Chapter Two
The next morning, Min awoke to the warmth of the rising sun. She stretched her arms and yawned, making a face at the taste of her mouth. Checking her watch on her bedside table, she saw it was only six. She pulled herself out of bed and turned on the faucet to take a bath. As nice as it was to have a maid help her with everything, she wanted to have the morning to herself. Min washed her hair and body quickly, wanting to have as much time to explore before everyone else woke up. She threw on her jeans and t-shirt and a little makeup. She grabbed her messenger bag and crept quietly out the door. The palace was huge and Min doubted anyone would be able to find her if she didn’t want to be found. She walked back to the ballroom, reveling in how different it looked without all the celebrating people. She knelt down and felt the marble flooring, taking in the grandeur of it all. Min ran across the room to the other pair of doors and slipped quietly through them. Inside, she found the grandest library she had ever seen. Bookshelves lined the walls. Thousands of books stood on them, bound in cloth with golden pages. She jumped on the ladder and slid around the room, pausing every so often to admire the ancient texts. It was all so magnificent and Min doubted she would ever want to leave. She grabbed a book of Asgardian royalty and sunk into one of the leather chairs that were in various parts of the room. After about an hour or so, she was interrupting by the doors opening. She leapt and curtsied when she realized it was Frigga.
“Oh Minerva, you needn’t curtsy when I enter. We are past all those formalities.” Frigga smiled warmly at Min. “It is time for breakfast and I thought I would fetch you myself. I insist that we all gather for meals. I believe it’s important that we do.”
Minerva and followed Frigga to the dining hall. They made small talk on the way. Frigga said it was supposed to rain in a few days, but it would be warm in the meantime. Inside the hall, Min sat between her sister and Frigga. Odin was at the head of the table. Next to him was Thor and Loki. Yet again, Loki had his nose in a book. Frigga looked at him and sighed. She waved her hand and the book disappeared. Min giggled and Frigga smiled with a twinkle in her eye.
“I was mid-sentence.” Loki said.
“No books at the table, dear. It’s rude.” Frigga explained.
“And Loki is nothing if not polite.” Min quipped, unable to let a sarcastic comment stay unsaid.
Loki scowled at her and Thor laughed, nudging his brother. Soon the food was set before them. There was fresh fruits, delicious meats, and eggs. A servant poured Min some orange juice. The others joined in conversation, but Min talked very little, only answering questions. She was focused on Loki. He didn’t eat as much as his brother, but he ate well. His eyes softened when talking to his family. Min could tell when he deep in thought because he would stare off into space, his eyes deep and his brow would furrow. Those were the times when Min could get a good look at him. He was incredibly attractive. But he was also a puzzle, daring her to try to figure him out. It was as if Loki knew she couldn’t and enjoyed watching her struggle. Suddenly, he came back to the real world and realized she was staring. She looked away quickly, but it was too late. The damage was done and Min silently cursed him. If she was going to entice him, she needed to seem indifferent. As if she didn’t care what he thought of her. That was going to be hard. She hadn’t exactly given off that vibe last night, insisting to him she wasn’t a child. Min had no doubt in her mind that if they were alone again, he would call her it again. She would have to resist the urge to correct him. It would be tough. Min had a fiery temper and it infuriated her to be belittled. But if this was going to work, she needed to at least try.
“So, Minerva, what are your plans for today? You could wander the grounds here, or see the rest of the palace. If you’d like, you could borrow a horse from the stable and ride into town.” Frigga offered.
Min had been wanting to see the village. She wanted to see all parts of Asgardian culture, not just the royalty aspects. She agreed to borrowing a horse and was glad she wasn’t being made to have an escort to come with her, as she knew Jane sometimes was. After breakfast, she made her way to the stable and decided to ride an elegant brown horse with soft eyes. Min patted the horse’s soft muzzle and fed him a bright orange carrot. He whinnied and she gladly climbed onto his back. As she left, she saw Loki walking in the woods, another book in his hands. Min made sure to trot by him on her way to the path, the horse’s movement causing her plump breasts to bounce joyously. The look of pure enjoyment on Loki’s face was not lost on Min, and she stifled a giggle from escaping her lips. She reveled in this new installment in her plan all the way to town. On the outskirts of the market, a stable boy took her horse and she dropped a few gold coins into his hand in penance. As Min made her way through the market, she saw stands and stands filled with exotic foods and meats, books and scrolls, jewelry and glass. The spicy smell of the air was intoxicating and Min was enthralled by the sheer beauty of it all. In the bustling market, she felt right at home. Thor had given her more than enough money to buy what she wanted and she was taking full advantage of it. She dropped many different kinds of spices into her bag, the kind vendors appreciative of her business. Min decided she would make a cake tonight if it was allowed. She wanted an orange spice cake, so she gathered vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, and some fresh goat’s milk for a pungent frosting. For herself, she stopped at one of the jewelry vendors and tried on a few necklaces.
“Those are beautiful, but I believe I have something that would suit you much better.” An old, crackly voice said from behind her.
She spun around and saw a small, wizened woman holding a pair of earrings. She dropped them into Min’s hand, allowing her to marvel them up close. They were a deep blue, almost black, crested in a shining gold. They were the most gorgeous things Min had ever seen, and they were only a bit more expensive than the necklaces she had seen before. She paid for them happily and the woman wished her well for the rest of her day. Min looked at her watch and realized a long time had past and knew she should be getting back for dinner. The market, suddenly seeming so large and intricate, made Min unsure of which way it was back to her horse. She began down the street, bumping into people left and right. Confused, she ducked into an alley to catch her breath.
“What’s in the bag, sweet girl?” A rough voice said, shoving something into her back.
Min breathed in sharply, realizing it was a knife. She had no idea what to do, feeling the icy feeling of fear prickle through her veins.
“I-it’s just sp-spices from the m-m-market.” She managed to choke out.
“Mmm. You sure that’s all you got, Darling?” He asked.
She nodded rigidly. He scoffed in disbelief and ripped her bag off her arm, the contents spilling out. The man laughed at his treasure and bent down to retrieve them. Min spun around quickly and smashed her heel down on the man’s hand, causing him to shriek in pain. She grabbed his knife, waving it at him.
“Drop my things and go.” She said, pointing the knife to the other end of the alley.
The man did as she said, cradling his mangled hand. When he left she began to pick up her things, her body still quivering from the fear. All of a sudden, she heard a low laugh from down the alley. At first she was afraid the man was back, but a slow glance proved it to be Loki. She glared at him and continued to put her things back in her bag. Loki was still watching her as she did so. Min growled in anger.
“What the fuck is your problem?” She yelled at him. “You didn’t think to help through all that?”
Loki smirked. “Looks like you handled it just fine yourself.”
“He could have fucking killed me, you psycho!” Min could feel the tears in her eyes, but daren’t let them fall.
“Oh, I was under the impression you weren’t a child. And only children need help, right?” Loki was sauntering to her and Min backed up.
“Fuck you.” Min whimpered.
“That’s want you want, right?” He was tormenting her.
“No, it’s not.” This was a lie, and Min knew Loki saw through it.
He shook his head. “C’mon. Let’s get you to your horse, hmm?”
Loki offered her his hand, but Min waved it away. She had fought off an attacker. She would not give up her dignity now. They walked in silence through the market, the shops closing up for the day. The magic of this place was disappearing and Min was disappointed. After the thief altercation, she was glad to be going back to the palace. When they reached the horse, Loki slid himself up and once again held out his hand.
“What are you doing?” She asked in regard to him taking her horse.
“I might as well ride back with you. Even adults need to be comforted sometimes.” Loki, no more mocking in his voice.
Reluctantly, Min took his hand and let him swing her up to sit with him. He dug his heel into the horse’s side and they jolted off. Min liked the feeling of warmth that came with Loki’s body pressed against hers, his breath like sweet mint. She pressed back into him ever so slightly, but enough that he realized the change. He cleared his throat and Min smiled. He leaned forward and she could feel his hot breath on her neck, prickling her skin.
“I’m sorry I didn’t stop him. I would never had let him hurt you.” His voice was low.
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t have just stood there. He had a knife.” Min wasn’t angry anymore, but she didn’t want Loki to know.
“Please,” Loki scoffed. “It would take much more than a tiny pocket knife to frighten me.”
Min thought about this for a moment. “Fine. You’re forgiven.”
They were quiet for the rest of the ride. Min enjoyed watching the Asgardian country fly by. Everything here was so alive and vibrant. The flowers were so beautiful that Min stopped the horse so she could pick a bouquet for her bedroom. As she grabbed some fragrant yellow ones, Loki sighed.
“You do know it is the servant’s job to supply the rooms with fresh flowers.” He quipped, picking an apple from a nearby tree.
“So? I like to pick them myself. It’s fun.” Min retorted.
Loki gazed at her, bent over to pick the some gardenias, her bottom high in the air. “Well then. Who am I to complain?”
When she was done, they finished the ride back to the palace where Thor and Jane were waiting for Min.
“Minerva, how was the village?” Thor asked.
“Exciting! I enjoyed myself immensely. Oh, I meant to ask. Am I allowed to use the kitchen tomorrow?” She inquired.
Thor looked puzzled. “Use the kitchen for what?”
“Um, to make a cake?” Min laughed.
“Oh! The servants can do that.” He assured her.
“Do the servants do everything here?”
He thought about it for a second before deciding that yes, they did.
“Well I would still like to.” She said.
“Well, I guess I don’t see why not.”
“Great! Thank you.” Min was already off, running up the stairs to her room.
“Also, Frigga is having a dinner party tonight. You’re expected to be there and on your best behavior!” Jane called.
Min dashed into her room and groaned. The party last night had been fun because it was relaxed. She could dance and laugh and yell. Jane had made sure Min knew how to act at dinner parties and it was nothing like the ball last night. She would have to sit quietly and only talk when she was spoken to. She would have to grit her teeth and bear it. After how nicely Frigga had treated her, she would do anything for her.
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That night, Min got ready for the party with the aid of her servants. They curled her hair and did her makeup. They giggled when Min gasped at how different she looked.
"Have you never gotten dressed up for an event before?" One of them asked.
Min looked at her reflection in the huge mirror. Her long brown hair was half pulled back and the rest fell across her shoulders. She wore a silky green dress with a black velvet wrap. She looked... elegant. She had never seen herself this way. It was exhilarating.
"Not like this." Min answered.
Downstairs, everyone was gathered in the foyer, walking around and chatting quietly. Min recognized a few of the faces from the book she read in the library. There was Lord and Lady Vollan, the Storstrands, the Estredsens, and the Hardrada's, with their son, Astor. Min had read about him. He was extremely handsome. Tall and lithe, with hair so blond, it seemed almost white. He caught her eye and smiled, raising his glass in acknowledgement. Min blushed and looked away. Frigga welcomed her in and introduced her to everyone. Soon, dinner was ready to be served and they made their way to the dining hall. Astor sat directly across from Min, looking her way every so often. She quite enjoyed the attention.
"So, Minerva. What is Midgard like? I've always wanted to go." Lady Vollan asked.
"Well, it's very fast-paced. Everyone is moving and bustling, trying to get to the next place. It's lovely though. There's a lot of opportunity to do what you want." Min answered her. She could feel Astor's gaze on her and when she looked at him, he smirked.
After dinner, they gathered outside. The sun was going down and it cast a hazy, pink glow on the clouds. The orange groves made the air smell sweet and citrusy. There was music playing and everyone was happily talking and laughing together. Min made her way over to Jane and Thor who just so happened to be talking to Astor.
"Min! Have you met Astor? He is just a year older than you. I'm sure you'll have lots to discuss. Lord Vollan, I must ask you about your battle plans!" Thor called, pulling Jane with him.
"So Minerva. How long are you on Asgard for?" Astor asked.
"All summer. Plenty of time to have some fun, hmm?" She answered cheekily.
"Well. How about some fun right now?" He smirked.
Min waited until she was sure no one would see them leave and lead him into the groves. Astor pressed her against a tree, kissing her roughly. She ran her fingers through his hair and moaned. He slipped her straps off her shoulders, exposing her moon-white breasts. He teased her nipples between his fingers, eliciting a whimper from her lips. All of a sudden, Astor was ripped away from and thrown to the ground. A man stood above him and Minerva screamed.
"Keep your goddamn hands off of her!" The man yelled.
Min realized it was Loki and she hurriedly slipped her dress back on. "What the hell is your problem?"
He sneered at her. "My problem is you acting like a whore!"
Fuming, she tried to punch him but he grabbed her wrists. "I'm not acting like a whore!"
"We were doing anything." Astro insisted, pulling himself up.
Loki lunged at him and Astro yelped, running back to the party. Loki laughed cruelly and turned back to Min. She ripped herself away.
"Why did you do that?" She demanded.
Loki scoffed. "It isn't appropriate for you to be throwing yourself at a lord's son like that."
"What I do isn't your business! If I want to kiss him, I will."
"It's not proper." He growled.
"You know what I think? I think you're attracted to me. I think you want to shove me against that tree and fuck me. And you can't stand the thought of someone else doing it." She yelled.
Loki laughed unconvincingly. "Please. I have more important things to concern myself with than who you let shove his tongue down your throat."
"Good! Then leave. Me. Alone." Min shoved him and ran back to the party.
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