Bibbidi Bobbidi Asgard: A Cinderella AU (Loki x F!Reader)

Chapter 3: A Night To Remember

Today was supposed to have been a good day. A great day, even. You were supposed to finish your shift in the kitchens, join the other girls to get ready and then join the Asgardian elite for the best night of your life. Gorgeous outfits. Food to die for (you should know, considering you'd all helped to make it). The chance to enjoy Loki's company somewhere other than in the depths of the palace, for once. It should have been perfect.

But instead, you felt like you'd fallen into Hel itself.

Despite having worked practically nonstop for the last 12 hours, your demon of a head chef had chosen you as one of the "lucky ones" that got to stay on for a longer shift to cover for everyone that was off preparing for the ball.

"But I've got an invitation! I need time to get ready too," you tried to tell her, somehow managing not to quake in fear under that steely glare of hers. Your courage did nothing to persuade her though and you were soon shooed back to your station at the far end of the kitchen, left to finish all the tasks no one else wanted to do.

When you finally managed to convince her to let you leave the kitchen - less than half an hour before the ball began - you practically ran to the servants quarters. You could feel the excitement of the entire kingdom already; it was like it had been caught on the wind and was blowing directly at you. It would be a lie to say that you weren't completely buzzing with anticipation too.

However, that excitement quickly faded away to horror when you saw someone had stolen your bag. Normally you would have been angry, maybe even a little disappointed, but that would be it. After all, there was very little you owned that was actually worth taking. But today... Today, your bag had held your dress. The most beautiful dress that you'd ever seen, made by your sister no less. And now it was gone.

Gathering what little strength you had left, you made your way out the back of the palace and blindly let your feet guide you wherever they wanted to go. You didn't care where you ended up. You just had to get away from the cheer and festivities. As always, your feet took you exactly where you wanted to go and moments later you were doubled over, weeping silently to yourself on a disused staircase into the gardens.

"Excuse me?" The gentle voice pulled you from your sorrows as an beautiful woman asked, "Do you know how to get back to the main hall? I seem to have gotten a little lost."

Despite all your sorrows, you couldn't help but smile. She certainly wasn't wrong; she was about as far from the centre of the palace as you could possibly get. That was, after all, why you'd subconsciously chosen this specific spot to come and cry. Wiping your eyes, you said, "I can take you back there, my lady."

"Thank you, I am always getting lost. There was one time I... Are you alright, dear?" You nodded, not wanting to burden her, but she was quite insistent. Sitting down beside you without a care as to how it would ruin her stunning dress, she said, "You don't look like someone about to have the best night of their life."

You wiped the tears from your eyes, knowing it did little use to improve your appearance - sweaty and covered in grime from working in the kitchen, red puffy eyes and your hair practically beyond saving. After explaining the sad series of events that had led to you crying in the gardens, you sighed, "There's no hope."

"Oh, there's always hope, dear."

"Understand if I find that hard to believe, my lady."

"Sweet child, have a little faith. Come with me. I shall get you to the ball if it's the last thing I do."

Not giving you the opportunity to protest, she grabbed you by the hand and pulled you into the palace. Somehow having found a sense of direction in the ten minutes spent sitting outside with you, the woman guided you through the grand hallways towards her enormous guest suite.