Chapter 2

Castle was place of constant motion. Servants were up and about their endless errands to this magnificent place. As Harvest Celebration approached next day everything seem to be buzzing with cheerful excitement.

Frey was exploring the castle this morning. Despite her parents warnings not to go anywhere far without servant or one of them, she had to go on her own.

It was great to have her father and her brother there now, at least for evening meal, since they were busy with their duties during the day.

As she was walking, she was thinking of events of previous day on Royal courtyard.

Thor was very friendly, and rest of other boys as well. Except Loki. She felt fury just thinking about this sullen prince. Why was he so mean to her? As she remember

no matter how hard was her attempts to escape and hide he always seem to be right there, his face lit with mischief as he would say

"You can run,but you can't hide!" Bursting into evil laughter

Game would probably would continue for a long time if Sif wouldn't fell down and hurt herself slightly.

"I grow tired of this this game!" She said, pouting her lips" let's go" and she dragged her new friend away

"You know, It's not fun anymore to play with Loki, he will never let anyone win! And he uses magic" Sif said with annoyed voice, moving big black curl of hair off her face.

"Magic?" Asked Freya, now intrigued

"Yes, he spends majority of his mornings in the library, studying, and Queen herself teaching him. I heard he is getting quite good at it. But I think it's cheating, when we gather and play" Sif sniffed. She wasn't very found of Loki, it seemed.

"My parents won't allow me to study magic.." Said Frey with sad voice

"Not all parents allow it, but it's more accessible here, you should see Royal Library! We can sneak there and read books on magic together! " she said with anticipation of new forbidden adventure. She was really beginning to like her new found friend.

But this morning Freya felt like to go and explore this magnificent place by herself. She told her mother she would be in the garden right outside and felt a little guilty lying, but she felt like she had to make sacrifices in order to really learn about this

Environment.

As she was walking down big hall with one side completely open to view of Asgard. Big statues of Gods and other creatures made out what seem like marble and gold were there to serve as columns. Size of everything in the castle made her feel insignificant, but it didn't let it bother her little bit. She was part of it now and big smile spread across her pretty face as she thought of it.

"Frey!" She turned around and saw Thor running towards her with some sort of weapon looking object.

"How do you find our Palace?"

"Everything seem so large and surreal and absolutely beautiful, you so lucky you lived here all of your life, Thor!" She said smiling

"Yes, it's great, what are you doing later, are you going to come and play today?" He moved to subject more interesting to him

"I will try.." She said still feeling uneasy from Loki's teasing.

He saw look on her face and said

"Don't pay attention to my brother, you get use to him. We will see you later today!" Without letting her answer he turned around and ran away

She kept exploring the castle until finally to find herself lost. This part of lower level now seem to be more dark and intimidating and there were almost no one around. She shivered as she heard something behind her. Freya turned around and no one was there. She walked faster now, eager to get back to her chambers as she heard footsteps again. She turned just to see no one there again

"Are you lost, like a little mouse in the labyrinth ?" She heard Loki's sarcastic voice behind.

"Not at all!" She lied, turning to face this small evil prince

"Yes, you are, and just for your future knowledge - you can't lie to me" his face was smug and proud of himself.

She felt a little embarrassed and almost little scared, just like little mouse he called her. Little mouse in front of a predator cat. But she decided not to show her intimidation for him as she said

"Well, maybe, i am, a little lost. After all i am new here and it's not nice of you to scare people in the dark halls"

"Are you scared.. little mouse?" He was teasing her now stretching out each word

"Of you? Or course not! You cant scare me, Loki" she tried to keep her voice calm, but her pulse quickened.

" I bet I can" he said with silky voice, moving slowly towards her his eyes not leaving hers. Her cheeks flashed bright red and her knees felt weak for overpowering intimidation.

She didn't know if she should ran away or continue his mind game.

"Let's play cat and mouse. You will be mouse and I will be a cat. I will count to 10 to let you run away and escape..from me" he said darkly.

Before Freya could respond he announce" One.." Piercing through her with his green eyes

Before her brain could comprehend she was running. She never ran this fast in her life as she heard his slow counting.

She ran and ran. Up the stairs down the hall, to the left, then again down another hall as she turned left to stumble right at Loki.

"How..?"

She turned and started running opposite directions as to stumble right at him again.

One by one more copies of him started appearing everywhere as he burst into laughter. All of identical copies of Loki were laughing. Her head started to spin, as she felt like she was in some sort of mad dream.

"I told you, you can run but you can't hide" one of them whispered in her ear and suddenly illusion was gone. She looked around, gasping for breath, to find the hall completely empty.

As She finally broke out of her frozen guise she turned around and dash without stoping all the way to her chambers.