Trapped Butterflies

Part II

As the months flew by, Sigyn stopped seeing Loki at the library. Sometimes she saw him at Odin's table, he sat by his father and brother, as they discussed the war and new strategies. She noticed that Loki seldom spoke, but listen intently.

The day she would wed drew near, but she did not feel happy about it, just anxious. Theoric did not seem kind as Loki, she saw it by the way he treated maidens; as if it was their duty to please him, however he wished. Sigyn wasn't sure if she would enjoy being forever wedded to that man. And she often thought of Loki, and the kinds words he spoke to her.

Loki thought about her quite often too, trying to think of a way to get rid of Theoric, mostly. He had suggested to send the warrior to the front line of battle, but Odin was against it, he did not wish to take Sigyn's future husband away from her. Loki had a feeling he would have to wait, that he was not going to be able to stop the wedding, but he never stopped trying.

"But father, Theoric is a great warrior. Don't you think his advanced skills would be a great advantage for us? He could be the difference between winning or losing, father." Loki insisted.

"Loki, no." Odin said "Thor and I agree that he's a great warrior, but we should not send him out there, not just yet."

"Yes, brother. Let the man enjoy the pleasures of his wife first. Let him give continuety to his line!" Thor declared with a smile, and Loki shot him a dirty look; before their father had given an answer the first time Loki suggeted sending Theorid away, Thor opposed it, because of the wedding, then Odin agreed.

That night, after wasting the whole day, trying to get Theoric sent away, where he would most likely be killed, Loki closed himself in his chambers. Completly furious, he casted a spell and pushed all the forniture away from him, breaking many of his things.

He sat on the floor, against his bed, which was turned into it's side, and imagined how Sigyn was being wedded to Theoric at that exact moment. He could feel his own heart breaking into pieces; getting angrier by the second, he used a spell to blow his wardrobe, creating a rain of clothes all over his chambers.

Sigyn was right about Theoric; he was a brute.

"Wife!" He called her "Wife, bring me food!"

Sigyn would be forced to get up and prepare whatever he wished, even it they did not have the proper ingredients; she then would be forced to walk all the way to the main kitchen to get them.

"Wife, why you take so long?" Theoric would ask angrily, while sitting at the table "Bring me some ale, right away!"

When her husband asked for ale, she stopped whatever she was doing to get him some, the fastest as possible. One time she took a whole minute to get him his ale, he forced her to her knees, while he yelled at her, standing above her like a god.

"DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN, YOU INCOPETEND WOMAN!"

And after he had had his supper, he summoned her to their sleeping chambers, once again she stopped whatever she was doing to take care of his needs, afterwards he would send her away, to finish her duties, she could go to bed. Sigyn wondered why was it called "making love", if Theoric did not demonstrated caring or kind feelings towards her; their act lacked of love.

Sigyn cried herself to sleep every night, wondering how different her life would have been if she had been wedded to Loki instead. She felt that she would have probably conceived by now.

Meanwhile Loki started to have doubts about his own plan, thinking that perhaps Theoric would not die, just because he was in the front line of battle, so he came up with a new plan. He watched as the warrior trained, he learned his moves and weaknesses; he was strong, but his strategy was poor, many repetetive moves, and once one had learned them all, it wouldn't be hard to take warrior down. All he needed to do now was get this information to the frost giants.

But Loki knew better not go there himself, he had thought about that part too; he would call out a weaker soldier, one that been assigned to the front lines of battle, and was certainly going to die. He would manipulated him into thinking if he gave away information about another soldier, one as strong as Theoric, the frost giants wouldn't mind letting him live, and killing Theoric instead. Loki knew most of the soldiers swore loyalty to Asgard, but no one was loyal when their heads was about to roll.

After a whole month since the wedding, Odin finally decided to try his younger son's idea, if only to shut him up, and sent word to Theoric and his family. While Loki manipulated the younger and weakest soldier to carry the message about Theoric.

A great supper had been organized, to all the soldiers who were about to journey to the borders of the realm, and fight against the frost giants and their families. Odin watched Theoric next to his wife, and felt that he was doing something wrong, young Sigyn looked heartbroken, she did not deserve to lose her husband and be alone, that is when he had an idea.

"Loki, I am doing what you suggested. But if something happens to Theoric, I want you to take care of Sigyn, his will be her protector, and you will be held responsible for her well being. Do you agree?" Odin asked his son; he thought that would be enough to make Loki give up on the idea of sending Theoric away.

Loki stared at Odin, surprised; this wasn't even part of his plan, but he had liked it a lot. He waited before answering, he did not want Odin to know he enjoyed the idea as much as he did.

"If that's what it takes to win this war. Father, I will take lady Sigyn as my responsability." He answered, with a grin.

"Very well, if anything happend to Theoric, lady Sigyn will be your responsability. " Odin repeted slowly, watching his son closely, suspecting Loki would find a way to ditch this responsability "Loki, you better not trick me. That girl is your responsability now. Do not let me down."

"I won't, father. You can trust me." Loki answered, looking for the maiden, and noticing how thinner she looked, as if she was sick, and when their eyes met, he noticed she looked at him as if begging for help. Loki wondered if Sigyn had fallen in love with Theoric, and he was hurting her by sending him away.

That's when Theoric finished his meal, and before standing up to leave for battle he grabbed her head and kissed her forcefully, in front of the whole dinning hall. Those actions were never meant to happened under the eyes of so many, they were it extremely dishonorable for Sigyn; the only maidens that were kissed in public were known to be whores.

Theoric held her closely and whispered something in her year, making her shiver under his brute touch and looked down, as a trapped prey.

"Theoric, please, control yourself." Odin repressed, shocked.

"Please forgive me, Allfather. I cannot bear the thought of being away from my wife." Theoric lied, letting go of his wife, who sat down, and looked at her plate.

"Make sure it does not happen again." Odin declared.

Once the supper was done, and all soldier had already said their good-byes, they were sent away, Odin informed Theoric's family of the agreement he had with his youngest son, who stood beside him, staring at Sigyn; he could now see that, she had a black eye, and other small bruises on her body, she did not dare to look at at them often, but when she did, Loki did not find the fair and innocent Sigyn, but a woman who had been terribly hurt.

After that, Loki started to watched Sigyn, waiting for a chance to talk to her. She stood up and started to say her goodbyes, that's when Loki found his chance, leaving the dinning halls as well, only to meet her at the end of a long hall.

"Lady Sigyn, you will have to forgive my bluntness, but you do not look well. Are you ill, my lady?" Loki asked, noticing how she seemed eager to leave "Sigyn, you can confide me any secret, I promise. Has Theoric mistreated you?"

She slowly nodded, as tears rolled down her face. Loki embraced her in his arms and gave a quick kiss on a bruise she had on her forehead, and it slowly faded. Sigyn smiled at him, feeling as the area stopped to hurt.

"I promise to you, my lady, no harm shall fall upon you, ever again." Loki promised, as he let her go back to her chambers.

He stood there, watching her walk away. Loki worried she would never be as happy as she was before, until she looked back at him and gave him that dazzling smile.