Soulbonds and Fairy Dust

Chapter 28

Sigyn held on tightly to both Loki's and Thor's hands as she entered the doorway. She didn't know exactly where the doorway would drop them in Underhill, or what they'd be facing when they went through. She also had to make sure she held onto the boys tightly. They could get lost so easily and separated so easily. She was the only constant, since she was fae. It was dangerous for non-fae to travel through the doorways without a guide. As long as Sig was touching them, she could act as guide for them.

When they stepped through the doorway they found themselves in a grassy field under a warm bright sky. It looked nearly identical to Asgard. The only distinguishing feature was the feel of Underhill. The entire realm was made of magic and Sig could feel it to her bones. She could tell that Loki felt the difference as well. His grip on her hand changed as he took in the magic around them. Thor was oblivious as ever.

Sig dropped the guys' hands when they were safely on the other side. She cast around with her senses, trying to figure out what was keeping the gate open. She could feel the fae there, she just couldn't see them. Yet.

"Be careful boys, they're here," she told them both.

Loki gripped his dagger more securely in his grip and Thor did the same with Mjolnir."We're ready, Lady," Loki replied carefully. Thor nodded his agreement. They were all being careful not to use names here. Names had power under normal circumstances. In Underhill it was worse.

In front of Sig?

Names were dangerous indeed.

Beyond dangerous.

So she reached out with her senses and took Loki's hand when she felt it. She held out her hand toward a spot in front of her, much like Stark did when using his repulsors. "Blast that spot, prince," she told Loki. He nodded and raised his hand as well and they sent green and purple bolts of magic at the spot she had indicated. The glamour-shield shimmered when their magic hit it. Loki smirked when he understood and they both threw more power at the shield.

The shield shattered under their combined magic and they could see the group of fae that were waiting for them to step further into Underhill. The creatures who faced them were mostly all hideous creatures. They were half animals, trees, plants. They were creatures with horns and scales who didn't look fae as she looked fae. She were one of the elven-like fae from the seelie court. These were fae monsters from the unseelie court.

One of the fae stepped away from the group while Loki and Thor stepped closer to Sig to defend her. This fae looked fae as she did. A tall man with long black hair braided nearly down to his ankles and the pointed ears of the seelie fae. He smirked at Sig. He thought he had her outnumbered. By numbers he did, but by power, she would put her bets on the Asgardians with her. "Look my loyal subjects, it's the lost seelie princess. And a couple of lordlings," he apparently had accepted her illusions on the boys and believed them to be fae lords. Of course he would. Why would a seelie Gray Lady be out with Asgardians? It made way more sense for she to be in the company of fae lords. "I wonder how much her queen will pay for her safe return. Shall we find out my subjects?" he asked the crowd behind him, who cheered their approval. It really didn't sound like her return to the seelie queen would be safe in any way, shape, or form.

Loki and Thor steeled themselves at her sides. They would both protect her at any cost, though Loki as her soulbond would defend his own life on top of hers. If she died, he would as well.

/Kill the speaker. The others should scatter with no leader/ she told Loki as she looked over the crowd of unseelie fae behind the fae lord.

Sig looked closer at the man and made a quick decision on the best way to get out of this. There was going to be a fight. That couldn't be helped. Not easily, anyway, but she could give her trio an edge. "I am not going with you," she told the speaker. She glared at him and saw through him to his truename. "With my men as witness, I name you Sholto, King of the Slaugh, Gray Lord of the Unseelie court, Lord of the Shadows," his illusion shattered under her words and she all saw the man as he truly was with wings and scales. Loki and Thor would be able to fight him more effectively if they saw his true form.

She summoned a black-bladed sword, prepared to jump into the battle if the Asgardians would accept her help. The battle would happen. That was a given and she wasn't some feather-brained noble lady unable to protect herself.

Sholto roared in rage at his illusion being shattered. Loki smirked. He knew how that felt as Sig had done it to him already. "Capture her!" Sholto ordered his people, gesturing to Sig.

Sig, Thor, and Loki jumped into action as they were swarmed. Loki went straight for Sholto, leaving the rest of the fae to Sig and Thor. "Oaf, stay with the Lady," Loki ordered as he rushed Sholto. Thor stuck close to her while the two of them fought the underlings. Loki was a faster fighter, which was needed to face down the fae. He could also fight with magic. Thor's brute-force style fighting would be better on the unseelie creatures. Loki and Thor had fought together for centuries and knew each other's fighting styles so well and Sig could see how much they trusted each other in the battle.

That didn't mean she were some helpless princess locked in a tower.

Sig fought entirely with her black-bladed sword. It sliced through her opponents like butter as it was made of cold iron. One of the few things the fae were weak to was cold iron and she used it effortlessly now. Thor watched her back, guarding her with Mjolnir.

Sig saw that Loki would best Sholto. Sholto had skill. All the Gray Lords did. Loki had more skill, more speed, and more brains. "Trickster!" she called when she saw that Loki had Sholto on the ropes. She threw him her sword. It was the fastest thing that would work and Sig obviously trusted him to entrust him with her iron sword. "Use this!" she told him.

Loki caught it in one hand without taking his eyes off of Sholto. He swung the blade expertly and in one smooth motion cut the man down. It slid through the fae with no resistance, cutting him in half, and very thoroughly killing him.

As she'd predicted, the second Sholto was dead, his followers all fled and his power faded from the doorway behind her. He'd been holding it open and now that he was dead, she was free to close it once she went back through.

Loki rushed over to her when the fae had fled. He checked her over, worry clear in his expression. "Are you alright, darling?" he asked a bit frantically.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm alright. Are you?"

He gave her a warm smile. He seemed pleased that she'd cared. "I'm fine. Not to worry." There wasn't even a scratch on him.

"Thank the gods," she said, relieved and took her sword back from him before he questioned it or why it had cut through Sholto and the bodies around them all so easily.

"I'm fine too," Thor grumbled that neither she nor Loki cared about him. Of course, they'd both been more concerned about their soulbond than Thor. Plus Thor was a god and could take care of himself. He had relaxed now that they were safe from the fae, now that their task in Underhill was done.

"We know, brother," Loki replied with a smirk and an eyeroll. Thor never changed.

Sig vanished her sword again and took both of their hands again. "We should get out of here before anyone else comes to check on the doorway," she told them. "Sholto's magic is gone, so I can close the doorway now,"

Loki and Thor both nodded. They wanted out of here and back to safety. Loki brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. "After this gate is closed, we should get some food. you'll need it after that, Sigyn,"

Sigyn.

He'd said her name.

The one thing she told him not to do.

All of the color drained from her face as she stared at him in horror.

She glared at him, horrified and pissed as hell. She gripped both of their hands tighter and all but dragged them through the doorway as fast as she could. They were both so shocked that they didn't fight her as she dragged them through the doorway.

She glared up at Loki with power sparking around her in her anger. "What part of 'no names in underhill' do you not understand?" she snarled at him when they were safely on the other side and met back up with Sif and the warriors three.

Loki looked horrified at what he'd done and how his silver tongue had slipped. His silver tongue never failed him and yet. And yet. Today it had and he had put them all in danger with that one misspoken word.

He had put his soulmate in danger.