The morning came with much yelling and squawking. Firstly, from the chickens when Cecelia headed out in the morning to tend to them. Then, later, when Edel saw the sight of her skirts.
"Mud! Mud on your skirts! For goodness sakes child, we are going to the royal palace not a scullery! Change that mess at once! I'm trying to get my daughter a husband, after all!" And she beat Cecelia back into the kitchen with her skirts.
Cecelia bit back her tongue to avoid pointing out that if Edel wanted her skirts to remain clean, perhaps she shouldn't assign her so much yard work. And if she wanted her to have a ready supply of clean dresses, she should give her more then the two smocks she was allowed.
Nonetheless, Cecelia kept her mouth shut and retired quickly to her room, where she did her best to scrub off the excess mud and chicken droppings into the washbowl. There wasn't much, and her other dress had already been packed, so this would have to do for now.
By the time she returned to the main hall, Edel was too busy yelling at the poor carriage boy who had been sent to fetch them to notice the hem of Cecelia's dress.
"What do you mean my husband isn't with you? He said he'd be coming to accompany us to the palace!"
"I am sorry ma'am," stuttered the carriage boy nervously. "But as I have already said, Master Igor was caught up in a meeting with the king and could not make it. He will be waiting for you at the palace, however, and I assure you I can get you and your daughter to the palace safely."
Edel 'humped' rather loudly and spun away from him to yell at their butler, who was heaving a trunk nearly as large as himself into the back of the carriage.
"Mother! Mother!" shirked Astrior, dashing down the front steps of the house. "Have you seen my eye charcoal? I cannot find it anywhere! I am simply beside myself!"
"No no dear, of course I haven't. Why would I have it?"
"Well who else could have taken it?" cried Astrior, near to tears. With a dawn of realization, she suddenly turned onto Cecelia. "You, girl. You were packing my bags. Did you pack away my eye charcoal?"
Cecelia took a step back from Astrior's accusatory stare. Quickly, she tried to think back to her packing. "I do believe I put it in your traveling case, m'lady."
"You fool!" exclaimed Astrior. "I had specifically left that case on my desk so I could complete my look before departure! Now I am going to be making one of the most important meetings of my life, and I am going to have dull eyes while I do it!"
"There, dear, you mustn't fuss, you'll ruin your curls." said Edel soothingly. "You can unpack and apply it as soon as we arrive. But we mustn't take time to unpack now; it will do no good to appear tardy." And throwing Cecelia a scathing look, Edel led her beloved child into the carriage.
Cecelia sighed deeply, dreading her ride beside those two in the cramped carriage.
After helping the butler secure the bags and assuring everything was tidy and safe for their trip, Cecile mounted the carriage as well, and tried to make herself small against the back of the carriage. Edel and Astrior ignored her the entire ride, gossiping amongst themselves about gowns and the best ways to catch the prince's attention.
Cecile was quite happy to be left alone, as she usually was. She used the time of peace to stare at the passing countryside. They passed mansions every so often, interspaced with more moderate dwelling places for the lesser folk throughout. The noble manors grew in size and embellishment as they grew closer to the palace.
When they finally arrive, Cecelia gazed up in awe at the grandest mansion yet. The palace seemed to be nearly glowing, so covered was it in gold. Cecelia had heard tales of its grandeur and beauty from her stepfather on his trips back home, but she had never imagined such greatness. She was eager to see the king and queen, and if their beauty matched the tales often told about them. Also the princes, whom she had never seen either, but whom she had heard were quite the handsome duo.
A royal butler approached the carriage and introduced himself, releasing the carriage boy of his duties.
"Your bags will be brought up to your rooms, and I will take you there myself. Your husband will be joining you there soon, Mrs., and you are all invited to dine with the king's family in the royal hall tonight."
As they made their way through the castle, Edel overpowered the butler with grand compliments about the palace, while Astiror shielded her unleaded eyes from view as best she could with her hand and hair.
Cecelia, however, walked a few steps behind them, looking around the place with interest. Guards made regular routes around the halls, their swords and armor glinting whenever they passed one of the massive windows. As they passed a large porch, Cecelia got a breathtaking view of the rainbow bridge leading to the bifrost.
Although such a massive castle surely needed many servants to attend to it, Cecile never caught more then a glimpse of a maid or butler ducking into a room or a back staircase. She assumed the servant entrances and quarters were another completely underground society within the walls of the castle, and out in the main living quarters servants were only seen if they were accompanying their noble.
"Here we are," claimed the butler at last, leading them to large white double-doors. "Mrs. Edel, this is your husbands' room, where you will be staying with him. Mistress Astrior, your room is across the hall. Your room has an accompanying chamber for your handmaiden, of course."
"Thank-you kind sir, this will be lovely," cut in Edel. "Thank-you for the tour, we must excuse ourselves now to freshen up."
"Of course, if you need anything else, let one of our servants know, and they will be happy to assist you." Bowing low, the butler turned and walked away.
"Well," chimed Edel, turning to her daughter and clapping her hands together delightedly. "This is quite nice, isn't it? Now you must prepare yourself, daughter. Igor tells me that the royal family always dines together, and as you heard the butler say, we will be eating with the king tonight. Prepare yourself to see the prince. First impressions count for everything, dear, so be sure you are ready. I myself am going to have a bit of a lie-down; I am feeling rather tired from travel. I will come check on you before we leave for dinner."
Astrior nodded solemnly, and continued to look at floor.
"And you," snarled Edel, acknowledging Cecelia for the first time since they had left their own home. "Unpack Astrior's things and help her fix her hideous makeup. Once you have prepared her rooms, come to mine. I'll need you to unpack my bags, clear my bedchambers, and freshen my sitting rooms. You know I cannot begin to think unless my rooms are exactly the way I like them."
"Yes ma'am," agreed Cecelia, curtsying deeply to her stepmother.
Edel flounced off to her rooms, and Cecelia led Astrior to the rooms assigned to her. As Cecelia opened the door, she caught her breath. The room was spacious and golden, with every possible beauty imaginable. The bed was soft and hung with lacy curtains, the closet was huge, and off to the left the window doors opened to a huge deck.
Cecelia looked in awe at the majestic scene around her, and just for a moment was lost in pure adoration for the palace.
Then Astrior pushed past her and began rustling in her bags.
"Close the door you lazy girl! And get my bags unpacked! How am I supposed to do a thing in this mess?"
Cecelia sighed. "Yes mistress," she nodded, hurrying forward to help Astrior search for her eye charcoal.
For the rest of the day, Cecelia was shooed around by her stepmother and stepsister. They had her unpack their bags, arrange their gowns and makeup counters, and clean their bathrooms over again because Edel claimed the palace staff hadn't done it well enough.
After that they had to bath, have their hair and makeup perfected, and be lavishly dressed for their meal.
It took Cecelia at least an hour to choose an outfit Astrior would agree to wearing, and even then she was not completely satisfied. She spent half the night yelling at Cecelia to move faster and the other half reminding her that she was out to get a husband, after all.
After all of the mess, Cecelia would have been happy to be left alone to go to bed with her thoughts. She felt achy and sore, and didn't fancy the idea of trying to make herself presentable for the royal family. Of course, Edel insisted.
"What if Astrior should need something at dinner? You forget this is her entire future we are talking about! You must go and be there for her!"
So, at seven o clock, tired, grudging, and feeling rather irked at the world, Cecelia entered the main hall of the palace with the rest of her family.
She was there as Astrior's handmaiden, of course, so she took up a position standing along the wall of the dinning hall while her family were shown to her seats.
Cecelia choose a place she could stand so she was somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle, but could still see what was going on. She might be tired, but Astrior was going to try to catch the eye of some of the most important people in Asgard tonight. Cecelia was sure she wouldn't want to miss it.
"King Odin, and Queen Frigga!" announced the guard by the door, and everyone rose as the king and his wife entered the dinning hall.
The pair looked just as important and royal as Cecelia would have expected. King Odin's missing eye only added to his look of wise authority, and Frigga was as beautiful and fair as the land described her.
"Prince Thor, son of Odin, and Prince Loki!" announced the guard.
Cecelia nearly yelped in surprise. Marching in through the dinning room door was—Loki! Her Loki!
Despite looking much more serious now, his face dressed in a frown rather then a laugh, there was no mistaking prince Loki for the man she had met and danced with in the forest only the day before.
Cecile was frozen in place. As she watched the royal family take their seats, she felt her heart flutter strangely.
He had never mentioned that he was a prince. Of course, to be fair, she had never asked. She assumed something like that would be expected in the introductions.
Would he remember her? She felt her pulse race as she tried to catch the prince's eye.
What would Edel say if she knew Cecelia was on talking terms with the Prince of Asgard? After trying so hard to get her own daughter into that kind of position? Cecelia nearly laughed to herself in glee.
Loki was not focusing on the introductions being made at the main table. His eyes glazed over Astrior and her mother, only pausing long enough to nod his head respectfully in their direction.
Cecile caught her breath as his eyes began sliding towards her-any moment now he would see her, and he would be sure to recognize her.
What would he think? All of a sudden, Cecelia wanted nothing more then to disappear. She had been dressed as a noble lady when he had met her! In a gown and makeup stolen from her step-sister in an attempt to hold on to the happy past when her father was alive, and she had such fine things for herself.
She was no noble lady, and now he would know.
But there was nothing she could do about it. She could not flee from the dinning hall, as that would only draw more attention from herself, and she could not hide her face. She just needed to wait and see how Prince Loki reacted.
She needn't have worried, however. Loki's eyes passed right over her and on to the entrance to the kitchens, where servants baring steaming plates of food were now entering.
"Let us eat!" proclaimed Odin, and everyone took their seats.
Loki had done an excellent job of hiding the fact that they knew one another. But as the night went on, Cecelia began to wonder if he truly was simply pretending, or if he really didn't recognize her.
Despite her trying to catch his eye many times throughout the meal, Loki never showed any hint of recognition. When Astrior called her forward and asked for her help arranging a stray curl, Loki merely ignored her. He never acknowledged in any way that he had shared a dance with her in the forest.
Odin and Igor talked on an on about affairs in Asgard. Astrior tried flirting with prince Thor many times by showing off her dazzling lipsticked smile. Edel shouted loudly compliments to the king and queen, sucking down wine by the glass as she did so. And through it all, Loki stubbornly ignored Cecelia, keeping focused instead on his food.
His expression was forced and somewhat sour; very different from the laughing man Cecelia had met in the woods. He might look a little different, but she could easily recognize him. Why didn't he recognize her?
It was because of her look, she realized with a sinking feeling. She had looked like a noble woman before. She no longer did. When she had been a glamorous woman in a golden dress with makeup, he had noticed her. But now, she was just a servant, and he would never try to make conversation with such a person.
heh
By the end of the night, Cecelia was more then ready to retire up to her chambers, help Astrior ready for bed, and hide herself away in her small, closet-like extension of Astrior's room.
Flinging herself onto her bed, Cecelia began to cry. She had been hurt earlier, when the butler had assumed right away that she was Astrior's handmaiden without a second thought. But Loki's non-recognition stung much more.
There was a time when she had been more. She had been a noble woman. She had learned all of the noble things, like needlework and proper greeting. Her father and her had been kings in their dominion. They had attended parties together, danced, and laughed. She had been in a magical world where a bright future awaited her.
If only her father hadn't died. If only she hadn't been left in the wretched care of her stepmother.
Now she was nobody. A nothing that people didn't bother to look at or to ask its name. That was all she would ever be to anyone, Loki included.
He never wanted to know her, he wanted to know the girl who wore a beautiful gown and danced in the forest in elegant shoes with highlighted cheeks.
Cecelia rolled onto her side and buried her face into her pillow as more tears fell. Silently, she cried herself to sleep.
A/N- Aww! That was a sad ending. :( Don't worry, it gets better soon! But it has to get a little bit worse first...
So I've decided on a posting plan for this story; look out for new chapters every Saturday and Wednesday! Things might change as my time fluxuates, but that's what I'm aiming to stick to! Thank-you all for reading, and please leave me a review if you feel like it! I love hearing what people have to say! :)
