"Make sure she is well-restrained. Her magic has grown considerably. Damn those Asgardians. Was it really so hard to just do as they were expected?"

"It's the Trickster's fault. He no doubt holds everyone under a spell, including the Allfather."

"Him and that witch of a mother of his. I should have got rid of her when I had the chance."

Sigyn blinked against her blindfold as her mother and Ivar's voices penetrated the darkness. There was a distinct clanging noise of iron chains against hard rocks. She flinched when heavy shackles closed around her ankles and wrists, and tried to get away. A hard palm struck her cheek, making Sigyn yelp in surprise.

"Keep still, you little slut," said Ivar.

Someone laughed in the background. A male voice, but younger — Thorin. He always enjoyed watching Ivar hurt her. Her mother chuckled along with him.

"Struggle all you like, my dear," Lady Sunna said. "You won't get out of those restraints. They were forged especially on Nidavellir to keep our kind in check."

"Our kind?" dared Sigyn. 

"Yes, Sigyn, our kind. Or did you think you were the only one in our family to be blessed with these powers? The ancient flame of the fire mages has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations, my dear. Only a handful of men were born with the flame and lived long enough to wield it. And every one of them died horribly at the hands of Bor and Odin. Until me, that is. My mother knew a thing or two about potions as well, and she poisoned me, stripping me of my fire when I was a young maid. Then she got herself killed, leaving me defenceless. Well, almost anyway. Thanks to my desire for knowledge and power, I learned a few other basic forms of magic, which she failed to take away from me."

Lady Sunna gave a scoff in contempt before continuing, "She was a fool. And a coward. If she had united our powers, we could've taken over Asgard and eliminated our enemies once and for all. We could have ruled all the Nine Realms!"

"Your mother only wanted what was best," whispered Sigyn. "She loved you. She wanted to save you."

"She wanted to finish our heritage. She told me 'our plight' would end with her. So imagine my surprise when you are born, and I find you have the fire that was rightfully mine! I will admit I hated you at first, but after some time, I realised that having you provided me with an opportunity. All I had to do was keep you away from everyone until my spies informed me Frigga was looking for a wife for her golden boy, making sure you were well-educated and fit to be Queen. A prize they couldn't possibly resist."

"All my life... Everything you have done to me... All for vengeance?"

"For the good of the family, my dear. I almost had it all within my grasp... But then you ruined it all by letting the wrong brother have his way with you! The same brother who unwittingly foiled my plans before by killing my most precious spy! But it no longer matters. The Trickster will get what he deserves, as will the rest of that wretched family and all of Asgard!"

Sigyn clenched her fists in rage. Her fire tried to push its way up, yearning to be let loose. But the shackles did what they were supposed to and kept her well in check. 

"Do not pretend to be all-powerful, Sigyn." Thorin snickered. "You may have picked up a few new tricks, but you are no match for these bonds. Nor for our mother."

She flinched again when someone stroked a lock of hair behind her ear. Not sweetly, but taunting. Ivar... Her brother's lips were close to her face. So close, she could feel his breath upon her cheek.

"You are nothing," he hissed at her. "You mean nothing to anyone. Do you honestly believe your husband will come for you? That any of them care? Odin's choice will be easily made if it comes down between Asgard and a fire mage. In fact, it puzzles me he has not killed you yet, considering what befell others with your... abilities."

"No doubt the Trickster and that witch will have convinced the Allfather that having a fire mage at Asgard would be advantageous," said Thorin. "And they will have held the spill of innocent blood against him. Speaking of which, should we not do something about that little hindrance?"

"Or better yet, remove the entire problem altogether?" offered Ivar. 

Cold steel pressed against Sigyn's throat. Then she heard hurried footsteps over gravel and the knife was away from her.  

"Ivar, I will not permit you to kill our sister. Hate her if you like, but murdering your own blood is a line you cannot cross."

"I agree. And besides, we don't even know if it is true. Mother, your spy could be wrong about this. If we hurt Sigyn too much, she may suffer irreversible damage. Did you not say you needed her for your treaty with the Frost Giants?"

Björn... Aeric... Sigyn's eyes filled with tears upon hearing the voices of the brothers who had remained silent this entire time. Please, don't let them... 

"Hm, I suppose you're right," said her mother. "We cannot break the goods. But neither can we allow that thing to stop our plans. Just make sure she bleeds."

Lady Sunna's light tread and the rustling of her dress were all Sigyn perceived in her darkness. She was left alone with her brothers, abandoning all hope of being shown any mercy. Their looming presence hung over Sigyn like the veil of death. She knew Björn and Aeric would not offer no help. They never did. So Sigyn bore the pain as best she could as Ivar and Thorin kicked and punched her, refusing to cry out. She would not grant them the pleasure of hearing her cry. 

***

The guards' bodies were carried away from the throne room, and Frigga was taken to her chamber to recuperate. Lady Sunna's magic had inflicted more harm than she'd realised, and Odin insisted upon her resting. But not before the Queen recounted what had happened.

Upon sensing a surge of unfamiliar magic, Frigga had hastened back to the throne room, only to find Lady Sunna had somehow already knocked Sigyn unconscious. She had called the guards and faced Sigyn's mother herself, but Lady Sunna immediately killed all the guards, piercing their bodies with needles. Frigga had shielded herself, but not in time. The same needles had pierced her left arm, rendering the limb paralyzed. If Odin had not come in at that moment, Lady Sunna would have probably killed her as well. Instead, she had vanished, taking her daughter with her.
Any hope of interrogating Sigyn's brothers proved in vain. Though they'd been defeated by Thor and his friends, and Loki's snakes had wrapped themselves tightly around their prey, all three had disappeared in the blink of an eye. There wasn't a trace of them left anywhere in the whole of Asgard. Heimdall had already expanded his search to the other Realms, but so far, he could not find Lady Sunna or her sons. Or Sigyn either. 

Thor ordered word to be sent to Nidavellir, Vanaheim and Alfheim; Asgard's most trusted allies and sworn to help when called upon. Whilst Volstagg and Hogun prepared the garrison for any impending battle with the Frost Giants, Sif and Fandrall were charged to learn all they could about Sigyn's family. The best way for them to do that was through Astrid. Sigyn's companion — who had been living with the youngest member of the Warriors Three since the wedding — was the only one who might know where her family could have taken her. She was their best hope at this moment. Though certainly not the only one. 

***

Loki fell to his knees. Extracting magic from the Urdarbrunn was beginning to strain him, but he refused to give up. He was so close. So very close. All the magic from the glen flowed through him, fuelling the powers within the serpent pendant around his neck. Sigyn's fire had barely been tangible since she'd been taken, but thanks to the power boost, it became easier to sense her again.
Loki focused, expressing his desire to see what Sigyn saw, hear what she heard, and feel what she felt. He did what she so often did and used their bond. His breath caught when he felt something pulling at him. An invisible force from within. It beckoned, like it was asking Loki to follow a path. A path that would hopefully lead to Sigyn.
He surrendered to it and was suddenly overwhelmed by immense pain. He stumbled to the dirt, panting heavily at the physical ache. His body hurt all over. There was a weight on his ankles and wrists, and Loki felt something warm sticking to him. This was...

No! Sigyn, what have they done to you? 

Loki attempted to focus on where Sigyn was, but he couldn't perceive anything. He tried to look through her eyes, but there was only darkness. He tried to hear what she heard, but there was nought but silence - no other voices, no faint sounds, not even the dripping of water... nothing. 

Sigyn, hold on. You have to hold on. I made a vow to always find you, my heart, and so I shall. Nothing will keep me from you, I swear it!

With a deep grunt, Loki raised himself up and buried his fingers in the earth. The Urdarbrunn resisted when he forced the core magic to merge with his and Sigyn's. He would undoubtedly pay the price for stealing the ancient magic later, but he didn't care. He had to find Sigyn and save her from the monsters that had dared to take her from him. No matter the cost.

***

It hurt to move. It hurt to breathe. Sigyn lay completely still, left alone, beaten, kicked, and bloody, chained to a rock. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Ivar and Thorin had abused her for nearly an hour before Björn finally put a stop to it. He hadn't been present for most of it. Nor had he allowed Aeric to witness it, either. Sigyn had heard him take their youngest brother away. For that, at least, she was grateful. 
Her old self would have given up. The old Sigyn would have allowed herself to succumb to the pain and slip into a sleep from which she would never wake again. But she couldn't do that now. She couldn't do that to Loki. Not after sensing his presence near. Not after having him wrap her in a safe embrace in an attempt to take the pain away. Loki was her reason to live, if only for a little while longer. To see him one last time.

Decisive footstep drew near. Sigyn tried to sit up when she heard them, but her body refused to cooperate. Someone knelt beside her and moved Sigyn, making her sit against the rock behind her. She yelped in pain. A hand quickly covered her mouth.

"Ssh, stay quiet," said the young man in a hushed voice. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to hurt you any further."

The sudden return of light made Sigyn groan. She squinted, trying to make her eyes adjust. Her vision was hazy, but Sigyn could make out her little brother's face as he sat before her — beautiful, almost fragile, with the same eyes Björn and Thorin had. His brown hair was neatly tied back, with a few strands braided tightly at the side of his head. He looked so grown-up. Had it really been only six months since they last saw each other?
Aeric put a small bundle on the ground. He picked up a flask and brought it to Sigyn's lips. The cool water felt so good. Her brother helped her drink, making sure Sigyn did not drink too fast. Then Aeric poured a little water on a cloth and dabbed it gently to Sigyn's face, cleaning the blood away as best he could. 

"Björn is getting you some clothes from home," said Aeric. "He and Father are doing their best to find some way to rescue you, but Mother's spell on them prevents them from taking direct action."

Sigyn winced. "Mother's spell? Aeric, what are —?"

"Ssh, don't talk. Yes, Mother bewitched Father and Björn after you were born when she saw they cared for you. Too much to her liking. She tried to do the same to me but failed. Father believes your magic might have protected me from hers, since you were the one who raised me from birth."

"But... what of Ivar and Thorin?"

"They're as cruel as she is, so she never put them under. Especially Ivar. You never wondered why only we four survived after him? It was because Ivar allowed it. Björn showed promise as a warrior and already had a keen mind when he was but three years old. Thorin treats Ivar like a God and does everything he does, so of course, Ivar would let him live. I suppose he has his reasons for letting me live, and you... well, you heard Mother. Ivar wasn't allowed to kill you, even though he wanted to."

Sigyn looked at her little brother's face, wondering if what he said was true. Aeric had never much harmed her, so that part perhaps was, but what he said of Björn and their father... They never harmed her physically, but always treated Sigyn as if she were nothing. Was that truly all because of a spell? 

"Sigyn, please forgive me." Aeric's hand trembled as he washed the blood from her brow. "I wanted to help you so many times growing up, but Father warned me not to. Mother does not know her spell failed on me, and we couldn't risk her discovering the truth. It killed me to stay my hand, but I had no choice. Father tried everything to free himself and Björn, but her magic is so strong. When Queen Frigga proposed your marriage to her son, it was Father who agreed you could leave a year in advance. He hoped that with you gone, Mother's spell would waver, but... I don't think they will ever be free of her."

I cannot believe this... What kind of monster would do this to her own family? She has to be stopped. I have to get away from here and... save them...

 "Aeric, you have to free me from these bonds. You must get me out of this cave."

Her brother lowered his eyes, gripping the bloodied cloth tightly. He pressed his lips together. She could tell he was frightened. Terrified even. But he was her only hope. 

"Sweetling, please," she urged, using the pet name from his childhood.

 "Sigyn... you can barely sit. And only someone with magic can release these shackles. Even if you miraculously recover, and I somehow liberate you, there is no escape. Mother told us you created some sort of mirror world and made sure you cannot reach it. There are no mirrors around for miles. No rivers nor streams nor ponds nor lakes. She raised an entire border of magic, so not even the Bifrost can reach us here."

"How did Björn leave to return home?"

"Mother allowed it. But only because he persuaded her you could not remain like this."

"Then... wait, mother believes you are under her spell, does she not? Insist you must return home, or volunteer to go on an errand, and then go to Asgard. Find my husband."

"Sigyn, the Asgardians witnessed three of your brothers attack their princes. What do you think they will do if the fourth shows up? How can I possibly convince the Trickster I am on your side?"

"Aeric, neither Father nor Björn can take action; you said so yourself. It has to be you."

"N-No, I cannot." Aeric shook his head. "I dare not lie and disobey Mother. I cannot go against Ivar. I... I'm not strong enough to face them."

Sigyn reached for her brother's face. Aeric stiffened at her touch, but she prevented him by averting by cupping his chin. His anxious gaze met hers. 

"I know you, Aeric," said Sigyn. "I raised you as my son, even though I was barely grown-up myself. You are good and brave and much stronger than you think. Our greatest challenge is not speaking up against our enemies but defying those whose approval we seek the most."

Her brother stared at her. "How did you become so fearless? You were as afraid of Mother and Ivar as I am. What changed?"

"I still fear them. But I cannot let that deter me again. I made a vow to my husband to always return to him, and I must keep it. I am only stronger now because Loki loves and believes in me. He is my strength, as I am his. And I will not abandon him. Please, my sweetling... will you help me?"

Aeric looked away. No one but Sigyn had ever believed in him — though now, Sigyn wondered if her father and Björn had refrained from showing too much affection to protect him. She hoped he still remembered that. She had helped him stand when he fell as he learned to walk, had helped him read and write when no one else bothered to, and had pushed him to keep training until he excelled at archery.
But perhaps the fear of Mother and Ivar was so great that his guilt and Sigyn's words were not enough to summon the courage needed to break free. Perhaps he would always allow himself to be taken under by the tide that held his life in such a grip.
Or... perhaps he would, at last, determine where his loyalties lay. 

"Tell me how to convince your husband."

***

Sif and Fandrall joined Thor in the council chamber after speaking with Astrid. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to say much about Sigyn's family that Thor did not already know from conversing with his former betrothed himself. Astrid had, however, informed Sif and Fandrall that two of Sigyn's brothers fought with the Marauders, a group of miscreants who attacked and pillaged settlements within the Nine Realms. The Asgardians had fought them on several occasions, protecting those settlements and honouring their treaty with the other Realms.
Thor believed he knew which of Sigyn's brothers would stoop so low and thought it plausible to think they would take Sigyn to a location close to their forces instead of home. He was going over the latest of the Marauders' plunders with his friends when Loki stormed into the room. 

"Any news?" he demanded. 

"None yet." Thor sighed. "Astrid said Sigyn's brothers frequent the company of the Marauders. We are tracing them now."

"She said nothing of Lady Sunna or Lord Völundr?"

"Nothing," replied Fandrall. 

Loki turned to call one of the guards. "Find my wife's handmaiden and bring her here immediately!"

"Now hold on just a minute!" 

"We do not have a minute, you simple knave! Astrid knows more of this; I am certain of it. I will make her tell me, one way or another."

Thor held out his hand to his blond comrade, stopping him from lunging at Loki. Now was not the time to fight amongst themselves. Sigyn's life was at stake, and he, too, believed Astrid could still prove the key to finding her. It wouldn't hurt to have her present. He would ensure his brother did not take it too far. 

"What do you have on the Marauders?" Loki stepped up to the table, where several maps lay open. "Any idea of their current location?"

"They abandoned their camp in Ria," answered Sif. "Heimdall saw a group arrive in Nornheim, but he can no longer find them there. Either they are no longer there or —"

"Something is shielding them. We do not yet know the full extent of Lady Sunna's magic, but it would not be very complicated to do that."

"If she truly has that power, how would we reach Sigyn once we find where she is kept?" asked Thor. 

"Leave that to me."

Thor watched his brother close his eyes and take hold of the pendant around his neck with one hand whilst extending the other over the maps of Nornheim's territories. A glow crept through Loki's fingers as the pendant and map lit up. Sif and Fandrall came to stand beside Thor, their faces holding the same baffled expressions. Since when did Loki know how to do this? 

"There she is," said Loki then.

The three of them leaned in to see a tiny snake circle over the same area, on the other side of the Norn Queen's Keep. Thor exchanged an apprehensive glimpse with his friends and asked, "Are you certain?"

"Are you seriously questioning me right now?" reacted Loki sharply. 

Thor quickly shook his head. He knew better than to argue with Loki on matters of magic. 

"Go to Nornheim and scout ahead," he ordered Sif and Fandrall. "We need to know what we are up against. Pay attention to everything. Even the slightest detail may be important. The more we know, the better, understood?"

"There may be no need for a scout." They all turned to the door upon hearing Heimdall's low voice. The Guardian of the Bifrost was nudged the young man forward. "This one called upon the Bifrost outside of the village where Lady Sigyn grew up. He claims to be Lady Sigyn's youngest brother and requests to speak with her husband."

Thor nodded his thanks to Heimdall, after which the Guardian took his leave. He looked the young man over, noting a striking resemblance to Sigyn in the same soft features and the kindness in his eyes, though they were of a different colour.

"Sigyn's youngest brother, you say?" Loki narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "That would be... Aeric?"

"That I am. I know you have little reason to trust me —"

"How about none? Three of my wife's brothers have already attacked us. How is the fourth any different?"

"Only two attacked you intentionally. Björn is not like Ivar and Thorin. Nor am I, which is why I am here. I came to offer my help."

Loki scoffed and sneered back at Aeric. "As if I would believe anything you say."

"Sigyn said you would say that. She told me there was one sure way to convince you I am here in her interest; Lagertha."

Loki froze where he stood. His face turned ashen, and his eyes widened. Thor hurriedly came to his aid when his brother staggered and supported him by the arm.  

"What is it?" he asked. "Why would Sigyn think this name would convince you?"

"That... is what we agreed we would name our... our daughter," stammered Loki. 

"What?" Thor's breath caught. "So Sigyn is with child, then?" 

"I-I don't know. She told me she was not. But... maybe it was too soon to tell. Sigyn came upon the name in a Midgardian book. We spoke of it only once when we were alone in our chamber, three days after our wedding. No one else could have known about that."

Thor noticed Sif and Fandrall's nervous glances. They were thinking the same as him; if Sigyn truly was with child, Loki now had two reasons to risk everything to get her back.

"We agreed upon the name for a son as well," said Loki then. "Did Sigyn tell you this as well?"

The corner of Aeric's mouth went up in a grin. "She said to tell you that if you claim it's Ragnar, I was to remind you of her promise to throw that book at you, since you dared to mention that name again. She told me to say it exactly like that, too."

A sob stifled Loki's chuckle. Tears filled his eyes. The sight tore at Thor. Never had he seen Loki like this. There could be no doubt his brother truly loved Sigyn more than he ever could have.

"Before I say anything else," continued Aeric, "I need your word. No harm will come to my family. My mother is not worth saving, so I will not ask to spare her. But my brothers may yet make their amends. Especially Björn. He, and my father too, have long been under my mother's curse and are innocent in this. And Sigyn would not want their blood on your hands."

Thor saw Loki pinch his lips. He understood his brother's pause well. Yet he had never known Loki to be a murderous man. His tricks were not that harmful. Had Sigyn been his wife, Thor would have made no such promise. He would not even have been able to show the restraint Loki had. The respect Thor had for Loki — and yes, he had it — had only grown these past hours. 

"We can make no promises, Aeric," Thor answered diplomatically in Loki's stead. "Anything can happen in the heat of battle. But you have my word that we will try to keep casualties to a minimum. Our primary goal is to bring Sigyn back home."

Aeric regarded him closely, then sighed in acceptance of those words. "I understand. I will tell you everything you need to know."

Thor, Loki, Sif and Fandrall gathered around Sigyn's brother as he told of the forces that awaited them at Nornheim and what magic they were sure to encounter.
Little did they know, another was paying close attention as well. 

***

"May we speak for a moment?"

Loki looked up when Sigyn's youngest brother appeared before him. There was a slight tremor in his hand, and Loki wondered if this was out of fear or nerves. Still distrustful of Aeric, he subtly lay a hand over the concealed dagger at his left wrist and waited for him to continue.

"You should know," said Aeric, "if Sigyn was with child, there is a chance she is not anymore."

"I know." Loki averted. "I briefly connected with her and felt her pain as if it were my own. Perhaps now you understand why I could not make any promises earlier. If your brothers are within my grasp, I will not hesitate to inflict that same pain on them, Aeric. They will feel everything Sigyn has felt and more."

Aeric grew pale at his threat. Loki didn't care. Thor may have said they would keep casualties to a minimum, but it would be naïve to think there would be none. Even now, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif were gathering the Einherjar to join Thor and Loki to Nornheim to face the Marauders and the Norn. They prepared for a large-scale battle, now that the true enemy turned out to be the Norn Queen, Karnilla, and not the Frost Giants, as they had all assumed. It would not matter. Frost Giants, Marauders, Norn, not even the Mistress of Magic herself could stop Loki from retrieving Sigyn. He would fight them all, and he would win. 

"Was there something else?" Loki asked when Aeric lingered near. 

Sigyn's brother sighed and handed him a note. Loki frowned and unfolded the piece of paper. He slowly rose to his feet as he read the words over, anger rising within him.

'Lady Sunna, it is with deep regret I must inform you your daughter has married the wrong Prince. I fear the Trickster's hold over Sigyn may have already resulted in a greater shame as he convinced her to lie with him outside of wedlock, but all is not lost yet. Your daughter may yet come to reason if she hears from you. I beseech you to try to sway her back to her loving family.
Yours faithfully.'

"Where did you get this?" demanded Loki. 

"Björn gave it to me; he picked Ivar's pocket. It's only one of many, Loki. My mother's spy kept a regular report of everything Sigyn did. This is how we knew Sigyn possibly carried a child. This is how we knew it all."

"Do you know who this spy is?" 

Aeric shook his head. "Whoever it is, it is someone close to you. An Asgardian, someone you may even trust. These letters have been coming for years, though there was a pause between them at some point, and the handwriting changed, too. I believe she had to employ a new spy after the first was discovered and met an untimely death at your hand."

"At my hand?"

"Well, that's what I overheard Mother claim."

Loki tried to recall who Aeric was talking about. He had indeed trapped many a spy throughout the years. Frigga had sometimes even employed them, as a test for Loki's progress in his control of magic. But he'd never killed one. He killed no one, apart from warriors and magicians in battle, but that was completely different.
Who could this spy have been? And who was it now? Only a handful of people knew the truth about him and Sigyn. But they were his family and their friends. None of them would betray them, surely?

The booming sound of the horns made Loki and Aeric turn their heads. Finally, the army stood ready. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were armed to the teeth, standing near Thor, who was as impressive with his golden hair and red cape blowing in the wind and Mjölnir in hand. 

"Are you certain you want to join us?" Loki asked Aeric. "Last chance to stay."

"Sigyn believes in me. I cannot let her down."

Loki nodded in approval. He wouldn't keep this one away from Sigyn if she wished to see him again. The other one, Björn, would have to prove himself first. As would her father, Völundr. But the others would not live to see another day. Nor would anyone who stood in Loki's way.
This, he swore.