True Nature

The hour is late and Dagnyr is tired, her feet are sore and aching from a long day serving at the palace. She knows it’s against the rules, that it’s prohibited to be walking through the royal halls at this time without a valid reason, but it’s just so much quicker than the long way round. However, this is not the first time she’s sneakily taken this route, only using it when exhaustion is really taking over. Every time, and even now, her mind wanders, getting lost amongst the beautiful art work and tapestries that adorn the walls. The largest, most extravagant of all, and her favourite, is the tapestry depicting the Great War between the Asgardians and the Dark Elves. The tale is one heard as children, told as a bedtime story by parents who heard it from their parents. Those children would then run about the streets and markets re-enacting what had astonished their young minds. It’s sad that such a tale can only be seen by the rich and powerful crafted so carefully in layers and layers of woven thread.

She's so entranced she fails to hear the door behind her open.

"Young lady!" A voice calls, and she whips around, startled. She's confronted by the Queen and immediately sinks to her knee, her mouth opening to apologise in hopes of avoiding a scolding or much worse a punishment like the rumours suggest. Frigga can help but smile, as the girl’s dark hair falls over her face, so much like Loki’s used to do when he refused to have it cut shorter. "Do not look so panicked child, stand; what is your name?"

"Dagnyr, my lady," she squeaks, barely raising her eyes from the cold, marble floor as she stands to full height.

"What a lovely name. New day, am I right?" Frigga asks, walking over to where the servant is frozen to the spot.

"Yes, my lady," she says a little more boldly, the Queen's voice calming her slightly.

"How about we make a deal, Dagnyr?" The Queen offers, seeing the face of the servant pique in interest, "I will not tell anyone of your slight detour if you can keep my secret."

"Of course, my lady. I would never betray secrets of the Queen!" She stutters quickly.

"Thank you, Dagnyr. I need you to prepare Loki's chambers," Her eyebrows raise in surprise. She was very young when the Prince left Asgard, and has never laid eyes on him in person. But she’s heard the stories, and is surprised after everything that has transpired, he bothered to revisit to the realm that almost destroyed him. "He has returned with a companion and needs a place to rest for the night. His presence is to be kept quiet for their safety."

"I will not tell a soul," she promises.

"Good, now be quick with you. And Dagnyr, with those quiet feet of yours, return here tomorrow and I will have something to help you pass through here undetected for the future."

Dagnyr's face lights up, "Oh, thank you so much, my Queen. I will get to it immediately!"

And with that Dagnyr sets off down the corridor and Frigga returns to her chambers and her boys within.

-

Dagnyr does as she promises and prepares Loki's chambers as quickly as possible. But it's not as easy as she would have liked because people ask so many questions: what are you doing, where are you going, why haven't you gone home yet, Dagnyr? That last one she can't complain at though, because yes, she should be at home, but it's her own fault for getting caught in the royal halls in the first place, so has to suffer the extremely lenient consequences set by the Queen.

What really surprises the lowly servant, scaring her half to death, is the door swinging open violently and a brown-haired man falling through onto the plush, fur rug on the floor. His pupils are blown wide and as an unclaimed Omega, she quietly sinks in on herself, away from the obvious Alpha in front of her. What she expects even less is the God that follows with a predatory look on his face; the scent says Omega, but the rest of him says something else, and she’s never seen or heard of and Omega acting in such a way.

He looks directly at her, his eyes wild, and there’s nothing she can do but pick up the old laundry and leave. She rushes past, trying her best not to bump into him, but failing in her haste. Ducking her head, a blush rises in her cheeks, avoiding all eye contact as a low growl leaves his throat. She doesn’t look back until she hears the door slam shut. Breathing a sigh of relief, she rushes off to quickly get home.

What she doesn't hear is the command of the Alpha that brings the God of Mischief to his knees, begging at the feet of his mortal lover.

Notes

I wasn't expecting to write this chapter, but it happened anyway... It's very short, but the next chapter will be pure smut.