Pre-chapter note: Welcome to the sequel to Till Death Do You Part! If you haven't already seen, I posted the oneshot chapter thing at the end of that story. It is not necessary to read it to understand what's happening here, but it does have a lot of fluff and kind of bridges the two stories. Feel free to check it out! And please enjoy To Have and To Hold! :D
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel, the Thor movies, or any of the characters from them. I only own my OCs!
"They'll be back today," Linn reminded Ola. Ola did not mention that she already knew this. Linn was grinning too widely.
"How exciting!" Ola nodded happily as she struggled to fold a huge blanket, "Where was it that they went on their honeymoon?"
"Odin told them dat they couldn't go far, so just to a royally royal place in the mountains dat rich people use for romantic outings. Dat way they are still on realm if Loki decides to do somefing dumb," Linn laughed and grabbed two of the corners of the blanket, helping her friend.
"Aren't you not supposed to be helping with the laundry anymore?" Ola asked, glad of the help anyway.
"Technically," Linn dusted off the skirt of her lavender laundress' uniform, "I'm working here till they get back. Then I get to start my new job."
"As a lady's maid to a real life princess," Ola sighed happily, "I hope when Thor gets married I get to be Lady Jane's lady's maid."
"Dat would be amazing!" Linn squealed, "Then we could complain about their diva tantrums together!"
"Diva tantrums? I don't think either of them is ever going to throw a tantrum."
"Okay, fair enough," Linn giggled, "But maybe the four of us will be best friends. It would be great! We could all do princess-y fings together!"
"So, do you know what time they'll be back today?" Ola asked.
"No, but Bjorn is on duty and he's supposed to tell me the moment they get back! It'll be great!"
The girls folded laundry for a few more hours - in a place as big as the palace of Asgard there was always plenty of laundry to be collected washed, dried, folded, and delivered to its owners, especially when the guards were training and getting clothing sweaty at all hours.
Folding was the best job and every laundress knew it. You got to stay in the laundry room so you didn't run the risk of offending a noble, you didn't have to work with the soap that was rough on your skin, you pretty much got to sit down and chat the whole time. Folding was tedious, but it was easy and Linn didn't mind helping out while she waited for Maisy and Loki to return from their honeymoon.
Of course, after hours of folding she was beginning to wonder when they'd get back. And she was starting to get bored. And when Linn got bored she tended to also get chatty.
"And that's why me dad and I haven't been getting along lately," she concluded one of her stories and Ola blinked, realizing she was meant to give a reaction to something she hadn't been paying attention to.
"Oh, that's… too bad," she said sympathetically.
"He just doesn't understand, you know," Linn huffed.
"Right."
"So how's your family?"
"Well, my little sister just-"
"Linn, they're here!" Bjorn came rushing into the laundry room with a smile and Ola sighed as Linn hopped up with a squeal and gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek.
"See ya later, Ola!" Linn called as she raced over to the lift. Ola laughed a little and waved. Linn was a good friend when it boiled down to it, but it didn't seem like she ever gave Ola a chance to talk about her problems. The laundress got back to folding and hoped her friend wouldn't become too distant now that she was going to be working with royalty.
Linn straightened her frock and her short, curly hair as she waited by the door to their chambers. She rocked back and forth on her feet and looked down the hallway, hoping that her friends would be coming shortly. On her left was Bjorn, standing guard as usual and looking absolutely adorable in his armor, and on her right was Lady Fulla, who used to be Queen Frigga's lady's maid or lady-in-waiting or whatever the proper title was. Linn still wasn't sure what exactly her new job entailed.
"Settle down, girl," Fulla snapped, putting a firm hand on Linn's shoulder and halting her bouncing, "A lady of Asgard does not fidget so."
"Am I a lady now? Like for real?"
"No. But you will be doing the tasks of a lady-in-waiting and therefore you need to act like one. Or it will reflect badly on me."
"Oh. Sorry," Linn tried to stop moving so much, but she was too excited, "Are they coming, do you fink?"
"Think."
"Huh?"
Fulla sighed and put her hand to her forehead wearily.
"And to think that this is only the first day. My word," she turned to Linn and looked down her nose at her, "They will come whenever they come and whatever time that is you will simply be pleased they graced you with their presence."
"Right…" Linn elbowed Bjorn and she saw him smirk a little, "'Cept, I dunno if you know this, but I'm pretty much Maisy's best friend. We grace each other's presences all the time."
"Do not elbow the guards!" Fulla snapped pulling Linn away from Bjorn, "And, though she may allow you to call her whatever you like when you are in private, in public you will refer to her as nothing less than, Her Highness or Princess Maisy. Now that the prince's full status has been returned to him, he and his wife will be treated with the utmost respect."
"Right. Of course," Linn tapped her foot anxiously, "So… do you know Loki - err, Prince His High and Mightyness Loki, pretty well? He and his mum were close. And you and his mum were close."
"He is like… a nephew to me," Fulla responded, "A nephew who I am duty bound to bow to and treat with respect, even though he does not always deserve it."
"Ooh, you sound like you're mad at him."
"On occasion I would like to slap him, yes. I know for a fact that his mother raised him better than he has been acting in the past few years," Fulla blinked and then glared at Linn, "You should not ask personal questions. It is rude."
"Sorry I was just - oh my gosh! Here they come!" Linn burst forward before Fulla could stop her and sprinted to the end of the hallway where she could see Loki and Maisy just turning the corner toward her, "You're back!"
"Linn!" Maisy exclaimed, throwing her arms wide and running to crash into a hug with the other girl. They laughed as they nearly fell down and parted so they could find their balance.
"You would not believe how boring this place is wifout you two's drama!"
"Drama? Pssh, we don't have drama, do we, Loki?" Maisy grinned, looking to her husband. Linn could have melted into a puddle of happy goop at seeing the love in her friend's eyes for her other friend.
"Maisy," Loki crossed his arms, watching the girls with amusement, "I am, in fact, the king of drama."
"Fair enough," Maisy laughed and she and Linn slung their arms around each other as they walked toward their chambers. When they got to the door Maisy looked at Bjorn and wiggled her eyebrows at Linn teasingly.
"Is this your boyfriend?" Maisy giggled.
"Oh shut up," the younger woman groaned, "It's just Bjorn!"
"Linnea!" Fulla hissed, "You will not tell the princess to shut up!"
Maisy looked at the woman, noticing her for the first time, and offered a hand for her to shake. Fulla took the hand by the fingertips and daintily shook it, curtsying as she did so. Maisy's brows shot up and she looked to Loki in confusion. He smiled and nodded to Fulla.
"I have not seen you in a long time," he said and she curtsied again in his direction.
"Your Highness," Fulla smiled kindly.
"Of course, the fault for that is entirely my own," he put his arm around Maisy's waist, "I've been rather busy lately."
"Yes," Fulla agreed, "At least your full schedule lately has been because you've been doing good for Asgard."
Loki narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything in regards to her thinly veiled insult.
"I see you are doing your best to convert Linn into a lady of the court," he ruffled Linn's hair and she swatted his hand with a laugh. Fulla's lips pursed and her eyes narrowed.
"Linnea," she hissed.
"What?" Linn asked.
"You know, princess," the older woman turned to Maisy, "There are plenty of noble ladies in the court who would be more than willing to assist you. It would be a great honor for any of them."
"Uh," Maisy blushed at the word princess, "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm good."
"As you wish," Fulla curtsied again and then glared at Linn, who snapped to attention faster than any soldier, "I will be checking in with this one on a daily basis."
"Right, right, course, yes ma'am," Linn nodded stiffly and sent a sly wink to Maisy.
"Norns," Fulla pinched the bridge of her nose, "Good day Your Highnesses."
"Bye," Maisy said.
"Good day, Lady Fulla," Loki replied.
When the stern woman left Linn fell into a slouch immediately and rolled her eyes. Maisy and Loki also seemed to breathe a little easier and Linn was fairly certain she heard Bjorn sigh with relief.
"Who was that?" Maisy asked.
"My mother's old lady-in-waiting," Loki said, "Lady Fulla. The terror, I thought the one upside of my mother's death was that I would never have to see Fulla again."
"She said you was like her nephew," Linn commented.
"A nephew who could do no right," Loki agreed, "But at least with her I was Thor's equal. She nagged at him just as much as she nagged at me. And now she won't even talk to him."
"Why not?"
"Because," he ran his fingers through Maisy's white and green hair, "He's courting a Midgardian."
"What's she have against Midgardians?"
"Her husband was killed by one long, long ago. So when Thor declared that he was in love with one she was furious and stopped talking to him," Loki smirked, "If Odin hadn't declared my assault on Midgard a horrendous act I do believe she would have congratulated me on killing so many people there."
"And now you're married to one," Maisy noted, wiping the smirk clean off his face, "So she hates you again?"
"That would be my guess."
"Great," Maisy planted her forehead against his shoulder and muttered into his jacket, "Just what I needed. Another Asgardian who hates me."
"Hey!" Linn decided it was time to talk of happier things, "Was your honeymoon the most romantic fing ever or what?"
"It was great," Maisy looked up with a slight smile, "I almost wish we could go back."
"Alas, we cannot hide away in the mountains forever," Loki kissed her forehead and Linn sighed happily at the sight. She was glad they weren't denying their feelings for each other any more. It was such a pain to watch them make goo goo eyes but never do anything about it. It seemed like it took them positively forever to realize they were in love, but now that they'd admitted it they were inseparable.
"So," Linn rocked on her heels, "As your lady's maid, I already unpacked all of your stuff."
"Oh," Maisy blinked, "Um, thanks."
"You're welcome. I also got a dress ready for you for dinner. Lemme know when you wanna put it on and I can help you out."
"Okay… you know, I can probably manage."
"If you're sure," Linn nodded in a business like fashion, "I do have a question before I leave you to your smooching."
"We aren't just going to be sitting around kissing," Maisy laughed.
"Sure, sure," Linn nodded, "I bet you did plenty of that in the mountains."
"What is your question?" Loki asked.
"Right," Linn gestured to herself, "So, as a lady's maid to the princess of Asgard, what's my dress code? 'Cause I can keep wearing my laundry lavenders, but you know somefing else might be kinda fun, right?"
"I honestly don't give a… actually," Loki flicked his hand at her, "Green. Obviously."
"Cool," Linn looked down at her dress, which was now green and looked peculiar with her pink skin, "We're like a little green family."
"Right…"
"Kay, well, wif dat sorted is there anyfing else I can do for you?"
"I don't think so," Maisy smiled at her friend, "Thanks for your help though."
"Course," Linn chirped and then gently punched Bjorn in the arm, "See you at dinner later, eh?"
He nodded, flicking a quick glance at the royal couple. Linn grinned and flaunced down the hall, very pleased with her new position.
When she was gone Loki turned to Bjorn and regarded him skeptically.
"I have never had the chance to address you about courting Linn," Loki crossed his arms and Bjorn swallowed nervously, "What exactly are your intentions toward her?"
"She's my friend," Bjorn replied, "I'd never hurt her if that's what you mean."
"You'd best hope you never do anything that could be interpreted as hurting her or you'll find a knife through your-"
"Leave him alone, Loki," Maisy opened the door to their room and grabbed his arm, pulling him in, "You're doing fine, Bjorn!"
"Thanks?"
Loki entered the room grumbling about how he never got to threaten anyone anymore and the door closed behind him. Bjorn relaxed a little and rolled his eyes at the couple's antics. He jumped to attention again when the door opened a moment later and Maisy popped her head out.
"But seriously," she said, eyes narrowing, "Lay an inappropriate hand on Linn and I'll sic Loki on you. Or, maybe Sif."
"Yes, Your Highness," Bjorn winced, picturing Lady Sif ripping him to shreds.
Maisy smiled brightly.
"Okay, have a nice day!"