Vanity is Calling

Senta The Warrior Princess

     What happened next was a series of sounds.  A crash, a tear, a thud, and a clatter.  The crash was Freya crashing into something hard, causing her to fall back on her dress, which caused it to tear, she stumbled backward and fell with a thud; hard onto the ground and finally the crown Loki had given her clattered noisily next to her.  All of this happened in a flash, Freya looked up to see what she had run into.  It was not a "what" but a "who."  To be more specific, it was Thor: larger than ever.  

"Freya!  What is it?"He reached out to help her up.  Freya scrambled for the crown trying to act normally.  Thor lifted her to her feet with ease.

"Thor..."Freya answered distractedly.  "I..."She twisted the crown in her hands absently. "I lost my way."She looked around.  It wasn't a total lie.  She was lost.

"Where were you going?"Thor narrowed his eyes at her.  Freya tried to speak, but no words came.  "Freya, tell me what has happened."Thor frowned.

Freya knew she had to tell him.  How else could she save Loki?  Before she knew it, the words came tumbling out of her like a verbal waterfall.  Thor's face was a mix of horror and anger.  

"You musn't be angry!"Freya pleaded; clutching at the expanse of his shoulders.  "Please Thor!"She begged.  "We have to help him.  I don't know how."Tears dripped off Freya's face which until then she didn't realize were even there.

"We must tell Father--"

"No!"Freya said sharply.  "You cannot!  He would not understand or forgive Loki for this.  Please."Freya's eyes were once again brimming with tears.

"Very well, but Mother should know.  Her magic can help."Thor said firmly.  Freya nodded in agreement.  "Come we need to act quickly."Freya could scarcely keep up with Thor as he strode down the halls.  While she was tall, the dress and heels were slowing her down considerably.  Freya tried to rememeber at least part of the message on the mirror.  

"Humility."She finally said out loud not realizing it.

"What?"Thor asked stopping dead in his tracks.

"There were writings on the mirrors.  I could only translate a bit of it."Freya closed her eyes trying to picture the writings.

"Keep thinking while your walking!"Thor grunted and started walking himself.  If she hadn't been in such a state, she might have said something nasty for his boorish behavoir.  They arrived swiftly outside the ballroom.  Thor caught a guard and whispered something to him.  The guard whispered back and Thor nodded.  Freya wasn't sure about the exchange until Thor spoke.

"Mother is in her chambers."He took Freya by the arm and pulled her into the courtyard.  The same courtyard where she and Loki had danced.  The same courtyard where Loki had kissed her with such desire.  It felt like days since that had happened.

"Hold on."Thor commanded as he wrapped his arm around Freya's waist.

"What?"She asked confused.

"This is the fastest way."Thor said as he spun Mjolnir for flight.  Freya gripped at his arm and held her breath.  Before she knew it they were airborne.  Freya could feel the night air rushing all around her, but she didn't dare open her squeezed-shut eyes.  Instead, she turned her head into Thor's shoulder until they landed softly.

"Oh!"Freya exclaimed.  It was indeed fast, and nothing at all like her "flight" with Loki.

"Mother."Thor released Freya so quickly she barely had time to notice the balcony on which she stood.  She ran her fingers nervously through her hair attempting to straighten it up.