Loki panted and strained against the fetters holding him to the bed. Sweat ran over his naked chest and the sheets were drenched with his blood. But even the strength of an immortal could not break the bonds forged in a relation's blood. No matter what size or shape or form he transformed into, he could not escape.
Angrboda, looking much smaller, settled on the bed beside him. "You smell of blood and fear," she purred, placing her hand over his heart. "It's not too different from when we first coupled."
"Other than the small detail that I asked you to tie me up then, it's nearly exactly the same," he grunted, his body tense. No silver tongue could get him out of this situation.
She kissed him, her hands running over his chest and down his arms. "When was the last time you were violated, instead of the one violating?"
"The conception of Sleipnir," he gasped, struggling as her hands wandered lower. How could he have thought himself in love with this woman? Then he remembered seeing her as the, well, 'kinky' version of Sigyn. There had seemed no difference. "That was not exactly a planned pregnancy."
She laughed but snarled when there was a knock at the door. "What?"
"Mother, please try not to destroy the building."
"It's a bit late for anything like that, dear. Now, leave Mummy and Daddy alone. We need to have a discussion of an adult nature."
Barton grumbled as he adjusted his tuxedo. "Why did it have to be me?"
"Because a tux makes you look like a penguin and we all know how much you love birds," said Stark. "And we didn't want her taking Capsicle as her love hostage, either. Besides, Natashia thinks you look hot."
"You don't think I can handle a giantess?"
"Cool it, Cap," said Barton over the com. "I don't know if anyone could handle her, if half of what you've said is true."
He knocked on the door. It was opened by an exceptionally hairy man in evening wear. "Excuse me, Mr. Wulf?"
The man growled and sniffed deeply. "What?"
Hawkeye had the arrow notched and aimed directly at the man's face before a thought could pass. "So, here's the deal. I'm toting a weapon from the Neolithic period, running with a crazy bunch of freaks who think they're saving the world, and we're supposed to rescue one of the guy's kid brother. So if you could step aside, that'd be great."
The man growled even more deeply but stepped aside.
"Thank you." Hawkeye relaxed the bow and stepped inside. "I'm in and—"
Fenruswulf changed to his natural form and jumped on the younger man, teeth and claws at the ready.
Such would have been the end of Hawkeye if two things had not happened simultaneously.
First, Fenruswulf stopped and howled. It shook the building and the very earth. The skies rained down, drowning Las Vegas in mud.
Secondly, the Hulk knocked down the door and knocked Fenruswulf out the window, where he fell more than eighty stories.
"Hulk, go get 'im," said Stark.
The Hulk grinned with pleasure and followed the wolf by the same route.
An overly tall but beautiful woman opened the door to the bedroom, clutching a silk robe about her. "What is this commotion? Who are y—?"
She recognized them at once and slammed the door shut.
Captain America ran at it and tried to knock down the door. "I can't get it open. Barton's down. Thor, Stark, where are you?"
Thor flew in by the window and smashed through the door. "Spells are very hard to break by ordinary means."
Stark flew in and pulled a med kit from his suit. "Hold on Barton; we'll get you fixed up." He muttered curses under his breath as he stabilized Hawkeye.
In the bedroom, Angrboda crouched over her prize like a she-wolf.
Captain America stood transfixed by her beauty. It was the cruelest of beauties, surpassing even the legendary cruel beauty of the Snow White's step-mother. He could not move.
Thor pushed his way past his frozen friend and threw his hammer at the giantess. "Your tricks do not work on me, witch!"
"Oh, Thor, will you always fall for that one?" she laughed, having easily avoided the hammer.
She spun her hand in the air and Thor lay stunned on the ground, his hammer atop his chest. She chuckled and walked over to Captain America. "Sweeting," she ran her hand smoothly down his chest, "kill the good god of thunder, please?"
"Not so fast," said Iron Man. He flipped up the mask and whistled. "Hello, gorgeous!"
Angrboda smiled seductively and waltzed over to him. She lay a finger on his cheek and he remained frozen with the idiotic smile on his face. "Now, you're all frozen. But humour a minor monologue. You believe that men can rule and save the world. But I've just undone what many have called the Earth's Mightiest Heroes; undone by the presence of one woman and your own lusts running out of control. I hardly think this bodes well for the pro-masculine dominance party."
The lights flickered and bright beam of light hit the ground. Frigg and Sif appeared, supporting Sigyn between them. Each one held one of Sigyn's hands. Sif held a naked sword in front of her foster-sister. "It is your duty."
"When the men fail, and they usually do when a woman is concerned," Frigg sniffed, "it becomes the woman's responsibility to clean up after them."
"As usual," said Sif. "Now take the sword and end this."
Her face blotchy from the tears and bloody from where she was torn, Sigyn looked anything but the romanticized warrior princess. But she took the sword and faced the giantess. Her stature was returning, slowly, but her hair was tied back in a knot. It was a pure white.
"The contract has yet to fully expire," gasped Angrboda. "How did you two return?"
"You broke the contract, making any conditions null and void," snapped Sif.
"Silence, daughter," said Frigg. "This is your sister's battle."
"She won't win; she's too weak."
Anger is the second stage of grief. Sigyn's hands tightened about the handle of the blade. And you shall feel my anger, woman. After all, we are both mothers.
The giantess and Sigyn circled each other. Every so often, one would test the other's defences, only to snap back. Using the sword as a prop, Sigyn threw her legs into the air and caught the giantess' arm and shoulder. It snapped with a mighty crack!
The witch fell to the ground but swept Sigyn's feet from beneath her. The sword was kicked aside. Using her good arm, Angrboda pushed her opponent's head into the carpet. "I will squeeze the life out of you like I did to your other son. I killed Vali before I even took Narvi. It was easy, so very easy. Your younger son was ruled by his lusts, just as his father before him. And I swear, I will be the one to come out victorious in this. I have taken everything you hold dear. What do you have left, Sigyn, Princess?"
Sigyn tried to break free.
Sif moved to intervene, but Frigg caught her arm. "No, stop. This is her battle. Those who believe they have nothing left to lose are truly the most dangerous. It would be more dangerous for all to interrupt."
Angrboda caught Sigyn's hair and pulled her to the bed where Loki lay. "You remember the trick. He taught you first." Wincing, she took Sigyn's hand with her own and thrust it into Loki's chest.
He screamed in agony Old injuries, ancient ones, many long forgotten, reappeared and bled anew. "What have you done to me?"
Angrboda twisted Sigyn's hand. "Let no deed, for good or for ill, go unpunished. Let me introduce you to what power feels like. And I say let him never die!"
Sigyn looked as she might be sick. I cannot kill him.
"Silence your screaming, Husband," Angrboda snarled. "In the past were you truly wicked or merely seeking attention?" She twisted Sigyn's hand, causing their husband to nearly pass out.
"This is what the end has come to. My last good deed," said Angroboda. "Squeeze it. Feel the power that comes from holding him in such a position. You can do anything to him now. Does it not feel wonderful to have such power?"
It feels like the perfect set up.
Fighting the pain, Sigyn plunged her free hand into Angrboda's chest. Her eyes widened. What? Where is it? Where is your heart?
"Stupid girl." Angrboda let Sigyn fall to the ground. "Do you think I would keep my heart where everyone else does?"
Sigyn leapt to her feet. That is not your role, and that is not your line.
"Who do you think gave it to them? They weren't too far off that the characters of legend should not still be walking amongst the mortals."
They're not so stupid.
Sif bounced on the balls of her feet. "Mother, please, may I now?"
Frigg studied Angrboda. "No. She is no longer the defenceless foster-child you once knew."
Angrboda rolled her eyes.
Frigg smiled.
In that moment, Sigyn caught up her sword and raised it high. Off with your head!
The head did not roll far from the body. Angrboda's true form emerged: tall, blue, gangly...her red eyes stared unseeingly for a moment before her body turned to ash and floated out the window.
The little blood remaining burned a hole in the carpet and a foul stench rose from it.
Sigyn rested against the sword, gasping. The lines in her face were slowly fading, and she stood taller. Let there be peace.
Stark and Captain America were released from their imprisonment. Thor continued to flail under his hammer.
"Thor, stop your bleating; you resemble a beached whale," scolded his mother. "Sif, rescue your husband."
Sif snorted in laughter. "I like him this way. He can't go chasing after mortals this way."
"Woman, undo this magic now," snapped Thor.
"Thor!" said Frigg.
He glared at Sif until she pulled him out from under the hammer.
"And that's what you get for allowing an attractive woman to distract you from what's around you," said his mother.
"It's not just women that distract him," said Sif, remembering the incident of the giant's glove. "I think all the intelligence genes missed him and went straight to his brother."
"Yes, but I received the good looks," Thor proclaimed, exhibiting the best of male posturing. But he kissed the wife of his youth in thanks. He looked down at Loki, still tied to the bed. "Odin's beard, Brother, I never thought to see you so."
"Just let me loose," he gasped, tangled up in the sheet. The noose was cutting into his neck and a thin line of red encircled it. "Quickly!"
Sif handed Thor her knife and he cut his brother loose. Except the bonds continued to reattach themselves.
"Sorcery."
"A first-rate deduction if I ever I heard one," said Sif.
"Be quiet, wife. Mother, could you?"
Frigg took care to step around the burned spot on the rug. "Loki, what did I tell you as a child about the consequences of your actions?"
He grunted. "Mother, please, now is not the time."
She deftly began untying the knots, muttering counterspells under her breath. They would not untie for her, though they would loosen. "Ah, well planned, Angrboda. Now, Loki, before I give you the answer to the riddle on how to be freed, I will have you answer my question. Do not make me repeat it."
"You always said that the consequences can carry much further than any can foresee." He groaned in pain as the bonds tightened again.
Sif tried to undo a knot at his ankle. "What are these made out of?"
Loki struggled for breath, as the cord still strangled him. "They are—what she—harvested from Narvi in the cave. They cannot be cut or destroyed."
The sound of a loud commotion echoed throughout the city. A hologram popped up on Iron Man's arm. "Talk to me."
"Hulk's doing some pretty severe damage while chasing the wolf," said Hill. "Fury wants to know if you'd consider doing your job and going and stopping it and him before anyone actually dies."
"We're on our way. Have emergency services notified. Madames, it's been a pleasure."
Frigg nodded regally as Iron Man flew off, Captain America clinging to him for a ride. "Thor, go with them. You will know how best to recapture Fenruswulf."
Thor bowed to his mother before shooting out through the broken window.
Frigg turned to her youngest son. "Now, only one person can free you. And it must be a freewill offering."
"Just—tell me—Mother!"
She raised an eyebrow.
The answer dawned upon Loki. He turned to Sigyn. "Please—you saved—me once...Save me again?"
He was so very pale, and his lips held tinges of blue. "Sigyn, please!"
Frigg addressed her daughter. "What did I tell you about holding grudges?"
Sigyn raised an eyebrow.
Sif clicked her tongue at Loki. "Remember, this is all your fault, as always."
Without a word or thought, Sigyn went and stood by the bed. She dipped her finger in the blood which pooled about him.
"Sigyn, please..."
Slowly but deftly, she untied the knots, beginning with the one at his left ankle.
"Not there, woman!"
"I'd suggest not criticizing your rescuer," said Sif.
"Daughter!"
"Mother, he is the one who shaved my head for a lark and sold my hair to the Jutun because he could. Don't give me that look."
"It was not hard to find out what exactly the two of you were doing, especially as Ull, your son born not too long after the incident, looks nothing like Thor."
Sif glared at the queen, but remained silent.
Sigyn finally had undone all the knots but the one holding the cord about his throat. Never forget this, Lopt.
The last knot fell free.
Loki sat up slowly, making sure the sheet covered his middle.
"My son, now is not the time to be maidenly."
"Mother, it was Thor who dressed up as Freyja, not I, remember?" He tried to laugh but it ended up as a strangled sob. He looked to Sigyn. "My wife?"
Our son.She covered her face with her hands, staining her face with his blood. Our sons.
He looked at the bonds which had bound him. They lay neatly in a pile. He wrapped the bloody sheet more securely about him and gathered the cords in his hand. "Come with me."
When Sigyn opened her eyes, they were back in the cave. Narvi's broken body lay in front of them.
Carefully, Loki arranged the organs in his son's body. With a conjured magic needle and thread, he sewed the body back up. Then he looked to his wife and, sadly, smiled before placing his mouth over his son's and breathing.
He breathed for so long that the Fenruswulf lay bound again in the Lost Isles before Loki finished the first breath.
In the time of the second breath, the trees shook their fall colours, gained their winter stillness, and were just putting out new buds when he stopped.
He began to draw a final breath when Sigyn touched his arm. Stop. You will kill yourself with a third.
"He lost his life for my mischiefs. This is my choice, Sigyn. Let me die saving my son." He took her hand and pressed his lips to it. "Let me redeem myself. Please."
His last words were so quiet, the cavern did not even echo.
It was my mistake. Both the name and the blood on that scroll belong to Sigyn, Lokiswife.
"You mean this one?"
The scroll appeared form nowhere, unrolling suddenly from his hand. "Look closely and you will see both name and blood have been changed. It now reads Loki Laufeyson. Now, let me bear this burden."
I will not let you be the hero! She pushed him aside to lower her mouth to their son's.
"My apologies, dearest," he said, pinching the nerve in her neck. "But there is still yet another who you must care for."
She gracefully collapsed into his arms, and he gently kissed her before drawing a deep breath and giving their son the third and final breath necessary to revive him.
And in the time of that breath, love was unlocked in the heart and mind of every person of the Midgard. Spring lasted for a year and a day, and there was peace as had been unknown since the dawn of time.
Do you understand yet, or what more?
~Voluspa