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The slave was waiting for her when Frigga stepped into her sitting room. The elf was already kneeling, her chin tucked submissively against her chest. Frigga didn't believe it for a second. The handmaiden who had fetched the slave curtsied to her queen and stepped back into the shadows of the room. There she would wait until her queen gave her further orders.

Frigga stared down at the slave. She was such a little thing. It was almost difficult to reconcile what she knew of the elf's future with the small slave kneeling before her. The slave's eyes were wide as she tracked Frigga's movements. Being feared was not something Frigga had ever sought, but she found in this instance it might just be useful.

Frigga moved over the the settee, sat and smoothed her skirts around her. When she looked up the elf was still kneeling. She decided to let her. It would do the elf good to remember her place here. Frigga swallowed as she stared at the slave in front of her. There was something going on with this woman and her son.

"Tell me what happened," Frigga commanded. "Tell me what you know."

Kenna lifted her chin, her eyes wide as her mind raced frantically. She had no idea what to say. What could she say?

"I can appreciate your loyalty to my son, but something has happened. Something with his magic and if you don't tell me what you know he may not survive it."

Something in Kenna's chest tightened as fear swept through her. Not for herself but for Loki. In it's wake came a blast of emotion. Terror and pain and loss and regret. Kenna blinked. She should not have been able to feel that. She wrenched herself free of the storm of the queen's emotions. She reached up and touched the collar. Was it malfunctioning? She had felt Loki earlier but she had assumed it had something to do with their connection.

I-" Kenna started to say, but she didn't know where to start. She didn't know which secrets were the right ones to share. She pulled back, her eyes dropping to the floor as her thoughts raced. Something was wrong with Loki's magic.  The collar heated around her throat and she shifted it as she coughed.

Frigga stared down imperiously at the slave. She seemed ready to speak when her face suddenly went blank. She touched the collar and coughed and when she looked back up she seemed confused. Frigga let out a very unladylike expletive. The slave flinched. Frigga jumped forward and grabbed the slave by the collar once more.

"Tell me," the Asgardian Queen commanded.

Pain had started in the back of Kenna's head and it made it difficult to focus. She hung in the queen's grip and fought to remember what they had been talking about. It felt important but she couldn't for the life of her remember why. 

"Are you planning on shaking it out of her?" A voice asked curiously.

Frigga's eyes snapped up as Sigyn stepped in off the balcony as though she had been there the entire time. Sigyn's dress was the exact color of the night sky and she wore a cloak that was lined with satin magenta. It flowed around her as though there were an invisible wind.

"If I have to," Frigga responded coldly.

Sigyn snorted and waved away the queen's answer as though her ferocity were amusing. "I assure you that will not be necessary. You can let her go," Sigyn said waving vaguely at the slave. Frigga released her and Kenna dropped to the ground completely unaware of her surroundings as she clutched at her head.

"You got here faster than anticipated," Frigga said, narrowing her eyes at the witch standing before her. Every instinct she had told her this woman was a threat.

"Your invitation was expected," Sigyn smiled at her and it had too much teeth. It was like a shark. Before Frigga could respond Sigyn continued. "Let me see your son," Sigyn commanded. She looked down at the slave who lay in pain on the floor at their feet. She toed the light elf who was in so much pain she didn't even notice. "Unless you'd prefer to beat the truth out of Kenna."

It shouldn't have surprised Frigga that Sigyn would remember the slave's name. Names had power, and Sigyn wasn't likely to give up power.

Frigga turned to her handmaiden. "Bring her," she commanded.

Sigyn snorted. "Not necessary."

The three of them were swept up in a swirl of magenta power. When the smoke cleared they were standing in Loki's chambers.

"What of my-" Frigga started to say.

"You don't really want them here to witness this conversation, do you?" Sigyn challenged looking over Loki's rooms curiously.

"I should think not," Odin's voice came from near Loki's bed.

A smirk twisted Sigyn's lips. "All Father," she greeted, curtsying. The actions and the words were correct, but they lacked the respect owed to the protector of the nine realms. Instead of respect, it was as though she were mocking him and his title.

"I had hoped to never see you again," Odin said striding to stand near Frigga protectively.

Sigyn's smirk widened in a full blown smile. It was a disconcerting sight on the witch's face. "My, you do say the sweetest things."

Odin's eye fell to Kenna. She was laying on the ground at their feet, her palms cupping her forehead as she fought against the raging pain in her head.

"Why is she here?" Odin snarled angrily.

Sigyn's smirk was back. "Why, don't you know?" she giggled. "She is the truth holder in all of this. She is at the center of this whole affair. Ljosalfar's heir," Sigyn let out a peel of laughter. "He must be laughing at you from the bottom of his grave. You see, it is she who holds the truth that could save your son."

Odin narrowed his eye and watched indifferently as the elf writhed in pain at his feet. "We should have killed her," he muttered as he stared down at her.

Sigyn arched a brow. "Do you intend to rectify that oversight?" She asked genuinely curious.

Odin's jaw tightened. "Has your prophecy changed, soothsayer?"

"No," Sigyn replied with a smile. "But it has been a long while since I said any sooths," she smiled at her word play but neither monarch was amused. She made a noise of disgust in the back of her throat and rolled her eyes. "I do still believe you will bring the prophecy to pass prematurely if you were to kill her outright."

Odin leaned down to look closer at the elf. "What's wrong with her? Is the magic effecting her too?"

Sigyn looked up in surprise as though she just remembered. "Oh," she snapped and Kenna's body collapsed like a puppet with it's strings cut, unconscious. "I was just keeping her distracted so mommy and daddy could talk. There's no telling what she remembers these days. And just because we've ruled out murder doesn't mean we should offer up our secrets."

Odin grunted in agreement, but still appeared as though he had not ruled out murder.

"Can you help Loki or not?" Frigga snapped impatiently. Having the witch in her palace and so near her defenseless son had her on edge.

A lazy cat-like smile stretched Sigyn's face, pleased she had managed to rattle both the rulers of Asgardian in so short a time. She turned away from the unconscious slave and moved towards the bed. Odin stood at the end of the bed, his eye locked on Sigyn. Frigga trailed after her, refusing to allow Sigyn out of arms reach so close to her son.

Sigyn steadfastly ignored both monarchs. She leaned over Loki. She sniffed the air around him and then she threw her head back and laughed. She turned and looked at Kenna with a glimmer of appreciation in her eyes.

Frigga made a noise of impatience, she wanted the witch out of the palace as quickly as possible. She stepped up towards Sigyn. "What is wrong with my son?" she demanded.

Sigyn smiled dreamily, her eyes still on Kenna while she answered Frigga's question. "He took power, power that was not his, bound to an immortal," she snorted. "I'm impressed."

"Power from an immortal?" Frigga asked frowning in confusion.

Sigyn turned towards Kenna. She strode purposefully towards the slave. She lifted a hand and the body rose, it's limbs limp. Power flared through the room.

Kenna's eyes snapped open as she gasped. She was trapped. Her entire body felt like it was being crushed. Her eyes widened and she started to fight. A breathtakingly beautiful woman stood before her. One of her hands was held up as though she were the cause. Kenna's eyes widened as she realized the woman was a sorceress. She tried to struggle but her body was frozen. A warm, slithering heat began in the back of her neck where the collar touched her spine. It wormed it's way up her neck towards her brain. Kenna tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling but as soon as it touched her mind she went still and the sorceress's smile turned to one of triumph.

Sigyn stared at Kenna for a moment, as though she were measuring the weight of her control over her. "The younger prince stole a power that was not his. It came from an immortal. Who's power was it?" Sigyn's words were carefully chosen. The power of the collar made it impossible for the elf to lie to her, but she was being cautious. The elf had seemed to evade the constraints of the collar on more than one occasion. While Ljosalfar was not a magic user, his Queen certainly had been, and Sigyn had no doubt their children were taught the craft. Keeping this elf bound was dangerous.

Kenna blinked. The pressure of Sigyn's words weighed on her brain, willing her to answer. She opened her mouth, but found she couldn't speak the lie she wished to tell.

As though she could sense her struggle, Sigyn smirked. "You are bound," she said simply with noticeable glee. "It will hurt if you lie to your master."

Odin bristled behind Sigyn at her implication that Sigyn herself was master here and not the All Father. It made Sigyn's smile widen further.

Kenna struggled for a few more seconds but the weight was increasing. She closed her eyes and let the truth fall from her lips. "He did not steal it from any immortal. It was not hers to take."

"And who's power was it?" The sickening glee in Sigyn's face as she forced Kenna's submission made Frigga shift uncomfortably.

"The Light Elves."

The cruel smirk twisted Sigyn's beautiful face into something ugly. "Name her," Sigyn commanded.

As long as Kenna wore the collar she couldn't resist the draw of Sigyn's power. She reached up, gripping it with her hands as though it were choking her. Frigga wanted to look away as the slave fought to resist. She fought with everything in her to keep Loki's secrets. Frigga had only tried to intimidate the slave into talking. Sigyn had taken away her will. 

"Magdol," the word was wrenched from Kenna and she collapsed forward as though whatever had forced the information from her finally released. Kenna dropped to the cold marble floor in an unceremonious heap. Kenna's whole body shuddered as she regained control of it. She was freezing cold. It was only then that she realized she was in Loki's chambers. She had no memory of how she got there. She wrapped her arms around herself and laid her head on her knees.

Sigyn ignored the slave and turned back to the monarchs nodding. "I thought so. The defeat of Harokin could have only been accomplished with the old hag's death." Sigyn actually looked impressed as she glanced from Loki back to Kenna. "How ever did you manage it?" Sigyn asked curiously.

Kenna's teeth were chattering but she locked them down as she struggled against the power once more.

Sigyn was patient as the words were eventually wrenched from the elf.

"Power channel," Kenna admitted, and every time she spoke it felt like a betrayal. It was agonizing.

Sigyn made a sound of disappointment. "Of course, I should have known. Foolish boy, she will eat him from the inside out."

Kenna was still panting on the floor when she looked up at the sorceress. She shoved herself up to her knees and glared at the other woman out of the tops of her eyes. She bared her teeth as she spoke the first truth of her own volition. "She's very dead," Kenna growled in a tone that suggested Sigyn would soon be as well.

Sigyn threw back her head and laughed. "Oh little elf, I do like you." Sigyn chuckled again and then shook her head. "It's a good thing you keep that collar on her," Sigyn tossed over her shoulder to Frigga and Odin. "If you ever decide to sell her, I'll take her off your hands."

Frigga was becoming impatient with the witch's games. "Yes, but what does this mean for Loki?"

Sigyn sniffed and turned back to the monarchs though she never fully gave the elf her back. Now that she had seen her with her memories intact, she never would again.

"Something as old as her power cannot be destroyed in that way. Her body may have died but her power is a being unto itself and cannot so easily be destroyed. It will consume him."

Frigga stepped forward, wrenching her hands together. "Can you take it from him?"

"Are you offering it to me?" Sigyn teased as she fought to maintain her composure. It wouldn't do for the Queen of Asgard to witness her excitement.

Frigga hesitated for a moment. The power would have to be considerable to have taken out Loki so easily. Giving such power to someone who while not quite an enemy but was also not quite a friend could prove unwise. "Will it heal my son?" Frigga's voice was almost desperate.

Kenna's anger over what had happened to her was forgotten as she realized this sorceress might just be able to help Loki. She risked a glance towards his bed. He lay completely still.

Sigyn shrugged. "As much as he is able to be healed," Sigyn allowed cautiously.

Relief flickered across Frigga's face. She looked down at the slave and flinched at what she saw in the elf's eyes. "What's the matter with her? What did you do?" she accused.

Sigyn chuckled. "I did nothing. This is the face of Ljosalfar's heir."

Frigga shook her head. "No, there's something wrong with her. I see her every day. Kenna doesn't look like that."

Sigyn glanced from the elf back to the queen. "How would you know?" she asked. "I think perhaps before today, only Loki had seen the truth in her eyes. What you see everyday is a mask of your own creation. You see the shell devoid of memories and made subservient. This is the truth of Ljosalfar's daughter. She was raised to be a warrior among her people. What did you expect?"

Rage simmered through Kenna. This talking was unnecessary. She had turned away from them and was watching Loki. He lay so still. He always seemed to be brimming with power and potential action. Like a great cat coiled to strike. Now, his skin was sallow and instead of looking peaceful in sleep his brow was furrowed as though he were in pain. The other's words were inconsequential. They needed to help him.

Frigga's face was puzzled as she glanced from Sigyn back to the slave. "There will be a price for the power," Frigga snapped suddenly, her eyes blazing.

Sigyn smiled bitterly at the queen. "There always is Queen of Asgard."

Frigga nodded and pointed at Kenna. "You will fix what is wrong with the slave as well."

"I told you, there is nothing wrong with her. You are viewing her without-"

"I know what you said," Frigga replied curtly. "But there is something wrong with the collar. It is no longer containing..." Frigga dragged off uncomfortably and waved vaguely towards Kenna. "Her the way it should."

Sigyn held out her hand and with a heavy click the collar opened and pulled free from Kenna. It tangled briefly in her long silver hair, but then pulled away to floated gently into Sigyn's outstretched hand.

Kenna was assaulted by emotions. They slammed into her one after another until she couldn't catch her breath. She couldn't think, she could only feel.

Sigyn caught the collar and turned it over in her hands as she studied it. Then she seemed to notice there was something wrong with Kenna. Sigyn's voice was like broken glass in Kenna's mind.You can't expect to read everyone in the room at once that won't work. You'll drive yourself mad. There was a sort of amused derision to Sigyn's tone that set Kenna's teeth on edge.

I can't stop it. Kenna pushed the words back towards Sigyn assuming it was similar to speaking to Loki mind to mind. It took more focus than it normally did as she battled against the raging emotions of everyone in the room.

Sigyn cocked her head as she stared down at the small elf. It's not about stopping it. You can't stop it you're an empath. Don't be ridiculous. You have to pick someone.

Even in her head Kenna could feel the condescension rolling off of Sigyn. As though she should just suddenly know how to use these powers that were kept locked away from her all this time. Pick someone? Kenna clarified. She glanced towards Frigga and Odin but neither seemed to realize there was a silent conversation happening in the room. They were studying Sigyn who was holding the collar between her palms. There was a bright light emanating from her hands.

Sigyn's tone was bored. Yes, someone in the room. Pick one person and focus on them. Then you won't be overwhelmed.

What are you doing to the collar? Kenna was terrified Sigyn would do something to make the collar somehow worse.

You ask a lot of questions for a slave. Sigyn observed her hands glowing brighter around the collar.

I wasn't always a slave. Kenna shot back, her eyes narrowing against the bright light.

Sigyn's laugh grated against the insides of Kenna's mind. You're right about that little elf.

So what are you doing? Sigyn didn't seem opposed to Kenna asking questions so she pushed some more.

Just a light show for mommy and daddy. There's nothing wrong with the collar, but they won't let me have the power until I fix it.

Kenna forced her face to remain impassive in case either Frigga or Odin were looking her way.

Was it Loki who taught you to speak mind to mind or your mother? Sigyn asked.

Kenna was hesitant to tell the sorceress anything that might give her further power over her, but she couldn't see a reason not to answer her questions. Loki. Though, didn't feel this way. Why is it different?

Sigyn's hands stopped glowing then and she turned to look Kenna in the eye. Do you really need me to say it?

Without warning or emotion Sigyn released her hand and the collar slammed itself around Kenna's neck, nearly knocking her off her feet. Kenna grasped at the collar, fighting to keep it away from her skin as it burned away all that she was.

Sigyn turned back to the two monarchs standing before her. She seemed perfectly indifferent to the agony Kenna was suffering. "The collar is repaired, but I will tell you, there is only so much I can do."'

"What do you mean?" Frigga asked suspiciously. She turned away from the elf. Unable to watch.

A ghost of a knowing smile crossed Sigyn's face. "Tell me what is going on between The Prince and that Slave."

Frigga bristled, casting her eyes quickly to Odin and then back to Sigyn. "It's nothing," she snapped too quickly. "It's puppy love. He's young, he doesn't understand. Give it time and he will move on to something more serious." Frigga's eyes were pleading as she stared into Odin's eye, willing him to understand.

Sigyn opened her palms. "Do not disregard first love," the sorceress warned ominously. "It is the most pure, the most selfless. Once one has felt heartbreak for the first time we learn to guard our hearts for the pains of the world. But first love," she shook her head. "There is nothing as pure or as powerful as that. Not even magic."

Odin made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. "It's nothing like that," he assured the witch. "She's an elf," he spat the word in disgust.

Sigyn just shrugged as she approached the bed. She laid her hand over the prince's heart and it suddenly felt as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. An invisible wind rose and Frigga moved closer to Sigyn. She wanted to rip the woman away from her defenseless son. Magic whipped Sigyn's cloak around her and her eyes glowed bright with magenta power. It was minutes later when she finally dropped her hand. She was panting and sweat beaded at her hairline.

"It is done," she panted, smiling tiredly at the monarchs. There was a shimmer to Sigyn's skin that hadn't been there before and her eyes contained a flash of power that hadn't been there before. She turned towards the balcony, pausing as she stood over the panting body of the elf. The slave looked up at her with wide eyes.

Remember who you are little elf. You will need it. Sigyn disappeared in a flash of power.

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It was late. Sigyn had assured the Queen the collar was fully functioning. She had assured them the memories were gone; that Kenna would remember nothing of her past, her magic or what had transpired that evening. She had assured them Kenna was nothing but a pliant slave again.

Sigyn was a liar.

They had order Kenna to return to the slaves quarters and she had done so without question. Bowing low to both monarchs and slipping out of the door without even a backwards glance at Loki. She laid on her cot, listening to the other slaves and servants as they dropped off to sleep one by one. When the last was finally sleeping, Kenna pushed her battered and bruised body to her feet and snuck out the door.

Kenna slipped through the palace moving as silently as her elf senses and reflexes allowed. Even an Asgardian wouldn't have been able to hear her. It would have taken another elf. Her hand hesitated for only a second over the handle to the prince's chambers. She had to check on him. She had to know he was okay. Drawing in a final breath for courage she opened the door and slipped inside.

Loki was laying in bed and judging by the storm of emotions she could feel just beyond the collar she knew he was awake. He lay on his back on top of the coverlet. He wore only his black leather pants. His chest was bare and one arm was thrown up over his eyes. The flickering golden light illuminated the pale skin of his sculpted chest.

When she tore her eyes away from Loki she spotted Thor, asleep in a chair beside his brother's bed. Kenna sucked in a breath and she froze like she had been caught in a trap. She was afraid to move any closer to the bed. If she was discovered here by the Heir of Asgard she would surely be imprisoned.

"You shouldn't be here Kenna," Loki's voice was low and gravely.

"I just wanted-" she started to say and she stopped. Her eyes flickering towards Thor.

"You should go," Loki said, his voice sounded tired.

He was right. She shouldn't be here. Sigyn had somehow granted them a free pass. She had lied for them. Someone like Sigyn never did anything without getting paid. She couldn't imagine what it would cost the prince. Kenna took a hesitant step backwards towards the door. She had just wanted to make sure he was okay, and he seemed to be. She should go.

Loki kept his eyes pinched shut beneath his arm. He couldn't bear to look at her. He couldn't see the disgust on her face over what he had done. The others already treated him like an anathema, he couldn't bear it from her. She was kind and soft and innocent in so many ways. He couldn't see her look at him like he was a monster.

"Prince Loki-" she started to say. Emotions were swirling all around her but the one she felt strongest from the prince was disgust.

"Leave Kenna, don't come back."

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I hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you as always for the votes and comments! You guys are amazing!