Morning came with a very annoying ringing sound, the culprit of such noise continued with the added use of a vibrate feature until Karian could take it no more and reached a hand out to find her phone and drag it back to her under blanket lair. Groaning, rubbing her eyes and finally throwing the covers off her she sat up pausing for a loud yawn and scratched behind the ears of a snoozing cat. At least Griffin could sleep in but today was the first day of her new job as an asgardian waitress – she refused to think of it by the title 'server' or 'serving wench' or whatever other names the stupid gods had for it – and that luxury was not a good idea to take. It wouldn't be like back home, her old boss agreeable enough to let her wander in late whenever.
She wasn't really sure what she was supposed to wear in asgard for this job, nobody had actually given her a uniform or anything and the quick training she'd received last night hadn't clarified the matter. Fumbling through a chest of draws, she searched through her 'professional' clothes selection she'd brought with her, finally deciding on some smart looking suit trousers in a black and blue pinstripe, matched with a white blouse with matching blue flower pattern. She should probably tie her hair up as well - without straighteners it was getting increasingly bushy and afro-esk - and throw on some smart looking loafers. Yeah, she looked presentable for earth standards and at least she could run around with ease unlike the other serv- waitresses around the palace in their floor length skirts.
When she arrived in the kitchens, proud of the fact she was early for once in her life, the place was a loud, clattering war zone of cooks and servers piling food onto platters. Not really knowing what to do with herself, by this point, Kari slipped into a corner trying to keep out of everyone's way. Maybe being early was a bad thing after all.
"You!" A woman wearing a splatter covered apron barked from the opposite end of a long wooden table. "New girl! Stop standing around and get these to the dining hall."
"Right!" Kari squeaked back, another server taking pity on her for a moment and handing her a heavy platter of cold meats.
"Follow me." She inclined her head towards the door, Kari obediently following after the redhead like a lifeline. "You are the midgardian are you not?"
"Yup."
"You are not as strange as I thought you would be. But your clothes…" The woman gave her a critical run down. "I am Prue."
"Prue? Uh, Kari."
"When you enter, put the platter down in the centre. Say nothing unless spoken to, even then keep the conversation to a minimum." Prue warned as they came towards the hall entrance. "Someone will try and grab you, the louts like to grope. Try not to react, it only spurs them on. Give them a discreet slap on the hand if they get carried away."
"Woah…" Kari grimaced at the thought of some sweaty hairy man groping her. Sounded like this job was going to be just as bad as children's parties.
Prue was first to the table, placing her platter in the centre in one fluid motion and turning on the spot to fast for any of the bragging men around the table to catch a glimpse of her long enough. Kari's turn, in quickly, platter down, turn and…
"Fandralkin!"
Her eyes went wide as she heard her sort of name being blasted in her ear by a fat and very happy looking Volstagg. There was a high pitched ringing in her head now, followed by a burst of adrenaline focused annoyance as someone gave her rear a good hard slap.
"Is it really?" An equally burly looking man, attached to the hand currently giving her right buttock a good squeeze, gave Volstagg a disbelieving look. "Ah-haha, I recognize that nose! It must be!"
"Yes it is I." Kari gritted out, trying to pull her way out of the iron grip holding her against the table. "But I need to-"
"I told you so, it is true!" Volstagg gave a great belly laugh.
"Come! Sit with us! Eat!" Ass-grabber patted his lap with his free hand. "You are much better to look at than Fandrall."
"No I really need to-"
"Uh-hmmm." Prue was standing behind them now, arms folded with a great effort of annoyance causing the two men to go quiet and start muttering under their breaths.
"Another time, lass." Volstagg became suddenly interested in the meats in front of him.
Finally free from the clutches of asgardian gropers, Kari speed walked after Prue back towards the kitchens. The other woman shook her head with several tutts, finally arcing her head to give her a hard look.
"I told you to give them a slap if they went too far." Prue admonished. "You need to get tough if you plan to remain here."
"Right." Kari shuddered at the thought of that sort of behavior being normal and it was so early in the morning, what would they be like later on when they started drinking? "I'll try harder next time. Ugh, why are they so… like that anyway?"
"They are warriors." She shrugged as if that were answer enough.
The rest of the morning meal went much better, hardly any of the other warriors paid her mind with Prue always just behind her. Apparently, they knew better than to tempt fate with the lip-pursing redhead. She imagined most of the men had been at the receiving end of a good hard slap, from Prue, at some point and soon learned to mind their manners.
After breakfast was over, it was then clean-up time and an early lunch for the kitchen staff. She didn't know how she'd ever get used to her eating schedule being an hour behind for every meal, her stomach already didn't like having to eat lunch when she'd normally wake up late to eat breakfast. The food wasn't quite right either and after living in asgard for the past week and a bit, Kari was really starting to crave a McChicken sandwich.
Griffin had appeared for lunch as well, she had been wandering why he was starting to look a bit fat and now she knew. The tabby-tom had strolled in like he owned the place, hopping up onto a wooden table and been immediately set upon by cooing kitchen staff with offers of various meat. She couldn't help but feel cheated on; he didn't even pay her any mind as his fan-girls swarmed around him giggling at his feline hi-jinks. Whatever, she needed to go and wait hand and foot on a bimbo.
Working along a row of pre-prepared items, she collected up a selection on a tray not really knowing what the prince was into anyway. She was sure he'd like something or everything as asgardian men just seemed to wolf-down whatever was in front of them without regard. Without anyone even noticing she was leaving, too caught up with dangling ribbon for Griffin, Kari slipped out of the kitchens and began the walk down to the training yard. It was just past the stables, a place she dared not visit due to her mild horse-phobia but this time she had to have a good pause and gawk.
A woman with light-brown hair was standing outside brushing down an eight-legged horse. Eight legs. Hallucination or just asgard? Kari swallowed, feeling eyes trained on her and looked back towards the woman, now giving her a bemused frown. She blushed; feeling embarrassed at getting caught staring and tried a friendly smile. The other woman raised an eyebrow at the gesture before turning back to her duty and without anymore incentive Kari rushed on past the stable and into the training yard.
Thor was standing in the centre of the wide-open space, his hammer twirling at an incredible speed in his hand kicking up dust around him. She didn't dare go any closer, least she got sand in her eyes and on his lunch. Just as the swirling dust wall reached the point she could no longer see him through it, he tossed his hammer across the yard and laughed as it collided with a stone target completely destroying it. As he stalked over to retrieve the hammer, Kari took her chance and scuttled across the yard towards the bimbo.
"Oi, Thor?" she called out just as he reached down for his weapon and turned about to face her.
"Fandralkin!" He grinned like a small boy trapped in a man's body. "Is it midday so soon?"
"Kari."
"I know your name." He brushed her annoyance off with a shield of not caring and came over for a closer inspection of what she had brought. "This is fine enough." He took the tray, lifting a hunk of meat and devouring it messily with his hands.
"Oh god…" Kari tried not to puke, then gave a confused look as Thor turned, placing the tray down on a chunk of stone rubble and proceeded to remove his shirt.
He was sweaty, well chiseled abs glistening in the sunlight as he took to wiping his bare skin down with his removed clothing. Kari was wide-eyed in appreciation, refusing to blink for a second as she admired the lovely way his body dipped and curved in just the right places. Damn, even better than that Paul guy.
"Do you see something you like?" Thor's face was a mirror of pure smug as he practically posed for her now, mug of ale held to his lips as he drank giving her ample opportunity to stare at the whole package in one go.
"You have nice abs." She shrugged, her face suddenly portraying an air of disinterest.
"You like me, Fandralkin." He chuckled. "Admit it."
"I appreciate the work you've put in to your physique." She trailed a hand up and down to indicate what he had on display. "You personally? Eh…"
"Eh?" He repeated, smile dropping a fraction at the apparent rejection. "I think you lie."
He turned back to his tray of food and got back to eating like a wild animal. Whatever, she didn't care, or hardly notice, as her eyes remained locked on the well-defined line working down towards his pants. She wasn't sure just how long she had been standing their, practically drooling but there was certainly a change in the prince's body language that became increasingly apparent until he finally cleared his throat to get her to look him in the eyes again.
"I wish you to cease your staring. You look at me like I were a common serving wench." Thor seemed a little annoyed and possibly embarrassed.
"You put it on display." Kari rolled her eyes.
"I care not for your excuses, mortal. I am a prince of asgard and you take care to look at me with some respect."
"Oh gods… alright, you want to feel sorry for yourself then here." She groaned, unbuttoning her blouse and flashing the god of thunder.
He stared, eyebrows raised in some sort of confused, stupefied shock with a chicken leg held in one hand hovering haphazardly near his mouth. That was somewhat unexpected. Out of the blue, Kari pulled her blouse shut again and started crying like a deeply troubled maid just wronged by a prince.
"You… you looked at me… like some common serving wench." She racked out between sobbing shudders.
"You disrobed!" Thor shot back, annoyed at the accusation but also panged with some guilt.
"You didn't have to look!" She broke down into a louder wail. "How could you?"
"I… I…" He opened his mouth several times to say something then finally opted on the better approach. Fandral was going to try and kill him. "Please accept my humblest apologies, Karian Fandralkin. I behaved shamefully. Please, you may look upon me as you wish."
"Really?" She sniffled, wiping away tears on the back of her hands.
"Yes, please, forgive my actions."
"Alright." She looked up, grinning like the Cheshire cat and immediately started laughing at the dumbfounded expression on the bimbo's face.
Oh he was angry at her rouse, but that quickly mutated into a level of impressed annoyance as he shook his head putting his tray of mostly devoured food back on the rubble.
"You are as devious as my brother." He commented with an irritated smirk and headed over to a rack of weapons pulling free two swords. "Now, we shall see how long you remain in such good humor, Frandalkin." He shot her a look that reeked of up-coming payback.