Taking another deep breath, I stepped out into the sunshine and walked across the yard to the man who, I assumed, was the authority around here. My legs trembled slightly but I tried to ignore it. This wasn't the time to show any weakness.
Clearing my throat to get his attention, he glanced down at my lowered face. For a long time he was silent, just...staring down at me. I tried not to show any fear, knowing that was what he wanted. Instead, I simply stared down at his boots, my face emotionless. After a long minute, he finally spoke.
"All right, boy. Follow me," he ordered briskly and strode off, forcing me to almost jog in order to keep up with his pace as he escorted me into the palace.
"You will be serving as Prince Thor's personal aide and squire, do you know what that entails?" he asked, not bothering to look at me.
I frowned from behind him, still trying to get my head around what he had said, "Not exactly, sir."
Of course, I had heard stories of our Prince, the God of Thunder, but never actually seen him. Hell, I had never even ventured within the city before. Squire to Prince Thor? Our future King? There was no way this would work out in my favour. Before I could think too long on the subject, the man spoke again.
"It means that where he goes, you go - what he says, you do. You are to follow every order that he gives you, without hesitation. You are to stay by his side unless otherwise stated. You are to speak only when spoken to and treat him with the respect a Prince of Asgard deserves. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
I peeked up from underneath my lashes and sneaked a glance at our surroundings. We had moved away from the dull, dark area of the servant's quarters and were now walking down a long, grand corridor with tall windows that looked out to the gleaming bay of Asgard. As we turned a corner, the man stopped suddenly as he greeted a tall, handsome man with a rapier at his side.
"Ah, Lord Fandral, what a pleasant surprise," he greeted politely and I shrank behind him, suddenly nervous - even more so than before.
"Fiske, how are you?" The blonde man peered over at me and grinned, "What have we here?" His voice was cheerful and pleasant and I couldn't help but glance curiously up from beneath the rim of my cap.
The man gestured to me and I bowed, "A new squire for Prince Thor, he arrived this morning."
Lord Fandral laughed and clapped a hand on my shoulder, "Fantastic! I love having new recruits! Enjoy your stay, young squire." He cheered, waving farewell as he continued down the long corridor.
As we continued on our way, I couldn't help a small smile spreading across my face at our meeting, if only everyone here was so pleasant. The man spoke again, distracting me from my thoughts.
"You will eat and sleep in the knight's halls, but only when dismissed by your Prince."
He stopped in front of a tall, golden door that was guarded by a heavily armoured soldier. The man nodded at him and turned to me, lowering his voice.
"Prince Thor is your master now. Take orders only from him, never raise your eyes from the ground, and do not hesitate when you are given an order. Understood?"
I nodded, feeling my apprehension rise, "Yes, sir."
He continued to stare down at me, his hard eyes relentless in their glare. He raised a hand and pointed a finger threateningly, close enough to my face I could almost smell the leather of his gloves.
"If I hear that you have displeased your master in any way, if you have put one foot out of line, I will not hesitate to throw you in the dungeons."
I almost flinched at the quiet animosity in his voice, too scared to do anything but nod shakily. Fear pierced through my veins but I did not dare show it.
Turning away from me, he rapped his knuckles on the door and after a moment, a deep voice from within the room bid him enter. Following closely behind the man as he stepped into the room, I kept my head down and eyes averted when he spoke.
He bowed lowly, "My Lord, I come bearing a gift," he gestured to me and I mimicked his bow, "A new squire, I hope it pleases you."
I heard my new master laugh in delight, "Wonderful! Thank you, Fiske. I've been meaning to recruit another."
He came forward and my heartbeat rose with terror at the sound of his heavy boots against the marble floor. I could feel his eyes scrutinizing me as I stood before him, head bowed, feet apart, and hands behind my back. But there was another pair of footsteps behind him, light with a sort of...skipping rhythm. My confusion was answered when a large blonde dog arrived at Thor's feet and sat, waiting patiently and wagging his tail. I resisted the urge to smile.
"He has been informed of his duties, my Lord, if that will be all?" The man beside me asked and I couldn't help but feel my nerves jump at the thought of him leaving. It was not that I wanted him to stay, it was just that I didn't want to be left alone with the Prince of Asgard. What if he discovered my secret? What if he took me to Odin and had him chop my head off? Oh, this was a bad, bad idea. I gulped.
"Yes, Fiske, thank you," the Prince said, dismissing the man, who promptly bowed and left. There was silence after the door thudded shut behind him, Prince Thor still looking down at me. I still had not raised my eyes, instead focusing my attention on his black leather boots.
After a moment, the large dog by his feet stood and came forward, sniffing me inquisitively with his wet, black nose. At any other time, I would have been frightened by the animal, but his wide, brown eyes were warm and friendly and I did not cower from him.
Thor laughed, finally breaking the silence in the room, "Do not mind Vall, he won't harm you," he promised and I was surprised when I realized that I believed him.
Reaching my hand forward, I let the beast smell my palm and then, to my surprise, his long pink tongue shot out and began to lick it. I couldn't help my smile this time.
"What is your name, squire?" he asked. His voice was deep and gravelly, but I sensed a smile in there somewhere.
I cleared my throat. "Fell, my Lord," I replied, taking my eldest brother's name, now deceased. He didn't need it anymore.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again, "Are you afraid, Fell?" he asked, his voice low.
"No, my Lord," I lied, swallowing in an attempt to wet my dry throat.
He laughed, a deep chuckle that reverberated through the room. "Then why will you not look at me?"
I frowned. "I - I was told not to, my Lord."
Prince Thor scoffed, "You are my squire, not my slave!"
Taking a deep breath I slowly raised my eyes, noticing firstly his long legs, then a frighteningly wide chest covered by a pale blue tunic, and finally his face; strong and partially covered in long blonde hair and a short beard. He was a fearsome sight, but then again he was the God of Thunder. Although I was undoubtedly terrified, I could not help but appreciate his masculine features. He was...handsome. His vibrant blue eyes sparkled, partially showing his friendly nature. Still not having the courage to look him directly in the eye, I instead looked at the space above his shoulder.
The Prince of Asgard grinned widely, "There, isn't that better?" He asked and I smiled slightly, "You need not be afraid, no one shall harm you when you are under my care," he promised and wandered over to the large oak desk by the window.
I had not been able to notice the room until now, but now that I had, I did not know where to look first. The room was slightly curved, and a wide window was in the place of the entire left curve of the room, stretching from the wall adjacent to me, right along to the doorway at the opposite end of the massive room that gave just a glimpse into his equally massive and opulent bedroom.
The marble floor was layered by a small step and the doorway and desk sat on the top layer, while two large gilded couches lay on the bottom level in front of a large open fireplace beside me. A long oak dining table ran behind me and a wide doorway leading to the bathroom was placed between the bedroom and fireplace. This room could fit in twenty of my houses, I thought, but it was not what I expected for a prince. Although it was undoubtedly enormous and the furniture was exquisite, it was far less grand than I would have thought, it felt more...comfortable.
After taking in the entirety of the room, I finally remembered that the Prince had spoken to me. I cleared my throat, "I apologise, my Lord, but these past few days have been very strange."
He sat down at his desk and frowned, "When was the last time you ate?" Vall came to sit by his feet and Thor rubbed the dog's ear lovingly.
My brow furrowed in confusion, not only for his odd question but also because I could not remember when I had last eaten. I had been too busy thinking about my family and my new home to consider food.
"Three days ago, I believe. May I ask why, my Lord?" I replied.
A grave expression came over his features and he waved a hand to the door, "Go down to the kitchens, tell them I sent you. Come back here when you have finished."
When he did not speak again, I assumed that I was dismissed and bowed, thanking him before I slipped out of the vast room. When I shut the large door behind me, I blew out my cheeks. So far, it wasn't so bad. At least he was nice, anyway.
Trying to remember the way we had come up from the kitchens, I started down the long corridor, taking more time in appreciating the inside of the palace. Every floor was a smooth marble that glimmered in the sunshine and echoed my small footsteps. The tall walls that surrounded me were made up of beautifully carved pillars and arches. I looked up and saw crystal chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling, only imagining what these halls were like at night when they were alight.
Taking a turn at a corner, I swiftly bowed my head when I spotted a man coming from a door ahead of me. He was impossibly tall and had his back to me, so I could only catch a glimpse of leather trousers, an emerald green tunic, and shoulder-length black hair before I averted my gaze for fear of being caught with my eyes raised. Attempting to silently walk along behind him, I held my breath when he closed the door and turned to walk in my direction. His footsteps were light and steady and I could almost feel his eyes boring into me. Ducking my head even lower, I only breathed again when he had passed by me and was walking further and further away in the opposite direction. I clenched my hands by my side, feeling suddenly uneasy. Although I could not see anything discernible about him, there was an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach when he had walked by me, as if he was looking into my very soul.
Shaking off the feeling, putting it down to nerves, I walked down the side passage that led to the kitchens, down the stairs, and finally was at exactly the same place I had been earlier today. Entering the kitchens at the other end of the courtyard, I stopped at the sight of so many people bustling about, practically running around in order to prepare the food in time for dinner. I stood in the doorway, watching bemusedly when a woman looked over at me from one of the stations.
"Oi, what are you wanting?" she asked harshly, her voice shrill and unkind.
Surprised by her tone, I stumbled to find my words. "Uh, Prince Thor sent me," I told her, hoping that would explain my presence. She raised her eyebrows and put a hand on her hip.
"Oh, Prince Thor sent you, did he?" she crowed and I shuffled my feet uncomfortably. "And why, pray tell, did he send you?"
I wrung my hands together behind my back. "Um, he told me to get something to eat," I replied, "for myself."
After a moment, she sighed and gestured with her head, "Over there, some leftovers from last night," she said before turning her back on me.
Stepping hesitantly into the busy room, I made my way over in the direction she had said. On the table by the wall, trays of leftover food had been placed for the servants. Picking up a brown roll and an apple, I sat down on a stool by the door and watched silently at the busiest room in the entire palace. The instant my teeth sank into the stale loaf, I closed my eyes and practically moaned - I had forgotten how hungry I was.
When I was finished, I slipped out of the door and made my way back up to Thor's room. The guard nodded at me and let me pass when I arrived and I knocked on the door, entering when Prince Thor allowed me access. He was still sitting at his desk, hunched over some papers when I entered, and Vall still sat patiently by his side.
"Better?" he asked with a smile and I nodded.
"Yes, thank you, my Lord."
"Good," he said cheerfully, "Come here, Fell." He beckoned me forward and stood as I approached, eyes still downcast. "I thought I should go over what I need from you while you are in my service."
I nodded. "Yes, my Lord."
He put his hands behind his back and walked to the window, "Firstly, every morning from breakfast until lunch, I train in the sparring courtyards with my closest knights. As my squire, you need to be there to be my aide. You'll need to prepare my horse, look after my weapons, etcetera...understand?" he asked, not unkindly.
"Yes, my Lord."
"Very good, then in the afternoons, I will either be attending important meetings, helping the Allfather, or in here working. I will not need much from you at these times - only for you to be around in case I do. And finally, in the evenings I will dine and entertain with close friends and family, I wish you to be there also." He stopped and walked over to his desk, picking up three scrolls and handing them to me. "In the meantime, please deliver these to their recipients."
Taking them from his hands, I looked down at their names, feeling suddenly anxious, "My Lord, I'm afraid I do not know my way around the palace enough. I am unsure of where to deliver these." I informed him.
"Of course, my apologies." He strode over to the door and spoke to the guard on the other side. Unsure of whether to follow him, I trusted my gut and walked over to where he stood. Opening the door wide for me, he smiled, "My guard will escort you to where you need to go, you can trust him."
I nodded and stepped past him, "Thank you, my Lord."
"Good luck," the Prince joked and closed the door. I looked up at the guard and smiled and, to my surprise, he smiled back.
"Where to first, then?" He asked and I looked down at the first scroll, pleased to see that it was a name I recognised.
"Lord Fandral," I told him.
He started off up the corridor to the left, his gold plate armour clinking softly in the empty hall, and I followed closely behind. After a few minutes of crisscrossing our way through the palace halls, he finally stopped in front of a door and knocked, stepping out of the way as the door opened.
After a beat, Fandral smiled. "Young squire, what brings you here?" he asked cheerfully, recognising me.
I cleared my throat and extended my hand containing the scroll, "Prince Thor asked me to deliver this to you," I informed him as he took the scroll from my hand.
Smiling, the handsome blonde thanked me and closed the door. I turned back to the guard, looking down at the next name.
I gulped, and took a deep breath, "King Odin," I said, trying to keep the shake from my voice. We made our way along the corridor for a while until we arrived at our destination. Luckily though, a servant answered the door and after telling her that Thor had sent me, we continued on to our last address.
Prince Loki.
I suddenly felt strangely apprehensive again. I knew very little about the God of Mischief, only that he was known for being the trickster. It had been eighty years since he had escaped from his cell and tried to regain the throne of Asgard. Luckily, however, Thor had returned and discovered his treachery and he had been re-imprisoned. That had lasted only for so long, though, and Loki was now in rehabilitation, returned to his place in the palace but forbidden from leaving Asgard unaccompanied. It has been said that he is now a changed man, no longer desiring to be king, but he was still reclusive most of the time. He had accepted that he was adopted and that his parents had lied to him. The broken family had somehow managed to mend itself and now there was no longer any rivalry. Or as much, anyway.
I looked up from the marble floor, feeling that my surroundings were strangely familiar. I was sure that I had already been along this corridor today. Suddenly, that strange sensation in the pit of my stomach I had felt earlier returned and my head swam sickeningly, but trying to keep my composure, I straightened my shoulders and knocked on the door that we had stopped at. After a moment, the door swung open and my heartbeat rose when I came face to chest with the same emerald tunic and leather trousers I had encountered earlier. Not having enough courage to look up any further than his chest, I bowed and took a deep breath, holding out the scroll addressed to him.
"Prince Thor asked me to deliver a message, my Lord," I informed him, my voice quieter than I would have wished.
He took the scroll with long, pale fingers and the light-headed feeling returned full force, so strong now that I was finding it difficult to breathe. It was almost as if I could feel him inside my mind, poking and prodding at it in an attempt to find the answers he searched for. If it really was him that caused this feeling, he could find out my secret, I thought. Fearful that I was correct in my assumption that he could read thoughts, I attempted to push him out of my mind, focusing on eradicating his intrusion.
In an instant, the pain in my head ceased and the door slammed shut in my face. Letting out a deep breath and trying to regain my scattered thoughts, I stepped back and followed my escort back to Thor's chambers. No matter how much I tried, I could not get my brief encounter with Prince Loki out of my mind. Although I had never even seen his face or heard him speak, there was something about his presence that made my skin crawl. I was glad that his brother was not of the same ilk.
It was nearing the end of the day, meaning that the sun was close to setting, and it was now casting long shadows along the corridor. I looked out of one of the tall windows as we continued walking, gazing out at the glimmering amber sea as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. Last week I had been sitting at home in our minuscule cottage, eating dinner with my father and brothers. Now that life was shattered, and I was building a new one - in a palace no less.
Thor was sitting in the bathtub when I returned and, averting my eyes, I cleared my throat to inform him of my arrival. He looked over at me through the open bathroom door.
"Ah, Fell," he greeted and smiled, "Did you deliver the messages?"
I nodded, "I did, my Lord."
He looked pleased, "Very good, I think that you're going to be very useful around here."
I heard the water splash and swiftly turned away, assuming that he had just exited the bath.
"Would you bring me my clothes, Fell? They are on the bed," he asked and I moved over to the bed, hoping to Valhalla that he had a towel on.
Vall, who lay at the foot of the bed, lifted his ears curiously when I approached and I stroked his head before picking up the fresh pile of clothes. Entering the vast bathroom, I handed him his garments and swiftly backed out of the room, keeping my eyes hidden underneath my cap and hoping to Odin that he didn't notice my reddened cheeks.
This was going to be a long evening.