Work Text:
Willow stared out at the Moon Chasers with blank eyes, watching with numb despair as every single one of them wore the same look of excitement and expectation; all of them waiting for Toni to finish her off. Even as Cricket fought for her like a demon possessed; as Siggy roared in the face of yet another god, daring him to try, terror making his hands shake as he held onto his Ax of Songs; as Toni sobbed but still attacked. Still drew her blood.
Let none touch her save the Herald, her father had commanded. And a thought stirred as Cricket took another slam from Daligar, teeth gritted as he spat and hissed, dagger clutched in his hand as he tried to stay close. Willow let her head loll to look at Siggy. Brave, reckless Sigismund. Who had promised her he would do what he had to in order to keep Cricket safe. She had made him drengr promise.
"Siggy." Her voice was quieter than she wanted it to be, tearing out of her destroyed throat, rough and raw and choked with despair and tears in equal measure. He didn't fully turn towards her, but she saw him tense at the sound of her voice, the slightest cock of his head as he kept his eyes on Toni and the god wrapped around her. She hoped it was enough. "Siggy, please. Kill me."
He didn't turn around. But every line in his body went taut. "We're getting you out of here, Willow," he swore, blue eyes hard as ice and glinting in the moonlight. She shook her head, lips parting, but his growl cut her off. "No! Don't…don't ask me to do that." The bite gave way to pleading, determination covering the terror.
"You promised me, Siggy." The words hurt to get out, but not as much as watching Cricket take another hit. "You have to protect him. You have to kill me." She took a shuddering breath, vision swimming. "You drengr promised, Siggy." She watched as his whole body flinched, and he finally turned towards her, heartbreak written all over his face, his grip tightening on the ax.
"I can't—" Siggy whispered with a shake of his head, voice broken. "Willow, you can't ask me to do this." But his resolve was fracturing, she could tell. Tears fell down both of their cheeks, the rest of the world falling away until it was just them.
"You can't let them win," she whispered back. "And you swore…you swore you'd help me keep him safe. Please, Sigismund. I can't do this alone; I can't. I need you . Help me, please," she begged, watching as his jaw clenched and eyes squeezed shut.
"We'll bring you back," he said softly, like a promise. The words were likely more for himself than anybody else, as if it would absolve him. Then, his eyes opened again, those bright blue eyes on his hands as he clenched his fists around the ax, jaw set even as preemptive grief settled on his shoulders.
"Thank you," she whispered, and closed her eyes as he raised his ax, letting relief and peace settle over her even as everybody cried out around them. And then, there was nothing but blessed silence and a sea of stars, and her mom welcoming her home.