Arnlaug attended to Sigyn. She helped the girl from the bed and together they made their way to the kitchen were Arnlaug gave her soup and more of her healing tea.
"Are you better, my darling?"
"Yes Lady Arnlaug. Very much so-only thanks to you." Sigyn felt alive-more good and alive than she had felt in many, many months-even years. Arnlaug was seated in front of Sigyn. Leaning over the table, Arnlaug outstretched her hand ant tucked a stray strand of hair behind Sigyn ear.
Sigyn blushed and felt a rush of affection towards the woman. Perhaps this is what a mother was. This was what it felt like to be truly and genuinely taken care of.
"I used to have sons." Said Arnlaug,
"I used to have sons. Three of them…tall as oaks and strong as bison, they all fought alongside Odin during the battle against the frost giants."
"You used to have sons? Where are they now?" Arnlaug's face morphed into a mask of nostalgia and regret, and a well of pain.
"They perished alongside my husband. They were brave…so brave…my sons…" Arnlaug seemed to be talking to herself.
"I'm sorry, Lady Arnlaug." Sigyn's spirits were dampened immediately and unchangeably.
"The power that killed them-it is inside you now, do you know?" Sigyn swallowed hard, all of the goodwill she felt evaporated, "When the casket was broken-the power sought put the next best host, which you was…little Sigyn."
Sigyn's blood ran frozen cold. She began to shake and trembled, "Do not fear, little Sigyn." Arnlaug took Sigyn's young hands into her old withered ones.
"The Iceling will save you. He loves you, you know, the Iceling. I have never seen him feel. I have only ever seen him feel for you…I love him as you do, you know…his is like my son." Sigyn nodded and smiled.
"He loves the intrigue I bring, not me." Arnlaug cackled and then screeched.
"You will see, little Sigyn. You will see." There was a knock at the door, "It must be the Iceling." Before Arnlaug could move, there was an explosion.
Loki led the party of six, including himself, to the home of Arnlaug. He was not happy about having to reveal the portal to Thor and his group of warriors-if they could be called that-Sif, a lady who thought herself a man, a warrior, apparently, Volstagg, a walking mountain-Fandral…a skirt-chaser, from what Loki had observed and Hogun, as somber as a funeral pyre.
He bit back a sudden burst of unseemly giggling. What a bunch they made. How obvious it was the he was the outsider…how he disliked all of them especially the golden one, Thor. They were all so good…so noble and virtuous. He belonged with them like a fox belonged with dogs.
In the distance above the houses he saw smoke, and fear rose within him with a burst and suddenly. He urged his horse forward. He sped, like the fires of Muspelheim were at his tail. Thor and his group of mismatched cronies followed swiftly after him.
Thor brought his horse to side with Loki's, having caught up with him, "What is wrong? Slow down!" Thor shouted over the rushing wind.
"There is smoke!" Loki yelled over the wind. His horse sped away from Thor's and towards Arnlaug's home.
Arnlaug laid crumpled a few steps away from her front door, looking broken and bloodied. Loki ran to her-an indiscernible emotion filling him up prompting him to cry out, to scream-to make any reaction instead of the half-chocked sound that escaped him.
He did not know what to do in that instant, he had experienced loss in the past-yet it was just that, in the past-still painful and yet it was a blunted pain…this pain instead…
This pain was sharp, it filled him gaping and bleeding and yet…and yet however he fought to contain it, and he succeeded because indifference was what made him strong.
"Do you know who might have caused this…Loki?" Loki drew short, labored breaths and yet his voice was calm and even when he replied to Thor.
"The girl I spoke of…Sigyn. It must have been her master-the one who prompted her mission in the first place…she has been taken has she not?"
"The dwelling is destroyed. There are no others here." It was Fandral who spoke, Loki did not look at him-Loki only could look at the broken form of Arnlaug in his arms.
"She still lives-" Hogun crouched down next to Loki and Arnlaug, "if we take her to the healing rooms she may yet live." Loki lifted Arnlaug gently. He handed her to Sif who was still mounted on her horse.
"You and Hogun ride back to Asgardia-do your utmost for her, Fandral and Volstagg-report immediately to the All-Father-we will need ulterior support. Me and the Odinson we will travel back to Jotunheim. We must find Sigyn." The Warriors three and lady Sif looked at Loki and then at Thor, they were unsure if to listen to the Jotun.
"His plan is sound-go." At the words from Thor there was instant movement and the group disbanded each heading to their separate ways.
"How are we to find this Sigyn?" Loki took Sigyn's cloak from his shoulders-he marched into the house through the carnage right to the still burning hart. He outstretched his hand over the flames and began to chant.
Thor watched in awe as the flames began to dance green, "And now, Loki?" Loki fixed his green eyes on Thor.
"Take my hand." Thor shifted uncomfortably, "Take my hand-hesitate not, Odinson."
Thor took Loki's hand.
"Now pray to the Holy Chaos that we are taken to Sigyn." Loki cast the cloak to the flames and the pair was sucked into the flames.
Chapter finally up! Reviews are the love by the way…the fuel to my elusive muses.