Disillusion: Pure Illusion Series of Shorts

Secrets

A/N: After I finish this chapter and the preceding one, I'll be excited to share a NEW Loki and Sigyn book I have been working on. This does not follow the lines of the Pure Illusion Series and as of now is only planned for one book. I'll be posting more information about it soon. 

This story takes place a week after the short story Ascend.

Song inspiring this story:

Tell me what you want to hear
Something that will light those ears
Sick of all the insincere
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away

Secrets - OneRepublic

Also, Black Lives Matter. Get on board,  or get out of the way. 

❦

It had been a week since they had arrived in Asgard and frankly, Astrid despised it. 

Sure, it was everything that her brothers, mother and even Torrun had said, but it wasn't home. 

"So tell me again why you hate her so much?" Astrid gestured over towards the girl, Nyla, who was outside the stable stroking the nose of Snowfire and Nightfire while talking to Narvi. 

Snowfire and Nightfire were the chosen steeds of her brothers, but she had never been given a horse, as she had been a surprise for her mother after landing on Midgard. Instead, she groomed Voná, her father's mare. Since she was getting on in years, it was a requirement for her hooves to be well looked after on a daily basis. Today she would be re-shooed and brushed down as well. Sto, her foal, was in a nearby paddock with a half dozen mares. He was still a horse of war and Angela's chosen mount in the absence of Sigyn, but he was also one of the desired studs for Asgard's calvary. 

Torrun's own yearling had come from a result of her father's horse and one of Sto's eldest daughters - Astrid would have her choice of yearlings today and she would choose a mount fit for royalty. It was all too complicated for Astrid and much too political for her taste. 

"Nyla, or Ny as she likes to be called, isn't exactly royalty, but she thinks of her as such since her mother is best friends with yours. She's also 'perceives' herself as so sort of royalty by her homeworld, Vanaheim, since her father was one of the most famous warriors of all of Asgard's warriors before he died. Since Asgard has long been without any 'royals' here other than Aunt Angela, they've clung to the idea of Nyla becoming a Queen for the people. I don't like her for that, and for the fact that she told me once that she would become Queen after she seduced your brother's for the throne. Funny thing is that you are the one who will sit on the throne, not them." 

Astrid nodded as snuck Voná a sugar cube from her pocket, the mare hastily gobbling it up before Torrun could see. Torrun shrugged her shoulders, patting her yearling's shoulder as she stepped out of her stall. "I simply think she's arrogant and that she doesn't need to be here within the palace. The only reason she's still here is that your mother would never allow her mother to be without a home. Vanaheim wasn't exactly welcoming of Nyla being a child born out of wedlock. But come on, enough about Nyla, let's go check out the yearlings you'll be choosing today!" 

The young Queen-to-be nodded as she exited Voná's stall. She listened to Torrun babble on about what the ceremony would be like and how they would ask her to choose but she would have already chosen and how she would have to ride through the city and show herself to the people before heading back to the palace. This morning she had been informed she would start listening in with her mother and her aunt about the plights of her people and start understanding the system of Asgard. Her aunt had promised to instruct her on recent matters and how best to solve issues, her mother as well. Her mother however, would be teaching Narvi and Vali how to best advise her and their duties as well. The ceremony to name her heir to the throne and proclaim that she would come of age at 18 was to take place in a week - far too fast for Astrid's liking.