The Arrayed

Chapter 8

(Arraya)

"Your majesty, the Princess Arraya has arrived." A pretty blue-eyed handmaiden to the Queen announced. 

"Of course Reeta... please show her in." Frigga replied. I could not see beyond the blurred glass wall  upon entering the room, but I could hear her . Much to my relief, Frigga's voice seemed calm and not at all angered in tone. For some unknown reason I had expected the worse.  As I watched Reeta turn towards me, she gave me a slight nod indicating that I should follow her. 

Entering the room completely now, I could see that the spacious chamber was beyond beautiful. It was decorated in the finest shades of gold and white. The enormous bed was lavished in what looked like silk and Aesir cotton with intricate patterns, and the floors were white marble with gold flashes in the grain. Looking around the cathedral ceilings, I could see fantastic paintings of the royal family as if telling a story.  "Arraya, please come and sit." Frigga said startling me out my stupor. 

Embarrassed I looked upon the Queen and quickly made my way towards her . Bowing my head, I sat down in the sitting area by the fire in the opposite chair.

"So my dear, we really had not much time to talk and get to know each other since we met." she said with her lips drawn up in amusement. 

"No, unfortunately we have not your Majesty" I replied. "Forgive me your highness, but why have you summoned me at this hour. Is there something wrong?"

Frigga put down the needlepoint she was working on to place a hand on her chest, expressing her surprise. "No my child, there nothing that is of error. I instead thought we should make plans to discuss the wedding. Firstly, there will be a very well known dress maker back onto this realm for a visit tomorrow, and once he arrives I will send word for him to join us all for dinner tomorrow night. I want to hire him to make your wedding gown. Here is a portfolio of his latest designs, please bring it back to your chambers and view it tonight. I want to know by morning if you like his style, and if you do, we will go ahead with commissioning his work."

Relieved that she was not calling me to her chambers to talk of the unspeakable act I had just done with her son, I let out a nervous breath. Frigga noticing my obvious relief , narrowed her blue eyes at me now suspicious.  "Is there something the matter my dear?" Frigga asked with a concerned tone.

"No your highness, everything is wonderful. Thank you for the book and I shall have an answer for you in the morning." I replied hastily. 

Seeming satisfied with my answer, Frigga relaxed her face and nodded.  Looking at me as if she now expected me to go, I got up to curtsey and took my que to leave.

Making my way back to my chambers, I noticed that Loki had left. Feeling a little disappointed at his absence, I walked over to the bed and slumped down on it. Since the book was still in my hand, I opened it and began to examine the designs.

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(Loki)

It was night now and I could not sleep. I had relieved myself in Arraya's absence and then solemnly left her quarters. Instead of returning to my room, I decided to take a trip to the library and embark on some late night reading.  Upon entering, I walked to my favourite section that carried the spell books that were sorted according to each realm. Looking upon their familiar spines, I lovingly reached out to gently touch each of them as I walked. Finally stopping at something that caught my eye, I quickly took the book off the shelf and made my way to one of the desks to read. As I sat down and made myself comfortable, I flicked my wrist with a spell to light the hearth of the library. Opening my book and upon the beginnings of reading the first page, I heard the faintest of feminine sighs. Startled, I quickly looked up from the pages to stare at the area of the room where I had thought the origin of that noise surfaced. For several seconds I could hear no more, and decided that I had been mistaken. Just as I looked back to my spells, I heard a masculine groan. Narrowing my eyes and now certain that I had not been imagining,  I looked back to the dark corner towards the opposite side the room. 

Straining my ears now, I paused to listen some more. Suddenly I heard the faintest gasp. 

Curious, I put down my book to investigate. The closer I got, the more I could hear...

the rustling of fabric, the squeak and smack of a kisses, deep heavy breaths. Smiling deviantly while turning the corner of a free standing bookshelf, I spied the two interruptions. For there against the wall in the darkness, I witnessed the colours and build of a man that I knew very well. With a woman's shapely legs wrapped around his waist, I watched Thor aggressively pound in and out of a female without abandon. A female, who face at the moment I could not really see. Just as I was ready to turn around a walk away,  I heard Thor shout the name of Freya. Surprised I looked back just in time to witness Thor slump over the female. As he leaned in to gently kiss her neck, Lady Freya's face finally came in to view. Chuckling to myself, I decided to leave them and head back to my own quarters. I could stay here and tease Thor about it now, or I could taunt him when we break the fast. Feeling suddenly tired, I chose the later.

As I past by Arraya's chambers towards my own, my eyes quickly fell to the partition between the floor and the door. Noticing there was light emanating within, I quickly found myself wondering if she was reading. Feeing another wave of fatigue, I then opened the door to my own chambers and entered. Quickly, I flicked my wrist to start a fire in the hearth and also magically rid myself of my clothes. Satisfied, I walked to my bed and began pulling back the covers. Once I was comfortable and settled in, I looked onto the fire and sleepily watched the flames flicker. Before long, I nodded off into a deep dreamless sleep.

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