The kingdom of Asgaurd lay shining in the sun one day. Peace had finally been restored to the kingdom after years of fighting with Jotunheim. Loki, Odin, and Thor had returned victorious, and the celebrations had lasted for a week. Order restored, Asgaurd resumed it's normal ebb and flow of life. Children still resisted their school work; housewives still complained about the price of eggs, and Odin still sat on his throne.
Loki and Frigga sat in her luxurious apartments, playing a game of chess.
"Loki!" exclaimed Frigga, not missing the slight of hand Loki had just performed in order to gain the upper hand in the game.
"What?" he looked back at her, feigning innocence.
"That's cheating," responded Frigga, trying(and failing) to make her expression serious. But Loki's mischief was endearing to her. He never acted out of malice; he only meant fun. Loki only chuckled softly in reply, replacing the pieces to the proper, fair positions.
Suddenly a great boom echoed off of the Bifrost.
"Odd," said Frigga, rising to cross to the window. She and Loki watched as a figure came striding across the Rainbow Bridge.
"it's Father!" exclaimed Loki.
"he hadn't told me he was leaving," mused Frigga.
Thor came striding into the room, without even pausing to knock. Frigga cluked her tongue impatiently.
"Who is it?" Thor asked, not bothering to temper his voice.
"It's father. He's returned. Do you know where he went?" asked Loki.
Thor only shook his head.
Suddenly a servant appeared at the doorway and bowed.
"your majesty, my princes. The king requests your presence in the throne room."
Frigga looked at her sons.
"Looks like we won't have to wonder for long."
The group made their way to the throne room, and the huge wooden doors creaked open as the three strode in.
Odin sat at his throne, a ragged figure beside him. As they grew closer, they could see that it was a young girl, only fifteen or sixteen years old. She was filthy, her hair disheveled, and she was dressed in the most ragged dress that Frigga, Thor, and Loki had ever seen.
"Where were you, father?" Thor asked, confused.
"I was making a quiet tour of my realm, and I came across this young lady. I don't know what happened to her, it seems she cannot speak."
Frigga looked at the young girl with compassion. She was clearly exhausted, and swayed slightly on the spot as though she would collapse at any moment. Her eyes were wide with terror and confusion, and there was blood on her forehead from what looked like a deep cut.
"Please sit down, dear." She offered politely, not wishing to frighten her.
The girl sat on the steps.
"What's your name? Where are you from? What is your business in Asgaurd?" Thor demanded.
"Thor," Frigga warned.
Without warning, the girl burst into tears, great heaving sobs wracking her body.
Loki stared. He had never seen grief like this, not even from the wives of fallen warriors after the battle of Jotunheim.
Frigga sat down next to the girl and put her arms around her, rubbing her back.
"Will you give us a moment, please?" she asked her husband and sons.
Without a word, the three men exited the room, even Odin. He knew that Frigga's maternal instincts were exactly what the girl needed, and having to answer questions from four strangers and servants looking on were only going to make the girl more upset.
As the girl's sobs subsided, Frigga drew out a handkerchief and handed it to the girl, who rubbed her face and nose with it.
"Now," Frigga said kindly, "Why don't we start with the simple things first. Can you tell me your name?"
"Hanne," said the girl, hiccupping slightly.
"Welcome to Asgaurd, Hanne," said Frigga, smiling.
"My name is Frigga. I am the queen of Ausgaurd. My husband, Odin, you have already met. The two men with me were Thor and Loki, my sons."
Hanne nodded in reply that she understood.
"Can you tell me where you're from?"
"Asgaurd. Odin found me." She replied.
"Odin found you?"
"Yes. My mom –" she could not continue.
"what happened, darling?" Frigga asked quietly.
"My father died when I was small. It's just been me and mother for as long as I can remember, but a few weeks ago my mother – she left. She just up and left." Hanne started to weep in earnest.
Frigga sighed and put her arms around the girl again, letting her cry.
Finally, Hanne regained her composure and carried on with her story.
"I had been wandering in the woods for a couple of days when Odin found me, and asked what had happened to me. I had no family to go to, nowhere to live. Odin said he knew of people who would take care of me. And he took me here."
Frigga schooled her face into a look of polite concern, but inside she was fuming. Who was this woman to abandon her own child?
"Well, my dear, you are absolutely safe now, and I can promise you that you are among friends who desire nothing but your good." She said, squeezing Hanne's hand gently.
"You look exhausted, my dear. I believe a bath and a warm bed are required. And a visit to the healers – that cut on your forehead concerns me."
"No, really, you don't have to –" started Hanne.
But the queen would brook no opposition. After a visit to the healers, who cleaned and stitched up Hanne's cut (an entirely painless process, to her surprise), she was lead to her own room, which was more luxurious than any home she had been in in her life. Servants drew a bath for her in an enormous marble tub, and strew rose petals and sprigs of lavender into the hot water.
"Thank you very much," said Hanne, expecting to be left to her own devices. But a maid servant stepped forward and said politely, "may I take your clothing, my lady? I would be happy to bring you a fresh gown."
Hanne stared. She had read about palaces and kings and how the royal court was expected never to have to lift a finger, but this was an experience entirely alien to her.
Hesitantly, she removed her outer tunic. The maidservant had discreetly looked away, and Hanne stripped off the rest of her clothing and hurried into the enormous bath.
It smelled heavenly and Hanne sighed as a servant began to scrub her shoulders with a sweet-smelling soap.
"You have lovely hair my lady," said a maid servant kindly, scrubbing Hanne's scalp clean. The woman looked to be in about her forties, and had salt-and-pepper hair and a round, kind face.
"er, thanks," said Hanne uncertainly, unused to being addressed as "lady."
Suddenly a though struck her.
"I'm so sorry! I only this minute realized I don't know any of your names," she said, blushing slightly.
The older woman smiled. "I'm Eir, and this is Gudrun," she said motioning towards a young woman in her mid-twenties, who looked up from arranging a gown on the bed and smiled warmly at Hanne.
"We will be your maidservants, my lady. Anything you need, just ask." Said Eir.
"Thank you," said Hanne appreciatively. "I mean it, thank you for doing all this. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before–" the weight of the past few days came crashing down on her, and she struggled against tears. Eir squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.
Hanne was helped out of the bath and wrapped in an enormous warm towel. She was lead over to the bed, and was dressed in a long nightgown that she knew was called a chemise.
As she crawled into the enormous bed, she whispered her thanks to Eir and Gudrun over and over. She was asleep within minutes.