"Make sure she is well-restrained. Her magic has grown considerably. Damn those Asgardians! Was it really so hard to just do as they were expected?"
"It's the Trickster's fault. He no doubt holds everyone under a spell, including the Allfather."
"Him and that witch of a mother of his. I should have gotten rid of her when I had the chance."
Sigyn blinked against her blindfold when she heard her mother and Ivar speaking. There was a distinct clanging sound of iron chains against hard rocks. Shackles were put around her ankles and wrists. She tried to get away from whoever was restraining her but was struck across her face at the attempt.
"Keep still, you little slut."
Ivar... Sigyn heard someone laughing, a male voice, but younger - Thorin. Then her mother's voice again.
"Struggle all you like, my dear. You won't get out of those restraints. They were forged especially on Nidavellir to keep our kind in check."
"Our kind?" dared Sigyn.
Ivar hit her again. Blood dripped down her cheek.
"That is enough for now, Ivar. I don't mind answering this particular question. Yes, Sigyn, our kind. Fire mages. Or did you think you were the only one in our family to be blessed with these powers?"
Her mother chuckled at Sigyn's gasp.
"The ancient power of the fire mages has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations, my dear. Only a handful of men were born with the flame and lived long enough to wield it. And every one of them died horribly at the hands of Bor and Odin. Until me, that is. My mother knew a thing or two about potions as well, and she poisoned me, stripping me of my fire when I was a young maid. Then she got herself killed, leaving me defenceless. Well, almost anyway. Thanks to my desire for knowledge and power, I learned a few other basic forms of magic which she failed to take away from me."
Lady Sunna scoffed.
"She was a fool. And a coward. If she had united our powers, we could have taken over Asgard and eliminated our enemies once and for all. We could have ruled all of the Nine Realms!"
"Your mother only wanted what was best," whispered Sigyn. "She loved you. She wanted to save you."
"She wanted to finish our heritage," rebuffed her mother. "My mother's last act was extinguishing the flame that once burned so fiercely. She told me 'our plight' would end with her. So imagine my surprise when you are born, and I find you have the fire that was rightfully mine! I will admit I hated you at first, but after some time, I realised that having you provided me with an opportunity. All I had to do was keep you away from everyone until my spies informed me Frigga was looking for a wife for her golden boy, making sure you were well-educated and fit to be Queen. The prize they couldn't possibly resist."
"All my life... Everything you have done to me... All for vengeance?!"
"For the good of the family, my dear. I almost had it all within my grasp... But then you ruined it all by letting the wrong brother have his way with you! The same brother who unwittingly foiled my plans before by killing my most precious spy! But it no longer matters. The Trickster will get what he deserves, as will the rest of that wretched family and all of Asgard!"
Sigyn clenched her fists in rage. Her fire tried to push its way up, yearning to be let loose. But the shackles did what they were supposed to and kept her well in check. She heard Ivar and Thorin laughing.
"Ha-ha, do not pretend to be all-powerful, Sigyn." Thorin snickered. "You may have picked up a few new tricks, but you are no match for these bonds. Nor for our mother."
Sigyn tried to recoil as someone stroked a lock of hair behind her ear. Not sweetly, but taunting. Ivar... The shackled kept her in place, though. Her brother's lips were close to her face. She could feel his breath upon her cheek.
"You are nothing, Sigyn. You do not mean anything to anyone. Do you honestly believe your husband will come for you? That any of them care for some freak like you? Odin's choice will be easily made if it comes down between Asgard and a fire mage. In fact, it puzzles me that he has not killed you yet, considering what befell others with your... abilities."
"Our sister's husband and new mother will probably have convinced the Allfather that having a fire mage at Asgard would be advantageous," said Thorin. "And they will have held the spill of innocent blood against him. Speaking of which, should we not do something about that little hindrance?"
"Or better yet, remove the entire problem altogether?" offered Ivar.
Sigyn felt cold steel against her throat. Then someone stepped forward and pulled the knife away from her.
"Ivar, I will not allow you to kill our sister. Hate her if you like, but murdering your own blood is a line you cannot cross."
"I agree. And besides, we don't even know if it is true. Mother, your spy could be wrong about this. If we hurt Sigyn too much, she may suffer irreversible damage."
Björn... Aeric... Sigyn's eyes filled with tears upon hearing the voices of the brothers who had remained silent this entire time. Please, don't let them...
"True or not, we must nip it in the bud whilst we still can," said her mother. "But I suppose you are right; we cannot break the goods. We do still need our darling girl, after all. Just make her bleed."
Lady Sunna's light tread and the rustling of her dress were all Sigyn perceived in her darkness. She was left alone with her brothers, abandoning all hope of being shown any mercy. Two of them had never physically harmed her much, apart from a shove now and then. The other two, however, revelled in inflicting pain on their sister. Their looming presence hung over Sigyn like the veil of death. She knew Björn and Aeric would not offer any help. They never did. So Sigyn bore the pain as best she could as Ivar and Thorin kicked and punched her, refusing to cry out. She would not grant them the pleasure of hearing her cry.
***
The guards' bodies were carried away from the throne room, and Frigga was taken to her chamber to recuperate from the fight. Lady Sunna's magic inflicted more harm than she had realised, and Odin insisted upon her resting. The Queen did give an account of what had happened before she retired.
Upon sensing Sigyn's magic, Frigga had hastened back to the throne room only to find Lady Sunna had somehow already knocked Sigyn unconscious. She had called the guards and faced Sigyn's mother herself but Lady Sunna immediately killed all the guards, piercing their bodies with needles. Frigga had managed to shield herself, but not in time. The same needles had pierced her left arm, rendering the limb paralyzed. If Odin had not come in at that moment, Lady Sunna would have probably killed her as well. Instead, she had vanished into thin air, taking her daughter with her.
It was about that same time that her sons also disappeared. After being defeated by Thor and his friends, Loki's snakes wrapped themselves tightly around their prey. And then, in the blink of an eye, all three were just gone. There wasn't a trace of any of them left anywhere in the whole of Asgard. Heimdall had already expanded his search to the other Realms, but so far, he could not find Lady Sunna or her sons. Nor Sigyn either.
Thor ordered word to be sent to Nidavellir, Vanaheim and Alfheim. They were Asgard's most trusted allies and were sworn to help. Whilst Volstagg and Hogun prepared the garrison for any impending battle with the Frost Giants (Thor had not forgotten Lady Sunna's threat), Sif and Fandrall were charged to learn all they could about Sigyn's family. The best way for them to do that was through Astrid. Sigyn's companion - who had been living with the youngest member of the Warriors Three since the wedding - was the only one who might know where her family could have taken her. She was their best hope at this moment. Though certainly not the only one.
***
Loki fell to his knees. Extracting magic from the Urdarbrunn was beginning to strain him, but he refused to give up. He had to hold on just a little while longer. He was so close. So very close. All the magic from the glen flowed through him, fueling the powers within the serpent pendant around his neck. Sigyn's fire had barely been tangible when Loki left the palace, but thanks to the residual imprint left behind at Urdarbrunn, it became easier to sense her again.
Loki focused on Sigyn, expressing his desire to see what she saw, hear what she heard, and feel what she felt. He did what she so often did and used the magic from their bond. His breath caught when he felt something pulling at him. An invisible force from within. It beckoned him like it was asking Loki to follow a path. A path that would hopefully lead to Sigyn.
He surrendered to it and was suddenly overwhelmed by immense pain. Physical pain. His body hurt all over. There was a weight on his ankles and wrists, and Loki felt warm blood sticking to him. This was...
No! Sigyn, what have they done to you?!
Loki tried to focus on where Sigyn was, but he couldn't perceive anything. He tried to look through her eyes but saw only darkness. He tried to hear what she heard, but there was nought but silence - no other voices, no faint sounds, not even the dripping of water... nothing.
Sigyn, hold on. You have to hold on. I made a vow to always find you, my heart, and so I shall. Nothing will keep me from you, I swear it!
Loki buried his fingers in the earth. He felt the resistance of the Urdarbrunn as he forced the core magic to merge with his and Sigyn's but managed to overcome it. He would undoubtedly pay the price for stealing the ancient magic later, but it was a prize he was willing to pay ten times over. He had to find Sigyn and save her from the monsters that had dared to take her from him. No matter the cost.
***
It hurt to move. It hurt to breathe. Sigyn lay completely still, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. It had gone on for nearly an hour before Björn finally put a stop to it. He hadn't been present for most of it. Nor had he allowed Aeric to witness it either. Sigyn had heard him take their youngest brother away. For that, at least, she was grateful. But it was all Björn had done for her. She was left alone, beaten, kicked, and bloody, chained to a rock in what she could only assume was a cave of some sort.
Her old self would have given up. Sigyn would have allowed herself to succumb to the pain and slip into a sleep from which she would never wake again. But she could not do that now. She could not do that to Loki. She had sensed him. She had sensed Loki's presence near. He had wrapped her in a safe embrace, taking the pain away for a brief moment. It had passed so quickly.
Sigyn had to believe her husband was on his way to her now. Loki was her reason to stay alive. If only for a little while longer. If only to see him one last time.
Decisive footstep drew near. Sigyn tried to sit up when she heard them, but her body refused to move. Someone knelt beside her. A pair of strong hands moved her, making her sit against the rock behind her. Sigyn yelped in pain.
"Ssh, stay quiet. I'm sorry. I did not mean to hurt you any further."
"A-Aeric?" Sigyn recognised her brother's voice. "Wha-What are you doing?"
The sudden return of light made Sigyn groan. She squinted, trying to make her eyes adjust. Her vision was hazy, but Sigyn could make out her little brother's face as he sat before her - beautiful, almost fragile, with the same eyes Björn and Thorin had. His brown hair was neatly tied back, with a few strands braided tightly at the side of his head. He looked more grown-up. Had it really been only six months since they last saw each other?
Aeric put a small bundle on the ground beside him. He picked up a flask and brought it to Sigyn's lips. The cool water felt so good. Her brother helped her drink, making sure Sigyn did not drink too fast. Then, Aeric poured a little water on a cloth and dabbed it gently on Sigyn's body, cleaning the blood away as best he could.
"Björn is getting you some clothes from home," said Aeric in a hushed voice. "He and Father are doing their best to find some way to rescue you, but Mother's spell on them prevents them from taking direct action."
"Mo - ow - Mother's spell?" Sigyn winced. "Aeric, what are you...?"
"Ssh, keep your strength. Yes, Mother bewitched Father and Björn after you were born when she saw they cared for you. Too much to her liking. She tried to do the same to me but failed for some reason. Father believes that your magic might have protected me from hers since you were the one who raised me from birth."
"But... what of...?"
"Ivar and Thorin are not under her spell if that is what you are wondering. They are more like her, especially Ivar. You never wondered why only we four survived after him? It was because Ivar allowed it. Björn showed promise as a warrior and already had a keen mind when he was but three years old. Thorin treats Ivar like a God and does everything he does, including hating you even though you raised him, so of course, Ivar would let him live. I suppose he has his reasons for letting me live as well. And you... well, you heard Mother. Ivar could not kill you, though he wanted to."
Sigyn looked at her little brother's face, wondering if what he said was true. Aeric had never much harmed her, so that part was perhaps true, but what he said of Björn and her father, Völundr... They never harmed her physically, but they always treated Sigyn as if she were nothing. They tormented her mentally. Was that truly all Lady Sunna's doing?
"Sigyn, please forgive me." Aeric's hand trembled as he washed the blood on her brow away. "I wanted to help you so many times growing up, but Father warned me not to. Mother does not know her spell failed on me and we could not risk her discovering the truth. It killed me to stay my hand, but I had no choice. Father tried everything to free himself and Björn, but her magic is so strong. When Queen Frigga proposed your marriage, it was Father who agreed that you could leave so soon before Mother could object to it. He hoped that with you gone, Mother's spell would waver, but... I don't think they will ever be free of her."
I cannot believe this... Not only me but Father... and Björn? What kind of monster would do this to her own family?! She has to be stopped. I... I have to get away from here... I have to... save them...
"Aeric, you have to free me from these bonds. You have to get me out of this cave."
Her brother lowered his eyes and dropped the bloodied cloth beside him.
"Sigyn, you can barely sit. And only someone with magic can release these shackles. Even if you miraculously recovered, and I somehow manage to liberate you, there is no way for you to escape. Mother told us you created some sort of mirror world and made sure you cannot reach it. There are no mirrors around for miles, no rivers or streams or ponds or lakes. She put up an entire border of magic so that not even the Bifrost can reach us here."
"Then how did Björn leave to return home?"
"Mother allowed it. But only because he persuaded her you could not remain like this."
"Then... Wait, mother believes you are under her spell, right? Insist you must return home or volunteer to go on an errand and then go to Asgard. Find my husband."
"Sigyn, the Asgardians witnessed three of your brothers attack their princes. What do you think they will do if the fourth shows up? How can I possibly convince the Trickster I am on your side?"
"Aeric, neither father nor Björn can take action; you said so yourself. It has to be you."
"N-No, I cannot." Aeric shook his head. "I dare not. I... I cannot lie and disobey Mother. I cannot go against Ivar. I... I'm not strong enough to face them."
Sigyn's hands gripped her brother's. Aeric stiffened a little at her touch, but this just made Sigyn hold on tighter and forced him to look at her. She had to convince him he had to do something. It all depended on him.
"I know you, Aeric. I raised you as my own son, even though I was barely grown-up myself. You are good and brave and stronger than you think. Our greatest challenge is not speaking up against our enemies but defying those whose approval we seek the most."
Her brother stared at her.
"How did you become so bold and fearless? You were as afraid of Mother and Ivar as I am. What changed?"
"I still fear them. I will never be free of what they did to me. But I cannot let that shut me down again. I have more to live for now. I have... I have love. True love. Loki makes me strong because... he believes in me. He is my strength."
Aeric looked away. No one had ever believed in him - no one but Sigyn (though now Sigyn believed her Father and Björn might have refrained from showing too much affection to protect the boy from their mother). She hoped he still remembered that. She had helped him stand when he fell as he learned to walk, helped him read and write when no one else bothered to and pushed him to keep training until he excelled at archery.
But perhaps the fear of Mother and Ivar was so great that his guilt and Sigyn's words were not enough to summon the courage he would need to break free. Perhaps he would always allow himself to be taken under by the tide that held his life in such a grip. Or... perhaps he would, at last, determine where his loyalties lay.
"Tell me how to convince your husband."
***
Sif and Fandrall joined Thor in the council chamber after speaking with Astrid. She returned to the palace immediately after hearing the news about Sigyn. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to say much about Sigyn's family that Thor did not already know from conversing with his former betrothed himself. Astrid did, however, inform Sif and Fandrall that two of Sigyn's brothers fought with the Marauders, a group of miscreants who attacked and pillaged settlements within the Nine Realms. The Asgardians had fought them on several occasions, protecting those settlements and honouring their treaty with the other Realms.
Thor believed he knew which of Sigyn's brothers would stoop so low and thought it plausible to think they would take Sigyn to a location close to their forces instead of home. He was going over the latest of the Marauders' plunders with his friends when Loki stormed into the room.
"Any news?" he demanded.
"None yet." Thor sighed. "Astrid said Sigyn's brothers frequent the company of the Marauders. We are tracing them now."
"She said nothing of Lady Sunna or Lord Völundr?"
"Nothing," replied Sif.
Loki turned to call one of the guards.
"Find my wife's companion and bring her here immediately!"
"Now hold on just a minute," objected Fandrall.
"We do not have a minute, you simple knave! Astrid knows more of this; I am certain of it. I will make her tell me, one way or another."
Thor held out his hand to his blond comrade, stopping him from lunging at Loki. Now was not the time to fight amongst themselves. Sigyn's life was at stake. Astrid might still prove the key to finding her. He would make sure Loki did not take it too far.
"Where did you trace the Marauders to?" Loki stepped up to the table where several maps lay open.
"They abandoned their camp in Ria," answered Sif. "Heimdall saw a group arrive in Nornheim, but he can no longer find them there. Either they are no longer there or..."
"Or something is shielding them. We do not yet know the full extent of Lady Sunna's magic, but it would not be very complicated to do that."
"If she truly has that power, how would we reach Sigyn once we find where she is kept?" asked Thor.
"Leave that to me," answered Loki as he pulled the maps close. "Let's see first if they took Sigyn to Nornheim."
Thor watched his brother close his eyes, taking hold of the pendant around his neck with one hand whilst extending the other over the maps. A glow crept through Loki's fingers as the pendant lit up, and at the same time, the map began to glow as well. Sif and Fandrall came to stand beside Thor, the same baffled expressions on their faces. Since when did Loki know how to do this?
"There she is."
The three of them leaned in to see a tiny snake circle over the same area repeatedly.
"Are you certain?" asked Thor.
"Are you seriously questioning me right now?" reacted Loki sharply.
Thor quickly shook his head. He knew better than to argue with Loki on matters of magic.
"Go to Nornheim and scout ahead," he ordered Sif and Fandrall. "We need to know what we are up against. Pay attention to everything that is around that area. Even the slightest detail may be important. The more we know, the better, understood?"
"There may not be a need for a scout."
They all turned to the door upon hearing Heimdall's low voice. The Guardian of the Bifrost was accompanied by a young man who seemed eager to be anywhere but there.
"This young man called upon the Bifrost outside of the village where Lady Sigyn grew up," said Heimdall, nudging the young man forward. "He claims to be Lady Sigyn's youngest brother and requested to speak with her husband."
Thor nodded his thanks to Heimdall, after which the Guardian took his leave to return to HIminbjörg. He looked the young man over and did see a resemblance with Sigyn. The same soft features as hers. And the same kindness in his eyes, though they were of a different colour.
"Sigyn's youngest brother, you say?" Loki narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "That would be... Aeric?"
"That I am. I know you have little reason to trust me..."
"How about none? Three of my wife's brothers already attacked us. How is the fourth any different?"
"Only two attacked you intentionally. Björn is not like Ivar and Thorin. Nor am I, which is why I am here. I came to offer my help."
Loki scoffed and sneered at the young man.
"As if I would believe anything you say."
The corner of Aeric's mouth went up in a grin
"Sigyn said you would say that. She told me there was one sure way to convince you I am here in her interest; Lagertha."
Loki staggered back, his face ashen and his eyes wide.
"What is it?" asked Thor. "Why would Sigyn think this name would convince you?"
"That... It is what we agreed we would name our... our daughter," stammered Loki. "Sigyn came upon it in a Midgardian book. We spoke of it only once when we were alone in our chamber, three days after our wedding. No one else could have known about that."
Thor's breath caught.
"So Sigyn is with child then?"
"She told me she was not," Loki almost whispered. "But... maybe it was too soon to tell."
Thor noticed Sif and Fandrall's nervous glances. They were thinking the same as him; if Sigyn truly was with child, Loki now had two reasons to risk everything to get her back.
"We agreed upon the name for a son as well," said Loki. "Did Sigyn tell you this name as well?"
"She said to tell you that if you claimed it is Ragnar, I was to remind you of her promise to throw that book at you since you dared to mention that name again. She told me to say it exactly like that too."
A sob stifled Loki's chuckle. Tears filled his eyes. Thor came to stand by his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder in support.
"Before I say anything else," said Aeric, "I need your word that no harm will come to my brothers. My mother is not worth saving, so I will not ask to spare her. But my brothers may yet make their amends. Especially Björn. He, and my father too, have long been under my mother's curse and are innocent in this. And Sigyn would not want their blood on your hands."
Thor saw Loki pinch his lips. He understood his brother's pause quite well. Yet, he had never known Loki to be a murderous man. His tricks were not that harmful. Had Sigyn been his wife, Thor would have made no such promise. He would not even have been able to show the restraint Loki had. The respect Thor had for Loki (and yes, he did have it) had only grown these past hours.
"We can make no promises, Aeric," Thor said diplomatically in Loki's stead. "Anything can happen in the heat of battle. But you have my word that we will try to keep casualties to a minimum. Our main goal is to bring your sister back home."
"I understand. I will tell you everything you need to know."
Thor, Loki, Sif and Fandrall gathered around Sigyn's brother as he began to tell of the forces that awaited them at Nornheim and what magic they were sure to encounter. Little did they know, another was paying close attention as well.
***
"May we speak for a moment?"
Loki looked up when he saw Sigyn's youngest brother before him. There was a slight tremor in his hand, and Loki wondered if this was out of fear or nerves. He concealed his dagger at his left wrist and waited for Aeric to continue.
"You should know... if Sigyn was with child, there is a chance she is not anymore."
"I know." Loki averted his gaze, strapping his swordbelt around his waist. "I briefly connected with her and felt her pain as if it were my own. Perhaps now you understand why I could not make any promises earlier. If your brothers are within my grasp, I will not hesitate to inflict that same pain on them, Aeric. They will feel everything Sigyn has felt and more."
Aeric grew pale at his threat. Loki did not care. Thor may have promised they would keep casualties to a minimum, but that did not mean there would be none. Even now, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif were gathering the Einherjar to join Thor and Loki to Nornheim, where they would face the Marauders and the Norn. They prepared for a large-scale battle, now that the true enemy turned out to be the Norn Queen, Karnilla, and not the Frost Giants as they had all assumed. It would not matter. Frost Giants, Marauders, Norn, not even the Mistress of Magic herself could stop Loki from retrieving Sigyn. He would fight them all, and he would win.
"Was there something else?" Loki asked when Aeric lingered near him.
Sigyn's brother sighed and pushed a note into his hand. Loki frowned and unfolded the piece of paper. He gasped as he read the note warning Lady Sunna of Sigyn's marriage to him.
"Where did you get this?" he demanded.
"I picked Ivar's pocket. I did not think you would believe me without proof. It is only one of many. My mother's spy kept a regular report of everything Sigyn did. This is how we knew Sigyn possibly carried a child conceived out of wedlock. This is how we knew it all."
"Do you know who this spy is?" asked Loki.
Aeric shook his head.
"Whoever it is, it is someone close to you. Someone you may even trust. How else would they know of these details? And it is not just about Sigyn, but of everything that goes on in Asgard. My mother has been receiving these letters for years, though there was a pause between them at some point. I believe she had to employ a new spy after the first was discovered and met an untimely death at your hand."
"At my hand?"
"Well, that's what Mother claimed."
Loki tried to recall who Aeric was talking about. He had indeed trapped many a spy throughout the years. Frigga had sometimes even employed them to see if Loki managed to see through them as a test sort of speak. But he had never killed one. He never killed anyone, apart from warriors and magicians in battle, but that was completely different. Who could this spy have been? And who was it now? Only a handful of people knew the truth about him and Sigyn. But they were his family and their friends. None of them would betray them, surely?
The booming sound of the horns made Loki and Aeric turn their heads. The army stood ready. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were armed to the teeth and fully armoured, standing near Thor, who was equally as impressive with his golden hair and red cape blowing in the wind and Mjölnir in hand.
"Are you certain you want to join us?" Loki asked Aeric. "Last chance to stay."
"Sigyn believes in me," replied Aeric. "I cannot let her down."
Loki nodded in approval. He wouldn't keep this one away from Sigyn if she wished to see him again. The other one, Björn, would have to prove himself first. As would her father, Völundr. But the others would not live to see another day. Nor would anyone who stood in Loki's way. This, he swore.