His Queen | Book 1

Ten: Bleeding Hearts

"I am talking about you and Baldur, how do you do it, I mean?" Sigyn paced. Her stress levels were growing high the more Forseti shouted and neighed and ran circles around Nanna. "How do you love?"

"Love is not easy. It is not hard, either. You can't force it, and you can't choose it either."

Sigyn sighed, frustrated. "Riddles wont help. The wedding is a week away almost!"

"Mother, look at me!" Forseti bounded.

"Yes, very good. Siggy, you just have to let yourself feel..."

The chamber doors burst open and Hnoss stumbled into the room tears streaming down her red face. Her perfect white hair was disheveled and she screamed. "You must come quickly, something is happening!" she screamed. Was someone being murdered?

Sigyn and Nanna looked at each other. Forseti stopped galloping, shock on his face. The sisters ran forward with urgency catching Hnoss before she collapsed. She was shaking uncontrollably. "What happened, Hnoss, tell us!" Nanna dragged the poor girl to the sofas. She cupped her red stained cheeks flowing with makeup and tears. "Tell us!"

"The Dwarven brothers..." she cried. "Brokk and Eitri - Loki wagered his head. Heuhuhu." she sucked in shaky breaths. Sigyn heart dropped into her stomach. "The brothers of Ivaldi. They showed up suddenly, all of them barring gifts for each of us. Mother and father judged Brokk had the best gifts. Loki lost the wager!" she cried harder and the tears became stronger. Her words are blurred together though her tears and hysterics. Then she shouted,

"Now they want his head!"

Nanna and Sigyn looked at each other wide eyed. "What do we do?" Nanna cried.

"Hnoss, where are they?" Sigyn demanded to know as quickly as possible.

Hnoss pointed in a random direction. "The council chamber!"

Sigyn picked up her dress and she broke into a run. She ran as fast as her heart was pumping. She flew down the corridors and passageways of the palace in a flurry of pure panic. Sigyn almost tumbled down the stairs and she took a hard turn right. Was she going the right way? Norns, she can't remember the way there. Sigyn flew into an Einherjar, frantically asking him the way.

He pointed, confusion on his face and Sigyn broke into a sprint. Walls blurred as she ran, the image of Loki's severed head in the hands of the Dwarven King played through her mind. Lifeless sunken eyes. Mouth agape in horror. Pale grey skin. His hair balled into a fist.

Was she too late? 

Sigyn was fast approaching the council chamber. The closer she got the louder the angry voices and shouting got. Shouting and begging and shouting of anger.

Sigyn came into the doorway, breathing heavy.

Loki was held down on the table by the crushing weight of King Eitri, King of the Dwarves. He was not a small being, but instead gigantic. Their heads of red brushed the ceiling. His brother, Brokk, held Loki's head straight and there was no screams coming from him and Sigyn feared they already killed him.

The sons of Ivaldi.

Worst of all, Odin watched. As did her father, Iwaldi and Freya. Sigvard was there too. All their eyes went to Sigyn and she wanted to shrink under their glare. Sigvard laughed in amusement. Gersemi rushed over to Sigyn, tears streaming down her face and she was shaking.

"Siggy." she fell into her sisters arms.

"Here she is, Sigyn to the rescue!" Sigvard announced her with a dramatic wave of his delicate hand.