[ 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄𝐃 ] 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐒𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃 ── avengers.

[ III ]

Princess of Asgard - III

Astrid woke late that day. She dressed herself in her training attire and braided her hair, before exiting her room. Her brother was - once again - nowhere to be seen. She didn't know where to ask; her mother was barely seen since the King had entered the Odinsleep. Queen Frigga, the woman who frequently entered the local town giving to the poor, hadn't been seen for nearly a month.

Loki felt in his prime on the throne. He constantly referred to himself as 'the rightful king', a title which greatly annoyed his sister, Sif and the Warriors Three. Astrid had been spending most of her days training with different member of the Warriors Three. Yet training wasn't all she was doing with one member. She had been courting with Fandral.

The two blondes had always been rather flirtatious with each other, and had decided to begin a romantic relationship with each other. Many of their outings involved them riding their horses to the meadow that the three siblings, Sif and the Warriors Three used to go to as children. It was a simple meadow in the shape of a rectangle. Three sides were littered with trees with a medium sized lake in the centre. Flowers covered most of the fresh green grass, and Fandral always gave her a fresh bouquet of flowers from the meadow when they arrived back at the palace. They would train together and discuss the future. Not their future per-say, but whether Thor would ever return, whether Odin would ever awaken. But mostly they would discuss ways to retrieve Thor. Astrid would discuss this with each of the Warriors Three in each of their training sessions.

They did not know yet how to save him, but they knew it must be soon. Astrid would not say why, but she repeatedly told them she had a bad feeling about Loki being on the throne. Fandral agreed with her, and the others agreed with both of them. 'Fandral!' Astrid thought. He would know where Loki was. She hoped.

"Fandral?" She called, walking briskly throughout the palace she called her home. She jumped when two hands grabbed her from behind. A small shriek escaped from her moderately full lips.

"Sh!" Exclaimed a very familiar voice. She turned around to see Fandral. She smiled and he smirked back at her. "You called, Princess?" He still insisted on calling her 'Princess', yet he said it extremely mockingly. She laughed and nodded.

"Have you seen Loki?" She asked, and the smirk soon wiped from his face.

"I haven't. I saw him leaving towards the bridge, but that was some time ago." Astrid made a move to leave, but Fandral grabbed her arm.

"He'll be back soon, Princess. In the meantime, care to come riding with me, love?"

"B-but I need to find -" Astrid began, but she was easily lifted into Fandral's arms and carried to the stables. The couple gained a few smiles from the servants, but also a few glares. As they passed Hogun and Sif, they waved.

Astrid breathed in the familiar smell of the stable and walked over to the horses. She gave Thor's mare Freya a sympathetic stroke. Next to Loki's jet black horse was a white Palomino stallion named Haldor, who belonged to Astrid. She placed a saddle over a blanket on his back, and climbed onto the horse. Fandral was already on his chesnut stallion, and the two cantered off to the meadow.

They could never ride this way without unintentionally racing each other. They were both nearly as good as each other, which put the fate of their races down to luck mainly. But on that day, Haldor was still tired from Astrid's early morning ride, meaning Fandral won. When Astrid reached the meadow and slid of her horse, Fandral stood with a smirk.

"I believe it is safe to say that I am the superior rider, is it not?" He asked in a mocking tone.

"I disagree sir, for I am obviously the superior rider." Astrid replied, mimicking his tone.