Liars and Loyalty Part 1

Studying. Ugh.

Andromeda Thordottir threw down her writing utensil and slumped in her seat. Crossing her arms in vexation, she looked out through her window at the fine Asgardian day outside, then back to the half-finished scroll about the War of Jotunheim. Her grandfather, Odin All-Father, had been king during that war and had proceeded to win it. She had always enjoyed the story, but now, she wished that it had been a shorter one. 

She gazed out through the window again. The sun was beginning to set and the sky had turned from blue to a gold and pink aurora, soon the stars would be out. The outside world was beckoning and she felt that she must answer. Resolutely, she picked up her pen once more and allowed words to blossom on the page. Through much gritting of teeth and frustration, she managed to finish the paper in ten minutes.

“Ah ha!” She cried triumphantly as she flung her pen down after she had written the last word. “And after tears and toil, Andromeda Thordottir emerges victorious!”

Ironically, Kidu Yorason, an elf and Andromeda’s personal tutor, entered the room a moment later and dropped a dauntingly tall pile of scrolls onto the table before the princess. Several of the scrolls tumbled from the pile and scattered over the tabletop. Her mouth dropped open in shock and horror.

“What is all this?” She demanded.

“The rest of your assignments, princess.” Kidu bowed as he restacked the scrolls. “Your father, the king, requested that I assign you an entertaining assignment of my own choosing.”

“All that?! But… But… I thought that I had already finished my assignments for today!” She exclaimed. “And, pray tell, how is this amusing in the slightest? The element of enjoyment seems to have been completely obscured by the sheer mass of it all!”

Her tutor grinned widely as if he couldn’t think of any greater pleasure in the world than studying. “I have assigned you a project, in which you will invent a subject's proposition, then proceed to take it through the process of becoming a law. You will then present it to your father for finalization.” He smiled again. “I am certain that you will find it enjoyable, princess. Now, I will leave you to begin your assignment, your highness.” He bowed himself away and left Andromeda to stare at the mountain of scrolls before her.

After several moments of hopeless staring, the young princess slumped forward and buried her head in her arms on the table. Her dark, nearly black hair spilled around her onto the tabletop, and her thin shoulders shook slightly. 

This wasn’t fair! It was such a beautiful evening and it was slipping away from her. With every passing second, the prospect of her being able to go and have some enjoyment was ebbing away.

Suddenly, her head bolted straight up and as she looked out the window once more, a mischievous smile began to spread across her lips. Who had said that she must do this tedious assignment now?

With a leap from her chair, she went to her closet, pulled out a dark green cloak, and flung it around her shoulders. She was already in her boots and she walked to the door to exit her room. She stopped, however, the moment her hand touched the gleaming brass handle and she turned her gaze to the window. A crafty grin appeared on her mouth again. A moment later she was climbing down the ivy covered wall beside her balcony and jumping down into the garden below.

As she walked through Asgard, Andromeda kept her hood pulled up, she didn’t particularly want everyone addressing her and bowing to her out of respect. This was an evening solely for her, the twilight, and mischief. 

Knowing that she would be in trouble for leaving her studies if she were to be caught, she decided to head back just an hour or so after sundown. Perhaps no one would have noticed her absence yet.

As she entered through the gates and then walked through the heart of the palace, she paused in a corridor, biting her lip. The familiar temptation rose within her and she struggled to tell herself that what she wanted to do was not a good idea. She looked down the hallway and gazed upon the large doorway that led to the Prisoner’s room.

She couldn’t do it without defying her father, that was certain, but she had wanted to enter that forbidden place for so long and she was already in a rebellious mood. But it could be dangerous! A voice cautioned her in her mind.

Good, all the more exciting for me, then! She quipped automatically. She slapped her forehead with her palm. What was she thinking? I can’t go in there! It is forbidden! It’s guarded anyways…

Her mind was thinking logically, but soon her legs were defying all reason as she walked straight for the room. Tiptoeing towards the forbidden chamber, she took a deep breath and did something that she rarely—if ever—did: magic. Reaching out for one of the few spells she knew, she looked to a tapestry near the end of the hall and whispered her spell. 

*Crash* *thud*

The heavy tapestry fell from its moorings and landed loudly on the floor. As she heard the sound of jogging feet, Andromeda quickly darted into a nearby alcove and watched as the two guards rushed around the corner and down the hall to see what had happened. The moment they sped past her, Andromeda slipped from her hiding place and turned the corner, heading towards the colossal doors.

She paused at the sight of the lock only for a moment, then she winced as she unlocked it with yet another spell, then she locked it after her as she slipped inside.

Knowing that it was far too late to turn back now, she took a deep breath and paused before turning around. When she did, it was to see a spacious, comfortable room and to face the figure that she had wanted to meet for so long: Loki.

Yes, it was far too late to turn back now.