Under the servants' care he began to look better. She could see his bruises slowly fading, his immortal's healing ability already knitting his body together. It would not be long till he was fully recovered.
“ Why would the Einherjar attack my husband? They have never done such a thing before.”
Spear Bearer looked down at Loki. There was neither love nor hate in her eyes. “It is strange, but we cannot say why they would do such a thing. You should seek answers from the High One.” Axe Time nodded in agreement.
“ It does not make sense,” Sigyn said. “My lord serves the High One as well. What reason would Odin's warriors have for attacking him?” She did not say it aloud, but she also wondered why they would leave him alive. There was a warning here, but from who?
“ Seek the High One, mistress,” Axe Time said, and neither Valkyrie offered more.
Sigyn thanked them for bringing Loki, and then had servants lead them out. She bade another to bar the main doors and let no one enter, then sat down next to Loki, grasping his hand lightly. His wounds, though serious, would heal. She was thankful that it was not easy to kill a god, although mindful that it was also not impossible.
She knew this was due to the bargain struck with the mason. Loki was never popular in Asgard, but the swift and unexpected near-completion of the wall had turned all of the Aesir sour towards him, even more so than usual. It hurt her that they did not value him as they should, but she knew that she was powerless to do anything to change their opinions of him. His ways were different, and he would probably never be fully accepted by the Aesir.
But she could not summon venom against them. She was Aesir, as well, and though she supported him and felt hurt at the rejections and ridicule he faced, she could not turn her back on her own kind. Feeling pulled in two different directions, she laid her head down on his arm.
She felt a stirring several hours later, and realized that she had fallen asleep. She sat upright and saw her husband staring back at her with open, dazed eyes.
“ I was attacked,” he said, almost as a question.
“ Yes, my lord. You were attacked by—“
“ Einherjar,” he said, finishing the thought. “How did I get here?”
“ You were brought by two Valkyries. They found you lying near the wall.”
He nodded slowly, as if he could remember being carried by them. “How long have I been in bed?” He sat up, pushing her hand away gently and setting his feet on the floor.
“ You should not be up yet. You were beaten severely and must rest and heal.”
“ There is little time for that,” he snapped. “How long was I out?” His eyes bored into her, insistent and impatient.
“ Hours only, I think. I fell asleep watching over you, but I do not think a day has passed.”
He nodded and got to his feet. “Good. There is much to do, and time quickly grows short.”
“ Let me get the servants to do your bidding. You can direct them as you like while you heal. There is no need for you to even leave your bed.”
His eyes flashed angrily, but he was able to mostly hold his tongue in check. “If I do not discover the secret of the mason, and soon, these injuries will be nothing compared to what I will receive at the hands of the Allfather.”
Her face expressed alarm. “The High One would never harm you.”
“ Don't be a fool,” he hissed. “If this bargain causes Freyja to be lost, the Allfather and the rest of the Aesir will blame it on me for urging the deal. Death will be the least of what they do to me.”
“ No, they would not do such things. They only threaten. Odin would not allow harm to fall on you, even if Freyja is lost.”
He shook his head at her. “You know little of Odin.” There was a dark edge to his words that made her pause.
“ What do you mean?”
He hesitated, his eyes cast down as if searching his memories. “I am ever blamed for backhanded dealings, but the High One's
“ Why would the Einherjar attack my husband? They have never done such a thing before.”
Spear Bearer looked down at Loki. There was neither love nor hate in her eyes. “It is strange, but we cannot say why they would do such a thing. You should seek answers from the High One.” Axe Time nodded in agreement.
“ It does not make sense,” Sigyn said. “My lord serves the High One as well. What reason would Odin's warriors have for attacking him?” She did not say it aloud, but she also wondered why they would leave him alive. There was a warning here, but from who?
“ Seek the High One, mistress,” Axe Time said, and neither Valkyrie offered more.
Sigyn thanked them for bringing Loki, and then had servants lead them out. She bade another to bar the main doors and let no one enter, then sat down next to Loki, grasping his hand lightly. His wounds, though serious, would heal. She was thankful that it was not easy to kill a god, although mindful that it was also not impossible.
She knew this was due to the bargain struck with the mason. Loki was never popular in Asgard, but the swift and unexpected near-completion of the wall had turned all of the Aesir sour towards him, even more so than usual. It hurt her that they did not value him as they should, but she knew that she was powerless to do anything to change their opinions of him. His ways were different, and he would probably never be fully accepted by the Aesir.
But she could not summon venom against them. She was Aesir, as well, and though she supported him and felt hurt at the rejections and ridicule he faced, she could not turn her back on her own kind. Feeling pulled in two different directions, she laid her head down on his arm.
She felt a stirring several hours later, and realized that she had fallen asleep. She sat upright and saw her husband staring back at her with open, dazed eyes.
“ I was attacked,” he said, almost as a question.
“ Yes, my lord. You were attacked by—“
“ Einherjar,” he said, finishing the thought. “How did I get here?”
“ You were brought by two Valkyries. They found you lying near the wall.”
He nodded slowly, as if he could remember being carried by them. “How long have I been in bed?” He sat up, pushing her hand away gently and setting his feet on the floor.
“ You should not be up yet. You were beaten severely and must rest and heal.”
“ There is little time for that,” he snapped. “How long was I out?” His eyes bored into her, insistent and impatient.
“ Hours only, I think. I fell asleep watching over you, but I do not think a day has passed.”
He nodded and got to his feet. “Good. There is much to do, and time quickly grows short.”
“ Let me get the servants to do your bidding. You can direct them as you like while you heal. There is no need for you to even leave your bed.”
His eyes flashed angrily, but he was able to mostly hold his tongue in check. “If I do not discover the secret of the mason, and soon, these injuries will be nothing compared to what I will receive at the hands of the Allfather.”
Her face expressed alarm. “The High One would never harm you.”
“ Don't be a fool,” he hissed. “If this bargain causes Freyja to be lost, the Allfather and the rest of the Aesir will blame it on me for urging the deal. Death will be the least of what they do to me.”
“ No, they would not do such things. They only threaten. Odin would not allow harm to fall on you, even if Freyja is lost.”
He shook his head at her. “You know little of Odin.” There was a dark edge to his words that made her pause.
“ What do you mean?”
He hesitated, his eyes cast down as if searching his memories. “I am ever blamed for backhanded dealings, but the High One's
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