The Burden Of Her Arms (Loki/Sigyn)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Sigyn was about to stand from the breakfast table when Vali covered his mouth. He leapt from his chair and tried to run to the washroom. Tumbling to the floor, he emptied his stomach onto the wood.

"Vali!" Sigyn cried, running to his side. He quivered and gasped and whimpered, his hands clawing at the wood as he emptied his stomach. Narfi was crying behind them.

Sigyn pulled Vali up once he stopped. He slumped against her, pale and sweating and crying. She lifted him and carried him to the washroom.

"Hush, sweetheart. It's alright, it's alright."

He gripped her dress tightly. She set him down and washed his face. Una brought a cup of water and led Narfi away, murmuring quietly to him. Vali sipped the water slowly. Sigyn rubbed his back and checked for fever.

"You're burning up." She murmured. He had been quiet since he woke but he had been up late with Narfi, trying to finish their game. He hadn't said a word about feeling sick. "How is your stomach?"

He shook his head. She took the water and set it down before lifting him slowly. He slumped against her chest. "Are you cold?" He shivered and nodded. Gently him on his bed, she wrapped him in an extra blanket. Sitting next to him, she kept a gentle hand on his leg.

"Can you stay home?" He mumbled pitifully.

Sigyn sighed and looked away. Perhaps she could send Una to care for Loki. She nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll stay. Let me go get you some tea." He shook his head and groaned. "You have to drink something or you may throw up again." She tucked the blanket tighter. "I'll be right back."

In the kitchen, Narfi looked at her with wide eyes. She hugged him tightly. "He'll be fine, sweetheart. But stay out of his room for now and wash your hands really well, okay? We can't have you catching anything."

She bit her lip. "I wonder if those cakes were bad..."

When she had returned home last night, Vali and Narfi excitedly told her of an old woman who brought an offering. They were two small cakes, one for each of the boys, to appease their mother with the woman's kindness. Sigyn had disregarded it, simply smiling at their excitement. But what if the cakes were made with bad food?

Setting the kettle on the fire, she sat back and waited. "Una..."

She didn't miss a beat. "You want me to look after Loki?" Sigyn nodded and Una stood. "I will see you tonight. Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Oh yes, I'll be fine. Thank you so much!"

"Of course." Una waved it away and prepared to leave.

Sigyn motioned for Narfi to come to her side. He nuzzled closer and relaxed against her. The kettle whistled finally and she stood to pour. Vali drank in tiny, patient sips. Swaddled in blankets and pale and afraid as he was, he appeared frighteningly tiny.

She stayed with them all day, watching Narfi carefully to be sure he wasn't sick and Vali to see if he was improving at all. But his fever never abated and his shaking grew worse. He emptied his stomach twice more and sat in starved misery otherwise, unable to keep much down in the way of food.

Finally, the sun began to set and he was sleeping peacefully. She tucked Narfi into bed and then trudged to her room. Collapsing in her bed, she rolled over and listened for the sound of Una's return.

The silence was broken by an odd thump and then shuffling. A door opened and closed and then again. She rolled to her feet, hearing Narfi speaking softly through the walls.

"Vali?" He asked. "Did you fall?"

She sighed and scrubbed a hand down her face. She grabbed the doorknob.

There was a growl. A chill slithered down her back and her eyes opened wide. A scream pierced the air. She ripped the door open and ran to Vali's room. The door shook as something heavy smacked into it. The scream came again.

"Narfi! Vali!" She yanked his door open in time to see a jet black wolf standing in the middle of the room. It's hair stood on end and its teeth gleamed in the light of a candle. Its head snapped in her direction. Her back hit the door. The wolf turned slowly and stalked her, lowering into a crouch. Its jowls vibrated as it growled again.

The sound jumped up and down her spine and set her whole body shaking. She whimpered. The wolf stopped. She met its gaze, startled as she noticed how blue they were.

Bright sapphire blue and... Jet black. Her eyes darted to the bed. Narfi was cowering against it but Vali was...

"Vali?" She asked, looking back at the wolf. It growled and its ears flicked. She took a deep breath and stretched her shaking hand towards the wolf. "V-Vali?"

It crouched again. Narfi whimpered behind it and it whipped around, remembering its original victim. Sigyn lunged for the candle and chucked it out the window over the wolf's left shoulder. It turned and barked. Narfi took the moment to sprint around and to Sigyn's side. She lifted him into her arms and bolted into the hallway. The front door opened to reveal Una.

"Run!" Sigyn shouted. "Go, go!"

"Wha-"

The wolf burst through the door. Una turned on her heel and followed them outside. Sigyn handed Narfi to her. "Run as far as you can! Go!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Just go!" Sigyn sprinted back to the house. She made it just as the wolf broke the door down. She dropped, sliding under it and into the kitchen. Her heart leapt into her throat but she hadn't the time to think about what she was doing.

She ran to her room and slammed the door closed. Her lungs heaved for shallow bits of air and she could hear herself whimpering. The wolf was sniffing loudly on the other side.

She glanced at the bed. Under it was a case she hadn't opened for years. A sword of Reifr's, the only thing of Okoro's inheritance that he hadn't wanted. She dove for it, throwing it open and pulling the sword from its scabbard. But as the door shook behind her, she remembered who she was fighting.

She fell back at the door. The sword dropped. "Vali?" She trembled. The wolf stopped snuffling against the wood. "Vali! Listen, to me. Listen to mama, okay? Vali?"

He snarled and hit the door again. She closed her eyes, praying whatever had turned him into this would turn him back. He slammed into the door again, forcing a choked scream from her chest. The wood started to warp and groan.
His paws slapped onto the door and a great tearing, snapping sound made her drop to her knees. She covered her head but nothing else came. She looked up to see deep gouges in the wood.

She made a split second decision and ran for the window. Struggling to rip it open, she screamed as the door was flung inwards.
Vali snarled and crouched, staring at her with flat blue eyes.

He leapt into the air, his claws extended and teeth poised to sink into her.

"Vali!" She screamed.

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Thoughts?