Endlessly

The Palace of Ice and Flames

You relax your shoulders as the three of you stroll through the carved opening in the mountainside, stepping into the respective courtyard of Laufey's estate. There are no eerie chants, no hisses of disapproval, and not a single pair of glowing, curious eyes to welcome you this time.

Thank the gods for that.

In fact, it's nearly silent as you approach the front doors, save for the continuation of enchanting bird songs, and the faint whistle of the wind through the sharp, icy rocks that joins and harmonizes with the delightful winter melody.

The grand doors open as if by magic as the three of you approach. Hilund continues her confident stride inside, you're practically tripping over her heels in excitement.

A warm chuckle catches your attention.

Loki's eyes are lit up like stars when you catch his gaze.

"What?" You bark. "Don't laugh at me." Your cheeks heat.

"I'm not laughing at you. I'm... enjoying you." The stars in his eyes reflect the candlelight in the great hall.

You lean down and place a kiss on the top of his head. He snorts.

"I've been waiting for you." A seductive, feminine voice echoes through the halls.

After a moment of searching, you spot Laufey, casually splayed across the railing of the mezzanine. One arm is draped lazily across her lap, the other holds a half-eaten apple that is such a deep color of red, it's nearly mahogany. She too, is dressed with little to leave to the imagination; a loose, semi-sheer top hangs off of her shoulders, exposing her midriff, only covering what's absolutely necessary. The "skirt" is more of a low-riding belt with two slim panels of fabric attached- one that hangs in the front, and one in the back. It would take no more than a light breeze for you to get to know the Queen of Jotunheim far more intimately than you'd prefer. Nevertheless, she looks absolutely stunning. You'd dare to say that she is the perfect picture of sensual confidence as she rises to her bare feet to greet the three of you. While she is still significantly more petite than all of the other giants you've seen, you can no longer count each of her ribs. Perhaps it's the candlelight, but even her skin seems to possess a warm, healthy glow.

As she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she continues, "You two must be exhausted from your journey. Let me show you to your room."

Hilund gives you a nod of dismissal, hauling the poor dead creature through a set of double doors and out of sight.

Laufey continues, waving her hand at Loki and yourself to follow. "The room we've prepared has a much better view than the one you stayed in last time. No need to sleep only in the interior rooms anymore." She looks over her shoulder to flash you both a grin.

You don't understand what she means until you note the layer of sweat that has formed on your lower back, and take in the incredibly warm temperature within the palace walls. There must be a very powerful spell of some sort protecting the inside from the chill. You shake off your tattered cloak.

Laufey slows her pace as she approaches a particularly ornate black iron door. "Here we are." She twists the handle, revealing the massive space. "My quarters are just down the hall that way." She jerks her chin to the left as a way of giving directions. "I do hope you two are up to meeting me for dinner this evening."

"We'd love to." You smile, cheating a quick glance at Loki, who shows no signs of protest.

"I will send my handmaiden, Cerridwen, to your chambers an hour before dinner. She will assist you in selecting a wardrobe for your stay, and will escort the two of you to the dining room." The queen reaches for your hand, which you happily give her, placing your other over top of hers with a grateful squeeze.