Pyrrha woke up at the sound of the horn. She was used to rude awakenings, and running as soon as she did. But she knew not to run. Out of her warm cloth hammock she swung her legs and yawned. She was in a tent with several other young servant women, including Unnr. Others began to arise as well, some were awake but remained in bed and the rest weren't awakened at all.
"Good morning." Pyrrha greeted as Unnr sat up.
"Good morning." Unnr replied, rubbing her eyes. "Ready to go home?"
"Oh... Yes."
She had bent down to her chest. Frigga had provided her with more clothes, shoes and a couple personal items; a mirror, a brush and a coin purse. Pyrrha put in a white servant gown, plain, long sleeves, white waist down apron.
"You're already all packed up." Unnr commented, looking at her chest, Frigga had carved Pyrrha's name in runes.
"Mm-hm." Pyrrha mumbled, brushing her hair.
"After you finish, let's eat breakfast. Then we have to take down the tent... Or you can try."
"I can still use my other hand. It's fine."
When the two were done, they walked through the now extremely foggy camp to the dining tent. Most of the fires had been put out and scattered, some tents were down or were in the process of being taken down and stacks of chests were piled into pyramids, some three times Pyrrha's height.
"May I ask you something, Pyrrha?" Unnr said as they entered the tent.
Pyrrha sat down before plates of eggs, bread, bacon, and potato hash. "Of course."
"I heard that you were called into the Royal Tent." Unnr spoke, her voice smooth and low. "Is there any reason why?"
"Oh... Uh..." Pyrrha searched her mind for a lie, then looked back at her cast. "Queen Frigga noticed my injury was strange, so she asked Loki to look analyze it."
"What was so strange about it?" Unnr grabbed a piece of bread, buttered it and munched it down.
Pyrrha thought of another lie. "It had magic."
"How did you get that injury anyway?"
Her heart quickened, how many questions could Unnr ask?
"Bilge Snipe."
"Must have been an elf trap it set off." Unnr decided.
"Whew!" Pyrrha thought.
After eating a modest meal of eggs, bread, bacon and a cup of milk Pyrrha was ready to go. Unnr, who wanted to eat more hash, wasn't and said Pyrrha could go ahead. She made her way back to the tent alone. When she arrived, all the beds were gone and servants began to gather their belongings.
Pyrrha picked up her chest. "Where should I put you?"
"Outside, in the pile." One answered.
"Thank you."
She went outside where a stack of similar looking chests were. Pyrrha made sure hers was locked, secured and she memorized the carvings before she placed it. She turned to the Servant Director, who was giving instructions.
"Um, what should I do?" Pyrrha asked.
She looked down at her list. "Name?"
"Pyrrha Alexandra."
The director peered over her list. "Last name?"
"Alexandra?" Pyrrha blinked, confused.
"Alexandra-dottir?"
"Um..."
The director sughed, a glint of annoyance in her eyes. "Never mind, just spell the first part of your last name."
"A-L-E-X-A-N-"
"Got it... Pyrrha Alexandra. Odd name." She commented. "Hm, says you had an injury and must be given light duty." She looked around. "On the west side of camp, they're taking down the tents, just go take up the spikes."
Pyrrha bowed. "Yes ma'm."
***
"Make haste, brother. I want to get home." Loki mumbled.
Thor, who was in the other room taking a cramped bath, grumbled. "Well it's not my fault this tub is so scrawny I can't have a proper bath."
"You should have taken one last night."
"Last night I was drinking and celebrating with the Valkyries, all you had was that sword!" Thor shouted.
Loki's face burned into a scowl as he sat down on the bed. A minute of silenced paused.
"Forgive me, brother. I didn't mean that." Thor spoke with a hindering voice. "I'll hurry. I know magic makes you happy."
Loki sighed loudly, most of his anger disappeared. "Thank you."
"What are brothers for?"
Loki smiled to himself. He stood up and looked beneath his bed. He pulled out a long black leather chest. It had a special lock that would only open to his magic signature. He touched it and it popped open. It contained his weapons; a long, thin curved blade from Vanaheim he rarely used, a couple enchanted dwarven daggers, one with a note etched into it that said: "To my handsome savior- Sincerely, Princess Frisa" and lastly, the glimmering Soul Edge.
He picked it up, staring at it. A gateway to new worlds, new realms. Could he open them?
"I'm done!" Thor announced.
Loki quickly put the blade back in and locked the chest. As Thor's heavily footsteps approached, he slid it back under his bed.
"Thank you. Now, I'll call the servants to-" Loki turned and fell back with a yelp. "FOR THE LOVE OF YGGDRASIL BROTHER! DEAL WITH THINE PANTS!"
"Hm? Oh, sorry."
***
Pyrrha pulled up the last spike. It was difficult to do with one hand because they were large, but she managed.
"Coming down!" One man shouted as the last corner fell.
"Good work, onto the next one." Another said.
"Pyrrha!"
It was Kenna, dressed in the same armor as before.
"Pavel, I need one of the servants." Kenna pointed to Pyrrha.
"Very well."
Pyrrha walked up to her. "Good morning, what do you need me for?"
"Your things were sent to Asgard a couple minutes ago. Frigga wants you to go to the Castle to get settled in. I'll be your guide. Follow me." Kenna informed.
She lead Pyrrha to the North of Camp. At it's end was a huge line with people in groups of tens. Kenna and Pyrrha went a little ahead of the regular servants, to the Valkyries that was somewhat in the middle.
"It's you." One said. "That girl with the strange arm."
"Hush!" commanded Kenna with the rough wave of the arm. "She's supposed to be a secret."
"Forgive me, sister." She said.
A black haired one leaned towards Pyrrha. "You had a shield did you not? You can fight?"
Pyrrha sighed. "Well, yes, but-"
"Then why are you a servant and not a sister?"
"Well, I don't-"
One felt the muscles on her arm, much to Pyrrha's surprise.
"She's a flabby one, could use some conditioning, but has potential."
"Flabby!?" Pyrrha cried out. "I'm not! And I don't like fighting!"
The Valkyrie's eyes grew wide and their mouths hung open. Looking around, others, especially soldiers, were staring at Pyrrha. She felt herself shrink, her stomach was light and her cheeks turned rosy.
"Um... I just don't like hurting people." She mumbled, twisting her foot in the dirt.
Kenna scooted beside her and coughed. "It's perfectly fine to have your own beliefs, Pyrrha."
An awkward silence descended over them. Soon the others forgot about her remark and waited still. The line moved forward quickly. The fog didn't allow her to see much in front of her. But with every couple feet she saw a flashing light, getting brighter with each step.
"Lightning?" She thought.
A bit of fear stirred inside her. As she got closer, it looked like a pillar of light. She bit the inside of her lip.
"Kenna, what is that?" She asked lowly.
"The Bifrost, the thing you used to get here." She replied.
"The last time I used it, I passed out." Pyrrha grimaced, gripping her hands tightly.
"This is different. It's more direct and protected. Trust me."
Pyrrha nodded, but she still shook nervously. With every step the pillar grew bigger, brighter. Her chest got tighter, as if there wasn't enough air for her. Her knees shook and teeth rattled.
"Be calm, it will be fine. It's just this once." Kenna soothed.
"If you say so..."
It was almost their turn now. A strange noise, like something falling through a chute, and rumble was there. Pyrrha tried her best to calm herself. Two groups ahead. Her heart pulsed faster and faster against her chest. The group was pulled up into the light. The group in front of them stepped on a strange, circular mark. She felt like screaming, but she didn't.
"It's for Patroklos."
With a thunderous rumble, the group in front of her were pulled up and into the sky. Hearing the pounding of her heart in her ears, she stepped forward slowly, as if her joints were rusted. She couldn't breathe, fear crushed her body.
"Go Heimdall." Kenna spoke.
Clouds rumbled above her. Pyrrha held herself and closed her eyes. It was strange, she saw the bright light through her eyelids, and she was pulled up. Wind whipped past as she rocketed up.
It was amazing. A whirlwind of colors surrounded her, they all seemed to glow and change. In the breaks between the colors, she saw bright balls of light and colored spheres. Her fear was gone, now replaced by wonder. She spread her arm out, flying and laughing. Kenna turned to her and laughed as well.
"Told you!"
At the end Pyrrha saw a golden light. It took a few seconds before they slammed into it. Suddenly, Pyrrha was standing in a strange room, a golden dome with golden disks decorating it. A tall, dark skinned man with red eyes stood on a pedestal in the center of the room, a blade above some sort of machine.
"Welcome Valkyries, and welcome Pyrrha Alexandra." He spoke monotone.
"Ho-how do you know my name?" She asked.
"I am Heimdall, the All-seeing, gate keeper to Asgard. I was quite surprised to see someone travel through an unknown part of the Bifrost." He said, looking at her unblinking. "Odin has asked me to seek out your home because you had something to offer; a possibility of new worlds."
"Yes, thank you-"
"But I warn you." Heimdall interrupted. "If I see or suspect you of being any threat to Asgard, I can report you to Odin. And if he so wishes me I can deport you to a world where you can no longer harm Asgard. Am I clear?"
Pyrrha's heart thumped. "Ye-yes sir..."
"Come, I shall take you to the castle." Kenna spoke, taking Pyrrha's arm.
She guided her out of the dome. Pyrrha felt herself become amazed once more. A huge crystal bridge shine and glowed the colors of the rainbow, hovered above a vast ocean that fell into a grand waterfall. At the end of the bridge was a golden city, huge buildings of all shapes were scattered across the green, mountainous landscape, and in the center of it all was a gargantuan structure of curved pillars that the bridge lead directly to.
"Welcome to your temporary home." Kenna announced.
Pyrrha was breathless, wordless, thoughtless. She couldn't believe it. She had read tales of Eden, Olympus, Heaven, but she had never imagined anything like this!
"Come now, it's more beautiful within." Kenna smiled.
As they walked out there was a line of people once more, but moving at a much quicker pace. A seemingly endless stream of driver-less horse drawn carriages clacked down the bridge quickly. As soon as one stopped a dozen people got on and they would be off again.
"How do you train them to do this?" Pyrrha questioned.
"We don't they just do."
Pyrrha's eyes rose at that comment. Soon it was their turn. Pyrrha scooted to the side so she could look out and Kenna sat next to her. About eleven Valkyries were with them also.
"First things first, I'll take you to the Castle and to your room. The All-mother will guide you the rest of the way."
Pyrrha nodded, still admiring the scenery. After a few minutes they were above land, Pyrrha could see better now. It was so much more beautiful up close. Intricate designs were etched into buildings, gorgeously realistic statues and carvings were everywhere. The people were of all shapes and colors, none looked downtrod or starving. Children played in the fields, men and women walked the markets, soldiers and Valkyries zipped past on flying metal boats and more Pegasus.
"Everything is so amazing here." Pyrrha said. "I... I can't believe this is all here. I never could have imagined..."
"On Midgard we are but myth and legend." Kenna said, smiling as she glanced around. "But we are real, Asgard, the Realm Eternal, the greatest in all of Yggdrasil."
"No one will ever believe me." Pyrrha mumbled silently.
Passing under a roof held by tower-like columns and huge statues, they pulled up to an entrance. It was even bigger than Pyrrha once thought. It was easily the size of a small mountain. When she looked around, the palace grounds were a gigantic elevated oval. To the side were two parallel roads that curved down into the city. Some of the other arrivals walked down immediately, others went into the castle. When they stopped, they all got out very quickly.
"Come, Pyrrha." Kenna spoke, walking to the side.
Pyrrha swiftly followed. Glancing down into the palace. She saw a huge oval room, also golden, with huge glasses windows and an elevated throne.
"Are there no other thrones for Queen Frigga and the Princes?"
"No, King Odin has the highest authority." Kenna replied, leading her up a flight of stairs. "Queen Frigga does have the power to make decrees, but the All-Father can veto or alter it. Thor and Loki have no power at all."
"Really? Not until one becomes King?"
"Yes, but, you see Thor and Loki are competing to become King. One will be the major power, however their bond is strong, and Thor may be stronger than Loki, he is not as smart as Loki. And though Loki is intelligent, he doesn't have the same 'common-touch' Thor has. One will be a great adviser to the other, whoever is King."
"The two are really close." Pyrrha smiled, then sighed while looking down. "It must have been nice to grow up with a brother..."
"Did you not grow up with yours?"
The two went into a grand dining hall. Long, golden tables and hundreds of chairs filled the hall. Fireplaces and pyramids of kegs were placed evenly around the hall.
"No." Pyrrha replied, a picture of Patroklos in her mind. "We were separated a long time."
They went around a corner outside of the Dining Hall down a flight of was a long hall, plainer than the rest of the castle. Two rows with evenly placed doors and windows on one side.
"Here's the Servant's Quarters, female side."
They kept walking, when Pyrrha looked out it had a view of a garden. Flowers of various colors were formed into geometric shapes, fountains topped with golden orbs and clean marble walkways decorated it perfectly.
Pyrrha counted the doors. "Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven..."
"Here."
Door twenty-seven, window side. Kenna opened the door. It was small, about the size of a cheap room at an inn with white walls and smooth, dull golden floor. A single bed was pushed up against the wall, under the window, a small wardrobe against the wall adjacent to it, across from that wall was a small, brown vanity.
"This will be your room for the duration of your stay in Asgard." Kenna tossed her something small, which Pyrrha scrambled to catch. "You may customize your room to your liking. Get yourself settled and Frigga will come get you."
"Right, thank you." Pyrrha said, smiling.
Kenna turned to the door, then paused. "By the way, Loki is wondering what languages you can read."
"Oh, Greek and some English."
"Right, I'll tell him."
***
"Are you sure this will work, brother?" Thor asked as he placed an odd, glowing orb on Loki's table.
"In theory." He replied.
They were in the Healing Room. Loki had hypothesized that if one of the magic's in Pyrrha's arm caused her mutation, another would cure it. He had absorbed some magic from the Bifrost into some crystals that resembled Soul Edge and transferred those into a stronger orb. He decided to amplify it onto Pyrrha's arm.
"Very well, I trust you."
Loki took the orb and put it in one of the healing apparatus, the Healing Hand which curved down from the ceiling and had a gem on the end that sped up healing and ceased pain. He took it out and replaced it with the orb.
"Thor, Loki." Kenna walked in, and bowed respectfully. "Where's Queen Frigga?"
"She already went to get Pyrrha." Thor replied.
"Did you find out what languages Pyrrha can read?" Loki asked.
"Greek and English."
Thor scrunched his eyebrows. "Aren't those Midgardian?"
"Yes," Loki responded. "But Thor, don't you remember the 'Greek gods', they said they visited many worlds like Midgard." He went to a piece of paper and dipped his quill in ink.
He was well versed in several languages from around the Nine Realms, even several major ones from Midgard. He quickly wrote down runes in alphabetical order and their Greek and English translation.
"I'll give it to her." Focusing his mind, he projected a clone to where his mother was at.
***
There was a knock at the door. "Pyrrha, it's Frigga, may I come in?"
"Yes."
Frigga opened the door. She was wearing a a long, drapey, silver silk dress.
Pyrrha nodded. "Yes, thank you for everything."
"You are quite welcome dear." Frigga smiled warmly as she walked over to the vanity.
With a circular movement of her hand, a small golden cloud appeared on it. It slowly grew and formed into a curved shape. When it disappeared, an hourglass appeared. It was about the size of her head, swirling wood held it, and at the top was full, glittering golden sand. But it wasn't falling.
"This represents your debt." She said. "You get paid every week, and you can get pair separately by different people. When all the sand is on the bottom, your debt is paid." She folded her hands on her stomach. "Now, you don't need to give the entirety of your pay each time, you can keep some to yourself."
"I understand."
She nodded once more, then relaxed as she leaned slightly against the vanity. "As for your daily daily jobs, do you have any special skills?"
"Yes, I was a maid for about a year, and I can cook."
"I'll let the servant adviser know, and you can go try out for the kitchen staff." Frigga spoke.
"Right, I will."
Suddenly a green flash appeared. Pyrrha yelped and flopped back, tripping over her feet and landed on her bottom. Loki stared at her oddly for a second, then turned to Frigga.
"Mother, can you bring Pyrrha to the Healing Room? I want to try something that might heal her of that mutation." Loki spoke.
Pyrrha stood up and dusted off her dress. "Really?"
"It's just a theory, but I want to try it." Loki replied.
"Very well, follow me Pyrrha." Frigga said.