A/N: Hello readers! I hope that, as this story continues, you are starting to understand Krista's character a bit more. I've been putting a lot of effort into trying to guess what wouldn't come naturally to a secluded girl like her, and I think this chapter answers one more of those. ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters herein mentioned who belong to Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics. I only own Krista Eriksdottir, a few minor OCs, and the main plot.
Face-claims for this chapter:
Leda [leda]: Lily James;
Nanna [nana]: Daisy Ridley;
Odin [odin]: Anthony Hopkins.
10. The beginning of something strange
Baldr was right: it did take the King and Queen of Asgard another fifteen years to properly plan his engagement party. For eleven years, bakers, cooks and brewers went to and fro the palace to make the royal family taste their delicacies, until finally Frigga settled on three of the best. Then from there, everything went quickly.
Meanwhile, Krista watched the column of artisans that presented themselves at the spike-littered building from afar, wondering what it looked like inside. It wasn't the first time she did, for in 70 years she had never been allowed in. Was it entirely made of gold? Were the floors made of marble as they were in the Haven?
"Stop daydreaming and come over here, Krista…"
The water-bender turned around and rolled her eyes. She had invested Fyrien's room for the afternoon, as they were both to get ready and go to the feast together. Her healer friend had obviously been called in as her plus one, and she could definitely say that Fyrien had never looked more excited in her life.
Leda, one of their 'sisters' who was training as a handmaiden, was currently doing the brunette's hair. She was braiding it very close to the skull on one side, and leaving it flowing on the other, making Fyrien look like one of those paintings of Valkyries that could be found in the training quarters.
"And what should I occupy myself with when you are still getting pampered?"
Fyrien rolled her eyes without moving her head one inch. "Get dressed, that will be one thing less to do."
"I don't like the dress you've chosen."
"You never like anything I choose. Put it on, Krista Eriksdottir, or I'll force you into it!"
Leda chuckled, and Krista had to admit that the situation was indeed quite funny. She sighed and threw her hands in the air in a dramatic way before grabbing the material laid down on the bed. Fyrien had chosen a pale blue gown to 'compliment your eyes' with an armoured silver corset that would cover the left side of her chest entirely and the right side from just over her breast. With it came one silver bracer and a couple of silver feathers with tones of blue to be placed in her hair.
Despite Krista's first indications that blue for the colour meant for kings and queens and princes and princesses, Fyrien had said that the gown was in fact cornflower blue, and that it had absolutely nothing to do with royal blue. Kris had been forced to trust her judgment.
"I still can't believe you are dressing me as a warrior."
"You are a warrior. Now stop whining and put it on."
Really, sometimes, Fyrien's 350 years of age showed…
When both ladies were dressed and pampered thanks to Leda's magical hands, they got out of the Haven and into the crowd of people who hurried to the palace.
Krista thought that there was no way in Hel that all those commoners had been invited and granted passage into the spike-lined building; but rather that they had come to pay their respect regardless.
And sure enough, as they got closer to the main entrance, weaving their way through while trying not to wrinkle their outfits too much, Fyrien pointed at a pile of various objects, flowers and foods that was being fed by all those who passed next to it. One would get close, put something on the pile, bow to the entrance of the palace, then retreat.
Three guards stood post in the massive golden archway as both young women reached it. They let a single man in armour pass in front of them, and then raised their spears when the two women approached.
"Names," one of them boomed, his voice amplified by the helmet of his armour.
"Krista Eriksdottir. I was invited by Prince Baldr. This is my plus one."
One of the three guards checked a long parchment on which seemed to be noted down the names of the party's guests, and nodded before all three let them pass.
"I can't believe we're actually being let inside the King's house!" Fyrien's excitement hadn't died down with nerves, quite the contrary in fact.
Krista, on the other hand, had a knot in her throat, one of those provoked by unwanted and unneeded stress. Part of her expected the All-Father to see her, sneer at her, and make her go back to her world. It'd be the end of everything for her. But there was no reason to fear, was there?
Krista and Fyrien were led to a massive corridor by a serving-boy wearing regal blue. They got through a magnificent courtyard in the middle of which stood a fountain. On top of the fountain was a representation of Yggdrasil that seemed made of pure crystal.
The corridor was, for its part, decorated with golden statues of kings and queens past. Krista found them too intimidating, and joined the line that had formed at the entrance of what looked like a massive ballroom.
It appeared that people were let in two by two – or sometimes one by one, depending on whether or not they had come accompanied. A tall, red-haired man wearing orange and gold was reading out of a parchment, and when Krista and Fyrien reached him, he boomed their names loud and clear before letting them in.
If the courtyard and corridor had been ridiculously beautiful, this room was a work of art in itself. Dedicated to nature, it had a high ceiling which depicted flowers, trees and animals; and its pillars were covered in real ivy that climbed as high as it could, rendering the whole place eerie, as if it had been built inside the forest instead of the palace. The floor was made of marble, beige with tints of green.
Krista was in love immediately.
"My girls!" came the enchanted call a second after. They had been staring open-mouthed for long enough that the All-Mother herself had managed to reach them unnoticed. "I am glad to see you here! I did not know my son was intimate with either of you!"
Krista blushed a little. "Intimate would be too strong a word, Your Majesty."
"Nonsense," came the soothing voice of Baldr, who appeared behind his mother, clad in a tint of blue that brought out his eyes. "Krista Eriksdottir and I have often been going to the city's library at the same time, Mother. She and I have the most interesting conversations."
"I do not doubt it." Frigga smiled her motherly smile, and took one of the girl's hands in hers. "I'm sure you'll have fun. And if it is not the case, come and fetch me at once." They both bowed the head, and were left alone with Baldr, soon joined by his Nanna, who looked radiant.
"Congratulations are in order," Krista smiled, "although it was long in the making."
Nanna smiled, her gentle brown eyes lighting as Baldr took her hand and laced their fingers. "That's what we've been told."
"Your Highness, if I may," Fyrien asked, doe-eyed and blushing, "do you know when the wedding will take place?"
Baldr laughed loud and clear, and some guests turned the head at that, intrigued by what had their prince in such a mood. "It took my parents almost two decades to put this evening together, I think it safe to imagine that it'll take them at least a century to plan my wedding!"
Fyrien found herself laughing, although it looked like she hadn't meant to.
Baldr smiled again, then caught sight of someone over Krista's shoulder, and rolled his eyes. "If you'd excuse me, ladies, but my dearly beloved and I have to greet some of the worst people in this universe. I'll see you later."
Krista smiled at him, following his retreat as he approached a tall stern-looking man and a woman who looked to be his daughter – who was smiling like a bird of prey – and when he was gone, her eyes darted around the room in search for someone else she knew.
Soon enough, she found the tall and broad figure of Thor standing close to what looked like a buffet, his flock of friends – minus Lady Sif – laughing at one of his jokes. He had shed the full armour for the occasion, and was clad instead in a gold and red-rimmed tunic, his cape still secured to his shoulders though.
"If you are wondering if he looks more or less hideous wearing that, the answer is 'more'."
Krista whirled around and her eyes widened. Of course she should have expected Loki to attend his younger brother's engagement party, but she had forgotten. Frankly, she could have done without having him standing so close to her that she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye.
As usual, he was wearing his gold, green and black outfit, the line of gold highlighting the green of both the cloth and his eyes. He was wearing the exact same thing from their training sessions.
"Your Highness," Fyrien said in a small voice, bowing.
They had seen each other numerous times by then. Fyrien was sometimes fetching Krista from the training rooms, and Loki liked to make her jump by appearing in her back and spooking her. All in good humour though, thankfully. At least she hoped he was doing it in good humour…
Krista bowed the head but not the knees. "Prince Loki. I would say you look better than usual yourself, unfortunately, that'd be a lie, since I've seen you wear these exact same clothes for almost a century."
Fyrien opened her mouth in a silent horrified gasp, but Loki merely smirked, showing that his relationship with Krista was already different from the simple 'teacher-student' and 'prince-lesser' thing.
"Careful, Krista, or you may regret it…"
"I seriously doubt it." She smirked too, and then took Fyrien's hand. "Come Fyrien, let's find something to drink."
And as they walked away from Loki, Krista's friend leaned in and whispered a clear "You do have a death wish, Kris…" that made her laugh.
The party went on for hours. First, it was the greetings and the welcomes. Then the speeches, at which point the All-Father made his entrance and all in attendance bowed or curtsied. Krista, who had never seen him up close, was surprised to find a man who was greying at the temples, one eye hidden by a golden eye-patch, leaning on his staff.
He was still exuding power and confidence, though, and that was enough for him to gain her respect. Although she also made sure to remain as invisible as she could. She was not convinced that he wouldn't exile her upon seeing her yet.
After the speeches came the music, and Baldr and Nanna took to the floor to dance, joined by a group of others, all of which were part of the Prince's inner circle.
Krista's blood left her face when she realised she had never danced in her life and did not know how to whatsoever.
Fyrien was soon snatched off her side by a young Vanir, and with a grin, her friend let herself be stolen.
Krista, alone on the side, clutched her goblet of ale strongly, watching the dancers and wondering if she could memorize their steps without having to mimic them and be seen.
"You can't dance."
Krista swore and almost let go of her drink. "For your father's sake, Loki! Don't sneak up on me like that!"
The Prince smirked, eyes glistening with what she suspected was one too many drinks. "Don't pretend to change the subject. You can't dance, can you?"
Krista thought of denying. The words were on her tongue, but the look on his face told her he already knew she'd be bluffing. "I never had the opportunity to learn."
"Come then, it's not that hard." He outstretched a hand, and Krista stared at it blankly. Was he really expecting her to dance with him? Royalty? He must really have been drunk! "Come on, we'll go somewhere they won't see."
Krista damned herself as she took his hand. Something she had never done, and would probably never do again because, when he came back to his senses, Loki would realise he'd touched a lesser citizen and would cleanse his fingers with fire.
No, she wasn't overreacting.
Loki discreetly brought her to a side balcony, large enough for a group of twenty to stand on comfortably. He dropped Krista's hand and, with a wave of his hand, a wall of green appeared at the door, sealing their hide-away from the party inside.
The cool air helped Krista regain her senses, and mutter "What am I doing here, am I mad?"
"You probably are, but that's not what we're here to discuss."
Again Loki was standing too close, and in the night light, his eyes were almost dark blue. Krista had to remind herself that she could not afford finding a Prince attractive, and swallowed back a lump of something. "What do I do, then, Master of Dance?"
He grinned, teeth white-blue in the night, and took a step back. "First, the man bows to the woman, and she curtsies to him." He demonstrated, and Krista did as she was told. "Then, we'll take one step towards each other, and one step back." He demonstrated again, and Krista tried to remain in sync. "Now, we are going to circle each other. You'll come on my right and turn towards my left, like this," he walked forward and took Krista's right hand in his, placing it in the air next to them as he circled her, and once she had understood, Krista mimicked him.
This went on for minutes, maybe hours. Each time Krista felt like she was going to forget a step, they'd start from the top, and Loki never lost patience once. He truly was a good teacher, no matter the topic. Or maybe he was just too drunk to mind her clumsiness.
"Good, really good. I didn't expect you to manage like this on your first try…" he said mid-step, as Krista circled him one step at a time, "although you do have a good instructor."
"Don't flatter yourself," Krista rolled her eyes, "you already do that too often on a daily basis." She went back to facing him and curtsied, signifying the end of the dance. She'd probably have forgotten it in the morning, but it had been good fun nonetheless.
"How is our little experiment going, by the way?" he blurted as Krista was about to leave.
She raised a brow. "You mean my phasing through other people?" He nodded once. "I haven't managed to, ever since that day."
"For fifteen years?! You haven't been succeeding at least once, for fifteen years?" Loki tutted, invading her personal space again. "You have to try again. On someone non-magical. It'll work, and we can move on to the next part of our training."
"Is there a next part?" Krista's voice had dropped an octave, and she had no idea why.
"I'll tell you about it later." Loki smiled gently, and offered her his hand. "One last dance?"
She was about to accept, wondering why she was, when there was a sound like a bilgesnipe barging through the ballroom.
"WHERE IS HE?"
Sif's voice carried over to the balcony, and Loki's smile turned into a smirk. The wall of green magic he had conjured over the glass-doors faded, as if he had been expecting this. Krista dropped his hand and moved to the side, eyes wide as she watched the warrior goddess step outside, obviously fuming.
"HOW COULD YOU? YOU PERVERTED SNAKE!" She raised a hand to strike him, and Loki caught her wrist.
"What, don't you like it?"
Krista then noticed what had been bugging her since Sif's appearance. The woman's hair was no longer golden and flowing down her back. No, it was short, cut harshly to reach her shoulders, and was of the blackest shade possible. It was as if the day had given up to the night.
She didn't understand how he'd done it, but sure enough, if he'd done that to her hair, he'd be dead right now.
"YOU PERFECTLY KNOW I DON'T LIKE IT AND THAT'S WHY YOU DID IT!" Sif's voice was the highest pitch possible, and a small crowd had gathered at the entrance to the balcony, making Krista phase in hope of remaining unseen. Who knew what people would say upon knowing one of the Queen's wards had been alone with a Prince for a long time…
"I think it's better that way."
Sif freed her hand and managed to land a blow to Loki's face, splitting his cheek where a bruise would no doubt appear soon after. "You are a disgrace." Sif spat at his feet, and pushed through the crowd to get back inside. Soon after, a door slammed.
Krista breathed heavily for a moment and, still in water form and relatively invisible, she went back inside too, nearly bumping into the snake-faced girl she had seen earlier, who was looking on the scene with the same calculating smirk as before. She pushed past her, willing to put as much distance between her and the Trickster Prince as possible.
If she found Fyrien soon enough, they could go back to the Haven in less than ten minutes…
A/N: Can you guys have a guess as to whom the "snake-faced girl" is? She'll be formally introduced next chapter, and I know you're going to hate her. XD