Sigyn essayed a slight smile, ducking her head. “Sometimes I dream of falling. It’s always dark, but the worst part,” she hesitated, “is the solitude.” She shivered just calling up the memory of that absolute absence. Fear closed its hand around her throat, and involuntarily she gripped Loki’s arm more tightly.
He stopped walking at her words, shocked and ill at ease with his own memories.
*Loki, this is madness…*
The frozen emptiness that had swallowed him whole.
*No, Loki…. no…*
He clenched her hand and looked at her with sympathy. “That is… truly… terrifying. I don’t… I know of no other… ordeal so vile as utter isolation… “
Sigyn stopped with him, turning to look. His face seemed to freeze, as if her words had called up some private helheim, before life returned to those glorious green eyes. “I d-didn’t me—did … ” Sympathy tangled her words, before she managed to spill them out. “Please tell me you speak as a metaphor.”
Both her hands grasped at his. She gazed up into his face. “No one should have to endure that.”
Loki was perplexed at her reaction. A flash of confusion and disbelief crossed his face. Was there truly someone in the nine realms who did not know of the tumultuous, near unforgivable events that had taken place not long ago?
He quickly put up a cracked mask of good humour and smiled weakly.
“Ah, no my dear, but tonight is not the night to talk of such things.” He gave her hand a squeeze to put her mind at ease. He looked around. “Where are your chambers? We should get you tucked away.”
She glanced around as well. “I … I’m actually not sure, from here. I must have walked farther than I realised. I don’t know where I am.” Freeing her hands, she reached out and laid a palm on the wall, frowning gently. “An outlying wing … “
A slight silver mist pooled around her fingertips, curling along the wall and out of sight. She closed her eyes, then laughed slightly. “I really have no idea how I got here.” Looking back at Loki, Sigyn shrugged. “I’m lost.”
He watched the magic spiral out from her fingers and smiled. Another layer, more to know and explore. More captivating every minute.
“Well, at this late hour, I would hate to wake any of the staff up and my chambers are not far from here.” He smiled, “I promise to be a perfect gentleman, there is a couch that I usually sleep on in any case. Will that be acceptable for this evening?”
Sigyn stared. “My lord, I … I couldn’t possibly put you out of your own bed.” She ducked her head again, trying to hide behind her hair. “I would be glad to borrow your couch, though.” With a small sigh, she explained softly, “I shouldn’t want to be alone tonight in any case.
She laid her hand back on Loki’s arm, glancing up, and said, “Truly, you usually sleep on a couch?”
He gave a short laugh and grinned from ear to ear, “Yes, I prefer it to the bed… perhaps it is strange, but, well,” he shrugged a little, “I do as I like.”
He brushed her hair back from her face so he could more readily see her violet eyes, his finger tips tenderly caressing along her cheek.
“Would you object to a little magic on my part?” he asked curiously.
Tingles danced over Sigyn’s skin where Loki’s fingers brushed. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly; she sucked in a swift breath. “No, of course not.” Another breathless laugh escaped her. “My poor skills have been of little help.”