“Freyr, please calm down.” I spoke softly to my brother. I watched his face go from distorted anger to annoyance. His eyes were blue and sly, as if he had something to hide. But my brother could hide anything from me.
“I am calm, Sigyn. Perfectly calm.” I watched him sit back down at the table and place his face in his hands with a sigh. “I just can’t stand Freya. I personally don’t know how you can.”
“Patience. Great amounts of it in fact.” I walked over and sat down beside him with a smile on my face as I patted his back soothingly. “Look, I know Freya betrayed you, but she was scared. Your sudden…change scared us all. Even me, to be frank. But I know that is not the point you seek.”
“I loved Wilhelmina, Sigyn. I still do. But because of Freya, I never see her anymore.” My mood saddened at Freyr’s own. My brother was not a monster. He had just done monstrous things for the sake of love. That was not something I could judge him for.
My brother was love sick, and that wasn’t something I could yet fathom. So I decided to distract him from our current conversation.
“How is Loki adapting to the changes here?” I asked politely. I found it a great stride of progress for Freyr to take Loki under his wing.
Freyr lifted his head from his mourning state and looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Ah, has my dear sweet baby sister found someone to her liking?” his smiled widely as my face blushed. I stuck out my tongue and ruffled his blonde curls playfully.
“Of course not! I barely know the man! I was simply making polite conversation. Besides, if I had even an iota of interest in the man, I certainly wouldn’t have sent him off with Freya.” Freyr snorted loudly.
“Yes, did the man truly deserve such a torturous fate? You simply should have sent Freya away and left Loki here. The man has quite the twisted sense of humor you would enjoy.” Again Freyr grinned at me widely. I rolled my eyes and let out a small laugh.
“Can we not make this about me?”
“I didn’t say it was.” Freyr smirked. I sighed, completely exasperated with arguing with my brother. “Besides, you have a party to attend tonight. Perhaps i should mention to Loki that my lovely sister is without escort?”
“That would make Trevor furious.” I squeezed my bridge of my nose and shook my head. I was dreading this party tonight.
“That’s the idea.” I laughed outright at Freyr’s words. I certainly gave the idea considerate thought. “Have you talked to mother and father about that?”
“No point. They won’t listen to me.” I sighed. “Anyway, perhaps you’d like to join me for a walk to the gardens? I don’t want to be caught in the halls alone again while Trevor is still on the prowl.” And that was a true statement to be sure, but I liked being about to spend time with my brother before he went into his isolated and depressed state. When he was around me, he was the sunny happy Freyr he once was.
“Fine. I suppose I’ll protect you from that dreaded horses arse. You’ll have to find new protection for your next outing however, because I shall not be doing it again.” He said as he stood from his chair ans escorted me out of the room.
“Why not?” I asked curiously. Freyr gave me a wicked and playful smile.
“It will force you to either learn to accept Trevor or, gods willing, find a new male protector. I know one that would be more than happy to do the job to escape the clutches of your evil sister.” I elbowed him playfully and continued to walk down the hall.
What was this sudden topic of Loki?
~
I squeezed my eyes shut and began to make my last attempt to tune out Freya. She had dragged me out into the gardens which, yes, was a nice enough atmosphere I supposed, but her constant talking made such beauty hard to admire.
So now I sat under a Dogwood tree, its pink petals falling off like rain, my head resting on the hard rough bark of its trunk, praying to anything that would hear my prayers to have sleep come and take me away from this accursed woman. It would be my only escape and salvation from her garbled talk of petty objects such as jewelry, gowns and parties she had attended in the past.
She didn’t even seem to notice I wasn’t listening. She was in her own little world and I was just another puppet she thought she controlled. She must have been a very lonely child.
A sudden crunch of grass underfoot made my eyes shoot open and turn to my left. To my relief I saw Freyr and Sigyn making their way towards us. At least at first. Once Sigyn’s vivid blue ocean eyes caught sight of me, she attempted to flee but Freyr’s tight grip on her arm stopped her. He whispered something in her ear that made her laugh and she continued forward.
Maybe someone wasn’t as brave as she let on.
I watched the tips of her hair blow up into the breeze, like flames on the wind. The thought of running my fingers through it was rather appealing to me. If I touched those flames, would I burn?
“Oh Sigyn you made it! I was just talking to Loki about the party for tonight!” I heard Freya speak suddenly and watched her get up from her spot on the ground as she rushed over to Sigyn and grabbed her hand. “Tell him how fun they are!” I watched Sigyn smile slightly and looked at Freya pleadingly.
“I’m actually not going.” Her eyes were an apology in it of themselves. Freyr huffed like an overindulged brat. If fact I was convinced she was one.
“Again? Sigyn, you’ll be stuck with Trevor if you don’t let the public see you!” Freya giggled with Sigyn.
“Well, I’d be stuck with Trevor one way or another as it is that I do not have any other proper escort. I would be stuck with that whoreson all evening” Sigyn spit out his name like a poison. I had to agree, It didn’t settle with me either.
“Perhaps my lord Loki,” Freyr bowed down low and gave me a strange look. It was trying to tell me something. “You be willing to escort Lady Sigyn in the stead of Trevor Cesca.” Freyr’s bright blue eyes then translated his intention.
If you wish to have some kind of respite away from this insufferable cow, you’ll take the only pleasant woman I can offer you.
I didn’t really want to go to such a ball, a showy performance of debauchery and hubris but Freyr’s offer of escape was just too tempting to pass up.
I stood from my place on the ground with a defeated sigh and bowed to Sigyn.
“If it pleases you, my lady. I would be more than willing to be your escort this evening.” As I looked up, I was caught in a whirlwind of emotions on the 3 sibling’s faces.
Sigyn’s blue eyes were wide and shocked and cheeks reddening more by the second. Such a blush truly looked lovely on her pale visage.
Freya was quite the opposite. Her green eyes were narrowed at me and her face, once soft and feminine, now sported harsh lines of anger and outrage. Her perfect lips formed into a scowl towards her brother.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t be so hasty in choosing to offer yourself to my sister for the evening, Loki. The day is still young after all.” But still Freya did not look at me but glared at her brother.
Freyr was…smug, to put it bluntly. Everything about the man was a glowing smile and he only became more so as his sister gave him her dirty looks. I had to stifle a laugh, now realizing what game he was playing.
Freya had wanted me to ask her to be her escort. I only smiled as I took Sigyn’s arm without so much as a word. She gasped at my cold skin but I cheerfully ignored it as I looked to her sister with a happy smug gaze that matched Freyr’s.
“Nonsense. I would love to escort your sister.” I smiled wickedly at Freya. She huffed a few times like a child then stomped away; disappointed that she had yet to win me. And Gods willing she never would.
“You both are so bad.” I heard Sigyn laughed heartily once Freya was gone. She and Freyr had planned this I realized. I listened to the two burst into laughter together as I was left out of the joke.
“I’m sorry…I don’t understand.” Sigyn looked up to me with a bright smile. Freyr’s matched.
“You didn’t think we’d leave you in her mercy all afternoon, did you?” Freyr chuckled. “Sigyn and I formulated your rescue plan.”
“So it was all a farce?” I asked confused.
“Well of course! I’m not really going to the party. So you’re free for the day, my lord. The rescue was a success.” Sigyn spoke happily.
“You surely took your time.” I mumbled as I brushed the ground from my clothes. “She’s insufferable! How can you manage to be in the presence of such a dimwitted quim?” I looked to Sigyn incredulously. She smiled slightly and shook her head.
“Glad I’m not the only one to ask you that, sister. It seems to be the universal question all around.” Sigyn playfully punched him.
“She’s not that bad. She just takes some…getting used to.” Sigyn then looked at me and I thought I was looking at an angel all the while. “I am sorry, however, for inflicting that upon you so early this morning. I hope in time you’ll forgive me.”
“You should be sorry, my lady.” I frowned. I didn’t like this sudden closeness. I wanted them all away from me. Freya, Freyr and even Sigyn. I didn’t want to get to know them. I wanted nothing but my freedom. “I’ll not tolerate such excuses again.”
Sigyn seemed to look hurt by my words, by the fact I had not accepted her apology, but she said not a word. She simply smiled and bowed down to me.
“So be it. I hope you enjoy the rest of the day, my lord.” And with a small pat to Freyr’s arm, Sigyn began to walk off into the garden, admiring the flowers that grew over her head in a beautiful archway. I continued to watch her until she disappeared behind the hedge.
“Only from afar, my friend.” Freyr’s voice brought me back from my minds thoughtless wanderings to reality. I gave him a confused look and he gave me a mischievous smile .
“What?” I asked innocently.
“You may only admire her from afar.” Freyr walked away and left me to my thoughts and by myself. I smiled as i thought about the troublmaking red haired maiden. She was so differernt. So unique
But I wasn't planning on admiring her at all. I was more worried about leaving this horrid place. I had an escape to plan. And tonight was my chance. And maybe my only chance.