His Queen | Book 1

Forty Five: Eternally Yours

The hour is late. Sigyn lay on her good side in her large empty bed. Her husband laid her down, treated her wounds with healing rocks and left their bed chambers. The candle by her bedside had already burned a third of the way and he was still not back. She fought back sleep. Her eyes droopy and heavy. They wanted to close and she wanted nothing more than to drift off into her dreams.

Where has he gone and left her?

The night is warm. The silky sheets layer half her body. Her legs angled comfortably. One arm resting beneath the pillow her pretty head rested upon.

It felt like she closed her eyes for hours when the door opened again.

Her eyes opened. Tired.

Her husband comes into the room having returned from his devious nightly adventures. What a terrible time to leave his injured wife alone. He knows this. But there was something he had to make sure of. And his wife is waiting in their bed for his return. In the dying candle light Sigyn blinks her eyes open to see her husband returned.

He was very upset about something. His eyes puffy red and dried with tears. His hands are shaking and he started to pace the foot of the bed. Sigyn sits up on her elbow unsure if she is dreaming now. She was prepared to throw insults and maybe the candle. But she changed her mind.

"Husband?" she called him. He doesn't look at her. "What is wrong?"

"You should be asleep." his voice is small, and cracked from crying.

Sigyn sits up fully. "Loki, what has happened?" she asked again. She puts aside the fold of healing rocks. She puts back the sheets and her feet find the floor. Loki jumped forward to stop her from getting up. He didn't want her to hurt herself further fearing the wrath of Eir. His hands are cautious around her and they never meet with her skin. "Loki?" Sigyn reached for him and he reels away from her like a disease.

Her mouth forms a thin line and her eyes drop. (Was it her?) What has he been up to all night? Then suddenly the accusations made by Sif and the Warriors crossed her mind briefly. Sigyn cast her hand speaking an old nordic word and the candles around the room spark to life and soft orange lights brightens the room.

Loki now appears to her in a soft hue. He stepped back from her. "Father has fallen into the Odin-sleep." he softly said.

Her brows relaxed. "So soon?"

(He should stay asleep forever.)

Loki only nodded. He turned away avoiding looking at her. He picked at his palms. Licked his lips. He paced, two steps forward, turned, two steps forward. "But that is not all, I gather?" said Sigyn. "Something else has upset you, Loki. I can tell." she spoke softly, with a soothing voice. "What is troubling you, my love? You can speak to me."

Loki stopped pacing. He still looked at the far wall. Hands kept close to his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but he was void for all words. He closed his lips. Looked across the room. Opened his mouth again. Sigyn waited patiently.

"I don't..." he began, sort of laughing. "I don't know if I can tell you."

"You can try, my love." Sigyn sat closer to the edge of the mattress. He was still so far away from her, but just at arms length. "Whatever it is, I am your wife, and your troubles are mine to bare."

He shook his head. "You will think of me as a monster."

Sigyn gets to her feet. He looks up eyes turning wide, telling her to lay back down. His hands reaching to touch her but never connecting. She reached for his arm and he moved away like a magnet of the opposite pull. Her features twisted and she glanced away.