The hall was brightly lit and most of its occupants were in their respective chambers getting ready for the feast at the palace. The servants busier than usual, running from one end of the hall to the other.

Council member Malloram needed more starch in his collar and his eldest daughter Cassiopeia wanted a light snack before they left as she had been unable to eat during the day as she was so nervous about tonight's feast and his other daughter Diana needed a calming draft to calm her own nerves, bless her, her first feast at the palace and she had been too nervous to eat for the previous two days. His son Tyrell needed help finding his new sword and his youngest daughter needed cheering up as she was the only one of the family not attending the feast at the palace as she was not of age yet to enjoy such affairs.

The only person preparing for the feast who was not a son or daughter of the house was Malloram's niece Regina. She had her own maid to fetch and carry for her if she needed anything but it appeared that she need nothing for no one within the hall had seen either of them for hours.

The hall had been a hive of bustling activity all day for the councilman and his family had never been invited to the place for a feast before and they were eager to make a good impression upon the Odin and his queen.

Malloram's son had not been looking forward to attending the feast until a few hours ago when, unexpectedly a few hours ago a lady friend had asked to join their party in the family carriage, such a stroke of luck he thought receiving a request from that particular young woman.

He was head over heels in love with the said lady and had been ever since he had met her a year before at another feast held by a dear friend of his. She had not given him any encouragement then but now he had come of age and was a man in his own right now and would even set up his own household if he was of a mind to and he could ask this lady to marry him now he had reached his majority!

His sister Cassiopeia was also thinking about her age and what it meant for her, she was eager to find a husband to share her life with, there had been a few offers but none that she could consider seriously, she knew that her parents hoped that she would marry someone of high standing at the court.

As Cassiopeia's thoughts turned to those whom her parents hoped she would marry she could not help thinking of her cousin Regina, she should have be married by now she had had plenty of offers and it wasn't as if she had been willing to accept even one offer. She had been more than willing but for some reason or other none of the offers had been accepted. Then there was her own sister Diana who would also be her competitor as well her cousin when it came to making a good marriage and she knew it would not be long before her youngest sister would be of an age when offers would be made for her.

Cassiopeia was pretty but not as striking as her younger sister or cousin who both shared raven locks that a few of their family had unlike most Aesir who were golden haired like Cassiopeia was and she was determined to find a potential husband at tonight's feast if it killed her.


A/N: I know this chapter was smaller than the previous one but the next one will be longer.