Into the Unknown

Sugar, Sugar

Frigga leads me out of my room and to an outside garden. There are flowers of many different colors and of many different types. Some look like they could be from Earth and others look like they're from different planets.

"This is beautiful." I say.

"This is my own personal garden." She says.

I look at her in shock. I'm in Frigga's own personal garden? We walk over to where there is a wooden structure set up to block the sun with a table and chairs underneath it. We both sit down and a maid brings over the tea along with some fruit and a cake looking thing.

I take a sip of the tea and relax at the warmth of it.

"How are you Dear? Really?" She asks as she takes a sip of her tea.

I look down at my cup. "I'm...alive." I think about how to phrase my words. "I guess I'm still trying to process everything."

Frigga nods and sets down her teacup.

"We didn't even know anything was happening until we realized the Bifrost had been opened. My sons and their friends had taken off as soon as Heimdall told them."

I can only nod.

"You were unconscious when you arrived. We feared we were already too late." She reaches out and gently takes my hand.

"We?" I highly doubted "we" included Odin.

She squeezes my hand. "Both my sons and I."

I smile a little at that.

"But why did Loki risk his freedom for me? I don't understand that. I'm not anything special or important."

Frigga puts her hand on my cheek gently.

"That you will have to ask him. But he was very adamant about taking you to the healers."

I look down to hide my blush. "So how did he escape being thrown back to the dungeons? Odin isn't one to just change his mind so easily."

Frigga smiles and shakes her head. "He almost was. It took myself, Thor, and his friends telling him what had happened, and what they had seen to have Odin change his mind."

I'm still not wholly convinced though.

I pick up the small cake thing and take a bite. The taste of honey explodes in my mouth.

"This is good!"

"It's a honey cake." Frigga tells me.

"It's so good. I could eat these until I get sick."

She laughs. "You seem to have that in common with Loki. When he was a child he used to eat those until he got too sick."

I laugh as well. When we are done with the tea she leads me back to my room.

"You are free to roam wherever you like Dear. You are a guest."

"Thank you, You're Majesty."

She hugs me. "Please call me Frigga."

"A...alright." I hug her back.

She leaves and I sit down on one of the cushions by the fireplace. I must've dozed off because I wake with a jerk to someone knocking on my door.

"Ummm...come in?" I ask unsure.

The door opens and a young woman enters with a tray of food. I stand up from the cushions.

"I've brought you dinner, My Lady." She says.

"Oh thank you." I look out the balcony to see that the sun has set. "I didn't realize that I had even fallen asleep."

She sets the tray onto the table in the bedroom and then curtsies. "I'll be back later, My Lady." She then quickly leaves my room before I can say anything.

I eat my dinner and when I'm done I quickly gather up the plates onto the tray. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do now. I'm pretty sure I don't just put them outside the door like you would at a hotel. The girl comes back and takes the tray.

"Um, what is your name?" I ask her.

"I am Kari, and I will be your handmaiden while you are here, My Lady." She says.

"Oh! Well, hi." I introduce myself.

"I know who you are." She says with a smile on her face. "I know you don't know it, but I was in the Queen's room cleaning when the Dark Elves attacked. I hid but I could still see what happened. I saw you save our Queen from that monster."

I stare at her in shock. "You were there?"

Kari nods her head. "Yes. So when they asked for someone to be your handmaiden, I volunteered." She drops into a curtsy. "I want to thank you for saving our Queen."

I quickly help her stand back up. "You don't have to do that. I'm not anything important."

She looks at me in confusion. "But you're a hero!"

I...I don't know how to react to that. I don't consider myself a hero.

"Uh, thank you," is the only thing I can think of to say.

Kari leaves after that and I feel like I need to take a walk. Frigga did say I can go wherever I want to. I open the door and peer out. There are no guards at my door so I take it as a good sign that I really can go where I want. As I walk aimlessly down the hall, I also hope that I can find my way back to my room.

I find myself in an open hallway that has a balcony that shows a different part of Asgard. From here I can see the mountains in the distance with the lake in between them and the palace. The balcony has a set of stairs that lead down to a path to the water. I decide to walk down and turn to the steps when a green butterfly flits in front of me.

I hold up my hand and it lands on my index finger before disappearing in a flash of green. I look behind me.

"Loki."