With an effort, she opened her eyes, looking up at Loki. Now that the danger was past, her heart was in her throat and her limbs felt weak. “I am not hurt, my lord.” Her knees gave out, and she sank to the grass, starting to shake. “Only frightened.”
Loki knelt beside her and wrapped his arms around her. “Sigyn, I… that was… amazing! We’re alright now… bilgesnipe never travel in packs… there is no danger… your magic is… it’s beautiful… “
She leaned into his strength and desperately tried to stop trembling. “You do me far too much honour, my prince. I only tried to protect you. Please, do not praise me for something so simple.” His arms were warm and safe around her, and she wanted nothing more, right now, than to rest in their comfort forever.
Tipping her face up, she pressed her mouth to Loki’s softly, letting her eyes fall closed.
He kissed her, raising one hand to her cheek and tightening the other arm around her. A quiet moan came from deep in his throat and his mind became a muddle of thoughts. Thankfully, thoughts of their battle were quickly becoming replaced by thoughts of Sigyn and only Sigyn: the first time he saw her, nearly plowing over her, their escapades in his chambers, what he wished to do to her next and then the doubt came flooding over him.
He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes and ran his thumb gently near her eye. He smiled sadly and sighed almost soundlessly. “I fear you are not real, dear Sigyn. These two days have been… too much like a dream…” He smiled again and ran his hand through her hair.
“I don’t understand, my lord.” Sigyn frowned. “I am real, I am! I — how can I prove this to you? Surely your waking life is not so terrible that … that the presence of someone as unworthy as I seems a dream?” She bit her lip, looking at him with fear and pity and a whirling, confusing sense of a pit opening up at her feet.