If Bragi knew what Sigyn was thinking, he would have told her that she only thought there weren't any books in that chair. It was best that he didn't. The book hidden in the lining under the wood was hidden for a reason. It was filled with all kinds of other things that Bragi wasn't supposed to tell people.
He was about to accept Sigyn's offer with an addendum that she never went slogging through a bog strictly on his account, and that she accept a case of wine or a book or something in return, when Bragi heard the door open. Idun was home earlier than he expected. Loki must have ran out of things to talk about. Bragi didn't understand how this could happen, but he'd heard that it did. The parlor fell silent while she called. This was also for the best. Accepting someone else's food offer in front of Idun wouldn't be a very wise move on Bragi's part.
The part about casualties in the war of their hearts almost made Bragi spit out his drink. It was a sickeningly cloying phrase to listen to with a third pragmatic party. The kind of saccharine sweetness that could only be offset with the knowledge that Bragi was the one who started that extended metaphor in the first place. The apple was one of many casualties, and Bragi mourned it. He was partial to sharing apples. That's what they'd been doing when they'd first kissed. Also, Sigyn and Bragi had just barely finished picking up all the fallen ones. He tried to keep reminding himself that to stay in the right mentality. Bragi felt himself succumbing anyway.
They'd been married for a few years, but somehow they'd never managed to get past the newlywed stage. Maybe it was because they were waiting until Bragi got things with the skalds under control before they had children. Or maybe it was because Idun was youth. Bragi didn't know. It was hard to figure anything out when his wife was distracting him all the time by being ridiculously adorable. He couldn't believe how ridiculously adorable she was being right then. He hadn't even seen her yet. “There's an empty vase in the library,” Bragi called back. “But someone's still asleep in there.” He smiled at Sigyn. “Excuse me for one moment.” Then he re-entered the entryway.
If Sigyn hadn't been there, Bragi would have been kissing Idun before she got to the second part of that sentence. Then she would have finished the sentence, and they would have gone out and retrieved her lost apple. But Sigyn was there. She was sitting in their parlor on top of Balder's secrets with a glass of apple wine and an oatcake she'd made for someone who never showed up. He couldn't let her be a casualty in their war like that apple. Idun would understand. She wouldn't want Bragi to spend the time with her, if she knew about Sigyn in the next room with oatcakes uneaten by Loki. They'd both have to wait until Bragi wasn't entertaining important guests, and then he'd make it up to her. He'd start at it a little now by breaking up with her.
“Idun,” Bragi said, “We need to talk.” His voice was as steady as a grave. He sat down with Idun on the steps. “I know about your affair.” Bragi swallowed. She was so attractive. Looking at her made this even more difficult. “I've had a hard time wrapping my head around this, especially after all we've been through. I don't know if my heart will ever recover. But I've been thinking about it and I've decided I won't stand in your way any longer. I want you to be happy, and if you are happier with Loki that is just something I'll have to accept.”