Loyalty and Mischief (WIP)

Chapter 44 - How will I know, where do I go from here?

By the time Loki and Hermes arrived at Cape Taenarum, the Norse Goddess' resolve had weakened considerably. All she wanted was to return to Sigyn. The ache she felt from being this far away from her, from having left with their bond so damaged, was worse than dying. The only thing that kept her from making Hermes turn back was the bitter truth. This had to happen. Else it would only be for the worse.

"Are you all right?" asked Hermes, gently setting Loki on the ground beside him.

She wobbled a few moments, the sensation of having moved faster than lightning over an enormous distant not nearly as similar as travelling by Bifrost. "A bit queasy, but I'll manage."

"It's not much further. The entrance to the Underworld is just ahead, through that chasm."

"I remember." Loki gave an exasperated tsk as she looked down the familiar path. "It's always a cave, or a dead tree, or a chasm, or whatnot, isn't it? Why can't the doorway to the Underworld ever be in a meadow or something?"

Hermes chuckled. "That wouldn't exactly carry the same appeal in the stories now, would it?"

"I suppose. Shall we?"

"What's the rush? We can catch our breaths for a few minutes. Have you even had breakfast this morning?"

"No, but —"

"No buts, Loki. You know you cannot eat anything from the Underworld, else you'll be trapped there forever. Persephone has already agreed to provide all you need from her mother's siros and orchards, but you'll still be tempted. If you eat something now, that's a few hours you win at least."

Loki hated to admit it, but Hermes made a valid point. She well recalled the tale of how Persephone herself had eaten half a pomegranate from the Underworld's garden. Whether she'd done so willingly was still a question of debate amongst many. Yet from what Loki had heard, the rulers of the Underworld were a good match, not unlike Odin and Frigga.
Reluctantly, Loki sat on a flat-surfaced rock while Hermes took a canteen and bundle from the pouch at his hip and offered them to her. She scowled up at him. If Hermes believe she would just readily accept anything he offered, he was sorely mistaken.

"Something wrong?" asked Hermes.

"You dare ask me that?" sneered Loki.

The Greek god cocked his head in confusion before realisation finally struck. "Ah... right. Well, I can assure you, it's safe. I didn't prepare or pack this. Sigyn did."

"Sigyn?"

"Yes, this morning. She had it ready for your journey."

Loki's heart lurched in her chest. Had her wife really...? She tried to find any sign of trickery in Hermes' eyes, but there was none Loki could see. Then again, she'd been wrong about him before.

"Loki," Hermes spoke, "if I wanted to harm you, I could've attacked you many times over by now."

Another valid point, proven by Hermes' past conquests. Loki might've used the excuse of Midgardians' tendency to exaggerate in stories during her argument with Sigyn, but she couldn't deny the unfortunate truth. If Hermes wanted something, he took it, regardless of what it cost or who suffered. However... their own affair had lasted over a century. A testament to his patience and resourcefulness.

Seeing Loki remained hesitant, Hermes opened the canteen and drank from it. Next, he undid the bundle of food, breaking a piece of the bread and put it in his mouth. Then he pushed both into Loki's hands and took a step back, arms outstretched. "There," he said. "No poison, no trickery. Now will you please eat what your own wife prepared so she doesn't kill me for not taking care of you? She's uttered several threats against my person, and there's not a single doubt in my mind she can execute every single one of them."