The sky had turned to a burnt yellow when Vanya was awoken from her sleep midday.
"My lady," the guard shook her gently. Instinctively, Vanya's hand tightened around the dagger sheathed under her pillow. When her dark eyes widened to their full size, she gazed blankly at the man who awoke her. "You are expected in the main hall by the All-Father," the guard continued to explain through stutters.
In a blink, she was behind the doors to the main hall. She listened intently for the All-Father's words to signal her entrance. Bated breaths were filling the hall as the All-Father spoke. She could hear all of the civilians' thoughts buzzing with anticipation of her return. Enraptured by the voices, Vanya had barely a breath to breathe when the doors opened for her to enter. As she stepped down the long carpet the length of the hall, roars lifted into the high ceilings. Her armour contrasted against everything around her, yet they all saw her as one of them. She ignored them though.
Her starry eyes were trained on the men on the steps in front of her. Their deep blue and green gazes comforting her and silencing the pointless noise. At the foot of the stairs, she lowered herself until she was on one knee. Time and words slipped past her. Only by the end of the king's speech did she remember all that she was trained.
"Vanya, daughter of Idharin, do you swear to protect the crown with all of your capability until you draw your last breath?" Odin repeated formally the words she hadn't heard since she was barely an infant.
"I, Vanya, daughter of Idharin, do so swear to protect the crown with all of my capability until my last breath is drawn," she repeated to her king. "And with my heart, I will do what is right for the crown, its people, and justice."
"Then I, Odin, All-Father of the Nine Realms, bid you to rise and give your sword to me."
Following his words, Vanya rose from the ground and pulled out her sword. Its extraction rang out its song to the silent hall as she lay it down carefully on the All-Father's open palms. A soft golden glow enveloped her sword in his grasp before he handed it back to her. "Your oath has been accepted. Welcome home, Lady Vanya, daughter of Idharin." Odin stepped back as she turned to the people witness to her repetition of her vows.
"Welcome home," she heard Aranhil say to her left. His older eyes smiled down at her from his place on the steps.
Once the cheering had settled, the guests were ushered into the large dining hall for a humble feast. Closing her eyes, she listened to bits of conversation leaving the lips of the guest Asgardians. Parents were telling their children the legend of her house and its name. Others shared stories of the wonders they had witnessed of her family. All were good stories and Vanya was content that nothing bad followed their names. They did their job to protect and to advise.
"We'll meet you in the dining hall," Thalion said, pulling his sister out of her reverie. "I think one of the princes would like to escort you."
Turning, she saw from the corner of her eye the two princes talking to their father. It was brief, but intense, and ultimately, Loki was stepping away from the conversation and towards her.
"Lady Vanya, allow me to escort you to the feast held in your honour," he proffered with his arm held out for her to take. His green and black armour shined darkly in the golden lights and accentuated the glint of pride he always carried.
Aranhil hung back, nearest to the All-Father, as the prince he advised escorted his sister to the feast.
"I don't think I've seen Loki behave this honestly since his mother," Odin stated to the eldest of the three siblings. Aranhil nodded his silent agreement to the king. "I will have her be by my side, if that puts your mind at ease, Aranhil."
"When it comes to Vanya, I will never be at ease. Her place is up to you, All-Father. I will admit that by your side she will do best."
Odin nodded. "She would."
Upon her entrance, glasses were raised in her honour and in congratulations of her renewed station. A chalice of wine remained full in her hand as she toured the room on the arm of the dark prince. After she had greeted everyone of importance she hid against the wall, just far enough from the merry party. Her armour-cladded toe tapped along with the music, as a small smile danced on her wine-tinted lips.
"I miss the music of Asgard," she stated when Thalion leaned against the wall next to her. "Vanaheim is all calm and harps. The frivolity is subtle."
"I thought our Princess of Darkness would've loved the silence that the old gods provided?" he teased as he handed her another cup of wine.
Her eyes narrowed into a teasing glare. "For the first couple of years, but after so many hundreds of years, it becomes a bit drab."
"Odin wants you to be his advisor," Thalion admitted, turning their conversation's topic harshly.
Vanya's shapely eyebrow shot above its normal resting place. "He does now? Why me? Why not beseech Aranhil and place me to advise Loki instead?"
Thalion shrugged his large shoulders. "I do not question the king. Besides, he was speaking to Aranhil about it. He wants you to learn what a king does and to learn from him. And he believes Loki is benefitting from your presence at a distance."
She scoffed into her drink. "Loki can never be tamed except by his mother. He is the God of Mischief – why would he behave for a civilian?"
"We are not civilians," Aranhil sang out as he swung a lady on her feet. His laughter followed his statement as he danced away with the Asgardian.
With a chuckle, Thalion agreed. "He is right. We are nobles of Asgard and are above civilian law."
"We are only above civilian law because our proficiencies require it to be so," Vanya stated diplomatically.
With a wave of her hand, her attire had changed into another one of her black dresses. Half of her bust was covered in gold material, but the rest was hidden under a shroud of black. Gold rope wrapped around her waist in patterns and a cascade of the black material fell over her one shoulder, leaving the other bare to the air. Her circlet remained in place but her sword disappeared. Even her armour boots were gone and replaced with sandals that wrapped around her legs.
Rejoining the party, Odin approached her. "Will you honour an old man with a dance?" the All-Father asked of her before she could stray from the party. Unable to refuse him, she placed her hand in his.
Odin tried to keep up with Vanya's livelihood through the steps as well as he could muster, but he knew she was taking it easy on his aged state.
"Vanya, I will not be coy with you. I have asked your brother if he thinks it best for you to serve as my advisor and at my side," he admitted openly to his dance partner.
A polite smile coiled around her lips. "And what did Aranhil reply with?"
"He stated it is up to me and that he is not to question my decisions."
"Aranhil trusts your opinion. You have been with us since birth. He sees you like a father and will not question what you choose for your children," Vanya freely admitted. She knew Odin did not like to be fooled with and always spoke plainly when asked of her.
"And you, Vanya? What do you think?"
"I am just happy to be home," she honestly said. "If you would have me by your side, I will do my best to be as good if not better than my brothers and my father."
A grin overtook the old king. His wrinkles were more pronounced than she had last remembered. Reaching her mind into his aura, there were no more Odin sleeps left for the All-Father. The new information brought her heart to drop. The last figure she had looked up to growing up was soon passing from her and all while under her watch.
"It is your gift that reasons for you to be by my side and not my sons'," Odin's thoughts voiced in her mind.
At the end of the song, Odin was to head for his chambers, but as Vanya made to escort him as his new advisor, the All-Father stopped her. "I believe Thalion is ready for his bed as well. Besides, you are the guest of honour. It would be rude to leave the party so early. I'll see you in my study after tomorrow's night."
Vanya simply nodded at his words and bowed when she passed by Thalion. Her brother didn't miss a step in filling in her position as he escorted their king to his bedchamber.
"Vanya!" Thor's booming voice called out. "Come join us for a few drinks! Lady Sif is earnestly awaiting tales of Vanaheim and your conquests."
Smiling, Vanya followed the sunny prince to where he and his friends were sitting. Guests were starting to feel fatigue and dwindled out of the room, but only those closest to the royal family and the guest of honour remained seated at the large empty table.
"Tell us," Sif started as they all refilled their cups. "How was training with the old gods?"
"It was wonderful, Sif!" Vanya exclaimed. "They fight with such grace it is almost like a dance. Individually, they're beautiful. But altogether, their armies are a spectacle to watch. They move with so much synchrony, grace, and speed! And their power is just enthralling! Once on a hunting trip, on the edge of a clearing there was this large boar. The archers that had accompanied us scaled the trees with speed and using only their feet to climb vertically. The woods did not give up the secret of their hiding when they settled amongst the branches. Silence befell on the entourage until the whizzing of arrows shot through the leaves and branches and into the skies! At their peak, the arrows formed the image of a raven's wings before plunging down to the earth and all piercing the boar's hide! And that became dinner for our trip."
"Did you manage to bring any of that artistic prowess?" Aranhil teased his sister.
"I can show you tomorrow what I've learned if you aren't sick with over intoxication?" Vanya challenged.
The small group around them cheered her brother on to accept, but he was always level-headed. "Maybe next time we partake in an already schedule sparring lesson. Otherwise, I am off to bed. You should be heading to bed too, Thor. You have an early morning with the All-Father, if I recall correctly."
"Ah, why must you always spoil the fun, Aranhil?" Thor complained as he downed the remains of his drink.
The quieter of the two blonds shrugged as he clasped Thor's hand to aid his drunken stance from the chair. "What would you do if Thalion or I lost our heads? I'm sure Ragnarok would've fallen upon us by now."
The group laughed and conceded to the truth of how much guidance both Thalion and Aranhil provide him. The laughter at his expense did not dampen his mood, but did aid in having him concede to his bed. After a cup more of wine and mead, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three joined the prince and the night in their own chambers.
"Take care of yourself, sister," Aranhil pleaded before leaving his sister with a kiss atop her head. "I will visit you tomorrow to discuss your position."
Vanya stayed in her seat, but slumped over in an unladylike fashion. The onyx of her circlet was cool against her intertwined fingers and brought some relief to her warming skin. She knew she wasn't alone, despite her eyes being closed. She could sense his magic.
"Why are you still here, my lord?" she asked, unmoving from her position.
"I assumed since I escorted you in, I shall escort you out. I am also the only one remaining aside from yourself," he stated flippantly. "And in private, my name would be fine."
"I recall how much I hated calling both you and Thor by your titles. We were raised together and fought together. I found the excessive titles unnecessary," Vanya reminisced.
"But yet you so easily slipped into the titles when you returned to us." His magic settled in the chair across from her and his stare tried to intrude on her thoughts.
"A few hundred years can do that to you. It has been a while since I last saw anyone of this realm. I imagined my luxuries had disappeared with my lack of presence in court."
Loki's light chuckle brought her gaze up to meet his. "Dear Vanya, you had stolen my father's and mother's heart when you first entered this world. Nothing would've been taken from you unless your parents wished it. You were born to be queen if the need ever arise."
"I am no queen. I do not thirst for power as some do. I was and still am meant for the shadows of all the realms," Vanya reasoned with the prince. "And I will not take the throne if there are the two princes, and with mine and my brothers' protection, there will always be a prince to take the throne."
His light green eyes took in her appearance. She dripped the honesty of her words from her heart's core. Although not as proficient in magic as she, Loki could see that her heart was her strength and she was no longer scared of her end. Her heart bled out darkness, but its shroud protected her and those she treasured.
She tried to stifle a yawn, but failed terribly. Her childlike behaviour brought an honest smile to his face. "Come now, sweet child. Let's get you to bed."
They turned down the halls until they looked down the dark hall that was their family wing. "I understand why no one ventures down."
"Don't tell me the dark prince is afraid of a dark hall?" Vanya giggled as she detangled herself from his grasp. As she lightly walked down the length of the hall, she hummed a lullaby from centuries ago. Loki remembered it as the song that his own mother sang to him when he was just a young babe or after a fitful night of terrors.
"Goodnight, dear Loki!" Vanya interrupted her own merriment to bid the prince farewell with a soft peck on the lips. He was not given a moment to respond as she resumed her humming.
"Goodnight, moon beauty."
a/n: Hey y'all, I had to rewrite this chapter to fit a new inspiration I had for a much later chapter.
I hope everyone is staying safe, following safe social-distancing/quarantine/self-isolation, and is taking care of themselves and their community! Along with being temporarily laid-off from work, I have learned that I have incredible friends, coworkers/bosses, and neighbourhood. I hadn't realised how much people actually appreciated me until now. I hope you're all learning how much good there is in the world and will continue with it after this pandemic.
Even if you don't on this fic, please drop a comment on your favourite fics/chapters and/or message your favourite authors! I just want to say that this is a community in itself and that I don't want anyone feeling like they're alone in this!