Anyone have any thoughts about a story that has Fenrir and Jormungand fighting for the affections of someone...?
"7 years" by Lukas Graham
*******************
Sigyn rushed down the hall and into Loki's chambers without even breaking stride. She didn't care if Balder was still behind her or not. Once inside she nearly shoved over an elderly caretaker and went in a mad sprint for the nursery. As she entered, she noticed young Hela was seated in her carrier. The girl cooed and gave a pretty smile upon Sigyn's entry. "I will be back later, sweet pea," she promised. Next, Sigyn rushed to Fenrir's crib. The pup was not inside. He instead was seated on the hard ground as he gnawed on what appeared to be a thigh bone of a small animal.
"I told your father not to allow you that," Sigyn muttered crossly to herself. Was it that difficult for Loki to provide a baby with baby toys? If he kept this up, Fenrir would surely assume he truly was a wolf and not actually a little boy. By the time Sigyn sat upon her knees, Fenrir released a small growl towards her direction. His lovely brown eyes held what appeared to be anger, and maybe even sadness.
"Miss! You are not supposed to be in these chambers-"
"I am the closest thing these babies have to a mother," Sigyn snapped angrily at the old caretaker with the leathery face. "Fenrir is going to help find his missing brother."
The elderly woman looked awkward. "You are still not allowed in these chambers!"
"If you hold such a problem with it, jump off a bloody tower!" Sigyn snapped as she moved to hold Fenrir in her arms. The little boy, who had originally been a tiny pup, had grown in the past few months. He not only possessed quite literal puppy fat but was taller as well. Fenrir growled some more, showing his annoyance.
Sigyn did not have time for nonsense; not when Jormungand was missing. The pup squirmed and growled, seemingly greatly annoyed by Sigyn's movements as she held him close.
The maiden pressed soft kisses all along the pup's fuzzy head, calming him instantly. Soon enough, he wagged his tail in appreciation. "Do you hold any fraction of an idea how much I have missed you and your siblings?" she cooed before pressing more soft kisses atop his head.
Fenrir immediately started to lick Sigyn's neck, very pleased by the attention he was receiving. He even continued wagging his tail in appreciation. She next moved to grab Jormungand's baby blanket that held his scent from the times he had been held in it. Hela started to whimper, but as soon as Sigyn approached, she stopped the silly antic. "No, Hela. I promise I will be back, even if it is not 'til morning," she said, placing a quick kiss upon the baby girl's head.
"Do not make promises you cannot keep."
Sigyn's heart felt like it could swell right out of her chest upon hearing Loki's voice. She spun around with Fenrir still in her arms to address his entry. Loki looked worn out. His face was too pale, his eyes held dark circles, and his hair was just a little too tussled. Fenrir gave a happy bark at his father's entry, his tail wagging excitedly.
Judging by Loki's pitiful expression, he had not. "What's the matter, Sigyn...? Shouldn't you be out celebrating that your engagement ball is tomorrow..."
Uncaring for his attitude or that Balder was merely standing in the next room, Sigyn set Fenrir down upon the floor and hurried over to Loki to embrace him in a hug. Her arms wrapped around his torso to squeeze him against her. "Do not push me away; there is no other soul besides you who loves that boy more than I," she whispered, her voice breaking at the end.
This softened Loki as he trembled against her. Soon enough, he scooped her close to hold. "I am sorry for my words..."
"Do not apologize for missing your boy," Sigyn murmured, standing on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss against his cheek. "Come along."
Loki looked perplexed as Sigyn hurried to re-grab Fenrir away from his thigh bone he once again found. She held Jormungand's blanket under his nose. The chubby pup started to sniff the blanket immediately. As soon as the maiden set him down, Fenrir took off in a hurried speed towards the doors exiting Loki's chambers. After a good half hour of searching the entire east and west wing of the palace, Sigyn was certain Fenrir was onto something. Loki, however, was not. His dark brows furrowed as he watched his wolfish son scour the hallway.
"Tis my fault," he admitted hoarsely, his eyes misting. "This is Mother Gaia's own way of retribution. Her revenge for my neglecting the children at birth...Shapeshifting sons, now one gone forever..."
A rough slap on the shoulder from Sigyn pulled him from his trance. "By the gods, you are only becoming more dramatic the older you become," she snapped impatiently as she hurried after Fenrir.
"There was blood found in his tank!" Loki whispered furiously as he chased after her and Fenrir. "Fresh blood! He was probably eaten as he slept!"
"OR, perhaps he was intelligent enough to escape that tank that did not provide a proper hatch for closing," Sigyn shot back. "Perhaps he even cut himself by accident. I hold no doubt that young man is far more intelligent than many give him credit for."
"He is a serpent!" Loki hissed quietly. "Have you yet to realize that...? He is a snake! He is not a boy; he is not a baby...He will never be either of those things..." Loki trailed off as Sigyn took him by surprise by roughly shoving him. It stunned him for a short amount of time. "What the bloody hell was that for...?"
"Jormungand only refuses to change into a baby boy because no one expects it out of him!" Sigyn whispered furiously. "You are his father; you should have faith in him!"
"I hold no faith for I feel he is now DEAD!"
"He is NOT!"
"How could you know, my darling girl, hmmm? Did you become a fortune teller during our fortnight of not speaking?"
Sigyn took a deep breath, determined not to shove him again. He was desperately missing his little boy, she had to remember that. He was not acting of sane mind; he was lashing out for he was in pain. That's what he did a lot of the time. Sigyn took another deep breath. "I would feel it if something horrid had happened to him..." she admitted, feeling stupid and yet certain of this all in one. She would know if something horrid had happened to Jormungand or his siblings; she could just feel it deep within her bones.
By this declaration, Loki's eyes widened. "You would FEEL if a child that is not yours by blood had fallen by death's hand?" he sneered coldly. "That sounds ridiculous."
At this attitude, Sigyn stepped forward and shoved him once more. Loki allowed himself to hit the nearest column, a nasty glare still etched on his inhumanly beautiful face. "Never before has a man vexed me so," she muttered crossly. "Stop acting as though you are an overgrown infant and focus on the task at hand! You can loathe and berate me after we find that darling little boy, do you understand me, you moronic little man-child??"
Loki's blue eyes widened in great surprise. Sigyn was not sure what had him shocked. The hostility in her tone, or the way her finger had angrily jammed against his throat. He relaxed as he saw her eyes were shining with fresh tears. "My heart will be broken if we cannot find that little boy or if something horrid has h-h-happened," Sigyn whispered, her eyes brimming with tears at the thought of that beautiful serpent in harm's way.
She did not look back as she ran away from Loki to chase after Fenrir.
***
"ENOUGH OF THIS FOOLISHNESS!" Odin eventually barked. Queen Frigga had most of the royal guard along with every handmaiden searching for Jormungand to no avail.
As Odin's stern voice echoed through the grand library, Sigyn's heart sank further. She could feel the tension in the air thickening with each passing moment of fruitless search. Sigyn glanced at Balder, who attempted to guide her into the formalities expected in the presence of the king. However, her concern for Jormungand outweighed any regard for protocol.
Loki's glare at Balder's attempt didn't escape Sigyn's notice, but she remained focused on the task at hand. With a nod of acknowledgment to Odin, she resumed her search, scouring the shelves for any sign of the missing child. Despite her efforts, the library remained silent, offering no clues to Jormungand's whereabouts.
The sense of helplessness weighed heavily on Sigyn as she continued her search, her mind racing with worry for the serpent child. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time, that every passing minute brought them closer to a dreadful outcome. But amidst the chaos and uncertainty, one thing remained clear—she would not rest until Jormungand was found, safe and sound.
Odin seemed oblivious that Sigyn was still searching and never paused her efforts. Everyone else in the room -Loki included- stopped to listen to him.
"If the snake child was killed off, tis unfortunate. However, tis also the way of nature. Smaller creatures are consumed by larger creatures quite often."
Frigga flushed with anger at such a comment, yet, she said nothing to contradict her husband. Loki's jaw clenched as he looked to be resisting stabbing his father. Twas Sigyn whose eyes welled with even fresher tears as she pointed a finger while ready to give the king a verbal thrashing. Seemingly sensing this, Balder -still holding onto her elbow- pulled her in and pressed his mouth to hers for an impromptu kiss. Sigyn kept her mouth tightly closed as he kissed her deeply. As he spun her around to wrap an arm gingerly around her waist while his other hand joined the action, Balder smiled apologetically. "I have made an oath to myself to find the child my fiancé so tenderly cared over for such a long period of time, father. She cares for it, tis only fitting I respect her wishes of finding him as a gift to her, my Lord."
Odin chuckled deeply while rubbing his thick beard. "Oh, you and your silly oaths, Balder. I s'pose tis why you are the God of Truth, for you always follow through on your oaths!" he said, a hearty laugh exiting him. "Well, if tis for your lovely fiancé, tis very noble of you to one to grant her such an odd request of her desire."
Sigyn was fuming. He did not care Jormungand – Loki's son – and yet found Balder looking for the boy simply to impress his 'fiancé' as noble!? As Balder gently gave her waist a squeeze, it told Sigyn to keep silent. Saying nothing to the irrational and despicable king was better than fighting with him. As Sigyn observed Loki's stoic demeanor, she couldn't help but feel a pang of intense sympathy for him. His façade of composure masked the turmoil brewing within him. Despite the gravity of the situation, he seemed to retreat into his own thoughts, his emotions guarded behind a veil of detachment.
Loki's reaction to Balder's lingering touch didn't go unnoticed by Sigyn. His clenched jaw and the vacant look in his eyes hinted at a deeper unrest simmering beneath the surface. It was as though he was battling his own inner demons, struggling to maintain his composure.
With a heavy sigh, Loki silently departed from the library, his departure leaving a palpable sense of tension in his wake.
***
The entire night crept by with positively no sign of the missing boy. As dawn slowly approached and the sun started streaking across the castle windows, Sigyn found herself practically dragged back to her room by Loki. Despite allowing Sigyn to assist him in the search, he had grown weary of her relentless pursuit. He had even started to carry her at one point before Sigyn firmly put her foot down.
"I am not going back to my room!" she declared, her voice tinged with frustration and determination. Her eyes blazed with a fierce resolve, refusing to yield to the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm her.
Loki regarded her with a mixture of exasperation and concern, his features softened by the flickering light of dawn. He understood her anguish, shared in her desperation to find the missing little boy. Yet, he also recognized the futility of their efforts in the face of such uncertainty.
"We need rest, Sigyn," Loki insisted, his voice gentle but firm. "We cannot continue like this without proper rest."
"Bed is not going to bring Jormungand back-"
"Neither will tired eyes looking for him," Loki replied without looking at her.
"Do not treat me as though you do not care for me." She spat.
This volatile response by Sigyn caused Loki's head to swivel. "Why would you say such a thing...?"
"You act as though marrying Balder is something I desire and not something that is being forced upon me!" Loki looked around the corridor before ushering her through the nearest door.
"You had a choice, your father's tongue or your engagement. Twas not exactly forced." Loki did not blink as he answered.
"Do not do that," Sigyn whispered passionately, her voice tinged with both sadness and frustration as she shook her head. "You say cruel things to hurt me to shield your own emotions-"
Loki's expression hardened, his eyes flashing with irritation. "Do not."
Sigyn's determination remained unshaken. "Do too!"
The tension between them hung heavy in the air, each refusing to back down from their stance. They glared at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither willing to concede.
Finally, Loki's scowl deepened as he turned towards the door. "Pleasant dreams," he muttered, his voice edged with an icy finality.
"Pleasant dreams!?" Sigyn's voice rose with incredulity. "I cannot possibly be expected to sleep when Jormungand is missing-"
But Loki had already dismissed her, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as he disappeared, leaving Sigyn alone with her tumultuous thoughts.
Sigyn didn't care what he thought; she would spend every day and night searching for that darling baby until he was found. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, Sigyn moved to change into more comfortable boots to wear as opposed to her royal uniform footwear. As she shuffled under the bed to pull out her boots, she gasped as she felt something scaly brush against her fingertips. Flabbergasted and recognizing the touch of a snake, Sigyn moved herself flat on her belly, daring to hope that she just found the missing Jormungand.
She had.
Nestled atop her boot made from the wooly skin of a Midgardian mammoth, lay Jormungand nestled comfortably, fast asleep. A choked sob escaped Sigyn's throat as she hurriedly plucked up the small snake to cradle him in her warm hands and examine him. He was fine! The little baby boy was perfectly fine apart from a small cut under his belly. Jormungand instantly awoke from the jostling movement, looking around worriedly.
"Oh you precious little boy," Sigyn whispered, cradling the beautiful serpent in her hands. She gingerly stroked the top of the snake's head as Jormungand affectionately wrapped himself around her fingers before sticking out his forked tongue. "Where have you been?? You have not the faintest idea of how much your father and I missed you..." she trailed off. His father! Loki was worried sick! After one last gentle rub of the gorgeous serpent's head, Sigyn stood with the boy and hurried out of the room. She ran down the hall, careful not to jostle the baby.
"Loki!! I found him!!" she called out, her voice echoing down the corridor, carrying with it a wave of relief and joy.
He had gotten a very far distance down the hall, surprising Sigyn by his not stopping. Her words took a second to process. Loki swiveled on his boot, looking flabbergasted by her words. Smiling excitedly, Sigyn hurried forward with the precious baby, holding him up so his father could see him properly. Loki smiled broadly as he came forward, allowing Sigyn to gently turn the boy to show off his slightly cut underbelly.
"The poor thing!" she cooed as he overlooked his son. "He was fast asleep under my bed...We should bring him to the infirmary, and his healer should-"
"Shh, my darling," Loki soothed, gingerly pulling her and Jormungand in for a long hug. "All is well, he is safe."
"Do not ever do that again," Sigyn scolded the baby in a soft whisper, her bottom lip trembling at the memory of how much worry the baby put her through. Jormungand merely stuck out his forked tongue, gently rubbing his head against her finger.
"Place the child with Loki and return to your chambers, Sigyn," Frigga announced briskly, seemingly appearing from nowhere. Loki looked pained as Sigyn's bottom lip trembled. "You are betrothed to Balder. Relinquish the boy to his father and be gone."
The truth hurt. Loki and his son were simply not hers to keep...
Sigyn could not look Loki in the eye as she slowly -unwillingly- handed Jormungand off to Loki. She held in her tears threatening to spill as he took the child. Sigyn held her palm to cover her mouth before she started hurrying away, unable to look back at Loki or his baby. As she hurried away from father and son, a strange noise broke the silence in the long hallway. A baby's wail. Sigyn broke her hurried walk and turned back to face Loki, thinking her ears had been deceiving her. Loki had been cradling a snake in his hand. Within the blink of an eye, he now held a baby who looked no older than a few months, the same age as Hela. The baby had skin a frosted blue, eyes a sparkling orange.
Sigynignored Frigga's heavy protests to run back to Loki and the baby. She startedto cry as the baby did. The little boy would not stop fussing. Loki lookedtruly unsure how to handle the baby who had never shapeshifted from his snakeform. He now held a little boy who was stark naked and bright blue. Sigynremoved her apron to cover it around the baby. His reaching a tiny hand out toher propelled Loki's mouth to drop open. "Of course," he whispered,using a hand to pull Sigyn in closer. The maiden was perplexed until Lokibrought the baby boy forward and placed him into Sigyn's awaiting arms."He left on his own to find his mother," he said in awe.
Jormungand began to change once more. His skin morphed to a pale white. Hishair remained the same shade of black as his father's. His haunting orange eyesshifted to a soft blue. Jormungand whimpered softly, only seemingly content asSigyn held him close and placed him in a warm hug. Even though she was not biologicallyrelated to the boy, the shape shifter thought of her as his mother.