CHAPTER 5
Isis opened her eyes and looked around, but all she could see was really tall trees. She would have thought herself still in the Realm of the Wandering Winds, but for the blue haze around everything. She felt odd...stiff...as if she had slept in an odd position. Where was she? She shook her head and tried to move, but then discovered that she could not.
She was chained.
Isis' arms had been stretched above her head and out to the sides, putting her in a 'Y' position. This frightened her no end, and she tried to teleport out of there, but felt a cold electric shock run through her body instead. The pain made her eyes water, and she gasped.
"I wouldn't do that again, if I were you," a cold voice said.
Isis turned her head to see four enormous Jotun standing to one side, laughing at her. Isis tried to teleport away again, but was rewarded by another powerful jolt of electricity. This one was strong enough to make her scream.
The tallest Jotun-Sciotha, Loki had called him-walked up to her, smirking.
"The more you struggle, the more it will hurt. You are in an energy cell, and your powers will not work here." He walked through the energy barrier as if it was nothing, and grabbed her by the chin, dragging her eyes upward to meet his crimson ones. "But I hope you continue to struggle," he breathed lustfully. "I so love to see you thrash, and hear you scream. I just love the way you scream," he growled into her ear.
Isis shivered; his touch was so cold. "Please," she begged, trying to move away from him, "please just let me go. I've done nothing to you or your people..."
Sciotha laughed. "Oh, no, my sweet little thing. You are too great a prize for me to release! I can see why Loki wants you: you are delectable. If he does what I want of him, then perhaps I will consider letting him have what is left," he pulled her head back by the hair, "assuming, of course, that he still wants what is left. He is a god and a prince, after all. They don't usually accept...leftovers."
Isis felt sick. This monster was using her as a hostage, with Loki's services as the ransom! "What did you want him to do?" she gasped, trying to get him to talk longer. The longer he talked, the better her chances of surviving...
"Nothing difficult, sweet one," Sioctha said, walking around her and leering at her body. "He just has to fulfill his natural destiny...do what he was born to do...and kill Allfather Odin."
"Ragnarok?" Isis croaked, looking up at Sciotha in horror. "You want Loki to start Ragnarok? Now? The cycle isn't complete! He can't..."
"Oh, I'm counting on his delay, sweet thing," Sciotha growled, licking his lips as he stared at her. "It will give us more time together, you see." He walked around her again, stopping behind her, but his hands ghosted down the front of her body, stopping at her hips. Isis tried to pull away from Sciotha, but the chains stopped her, and suddenly Sciotha pulled her body hard against his groin. "So hot," he moaned, "so much heat in one small body. I wonder...just how hot are you?"
Sciotha slid his hands down her side, yanking off the flimsy clothing that was her pajama pants, and pushed her thighs apart with his freezing hands. Isis gasped at his icy touch on her thighs, but screamed when two of his ice-cold fingers thrust deep inside her.
"Yes," he moaned, "scream for me, my sweet." He continued thrusting his fingers deep into her core as tears streamed down her face. "Scream for me," he growled, lowering his head to bite at her neck.
"Bastard!" Isis cried out, and threw her head backward with all her strength and anger, breaking his nose with the impact.
Sciotha grunted with the pain. "Stupid girl," he growled, and yanked his hand out of her abused core, "you will pay for that!" So saying, he walked around to where Isis could see him and backhanded her in the face. "You will learn...obedience," he growled, and this time the icicle between her legs was not his hand. Isis' head dropped backwards, and she screamed and thrashed in agony. "Yesssss...yes! So hot! So sweet! YES!" he roared, throwing his head back in triumph, and then leered down at her.
Isis sagged against her chains, sobbing.
Sciotha adjusted his loincloth and exited the cell. He gave a satisfied smile to his three officers, and produced an energy whip.
"Have fun," he commanded them, and flicked his crimson gaze back to the pitiful figure hanging in the cell, "but do not kill her."
"Yes, my lord," the other three replied, smiling.
Sciotha watched as his junior officers entered the cell. One of them ripped Isis' pajama top off, exposing her creamy skin to the cold night air, and he saw her head come up at the shock. Icy hands started pawing her, freezing whatever they touched, and Sciotha heard Isis start to cry again. Then the whip fell with a CRACK, and Isis screamed again.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Saffron appeared behind Loki with a flash, but he didn't notice her. He was flipping through spell-books as fast as he could, and throwing them out of the way as they each proved useless in locating his lost love.
"Loki," Saffron called out, trying to get his attention.
He spun around then, expecting another attack, but instead of a huge blue Jotun warrior he was faced with a tall, dark-haired woman covered in fire.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"I am Saffron Star, daughter of the god Ra. The great goddess Halastjarna asked me to help you find your love: your Isis," she replied, stepping forward.
Loki fell to his knees. "Anything," he croaked, "ask anything of me that you may need to find her, and I will do it. If it costs me my life to buy her safety, so be it. I will be in your debt forever."
Saffron stepped forward. "Rise, Loki son of Odin. I will bring her back, but you need not give me your life as recompense. Isis is my friend as well as your love, but I do need your help."
"How can I help you?" Loki demanded. "Nothing is too great or too small to ask."
"I cannot track Isis' energy," she replied, "but I can track the energy of the Jotun. All I need is a taste of it, so I know how it feels." Saffron looked at the floor, and continued softly: "I know this is difficult for you, but I need you to transform for me."
Loki's head drew back warily. "Transform? But you mean...how do you know? So many here in Asgard do not..."
"I am not of Asgard, Loki. But we do have a connection. Even as you are also the God of Fire here in Asgard, in my own realm I am a Goddess of Fire. Fire consumes all in all realms, is shared between realms, and does not lie. I know much about you, my brother in the flame."
Loki nodded. "Well said, fire sister." He bowed his head and tensed for a moment, and suddenly he grew larger, his skin darkening to an arctic blue, and his eyes turning to a flaming crimson. "Uncomfortable and unsightly, this is, but I would run through the fires of the underworld if it would help bring Isis back to me."
"Unsightly? No...By the Nine," she whispered, "you are beautiful."
Loki raised an eyebrow at her, and Saffron shook herself to clear her head.
"Is this all you need of me?" Loki asked.
"Nay," she said, "I need a small taste of you, of your energy," she explained.
"I would not recommend licking me in this form," he cautioned.
"I need not that kind of taste," she smiled back, "a kiss will suffice."
Loki's face puckered. "Those are for Isis alone," he protested.
Saffron nodded. "I understand. A chaste kiss will do. Give me one such as you would give your mother or your cousins, and 'twill suffice for the nonce."
"So be it," he nodded.
Saffron frowned even as she approached him. "This may hurt, and for that, I apologize in advance." So saying, she quickly pressed her lips to his, and a slight hissing sound was heard. Saffron breathed deep as Loki's energy pulsed through his lips, and pulled away before she could do him any serious damage.
Loki shifted back to his Aesir form with the surge in both their energies. The chaste 'kiss' had given her what she needed, but it cost him a great deal of power. He collapsed to the floor, his lips slightly scorched and his head dizzy with the exchange.
Saffron ran to him, alarmed, extinguishing most of her flames as she did so, but not before a tall, well-built blond entered the room. Seeing Loki fallen, with a near-flaming woman standing over him, he bellowed with rage and threw a large sledgehammer at her.
"Stand aside, Daughter of Musphelheim," he roared, "you will not touch my brother!"
Saffron barely swayed out of the way of the Hammer, and it returned to the blond giant's grip even as she burst back into her flaming goddess form. The blond giant stared at her in shock, but both of them went into fighting stances when the giant hammer flew to the man's fist.
"Thor!" Loki's voice was a low gasp, but his brother could still hear him, even as he extended a hand to stay another strike. "Stand down, brother. She is a friend, and no enemy from Musphelheim. She is here to help find Isis."
Thor walked forward, grabbed Loki by the arm, and hauled the weakened god to his feet. Loki held on to Thor's arm for a moment to steady him-self and turned back to Saffron.
The young goddess still stood there, ready to fight, and her body was awash with red, black, and blue flames. Her eyes burned with the fire of the sun, flashing like solar flares. She eyed Thor cautiously.
"Ahhh, introductions are in order," Loki gasped, stepping between the flaming goddess and the god of thunder. "Thor, this is Saffron Star, the Solar Flare: daughter of Ra and best friend to my mate, Isis. She has come at the request of the goddess Halastjarna, the Shooting Star, Guardian of the Wanderers, to aid us in finding my love. Saffron Star, this is my brother: Thor Odinson, god of Thunder, Lightening, and Storms. He is," he looked up at the muscular blond, "a mite protective."
Saffron nodded at the god of thunder. "Well met, then, son of Odin."
"Well met indeed," he rumbled, walking forward to offer her his hand. "Hail to thee, and welcome, fairest and most beautiful daughter of the stars!"
Loki thumped Thor on the arm. "Suck up. Stay on track, would you?"
Thor had the grace to blush as Saffron giggled. She turned away from the flushed god of thunder to address Loki again.
"I have what I need, god of mischief. I will go now, and bring her back to you." Her body began to erupt in quiet flames again even as Loki stepped forward. She powered down in time for the raven-haired god to take her by the arm.
"Be safe," he cautioned, "but if you can bring her back, please do. If you cannot, come back to us, and guide us there."
Saffron nodded. "This I so swear," she said solemnly.
"Wait," said Thor, and both Saffron and Loki looked at him.
"You would go alone, into an armed Jotun fortress, to rescue my brother's mate? My lady, I doubt neither the fire of your heart nor your hand, but this plan is not wise," Thor cautioned. "I cannot in good conscience let you do this alone."
"She is too hot for even you to handle, my brother," Loki cautioned. "I think that restrain her, you cannot."
"Restrain her? Nay," Thor shook his head. "But accompany her I would. It be too much to ask of any maiden to track the Jotun, and then fight them, and then carry out a wounded hostage and teleport back here, even if the maiden be a fiery star-goddess such as she." He hefted his mighty hammer. "Mjolnir can both open portals and fight battles, my lady. If thou wouldst have me, I can have your back on this venture."
"That be not the part you're staring at," Loki huffed.
"Wilt you have me or nay, Lady Saffron?" Thor asked, ignoring Loki's jibe.
"Aye, I will," she answered, "and gladly. Cans't open a portal here, or should we go outside?"
"Outside is best, methinks," he said, and grabbing her around the waist Thor jumped out a nearby window, dropping 100 feet to the ground. He held on to her easily, cushioning their impact with his mighty legs, and stood solidly.
"Warn me before you do that again!" Saffron gasped.
"Thou art warned, Lady Saffron," Thor said with a smile. "Now, where wouldst you have us go?"
Flames erupted in her eyes again as she focused on the Jotun's energy. "To the Realm of the Wandering Winds," she answered, "but far in the north, where it grows cold."
Thor wrapped his strong left arm around her waist again. "As you wish, Lady Saffron," he said, raising Mjolnir to the sky. Lightening erupted from its core and surrounded them both. "So shall it be."
And with a mighty crack of thunder, they vanished.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Thunder rolled, lightning flashed, and with a blaze of red, blue, and black flames Thor and Saffron appeared in the Realm of the Wandering winds. Saffron shook her head to clear it; the journey had been rougher than her usual teleportation's.
"Nothing subtle about that," she muttered, "any Jotun within 500 stadia knows 'Thor is here'."
"Aye," Thor nodded, "I prefer not sneak attacks. They are unsportsmanlike, and unworthy of a god-warrior such as myself."
"We deal not with chivalrous beings, Odinson," Saffron snapped. "They have your brother's mate as a hostage and victim. They are cowards!"
"Well said," Thor admitted. He looked around, but saw nothing but trees. "I see them not. Can you track them that have my brother's mate?"
Saffron closed her eyes, and slow flames began to creep up her torso. She nodded, and the flames died down. "Aye, I can. That way," she pointed through a thicket, "but carefully. I sense they have violated the forest somehow."
Thor and Saffron picked their way through the thick mesh of tree trunks until they came to a clearing, where trees had been hacked down and moved away. In the center of the clearing stood a blue energy cell, and within that energy cell stood two tall trees, stripped of their lower branches. A bloodied young woman hung by her hands between them, naked, spread-eagle and unconscious. She had been whipped raw.
"Isis!" Her friend's name caught in her throat, and before Thor could stop her Saffron had run as close to her friend as she could get, stopped only by the energy cell's pulse. "Isis!"
"Now this is loyalty," laughed a huge Jotun, stepping out from behind the energy cell and between Saffron and Isis. "You love your friend so much you will join her in our sport!"
"Get out of my way, cowardly dog," Saffron growled.
The Jotun guard just laughed. "And if I don't?" he sneered. "I have tasted your friend's heat already. Methinks to dine on yours now!" So saying, he reached down to grab her.
Saffron gave the guard a wicked grin. "As you wish," she sneered, and her body erupted in the multi-colored flames again, scorching the Frost Giant's hand. He bellowed in pain and withdrew, so Saffron jumped high, carried by the heat of her flame, and punched him square in the nose. It sizzled.
"Witch!" he bellowed. "Think you that we never learned to handle fire? We shall see how you handle ice!"
Suddenly Saffron found herself surrounded by a solid tube of ice. She blazed with her sun-fire, but only managed to flood the small tube that now imprisoned her as the ice quickly melted. The cold water hissed as it touched her body, extinguishing her flames and turning to steam. It was getting hard to breathe...
A giant CRACK made the ice prison shiver. She had forgotten about Thor, but he had not abandoned her; he had thrown Mjolnir and shattered the ice. The cold water quickly ran out the bottom of the tube, and Saffron's fire returned.
Another Jotun guard had appeared-from where, Saffron couldn't see-and was fighting Thor. He had seen her predicament, however, and had thrown the big hammer just in time.
Saffron returned to the fight. The Jotun guard snarled at her and tried to punch her in the stomach, but she was too fast for him. Her blood was ablaze with rage, and she tapped into it to produce a solar flare. The fire-burst hit the Frost Giant dead center, and the shock rendered him completely unconscious. She floated over his limp form, enraged at what he had done to her friend, and considered how she might torture him in return...
Another Frost Giant body thumped down next to her vanquished one. Thor had done his work.
"There may be others, Lady Saffron," he cautioned. "We should extricate the Lady Isis, if we can, and take her to the Healing Rooms."
Saffron nodded. In her desire for revenge she had almost forgotten why they were there. She walked over to the energy cell and examined it. It seemed familiar, somehow...
"Methinks tis a dampening field," Thor mused, "powered by some form of tame lightening." He looked around the clearing and then up into the trees. "Aye, see there? Tis a power converter. I could hit it with Mjolnir and crush it, but the Lady Isis may not survive the explosion, in her condition."
"I've a better idea," Saffron said, rising above the energy cell on another solar flare. She rode them the way surfers rode waves. She let the flare raise her all the way up the tree trunk until she could step off it onto a branch: the power converter a few feet in front of her. Reaching deep within Saffron summoned an electro-magnetic pulse.
CRACKLE went her energy, and the power converter shut down. With it went the blue energy field, enabling Thor to reach Isis' limp form.
Saffron rode a gentle heat wave down the tree trunk to her friend's side. "Isis," she pleaded: "speak to me, please!"
But Isis did not respond.
Before Thor could pull out Mjolnir and try to crush Isis' bonds, Saffron summoned a bright flame from one of her fingers. Using it as a cutting tool, she removed the chains from Isis' wrists. Isis slumped forward, unconscious, and Saffron grabbed her before she could fall to the forest floor.
"Here," Thor said, unbuckling his massive red cape. In a tender act of chivalry he wrapped Isis' still form in his own cape, tucking it carefully around her bruised, bleeding, and partially frozen flesh.
"I have her, Thor," Saffron gritted as she held Isis up by her waist. "Let's get her home."
"Aye and verily," Thor grunted. "You have her, and I have you." So saying, the blond giant wrapped massive arms around both women.
Lightening enveloped them all, and they were gone.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The trio appeared in the Asgardian castle gardens with a roll of thunder and a fiery lightening display. Thor's mighty legs cushioned the impact for the women, but Isis still let out a moan. She was in great pain.
"We need to get her to the healing rooms as quickly as possible," Thor advised.
Saffron looked around. They were right behind the Valholl-the giant castle that Thor called 'home'. "How far away is that?" she pressed.
"Two stadia, not more."
"The castle is closer," Saffron pointed out. "Let's take her inside, to Loki's chambers, and summon a healer here."
Thor nodded at her good sense and scooped Isis up into his massive arms. "May bring healing for them both," he acknowledged, "for I fear my brother descends into madness."
"All will be well, now that he has back his mate," Saffron assured him.
The walk to Loki's chambers was short; within moments Thor gently lay Isis down onto Loki's soft bed. Saffron extricated Thor's cloak from Isis' battered form and handed it back to the blond giant, who rolled it up.
"Fetch the healer, Thor," Saffron urged, "I will stay with Isis. I know not my way around your castle and grounds."
Thor nodded and stepped out as Saffron began gently washing Isis' battered body. Isis, for her part, could only growl, gasp, and moan with the pain. It seemed anything Saffron did for her only extended her torture, much to her dismay.
Thor exited the room and began running down the hall. As he rounded a corner he ran into Loki. Seeing the blood-drenched cape in his hands, Loki grabbed his arm.
"Brother, are you hurt? What has transpired?"
"Nay, I am unhurt. The blood is not mine, Loki," Thor answered. "The Lady Saffron..."
Loki's eyes widened as he interrupted Thor. "The Lady Saffron...has she come to harm?"
Thor shook his head and laid a massive hand on Loki's shoulder. "Lady Saffron is well, as am I," he said. "But your Lady Isis has been gravely wounded. She lays in your bedchamber now. I go to fetch a healer for her."
Loki could do no more than grasp Thor's shoulder in gratitude and run off. Thor continued on his way to the Healing Rooms, while Loki sprinted to his bedchamber.
Loki didn't bother knocking. It was, after all, his room. He burst through the doors into his chamber, intent on seeing his love, but was greeted by a ball of red, blue, and black flames. Loki had a glimpse of a bright flash before the fireball hit him in the chest, knocking him backward and whooshing the air from his lungs. His head swam...
Loki opened his eyes, and found himself lying on his own bedchamber floor staring up at Lady Saffron. She looked greatly annoyed, and a trifle embarrassed.
"What is it with you people? Doesn't anybody in this castle knock?" she growled, and then offered the god a hand to rise.
Loki accepted her hand. "These are my rooms," he reminded her as he rose. "I should not need to knock."
"Well, you startled me by bursting in that way," she protested. "It has been a very long day."
"Where is she?" Loki demanded.
"In your bed," Saffron admitted, "but perhaps you should wait..."
Loki wasn't waiting. He pushed past Lady Saffron to go to his mate's side, and knelt on the floor nearest her head.
Saffron had covered Isis with a sheet, to protect her modesty, but Loki could still see the marks left by the lash, as well as some of the frozen areas on her arms. Bruises had started to form on her limbs, chest, and face. "Oh, my love," he whispered, "I am so sorry."
Thor entered the outer chamber cautiously, with the Healer behind him. Neither of them wanted to startle the Lady Saffron. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Well, at least one of you is learning," she joked, trying to lessen the tension.
Thor nodded curtly and turned to the Healer. "The Lady Isis lies on my brother's bed in yonder chamber," he said, pointing. The woman nodded and hefted her basket of healing stones and ointments and walked briskly into Loki's bedchamber.
Loki was still kneeling by Isis' head, stroking her hair and murmuring reassurances, when Lady Eir walked into the room.
"I must ask you to leave, my Prince," she urged Loki. He nodded dumbly, but did not move until Saffron placed a gentle hand on his elbow. Rising, he placed a pleading hand on Lady Eir's shoulder.
"Help her," was all he could say.
"I will," Lady Eir assured him. Turning to Saffron, the Healer motioned for her to come over.
"Know you aught of the healing arts? I shall need a few extra hands," she admitted.
"A...a little," admitted Saffron, "but I fear to do more damage to my friend."
"Do as I say, and all shall be well," the Healer commanded. "Now, child: shut the door. We need privacy for this."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Loki sat down heavily in the outer chamber, and buried his head in his hands. Thor walked over and placed a comforting hand on his brother's back, but got only a shuddering breath in response.
"Where was she?" Loki finally asked.
"In the Realm of the Wandering Winds," Thor answered, pulling up another chair. "The Jotun had your lady in some sort of energy cell. By the way she was chained up and connected to the power source, methinks she was prevented from teleporting out with small bolts of lightning. It served as both security and as torture," Thor sighed heavily.
"They did more to her than that," Loki said darkly. "I saw bruises and lashes. They tortured my love," his hands balled into fists, and he shook, "to get to me."
"We know she was beaten, aye," Thor admitted, "and from the pattern of the lashes, done to hurt as much as possible, short of killing."
Loki glared at his brother, who held up his hands to placate him.
"More than that I suspect, brother," Thor admitted, "but wait for Lady Eir's assessment we must."
It was a long wait.
Finally Ladies Eir and Saffron emerged from Loki's bedroom, and both men jumped to their feet.
"How does she fare? Can I see her?" Loki said eagerly.
"Sit down, my prince," Lady Eir said heavily.
Loki's face became ashen. "Does she live?" he gritted.
"Aye, she does, but you will need to sit down to hear what I say next," the Lady Eir cautioned.
Saffron bit her lip and looked as if she wanted to cry. Thor noticed and offered her a chair, which she refused. "I don't think I can sit right now, Thor," she whispered.
"I know she was lashed," Loki said tersely to Lady Eir, "and I saw the bruises and the frozen flesh. They took their time, torturing my mate. There shall be recompense for this, believe me..."
Lady Eir held up a hand. "My Prince, please listen to me. Before you go off on any quest of justice or vengeance, you must hear me. Your lady-wife, your mate, was not merely beaten and tortured. Her outer injuries are nothing compared to her internal ones, and her condition is grave."
Loki fell silent. "What more in the Nine Realms can they have...no...Oh, no..." His head sank into his hands. "Odin's Beard..." he swore.
Lady Eir nodded. "Your lady-wife was violated by the Jotun, my Prince, and is both torn and frozen within. Her wounds are healing now, and she will be up and about soon, but for now she must rest. She has lost a lot of blood." Lady Eir looked up at the stricken-looking Saffron. "It is well that you and Prince Thor were able to liberate her when you did," the healer said gently. "Any more delay would have meant her life."
Lady Eir began packing up her tools and stones, and lay out several salves for the patient's whip marks and bruises. "Apply these at least four times a day: more if the pain gets too much to bear. I will visit her daily to tend to her innermost injuries. She should not stir from the bed for at least a day or more," she cautioned, "but if she hungers upon waking let her eat whatever she will."
"Lady Eir," Loki called from his chair.
"Yes, my prince?"
"How bad is she hurt...within?"
Lady Eir sighed. "Her wounds are no longer life-threatening, my prince. She will live, but..."
"But?" Loki pressed.
"The cradle of life has been crushed. I know of no treatment I can give her for this, beyond allowing her to live and not bleed out. It is beyond my skill to restore normal function, my Prince. I am sorry," Lady Eir soothed.
"I...I don't understand," Saffron whispered.
Thor frowned and cast his eyes at the ground. It seemed he understood where Loki and Saffron did not.
"The Lady Isis is barren," Lady Eir said gently. "While technically she could conceive a child, it is now beyond her ability to bear one. There was simply too much damage to her womanhood for me to restore normal function. I am sorry," she repeated.
Loki nodded and stared at the floor.
"Thank you, Lady Eir," he said simply, coldly. "My mate and I look forward to your next call."