Chapter 3
The end of the week had arrived. You had kept Cordelia with you all week, not bothering to drop her off at her nanny’s. It seemed pointless, and Cordelia didn’t like it there anyway.
You had managed to secure a roast with the gold Loki had given you. It was strange having so much to spend and still having so much left over. You had picked up some ingredients to make fruit tarts for dessert as well. You knew whatever you made wouldn’t compare to the meals the Princes ate at the palace, but you did your best to make a fine meal with what you could afford. Luckily your Mother had taught you the ins and outs of cooking and baking before she passed. Therefore, you knew how to operate in the kitchen far better than most.
It had felt strange not going to work all week. At first it was relaxing, but it quickly shifted into you not knowing what to do with yourself. With the water at the shore still being too cold for normal swimming, and the district full of people who had nothing nice to say to you, you found yourself sitting at home and doing nothing a lot. You got to spend a lot more time with Cordelia, playing with her and allowing her to indulge in her chaotic joys. There was often something to clean up after she had gone to sleep, but it was worth it to let her have the fun she needed and wanted. There was a permanent paint stain on the floor of the den now, but Father would understand. Maybe no more paint fights in the house though…
You had spoken with Cordelia about working at the palace. She instantly lit up at the idea. She had never really traveled before, and the thought that she could go somewhere where they would allow her to be her normal self had to be relieving and exciting. You made sure that she knew you were still in consideration, but deep down you knew it was a highly likely situation. You just didn’t know how to bring it up. It was weird to have to ask Loki for a job. Granted, you were friends, but those waters were new. Easy to ripple and send waves through. You knew he wouldn’t have offered if he hadn’t meant it, but you still felt the anxiety weighing on you heavily. Perhaps you’d wait and see if he brought it back up.
You had sent Cordelia to wash up a bit before setting her down on her knees before you and braiding her hair back from her face. You knew the Princes wouldn’t require you both to be looking your sharpest, but you still didn’t want to look like you both had just come from playing in the garden. Cordelia was in one of her nicest outfits and looked darling as ever. Once you finished with her, you got yourself cleaned up. You pinned the top of your hair back as usual, letting the bottom flow freely. It was easy enough to do with limited time. You put on a nice outfit, but made sure to make it look like you hadn’t tried too hard to be too fancy.
You heard a knock at the door and yelled for Cordelia to answer it. You could hear chatter from the den, Cordelia giggling over who knows what and the Princes encouraging it. You quickly finished tying your dress and walked out to the den. You smiled and bent down into a curtsey.
“Please, enough of the formalities, I don’t require such things,” Loki said smiling.
“Well, I suppose it’s good that curtsey wasn’t meant for you then,” you said, smirking. Prince Thor barked a laugh and clapped his brother on the back. Loki had a stunned look on his face, before he wiped it away and returned your smirk.
“You know what, perhaps I will require you to treat me like the royalty I am,” he said, folding his arms. You chuckled and shook your head.
“Please, come sit down. It’s a pleasure to have you both in our home.” You walked them to the small dining table you had, the food laid out and ready to eat. Cordelia had ran to her seat and was eager to begin the feast. This was much more than she, or you for that matter, were used to.
“It is an honor to dine with such a lovely and generous person as yourself,” Thor said, sitting down on your left. Loki slid your chair out and allowed you to sit before pushing your chair back into place and taking the seat across from you. You reckoned you’d never get used to the chivalry, a small blush forming on your cheeks.
“It is an honor to dine with such regal and hospitable company. I don’t usually have visitors, let alone visitors as kind as yourselves. It’s wonderful to have you at our table.”
Thor chuckled, but you stole a glance at Loki, who had a slight sympathetic look on. Deciding to change the subject, you said,
“Please, eat. I’m not sure if you’re used to serving yourselves or not, but please take as much as you would like.” You saw a hand reaching for the roast and quickly added, “Not you, Lia, I will be serving you.”
“What, why?” She whined.
“Because you are but a child and these utensils are sharp. Besides, we don’t need food all over the place again.”
“You said that was fun,” she muttered, folding her arms.
“I’m sorry, again?” Thor asked. You chuckled and began putting together Cordelia’s plate.
“There may have been a food fight yesterday. A great battle to be won.”
“It was me, I won!” Cordelia yelled, raising her hand. You have her a skeptical look while you cut her roast into bite sized pieces.
“Let’s call it a draw,” you laughed.
“I see why my Brother found interest in you, that is very much something he would do, given the chance. Although, he would start it discreetly so as to not be blamed later,” Thor said, a large grin on his face. Loki rolled his eyes and served himself some roast.
“That’s very clever of him. If they can’t figure out who’s behind it, it’s easier to get it to happen again in the future. Part of the appeal would then be the mystery, people desperately trying to figure it out but never coming to the correct conclusion. It would eat at them. That’s a whole new aspect of mischief that gets thrown in, making it much more entertaining,” you said. Loki slowly gave a small smile, causing you to look back down to Cordelia’s plate, a smile of your own dancing on your lips. “I know your Brother a bit more than I know you, my Prince, please enlighten me on yourself.”
You handed the plate to Cordelia as Thor spoke of himself and his interests. He was very much a knight at heart, leading many soldiers to victory alongside his brother. However, with the war getting as bad as it was, they had been pulled from the front and sent back home. Should something happen to both of them, there would be no heir to the throne. You could tell Thor was aching to get back out, though. He told you of his friends in the military, sorrow lining his words. They sounded like a formidable, yet lively bunch.
“So how much have you seen of the kingdom, then? I mean, I suppose you’ve been in every district, but have you spent much time elsewhere as you’ve spent here?” you asked, carving your food.
“Not particularly. This district is the closest to the Capitol, though others are not too much farther. Those ones we’ve spent a bit more time in, but the further from the palace you get, the less we are familiar with the area. Not to mention, closer to the fight.”
Your district was to the south, bordering the sea. As you journeyed north, you got closer to the enemy’s territory and thus, the raging war. You were grateful for that fact, at least. Being furthest from the action gave you and your sister a layer of protection. It did guilt you though that that was something others did not possess.
“Well, is there a district that you happen to care for more than the others?” You asked. Loki developed a smirk while Thor began to flush a bit.
“Yes, Brother, tell her of the district to the west. You have quite a tie to that one, don’t you?” He asked sweetly, mischief lining his words. Thor shot him a glare, the blush on his cheeks deepening.
“Would you possibly have an interest in someone there?” You asked excitedly. You placed your chin in your folded hands, ready to hear whatever it was the brothers were hiding.
“It’s, uh, it’s not like that, really. Just… I met someone out there who… was really..”
“Beautiful?” You finished gently. You gave him a reassuring smile.
“Very,” he sighed.
“Tell me of her! What does she look like? What does she like to do?” You asked. You were a sucker for romance, and the way Thor spoke of this woman, you could tell he was well on his way to falling for her.
Apparently this woman, her name being Jane, was very adept at academics. She was very interested in science and discovery, and had quite a mind.
“She sounds lovely. I wish you all the best with her.”
Thor smiled to himself. “Thank you, dear friend. I pray that everything may work out as well. Anyhow, what about yourself? Any lads out your catch your eye?” He asked, a small smirk on his face. You chuckled a bit.
“I’m not particularly close with anyone in the district in the first place, let alone with someone romantically. Not to say there haven’t been previous people who had caught my eye, but as of recent I can’t say I’m infatuated with anyone.”
“You’re not close with anyone here?” Thor asked. You rubbed the back of your neck, unsure of how to continue this conversation.
“The whole district treats her and her sister like sewage, Brother.” You looked up at Loki, who had a slightly angered look on his face. It was nice to think that he cared enough to be angry about it.
Thor shot his face to you, looking at you in disbelief. “They what? Is this the truth?” He asked incredulously.
“I-I’m afraid so,” you answered, nodding gently. “They treat us fairly roughly…” you quickly shook away the sorrow that had filled the room and your mind. “But that’s alright. I have you,” you said, giving the brothers a smile. “Right, Lia?”
She smiled and nodded excitedly.
“That is… not right. They shouldn’t be treating you so,” Thor said softly.
You stood and began collecting plates, readying everyone for dessert.
“No, they shouldn’t, but that won’t stop them. Perhaps the only thing that would stop them would be the return of my Father, and that possibility seems to dwindle everyday.”
“Her father is leading knights into battle,” Loki explained.
“We’ve managed thus far, we will continue to. I have much to be thankful for, really.” You walked back over with fruit tarts on plates and set one down in front of each of the brothers. “I have a wonderful home next to the sea, I have the best little sister anyone could ask for, and now I have two people who not only tolerate being near me, but actually enjoy my presence, along with my sister’s. I don’t need the world to be fond of me. Almost everything I need is right here at this table. The only thing that would complete my happiness would be having my Father home once more.”
You gave Cordelia her tart before sitting down with your own.
“Have you considered my offer?” Loki asked.
“What offer?” Thor inquired.
“She recently was let go from her work. She worked for a nasty old bat anyhow. I informed her that the palace was always searching for new help.” Thor’s face lit up.
“Yes! What a genius idea, Brother! Come work at the palace! Not only will it provide you what you need financially, but I guarantee you will be working with people who will treat you with the kindness you deserve.”
You looked down at your plate, hesitant. “Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t serious.”
You looked at the brothers, one smiling gently, the other with the widest grin you’ve ever seen on a person.
“Alright, I suppose it would be stupid to reject such an offer.”
Thor cheered and raised a toast. Cordelia raised her glass of water and clinked it against Thor’s glass. You looked to Loki, who subtlety tipped his glass toward you with a small smile on his lips. You mouthed a ‘thank you’ before raising your own glass.
-
Cordelia was sent to bed a little while later, leaving you alone with the Princes. You spoke for a little bit longer, but eventually the time came for the brothers to leave. You walked them to the door and thanked them again for joining you and your sister.
“It was a very lovely night, and exquisite meal. Thank you, dear maiden, I look forward to seeing you more often at the Palace.” He bent down and gave your knuckles a kiss, something you were beginning to expect from the Princes. As he stood, his face grew serious. “Never let the words of those around you think you are less than or unworthy. It is who you are inside that defines your worth, and you and your sister are some of the most incredible people I’ve met in my lifetime. Have a lovely evening, dear friend,” He turned and walked off your porch, leaving you trying to contain your emotions. Ever since you met these brothers, your emotional walls seemed to fall apart more and more, allowing what you struggled so long to hide to come forth anyway.
“My Brother is right, you know.” You turned to see Loki making his way onto your porch. “Now, don’t let him know that I said that, but it’s true. The opinions of those against you don’t matter. You’re a beautiful lady with a wonderful and generous heart. That’s not something they can take away unless you grant them permission. We know your true worth. We’ll be sure that everyone at the palace does.”
“I can’t begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Honestly, I struggle to see why you’ve decided to bless me so.”
“You and your sister provided me with friendship and understanding. You knew the reputation I had, and yet you looked past that and treated me as your equal. As someone worthy of kindness.” He glanced at his hands, picking at the palm of one. “I’ve already revealed to you that I don’t have many people in my life I consider my friend. I do what I do because you gave that to me. A friend. Thank you.”
He bent down slightly but maintained eye contact, bringing your knuckles to his lips. It was different when he did it compared to his brother. Thor’s were firm and flashy. Loki’s were slow and deliberate. Always gentle and implying meaning behind them. This one was particularly slow, his soft lips gently stamped on your knuckles in a way that wanted to say something, but couldn’t. Not only were his gestures different, but they made you feel different. You felt flustered when Loki did it. Special. You could feel your stomach fluttering about. It left you unable to contain the blush that crept onto your face.
He held onto your hand as his other reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scrap of paper.
“Here is the address for the nanny I told you about. You are due to the palace at 8 in the morning. Drop Cordelia off anytime before then. She will watch Cordelia for as long as needed. I look forward to this coming week. Have a lovely evening, darling.” He placed the scrap of paper in your hand and curled your fingers around it before turning to follow where his brother had led.
You closed the door and walked back to the table to clean up. You sat down for a moment, glancing over the paper Loki had given you. His handwriting was beautiful. Of course it would be, you could picture no aspect of him being ugly. He was pure beauty incarnated into a person. You glanced over your knuckles and felt the warmth return to your cheeks.
Fervently shaking your head, you scolded yourself. He needed a friend, not someone fawning over him. Despite his reputation, you had no doubt the amount of suitors he had in his life. You found the thought brought about a pit in your stomach. You willed every thought about the situation away. He was being nothing but kind. Friendly. That’s all it was, and that’s all you wanted.
You smiled and began your clean up. Tomorrow was a new day.
-
“Now, I know that Prince Loki said that this nanny would tolerate the mischief, but let’s keep it at a low, okay? Okay? Lia?”
She didn’t seem to be listening. She was gazing about, every which way. She had never traveled beyond the district before. The look on her face when the palace came into view was enough to make you cry. Now, she was busy looking at everything in the Capitol, waving eagerly at everyone, who only returned the gesture with a smile. It was a welcome change. Finally, people were looking at her positively. You wondered how long that would last, considering Loki’s recounted tale of his similar treatment. Hopefully the people had changed since then.
You arrived at a large home on the corner of a street. It was much bigger than your little cottage. Rose bushes, daffodils, and other flowers lined the walkway to the home. The yard was immense, a large tree covering the right side in shade. The large stone building looked older, but sturdy. It looked like it had a story to tell of times gone by.
You took a deep breath and walked with Cordelia to a faded blue front door. You knocked and waited a moment, hearing footsteps traveling down the hall. You looked down at Cordelia, whose energetic grin had been replaced with hesitancy and a bit of fear. You gave her hand a squeeze as the door opened, revealing a greying woman with a kindly smile.
“Hello! I am Guinevere, it’s so wonderful to meet you both! You must be Cordelia,” she said, looking at the young girl in your grasp. She gave a small nod and backed behind you a bit. The woman tsked and said, “You don’t have to be afraid. The Prince has informed me about your energy and creativity. I must say, it’ll be nice to bring some life back into this house.”
“Are you sure?” You asked. The woman simply waved your concerns away. “I spent many years dealing with a professional, and his brother. The Queen entrusted me with their care because I too have a flare for mischief.” She shot you a wink as you grinned. You placed a hand on Cordelia’s back and urged her forward.
“Go on. I’ll be back tonight to fetch you. Have fun.”
As you walked away from the front door, you heard Guinevere call out, “Have a wonderful first day at the palace!”
You turned back to her and waved a thank you before proceeding on your own to the palace. It was fairly close by, and a pleasant walk. Upon reaching the palace, you had to stop and take a breath. Seeing the golden walls and wonderfully spread out gardens up close was a bit overwhelming. The palace sat on acres of land, with large gardens, training areas for the knights and warriors, living quarters for other servants and help, and much more. You could see guards at the front entrance, ready for any visitors, good or bad.
You walked up to them hesitantly. They were covered from head to toe in armor, and were highly intimidating. They carried spears in their hands and stoic looks on their faces.
“State your business,” the one to your left stated.
“I-I’m here to begin work… I was under orders by Prince Loki to be here at 8 in the morning,” you muttered, your bones rattling under your skin. These were dangerous men. If they didn’t believe or trust you, they could do some real damage to you. You knew they wouldn’t go that far. But they could. And that thought was frightening enough.
They looked at each other skeptically.
“Prince Loki does not seek out palace help personally.”
“P-perhaps if you speak with h-him…” you trembled. Suddenly the doors opened and the guards stood at attention.
“Ah, you’re here, welcome,” Loki said, arms open. “I hope they didn’t give you too much grief. They’re only doing their jobs, after all. Come.” He waved you in and walked back down the corridor. You slowly followed behind, keeping an eye on the guards who remained at attention presumably until the palace doors shut.
You walked down a long corridor, lined with red carpet with gold trim. In fact, most everything within the palace was gold. The frames for all the paintings that lined the walls, the trim of the walls themselves, the entirety of the outer walls, the accents on Loki’s garments, which were far more regal than you had been used to seeing him in. Perhaps this would be the usual from now on.
“I thought that perhaps putting you in a position where you would be able to bond more with others would be to your liking, so you’ll be working as a servant along with many other members of the help. You’ll help with meal times, washing clothes, cleaning up messes, tending to the royal house members and any guests we may house, the like. It may sound daunting, but the servant staff is quite extensive and you’ll not have to focus on doing very much alone. You’ll have help and you’ll often focus on a few things a day. The servants tend to divide the work amongst themselves. All we expect is that things get done, we don’t worry too much about who does what. Although, if you do seem to have a knack for something, we may request you tend to that job in the future. You do get some down time to yourself, as any worker should receive, and you will receive your pay at the end of the week. You will have a couple days off each week and you will be fed while you’re here. If there is anything at all you need, don’t hesitate to ask your fellow staff members or me, although I cannot always guarantee my availability.”
He took you down some other corridors, leading you back outside and into a large garden. On the opposite side of the garden you could see another building. Upon entering, you saw many people bustling around. Immediately they all stopped and bowed. Loki gave a curt nod and said, “As you were,” before the bustling began once again. He led you through the large building and toward a common area.
“This is the servants living quarters. They operate everything job-wise in here as well, such as scheduling and pay. You are welcome to spend your spare time here, in the gardens, in the palace library, the palace common areas, what have you.”
He came to a door and knocked, a voice calling for you to enter from behind. As you entered, you saw a man at a desk. His hair was dark and seemed a bit disheveled. Well, honestly, he in whole looked disheveled. He had a kind, though exhausted face. He stood and bent down into a bow.
“My Prince.”
“As you were. I have a new recruit for you.” Loki introduced you and the man offered his hand for you to shake. He had a strong grip, but had undertones of hesitancy and gentleness. Like he was holding back.
“It’s nice to meet you. We could always use more help around here.”
“She’ll be working as a servant.”
“Ah. Wonderful. I’ll introduce her to some others and get her shadowing someone. Once next week hits, you’ll be assigned tasks, but for now I’ll have you helping and observing someone else, so as to get you acquainted with the work.”
“I’m eager to see what that entails,” you said politely. It had to be better than working in that horrid shop for Miss Ideline. You wondered what she would think now, what with you working in the palace.
“This is where I leave you,” Loki said turning to you. “I have a bit of a busy day ahead of me, or I would give you a tour of the palace and get you knowledgeable on your surroundings. Perhaps that will be an endeavor for tomorrow. I’ll check on you throughout the day and see how you’re doing.”
“Of course. Thank you, again,” you said, giving a small nod and a smile to your Prince. He returned it and walked off, leaving you alone with the man from behind the desk.
“Come, I’ll take you to where the other servants are. This is the servant quarters, but that’s really an overreaching term, including cooks, servants, stable boys, and so forth. Everyone shares a home here, aside from the knights. We don’t interact too much with them, but they mingle with us every now and again. Anyhow, I’ll take you to some folks I know who do what you’ll be doing.”
You quickly followed after the man, him being a bit of a fast walker.
“I-I apologize, I don’t believe I caught your name…” you huffed as you sped walked next to him. He gave you a smile and said,
“Ah, yes, my apologies, my name is Lord Banner, but feel free to call me Bruce. Everyone does, except for in the company of royalty. It’s better to use proper titles when speaking to or around them.”
“You’re a Lord?” you asked, curious as to why a man of such status would be manning the palace help.
“I am. Working here in the palace does me good. Keeps me sane. Of course, I do spend my time invested in other things. I am a man of science and curiosity. However, I work well here, aiding those around me and keeping things in their proper places. It’s better than leading a district.”
You rounded a corner and entered into a large hall, people at tables eating, playing games, talking, the like. Bruce led you down a row to a couple women at a far table chatting. They saw him coming and grinned.
“Well, well, Bruce, what have you got for us today?” One asked. She seemed a tad intimidating. She had an aura to her that seemed to say, ‘mess with me at your own peril’. You could see her muscles pulling at her sleeves. The other had a calmness radiating from her. You could see it in her eyes. They were both stunningly beautiful, but in different ways.
“A new recruit.” He introduced you as you curtsied. Both girls chuckled and waved you off. The other spoke,
“We’re all equal here, no need for that. Welcome to the palace. I’m Wanda, this is Natasha.”
“I’ll need your help. She’ll be shadowing either one of you for the week before starting off on her own. Can you do that for me?”
“Could I even say no?” Natasha chuckled. Bruce laughed quietly as well.
“I suppose not,” Bruce said. “Well then,” he clapped his hands together, “welcome to the team. I hope you enjoy it here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask these two or you can come to me. I’ll always be available to help.”
He walked off with a wave, leaving you to turn to the two girls.
“Come, sit with us,” Wanda said. “Tell us about yourself.”