A friendship doomed to fail
Chapter 13: A friendship doomed to fail
“I’m going to ask you some questions, girl, and I want you to answer them to the best of your ability.” The Allfather said while you trembled under your piles of blankets. “I would also advise you to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. Lying to your king is a serious crime and one that is considered futile, given that I know exactly when being lied to.” You nodded after a moment of uncomfortable staring on the king’s part.
“What has brought you here to the palace?”
“I….” You began, but realised that his threat of not telling him the whole truth would be futile, might actually very well be true. “My parents decided it was the best course of action in my future life to sustain myself. My father managed to get his hands on an application form on the position of a palace maid and my mother wanted me to apply, so I did.” The king was staring again. “It was working as a maid at the palace or getting a marriage arranged for me.” You added and he nodded, satisfied with your answer.
“How did your father manage to get his hands on an application form? As I understand it, your parents are simple weavers.”
“Yes, they are. I don’t know how he did it. He never told me, but one day he came home carrying the paper work.”
“And your parents, their birth certificate shows they are both Aesir.” It wasn’t a question, but then why was he telling you this?
“Yes they are. They were both born here, but then moved around after they got married and began weaving together. They moved around all the time. They started in Asgard, moved to Alfheim then Vanaheim and now they’re back here again.”
He sat up straighter in his chair and clasped his hands before him. “Why would the other servants hate you so much?” You took a long time to answer, just so you could take a moment to breathe.
“Lord Fandral is probably the most popular lord in the realm and various maids try to seduce him to secure themselves a future, but little do they know that they are the ones being seduced. They like the idea of him, I guess, and when he turns his gaze upon someone else, then that someone becomes competition that needs to be removed. Apparently I am competition given that lord Fandral demanded me to become his chambermaid even though I am lord Blekk’s official help. I told them that as well, but they refused to listen and decided to believe their own petty lies. I was attacked a few weeks ago by lord Fandral’s actual chambermaid, but before she could seriously harm me, your son stopped her and later on she got punished for it. I believe that when the other servants heard about the lashings, they all agreed it had been my fault and so the hatred grew even more with this as a result.” You finished and pointed at your broken arm. The king nodded and then sighed loudly.
“You’re saying that these servants attacked you purely out of jealousy and nothing more?” He asked, clearly not believing it himself.
“I can’t see why else they would do it. I hardly know any of the other servants working here and I have no wealth for them to steal or debts for them to collect, your majesty.”
“And you didn’t seduce lord Fandral or said anything to him that might compromise his chambermaid?” That was just uncalled for.
“I would never do such a thing, your majesty. Lord Fandral noticed me, I not him and even so I never wanted the position of chambermaid. I am quite content with being lord Blekk’s help as it is.” The king was silent for a moment as he seemed to size you up.
“What do you remember of that night?”
“I was told to help in the bakery and later on serve the tables at the feast. When they told me I was free to shower and dress before the service would begin, I pretty much ran there to be the first under the shower. Apparently some chambermaid was upset that I had grabbed the lavender soap before her and she made a disgusting scene of insulting me in front of the others. I might have returned the favour, but I left before things got ugly. Then during the service, things were fine and everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing. Until…”
“Until what?” How were you supposed to say this? You could hardly complain about the disgusting manner some nobles had treated not only you, but other maids as well. “Speak freely, child.” The king added and you took a deep breath.
“Until some drunk nobleman started to grope me. I couldn’t get away, even though I tried and then another servant came to my rescue by telling the noble I was requested to serve the royal table.” The king looked a little confused at that.
“I didn’t give the order.” He deadpanned. “And the royal table is the duty of Kadlin.”
“Yes and she was not all too happy with me being there. I believe prince Frey had sent the servant with the order, your majesty.”
“Prince Frey might be a prince, but he has no say over the servants of Asgard. What happened next?”
“After prince Thor and his friends left and we had managed to get the last noble out of the dining hall, I started cleaning the tables with a few other servants. I didn’t see or hear the group approach me, but when they made themselves known, all the other servants had gone away. I don’t know if they knew what was going to happen or if they were just told to stay away.”
“And this group of servants, do you remember who they were?”
“Only a few, your majesty. Kadlin was the leader.” You said without emotion as you looked at the wall in front of you.
“I see.” He said with an even tone as if it didn’t bother him that the maid that was assigned to serve the royal table, was in fact a possible murderess. “That will be all for today. Kadlin will be arrested and brought for questioning. If she cooperates and gives us the names of all the other servants that were involved in this act, she will receive a more favourable punishment. Whether or not she decides to speak, there will be a trial. For that I want you to be present to be called up as a witness regardless of the state you are in.” He said and then stood up. “You did well, girl, but now I advise you to rest.” He said and to your surprise he didn’t sound as angry as he did before.
“Thank you, your majesty.” You murmured and bowed your head in respect. He had gone before you had lifted your head again. You took a deep breath and then the door suddenly burst open again and you screamed.
“Calm down, girl!” Prince Frey chuckled as he clasped his hand over your mouth. “It’s only me. What happened?” He asked while you were still trying to catch your breath. “Why was the Allfather here?” He asked again after you weren’t immediately replying.
“H-he came to question me about the night of the feast.” You said with a tiny voice. “Could you please give me some water?” Prince Frey quickly grabbed the pitcher and filled a glass which he gave to you. You downed its contents in one go.
“Did he frighten you?” The prince asked after a moment of silence where you simply stared at your empty glass.
“What? No, my prince.”
“Then why are you trembling?” He asked with a furrowed brow as he sat himself down in the seat the king had just used.
“I was just shocked to see him.” You said, but prince Frey seemed even more confused than before. “Up close.” You added quietly and when you heard the prince’s laugh, your cheeks instantly flushed bright red.
“My, you are a strange little thing, aren’t you.” He chuckled, but then turned silent as he kept staring at you. “Svinnr?” He asked and to your utter surprise his voice sounded soft and maybe even pained.
“Yes, my prince?” You asked with a raised brow.
“I’m really sorry for what happened to you.” Now his eyes stopped meeting yours as if he was ashamed.
“My prince, it wasn’t your fault.”
“Frey.” He suddenly said.
“What?” You murmured out before you even realised you had said anything.
“I wish for you to call me by my name.”
“I… I can’t. It’s not proper.” He grabbed your hand gently and gave a reassuring squeeze.
“It is when I give you permission.” He said with a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. In fact his eyes were filled with pain, remorse and maybe even guilt. “We are friends, are we not?” Were you friends? True enough, prince Frey had been friendly with you and you had even felt at ease the first time you spoke with him, but did that mean anything? It’s not like a friendship between a noble, let alone a prince, and a mere maid was perceived as normal. You couldn’t just tell him about your day and complain to him about your work or the people you met, because that wasn’t your place to do so. There would always be a rift between you.
“I wish we could be.” You said with a small voice as you kept your eyes lowered, not really wanting to see the hurt in his eyes.
“Svinnr, look at me.” He said quietly as he came closer and gently lifted your chin up with two fingers. “I care for you.” He breathed. “Never doubt that I don’t.” He then let go off your chin and looked away. After a long time of painful silence where he hardly moved at all, he turned his head back to gaze at you. “I’m leaving soon. Back to Alfheim to prepare for Ostara.” He said with a emotionless voice, but then his eyes softened again. “Do you celebrate Ostara, Svinnr?”
“Of course, my prince. I was born on that day.” You sounded happy for one second, before Prince Frey took a sharp intake of breath. You couldn’t take this anymore. Etiquette and social hierarchy be damned! Something was troubling him and you wanted to know what, because he always had this hurt look in his eyes and it was simply unnerving.
“My prince, I’m sorry for asking, but is something wrong?” He looked a little surprised as his eyes darted around the room awkwardly.
“Why do you ask?” You huffed.
“You have this hurt look in your eyes whenever we speak and your behaviour towards me is simply strange. You have known me for all but a month, you don’t know anything about me, yet you wish me to call you by your name and see you as a friend? I wish we could, but I’m nothing and you are a prince. I don’t know anything about you either and it hurts me to constantly ask myself whether you are genuinely friendly towards me or if you are working up to something. I don’t know why you have taken such interest in me, but it scares me to death sometimes. Other times I couldn’t be happier that you would deem me worthy to be considered as your friend, but I cannot watch that hurt in your eyes and not wonder whether you are hiding something, if you are hurting or if you feel guilty about something.”
You told him and took a deep breath before continuing. “I want to trust you, I do, but if we can’t tell each other how we are feeling or what we’re going through then this ‘friendship’ is doomed to fail.” You pretty much breathed out and then suddenly realised just to whom you were ranting. “Forgive me, my prince.” You said while trying hard not to look at him. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.” Prince Frey remained silent and as far as you could have told, his body remained still as well. Suddenly you became aware of how quiet it truly was and your discomfort grew with every passing second of it. You knew you should have kept your mouth shut, but prince Frey’s behaviour was concerning, maybe even more so than prince Loki’s. At least prince Loki didn’t have this weird look of hurt, concern or whatever it was in his eyes like prince Frey did. You were just about to say something to at least create some sort of noise to break the unbearable silence, when the door to your bedroom opened and the queen, followed by Fulla and another girl, entered.
“Prince Frey.” The queen said happily and maybe even a bit surprised. “I’m happy to see you here. Though I must confess that I believed you to be busy packing for your return to Alfheim.”
“You are right of course, my queen, but I managed to find a spare moment to visit my friend.” That shocked both you, the queen, Fulla and the girl who had kept her eyes lowered at the ground until this point.
“Well, I am happy to see Svinnr to have such valuable friends around her.” The queen beamed, but then she turned serious. “Not everyone would share the same sentiment as me, though. It’s best not to show your friendship in public, lest it be turned into scandalous rumours and gossip. It’s exactly this kind of display that will provoke the other servants so.” Well, there it was. The queen had just said exactly the same as to what you had told prince Frey a few seconds prior to her arrival.
“They are just jealous that they will never have what Svinnr has.” Prince Frey said and everyone went quiet again.
“And what’s that, if you don’t mind my asking?” The queen asked after a few moments of intense staring between her and Prince Frey. The latter seemed to be struggling as if he had never meant to say anything in the first place.
“A kind heart.” He eventually managed to get out. He then cleared his throat and stood up, bidding you all a good day and promising to visit you later in the evening. When he left, it was Fulla who cleared the silence.
“Well that was… something.” She said and then came forward to sit on your bed, next to your injured leg.
“Tell me about it.” You thought, but you kept your lips pursed tightly as to not say it out loud.
“Anyway.” Fulla continued. “We have brought you a present or as I like to call it a get-well-soon-after-being-beaten-up-by-some-crazy-personnel-who-are-also-your-coworkers-we-have-hired-gift.” She deadpanned and you couldn’t help but snicker at that while the queen gave her a reprimanding yet amused look.
“No matter what you like to call it, Fulla, Snotra is still a human being and is here to help.” She said while gesturing for the young girl, Snotra apparently, to come forward.
“I.. I don’t understand, my queen.” You said rather confused and you could hear Fulla snort.
“Snotra here, has come to the palace only recently to become a maid. She’s from the same village as you actually and I believe she might do well as help.” Now you were truly confused. A maid serving another maid? That was something you had never heard of happing before and you were pretty sure that Sontra hadn’t either by the look of her anxious posture. The queen seemed to understand your silence and confused look.
“I understand that this is confusing to you, but your injuries are pretty grave. Your concussion might be better right now, but bones need time to heal, dear. Snotra will help you move about when you’re able to and keep the place tidy for lord Blekk. She is after all lord Blekk’s chambermaid and not yours.” She said with a mischievous smirk which only resulted in a big smile of your own.
“But apart from the duties she shares with the other chambermaids, poor Snotra will be saddled up with your mouthy attitude.” Fulla added and this time you truly laughed.