The large doors clanged shut behind Sirith, the guards already changing their posts. She looked around the tall hall around her, eyes wide in amazement. Someone coughed from beside her and she turned. An old woman stood there, her beady blue eyes watching her.

"Lady Sirith?" she asked. Her voice was nasally.

"That is who I am." She stood tall, trying to keep her status visible to the servant.

"I am to bring you to your room." Then the servant turned and began to walk away, causing Sirith to walk quickly in order to not fall too far behind. The servant led her through the large halls that filled the palace of Asgard, never once slowing pace. Sirith spotted another lady who had the bearing of a princess being led around by another servant who looked much nicer than the old lady in front of Sirith. The two exchanged a nod.

They finally reached another door with two guards in front of it and the old lady stopped, pointing towards the door. "Here's your room."

Sirith nodded thanks to her, using all the training she had to not slap the lady, before walking confidently towards the doors. The guards pushed the doors open and she walked through, waiting until the door closed before letting herself open her mouth in wonder.

The room around her seemed to be built for a queen. Tall white pillars surrounded the room and the walls that she could see were painted a cream color. A large balcony stood waiting against one side and the view from it looked stunning. The orange sky stretched along the entire wall, making it seem like the room was floating in the middle of the sky. The bed was in the center, a round bed with clean white blanket edged with lace.

Sirith walked over to the balcony, resting her hands on it so that she could look out onto the world around her. She was not actually that high up, only a few floors, but when one was not able to see the ground it seems like one is high in the sky. A small lake was below her, water sparkling in the setting sun. Two swans were swimming in the dark water and she smiled down at them. She reached a hand up and carefully pulled her blonde hair out of the loose bun it had been placed in. Her hair hung down the sides of her face with a slight wave.

There was a knock on the door and Sirith turned to it. She carefully walked over, opening the door to see who had requested her presence. The eldest prince stood there, a large smile on his face that reached his bright blue eyes. He bowed when he saw her and she curtseyed deeply.

When they stood Thor began to speak. "My lady Sirith, my mother is holding a ball tonight. May I ask for you to grace the occurrence with your presence?" She smiled at him.

"I would be honored to. May I ask when this ball is on this fine night?"

"In three hours, my lady. On the tenth hour of the night." She nodded her thanks and Thor turned. When he began to walk away he called back to her. "I shall return when the time comes, my lady." She nodded again, though she suspected that Thor could not see her.

A voice spoke from the shadows. "Lady Sirith?" she turned to the voice.

"Yes?"

A young lady walked out from the shadows, head turned downward in respect. "The All-Father sent me in order to assist you in preparing for the ball tonight."

Sirith smiled. "Thank you." She stepped aside to let the maid into her room. "Shall we begin?"

She looked nervously from the door to Sirith, but Sirith nodded kindly towards her. She walked carefully though the door and Sirith followed. The doors thundered shut behind them and the maid turned to look at Sirith as she spoke.

"What is your name?" Sirith asked, walking over to the bed and sitting down. "I feel strange not knowing what to call you."

"My name is Ashley, my lady."

"Please, call me Sirith." She smiled. "I hate formality."

"Yes, my l…Sirith. Shall we examine the dresses that have been provided for you?"

She nodded, falling back against the bed. "Let's."

"Not that one." Sirith said, waving her hand. Ashley nodded, placing the dress delicately onto the pile of discarded dresses. She moved to the closet to examine the remaining dresses. Her fingers ran over the silks as she contemplated them, shaking her head no at many of the dresses. Her hand stopped on a white silk dress, shimmering in the moonlight that seeped through the tall windows. She pulled it out, holding it up so Sirith could see it.

Immediately she jumped up, clasping her hands in joy. "Yes! That one!" Ashley smiled, waving for Sirith to stand and move to the large mirrors that stood waiting in a corner. She drifted over, her thin undergarment waving around her legs. She stepped up onto the platform and waiting for Ashley to arrive. Ashley dropped the dress over her head and it fell delicately over her body, clinging to her curves to drop lightly over her legs. She moved the skirt slightly and it shimmered with a strange silver.

"It's perfect." She whispered, her hand stroking the dress carefully. Ashley smiled.

"Are you ready to prepare your hair, Sirith?"

"Yes." She waved her hands in the air. "Work your magic!"

Ashley stepped up onto a stool in order to reach Sirith's hair and began to wrap it up above her head. She pulled it into a loose bun at the back of her head made of a braid, leaving a few hairs out to hang delicately beside her head. She contemplated her Sirith for a moment before stepping down and going over to the jewelry box that was sitting next to the mirrors. She pulled out a necklace that hung from a thin silver chain, as well as grabbing a handful of gems. She moved back to Sirith and stepped back onto the stool. The necklace dropped over her head, resting between her color bones. Sirith moved her hand up the carefully touch the white charm in the shape of a swan. Ashley opened her hand and let the gems drop over her hair, the white gems sparkling.

"Will the gems not fall if I dance?" Sirith asked, eyeing the gems that decorated her hair.

"They are enchanted by the All-Father himself. All of the ladies that he decided to remain in Asgard are to wear these gems in their hair in order to show their place in the ball."

Sirith nodded. "How much longer until Thor returns?"

"A few minutes, Sirith. Do you require anything else?"

"No Ashley. Thank you for your help." Ashley nodded, turning to begin to pick up the dresses that had been dropped in a some-what neat pile. Sirith studied herself in the mirror, one hand resting on her necklace.

A loud knock sounded on the door and Sirith stepped down to walk over. The door pulled open easily and she found Thor staring down at her with a smile on his face. She quickly curtseyed.

"Sirith!" he exclaimed. "Are you prepared to leave?"

She nodded, a clever smile on her face. Thor stepped politely out of the way and as Sirith stepped out of her room her eyes met those of four other ladies the same age as herself.

One looked back at her with bright blue eyes, her blonde hair decorated by light blue gems. Around her neck hung a necklace in the shape of a feather, resting near the top of her deep blue dress. Another had deep green gems decorating her brown hair, intelligent green eyes staring back at her. The necklace she wore was in the shape of a leaf and her dress was a light green edged with a white lace. Still another wore gold, her red hair seeming to be flecked with pieces of the precious metal. Her necklace was the shape of the sun and her dress shinned like it was made from the sun its self.

The last one was different. Her white blond hair was decorated with ruby gems, shinning like droplets of blood. Her dress was a deep black, shinning red in the creases when she moved. Her necklace was made of a dark metal in the shape of a rose. But it was her eyes that were the worst. They were a deep black, making it nearly impossible to see a pupil. Occasionally they shinned a deep red, as if her blood was seeping through her eyes.

Thor seemed to notice that Sirith was studying the other ladies around her, so he took his liberty to introduce them all.

"Lady Claudia." He gestured to the one in blue. "Lady Attia." The one in green nodded. "Lady Sol." The one in gold smiled. "And Lady Lika." The one clothed in blood smiled strangely, sending shivers up and down Sirith's spine. "Shall we leave for the ball?" Thor asked and all of the maidens nodded. He began to lead the way, the ladies falling into a clump behind him.

Sol fell beside Sirith, nodding politely to her. "Hello."

She nodded in response. "Hello."

"Is this your first time in Asgard? You seem…out of place here."

"It is. My father does not travel often, so I had not seen must of the world before my father told me to come here. What of you?"

"My father comes here often to talk with the All-Father, so it seems to me that I grew up here. Do you like it so far?"

"Yes. It is a great change from where I lived."

Sol looked around before she whispered to Sirith. "What of the princes? Which one's heart shall you try to win?"

Sirith considered it for a moment. Thor was clearly the one that all wanted, being the image of perfection and heir to the throne. She had to admit, he had appealed to her. His carefree attitude, the way he could easily laugh. He would make a perfect king, a perfect husband. But he wasn't what she wanted. Her mind immediately flitted to the younger prince. He intrigued her, with his clever gaze that had watched her for the few moments they had met.

"I do not know them well enough to choose between the two. What of you? Which one have you chosen?"

Her eyes became clouded as she looked, smiling, at the prince before them conversing with Lady Attia. Sirith followed her gaze. "The eldest? You will have to fight the other ladies for him."

Sol sighed. "I know. But still…" she turned back to Sirith. "You cannot say he is not desirable."

Sirith looked at him again. Not to me, he isn't.

A/N: Hope you are enjoying this! My imagination had to be let flow, and this is the story that flowed from it. Please review!