Unforeseen

Troll Hunting in the Gardens

"Milady Penelope, I'm afraid I must insist that you get up." Fulla's voice called me from the depths of my heavy slumber. I grunted as the curtains of my bed were pulled back, letting bright light from my bedchamber's window seat spill over my face. How could it possibly be morning already? Why was it so important for me to wake up now? I'd had a late night after all! The feast had gone on into the wee hours of morning! I was certain I hadn't retired to my chambers any earlier that five in the morning!

I remembered the feast through my bleary, exhausted memory. After Lord Frey and Lady Freya had found Odin-Loki and I, we'd been swept back into the festivities. At Freya's insistence after she'd practically shoveled another pound of food into me, Frey had led me out onto the dance floor. Freya had been right, he was a good dancer and his conversation and care-free laughter had been refreshing and enjoyable, yet I could almost feel Loki's eyes watching me. I caught his intense gaze on the pair of us, showing his displeasure even as he seemed to be conversing readily and normally with his celebrating advisors and nobles that came to pay their respects to him.

Frey kept me for a handful of dances before others asked for dances with me. I didn't want to be rude or stand-offish, so I agreed to being led through one Asgardian dance to another, fumbling through waltzes and trying to leap and turn in time to circle and couple-line dances. Fulla found me again, inviting me to join her and some of her maid friends in a game being played in one section of the great feasting hall. She had to teach me the rules and I was not very good at it, but I played several rounds until Odin-Loki tracked me down again. I was exhausted by this time, so taking a seat next to him was very welcome.

I then sat with him and the other nobles, being introduced to Asgard's businessmen and women, leaders in the community, nobles, and ambassadors. I listened to their talk of business that was mixed with talks of lighter subjects. I had to suppress my urge to lean on his shoulder as exhaustion from the day and the party started really wearing me down, but Loki snaked his hand over to my hand that was resting in my lap, holding it gently in secret under the table. As the night wore on later and later, we listened to some of the warriors telling tales of battle and victory. A bard of sorts spun stories of Asgardian lore to the tune of a lyre before rowdier feasters insisted on drinking songs and songs to dance to.

When I could hardly keep my eyes open anymore, Loki, in his guise as the Allfather, announced that he was retiring for the night and that I was as well. He seemed to have intentions of walking me to my room, but Fulla beat him to it. Since she was my maid, she deemed it her to help me out of my corset since I was still unfamiliar with them and this one was tied behind my back. As soon as she had completed her tasks, she had dismissed herself to retreat to her own chamber to sleep.

After an unending night of festivities like that, why could I not simply sleep in to my heart's content? Waking me up the morning after a party like that seemed almost cruel! I murmured my displeasure, pulling my covers over my head to block the unwelcome sunlight. I'm not usually so bad at waking up, but I was still truly sleep-deprived. Surely my duties as a lady of Asgard could hold off for another hour or so?

Fulla sighed, moving around my bed to pull all the curtains open, tying the draping white and teal fabric back to the bed posts, "Your presence has been requested by the king."

"The Allfather?" I cracked open an eye, turning onto my other side so that I was facing Fulla again. Her own eyes seemed to be tired and drooping. "Summoned for what?"

"He wants you to take the midday meal with him." She answered, moving over to my changing partition curtain, grabbing the royal blue gown from last night that she had draped over it last night and tucking it over her arm, probably to take to the laundry.