Sigyn

“Hey, Sigyn, why did you start disliking Loki?” You don’t know why you asked it, but before you knew it the words came flying out. You immediately regret asking it, because her eyes widen momentarily before she quickly glances away. She starts fidgeting with her pearl.
“It’s okay, I know that was a personal question, you don’t have to answer.” You feel bad, you really do; but part of you wishes that she would say that it was alright and you would get the full story.
Briefly, she looks like she won’t answer. Then she sighs. “Oh, well, it’s a bit of a long story.” You think that means that she isn’t going to continue, and you sit back in resignation. You weren’t even aware that you had previously been leaning forward. But she does continue.
“We used to be mates, you see, and the problem is that I don’t dislike him. I still love him with all my heart.” She finally looks at you with wide, soulful eyes. “The thing about Loki is that I don’t think he’s ever loved anyone, certainly not me.” At this, she chuckles ruefully. You give an awkward smile, not sure if that was supposed to be a joke. Based on her expression, it doesn’t seem so.
“I never really, deep inside, thought that we would work out, but there in the beginning I managed to convince myself that we would. When he started... seeing... other dragons, I turned a blind eye. When he got himself into trouble over and over again, without showing any remorse or signs of wanting to change, I protected him, backed him up, bailed him out every time. And he knew this.” Sigyn’s voice increased in intensity and emotion, until it broke. You think that maybe you have gotten yourself into more than you had bargained for. You realize you have an idea what happened next, and though it was horrible, you want to hear her confirm it.
Sigyn looks up at the stars for a while before continuing. “Then, one day, he was gone. No note, no word to anyone. For years, I never saw him. He broke my heart.” At this, she turns to you with tears in her eyes. You had never seen her cry before.
“I’m sorry,” you whisper hoarsely. She shakes her head.
“When he came back, I told myself I wouldn’t let him treat me like that again.” Her voice had stopped wavering, but she said this as if it was a question. “We’re not mates anymore.” She caught your disbelieving expression. The entire clan knew that the two of them were expecting hatchlings.
She sighs again. “I’m ashamed to say that sometimes I can’t help myself, and we’ll get back together again for a little while. And I’ll think to myself, this time is going to be different. But I don’t really believe it.” You wish you had something to say to comfort her, but you don’t. So you just listen as she finishes.
“Then, he runs off with some other dragon that is more handsome or beautiful than I, or he gets himself into more trouble and I’m the only one that cares enough to get him out of it. We separate, and I’m telling myself that I’m never going back to that. But I know, and he knows, that I would still go through fire for him in a heartbeat.”