Crossing The Line
Sif could barely bring herself to open her eyes. She had slumped onto the floor, shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably whilst the two guards still gripped her by the shoulders.
She dared to steal a quick glance in the direction of the other assailants and saw them disperse leaving Loki's limp form lying on the stone floor.
Wiping the tears from her eyes she called out to him in desperation, and much to her relief he stirred.
But just then there came a rumble of thunder and a flash of light illuminated the entire room; temporarily blinding all.
Blinking rapidly She could just about make out a large, red cloaked figure now present in the centre of the hall.
Her heart soared at the wonderful sight. It was Thor. He had come to their aid.
The guards were clearly panic stricken and whilst some hurried to position themselves around the King in order to protect him, others approached the mighty Thunder God, albeit cautiously and with good reason. His expression was ferocious.
"Stand back if you value your lives!"
He bellowed, raising his hammer menacingly as a warning.
The guards retreated slightly, allowing Thor to turn and look at Loki who was slowly and somewhat shakily standing. Sif longed to rush over to be by his side and she found herself briefly wondering why Thor was not helping the injured God to his feet.
Turning again he now addressed King Njord;
"Loki has been punished, now I shall escort him back to Asgard."
He indicated towards Sif,
"You will let the Lady Sif go!"
Without hesitation the guards released her from their grasp, allowing her to flee towards her fellow Asgardians.
"Thor..thank you-"
She made to touch his arm but he jerked away from her before her hand could make contact. Though slightly baffled, she was more concerned with Loki's well being, so continued towards him hurriedly.
Forgetting all others in the hall, she reached out to Loki, cupping his slender face in her hands as she surveyed the damage he'd endured.
Feelings of horror, anger and sorrow swirled within her, making her feel furious, sickened and heartbroken all at once as her eyes took in the sight of the thick strip of leather crudely laced through the trickster's own flesh. She fought hard to swallow back a sob, but she felt her own lips quivering seeing his beautiful, blood stained lips sewn together.
Whipping her head around she glared at Njord and then Amora,
"This is barbaric. How dare you be so wicked...You will suffer for this vile act!"
She screamed angrily, her tone raw and vicious.
"Silence Lady, or we shall keep your fallen Prince prisoner in our dungeons!"
Njord responded coldly.
"You will do no such thing!"
Thor interjected swiftly,
"He has suffered enough at your hands...now we shall leave."
Thor motioned to Loki and Sif to head towards the door, and he lifted the mighty Mjolner above his head once more,
"If you attempt to stop us, I will unleash all of my power upon you!"
Njord stood as Thor began to head towards the door,
"That traitor is a wanted war-criminal who has brought shame upon the house of Odin, he should consider himself fortunate that I am merciful enough to let him go.....your empty threats carry no weight here!"
Much to Sif's surprise Thor did not hesitate or pass comment.
Previously such a remark would have resulted in him losing his temper, which had caused many disasters in the past.
However her relief was short lived, as when Njord spoke again it was Loki who reacted to the King's slights,
"Odin was foolish for providing a giant's offspring refuge, and allowing that unwanted spawn to be nurtured by a witch only doubled the chances of disaster!"
Spinning on his heel, Loki turned back to face the assembly, his eyes like blazing pools of lava.
He reached up despite his wrists still being bound together and began tearing the leather lace from his lips.
"Loki, no!"
Sif cried in anguish, the thought of such an action and the pain it would cause was unbearable for her.
Paying no attention to her or the agony he must have felt, Loki seemed blind with rage and therefor gave little or no thought to his actions. Fresh blood oozed, as he pulled the thread loose, ripping it along with his own flesh and skin.
"Thor, you must stop him!"
Sif yelled, incredulous at the way the Thunderer stood feebly looking on without any attempt to halt his adopted brother.
She made a lunge for Loki, grasping his hands tightly in her's but the damage had already been done.
"Spit out your filth you wretch!"
He roared, his voice rasping in his throat
"She is no witch, don't you dare insult my mother!"
Sif halted abruptly.
So Loki's outburst was not due to Njord taunting him for being half- Jotun....he was angry because he was insulting, Frigga.
"Loki, pay no attention.."
Thor suddenly spoke, with a voice that seemed much softer than his usual tone.
Loki's head whipped around to stare at him, his expression instantly softening and an unmistakable tenderness visible in his eyes.
"It is her!"
Amora suddenly screeched, pointing in the direction of Thor,
"It is the work of the witch Queen!"
At that Thor rushed towards Loki,
"I-I'm sorry Mother.."
Loki spoke gently, his eyes filled with sadness.
"Do not be, you haven't much time, so use this power wisely whilst you can"
Sif baulked at the sight of Frigga's gentle voice coming from what appeared to be Thor's body, but then the figure passed through into Loki, causing him to visibly shudder and casting a golden glow around him.
He gasped loudly and closed his eyes.
"Stop him!"
Amora cried in desperation.
Njord barked orders at the guards to seize Loki but as they ran towards him he vanished into thin air before their very eyes.
Seizing her opportunity, Sif lashed out at the nearest guard, catching him by surprise in the confusion. Using her elbow she struck him in the face and as he fell, she snatched his sword from him.
"Seize the maiden!"
Njord ordered, and several guards advanced upon her.
Brandishing her sword she edged backwards, preparing to strike out at them, when all at once Loki reappeared at her side.
"Don't be alarmed, this is a cloaking spell."
He informed her casually, before waving his hand about her and chanting some ancient runic words.
She noticed that his hands were no longer bound together and instinctively reached for him , at which point she realised she could no longer see her own hands.
Slightly alarmed, she had to stifle a shriek as she registered that not only was she no longer visible to others, she couldn't even see herself.
Dropping the sword from her grasp in order to not give her position away, she hurried away just as the guards lashed out at Loki; only to pass straight through him. Or rather an astral projection of him.
The sound of Amora screaming, drew everyone's attention to where he actually now stood, beside Amora and he was brandishing a dagger.
Njord scurried away pathetically, only to be confronted by another projection of the trickster God, also brandishing a dagger. He let out a pitiful yell and fell to his knees before the figure, causing Loki to laugh menacingly.
His laughter filled the entire room, as several projections appeared, all laughing in unison.
The guards practically cowered in fright, as each of the apparitions began to speak as one,
"You pitiful, insignificant fools!"
"Please, forgive me.."
Njord begged,
"..do not harm me."
Loki sneered,
"You are all of you beneath me! There is nothing to stop me from grinding you to dust beneath my heel."
Sif's breath caught in her throat and she could not help calling out to him,
"Loki..that is enough."
He slowly turned to look in the direction of where her voice came, each of his projections mirroring his movements.
"We must leave..."
She pleaded desperately wanting to be as far away from this place as possible.
He seemed to hesitate a moment before turning his attention back to his captive audience,
"I will show leniency on this occasion..."
The voices spoke threateningly,
"...am I not merciful?"
They hissed, and when Njord did not respond Loki raised his voice, repeating the question,
"..tell me, am I not merciful?!"
The audio of all the figure's screaming at once reverberated around the walls, causing ringing in Sif's ears.
"Yes, yes you are.."
Njord answered, as only a coward would.
At that the room began to fill with smoke; clouding Sif's vision, along with everyone else's. She jumped with alarm when she suddenly heard Loki's voice close to her ear,
"Hold on to me.."
He whispered, clearly as invisible now as she was, and she felt him grasp her hand within his. It was bizarre being led away by an invisible force, but his touch was reassuring.
She didn't need telling twice and she held on to his hand tightly as they made their way out of the castle, leaving the bewildered, fearful guards behind.
*****************
Groaning, Sif rubbed her throbbing temples with her fingertips, which much to her relief, were now clearly visible along with the rest of her. Her head ached, almost as if it had been weighed down by a dozen thoughts and unanswered questions that lay heavy on her mind. They rattled around her brain like metal ball bearings, weighty and colliding with each other.
She'd not even had time to think clearly or question Loki about any of it as yet, due to their hasty retreat from Vanaheim.
After having fled Njord's castle, cloaked by Loki's invisibility spell, he had used the last remaining strains of the power he'd absorbed from Frigga's astral projection of Thor to open a portal to escape from the realm.
As the magic was waning, Loki had informed her that he would not have the ability to dictate where the portal opened for them. His apprehensiveness was quite unnerving, and he appeared most relieved and happy to find they had been transported to Nornheim.
The land of the Light Elves was renowned for being a relatively peaceful realm, plus Loki believed they could seek refuge with Karnilla, Queen of the Norns.
However the mischievous one had grown weak, having exerted himself by travelling between worlds with only the bare minimum of power. Sif observed his sickly looking complexion with alarm. The pallor of his skin turning almost grey in colour, and a sheen of sweat covering his face revealed the severity of his condition.
Fortunately for them there was another saving grace, and the troubled Prince almost wept tears of joy when they chanced upon an old, long abandoned wooden shack, which was set high up on the ridge overlooking the enchanted forest of the Norns.
"Hoenir's hut!"
Loki proclaimed, his voice weak but his smile was broad, displaying his set of perfect, porcelain-white teeth.
It would have been beautiful, had he not looked so ill, and his lips were still bloodied and swollen.
It had taken every last ounce of his strength to climb the ridge. He stumbled more than once but when Sif attempted to lend a supporting shoulder he flatly refused, his stubborn pride causing her great irritation.
Upon reaching the small cabin, Loki had practically collapsed once inside. Leaning heavily against what appeared to be an old work bench, his weary eyes scanned the musty interior.
The place contained nothing but a wooden chair, a stool, the work bench and a narrow bed over in the corner.
Needless to say despite the shabbiness of it, the bed was a welcome sight to Loki and after having stripped off several layers of his armour, he'd collapsed onto it like a dead-weight. The rickety frame must have been far stronger than it looked, as she well knew how heavy Loki actually was.
Within minutes he'd fallen into a deep slumber, leaving Sif alone with her thoughts.
She sat now at the dusty work bench, willing her headache away. Her eyes were growing heavy and she began contemplating climbing up onto the bench to lay down.
She was glad that Loki was getting some much needed rest, but as her stomach began to growl she realised that he would benefit from being able to eat when he awoke.
Striding purposefully towards the door, she opened it and peered outside, her hunter-gatherer instinct kicking in.
Much to her disappointment, all she could find in the surrounding area was berries. Her feet were now more sore than ever, so she could not face an expedition into the forest far below. Furthermore, without a sword or bow she was not be able to hunt; the light would be fading soon so there was no point in trying to improvise by making tools to hunt with.
But having discovered a well around the back of the cabin, she collected a pale of water and filled another empty pale with berries.
Just as she was returning, the door to the cabin swung open with such force she half expected it to come off its rusty hinges.
"Sif!"
Loki bellowed gruffly, still bleary with sleep but looking much better now for it,
"What are you doing? Where were you?"
He demanded.
Frowning, she made her way passed him, holding up the pales she clutched,
"I found water and something to eat...what is wrong?"
Slamming the door hard he paced back and forth, clearly agitated,
"I, thought perhaps you might have-"
"What? Gotten into some difficulty?"
She interrupted sharply,
"I am capable of taking care of myself Loki!"
She set the pales down on the workbench, not bothering to hide her irritation.
He obviously read her thoughts, slowly he walked across the room and sat down on the chair,
"Actually, I was going to say that I thought you'd left."
She hesitated in taking the berries from the pale and stared at him,
"Why would I leave?"
He sighed heavily and raked his long fingers through his tousled hair,
"I'm sure you would if there was somewhere else for you to go."
Irritably Sif chose to ignore him, instead of responding she reached down and began tearing a strip of material from the hem of her gown.
Loki sat bolt upright in his seat, his dark brows drawing together in bewilderment,
"What are you doing now?"
Plunging the piece of material into the water pale, she proceeded to wring it out before kneeling down beside him,
"I'm cleaning you up.....you cannot eat with your mouth in such a state."
She announced, leaning closer towards him.
"I'm capable of tending my own wounds-"
He protested, then fell silent as she brought the wet cloth up to his lips.
He flinched slightly in pain, as she began wiping away the dried blood as gently as she could.
"I am sorry, but you must hold still"
She instructed, instinctively cupping his chin in her other hand.
He supressed a sigh, as though irritated but she paid no attention.
"These scars will heal Loki"
She soothed reassuringly, and without thinking she brushed her thumb tenderly across his lips, causing his eyes to meet with hers.
Swallowing hard, she withdrew her thumb but he suddenly reached up and clasped her hand in his. He then proceeded to bring her fingers to his mouth, pressing his lips against them.
Once again the familiar sensation of her pulse quickening returned. She hurriedly averted her eyes, refusing to allow herself to be drawn in. She was still confused and angry for so many different reasons.
"Loki, don't."
She said firmly, trying to sound as if she actually meant it.
"Don't what?"
He asked, feigning innocence though she could see the devilment in his twinkling eyes.
She pulled her hand from his and stood up hurriedly, and in response he leapt to his feet so abruptly that the chair fell backwards onto the floor.
"What's wrong Sif...are my tattered lips no longer appealing to you?"
He growled, but she sensed frustration in him rather than anger.
"Stop it!"
She yelled, her own temper suddenly flaring up,
"What do you want from me Loki? This is not a game...I'm tired of it-"
"You!"
He exclaimed boldly, drawing nearer to her,
"I want you Sif. Just like you once told me that it was I, the wicked Loki whom you wanted!"
Startled, she edged backwards only to find herself trapped against the workbench. She did not fear him, she feared herself. She could not allow herself to succumb to his seductive charms.
No matter how she felt about him, it was only a game for him and she would not allow him to use her.
"You only wish to play mind games with me Loki, you do not want me the way that I want you-"
Her voice faltered as she registered the expression he now wore. It was one of utter shock and disbelief,
"So, you're admitting that you do really want me after all?"
"Yes!"
She cried in anguish, no longer caring about the humiliation,
"Yes, I do want you..but you've been toying with me all along, tricking me because you wanted to seduce me for fun!"
"No, that is not true."
He came closer in an attempt to touch her, but she lashed out in anger, hitting him in the shoulder.
"You lie!"
She screamed, as he swiftly caught her by the wrist,
"You made a fool of me, you conspired with that hag Amora to make me jealous...why?"
She reached out and struck him in the opposite shoulder with her other hand; resulting in him grasping that wrist also and pulling her arms in towards him with such force her whole body followed.
"I did not intend to make a fool of you, I'm sorry!"
His voice sounded both agitated and desperate, but she could no longer contain her emotions.
"Why would you do that? Was it boredom or an act of revenge?"
She demanded, struggling against him as her tears begin to spill onto her flushed face,
"You orchestrated the entire thing in order to gain a reaction from me, why?!"
She persisted, twisting and squirming to escape his clutches.
Wrapping his arms around her tightly, pressing her against his chest, he hushed her like one might try to soothe a child who was throwing a tantrum,
"Shushhh Sif, calm down....I am sorry-"
"No your empty apologies are not enough to silence me trickster!"
She hissed, weeping from anger, humiliation and confusion.
"Sif, do not struggle so desperately like a wild frantic bird-"
"Then let go of me!"
"I'll never let go of you!"
Loki yelled, the sudden raising of his voice startling her so much that she ceased struggling.
"I cannot let you go....not now, not ever!"
He continued to rage, his eyes wild and intense and somehow they seemed to be pleading to her.
He took a sharp intake of breath, then his voice softened,
"..how can I....when I love you?"
Sif blinked as she stared back at him, and in that instance she thought she might die as her heart seemed to burst right out of her chest,
"W-what?!"
He closed his eyes briefly, his pale face flushing slightly from embarrassment,
"You heard me well enough....I always have and I always will."
She felt her mouth fall open and she suddenly felt incapable of any coherent thought.
He opened his eyes to gaze down at her, the beautiful emerald orbs filled with sincerity.
Time appeared to stand still as his face lowered towards her own. She closed her eyes and felt the familiar jolt of excitement as his lips met with her's. She kissed him back softly and tenderly, painfully aware of the delicate condition of his lips, but as his passion heightened his kisses grew firmer and more frantic.
Lost in the passion of the moment, she did not protest as his hands began to roam, intimately exploring her body.
Gasping breathlessly in between their arduous kisses, she hungered for him with a sense of urgency that he clearly reciprocated, but as he pushed her down onto the work bench she began to fear that he was actually going to take her right there and then. And although the thought thrilled her, the realisation of what they were doing halted her abruptly.
"Loki....wait!"
She gasped, pushing him back,
"we can't....we, we shouldn't...it is forbidden, and wrong-"
Loki was instantly confused and perplexed,
"Why?...I love you...and you love me, so how can it be wrong?!"
Shakily she stood, her mind and body were awash with so many emotions.
"You do love me, don't you Sif?"
He was asking now, scrutinising her face intensely,
"Y-yes...I do-"
She stammered, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous.
"Tell me..."
He whispered, drawing close to her again, causing her pulse to quicken further still.
".....because I have loved you for a thousand years or more...and I must hear you say it."
"I love you Loki."
She whispered, and no sooner had the words left her mouth when he advanced upon her again; kissing her feverishly, his breath cool against her skin, his voice ragged and breathless as he whispered into her ear of how much he loved and wanted her, and how he was going to have her, and make her his completely.
Never before had she experienced sensations like it, the sheer raw emotion and passion consumed her, causing her resistance and uncertainty to crumble.
She gave in to her basic instincts, permitting him to guide her over towards the bed, their lips still locking whilst tearing at each others clothes desperately.
Tumbling onto the bed they shed the remainder of their garments, her heat pounding like a tribal drum as he ranked between her trembling thighs, snaking his leather trousers down to avail himself to her.
...Oh Loki, yes....my love...yes...
It was finally happening. The two of them had become one. They had crossed the line of all lines
He was heavy and warm on her, and she revelled in the feeling of his male heat, of his scent, of being trapped between the firm wall of his chest and the mattress, of his body moving atop of hers. Of him being inside her...
Several hours later, whilst lying with Loki's sleeping naked form beside her, thoughts of Heimdall possibly having witnessed her act of indiscretion....or rather her repeated acts of indiscretion....made her cheeks flame.
In the past she had considered her having kissed Loki as crossing the line, but this was not just a line, it was a veritable boundary, a border...there was no going back now. Ever. They had done this together. Changed their relationship, and lives forever.
Had she only succumbed to him the once, then perhaps it could have been trivialised as a mistake; a moment of madness. But having indulged in the carnal act with him several times, she knew such illicit behaviour could not be dismissed as mere impulsive foolishness.
Her body ached, her thighs and several other parts were tender from having coupled with him again and again.
His lovemaking had alternated between gentle, sensual tenderness and lustful ravaging. And in spite of her slight physical discomfort and apprehension, she found herself smiling uncontrollably.
Inside she was glowing and felt deliriously happy.
Not only had bedding Loki been the single most sensuous experience of her life, she was also helplessly and utterly in love with him...and most importantly - he loved her.
He actually loved her.
Closing her eyes, she turned, draping her arm across his chest. She was completely exhausted but was reluctant to sleep, as she didn't want this feeling of euphoria to end.
Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was of how the rickety old bed had impressively withstood their amorous activities..