₣łⱤɆ฿ɎⱤĐ

Chapter Five: Training

╟╫╫╫╫╢

I stepped out of my room, wearing a new, dry dress. My face was still a little flushed from the embarrassing walk from the port to my room, as servants whispered and tried to hold back their laughter at seeing Loki and I soaked from head to foot. I was worried about the rumors that might circulate as to why I had been with the prince, but tried to shake the thoughts from my head. It was pointless to worry about it now.

I worked my way through the palace, wandering absently through the halls. I didn't really know what I was looking for but I was bored, and anything was better than just sitting in my room waiting around for Odin to find some answers.

"Miss?" I called out, pausing in my tracks as a servant woman came into view, strolling down the hall.

She turned and smiled, her brown eyes crinkling at the sides.

"Do you happen to know where Thor is?" I asked her.

He'd seemed quite nice, unlike his mischievous brother, and he'd offered me his company yesterday evening. Hopefully, he'd hold to that promise.

"Well, it's a ways past noon, so I'd guess the training yard most likely," she responded, "I can take you there if you'd like."

"That would be great, thank you," I smiled at her, extending my hand, "My name is Alivia."

"I'm Bodil," she took my hand, before turning back the way she'd been walking, "Right this way."

I nodded, falling into step beside her. We descended some more stairs and emerged out onto a ground-level platform overlooking a vast expanse of grassy field. Dozens of soldiers occupied the field, trading blows with their weapons with masterful accuracy. My mouth fell open and I gaped.

"They're amazing," I marvelled.

"As they ought to be," Bodil responded, "They've had several hundred years to practice."

My eyes swept over the field and came to rest on Thor, who was sparring with a young man who seemed oddly familiar for some reason.

"Oh, there's Thor now," Bodil pointed to him, "And it appears he's practicing with Bersi. That's my twin brother."

Now that she'd pointed it out I realized that's where the air of familiarity was coming from. Bersi, tall and with deep brown skin, tight black coils, and round, dark eyes, was Bodil's mirror image.

We began to wend through the training soldiers, making our way toward Thor and Bersi.

"Alivia," Thor smiled, dropping his blade and opening his arms wide, "You've come to see me?"

"I didn't want to waste away up in my room waiting on answers that might never come."

"Have faith, my friend, my father is a capable man," Thor answered brightly, "And if the rumors hold true, you're keeping yourself quite busy with my brother."

He chuckled.

"So you heard about that already, did you?" I cringed.

"Servants talk, that's something you'll learn quickly during your stay in Asgard."

"Loki was just giving me a tour of the place since I was too tired for Sigrid to do it last night," I explained, "We had sort of an accident by the water and well-"

"Relax," Thor waved his hand, "No need to explain anything to me. I know my brother is a trickster, so I wasn't at all surprised to hear of what happened."

I nodded, some of the heat in my face fading a little.

"So, how do you find you like the palace?" Bersi asked me.