Lokasenna
Loyalty
They looked at each other for a long time, from opposite sides of the bathroom, without saying a word. Loki had been pacing around angrily when they first came in, but now he too stood frozen to his spot, his gaze locked with Sigyn's. Finally it was she who broke the silence: 'Frigga said,' she began quietly, 'that she tried to stop Odin. He found out she was helping you because you forgot to place doubles in your cell. She said that it will be very difficult to get you out any time soon, but you will still get the same treatment as before. She will keep sending you books, and I will keep bringing you meals and taking you out for your baths.'
He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at her. There was no trace of emotion on his face, no sign that he was listening to her even though he was looking straight at her. It frustrated her, she felt desperate for some recognition.
'You are not supposed to be here.' he said quietly. He started pacing around again, running his hands over his face. Sig advanced on him, a little apprehensive, 'Frigga told me to-' at the sound of his mothers' name he turned around to face her with a growl, slamming his fist against the wall behind her. She cowered before him, trapped between him and the wall. 'Do not speak to me of that woman,' he said, his voice trembling with rage now. Sig swallowed nervously and whispered, her voice quivered, but with fright rather than anger: 'Loki, please.. I wanted to see you regardless of what Fr- ..she told me to do.' His shoulders relaxed a little, but he remained in the same position, still towering over her and breathing heavily. Sig held her breath, she didn't know what to do or say while he was in this state.
Finally, he hung his head with a sigh, shaking it a little as if in disbelief. Still leaning against the wall with one hand, he extended the other, reaching it out to the belt around Sig's waist from which the bracelets hung. His eyes lowered, he traced his finger over the cold metal. Sig watched his hand moving from the bracelets to her waist. He bit his lip and placed his other hand on her waist too, gently yet determinately pushing her against the wall.
'You're not supposed to be here…' he repeated in a whisper, his voice calm now.
Sig looked up at his face, he was still staring at the bracelets. 'I didn't forget to put doubles in my cell.' he continued. Sig tried to catch his gaze, but he was still looking down.
'What do you…'
'I meant to be found out.' he finally looked back at her. 'I meant for you to get out of here. You don't deserve to be locked up with me. And Frigga was wrong for sending you back.'
Sig suddenly felt very warm, 'She said something…' she whispered, 'Your moth- Frigga told me: "It wasn't supposed to end like this". I think she means for me to keep you company…' he frowned a little, 'And I think..' she hesitated, but pushed herself onwards, 'I think she means for me to help you.'
Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Sig pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him before he was able, and continued: 'And I want to help you. I know I might not be of much use, but I want to help.'
He looked at her intently, as if he was seeing her for the first time. After a moment he cupped her cheek with his hand, frowning but holding back a smile. 'I am a selfish being.' he said slowly, 'Always have been, always will be. I don't deserve the loyalty of anyone as selfless as you.'
Sig stared back at him, feeling as though she was being burned with an icy flame.
He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at her. There was no trace of emotion on his face, no sign that he was listening to her even though he was looking straight at her. It frustrated her, she felt desperate for some recognition.
'You are not supposed to be here.' he said quietly. He started pacing around again, running his hands over his face. Sig advanced on him, a little apprehensive, 'Frigga told me to-' at the sound of his mothers' name he turned around to face her with a growl, slamming his fist against the wall behind her. She cowered before him, trapped between him and the wall. 'Do not speak to me of that woman,' he said, his voice trembling with rage now. Sig swallowed nervously and whispered, her voice quivered, but with fright rather than anger: 'Loki, please.. I wanted to see you regardless of what Fr- ..she told me to do.' His shoulders relaxed a little, but he remained in the same position, still towering over her and breathing heavily. Sig held her breath, she didn't know what to do or say while he was in this state.
Finally, he hung his head with a sigh, shaking it a little as if in disbelief. Still leaning against the wall with one hand, he extended the other, reaching it out to the belt around Sig's waist from which the bracelets hung. His eyes lowered, he traced his finger over the cold metal. Sig watched his hand moving from the bracelets to her waist. He bit his lip and placed his other hand on her waist too, gently yet determinately pushing her against the wall.
'You're not supposed to be here…' he repeated in a whisper, his voice calm now.
Sig looked up at his face, he was still staring at the bracelets. 'I didn't forget to put doubles in my cell.' he continued. Sig tried to catch his gaze, but he was still looking down.
'What do you…'
'I meant to be found out.' he finally looked back at her. 'I meant for you to get out of here. You don't deserve to be locked up with me. And Frigga was wrong for sending you back.'
Sig suddenly felt very warm, 'She said something…' she whispered, 'Your moth- Frigga told me: "It wasn't supposed to end like this". I think she means for me to keep you company…' he frowned a little, 'And I think..' she hesitated, but pushed herself onwards, 'I think she means for me to help you.'
Loki opened his mouth to speak, but Sig pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him before he was able, and continued: 'And I want to help you. I know I might not be of much use, but I want to help.'
He looked at her intently, as if he was seeing her for the first time. After a moment he cupped her cheek with his hand, frowning but holding back a smile. 'I am a selfish being.' he said slowly, 'Always have been, always will be. I don't deserve the loyalty of anyone as selfless as you.'
Sig stared back at him, feeling as though she was being burned with an icy flame.