"Ah, Penelope." Loki greeted me, disguised as the Allfather. His illusion cloaking his true form from even my eyes as I stepped into the dining hall to see him standing with the two people who I assumed were our host and hostess, the Lord and Lady Frey and Freya.
For a second, I wondered if Loki was showing me the form of Odin so that I would not accidentally slip and refer to him as anything besides King Odin. I tried to look confident as I walked smoothly over to his side, dropping into my practiced curtsy, one hand held over my heart, "Allfather."
"Let me introduce you to Lord Frey and Lady Freya of Vanaheim." The king said in his smooth, diplomatic voice tinged with age as I rose from my curtsy. He waved to the pair of ambassadors and I bobbed into another curtsy to them. They returned gesture, their movements far more graceful than mine would ever be.
"Pleased to meet you." I said politely, standing back up straight and raising my eyes to them, allowing myself to inspect them for the first time since I entered the room.
They were exquisite-looking people, like no one I had ever seen before. The brother and sister, for indeed no one could doubt that they were twins, had smooth, olive complexions; dark, slanted eyes; thick eyelashes; and long, wavy straw-blonde hair. They were both beautifully shaped, with gentle features that seemed reminiscent to me of Asian-esque traits, which seemed to contradict the paleness of their hair. The brother, who stood taller and broader than his sister, had skin that was far more tanned and his hair was sun-bleached to a paler hue. His features were just a bit more rugged and masculine, and his sister's figure was curvier and her hair much longer and plaited in an Asgardian-esque hairstyle. Besides that, they were identical in their exotic, supernatural beauty.
Their clothing was glorious too, different than the Asgardian fashion, though just as exquisite. They both stood there in robes that also reminded me of Asian-esque design, though on a much grander scale. Frey's robes were a brilliant shade of green with a high collar and draping sleeves, a wide belt of brilliant gold silk was wrapped around his flat stomach, a large sword hanging at his side in an ornate scabbard. Freya was in a similar robe with a lower neckline and a collar that crisscrossed over her chest. Hers was a muted shade of gold that I imagined reflected the color of wheat that was ready to harvest, and her belt was of shades of almost water colored orange and red. The most stunning thing about her outfit though, was the huge golden necklace she wore that was dripping in golden beads and precious orange and red stones. The necklace caught the light, almost making it look like her throat was decorated by flames that had been hardened into gemstones.
I admit that I was stunned as I looked upon them, my mouth drying as I suddenly couldn't figure out what else to say to these immaculate people! It would be like talking to the Queen of England when she was dressed in all the royal jewels or to a god from old Greek or Roman myths or something! Was I supposed to say anything anyways or was it not my place?
I did not have to wait long for an answer before Lady Freya's lips parted in a wide, strangely child-like grin as she stepped towards me, her dark eyes sparkling in interest, "Ah, so you are the Midgardian maiden!"
"We have heard quite a bit about you." Her brother agreed, reaching out and taking my hand to place a cavalier kiss upon it while I stood otherwise stock still in surprise. Some of Lord Frey's polite elegance slipped away into a boyish smile as he looked me directly in my eyes, "You've caused quite a commotion around here it seems."
"Have I?" I asked, trying to find my voice, stunned by their direct words and open... friendliness. Their sudden transformation was like looking at the famous, polite, and demure Mona Lisa only for Mona to suddenly be grinning from ear to ear. There was still elegance and propriety about the lord and lady, but something energetic had infused itself into them. Besides that, the statement that I was causing 'commotion' startled me. I had hardly seen anyone since arriving... had I really made some sort of scandalous scene by merely being here? I would be horrified if that were true!
"Oh do not worry. It is just unheard of for a mortal to be in the court of Asgard! It was quite a shock when we heard it!" Freya assured me, placing a perfectly manicured hand upon my shoulder in a sisterly gesture, seeming to notice my surprise. She then waved a hand towards her twin, "You see, my brother and I have only just returned to Asgard the other day and seemed to have missed the original meeting introducing you and the official order for your ladyship ceremony."
"Business does have a habit of taking one away at all the wrong moments. Seems we missed the fun and drama of your first arrival," Frey nodded his head before flashing a charming smile at me, "It is lovely to meet you, dear mortal lady."
"Indeed, it is a pleasure to meet the future lady of Asgard and caretaker to the Allfather." Freya agreed, speaking right after her brother. It was almost as if they were one mind, their speech bouncing off each other fluidly and hardly leaving an opening for me to say anything in reply.
"You're too kind." I blustered, unsure of what else to say to the stampede of their words. I felt like I was going to be trampled under their amiable chatter and their curious, eager eyes.
I felt a chill hand on my exposed shoulder and looked up to see Odin standing beside me, his face smiling in an almost fatherly way down at me. His eyes were soft, like he was trying to calm my flustered emotions as he spoke, bringing a sense of order back to the small dining hall, "My daughter-in-law is correct, you truly are kind to turn a meeting of business into a delightful meal and to invite the Lady Penelope along."
Lord Frey inclined his head to the Allfather, his manner returning to a more even-tempered courteousness as behooved such a high-ranking ambassador, "Well, business is best done on a satiated stomach."
"And of course we had to invite her." Lady Freya added, one of her hand's fingers fiddling with her magnificent, glittering necklace, "It is only polite to welcome the newest member of your court, Allfather, and besides, I am rather curious as to the woman who captured the wily dark prince's heart."
Dark prince? My eyes flicked onto the Allfather before they locked directly on Freya, "Did you know Loki?"
"Freya, you're being imprudent." Frey murmured, laying a warning hand on his sister's arm, offering the king and I an apologetic look mixed with his otherwise charismatic, warm smile.
I was momentarily confused by Frey's sudden somber warning and the way that Freya's slanted eyes flew open wide in some sort of realization before her whole countenance demurred. They looked at the Allfather and I in a familiar way. Theirs were glances of people who felt bad about the other person's loss. It was upon recognizing that look that I realized why the twins had sobered. They thought Loki was dead and bringing him up so flippantly to the dark prince's widowed-betrothed and the man who raised him had curbed their free curiosity since they supposed we were both still in mourning over the supposed loss. I offered them a small smile, trying to let them know that it was okay while also looking like I had a twinge of pain at the thought of my supposedly deceased fiancée.
"I do apologize. It is true that we wish to welcome you to the court and show our amiability to you, but I can hardly help my personal curiosity." Freya spoke in a more reverent way to me while trying to lighten up the mood that she thought she had doused with her thoughtless words. She tried to explain herself, though, her voice cheering up again as she looked directly at me with the eagerness of a child who just got their hands on their newest toy and they were eager to learn everything about it, "I have never actually met a mortal before and I have so many questions about Midgard and about you and your love story if you would be so kind as to share it with me!"
"But first, let us sit down for supper." Frey said, almost imperceptibly nudging his twin's side with his elbow before waving at the dining table.
"Ah yes, where are my manners?" Freya fluttered before her hostessing countenance fell upon her again and she started leading us to the table.
The Allfather took the chair at the head of the table and Freya waved for me to take the seat at his right side. As I approached it, Lord Frey pulled the chair out for me, gesturing for me to sit. I was not used to having someone pull a chair out for me like this. It seemed fancy, like I was at some high-end restaurant.
"Oh, uh, thank you." I murmured politely, nodding my head a bit as I took my seat.
"My lady." Frey's voice was soft and gallant as he pushed my chair in effortlessly. Its tone made my cheeks flush without my permission as I watched him stride around the table to towards the seat to the right of his sister that was sitting at the Allfather's left side.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Allfather's eyes watching Frey just as closely as I was, but the king's expression had chilled a bit and seemed to be inspecting the young man more than he had been before. I was surprised to see that expression on the king's face. Was... Loki feeling just a bit jealous? Frey had just been courteous... that was all. Even now, as we watched, he pushed in his sister's chair before lowering himself into his own.
The moment we were all seated, servants came flooding in with large platters and turines of food, almost on cue. I watched with eagerness as dish after dish was placed before us, noting meats with rich sauces and vegetables of all sorts, of pots of creamy-looking soups and arrays of melon and oranges. The fare looked different than the food Loki and I had eaten over the last few days, the configurations and mixtures seeming to be unique and lighter, making me wonder if this wasn't traditional Asgardian food, but perhaps food from the realm of Vanaheim.
"What a lovely feast." Odin commented graciously as everyone starting dishing out their food before he leaned forward, intertwining his fingers, his one eye looking over us with a kingly intensity, "Shall we get down to business?"
With those few short words the immaculate dinner was turned into a business meeting. Lady Freya talked with the Allfather about soldiers returning to Asgard and military concerns of the leaders of the realm. The political talk went over my head, even though I'd been putting effort into trying to understand it through my readings. Would there come a day when these names and military considerations would mean something to me? Would I one day be able to be apart of diplomatic negotiations and conversation?
Lady Freya, when focused, seemed organized and went straight to the point about the matters between Vanaheim and Asgard. It did not take long for her to say her piece and come to an agreement with Odin-Loki. It was rather impressive diplomacy, at least to me.
Once the Lady Freya had finished her part of this business affair, Lord Frey got down to it right away talking about Alfheim and how things were gong there as soldiers were being called back. While he was not an ambassador from Alfheim to Asgard, he seemed to know some about the matters that the two realms were facing and he seemed to want to bring it up. Frey seemed rather serious about the matters even though he had no direct control over the situation, which intrigued me. I was impressed by his seeming understanding and aptitude on the subject anyways, listening to the two men speak.
I ate silently, simply listening in on the conversation, trying to understand as much of it as possible. After a while though, Freya leaned across the table a bit towards me, smiling conspiratorially as she spoke in a soft, low voice to me, "Between you and me, it's rather odd for me to see my brother be so diplomatic and business-driven. He spends so much time on Alfheim with the Light Elves that he usually is much more flippant and laid back."
I swallowed my bite of chicken, raising a brow at her with a little laugh. I'd been content to just listen and eat, but it made me just a bit happy that Lady Freya seemed intent on talking with me. Besides Loki, she and Frey seemed to be the only ones who really seemed to like me being here on Asgard, "Is he really?"
"Yes. Usually I am much more put together than he is." Freya nodded, bringing her glass of wine to her lips, "I am wondering if he is trying to impress the Allfather..." she queried softly enough that the men couldn't quite hear her, but that I could as her dark eyes flicked to mine with an impish look, "Or perhaps he is posturing for you."
"Wait, what?" I choked out, as the spring roll-like dish dipped in a thick brown sauce that I'd been chewing on got caught in my throat in my surprise.
The men's voices cut off and I felt a gentle, cool hand resting on my one hand as I quickly guzzled water to push the food down. Loki in his guise as the Allfather looked at me with concern, "Penelope, are you alright?"
My face must've been flushed bright pink from my small choking fit and my embarrassment as I looked between him, Lord Frey, and Lady Freya, and quickly answered, "Yes, I'm fine."
Once he was sure that I was no longer choking and he saw me start eating again, the Allfather turned back to his business with Frey, his hand leaving my own. I could still feel heat on my face as I stole a glance up at Freya. Her expression was apologetic as she looked back at me.
"Could I pour you some wine?" she asked, trying to be helpful as she gestured to my glass of water that I had drained during my choking fit. "It is from a good year on Vanaheim."
"No thank you." I answered politely, "I don't really care for alcohol. I don't care for the taste. The wine would be wasted on me and my pallet."
"Have you ever tried food from Vanaheim before?" Freya asked, placing the wine bottle down and instead offering me the platter with more of the delicate spring rolls.
"No, I'm still getting used to Asgardian cuisine let alone food from the other realms." I answered, gratefully taking another spring roll. Freya smiled as I did, seeming to take my acceptance of more food as an acceptance of her unspoken apology for causing me to choke a bit. My gaze shifted over the small banquet before us, including my plate that was a colorful arrangement of different dishes, "This is delicious though!"
It did remind me a bit of food that I've had on Earth before. One does not live in New York for very long without trying a whole host of different kinds of food. While attending college there my roommates and friends and I had often gone out to try new cuisine. Many of the dishes I saw laid out on the dining table seemed reminiscent of different kinds of Asian foods I'd tried including dishes similar to ones I'd seen in authentic Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Pilipino, and Thai restaurants. Every bite was flavorful and a strange mix of new and familiar.
"I am glad!" Freya's smile was a s bright as her glittering necklace, "This food is rather traditional in Vanaheim, everything on the table was brought with my brother and I when we returned to Asgard."
"Were you both back in Vanaheim for a while?"
"Sort of. We both returned to Vanaheim a few weeks ago for business from our ambassadorial ships, then we both returned here to the Realm Eternal." She answered conversationally, "It had been a while since Frey had gone back to our home realm. His hair is so bleached now." She giggled quietly to herself as she glanced over at her brother who had snuck a look over at her when he heard her mention his name.
Freya and I both laughed at his suspicious, questioning look before she turned to me, interest and that child-like curiosity shining in her eyes again as she turned her attention back to me, "Tell me all about your home realm. Tell me about Midgard!"
"Where would-... uh, where should I start?" I asked.
"Tell me anything, everything! I'm thoroughly intrigued!"