Lady Mischief (rewrite) (Book One)

En

"Freya, if you don't come down right now, I'll go to Odin myself!" Freya's sister, Lysa, yelled up to the Asgardian skies. The aforementioned girl, Freya, an Asgardian Valkyrie, sighed and flew down. Lysa was staring at her with a disappointed look on her face. "Look at you, you're a mess! And your wings..." She gestured to Freya's midnight black wings, in which the feathers were ruffled.

"Come on, it's not that bad."

"Then you clearly have low standards. Come on, Mum is going to have our heads if we don't get back."

Lysa dragged Freya away from the flourishing wheat fields and back to their home, the Asgardian palace. The sisters' mother, Søren, was standing at the front. Her white wings shimmered in the late afternoon sun, drawing jealousy from Freya. She was the only Valkyrie who had black wings, and she had an even more unique horse, Sylta. Sylta was a chestnut mare, not the usual white.

"Freya, you're a mess! And just before the big coronation feast too!" Søren huffed. She dragged her daughters inside and they all walked to their quarters. "Ylsa, will you please make sure she bathes properly?" Søren asked their maid. Ylsa nodded and pulled Freya into the bathroom.

She drew a warm bath and grabbed a brush for Freya's wings. "I don't understand why I have to go to this stupid feast. The Valkyrie were never invited before, why is this time so special?"

"Because, Freya, Prince Thor will be ascending the throne soon. If not tonight."

Freya huffed and allowed Ylsa to brush her wings. "You look beautiful, my lady," Ylsa commented. The young Valkyrie muttered a thanks and dried off.

Søren brushed through her daughter's wings once more and braided her hair into a traditional Norse braid. "You look lovely, dear. Perhaps the Allfather will break tradition tonight and set a marriage."

"I don't want to marry Prince Thor!"

"Well, it's not in stone..." Søren trailed off. All she wanted was her daughter to be happy, but when could she ever have that? Freya walked down to the coronation feast alongside Lysa. Lysa muttered in her ear, "If you have any sense, tonight you will keep your mouth shut."

"Says you."

Lysa and Freya took their seats. The younger Prince Loki was eyeing Freya. She blushed and turned away. Besides, she couldn't have feelings for him. There had been talks that the Allfather was setting a marriage for him in Alfheim to a Light Elf princess named Azalena. She heard all that transpired around the palace, what with the maids.

"Everyone, I would like to honor my son for ascending the throne with this feast," the Allfather said proudly. Freya could see Prince Loki sinking down into his seat; even though she didn't really know him, she knew that he was perhaps the less loved of the two. It was painted on his face.

After the feast, Freya caught Loki's eye again. He blushed, then turned away. Freya raised an eyebrow and then heard Lysa calling her. I'll be back for you.

Lysa wore a disappointed expression on her face. "Freya, I wouldn't get to know Prince Loki too much."

"What do you mean, Lys?"

"I mean...look, you know as well as I do that he's going to be sold off to Alfheim."

Freya clenched her jaw as Lysa put a hand on her shoulder. "And besides, you know as Valkyries we aren't allowed relations with the royal family." Freya scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Sister, I wouldn't brush it off. The Allfather could have your wings clipped."

Freya blanched. It wasn't often she heard a fellow Valkyrie talking about wing clipping. If a Valkyrie went rogue during a mission, such as revealing themself to a dying soldier, or bringing in a soldier that wasn't worthy of Valhalla, the Allfather would clip their wings and banish them to Midgard. They would lose all memories of their live on Asgard. They would lose everything.

"Freya, are you listening to me?" Lysa hissed. She quickly nodded and Lysa rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I don't go to Mum about you. You're the worst Valkyrie we've had since Kæsta," she grumbled. Freya paled, thinking about Kæsta. She was the last Valkyrie to have her wings clipped. And the Allfather always made an example of her. "So Freya, will you get your head out of the clouds and for once be a good Valkyrie?" Lysa asked. Freya swallowed and walked away.

Edited: September 3rd, 2024.