The empty corridors echoed the sounds of her hurried footsteps as she tried to get her bearings. After a week, she assumed she could find her way to breakfast without the guidance of one of her handmaidens. She'd assumed wrong.

The palace was just so damnable large! She couldn't even quantify how many of her father's houses could fit within the mammoth structure. Thousands probably, she silently lamented. She'd likely starve to death before finding the great hall. It probably happened all the time.

So distracted with these thoughts, she didn't even see the stooped old woman in her path until she almost crashed into her. Erna narrowly avoided the crouched figure, but to the detriment of her balance. She thumped down onto the hard floor, skirts offering minimal padding as her bottom crashed into the stone.

"I'm so sorry," she exclaimed when she had her breath back. "I nearly trod all over you. I wasn't paying the least attention."

She now saw the woman held a scrub brush in one hand. A nearby bucket confirmed her assumption that this was a servant washing the floors. The woman's downcast eyes further attested to the fact. "It's my fault, my lady. I shouldn't have been in your path."

Erna laughed and stood, brushing the dust off the back of her gown. "You're just doing your job. There's no way you could have anticipated that I'd come by, not paying proper attention to my surroundings, lost idiot that I am."

"You're lost, my lady?" She still shied away as if Erna might whip her for being underfoot, but her voice seemed calmer.

"Hopelessly." The glanced around the seemingly endless corridor and sighed. "You wouldn't be able to guide me back to the great hall, would you?"

"I…" She cast a glance back at her bucket, likely wishing to get back to her task. "Of course, my lady."

"I don't want you in trouble with anyone on my account though. If you can find me a nearby guard, I'll make sure of it."

"Certainly, my lady." The woman scurried off with a quickness Erna wouldn't have thought possible in her advanced years. But she returned after only a few minutes, guard in tow. He didn't look happy about being summoned by a washerwoman, but he made his face placid as soon as he saw Erna.

"Lady Erna," he said bowing.

"Please wait here until…" she trailed off, looking back at her new acquaintance. "I'm sorry, I didn't even ask your name earlier!"

"Halfrida, my lady."

"And you shall call me Erna, please." She turned back to the guard and continued. "Please wait here until Halfrida returns. If her supervisor or anyone else comes looking for her, I don't want them to think she's shirking her duties. She's going to guide me back to the great hall."

"My lady, I can-"

She cut him off, preferring not to have her plan questioned. "Thank you. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Lead on, Halfrida."

They departed down the walkway, leaving the guard to at his new post. Erna heard Halfrida chuckle under her breath when they were out of his earshot. "Deftly handled, my lady… err, Erna."

"Thank you, Halfrida."

It turned out she was relatively close to the hall, as far as palace geography went. She vowed to pay closer attention to the path and would always keep someone with her until she knew it by heart. The woman bowed obsequiously when they parted at the great wooden doors. "Thank you for valiantly rescuing me, Halfrida. I shall not forget it. If you ever tire of your current job, please come find me. If you'd be willing to come back with us to Alfheim, I could always find a place for you at home."

"That's very kind of you, my lady. I'll just be off now, if there's nothing else you need."

"No, I'm fine. Thank you again."

The woman bustled off and Erna took a moment to compose herself before entering the hall. A deep voice stilled her hand just as she was about to push the door open. "They've already started clearing breakfast away, but I'm sure one of your servants could coax the kitchen into sending something up to your room."

Shit. She was fairly certain who the voice belonged to. Turning around to face him, her fears were confirmed. The king looked down at her, amusement showing on his regal face. "Your majesty," she exclaimed, giving him a deep curtsy.

"I now know your true purpose for coming to Asgard, Lady Erna."

She managed a less than dignified, "Huh?" in response. She was startled that the king even knew her name. The sooner she could make a polite exit, the less damage her big mouth was likely to do.

"Trying to poach the palace servants. Honestly, I would have thought better of a daughter of Alfheim." He squinted at her and she felt like a prey being scrutinized by a predator. "Although, you are terribly short. Are you sure you're a light elf?"

His tone was playful, but it rankled her all the same. Her reply was cool, if not curt. "I'm a runt by all standards, your majesty, but yes I am a light elf."

Rather than humor or anger, pity flashed across his face. It was quickly replaced by a grin, but she'd glimpsed it. Odd. "I've been terribly rude, haven't I?" His question was odder still.

"Well, if I'm being honest, your majesty, yes you have."

"I apologize, Erna." He took her hand and bowed before placing a kiss on it. "Somewhere up in Valhalla my mother is cursing my bad manners."

"I thought Valhalla was reserved for warriors." Before she could stop herself she'd replied, contrary to her sensible plan of shutting up and getting out of there.

The smile he flashed was rueful. "She may not have been a traditional warrior, but my mother deserves to be in Valhalla more than anyone I've ever known." Not sure how to respond, she stayed quiet. "But I fear I've taken up too much of your time." That was polite king speak for I'm too busy to continue speaking to you and she knew it.

"Thank you, your majesty." She had no idea what she was thanking him for, but it seemed the polite thing to say. "And I promise I'll try to curtail my servant poaching impulses while I'm in Asgard."

"I would see it as a personal favor, thank you." He snapped a finger and a guard appeared from a nearby side corridor. Funny how none of the blasted guards could be found when she'd needed one. "See that Lady Erna finds her chambers. We can't have her getting lost again."

Before she had a chance to think of a proper reply, he was gone in a swish of leather and silk, leaving her to trail mutely after her new guide.