Asgard
A week later King Loki returned to Asgard, taking his new pet with him. Katrina was tired already. She had taken the place of most of the team of chamber maids bar two. She cleaned the king's chambers, brought water for his bath (why the hell they didn't have taps she didn't know), collected his meals, washed his garments, transported any books he required from the library, carried his letters to various occupants of the palace, all before collapsing onto her hard bed in a small room off from his own (positioned in case he required anything at any hour of the night). Usually she managed to achieve four hours sleep before her gruelling routine began again.
Being transported through space was not as comfortable as she was expecting. Katrina felt as though her insides had been jerked out of her in the process, which knocked her sick. Struggling to hold onto her stomach contents she looked at her surroundings in awe. She could not deny the beauty of the strange world. As the group entered the palace the king's slave stared up at the high gold ceiling. For a moment she was certain the place must have been built by giants, but then she realised it was probably magic. Turning her gaze on the back of her king's head she wondered if he had changed the palace much after he had stolen his thrown. This palace was so much more beautiful than the one he had made from Buckingham Palace. Ornate gold arches delicately held large wooden doors. There was little green in comparison to the overwhelming walls of his courtroom on Earth, but still a decorative splash here or there. And everywhere there were exotic plants covered in colourful flowers. She doubted this was his design other than the green curtains.
By nightfall she had got her bearings. She knew where the library, laundry room, kitchen, and bedchambers were. Katrina could carry out her duties now she knew such things. Carrying a large bucket of water she hurried down a corridor to the king's chamber. She left the water to heat over the fire in his room whilst she retrieved another. She made sure both were at the optimum temperature before pouring them into the large tub in his bathroom with the help of some of the larger team of chambermaids (which she was increasingly grateful for). The king entered and began to strip causing Katrina to flee the room. He chuckled at her actions and ordered one particular chambermaid to stay and help him bathe.
Later as they prepared his bed for him, he demanded the same chambermaid stay as he dismissed the others. Katrina thanked God that it had once again not been her. She was determined that that was one thing he would not take from her. Remaining a virgin for five years as a slave had been a huge struggle, but she had been successful. Although she knew and dreaded that the day would come when she could not shake off the advances of an Agardian lord who had deemed it his right to have her.
Collapsing into bed she tried to block out the noises from the king's chamber and willed sleep to overcome her. She woke up the next morning barely rested but grateful for the little sleep she had managed once the animal noises had stopped from the adjoining room and a door had slammed shut behind the unfortunate chambermaid. The slave quickly prepared herself for her second day in Asgard pandering to the needs of her king. This would never get easier, she was adamant, but it was bearable.
Days became weeks and weeks became months in the magnificent palace and Katrina settled into her role worryingly well. Collecting the tray supporting the king's morning meal, Katrina smiled at the kitchen staff that she was friendly with. Lost in thought she transported the meal to the king's chambers. He was a better master than she had expected. He never beat her (although she assumed he would if she messed up), and he had made sure she was fed and cared for well enough. Knocking lightly on the huge wooden doors of his bedchamber, she shifted the heavy weight of the tray so as to maintain her hold on it. Once King Loki called for her to enter she stepped through the door. Katrina had not known of the garments he had thrown on the ground by the door the night before, so was not prepared to avoid them as she entered. Her feet became tangled in one item of clothing causing her to momentarily stumble, losing her grip on the tray.
The crash was loud enough to jolt her into action. She dropped to the floor, muttering apologies and scraping up the shattered remains of a plate and cup. Katrina waited for the beating that was coming as he stalked over to her. She hadn't noticed that she had clenched her fists around the shards of pottery. Nor had she noticed the shards bite into the skin on her palms. Nor had she noticed the blood trickling between her fingers. She merely scrunched her eyes closed as tight as she could and waited for the pain.
So she naturally flinched when a gentle but firm hand began prying her fists open. Opening her eyes, Katrina looked down in shock as pale slender fingers picked small pieces of the plate and cup from her flesh. Knelt in front of her was King Loki, face cryptic as he began to heal her palm with his magic. Mouth still agape in shock and confusion, Katrina thanked the man she had thought a monster. She shook herself clear of such thoughts. He was still a monster, even if he did heal his pets. Once he was finished Loki looked up at her and smiled slightly. He gave her a strange look, as if perplexed by her fear. His deep green eyes sparkling in a way she hadn't seen before.
Realising her hand was still in his, she thanked him quietly before removing her hand. For a moment he seemed disappointed by the action, before his usual neutral expression returned to his face. He nodded and stood, then pulled her up by the arm gently. She cleaned her mess up and returned to the kitchen to collect another tray full of food.
Katrina desperately tried to ignore the pounding in her chest, dismissing it as nothing more than adrenaline and fear. It was a natural reaction to her situation. But as she placed Loki's food down on his table, she smiled at him for the first time without an ounce of bitterness. As she went to leave she looked back at him once more to find him watching her with that same strange glint in his eyes. She knew then that she was in deeper trouble than she had ever been before.