Loki pulled Sirith close on the balcony. His hand rested on her hip, the other grasping her hand. The hands were tight, but only in the way to assure her she was not going to fall off the low railing behind them. She looked startled up into his eyes. He smiled cleverly. "I would prefer to stay up here, if you don't mind." She nodded in surprise. Only reaching his chin in height, she was forced to look up while he looked down.
It felt strange to be this close to him. She could feel the beating of his heart in her chest; feel the rise and fall as he breathed. More than anything she felt she should pull away slightly from the prince, felt that she was too close to be proper. But when she tried he keep her tighter, his eyes holding hers to them. It seemed as though he would continue to mold them together until they were one being, moving together while the orchestra played below.
Loki began to slowly turn her in a circle, their feet keeping step with the music. He knew he should say something to her to ease the tension that filled her body. But this dance was not one for talking. It was one for discovery. There was something about her. Something that was different than all the other woman who his father had chosen. She didn't have the ready cheerfulness as the blue maiden. She didn't have the sensible goals of the green maiden. She didn't have the captivating beauty of the maiden in gold. She didn't have the pride as the red maiden. She had her own. Something that was different. And he was determined to find out what.
He searched her pale eyes, looking for something that would give him a clue. There was nothing. Just a pale blue with flecks of grey. No hint of emotion that he couldn't already discover just from touching her. It was as though she was a husk and could only feel on the outside.
The song ended and he broke away nearly instantly, kissing one hand before sweeping away. Sirith was left rocking back and forth on her feet, blinking in confusion. The dance had been strange. The closeness, the fact his eyes always held hers. It had left her with the feeling of a spider crawling across her skin, its hairs ticking the flesh. She didn't want to experience it again, yet somehow she craved it. Not the feeling, but the gaze.
She turned back to the railing and leaned slightly on the wall to her right. She had no desire to return to the dance, no desire to mingle with Asgardians who would be judging her if she was a worthwhile choice. And absolutely no desire to have the All-Father stare at her the entire evening, judging her if she was worthy to produce heirs for his sons.
Sol caught her eye from the floor below and then disappeared in the wall bellow Sirith. She knew that Sol was on her way towards her, ready to quiz her on her dance with the price. Her suspicions were proved correct by the giggle of joy from behind her.
"I know which price you have chosen!" Sol came beside her. "The youngest, Loki."
"What makes you say that?" she didn't turn her head to look at Sol, knowing that if she did Sol would gain the wrong impression.
"You danced so close to him, your faces almost touched, and when he came down there was a small smile on his face."
"I have chosen no prince. And even if I had, it is not my place to choose. It is for the princes and the All-Father to decide."
"Oh, don't kid yourself Sirith." Sol lightly wacked her shoulder. "You have chosen, even though it is simply the first day."
Sirith turned to Sol. "Why are you scolding me, when you have already chosen the eldest prince?"
Sol laughed. "Oh, I kid. Though the All-Father chooses which woman his sons shall marry, the women choose which one to fight teeth and claw over. And let me just say," she pointed down to the room below, "there is most certainly one woman you must fight for Prince Loki."
Sirith followed her friends gaze. Loki was one again dancing with the blood maiden, holding her as tightly as he had Sirith. She looked away quickly. "There is no need to fight for a man. The men will choose and the disappointed will return home defeated."
"Come along, let's return below to the party and grave the room once more with our presence." Sol pulled on her arm gently.
"You may return. I shall remain up here. My stomach is not agreeing with me at the present."
Sol laughed again. "Of course. Your stomach is not agreeing with you. Very well. I shall return with news of the party if there is something I believe you should know."
"Thank you. I hope the remainder of your evening travels by well." Sol's footsteps traveled away from behind her, so different from when Loki left. She hadn't heard his footsteps when he left, making it seem as though he had simply vanished from her world.
Sirith again focused her attention on the floor, scanning the swirling skirts and capes. The blood maiden, Lika, was to the side, sipping a glass of the alcohol. Loki was dancing with the green maiden, Attia, though he was holding her nearly an arm's length away. Clearly, his father had told him to dance with her.
The night passes quickly when one does not have to engage in the activities of others. Before Sirith realized, the trumpets sounded and the party dispersed. When she turned to the window she found that the sun had begun to rise, drenching the tired drunks with a blinding light.
She left her balcony slowly, only then bombarded by the tiredness that came from staying up for the entirety of the night. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she found herself met by Loki, who looked no worse for the wear.
"Lady Sirith, you appear to need assistance in reaching your room." He smiled. "May I assist you?"
"If it pleases you, then yes. I do rather feel like I am about to collapse into sleep." Loki held out an arm and she grasped it, letting him begin to carefully direct her properly.
"I hope you enjoyed the evening." She almost did not hear him. "I noticed you didn't come down from your post above the dance."
"I prefer to observe public occasions from above. My father never gave me a chance to experience them in person, and thus I don't know what to expect. Watching from above is safer, protects you from injury."
Loki nodded before pushing the door she nearly ran into open for her. "It is a good theory, yet sometimes experiencing something first hand is what prevents the injury most. For if you ever do choose to partake in that activity, it would be safer to have tried in one occasion where you are certain nothing could injure you then to have never tried at all."
She could not come up with a response, leaving her to smile thoughtfully as she fought to keep her eyes open. Neither spoke until they reached her rooms and it was only once they were there that he dropped his arm from her hand.
"If you may allow me to ask one question?"
"You already have done so, but I permit you to ask another."
"How is it that you are not sleeping on your feet?" she had one hand on the door, having already waved to the guards to not bother opening it for her.
"Practice. Now, I have a request for you. My father has instructed me that it is my turn to choose the activity the other ladies and yourself will be partaking in this day. We will arrive at the fifth hour of the day in order to travel to the library, a place of my particular pleasure. Be prepared." He crossed his arms behind him.
"Do not worry Prince. I shall be prepared." She opened the door after he had left and shouted instantly for Ashley. The woman appeared from the washroom, her hair secured behind her head.
"Would you prefer to bathe now, Sirith, or after you have rested?"
Sirith pulled one sleeve from her arm. "Oh by the gods after I have rested."
Ashley laughed and walked over to assist Sirith in her futile attempts to disrobe on her own. Then she guided her over to the bed, which Sirith promptly fell upon in sleep. Ashley kindly pulled her blanket so it covered the pale girl before leaving, blowing out the candles until the morning light was too bright to keep Sirith asleep.
Sirith awoke on her own time, but it was assisted by the fact Ashley dumped a bucket of cold water on her face.
"Leave me be!" She attempted to swat her away. "I'm still suffering from last night!"
"You are not suffering by far the amount as the other maidens. They all had a few glasses of alcohol, and are now feeling the consequences. You, however, are perfectly healthy this morning, besides not having consumed a morsel of food for hours." Ashley splashed a bit more water on her face. "Now up."
Sirith rolled over. "If I have such a lead over the other women in winning over a prince, then why not let me sleep?"
"Because you must take advantage of this lead." Ashley pulled her arm up and Sirith, even though she fought it, followed along. Ashley lead her over to the washroom, throwing open the doors before rushing over to the copper tub and adding water from the large collection in the corner. Sirith, understanding that she was supposed to be disrobing herself, did so. She shivered in the cold air and was desperately thankful for the warm water.
Ashley aided in her bathing, rubbing her skin with a rough sponge to rid her body of dead skin. Soon Sirith simply closed her eyes and let her body soak while Ashley did her work.
"We must choose you a dress, Sirith. You need one for this middle day meal, and then one for the later day when Prince Loki expects you." Sirith opened her eyes and sighed.
"Very well." She pushed herself out of the water and wrapped herself in the towel Ashley held. Ashley went ahead of her, already choosing dresses for her to study. Her body was still dripping water as she began to study the dresses, pointing to ones she preferred.
All the dresses were lighter colors, silvers, whites, greys, lavenders. "Why is there a lavender dress? I believed I was the silver one."
"The All-Father has decided the women are allowed two separate colors of dresses, though there must be one they prefer over the other. You, clearly, have chosen silver as your main. I asked the other maiden's chambermaids what colors their mistresses had chosen, and none had chosen lavender. I decided, after observing the dresses that have already been provided, that the light lavender would complement the silvers. And most especially, there are many different shades of lavender and lilac to work with." Ashley held up a simple white dress. "What of this one?"
"May I try it?" Sirith took it from her and let the towel drop before stepping into the silk. It fell to her skin and sent a shiver up her arm originally. The fabric clung to her middle but was loose around the bottom, being simple in style and weight.
Ashley came behind her and tied a lilac ribbon, one of more pink. She then pulled Sirith's hair across both shoulders, letting it wave naturally. The swan necklace had remained on her neck, but Ashley lengthened the chain so that it fell below the edge of the modest neckline.
"You are prepared. Come, a woman is waiting to escort you to the room where you shall dine in the morn." Ashley took her hand and led her to the door, brushing off her shoulder as she did so. Though Ashley must have been younger than her, she exuded a motherly protection. It made her feel safe, gave her a feeling of home. The door before them opened to revel an older woman clothed in a simple brown gown, though her kind smile made the simplest gown seem more extravagant than any made of gold.
"My lady, I am Christina." Christina nodded her head politely.
"Please, call me Sirith." The door had closed behind her by now and they had begun their journey through the halls, Christina before her.
"If you don't mind, my lady, I prefer to call you Lady. It is something my family has taught me and I find it difficult to break that habit." Christina glanced back at her. "I hope that suits you."
"It is fine. I don't wish to impose." Sirith lowered her head, already feeling red splotches on her collarbones. She hated blushing, for it was unbecoming to anyone. After a few deep breaths she was able to look up once more.
They reached another door quickly. It was a simple wood, not stretching that large. It was propped open and there was a scent of fresh bread wafting through the opening. "Here it is, my lady. The other maidens will be along shortly, but feel free to begin your meal." Christina turned and began a journey back down the hall.
"Thank you Christina." Sirith turned and pushed the door open the rest of the way. It was a medium sized room, with a long wooden table stretching down the center. Large windows were against one wall, though these showed a garden rather than a lake. The table already was laid with a small assortment of food, but Sirith could see the door against the back wall that appeared to lead towards a small kitchen.
She made her way towards a seat at the table, sliding onto the bench. There was a porcelain plate in front of her and she quickly added a small amount of food. It was a few minutes before the door opened again and another maiden entered. It was Claudia, now dressed in a similar dress as Sirith, though in a light blue with a yellow ribbon. She smiled at her before taking a seat across from Sirith, taking a similar amount of food.
"How did you sleep?" Sirith asked politely.
"Well, thank you. It was difficult to awaken this morning, after remaining awake so long last night."
"I agree. I wonder how the other women faired." The door opened from beside them to reveal Attia and Sol chatting together. Their dresses imitated Claudia and Sirith's, with green and white from Attia and gold and red for Sol. Though they chatted, their eyes were bloodshot with tiredness and their bodies seemed hunched.
Sol saw Sirith's laughing eyes. "Oh, don't laugh. I know we look terrible, but it is not the other maidens we are trying to impress. The princes are not here, so there is no reason for us to look our best." The two women collapsed on the bench either side of Claudia and Sirith. Cups of tea were immediately poured by the capable.
"What of Loki's plan for today?" Claudia asked. "The library. Seems strange as an activity to determine who he prefers to wed."
"Not particularly, if you think of it." Attia said, sipping her cup. "Perhaps he prefers intelligence over dancing skills. I mean, he seemed disgusted the whole of last night."
Sol's eyebrows raised. "Except when he danced with Sirith. He seemed rather interested in her." All the women turned to her in surprise, bringing on the blush once again.
"I do not know what you mean." She tilted her head downward again.
"Oh, don't attempt to lie." Sol laughed. "After you danced with Thor, the two of you appeared in the balcony, where you remained for some time. When you finally danced, he held you so close it seemed as though he wished to meld you into him."
"And when he appeared back at the doorway, there was a smile on his face." Claudia pointed out, joining in the laughter.
The door opened from beside them. "Leave her be. Can't you see, she doesn't want to continue discussing this." All the women turned to see Lika standing in the door way, her imposing figure even more striking in the deep red gown and black ribbon. "Good morning."
None of them had ever heard Lika speak, and her voice was even more mystical then any of them expected. It sent shivers up all their spines. Lika, thankfully, did not choose to sit near them but any conversation that could have followed between them all was immediately non-existent.
Sirith stood up as soon as she was full, making her way after a nod towards the door. Lika did not turn around as she approached, but Sirith noticed that her hand paused in its path of cutting up the remainder of her food.
The hall was empty outside the door, leading Sirith to believe she was allowed to explore the palace as she willed. But there was only one thing she wished to do. She managed to find her way to a door that led to another balcony, one much wider and much higher than her own. It was there she remained until Christina found her once more and led her back to her room, where Ashley was waiting with a lavender dress, now a more solid lavender instead of a pink or blue.
The dress seemed to have been caught in a web of fine spider's web, with the thin silver tentacles weaving their way across the fabric. Her hair was swept out of her face and secured with a lavender ribbon and her cheeks were dusted with the smallest amount of rouge.
Finally, Ashley stood back, adjusted the ribbon, and announced her completed. "You look beautiful, Sirith." Ashley clasped Sirith's hands tightly. "You are sure to impress the prince."
"It is not as though this meeting will change his opinion of me." She stood and gazed at herself once again in the mirror.
"Do not kid yourself. He chose this meeting to aid him in decided which maiden, so anything that happens here would change his opinion. Try, please, to be appreciative."
Sirith adjusted the ribbon on her own; taking away the inch the bow was giving the back of her neck. "Why would I not?"
Ashley appeared in the mirror beside her, looking much more nervous than Sirith. "No bother. Do not worry. You'll be fine."
"It does not seem like I am the one who is worrying. Please, calm Ashley. You were not nearly this nervous last night for the ball."
"That was a ball, where one can lose oneself in the crowd. You simply had to make a striking appearance; all rest was up to the princes if they wanted to engage in conversation with you. But today, there is no way to escape."
Sirith laughed. "I do not know why I would wish to."
Ashley smiled. "True." There was a knock at the door and Ashley rushed to answer it. There stood the young prince, wearing a simple black tunic with leggings. He looked much more natural in his clothes then Sirith felt in hers. He had his arms clutched behind him and she could see the other four maidens behind him, wearing dresses again in similar colors as her.
"Good evening, Sirith." He said, nodding. She came to the door as Ashley left, giving her and Loki a moment of staring into each other's eyes once more before he stepped away and allowed her to join them. Sol caught her eye with a smile, still looking as bright as ever. Attia's green and white seemed elegant, fitting her pleasant, but reserved smile. Claudia rivaled Sol in smile, looking like a bird who had just stepped from the sky.
Lika was not showing an emotion in her face, instead letting the captivating effect of her dress work for her. But her eyes, which Sirith was able to catch a glimpse of as she passed, were focused on the prince in hunger. Sol was correct. Lika wanted Loki.
They began their journey towards the library, Attia and Loki engaging in light chat. Sol came beside Sirith once more, though now whispering. "How do you feel, having your precious Loki snatched away from you by this minx?"
Sirith slapped her friend lightly on the shoulder. "Attia is no minx, and Loki is not my precious. One dance means nothing."
Sol smiled, but did not continue talking. As they walked, Loki and Attia before them, Sirith found herself continuously staring at the back of his neck, something concealed by his loose black hair. She hardly realized what she was doing until Sol shoved her side, breaking her mindless staring and bringing another blush.
A/N: Sorry that it has been so long since I posted a chapter, my well of ideas dried up. But it's back, thanks to my idea of how to end this. That's what I've discovered works for me. Once I know the goal of the chapter or the story, I am able to jump back in because I really want to get there. Hope you enjoyed, please review! Thank you.