"She was the Virgin Goddess of Innocence and purity.
He was the God of Mischief.
Though the two were very different in every single way that didn't stop them from falling in love.
She hated most when she loved him the most and she loved him the mos...
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Astraea walked to the window, gazing down at the grates below where Asgardians gathered outside the perimeter wall. They were filled with laughter and excitement for the farewell ball in honor of Astraea's parents leaving. She took in a deep breath, not quite ready for this day.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Astraea flinched at the unexpected sound. Her handmaiden opened the door to reveal two palace guards. Upon seeing the young soon-to-be queen, they knelt on one knee. "Your grace," the tall, slender blonde one said. "The king, queen mother, and the young prince await your presence in the ballroom."
Astraea nodded, a light smile lingering on her lips. "Tell them I will be down shortly."
The two men nodded, kneeling once more before stepping back out into the hall.
"Are you alright, your grace?" her handmaiden's voice inquired.
The young princess gazed out the window, observing the crowd below. She couldn't explain the unsettling feeling in her stomach, a sensation unlike anything she had experienced before. Despite the worry it caused, she attributed it to sadness over her parents' farewell. Astraea glanced down at her hands, fiddling with the strings that adorned her dress.
"Let us go," she said. "They're expecting us at the feast."
Astraea smiled as her handmaiden picked up the pail of wash water and left the room. The raven-haired girl turned, looking at her reflection in the vanity mirror one last time before following her. The walk to the grand ballroom felt like an eternity, and when she entered the room of glowing people in golden gowns and bright diamonds, she felt even more alone.
"My darling," Thor called out as soon as he saw Astraea approaching. "You look stunning as always."
Her smile was forced, but it went unnoticed. "Thank you. You look dashingly handsome," she replied, her words soon drowned out by Thor's enchanting voice as he spoke to her and a few others. Astraea was usually not this quiet during party events; in fact, she always had a story to tell. However, she wasn't in a good headspace at the moment. She was terrified of the dark, eerie feeling in her stomach and tried to suppress tears at the thought of her parents leaving.
"May I steal my daughter away for a moment?" Eos asked Thor, smiling, and without waiting for a response, she whisked her daughter away and the two glided across the floor to the balcony.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Astraea's voice was a mix of concern and urgency, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of her mother's troubled expression.
"Oh, nothing to worry about, my sweet," her mother replied, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She gently brushed stray hairs from Astraea's face, a tender gesture that belied her unease. "They'll treat you well here, I'm certain."
Astraea sighed, her frustration evident. "I believe they will, but I don't want to be here alone."
"You're not alone," her mother insisted, her voice firm yet comforting.
