Servant of Jotunheim

Awake

When my eyes open, I sit up quickly to find myself completely naked and in an unfamiliar bed. I look down and see that my skin is no longer Jotun, with no necklace around my neck and I feel strangely liberated.

After wrapping a blanket around myself, I run over to a nearby mirror to look upon my reflection and realise my skin was possibly more radiant than before.

It was real, no potions or illusions were at play. This was simply me from this moment forward.

Sara: "You are awake. Thank the gods!"

Ruth: "It worked, Valanya".

Me: "This is so strange. I feel as though I am still myself, only stronger".

Ruth: "How much do you remember?"

Me: "Everything, and then nothing. I recall a bright light, I could hear it calling out to me, yet at the same time I felt the urge to flee from it".

Sara: "We are sorry for killing you" she cries.

Me: "I suppose that was the reason why the Queen Mother was so secretive around details of the ritual. I never would have had the nerve to go through with it if I had known".

Ruth: "Do you require more rest?"

Me: "Not at all. I feel positively full of energy".

Ruth: "Happy to hear it. We have a ball to ready you for, Princess Valanya" she smiles.

After returning to my own chambers, I am thoroughly bathed and pampered to within an inch of my life.

Ruth insists that I wear my hair down so my natural waves cascade and that I also wear a minimal amount of makeup, not wishing me to take away from what she calls my 'innocent beauty'.

From what she had seen and heard throughout the day, most of the nobles were wearing heavy makeup and normally styled their hair up, so she wanted me to stand out among the sea of nobility this evening.

Once she is finished and I am fully dressed, I look in the mirror, attempting to hold back tears when there is a knock at the door. Sara opens it and welcomes the Queen Mother inside.

Frigga: "You look absolutely beautiful, my dear".

Me: "Thank you so much for everything, Frigga. I will forever be indebted to you" I smile tearfully.

Frigga: "No dept necessary. It fills me with joy to see you so happy. I have come here to bring you a gift".

Me: "You have already given me so much".

Frigga: "Nonsense. I insist that you wear it for me this evening" she says upon handing me a delicate silver tiara.

Me: "It is exquisite".

Frigga: "I wore this very same tiara the first time I attended a palace ball so I thought it would be rather fitting if you were to wear it this evening".

Ruth assists me in putting it on to complete the finished look and they all have tears in their eyes when I look upon them once more.

Frigga: "Are you ready, Princess Valanya?"

Me: "Yes, I believe I finally am".