𒊹︎Your POV𒊹︎
"How long were you and Faline on the streets?"
My breathing caught in my throat when I heard Loki ask his question. I thought about an easy way to tell him, but I came to the fact that there was no sugar coating this.
"Faline's been on the street for four years, maybe more....Her parents left her in an alleyway, at least that's where I found her, that was four years ago, she was six at the time." I frowned as I thought back to when I found her.
"You did the right thing, taking her in. She loves you very much." Loki pulled me into him and I smiled sadly.
"I couldn't let her die there, not when she reminded me so much of myself at her age." I chuckled humorless my as the thought of my childhood came rushing through.
"And what about you? How long have you been out there?" Loki's voice was careful, as if he was walking on thin ice with his words.
"I was out living on the streets before I could read, I know that much. Never knew my parents or any other kinfolk. They didn't have orphanages back when I was small, so that was out of question...... It didn't take me long to figure out that people
Would willingly give up valuable resources to a child." I shrugged as if it was something that happened everyday, and avoided Loki's eyes, although I could feel them staring a hole into me.
"Didn't anyone offer to take you in?" He sounded confused and a little offended if we're being honest.
"I still had the 'stranger danger' mindset, and I could barley talk. Once I could speak, I realized that I could get by enough on my own, and I loved the freedom. I never had any regrets.....that would be a lie if someone asked me today." I trailed off sadly, messing with my nightgown that I don't remember putting on.
"May I ask what one of your regrets are?" He grasped my chin with a hooked finger to force me to meet his sincere eyes. I let out a large sigh before speaking, moving his hand away and looking down into my lap again.
"My biggest regret is taking Faline out into that village with me....that day we saw the hellhound." My lip quivered and I brought my head into my hands, tugging on my (h/c) tresses. "If I would have just left her at the house, she wouldn't have gotten hurt, 2 she wouldn't have had to see that....that...that thing!" I was full on bawling now, and Loki was quick to comfort me.
"But you handled the given situation expertly. You knew there was danger, and you sent the most vulnerable away." He tried to reason with me, and when my tears only became more frequent, he tugged me to straddle his thighs, him taking my face into his large, rough hands. "You though on your feet, most would have frozen up in that sort of situation." My hands came up to rest on his as I sniffled.
I nodded shakily, and removed his hands so that I could wrap my shaking arms around his neck, burying my head just below his chin.
"You're the fiercest woman I know, darling. I would never lie to you." He squeezed my form and sighed into my hair.
"Even fiercer than your mother?" I sniffled as I smiled into his collar bone.
"Well......" He moved his head from side to side as if he was weighing out the options.
My head shot up, and I gave him an accusing and fake look of hurt, slapping his chest playfully.
"Okay! Okay. Just don't tell her I said that....please." His face showed fear, and I erupted into a fit of giggles. "Hey! She is a very scary woman when angry!" I watched him fight a smile as he pouted childishly.
"I cannot believe this. The God of Mischeif, scared of his own mother." I laughed some more and a smile started to be more prominent on the raven-haired man's face. "I won't blame you entirely, she is the Queen of Asgard, after all." I smirked.
"My point exactly!" He exclaimed seriously, as if backing up his imaginary argument.
We both fell into a comfortable silence, my head falling back into his shoulder. The slight movement of his shoulders while he breathed was very comforting, and I was almost lulled into sleep, when I heard birds chirping outside of one of the kitchen windows.
"Are those......birds?" I looked in horror out of the window, climbing out of Loki's embrace to go stick my head out of the window. "Shit, Loki!" I laughed at our obliviousness.
"What is it?" He raised a brow as he, too got up, and joined me closely by the window, placing a hand on my back so that he could peek over my head. "We've officially stayed up all night." He laughed in disbelief.
"The sun smiles once more." I beamed up at him, and leaned against the sill of the window to watch the sun steadily climb up the horizon to take his place in the sky.
"I meant to ask you about that.... Faline said something yesterday about the sun having a....face?" He spoke in a confused manner, and my face flushed red.
"Oh...uhm......yeah that's my que to go help your mother, I'll see you later!!" My words ran together as I rushed out of the kitchen, trying to avoid him seeing my red face.
*****
I rushed off to my chambers as soon as I got out of the kitchen, and scrambled to put on the first dress I laid my hand on(1), already late for my duties, and I had to draw a bath for Frigga today as well. It was green, and that's all I paid attention to as I ran a brush through my hair, and rushed out the door.
When I knocked on Frigga's door and heard no reply I peeked in, joyous to see that she was sleeping peacefully in her bed. I quietly made my way through her room and into the bathroom, turning the bath on and adjusting the water until it was hot, and let the basin fill.
I sprinkled the filling tub with lavender, and other oils for the Queen. I set out her soaps, lathers, and salts out on one of the shelves by the tub, and was just pulling out a large, and soft bath towel, when the Queen came wandering in the bathroom.
"Good morning your- I mean, Frigga. I have your bath ready, and I will leave you a dress on the bed for when you finish." I curtseyed to her, and she nodded approvingly.
"You're getting the hang of this, my dear!" She raised her voice to tell me through the closed bathroom door, to which I chuckled.
I strolled over to her closet, skimming through many articles. I paused on one dress, a deep rust, with off the shoulder long sleeves, and a ribbon around the neck holding it up(2). This'll do nicely. I hummed as I set out her dress, even going as far as rummaging through her jewelry drawers to pick her out a perfect set of obsidian earrings with bronze wire wrapping around them, and a couple of dark bronze bracelets. I set the jewelry on her vanity, and smoothed out her dress that was laid out on the bed.
Just as I set the items that Frigga would need for her hair and was about to leave, she emerged from the bathroom.
"Actually, dear, can you help me with my hair today? I would do it, but I'm at a loss for how to style it." She seemed as if she was at war with herself by asking me to do this, and I nodded happily.
"I would be honored to style your hair for you, Frigga." I smiled at her as I shut the door to her bedroom. "Here is your dress, you should change into it first. Call if you need any help." I pushed the dress into her hands snd ushered her back into the bathroom.
Once Frigga came out, hair towel-dried and looking as graceful as ever, I had her sit down at her vanity. I played around with her hair for a moment, before an idea struck me.
I separated her hair into three peices near the front of her head, and braided them loosely, until it ended in a high ponytail. I reached for a jar of hair gel, and scrunched the Queen's hair up so that it would curl. I placed pins into a few stray hairs and fly-aways, and deemed her hair finished.
The Queen remained still and patient as I applied a small amount of contour to her face, blending it in to make her look younger, but that was all for her face, besides a little nude lipstick, that I went light on.
"All done." I smiled as I moved out of the way of the mirror so that she could look at herself.
"Wow.....well done, my child." She smiled as she took in her breathtaking appearance.
After Frigga was done ogling herself, I escorted her to breakfast. I pulled her chair out for her, and pushed it in once she sat down. I was greeted kindly by all of the royalty, even the King. I chanced a glance at Loki before I headed into the maids' dining room, and caught his gaze with a confused smirk, to witch I just tried to hide my smile, and failed.
When I got into the dining room, the other girls were there, as usual, minus one. I looked around curiously for the 4th maid that wasn't present at the table, Natasha. The table was more quiet without the firecracker of a redhead keeping the table alight.
"Where's Natasha?" I looked at Wanda and Carol for answers.
"She's feeling a little under the weather today. Prince Loki gave her the day off." Carol spoke through an overstuffed mouth.
I nodded thoughtfully, and picked up my plate, loading it up with different fruits and foods that I'd seen Natasha hog down before.
"You work up an appetite this morning after being with the Prince?" Wanda smirked playfully as she watched me fill the plate.
"......how do you know about that? We just missed dinner is all...and this isn't for me." I tried to turn my red face away from the jesting female.
"Word travels fast around here. Oh and congratulations on slaying those hellhounds!" The last phrase was shouted by Carol as I walked out of the dining room.
I tried to sneak past the royal hall, staying far away from the table to avoid being noticed, but just before I reached the door, a booming voice resonated through the large space, calling for me.
"Are you hungry? Lady (Y/n)?" Prince Thor spoke with humor, and I turned around slowly with the plate.
"This is f-for Lady Natasha, I've heard she's feeling a little under the weather today." I didn't meet his eyes as I felt the burning stares of the other family members.
"You're very kind, (Y/n). Don't leave her waiting." Frigga waved me out and I thanked her with my eyes, stealing another glance at Loki, to see him giving me a look that could only be described as adoration.
*****
After I got to Natasha's room, I discovered that she was in fact feeling under the weather, but not because of some sickness. Poor Natasha had been having very painful menstrual cramps. She thanked me profusely for the food, and I agreed to take over her daily duties for the day.
She gave me a piece of parchment with Loki's schedule on it. He's even busier than the Queen. I sighed once I looked at the list upon leaving Natasha's room. Frigga had a busy day today as well, so I'd be running around like a chicken with its head severed to try to tackle all of these tasks today.
The first part of the day, only Loki had requirements, and Frigga was only meandering around the castle, checking on subjects and such, before her back to back meetings with the florist, the taylor, and a peace agreement signing between some place I'd never heard of before, and Asgard.
I rubbed my tired eyes as I rushed to Loki's room, having to take care of his list before lunchtime. I knocked heavily on his door, and got no reply, so I just entered anyways.
FOOTNOTES:
(1) Your dress:
(2) Frigga's dress: