"Sigyn?!!" Erland's voice echoed through the trees.

I broke away from Loki with a gasp, my face turning red.

"I'm sorry." I breathed.

Loki blinked at me.

"Sigyn?!" Erland called again.

Luckily for me Loki had managed to get his wits about him again.

"I found her!" Loki shouted.

I jumped, pulling away from him.

"Oh Sigyn! Thank the gods..." Erland sighed, hie eyes shifted from me to Loki  "... Are you alright?"

"Well...I... no... If you men will excuse me I believe I need a walk to clear my head." I admitted as I strode away from them. 

~~~

The two men watched as Sigyn picked her way through the forest, headed off in the direction of Verdandi's cabin.

Very suddenly, Erland spun on his heel and unsheathed a knife, his other arm pinning Loki to a tree.

"Erland?!" Loki sputtered. 

"I swear by the gods. By the ancient strengths of our ancestors. By the blood that these hands have spilt. If you hurt my sister in any way... I will kill you." Erland threatened.

The men glared poisonously at each other. 

"The last thing I want to do to Sigyn is hurt her." Loki replied. 

"Good." Erland said gruffly as he released Loki from the tree. "Then don't kiss her again."

Loki's face filled with color.

"How did you-"

"Please. I know my sister..." Erland took a cleansing breath, and nodded to a path through the forest. "Let's go back to the house, she'll meet with us there."

"Alright."

Erland grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and lead him down the path. 

~~~

I could smell sage and berries as I walked up to the cabin, the door stood half open and Verdandi was sitting with a fur wrapped around her looking out the door at the night sky.

"Sigyn I knew you were coming, Sit." She sighed, gesturing at the chair beside her.

I sat down and pulled a fur around me.

I inhaled the frigid air and sighed.

"Sigyn... what happened?"

"I... er... well...."

"Would you rather I use my gift?" She smirked, reaching toward me. 

"NO!" I replied, standing abruptly. 

Verdandi laughed. "Boy trouble is it?"

"How did you know?!"

Verdandi laughed again.

"Oh... what am I to do?" I sighed, as I plopped down into the chair again. 

"You'll know what to do."

"Oh will I?!" I sassed. 

"I cannot tell you who to marry Sigyn." She replied crossing her arms and looking nonchalantly at the sky.

"You tried!" I scoffed. 

"I what?"

I roll my eyes at her. "When I brought Theoric to meet you. You told me he wasn't my soul mate."

"It's very rare for people to marry their soulmate." She replied with a wave of her hand. 

"But I want to! Don't you see... If I had any choice..." I trailed off. 

Verdandi looked closely at my face.

"Sigyn?"

Something in her voice made me look at her.

Her yellow eyes shone in the night making her look almost wolf-like.

"Yes?"

"I shouldn't be doing this... but despite the rules I must try to help you."

"Help me?"

"Something huge is coming. Sigyn...bigger than you or I. In a few months something will change drastically." She replied in a voice that sent shivers down my spine. 

"Well that's not vague or ominous at all." I sighed.

Verdandi laughed again. "I'm sorry but that's all I can tell you." She smiled at me her face relaxing. "That and... You'll be ready."

I nodded and bid her goodnight, leaving the cozy cabin and heading toward my house. 

A soft wind blew the hair off my face and brought up sweet smells of the flowers in the yonder fields. 

It's funny how simple things were on that night. 

I couldn't imagine what I know now.