Temptation

Forever is a long time

"Sometimes, just sometimes, I hate him. I hate him so much I could scream." She threw her hairbrush across the room, and the maid ducked as it whizzed by her, smashing a mirror.

"Your Majesty..." Elsie began, never afraid of Frigga, but always in awe of the strength of feelings she carried for her family. 

Frigga turned as if seeing her for the first time. She let out a deep breath and smiled, her usual composure returning. "I'm sorry you had to see that or hear it. I do love Odin, you know that. It's just...." she shrugged, and Elsie smiled. They had been together since Frigga arrived at the palace. 

"I know Ma'am, he may..." she looked to left and right then took a step forward, "he may be the Allfather, but sometimes he's as much of an arse as any other man."

Frigga nodded, "He just doesn't see it.  Separating them will only end in heartbreak - and not for them. Loki has barely any regard left for his father these days, and this? This may just push him over the edge."

Elsie picked up the old and battered hairbrush.  She smiled, running her fingers over the bone handle, inlaid with gold runes. It had been a present from Frigga's mother, cherished above all the gold and jewels that she'd been given over the years. That was the thing about the Queen that made everyone love her. Her passion for her family.

"Ma'am? May I ask you something?" She laid the brush on the small dressing table by the window. As she looked outside, she could see Eva, now dressed beautifully, the archetypal Asgardian Princess. She was sitting reading in the garden, a hand maiden at her side.  As per Odin's instructions, never alone.  Not that it seemed he needed to worry for now.  No one had seen Loki for days.

"Of course, Elsie, you and I are too old for secrets - or formality. Come, sit, whatever it is, if I have the answer, I'll give it to you." Frigga smiled, holding out her hand, and they sat together.  As they did, she followed Elsie's gaze. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"  

Elsie nodded and turned to her queen.  "Do you believe it? Do you believe she's Alaia's daughter?" The maid's face was serious. She loved her mistress and didn't want to see her made a fool of.  Frigga was wise, wiser than the Allfather in some respects, but she was also kindhearted. She would instinctively want to protect the girl.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Frigga looked out into the garden. "And do you know why?"

Elsie shook her head.

"Because I was there. When she was born. I was there." Frigga finally confessed the secret she'd carried, to her shame, all these years.

"What!" Elsie couldn't contain her shock. "But why would you... I mean, you let her... oh Ma'am!"

"Because it meant Alaia could be safe. Because the child could be safe. Because she was loved and cared for in a family who wasn't broken, who wasn't constantly plotting and warring and battling for the survival of the crown." Frigga sighed. "I genuinely thought I was acting for the best. Alaia seemed happier in Vanaheim; she seemed content once she knew the girl was safe." 

For one of the few times in her life, she cried. "I made a huge mistake, didn't I, Elsie? I cost her love." Her eyes were filled with tears and her heart with anguish. "I'm frightened, Elsie. Frightened, I might have done something that can never be undone."

Elsie knew that under other circumstances, it would be inappropriate. Under other circumstances, she could be carted off to prison. But these? These were circumstances nobody could have predicted. So she risked the repercussions. She hugged the queen tightly. And told her off.

"Frigga. For once, I am going to speak plainly as your friend. Not a maid to a queen, just woman to woman. You did what you thought was the right thing. For Alaia, for the child. For Erik - you KNOW what would have happened to him. Then, the child would have been abandoned to an orphanage. This way? This way, she had a chance of happiness." Elsie smiled and released Frigga from her hug, standing and beginning to brush the queens hair gently. "Now, we need to find a way to bring Prince Loki back to the palace. If he's not even here, how can we help them be together?"

Frigga looked into the mirror at her.  She smiled and reached a hand up and back to Elsie. "Thank you. For everything. Yes, Odin may think he runs this palace, but you and I?" She winked."We know the truth. Now, hair up or down today?"

In the garden, Eva sat with her new - and incredibly shy - maid.  She felt uncomfortable in the heavy dress, even if it was beautiful, and she hated the shoes. Her feet were killing her. Even walking from the palace to the garden where they now sat was painful.

"How do they do it?" She muttered, taking her shoe off and rubbing her foot where it rubbed through the silk stocking. "Give me a decent pair of boots any day." She sighed and looked at her companion. "Im sorry. You must hate this almost as much as I do."

The young girl looked up from her own book.

"No, Your Highness." She said quietly, without emotion. "It is my duty, I do not hate doing my duty."

"But you hate me." Eva turned and looked at her. "I promise you, I had no desire to do this. And it appears to have cost me more than I have gained."

"I wouldn't say that." The voice at her back made the maid jump up and curtsey. Eva turned to see Thor standing smiling. "Good morning, Princess. Shall we walk?" He extended his arm, and she nodded.

"That would be a relief for both of us." Eva grinned. "You can go, Anna. I'm sure Allfather trusts me not to corrupt his older son."

Anna looked from one to another, and Thor nodded. "You can go, Anna. I will see the Lady Eva returned safely to her chambers."

Anna curtseyed and left. Thor turned to Eva. "So, you settling in well?" He started to walk through the garden, taking care to modify his stride to match her far smaller one.

Eva nodded. "It's been quite a week. With dress fittings and deportment lessons." She rolled her eyes."Who knew there were so many ways to sit down incorrectly!"

Thor laughed loudly. "Oh, Lady Eva!"

Eva paused. "I miss him, you know." Her eyes filled with tears. "I try to be brave but..."

Thor nodded and patted her hand where it lay on his arm. "I know you do. After the funeral, you can begin to build a future. One based on the true love your father had for you. One that carries his devotion to you as it's base. Just remember you have us now too."

"Do I? Do I really? Your father doesn't trust me, your mother can't do anything without his say so, and your brother?" Her voice caught at the thought of Loki. Her heart, already bruised, now ached. "Loki despises me. Sees me as a threat. What we might have once had? Is gone. And to try to see him, to try to live without him,forever?" She shook her head. "Forever seems such a long time." Now she hung her head, and the tears fell.

Thor shook his head. This wasn't fair. In any realm. If only his father wasn't so suspicious of everyone and everything. If only his brother wasn't so damaged. If only there was something he could do.  "Come here..."

He gathered her into his warm embrace. "It will be ok Eva, forever is a long time. Time enough for things to change."

As he held her close, she sobbed into his chest. He stroked her hair gently and kissed the top of her head. "Shhh, little sister," he whispered. "I am here."

A pair of eyes watched from behind a tree to their left.  A pair of eyes that had initially been full of pain at her upset.  As they saw Thor hold her and stroke her and whisper to her, they narrowed, the voice that went with them hard and jealous.

"So you are, brother. So you are."