Maid or Princess [English]

Prologue

"You will marry Prince Loki; the alliance will be beneficial for Asgard and our kingdom," the king of Alfheim explained to the princess, who stood beside the throne in disbelief, and Leila saw Faye looking pleadingly at her mother. She dared not say a word and just stood silently beside her; it was not her place to interfere in this matter.

"Your father is right and you knew this day would come, Faye. It is your duty to the kingdom as a princess," the queen said, and as Leila looked to Faye, she could see tears in her eyes.

"You will travel to Asgard today to meet your fiancé before the wedding," her father explained. She nodded and walked to the doors of the throne room and Leila followed the princess. The guards opened the doors and Faye turned to her parents once again.

"If I were not the second born, but the crown princess, I would be allowed, like my brother Freyr, to decide for myself whom to take as my husband and would not have to marry because of an alliance," she explained and left the hall. Leila silently followed her to the princess' chambers. As they closed the doors, she began to cry; Leila pulled her into her arms and comforted her best friend. "Oh Leila, how am I going to get through this? I don't love him and never will, my heart already belongs to someone."
"I'm so sorry, I wish there was something I could do," she said, and Faye broke away from her embrace. Leila could tell she was thinking about something before she hurried to her jewelry box. She looked at it in confusion as the princess pulled out a gold amulet with a purple gemstone and smiled at it before returning her gaze to her. "What is this?"

"It's a magic amulet that I often use to disguise myself to go to the market," she explained to her, but that only confused her more.

"How is it going to help you with that problem? You can't hide with an amulet, they will notice your absence immediately."

Faye took her hands and shook her head. "I won't be absent because you would take my place until I find a way out of the engagement." -Leila took a deep breath as she processed the words- "It would only have to be for a month. I know I'm asking a lot of you, but-"

"I will do it, for you," she interrupted her.

The princess embraced her, beaming with joy. "Thank you, you can't imagine what it means to me." Leila and took the amulet from her to look at it. She hoped she wouldn't regret her decision, but it wouldn't be that hard to pretend to be the princess, would it? After all, she had known Faye since she was little, and she was doing it for her to keep her out of a loveless marriage; it was a small sacrifice for Leila.

"How does it work?" she asked curiously, and she took it from her hands.

"It's filled with my seidr and once you put it on." -She paused and put it on Leila, who immediately transformed into the likeness of the princess- "You will become me, but you must not take it off under any circumstances, otherwise you will transform back into your true self." She nodded in response as she looked at herself in the large mirror, her bright golden hair now raven black and her green eyes now hazel. It was unusual when she looked at herself, but there was no difference between the princess and her.