You spent a great majority of the morning in the kitchens. Partly because you didn't wish to endure breakfast with your family, or Thor's non-stop talking, and partly because you wanted to get to know the staff that run the palace. You sent your regrets to the royals, saying you had taken ill this morning, hoping that would satisfy your father.
Back home you knew all the servants, and while the palace of Asgard had twice as many as your own castle, you wanted to get to know as many as you could during your stay. You preferred the company of ordinary people to that of nobility anyhow, nobles were always so full of pretence and it put you ill at ease.
"Here you go Princess, a raspberry tart for a little after-breakfast snack." The head cook, Mira, smiled warmly as she pushed a plate of dessert into your hands.
"Thank you Mira," you beamed.
The elder woman winked at you. "Anytime dearie. Also, the Queen wishes you to spend lunch with her, she sent word for me to tell you to meet her in the gardens after your morning lessons."
You blinked. "How does she know –"
"You're here?" Mira smirked. "The All-Mother knows everything that goes on in this palace."
You swallowed. "Everything?"
Mira laughed. "She is not the All-Mother for nothing! Now off you go dear, your lessons will begin soon, you should get going to the Academy."
You nodded and stood, brushing off your gown you hurried out of the kitchen and along the golden halls. The Academy was a large marble building off the west-wing of the palace. You saw an array of golden-haired Asgardian women milling about the grounds as you entered the gates, all beautiful and slender and very intimidating. You felt so ordinary in comparison.
You hurried along and entered the building, making your way down the marble corridor. The women who attended this prestigious academy attended etiquette classes in groups, but you were a princess, so you were to receive private instruction.
You reached the end of the corridor and stepped into the classroom, seeing another young woman inside.
"Oh, hello." She smiled. "You must be Princess Nia. Welcome. I am Princess Shiara of Vanaheim."
"Pleased to meet you. What is a Princess of Vanaheim doing on Asgard?" you asked as you took a seat next to the other princess.
Shiara giggled. "I could ask the same of a Princess of Pannaheim."
You smiled at the bubbly princess.
"My brother recently married your sister, so I'm sent here to finish my schooling and make myself a desirable wife. I assume your father has a similar path in mind for you."
You remembered your father's dark words the day before you set off for Asgard, and shivered.
"Yes, something of the like."
Shiara put an arm around you. "Don't worry, everything will turn out okay."
You smiled, feeling encouraged from Shiara's sunny personality. That feeling, of course, left you the moment your instructor turned up. She was an elderly woman with an eye like a hawk, you felt yourself shrink under her gaze, and even Shiara's almost unnatural glow seemed to fade.
She edged closer to you, and whispered. "This is going to be a long day."
You couldn't help but agree.
After a gruelling morning of etiquette and posture lessons, you made your way to the palace gardens to join Queen Frigga. Why she had asked you to accompany her and not someone like Shiara was a mystery to you, you weren't anything special.
As you rounded a corner and saw you had ended up on a terrace, you realised you were very lost. You must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Sighing in irritation, you went to turn back, when a figure caught your eye.
Loki was sprawled on a settee, reading a large tome. You were tempted to go over to him, but you really didn't want to keep the Queen waiting. But, you were lost. Surely a detour to ask for directions would be fine.
"Loki?"
So engrossed was he in his book, Loki didn't hear your approach, and your sudden voice made him jump in fright, nearly falling off his chair. You gasped.
"Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"
Loki looked up and saw you, and smiled at your worried expression.
"It's all right Nia," he chuckled as he got up. "I was deaf to the rest of the world, you couldn't have known your voice would shock me so. I suppose it's only fair since I scared you last night,"
"I suppose." You smiled hesitantly. "It must be an interesting read if you're so engrossed in it."
"Indeed, it is a field of study I have not entered before, and it has quickly captured my attention." Loki said, bending to pick up the fallen tome.
You caught the title as he placed the book on the settee, and your eyes widened as you noticed the book's subject.
"The Fae?" you asked.
Loki ducked his head somewhat shyly, an embarrassed smile on his face.
"I was wanting to learn more about your people." He admitted.
"Why so fascinated by the Fae?"
"I admit, in my youngers years I did not give much thought to your people. We of Asgard, rather ashamedly, think of the Fae as somewhat lesser. As an adult I understood this notion was folly, and yet I did not correct my teachings of your people until we met, and our brief talks sparked my drive to learn more."
Loki paused, looking away, his expression pensive, as though he were gathering his thoughts. He turned back to you and continued.
"You are…remarkable, Nia. I wished to discover if it were like that for all your people, or if you were just as unique as I believed you to be." A blush covered Loki's face as you stared, your mouth hanging open of its own accord.
"I'm remarkable?" you said dubiously. "Have you not mistaken me for someone else Loki? I am no one special."
"You do not see yourself as you are dear Nia." Loki said. "It is regretful that you have such an image of yourself."
You frowned. "What other image of myself should I have?"
"The truth." Loki answered.
"And that is?"
"I aim to find out." Loki grinned slightly. "I hope to have more time in your company to get to know you better. And I admit I'd…rather hoped you may have a similar desire towards me."
You smiled slowly. "I can see myself wanting to know more about you."
Loki smiled bashfully. "I am honoured. To have the company of any beautiful maiden is a gift, but to have yours is a blessing."
You flushed, your hands coming up to hide the flattered grin that made its own way across your face. Loki saw it anyway despite your efforts, and chuckled softly.
"But forgive me for my rudeness, I have not asked what brought you here. I would not presume it was to find me."
"Actually, I am a little lost." You admitted, feeling embarrassed. "I am supposed to meet Queen Frigga in the gardens for lunch, but I am afraid I have lost my way."
"This palace is daunting to those unused to its halls." Loki said understandably. "I will help you find your way."
"Thank you." You smiled.
"I think I will join you and my mother for lunch, if it pleases you Nia, we missed you at breakfast on the morn." Loki said as he lead you away.
"I would like that very much," you beamed up at the prince. "I had missed your company this morning too."
He chuckled softly at the blush on your cheeks.
"I heard you had taken ill this morning, are you well now?" Loki asked.
"That may have been…stretching the truth somewhat." You admitted. "I was well, but I was…not in the disposition to sit with my family."
"I am beginning to grow concerned for you my dear, whenever your family is mentioned, you seem to…dim almost. Have you had an unhappy life Nia?" Loki frowned.
"I – no! I mean, my life has been normal I assume, no different to your own upbringing I imagine." You said quickly.
Loki raised an eyebrow. "My childhood has been filled with being compared to Thor, never being as good as him, and growing into a spiteful misfit that messes with the chambermaids while Thor plays king and I stand in his shadow. Does yours compare?"
You opened your mouth to answer, before you paused in thought. That…did actually seem remarkably similar. You told Loki so.
"My brother Val, he is the only child in my father's eyes." You said. "No matter what he did, he was always praised, even for wrongdoing, never blamed for anything, always told he was destined for greatness. My father did not value myself and Lia as much but…"
"But?" Loki pressed.
"But even still…Lia was more of a daughter to be proud of than me." You said softly. "Lia always did as she was told, never spoke out of place, excelled at her classes and was the perfect princess. I liked to explore and to read and wanted to learn magic, I would ask questions all the time, add to that my inability to fly, I was never considered…good enough. When father made a marriage deal with Vanaheim, he offered us both for the prince to choose from seeing as we were the same age. The prince, I am told, took one look at me, and immediately chose my sister. We are twins but we look nothing alike, Lia is most beautiful, like our mother, while I am no beauty."
"Nia, no. You are most beautiful." Loki stopped you and held you gently by your shoulders, making you look up into his eyes. "Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool beyond measure. You are a beauty the envy of any woman, you are kind and brave and intelligent. You may not be able to fly, but that is no measure of any faults on your part. You have grace and kindness like that of my mother, and that tells me you are a perfect princess."
Your eyes welled with tears as your face broke into a shaky but beaming smile. Without meaning to you leaned in towards Loki and rested your head against his chest as you let yourself cry. Loki simply held you to him, gently stroking your hair and murmuring softly to you, though you could not understand the words.
"No one has ever said such things to me before." You said after you had calmed and pulled away from the prince.
"It should have been said a long time ago." Loki replied. "And I will tell you everyday for as long as I know you, so you never forget. You are worthy of the universe my dear, sweet Nia, never forget that."
"You're so kind to me…" you mumbled, wiping your tear-stained cheeks with your hand. "No one's ever been so kind to me. Thank you, your kindness means a lot to me."
"It is easy to be kind to you." Loki smiled, offering his arm to you.
You took it, and you both continued on your journey.
"A more cheerful subject perhaps?" Loki suggested. "Tell me of your mornings lessons, how was your first day?"
"Hardly a more cheerful topic." You said teasingly. "Shiara and I endured hours of posture lessons, strapped to chairs to keep our backs straight. On Pannaheim we sit in hanging chairs, so the sitting etiquette of this realm is difficult for me to grasp."
Loki chuckled. "So you have met Princess Shiara, at least you did not have to endure that alone."
"Do you know her?" you asked, your interest suddenly piqued.
"Not well. She has been living here for only a few months. She keeps to herself, outside of formal events and our initial introduction I have not seen much of her." Loki replied. "She spends more time with Thor than I."
"You sound resentful of that Loki." You said.
"Perhaps I am." Loki sighed, looking embarrassed to even admit that to you. "But it is to be expected, everyone – women especially – prefer Thor to me. I am…used to it."
"That's not fair." You frowned. "And…very familiar."
"We have that in common," Loki smiled slightly. "At least you and your sister still have a good relationship, despite everything. My brother and I cannot say the same."
"Surely there must be things the two of you share,"
"I love my brother, I do. How could I not? He is my brother. I have no doubt Thor feels the same, it is merely…sibling rivalry I suppose. As for things we share, we do not have a lot in common. We may bicker, but when it comes down to it we will be there for each other. I just wish…" Loki broke away with a sigh.
"That you got along better?" you finished carefully.
Loki nodded. "Alas, that will never happen. We are too different. But I have accepted this truth – I may not like it, but I have accepted it."
You opened your mouth to say something to console the prince, but you were distracted by Queen Frigga calling to you in greeting, and you realised you had made it to the gardens. You smiled and curtsied to the Queen, and Loki released your arm as you sat down.
"So kind of you to join us Loki. Can I assume you are the reason Princess Nia was a little late to our meeting?" Frigga said teasingly.
"Mother I'm hurt." Loki said in tone of mock-hurt. "What kind of scoundrel do you take me for? I merely accompanied Nia, for she had gotten lost in the halls."
"Does he speak the truth my dear? You can be honest, it is all right." Frigga turned to you, a smile on her face.
You nodded. "Loki was kind enough to help me find my way. He was nothing but a gentleman I promise."
"Ah the fair princess comes to my rescue yet again!" Loki grinned, extravagantly taking your hand and kissing the back of it, making you giggle.
Frigga smiled. "It is good to see you two getting along so well. Loki I have not seen you smile so much in a very long time,"
"Nonsense mother, I am always full of cheer." Loki shrugged.
"A clever lie my son, but you cannot fool me." Frigga chuckled.
"'Twas not that clever." You said.
"You wound me Nia," Loki pouted. "I say never recover from such slander."
You laughed. "My, what thin skin the God of Mischief has!"
"Only because the Princess of Pannaheim has such remarkable cunning." Loki smiled at you, making you blush and look away momentarily.
You caught Frigga looking at the two of you knowingly, a small smile on her face as she sipped at her tea.
You spent a few hours in the gardens, speaking with Frigga and firing jokes at Loki, and you found the more you spent there, the more comfortable you grew. Your brother was nowhere in sight, and your father wasn't glaring at you, there was nothing but Loki's teasing and Frigga's kind smile.
By the time Frigga was called away to a council meeting and bid you farewell, you were smiling more than you ever had in your life. Loki walked you back to your rooms, on the pretence that he didn't want you to get lost again, but you had other ideas on his reasons.
"May I see you again later?" Loki asked you as he left you at your door. "I admit, I cannot get enough of your company."
You smiled, and nodded. "Of course Loki. I would love that."
Loki smiled, looking pleased with himself. "Then meet me by the Bifrost bridge tonight, there is something beyond the city I would very much like to show you."
Excitement bubbled up inside you. What adventures would the prince take you on?
"Very well my mysterious prince," you said teasingly.
He chuckled, and leaned in to gently kiss your cheek. "Until then, my beautiful princess."
Using his seidr to vanish before your eyes, you found yourself staring at where he once stood, smiling to yourself. You sighed contently. You could get used to living on Asgard.
Your moment of happiness was broken by the sudden appearance of your brother in front of your eyes. You gasped in shock. Where had he come from? How long had he been there?
"You and the second prince seem very friendly sister of mine." Val said accusingly.
"I – I – "
Val gripped you by your shoulders, forcing you back against the door. The handle dug into your back painfully, but he ignored your wince.
"You, are spoken for already. Aren't you dear Nia? We wouldn't want him getting the wrong impression, would we sister?" Val growled. "I suggest you discourage the foolish prince."
"I…am not spoken for." You managed to gasp through the pain.
Val's face darkened. His grip tightened and you whined in pain.
"That is because you are useless, and couldn't attract a man if your life depended on it. Let's test that shall we? If your life was on the line, how would you fare I wonder? Do you want that?"
"N-No!" you whimpered.
"Then I suggest you get to the job you were meant to do. Or else." With a final push into the door, Val released you and stalked away, leaving you alone.
Breathing heavily, you sank to the floor against the door, and felt involuntary tears spill down your cheeks. You were so very tired.
