The Myriad Misadventures of a Midgardian Queen-In-Training || Loki x Reader

Chapter 9

Leaving your room, you'd worried that you were overdressed - in addition to the glittery gown, Meg had somehow managed to wrangle your post-travel curls into a fairly elegant updo, with little gold pins to keep the twist in place. On top of that, you're wearing a diamond necklace which, if the gems are real (and you're pretty certain they are), looks to be worth more than Erik's yearly tuition. Okay, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but at any rate, it's extravagant and unnecessary and surprisingly heavy (thankfully, you managed to talk Meg into pairing it with diamond studs, rather than the dangly things she first suggested).

Walking into the dining room, you realize how unwarranted your fears really were. Compared to the others, you feel decidedly un-Bedazzled; most of them are dripping with the stuff. All of them are, at the very least, wearing a coronet, necklace, and earrings, and they've all added their own personal touches on top of that - on Rosa's left pinky sits a gold band with a single diamond, and you just barely catch a glimpse of a thin gold chain around Juliette's ankle. Based on their figures, most of them are wearing corsets, as well.

"This seat's taken."

"Hm?" You look down to see Rosa with a hand placed on the seat besides her. "Oh. I was just, um, thinking - "

"That's fine with me, but would you mind perhaps finding another spot to think?" Her smile and her words don't quite fit with each other, but you at least have enough perception to move on before she can make another snarky comment.

"This one's open." Rhea smiles up at you. It's so weird, how she can look so young at yet so motherly at the same time.

Weird...but nice. "Thanks."

"So, you're from America?"

"Huh?"

"America is your home country, correct?"

"Yeah, I - and you're from Germany? You're from Germany."

She laughs - not meanly, just a light chuckle. "Yes, Stuttgart." You must look bewildered, because she goes ahead and clarifies. "My city."

"Oh. Cool. I'm from - "

"Ladies, ladies, ladies!" Lady Amara sweeps into the hall, clapping her hands three times. "Ah, you all look lovely. Thank you for being on time. I trust you found your lodgings to be to your liking?" A chorus of agreement sounds across the room. "Excellent. Our waiting staff has prepared a fairly simplistic meal for tonight, only four courses - I'm sure some of you are still feeling the effects of travel, and we wouldn't want to overwhelm you on your first day." She chuckles. "Nevertheless, we have provided you each with a complete table setting, if you'll look just in front of you, and I'd like to precede our meal with a bit of a brush up, for those of you unfamiliar with this sort of thing."

You'd only glanced at the table setting before; now that it has your full attention, you're more than a little overwhelmed. "There's so many," you whisper to Rhea.

She nods, still smiling. You swear, you hear someone mutter, "Looks like someone didn't do her homework..."

"Excuse me?"

"Lady (Y/N), is there something you'd like to share?" Lady Amara looks unamused.

"No, ma'am. I mean, my lady."

"Well, then, perhaps you could demonstrate for us which utensil is to be used first in a meal such as the one displayed here." She gestures to the board, where she has written, quite simply, a list of food items.

Crap. Um, okay. Let's see what we can do. The first item written on the board is tea, so, clearly, you'll have to use a spoon. Which would be a relief, if there weren't one...two... three of those before you. "Um...this one?" You pick up the one above your plate, which is smallest - teaspoons are small, right? - pinching the end of it between your thumb and forefinger so that it dangles in the air.

Lady Amara snorts - rather ungracefully, in your opinion - and shakes her head, flicking a dismissive hand in your direction. "That is a dessertspoon, Lady (Y/N). Lady Rosa?"

Plastering a sweeter-than-sugar smile on her stupid, perfect face, Rosa picks up the correct spoon, the innermost one, and holds it up. Lady Amara applauds her, and you feel something sharp hit your shin. "Ow!" You glare at Rosa, who winks at you before resuming a bewildered, innocent expression.

Lady Amara's attention is once again on you. "Lady (Y/N), if you could please refrain from the constant disruptions, we would all be grateful." She rolls the words off her tongue, biting down on the t 's. "And don't crease your forehead so. It does dreadful things for one's skin."

You nod, fighting the temptation to argue. Accusing Rosa would only make you seem immature, downright bratty, even. You really want to kick her back, but the cameras - stupid, stupid cameras - are rolling, so you're forced to settle for clenching and unclenching your fists underneath the table, instead.

"Napkins are to be placed where?" Ooh! I actually know this one! You raise your hand eagerly, receiving in return an eye roll from Lady Amara. She calls on you anyway. "Lady (Y/N)?"

"On the lap, my lady."

She raises her eyebrows, apparently impressed that you spoke without embarrassing yourself for once. "Naturally."

It isn't really a compliment...but it's a start.