Fidelity

Sleipnir

Nine months passed with a despondent quietude within the palace. Odin was very rarely heard from, Frigga was rarely even seen. Thor spent most of his time alone or in mock battle with the other soldiers. Whenever he was with me, he mourned for his brother, thinking him dead. I was not so quick to assume the worst. I feared for him, most definitely, but I knew him too well to think he would ever make such a serious sacrifice for anyone but himself.

Most often, I remembered him telling me that the transformation would require a great amount of magic. Therefore, I usually calmed myself with the assumption that he was merely biding his time in the forest, recovering his energy. But deep down inside, I knew this was not the case.

One morning, I found myself in Loki’s bedroom, standing over the edge of the balcony. I had been thinking about the many times I had found him standing here after he’d had a fight with either his brother or myself. Whenever he was upset, I could always find him here. Suddenly, I became aware of the person standing directly behind me. I quickly looked over my shoulder to see Thor. I smiled sadly at him, then turned back to look out over the balcony.

“Sigyn,” Thor muttered, coming to stand beside me, “You know it is not proper for a young lady to enter a man’s bed chambers.”

I smirked and shook my head at him. “Thor, when have you ever known me to be proper?” I asked.

Thor chuckled lightly and shrugged. “You have me there. But tell me, what brings you here this morning?”

I sighed and glanced down at the forest in the distance; Loki’s was the only room in the palace with such a wonderful view of the forest. “I was just thinking…of him,” I whispered.

“I understand. I think of him constantly. Part of me mourns for him, but another part of me still worries for his safety…I’m not sure if I should think him dead, or if I should have hope yet.” To this statement, I only nodded, my eyes still glued to the trees.

The two of us fell silent for some time, content with only the presence of one another. It was comforting to have Loki’s brother with me; As if I still had a part of him standing beside me. Finally, I looked over at Thor with a small hint of a smile. “I think we should still have hope,” I whispered.

Thor glanced at me, smiling as well now. “I knew you would. Tell me, Sigyn, what is a Loki to you?”

My features dropped for a moment; I hadn’t been expecting that question. “A friend,” I answered, a little too quickly.

Thor shook his head. “What more than that?” He waited for my answer, but I only blushed and looked back at the forest. “I’ve seen the way you look at him, Sigyn. You care very deeply for him, but it scares you, because he does not seem to reciprocate those feelings.” He said this very matter-of-factly, and it frightened me a little. I never considered Thor to be very thoughtful or intelligent, but it was at times like this that he reminded me of his brother. “Do not worry,” he continued, “Loki has very strange ways of showing affection. He hides it most of the time, but when you’re paying the least attention, he opens his heart to you.”

I pondered Thor’s words for a moment in silence. I knew he was probably right, but I still couldn’t help doubting that Loki could ever care for me as I cared for him. However, just as I was thinking this, I noticed a sudden movement amongst the trees. At first, I simply thought that I was straining my eyes too much to see that far away, but as I looked closer, it happened again. Suddenly, the head of a foal peeked out from behind a tree trunk. I watched it curiously, noticing its hesitation before putting one hoof forward, followed by a second, and then…a third? Even a fourth! Yet only half of its body could be seen. I straightened up, noticing a dark mass that seemed to be heaped upon the foal’s slender back. The foal seemed more sure of itself now, as it ventured the rest of its body out into the open air, away from the trees, and revealed another four legs.