Consequences

17

When they arrived back in Sigyn's chamber, Loki knew he was going to be punished severely for both his failure to kill Thor and for speaking to Brynja. He did not know which would be the harsher punishment, but he feared that either would be terrible. He was still on his knees.

Sigyn did not seem to notice the blood running down her leg as she tightened her grip on his hair and dragged him to the stone bench and threw him against the wall, tightening the silver chains and snapping the manacles around his ankles, "I commanded you not to speak to her!" she shrieked. "HOW DID YOU DO IT?"

Loki simply shook his head, "I have no idea."

A wicked grin spread across her face, "Oh, I know how to solve this problem, sorcerer. I know what we can do." She went to a small basket on the table and pulled out a large needle and some rough thread, muttering enchantments over them as she returned. She threaded the needle and held it with one hand as she wrenched his head back with the other, "You remember what this felt like, don't you? What it felt like to be punished for lies?" She saw the fear in his eyes and revelled in it, "Good, you do! Let's do it again. You will not flinch. You will not move an muscle while I stitch. You will not utter a single sound." With that, she drove the needle through his lips slowly, methodically, his blood flowing freely down his chin, dripping along his neck and seeping into his shirt. He could not think, only the pain existed. It took him time to begin to cry, his brain initially unable to grasp what was happening. When she finished, she cut the thread, "You can move now. Or scream, if you can figure out how. But you will not remove these stitches. The thread will only tighten if anyone but someone who loves you dearly tries to cut it." She put the needle away, "Oh, and did I mention we aren't done yet? We're going to kill everyone who loves you next so that you can't ever be free of this. Yes. Everyone. I know, I know, I gave you my word...but my word has never meant much to you, has it?" She disappeared.

Loki did not know if she had vanished or simply become invisible, but the difference did not matter to him. He dropped his head to his hands and sobbed, his blood and tears mixing as they ran down his face and dripped on the floor, his fingers digging into his scalp.

Sunny, meanwhile, was working on trying to figure out what kept her from speaking telepathically to Loki. She sought out a quiet place to think and found herself at the statue of Bor. She made her way up to Loki's study and settled into an armchair. She took a deep breath and concentrated on him, trying to use the magic in the room to enhance her ability to reach him. It failed. She then noticed the scrying bowl on the table and decided to see if it would work. She carefully added water to the bowl and focussed on his presence. She opened her eyes and stared into the bowl, startled to see him in it, his face and hands smudged with the blood running from his lips, tears flowing freely down his face. For the first time since his disappearance, she felt her own tears rise and did not stop them. She said his name.

On the stone bench, Loki swore he heard a voice call to him. He tried to quiet himself and listened more carefully, his head still in his hands. He heard it again, this time more clearly, and most definitely in his head.

The second time it said, "Hold on, we're coming for you."

Loki went to the desk to write his final letter.