For Pity

Minimal Damage

Loki didn't like leaving his room.

It had been one week since Sigyn had told him he could stay, and 4 days since he had insisted on going to the guest bedroom and letting the queen back to his personal chambers, and yet within that time Sigyn had only seen him twice, first to request to change rooms and second when he came to her room and asked where the library was. She was constantly worrying if he was eating enough, however Amora, who delivered his breakfast, lunch and dinner at the queens request, assured her that he was indeed eating, and whilst less than they expected, it was better than nothing.

It was on the 7th day of hearing nothing from him, save those two conversations, when Sigyn decided to go and see for herself if everything was alright. Whilst she understood his need for privacy, she couldn't help worry for him after what she had felt after calming him in the healers room.

She was pacing outside his door, trying to think of the best way to either start a conversation without directly saying 'I'm worried about you, are you alright?' And yet, nothing came to mind except the exact words that she was thinking.

Slowly, she exhaled and raised her fist to knock on the wood separating her and her guest. She gave two dull knocks on the great oak before taking a small step back, waiting fore some acknowledgement of the knocks. When not answered, instead of going and knocking on the door immediately, she waited her mothers mandatory 35 seconds.

"Its a politeness," she used to say, looking down on an impatient infant Sigyn, who would usually whine and try and knock again.

28... 29... 30.... Her foot started fidgeting under her gown, tapping ever so quietly and yet quite rapidly, to match the pace of her heart.

32... 33....34..35

As soon as the counting in her head hit that number, she took a brusque step to the door and gave three sharp raps before stepping back once more. Vaguely, she heard shuffling around behind the door, perhaps in the physical bed, but she couldn't be sure. More shuffling and then the opening of a door to reveal Loki, but he wasn't... Loki. He was, different in a way she couldn't describe. His skin was shimmering and constantly changing as if it were some sort of mirage. It went from pale, to a green shimmer. At one point she could have sworn she had seen a flash of blue and a bright red eye, and yet it vanished the moment it appeared. Each time it switched from one area to a millimetre to the left it gave her a flash of a headache.

"My Lady?" He, it inquired.

She walked closer to the mirage and gently pressed against it, watching it dissolve in a flurry of green light. Whilst she expected only him to disappear, she did not expect the entire room to light up with a shimmer before evaporating to reveal a circular radius of bowls, books and sheets surrounding the bed, leaving the centre of the circle to be completely empty of everything save the bed and the white curtains adorning it.

Instantly she ran in, drawing her dagger which was hidden at the hip of her gown, with easy access through a slit which was present in all of her clothes, should it be necessary. She surveyed the scene, trying to look for some sort of sign of intrusion, blood, anything that could indicate a struggle or even a kidnapping, and yet all she found was disturbed bowls of fruit and books with pages ripped out forming a disturbing circle. It was almost ritualistic.

She turned around, surveying the scene, and trying her best to imagine what on earth could have happened and yet, nothing came to mind. Sigyn walked to the other side of the bed, looking for any sign on Loki, only to stumble right upon him.

He was sat in a corner, a common occurrence it seemed, with closed eyes and calm facade. His head was leant back on the wall which seemed to be the most comfortable thing in the world right now and his arms were casually draped across his knees, and though he looked quite relaxed, his tightly clenched jaw and fists that were tangled in part of the tunic he wore.