Sigyn had never been much for the hunt, but as the first organised outing as a married couple, she had been prepared for it. Odin and Frigga were to come, and Thor, and the warriors three — the whole court of Asgard, it seemed. Theoric had looked upon it as an opportunity to prove his worthiness, or some such trite idiocy. She'd looked upon it as something necessary and unpleasant, and would be glad when it was over, now more than ever.
She had come to the stables early, as arranged, and found Theoric in his hunting gear already, seated atop his stallion Hrugar, silent and imposing. She was afraid to touch him, wondering if he was another of Loki's illusions. She wasn't certain how she'd known, absolutely, that it was not Loki in the saddle, but she felt decidedly uneasy in his presence. Her mare skittered and shied away from him, and they rode to the woods on the outskirts of the city in strained silence.
As the others of the hunt gathered, it was clear that Odin was losing patience. Thor spoke to him several times, ever the mediator between his father and his brother, and Sigyn's teeth ground at each other in her jaw. Theoric sat wooden and unresponsive on his horse and she was desperate for the hunt to begin, desperate for people's eyes to be taken from him.
"We will wait for Loki no longer," Odin announced finally.
"Father…" Thor held up one hand but the Allfather snarled at him.
"No. I have had enough of his sulking and his antics. The hunt begins."
When Loki emerged from between the trees, Sigyn had to stop herself from gasping out loud in relief. The Loki that stood before Odin, however, gently cupping Sleipnir's soft nose in his hands, was an entirely different creature from the man who had been sharing her bed and her crime for the past ten nights. He had a cocky slant to his head and an evil glint in his eyes.
"You are done with your sulk then, Loki?" Odin asked, earning a glare from Frigga. Loki ducked his head in a show of contriteness that would not have fooled a human.
"You have my apologies, father," he said.
"It is not to me you should apologise," Odin said. "Present yourself to the lady and her groom for insulting them on their wedding day."
Loki glared at his father and stalked towards Sigyn. She clenched her reins until her knuckles were white with strain.
"You have my apologies, Theoric," Loki said, voice silken and genuine. Theoric waved a hand dismissively and Loki moved to her horse. Out of sight of the others, he reached up a hand and took hers, and for once his skin throbbed with warmth.
"What magic is this?" she hissed at him.
"Do not fear," Loki said. He made a show of adjusting her rein, smiling contritely and speaking under his breath as he did so. "Theoric will fall to a bear shortly into the hunt. You must ride well separate from him if you can. I would not see you harmed."
"Loki what is he?"
"He is Theoric," Loki said, shrugging.
Her eyes widened and she clutched at the pommel of her saddle in sudden fear. "Loki am I riding next to a corpse?"
Loki grinned and nodded. She shuddered. "What?" he said. "Did you expect me to conjure a body for his family to mourn out of thin air?"
"I don't know what I thought," she said.
"Unless you wish me to condense two hundred years of magic knowledge into one short apology, I had best go," Loki said, eyes still twinkling with mischief. "Try to look haughty and offended. I am quite certain I just said something inappropriate to you." She glared at him. "That's the trick, love," he said, winking and slinking back towards where Thor had his horse, rearranging his carefully contrite expression as he did so.
The hunt began.
She had become so used to considering Theoric as Loki that when the bear charged his horse the high scream that left her mouth was completely involuntary. She leapt from her own steed, advancing on the animal that was busy worrying at her husband's throat before she remembered that she was essentially, putting herself in danger to save a corpse.
"Sigyn no!" Loki's voice - his true voice was desperate with terror and she stopped, face to face with the bear as it raised a bloody head and roared at her. She clutched for her bow, knowing it was too late and that the bear was too close, and had time to think this was a fitting end, since she had killed Theoric. Why not go down with him?
There was a battle roar, however, and the Lady Sif who had been riding closest to them, landed on the beasts' back, using her spear to skewer it through the head in one easy blow. She landed beautifully in front of Sigyn, who's hands were shaking, still trying to notch an arrow that was now completely useless.
A cold hand came down on her arm and she felt Loki's presence next to her. "You don't need it," he said softly. She looked up into his white face, mouth opening to say something, anything, but he snarled at her. "You should have been further away," before spinning on his heel and racing back towards the chaos the bear had left.
In the meantime, Sif had knelt beside Theoric's body and was examining it, even as the other hunters gathered around the bear to be certain it was dead. "I am sorry Lady Sigyn," Sif said, looking up with wide, dark eyes. "Your husband is dead." His horse too, was lying with an unnatural angle to his neck, and she found it within herself to let out a sob for the animal, and for the danger she had been in. She did not know how, but she was on the ground, retching, her bow abandoned and there was a voice in her ear.
"Lady? Lady Sigyn?" strong, warm hands were helping her to her feet, the voice was Thor's soft and urgent, and somehow they were being led back to the villa and Odin was expressing his sorrow and person after person pressed in upon her to give their condolences and…
…she could not see Loki anywhere.
She had to stop herself from descending into hysterical laughter as she heard each expression of sympathy for a man who had been dead half a month. But the face she looked to see did not appear and eventually she told the servants to admit no more. If this was to be it, if the only time she would see him now was to be when he collected his debt, she wished to begin the process of mourning now when it could be suitably covered by the pretense of mourning the husband she never wanted.
She sat in front of the fire well into the early hours of the morning, a glass of untouched wine by her hand, reluctant to move to her empty bed, not willing to admit that she was afraid to sleep alone for the first time since she was a small child.
When she felt a hand on her shoulder she was uncertain whether she was awake or dreaming, but she would take the dream if that was all that was offered, and she looked up into Loki's face calmly. He didn't speak, just turned her towards him, gently taking the glass and setting it down on the table and pulling her to her feet. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and breathed in his scent as his hands moved on her back. There was an urgency in his touch that had been lacking before now and she found herself being backed towards the bedchamber. She went willingly, sinking herself into his familiarity and losing herself in pleasure.
"My father is sending me away," he said into the darkness when they had finished. For once he had not fallen asleep — obviously animating a corpse and charming a bear was less taxing than a full day of shapeshifting.
Or perhaps he felt this was important enough to stave off slumber. "Oh?" she said.
"It seems my rudeness to you and Theoric was the last straw. My brother has been pushing to go to Nornheim and deal with the rebels there and Odin…" he chuckled. "Odin has decided it would be good for my character were I to accompany him."
She took a deep breath, hating what she was about to say. "It will probably be for the best," she said. His arm tightened around her.
"I shall miss this," he said then, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Twas a grand scheme. One of my best."
If his words wounded her, they were still expected, and she knew better than to point them out. Instead she allowed herself a small smile. "I am pleased you garnered some enjoyment from it, Prince Loki."
He chuckled and looked down at her, tracing one finger along her jaw. "The price may be a little high however. Two years traipsing through Nornheim with my brother in the filth does not appeal. If you could avoid killing any more potential suitors I would be grateful, otherwise I might have to become a soldier."
She swallowed. "Two years?" she said.
He nodded.
Her jaw worked for a moment. "You will have much time to contemplate how I can best repay you, then," she said.
He shifted on the bed so he was looking up at her, head propped on his elbow, and reached one hand to caress her bare shoulder. "I will," he said. He seemed fascinated by the movements of his hand for a time as his fingers made small circles on her skin. Eventually he leaned forward and let his lips brush the hollow of her neck, after a few gentle kisses he murmured against her skin, "Tell me, do you regret your promise?"
"No," she said, aware that her breath had been coming more quickly since he began his touches, and not especially caring.
He held up his other hand, and she saw the band of gold that she had picked out for Theoric still graced his finger. "I retrieved this from Theoric's corpse," he said. "I shall wear it in memory of our bargain. And of you."
She reached out her own hand and touched the band, then pulled his towards her, gently drawing the tips of his fingers into her mouth. He chuckled, and that led to other things, and they did not speak again.
He was gone before she woke the next morning, and word came from Odin the following day that his sons had departed for Nornheim. She accepted the news from Frigga, dressed as a grieving widow, wearing black and fingering the wedding band on her finger.