MADNESS: A LOKI FAN FICTION

❤ CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE: ZULFA ❤

SIF'S POV

I was at the main hall right below the throne room, quietly watching as the palace servants busied themselves with preparations for Thor's coronation tomorrow. I felt happy for him. He had been waiting for this to happen all his life, and now his dream was going to come true. But, at the same time, it made me sad, because I was not going to be by his side as that was happening.

All thanks to no one but Loki.

I turned around to leave, but just then I saw the Midgardians Adam, Lizzie and Annie enter the hall. They walked over to Volstagg, who was at the other end eating the fruits being placed at the tables. All three of them looked quite worried. Annie asked something and Volstagg shook his head. He then said something in return and the Midgardians proceeded to leave.

As i watched them leave I wondered what it was that worried them. I decided to go ask Volstagg what they had been talking about, but before I could, a hand stopped me. I spun around and came face to face with Thor.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Thor!" I gasped breathlessly. I took a step away from him and took a good look at him. The last time I'd seen him he had been drunk and unkempt. But now he was sober, clean and well shaven. He was even smiling. I was curious to know what had caused the sudden change in his mood.

"It's nice to see you smiling again." I told him.

"Yes." He nodded in agreement."I want to talk to you, Sif. Can you spare a moment?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I wanted to let you know that I now know the real reason why you chose to break off our engagement." He said.

My eyes widened in panic."You do?"

"Yes." He said, taking my hand and covering it with his own. My heart started racing. I worried about what he knew. I prayed that he had not spoken to Loki.

"Mother told me everything." He said."Why didn't you tell me that my brother was harassing you, Sif? I could have defended you from him."

Oh, thank heavens! He had spoken to Queen Frigga. I mentally heaved a sigh of relief. "I didn't want to cause any problems. I was scared." I told him, feigning a sad look. I hoped it looked believable.

"You don't have to be scared anymore." He said, widening his smile."I propose this: let us get married as planned, Sif. There is nothing stopping us from fulfilling our dream now. What do you say?"

I stared at him wide eyed. Did he really want to marry me still? After everything? Wow, he must really love me. It made me feel guilty for lying to him. And I felt even guiltier because I wasn't quite certain I wanted to get back with him. I loved him, I really did, but not the same way as I did before when we started out. Somewhere along the way something had definitely changed...

"You don't have to answer me now." Thor spoke up, breaking my train of thought."I will give you time to think about it. You can answer me later. Maybe after the coronation?"

I smiled appreciatively and nodded."Yes. Sure. Thank you."

"Okay. I'll see you then, my lady." He leaned forward and gave me a peck on the cheek before finally walking away. I heaved out a loud sigh as I watched him leave. Now what was I supposed to tell him?

"I know you do not want to marry him. You love Prince Loki, don't you?" A voice said behind me.

I quickly spun around, only to come face to face with one of the servants. She was tall; she appeared to be a bit younger than me, and had a slender curvy figure. She stared at me with large green sinister eyes and a smug smile played on her small lips. She looked rather familiar.

"Do I know you?" I asked her.

"I am Zulfa." She answered."I am one of Prince Loki's servants. We have crossed paths several times."

"Ah." I nodded. So that is where I knew her from. "Tell me Zulfa. What makes you think I love Prince Loki?"

Her smile widened."I have been observing you." She said."The chemistry between the two of you is undeniable, lady Sif."

"It is?"

"Yes." She nodded." I see the way you look at him when you think no one is watching. You like him a lot."

"That is just ridiculous." I scoffed."I do not look at him in any special way. You're imagining things."

"No I'm not." She laughed, shaking her head. I was quite taken aback by her boldness. I never knew of servants who dared talk back to their masters. "Deny it all you want, but you and I both know the real truth." She said. Then, in a whisper, she added,"nobody else knows this, but I know that you kissed Prince Loki. I saw it with my own two eyes Lady Sif."

"You saw us?" I gasped."How? Were you at the dungeons?"

"Yes." She nodded."I was hiding from Aisha, and I happened to hear the two of you talking. I know about the kiss, and I also know about the frost giants you hid down there."

I panicked. Before I could think about what I was doing, I had already drawn out my sword and I pointed it directly at her neck. Her eyes widened in shock. "Not a word about what you saw or heard to anyone." I threatened.

"Of course." She gulped. I withdrew the sword a few inches back and calm slowly returned to her pale face. "You don't have to worry about anything, Lady Sif. I'm on your side. You can trust me." She said.

"Can I really?"

"Of course." That smug smile snuck its way back on to her face."Nobody has to know about the frost giants, the kiss and your feelings towards the young prince. I know you want to get rid of that Midgardian girl Megan, and I can help you."

I scoffed again."Really? How? You're just a servant."

The smile on her face vanished, replaced by a eerie devilish grin that gave me chills."Do not underestimate me." She said darkly."If I got rid of Sigyn, I can get rid of her too."

My jaw dropped.

Had I heard her right? Did she just say that she got rid of Sigyn? The one and only Princess Sigyn? Loki's betrothed wife Sigyn? The sworn goddess of fidelity? Was she talking about that Sigyn?

"Impossible!" I shouted in disbelief.

"Better believe it." Zulfa grinned proudly.

"What did you do?" I wanted to know. Sigyn and Loki had been so in love each other. Their love for each other had been so intense, it seemed one could not live without the other. They had been practically inseparable. Sigyn had confided in me and told me that she was pregnant and that she planned to surprise Loki with the news on their wedding night, but then she mysteriously disappeared one day, never to be seen again.

"Did you kill her?" I asked harshly, tightening my grip on the sword."I swear if you did..." I prayed that she didn't do what I thought she did. Sigyn was one of my closest friends, and she had been the kindest, most gentle soul to ever have graced Asgard. She was loved by all, and no one would have imagined that someone - a servant like Zulfa, of all people - wanted to get rid of her.

"Calm down. She lives." Zulfa said, raising her hands in defense."I only gave her a little scare and she left."

"Where did she go?" I asked, eager to find out as much as I could.

"I don't know where she went to." She replied."You should ask Heimdall. Maybe he knows something." She added, "but now you get my point, don't you? I can help you get rid of the Midgardian filth if you want."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I had so many questions running through my head, but which one would I ask first? This was all so unexpected and overwhelming, I wasn't exactly sure of what to do. Before I could think of anything to say, another servant approached us. She smiled sheepishly and bowed to me.

"Excuse me, Lady Sif, but Zulfa is needed at the kitchen." She said.

"Can't it wait, Aisha?" Zulfa rolled her eyes.

Aisha flashed her a quick glare."No." She hissed, then forcefully pulled her away from me."Excuse us." She added, giving me an apologetic look, and soon they were lost in the crowd.