Mischievous

Chapter Fourteen

        A month had gone by. How? I don't really know. Most of it had been spent moping around my bedroom. There'd been a lot of tears, and a lot of days when I didn't have a clue what I'd do. I ignored my lessons with Frigga and those with Sif. In fact, I'd only just started working on magic again the day before. She'd been happy to see that I was feeling better. In reality, I think I was doing worse.

        Lilja hadn't talked to me since. I'd lost her as a friend and as a partner in crime. She'd even gone out of her way to ask for someone else to be my servant. I dismissed them, claiming I'd rather be alone. Nothing was getting any better. Asgard was starting to feel more and more like a prison. There was no escaping, no hope in sight. All I wanted to do was get my problems off my chest, but instead, I'd held them in, letting them grow inside myself.

        Tensions had risen between the Nine Realms. Whatever peace the Warriors Three, Thor, and Sif were supposed to be creating, evidently wasn't working. They'd barely been around, sometimes traveling for weeks at a time. The whole palace felt off. This wasn't something that happened frequently, and I was pretty sure it was worrying some of the nobles. God forbid their perfect lives be interrupted by war and chaos.

        Rumors have started circling around, hushed whispers being the only thing you can hear while roaming the halls. People speak of the Dark Elves, a race thought to be extinct haven risen once more. I don't know what to think about it. I haven't been around for centuries to learn all the history between those of Svartalfheim and those of Asgard. What I did know was that I was desperate to fight.

        I needed something to prove my worth, to show that I wasn't here to be some trophy. Sif had trained me in combat, and I was pretty sure I could hold my own if need be. But, no one let me into the meetings for the warriors. I was told that they wouldn't let a child fight for the realm. So, I'd retired back to my bedroom, wallowing in my own self-pity. It certainly wasn't the best thing I've ever done, but I couldn't seem to get myself to do much else.

        It was during one of these moments, with myself wrapped in so many blankets, I might suffocate that a giant crash resounded through the castle. The entire palace was shaking. My black dress swirled around me as I scampered out of bed. Though fashion had absolutely nothing to do with my safety, it pleased me knowing that I'd been able to complete the ensemble with matching emerald leggings and a sash for a belt. But, back to the whole possible destruction of Asgard.

        Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. Not shocking considering there was the possibility of tons of gold collapsing upon me. I ran into the hallway, knowing exactly where to go in a situation such as this. To Frigga. She'd know what was going on, and I knew that if we were really in danger, that she'd have a way to keep us safe.

        My feet ached — barely walking for a month sort of did that to you — as I barreled right into a woman. I looked up from where I'd fallen onto the floor.

        "Frigga?" I asked, staring up at the person I'd been looking for.

        She gave me her hand, pulling me to my feet. "Winter, perfect. I was just coming to get you."

        We headed toward her chambers, the place I had been going to initially. She hadn't let go of my hand, leading me through the crowds of Asgardians who'd decided the best place to stand was in the halls. Everyone was in a state of panic, yet Frigga managed to stay calm and collected. She truly was admirable. I, for one, knew that I was still freaking out because I was oblivious to the situation at hand.

        "What's going on? What was that noise?" My questions were rushed as she dragged me along.

        "The Dark Elves."