The Lost Asgardian (Loki)

First Feelings

"Dark Horse" by Our Last night (cover)

The sharp hit across Sigyn's face felt world shattering. The warm palm thickly slapped across her skin and rattled the girl to the point she was certain her teeth shook upon impact. Hot tears sprung to Sigyn's eyes as she tried to come to terms with the very fact that she was summoned before brutally slapped across the face. She tried yet failed not to have her bottom lip tremble; twas unavoidable. Sigyn could not help herself.

"YOU STUPID LITTLE GIRL!" screeched Esne, her voice carrying around the quaint common room. "STUPID! NAÏVE! IMBECILE!" she howled with rage, stomping around the room angrily. Not being able to comprehend what it was that was happening, Sigyn remained utterly silent while willing herself not to cry. She did not know what she had done to encounter Madam Esne's wrath, but she knew well enough to remain silent in order to keep out of trouble. This was rather pointless. The large woman throttled her again across the face. It caused the tears behind Sigyn's eyes to start to spill. "HOW DARE YOU!" Esne boomed, causing Sigyn to realize the eyes of the other chambermaids were now upon her as well. Not only they, but Queen Frigga and Lady Sif were also present, all watching Sigyn with distaste. Everyone watched the teenager with the same harsh look in their eyes as Esne did, although, they also seemed incredibly grateful that the head of housekeeping seemed to solely have her wrath dedicated to Sigyn alone. "You disrespected Lady Sif on her very first night in the house of King Odin!" Esne exploded angrily, a vein protruding from her unflattering pudgy face.

Queen Frigga's nose tilted up in superiority while Lady Sif scowled towards Sigyn's general direction. The way everyone was reacting it felt they were looking and sounding as though Sigyn fixed all the maiden's dresses to start aflame every time she attempted to put them on.

"I do not understand what I am being accused of," Sigyn admitted, her full bottom lip trembling profusely. Her hit cheek hurt so badly; she was certain a welt would blossom.

"YOU SENT WORD TO THE CASTLE OF ACASIA REQUESTING WORD ON THE MAIDENS INTERESTS!" Esne screeched.

Sigyn's delicate brows knitted together out of confusion. Queen Frigga now did not glance at her. Sigyn said nothing out of respect alone, but that did not halt her surprise. Why was she being reprimanded for simply requesting information on the maiden...? Her innermost thoughts were soon answered as Esne watched her with cold hazel eyes. "Lady Sif wishes to leave the house of Odin for the lack of privacy brought forth by YOU!"

Sigyn was taken aback when she heard about the lack of privacy. She had never even considered the possibility of it while trying to understand the maiden's preferences. Her only motive was to become a chambermaid to make her parents proud. However, the cold look she received made her realize that she was wrong. Surprisingly, Lady Sif seemed to enjoy Sigyn's predicament.

The young woman had a rather satisfied smile upon her pink lips, looking pleased that a random girl was being heavily scolded and abused on her behalf. Sigyn did not even need the last slap to strike her, she was already aware she would never gain the position of Queen Frigga's staff courtesy of her blunder. Still, given Esne was wearing coil bracelets upon her wrists when she struck Sigyn for the final time, the nasty welt beginning was another way for this moment to sting.
***

As the next day arrived Sigyn felt all eyes were upon her. If her error was not the reason she was being discussed, it was because of the heavy black eye sitting across her usual porcelain complexion. Sigyn spent the entire day cleaning the manure of the royal horses in the stables. She felt conflicted about what was worse: the anger of Esne, or the fact that her parents were not angry with her for her mistake. Though her parents were disappointed with her, they did not abuse her physically or emotionally like the elder chambermaids did. This caused Sigyn to cry softly as she worked. She could not believe that her own parents did not hate her, and this made her feel guilty. As their only daughter, she felt she should have done better and secured the best possible job for a young maiden. She couldn't rely on marriage to save her from poverty, as the only available men in the nearby village were much older drunkards. All the eligible young men were away training to become knights for King Odin's guard!