Avalyne had been busy with doing all sort of things, in preparation for the celebration. The strangest thing had been that she needed to help Frigga get her outfit ready. Apparently her normal chamber maid had fallen ill and she called for anyone with a good taste. The head maid looked around spotted Avalyne's look and sent her to Frigga. Avalyne is very nervous as she walks towards Frigga's chambers, surely they were joking when thinking about sending her to dress the queen, they had to be. She was no were near the good eye of Frigga's usual chamber maid, who had a perfect taste that no one could dislike.
She took a big final breath and knocked on the doors.
"Come in", Frigga's voice rang like bells.
Avalyne opened the door with shaking hands, uncertain whether she should run away now or not. No, if she did a good job with this, she might be appointed to become one of Frigga's servants and that meant that she would be released from her long list of chores. And she would be in the perfect position to push Frigga towards Loki, she might be able to do that now. It seemed that Lady Fate was on her side and helped her with making sure that Loki and Frigga could reconcile. Avalyne pulled herself together, now determined to make sure she would get Frigga to talk to Loki.
"You must be the replacement they send for Eria", Frigga said
"Yes I am, your majesty", Avalyne answered.
"I hope you have a good taste, cause I'm dressing for my celebration", Frigga did a little half smile.
She seems to have learned Loki that half smile, he seemed to do that a lot, maybe because it's a thing he learned from her. Avalyne bowed down and took in Frigga, he body shape, her curves, her length, her tones, everything that would matter when picking out the perfect ensemble for the queen.
"You seemed to have dressed yourself for my son Loki", Frigga said with some joy twisted with bitterness in her voice.
"Yes, I am quit fond of the color green and your son", Avalyne had answered without realizing that she had just confessed her feelings.
"I'm sorry, your highness, I meant, uhm".
Frigga cut her of and looked at her and then gave a real smile.
"Do not worry child, your feelings are safe with me. I feel some happiness knowing that not every women in this realm has given up on my son, even if it's just a servant. Loki could use all the affection and support he can get in these dark times".
Frigga looked down and her face faltered, the queen suddenly looked thrice her age and a dark shadow was cast upon her face. Avalyne felt bad about it, Frigga seemed to be suffering, just as Loki was.
"He misses you", Avalyne said reassuringly.
"And how would you know such information?".
"I served him in his chamber once and he kept reading your spell book over and over again and seemed to protect it as his most cherished possession".
"And you would know this was my spell book how?"
"I was serving your drinks the day that you gave him that book, he seemed so happy when he got it. He has kept it always close, treasuring it almost as much as he cherishes you".
"I'm not so sure of that anymore".
"He still loves you, your highness. He's just to stubborn and too pride to admit it. He really misses you and wants to talk with you again, to have his mother back. He somehow feels that Thor has stolen you from him, seeing as though he is the only one you can be proud of. He feels ashamed of what he has done and if he could, he would turn back time and undo the horrid things he has done. Just so that you could be proud of him and this tear in your bond would have never happened".
"Did he tell you all of this?".
"No, but it could clearly read it from him. I just, somehow know how he thinks and I have seen how he suffered down in the dungeons and that you were the only thing that made him want to go on and live and not totally lose his mind".
"So you were the servant who I sometimes saw down there, who told him about the things going on up here and gave him his meals. You have a kind heart, you seem to have honest and strong feelings for my son. Maybe he will see that and accept you a bit, enough to let some of the ice around his heart melt enough to once let in his family".
"Your words are to kind your highness, I feel that you perceive me to be more than just a servant".
"Cause you are more than just a servant".
Frigga stepped closer and stopped in front of Avalyne, cupping on of her cheeks with her hand. Giving a big motherly smile that made everyone feel as though the sun was shining down on them, giving them warmth of the purest kind.
"You stayed by my son's side when everyone else left him and gave up any hope for him, even me". Frigga looked down sad and regretful.
"I still regret that I gave up on him and left him, like everyone else did. But luckily it appears that you were by his side the whole time, watching over him like an Valkyrie who had put him underneath the protection of her wings. Showing him kindness when giving him his meals down in those horrible dungeons where he was a prisoner, telling him about the things going on here, so that he would still feel apart of everything, making him feel wanted and noticed, not overlooked like everyone else did. I'm sure my son has seen your kindness and how you have stayed by his side the whole time, hopefully he will extend the branch of friendship towards you, so that he can let you mend some of the wounds of the past".
"You flatter to much with your words, they seem to much for such a simple person like me. I'm not sure I can live up to your expectations, your highness".
"I'm sure you will, you already look the part, now you only have to act like it. Tonight you will be my honored guest, a lady not a servant. I hope that this will make my son see you in a different light, the light that you deserve".
"I'm not sure that I can repay your kindness, your highness".
"Dress me just as beautiful as you have dressed yourself, with as much green as you can adjust to my normal style. But don't make it so that my green outshines you, cause Loki's eyes should be on you tonight".
"Of course, your highness".
Avalyne was absolutely awestruck, it was as though Thor himself had hit her with his thunder, making her almost freeze to the spot. Avalyne walked towards the queen's closet and tried to find a suitable dress. She found a beautiful golden one, that seemed to have the softest of fabrics her fingers have ever felt. This was the dress, a golden one would be in her style and combined with green it would suit more to Loki's style. Avalyne pulled out the dress and showed it to the queen, who seemed happy with the choice and nodded her head.
She then looked for an old dress that she could cut up, that was in green. She found one, that had a nice look to it, it shimmered green. She got the dress out and looked around and found a pair of scissors, she would have to cut the dress, in order for it to fit with the golden one. Avalyne cut the dress from both sides from the top to the bottom, so that she had the front and back separate. She grabbed the back part and picked up a needle and thread, she started to sow the back part of the green dress to the golden one, cropping it here and there. In the end the golden dress now had a green back, with elaborate cuts here and there, so that you could still see the golden dress underneath it.
She took the front part of the green dress and cut out the shoulder part, she cropped the shoulder part and put it on the golden dress, so that the shoulders were big and puffy. She took the sleeves from the back side of the green dress, folded them back onto the dress and then pulled them to the front side. The green sleeves curled under the breast part and crossed each other and were put in a big bow that had two strokes hanging underneath it. She sow this to the dress and took a last part from the remainders of the green dress and made a ball that was ruffled and put that in the middle of the bow, sow it to it and then took one of the queens jewels, a big black diamond and put that onto it. Securing it with hidden threads and looked at the result of her hard work.
She smiled at the end result and told the queen to close her eyes. The queen had read a book on the balcony, so that she wouldn't disturb the servant. The queen walked to the mirror stopped in front of it and made the dress magically appear on her. The queen gasped at the sights of the queen and turned around, examining every detail. The dress looked amazing, this was a work of art, unlike anything she had ever seen in all of Asgard. In this dress she would certainly stand out and be noticed as the queen, with the most beautiful dress on.
"You have amazing skills for dress making, my dear".
"Thank you, it isn't much, but the best I could do in such a short amount of time".
"I wonder what a dress would look like when you had enough time, it probably would be so pretty that the one wearing it would make the stars jealous of her beautiful glow and shine".
"You flatter to much with your words, your majesty".
"From now one, you will be my dress maker, you won't be a servant anymore, Eira will assist you from now one".
Avalyne gasped at this, this was an amazing thing to happen, she would never have to do tedious chores again. Avalyne smiled overjoyed and thanked the queen over and over. The queen shook it off and let Avalyne pick out a golden necklace that she laced trough the queen her curly hair and made and elaborate pattern of it on her head. It looked amazing and with a small diamond here and there, the queen looked perfect. The last jewelry was picked out and the queen heard a knock at the door, indicating that she had finished just in time for the celebration to begin.
Frigga went to her jewelry chest and picked out an crown like jewel, that had a green emerald hanging at the front in the shape of a droplet. The crown was golden and had a swirly pattern with curls, that had diamonds at the end of every curl. She placed it on Avalyne's head and looked pleased at the her.
"This is a thank you, for making me look so beautiful, this will surely catch my son's eyes".
"You making me your dress maker is already enough, your majesty".
"Hush Avalyne you have done a great job, now be happy and merry and make my son happy too, he deserves it".
Avalyne smiled, the queen knew her name, she eagerly nodded her head and put on the biggest smile she had ever given anyone. The queen walked towards the door and Avalyne quickly opened it for her. The queen walked in front and Avalyne walked behind her, nervously fidgeting with her dress. She could hear the sounds of the grand hall were the celebration was about to begin. The queen walked with a certain poise that only she could pull of without looking cocky. They didn't walk to the front entrance but the back entrance, so that they would come from behind the throne and onto the steps.
Frigga walked ahead and as soon as she entered everyone cheered and gasped at the sight of her, Odin's face lit up and he had a warm and loving smile. Frigga walked towards her husband and stopped at his side. Avalyne stepped from the shadows and stopped at the side of the stairs, her heart racing at the realization were she was standing now. She nervously looked up to meet Loki's gaze, her breath got stuck in her throat and her heart almost pounded out of her chest.
Loki and Avalyne locked eyes and it was as though they were the only ones in the great hall, just looking deep into each others eyes.