Loyalty and Mischief (WIP)

Chapter 16 - Don't forget it, you'll regret it; mother knows best

As predicted, the feasting continued for several days until after the wedding. Dignitaries from most of the Nine Realms came to pay their respects and congratulate Sigyn and Loki. The couple entertained their guests and celebrated with them, but they never stayed too long. And none said anything about it. They were newlyweds, after all. They had far better things to do than converse with this ambassador or dance with that representative.

The lodgings that had so hastily been made ready for the Crown Prince and his bride were now Loki and Sigyn's. All their belongings were brought to the apartments on the far side of the palace. The rooms themselves were similar to what Frigga and Odin had but smaller (a newly wedded couple did not need to have a chamber each after all). 
Loki and Sigyn could entertain guests in their presence chamber, finely decorated with tapestries and art and a great chandelier with ornate gold leaves. A private parlour and study, with a grand bookcase and all sorts of magical objects (most were Loki's, obviously), gave more privacy but still allowed family and dear friends to be welcomed as well. 
The bed chamber, completely private of course, held a grand canopy bed. The balcony, big enough to hold a smaller golden version of the Yggdrasil Tree (a present from Frigga) and a loveseat swing, gave out on the most spectacular view. No longer of the city, as in Sigyn's previous chamber, but of the land itself; the forests, the rivers, the mountains... 
And just beside the bed chamber, an enclosure with a step-in alabaster bath basin carved into the floor, large enough to immerse yourself entirely. One other room remained, but Loki insisted on it remaining locked. A surprise, he said. And not the only one.

When the Prince brought his wife to their new home, Sigyn wept with joy at seeing the blushing tulips in the presence-chamber, the fair lilies in the parlour, the delicate orchids in the enclosure, and, of course, the treasured roses in their bed-chamber. Each flower bloomed and bloomed, never to wither. And each snow-white petal now held a crimson edge. Each blue vein bore a magical golden glistening. No longer were they the product of merely Loki's magic, but of them both. Sigyn's union with him could not have been better represented. 
Timeless. Flawless. And all theirs.

For the first time in Sigyn's life, she felt no desire to escape. She felt at peace. Being with Loki, sleeping and waking in his arms without worrying if someone were to discover them, hearing him say he loved her in that alluring voice, not caring if another heard, and having him make love to her, ravishing her utterly, no longer in fear of what it could lead to. It was divine. 
Sigyn was where she wanted to be. She was where she was meant to be. No longer did she need to go through her mirror (she did not even keep it anymore), to seek the prospect of a better life through the world that had so often allowed her to dream something else could be possible for her. She at long last found her happily ever after.

If only that joy and bliss could have lasted for a little while longer. If only the monster of Sigyn's past had been kept at bay.
Oh, if only...

***

Loki awoke, sensing the light of dawn upon his face. It peered through the curtains at the open balcony, a soft morning breeze making the light drapes rustle. He sighed contently at the new day and looked down at his beloved wife. Sigyn lay perfectly aligned with his body, her hand over his chest and her head resting on his shoulder, as Loki's arm held her in his embrace. He smiled and drew her closer to him. 

"I love you," he whispered.

Loki pressed a gentle kiss on her brow and carefully slipped away. But when he sat at the edge of the bed, he suddenly found Sigyn's arms around him. Her naked breasts pressed against his back as she leaned in.

"And where do you think you are going, dear husband?"

"Thor asked me to meet with him. Go back to sleep. It's early still."