Can you save me?

Part 8

Loki didn't say goodbye to anyone.

While already riding north, he appeared in Frigga's room as an astral projection of himself and told her that he was going away for a while. Frigga wished him a safe and successful journey, and made him promise to be back soon. It wasn't more than a minute. He didn't want to make a long explanation when his mother knew almost exactly what was on his mind about this trip, and he didn't want any emotional goodbyes or the chance to meet Thor by accident when he should have explained everything to him and his brother must have accompanied him or tried to persuade him to stay, using one of his long and tiring speeches. He should have lied to Thor but somehow he didn't feel like it now.

He employed a boot to bring him and his horse to the other coast, and during the short journey he tried to make his mind relax. He didn't want to think of anything or anyone but still the pictures of me standing in front of him, defending him, my smiling at him and my last words - they all poured all over his brain and the pain inside his soul grew large again.

No one but Frigga and Thor had ever stood by me, he thought. Frigga, my mother. Not by blood, but by heart. Thor, my brother. Not by blood, but by heart. And suddenly you came and saved my life, sacrificing you after I hurt you deeply. You shouldn't have done that, you have just put such a terrible burden on me, you have just pulled me into such a terrible debt that I feel I cannot fight. Why? How selfish you were... I didn't ask for your love, I don't need your love. You should have left me alone as I have always been. The more he was thinking of me, the angrier he became.

As soon as the boot reached the coast and Loki could ride his horse again, he started to plan his mission. He easily found the brook as it was flowing just half a kilometer from him - just as if it were waiting for him...

He was drinking a few gulps of little fresh water out of his bottle, looking around. The almost black waves were washing the coast slowly, the salty smell around the place was calming. Only a hundred metres from there, different kinds of high trees were standing close to each other, with wild bushes at their feet. The forest looked dark and not exactly inviting, there was no voices of birds or the sound of the wind - only the sound as the waves were crashing against the coast again and again.

Suddenly he noticed something. A young deer was standing at the edge of the forest, watching Loki suspiciously. Her fur was beautiful golden-brown, with small white flecks on her back, and she had huge dark meaningful eyes. Loki wondered what the deer was doing so close to him when she seemed so shy and nervous as if the stranger had frightened her - still she didn't move. He had no other weapon with him, except his Chitauri Scepter but that was enough to create fear in anyone.

When their eyes met, the deer jumped into the air and kicked once, she seemed to be annoyed by Loki's presence, then she hurried back into the forest and disappeared. Loki took it as a promising sign and he followed the deer into the bushes immediately, jumping on his horse. When he rushed through the greenery, he could see the deer nowhere but he saw the crystal-clear brook gurgling with cheerful noises and he smiled. That was it - and the deer must have been a sign. He quickly left for the north, riding wildly along the path.

The expectation and the hope grew inside him quickly while he was looking for a person who could help him. The forest was dark, the sunrays had difficulty to get in. But he was able to see perfectly even in total darkness, and now he could see that there were no people around, only the trees, the bushes and the tinkling water. Even the animals hid in front of the God of Mischief.

He was riding for almost an hour, getting annoyed and a little sleepy when he glimpsed a strange little hut between a circle of pine trees. It looked like as if had been only a pile of branches and twigs, thrown on each other, but as he was getting closer, he saw that it was actually a pretty little hut in the form of a pyramid. The hut had no chimneys and the window on the right side of the door was like a blind black hole.

Suddenly an old woman stepped out of the hut. She walked slowly but gracefully and she didn't seem to notice Loki. She was tall, her long gray hair fell on her back smoothly. Her dark eyes and full lips were smiling that made her wrinkled plain face a little prettier. She wore a long, dark green, long-sleeved dress that swept the ground.

- Who are you? - asked Loki.

The woman didn't look frightened or surprised.

- Who are you? - she asked back with a tiny smile.

Loki frowned.

- I am Loki, from Asgard, son of Odin. And I asked you first.

The woman took a small bow but she looked back at him with daring eyes.

- Well, Prince of Asgard, my name is Syf. What do you want here, far from your palace?

Loki didn't plan to beat about the bush. He wanted the answers immediately and he didn't want to waste more time.

- I am looking for someone. A girl called Sjöfn.

Syf shrugged.

- I don't know any girls with that name. Actually I don't know any girls nearby, I live alone.

- I was told you have a granddaughter. - Loki remarked.

Syf's smile became very tender.

- Ah, you mean Syffa. She is my only granddaughter.

- Syffa. What an ugly name. - smirked Loki. - What does it mean?

The old woman looked at him closely, with a pinch of displeasure.

- What a polite remark, Prince of Asgard. That name means nothing, it is just a form of my own name.

Now it was Loki who shrugged.

- Whatever. Where is Syffa?

- Good question. She died for you as far as I remember. Therefore she is in the empire of your sister, Hela. - smirked Syf though her glance showed deep grief.

Loki sighed. Being reminded of my death by everyone was too much for him. He didn't mind being told about his mischievous acts and his betrayals, they didn't move his conscience much - or only a little when he met the disapproval of Frigga or Thor. He always wanted to reach something by his acts that was why he felt never ashamed of his actions unless they were made to take him closer to his intentions. But my death seemed to be a totally different case.

- Look, madam, I must apologise for my rudeness.

- Let's forget about it. - she replied graciously - You seem to be rather sad and troubled, Prince of Asgard. Why are you looking for my granddaughter? Why now?

Loki smirked but his eyes were filled with deep sadness and repentance.

- Another apologise.

- But she died and you know it the best. - Syf smiled but her eyes were cruel. Or did he only imagine it?

Loki shook his head as if he had wanted to push the idea of my being dead away.

- She is not dead. She is alive. My mother feels it and she is never mistaken. When did you see her last time?

Syf didn't hesitate with the answer.

- Before she left for your palace for Queen Frigga's invitation.

- And you are all alone here?

- Completely. The forest is huge and dark, no one wants to live here. - she smiled a little - But I don't mind it. I prefer silence.

Loki sat down, holding his head in his hands. What had he been expecting? He should have known that it wouldn't be easy to find me, he knew it, still he felt such a deep disappointment and boiling anger that he could both shout and cry. He felt these feelings physically as well, they made him so tired and exhausted, like he had never felt before. And now the pictures of me dying for him arrived too, torturing him more.

Syf walked back a few steps and opened the door, smiling at him politely.

- Come, Prince of Asgard, have a cup of tea with me and sleep a little. You look very exhausted.