom as Eir said this. Every Asgardian knows her to have highest regards for any life. She had ever fought hard for all lost causes and gives her very best should any injured or sick come to the healing rooms. Frigga looks at her and the tears fall silently on the beautiful gown. She does not agree with her husband on the course of action concerning Loki. But she will never let on any scrupels she has in front of anyone else but Odin himself. „Is there any way to ease his suffering?"
„We could try moving him to the healing rooms and have a sei∂r cast soothing spells to ease the halluzinations and maybe after cleaning the wounds properly we can start some fever treatment." Eir answers to her queen, who after a short glance at her king says „good. We shall do that. Lady Sif, would you please prepare the transfer of my son from the dungeons to the healing rooms? I shall join you there for the enchantments, Eir."
„As you wish, my queen" Eir and Sif answer simultaniuosly and leave. „I will send two healers to pick him up as soon as we are done with the preparations. It might take a while." „That is alright" Sif answers „I will give instructions to the guards on our way and then wait for the healers at Loki´s cell" and as their paths separat Eir says „Prepare yourself, Sif, it is not a pretty sight." And she briskly walks down the hall towards the healing chambers.
Well as much as Sif would have prepared herself she still was a warrior and not one of the healers. She could deal with blood and cuts and dreadful wounds. But suffering is something she has trouble to stomache. And nothing could have prepared her for what she had to witness right now.
As she came down to the dungeons and asked the guards about the trickster. They said that he had awoken with a panicked yell about half an hour ago and was stuck in halluzinations since then. And now she is looking through the magic glass of his cell and sees a deranged Loki sitting on the floor sqeezed far into the corner between his bed and the wall. He tries to fold up as much as possible like he wants to hide himself. His eyes are wide and glassy as they stare into nowhere, his body is shaken by a constant tremor and he mumbles syllables under his breath that Sif cannot hear.
She takes a moment, before she decides to step inside. „Mylady, I wouldn´t do that, if I was you." One of the guards says „He turned completely insane." „But he is not just the prisoner, but a childhood friend. And I am Lady Sif. I think I can handle this." she scolds of the guard and steps inside.
She carefully takes step after step towards and sits down beside him. „Loki" she whispers „it´s me Sif. Can you hear me?" And very slowly he turns his head to face her, cheeks hollow and cold sweat on his face. He is as pale as the wall behind him. „Sif, you need to help me please. They are coming. He is coming. I can´t get away. No, no, no way out. He is inside me, Sif, please please make him go away. Please." - And there I was thinking a week ago was the worst condition I would ever see him in - „Loki there is none here except for us two." „No, no you do not understand, he is inside of me, they are..." „Loki calm down" she says and reaches out her hand and to her surprise he doesn´t shrink away from it and she starts stroking the back of his hand.
„shhhh, shhhh." It is like comforting a scared child, she feels akward doing it but it works and Loki´s tense body gives in and loosens slightly. She carefully gets up from the floor and takes booth of his hands. „Come on up, Loki, lie down in your bed and try to sleep." And he crawls arkwardly on his fours onto the matress and curls up against the headboard. And as she looks at him she tries to remember who he had been before that day when Thor was supposed to become king.