Love, Magic and Lies (COMPLETE)

Chapter Seventeen; Loki's Punishment

The Vanir guards laughed and mocked Loki for having been ambushed by them so easily.

He had slipped on his usual mask of arrogance for their benefit, but his eyes betrayed the frustration and anger that seethed within him for not having detected their presence.

At sword point, he climbed from the pool wearing nothing but a forced smile, appearing indifferent to their stares and mocking words.

"Now gentlemen please..."
He remarked casually,
"..do not let your envy of my manhood cause another war between our realms."

Sif bit her lip, although she didn't find his antagonistic attitude and sarcasm funny under such circumstances, she could not help admiring his ability to feign arrogant indifference.

Having now covered his modesty with his breeches, he proceeded to dress as slowly as possible, just to irritate the soldiers further.
Their Captain barked at him to hurry, to which he responded with,
"Now you know you don't mean that, you're enjoying every moment really!"

Having lastly pulled on his boots, though he'd abandoned his one-piece shoulder pauldron due to its weight and the heat, he leapt across to the opposite side of the river bank to retrieve her gown.
He then handed it to her, stepped a little further away from the edge and turned away to face the Guard's again.
"You must allow the Lady privacy..."
He insisted, snatching off his cape, despite only having just put it on, and held each end of it widthways; stretching his arms out to their maximum length,
".....the first man to cast his gaze in this direction, I'll have your eyeball's cut out and fed to the Allfather's Ravens!"

The guards jeered him but seemed to make a point of averting their eyes, thus allowing Sif to swiftly exit the pool, and hidden behind the Mischievous one and his cape, she slipped her now tattered looking gown back on.

They were both then marched from the falls to where the guards had left their horses grazing in a nearby grove.
A soldier who was not the Captain spoke gruffly to Loki in a language Sif did not understand; obviously Vanir.
Turning to her, Loki translated that they were to mount a horse...together.

Before she had time to react, he was up in the saddle of the grey mare that was obviously intended for them.
She took the hand he offered and climbed up behind him; not bothering to ride side-saddle, she hitched her gown up and coyly held onto his waist...which seemed ridiculous considering she'd exposed her naked rear to him not a half hour ago.

The Vanir-speaking guard approached them, speaking hurriedly and attempting to grab hold of Loki's wrist.
He snatched his hand away roughly and responded in the same tongue with what sounded like a torrent of abuse.
The guard seemed to argue for a moment, causing Loki to gesture wildly with his hands; indicating the reins he held.
At last the guard walked away grumbling,

"Do you believe that arseworm wanted to fetter my hands..."
Loki explained indignantly,
"..as if I'd allow that, the foolish quim! How the Hela am I meant to hold the reins with my wrists bound together?"

"I know you have ridden using only your seat and legs before Loki."
She whispered into his ear.

He whipped his head around to look at her, his dark brows beetling together in confusion,
"Well luckily they don't know I can...but how do you know of that?"

The memory of him on horseback cantering across the cobbled courtyard came flooding back to her. She recalled the way he'd dropped the reins and proceeded to ride back and forth, steering the horse with only his legs whilst she marvelled at the sight through the long gallery window.

Obviously she was reluctant to admit this to him, so instead she responded vaguely,
"I now know many of your secrets...sky traveller!"
She turned away to hide her smile from seeing the look of surprise on his face.