The next morning Maryn dressed carefully. She chose a casual black gown of soft cotton with a straight skirt and a neckline that slipped from one shoulder. The sleeves fell to her knuckles and she belted the billowing material at her waist with a thick brown leather belt. Pulling her hair back into a low bun pinned with a silver comb, she only wore crystal studs and a silver and crystal ring. Her wedding ring glinted on her ring finger but she chose no other adornment.
This was the day Loki was to be flogged and she would do everything in her power to stop such a cruel thing from happening.
Heart beating rapidly in her chest she told Fenrir to stay in their rooms and made her way purposefully through the palace and down into the dungeons.
She had never been in this part of the Asgardian palace before, and although the gilt and white prison cells and the shimmering gold magic force fields that kept the prisoners within their cells seemed inviting at first glance, she knew that they were anything but. The Allfather kept his prisoners in better conditions than other kingdoms, but he wasn't one to allow a punishment to be easy for those who had done wrong.
Moving quickly through the dungeons, Maryn felt her pulse jump and pushed herself into a sprint, praying silently that she wasn't too late.
She burst through the door that led to the darkest part of the gaol, and three guards turned to her. She wasn't focussed on them, however, her entire being was fixated on Loki.
He was chained by his hands to the high ceiling in the middle of the room, his armour and undershirt stripped from him, the pale skin of his chest glowing in the dim light. Only two torches illuminated the large space. His head was bowed but she couldn't sense that he was in pain or even thinking of fighting, in fact he seemed to be resigned to his fate.
"This isn't right," the words flew from her mouth and she pinned each guard with a hard stare before turning to the captain of Odin's guards who would be the one to carry out Odin's judgement on his son.
"It is the Allfather's ruling," the older Aesir remarked, his gaze flinty and his hand tightening on a coiled black whip.
The sight of that instrument of pain made bile climb Maryn's throat, but she swallowed it back and stood tall, "Odin's ruling is wrong."
The tension int he room was palpable and the captain of the guard stepped forward, "If you weren't part of the royal family, my lady, you could very well be in those cells." He pointed out to the large room she had just raced through.
Knowing he was right but beyond caring, Maryn ignored her instincts telling her to leave well enough alone and find another way to save Loki.
"You will stop this before I do," she said, her voice pitched low and calm.
There was a subtle creaking from the other guards in the room at her words, their armour protesting as they tensed.
"You will leave before the Allfather hears of this." The captain glared down at her. He then turned and took up his position behind Loki, the whip unravelling, it's length slapping the marble floor and making Loki flinch.
Power sparking between her fingertips, Maryn raised eyes glazed with electric blue magic to the captain's, "You raise that whip and I will-."
Her arm was grabbed suddenly and she was spun around only to come face to face with Thor's thunderous glare. Before she could protest he hauled her from the room, the heavy door slamming shut behind them.
"How dare you!" she snarled, jerking her arm from his grip.
Her brother-in-law turned on her. "How dare I? you are the one who is going against father's ruling."
She turned to go back to the room, her heart once more pounding and her ears ringing with dread, "I don't give a damn about Odin's ruling in this."
Thor grabbed her arm again and opened his mouth to speak, only for the sound of a whip cracking to rent the air.
Maryn stood frozen in shock, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps before she cried out and tried to get back into the room. Thor grabbed her up into a tight hold, lifting her off her feet as she struggled to get to Loki.
The next crack of the whip was accompanied by a barely audible groan and Maryn clapped a hand to her own mouth to stifle her scream as tears blurred her vision.
She couldn't think, couldn't process that Odin would be so unfeeling as to have Loki whipped, no matter the devastation he had caused.
She thought it was her jerking as the blood-curdling snapping of the lash continued, however, it was Thor who flinched with each crack and groan. Putting her hands over her ears she turned her face to his chest and sobbed, trembling and sick to her stomach at the knowledge that Loki was suffering in such a way and she could do nothing to stop it.
It seemed like an eternity before Thor stepped away and took her hands from her ears. "It's over, little sister." His eyes were red-rimmed but there were no tears on his cheeks and he had pulled a blank mask over his emotions.
Numb, her hands tingling as shock still thickened the blood in her veins, Maryn pulled slowly from his touch and turned to the door.
It opened and the guards filed out, the captain speaking quietly to Thor, "The magic will not let the wounds heal until Odin deems it so."
Tears making her throat ache, Maryn forced her feet forward and walked stiffly into the dimly lit room. The first thing she noticed was the tang of blood and sweat in the air. It made her stomach heave but she hid her reaction when she saw Loki crouched in a corner, his head in his hands and a fine trembling taking over his whole body. Desperate to run to him she took measured steps forward and crouched before him. "Loki…" her voice broke on his name.
Not lifting his head, the Dark Prince spoke roughly, "Leave me be, Maryn."
She could hear the exhaustion in his voice but knew he wouldn't accept her fussing over him. She felt afloat, she didn't know how to act and was still reeling, how could Odin have allowed this to happen? "Please, Loki, let me help," she whispered so softly it was a miracle he heard her.
But he did. Surging to his feet, he glared down at her, "I said leave!" he snarled.
Alarmed at the grey tone of his skin and the beads of sweat dripping from him, Maryn stood quickly, reaching out to cup his cheek.
He grabbed her wrist, his fingers tightening painfully around the slender bones and delicate flesh, "Don't," he growled out.
She tried not to show that he was hurting her but rubbed her wrist when he threw it from him, a shudder wracking his body.
"Please, my love, let me at least try and heal you," she begged, anxious to take some of his pain.
He bared his teeth, "Get out!"
She flinched but didn't back down seeing clearly that he was close to collapsing from exhaustion and the agony of the beating. "Loki," she tried to reason with him again but he stepped menacingly toward her.
"Get. Out. Girl."
"Maryn," Thor's voice came from the doorway, the warning in his tone plain to hear. "Come."
She turned her head to see that he was holding a hand out to her and refused to look his brother's way.
Defeated, she looked once more at Loki's sallow face and pain-filled eyes and then held her breath as she turned and left the dungeon room.
Stepping past Thor she transported herself to Frigga's rooms and collapsed to her knees before the startled Allmother and two of her attendants.
"Maryn?" Frigga waved away her ladies in waiting and knelt with Maryn, wrapping her arms around her.
It was then that the princess realised she was sobbing.
The Allmother was little better, Maryn could sense her despair and helplessness.
"He is in pain and I can do nothing to help him," she sobbed against Frigga's shoulder.
Frigga held her tighter, rocking her as she would a babe and hushing her gently, "We are both helpless in this, dear one."
Pulling back slightly Maryn looked at her through tears, "Please mother, this isn't right. He doesn't deserve this pain."
Frigga's face crumpled and she pulled Maryn back into her embrace, "I know, dear one, I know."
When both women had cried their tears dry, Maryn pulled out of Frigga's arms, "I know you cannot stop this but I need to help Loki even if it is just by sitting at his side."
Frigga turned her face away, her emotions nearly getting the best of her again, "Go and be with him, for I cannot."
Pressing a kiss to her cheek, Maryn stood and left, moving quickly through the palace she had one more stop before she made her way to Loki's side.
Odin's council rooms were full of Lords having their say, shouting over one another to be heard. Hiding her disgust at their childish behaviour, Maryn slipped through the crowd to the chair where Odin sat in stony silence, obviously he was in a bad mood about something that had happened.
He saw her coming and leaned forward to speak with her, "Daughter, what brings you here?"
Kneeling at his side, Maryn spoke quietly making sure that Odin heard her but that no one else was privy to their conversation, "Father, you know why I am here."
The raw grief that flitted across his face made her wince. Odin reached out and clasped a hand over hers, "I have done what was needed." Seeing she was about to object he continued, "It breaks my heart, Maryn, but I am king. This is what had to be done."
Lowering her gaze Maryn nodded. She had done everything she could to bring Loki relief, the only thing left was to break the magic of the whip.
Before she could move to leave, Odin tightened his hand around hers, "If you interfere now the Lords will turn against the both of you."
Tears once again forming in her eyes, Maryn refused to let them fall, "I won't watch him suffer."
Odin sighed, looking at her, "When Frigga and I chose to make a treaty with your mother and bring you to our home, we never thought you and Loki would fall in love as deeply as you have." The words sounded a little awkward coming from the formidable Allfather. Maryn never expected him to speak of love as he was. "That he has someone so loyal to him is comforting."
"I don't do it for you, Father," Maryn spoke quickly.
He smiled sadly, "No, you do it because you love him despite all he has done." He glanced out over his angry lords and Maryn saw him become irritated. "I won't help him and will not encourage you to do so either."
Standing Maryn nodded in acknowledgement. Odin wouldn't end Loki's suffering, he was bound by his position as the Allfather and his duty to his people. She, however, was not obliged to follow such rules. Without saying the words Odin was giving her permission to choose her next step, something that was new. Before she had gone to Earth all she had heard was that she could not do something, that she was too fragile. Now, however, it seemed Odin saw that she was strong enough to survive anything.
Pressing a kiss to the Aesir king's cheek, she turned and left the room, ignored by the other males in the room. The moment she was outside and the deafening noise of the Lords had been muffled by the door, Fenrir appeared at her side. The gigantic black wolf followed her back down to the dungeons. She didn't use a spell to transport her there, she needed the walk to clear her head and help her think of what she was to do next. The next step wouldn't be easy. She needed to know what magic Odin used to control the whip's abuse, and how strong it was. There was also Loki to consider. If he was as she knew him, he would fight her on this. There was no way he would allow her to take his pain if it meant she would be hurt in doing so.
Striding back through the dungeons she ignored the gazes of the prisoners as she moved passed their cells. There were five guards milling about outside Loki's cell. She could almost taste the tension in the air when they noticed her and Fenrir. "You can leave; the Prince will not escape while my wolf stands guard."
The soldiers eyed the monster sitting on his haunches behind her, Fenrir's head bowed to fit his body into the limited space provided by the high ceiling but narrow hallways of the gaol.
Smirking at their obvious fear, Maryn didn't feel the need to coddle them, "You may stay out here alone with him if you wish, but I will see Loki."
The men clenched their jaws and all but one left quickly to stand post in other parts of the prison. The sole brave Aesir removed his helmet and Maryn nodded to him, "Brant, I should have known you would be here. Does Tora really not trust me to keep myself safe?"
The sandy-haired man ran a hand over his jaw, "She cares enough to worry, my lady. Is that not commendable?"
Feeling her heart sink, Maryn clenched her hands into fists at her sides, "Perhaps, but her actions show me she acts without thought of my happiness even if she is doing so to protect me."
Brant caught her arm gently as she moved to walk past him and into Loki's cell, ignoring Fenrir's warning growl, "Please, Princess, Tora mourns the loss of your friendship."
Pulling her arm from his grasp Maryn glared, "Then she should never have taken my trust and burnt it to save me."
As she walked through the door of Loki's cell she heard Brant say quietly, "It is because she loves you as a sister that she tried to save you, Princess."
His words struck a chord with her, but she refused to think on it at that moment, and then seeing Loki curled in on himself in one corner shaking violently banished from her mind all thought of Tora and anything else but her need to help him.
Kneeling at his side she reached out and lay a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away and his vibrant gaze flicked to her face.
"Why are you back?" he asked, exhaustion lacing every syllable.
Cupping his cheek Maryn looked into his eyes, "I'm back because I love you and want to help."
He scoffed, "Leave me be, Maryn," he spoke tiredly, "It is my punishment and Odin will have you disciplined if you help me in any way."
"Now you care about me?" she snapped, bitterness edging the words as she conjured a bowl of ice water and rags to start cleaning his wounds.
With the ghost of a smirk turning up the corners of his lips, the Dark Prince attempted to sit a little straighter, trying and failing to hide his agony. "Still have that fiery spirit I see. At least you haven't lost that I suppose," he added flippantly.
Knowing he was trying to get a rise out of her, Maryn ignored his words and moved to see his back.
She had to fight down bile at the sight. The Captain of the Guards hadn't held back when meting out the punishment. Some of the wounds were so deep she could see the white glint of bone where they criss-crossed his shoulder blades, others seemed to have been caused by the lash coming down on an angle, cutting into flesh and muscle and leaving gaping wounds.
Instinctually she kept her horror to herself and merely pulled a rag from the bowl, wringing it out carefully and then lifting it. Before she pressed it to one of the wounds she stopped and spoke softly, "Let me at least dull the pain as I clean your wounds."
He was silent for so long she was sure he would agree to her request. But then he spoke firmly, "Just clean them and leave, Maryn, I will bear the pain as I need to."
Sick to her stomach Maryn pressed the cloth to his back as gently as possible. He flinched, sucking a pained breath in through clenched teeth. Tears filling her eyes Maryn tried to work quickly but do everything as painlessly as she could. On more than one occasion she would reach out with her magic to try and break the spell that kept the wounds open and Loki's pain continuing, but he would just as quickly use his own magic to top her from doing so.
It took nearly half an hour for her to clean all his wounds and bind them enough that he could pull on his loose undershirt with her help. Even then she could see how much pain he was in. There was sweat on his brow and his skin was even paler than before with a slight grey tinge to it.
"Please let me help you, my love," Maryn murmured as he lowered himself laboriously to the ground.
Loki didn't look at her, "…No one can help me, Maryn."