Platinum Blonde // L. Laufeyson

XVII

December was on her knees, scrubbing the dirty floor with a brush. It was a cold day and she was very close to the outside, on a large balcony near Queen Frigga's garden; she could see the snow. The soldiers stationed beside her shivered in their boots as they conversed between themselves as a cold draft blew by, brushing them with its icy winds.

She had to resist laughing as they complained about the cold, cuddled and dressed in many layers while she had a flimsy servant's gown with airy long sleeves. Ember wasn't sure how the other servants were surviving in this weather.

One of the guards muttered, "did you hear what happened in the prisons yesterday?"

"Who hasn't?"

The third guard smacked the second, "just because you're a man-whore doesn't mean we all are." He nodded to the first, "go on."

The first guard lowered his voice, they were oblivious to Ember's presence. "My brother was shifted for guarding the prison when the fire-giant attacks. They were about to be slaughtered when a mysterious figure clothed in black appeared out of nowhere."

The third man, with a scruffy red beard, waved his hand, "don't stop there, come on, there is something more isn't there?"

He nodded, hesitantly, glancing both ways of the corridor they guarded, completely missing the white-blonde servant scrubbing the golden balcony floor. "He, my brother, says that it seemed like Loki knew this person, whoever they are. Analysts are going over it now-"

The second man interrupted, "oh you are taking too long explaining this!" He lowered his voice, "they're thinking this fighter was in league with Loki. The person's moves are well practiced with a hint of Asgardian technique. They knew exactly where the prison was and everything in it. How many people do you know have that good of a relationship with Loki to not want him dead?"

He tugged on his red beard, the third man, shifting and ignoring the clanking sounds his armour created, "Queen Frigga and..." His brown eyes widened discernibly, "...and Dekémvrios."

The first nodded violently, "exactly! There are rumours that she survived the fall off of the bridge! There is word that Thor saw her on Midgard. And from what I've heard from my brother's friend's cousin's sister' fiancé, who is a interrogator for King Odin, Loki refuses to comment on the accusations!"

"In his silence he's practically saying its true!" The second said.

The man with red beard shivered and this time, not from the cold. "I was part of the squad who helped the King and his elite guard corner her on the bridge. Her skills are incredible and I'm sure they've only gotten better since she fell off the bridge."

The first lowered his voice, "Dekémvrios was part of the elite of the elite. Queen Frigga herself trained her in magic. As much as everyone made fun of Loki for it when we were children, it is proven to be unstoppable."

"The only thing that is keeping Loki in his cell right now is the Queen's magic. If it wasn't for her, he would have probably just walked out and slaughtered us all in his revenge."

December snorted. She remembered the man with the red beard now, and he was still as much of an idiot and a lowly guard as before. Nothing had changed. The three guards swivelled to look at her, getting to her feet as she carefully inspected the gleaming balcony floor. A bucket in one hand and a brush in the other. She nodded to them, "hello."

The first scrutinised her carefully, "what did you hear?"

She didn't feel like lying, "everything." But December easily waved away their worries, calming their minds with a bit of magic. The very same magic that they had been talking about. And it was true, if it wasn't for Frigga, December would have broken Loki out of prison, and they would have disappeared forever. He was not something to be taken lightly.