A tale of Fidelity and Mischief

Chapter Four: (Sigyn's perspective)

My impatient gaze passed over each of the ball gowns as I pondered over which was the most suitable for the evening's festivities.
As soon as Loki had asked, or rather, demanded in his usual arrogant, yet lovable way that I was to attend the feast that night, I had realized that I wasn't hardly prepared wardrobe-wise for such an occasion.
So far I had been unsuccessful in choosing, for I would constantly change my mind.
One minute I would be satisfied with my appearance in one of the dresses, then I'd suddenly prefer the look of another.
This process would then repeat.
"Sigyn, what in Valhalla is so complicated about picking a mere dress from a total collection of three?"
I sighed lightly to myself, as if I had expected a sufficient answer to a question that I had asked myself. "I'm being ridiculous, for Odin's sake!" I lectured myself scornfully, sitting down carefully upon my bed and cradling my head in my hands. "I'm a mere serving maid after all, not royalty, even if I did dress nice, no one would bother to notice."
Except.. Well.. Maybe Loki. The small, quiet voice in my head said.
A blush crept into my cheeks, and I tightly pinched my arm to punish myself for thinking such thoughts.
"No, no. Sigyn. You are doing this simply for yourself. No one, be it man or woman, should ever dictate what it is you should wear. And definitely not some god of mischief."
That ideal in mind, I chose the first dress I had tried on. It wasn't especially the most extravagant, nor the most 'eye popping', and I favored it above the others for those reasons perhaps.
Satisfied at last with my choice of dress, I sat down before a small vanity to begin with my hair and makeup, but before I could do anything, the door to my room suddenly swung open, revealing the small figure of my mother.
"Mother!" A small gasp escaped my lips at the suddenness of her entry.
"My, my. What occasion may it be which causes you to dress so finely, my daughter?" She inquired teasingly, an amused look in her eye, having already known of the feast and ball being held this night.
"Not the ball I assume."
"Yes, indeed, the ball." I answered, turning back to my reflection in the mirror, "His majesty, Loki has invited me to attend, so I shan't be serving this evening." Grabbing the hair brush off the vanity, I tore it's bristles through the tangled mess that I called my hair in order to tame it somewhat, for it still was wild from the riding I had done before.
A small "Hmph" came from behind me, as my mother shook her head slightly, unimpressed with my actions. "You shouldn't get too close to his majesty, Sigyn." She sighed, taking the hairbrush from my hold and running it through my blonde locks with a mother's careful expertise.
"Why must you say that?" I asked, closing my eyes and relaxing into her touch.
There was silence for a few moments, until another sigh disturbed it. "I just don't wish to see you falling in love with this boy, especially since your father and I have already found you a willing and proper suitor..."
The brushing stopped.
So did my breathing.
"...What?" I whispered, my eyes snapping open. In the mirror I could see that they were filled with anger and pure horror. I could also see my mother's sympathetic gaze through the glass, but that didn't matter to me.
"Who?"
The question hung in the air for what seemed like eternity as I anxiously awaited her answer.
There was an unsettling feeling deep in my chest, as if something was falling and would soon shatter.
This was something that I had never wanted to hear, I had always dreaded the day I would hear these words come from my mother's mouth.
But I was awhile over courting age, and was expected to marry soon, I just hadn't realized how soon that time would come.
"His name is Theoric, I'm sure you've heard of him Sigyn, for he is a brave warrior."
She replied, her fingers trembling somewhat as she prepared herself for my reaction.
Sure enough I had heard of him, he was known to all as a good man, but I myself had never met him, nor had I ever felt the urge too.
I felt my eyes begin to sting as I held back tears, turning the skin around them red.
"Sigyn dear, I know this comes as a shock, but you should have seen this coming. You're of age."
My mother stated softly, setting my brush to the side, and grabbing a small pin from a drawer and winding it through my hair creating a bun. "Besides, you'll come to love him in time."
My lips trembled, as the urge to release my welled up tears intensified. "How am I to love a man I don't even know?" My voice quivered in panic.
Another sigh.
"Let me bestow upon you some advice that my own mother gave to me before I had married your father," she spoke, "'Marriage first, then love after.'"Finished with the bun, she laid her hands upon my shoulders as a supposedly comforting gesture.
I shrugged them off angrily.
Marriage first, then love after?
What kind of advice was that?
"Please leave." I said quietly, my voice barely audible. "I need to be alone."
She nodded, a frown upon her face as she turned and left.
I could finally cry.
Placing my face in my hands, I wept.
I wasn't ready for this.
I wasn't prepared.
"Why now!" I sobbed, wanting someone to answer me.
Though no answer came.
I was left sitting alone once again with only my aching heart to accompany me.

___________________________________________________________________________________ wow! It's been awhile since I last updated!
I'm sorry everyone if this chapter isn't as good as the others.😁
Anyways, let the roller coaster of emotions begin!