Loki's Favorite

Part 3

I had a horrible nightmare last night about Prince Loki punishing me for speaking against him. I wake up in a fright and decide to get ready for the day. I pull my red hair back into a bun with my curls hanging out of it. I walk to my closet and pull out my pre-made servants outfit which is a tan tunic with brown pants and a light brown robe over it. I walk to the dining hall for breakfast.

"Rosie!" I head Benjamin's voice call. I follow the voice and find that he saved me a seat. We eat and laugh and I head to the garden for my lesson.

"Hello dear!" Queen Frigga greets. I now and she stops looking puzzled. "Heavens, I don't know your name."

"It's Rose, Your Majesty." She smiles and pulls out a book. It has an old leathery cover with gold writing scrawled on the front. On the cover it says 'Magyck'. It's about the size of a normal piece of paper, and it is about three inches thick. Yet when I pick it up it's not too heavy.

"That is your book that you will learn from. And by your I do mean it is yours. You are to keep this book." My mouth gapes. I've never had much personal property before, let alone a book. I love to read, but poverty makes reading difficult. "Let's begin!"

We spend the next two hours working on basics, magic circles and just creating magic light. It is invigorating and exhausting at the same time. She dismisses me to return to my duties.

This goes on for three weeks. I progress and learn more and more magic, absorbing it like a sponge. One night at dinner there is an announcement.

"As is customary, every ten years there is a competition among the Middles and Assists. The competition lasts for one week, and the top ten servants will move up to Assists." King Odin proclaims. This is exciting, I could earn the chance to speak freely with the Royals. "The special thing about these Assists, is that they will be chosen to serve one Royal exclusively. Hence making them slightly higher than normal Assists. Each Royal will choose two Middles and two Assists before the competition begins, and should any of them advance they will serve their Royal."

Murmur erupts through the dining hall, and many of the girls say who they hope will choose them. This means that only eight Middles, and eight Assists will be chosen to compete. The Royals will decide tomorrow at breakfast, and everyone is dismissed to their rooms. When I walk into my room, I find Prince Loki sitting on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I ask rather abruptly.

"Why, I thought I owed you a second chance." What? I'm taken aback and he explains smoothly, "You caught me when I was in a rather poor mood. I realize that I snapped too quickly at you."

"So...what? You're here to apologize?"

"No. Not apologize, I am offering to give you a tour of the castle." I think about it. I had seen much of the castle, and I'm not allowed to visit the Royal section. I'm about to say no when he says, "I'm not asking."

He gets up and walks out of my room, I turn to follow him. I hesitate, before running to catch up to his long strides. I hope I don't regret this later.